Nei chia

Internal, or 'soft' Chinese martial art. (內家 pinyin nei4jia1) Traditionally, the three arts Tai Chi Chuan, Ba Gua Chang (Pa Kua Zhang) and Hsing I (Xing-i).

This classification was first identified in the 1920's by the Chinese philosopher Sun Lu Tang. According to this classification, the principles defining an internal martial art are:

1. Mind is emphasized over brute strength.
2. Develop and control inner qi (ch'i).
3. Movement principles applied from Taoist Yoga.