To live long in good health − this is, without exception, the universal desire of man everywhere. Good health, however, is not of the body alone. Just as necessary for man’s total well-being is health of the spirit and of the mind. If worries and irritations accumulate, the health of the body is impaired. Conversely, if physical health deteriorates, mental health is affected.

　My personal definition of good health, therefore, is as follows: It is a state in which, physically, “one has a good appetite, is able to sleep soundly, and work with a pleasant feeling” and, spiritually, “one has a flexible mind free of fixed ideas”. Medically, good health is a state in which “one feels naturally comfortable and is free from a feeling of tiredness”.

  In order to enjoy good health at all times, one must dissolve the fatigue and stresses of each day on that very day. This can be done by learning and incorporating into one’s daily routine a method of recuperation which is, at the same time, a method of keeping good health. The method which has been most effective with me is Tai-Chi Chuan (TAIJI QUAN). I have been practicing Tai-Chi Chuan since childhood because I was born into a family which had been for generations giving instructions in this form of exercise in China. Because of Tai-Chi Chuan, even when I came to live in Japan where the climate and environment are so different from those of my birth land, I have never been sick. And that has been for more than 30 years.

  Tai-Chi Chuan is a method of keeping good health by promoting a balance between the body and the spirit. It was developed in China many centuries ago and is being widely practiced even in this modern age. In ancient times, Tai-Chi Chuan was a martial art. But because it is essentially an exercise for developing balance, it is widely used today as a health and beauty exercise. Its popularity has spread beyond China into Japan and Southeast Asia. In recent years, it has become popular also in Europe and America.

  Tai-Chi Chuan is not an exercise to develop muscles. Its main purpose is to maintain a balanced health of the body and spirit. It is an exercise which can be practiced by anyone irrespective of sex and age. The movements of Tai-Chi Chuan are gentle, quiet and flow in a circular pattern. Thus, it is easy for anyone to become initiated in it. But, it is a school which has no graduation. This is because Tai-Chi Chuan aims for the ultimate. And the ultimate is limitless. In this respect, it has something in common with “Zen”. In fact, one can describe it as “Zen in motion”. The reward for those who practice it daily is a deep inward beauty and serenity that comes from a healthy physical and spiritual balance.

January, 1976

Yang Ming-shi