For any martial

art to stay great there must be some element of
change built into its structure so that it is able to change as the general
standard of fighting changes and improves. All of the great classical
martial arts were founded in an era when all martial arts were still evolving
and people simply used different methods of attack and defense,
methods that were still very basic. The foundation of all the classical
martial arts were based upon the practice of certain forms or katas
which themselves were based upon the methods of attack and defense of
the time. T’ai chi is one of these great classical martial arts and as such
is also based upon these rules. Any founders of a martial art who had
some insight into the changing nature of martial arts would build into
their art some element where-by the practitioner was still able to use the
art in year to come and not be bogged down by classical maneuvers no
longer relevant to the time.