Development

It was in 1991 that, by chance, Professor Bai Rong discovered a way of playing with a ball that was part-filled with water. This was how the Multiplay version of Taiji Bailong Ball was invented. One year later, Prof. Bai had built the first prototype of the Taiji Bailong Ball equipment and registered a patent on it. As the playing equipment developed, another version of the game evolved: Soloplay. As early as 1996, the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China recognised Taiji Bailong Ball as being of high educational value. Over time, many different names were used for the sport, with the consent of its inventor: Yuleqiu, Taijiqiu, Taijirouliqiu, Rouliqiu and Taijibailongqiu. Nowadays, the name Taiji Rouliqiu has established itself in China, and Taiji Bailong Ball in Europe.

In the interests of popularising the sport as effectively as possible, Prof. Bai entered into collaboration with Prof. Liu Jiaji, who at that time was a lecturer in sports and gymnastics at the Sports University of Beijing. This co-operation led to the development of the Soloplay basic form and the standard forms. These standard forms – predefined rhythmical exercises, with musical accompaniment and with a voice announcing the next sequence – quickly became popular among broad sections of the Chinese population. To this day, these forms define the methodology behind the learning process, and the way the sport is practised by players in China. The Chinese Senior Citizens’ Sports Association, acting on Prof. Bai’s behalf, took on responsibility for organising the dissemination of the sport among its members. By 2004 there were already an estimated 2 million players in China.
In 2004 Bai Rong entered into a partnership with Prof. Sui Qingbo from the Laoshan Centre for Life Care and Traditional Chinese Medicine, with the aim of creating a structure for the dissemination of the sport, initially in Europe and later on a global scale. In 2005 the Taiji Bailong Ball Association e.V. was founded, and since then training courses for trainers have regularly been held, promoting the spread of the sport and at the same time assuring the quality of instruction.
Taiji Bailong Ball is still in its early days. There is still enormous potential for further development!

For more information, see “The Association”.

  • TBB - Switzerland
  • TBB Webblog