有很多人都提出一個疑問：「 你們的團體既以太極命名，照理應該是一個武術組織了，何以又冠以藝文之號呢？」要回應這個問題，不能不申述兩點，一是太極會的緣起，一是本人創會的理想。

先談緣起。
       本人於公元2000年退休回澳後，即投入香港中文大學澳洲校友會擔任義務工作。2001年，中大校友會決定舉辦中國文化週。在一次籌備會議中，有一位幹事提出，中國文化的範疇極多，固不限於文學、藝術、歷史數者。融「道家思想」、「陰陽學說」、「中醫理論」及「武術修為」於一爐的太極拳，其實也是一個很值得提倡的文化項目。於是，坐言起行，我隨即於2002年1月為中大校友開辦第一期《太極拳初階》。課程推出後，頗受歡迎，要求加入者不絶如縷，已不再限於校友會成員了。於是，徒眾們皆認為有成立另一組織的必要。而在2003年5月，太極會在眾人推動下，終於註冊成為一個獨立的法團。不過，由於整個會始終是因應「 弘揚中華文化」這一目的而產生的。所以，在性質上，始終是一個「不牟利的文化學術團體」多於「武術組織」。

次談理想。

       我自少熱愛中國文化，認為優美的古典詩詞，深邃的先秦哲學，清雅的宋元書畫，以至融會諸家之長的「太極拳學」，都是古人留給後世子孫的最優秀文化遺產。我很期望這些文化能夠薪火相隨，傳諸千秋萬世，而且傳承的途徑，亦不應限於中國本土，更應遍及於五洲四洋。

       我很僥倖能有機緣淺 嚐過這些學問，領略過其中的美味，所以，現在也不辭野人獻曝(註)之譏，希望在南洲一隅，能為傳承這些學問略盡微力，故創會之初，即同時冠以「藝文」之名。也即是說，本會除了推廣太極之外，亦跟著會 推廣其他類型的中國文化，如書畫文學等等。所以，本會的會訓也定為：「推廣太極、養志強身、弘揚文化、交流學術。」

        區區之「志」雖如上，但能否付之實踐，則仍需待歲月之考驗！

張繼沛
澳洲太極藝文協會會長
書於二零一二年八月二十五日、時值本會創會十週年

註：《列子》一書記載：宋國有農夫，因家貧無以為衣，故於中午時曝曬於烈日之下，感到遍體舒適溫暖，認為是禦寒的良方，並決定把這方法上獻給國王。

有關本會的創立和發展經過，請看張繼沛的《掙扎與定向》一文。

The Australian Tai Chi & Cultural Association: Its Establishment 

Often enough, we were asked this question: Are you not a martial art organization?  Isn’t it strange that you call yourselves a “cultural association?  For a satisfactory answer, I would have to explain it on two fronts, firstly, how the association came to its being, and secondly, what it is that I have wanted to achieve with the association. 

Its Conception

On my return to Australia, after my retirement, in 2000, I was involved in volunteer work with the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Alumni Association in Sydney.  In 2001, we decided to host a Chinese Cultural Week.  One of the committee members commented that Chinese culture would of course include arts, literature and history, but the art of Tai Chi, which embraces the philosophies and practices of Taoism, Yin-Yang and traditional Chinese medicine, was certainly a worthy cause for inclusion and promotion to people in Australia.  The idea was taken on board, and the first course, Tai Chi First Steps, was introduced in January 2002.  The response was overwhelming, and many of the interested who could not get into the course were not CUHK alumni.  The demand was such that there were calls for a body independent of the CUHK Alumni Association, so that people outside the wall could also be accommodated.     The ATCCA was thus formed and registered as an incorporated body in May 2003.   It is an organization established under the auspices of promoting Chinese culture.  It is therefore more a non-profit making arts and cultural body than merely a martial art organization.  

My Ideal

I am an enthusiast in classical Chinese culture.  The intricate beauty of classical poetry, the fathomless richness of pre-Qin era philosophies, the gracious elegance of painting and calligraphy in the times of Song and Yuan are amongst the great wealth of heritage of Chinese people.  So is Tai Chi Ch’uan, which is the epitome of traditional Chinese culture and philosophy.  I would always hope that they could be passed down through times and generations, and not only in the lands of China, but across oceans and all over the world. 

I am fortunate to have some knowledge in these fields and areas, and have indeed enjoyed great pleasure from it.   With the hope that I could do my modest part, in this corner of the Southern Continent, I therefore ventured to include the word “cultural” in naming the association.  It is the aim and objective of the association to promote, together with and alongside Tai Chi, other genres of arts, including, but not limited to, painting, calligraphy and arts.  And hence our motto: Tai Chi for Our Body; Arts and Culture for Our Mind. 

With this as our direction, we have ploughed on for ten years.  Set out in this 10^th Anniversary Monograph is what we have done in the many aspects of arts and culture in these past years, as a memento to our ideal and our modest achievements. 

For more on the development of the association, I would request you to read another article, Turns and Twists of Life. 

This serves as the preface. 

Kai Pui Cheung

President of Australian Tai Chi & Cultural Association