by Yhang Yun Although it is said that Taiji Quan spread out from Chenjiagao Village, there were no real quality classics written down there until Chen Xin. So today Chen Xin’s Taiji Quan classic is greatly respected in Chen family. Chen Xin (1849 – 1929) was a sixteenth generation member of the Chen family. His Read More
Category: Classic
Thirteen Important Points in Taijiquan
Sink the shoulders and drop the elbows; contain the chest and pull up the back; the qi sinks to dantian; an intangible energy lifts up the crown of the head; loosen the waist and kua; distinguish empty and full; upper and lower follow one another; use mind intent, not strength; inner and outer are united; Read More
Stirring Rice after the Hunger’s Past
by Han Shan (712-793) Pursue them 10000 miles, Raise high your sword, take careful aim The faintest hesitation, or wince, or blink And one will strike, and one of you is dead You need not begrudge his life to take it, Or be so selfess as to offer yours The secret to victory? Don’t fight Read More
The Meaning of Tai Ji Quan
From the moment of conception, there is an Original Qi contained within that nurtures the body. There is no excess or deficiency; it is balanced and does not flow. It is ultimately good and complete, and is known as the True Yang. This is the same as the so-called centralized qi. This qi normally benefits Read More
The Essentials of Triumph
There are Five ways triumph can be known: Those who know when to challenge and when to not to challenge will triumph. Those who recognize how to use the nomerous and the few will triumph. Those who agree on superior and inferior objectives will triumph. Those who prepare to lie in wait for the unprepared Read More
The Heart of Da Cheng Chuan
Inwardly alert, open, calm. Outwardly upright, extended, filled with spirit. This is the foundation of stillness. Add the hard and the soft, the powerful and the relaxed, Motion and stillness, contraction and extension: In the instant these converge, there is power. Wang Xiang Zhai The Way of Power by Lam Kam Chuen ISBN 1856751988 p. Read More
The Treatise on T’ai Chi Ch’uan
Attributed to Wang Tsung-yueh [Wang Zongyue] (18th Century) as researched by Lee N. Scheele T’ai Chi [Supreme Ultimate] comes from Wu Chi [Formless Void] and is the mother of yin and yang. In motion T’ai Chi separates; in stillness yin and yang fuse and return to Wu Chi. It is not excessive or deficient; it Read More
The soft and weak will overcome
人之生也柔弱， 其死也堅強。 草木之生也柔脆， 其死也枯槁。 故堅強者死之徒， 柔弱者生之徒。 是以兵強則滅， 木強則折。 強大處下， 柔弱處上。 A man is born gentle and weak. At his death he is hard and stiff. 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 Read More
Spirit – Shen Concentrated
Having the above four, then you can return to concentrated spirit: if the spirit is concentrated, then it is (continuous and) uninterrupted, and the practice of chi (breath) returns to the shen (spirit). The manifestation of chi moves with agility. (When) the spirit is concentrated, opening and closing occur appropriately, and the differentiation of substantial Read More
Combative Aspects of Taijiquan
by Ma Yueliang Translated by Ted W. Knecht Using softness to defeat hardness Hardness and softness are two types of energies within Taijiquan. One type carries with it a character of resistance and no matter if it is large or small it is called hard energy. The other type follows the incoming attack with no Read More
Words of Experience by Tung Ying Chieh
Translated by Albert Tang 1. Tai Chi Chuan is an internal martial art exercise. Strength is produced in the bones. Power is reserved at the muscles. It does not require one to have tough skin or thick muscles, but sunken “chi” and strong bones are required. Therefore, learners have no suffering of broken bones and Read More
Chen Wei-Ming on Internal Power The Complete Chin
The chin of the (whole) body, through practice becomes one unit. Distinguish clearly between substantiel and insubstantiel. To fa chin (discharge) it is necessary to have root. The chin starts from the foot, is commanded by the waist, and manifested in the fingers, and discharges through the spine and back. One must completely raise the Read More
Carving Up an Ox
Chuang Tzu A cook was butchering an ox for Duke Wen Hui. The places his hand touched, His shoulder leaned against, His foot stepped on, His knee pressed upon, Came apart with a sound. He moved the blade, making a noise That never fell out of rhythm. It harmonized with the Mulberry Woods Dance, Like Read More
Song of Application
Light, agile, and alive, seek Dong Jin (understanding Jin); Yin and Yang cooperate mutually without the fault of stagnation; If (you) acquire (the trick), four ounces neutralizes one thousand pounds; Expand and close, stimulate the “drum,” the center will be steady. “Alive” here means alert and active. In practice you must pay close attention to Read More
Sitting Still Doing Nothing
Let the Void be your cauldron; let Nature be your furnace; for your primary ingredient, take stillness; for your reagent; use quietude; for mercury, take your vital essence; for lead, use your vital energy; for water, use restraint; for fire, take meditation. [Union of the Triple Equation] Triple Equation of essence, energy and spirit unites Read More