Okay, I’m not even going to pretend I didn’t enjoy the
fieldwork of this project. I was drawing
near to my month’s worth of classes and it was quite an enlightening
experience. One of the coolest
experiences however had to be when we brought out the fans. In many martial arts disciplines weapons are
used; they are an extension of the body.
Tai Chi is no exception as fans can be used for a more advanced level of
practice. Just when I thought I was
getting the hang of it, they introduced me to the expert level stuff...the real
stuff! I had realized throughout my
classes that my instructor and the Tai Chi vets were incredibly stronger, and
more flexible and nimble than they appeared but they blew my mind on the fan days. The sequencing becomes
much more aggressive and quite acrobatic at times. Sometimes it even felt
cathartic. I was definitely sweating
from the exercise this time! At any given moment, I was expecting them to break out into a full Xaolin
showdown. It was incredibly exhilarating
and empowering. Most of the passers-by
around us paused or fully stopped to watch us.
It was at that moment that I realized that while Tai Chi is purposeful,
and controlled, it was also premeditated and a routine.
It was a spectacle!
Its raison d’être extended beyond longevity and
health, wealth and happiness. It
extended beyond nursing the stomach with one hand raised, or touching your toes
to strengthen your kidneys. It was meant
to be seen. This can be traced right
down to its creation and history – how it was created in opposition of the State. But it wasn’t practiced behind closed doors
like boxing or karate. This form of
martial arts was practiced, out in the open as a show. Thus it was meant to gain traction and
supporters, increase its grasp on the people and have a more profound impact on
the norms of bodily practices in society. Let me explain...
First of all it had not dawned on me until recently
that it's probably called “martial arts” for this very reason. Duh!
Which is also probably why many forms of martial arts are performed in
shows, with some being practiced solely for this reason and are then displayed
and judged in competitions. Ranking
systems have even been developed for certain schools of Tai Chi where the
participants can earn belts in the discipline.
Tai Chi through its increasing popularity in its prime had gained power
and identity by creating its own map of meaning. It was practiced by warriors to keep fit and
hone in on their skills. Who wouldn’t be
attracted to something like that?
However one of the fundamental qualities of the spectacle is that it
eventually becomes consumed with its development – or, how it can keep getting
people to buy in and consume the spectacle itself, so to speak. This can be explained through the widespread
passing down, the commodification of Tai Chi and the evolution of its practices into 5 different
schools. Each distinct school placed
their own unique twist on the actual practice and in doing so, morphed into
very different practices compared to their root culture. And as the culture crossed borders it inevitably created new maps of meaning associated with the practice of Tai Chi.
Due to its slow and methodical nature it eventually became entangled with the notion of longevity and perseverance. It soon befitted a type of movement practiced
predominantly by older adults. It also
had an effect on other martial arts forms like Wushu; they evolved into more
actively aggressive and acrobatic forms, creating a polarity and making the
distinguishing features between the two martial arts forms palpable. All of this despite the fact that they
essentially stemmed from the same roots. In keeping the spectacle, it is now practiced
from 7-11 am, by older individuals. “Watch
our performance.” “Listen to our music.” But it is also now communicating through the
means of a model; it’s setting an example of what is to be expected of older
individuals. That when people reach a
certain age; this is their next progression. Maybe this is also what is expected of females, to adopt this into their way of life due to its seemingly lower intensity (but that is a whole other issue for a another blog). It has essentially won cultural space and regained its power in deciding
who is to participate in its practices, values and ideologies. Whatever, doesn't mean I'm going to stop practising it.
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