太极

　　中国的太极文化，源远流长，博大精深，是中华文明五千年的智慧结晶。在中国传统文化中，太极既代表宇宙的本源，也暗含了天地万物产生、演变的过程，是中国古代哲学思想的重要观念和根源。
　　纵观中国数千年历史，太极文化影响着儒家、道家等中华文化的主要流派，几乎存在于养生、武术、兵法、体育等每一个领域。
　　所以，了解太极，才能从根本上了解中华文化，领略古代中国人伟大的智慧。
　　近年来非常流行的太极养生、太极武术都是太极文化现象，均体现了中国人崇尚“天人合一”、“物我合一”的世界观。尤其是受到很多人喜爱的太极拳，如行云流水一般的动作，刚柔并济，能够调养生息，平衡阴阳，使人达到一个平和的状态。
　　现在，就请走进太极亦阴亦阳、亦刚亦柔、亦动亦静、亦虚亦实的世界中，去感受它的无穷魅力吧！
　　Tai Chi plays an immensely important role in Chinese culture, and is the crystallization of wisdom in the past 5,000 years of the Chinese civilization. An integral part and also a significant source of ancient Chinese philosophy, it not only stands for the origin of the universe, but also implies the process of birth and evolvement of everything in the universe.
　　Throughout thousands of years’ history of China, Tai Chi has profoundly influenced Confucianism, Taoism and other major schools of culture, and is omnipresent in fields such as regimen, martial art, art of war and sports.
　　Therefore, only by understanding Tai Chi, can one understand radically the Chinese culture and appreciate the great wisdom of ancient Chinese people.
　　Both Tai Chi regimen and Tai Chi Boxing, which have been of great popularity in recent years, are phenomena of the Tai Chi culture. They embody traditional Chinese views on the world and harmony, i.e., “unity of man and nature” and “identity of object and self”. Tai Chi Boxing, favored by many people, offers relaxation and balances yin-yang through its natural and smooth, soft and hard movements, allowing one to reach a state of peace.
　　Now, let’s get into the Tai Chi realm of yin-yang, softness and hardness, movement and stillness, emptiness and solidness, and feel the endless charm of it.

　　中国的太极文化源远流长、博大精深，它是中国古代哲学思想的根源和重要观念。纵观中国数千年历史，太极文化影响着包括儒家、道家等中华文化的主要流派，几乎存在于养生、武术、兵法、体育等每一个领域。本书介绍了太极的内涵、太极养生、太极拳、太极剑等知识，并附有太极拳套路详解，供读者学习演练。
　　 Being broad and profound, the long established Chinese Tai Chi culture is the source and an important idea of ancient Chinese philosophy. During the thousand-year-old history of China, Tai Chi culture have influenced Confucianism, Daoism and other main cultural schools of the Chinese nation, almost present in every sphere ranging from health-preserving, martial arts, military science, to physical training. This book introduces Tai Chi’s meaning, Tai Chi’s way of health-preserving, Tai Chi quan, Tai Chi sword, and provides a detailed illustration on Tai Chi Quan’s training forms in the appendix for the readers to learn and practice.  

　　胡秀娟，华北电力大学体育教学博士，华北电力大学民族传统体育副教授。
　　Hu Xiujuan, graduated from North China Electric Power University with doctor’s degree on physical education and now is associate professor of NCEPU on traditional sports.

　　尹博，现任教于中国青年政治学院，副教授。首都体育学院硕士毕业，华东师范大学教育学博士，现为团中央系统首位体育专业博士。中国体育科学学会会员，团中央青少年体质健康促进中心客座研究员。
　　Yin Bo is now associate professor of China Youth University for Political Sciences. Graduating from Physical Culture Institute with master’s degree and East China Normal University with doctor’s degree on education science, he is now the first academician with doctor’s degree on physical education in the Youth League Central system, also an academician of China Sports Science Society, guest researcher of Youth League Central Constitutional Health Promotion Center.