Tai Chi Chuan Classics - philosophy

8/14/2019 Tai Chi Chuan Classics - philosophy

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T'AI CHI CH'UAN CLASSICS

Most of the following translations were based initially on The Essence of T'ai Chi Ch'uan: The LiteraryTraditionby Lo, Inn, Amacker, and Foe. (I recommend this book as one of the must have volumes in an

enthusiast's library. !y com"aring and contrasting with other translations, I have made changes in the#nglish wording, but not in the underlying ideas. I've been collecting commentary from a variety of

sources, both written and oral, as well as my own thoughts$observations. Maybe in a few years I'll be

ready to "ost them also.

%he &lassics freuently use "rehistoric mystic terminology from %'ai &hi &h'uan's "hiloso"hical rootsin %aoism and traditional &hinese medicine. For the beginner, the use of these s"ecialied terms may

seem to com"ound the difficulty of understanding some conce"ts. After long study and "ractice,

however, it eventually becomes clear that there is no #nglish language vocabulary for e)"ressing someof the im"ortant ideas for moving towards mastery in %'ai &hi &h'uan. !orrowing terms from

&hinese$%aoism may actually be less cumbersome than trying to attach new meanings$connotations to#nglish words.

*ometimes a "assage will refer to the "ractice of the *olo Form, sometimes to a""lication, andsometimes to the internal as"ects of the art. +ot every "assage necessarily relates to all as"ects of %'ai

&hi &h'uan.

%he &lassics are generally cited as the authoritative source on %'ai &hi &h'uan "rinci"les by ang, -u

and other styles that have branched off from the original &hen Family *tyles. %he authenticity of anydocuments "rior to ang Luchan is uestioned, and there a""ears to be a sense among some &hen

stylists that the attribution of some of the &lassics to historical$uasimythological figures was an

attem"t by early "ractitioners to avoid giving full credit for the develo"ment of %'ai &hi &h'uan to the

&hen Family. %here is a""arently a tradition in &hinese writing to attribute works to ancients, souestions about authenticity cannot be discounted.

/lease email meif you have any suggested im"rovements to the translations I've researched so far.

Classics Table of Contents

%'ai &hi &h'uan &hingattributed to &hang *anfeng

%he %reatise on %'ai &hi &h'uanattributed to -ang %sungyueh

#)"ositions of Insights into the /ractice of the %hirteen /osturesby -u uhsiang

*ong of the %hirteen /osturesby 0nknown Author

*ongs of %he #ight /osturesattributed to %'an Menghsien

*ong of /ush 1andsby 0nknown Author

Five &haracter *ecretby Li Iyu

#ssentials of the /ractice of the Form and /ush1andsby Lee Iu

ang's %en Im"ortant /ointsby ang &hengfu
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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T'AI CHI CH'UAN CHING

Attributed to Chang San-feng (est !"#$ -!%&

as researched b) Lee N Scheele

In motion the whole body should be light and agile,

with all "arts of the body linkedas if threaded together.

%he ch'i2vital life energy3 should be e)cited,

%heshen2s"irit of vitality3 should be internally gathered.

%he "ostures should be without defect,

without hollows or "ro4ections from the "ro"er alignment5in motion the Form should be continuous, without sto"s and starts.

%he chin2intrinsic strength3 should be

rooted in the feet,

generated from the legs,controlled by the waist, and

manifested through the fingers.

%he feet, legs, and waist should act together

as an integrated whole,so that while advancing or withdrawing

one can gras" the o""ortunity of favorable timing

and advantageous "osition.

If correct timing and "osition are not achieved,the body will become disordered

and will not move as an integrated whole5

the correction for this defectmust be sought in the legs and waist.

%he "rinci"le of ad4usting the legs and waist

a""lies for moving in all directions5

u"ward or downward,

advancing or withdrawing,left or right.

All movements are motivated byI2mindintention3,

not e)ternal form.

If there is u", there is down5when advancing, have regard for withdrawing5

when striking left, "ay attention to the right.

If theI wants to move u"ward,

it must simultaneously have intent downward.

Alternating the force of "ulling and "ushingsevers an o""onent's root

so that he can be defeated

uickly and certainly.


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Insubstantial and substantial

should be clearly differentiated.

At any "lace where there is insubstantiality,

there must be substantiality5#very "lace has both insubstantiality and substantiality.

%he whole body should be threaded together

through every 4ointwithout the slightest break.

Chang Ch'uan2Long !o)ing3 is like a great river

rolling on unceasingly.

Peng,Lu, Chi,An,

Ts'ai,Lieh, Chou, andK'aoare euated to the #ight %rigrams.

%he first four are the cardinal directions5

Ch'ien2*outh5 1eaven3,

K'un2+orth5 #arth3,

K'an2-est5 -ater3, andLi2#ast5 Fire3.

%he second four are the four corners6Sun2*outhwest5 -ind3,

Chen2+ortheast5 %hunder3,

Tui 2*outheast5 Lake3, andKen2+orthwest5 Mountain3.

Advance (Chin, -ithdraw (T'ui,

Look Left (Tso Ku, Look 7ight (Yu Pan, and&entral #uilibrium (Chung Ting

are euated to the five elements6

Metal,-ood,-ater,

Fire, and

#arthAll together these are termed the %hirteen /ostures

A footnote a""ended to this &lassic by ang Luch'an (89::8;9


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TH* T+*ATIS* ,N T'AI CHI CH'UAN

Attributed to ang Tsung-)ueh .ang /ong)ue0 (!&th Centur)


T'ai Chi 2*u"reme 0ltimate3 comes from Wu Chi 2Formless =oid3

and is the mother ofyinandyang.In motion T'ai Chise"arates5in stillnessyinandyangfuse and return to Wu Chi.

It is not e)cessive or deficient5

it follows a bending, adheres to an e)tension.

-hen the o""onent is hard and I am soft,it is called tsou2yielding3.

-hen I follow the o""onent and he becomes backed u",

it is called nian2sticking3.

If the o""onent's movement is uick,then uickly res"ond5if his movement is slow,

then follow slowly.

Although there are innumerable variations,

the "rinci"les that "ervades them remain the same.

From familiarity with the correct touch,one gradually com"rehends chin2intrinsic strength35

from the com"rehension of chinone can reach wisdom.

-ithout long "ractice

one cannot suddenly understand T'ai Chi.

#ffortlessly the chinreaches the headto".

Let the ch'i2vital life energy3 sink to the tan-t'ien2field of eli)ir3.

>on't lean in any direction5

suddenly a""ear,

suddenly disa""ear.

#m"ty the left wherever a "ressure a""ears,and similarly the right.

If the o""onent raises u", I seem taller5

if he sinks down, then I seem lower5advancing, he finds the distance seems incredibly long5retreating, the distance seems e)as"eratingly short.

A feather cannot be "laced,

and a fly cannot alight

on any "art of the body.

%he o""onent does not know me5I alone know him.


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%o become a "eerless bo)er results from this.

%here are many bo)ing arts.

Although they use different forms,

for the most "art they don't go beyond

the strong dominating the weak,and the slow resigning to the swift.

%he strong defeating the weak

and the slow hands ceding to the swift hands

are all the results of natural abilitiesand not of welltrained techniues.

From the sentence ?A force of four ounces deflects a thousand "ounds?

we know that the techniue is not accom"lished with strength.

%he s"ectacle of an old "erson defeating a grou" of young "eo"le,

how can it be due to swiftness@

*tand like a "erfectly balanced scale and

move like a turning wheel.

*inking to one side allows movement to flow5

being doubleweighted is sluggish.

Anyone who has s"ent years of "ractice and still cannot neutralie,and is always controlled by his o""onent,

has not a""rehended the fault of doubleweightedness.

%o avoid this fault one must distinguishyinfromyang.

%o adhere means to yield.

%o yield means to adhere.

-ithinyinthere isyang.-ithinyangthere isyin.

Yinandyangmutually aid and change each other.

0nderstanding this you can say you understand chin.

After you understand chin,the more you "ractice,

the more skill.

*ilently treasure knowledge and turn it over in the mind.

radually you can do as you like.

Fundamentally, it is giving u" yourself to follow others.Most "eo"le mistakenly give u" the near to seek the far.

It is said, ?Missing it by a little will lead many miles astray.?

%he "ractitioner must carefully study.

%his is the %reatise

!ack to %able of &ontents


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*12,SITI,NS ,3 INSIGHTS INT, TH* 2+ACTIC* ,3

TH* THI+T**N 2,STU+*S

b) u 4u-hsiang (u 4u5ian (!&!" - !&&6

so7eti7es attributed to ang Chung-)ueh


%he hsin2mindandheart3 mobilies the ch'i2vital life energy3.

Make the ch'isink calmly5

then the ch'igathers and "ermeates the bones.

%he ch'imobilies the body.

Make it move smoothly, so that it may easily follows the hsin.

%heI2mindintention3 and ch'imust interchange agilely,

then there is an e)cellence of roundness and smoothness.

%his is called ?the inter"lay of insubstantial and substantial.?

%he hsinis the commander, the ch'ithe flag, and the waist the banner.

%he waist is like the a)le and the ch'iis like the wheel.

%he ch'iis always nurtured without harm.

Let the ch'imove as in a "earl with nine "assages

without breaks

so that there is no "art it cannot reach.

In moving the ch'isticks to the back and "ermeates the s"ine.

It is said ?First in the hsin, then in the body.?

%he abdomen rela)es, then the ch'isinks into the bones.

%heshen2s"irit of vitality3 is rela)ed and the body calm.

%heshenis always in the hsin.

!eing able to breathe "ro"erly leads to agility.

%he softest will then become the strongest.

-hen the ching shenis raised,

there is no fault of stagnancy and heaviness.

%his is called sus"ending the headto".

Inwardly make theshenfirm,and outwardly e)hibit calmness and "eace.

%hroughout the body, theIrelies on theshen,

not on the ch'i.If it relied on the ch'i, it would become stagnant.

If there is ch'i, there is no i 2e)ternal strength3.

If not focused on ch'i, there is "ure steel.

%he chin2intrinsic strength3 issung2rela)ed3, but notsung5


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it is ca"able of great e)tension, but is not e)tended.

%he chinis broken, but theIis not.

%he chinis stored (having a sur"lus by means of the curved.

%he chinB is released by the back,

and the ste"s follow the changes of the body.

%he mobiliation of the chinis like refining steel a hundred times over.%here is nothing hard it cannot destroy.

*tore u" the chinlike drawing a bow.

Mobilie the chinlike drawing silk from a cocoon.

7elease the chinlike releasing the arrow.

%ofa-chin2discharge energy3,

sink,

rela) com"letely,and aim in one directionC

In the curve seek the straight,

store,

then release.

!e still as a mountain,

move like a great river.

%he u"right body must be stable and comfortable

to be able to sustain an attack from any of the eight directions.

-alk like a cat.

7emember, when moving, there is no "lace that does not move.

-hen still, there is no "lace that is not still.

First seek e)tension, then contraction5

then it can be fine and subtle.

It is said if the o""onent does not move, then I do not move.At the o""onent's slightest move, I move first.?

%o withdraw is then to release,

to release it is necessary to withdraw.

In discontinuity there is still continuity.

In advancing and returning there must be folding.

oing forward and back there must be changes.

%he Form is like that of a falcon about to seie a rabbit,and theshenis like that of a cat about to catch a rat.

B *cholars argue "ersuasively that the use of the word ithat actually a""ears here in ancient documents

is a mistranscri"tion and the "assage should read chin.



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S,NG ,3 TH* THI+T**N 2,STU+*S

b) Un8no9n Author


%he %hirteen /ostures should not be taken lightly5

the source of the "ostures is in the waist.

!e mindful of the interchange between insubstantial and substantial5%he ch'icirculates throughout the body without hindrance.

!e still,

when touched by the o""onent,

be tranuil and move in stillness5changes caused by my o""onent fill him with wonder.

*tudy the function of each "osture carefully and with deliberation5to achieve the goal is very easy.

/ay attention to the waist at all times5

com"letely rela) the abdomenand the ch'irises u".

-hen the tailbone is centered and straight,

theshen2s"irit of vitality3 goes through to the headto".

%o make the whole body light and agile

sus"end the headto".

&arefully study.

#)tension and contraction, o"ening and closing, should be natural.

%o enter the door and be shown the way,

you must be orally taught.

/ractice should be uninterru"ted,and techniue achieved by self study.

*"eaking of the body and its function, what is the standard@

%heI2mindintent3 and ch'iare king,

and the bones and muscles are the court.

%hink over carefully what the final "ur"ose is6to lengthen life and maintain youth.

%he *ong consists of 8DE characters5

each character is true and the meaning is com"lete.

If you do not study in this manner,

then you will waste your time and sigh with regret.



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S,NGS ,3 TH* *IGHT 2,STU+*S

Attributed to T'an :eng-hsien


The Song ofPeng

-hat is the meaning ofPengenergy@

It is like the water su""orting a moving boat.First sink the ch'ito the tan-t'ien,

then hold the head as if sus"ended from above.

%he entire body is filled with s"ringlike energy,

o"ening and closing in a very uick moment.#ven if the o""onent uses a thousand "ounds of force,

he can be u"rooted and made to float without difficulty.

The Song ofLu

-hat is the meaning ofLuenergy@#ntice the o""onent toward you by allowing him to advance,

lightly and nimbly follow his incoming force

without disconnecting and without resisting.

-hen his force reaches its farthest e)tent,it will naturally become em"ty.

%he o""onent can then be let go or countered at will.

Maintain your central euilibriumand your o""onent cannot gain an advantage.

The Song of Chi

-hat is the meaning of Chienergy@

%here are two as"ects to its functional use6%he direct way is to go to meet the o""onentand attach gently in one movement.

%he indirect way is to use the reaction force

like the rebound of a ball bouncing off a wall, ora coin thrown on a drumhead,

bouncing off with a ringing sound.

The Song ofAn

-hat is the meaning ofAnenergy@

-hen a""lied it is like flowing water.

%he substantial is concealed in the insubstantial.-hen the flow is swift it is difficult to resist.

&oming to a high "lace, it swells and fills the "lace u"5meeting a hollow it dives downward.

%he waves rise and fall,

finding a hole they will surely surge in.

The Song of Ts'ai

-hat is the meaning of Ts'aienergy@


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It is like the weight attached to the beam of a balance scale.

ive free "lay to the o""onent's force

no matter how heavy or light,

you will know how heavy or light it is after weighing it.%o "ush or "ull reuires only four ounces,

one thousand "ounds can also be balanced.

If you ask what the "rinci"le is,the answer is the function of the lever.

The Song ofLieh

-hat is the meaning ofLiehenergy@

It revolves like a s"inning disc.

If something is thrown onto it,it will immediately be cast more than ten feet away.

1ave you not seen a whirl"ool form in a swift flowing stream@

%he waves roll in s"iraling currents.If a falling leaf dro"s into it,

it will suddenly sink from sight.

The Song of Chou

-hat is the meaning of Chouenergy@

Its method relates to the Five #lements.in and ang are divided above and below.

Insubstantiality and substantiality must be clearly distinguished.

oined in unbroken continuity,the o""onent cannot resist the "osture.

Its e)"losive "ounding is es"ecially fearsome.

-hen one has mastered the si) kinds of energy,the a""lications become unlimited.

The Song ofK'ao

-hat is the meaning ofK'aoenergy@

Its method is divided into the shoulder and back techniue.

In >iagonal Flying /osture use shoulder,but within the shoulder techniue

there is also some use of the back.

Gnce you have the o""ortunity and can take advantage of the "osture,the techniue e)"lodes like "ounding a "estle.

&arefully maintain your own center.

%hose who lose it will have no achievement.



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S,NG ,3 2USH HAN;S

b) Un8no9n Author


!e conscientious inPeng,Lu, Chi, andAn.

0""er and lower coordinate,

and the o""onent finds it difficult to "enetrate.

Let the o""onent attack with great force5use four ounces to deflect a thousand "ounds.

Attract to em"tiness and discharge5

!han" Lian" #ian" Sui,

no resisting no leting go.


3I


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is used to order the body. Follow the o""onent and not your own inclination. Later your body can

follow your mind, and you can control yourself and still follow the o""onent. -hen you only follow

your own inclination, you are clumsy, but when you follow the o""onent, then your hands can

distinguish and weigh accurately the amount of his force, and measure the distance of his a""roachwith no mistake. Advancing and retreating, everywhere the coordination is "erfect. After studying for a

long time, your techniue will become skillful.

=+*ATH

To Gather the Ch'i

If the ch'iis dis"ersed, then it is not stored and is easy to scatter. Let the ch'i"enetrate the s"ine and the

inhalation and e)halation be smooth and unim"eded throughout the entire body. %he inhalation closesand gathers, the e)halation o"ens and discharges. !ecause the inhalation can naturally raise and also

u"root the o""onent, the e)halation can naturally sink down and alsofa-chin2discharge energy3 him.

%his is by means of theI, not the imobiliing the ch'i.

INT*+NAL 3,+C*

The Co7>leteChin

%he chinof the whole body, through "ractice, becomes one unit. >istinguish clearly betweensubstantial and insubstantial. %ofa-chinit is necessary to have root. %he chinstarts from the foot, is

commanded by the waist, and manifested in the fingers, and discharged through the s"ine and back.

Gne must com"letely raise theshen2s"irit of vitality3 at the moment when the o""onent's chinis aboutto manifest, but has not yet been released. My chinhas then already met his, not late, not early. It is like

using a leather (tinder to start a fire, or like a fountain gushing forth. In going forward or ste""ing

back, there is not even the slightest disorder. In the curve seek the straight, store, then discharge5 thenyou are able to follow your hands and achieve a beautiful result. %his is called borrowing force to strike

the o""onent or using four ounces to deflect a thousand "ounds.

S2I+ITShenConcentrated

1aving the above four, then you can return to concentrated s"irit6 if the s"irit is concentrated, then it is

continuous and uninterru"ted, and the "ractice of ch'ireturns to theshen2s"irit of vitality3. %he

manifestation of ch'imoves with agility. -hen theshenis concentrated, o"ening and closing occura""ro"riately, and the differentiation of substantial and insubstantial is clear. If the left is insubstantial,

the right is substantial, and viceversa. Insubstantial does not mean com"letely without strength. %he

manifestation of ch'imust be agile. *ubstantial does not mean com"letely limited. %he s"irit must becom"letely concentrated. It is im"ortant to be com"letely in the mind 2I3 and the waist, and not outside.

+ot being outside or se"arated, force is borrowed from the o""onent, and the ch'iis released from the

s"ine. 1ow can the ch'idischarge from the s"ine@ It sinks downward from the two shoulders, gathers tothe s"ine, and "ours to the waist. %his is ch'ifrom u" to down and is called closed. From the waist the

ch'imobilies to the s"ine, s"reads to the two arms and flows to the fingers. %his is ch'ifrom down to

u" and is called o"ened. &losed is gathering, and o"ened is discharging. -hen you know o"ening andclosing, then you knowyinandyang. 7eaching this level your skill will "rogress with the days and you

can do as you wish.



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*SS*NTIALS ,3 TH* 2+ACTIC* ,3 TH* 3,+: AN;

2USH-HAN;S

b) Li I-)u


Formerly "eo"le said6 ?being able to attract to em"tiness, you can use four ounces to deflect a thousand"ounds.? +ot being able to attract to em"tiness, you cannot deflect a thousand "ounds. %he words are

sim"le, but the meaning is com"lete. %he beginner cannot understand it. 1ere I add some words to

e)"lain it. If someone is ambitious to learn this art, he can find some way to enter it and every day hewill have some im"rovement.

>esiring to attract to em"tiness and deflect a thousand "ounds, first you must know yourself and others.

If you want to know yourself and others, you must give u" yourself and follow others. If you give u"

yourself and follow others, first you must have the correct timing and "osition. %o obtain the correcttiming and "osition, you must first make your body one unit. >esiring to make the body one unit, you

must first eliminate hollows and "rotuberances. %o make the whole body without breaks or holes, you

must first have theshen2s"irit of vitality3 and ch'i2vital life energy3 e)cited and e)"anded. If you wanttheshenand ch'iactivated and e)"anded, you must first raise the s"irit ("ay attention and theshenshould not be unfocussed. %o have yourshennot unfocussed, you must first have theshenand ch'i

gather and "enetrate the bones. >esiring theshenand ch'ito "enetrate the bones, first you must

strengthen the two thighs and loosen the two shoulders and let the ch'isink down.

%he chin2intrinsic strength3 raises from the feet, changes in the legs, is stored in the chest, moved inthe shoulders and commanded in the waist. %he u""er "art connects to the two arms and the lower "art

follows the legs. It changes inside. %o gather is to close and to release is to o"en. If it is uiet, it is

com"letely still. *till means to close. In closing there is o"ening. If it is moving, everything moves.Moving is o"en. In o"ening there is closing. -hen the body is touched it revolves freely. %here is

nowhere that does not obtain "ower. %hen you can attract to em"tiness and use four ounces to deflect a

thousand "ounds.

/racticing the Form every day is the $ung fuof knowing yourself. -hen you start to "ractice, first askyourself, ?>id my whole body follow the above "rinci"les or not@? If one little "lace did not follow

them, then correct it immediately. %herefore, in "racticing the Form we want slowness not s"eed.

/ush hands is the $ung fuof knowing others. As for movement and stillness, although it is to know

others, you must still ask yourself. If you arrange yourself well, when others touch you, you don't movea hair. Follow the o""ortunity and meet his chinand let him fall naturally outward. If you feel

some"lace in your body is "owerless, it is doubleweighted and unchanging. ou must seek the defect

inyin andyang, o"ening and closing. Hnow yourself and know others6 in one hundred battles you willwin one hundred times.



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4ANG'S T*N I:2,+TANT 2,INTS

b) 4ang Cheng-fu (!&&% - !$%


! Head u>right to let the shen.s>irit of ?italit)0 rise to the to> of the head>on't use i2e)ternal

strength3, or the neck will be stiff and the ch'i2vital life energy3 and blood cannot flow through. It isnecessary to have a natural and lively feeling. If the s"irit cannot reach the headto", it cannot raise.

" Sin8 the chest and >luc8 u> the bac8%he chest is de"ressed naturally inward so that the ch'ican

sink to the tan-t'ien2field of eli)ir3. >on't e)"and the chest6 the ch'igets stuck there and the body

becomes to"heavy. %he heel will be too light and can be u"rooted. /luck u" the back and the ch'i

sticks to the back5 de"ress the chest and you can "luck u" the back. %hen you can discharge forcethrough the s"ine. ou will be a "eerless bo)er.

%Sung.+ela50 the 9aist%he waist is the commander of the whole body. If you cansungthe waist,

then the two legs will have "ower and the lower "art will be firm and stable. *ubstantial and

insubstantial change, and this is based on the turning of the waist. It is said ?the source of the "ostures

lies in the waist. If you cannot get "ower, seek the defect in the legs and waist.?

@ ;ifferentiate bet9een insubstantial and substantial%his is the first "rinci"le in %'ai &hi &h'uan.

If the weight of the whole body is resting on the right leg, then the right leg is substantial and the left

leg is insubstantial, and vice versa. -hen you can se"arate substantial and insubstantial, you can turnlightly without using strength. If you cannot se"arate, the ste" is heavy and slow. %he stance is not firm

and can be easily thrown of balance.

Sin8 the shoulders and dro> the elbo9s%he shoulders will be com"letely rela)ed and o"en. If

you cannot rela) and sink, the two shoulders will be raised u" and tense. %he ch'iwill follow them u"and the whole body cannot get "ower. ?>ro" the elbows? means the elbows go down and rela). If the

elbows raise, the shoulders are not able to sink and you cannot discharge "eo"le far. %he discharge will

then be close to the broken force of the e)ternal schools. Use the 7ind instead of force%he %'ai &hi &h'uan Cassicssay, ?all of this means useI2mindintent3 and not i.? In "racticing %'ai &hi &h'uan the whole body rela)es. >on't let one ounce of force

remain in the blood vessels, bones, and ligaments to tie yourself u". %hen you can be agile and able to

change. ou will be able to turn freely and easily. >oubting this, how can you increase your "ower@

%he body has meridians like the ground has ditches and trenches. If not obstructed the water can flow.If the meridian is not closed, the ch'igoes through. If the whole body has hard force and it fills u" the

meridians, the ch'iand the blood sto" and the turning is not smooth and agile. ust "ull one hair and the

whole body is offbalance. If you useI, and not i, then theIgoes to a "lace in the body and the ch'ifollows it. %he ch'iand the blood circulate. If you do this every day and never sto", after a long time

you will have nei chin2real internal strength3. %he %'ai &hi &h'uan Cassicssay, ?when you are

e)tremely soft, you become e)tremely hard and strong.? *omeone who has e)tremely good %'ai &hi&h'uan $ung fuhas arms like iron wra""ed with cotton and the weight is very heavy. As for the e)ternal

schools, when they use i, they reveal i. -hen they don't use i, they are too light and floating. %here

chinis e)ternal and locked together. %he iof the e)ternal schools is easily led and moved, and not toobe esteemed.

# Coordinate the u>>er and lo9er >arts of the bod)%he %'ai &hi &h'uan Cassicssay ?the motion

should be rooted in the feet, released through the legs, controlled by the waist and manifested through

the fingers.? #verything acts simultaneously. -hen the hand, waist and foot move together, the eyes


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follow. If one "art doesn't follow, the whole body is disordered.

& Har7oniBe the internal and e5ternalIn the "ractice of %'ai &hi &h'uan the main thing is theshen.

%herefore it is said ?the s"irit is the commander and the body is subordinate.? If you can raise the s"irit,

then the movements will naturally be agile. %he "ostures are not beyond insubstantial and substantial,o"ening and closing. %hat which is called o"en means not only the hands and feet are o"en, but the

mind is also o"en. %hat which is called closed means not only the hands and feet are closed, but the

mind is also closed. -hen you can make the inside and outside become one, then it becomes com"lete.

$ :o?e 9ith continuit)As to the e)ternal schools, their chinis the Latter 1eaven brute chin.%herefore it is finite. %here are connections and breaks. >uring the breaks the old force is e)hausted

and the new force has not yet been born. At these moments it is very easy for others to take advantage.

%'ai &hi &h'uan usesIand not i. From beginning to end it is continuous and not broken. It is circular

and again resumes. It revolves and has no limits. %he original Cassicssay it is ?like a great riverrolling on unceasingly.? and that the circulation of the chinis ?drawing silk from a cocoon ? %hey all

talk about being connected together.

!6 :o?e 9ith tranuilit) .See8 stillness in 7o?e7ent0%he e)ternal schools assume 4um"ing about

is good and they use all their energy. %hat is why after "ractice everyone "ants. %'ai &hi &h'uan uses

stillness to control movement. Although one moves, there is also stillness. %herefore in "racticing theform, slower is better. If it is slow, the inhalation and e)halation are long and dee" and the ch'isinks to

the tan-t'ien. +aturally there is no in4urious "ractice such as engorgement of the blood vessels. %helearner should be careful to com"rehend it. %hen you will get the real meaning.


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Tai Chi Chuan Classics - philosophy

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