The Eight Diagrams | Bāguà 八卦

November 27, 2020November 23, 2020 / Modagi / Leave a comment

What is Bāguà?

Bāguà (Eight Trigrams or Diagrams) describes a set of eight symbols from traditional Chinese culture. They are part of an ancient framework to analyze the natural world based on a set of cosmic principles and express the core philosophical idea of dynamic balance (陰陽 yīn and yánɡ) and acceptance of change.

Tradition has it that the principle of Bāguà originated more than 4,000 years ago with the mythical Sage ruler Fuxi (伏羲). Of course, the historical accuracy of this claim is the subject of considerable debate among scholars. Eventually, these concepts were developed into one of the most important classical texts of Chinese culture, the Book of Changes (易經; Yìjīng, or I-Ching). Sometime around the Zhou Dynasty (1122 – 256 B.C.E.). Today, Bāguà remains a prominent part of Chinese culture, with the symbolic framework being used in fēng shuǐ (風水), divination, martial arts, and traditional Chinese Medicine.

Understanding these models of ancient Chinese philosophy is not necessary for becoming skilled in the practice of martial arts. Today far too much importance is placed on applying these models directly to martial arts practice. This is often done today to create the illusion of depth and mystery in the arts. The practices are already sufficiently deep and do not need these unnecessary layers to obscure the issue. However, learning the basics of these philosophies allows us to more deeply understand the people and cultures that produced the arts we practice.

The following is a good overview of the Eight Diagrams of Daoist Philosophy from The Dao of Taijiquan by Jou Tsung Hwa (page 118-125, published 1981). Selected sections edited by me.

The Eight Trigrams [八卦 Bāguà]

Just as in analytical geometry, in which a graphic method is used to explain equations, three layers of yin/yang symbols are used to represent each category in the taiji system [interplay of yin and yang]. These symbols are called the eight trigrams. They are used to classify all of the phenomena in the universe into eight categories and to analyze natural and social events with a logical method that searches for mutual relationships of their principles, phenomena and quantities. The taiji system can be widely applied and is not limited to the analysis of one particular object or event. Below is an ancient Chinese mnemonic for memorizing the eight trigrams:

Qián 乾 [☰] Three Continuous sanlian 三連

Kūn 坤 [☷] Six Broken liuduan 六斷

Zhèn 震 [☳] Upwards Cup yangbei 仰杯

Gèn 艮 [☶] Overturned Bowl fuwan 覆碗

Lí 離 [☲] Broken Middle zhongduan 中斷

Kǎn 坎 [☵] Full Middle zhongman 中满

Duì 兌 [☱] Deficient Top shangque 上缺

Xùn 巽 [☴] Broken Bottom xiaduan 下斷

These eight trigrams are the maximum number of figures that can be formed from two kinds of lines in groups of three. It was the Emperor Fuxi (伏羲, 2852-2738 BC), the first ruler in Chinese history, who applied the eight trigrams to the taiji diagram in order to demonstrate how yin and yang interact with each other. Fuxi’s circular arrangement of the eight trigrams is called the Fuxi or xiantian eight trigrams (先天八卦) [“before/pre-heaven arrangement”]. Xiantian means “the stage before the universe is created.”

Bagua Diagrams and How to Use Them | LoveToKnow — *Pre-Heaven arrangement*

Along with the xiantian eight trigrams just described, there is another method of arrangement called the houtian eight trigrams (後天八卦) [“after/post heaven arrangement”]. According to legend, it was drawn around 1143 BC by Zhouwenwang (周文王) [King Wen of Zhou], the founder of the Zhou Dynasty at about 1143 BC and is based upon the Yijing [Book of Changes] which says:

“The ruler comes forth in zhen to start his creation. He completes everything in sun. He manifests things to see one another in li and causes them to serve each other in kun. He rejoices in dui and battles in qian. He is comforted and takes rest in kan and finishes his work in the year of gen.”

Starting from the east, the order of the houtian eight trigrams is in a clockwise sequence of zhen, sun, li, kun, dui, qian, kan and gen. This sequence is used to explain the principle of the notion of the universe and was the basis for the development of the Chinese calendar.

Formation of the Eight Trigrams

The Yijing tells of the formation of the eight trigrams or bagua (八卦). According to the Dazhuan (大篆):

“In the system of the Yijing, there is the Grand Terminus or taiji, which generated the two forms of liangyi (兩儀) [“heaven and earth / yin and yang”]. Those two forms generated four symbols or sixiang (四象) [four divisions (of the twenty-eight constellations 二十八宿 of the sky into groups of seven “mansions”), namely: Azure Dragon 青龍, White Tiger 白虎, Vermilion Bird 朱雀, Black Tortoise 玄武]. Those four symbols divided further to generate the eight trigrams or bagua.”

The “Two”

The taiji is the very first dot that emerges from the emptiness of wuji. It contains the moving power of both dynamic and static states and is the source of yin and yang. In the static state, yin and yang are combined to form a whole, but in a state of motion they separate, generating the two forms of liangyi [yin and yang].

Yang is often represented as a line segment or a small white circle. Yin is usually represented by two broken line segments or by a small black circle.

The properties of the two forms can be explained with the use of a straight directional line. Assuming that the point of origin is taiji, yin and yang indicate negative and positive direction. The next figure shows that yang can be represented by the positive direction, and yin by the negative direction.

The “Four”

The four symbols are the result of the combination of the two forms. Two yang symbols placed together, one above the other, are called the great yang (太陽). A yin sign placed above a yang sign is called the lesser yin (少陰). One yin sign placed above another is called the great yin (太陰). A yang sign placed above a yin sign is called the lesser yang (少陽).

The principle of the four symbols can be applied to every object or situation. Based upon its characteristics, principle and quantity, everything can be divided into four mutually related subdivisions…

The “Eight”

Diagrams on the development of the taiji system help to demonstrate how the taiji produced the two forms and the two forms produced the four symbols, which produced the eight trigrams. Three different methods are used to explain this process. One uses a circular form, another uses a rectangular form, and the third uses a tree diagram.

The Yijing…

The text of the Yijing was prepared before 1000 BC, sometime during the last days of the Shang Dynasty (商朝, 1766-1150 BC) and the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty (周朝, 1150-249 BC). It is one of the five classics (五經), edited by Confucius or Kongzi (孔子, 551-475 BC), who is reported to have wished he had fifty more years to study it. The Yijing has still not lost its enormous significance. Representatives from every segment of Chinese society – Confucianists and Daoists, learned literary scholars and street shamans, the official state cult and private individuals – have at one time or another consulted the Yijing.

The Yijing is not a religious book, but rather a book of profound wisdom that describes nature in terms of linear symbols. The method used in the Yijing analyzes every phenomenon into six stages. The symbols of yin and yang indicate the process of change. No matter how complex the event, the Yijing can trace the past, explain the present and predict the future. The Great Treatise or Dazhuan (大篆) describes the wide applicability of the Yijing:

“The use of the Yi is wide and great! If we speak of what is far, no limit can be set to it; if we speak of what is near, it is still and correct; if we speak of what is between heaven and earth, it embraces everything.”

From the above comments, we can see that the domain of the Yijing is as profound and all-encompassing as the universe. Not only does it explain the relationships among people in society, but it also can provide an explanation for the ever-changing phenomena of the natural world. Within the changing processes of the universe, the Yijing searches for the unchanging truth of the entire process of origin, development and outcome.

The Chinese character yi was created by combining symbols for the sun (日) and the moon (月). The sun symbol representing the yang force was placed on top of the moon symbol indicating the yin force. Based on the principles manifested in such natural phenomena, yi has three meanings: the easy, the changing, and the constant.

The book starts with the observation of natural events and daily life. These things are simple and easy to understand, e.g. a decayed willow sprouting flowers. Dazhuan, one of the oldest commentaries on the Yijing, describes the results of following the way of the easy and simple:

“Qian knows through the easy.

Kun does things simply.

What is easy is easy to know.

What is simple is simple to follow.

He who is easy to know makes friends.

He who is simple to follow attains good works.

He who possesses friends can endure forever.

He who performs good works can become great.”

The Yijing also describes the constant and the changing as follows: The wind changes the mirror image of a white cloud reflected in a stream, but the substance (i.e., the white cloud itself) is still unchanged. Although this change appears natural and simple, it is complicated in meaning. In order to understand the concept of change, you must first consider the opposite of change. You might think that the opposite of change is rest or standstill; however, these are but aspects of change. According to Chinese philosophy, the opposite of change is the growth of what ought to decrease, the downfall of what ought to rule. Change, then, is not an external principle that imprints itself upon phenomena; it is an inner tendency by which development naturally takes place. Although the phenomena of the universe are continually changing, underlying their changes is the principle of constancy. For example, if there is lightning, thunder must follow; after the moon is full, it must wane; if a decayed willow produces flowers, they will not last long.

The concepts in the Yijing are based on the taiji, which, as described earlier, develops into the two forms, which led to the four symbols, which precede the eight trigrams. From the eight trigrams, the 64 hexagrams are formed.

Every pair of trigrams has its mutual relationship and purpose; put together the two trigrams become a hexagram and form a logical whole with a unique meaning and developmental process.

Basic Theory & Practice of Taijiquan

November 5, 2020 / Modagi / Leave a comment

Tàijí (太極) is a theory, not a martial art; “quan” (拳 quán) always refers to the application of martial arts. The martial art of Tàijíquán (太極拳) manifests the theory and philosophy of taiji into its martial applications. Today the vast majority of people practice Taijiquan for health and relaxation. However, when you only focus on health and relaxation, you miss the important essence of Taijiquan.

Taijiquan was created for fighting, however, most teachers today do not emphasize how to interpret the forms, nor teach the training components that develop martial skills. Every movement of a prearranged form has a purpose and meaning. With this purpose, the mind can engage fully. When you have a sense of the application and purpose of the movement, in the language of the old days, the “mind may lead the qi.” When the qi is led, one’s power can be manifested.

The traditional legend (which is historically unlikely, however, it is important to understand the traditional stories to understand the people of a culture) states the Chinese divided martial arts into “internal” (內家 nèijiā) and “external” (外家 wàijiā) around in the 6th century CE. This came about because of the Indian Buddhist monk Bodhidharma bringing his teachings to the Shaolin Temple. Although Bodhidharma was not a martial artist, he was a yoga expert (what the Chinese would call dǎoyǐn / 導引 or nèigōng / 內功, and later qìgōng / 氣功), and spent his life searching for spiritual enlightenment.

Bodhidharma’s theory was simple. Use the mind to lead the qi, resulting in action; the mind is internal, while the action is external.

Mind —> Qi —> Action

The Taiji diagram, in this context, is actually a representation of the mind. Taijiquan is, therefore, called a “martial art of the mind.” Since the actions come from the mind, we train the mind first to be powerful. With this powerful mind, the qi is abundant, and then the resulting action will be strong.

The mind is yīn (阴); action is yánɡ (阳). The link between them is the nervous system. This is a crucial aspect of Taijiquan. Qi is the way the ancient Chinese put a word to the communication system between the mind and body actions. When the communication is more effective (meaning the qi is abundant) your actions are more efficient.

The feeling of your body posture and movement is paramount in Taijiquan applications because it is the communication bridge between mind and action. How sensitive you are to this feeling is the crucial key to executing the techniques.

13 Postures and 37 Patterns

Although the Chinese character here is translated as “posture” (式 shì), this does not accurately convey its meaning in a martial arts context. It has more the meaning of a pattern or a feeling, an energy used in a specific circumstance. It is a total concept or principle being represented by a single, limited, movement.

The 13 energies (or formulas) consist of:

8 gates / Jing patterns (八門 bāmén)
- corresponding to the Eight Trigrams
5 strategic steps (五步 wǔbù)

The entire art of Taijiquan is based around these 13 basic movements. From the 13 Patterns, the 37 Postures which make up the Yang sequence are derived. Each movement in the form has numerous possible meanings, functions, and applications; the understanding and preference of the teacher most often determine which application becomes the form. From these 37 Patterns, a truly unknown number of applications may be derived, no one can devise them all. The possibilities are only limited by one’s creativity and how deeply they understand.

Softness (軟勁 ruǎn jìn)

Taijiquan uses what is called soft jing (energy/force). It does not use hard jing, meaning using the tension of the muscles alone. Jing does not just refer to muscular power, in Taijiquan, the jing power acts like a whip. The penetrating power is focused on a tiny point. The force has a “bouncing” quality, meaning the arms/hands whip outward, then bounce back. This soft energy also allows one to conserve energy because once you tense the muscles, you consume more oxygen and your body fatigues.

Three Distances (三距 sān jù)

All Chinese martial arts talk about the three distances. Short-range (短距 duǎn jù), means each person can reach the other with their hands. The middle range (中距 zhōng jù) refers to where the hands cannot reach but the feet can. When the hand and leg are out of range, this is called long-range (長距 cháng jù).

Some styles of martial arts prefer long-range because of the use of kicks and other leg maneuvers. Taijiquan does not because it does not emphasize excessive muscular force. The Taijiquan practitioner prefers a closer range so they can adhere and stick with their opponent or training partner.

About 85% of Taijiquan applications come from a push hands situation. The other 15% deals with intercepting, angling, and stepping.

Three Doors (八門 bāmén)

This terminology is also commonly used in Chinese martial arts. The centerline, or “central door” (中門 zhōng mén) goes straight down the body. The “empty door” (空門 kòng mén) refers to a situation where the opponent is squared forward, you assume a superior angle, then apply pressure in toward them where they are open and weakest (this can be on the front or back of their body). The “sky window” (天窗 tiān chuāng) refers to everything above the horizontal center plane of the body; roughly anything above the solar plexus. Anything below this central horizontal plane is called the “ground window” (地户 dì hù).

The sky and ground window go together. To give an example, opening the sky window would be blocking upward in “Working the Shuttle” to strike. Opening the ground window would be blocking downward to strike in “Snake Flicks Its Tongue.”

Additional Points

Since taijiquan prefers to use the middle and short-range, it is not uncommon to get entangled with your opponent. When you are wrapped up with your opponent, wrestling and grappling techniques are the most effective, therefore, these methods are emphasized. Of course, kicking and punching are not excluded. The soft energy does not look very impressive, but it can be very destructive.

Martial applications

There are so many possible interpretations of each of the 37 movements because everyone is different. The applications a specific school would focus on were often determined by the teacher, who would choose applications that fit their own physical body structure (short, tall, heavy, skinny, young, old, etc.) or their personal preferences. A skilled teacher would be able to better tailor a student’s training to their own body attributes.

The Yang style (楊氏 Yángshì) of taijiquan alone has more than twelve distinct 12 variations, each arising out of a specific teacher’s modifications and interpretations due to their preferences.

When Yang Cheng Fu (1883–1936, third generation of Yang Family Taijiquan) began teaching publicly, he modified the forms. He removed the more vigorous movement and whipping power, the waving motion of the spine, to emphasize relaxation throughout. He also emphasized the “large frame” (大架 dà jià) with expansive movements, rather than the smaller sized movements. His modifications have come to characterize Yang Taijiquan since.

Yang Chengfu in his younger days, in the Single Whip Posture.

Yang Chengfu in his older days, in the Single Whip Posture.

A Review of Taijiquan’s Fundamental Principles

October 29, 2020 / Modagi / Leave a comment

Taijiquan is a simple art that is infinitely deep and subtle. The deeper a person looks into its principles, one discovers more subtle levels of understanding and awareness. In this way, the cultivation never stops. But the question arises, how do we look deeply into taijiquan? The real answer is to continually explore and investigate the core root philosophies of this practice method.

The 13 Energies or Concepts

The heart of all traditional Taijiquan is found in what is called the “Taiji 13 Energies” (Tàijí Shísān Shì 太極十三勢; literally “Taiji 13 Situations/Conditions/Potentials). These are not to be conceived of as concrete individual techniques, but rather concepts or principles of different ways of moving the body, and in the martial arts context, of attack and defense. Sometimes it is easy to think of them as the ABCs, or basic building blocks of Taijiquan concept and practice. With the alphabet we build syllables and words, then we can form sentences and paragraphs, finally arriving at a full text.

Although the term “energies” is a standard one in Taijiquan practice circles (and I use it myself), I find this term is often less than skillful. It can too easily leave one with a mysterious or esoteric feeling and has led to an increasing misunderstanding of classical Taijiquan practice in our time, particularly in the martial practice of this style. In its proper usage, “energy” refers to a force or power, which all martial arts practices generate. It is more appropriate to think of these 13 principles as “Kinetic Concepts.” They are commonly recognized across all Taijiquan schools (though perhaps manifested differently) as fundamental to the physical practice of Taijiquan, and understanding them can help you better grasp the underlying theory behind the other movements found in the forms and drills.

The 13 Kinetic Concepts include:

Taijiquan’s Eight Energies, Bāguà (8 Trigrams, 八卦) or Eight Doors/Gates (bā mén, 八門 )
Taijiquan’s Five Steps (五步, wǔ bù) or Wŭ Xíng (Five Elements, 五行)

The umbrella philosophy of Taijiquan is the principle of tàijí (太極), commonly called “Yin and Yang” (yīn yánɡ, 阴阳). Taijiquan is named after this principle; quán (拳) means “fist” and refers to martial arts, therefore, Taijiquan means “martial art of the Taiji principle.” The actual techniques of Taijiquan are executed using the principles of the 8 Diagrams/Trigrams and the 5 Elements. These concepts are metaphors and represent an attempt by the people of the ancient Chinese culture to describe, as simply as possible, the basic forces and processes of our universe. They are not only important in Taijiquan but are represented in many methods of Chinese martial arts, as well as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese philosophical thought as a whole.

8 Upper Body Concepts

1) Expanding Energy – (péng, 掤) A rounded movement, which most often moves forward or backward, but can really expand in any direction. It is yielding or offsetting and usually done with the arms to disrupt the opponent’s center of gravity. Most often this concept is translated as “Ward Off.” Peng is also described more subtly as an energetic quality that should be present in every taiji movement as a part of the concept of sōng (鬆) – or alert relaxation – providing alertness, the strength to maintain the body’s skeletal structure when pressed, and the absence of unnecessary muscular tension in the body.

Song and Peng work together to generate a specific feeling or quality within the body which is critical to the practice of Taijiquan. Song is the feeling of letting go of the soft tissues, allowing them to relax and sink downward with the pull of gravity. Peng is the feeling of using the deepest layers of muscle and connective tissue to create an expanding feeling, upward and outward, of the skeleton. Therefore, song and peng work together as a manifestation of yin and yang feeling within the body.

2) Deflecting or Redirecting Energy (lǚ, 捋) – A sideways, rounded yielding and neutralizing movement, often translated as “Roll Back.”

3) Pressing Energy (jǐ, 擠) – A pressing or squeezing movement, offset in a direction away from the body. In the form routine this is usually seen utilizing the back of the hand or outside edge of the forearm, but can be manifested in any type of motion; a punch, palm, shoulder bump, elbow strike, or hip check, etc. Ji is often translated as “Press.”

4) Pushing Energy (àn, 按) – To offset with the hand, usually a slight lift up with the fingers then a push down with the palm, which can appear as a strike if done quickly. Often translated as “Push.”

5) Taking or Plucking Energy (cǎi, 採) – To pluck or pick downwards with the hand, especially with the fingertips or palm. The word cai is part of the compound that means to gather, collect, or pluck a tea leaf from a branch (採茶, cǎi chá). Often translated “Pluck” or “Grasp.”

6) Splitting Energy (liè, 挒) – means to separate, to twist or to offset with a spiral motion, to shear or separate. Often done while making another part of the body immobile (such as the hand or leg) to split an opponent’s upper body from the lower body root, thereby destroying posture and balance. Lie is often translated as “Split.”

7) Elbow Strike Energy (zhǒu, 肘) – To strike, push or neutralize with the elbow. Usually translated as “Elbow Strike” or “Elbow Stroke” or just plain “Elbow.”

8) Shoulder Strike Energy (kào, 靠) – To strike, push or neutralize with the shoulder or upper back. The word kao implies leaning or inclining. Usually translated “Shoulder Strike,” “Shoulder Stroke” or “Shoulder.” While most often used to refer to a shoulder movement, a “bump” strike or push can be performed with any part of the body.

Taijiquan’s Five Steps (五步, wǔ bù) or Wŭ Xíng (Five Elements, 五行)

1) Advance Forward (進步, jìn bù) – Forward step.

2) Retreat Backward (退步, tùi bù) – Backward step.

3) Left Step (左顧, zǔo gù) – Left step; literally “Look Left.”

4) Right Step (右盼, yòu pàn) – Right step; literally “Glance Right.”

5) Central Equilibrium – (中定, zhōng dìng) – This is the central position; that of central stability. It can mean remaining in place, but should also be present when stepping, meaning to move with balance, stability, and equilibrium. It is also not just the physical center, but a condition which is expected to be present at all times physically as well as mentally and emotionally in the other four steps as well. It is also fundamentally associated with the concept of rooting. This stability is said to be achieved by a correctly aligned, thoroughly relaxed, body which is produced as a result of correct Taiji training. Zhong ding can also be compared to the Daoist concept of moderation or the Buddhist “Middle Way” as discouraging extremes of behavior, or in the case of Taijiquan practice, extreme movement. An extreme of movement, usually characterized as leaning to one side or the other, destroys a practitioner’s balance and stability, both in the mind and the body.

Just like with the upper energies, the lower energies can represent specific step movements, or in a broader sense, general tactics or strategies in push hands practice or free-form fighting that employ moving forward, back, to the sides or firming the center.

As previously mentioned, these 13 Kinetic Concepts are also connected to two important Chinese cultural elements – Bāguà (8 Diagrams or Directions; 八卦) and Wŭ Xíng (Five Elements; 五行). Thus, Taijiquan has been described as the art of “Embracing the principle of Taiji in your heart, expressing the principle of Bāguà with your hands, stepping with the principle of Wŭ Xíng with your feet.”

Points of Structure & Posture

September 11, 2020September 11, 2020 / Modagi / Leave a comment

The most important aspect and practice in (so-called) “internal” styles are developing and maintaining a body structure that is centered, comfortable, and balanced; cultivating an intuitive sense of the body’s central stability.

“Internal” martial art is not, in truth, a style or a division of martial arts practice. It is how one is focusing on their martial arts practice. Depending upon how deeply one examines their methods and body movement, they can practice “external” or “internal” martial arts practice, regardless of their system, style, or it’s time or place of origin.

I have written more extensively in the past on the modern separation of internal and external: Internal Versus External Chinese Martial Arts Practice

It is of the utmost importance to remember: the body leads the limbs, the limbs never lead the body!

When the body posture is broken, one cannot use the body as a unified whole and cannot express full-body power. For a beginner in Taijiquan, Baguazhang, or Shaolin gongfu training this is first trained through static standing practice. Then, you can go on to moving practice. Don’t allow yourself to get distracted by the movements of the legs or arms. The first concern is to keep central stability. If this is not done, we are not really concerned with what the arms and legs are doing because they will lack true intent and meaning.

Full body connection is a supporting condition for expressing the full potential of attack and defense. If we examine high-level practitioners of martial arts, we see they have often cultivated a sense of, and maintain, central balance in their execution. They may not be able to articulate this principle, or even be consciously aware of it, but they do it. Therefore, the first principle of internal arts is to cultivate this attribute intentionally.

Important key points of posture:

Head rises upward.
Back of the neck extends so the chin is pulled inward.
Shoulders down; as much space between the ear and the point of the shoulder as possible.
Chest relaxed; collarbones dropped, without chest collapsing fully.
Upper back rounded.
Small of the back pushes out gently, the lower back is flat. Push the low back out from the inside of the spine.
Tailbone gently tucked.
Kuà (胯, literally crotch / groin / hip) slightly folded as if just about to sit in a chair.
Tucking or tilting the pelvis slightly changes how your weight is driven down through the leg. The body weight goes through the center of the legs (the bones) not the muscles on the front or back of the leg (i.e. hamstring or quadriceps muscles).
Knees bent slightly.
Feet flat with weight evenly distributed, not in the heels or toes.

Proper structure is how we create stability, balance, and rooting. “Rooting” is not a complex, difficult or esoteric principle. Rooting simply means:

Maintaining structure.
Driving your weight straight down through the structure of the legs (structure = bone).
pushing your body weight straight down into the ground and, since the ground is solid, it pushes back against you.

Pushing into the ground and having a good structure, so as not to obstruct the power produced, is how we generate devastating power. This is what is meant by “full body power.” The ground is infinitely stronger than my muscle power alone. The body is a conduit used to conduct the strength and solidity of the earth itself. The structure and the full body power is the first kinetic concept of internally focused martial art practice.

First, we have to be able to create a proper structure while standing still. But for martial arts, at some point, we have to move. As soon as we move, this is when most people will break body structure. Therefore, we have to learn to keep central stability, starting with simple movements.

Two great exercises for developing this moving structure come from Baguazhang and Taijiquan:

Mud stepping
Crane stepping

In the practice of mud step, remember: lift flat, extend flat, land flat. This means you endeavor to keep the bottom of the foot parallel with the ground throughout the motion.

Don’t lift the leg from the front part of the hip. If we look at the human body anatomically, the musculoskeletal structure, the leg does not start at the hip joint. The Psoas muscle starts in the low back (the anterior, or front, portion of the spine), unites with the iliacus muscle to form the iliopsoas muscle. This muscle crosses the front of the hip and attaches to the top of the femur bone. This means that functionally the leg starts in the upper portion of the lower back!

To step, press down with one leg and lift the other leg with the core of the body, not the hip joint. However, be sure to keep the body centrally stable and do not lean in any direction. Then slowly extend the lifted leg. Don’t lift the leg too high, and especially at first don’t step too fast. The goal should be 30 to 45 seconds for each step to train balance. Also, don’t extend the leg too far or you will pull the body forward too soon; the leg leading the body. Put the foot back on the floor flat. Then shift the body forward and drive the weight down into that leg. Remember, the feeling is of “stepping down”, not stepping forward. Keep the soles of both feet down and flat at all times. Then repeat the process and continue walking forward.

For Crane stepping practice all the same points of mud step apply. Drive the weight down into the support leg. Lift with the deep core muscles. Then, as the lifted leg comes forward, lift the knee and extend the foot out, almost like doing a toe kick butt with no power. Don’t extend the knee fully straight. Don’t let the leg pull the body forward. Then lower the foot flat. Make the movement consistent, no part of the movement should be faster or slower than the rest.

Don’t lift the leg higher than your balance will allow you. This is not about ego. It is deep training of subtle movements of the body. Just as with mud stepping, go slow and smooth.

The concentrated practices of standing structure and stepping are simple practices but can have deep effects on how we hold and move the body. For martial arts, they are the beginning of learning how to move in the most efficient way possible. Since everyone’s body is built differently, we each have a slightly different structure and movement. Each person has to find their natural balance and equilibrium. Remember, “internal” does not mean anything magical. It is simply attention to the subtle principles of body and motion.

A Look at Taijiquan’s Fundamental Principles

August 29, 2020 / Modagi / Leave a comment

Late Yang Taijiquan teacher Zheng Manqing (29 July 1902 – 26 March 1975) in Snake Creeps Down movement.

The 13 Energies or Concepts

The heart of all traditional Taijiquan is found in what are called the “Taiji 13 Energies” (Tàijí Shísān Shì太極十三勢; literally “Taiji 13 Situations/Conditions/Potentials). These are not to be conceived of as concrete individual techniques, but rather concepts or principles of different ways of moving the body, and in the martial arts context, of attack and defense. Sometimes it is easy to think of them as the ABCs, or basic building blocks of Taijiquan. With the alphabet we build syllables and words, then we can form sentences and paragraphs, finally arriving at a full text.

The 13 Kinetic Concepts include:

Taijiquan’s Eight Energies, Bāguà (8 Trigrams; 八卦) or Eight Doors/Gates (bā mén; 八門 )
Taijiquan’s Five Steps (五步; wǔ bù) or Wŭ Xíng (Five Elements; 五行)

The umbrella philosophy of Taijiquan is the principle of taiji, commonly called “Yin and Yang”. Taijiquan is named after this principle; quan literally means “fist” and refers to martial arts, therefore, Taijiquan means “martial art of the Taiji principle.” The actual techniques of Taijiquan are executed using the principles of the 8 Diagrams/Trigrams and the 5 Elements. These concepts are really metaphors and represent an attempt by the people of the ancient Chinese culture to describe, as simply as possible, the basic forces and processes of our universe. They are not only important in Taijiquan but are represented in many methods of Chinese martial arts, as well as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese philosophical thought as a whole.

8 Upper Body Concepts

1) Expanding Energy – (péng; 掤) A rounded movement, which most often moves forward or backward, but can really expand in any direction. It is yielding or offsetting and usually done with the arms to disrupt the opponent’s center of gravity. Most often this concept is translated as “Ward Off.” Peng is also described more subtly as an energetic quality that should be present in every taiji movement as a part of the concept of song (鬆) — or alert relaxation — providing alertness, the strength to maintain the body’s skeletal structure when pressed, and the absence of unnecessary muscular tension in the body.

Song and Peng work together to generate a specific feeling or quality within the body which is critical to the practice of Taijiquan. Song is the feeling of letting go of the soft tissues, allowing them to relax and sink down with the pull of gravity. Peng is the feeling of using the deepest layers of muscle and connective tissue to create an expanding feeling, upward and outward, of the skeleton. Therefore, song and peng work together as a manifestation of yin and yang feeling within the body.

2) Deflecting or Redirecting Energy – (lǚ; 捋) A sideways, rounded yielding and neutralizing movement, often translated as “Roll Back.”

3) Pressing Energy – (jǐ; 擠) – A pressing or squeezing movement, offset in a direction away from the body. In the form routine this is usually seen utilizing the back of the hand or outside edge of the forearm, but can really be manifested in any type of motion; a punch, palm, shoulder bump, elbow strike, or hip check. Ji is often translated as “Press.”

4) Pushing Energy – (àn; 按) – To offset with the hand, usually a slight lift up with the fingers then a push down with the palm, which can appear as a strike if done quickly. Often translated as “Push.”

5) Taking or Plucking Energy – (cǎi; 採) To pluck or pick downwards with the hand, especially with the fingertips or palm. The word cai is part of the compound that means to gather, collect, or pluck a tea leaf from a branch (採茶, cǎi chá). Often translated “Pluck” or “Grasp.”

6) Splitting Energy – (liè; 挒) means to separate, to twist or to offset with a spiral motion, to shear or separate. Often done while making another part of the body immobile (such as the hand or leg) to split an opponent’s upper body from the lower body root, thereby destroying posture and balance. Lie is often translated as “Split.”

7) Elbow Strike Energy – (zhǒu; 肘) To strike, push or neutralize with the elbow. Usually translated as “Elbow Strike” or “Elbow Stroke” or just plain “Elbow.”

8) Shoulder Strike Energy – (kào; 靠) To strike, push or neutralize with the shoulder or upper back. The word kao implies leaning or inclining. Usually translated ”Shoulder Strike,” “Shoulder Stroke” or “Shoulder.” While most often used to refer to a shoulder movement, a “bump” strike or push can really be performed with any part of the body.

Taijiquan’s Five Steps (五步; wǔ bù) or Wŭ Xíng (Five Elements;五行)

1) Advance Forward – (進步; jìn bù) Forward step.

2) Retreat Backward – (退步; tùi bù) Backward step.

3) Left Step – (左顧; zǔo gù) Left step; literally “Look Left.”

4) Right Step – (右盼; yòu pàn) Right step; literally “Glance Right.”

5) Central Equilibrium – (中定; zhōng dìng) – This is the central position; that of central stability. It can mean remaining in place, but should also be present when stepping, meaning to move with balance, stability, and equilibrium. It is also not just the physical center, but a condition which is expected to be present at all times physically as well as mentally and emotionally in the other four steps as well. It is also fundamentally associated with the concept of rooting. This stability is said to be achieved by a correctly aligned, thoroughly relaxed, body which is produced as a result of correct Taiji training. Zhong ding can also be compared to the Daoist concept of moderation or the Buddhist “Middle Way” as discouraging extremes of behavior, or in the case of Taijiquan practice, extreme movement. An extreme of movement, usually characterized as leaning to one side or the other, destroys a practitioner’s balance and stability, both in the mind and the body.

“Qi” is Misrepresented in Chinese Martial Arts

June 25, 2020 / Modagi / 2 Comments

Part of the Song Mountain range around Shaolin Temple.

The ancient Chinese philosophical concept of qi (氣) is widely misunderstood and misrepresented, particularly in the West were it is often mystified and exoticized, both intentionally and unintentionally. Commonly, the concept is represented as some type of unseen universal force or energy, which an individual can harness or manipulate to give them supernatural and superhuman abilities. This is inaccurate, and also a reflection of small-minded thinking. It is not some type of, as of yet, undiscovered energy (in the scientific sense) within the universe. It is also not accurate to simply say that qi does not exist. It does exist, it is just not what many people think it is.

Part of the issue here is that qi is not a simple and straightforward thing. It is a deep principle within Chinese philosophy and culture, which has had a long and varied evolution. Certainly, some people, both in the past and the present, conceive of qi as a type of magical force. However, if we look at the historical context, this is not often how it was understood.

Qi Is a Relationship

If we look at it on the most basic level, this idea was really an ancient people’s way of conceptualizing and labeling processes they clearly observed in their world. Like all people, they would obviously interpret this through the lens of their own cultural perspective. No ancient peoples had the level of scientific knowledge we possess today, yet they were still able to observe the world around them and made an effort to describe that world and the processes at play. The concept of “qi” is a convenient single word to bring together many threads of thought and various phenomena. Perhaps it should be thought of more as a principle or a philosophy, rather than one single physical phenomena.

All of this being said, what is it? Most fundamentally, it is about movement, change, transformation, changing relationships between two or more things. The nature of these relationships and their changes is what qi is. Therefore, qi is about relationships. Understanding relationships can be a deep and subtle study, but it is not about magic.

Qi As Body Mechanics

Specifically, within internal martial arts, qi refers to good body structure and movement; efficient body mechanics. As the body moves more efficiently it can relax more of what is not needed. When this happens the blood flows throughout the body more fully and more easily, bringing nutrients to body tissue and taking away waste material. This blood flow, relaxing and nurturing the body is a healing process, and it is qi.

Ancient people did not know about anatomy and physiology, about the effects of what we call today the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system (the fight and flight or rest and relax responses), nor the full function of the human body’s circulatory system. However, they clearly observed the effects of these systems and simply called it the functions of qi.

Some people prefer to use a more modern perspective, describing qi within the martial arts as being about proper and efficient body mechanics. How can body mechanics relate to the classical concept of qi? The force of gravity is always acting upon the human body. When the body is aligned and moves efficiently in relation to gravity, this encourages circulation and builds up the soft tissue through beneficial stress, making the body stronger. When it is inefficient, gravity is continually exerting forces on the body that break it down over time and make it weaker. When we move with good body alignments, the body structure is in an efficient relationship with gravity, allowing the body to become stronger and more efficient rather than weaker from resisting gravity inefficiently.

Beneficial stress on body tissues is extremely important. This type of stress builds the bones and soft tissue, which is an expression of “building qi” that you will often find in classical training texts. This concept of building up qi within this context means building skillful functional relationships between different parts of the body so the body functions in a more unified manner.

These functional relationships also transfer over to partner training or free fighting when they have been built to a sufficient level of skill. Our body, especially in relationship with another body which is not as efficient, is able to manipulate them more easily and produce more power with less effort expended. This skilled use of body mechanics and functional relationships is using/expressing qi. Again, there is nothing magical present.

Since a major aspect of qi within the martial arts can be understood as efficient structure and movement of the body, anything that builds and develops these body mechanics and functional relationships can be called working with qi/qigong.

Qi As a Universal Principle & Interconnectedness

The philosophy of qi does not have to be confined simply to the realm of pure physicality. It has a much deeper philosophical component. As human beings, we are constantly in relationship with everything around us on a physical, mental and emotional level. Therefore, for the ancient Chinese, qi was seen as being all around them. Qi is abundant in the universe because movement is everywhere. Within the human experience the food we eat and the air we breathe, circulation within our body, thoughts, emotions, dreams and desires, all are expressions of qi. On a grander scale, the wind and the sunlight, gravity, the force of the universe itself expanding, are all expressions of qi. Even in death there is qi since things that decay produce life and nutrition to other living things.

Qi is everywhere, depending on what level of life you want to look at deeply. It is present in beautiful and subtle ways that are ignored when people dismiss the concept out of hand. However, practitioners also denigrate its fullness and richness when it is passed off as an invisible magical force for us to manipulate.

All things in the universe are deeply related and interconnected. Nothing exists on its own in isolation. On a profound universal level, qi is a way of describing this interconnected relationship of all things. Again, we have the definition of qi as the nature of relationships between things. Although he was a noted atheist, Carl Sagan summed up the nature of universal interconnectedness when he said: “If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.”

We lose so much when we look narrowly at life and our experience of it. It can be beneficial at times to practice letting go of our compulsive need for knowledge and definitions, and takin the richness of our own life and the world around us without the need to compulsively label everything. Practice getting out of the confines of your own head, because that is a very small world. Perhaps then we’ll find some new level of peace, happiness and contentment. That is a truly powerful experience of qi in our own lives.

It is human beings who tended toward complexity that have taken the simple observations made of the natural world around them, it’s functions and relationships, and twisted it into a complex fantasy. In chapter 53 of the Daoist classic Daoddjing (道德经) Laozi writes in part: “Nature’s Way is simple and easy, but people prefer what is complex and artificial.” The reality is, there is nothing any more complicated about the ancient concept of qi, on the most fundamental level, than there is about the sunlight shining, water moving through the stream, or the blood pulsing through your veins.

Qi In Healing & Meditation

I am not certain I support the modern Traditional Chinese Medicine view that qi is a force that can be directly manipulated. Rather, I see such treatments as helping to bring the mind, body and spirit into a better state of balance with itself and their environment, which will bring about healing. This relates to an important concept in Daoist spiritual cultivation, Xing and Ming. Daoist concepts of human Xing and Ming mean the innate nature and the path of one’s life. They are two of the most important concepts in Daoist meditative practice. The philosophies and practices promoted within it center around the important Daoist principles of human life and to the human spirit.

Xìng (性) refers to “nature”, “character”, “property”, “quality”; it can be understood and translated as “nature,” in the sense of “human nature,” “inner nature,” or “inborn nature.” It is a person’s innate state of being, as opposed to the acquired state of being we gain from learning how to be in human society. This is our nature, and all forms of meditation and Daoist internal cultivation serve as a vehicle to examine and transform this in one way or another. The xing is our “nature”, made up of the three aspects of our being – spirit, consciousness and mind – and how these aspects come together and are expressed in the world.

Mìng (命) literally means “life” or “fate.” It is the course of one’s life over its entirety; a person’s path from birth to death. It is often translated into English as “fate” or “destiny”, although these words are difficult to separate from the cultural meanings they have accumulated through centuries of Western societal evolution, which are not necessarily reflected in the Chinese term.

The basic philosophy espoused by these types of teachings is that the physical body must be in a good state in order for our life to be balanced. The body is the vehicle through which we experience life and with which we travel along the path of life. Inner cultivation/alchemical practices are aimed at bringing xing and ming together. Although it will never be perfectly balanced (as perfection is unattainable by the human being), the more our life path is in harmony with our nature, the more happy and fulfilled we will be. The ability to work with and transform your xing directly affects the quality of your jing, qi and shen.

Qi As A Military Concept

The classical philosophers and writers Sunzi (Sun-tzu) and Sunbin discuss qi in their classic texts. They discuss stimulating, sharpening, and building up your own force’s qi, concentrating it for a decisive victory. In turn, they advocate blunting, weakening and dispersing the opponent’s qi. Again, we see qi fundamentally being described as the functional relationship between things/forces.

This relationship is not something fixed, but changing and transforming, therefore the qi is always transforming. Shifting relationships are clearly important for combat and military engagement, directly affecting how we engage. These relationships include (but are not limited to) ourselves to the opponent, the terrain, to our own states of mind, and our states of mind in relation to that of the opponent’s. Many battles have pivoted on one side’s morale, will, spirit and intent. Essentially, Sunzi and Sunbin were dealing with the psychology of the battlefield, describing this as qi. This qi or spirit can make or break a fighting force, regardless of how well funded, supplied, armed or trained they may be.

Understanding how to manipulate an opposing force skillfully, igniting the loss of qi or morale is essential for any decent strategist. Conversely, it is critical to be certain of one’s own movements and decisions, not falling into the manipulations of others. By this concept, qi is about cultivating a clear view and insight into the circumstances at hand.

Closing

Some modern practitioners may choose to discard terms such as “qi” as being archaic and outdated concepts. That is certainly their choice. However, if you want to understand the arts ancient Chinese people created, you need to understand what qi is and what it is not. Simply because many practitioners today live in a type of fantasy-oriented understanding of their practice, and therefore misunderstand and/or misrepresent qi does not mean it does not exist.

I will conclude with a general warning about our own self-assured hubris. It can be easy in our modern age with our newfound access to so much information to believe either we as individuals, or the human race in general, have it all figured out. But of course, life is full of vast wonders, many of which I believe are simply beyond the human being’s capacity to understand. Perhaps we can develop the most if we sometimes practice simply surrendering into the deep mystery of existence. I think this is where we develop our own qi on the most profound levels.

“As areas of knowledge grow, so too do the perimeters of ignorance.”

– Neil deGrasse Tyson

Taijitu: Philosophy of the Taiji (yin/yang) Symbol [Part 2 of 2]

March 3, 2020 / Modagi / Leave a comment

The Taiji Symbol & Taijiquan

What is Taiji (太极, or T’ai Chi)?

Tàijí is an ancient Chinese philosophy about the natural world and is one of the central elements of traditional Chinese culture. The word Taiji itself refers to the “great primal beginning” of all that exists and is often translated as the “Supreme Ultimate” principle. It is the state of absolute and infinite potential, the oneness before the duality. This concept is comparable to the initial state of the universe right at the moment of the big bang, or the initial singularity. From this state, Yin and Yang were generated.

The Taiji philosophy holds that all natural phenomena have two aspects – Yin and Yang. They are the opposite yet complimentary forces that form the two primary aspects of the universe. Yin and Yang are interdependent and they cannot exist independently of one another. If there is no light, one cannot talk about darkness. Without stillness, there cannot be the concept of motion.

Furthermore, Yin and Yang are never absolute, as reflected in the Yin / Yang symbol. Within the dark, there is the seed of light, and within the white, one finds the essence of black. Both arise from and exist within the oneness and infinite potential of Taiji, constantly alternating and evolving.

Practically speaking, Taiji philosophy emphasizes the importance of maintaining balance between Yin and Yang – a perspective which applies to all aspects of our daily lives. For example, if we spend 100 hours of our week in our work, we will probably achieve success professionally (the Yang), but what will be the potential impact to our health, relationships and other responsibilities (the Yin)?

The teachings of Taiji philosophy asks us to make our choices with full awareness and fully appreciate the results. In viewing life’s decisions and challenges from two different angles, one can become more grounded, optimistic and tolerant of processes and outcomes.

In common usage, people often refer to the martial art of Taijiquan (or T’ai Chi Ch’uan) as Taiji (or T’ai Chi). While technically inaccurate, this simplification of the term does provide an accessible introduction to the philosophy and terminology. The following section describes the martial art Taijiquan (or T’ai Chi Ch’uan).

What is Taijiquan (太极拳, or Tai Chi Chuan)?

Taijiquan is a Chinese internal martial art based on the philosophy of Taiji. It is also spelled T’ai Chi Ch’uan, with the name often being simplified to Taiji (tai chi). Taijiquan includes elements of various martial arts, qigong (“internal energy cultivation”), Chinese philosophy and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and is said to capture the essence of traditional Chinese culture.

Modern-day Taijiquan has many manifestations and serves a wide variety of needs. Some practice Taijiquan as a slow, graceful exercise for health maintenance and longevity. Others study it as a traditional martial art, equally emphasizing the fast-paced, explosive combat aspects along with the softer movements. Still others perform aesthetic Taijiquan routines which have been standardized for wushu sport competitions. Given its strong meditative aspect, Taijiquan is also practiced as a form of “meditation in motion.”

Regardless of the style, sect or school, all popularly recognized forms of Taijiquan are rooted in Taiji philosophy and emphasize the power of selective muscular relaxation, effective use of leverage and full-body coordination, rather than the application of brute force in motion. This unique practice has attracted people from around the world, with an estimated 250 million practitioners studying Taijiquan today (according to China’s National Wushu Research Institute). And after centuries of development and refinement by generations of masters, Taijiquan is still a living, breathing art, one that is continuously innovating and evolving to meet the needs of people in today’s society.

Basic Points of Taiji Theory & Philosophy in Internal Martial Arts

Taiji is not the same as Taijiquan (“quan” being a term always used to denote a martial arts system or style). Taiji is a 4000-year-old Chinese philosophy which has deeper roots and connections to the Chinese culture as a whole. The practice of Taijiquan at most has a history of 1000 years, if we accept the legendary oral histories. Most serious historians, however, consider it to be a much more recent creation.

Taiji is often translated as “Grand Ultimate”. This means the grand, interconnected principle of the universe, and the things and energies within it. When we practice martial arts and physical movements in accordance with this principle, it can be considered natural and efficient.

“Taiji originated from Wuji” and “Taiji is the mother of Yin and Yang”. Wuji is the concept of no extreme, no distinction, emptiness. Wuji is the point of absolute stillness from which movement begins, coalescing into the relationally defined yin and yang forces. What does this mean for martial arts?

We endeavor to cultivate the mind and body of wuji. This is the mind and body ready to respond, without preconceived notions, meeting the situation honestly as it presents itself. Without predetermined judgments and discriminations, the mind and body are free and unbound, able to respond in the most appropriate and efficient manner. Taiji is the moment when movement begins. Movement is not simply physical action, but the mind and emotions also produce motion and actions. This is when we have made a decision or an intention and begin to enact it. Yin or yang is the ending result of physical, mental and emotional movements. Of course, the process doesn’t end there, it is continually cycling. The relationship of the body to itself or our relationship to the partner/opponent has now changed, requiring us to observe and orient ourselves from a place of wuji, through taiji, to yin or yang expression.

The beginning is Wuji state, the final expression is Yin and Yang. Between the two is Taiji.

Taijiquan, or Taijizhang (palm), is built around this principle, and it is incorporated into many other methods of Chinese martial arts practice. Taijiquan forms begin in wuji stance or state because the mind is clear and the body is neutral, meaning it has not made a discrimination into yin or yang yet. Once the body starts to move, there is a manifestation of yin and/or yang of the techniques. The movement between stillness and expression or manifestation of the technique (yin and yang) is taiji.

We all start our practice on the physical, tangible level. But at some point, all martial artists must move to the realm of heart, mind, emotions and spirit. In truly deep martial arts practice, taiji is the mind, not on the physical level of yin and yang movement expressions. Therefore, some accomplished practitioners say Taijiquan is really the “fist of the mind”.

Internal & External Martial Art
I have stated before that the division of “internal” and “external” in Chinese martial arts is not one of style and expression, but rather in intention regarding how we approach our practice. Working with the mind, emotions and the human spirit, in addition to the body, is the realm of internal martial arts practice. The internal aspect is not the domain of any one style; every boxer or competitive martial artist knows the importance of the mental aspect of their sport.

The formula as expressed by traditional Chinese internal martial arts practice is:

Mind —> Qi —> Action

The classical Chinese concept of “qi” is often misunderstood these days as some type of intangible energy. However, it is not “energy” as we usually use the word and translate it into English. It is a process. It is the energy of relationship between two or more things. Qi as a concept was the attempt by classical people to explain the process of cause and effect, which they clearly observed continually all around them. Qi is like the wind, movement which is clearly felt and its effects observed, but it is not seen directly. This energy of movement can be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. Change, transformation, and movement can and does happen all the time on all levels of existence. This is qi; the name ancient Eastern people used to try to describe the process of change through the perspective of their culture. Energy is not qi, transformation is.

Mind is internal and action is external. Between the two is qi, in this case meaning “intention”, a change/transformation in the state of mind, leading to a change in the state of the body, i.e. action. Therefore, we use Mind to lead Qi resulting in Actions. The example I like to use to illustrate this process is if I were standing and dropped something on the ground. I would use my mind and my senses to recognize what had happened, then look down with my eyes and orient myself to the situation and my surroundings. I would then make the decision and form the intention to bend down and pick up my lost item. I would then begin the action, using mind, orientation, and intention to guide me through the process of bending down, retrieving my item, standing back up, and then going about my previous activity. All of this is done quickly, smoothly and without much conscious thought. Using this model in our martial arts, we can train in a more conscious, targeted and intent-full manner.

The Mind communicates with the body through body sensations and the sense of feeling (in Chinese martial arts this touching skill is called “listening energy”; 听勁 tīng jìng). Feeling comes through the electrical conduction of nerves, which is the link between mind and body (internal and external). In the East they say mind and body communicate through Qi, whereas in the West they say mind and body communicate through nerve impulses. However, they are talking about the same function!

pasted image 0 (2).png Internal style often teaches the student to develop the mind, then slowly move outward.
External methods often teach that one needs to develop defensive and offensive techniques quickly, then over a long time, the practice develops the growth in mind. In the end, both accomplish the same thing.

Proper and efficient breathing is essential in any style, or physical activity, because oxygen is essential in the chemical process of converting glucose (sugar) into usable energy (calories). Not having enough oxygen means not enough energy (meaning one will have no power). Efficient respiration and appropriate relaxation are the key to reducing the physical (and mental) resistance of your own body. This is why it is called “soft” style; the whole body is working together without one part hindering another.

Taijitu: Philosophy of the Taiji (yin/yang) Symbol [Part 1 of 2]

January 23, 2020 / Modagi / 2 Comments

The Beginning: Wújí (無極)

Classical Chinese philosophy starts at the very beginning; the time when all was still, there was no differentiation between things. There was only the one void, the vast emptiness. It is the infinite “no-thing” before there was “something”. It exists before all opposites (yin-yang) began to form. It is boundless. It is the state of being from which all other things are born. It is the primordial ground from which everything in the universe arises and plays itself out. In Chinese schools of philosophy, this is called Wújí (無極; wu-chi).

Together, the Chinese words wuji mean “unbound”, “limitless”, or “infinite”. Wu means “without, not to have, none, to lack.” Ji is a “roof ridge, ridgepole”.

Above all, wuji is deep and mysterious. Of this primordial state, the great fifth-century B.C.E. Daoist philosopher and writer Liezi (列子, Lieh-tzu) stated: “The ending and starting of things have no limit from which they began. The start of one is the end of another, the end of one is the start of another. Who knows which came first? But what is outside things, what was before events, I do not know.”

Once things in the universe began to vibrate and move, they began to separate and differentiate. In Chinese philosophy, this is the principle of Taiji, which is made up of yin and yang. This beginning movement of differentiation is often depicted pictorially as a spiral.

Of this process, the legendary founder of Daoism, and reputed author of DàodéJīng (道德经; Tao Te Ching), Laozi (老子, Lao-tzu) writes in the opening lines of chapter 42:

Dao gives birth to One

One gives birth to Two

Two gives birth to Three

Three give birth to ten-thousand things [meaning All Things]

The ten-thousand things carry yin and embrace yang

They mix these energies to enact harmony.

The Taiji Symbol (太极, Tàijí or Tai Chi)

Yin & Yang Philosophy (Yīn/Yáng; 陰陽)

What Are Yin and Yang?

Yīn Yáng (陰陽) is the concept in Daoist Tàijí philosophy used to describe seemingly opposite, yet complementary aspects of natural phenomena. Simple examples of the Yīn/Yáng concept include light/dark, stillness/motion, cold/hot, low/high and so forth.

Yīn/Yáng describes dualistic forces, which are interdependent and cannot exist independently of one another, together forming a mutual whole. If there is no light, one cannot talk about darkness. Without stillness, the concept of motion cannot exist. Furthermore, Yīn/Yáng are never absolute, as can be seen in the tàijítú (太極圖) symbol (also known as the Yīn/Yáng symbol). In the dark, there is the seed of light, and within the white, one finds the essence of black. They are dynamic and not static, constantly transforming each other and/or transforming into each other, seeking a relationship of dynamic balance.

Simply put, Yīn/Yáng is just a way of looking at the world. It’s the simple observation that the world is always changing, without the usual judgments of “good” or “bad” that we usually attach to things we observe. It is the observation that everything is relative and provisional, and that dynamic, ever-changing balance is the natural state of existence. It reminds us that happiness and fulfillment can be all in our frame of reference.

Yin and Yang refer to Complementary Opposites, as opposed to forces that are in conflict. Based on qualitative aspects, everything can be classified into Yīn or Yáng. These are opposite yet complementary aspects that together form a unified and complete whole. Originally, Yīn referred to the shady side of a mountain and Yáng the sunny side. The image is of one mountain, but two perspectives of it can be seen.

Speaking in broad general terms, Yīn is associated with less energetic qualities and Yáng with more energetic qualities, such as:

Yīn: female, dark, night, cold, stillness, passive, lower, negative
Yáng: male, light, day, hot, motion, active, upper, positive

Sometimes people are tempted to look at any of these qualities or expressions of yin or yang through the conceptual framework of the “good” or “bad” judgments. It is important to remember these are judgments based upon the human perspective and discriminations, not from the perspective of natural balance. Any of the aspects of yin or yang could be desirable or undesirable based upon the totality of the particular circumstances under which they are manifested, and upon how we relate or interact with them, not in some inherent quality they possess. Additionally, the qualities of both are needed to bring about balance; each one is on the extreme side and cannot bring about a state of balance on its own.

Yin and Yang are polar opposites, but one cannot be defined without the other. Male would not exist without female. If there is to be light, there must be dark. Heat would not exist without the cold. Without there being pain, we could not experience pleasure. If death did not exist there would be no new life. The list could go on for all time.

It is also important to remember that the quality of yin or yang is not a fixed, intrinsic quality in the thing itself, it’s all relative. It depends on the nature of the relationship between the things being compared. For example, 100° is yang when compared to 32°, which would be yin in this case. However, 32° would be yang when compared with 0°. One individual might be yang relative to height when compared to someone who is shorter, but yin when standing next to someone who is taller than they are. Day is considered yang, where nighttime is yin. However, dusk would be considered yin when compared with noon, but yang in relation to midnight. Therefore, the qualities of what is yin or yang are all a matter of relationships.

Interdependent & Relative

It is important to understand Yīn and Yáng are interdependent and relative. They cannot exist independently and together form a mutual whole. Without light, one cannot think about darkness. Without stillness, the concept of motion cannot exist. Heads and tails are two sides of the same coin.

Not Absolute

Nothing is ever completely Yīn or completely Yáng. This is reflected in the Yīn/Yáng symbol (called taiji tu), where the smaller dot within the larger half symbolizes that one side contains the seed of the other. The darkest night still has the potential for light, and the most masculine man may still have some feminine qualities.

The white area is embracing black and the black embraces the white. In martial arts practice, this teaches us that “in softness there is firmness and in yielding there is strength”. For our daily lives this means we must accept the bad experiences to have the good, and if we embrace those things in ourselves and our lives that we dislike, especially the things we feel we cannot change, they cannot prevent us from being happy. Yet, if we truly embrace these aspects, we come to understand them, and we may find they are not as difficult to transform as we may have thought. This, the principle to Taiji teaches us, is how we become truly strong, inside and out.

Dynamic, Not Static

Yīn and Yáng can transform each other and/or transform into each other. Day becomes night, and night becomes day again. In the Yīn/Yáng symbol, the black and white halves “chase” each other, which visually emphasizes the constant, cyclical nature of change.

Balanced Whole

According to this Daoist principle, balance between Yīn and Yáng is the natural state. Having the sun shine 24 hours a day would be just as unpleasant as having never-ending nights. However, the two elements do not have to be equal nor unchanging (think about a summer day vs. winter day). This is the relationship of dynamic balance between all things.

Taijitu

How does Yīn/Yáng relate to Taiji?

Tàijí (太极) is the mother of Yīn and Yáng. It is a foundation of the Daoist philosophy and view of the universe. The word Tàijí itself refers to the “great primal beginning” of all that exists and is often translated as the ‘Supreme Ultimate’. Comparable to the initial state of the universe at the exact moment of its creation, Taiji is the state of absolute and infinite potential. From this state, the poles of Yīn and Yáng were generated. In other words, Taiji is the absolute (the circle), while Yīn/Yáng is the relative (the two halves). Thus the Yīn/Yáng symbol is more correctly referred to as the Tàijí symbol (Tàijítú, 太极图).

Two different ways to illustrate the movement within Wuji to form yin and Yang:

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How do Yīn/Yáng and Taijitu relate to the practice of Taijiquan or other Chinese martial arts?

Tàijíquán (太極拳) is the application of the Yīn/Yáng concept in a martial arts context. Though we should recognize that this is one interpretation and, in fact, all Chinese martial arts (and more widely, all of the Chinese culture itself) utilize this foundational Chinese philosophical principle. Particular attention is placed on the existence and balance of dualistic forces with respect to physical motion and mental intention. By following the natural laws of Yīn/Yáng in the body, one develops a more fluid, efficient and powerful movement.

Some generalizations can help explain this concept:

Hard / Soft

Rarely in the practice of Taijiquan do you meet force with force. Instead, Tàijíquán emphasizes ‘soft’ yielding techniques to neutralize or move around ‘hard’ force. However, if the opponent provides a soft opening, then one would strike to penetrate with ‘hard’ force.

Solid / Empty

Most often this describes whether one leg carries more or less weight, and how weight shifts between them and moves the body through the environment we are in. The body and the arms, too, can become “full” and firm, or soft and whipping, depending upon the needs of the given circumstance.

Expanding / Contracting

This most directly describes how movements must alternate between outward and inward motions, or opening and closing movements. Other examples include inhaling/exhaling, advancing/retreating, rising/sinking and activity/resting.

Many people have a misunderstanding about the practice of internal martial arts or qigong. They are not about special movements, because the movements and techniques themselves carry no inherent power. The real principles here are about efficient body structure and mechanics, and the interplay of the relative energies of yin and yang within the body. These dynamic relationships and changes can be between left and right, hard and soft, high and low, expanding and contracting, emptying and filling, and so on. When looking at practicing with another person, you then incorporate the elements of the interplay of yin and yang in relationship to the other.

On the most basic level, many internal martial artists and qigong players aim for the highest levels, while overlooking the basic principles of body structure and yin-yang interplay. These are not unseen forces, but very tangible and experiential. In your own practice, see if you can notice these forces for yourself. With practice, this ability will become second nature. By becoming aware of and following the natural laws of yin/yang in the body, you can develop more fluid, efficient and powerful movements. This is what is meant when one states that Taijiquan is an “internal” art, as opposed to focusing strictly on external factors. Internal refers to being mindful and aware of how the body feels, meaning specifically balanced and stable, rather than being concerned foremost with how the hands and legs move.

Gongfu, Dao & Life

January 2, 2020February 8, 2021 / Modagi / 3 Comments

In the modern context, classical martial arts can be a very effective method for teaching a student the skills of self-defense, given that the practitioner trains in an appropriate and realistic manner. However, since martial art is no longer appropriate for warfare, there are other, even more impactful and compelling reasons to spend our finite time and energy cultivating these ancient practices and methodologies.

Classical martial arts connect us to a long and rich human cultural tradition. They can also enhance our health and wellness contributing to and supporting an overall active lifestyle. Additionally, with the correct perspective and mindset, they can help us to connect to a deeper experience of ourselves and our lives.

The first step is to attend to the body. We often talk about the mind and body being linked, however, it is deeper than this. The mind and body are not simply two separate, isolated entities that are joined. They come together to function as a whole, forming our human experience. The human experience is not just one or the other, physical or mental, it is both simultaneously, all the time. The mind cannot be truly content, happy and peaceful when the body is suffering, and the body will not be healthy, comfortable and vital if the mind is experiencing turmoil. Therefore, we start with the most tangible aspect of our being, the physical form, since it is the easiest (relatively speaking) to shape and change, and a place where we can easily see, and feel results.

If we seek to improve our health and vitality, of course, we first have to change our physical body. Many people come into the practice of the Chinese “internal” martial arts and health practices wanting to begin on the deep level immediately. We cannot simply come in at the beginning and talk about the internal levels. This is too complicated. We must start on the surface and develop the body’s soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, organs, etc.) to receive the changes in structure and movement inherent in the internal martial arts practice.

For a longer discussion on the division of “internal” and “external” in Chinese martial arts, and why I view this as a false and sometimes harmful separation, see my previous essay: Internal Versus External Chinese Martial Arts Practice

The Chinese word Dào (道) can mean many things: it can mean a road, path, principle, truth, morality, reason, a skill or method, or to say, to speak, or to talk. But, beyond these simple interpretations, it is a very deep and profound concept that runs throughout the history of Chinese philosophy. Therefore, it is far beyond the few words here, and my own shallow understanding, to accurately describe the meaning of Dao.

Dao is a philosophical concept, which has many facets and can be interpreted in many different ways. The Cosmic Dao refers to the Way of the cosmos, which is evident in nature all around us. It is the deep mystery of life as it unfolds. It is always present and always emerging. It is not any one, particular, individual thing in the universe but rather the totality of all things as well as the matrix within which they come into and pass out of being. It is the primordial ground of being from which all things and circumstances arise and play themselves out.

The temptation here might be to conceive of Dao as being something complex, but this is not true. The Dao is simple. We do not have to look for it because it is not hidden. Dao is everywhere. It makes up everything. Therefore it can be found in “internal” practice and “external” practice. Just like mind and body, internal and external are not separate things, just labels and classifications for the ease of our own human conception.

Therefore, we start on the simple level of cultivating the physical body. We cultivate and balance the strength and flexibility of the body. Many of our physical pains and discomfort come not so much because we lack strength or flexibility, but because we lack a balance (a harmonious relationship) between strength and flexibility, or because there is an imbalance between left and right, front and back, top and bottom, etc. When we become strong and flexible through training, the structure, soft tissue, organs, meridians, etc. also change, relax and realign.

Since the state of the body directly relates to the state of the mind, when the body becomes relaxed, comfortable, and smooth, then your emotions and mental state also become more smooth and even. Even your thoughts become more clear and the heart quieter.

Since the mind is an extension of the body (and vice versa), we don’t simply want to continually go faster and stronger in our practice. Everything must have a balance. There is nothing wrong with training fast or training hard, these are necessary methods when training martial arts. However, when we continually emphasize always becoming faster and always becoming stronger, over time, we actually wear the body down, and in turn, the mind and heart will also eventually be worn down. When this begins to occur, the methods we are training wholeheartedly to build ourselves up can actually be turned against us to harm our own bodies. This is why internal Chinese martial arts focus their physical aspect of training on cultivating the connective tissues and fascia, which essentially tether the entire body together.

Training that wears out the body and causes injuries over time is not enjoyable. Certainly, there are times we do not want to train and need to exercise our own personal discipline. This is part of personal cultivation as well. However, if we are constantly avoiding or resisting the training then it is no longer enjoyable. You have to enjoy training or it will not be very beneficial to you. Training that breaks down the body and hurts you is simply not enjoyable.

With proper practice principles and methodologies, which are in line with natural principles and the structure and function of our own bodies, one can begin to really make profound progress in our practice. With time, our bodies begin to improve significantly. When the body begins to improve, you enjoy and look forward to training. The training then makes you happy and joyful, and you look forward to it. This is a tangible positive and pure energy being cultivated in our lives.

When we have a mind and an attitude of relationship of always looking, always bouncing our attention from one interest to another, this is called the “monkey mind” in many schools meditation. Many martial arts practitioners also have this kind of attitude in their studies. The monkey mind practitioner is always looking for the “best” gongfu, the best method, or the best teacher. They are constantly searching everywhere. But you will never find it because there is no “best”, there is no perfect practice or teacher.

Don’t mistake this for thinking that I’m saying we should not always be questioning and investigating our practices. This too is part of the cultivation. It is an important part of how we deepen our practice. We should always be looking honestly and truthfully at ourselves and the activities we engage in. There will never be a time when we lack things to improve upon.

However, no methodology is perfect because it was created by humans. No matter how accomplished our founding teachers were, they were still flawed, because they were people. If we simply follow a person, without question, they too will let us down or fall short in some way, at some point. An old Zen poet once wrote that we should not seek to follow people of great achievement, but rather seek that which they themselves sought. Some people may spend their whole life searching for Dao in books, media, the Internet, or from accomplished teachers of one type or another. However, the wise person stops seeking and looks at all experiences around them to reveal Dao!

Therefore, if you find a teacher and method that is helpful for you and speaks to you at that particular time and place in our cultivation, then this is the best for you. This quality of what is the correct fit is not something inherent in the external thing. It is a quality that comes from us.

This is the same attitude we want to have in our martial arts training. We want to be diligent and consistent in our training, this is the best way to progress. We want to train sincerely, to the best of our own personal understanding. However, if we want to change the body and cultivate the mind and spirit, we can’t force it. It will happen in its own time when appropriate, just like we can’t force the seasons to change when we want. Nor can we force the flower to bloom when we expect it to. If you want to cultivate a beautiful flower all you can do is give it the appropriate care and nutrients (the required conditions), but the bud will grow when it is ready. In our practice, we just follow the training. This is the simple way, the natural way, the way of Dao.

A person who can live their life from this type of relationship is a person of true accomplishment. In Chinese, they could be called zhēn rén (真人). Today, this term is often used to refer specifically to a Daoist spiritual master. However, in its original usage, it was not quite so narrow. Zhen means “real”, “true”, “genuine”, and ren is a “person.” A Zhen ren is a “real/genuine person.” The important thing to remember is that this person is smooth and flexible in body and mind, free and unhindered in their engagement with life. This is a pretty good example to set for ourselves, even if we never fully reach it.

This type of stage is the culmination of our training. Of course, no one ever begins from here. Beginners start their physical practice often strong and stiff in incorrect ways. Through training in principle-based practice, they are taught to be soft and supple. Here, softer does not mean weak or limp, but flexible. A flexible body means a softer body. Then we can be taught to become strong again in a new way.

The best time for opening the body and stretching intensely is in the summer when the body is hot. In this condition, our tendons and joints are more open and receptive to the training process. In the cold weather of winter time we are tighter.

When we train, the body heats up from the inside to the outside as well. The movements of blood and fluid heat up the insides of the body. Circulating the blood and qi to all the parts of the body is the most simple and natural type of medicine. Through training in this way is how we become soft. Blood and other internal body fluids act as a type of lubricant for the body and joints.

If we are going to engage in stretching training, this should not be included as part of our warm-up. The best type of warm-up to get the body prepared for physical activity is simply a low-intensity version of whatever our intended activity or sport is going to be. The best time to stretch actively is after training when the body is really warmed up from the inside.

“Internal” training does not mean there is never any difficulty, and that there isn’t any hard work involved, or that we will never have some suffering in our cultivation. Difficulty, and even suffering, are also natural parts of the cycles of our life at times. But again, you must have enjoyment in your practice, otherwise, why are we bothering to do it all? Training should be focused but also adaptive and responsive to the particular mind and body state present. This state changes year-to-year, month-to-month, day-to-day and even moment to moment.

With long-term internal practice, the body will feel full and “swollen”. The tissues get thicker and physical pains resolve as the body strengthens its weak areas, balances out its strength and flexibility, and the body structure realigns itself.

In the end, the true strength we talk about is strength inside and outside. You can beat others when you are strong physically, but the person who is truly a self-possessed master of themselves is a superman. Outside strength is easy; train and get strong. But even if you are very strong you can get hurt inside. If a loved one dies or says they don’t love you anymore, you are hurt even though they did not beat you in a fight. You may be hurt for one year, three years, or it may be a whole life. The true value of our training lies not in being able to meet another person in combat but to fully inhabit our own life and meet its challenges and triumphs with wisdom and joy. This type of person is the true warrior of life.

Fighting Fan | Shān / 扇 | Yáng Tàijíquán Shān / 杨太极拳扇

December 5, 2019 / Modagi / Leave a comment

Modern metal ribbed martial arts fan

The use of hand fans as a weapon in Chinese gongfu is an interesting development. While certainly not a weapon for the battlefield, the fan became a deceptive and even improvised tool of defense. Even today in many warmer climates or seasons in Asia, both men and women can be seen carrying hand fans to help remain cool. The sight of anyone with a fan in old China would have been as common as someone with a cell phone today. In places or times where weapons would not be permitted, common objects such as hand fans, canes and walking sticks would not arouse suspicion.

In China, fans were both practical and beautiful, and their use began very early in Chinese history. Fans used by martial artists were made of wood (bamboo and other kinds), or more commonly, metal. The outer edge could be made extremely sharp, and even spring-loaded darts were sometimes hidden in the ribs. These spring-loaded darts were utilized for close range surprise attacks. Fans were perhaps the most easily hidden weapons, because they could be kept in plain sight. A martial artist with a fan in hand could, at one moment, appear as an elegant scholar, and in the next, a deadly fighter. Fans, with razor-sharp edges, could be used to cut, strike or slide (intercept and deflect, not directly blocking). When closed, even a wooden fan becomes a small club that could easily fracture the small bones of the hand or wrist. The closed metal fan is a powerful small rod. The closed fan could also be used to thrust and poke vital targets, and the base end protruding just past the bottom of the grip, can greatly increase the destructive power of a hammer fist blow or other similar strike.

Today, fan practice is often associated with Taijiquan, though it became common in many divisions of classic Chinese martial arts in the middle and late Qing dynasty (1644-1912) and beyond. For the martial arts of Shaolin gongfu and Taijiquan, the metal fan is most often preferred. This Fan is also known as the Iron Fan (tiě shān; 铁扇) in Chinese. The “wing” of the fan can also come in several different forms, ranging from nylon or silk for beginners to metal fans composed of iron and steel for more advanced practitioners.

Another variation includes bamboo slats with blades attached at the ends. Originally, standard fixed fans (the kinds that do not open or close) woven from bamboo were used as a symbol of social status in early Chinese history. Over time, they became weaponized due to the fact that they were versatile and compact, while still retaining an aesthetic appeal.

Generally, a Taiji fan can be used to block projectiles and even parry hand-held swords or other similar weapons. Along with its block and parry attributes, the fan can be folded to form a short club that is heavy enough to smash against enemies and inflict damage. The size of these weapons typically makes them easy to conceal, thereby allowing them to be hidden during combat situations. Some battlefield legends tell of these fans playing a part in saving the lives of unarmed warriors caught in ambushes or surprise attacks. Fans became particularly popular among both male and female martial artists during the Ming dynasty, between 1368 and 1644.

Yang style taiji fan form is smooth and graceful, slow and even-paced. This style of practice is conducive to re-adjusting one’s nerves and relaxing one’s body and mind. The Yang Taiji fan’s pace is said to imitate a cat’s walk and it’s motion looks as if pulling silk. The Yang style Taiji Fan utilizes traditional folk fan skills while possessing the basic skills and characteristics of Yang style Taijiquan. In Taijiquan forms practice, use of an instrument (saber, sword, fan, taiji ball, taiji ruler, etc.) is intended to focus the yi (intent of the mind). Relaxation and smoothness are very important, and movements are performed at a steady, even pace.

Taiji weapon forms contain many pauses between movements, but it is important not to interrupt the flow of focus and intent. This sometimes causes beginners to get distracted in weapons practice. A break in the external flow of movement does not equal a break in the flow of the internal aspects and components. Taiji is considered “internal” practice because it focuses on the feeling, rather than solely the external technique.

Correct Understanding of Yang Taijiquan as a Martial Art

July 13, 2018 / Modagi / Leave a comment

886e5aecc114d5e3022cca57260bdd87 To start, I want to make clear that what follows is my own personal interpretation that has evolved over time from what I have been taught, my own research, practice and teaching. I do not use the term “correct” to imply there is only one way of understanding. Mine is not the only view, and there are certainly alternative opinions and understandings out there, even within the Yang style, much less the greater Taiji and internal martial arts communities in general. Additionally, I expect my understanding to continue to change, possibly dramatically, over time. I always encourage everyone to take what they are told, even from “authorities” and test it in light of their own experience and continuing study.

It is inarguable that there is a very low understanding of taijiquan as a martial art today. There are many practitioners who study and practice taiji movement without any concept of the martial aspect of these movements.

To begin with we need to address the terminology often used in these types of martial practices. Taijiquan is often called a “soft” or “internal” method. But what does this really mean? Internal here refers not to some esoteric or magical method, but rather to the structure and feeling of the body. It should focus not on the external aesthetics of the movement, but how the player’s body and mind feel and function moving through space as it executes the martial movement. And by “feeling,” most fundamentally we are talking about the feeling of full body connection and stability, which I will return to later. Soft is used in a similar manner, meaning to avoid excessive muscular exertion, instead using efficient body mechanics and not taking on force directly, and keeping the lowest level of passive tension in the skeletal muscles possible, only generating heavy muscular contraction for a brief moment when needed for attack or defense. This is how we should properly understand these terms when referring to the soft or internal martial arts.

Most often, this lack of understanding actually arises because of a misunderstanding that the primary principle or quality of taiji movement is relaxation. This is inaccurate. As a martial art, taijiquan movement, techniques, and strategies are based upon the principle of yielding. Taijiquan never takes force on directly, but at an angle to intercept, neutralize or redirect it. The physical movements should balance tension and relaxation, utilizing both, at the appropriate time. To operate predominantly on either extreme is not good taiji; both are equally far from the balanced middle.

Yielding does not mean being passive, or retreating. Simply, yielding is a sophisticated strategy that seeks to blend with, redirect, and neutralize incoming force, rather than meeting it directly, force on force. When force meets another force directly, the stronger force will always win. If a martial art practitioner is weaker for any reason (age, general build or body frame, injury or illness, etc.), it will be very unlikely that they can successfully use a force-on-force strategy.

Where did this misconception about relaxation being the central principle of taiji practice come from? Simply put, it has come from taiji teachers directly. When we teach, taijiquan, often we observe people to be excessively tense. The vast majority of modern students display this pattern of excessive amounts of passive tension in the skeletal muscles. This makes it impossible to generate the type of power and martial force taijiquan utilizes. So, when people first begin training, we teach them to let go of this tension, as a teaching tool in the introductory stages of their training. However, as training progresses, tension (or rather engagement) in the proper quantities, and in the appropriate areas, should be reintroduced. It is generally easier to teach someone to relax, and then reintroduce tension only where it is needed, than it is to start from a place of excessive tension, and teach one to relax specific areas. As long as excessive tension remains, the average student will not possess a sufficient level of body awareness and body feeling to accurately gauge if they have the appropriate levels of tension and relaxation in the muscular structure. Nor will they be able to appropriately manifest the two primary principles of taiji paired practice when they begin it; sticking/adhering and “listening” to your partner’s force and energy.

When releasing power in taijiquan, we use explosive tension, very briefly, to generate this force. This is, most often, a quick full body contraction so that the production of force or energy does not fall upon one isolated muscle or muscle group. With all of the structures of the body engaging properly, each individual area is required to do less, or carry less load, yet more force can be generated than by relying upon a smaller, and weaker, single muscle or group. Using appropriately timed contraction, in the proper body structures, paired with appropriate relaxation in the proper time and place, the player is able to create a quick and powerful waving or whipping force that should be generated in the legs, amplified by the waist and body, and directed outward into the target by the hands. The correct force should crash like a tidal wave.

Additionally, the most prevalent physical concept or principle in the practice of Yang Taijiquan is called peng. This is an opening and expanding feeling. While there is a technique in the form specifically called “peng”, this is not the sole expression of this concept. This feeling and principle is present in the expanding of the joints in every movement. It is not just a concept of the hands, but of the stance, and all the joints of the body.

The term “elongating” also requires some further clarification. No body movement can be made without muscular contraction. Mechanically, a muscle can only pull, it can never push. To expand the body, muscles must contract. The point is to selectively contract the areas you wish, while maintaining relaxation, or a low level of passive tension in surrounding muscles.

When we are too relaxed, the body position collapses (the front of the chest and body cave inward) and affects our balance, connections and ability to utilize the whipping and waving principle of the spine which enhances and directs our outward moving force, and helps us absorb and neutralize incoming force. Taijiquan power is based upon unifying the body. It uses a full body connection, rather than individual muscles or groups, to generate movement and true strength, rather than shallow, clumsy power. When the body, specifically the torso, is excessively relaxed, the front of the body most often tends to collapse. Collapsing the body severs the full body connection, thus making it impossible (just like excessive tension) to generate proper martial power.

The “10 Essentials,” passed down orally from the early stages of the Yang style can be thought of as a summation or distillation of the larger and older body of literature called the “Taiji Classics”. From a study of the 10 essentials, we can further simplify and deduce a principle of “four priorities” or focuses of our physical practice.

First, there is breathing. We should breathe naturally and continuously. Don’t force the breath into an unnatural pattern, but also don’t hold or restrict the breath. It is not possible to be properly soft when holding the breath.

Next, we have the balanced position of the body; one that maintains central alignment and central stability. The first three Essentials tell us we should keep the head up, neck elongated, shoulders down and relaxed, upper back rounded slightly, chest slightly hollowed, pelvis tucked with low back straight and neutral.

Third, is the position and movement of the lower body. The most important aspect here is balance. Use rocking movements, while maintaining the balanced root continuously. Keep the whole foot rooted and stable by driving the weight straight down when standing still or moving.

The last thing we should focus on in our physical movements are the arms. When the previous three are not present, one’s movements will not be connected or powerful, no matter what is done with the arms, or how beautifully they move. When the other elements are present, the specific details of your arm movement is actually not particularly important, because any movement will embody and utilize the taiji principles.

Unfortunately, rather than approaching their practice in this manner, most students actually focus on these four points or priorities in the opposite order, focusing first on arm movement, then leg movement, then the body, and finally the breath. This is not correct. This comes from focus on the external elements of taijiquan practice, rather than the internal sensation, coordination, and connection of the entire body as a whole as it moves through space. Taijiquan should focus on how the body feels and functions, rather than the outward appearance. When we focus on external elements primarily, the movement of the arms become the most apparent expression, and the breath is the least observable, externally.

Finally, while Taijiquan is a martial art, it does not have to be only a martial practice. Taiji practice seeks to balance physical movement, force and energy. What happens in the body is reflected in the mind, and the mind commands the body. The physical practice of Taijiquan seeks to establish and promote physical balance. Through this, we are also able to cultivate mental, emotional, and spiritual balance as well. This aspect can be far more valuable and enriching to our lives than any martial prowess we develop.

10 Essential Key Principles Of Taijiquan (part 2)

May 17, 2018 / Modagi / Leave a comment

Ten Essential Principles of Taijiquan

Dictated by Yang Chengfu. Recorded by Chen Weiming.

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Xu Ling Ding Jin (Clear – Quickly Effective – Crown of Head – Energetic Power).

The mind should be clear, alert, and naturally at ease. Do not use physical exertion which would stiffen the neck and constrict the flow of qi and blood. Instead use your inner energetic power to effortlessly press the head and neck upward (it feels like the top of the head was being pulled up by an attached string). Without this, the dynamic vital spirit cannot be raised.

Comments: Qi here refers to “life energy.” Physical exertion is li. Energetic power is jin. Dynamic vital spirit is jing-shen.

Han Xiong Ba Bei (Sink Chest – Raise Back)

Slightly draw in the chest and let the qi sink to the lower abdomen the dantian. Do not stick out the chest; that would cause the qi to get stuck there. If that happens the upper body becomes too heavy, the lower body too light, and the feet too easily uprooted. (Then you could easily be pushed over.) Raise and straighten the back—(sinking the chest will help straighten the back) and then the qi will adhere to the back and spine. Sinking the chest and raising the back in this manner grants the ability to project the energetic force needed to defeat any opponent.

Comments: Don’t force this: “You see some tai chi practitioners who almost look like hunchbacks because they take this point (raising the back) to an extreme. This will cause long-term blockages in the qi. Don’t make that mistake.”

Sifu Anthony Korahais.

Song Yao (Relax Waist)

The waist commands the entire body. Relax the waist and the feet will have power and one’s foundation will be steady and firm. The changes between empty or full (insubstantial or substantial; yin or yang; weak or solid) originate in the way the waist is turned. And so it is said, The source of life and thought is located in the waist.

If there is a lack of strength in your form [body shape or movement] seek out what is wrong in the waist and legs.

Comments: “Relax” means loose, not limp. “Waist” (yao) here refers to the body from the hips to the navel. It includes the hips, pelvic area, lower abdomen, groin, and lumbar spine.

“The waist is like a steering wheel of a car. When the wheel is loose and easy to operate, you can direct the car in any direction you wish. However if the steering wheel is stuck, you will have difficulty moving safely and changing direction.”

– Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming.

Fen Xu Shi (Differentiate Empty Full)

Differentiating between empty and full is the first principle of taijiquan. If the weight of the body sits over the right leg, then the right leg becomes full (also called solid, or substantial) and the left leg becomes empty (weak, insubstantial). If the weight of the body is over the left leg, then the reverse is true. Only after empty and full are recognized, understood and used, will movements become agile and effortless. If not, movements will be heavy and sluggish, and standing postures unsteady. If that happens it will be easy for an opponent to control you and push you over.

Comments: About understanding empty-weak-insubstantial/full-sold-substantial. “When you walk, there is a moment when one leg is 100% empty, and the other is 100% full. If you can walk slowly, carefully placing the foot down rather than letting it drop, and if you can change direction gracefully, then you are differentiating between empty and solid.”

– Sifu Anthony Korahais.

“A basic method to understand and successfully practice taijiquan is to alternate back and forth from yin (empty – insubstantial) to yang (solid – substantial). As an example, if attacked on the left side, neutralize the attacker by simultaneously turning to the left and withdrawing your body as you shift your weight back. Your left becomes insubstantial while you counterattack with your right hand which becomes substantial.”

– T.T. Liang

Chen Jian Zhui Zhou (Sink Shoulders – Drop Elbows)

The shoulders should be loose and hang down. Without such relaxation the shoulders will rise and become tense and qi-energy will rise up with them, therefore the entire body will be deprived of power. “Drop elbows” means the elbows are relaxed and loose (not limp) and naturally dangle downward. If the elbows are raised the shoulders are unable to sink. Then an opponent will not be pushed far (by your attempted discharge of energy). This imperfection is similar to the broken, snapped off energetic-strength so often seen in the external martial arts.

Yong Yi Bu Yong Li (Use Mind Not Strength)

The Taijiquan Classics say “This is about the use of focused mental intention, not simply about the use of physical exertion.” When practicing taijiquan the whole body is loose and relaxed. Do not use the slightest bit of brute strength or there will be sluggish blockages in the flow of qi and blood in the muscles, tendons, bones, veins and arteries making you feel that you are all tied up in knots.

Avoiding the use of brute strength (li) will allow the energetic capabilities of quick and skillful change, circular turns, and unconstrained, unobstructed freedom of action to freely take place with ease and without any physical exertion.

Some question how can anyone be strong without using muscular strength? This is because the human body has meridians (qi-energy pathways) similar to the way the earth has channels and ditches. If there are no obstructions in the earth’s channels then water can flow freely. Similarly, if there are no obstructions in the meridians the qi can flow easily. If the whole body has a stiff (deadlocked) muscular force then the meridians clog up and qi and blood become blocked and stagnant. Turning movements will be ineffective. An opponent can pull just one hair and your entire body can be lead about like an docile animal with a rope around its neck. However if strength (li) is not used, but rather a mental focused intention (yi), wherever the intention goes, qi will immediately follow.

Every day at any time and without interruption, you must circulate your qi and blood throughout the entire body. Persist with this: practice it for a very long time and true internal qi-power (jin) same inner link will be yours. Accordingly in the Taijiquan Classics there is the sentence, Within extreme softness appears extreme unyielding hardness. Those who are highly skilled in taijiquan kung fu will have arms that feel like soft silk wrapped around hard steel, and the arms and fists will seem to be extremely heavy.

When practitioners of external martial arts use muscular strength [li] they obviously appear powerful. But when not using their li they are light and unstable. Clearly their strength is external and therefore superficial. It is only a qi-power floating on the surface.

By not using focused mental intention (yi) same inner link and instead only using external muscular strength (li), someone can easily be physically controlled, and have their attacks deflected. Such kung fu is inadequate and without any value.

Shang Xia Xiang Sui (Upper and Lower Mutually Follow)

The coordination of the upper and lower body is mentioned in the Taijiquan Classic where it says, “Qi-power should be rooted in the feet, generated through the legs, directed by the waist (yao), and expressed through the fingers.” The combined movements of hands, waist, and feet—even those of the alert gazing eyes—all come from the integration of the body to the one qi. It is in this manner the upper and lower parts of the body mutually follow each other. If one part becomes motionless and loses the flow of qi, immediately there is disorder and chaos.

Comments: Yao – (腰) is simply translated as “waist” but it also refers to the lower torso, and the pelvic region including hips, loins, and lower spine; also to the body’s center of gravity; and the dantian, the qi-energy storage area in the lower abdomen.

“Ch’i [qi] carries tremendous amounts of vibration, requiring a high degree of coordination of the entire body. Your torso and limbs, your hands and legs, must be coordinated both physically and mentally with every other part of the body. All the parts should relate to each other as one inseparable unit, especially when you transfer your ch’i [qi] from the root upward. Success in this will allow you to maneuver your entire body – forward, backward, upward, downward – at will. You will be able to control any situation.”

Waysun Liao

Nei Wai Xiang He (Internal External Mutually United)

Taijiquan is about training the mind. That is why it is said, “The mind is the commander-in-chief, the body carries out the orders.” When the vital-spirit is raised, actions and movements naturally become quick and light. The forms are nothing more than enacting out empty [insubstantial] and full [substantial], and open and closed. “Open” means not only extending the hands and feet outward. “Closed” means not only do the hands withdraw inward. For both actions, mental intention needs to be part of the movements. When that is realized, the internal and the external are one qi, undivided, even indistinguishable, from each other.

Xiang Lian Bu Duan (Mutually Connected Without Interruptions)

In the external martial arts, power is the result of acquired brute muscular strength. With it there are starts and stops; continuations and cut offs. Strength becomes worn out, exhausted, and new strength has yet to be born. During times like this it is easy to take advantage of such an opponent.

In the internal martial art of taijiquan, mental intention [yi], and not brute physical exertion [li] is used. From start to finish all is continuous and without interruption, unceasing and endless. When a cycle is completed it begins again; it is boundless and inexhaustible. In the Taijiquan Classic it is written In Long Boxing [an early name for taijiquan] the body moves like water flowing in a great river, or like the rolling waves of a large ocean. And also, move your inner-energy [jin] like you were spinning silk thread from a cocoon: smoothly and without stopping—or it most likely will break.

Both of these comparisons suggest an interrelationship, as well as a unity, of one qi.

Comments: The river referred to is the Yangtze (3,915 miles long). It is the longest river in Asia and the third-longest in the world.

Shi Dong Zhong Qiu Jing (Within Movement Seek Stillness)

Chinese external martial artists jump, hop, skip and bounce all about thinking they are showing off how superior they are; but in fact all they’re really doing is depleting their energetic-strength (qi-li), leaving them exhausted. After such performances you see them gasping for breath [chuan qi]. In contrast, Taijiquan uses a calm stillness to control and manage movement; so even in movement it is as if one were still and unmoving. Therefore when practicing the forms, the slower the better. With long deep breathing the qi sinks to the dantian. In these natural ways, the blood vessels are not injured, and any emotional excesses such as anger or resentment are reduced or eliminated. By practicing carefully and attentively over time, a serious student should be able to grasp the meaning of the ideas presented here.

The title of Yang Chengfu’s essay is variously translated into English as The Ten Essentials or Ten Important Points, or The Ten Basic Principles, etc. The title in Traditional Chinese script is 太極拳術十要, in Simplified script 太极拳术十要.

In pinyin it is Tàijí quánshù shí yào. It first appeared in 1925 in the book The Art of Taijiquan (Taijiquan shu) compiled by Chen Weiming and published in Shanghai, 1925.
Chinese Words Defined in the Context of Taijiquan:

Qi (氣 / 气) – “life energy.” Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming writes: “[Qi] is the Chinese word for ‘energy’, and pertains to all forms of energy in the universe. In martial arts and qigong, it specifically refers to human Qi, the bioenergy or life-force within every cell of the human body.”

Also within the specific context of martial arts practice, Qi is a reference to optimally efficient body mechanics to express and absorb force.

Dantian (丹田) – “energy cultivation center.” This is below and behind the navel in the lower abdomen. It is the physical center of the body and the area of the center of gravity. All efficient movement should originate from this area.

Jin (勁劲) – “energetic power.” Qi and muscular strength (li) used together to create an inner power that can be projected outward as a pure martial arts force. From Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming: “In general, the higher the level of Jin, the more Qi and the less muscular strength is used.”

Jing-shen(精神)– literally “spirit mind” or consciousness. But in taijiquan it more often means a “spirit of vigor, vitality and drive.” Colloquially it refers to a person’s “spirits” or “energy level.”

Li (力) – “physical muscular strength.”

Shen (神) – “spirit” or “consciousness” or “conscious energy.”

Yi (意) – (sounds like “ee”) – Mental intention; a state of silent mindfulness of the will.

10 Essential Key Principles Of Taijiquan (part 1)

May 9, 2018May 9, 2018 / Modagi / Leave a comment

Introduction to the Essentials of Taijiquan Practice

tai-chi-24-1024x577 Together, the 10 Essentials and the 13 Kinetic Concepts can be seen as encompassing the totality of Taijiquan practice. The 10 principles govern the movements of Taijiquan. The practice of any of the composed forms of movement is limited. The movements are predetermined and finite. There is no way a form can include all the ways of movement that can be manifested through the principles of Taijiquan. To reach true expertise, the student will have to (at the appropriate point) transcend the limitations of the prescribed forms and drills, and enter the realm of spontaneous and intuitive movement.

Each of the various styles (such as the Yang which I practice) all have their own external, physical style, but it is nothing more than that; simply a style or flavor of movement developed and promoted by that style’s founding teacher. The true test of what is and is not Taijiquan movement is determined by whether or not it harmonizes with and manifests the principles of taijiquan. If it does, it can be said to be skillful taijiquan, regardless of whether or not that movement appears in any of the forms; if it does not, it is not taijiquan movement, regardless of whether or not it conforms to the external parameters of the form of that particular tradition.

The codified practice of Taijiquan is fairly recent. The principles of movement utilized in the practice of Taijiquan are older than the practice of Taijiquan itself, and each style is really a different master’s interpretation of how to manifest these principles into the physical world. There is a larger body of classical Chinese texts, collectively known as the Taijiquan Classics (太極拳經; Tàijíquán Jīng). As is common with works like these, tracing them historically can be difficult. Rather than being a single work, written at one time, they were really, most likely, authored by many people over centuries.

According to the oral traditions, the original Taiji Classic was composed sometime between the 12th and 14th centuries by an ascetic Daoist monk named Zhang Sanfeng. Zhang lived in Daoist mountain centers on Mount Hua and later Wudang, which in later times both became widely known for the martial arts practices found there. Whether or not Taijiquan practice can be traced to Zhang as a matter of historical lineage, all schools of Taijiquan consider Zhang to be the original founder of their methods of practice.

On the most basic level, these 10 Essentials can be considered a distillation of the critical points of the Classic, as determined, interpreted and passed through the teachers of the Yang Style of Taijiquan. Once a student has a basic command of a particular movement, technique or sequence, one should focus on cultivating the Essentials in each part of the movement. It can often be best to focus on one or two of the principles at a time, rather than attempting to force yourself to perform all of them at the same time, all at once. When learning, if we focus on too much at one time, often we will end up doing none of it at all. These principles can continually grow deeper and more subtle as our awareness of our body and movements become more refined. Yet, we should also understand there is no real ending point of this type of learning, and the more we understand, the more we will see what we do not yet know, and where we can be even more skillful. Finally, we must practice and study diligently, but also be gentle with ourselves and remember we are only human, and not a machine. Each time we perform a movement it will be different, no two movements can ever be exactly the same, and no one is capable of fully expressing or manifesting all of the principles one-hundred percent of the time.

When studying the Essentials, it can be very informative and more accurate to look at multiple translations. Translation work is very difficult. There is inherently a lot of interpretation that occurs, particularly with converting Chinese to English. For a more rounded and balanced understanding of the Essentials, one should read more than one translation of them, and it is good practice to study them periodically throughout your Taijiquan practice career.

Although they are numbered, you cannot necessarily put them in a numerical order of importance. Having stated that, I do recommend focusing on the first three, which cover body alignment and central stability, which is critical in Taijiquan development, before concentrating on the others.

The first Essentials cover how to hold the body structurally, and to relax unnecessary tension in the body which is not required for the particular movement or posture you are performing. It is not correct to say that Taijiquan is primarily about relaxing, but rather the appropriate balance between tension and slack in the muscles, and between movement and stillness. However, the simple fact is that most people are far too tense in how they hold and move their bodies, and often engage muscles that are unnecessary, and may not even assist, in the particular action. Due to this, many teachers will encourage students to let all this tension go, even having them hold their bodies excessively loose and move the limbs like a wet noodle. However, it should be understood this is simply a training device to counteract excessive tension and regain a more balanced physical and mental state. Relaxing also helps us become more aware of our patterns of holding tension in our bodies. Excessive relaxation is not, ultimately, any more desirable than tension; we seek a balance. Very quickly in the study of the Essentials one can see we need a balance of muscular and connective tissue engagement and relaxation.

The First Two Essential Principles of Taijiquan

Before looking at the full 10 Essential Principles, it is useful to make a deeper examination of the first two. The first two principles are the foundation upon which all the other principles (and therefore all your Taijiquan movements) are built. If a practitioner is not mindful of these two essentials it will have a detrimental effect on all of one’s Taijiquan practice.

Xū Líng Dǐng Jìn (虚领顶劲), or ‘Suspend from the Crown of the Head’

This properly aligns your head, neck and spine, which creates the necessary conditions for your muscles to relax naturally within the body’s structure, and to sink the body weight straight down through the skeleton, into the feet, and then into the ground.

Hán Xiōng Bá Bèi (含胸拔背), or ‘Hollow the Chest, Round the Back’ –

releases tension from the chest and back, which frees your ability to breathe more deeply and allows for better connectivity of the upper body to the spine. Recognizing tension is the first step to releasing it. When your body is aligned, you can become fully relaxed and develop more efficient motion, faster reaction time and greater ability to deliver power.
Looking at the first two Principles more deeply

Suspending the head means to have a feeling and intention that the head, and more importantly the spine, is elongating and expanding. As is reflected in the first of the 13 Concepts, Peng, or expanding energy, is the primary feeling in Taijiquan movement. You want to feel as if the body is being suspended by a string from the crown of the head, and this feeling and intention should be maintained in every movement and posture.

Again, expanding and elongating are the primary qualities of Taijiquan practice. It is the first step in letting go of unproductive muscular contraction in the body. Correct, neutral spinal alignment is crucial in being centrally stable and should be the bodies natural structure, however it often is not due to our patterns of unnecessary muscular contraction. Proper structural alignment will allow you to develop greater mobility, flexibility, strength and ease of motion.

The base of the skull is the origin of the spinal column, and its alignment (or misalignment) is perhaps the single greatest factor in affecting the posture of the rest of the body. By lifting the head upwards with intent, the rest of the spinal column beneath can fall into natural alignment as it is pulled downward by gravity. In the Taijiquan Classics, the metaphor used is that of pearls on a string. By holding up the tip of the string, the pearls will stack together vertically as you lift upward on the string, and gravity pulls downward on the pearl beads.

The practitioner should feel as if their spine is getting longer and straighter, without any feeling of stiffness or forced straightening. The space between each vertebra expands and relieves the pressure between them. The brain communicates with the entire body via the nerves; these are the communication pathways. When the vertebrae are compressed and muscles around the vertebrae chronically tensed, this can entrap and impinge on the smooth conduction of the nerve’s function. The result can be decreased organ function, decreased reflexive response, numbness, pain, etc.

This feeling of expanding should not be only on the top end. The tailbone should feel like it is being gently pulled down towards the ground by gravity, resulting in both an upwards and downwards feeling of elongation. If the spine does not have proper position and function, the movements that you make with your arms and legs are not important.

The neutral alignment of the spine allows the skeletal structure to support the body’s weight, just like the frame of a building or house, rather than overusing the muscles to maintain position. As previously stated this aids in alleviating unnecessary muscle tension which can cause fatigue and pain. Spinal posture also improves the free flow of and smooth circulation of blood and qi.

For the martial artist, this alignment also results in more power. Not only are you more directly connected to the ground through structural lines of force, but starting from a place of relaxation results in more strength. In the body, an individual muscle fiber cannot partially contract, it is either “on” or “off”; it is either fully engaged and contracted or it is relaxed. Therefore, if I carry unnecessary habitual tension in my muscles, I have decreased the available power I can potentially express. For example, if a given muscle has 50% of the muscle fibers engaged before I start a movement, then I only have half of the total possible power of that muscle available for use. This is of course assuming that I have complete use of total potential of that muscle, however, no human being has ever been 100% efficient.

In review, your head lifts up like it is being pulled up by a string. The tailbone gently drives down toward the ground, allowing the space between each vertebra to expand. Feel the back of your neck touch the collar of your shirt as it gets longer and straighter. The chin will tuck in slightly but not forcibly. Maintain this feeling by imagining you are balancing an object on your head. This can be practiced not only in our formal training time, but also while walking or sitting during the rest of our activities.

Lifting the head, if one is not mindful, can cause the chest to stick out. Sinking the chest means to empty or hollow the chest inward slightly and round the upper back, resulting in a slightly arched circular shape. This is the body’s natural position and is optimal for muscular relaxation. It is also important for helping to release tension in the chest and connect and integrate the chest and shoulders with the spine, which will allow for greater structural integrity, power and fluidity of motion. By releasing the pressure on the chest, we can also increase the lungs’ capacity and breathe more deeply into the abdomen.

The many habits of our modern life take a toll on our healthy posture. This is reflected in the two types of extreme (and therefore imbalanced) posture that most people in our society display. One manifests with the chest pushed outward in a military style posture. This breaks the alignment of the spine and produces tension in the chest, back and shoulder areas. The feeling of the body in this position is that it becomes top heavy and unbalanced. On the other side is a slouching posture, where the back is completely arched forward and chest collapsed inward. Just as before, the spine’s alignment is broken, but now the torso becomes compressed which results in shallow, inefficient breathing. Neither one of these postures are better than the other. They are at opposite extremes, but both equally far away from balance, which is found in the middle.

“Sinking the chest” seeks the natural point of balance between these two extreme positions. It connects the chest to the spine, the spine becomes straighter and the muscles of the torso can fully relax. This proper position should feel as if you’ve just breathed out a huge sigh of relief (but don’t slouch!). You should feel like your spine is sticking to the back of your shirt. The shoulder blades should feel like they are moving apart and down, but not forcefully with tension. One of the classical visuals for conveying this feeling is to imagine yourself as a turtle being protected by a strong shell on your back. This will help your upper body feel more rounded and connected.

When sinking the chest and rounding the upper back, be sure to keep the head lifted. These two points are the most important in your Taijiquan posture and are directly related. It is often easy to let the chest stick out when elevating the head, or to let the head come forward when emptying the chest, therefore be aware.

Proper posture in the head, neck chest, shoulders and upper back areas relaxes the muscles of the chest, back and neck, allowing for a natural torso position with less tension. It also gives the lungs more space to expand, allowing for deeper and smoother breathing into the abdomen, which will allow us to release unneeded tension more fully. Finally, it connects the chest with the spine, improving the body’s structural integrity and, for martial arts practice, increases your ability to express outward force on an object or brace against incoming force.

Introductory Commentary on the 10 Essentials of Taijiquan

April 13, 2018 / Modagi / Leave a comment

ztai Although these principles are presented through the lens and framework of the classical teachings of the Yang school of Taijiquan, please do not make the mistake that they apply only to this practice. These principles are broad and general by intent. They do not discuss specific methods of attack and defense, but rather overarching principles that can be found in any high level practice of the martial arts. Any practitioner who endeavors to cultivate these principles, I believe, will experience great benefits in the practice of their specific methods.
Introductory Commentary on the 10 Essentials of Taijiquan

10 Essential Points of Yang Taijiquan:

Raise the head up
Release the chest and raise the back
Song the yao; “relax the waist”
Express empty and full
Sink shoulder, drop elbow
Use yi (mind-intent), not li (muscular exertion)
Upper and Lower mutually follow
Inner and outer mutually harmonize
Linked together without gaps
Move center, seek stillness

The Essentials are a distillation of the Classics of Taijiquan, an older and more poetic collection of works which lay out the philosophical and theoretical foundations for all Taijiquan practice. However, the classics are often difficult to penetrate and understand correctly, therefore the Yang teachings established the Essential Points to aid in one’s practice. The Ten Essentials contain everything one needs to practice taijiquan properly. This is the essence of the method. If one copies the outer forms and patterns of the Yang style, but not does not adhere to these principles, it cannot be taijiquan. If one’s movements and state of mind harmonize with these principles, however one moves, or whatever techniques we use are proper taijiquan. It is much less important what, specifically, one does and it is far more important how it is done.

We should keep these points in mind as we practice and continually strive to manifest them in a more skillful manner. However, we need to recognize this process is never ending. No matter how long one practices, no one can ever reach the end of this process; no one performs these principles well enough. We are always failing to accord with some point or another, the goal is to minimize this and to recognize when and how it is happening. Remember these principles are profoundly deep and can be studied for a lifetime without the end coming into view. On a practical level, it is often better to focus on one or two of the points at a time, until we become proficient and they have been internalized. If we focus too broadly, too early, often we end up doing none of them well.

Remember, that although numbered, they are not necessarily sequential. Each Essential acts on all the others simultaneously. Not elevating the head (#1) for example will directly affect our ability to use intent and not excessive strength (#6). Having stated this, however, there is also a practical approach here as well. The first 5 points cover the aspects of posture and how to carry and move the body. How to integrate and connect all parts of the physical body together. The last 5 are about unifying the mind, and the body with the mind. We cannot unify the mind and body together if the body is not unified with itself. The points of posture and physical movement are, therefore, the bare minimum requirements for the practice of Taijiquan. They set up the proper supporting conditions for the “internal” development; this is the progression from external practice to internal cultivation.

Raise the head up

Lift the head upward by extending the back of the neck. The position of the head affects the rest of the body posture, and well as our level of fighting spirit. The body follows the head and if the head it not balanced neither will the rest of the body be balanced. Do not force or strain in this position, the neck is not tensed, but engaged.

Release the chest and raise the back

Allow the chest to release. Relax the area around the collar bones. Lifting the head may cause the chest to rise, so this point is important. We don’t want to suck in the chest forcefully, but neither do we want it pushed out. Raising the upper back means to round it out and expand the musculature horizontally across the upper back. True power of the upper body comes from the upper back and not from the arms or shoulders.

Song the yao; “relax the waist”

Song means to release and hold naturally; neither excessively lax nor tensed. Yao refers to the lower portion of the torso. We also want to lengthen the spine vertically. Do this by tucking and lifting the pelvis.

Most people stand and walk with body tilted forward to some extent. Realigning the pelvis takes the upper body weight off the low back, and allows it to come through the hips and upper leg, as it is designed. In turn, this allows us to drive the weight though the whole foot and not carry it on the toes. This allows us to drive the weight down and helps us feel more solid (rooted) and not top heavy.

Express empty and full

Empty and full are important principles in taiji, which can be expressed in all parts of the body. On the most basic level, though, it is referring to how we step. Stepping movement is how we move the body through its environment and is critical to skilled martial arts practice.

Yang taiji footwork emphasizes the feeling of 100% to 0% weight distribution. What this means is not that we stand with all weight on one foot alone all the time, but rather that the weight should always have a feeling of going straight downward; the body never tilting forward, back, or sideways. The leg is full as it drives straight down, and the part of the body that is not weight bearing is empty.

We cannot express empty/full feeling if the body is not vertically aligned (the first 3 points), and we have a hard time maintaining vertical alignment if we do not properly manifest empty and full. Properly expressing empty and full in footwork, we can quickly and easily move in any direction we choose. Expressing empty and full represents the crane principle.

Sink shoulder, drop elbow

We should not lift up or shrug the shoulders. This is a product of unnecessary muscular tension and separates the arm from fully coordinating and connecting with the rest of the body. Releasing the chest will help us keep the shoulders sunk.

The shoulders should be fully relaxed with the head raising up. They should feel as if they are hanging from the torso. The elbow should be relaxed and move lightly, without excessive tension. There are very few times when the elbow should roll outward because this increases tension of the shoulder, thus separating the arm from the rest of the body. Generally, the elbow should sink downward, but it should not be held tightly against the body. This is also excessively tense.

Yang Chengfu, 3rd Gen. Yang Taijiquan; the Single Whip movement

Use yi (mind-intent), not li (muscular exertion)

On the most basic level, the mind-intent is expressed by moving the body in a unified fashion. It is not enough to simply coordinate the timing of different parts of the body, the entire body should be linked together and unified like the body of a slithering snake. When the body position is vertically aligned and stable, the whole body arrives together. When the body structure is broken, individual muscle groups are isolated and a greater amount of muscular exertion is required to generate force.

If the whole body is stiff, the expression of power is “clogged”. Powerful muscular exertion is indeed power, this cannot be denied. However, Anyone can be quick and powerful in youth. This is not particularly impressive. The maintaining of power as one ages, or when one is sick or injured is the true sign of deep skill. In Taijiquan this is accomplished by unifying the body through mind-intent, not by muscular exertion alone.

The mind intent is most quickly and easily focused through the sensory faculty of vision. If I want to reach for something, I don’t grope for it blindly, but rather look at it, form the intention to grab it, and then make the motion. The mind intent can be driven by where we look. This is particularly important in solo practices; focusing the intention of our movement through where we look. Looking downward breaks the body structure and does not allow the intent and will to expand outward. In a fighting scenario we would want to keep our head and our vision up, looking around for potential dangers, much like a predator stalking prey.

Upper and Lower mutually follow

The upper and lower portions of the body should not merely be coordinated in their timing, but should be unified and arrive together. This is an expression of full body movement and force. One part of the body never moves in isolation, this is disconnection. Like the snake moving through the water or the grass, if one part of the body moves, all parts of the body move to aid in that motion. If even one part of the body doesn’t move we are disconnected.

Inner and outer mutually harmonize

The intent of the mind and spirit should harmonize with the movements of the body. If you move forward, the spirit and intent also move forward. The same is true of moving backwards, sideways, expanding outward or contracting inward. If the mind intent and spirit do not move with the motions of the body, the movements are empty. When we talk about full connection, we begin by connecting all parts of the outer body, but this is not the end. To fully unify the whole human being we need to deal with the totality; the body and the mind/heart together. A person who is completely unified inside and outside is a powerful force.

Linked together without gaps

If movements are continually starting and stopping, this is not the most efficient, they are clumsy and disconnected. Each movement is unceasing, uninterrupted, continuous. Each time we begin new motion from a stopped position we must generate new physical energy. The end of one movement should blend into the beginning of the next movement. This can also be seen as another facet of using mind-intent, not brute force. Movement should be continuous without gaps, smoothly moving in and out, opening and closing, circling round and round. The original treatise says: “like Changjiang River and Big River, torrentially surging without end”.

Having said this, we should never rush. This one reason why Taijiquan is often practiced very slowly at the beginning levels. We want to make sure that each movement is allowed to fully mature and complete itself before moving onto the next one. We want to do each movement or technique all the way. If we rush to move onto the next movement before it is completed this is not a high-level practice. Slow movement allows us to fully master each component of an individual movement and make sure that each movement fully expresses itself.

Move center, seek stillness

This principle has a very deep meaning, even beyond the martial arts. On the level of martial arts I see there being three basic interpretations of the principle of “seeking stillness in movement.”

On the external, physical level stillness is seen as keeping central stability and vertical body alignment. From this position we can move the center forward, backwards, or in any direction we choose, while still maintaining the “stillness” of centered and balanced body position. There is also a time to move, and a time to remain still. A true warrior knows when each is appropriate. Moving when one should remain still can be disastrous, as can remaining still when we should move.

If we look at it on the level of internal and external, the heart and mind are “still”, centered and balanced just like the body posture. We do not allow the heart and mind to be “captured” and carried away by distraction, fear, anger. It stays watching and ready, observing the situation as it is. Then the body can respond spontaneously and appropriately. This is the movement and the stillness together.

Yang Chengfu; the Roll Back movement

On the internal level, just like the body can move or remain still, so can the heart, mind, and spirit. There is a time for movement and a time for stillness. But even when we make movement, we should not allow our heart and mind to be fixated, captured or distracted by our opposition. If our heart/mind is captured we are allowing them to control the circumstances and we are lost. Movement of the mind should be directed by us and us alone. The part of us that always remains still and vigilant will see clearly, then when it is appropriate, intent leads the movement. Intent always precedes body movement. That intent must be based on clear seeing, rather than by fear, anger, or distraction. Then when it is determined movement is appropriate, the mind expands out to control the entire area. This is like an apex predator who knows it is the master of its domain.

What is Qi?

January 15, 2018 / Modagi / 2 Comments

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One will not get very far in the study of classical Chinese martial arts or meditation practice before they must address the question of what qi (qì; 氣) is for themselves. When addressing this matter with a modern and Western audience, it is important to place this concept in the appropriate cultural and historical context. The ancient Chinese did not have the understanding of anatomy, physiology, kinesiology or pathology that we have today. The concept of qi was the attempt by the ancient peoples of China to conceptually describe and classify their observations though their particular cultural lens. To make the matter a little more difficult to penetrate, being a very broad concept, qi was often defined in different ways in different contexts, in different times, and by different people. This is true today as well.

In its most pure sense (even in the most traditional context), qi does not refer to some kind of magical, supernatural or esoteric energy force, but rather a more concrete principle of life processes observed by traditional Chinese healers. Certainly in later times these magical connotations have been attached, and unfortunately often promoted by modern teachers to add elements of mystery, to make practices exotic, or frankly to simply cover up their lack of true knowledge and skill of their arts. It is important to understand that one may gravitate toward those expressions of qi if they find them appealing, but the principle of qi is not limited to them.

Most simply, qi is the vital force responsible for all movement in the body. I often explain it as the sum total of all the life-sustaining biological processes of the living body. Blood circulation and purification, the creation of new blood cells, the exchange of oxygen and waste gases during respiration, lymphatic drainage, and the process of digestion are all examples of what the ancient Chinese would call the function of the qi. Our muscles, for example, do not move magically, but rather through the electrical impulses from the brain, though the networks of the nervous system. No ancient peoples on earth had this level of anatomic knowledge, yet it amazes me how the ancient Chinese were able to observe the effects and workings of the nerves (simply calling it a function of Qi), and locate the points on the body where the nerves are exposed, or close to the surface of the skin, and attempted to affect these nerves (and by extension the muscles, organs and body functions they control or innervate) through the stimulation of acupuncture and other related modalities. They also attempted to create a map of this circulatory and nerve system though what is called the Chinese meridian system.

The ancient Chinese further understood that none of these body systems function in isolation, that they are interdependent, and that ongoing dysfunction in one part of the body (physical, mental, or emotional) can lead to a cascade effect on other systems and functions of the body. What the ancient Chinese lacked in hard anatomical understanding, they made up for in understanding that the human organism functions as an interconnected and interdependent unit, and must be addressed holistically. They also recognized that prevention and health maintenance are the wisest course, and that treatment of illness or injury once it is manifested is often much more difficult. Both of these principles are ones our modern health model, which has tremendous knowledge and powerful treatment tools, often neglects to our own detriment.

Made even more amazing is that the Chinese were able to observe and codify this understanding into an established system by the time the first known text on Chinese medicine theory was written between the late Warring States Period (475-221 BC) and the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). This work was called the Huángdì Nèijīng (黃帝內經), often translated as “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic”, or more literally the “Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor”.

Certainly I understand the limitations of Classic Chinese Medicine. They had no understanding or practices of surgery, for example. They had no understanding of viruses, bacteria, or genetics. They utilized herbs for treatment and dietary supplementation, but this has been improved by modern chemistry in the form of refined vitamins and pharmaceuticals. Certainly modern medicine is often superior in these areas, as well as others. But I do not think this is an “either/or” proposition. It is not all one thing or the other. Old and new knowledge can work together for the betterment of the human condition and experience. I honor and respect what our human ancestors were able to understand and recognize, particularly given their limited resources compared to modern peoples, while at the same time recognizing the limitations of their methods and the incorrect ideas they may have held.

If one is uncomfortable with the more esoteric interpretations of qi, there is no need to buy into those concepts in order to benefit from TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) or to practice Chinese martial arts. One of the most basic aspects of qi is the circulation of blood in the blood vessels and arteries. Qi also manifests through the movement of tissues, respiration, the process of digestion, the release and production of hormones, cellular activity, and so on. Are all dependent on the body’s internal energy; the breaking down of food material for energy and the exchanging of oxygen and waste gases. The electrical impulses of the nervous system, which control the organs, bodily movement, and all other processes of the body are qi. All of this falls into the classical concept of qi.

The cornerstone of the traditional Chinese health model is the concept of qi. If we bring this idea out of the shadows of mystery, and into the light of accurate historical and cultural understanding, we see it is not some abstract concept, it is a principle that permeates our whole life. Whether a modern person uses this terminology or not, by this old Chinese wisdom model we nourish and promote the qi every time we breath, eat a good meal, or rub sore or tired muscles.

A classic saying is that, “Qi is the commander of the blood, and blood is the mother of Qi.” This means the blood cannot move without the driving action of the qi, and in turn, the organs that produce and nurture the qi are dependent on the nourishment of the blood in order to function. In the more superficial layers of the body, qi travels in a network of tiny vessels, deeper in the body it travels in more discrete pathways called meridians. All forms of TCM address the function, strength, or abundance of this qi.

qi_180

When one understands something about how a culture speaks and writes, we understand something about how they perceive the world around them. Here the Chinese character for qi can help us achieve a more thorough understanding. The modern Chinese method of writing evolved over millennia from the use of pictographs. Each character represents, not only a sound or word, but an entire (sometimes very complex) idea, or multiple ideas together. The modern character for Qi (氣) is most directly translated today simply as “breath”, but as already stated, this one word leaves a lot of the deeper meaning out.

The character can be divided into two distinct parts, roughly a lower and upper portions. The lower half 米 depicts a piece of cooked rice. In some ways similar to a popcorn kernel that “pops” and puffs up, dried rice when cooked in water will expand, puff up, and become soft. The upper half 气 depicts steam rising up. So what we really have depicted here is fresh steamed rice. But what does this have to do with Qi?

The staple of the East Asian diet is rice. This is as true today as it was thousands of years ago. Like most ancient peoples, the average Chinese person was impoverished, eating what was available, predominately rice and vegetables. Even today, and certainly in the past, meat was a luxury food, often only eaten during special occasions, if at all. At times of famine or bad harvest yields (which were not infrequent), many people lived much of the year on rice alone and other foods made from rice or rice flours. Therefore, to the ancient Chinese, cooked rice was not just a food, it was the very sustenance of life itself. So, we find that at the most basic level, even the word used for qi in its native language refers directly to the air we breath and the food we eat. Again, we are back to the basic biological processes that sustain our life.

For another perspective, let’s examine what some others have said about qi.

China scholar Kenneth Cohen writes in his book, The Way of Qigong:

Qi is the Chinese word for “life energy.” According to Chinese medicine, qi is the animating power that flows through all living beings. A living being is filled with it. A dead person has no more qi – the warmth, the life energy is gone. A healthy individual has more than one who is ill. However, health is more than an abundance of qi. Health implies that the qi in our bodies is clear, rather than polluted and turbid, and flowing smoothly, like a stream, not blocked or stagnant (3).

Author and martial arts scholar Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming says this about qi (or “Chi” as he spells it):

The vital principle which circulates through the pathways of the nervous system is Chi. Chi plays a role similar to blood, but differs in that it is a type of electrical energy. Chi more than the blood, is responsible for keeping a person alive. Chi is the life force which all living beings possess (52).

I disagree with Dr. Yang in his assessment that qi/chi is different from the blood and circulation, and that it is more closely related to the nervous system. My opinion from my own study is that the concept of qi encompasses both of those, but also is not limited by either of them. I will leave the reader to make up their own mind.

Perhaps one of the best and most clear explanations I have come across in modern writing comes from Brian Kennedy and Elizabeth Guo in their book Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals: A Historical Survey:

The Chinese concept of qi presents a problem in English because it is neither matter nor energy but rather both… In a sense it is the same problem that faces modern scientists who must describe light as both particles and waves.

Qi in the classical Chinese use of the term is a continuum; there is “dense qi” which makes up the earth and rocks and “solid” things, and at the other end of the continuum is “ethereal qi” which goes to make up such things as a person’s thoughts. But it is always important to realize that wherever the word “qi” is used, it is always viewed as being alive and inanimate, not a “dead thing” (27-28).

Kennedy and Guo continue in their discussion, making the point that within the context of martial arts, qi is most concretely related to “efficient biomechanics”:

Proper qi results in efficient movement and the optimal and maximal use of force; improper qi does not. Proper qi is therefore the optimal skeletal alignment and most coordinated use of the muscular system for the purpose of generating the maximum amount of force with the minimal amount of effort. Put more simply, maximum force with minimum effort. Or more simply still: efficient fighting.

In the biomechanical model, proper body alignment focuses on three fundamental elements: first, using the body as a complete and integrated unit with the waist as center; second, correct interplay between relaxation and concentration of muscles; and third, alignment of the skeleton to transfer or receive force. Often times when qi is used to mean biomechanical efficiency, the term “qi” itself is not used. Instead it is replaced by more specific martial arts terms such as “jin.” The word “jin” is a technical term used to refer to specific manners of applying force. It can best be defined as coordinated energy for a specific function (29).

As I stated previously, “qi” is a difficult concept to pin down concretely, because it has meant many different things, at different times, to different people. It is also a term that was often used as an attempt to express a skill, experience, or feeling that does not readily lend itself to verbal, or sometimes even conceptual, expression. In this way it is an attempt to verbalize something that exists in a place where it is difficult or impossible for language to effectively go:

…The term “qi” can be used to describe phenomena that do not lend themselves to verbal articulation. Many aspects of physical arts are not easy to talk about; they are subjective feelings. Thus in sports you hear phrases such as “on top of my game,” “in the groove,” “caught in the moment,” or “pushed through the wall.” In the arts you hear such things as “the words flowed out of me,” “the band clicked,” or “I found my tempo.” These types of expressions reflect very real experiences that are common to people involved in that activity. But the experiences are not easy to articulate in concrete terms. Therefore a metaphor such as qi is used. To someone outside the art, the metaphor makes little sense, but to someone who has had the same experience the metaphor is clear… To describe things like this using the single word “qi” is entirely legitimate (Kennedy & Guo, 30-31).

Finally, Kennedy and Guo point out the way one understands and conceptualizes of qi is not an “either/or” proposition. Qi was intended to be a broad concept, capable of encompassing numerous experiences or understandings that might be difficult to describe:

The various meanings or frameworks are not mutually exclusive, and most discussions of qi intermingle them. For example, qi may be used to describe a life force that is the result of biomechanical efficiency, which is to say that if the practitioner’s physical posture is correct, then the life energy will be allowed to manifest and flow. Or, in the mirror image, qi may be used to describe a state of biomechanical efficiency that is the result of correct use of a life force or energy. Qi as life energy and qi as biomechanical efficiency may be viewed as mutually reinforcing and mutually generating (31).

It is most broad terms, qi is the vital essence, the very energy of your life. Your physical energy, the energy of your thoughts and emotions. Our happiness, our sadness. Our interests and passions. The energy of our relationships. The energy that moves us and propels us through life. How we think, what we say, and how we behave are all expressions of, and have effects upon, this energy of life. In the end, no words can adequately describe the richness and wonder of this life. We should each strive to cultivate our lives, and get out there and live our lives the best we are able with this finite resource of life.

Works Cited

Cohen, Kenneth S. The Way of Qigong: The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing. New York, New York; Ballantine Books, 1997.

Kennedy, Brian & Guo, Elizabeth. Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals: a Historical Survey. Berkeley, California: Blue Snake Books, 2005.

Yang, Jwing-Ming. Shaolin Chin Na: The Seizing Art of Kung-Fu. Unique Publications, Inc., 1982.

Principle of Wuwei in the Martial Arts

January 6, 2018 / Modagi / Leave a comment

wuwei calligraphy

A man is born gentle and weak, yet is capable of living for a lifetime.

At his death, he is hard and stiff, yet unable to live for a moment longer.

Green plants are tender and filled with sap.

At their death they are withered and dry.

Therefore the stiff and unbending is the disciple of death.

The gentle and yielding is the disciple of life.

Thus an army without flexibility never wins the battle.

A tree that is unbending is easily broken.

The hard and the strong will fall.

The soft and weak will overcome.

— Laozi (Lao-tzu)

Wu wei (“non-doing; non-action”) and Wújí (無極; “ultimate; boundless; infinite” or the “primordial universe”) are foundational principles in Chinese philosophy. They are also critically important to the practice of Chinese gong fu. Wuwei and wuji are the same, but yet different. Although not entirely accurate, the simplest explanation of the difference is that wuji is a principal of the universe, where wuwei is how living creatures like us can manifest this principle; what we do (or don’t do) with that philosophy. In this context, “non-doing” does not mean sitting around doing nothing. It is action or inaction that occurs spontaneously, selflessly, and unconditionally.

For the warrior, it is critical to know how and when it is appropriate to move, but also equally important to know when to remain still. Movement and stillness are most easily seen on the physical level, but are just as important (if not more so at times) in the mental and emotional realms as well. When we take the holistic view of a human being (the inner and outer dimensions), we understand we can have stillness within movement, and movement within stillness. To do either at the inappropriate time, or in an unskilled manner, could be disastrous.

One of my goals as a practitioner and teacher is to help reinvigorate a classical mindset in training to traditional Chinese martial arts. This being so, one of the things I’ve researched over the last few years is classical Chinese archery. Archery is the oldest form of organized Chinese martial art (perhaps as old as 20,000 years or more) and for centuries, archery was held as one of the highest physical practices of Chinese martial arts, and most likely the first martial practice to become associated with the cultivation of high level mind and spirit. Here are a couple examples of wu-wei from the framework of that practice.

In Eugene Harrigel’s 1971 book Zen in the Art of Archery, he recounts studying in Japan with a Zen master of archery. When he realizes he does not have unlimited time in the country to study, he asks his teacher about the appropriate time for stopping his training. His teacher says:

“Once you have grown truly egoless you can break off at any time.”

Later he asks how the shot can be loosed if “I” do not do it. The master replies:

“It” shoots… “It” waits at the highest tension… “It” releases when you are absolutely self-oblivious and without purpose… You must act as if the goal were infinitely far off.

The Daoist philosopher Zhuangzi (Chuang-tzu) wrote about losing calmness and no longer practicing non-doing:

When an archer is shooting for nothing, he has all his skill.

If he shoots for a brass buckle, he is already nervous.

If he shoots for a prize of gold, he goes blind

Or sees two targets – he is out of his mind!

His skill has not changed. But the prize divides him. He cares.

He thinks more of winning than of shooting –

And the need to win drains his power.

Again, Zhuangzi writes:

The non-action of the wise man is not inaction.

It is not studied. It is not shaken by anything.

The sage is quiet because he is not moved.

Not because he wills to be quiet…

His quietness is the mirror of heaven and earth…

Emptiness, stillness, tranquility, tastelessness, silence, non-action:

this is the level of heaven and earth.

This is the perfect Dao.

The control and discipline in the practice of high level martial arts is really a complete release of control, an inner stillness that ends our inner struggle with ourselves and permits responses to occur reflexively to the unfolding of outer events. An unconditional softness that allows all experience – whether inner or outer – to flow harmoniously with the movement of all circumstances. The inner discipline of becoming undisciplined is the paradoxical art that lies at the center of the Daoist and Zen practice. Neither the results nor the influence can be predicted because there is no planning, no objective. Indeed, any intentional mindfulness subverts the effect, and premeditated or deliberate cultivation of influence subverts the process by destroying the accuracy of its intuitive and reflexive spontaneity.

“Nature’s way is simple and easy, but men prefer what is intricate and artificial.”

— Laozi, Dao de Jing

The Taijiquan Classic

June 14, 2017June 14, 2017 / Modagi / Leave a comment

Zhang Sanfeng observing a snake and crane; the legendary beginnings of the Taijiquan philosophy.

Traditionally this document has been attributed to the legendary progenitor of Taiji, the Daoist sage Zhang Sanfeng, or his disciple Wang Zongyue, around the 13th century. However, more recent scholarship holds it is most likely the product of Wu Yuxiang in the 19th century.

One of the primary points discussed in much of this passage is integrating each part of the body and unifying it for whole body movement. This is crucial for both healthy movement and body function, as well as for generating martial arts power. The starting point for this unified body movement is maintaining central stability. Without a centrally stable core for the movements, whatever outward formations the arms or legs make are completely empty and without substance.

When reading, substantial/insubstantial is a reference to yin and yang; empty and full, fast and slow, hard and soft, opening and closing, left and right, up and down, yielding and advancing, etc. This principle is vital to the philosophy and theory of the practice of Taijiquan, and is in fact where the name “Taiji” originates from; the principle of taiji is the integration and ever-changing transformational interplay between the polaric forces of yin and yang.

Due to the difficulty of translating classical Chinese into English, here I provide three different translations of this short text. By reviewing each variation a few times, hopefully you will gain a better understanding of the intention of the original text.

The Taijiquan Classic (Taijiquan jing)

By Zhang Sanfeng or Wu Yuxiang, Translated by Louis Swaim

Once in motion, the entire body should be light and agile, and even more importantly, must be threaded together (guan chuan). The qi should be roused and made vibrant. The spirit (shen) should be collected within. Do not allow there to be any protuberances or hollows. Do not allow there to be any intermittence. It is rooted in the feet, issued by the legs, governed by the waist, and expressed in the fingers. From the feet to the legs, then to the waist, always there must be complete integration into one qi. In advancing forward and retreating back, you will then be able to seize the opportunity and the strategic advantage (de ji de shi). In a case of not gaining the opportunity and strategic advantage, your body will become scattered and confused. The flaw in this case must certainly be sought in the waist and legs. This is so whether up or down, forward or backward, left or right. These cases are all of mind intent (yi) and do not refer to the external. When there is up, then there is down. When there is forward, then there is backward. When there is left, then there is right. If the intent is to go upward, then direct the mind intent downward, just as, if one is going to lift an object, then one in addition applies to it the force of a downward push. Thus, it’s root will be severed, and it will be collapsed quickly and decisively. Insubstantial and substantial must be clearly distinguished. Each point has its point of insubstantial/substantial. Everywhere there is always this one insubstantial/substantial. The entire body is threaded together joint by joint (jie jie guan chuan). Do not allow the slightest interruption.

The Taijiquan Classic (Taijiquan jing)

Translated by Scott Rodell

Once moving, the entire body must be agile and spirited and must be connected, transmitting energy. Qi should circulate fully. Spirit should be kept inside. Without any place having a flaw, without any place having any protrusions or hollows, moving without any breaks, continuously. Jin [power] is rooted in the foot, released from the leg, controlled with the waist, takes form in the hands. From the foot, to the leg, through the waist is one intent. In this way, when moving forward or stepping back, one can gain the opportunity and advantage. If the body is unfastened, spread out, and disordered, the problem must be sought in the waist and legs. Whether moving up-down, left-right it is this way (sanluan), it is all yi (mind), not outside influences. If there is up, there is down; if there is front, there is back; if there is left, there is right. If one wants to go up, there is also simultaneously intent downward. If you lift something, there should also be pressing down. In this way, he severs his own root, quickly destroying him without question. Empty and full need to be clearly separated. The entire body, every part, is connected (guanchuan), not one tiny bit broken. Long fist is like the great rivers and big seas which flow as a ceaseless torrent. Ward off, roll back, press, push, pull down, split, elbow, shoulder strike, are like the eight trigrams. Forward step, rearward step, turn watch left, turn look right, central stability are the five elements. Ward off, roll back, press, push, or the four cardinal directions. Pull down, split, elbow, shoulder strike, are the four diagonal directions. Forward, rearward, watch, look, stability are gold, wood, water, fire and earth. Combined together are the 13 postures.

Guanchuan literally means “to go through” the entire body.

San means to come loose, be scattered, or sloppy. Luan means disordered or confused.

Alternative Translation, created by composite from multiple translations:

When moving the body, it should be light and nimble, with all its parts linked together like pearls in a necklace. Arouse the qi in the body and extend it; mental awareness (shen) is to be gathered internally. Body postures should be aligned properly with no distortions of any kind. Body movements should be continuous without stops and starts. Internal energy (Jin) should be rooted in the feet, generated through the legs, directed by the waist, and expressed through the fingers. If timing and position are defective the movements will be confused and disordered. The problem is to be corrected in the legs and waist. Up and down, forward and back, left and right should be directed by Yi (clear mental intention). When attacking up be aware of down; when advancing forward don’t lose sight of retreating; when striking left pay attention to the right. Movements are to be regulated by Yi and not by brute force. By pulling and pushing the foundation of an opponent, he can be uprooted and fall over. Empty and full should be clearly determined. Where there is one there should be the possibility of the other. The body through every joint should be intertwined together without the slightest break. In Long Boxing [changquan is an early name for what developed into Taijiquan. It literally means “long fist.”], the body moves like water flowing in a great river, or like the rolling waves of a large ocean. Ward off, roll back, press, push, pull, split, elbow, and shoulder are the eight powers equated to the Eight Trigrams [bagua]. Moving forward, backward, left, right, and central balance are the five directions that relate to the Five Elemental Phases (wu xing) of universal Qi . These Five and Eight together in Taijiquan are called the “Thirteen Postures.”

Exposition of Insights into the Practice of the 13 Taijiquan Principles

February 7, 2017February 7, 2017 / Modagi / Leave a comment

ztai This Exposition was written by the teacher Wu Yuxiang (1812–1880), who was a scholar and government official during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). Wu became a well known Taijiquan instructor and studied with the founder of Yang Style, Yang Luchan (1799-1872), as well as with Chen family teacher, Chen Qingping (1795–1868), for a short time and whom he met through Yang.

Wu is of particular interest to modern students because there is a considerable amount of writing on the subject of general Taijiquan theory and practice that is attributed to him. Some his works are even referenced and utilized by other schools of Taijiquan, not related to his own. Wu’s most accomplished student, his nephew Li Yiyu (1832-1892), also authored several important works on Taijiquan.

Additionally, the style of Wu Yuxiang was eventually transmitted by three generations of students of Li to and man named Hao Weizhen (1842-1920), and became a distinct style called Wu/Hao Taijiquan. Further, Hao instructed the founder of the Sun Style of Taijiquan, Sun Lutang (1860-1933), who was also an important Chinese martial arts author during this period. Therefore, Wu Yuxiang had a direct influence on the formation or evolution of three of the five main branches of Taijiquan practiced today.

As mentioned previously, Wu studied with Chen Qingping, a 7th generation master of the Chen Family for forty days in 1852. That same year he received a copy of the Taijiquan Treatise (太極拳論, taijiquan lun) which was attributed to Wang Zongyue (13th century). This text is also an important Taijiquan Classic. He began teaching his nephew Li Yiyu in 1853, who would become famous in his own right. The Taijiquan Treatise is among a body of literature collectively referred to as the Taijiquan Classics by most Taijiquan schools regardless of style, and upon which Wu and many other students and teachers have drawn inspiration and insight.

Using poetic language and metaphors which were standard in the writings of this type during the period, this short text expounds the finer points of the 13 kinetic concepts and discusses principles of body mechanics, intent and the practitioner’s spirit of vitality. When looking beyond the surface level, we can find an expression of deep insight into the integration of mind and body.

Lastly, we should touch on the principle of Qi, which is mentioned by Wu. In classical Chinese medicine, Qi is the sum total of the biological and life sustaining processes of the body; blood circulation and purification, respiration, nerve impulses, lymphatic drainage, digestion, etc., are all processes and functions of the Qi. All of these aspects of human life were lumped into what these ancient people referred to collectively, and simply, as Qi.

Further, specifically in reference to martial arts practice, qi refers to proper and efficient use of the muscles, tendons and ligaments, and correct structural alignment of the skeleton for maximum generation of force and power using the least amount of possible effort exerted. Proper use of the soft tissue and skeleton allows one to move the full body as an integrated whole, using a balance of tension and relaxation in appropriate proportion and timing, and therefore express or absorb force effectively. When these physical conditions are present, the practitioner can feel that their body is stable and strong. In martial arts, when speaking of expressing or transferring force, this is often called fa jin (fa jing). This is the primary feeling of “Qi” that Wu is referring to in this passage.

Mental Elucidation of the 13 Postures (shi san shi xing gong xin jie)

By Wu Yuxiang, translated by Louis Swaim

Use the mind/heart (xin) to move the qi. You must cause it to sink soundly, then it can gather into the bones. Use the qi to move the body. You must cause it to accord smoothly, then it can easily follow your heart/mind (xin). If the spirit of vitality (jing shen) can be raised, then there will be no apprehension of dullness or heaviness. This is what is meant by suspending the crown of the head. The intent (yi) and the qi must exchange with skillful sensitivity, then you will have a sense of roundness and liveliness. This is what is called the change of insubstantial and substantial. When issuing energy (fa jin), one must sink soundly, loosen completely and focus in one direction. In standing, the body must be centrally aligned, calm and at ease, supporting the eight directions. Move the qi as though through a pearl carved with a zigzag path (jiu qu zhu, literally, “nine-bend pearl”) [a metaphor for the different lines of energy of the body], reaching everywhere without a hitch. Mobilize jin (energy) that is like well-tempered steel, capable of breaking through any stronghold. One’s form is like a hawk seizing a rabbit. One’s spirit is like a cat seizing a rat. Be still like a mountain, move like a flowing river. Store energy (xu jin) as though drawing a bow. Issue energy (fa jin) as though releasing an arrow. Seek the straight in the curved. Store up, then issue. The strength issues from the spine; the steps follow the body’s changes. To gather in is in fact to release. To break off is to again connect. Going to and fro there must be folding; in advancing and retreating there must be turning transitions. Arriving at the extreme of yielding softness, one afterword arrives at the extreme of solid hardness. With the ability to inhale and exhale will follow the ability to be nimble and lively. When the qi is cultivated in a straightforward manner, there will be no harm. When the energy (jin) is stored up in the curves, there will be a surplus. The heart/mind (xin) is the commander, the qi is the signal flag, the waist [yao] is the directional banner. First seek to open and expand, afterwards seek to draw up and gather together, then you will approach refinement.

It is also said, if the other does not move, I do not. If the other moves slightly, I move first. The energy (jin) seems loosened (song) yet not loosened; about to expand, but not yet expanding. The energy (jin) breaks off, yet the intent (yi) does not. It is also said, first in the mind/heart, then in the body. The abdomen is loosened (song) so that the qi gathers into the bones. The spirit is at ease, the body calm. Carve this, each moment, into your mind/heart; remember closely: when one part moves, there is no part that does not move. When one part is still, there is no part that is not still. Leading the movements to and fro, the qi adheres to the back, then collects into the spine. Within, consolidate the spirit of vitality. Without, express tranquility and ease. Step like a cat walking. Mobilize energy (jin) as though drawing silk. Throughout the whole body, the intent (yi) is on the spirit of vitality (jing shen), not on the qi. If it is on the qi, then there will be stagnation. One who has it on the qi will have no strength. One who does not have it on the qi will attain pure hardness. Qi is like the wheel of a cart; the waist [yao] is like the wheel’s axle.

Chinese terms in the context of Taijiquan practice:

Jin (or jing), 劲.”Energetic power” or “inner-strength.” A combination of “Li” (muscular power) and “Qi.”.
Fa-jin, 發勁/发劲. Externally and explosively issue or discharge Jin power. This has been likened to the energy that issues from the tip of a bull whip. Following a spiral movement of delivery, the energy is concentrated along an ever-narrowing ribbon of leather until it is expressed with great force and flawless precision at the delicate tip.
Jing-shen, 精神. Literally “spirit mind” or consciousness. But in taijiquan it more often means a “spirit of vigor, vitality and drive.”
Li, 力 (sounds like “lee”). “Physical muscular strength.”
Qi (or chi), 氣. The vital energy, or breath, that grants us life. Qi carries tremendous amounts of vibration, requiring a high degree of coordination of the entire body. Your torso and limbs, your hands and legs, must be coordinated both physically and mentally with every other part of the body. All the parts should relate to each other as one inseparable unit, especially when you transfer your qi from the root upward. Success in this will allow you to maneuver your entire body – forward, backward, upward, downward – at will.
Xin – 心 (sounds like “shin”). Heart and mind: the merging of emotion, desire, goals, wishes, attitude and aspirations.
Yao – 腰. simply translated as “waist” but can also refer to the lower torso, or the pelvic region including hips, groin, and lower spine. Also the body’s center of gravity, and the dantian.
Yi – 意 – Mental intention; the will. “Yi” has a host of related meanings: mind – intent – idea – meaning – thought – think – wish – desire – expect – anticipate. All could be applicable in taijiquan or martial arts generally.

Song of the 13 Postures

January 23, 2017January 23, 2017 / Modagi / Leave a comment

The 8 Gates & 5 Directions make up the 13 Concepts of Taijiquan

Fu Zhongwen (1903–1994) was a respected taijiquan teacher and author from China. He was a disciple of Yang Chengfu (1883–1936), who was the 3rd generation head master of the Yang style and the teacher responsible for consolidating and popularizing Yang Taijiquan in China in the 1920s and ‘30s.

This section was presented by Master Fu Zhongwen in his 1963 book Yang Shi Taijiquan (Yang Style Taijiquan). The original composer of this short essay on the 13 foundational concepts is no longer known. This version is from Louis Swaim’s translation of Master Fu’s book titled Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan.

Song of the 13 Postures

Author unknown

The thirteen principal postures are not to be underestimated.

The source of meaning is in the region of the waist.

You must pay full attention to the turning transformations of empty and full,

And the qi moving throughout your body without the slightest hindrance.

In the midst of stillness one comes in contact with movement, moving as though remaining still.

According with one’s opponent, the transformations appear wondrous.

For each and every posture, concentrate your mind and consider the meaning of the applications.

You will not get it without consciously expending a great deal of time and effort (gongfu).

Moment by moment, keep the mind/heart (xin) on the waist.

With the lower abdomen completely loosened, the qi will ascend on its own.

The coccyx (wei lu) is centrally aligned, and the spirit (shen) threads to the crown of the head.

The whole body is light and nimble when the head is suspended at the crown.

Carefully concentrate upon your study.

The bending, extending, opening and closing: let them come on their own.

Entering the gate and being led to the path, this must come from oral guidance.

To ceaselessly exert oneself (gongfu wu xi) in the method of self cultivation (zi xiu).

If you ask, what are the criteria of essence and application?

Intention (yi) and qi are the authority, the bones and tissues the subjects.

If you want to find out where, in the end, the purpose lies,

It is to increase longevity and extend one’s years (yi shou yan nian), a springtime of youth.

This song, oh, this song, has one hundred forty words. Every word is true and concise, there are no omissions.

If inquiry proceeds without regard to this,

One’s efforts (gongfu) will be wasted, and this will only cause one to sigh with regret.

The 13 Postures of Taijiquan (part 3)

November 4, 2016November 4, 2016 / Modagi / Leave a comment

FUNDAMENTAL NINE STANCES

There are eight fundamental formations of the lower body position (stances) that are the basis of stability, movement, and martial technique in the Yang style. When you practice the stances, you may ignore the positioning of the hands until you begin practicing the full the sequences which utilize these stances.

There is an important note on the term “Stance” which has come to be the most commonly used and accepted terminology. Perhaps a better word would be “step.” A stance is something that is static, where a step is something that is dynamic and in motion. In Daoist philosophy, something that is static is stagnate, and therefore not “alive.” As a result, Taiji is about movement, not stationary position. The basic practice of static stance holds is primarily found in Shaolin-based systems. Taijiquan training prefers moving training and may use deep stepping, shifts and transitions to develop leg strength and stability.

The notable exception is the squat position, which may be used for static training, though it is rarely used as extensively as the Shaolin horse stance training. This ninth stance has been removed from many modern schools or elevated to the height of (and therefore combined with) the neutral stance.

The eight functional, and one training, stances or steps are:

Neutral / Horse / Goat Step
Bow and Arrow Step / Mountain (or Hill) Climbing Step
Reverse Step
Cross Leg / Twist Step
Crouch Step
False (Heel or Toe) Step
Single Leg Step
T-step / Nail Step
Squat Stance

Neutral Step

ma bu

This is a centered, neutral position. It can be a higher version of the common Horse stance, with the feet wider, or closer together, and with weight evenly distributed. The term “goat step” can be a reference (and possibly an insult) to the higher version of the horse; a goat is a smaller and weaker animal than the powerful horse. I prefer the term “neutral stance”. This movement is commonly used as a transition between techniques in the forms.

The important points for this position are: Feet roughly parallel, knees bent slightly or up to an approximately 90°. The torso is upright, natural, centered and relaxed. The knees are directly over the feet, with weight going straight down into the arches of the feet. Both feet remain flat, with the body weight evenly distributed.

Common movements that use this leg position are Cloud Hands and Cross.

Bow and Arrow Step / Mountain or Hill Climbing Step

gong jian bu, deng shan bu

The lead leg step steps forward so the knee and toes are perpendicular. The front leg supports 60% of the weight, with 40% in the back leg. The front toes angle inward slightly. The rear leg knee is slightly bent. The upper body remains perpendicular to the ground, with hips open and relaxed.

This is the most commonly used leg position for offensive movements in Taijiquan. Many movements use this position, such as Brush Knee, Working the Shuttle, Single Whip, and Grasping the Bird’s Tail sequence

Reverse Step / literally “Four-Six Step”

si liu bu

This is the most commonly used defensive stance. In its weight distribution, it is exactly opposite the bow stance; front leg supports 40%, the rear leg 60%. The rear knee is bent, while the front leg is flexed (slightly bent and relaxed).

Taiji rarely prefers moving straight back defensively, as there are numerous tactical problems with this maneuver. However, Taiji commonly uses a movement of rocking the body forward and backward using Bow and Reverse steps.

Common movements that use this step are Repel the Monkey, Rollback, and Push.

Crossed Legs / Twisting Step

zuo pan bu

While few movements use this step for their ending position, it is commonly used for transition and forward movement. When we take this into account, it is the second most common step in Taiji practice.

When developed properly, the whipping and deflecting energy that can be produced from twisting movements is very powerful.

Crouch Step / Tame the Tiger Step

Pu bu / fu hu bu

Most often used for low attacks, defense, and takedown maneuvers. In this position, squat down on one leg while keeping the other straight, but not locked. Ideally, the thigh of the squatting leg should be parallel to the ground. The knee of squatting leg should line up with the toes.

Depending upon one’s flexibility and hip condition, a deep stance may not be performable. The most important thing is to keep an upright and neutral body position. It is not correct to squat deeply, but have the body bent forward so far as to effect balance and stability.

The most obvious movements that use this position are Snake Creeps Down and Tame the Tiger.

False Step (Toe or Heel)

xuan ji bu, xu bu

The false step can be further divided into Heel and Toe step. Most of the weight is held on the back leg, with only a small portion on the forward leg; approximately 20% in the heel step, 10% for the toe.

This movement is used to set up kicks; from this position the front leg can kick without hesitation. Alternatively they can be interpreted directly as a kick.

In the Heel step, the whole pad of the heel, rather than the point, on the extend leg will contact the ground. The toe step places the ball of the foot on the ground, not just the tip of the toes.

These positions are used in movements like “White Crane Spreads Its Wings” and “High Pat on Horse” on Toe stance. For Heel stance, use “Lifting Hands” or “Strumming the Lute.”

Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg Step / Single Leg Step

jin gi du li bu

In its obvious function, Single leg is similar in form and function to false stance; used to set up kicks or a knee strike technique. Be sure to lift the knee up with the ankle naturally relaxed.

On perhaps a less obvious level, single leg step is the most often used step in Taijiquan. Every time you lift one foot to step, you are standing, momentarily, on a single leg. Balance and stability is even more important than when you have two feet in contact with the ground. The torso should be upright with the weight coming straight down through the supporting leg, and weight evenly spread across the foot.

T-Step / Nail or Stake Step

ding bu

This is another transitional position. Depending upon a practitioner’s system, teacher, or personal style, they may or may not use it often. It can be thought of as a combination of the single leg and toe step positions.

When transitioning and stepping, you touch the toe down close to the supporting foot. This is done to center your weight or pause just before making a further step. This is to ensure you have the highest level of balance and stability in your coming step, and that the movement can have the highest level of potential power. Unnecessary muscular tension will arise if you are moving without centered balance.

“T” is a reference to the shape the stepping foot and supporting foot make, a “t” shape. Nail and stake refer to sinking the weight straight down, not at an angle.

Squat / Sit Stance

zuo dun

This is the only position that is used primarily as a training device to build up strength in the knees and legs. The position resembles sitting in a chair.

Feet should be just wider than shoulder width apart (closer than in Northern Shaolin horse stance practice). Squat until the thighs are parallel with the ground, knees bent about 90 degrees. Keep the spine as straight as possible. Palms can rest lightly on the front of the knees, or held away from the body in a relaxed ward-off formation to act as a counterbalance.

Attempt to stand in this position for one minute to start, while keeping the mind and body calm. Build up to five minutes or longer. This type of practice is often referred to as “standing post” training.

The 13 Postures of Taijiquan (part 2)

October 28, 2016November 1, 2016 / Modagi / Leave a comment

tai-chi-ball Four Secondary Concepts

These are not called “secondary” because they are less important than the primary, but rather because they do not generally manifest completely on their own; they work in conjunction with one or more of the other concepts.

Four Secondary Hand Principles:

Spreading / split /divide/ shearing, separating (lie)
Taking (cai)
Elbowing (zhou)
Leaning, shoulder (kao)

In the practice of the four secondary principles, just like the primary principles, specific movements are taken out of the empty hand form that embody these concepts. Yet, again, one should not limit their concept of these principles to only these techniques. They can manifest in innumerable ways.

Both the primary and secondary techniques should be practiced in sequence on the left and right side until their key points and feeling has been internalized. Only then will you be able to spontaneously form the appropriate energy. This capability is partnered with the practice of “listening energy” in the practice of pushing hands.

Split or Spread

This concept has the feeling of splitting something into two parts, therefore the action is forward and to the side. Split is the action of using your arm and the shift of the body weight to put your opponent in a position so their body structure is locked, in order to make them off-balance and/or fall. Very often, it is considered a side-ward ward off. Split can be used to lock the arm, or bounce the opponent off-balance.

Spreading is most often practiced as Parting the Horse’s Mane, or Diagonal Flying techniques.

Take or Pull

This energy is used for grabbing, stalling or locking the opponent’s joints, such as elbow or wrist. It can also be used to cause pain or numbness by pressing pressure points or cavities; such as inside of the wrist, upper outer forearm, or the brachial artery under the bicep.

Taking is represented by movements such as Strumming the Lute and Lifting Hands.

Elbow

Includes both offensive and defensive uses. Soft circling elbow movements are used to attack or neutralize a lock or press to the elbow. When used to strike or press, the chest is the main target; when used to neutralize a lock, generally a circular yielding motion is utilized. This circular, yielding motion is used to seal or neutralize their arm from further attack.

It is very common for your opponent to attempt to immobilize your arm movement by grabbing or locking your elbow. You must know how to circle your elbow and coil your forearm to neutralize such situations.

The elbow, in beginner’s practice, is done simply as a strike by stepping the rear leg to the front one, then stepping with the front; a step and slide movement.

Bump or Lean

This is using a part of your body such as shoulder, back, thigh, hip, chest, and knee to bump the opponent’s body. This is a particularly important method in very close range situations. Applied properly it destroys an opponent’s rooting and balance, preventing them from further attack. Alternatively you can use the moment they are off balance to kick or strike. It is used extensively in takedown techniques and throws.

In beginner practice, Leaning is most often executed with the shoulder with the same stepping pattern as elbowing. Elbowing and leaning will have a slight rising movement when the feet step together, then sink the body with the strike. In this beginners practice elbow and shoulder energies are represented simply as strikes, however their meaning is much deeper.

Five strategic directional movements/steps

Moving forward
Moving backward
Moving left
Moving right
Remaining center, firming the center, holding the center

Regardless of one’s chosen style of martial arts, It is of primary importance to keep skillful control of the distance between you and your opponent for attack or defensive purposes. These five principles make up the most basic strategies of movement for the lower body. Any of these steps may be formed with any of the basic stances (which will be explained further later), however some stances more easily lend themselves to particular types of movement.

When stepping, there are three main forward steps: Bow stance, toe stance, and heel stance. The center step can be represented by the Square stance, the T-step or tap step, stamping, or remaining in place. Left and right steps are done by simply sidestepping, or turning 90° then executing a forward step. The backward step is most often done with open bow or reverse stance, such as in “Diagonal Flying”, and the crouching stance, such as in “Repel Monkey”. Backward stepping can also be accomplished by simply stepping backward and assuming any of the forward step stances.

Step Forward

This strategy is usually used to maintain distance when your opponent is retreating and moving away to escape or open the range. In order to use the sticking and adhering so foundational in Taijiquan practice, you must maintain a proper distance. Often the instinct of an opponent is to attempt to retreat in an effort to free themselves from your sticking and adhering.

Step Backward

Stepping backward is exactly opposite of stepping forward. By stepping back you can retreat slightly from an urgent situation, such as yielding to oncoming power, leaving you more time to lead and neutralize incoming force.

Step to the Left

Taiji never takes force on directly, like water running down hill, it is always moving in the path of least resistance. You should always be seeking an opportunity to step to the side in order to enter what is referred to as your opponent’s “empty door.” Often stepping to the left is part of a technique designed to put your opponent in an awkward position and disrupt their balance, stability and position.

Step to the Right

This is the same strategic movement as stepping to the left. The purpose is the same and it serves for dodging and setting up advantageous angles for attack and defense.

Remain Center / “Firm in the Center” or “Settle the Center”

This is one of the most important practices for the beginner to focus on. Even when the upper body is turning, yielding, shifting or making any other movement, you must be capable of maintaining your own position. In order to stabilize your center you must have a firm root. In order to have a firm root you must have good balance. In order to balance yourself you must relax and all of your joints must be relaxed and able to respond naturally and intuitively.

This idea of remaining in the center can also be interpreted as a mental and emotional principle, as much as a physical maneuver.

The 5 Lower Body Strategies can be utilized in conjunction with any of the basic leg postures (stances), which will be the subject of Part 3.

The 13 Postures of Taijiquan (part 1)

October 22, 2016October 22, 2016 / Modagi / Leave a comment

The 13 Postures of Taijiquan (taijiquan shi san shi)

The 13 basic principles or concepts are important for any taiji practitioner to understand and practice. Whether the primary motivation for one’s practice is health, or as a martial art, these key principles lie at the heart of their practice. These 13 concepts are the starting point for all Yang taiji; extending from these foundational concepts the founding master, Yang Lu-Chan (1799–1872) created the entire art we now call Yang taiji.

yangluchan

Every movement in the forms, pushing hands practice, or martial arts practice utilizes these concepts. Initially, the beginning student is taught one or two techniques that embody each principal. However, this should not be taken to suppose that the concept is limited to these individual techniques. Each one of these concepts are very deep, and really the possibilities of their manifestation are only limited by our own understanding and imagination.

Here I will begin with a Basic introduction of this method of training with a more detailed examination of each one of these principles to follow in the future. Yet, again, each one of these concepts is very deep and subtle, requiring not only an intellectual or conceptual understanding, but practical experience with each principal and concept. This is only gained through consistent and mindful practice. Again, while I will endeavor to explain these concepts as simply and thoroughly as I am able, within the limits of my own understanding, it is ultimately impossible to fully convey these deep physical principles using the limitations of words only.

Most often these 13 practices are called “techniques” or “patterns” or “formulas”. The problem with this kind of terminology is that a technique or a pattern conveys something that is fixed, or well defined. Each one of these practices are deep, expansive, and ultimately they began to overlap and bleed into one another, to the point where it can be difficult to discern precisely where one ends and another begins. A better way to label these practices would be concepts, principles, or energies. I often use all of these terms interchangeably.

The 13 concepts of Taijiquan are further broken down into the eight upper body methods (four primary and four secondary) and the five lower body strategies. Eight fundamental hand movements and five fundamental leg movements are often symbolized by the classical Chinese philosophies of bagua, or the Eight Trigrams and the wuxing, or the Five Elemental Processes. I will write on the philosophical theories of yin and yang, the eight diagrams, and the five phases in the future.

These eight hand methods and five leg methods are sometimes referred to as the Eight Doors/Gates (ba men) and Five Steps (wu bu).

Using the 13 postures is how the entire long Taijiquan form sequence was constructed. To become a proficient Taijiquan practitioner, one must understand and incorporate these principles into every part of their practice.

Four Primary Concepts – “Four Cardinal Energies” (Sì Zhèng Shǒu or 四正手)

These are the four most elemental concepts:

Péng (掤), or Ward off, Expanding
Lǚ (捋), or Rollback or Deflecting, Neutralizing
Jǐ (挤), or Pressing, Piercing, Squeezing, Collapsing
Àn (按), or Pushing

Hopefully it will not confuse the matter too much, but we should differentiate between the concepts of ward off, rollback, press and push, and the specific techniques that bear the same names. Each one of those techniques manifest the concept it is named after, but we should avoid falling into the trap of thinking the concept is defined entirely by or is contained within that specific, well defined technique.

In the traditional Yang hand form, the four primary techniques are always practiced together sequentially, and is the most often repeated sequence in the set. All other movements in the form (in fact all taiji movement) must contain one, or more, of these four primary principles for it to be considered taiji movement or martial method.

Ward off

Has the feeling of roundness and expansion. Usually this feeling is formed and generated from the arms and upper back. The expanding force can be upwards, forward, or sideways. The energy is offensive and forceful (but not tense and rigid), bouncing incoming force away. It is often used to create a round defensive force from the chest and arms, allowing you to neutralize opponent’s attacking force by moving it upward.

Common examples of the most obvious manifestations from the hand form include: Ward off, Parting the Horse’s Mane, Cloud Hands, and White Crane Spreads its Wings. However, it should be understood that subtle ward off energy is present in most of the form’s movements. Ward off is the most fundamental and prevalent energy in Yang taiji.

Rollback

Means to yield, lead, and neutralize. The purpose of this movement is to yield to the force first, then to lead it backward and to the side to neutralize. Most commonly, this is used as a defensive movement, however it can be aggressive if the timing and situation are correct. An example of this is when you yield and lead, then lock or break opponent’s elbow.

Rollback is also extremely common in the Yang form, but is often missed due to its subtleties. In the form, you often encounter rollback in the transitions between more obvious techniques. It is often preceded by ward off, and its energy often naturally flows from a proper ward off movement.

Press / Squeeze / Collapse / Pierce

This movement can be done with one hand pressing the other hand or forearm, or it can be done pressing forward with both hands, or even with one hand. The front palm can face either in or out. The main power comes from the pressing of the rear palm to the front wrist. Again, this pressing may be done against your palm, wrist, or forearm.

Press is like a crashing wave that focuses all of your body movement’s force behind one point (piercing). Collapsing refers to using this kind of energy to collapse your opponent’s structure.

Pressing can really be done with any surface of the body, but the most common are the forearm, elbow, shoulder or hip.

Press can be added to many kinds of movements to create a powerful and explosive quality.

Push (down, forward, or upward)

Can be done with both hands or a single hand. Generally done with fingers pointing forward first, then just before contacting the target the wrist bends; this is called “settling the wrist.”

It is commonly used to seal the opponent’s arm or joints, or to attack abdominal area by pressing downward. Also used to attack the opponent’s chest by pressing forward or upward.

In the slow movements of the beginner’s form, it can be difficult to distinguish between pressing and pushing. Generally speaking, pressing energy is more sharp and concentrated. Push by contrast is longer and more sustained. Both use the shifting of the body to advance like a wave.

A pushing quality, just like press, can be added to many movements in the form, but can commonly be seen in movements like Single Whip, Brush Knee, and Seal and Push.

The Splintered Staff

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Taijiquan