The Tan T'ien , located approximately two inches below the navel and in the center of the pelvic area, is a body location which expresses the multi-faceted principle which T'ai Chi referred to as "center". The Tan T'ien is understood to be the true body center in a sense of balance, integration,
and strength. (In the Japanese martial arts this same body center is referred to as "Hara".) T'ai Chi emphasizes the ability to place the focus of the mind in the Tan T'ien in order to improve movement skills by eliminating the poor movement habit of excessive upper body emphasis (head, shoulders, and arms) which is considered "top heavy".

While the ability to actually drop the attention into the Tan T'ien yields some significant physical benefits, the most important and challenging aspect of this principle is to create a shift of attention away from a thinking orientation to a feeling one. The study of T'ai Chi is one of broadening our
understanding of our true capabilities and perception of life in general. While thought process is a wonderful aspect of mental function, in T'ai Chi it is understood to be just one of a broad range of possible skills which all fall under the general heading of Mind.

Being centered in the Tan T'ien implies the intention to give one's sole attention to the experience of this moment without the distractions of thoughts concerning either past or future events. When Grandmaster Cheng, Man-ching was asked how he would recognize a senior student of T'ai Chi ,
his answer was "One round of form, no distracting thoughts". The result of this strong, unbroken attention is the state of a calm yet exceptionally alert mind which is referred to as Wu Chi , the experience of the true master of T'ai Chi .

The following video provides you with the correct English pronunciation of the word "Tan T'ien (Lower)", to help you become a better English speaker.