Also know as Tai Chi Chuan due to its pronunciation, is a style practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits. The term Taiji refers to a philosophy of the forces of yin and yang, related to the moves. There are five major styles, each named after the Chinese family from which it originated:
Chen style of Chen Wangting (1580–1660).
Yang style of Yang Luchan (1799–1872).
Wu Hao style of Wu Yu-hsiang (1812–1880).
Wu style of Wu chuan-yu (1834–1902) and his son Wu Chien-chuan (1870–1942).
Sun style of Sun Lu-tang (1861–1932).