I am a long time practitioner and knowing a little about taijiquan, most of the past practitioners (pre-Qing) tended to be labourers, escort police and others of the same lumpenprotelariet (non-examination takers) but interestingly today the vast majority of taijiquan people tend to be engaged in sedentary occupations.
Why don't people like garbagemen, lawn workers, stone masons and others engage in taijiquan?
Taijiquan and certain vocations: Why?
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Bob Ashmore
- Posts: 754
- Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2005 6:01 am
- Location: Frankfort, KY, USA
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Louis Swaim
- Posts: 1390
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2001 7:01 am
- Location: Oakland, CA
Greetings,
When I first began to practice taijiquan in 1974, I had been working as a janitor, a factory worker, and a food service employee. I’ve known people with all kinds of backgrounds and from all walks of life who practice taijiquan.
My first taijiquan sifu often spoke of how many of his fellow students in Hong Kong were dock workers and laborers. They were strong individuals with no need to do exercise to get in shape. That wasn’t their motivation for training in taijiquan or other martial arts.
Take care,
Louis
When I first began to practice taijiquan in 1974, I had been working as a janitor, a factory worker, and a food service employee. I’ve known people with all kinds of backgrounds and from all walks of life who practice taijiquan.
My first taijiquan sifu often spoke of how many of his fellow students in Hong Kong were dock workers and laborers. They were strong individuals with no need to do exercise to get in shape. That wasn’t their motivation for training in taijiquan or other martial arts.
Take care,
Louis