Insight into Yang Style by Fu Zhong Wen Translated by Fontane Ip and Brett Wagland. I have been practicing T’ai Chi since I was nine years old. Thanks to Yang Cheng-Fu’s teaching and guidance, and with over seventy years of continuous diligent practice, my health has always been good and I have developed T’ai Chi kung-fu. The term “kung-fu” implies that one has gained a certain depth which goes beyond the superficial level of skill. The level of one’s kung-fu depends on “quality time” which one has invested in one’s art. For example, if you have practiced T’ai Chi diligently for two years, you have accumulated two years of kung-fu. The term “kung-fu” is not restricted to the martial arts. For example, an expert chef can be said to have attained a high level of kung-fu in his cooking. T’ai Chi Chuan’s popularity as a sport and health art has greatly increased in recent years. The principles of T’ai Chi were first viewed purely from the perspective of an art, but are now being seen as having scientific basis. T’ai Chi Chuan is very profound both as an art and as a science. Its contents are subtle and difficult to fathom. Its principles can be understood on many different levels. In order to acquire true T’ai Chi kung-fu. you need to practice diligently according to the principles. The more you practice, the more you understand, and the more you want to practice. Besides adhering to the T’ai Chi principles and receiving proper instructions, you need to pay attention to the following areas: First Stage of Development: Jin (The Chinese character, “jin,” is given this spelling to avoid confusion, rather than the more common transliteration, “Jing.” This is to distinguish it from another Chinese character, which means the essence or essential energy, which is transliterated as “jing.” The latter is usually talked about in relation to ch’i, and is not the same as the power being discussed here.) The first stage is the development and understanding of jin. As a result of correct and daily practice, you will gradually develop this power ( which is different from hard force. You will only experience jin when your practice has reached a certain level of maturity. This jin can be best described as hun jin. Based from my experience, hun jin is like a reed in the lake being blown by the autumn wind. Being flexible, elastic and strong, the reed bends with the wind without breaking. Hun jin is also like the ocean waves, one following another. Although the water is very soft, yet its force is very powerful. The development of hun jin forms the basic foundation which enables you to enter the door into the higher levels of T’ai Chi Ch’uan. Once you have experienced jin, your practice will become more refined and spirited. Second Stage of Development. Developing hun jin is the first stage; the next stage is to develop chin ling jin (a power which is light, agile and spirited). Hun jin is a strong power that is concealed within the softness, hence T’ai Chi Ch’uan is often referred to as the “cotton fist.” Chin ling jin has the feeling of lightness, agility and spirit. In the T’ai Chi form, chin ling jin gives each movement the feeling of ease and liveliness. Hun jin and chin ling jin complement each other, and the knitting together of the two enables you to be both gentle and strong simultaneously, like the needle within the cotton. When you are able to naturally express the combination of hun jin and chin ling jin in Pung (ward off), Lu (roll back), ii (press), and An (separate and push) and use them appropriately under all conditions, then you have reached a high level in Wushu (Chinese martial arts). In order to develop jin in T’ai Chi, you have to follow the correct method of practice. If you just do the movements without understanding the correct method, you will never develop kung fu. Besides adhering to the T’ai Chi principles and practicing diligently, you need to pay attention to the following four areas: (1) Eyes. Gazing out at eye level. Your gaze follows the movements of the body. Concentration should be lively, not dead. Avoid the angry, dead pan or scattered gaze. (2) The Waist. The waist is referred to as the general of an army. Its importance cannot be stressed enough. In your practice, it should be straight; not leaning. Pay special attention to this requirement in the following movements: Wave Hands Like Moving Clouds, Brush Knee, Oblique Flying, Needle at the Bottom of the Sea and Pat the High Horse. In all movements, you need to maintain your balance. This is similar to a compass needle which can point to any direction with out losing its center. In martial arts, this is referred to as controlling your center ground. In terms of physics, we would be referring to the body’s physical center of gravity. To maintain your center of gravity throughout the T’ai Chi form, you need to pay attention to the coccyx. Make sure that it is held straight; not bent. Once the spirit reaches the crown of the head and the coccyx is plumb erect, then you can maintain your center of gravity while you are moving. If your postures are leaning forward or backward, the neck is bent, the bottom is sticking out, and the waist is not straight, you will lose your center and your breathing will be affected. If you continue to practice incorrectly, your breathing will not be smooth; your ch’i will be unable to sink; your neck will be stiff, not natural and alive; the solid and empty will not be distinguished; and your upper and lower body will not be connected, impeding the flow of ch’i and blood throughout the body. If your practice is not correct, you will never reach the higher levels even if you spend a lifetime practicing. (3) The Requirements of the Limbs. T’ai Chi training involves the use of the four limbs. An old saying goes: “The arms and legs should assume the shape of a circular cane basket.” This means that the arms and legs are off lock; not extended. The curve shape is similar to that of a bow ready to release an arrow. In An (separate and push), the arms are off lock, so that in application, you can extend further if necessary. If your arms were fully extended in the first place, there would be no possibility of continuing the attack because you would have spent your potential energy. For example, in the movements Single Whip and Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane, the back leg appears straight but is slightly bent; both knees point towards the toes giving the stance the appearance of a bow; thus the name bow stance. Once in the bow stance, the strength comes from the heels of the feet; they should feel as if they were rooted to the ground. In summary, all four limbs should be rounded, so that they are agile, alive, and stable. In particular, avoid extending the limbs with force. Analysis of the Four Limbs and Their Parts: (i) Hands. Palm needs to sit on the wrist, but the heart of the palm is slightly concave. (ii) Fingers. Not curled; not too straight; and not tightly stuck together. In other words, relaxed; they have the appearance of being opened but not really opened. (iii) Shoulders. Keep the shoulders relaxed and sunk. This means that you should not use force from the shoulders or lift them up. (iv) Elbows. Elbows should be dropped. For example, in the movement White Crane, although the right arm goes up to block, the elbow still points down. (v) Order of Movement. The shoulder guides the elbow. The elbow guides the wrist. The fingers lead the palm. While the palm leads the arm, the elbow and shoulder should be dropped and relaxed. Coordinate your waist and legs with your hands, elbows, and shoulders, so that the upper and lower parts of the body are all connected and flow as a unit. Your body should move in harmony and flow from one movement to another without using force. If you use force, your movements will look stiff and unnatural. (vi) Moving like a Cat. Whenever you step forward, land slowly with the heel first, then gradually transfer the weight until the front leg is solid. Avoid turning the knee in. The front knee should finish in line with the toes. Just like a cat, each step is very light and stable, and the body is very relaxed and alive. The back leg needs to be open and stable with jin; not wobbly. (vii) Lifting the Foot. In the movement Wave Hands Like Moving Cloud, when you lift the foot, first lift the heel then the toes. When you place the foot down, land with the toes first, and then gradually transfer the weight. Always distinguish the solid from the empty in each step. (viii) Sinking the Chest. As you become more relaxed, your chest sinks. Be careful not to use force, and also avoid bending from the waist, as this will interfere with the sinking of the chest. The joints of your arms should be relaxed and the breathing natural. (ix) The Thighs. Keep them open and maintain the circular shape. To maintain the circle is not a result of step ping wide or long. The thighs need to be relaxed; not tight. If they are relaxed, they will naturally open up. (x) Stance. Keep the knees bent and moving on the same horizontal plane; adjust the height only to meet the requirements of certain movements. The lower half of the body is solid. When you lift the leg, you should feel stable and natural; keep the body straight, and breathe naturally. By coordinating the upper and lower parts of the body and keeping the movements even and continuous, you will experience the spirit of agility and liveliness. (4) Frame of Mind (i) The mind needs to be quiet, calm, and spirited. When practicing the form, the eyes should not look down at the ground, as this gives the appearance of slothfulness rather than vitality. The wild-eyed gaze with protruding chest and teeth showing should also be avoided. At no time should the body stop moving; not even for a second. This also means that the mind is constantly directing even the smallest movement. (ii) Follow the classical standard. This refers to the standard set down by the great masters. Observe the requirements for each movement in your practice keeping the whole body natural and relaxed. As an old saying goes: “Follow and digest the rules, and always adhere to them.” This is the spirit of diligent practice, which is indispensable to achieving a high level of kung fu. When it comes to cultivating kung fu, even the smallest divergence from the standard can mean missing the mark by a mile. Summary Every T’ai Chi movement has its own characteristics. You need to pay careful attention to the details in order to gradually understand its meaning. If your aims and legs are overextended, the waist and legs will not move in harmony, and will lead to stiffness. Coordinate the upper and lower body. Be clear in every movement; do no blur one movement into the next. This is similar to folding paper into equal sections; you need to follow the fold each time without varying its size. For example, from Lu (roll back) to Ji (press), if the shape or timing is out in any way, which is analogous to missing the fold, your movements will not be accurate. The first stage is for the movements to be open and expansive. As your practice matures, your movements become more refined and closely knit. Pay attention to the details and practice diligently. The movements should flow from the beginning to the end like an endless river. Do not stop to repeat a movement again, even if it is wrong, as this will break the jin. Continue to the end of the form. If you want to correct certain movements, practice them individually. Practicing the form day after day, you will eventually achieve kung fu. About the translators: Fontane Ip and Brett Wagland are disciples of Fu Sheng Yuan, son of Grandmaster Fu Zhong Wen.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Oct 2013 00:40:59 +0000
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