In 1956, the Chinese National Athletic Association organized a team of some of the finest T'ai Chi masters of the time, to standardize, shorten, and simplify the traditional 108 movement Yang style T'ai Chi long form.  The goal was to find a way to promote interest in T'ai Chi, while also developing a standardized T'ai Chi form for use as a health-promoting exercise.  The end result was the development of this simplified 24 movement short form, which has become one of the most popularly practiced T'ai Chi forms in both China and the United States.  This form is simple, easy to learn, and a nice introduction to the exciting world of T'ai Chi.