Gymnastics, Taoist

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Gymnastics, Taoist. This refers to the Chinese Tao-yin, meaning literally ‘to guide’ or ‘conduct’: stretching and bending exercises to facilitate permeation of ‘vital breath’ (chʾi) throughout the body. The version best known today is the formalized, adagio-dance-like tʾai-chi-chʾüan practised daily by millions of people in E. Asia, and nowadays elsewhere as well.