Echoes Of Taijiquan

Continuing the theme of teaching - and non-Taiji posts - I came across this in something that I'm currently reading. "Being a coach is not about swagger or bravado. It's not just about how well you can play or the knowledge and information you have accrued, it's about how you communicate it to your player and tailor it to their needs. And it's about your passion, commitment and emotional resilience."  While the (martial) skill of many past Taiji greats is often discussed it's less apparent how well they conveyed their skills to the next generation and in some cases (notably Yang Shaohou) they were clearly not sympathetic teachers. [Image: Cheng Man-ching and ???]

 What do you do outside of your Taiji practice? Does your practice extend into these activities and/or vice versa? A couple of chance encounters over the last few months have highlighted the non-Taiji aspects of well known Taiji practitioners. It was well known that Cheng Man-ching was regarded as 'Master of Five Excellences' - and some extend this to seven - including calligraphy, painting, medicine, poetry, and philosophy. But did you know that Ken Van Sickle, one of Cheng's early students, is an accomplished photographer, the Wall Street Times running a piece on him earlier this month: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/lens/ken-van-sickle-photos-bohemian.html Ed Young, also an early student of Cheng's, is an award-winning children's author and illustrator. Just two examples but I'd be surprised if there weren't more out there. Is there scope for such creativity within Taiji practice or does the repetition, focus, and precision of practice stimulate other

 "One must distinguish the teacher from the taught. ...And the fact that some of Zheng's students do postures one way does not mean Zheng taught them that way. Isn't it just possible that Zheng's teachings involved no changes, but instead simply reflects that he was superb at not changing Yang's system, teaching it as he had learned it? Zheng stressed accuracy first and last. When he learned the rudiments under Yang, he had to master each posture before moving to the next, there was no breezy form class followed by a corrections class. With time, his own form became less energetic and more internalized - compare his 1960 Taiwan film with his 1973 film - but his teaching remained pretty much the same." 'Zheng Manqing and Taijiquan: A Clarification of Role' by Robert W. Smith, Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Vol. 4 No. 1 (1995). [Image: Cheng Man-ching]

 "By not using qi, I follow the flow, while the other goes against the flow. One has only to follow, then softly yield. The way that softness subdues hardness is gradual, while the way hardness subdues softness is abrupt. Abruptness is easy to detect, and so it is easily defeated. It is more difficult to sense gradualness, so it often prevails. This notion of not using qi is the extreme of softness. Only the extreme of softness can produce the extreme hardness." Cheng Man-ching's Foreward to Yang Cheng-fu's 'The Essence and Applications of Taijiquan' (Taijiquan Tiyong Quanshu), p.2 (Louis Swaim translation). [Image: Yang Cheng-fu (back seat) with Zhao Bin (right) and Zhou Tien Sou Lin (centre). http://qi-encyclopedia.com]

 "Conscientiously remember the four words: losing contact, butting, belligerence and separation. If your art can be free of over-anxiousness and separation, you will be able to perform marvels with your hands." Wang Tsung-yueh's Treatise on T'ai-chi ch'uan in Yang Ch'eng -fu's Self Defense Applications of T'ai Chi Ch'uan (Douglas Wile translation). [Image: Yang Shouzhong and Ip Tai Tak]

"Those who possess inner principle without outer technique, who think only of the arts as quietism and know nothing of the practise of combat, are lost as soon as they commit the slightest error. Whether for practical pursuits or simply the way of being a human being, how dare we neglect the two words - civil and martial?" 'The Meaning of Civil and Martial in T'ai Chi', Yang Family Manuscripts Copied by Shen Chia-chen in Douglas Wile 'T'ai-chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions', p.87. [Image: Wu Jianquan]  

 Good advice for beginners: “At the beginning of study do not speak of training the ch’i, but first develop your body, footwork, and eye techniques. It is also important not to use strength, but rather execute each posture naturally and slowly in circular dance-like movements. Coordinate the whole body into a unified whole, and then cause it to be light, lively, and perfect. Wherever there is stiffness and awkwardness release these one by one according to the postures. As you perform each posture, relax and open all the joints in the body. In this way, you will reach a marvellous level.” Ch’ang Nai-chou’s Writings, translated in Douglas Wile ‘Tai Chi’s Ancestors’, p.129 [Image: Tung Ying Chieh in Single Whip]

 “The application of chi and energy (chin) in T’ai-chi ch’uan is slow and continuous, cyclical and repetitious, circular and interconnected. It is inexhaustible." “While its surface is expansive, its center is cohesive, and therefore it does not lose its roundness.” “It takes roundness as a model, but it is not really a sphere. Its defense is based on the principle of roundness; its offense is to be everywhere triangles.” Cheng Man-ch'ing 'Master Cheng’s Thirteen Chapters On T’ai Chi Ch’uan', ch.7

 "The Guideline, Yi Shou Dantian, points your mind to a central location in your body - the Lower Dantian. The literal meaning of the word "Shou" is to keep or to guard. It implies "guarding" your mind and Qi to maintain their "integrity  and unity" in your Dantian area. Thus preventing the scattering of your thoughts and Qi, in order to achieve harmony - Mind and Qi Connected (Yi Qi Xianglian)". Shou-Yu Liang & Wen-Ching Wu in 'Tai Chi Chuan. 24 & 48 Postures with Martial Applications', p.20 [Image: Grandmaster Shou-Yu Liang, from http://www.shouyuliang.com]

 “The ch’i is like a wheel, and the whole body must mutually coordinate. If there is any uncoordinated place, the body becomes disordered and weak. The defect is to be found in the waist and legs.” Five Character Secret by Li I-yu, translated in Lo et al ‘The Essence of T’ai Chi Ch’uan’, p.74

 “Expand and fill it. This applies to every posture. To sum up, the ch’i lands on one point, but it comes from many sources. If you open the source and free the flow, the path will be smooth and you will naturally avoid halting, dragging, and impediment.” Ch’ang Nai-chou’s Writings, translated in Douglas Wile ‘Tai Chi’s Ancestors’, p.94. [Photo: Tung Ying Chieh in 'Snake Creeps Down' posture]

 “Move the ch’i with softness and land with hardness. The two must complement each other and follow in the proper sequence.” “Only by using no force can we bring out natural force, which changes easily and does not impede us.” Ch’ang Nai-chou’s Writings, translated in Douglas Wile ‘Tai Chi’s Ancestors’, p.111-112.

 “Coming from the judo experience, I was prepared to sweat and exert till mastery came. But it does not come thus in T’ai-chi, Cheng said; it comes by “quiet minding” while “investing in loss.” And it comes with time.” Robert W. Smith ‘Chinese Boxing: Masters and Methods’, p.30 [Image: Robert W. Smith and Benjamin Pangjeng Lo from 'Da Lu and Some Tigers' in Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Vol. 6 No. 2 (1997)]

 “The waist is the foundation of all bodily movement. It is the big axis from which all T’ai-chi movements derive their celerity, crispness, and power. Only in the flexibility of the waist is there true strength. To fight with arms or legs independently of the waist is the mark of the perpetual beginner.” Robert W. Smith ‘Chinese Boxing: Masters and Methods’, p.27

 “In general, without fullness there is no stability, but absolute fullness restricts our freedom of movement, and one is easily toppled. Without emptiness there is no agility, but absolute emptiness causes lightness, floating, and instability, and one is easily shaken. When empty and full complement each other, one attains the marvel of naturalness.” Ch’ang Nai-chou’s Writings, translated in Douglas Wile ‘Tai Chi’s Ancestors’, p.105. [Image: Chen Jinao in Golden Rooster posture.]

 “Therefore, when hardness and softness are used adeptly, it is like a dragonfly just touching the surface of the water and immediately rising. Move the ch’i like a windmill that turns and rotates without stopping. In this way, the hard and soft are both in proper measure, and you will not suffer the ch’i being insufficient or inhibited.” Ch’ang Nai-chou’s Writings, translated in Douglas Wile ‘Tai Chi’s Ancestors’, p.95. [Image: 'Lotus and Dragonfly' by Qi Baishi]

 "The tao of heaven and earth is none other than yin and yang. The transformation and combining of yin and yang arises naturally. Therefore, when stillness reaches its peak, there is movement, that is, yang follows yin; when movement reaches its peak, there is stillness, that is, yin follows yang." Ch’ang Nai-chou’s Writings, translated in Douglas Wile ‘Tai Chi’s Ancestors’ [Image: Landscape by Zhang Daqian]

 “Yin and Yang Rotate and Enter, and Yin and Yang Rotate and Support." "This is the horizontal wheel posture, the twisted posture, or the shaking posture. The postures rotate continuously, and the ch'i also follows without stopping. The yin enters and the yang separates; the yang enters and the yin separates. The process continues without interruption, rotating to the left and right. Yin and yang rotate, entering and supporting.” Ch’ang Nai-chou’s Writings, translated in Douglas Wile ‘Tai Chi’s Ancestors’

 “Their [the Internal School] most secret teaching was the five word transmission: “Respect, relentlessness, directness, power, and precision,” which was only given to initiated disciples. These five words do not themselves represent applications. But are the means by which the techniques reach the highest level… .“ Biography of Chang Sung-hsi in the Ningbo Prefectural Gazetteer, translated in Douglas Wile ‘Tai Chi’s Ancestors’

 “...when Master Wang came to the city, he visited me in my studio. Coming around to the subject of martial arts, he very earnestly said: “In the martial arts it is not a question of practising many techniques, but of perfecting a few. When you have achieved perfect mastery, then the Six Paths will be seen to have infinite applications. Among these are the yin and the yang, and although there are only eighteen techniques, their transformation may be multiplied to forty-nine.” ” Huang Pai-Chia’s ‘Art of the Internal School’, translated in Douglas Wile ‘Tai Chi’s Ancestors’, p.66.

 "...it is that the surest test of the efficacy of any of the many systems of T'ai-chi practised today is simply to examine the postures from the standpoint of use: if they cannot be related to practical application, the system is clearly incorrect.” Cheng Man-ch’ing & Robert W. Smith ‘T’ai-chi: The “supreme ultimate” exercise for health, sport, and self-defense’ p.90

 "Use one's yi to ponder each posture; when attained, it will feel as if it is without effort." Thirteen Postures Song (Shisan shi ge) [Image: Yang Cheng-Fu performing Turn Body and Strike]

 “When the body is emptied of force - that is, when all the muscles are relaxed - a 'tenacious strength' will develop from the foot. This tenacious strength is different from force in that it has a root, whereas force does not. In action, tenacity may be likened to a strong vine which is pliable, and force to a stick which is rigid. Tenacity is alive, force is inert.” Cheng Man-ch’ing & Robert W. Smith ‘T’ai-chi: The “supreme ultimate” exercise for health, sport, and self-defense’

 “The motto for T'ai-chi practice must be “investment in loss.” It is what Confucius meant by k’e chi - to subdue the self. How is this manifested in mundane affairs? It means to yield to others, thus quashing obstinacy, egotism, and selfishness.” Cheng Man-ch’ing & Robert W. Smith ‘T’ai-chi: The “supreme ultimate” exercise for health, sport, and self-defense” p.2

 "The 'yao,' usually translated as 'waist,'...the Chinese concept of the waist is different from that of the English: 'yao' refers to the whole midsection of the torso, including the all-important kidney and dantian areas." Barbara Davis in the preface to Chen Weiming 'Taiji Sword and Other Writings', p.xv

 "...the mind needs at least 15 minutes to become truly tranquil. When the mind becomes tranquil it can experience 'shen ming' (illumination of the spirit). Short forms cannot provide this, thus the higher benefits of T'ai Chi are never reached." T. T. Liang, 'Steal My Art: The Life and Times of a T'ai Chi Master'. p.94

 On Peng / 掤: "What is the meaning of 'Ward Off' energy? It is like the water supporting a moving boat. First one must sink ch'i to the tan t'ien then one must hold the head as if suspended from above. The entire body is full of springlike energy, opening and closing in a very quick moment. Even if there is an opposing force of one thousand pounds, One can uproot the opponent and make him float without difficulty." T. T. Liang 'Tai Chi Ch'uan for Health and Self-Defense' p.77

“Thus there is good reason for calling this art the “Great Ultimate.” … it strengthens the weak, raises the sick, invigorates the debilitated, and encourages the timid.” Master Cheng’s Thirteen Chapters On T’ai Chi Ch’uan, ch.1  “It takes roundness as a model, but it is not really a sphere. Its defense based on the principle of roundness; its offense is to be everywhere triangles.” “While its surface is expansive, its center is cohesive, and therefore it does not lose its roundness.” “The application of chi and energy (chin) in T’ai-chi ch’uan is slow and continuous, cyclical and repetitious, circular and interconnected. It is inexhaustible." Master Cheng’s Thirteen Chapters On T’ai Chi Ch’uan, ch.7

  "If one can follow the opponent's intentions, and respond to empty and full, one will not miss by the slightest bit. This truly can be called 'comprehending jin'.” Chen Weiming’s commentary to the Taijiquan Treatise (Taijiquan Lun).

  Excellent early video of a variety of Taijiquan training exercises (and a few unusual ones too).

 "The 'yao,' usually translated as 'waist,'...the Chinese concept of the waist is different from that of the English: 'yao' refers to the whole midsection of the torso, including the all-important kidney and dantian areas." Barbara Davis in the preface to Chen Weiming 'Taiji Sword and Other Writings', p.xv

Interesting side-by-side posture comparison of Chen Weiming and Yang Chengfu. Chen Weiming (1881–1958) was a student of Yang Chengfu and a classmate of Cheng Man-ching and wrote a number of key texts on Taiji.

  "Therefore, the application of Taiji Sword is not in one's ability to hit or thrust, but rather in hitting but not hitting, and thrusting but not thrusting. Its subtleties lie in this: hitting by means of not hitting, thrusting by means of not thrusting. I should control the sword to the extent that I don't need to strike others." Chen Weiming 'Taiji Sword and Other Writings'. Translated by Barbara Davis, p.12.

  "...the mind needs at least 15 minutes to become truly tranquil. When the mind becomes tranquil it can experience 'shen ming' (illumination of the spirit). Short forms cannot provide this, thus the higher benefits of T'ai Chi are never reached." T. T. Liang, 'Steal My Art: The Life and Times of a T'ai Chi Master'. p.94 [Image: TT Liang, from Sanctuary of Tao. https://www.sanctuaryoftao.org/master-t-t-liang-interview-biography/]