The Chinese meditative martial arts of ba gua and tai chi are more similar than they are different. Derived from the same common ancestor art, today the practices are still so similar that an observer might be hard put to tell the difference. That is not to say, however, that the differences aren't there.
Common History
The ancient history of martial arts is clouded by politics, muddied by centuries of oral tradition and generally meant to be taken as a parable rather than as objective truth. The most commonly held story of internal martial arts begins around 2700 B.C., where the "Yellow Emperor" fostered the practice of exercise movement based on how animals move in the wild. Nine centuries later, formal systems of mind-body exercise began to develop at the Shaolin temple in Henan. From that beginning, different styles of fighting and exercise spread throughout China -- including ba gua and tai chi.
Branches on the Tree
Legend, supported in part by historical documentation, says that the first formal system of tai chi was developed during the 13th century -- with individual family styles appearing as early as the 18th century A.D. Ba gua is mentioned in the historical records of the Qing dynasy, and likely developed in the late 18th or early 19th century. It's unclear whether it was a divergent family style of tai chi or if it developed separately, like kung fu.
Similarities
The motions of tai chi and ba gua are very similar and, in fact, different forms of either may incorporate moves that are common to both styles. Both tai chi and ba gua are more concerned with breathing, visualization, energy flow and health than they are with combating another human being. This concept is why they are often referred to as "internal" arts. Both are low-impact exercise forms that are ideal for maintaining or recovering your health.
Differences
Ba gua and tai chi differ most in terms of emphasis. Where tai chi teaches long sequences of moves in a prescribed order, ba gua teaches fewer moves and encourages students to string them together spontaneously. Tai chi motions tend to be done very slowly, whereas ba gua routines move between different speeds. The individual motions of ba gua sometimes have a different emphasis, with ba gua moves often being simpler than the complex, spiraling motions of some tai chi practices.
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