Often shortened to
t'ai chi,
taiji or
tai chi in English usage,
T'ai chi ch'uan or
tàijíquán is an
internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its
health benefits. Though originally conceived as a
martial art, it is also typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: competitive wrestling in the format of
Pushing Hands (Tui Shou), demonstration competitions, and achieving greater
longevity. As a result, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims with differing emphasis. Some
training forms of t'ai chi ch'uan are especially known for being practiced with relatively slow movements.