Yes. Tai Chi remains one of the most popular forms of Kung Fu or Wushu.
Most of the people I encounter believe they are different as Kung Fu is associated with hardcore training, with Tai Chi being used for health purposes.
The general belief is that Tai Chi can’t be associated with the hard training program.
Allow me to look into each martial art style differently to provide you with a better understanding of why they are both unique yet similar.
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What Is Tai Chi?
While I like to categorize Tai Chi as a martial art, I will admit that I rarely practice it the way martial art is practiced.
True to this, many of my fellow practitioners don’t know it’s a martial art!
I have come across people who use Tai Chi to gain discipline and control over their minds.
When approached as a martial art, I like to consider it an internal art whose benefits are primarily aimed at your general health.
In China, where the style started, you will find it being used in wrestling tournaments as a form of competitive martial arts.
However, its continued use and popularity in fighting competitions is slowly reducing, leaving it to people who want to use it for health purposes.
I can attest that taking up this form of martial arts for exercise practices, meditation, and mindfulness is a great and sensible thing to do.
The fact that it’s no longer practiced in fighting competitions and self-defense classes mean it has become easier for anyone, including you, to take it up.
I often recommend it to people who haven’t engaged in any form of decent exercise for a long time and any person with a disability.
It’s the best form of martial art to practice, regardless of whether you are young or approaching your golden years.
The benefits you gain from it are overwhelming.
What Is Kung Fu?
In its place of birth, Kung Fu is the umbrella term used for everything related to martial arts.
As a result, Tai Chi is technically Kung Fu!
If I were to define Wu Shu, Gongfu, and Kung Fu, I would describe it as a series of martial arts that belong to a set of particular schools.
Some of these schools include Wing Chun and Shaolin.In the long run, I have no option but to cast Tai Chi aside as its practices and techniques are different from those practised in Kung Fu.
What do I mean? Tai Chi is a martial art focusing on the internal aspects of your body.
Kung Fu, on the other hand, focuses on improving your external characteristics.
As a result, it means that it’s possible for me and you to compare and contrast these two martial art styles.
Nonetheless, you have to remember that Tai Chi, when looked at from the literal truth, is merely Kung Fu.
It, therefore, becomes easy to correctly argue that there doesn’t exist any difference between the two items.
Conclusion
So, is Tai Chi Kung Fu? YES, Tai Chi is Kung Fu.
While both have different styles and are practiced differently, Tai Chi remains Kung Fu in the larger sense of things.
As I have explained above, Kung Fu is a term used to define all martial arts, of which Tai Chi is a part of.
Selecting to practice both styles will enable you to boost your inner being and your physical attributes.