Taijiquan is a highly influential martial art created by an experienced military garrison leader, Chen Wangting (photo above), almost 500 years ago during the late Ming dynasty. Under the widespread influence of Taoism on many disciplines in China at that time, Chen Wangting created a martial system imbued with the concepts and science of Chinese medicine and Taoism, spawning a unique approach to martial art training that sought to balance the forces of the body and mind.