Things you should know about Taijiquan

China's taijiquan was newly added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list last Thursday.

Taijiquan, also known as tai chi, is a traditional physical practice characterized by relaxed, circular movements that works in harmony with breath regulation and the cultivation of a righteous and neutral mind.

Taijiquan's basic movements center on wubu (five steps) and bafa (eight techniques) with a series of routines, exercises and tuishou (hand-pushing skills, performed with a counterpart).

Influenced by Daoist and Confucian thought and theories of traditional Chinese medicine, the practice has developed into several schools (or styles) named after a clan or a master's personal name. These are passed down through clan-based transmission or the master-apprentice model, and build upon the yin and yang cycle, and the cultural understanding of the unity of heaven and humanity.