u/MycologistOk210

I just came across some groundbreaking news regarding the academic recognition of our art. On April 28th, 2026, China announced that Taijiquan has been officially included as one of the 38 newly added undergraduate majors for the 2026 academic year.

As the author of “Mastering Taijiquan in the Modern Age,”I find this particularly exciting. It represents a massive step forward in the modernization of Taijiquan. It is now being treated as a formal academic discipline, sitting right alongside new AI-related majors. It really signals a shift in how the field is viewed—not just as exercise or fighting, but as a "vital field for understanding the human experience itself."

It seems the "Modern Age" is arriving faster than we thought! What does everyone think about this shift toward academic formalization?

Thank you all for reading the news I posted and for sharing your thoughts. Frankly, I do not know any more details than what was in the news report.

However, for me, this is good news. An art that was codified and taught in an era when less than 5% of the population could read—and when most firmly believed in knowledge passed down from ancient ancestors, such as the earth being flat and square—should be reviewed, explained, and explored from today's perspective, based on the knowledge base we have now. Taijiquan can be a learnable discipline, just like any other modern discipline. These are just my vision and my exploration based on my 50+ years Taijiquan journey.

I do not know what is in the minds of those responsible for making Taijiquan a major in modern college. But I am thinking of writing them a letter to learn more, if possible. I may give them some suggestions which they might not listen to, or may totally disagree with, but this is the way a new field is defined and stabilized.

If I get any feedback, I will be more than happy to share it with you. Thank you.

For those who missed the original news, you can find it here: Huge news for traditional arts: Taijiquan officially becomes an undergraduate major in China (2026) : r/kungfu

Thank you all for reading the news I posted and for sharing your thoughts. Frankly, I do not know any more details than what was in the news report.

However, for me, this is good news. An art that was codified and taught in an era when less than 5% of the population could read—and when most firmly believed in knowledge passed down from ancient ancestors, such as the earth being flat and square—should be reviewed, explained, and explored from today's perspective, based on the knowledge base we have now. Taijiquan can be a learnable discipline, just like any other modern discipline. These are just my vision and my exploration based on my 50+ years Taijiquan journey.

I do not know what is in the minds of those responsible for making Taijiquan a major in modern college. But I am thinking of writing them a letter to learn more, if possible. I may give them some suggestions which they might not listen to, or may totally disagree with, but this is the way a new field is defined and stabilized.

If I get any feedback, I will be more than happy to share it with you. Thank you.

For those who missed the original news, you can find it here: Huge news for traditional arts: Taijiquan officially becomes an undergraduate major in China (2026) : r/taijiquan

Hi everyone,

I just came across some groundbreaking news regarding the academic recognition of our art. On April 28th, 2026, China announced that Taijiquan has been officially included as one of the 38 newly added undergraduate majors for the 2026 academic year.

As the author of Mastering Taijiquan in the Modern Age, I find this particularly exciting. It represents a massive step forward in the modernization of Taijiquan. It is now being treated as a formal academic discipline, sitting right alongside new AI-related majors. It really signals a shift in how the field is viewed—not just as exercise or fighting, but as a "vital field for understanding the human experience itself."

It seems the "Modern Age" is arriving faster than we thought! What does everyone think about this shift toward academic formalization?

Hi everyone,

I just came across some groundbreaking news regarding the academic recognition of our art. On April 28th, 2026, China announced that Taijiquan has been officially included as one of the 38 newly added undergraduate majors for the 2026 academic year.

As the author of Mastering Taijiquan in the Modern Age, I find this particularly exciting. It represents a massive step forward in the modernization of Taijiquan. It is now being treated as a formal academic discipline, sitting right alongside new AI-related majors. It really signals a shift in how the field is viewed—not just as exercise or fighting, but as a "vital field for understanding the human experience itself."

It seems the "Modern Age" is arriving faster than we thought! What does everyone think about this shift toward academic formalization?

Source: Taijiquan Framework