Both Taijiquan and Baduanjin are important components of traditional Chinese martial arts, and while they both belong to Neijiaquan, they are distinctly different in many ways.
First of all, Tai Chi and Baduanjin have different origins. Taijiquan originated from Taoist thought in our country, and was originally a kind of Taoist auxiliary practice, rich in philosophy, and is the walking "Tao Te Ching". Technique is a kind of use of Taijiquan, which is only a "technique of the end" compared to the Great Dao. The Baduanjin originated from the ancient guidance technique, which was used in ancient times to strengthen the body and diseases, and was later absorbed by martial arts and became a kind of internal boxing.
Secondly, the movement characteristics of Tai Chi and Baduanjin are also different. The movements of Tai Chi focus on calmness, slowness, coherence and fluency, emphasizing the philosophical ideas of "overcoming rigidity with softness" and "braking with static", and achieving the effect of exercising the body and mind through the use of body coordination and strength. The movements of Baduanjin pay more attention to the flexibility of the body and the flexibility of the joints, and stimulate the various acupuncture points and meridians of the body through a series of coherent movements, so as to achieve the effect of conditioning the body and the heart.
In addition, the purpose of Tai Chi and Baduanjin is also different. The purpose of Tai Chi is to cultivate the mind with the body, to bring peace of mind by relaxing the body, and to improve the practitioner's inner cultivation and philosophical literacy. The purpose of Baduanjin is to regulate physical and mental health, enhance the body's immunity, and improve the flexibility of the body and the flexibility of the joints.
Finally, Tai Chi and Baduanjin also have different status in society. As one of the representatives of Chinese martial arts, Taijiquan has not only been widely disseminated and recognized in China, but also has been widely welcomed and praised internationally. Baduanjin, on the other hand, is mainly spread among Chinese people, and although there are some international spreads, it is much less common than Taijiquan.
In short, although Taijiquan and Baduanjin both belong to Neijiaquan, there are obvious differences in terms of origin, movement characteristics, practice purpose and social status. For those who want to understand traditional Chinese martial arts, an in-depth understanding of the difference between Taijiquan and Baduanjin will not only enable a better understanding of the characteristics and value of these two forms of martial arts, but also a better understanding of the diversity and richness of traditional Chinese culture.