Tai chi has been called many things, beginning with its literal translation, Ultimate Fist. It is also known as a Moving Meditation and as the Longevity Exercise.With so many different qualities and aspects, it’s not surprising that tai chi also brings a wide range of benefits--from stress reduction to stronger punches as well as better sleep and fewer colds.The list goes on, but here’s an overview of the benefits of tai chi, organized in terms of:
• Health
• Stress Management
• Self Defense
 Health Benefits. Everyone who practices tai chi wins in terms of health benefits. Given the situation with rising health care costs, maintaining and improving physical health is on the minds of many.Tai chi not only exercises the muscles, it twists and stretches all parts of the body. This feels like a massage for the internal organs. With all of this twisting and massaging, blood, other fluids and energy can better flow throughout the body.Tai chi practitioners experience a sense of aliveness, of vitality. They gain more coordination, balance and a simple confidence in moving. With this inner and physical grace, falls and other stumbling mishaps are less likely.If the body is already injured, from an accident or a chronic disease, tai chi can help to relieve the pain and symptoms and to speed recovery.Tai chi is useful for both preventive medicine as well as restoring health after injury or illness. Read about these health mechanisms as well as some background about thehealth benefits of tai chi. 
Stress Management Benefits. Stress is not only a leading risk factor for many deadly health conditions, including heart attacks and stroke, it can negatively impact one’s relationships and personal happiness as well.Through the regular practice of tai chi, one can better deal with stress—whether caused by external factors such as death of a loved one or by one’s own negative thoughts. Practitioners learn to move energy in a way that doesn’t continue to feed cycles of negative thoughts and feelings. This also helps to clear out the deleterious effects of stress hormones which are released in stressful situations.Tai chi also helps practitioners to be less susceptible to stress. Just as tai chi strengthens one’s immune system, tai chi can strengthen one’s emotional and mental shields. Because tai chi is all about relaxation, stress and tension have a harder time of locking into a relaxed mind and body.Read more about how tai chi is an effective stress management tool. 
Self Defense Benefits. Tai chi was developed to be a highly effective martial art. Those choosing to practice tai chi as a martial art gain solid self defense skills. Good fighting skills require good health, and the health benefits from tai chi are simply part of the package when training for self defense.Tai chi for self defense incorporates internal energy principles of qi use and development. Tai chi is an internal martial art, using both visible external movements as well as invisible internal energy movements against opponents. It relies more on relaxation, rather than muscular strength, against opponents. Practitioners of tai chi as a martial art learn solid self defense skills and relaxation—and not aggression. Read more about the self defense benefits of tai chi here.The range of benefits from tai chi—including health, stress management, and self defense skills--translates to a myriad of reasons to start or to deepen your tai chi practice.

http://www.china-expats.com/TouristGuides_Foshan_KungFu.htm


adding pictures personally taken by Sifu later for your arm chair travelling enjoyment 

Huang Fei Hong 
Huang Fei Hong (Wong Fei Hong in Cantonese) was a real person who as a boy fled The Shaolin Temple in Fujian Province with his Father and other disciples and their families. His Father was actually one of the Junior Masters, and others far more distinguished also accompanied them on their journey. They settled in Nanhai, which is nowadays the name of 1 of 5 Districts of Foshan City District (Metropolitan County). For long periods of history, Foshan City has also been called Nanhai Prefecture - depending upon political winds no doubt. Please know that if you are not local to this area, you should consider Nanhai and Foshan to mean exactly the same thing. 

Huang Fei Hong's Father settled in Luzhou Village, which lies at the foot of Xiqiao Mountain. This is technically in the modern City District of Nan Hai (Namhoi). Xi Qiao Shan refers to the big hill clearly visible from Foshan City centre to the Southwest, and it is quite large with several entrances. 

My understanding is that Huang Fei Hong was actually a young boy when he arrived in Foshan, then known as Nanhai Prefecture; and was not actually born here. We have a dedicated page to Wong Fei Hong which you can find here

Ip Man (Yip Man)
Ip Man (Yip Man) was a real life person and Wing Chun Grand Master who lived in Foshan City. During the hardships and atrocities of the Japanese invasion during WW2, Ip Man became a champion of the ordinary people, and showed a spirit that could not be broken. He was Grand Master Wing Chun style Kung Fu and Bruce Lee's Sifu. 

We have an in depth page solely dedicated to Ip Man, his family history, and the development of Wing Chun Kung Fu. It also features the Film 'Ip Man, with links to a full film download. You can find this page here

Bruce Lee 
Bruce Lee (aka Lai Siu Long) is the first actor and an exceptionally skilled Martial Arts disciple, who popularised Kung Fu in Western cinemas during the 1970's. He was born in California, but does have extremely strong links with Hong Kong and Foshan. His Father was born in a village, which is now a part of Daliang City, the Capital of Shunde District, and another of the 5 Districts of modern Foshan. Bruce Lee did visit his ancestral home there once. This is now a working museum and Martial Arts school. This can be included in tours of course

Bruce Lee's Master was called Master Ip Man, also known as 'Yip Man'. He spent the last 20 years of his life in The Ancestral Temple right in the city centre of modern Foshan, which is also known as 'Zumiao'. Bruce Lee did visit his Master there on many occasions, and there is a museum and halls dedicated to Bruce, Master Man, and other Kung Fu Masters within the temple complex (See above).

To learn more about the real life of Bruce Lee, his films, and Jeet Kune Do or the Way of the Intercepting Fist, please see our dedicated page here 

Jet Li
Jet Li (aka Lai Li-en Gi, Cantonese name) is arguably the best current exponent of this art in modern mass cinema. Jet Li is very highly respected in Foshan, and an adopted son of the city fathers because of his excellent Huang Fei Hong style Kung Fu skills. I am pretty sure some of his films have been made at Foshan TV Town in Nanhai District. He often plays the character of Huang Fei Hong in his Chinese language films.

Again we offer a dedicated page of great detail about Jet Li, which you can find here

Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan (Sing Long) is highly revered for his skills in Gongfu, and apart from his comedy, and projects for less fortunate in HK, he also employs Wushu techniques in some of his films. Jackie has recently opened an academy in HK for teaching 'Gongfu for actors', and is a child from Cantonese Opera and Drama backgrounds = hence his unbelievable flexibility, speed, and spatial awareness