Qigong and Tai Chi: A Cultural and Scientific Overview*

Introduction. Qigong (Chi Gong) and Tai Chi (Taiji, Tai Chi Chuan) are words that are rapidly becoming established in the lexicon of the American household. This can largely be attributed to a recent proliferation of references in the media: in the Health and Lifestyle sections of newspapers and magazines as a frontier in complementary and alternative medicine, in global current events as a central component of the controversial Falun Gong movement in China, in film as a fighting technique seen in Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon , and in television commercials, including a recent spot for an antiarthritic drug that allows the patient to practice Tai Chi. Although their recent ubiquity in the media has allowed Qigong and Tai Chi to become buzz words, their cultural and scientific significance remain unclear to most people. This article is intended to provide a brief background on these subjects.