The 'yao,' usually translated as 'waist,'...

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 "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


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