The mission of the Chinese Taoist Martial Arts Association (CTMAA) is to promote the martial arts practiced by the Chinese Taoists for health and self-defense. The major objective of training and cultivation for a Taoist is to achieve longevity and even immortality. The meditative practice known as Inner Alchemy (neidan) was designed as a means to create the “Gold Elixir” in the body and achieve individual spiritual perfection. Since most of the methods require the practitioners to sit for a long time, there is a need for some exercises (such as dynamic qigong) which require the practitioners to move and are complementary to the still methods. The Taoist martial arts were created by adding the component of self-defense to these methods. They are the natural extension of the dynamic qigong.
But, why do the Taoists need martial art skills if their ultimate objective is enlightenment and immortality? This is because they have recognized the existence of evil force in the world and it is necessary to learn the skills to protect the good and regulate the evil force. Not only do they have to practice but they also strive to achieve the highest level. Their philosophy is that one may not have to use it in a hundred years but one cannot lose the skill even a day. The disciplines also require the cultivation of one’s moral integrity and spiritual purity; without these, all the training and other efforts would be in vain. Therefore, the Taoist martial arts are only used passively in combat situations and their strategy is always based on the principles such as “wait until the opponent initiates the attack”, “attack later but arrive earlier”, and “emphasize neutralization than resistance.” In sum, the Taoists view martial art as “indispensable but least important” in their training curriculum.