Drawing a Rotating Tai Chi Symbol Using Python

The Tai Chi symbol, representing the balance of yin and yang, is a deeply symbolic icon in Chinese culture. Drawing and animating this symbol can be an engaging project for those interested in combining programming with artistic expression. In this article, we will explore how to create a rotating Tai Chi symbol using Python, specifically leveraging the matplotlib and numpy libraries.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Environment

First, ensure you have Python installed on your computer. You will also need to install matplotlib and numpy if you haven’t already. You can install these libraries using pip:

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pip install matplotlib numpy

Step 2: Drawing the Tai Chi Symbol

We will use matplotlib to draw shapes and numpy for mathematical operations. The Tai Chi symbol consists of two interlocking comma-shaped halves, typically colored black and white, representing yin and yang.

Here’s how to draw a static Tai Chi symbol:

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import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np

def draw_tai_chi(ax, size=1):
    # Draw left half
    circle = plt.Circle((size * -0.5, 0), size * 0.5, color='black')
    ax.add_artist(circle)
    # Draw right half
    circle = plt.Circle((size * 0.5, 0), size * 0.5, color='white')
    ax.add_artist(circle)
    
    # Draw smaller circles
    circle = plt.Circle((0, size * -0.25), size * 0.25, color='white')
    ax.add_artist(circle)
    circle = plt.Circle((0, size * 0.25), size * 0.25, color='black')
    ax.add_artist(circle)
    
    ax.set_xlim(-size, size)
    ax.set_ylim(-size, size)
    ax.axis('off')

fig, ax = plt.subplots()
draw_tai_chi(ax)
plt.show()

Step 3: Adding Rotation

To animate the Tai Chi symbol, we need to rotate it continuously. We can achieve this by applying a rotation matrix to the coordinates of the Tai Chi symbol at each frame of the animation.

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from matplotlib.animation import FuncAnimation

def update(frame):
    ax.clear()
    draw_tai_chi(ax, size=2)
    # Rotate the Tai Chi symbol
    rotation_matrix = np.array([[np.cos(frame), -np.sin(frame)], [np.sin(frame), np.cos(frame)]])
    for circle in ax.findobj(plt.Circle):
        center = np.dot(rotation_matrix, np.array([circle.center, circle.center]))
        circle.center = (center, center)

ani = FuncAnimation(fig, update, frames=np.linspace(0, 2*np.pi, 360), blit=False, repeat=True)
plt.show()

This code creates a rotating Tai Chi symbol. The update function is called for each frame, rotating the Tai Chi symbol slightly. The rotation is achieved by transforming the center coordinates of each circle in the Tai Chi symbol using a rotation matrix.

Conclusion

Drawing and animating a Tai Chi symbol using Python is a fun way to explore the intersection of programming and art. By leveraging the power of matplotlib and numpy, you can create visually appealing animations that demonstrate fundamental concepts in graphics and animation.

[tags]
Python, Tai Chi, Animation, Matplotlib, Numpy