Master Huang’s 14 Important Points

1. Calmness
– use Deep Mind (Xin) to calm and balance the energy.

1. Suspend the head

– empty the neck, send intention (Yi) to top of head.

1. The gaze is level

– use peripheral vision to be aware of left and right.

1. Loosen and open the chest

– ensure breastbone and upper-spine vertical, supporting the hollow space between them.

1. Sink the shoulders, drop the elbows

– shoulder-blades slide down the back to sink the shoulders, shoulder muscles loosen to droop the elbows.

1. Sacrum central and vertical

– lift the perineum slightly, draw the coccyx down and forward and loosen the lower back.

1. Loosen the waist and inguinal regions (Kua)

– waist controls the upper-body, inguinal regions are the base of the waist.

1. Breathe deeply

– breathe in, ribs expand, diaphragm sinks, abdomen in.
– breathe out, ribs relax, diaphragm rises, abdomen out.

1. Three harmonies, internal and external

– internal: Spirit (Shen) with Intention (Yi), Intention with subtle energy (Qi), subtle energy with body energy (Jing).
– external: shoulders and inguinal regions, elbows and knees, hands and feet.

1. Hands follow the body

– use the trunk to yield and neutralise, the hands to follow to protect the trunk and to prepare to attack.

1. Steps respond to body movements

– change the steps to support body movement.
– hands are like swinging doors; whether you win or loose depends on your steps.

1. Differentiate empty (Yin) and full (Yang)

– meet fullness with emptiness and emptiness with fullness.

1. Smoothness and continuity

– one thing moves, all things move.
– co-ordinate upper-body with lower-body.
– Deep Mind (Xin) and Intention (Yi) determine the speed of the movements.
– use Intention (Yi) to naturally harmonise the breath with the movements.

1. Use Deep Mind Intention (Yi), not insensitive strength

– relax the body, use Deep Mind Intention, then the senses and feelings will be very responsive.

Reference: Relax, Deep Mind Taiji Basics Patrick Kelly 2. ed. New Zealand 2004
ISBN: 0-476-00425-x

Red.: The book is rare to find. Patrik Kelly is a student of the late Master Huang Xingxian a famous student of the renowned Taiji master Zheng Manqing (Cheng Man-Ching).

Links:
Master Huang’s 20 Important Points by Wee Kee Jin http://www.taijiquan.co.nz/