中华文化丹田 河洛汇流处
太极拳，发源于中国焦作市温县陈家沟。
太极拳是极富中国传统民族特色元素的文化形态。
太极拳是中华民族辩证的理论思维与武术、艺术、引导术、中医等的完美结合，她以中国传统儒、道哲学中的太极、阴阳辩证理念为核心思想，集颐养性情、强身健体、技击对抗等多种功能为一体，是高层次的人体文化。作为一种饱含东方包容理念的运动形式，其习练者针对意、气、形、神的锻炼，非常符合人体生理和心理的要求，对人类个体身心健康以及人类群体的和谐共处，有着极为重要的促进作用。太极拳这种以体育运动作为主要外在表现形式和载体的非物质文化形态，充分体现了人类对自然界的客观认知和科学实践。
17世纪中叶，温县陈家沟陈王廷在家传拳法的基础上，吸收众家武术之长，融合易学、中医等思想，创编出一套具有阴阳开合、刚柔相济、内外兼修的新拳法，命名太极拳。
太极拳在陈家沟世代传承，自第14世陈长兴起开始向外传播，后逐渐衍生出杨式、武式、吴式、孙式、和式等多家流派。
太极是中国古代最具特色和代表性的哲学思想之一，太极拳基于太极阴阳之理念，用意念统领全身，通过入静放松、以意导气、以气催形的反复习练，以进入妙手一运一太极，太极一运化乌有的境界，达到修身养性、陶冶情操、强身健体、益寿延年的目的。
太极拳含蓄内敛、连绵不断、以柔克刚、急缓相间、行云流水的拳术风格是习练者的意、气、形、神逐渐趋于圆融一体的至高境界，而其对于武德修养的要求也使得习练者在增强体质的同时提高自身素养，提升人与自然、人与社会的融洽与和谐。
太极拳基本内容包括太极养生理论、太极拳拳术套路、太极拳器械套路、太极推手以及太极拳辅助训练法。其拳术套路有大架一路、二路、小架一路、二路。器械套路有单刀、双刀、单剑、双剑、单锏、双锏、枪、大杆和青龙偃月刀等。
太极拳这枝中华武术奇葩已受到了世界各地人们的普遍推崇。20世纪80年代以来，各级政府及广大民众对太极拳这一古老文化体系的保护意识日益强化，各级政府相继制定保护措施，太极拳发源地先后举办了11届国际性太极拳交流大会。传承人、民间传承组织也加大深入推广的力度。2006年5月，太极拳被中国政府公布为第一批国家级非物质文化遗产。
在太极拳逐渐成为连接不同种族、不同民族、不同语言、不同国家的文化纽带，已经成为中国文化对外交流传播重要载体之际，为进一步传承和弘扬太极拳文化，温县人民政府聘请国内一流设计单位，对陈家沟文化旅游区进行全面规划，按照传承、弘扬、养生、功夫、产业五大功能区设计，建设包括太极拳展示基地、教育培训基地、休闲度假基地、文化产品基地、研究传播基地在内的陈家沟世界太极拳文化中心，开展对太极拳全方位多层次的挖掘、整理、推广，描绘出了陈家沟世界太极拳文化圣地的美好蓝图。河南省文投集团等单位已经入驻，开始建设美丽陈家沟。
Chenjiagou, Wen County, Jiaozuo, City is the birthplace of Tai Chi, the most distinguished Chinese traditional cultural element.
Perfectly combined with Chinese dialectical theoretical thinking, martial arts, art, Daoyin (breathing exercises) and traditional Chinese medicine, Tai Chi absorbs TaiChi, Yin Yang from traditional Confucianism and Taoism. It is thus good for people to nature one’s temperament, physical fitness and improve one’s attacking and defending skills. It is a high-level culture about human body in some sense. Characterized by Oriental magnanimous personality, Tai Chi helps practice one’s will, breath, look and spirit, satisfying people’s physical and psychological needs. Moreover, it is also critical for one’s physical and mental health and harmonious coexistence of the society as a whole. Tai Chi, the Intangible Cultural Form taking sports as the main external manifestation and carrier, fully embodies human’s objective cognition towards nature and scientific practice.
In mid-17th century, Chen Wangting borrowed the essence of various martial arts, combined the ideas of The Book of Changes and Chinese traditional medicine to create a new boxing based on boxing coming from his own family. It was named Tai Chi.
For generations after generations, Tai Chi was practised in Chenjiagou only. However, since from the 14th Tai Chi master Chen Changxing, it became known more by the outside world. Gradually it was developed with more styles, such as Yang Style, Wu Style, He Style, Wu Style, Sun Style.
The concept of Tai Chi is one of the most unique and representative traditional Chinese philosophy. Based on the concept of Tai Chi Yin Yang, Tai Chi could control one’s body with will. Practitioners repeatedly get themselves physically relaxed, regulate their breathing with will, shape their looks through breathing, immersing in a exclusive world. In this way, one’s temperament, mental state physical fitness, longevity could benefit a lot.
Special Tai Chi style of impliciting, overcoming hardness with softness, natural and smooth is the highest level of state that the views of practitioners in idea, breath, shape and spirit are gradually mixed together. The martial arts and moral requirements could also allow practitioners to enhance their physical fitness, improve their cultured mind, promote harmonious existence between people and nature, people and society as well.
Tai chi basically includes Tai Chi theory to maintain health, various Tai Chi styles, Tai Chi weapon routines, Pushing Hands and auxiliary training methods. Tai chi chuan can be subdivided into Old Frame Routine One and Two, Small Frame Routine One and Two. Tai chi weapons includes single knife, double knife, single sword, double sword, single mace, double mace, spear, large pole, the spring and autumn Broadsword.
The treasure of Chinese martial arts Tai Chi has received worldwide popularity. Since 1980s, governments at all levels and general public have gradually enhanced their awareness to treat Tai Chi as an ancient cultural treasure, and governments at all levels have also formulated legislative measures for its better protection. As the birthplace of Tai Chi, Chenjiagou has successively held International Tai Chi Exchange Conference for 11 years. Tai chi successors and folk heritage organizations also increased further promotion efforts. Eventually Tai Chi was found on the list of the first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by Chinese government in May 2006.
Tai Chi gradually served as the cultural tie, connecting different races, nationalities, languages and counties throughout the world. Since it has regarded as an important carrier of Chinese culture, People's Government of Wen County cooperated with a top design company at home to cultivate Chenjiagou as a first-class cultural tourism zone. In accordance with five designed major functions of Tai chi inheritance, Tai chi promotion, health maintainance, Kung Fu and Tai chi-related industry, Chenjiagou World Tai Chi Cultural Center includes Tai Chi Chuan show area, teaching and training area, leisure and vacation area, cultural products area and research area. The aim is to make Chenjiagou as a wonderland for Tai Chi cultural. Several units such as Henan Cultural Investment Group have lived in Wen County to make this dream come true.