The Eight Ways: Qigong or Tai Chi?

We recently received a question from a student in an Eight Ways of Tai Chi class asking whether the movements taught in the class are qigong or tai chi.

Qigong and tai chi are both Chinese mind-body practices combining movement, breathing, and meditation to improve health. Both have many different styles and teachers.

Qigong, which means “energy work,” is ancient. In 1971, a silk drawing of Daoist movements for health was found in a tomb dating to 168 BCE. Here’s a reproduction of that drawing, which I find charming.

Qigong uses simple, repeated short movements for cultivating energy and supporting health. Often, images are paired with the movements, which usually can be done in any order and may be designed to particularly affect a specific organ or body system. Qigong is an individual practice suitable for a range of abilities and is relatively easy to learn and practice. The TCF offers free online qigong classes called Five Element Qigong.

Tai chi means “supreme ultimate.” Legends suggest that it began with Zhang Sanfeng, a Daoist monk who lived sometime between 900 and 1300 CE. Written references to modern tai chi date from the 1820s CE. Rooted in Daoist philosophy, tai chi cultivates energy and supports health. It consists of long, flowing sequences of martial arts movements. Tai chi requires substantial time, memory, and practice to learn the form sequences. While the tai chi form is individual, tai chi also includes partner work called sensing hands. The Tai Chi Foundation offers online and live tai chi form classes in many cities in the US and Europe, and at our summer residential trainings.

Our Eight Ways class is qigong in that it involves individual repeated movements with images. Each of the movements is taken from the tai chi form. One unique aspect of this class is that each Way deepens movement principles that are specifically named and practiced, such as moving from your center, having a relaxed uprightness, and walking in balance. A second unique aspect of this class is that each Way is explicitly applied to enhance movements in daily life. Students learn to be at ease as they use their unified bodies to walk, sit, climb stairs, lift and move things, and carry items with stable balance.

The Eight Ways are great for those with impaired movement, for rehabilitation, and also for anyone who wants to deepen awareness of the tai chi principles of movement. See our Eight Ways Teachable program online to learn more, and stay tuned for live classes online or in your area.

By Edna Brandt

© Tai Chi Foundation 2026

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TCF is a not-for-profit educational organization that promotes, funds, and teaches programs that enable people to learn tai chi chuan and embody its principles.