# Is tai chi Gung fu



## someguy (Nov 13, 2003)

I made this to help a topic be on topic after I made it drift.  
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11452
So lets discuse this here
Is tai chi gung fu?


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## Randy Strausbaugh (Nov 13, 2003)

Gongfu (gung fu, kung fu) refers to time, effort, and the skill develped therein.  A good cook, a good photographer, a good doctor, all would be said to have gongfu, even though they may not know a horse stance from horse manure.  In the west, gongfu usually is used to refer generically to the Chinese martial arts.  Taijiquan is a Chinese martial art.  Therefore, in the west, Taijiquan is a style of gongfu.  Granted, when speaking of gongfu, we are usually talking about one of the "external" styles.  Nevertheless, Taijiquan qualifies as gongfu.


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## Ginsu (Nov 13, 2003)

The short answer is no, while they may share the same philisophy in some aspects and while many westerners may lump them together they are seperate arts having very different back grounds.

_Ginsu_


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## Makalakumu (Nov 13, 2003)

You can have the kung fu of any activity!  Thats great.  So someone can be a kung fu master of beer drinking!  hahahaha:rofl:


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## arnisador (Nov 13, 2003)

It's certainly not what I think of when I think of "kung fu"!


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## Randy Strausbaugh (Nov 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by upnorthkyosa _
> *So someone can be a kung fu master of beer drinking!  hahahaha:rofl: *



So, Grasshopper, you have discovered my secret.  Quickly as you can, snatch the mug from my hand.  When you can snatch the mug from my hand, the bartender will tell us both it is time for us to leave. :drinkbeer :asian:


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## Makalakumu (Nov 14, 2003)

Hiyaaaaahhhhhhh - the Beer is mine!  I'm from WI so this is common practice!  Go Pack!:rofl:


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## Crouching Tiger (Nov 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Randy Strausbaugh _
> *So, Grasshopper, you have discovered my secret.  Quickly as you can, snatch the mug from my hand.  When you can snatch the mug from my hand, the bartender will tell us both it is time for us to leave. :drinkbeer :asian: *



:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: 

Funny!


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## 7starmantis (Nov 14, 2003)

I dont think there is alot to discuss. It seems everyone agrees that Taiji is  Chinese Martial Art, however I would not classify it as Kung Fu. Kung Fu has become known to mean certain systems, and Taiji is not one of them. While people hold fast to the kung fu meaning good skill (and that is true) it is not accurate in today's society. (There is a difference between true and accurate). Its not neccesarily so that kung fu now referes to external arts because many systems of kung fu are very much internal. Its just one of those things that people choose which way they want to use it and then spend too much time arguing about it, even when they know what the other person is meaning by the usage of the words.

In my opinion,
 7sm


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## someguy (Nov 24, 2003)

THis got ome discussion where it didnt belong.  Crazy man


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## Taiji fan (Dec 2, 2003)

> Is tai chi gung fu?


 Taijiquan is a chinese martial art.....Chinese martial arts are often given the collective term of 'kung fu'.......so what is there to discuss?:asian:


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## someguy (Dec 3, 2003)

Look at the other topic.  Well still kind of making a discusion out of it over there.  But not on this topic.


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## Taiji fan (Dec 3, 2003)

I don't think I'll bother..I am so bored of it now.....  :asian:


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## MACdojang (Mar 24, 2004)

I have tried my Wing Chun sticky hands against a Tai Chi practitioners Push hands and it was a very interesting experience for me. The Tai Chi guy could hold his own quite well. (I am approximately equivalent to a third year student of WC, having been practicing on and off for the past 20 years)

So I would say, yes, it is Gung Fu.


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