Mulan Quan: Tai Chi for Women
While there are numerous tai chi styles, only one is designed exclusively for women. Mulan quan (or chuan) is a modern form of tai chi created for women by a female tai
chi master, Sifu Mei Fing Ying. Literally translated, mulan quan means “wooden orchid fist”; the style, however, is named after Hua Mulan, a brave young woman who took her aging father’s place in battle. (Disney’s animated Mulan movies popularized her legendary story.)
The mulan style of tai chi includes a basic short form, a long form, a sword style and a fan style. The practice is designed to bring out a woman’s grace, power and confidence. Owing to the limited number of teachers around the world, this style is not practiced widely.
To learn more about mulan quan, go to www.
worldtaichiday.org.
Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA
Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA, is an internationally acknowledged integrative health and mindfulness specialist, best-selling author of 16 fitness and wellness books translated into multiple languages and sold worldwide, award-winning health journalist, contributing editor to Fitness Journal, media spokesperson, and IDEA's 2008 Fitness Instructor of the Year. She's a 25-year industry veteran and former health and fitness educator at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, who has served on multiple industry committees and co-authored trade books and manuals for ACE, ACSM and YMCA of the USA. She has appeared on TV worldwide and was a featured trainer on America's Next Top Model.
