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Shi-fu Maruyama's style of teaching is that of the origional Chinese traditional martial art of Tai-ji with the weight of the long history and culture of China. This style existed before Tai-ji was modified to become a performance game or simply healthy exercises. Everyone who learns Tai-Ji here, realizes the dignity of original Tai-Ji, the true power of this "martial art" and the fighting power which is often hidden.
All branches of Tai-ji, including the origional Chen Style Tai-Ji were modified to become more structured and competitive during the last fifty years. The resulting new styles are analagous to a tiger with extracted fangs. These new "healthy exercises" have been national policy in China for the last half a centuary.
Many direct descents of Tai-ji followers who lived in the Chinese mainland became national instructors of the new style. They were appointed by the national government rather than the traditional leaders of secret family sects. Other Tai-ji specialists became chi-kung specialists or sport lecturers.
And Chinese traditional martial arts which have the history of thousands of years, changed to the good performer of "The forms for performance" reedited according to the national intention.
Martial art spirit is found out through the competition of the push hands game without a martial art-element, and it is visible as if it was believed that aiming at it was the only way which may make the present age continue tradition martial art.
These days almost all schools of Tai-ji portray Tai-ji as an "excellent way to improve and maintain health", a "lifelong sport adaptable according to age or physical strength" and a "useful self-defense method in an emergency". The schools believe that these ideas, which they are spreading to the people of the world, encompass the true meaning of the Chinese "martial art" in this age. However, foreign countries have little knowledge of the original spirit of this Chinese "martial art" and the origional "pure" advanced system of Tai-ji is disappearing.
The modified Tai-ji spread all over the world has lost most of it's origional "marital art" spirit.
Shao Lin Quan, Tang Lang Quan, Xin Yi Quan, Yi Quan, Nan Quan, Ba Ji Quan, etc. become known as actual fighting methods, and the image of Tai-ji was completely established as simply a "healthy exercise", excluding much of it's history as a true martial art.
Moreover, as Tai-ji spread internationally, it's instruction materialised as new business ventures (videos, magazines etc). Some branches of martial arts other than Tai-ji, do not posess the fundamental power of taichi or the powerful techniques to match. However, they use their original technique skillfully and market their methods as "legends", "secrets" etc. Tai-ji is also being developed commercially, however the marketed versions are not so authentic.
Moreover, especially in Japan, some teachers teach Ba Ji Quan, Tang Lang Quan, Pi Gua Quan, etc and Tai-ji at the same time, some teachers teach Chen Style Tai-Ji and Yang Style Tai-Ji at the same time, and some teachers of Chen Style Tai-Ji teache Yang Style pushing hands.
They ignore the system of martial art and battle theory as the foundation, and teach the form as battle usage as it is.
We wonder why so many of these kind of exercise halls and classrooms exist.
We reflect on such a situation of the present-day Tai-ji, and make the following items our purpose and the significance of existence.
We continue research and study, in order to hand down correctly the system and the theory of the taichi as pure "martial art" which continues from ancient times, to the future generations.
We provide the opportunity to study the advanced "Theory and practice of Chen Style Tai-Ji " to those people who search earnestly for an authentic martial art.
We bring up successors who can learn and preserve this invaluable "system and theory".
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The outline of instruction contents