Tai Chi is an internal martial art which has been practiced around the world for centuries. Its graceful forms reflect the early Taoist’s recognition of the body as a microcosm of the natural world, which when properly tended, offers its treasures to all without distinction. The origins of Tai Chi practice lie in the monasteries and temples of China, where Buddhist monks and Taoist priests studied the movements of animals and the solar system, and expressed the fruits of their insights in exercises designed to build strength and increase longevity.