The preparatory commission for the Henan Jiaozuo Taiji Martial Arts Research Association indicated that it would apply to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for World Heritage recognition for Taji, also know as Taiqi in the West.
The application falls into the non-material heritage category. At present, preliminary preparation work has been completed.
Taiji, the essence of Chinese traditional martial arts, was developed by Chen Wangting, a resident of Chenjiagou Village, Wen County, Jiaozuo City, Henan Province in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and early Qing Dynasty (1616-1911).
With a history of more than 300 years, Taiji is not only a bodybuilding exercise, but it also places great importance on cultural and intellectual refinement. It stands close to the heart of the I Ching (the Book of Changes) and Tao-Te Ching (the Scripture of Ethics), two pillars of traditional Chinese belief.
From the 1980s Taijiquan had emerged as a world-popular pursuit and was listed as a special tourism item by the China National Tourism Administration. Chenjiagou, situated in Jiaozuo, Henan Province has held the Annual International TaijiQuan Meeting many times since 1992.
Every year the meeting attracts TaijiQuan fans from over 60 countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, South Korea and Sweden. At present, there are nearly 100 million TaijiQuan students throughout the world.
(Chinanews.cn March 24, 2005)
