The Taijiquan Movement in Britain

This research has been funded as a pilot project by the Faculty of Social Sciences Research fund at Lancaster University and by the Village Hall Research Fund. At present I have extensive interviews with eight of the leading taijiquan teachers in Britain and the Chair of the Tai Chi Union of Great Britain. In addition I have monitored the three discussion groups on the net, and reviewed the English language journals in the area. The subject is a protean one, allowing a focus on a number of intriguing issues. Early work has focussed on trying to begin to obtain the first empirical assessment of the participation in taiji in Britain, some of the dilemmas of cultural translation, the nature of spiritual practice, contemporary British teaching and learning techniques, as well as the regulation of taijiquan in Britain. For example, to understand the fast evolving methods of regulation I have gained access to the executive and technical meetings of the TCUGB, the only researcher to make this link. This will allow me to understand the details of the process for future work. I have also made videos of the classes of the teachers I have interviewed, for future work on the process of apprenticeship, learning, teaching and certification as it actually exists in Britain today. There are of, course, numerous other factors which have been looked at and would also provide a focus for future work. Future funding well be sought during 2001.