Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
by Xu Yusheng
[1921]
[translation by Paul Brennan, Aug, 2012]
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[1st] FOREWORD
In ancient wrestling, the idea was to see who was best, and so they dragged oxen along while
steering pigs around [i.e. struggled moving every which way] to see which student was
bravest. Alas, for those martial arts, it is hard for us to say whether they were good or bad, but
they were extensively developed and were popular in their time.
When instruction is systematic, fitting, and proper, the student will make a truly martial
display, and the divine horse will gain a bridle [i.e. the student will achieve control over a
special power]. Hardness and softness will conquer each other. Experiment and play will
make use of each other. The muscles and bones will carry each other. The mental and
physical will seek each other.
Xu Yushengs writing leaves nothing out. Let it be spread in countless copies and give
instruction to the future. I have expressed here but meager esteem, so please scrutinize these
words, for fear of divine justice has kept me from exaggerating.
- Yuan Xitao
[2nd] FOREWORD
Towering are the splendid towers of Yan and Zhaos ancient capitals. So too martial valor is
to be respected, for it is bestowed on us as its students. Our magnificent martial arts are as
fresh as they are old. But many systems have been forgotten, and so we must seek for them
from every neighbor. In the might of the north, who is the best? Xu Yushengs skill rivals the
horses of the heavens.
The ideal thing to do is unite in association with each other and rouse our spirits to strive, to
study intensively in the triple aspects of education [i.e. ethical, intellectual, physical] and let
us be common friends against a common foe. Without strength of literature, how will these
things be spread far? A single page carried by the wind can delay a cultures decay. When
warriors assemble, these methods will be passed on. For the sake of strengthening our nation,
please regard this book.
Liu Qian
I studied the military systems in the Rites of Zhou and the Maxims for War Ministers to figure
out the average size of each states armies. Each state had a force of 25,000 soldiers, so a
hundred states would amount to 2,500,000, and if there were 1,800 states, that would amount
to 40,000,000 [45,000,000]. Nowadays, the equivalent amount for the whole country would
be five out of every ten eligible males. I also studied the History of the Warring States, with
its seven kingdoms of Qi, Qin, Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei, Chu. Each state had to possess
1,000,000 pieces of armor, 100,000 weapons, and 10,000 servants. If by such numbers we
arranged the 200,000,000 males of our entire country as it is at present, then our nation would
have men eligible for service numbering 10,000,000!
During the Russo-Japanese War [1904-1905], in the battles at Port Arthur [Feb 8-9, 1904],
Liaoyang [Aug 24 - Sep 4, 1904], and so on, there was hand-to-hand fighting, and it has been
argued that Japans victory over Russia came down to their skill in Judo. (See the Japanese
book Human Bullets: Notes of Actual Combat at Port Arthur [by Lt. Tadayoshi Sakurai,
published 1906].) Judo is one of the martial arts we have passed down. If it is the case that we
are not concerned with defending ourselves, we do not need it. But if we do wish to defend
ourselves, then central to it are the three aspects of cultivating virtue, wisdom, and body, the
cultivation of the body being the most important.
Ever since the unification of China during the Qin Dynasty, rulers have neglected the
martial spirit of the people, and the ancient days when a person was both soldier and farmer
have gotten ever more distant. Now our nations people are generally lazy and dispirited, to
the joy of onlooking tyrants. When we come into contact with the mighty powers to the east
and west, we then respond by shivering as if it is cold or stiffening as if being hit with a
chilling breeze, and really it is our own fault.
When the Republic was established, those who comprehended the era we are living in
gradually understood that boxing arts are our national soul. Xu Yusheng is well-versed in
each of these arts, but is particularly expert in Taiji. When I joined his school, I became a
privileged member [being more literate than most,] and he often bestowed his wisdom upon
me. One day he showed me something he had written, an Illustrated Handbook of Taiji
Boxing, and I gave it a careful readthrough. It had a scientific way of analyzing things, written
in a systematic way and including drawings in sequence.
In the larger scale, Taiji can strengthen our nation and our race. In the smaller scale, it can
prevent disease and prolong life. I had previously seen Xu Zhiyis article Boxing Arts in
Relation to Physics, drawing from the principles of leverage, and explaining Taijis theory of
avoiding the opponent where he is full and attacking him where he is empty, its skill
In boxing arts, there are the two schools of internal and external. The external was founded by
Damo and is called the Shaolin school. The internal was founded by Zhang Sanfeng and is
called the Wudang school. The elements taught in both do not go beyond technique and
energy. Technique is what is outwardly revealed. Energy is what is inwardly concealed.
Technique is substance. Energy is flow. Technique is form. Energy is function. When
substance and flow are both cultivated, and when form and function are both prepared, then it
can be said to be boxing.
The distinction between external and internal comes down to these two terms: technique
and energy. The external school excels in technique. The internal school excels in energy. It is
similar to the way the Han Dynasty scholars put importance on the commentaries to ancient
texts but the Song Dynasty scholars were more concerned with understanding the ideas within
the texts themselves. Although each group has its distinct method, they should work in
parallel to each other rather than in opposition.
Most people do not scrutinize, thinking that the external school is all about hardness and
the internal school is all about softness, and they do not understand that hardness and softness
must not be individually emphasized, and that there should never be a moment when they are
separated. Taijis thirteen dynamics [i.e. the solo set] was passed down from Zhang
Sanfeng. Since Zhang was a Daoist, it is therefore said in Taiji Boxing things such as: He is
hard while I am soft this is yielding. My energy is smooth while his energy is coarse this
is sticking. And also: Once you have engrained these techniques, you will gradually come
to identify energies, and then from there you will work your way toward something
miraculous.
Yielding and sticking should both be sought in the aspect of energy. You must be
sensitively aware and be without obstruction, and then you can say you are identifying
energies. You must respond to circumstances and do what is natural, and then you can say
you are on your way toward something miraculous. It is as Laozi said [Daodejing, chapter 1]:
Dwelling with nothingness, you will see mystery. Dwelling with somethingness, you will see
details. Truly this is no different. When boxing experts discuss energy and have reached this
level, it can be said they have achieved a way that is great beyond greatness. But when they
explain its meaning, it is so lofty, and when they discuss its theory, it is in such detail, and
therefore for those who practice it, it is very hard to predict the day when skill will arrive.
I have seen people who think that in practicing Taiji Boxing, it is only necessary to
identify energies, who then get ahead of themselves by rushing into focusing on pushing
hands without having given adequate attention to how they are using their torsos, hands, and
feet [i.e. the aspect of technique]. After practicing like this for many years, they are just as
weak as when they started, reaching the point that they cannot even be a match for someone
who has been practicing other boxing arts [i.e. external] for only a few months. These are all
mistakes of thinking the internal school is all about softness, the result of not striving to make
the postures correct and the techniques skillful.
Xu Yusheng, my fellow student, has researched this method for nearly thirty years and is
capable and knowledgeable in both the internal and external schools, understanding the
essentials of each, and so he is perfect for the task of making such a book to provide for his
comrades. He has explained the movements, including their applications, and the pushing
hands methods, which is especially valuable. He went through three drafts to make the final
manuscript, calling it Taiji Boxing Postures With Drawings and Explanations.
If you can put your heart into what you learn from it, you will break through and become
skillful. The more you practice the pushing hands, striving to identify energies, from there it
will not be difficult to get on your way toward something miraculous. Even if you have no
extra time to practice the pushing hands, practicing the techniques in the solo set should be
sufficient for you to begin to be able to say you are well-versed in these skills. This is Xu
Yushengs goal. When there is social turmoil or natural disasters, sensible people often flee to
hide in philosophy. But it is also the case that we hear of things that wake up our senses, such
as: through art we approach the Way! And this book is a bridge toward it.
AUTHORS PREFACE
When I was young, I was frail and often ill, and so I read all sorts of health books, controlled
my diet, and was careful in my daily habits. I proceeded along such lines for several years, but
had not yet received any outstanding results. I sought out the books of Hua Tuos Five Animal
Frolics, Da Mos Tendon Changing Classic, and the Eight Sections of Brocade, and practiced
according to them. However, in each case the pictures had no explanations and the essential
concepts were not being imparted. I did my best to imitate the postures, but the results were
sparse, and so I did not complete the study. After that I engaged in external styles of boxing
arts. I trained in the skills of attack and defense, worked at jumping all over the place, and
consequently my body became somewhat robust. But I suffered from the severity of the
exercise and had to take a break due to renewed illness. I began to understand that it was not a
good method.
Finally I got into internal styles of boxing arts, namely what the world calls the skill of
Taiji. In its contracting and expanding, its bending and extending, the mind guides the energy.
It is simple and easy to practice. It is soft and sparing of effort. Before I had practiced it for a
full year, all my long-standing ailments had been alleviated. The results were enormous. In
every movement in the postures of its solo set, there is a rhythm to follow, a linking up
throughout, like a continuous flow. With the breath and the movement spurring each other,
the energy and blood, muscles and bones, are lively without stagnation, and you will deeply
achieve the essence of the ancient limbering arts. The qualities of its movements hard and
soft, advance and retreat, passive and active, empty and full fully conform to the taiji
principle in the Book of Changes. When facing an opponent, act according to the situation and
seize opportunity when it appears, striking where there is a gap, guided by the hollows, and
knowing what areas are too tough to bother with. Indeed it is like those words from the Book
of Zhuangzi [chapter 3] where it talks of the butcher whose skill is near the Way.
And so I have made this book to share with the world. Although it does not do justice to
the intentions of the ancients, if you practice well, it will be possible for you to make your
way toward the Way. You need not look upon this as only a martial arts text.
GENERAL COMMENTS
- Each chapter of this book has been previously published in Physical Education Quarterly.
The intention right from the start was to wait until the series of articles had added up to a
comprehensive volume of material, and now they have been compiled for such a publication.
Because the process of editing has been hastened to get it published that much faster, areas of
either repetition or omission are inevitable. If experts would give me correction, I would be
overjoyed.
- This book is divided into two parts: the first part being concerned with explaining Taiji
Boxings origins and principles, the second part being concerned with explaining the postures
in the solo set, including drawings, and the various methods of pushing hands.
- This book draws widely from the expertise of others and is not confined to my own
understanding. For the boxing techniques, I have focused on larger postures to make it easier
for you to see what is going on.
- The most important thing in Taiji Boxing is the linking of movements. In this book, for the
sake of convenience of explanation, each movement within a posture is divided into its own
section of description, but while you are practicing you should still be moving from one to
another continuously.
- In this book, the explanations for the movements in the postures often make use of current
martial arts terminology mixed into what the founders have passed down to us, and I hope it
conforms well to their original intention.
- In this book, I have selected the Taiji Diagram and the Change Development Chart as a
means of verifying the place of this boxing art and to supply you with reference material.
- In the course of making this book, Beijing Physical Education Research Society instructors
Ji Zixiu, Yang Mengxiang [Shaohou], Wu Jianquan, Liu Enshou, and Liu Caichen all served
as consultants, while society members Guo Zhiyun and Lang Jinchi did the drawings [Most of
these drawings are obviously based on photos of Yang Chengfu which were published later in
Chen Weimings 1925 book, although occasionally the descriptions make a better fit with
postures of Wu Jianquan. The drawings which are not based on the Yang Chengfu photos are
again sometimes more similar to Wu Jianquans movements and are also apparently drawn by
a different hand. We can thus see how their work was divided: one man worked exclusively at
drawing from the Yang Chengfu photos while the other man drew either from photos of a
different source or from an actual model.]. Yang Jizi and Ye Yingtang did the editing, and Yi
Jiansi and Xu Xiaolu did the proofreading.
(author)
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CONTENTS
PART ONE
Chapter One: Introductory Remarks
Chapter Two: The Meaning of Taiji Boxing
Chapter Three: The Origin of the Name Thirteen Dynamics (Including Maps of the Eight
Directions and Five Steps)
Chapter Four: How Taiji Boxing Conforms with the Symbols of Change (Including the Taiji
Diagram and the Chart of the Development of Change)
PART TWO
Chapter One: The Sequence of the Taiji Boxing Solo Set with Movement Positioning Chart
(Complete with Explanations)
Chapter Two: Explanations for Each of the Taiji Boxing Postures with Drawings
1
PREPARATION POSTURE
2
CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
3
SINGLE WHIP
4
RAISE THE HANDS
5
WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS
6
LEFT & RIGHT BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
7
PLAY THE LUTE
8
ADVANCE, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
9
SEALING SHUT
10
CROSSED HANDS
11
CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK TO ITS MOUNTAIN
12
CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
13
DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP
14
GUARDING PUNCH UNDER THE ELBOW
15
RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY
16
DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE
17
RAISE THE HANDS
18
WHITE CRANE UNFURLS ITS WINGS
19
43
SEALING SHUT
44
CROSSED HANDS
45
CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK TO ITS MOUNTAIN
46
DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP
47
WILD HORSE PARTS ITS MANE
48
MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE
49
SINGLE WHIP
50
CLOUDING HANDS
51
LOW POSTURE
52
LEFT & RIGHT GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON ONE LEG
53
RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY
54
DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE
55
RAISE THE HANDS
56
WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS
57
BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
58
NEEDLING UNDER THE SEA
59
FAN THROUGH THE BACK
60
STEP FORWARD, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
61
STEP FORWARD, CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
62
SINGLE WHIP
63
CLOUDING HANDS
64
RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE HORSE
65
CROSSED-BODY SWINGING LOTUS KICK
66
Postscript
PART ONE
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
In ancient times, there was the map that came out of the Yellow River, the arrangements of
the eight trigrams, the scroll that appeared from the Luo River, and the pattern of the nine
fields. Confucius used them to make the Book of Changes. Although the Book of Changes is
fundamentally a discussion of divination, within it is already a tool for understanding the
principles of all things. But because the explanations for the symbols did not have the main
points laid out, later generations have been unable to comprehensively understand them and
each explanation has gone down mistaken paths.
Zhou Dunyi worried about this situation, so he contemplated the substance of the Way, the
essentials at its root, and wrote the Explanation to the Taiji Diagram. He made it so that the
subtleties of nature, the methods of society, the variety of activities, and the inscrutability of
spirits all have a single principle running through them. It can genuinely be said that he was
the originator of a philosophy.
Our nations boxing arts were the earliest to be developed, but so far have not yet become
an integrated art. This is because later generations of students discuss the art but not the
theory, and they look upon it as a skill but do not use it as a tool for training body and mind.
When we look for the source of the boxing arts, we find they came from the ancient limbering
arts.
Long ago before medicine had been invented, [the theory was that] people encountered six
kinds of atmospheres [windy, cold, hot, moist, dry, smoky] which, when the bodys defenses
were down, gathered in the breath and blood to make illness. Thus those people engaged in
bending and extending, contracting and expanding, using mind to lead energy, stretched areas
of stagnancy to unclog them, and thus cured themselves of illness. Therefore their art was
known as limbering [dao yin, meaning to lead and pull, as in stretching].
In those ancient times, Fu Xi assigned Yin Kang to make a Grand Dance to stretch the
body and heal the peoples illnesses. The Yellow Emperor made his famous book of
medicine, containing massage and limbering techniques, as well as comprehensive
information on acupuncture and medicinal mixtures, all the basic principles of nurturing the
body and of using exercise to defeat illness.
It is said in the Book of Zhuangzi [chapter 15]: Expel dead air and take in fresh. Loosen
by imitating the walking motions of bears and stretch by imitating the extending motions of
birds. These ideas are suitable for breathing exercises. Hua Tuo of the Han Dynasty [206BC220AD] continued to spread it by making the Five Animal Classic (the five being tiger, deer,
ape, bear, bird).
Wu Pu discussed it thus: The human body desires to be worked, although it is not
appropriate to work it too strenuously. When we move, the energy from our food is dispersed
to circulate through our blood, and illness then cannot be born, in the same way a door hinge
[that is constantly used] will never rot. Therefore the ancient immortals engaged in limbering
exercises, drawing in what is essential to the body, moving every joint, to strive to hinder
aging. I possess an art, which is called the Imitating of Five Animals. When I feel my body is
unwell, I begin to act like one of the animals, until I feel comfortable and sweaty, and then,
lightened and efficient, I have an appetite for food. Wu followed its principles and learned it.
Even beyond his ninetieth year he still had acute hearing and sharp vision.
The Buddhist monks of the Shaolin Temple carried on his ideas, mixing them together
with the various techniques passed down by Damo, and made the Five Boxing Styles (dragon,
tiger, leopard, snake, crane), but with particular attention to practical application. (The five
are explained in detail in Secrets of the Shaolin Boxing Art [published 1915].)
The original intentions of this physical training have been lost, but since the Song and
Yuan Dynasties many who discussed martial arts followed in the path of their forefathers.
After the temple was burned, the monks dispersed in all directions. The clever ones developed
strained interpretations, each holding to their version, branching off into numerous schools.
However, the authentic transmission of Shaolin consequently fell into oblivion.
In the declining years of the Yuan Dynasty, there was a retired scholar called Zhang
Sanfeng who took the basic Confucian principle of taiji and mixed it together with the major
principles of the other schools of thought, putting the five elements and eight trigrams into his
boxing techniques and footwork, using taijis passive and active, hardness and softness,
movement and stillness, as metaphors for its function. With these as its main points, it became
known as the internal school, distinct as a result from the external school.
In the matter of its techniques, Taiji Boxing is indeed different from the other schools of
boxing arts, moving by way of energy, defeating opponents purely through the use of
emptiness and stillness, emphasizing spirit as the highest form of cultivation, resolute of
intention and determined of will, to the enhancement of ones intelligence, which cannot be
said by those who emphasize the body-building of external styles.
If those who practice external styles learn but some of its ideas, they will be able to benefit
from the work of others. From this it can be seen that as a study of the Book of Changes which
involves the Explanation to the Taiji Diagram reveals the principle that runs through
everything, so a training in boxing arts which involves the Taiji skill will integrate all the
boxing schools.
There are several versions of the Taiji Boxing Classic that have been passed down to us,
but due to all the retranscribing of the text, with words getting transposed for other slightly
different words, it is hard to distinguish which version is correct. In 1912, I asked the scholar
Guan Baoqian to analyze the versions and determine the correct text. Recently my
organization has established a physical education school, where he gives lessons in his spare
time. [I asked for his help] because I seek to present the Classic in its original form, and I
have also added commentary to it. As for the postures of the solo set, I have included
drawings and explanations with which to instruct you. In order to deal with what is easy
before tackling what is hard, take it one step at a time.
CHAPTER TWO: THE MEANING OF TAIJI BOXING
Taiji Boxing is a study in abstractions. Modeled upon the principles within the Book of
Changes of passive and active, movement and stillness, its movements and postures are
simple and natural, with something being generated from nothing, in other words: Wuji [no
pivot], then Taiji [grand pivot]. Its movements are round and lively, like a limitless circle,
no one knowing where the end is, and so again the idea that Taiji comes from Wuji. [As well
as no pivot, Wuji can equally be rendered as no limit. Although representing nothingness,
it seems closer in concept to infinity than to zero.] Within each posture and technique, there is
a round shape, therefore explaining the borrowing of the use of the taiji principle [i.e. the
yinyang symbol], serving to supply the analogies of passive/active, movement/stillness,
hard/soft, advance/retreat, and so on, and is not the same as the common shamanic
superstition that made use of the term Taiji. Nowadays science is flourishing and the next
generation of students will be able to use geometry and other studies to explain its principles
rather than divining from the Book of Changes, so I heartily hope.
CHAPTER THREE: THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME THIRTEEN DYNAMICS
(INCLUDING MAPS OF THE EIGHT DIRECTIONS AND FIVE STEPS)
The thirteen dynamics are the five elements and eight trigrams combined. Taiji Boxing uses
the four techniques of ward-off, push, press, and rollback (corresponding with the four
cardinal directions of , , , and ), the four techniques of pluck, rend, elbow, and bump
(corresponding with the four corner directions of , , , and ), and the five steps of
forward, back, left, right, and staying put (corresponding with fire, water, wood, metal, and
soil, known as either the five phases or five elements). They are applied as expanding
[advancing] (Fire blazes upward,), contracting [retreating] (water soaks downward,),
advancing [contracting] (wood is flexible yet resilient,), retreating [expanding] (metal is
malleable yet resistant,), and staying put (and soil goes with planting and harvesting.
[passage from the Book of Documents] This one is the most important of the five elements,
corresponding with the central position.). These five correspondences are also depicted in the
[second] map below.
(rollback)
(press)
fire
(advance)
water
(retreat)
CHAPTER FOUR: HOW TAIJI BOXING CONFORMS WITH THE SYMBOLS OF
CHANGE (INCLUDING THE TAIJI DIAGRAM AND THE CHART OF THE
DEVELOPMENT OF CHANGE)
The Book of Changes covers everything, yet its terse theory does not go beyond the Taiji
Diagram. The things Taiji Boxing discusses passive and active, empty and full, hard and
soft, movement and stillness are all there. However, the world has inherited two taiji
diagrams. One comes from Zhou Lianxi, being in common tradition the one with the double
fish. The double fish pattern can be seen during the double touching-hands posture in its
qualities of passive and active, empty and full, expand and contract, advance and retreat, and
can be found endlessly beyond them. The principles within Zhous diagram are too profound
to be covered in a single chapter, but can be almost fully experienced by practicing the
techniques of Taiji Boxing. Due to the brief length of this chapter, it cannot be explained in
detail, so here will be given only a rough analysis of the diagram. This diagram divides into
five layers:
First, there is its round shape (2-dimensionally a circle, 3-dimensionally a sphere). It is
said: Wuji, then Taiji. When practicing, be calm within, embracing the primordial oneness.
When there is no scheming thought and there is also no giving anything way, only emptiness
to be seen, this can be called wuji. From within it comes movement and stillness, passive and
active, hard and soft, advance and retreat truly it is the source of all things. How could it
not be taiji?
Second, the circle divides into two aspects: passive and active, or emptiness and fullness,
each occupying a half. And so it is said that from movement the active is generated and from
stillness the passive is generated. Thus are established the two polarities. By extension, there
are the two trigrams of and [notice the inverted pattern], and this is like the boxings
hardness hidden within softness, or stillness maintained within movement, the idea that the
two aspects are the root of each other.
The third level: the five elements are equated with the five steps. This expresses the idea
that with the active aspect there is change and with the passive aspect there is merging, as in
the case of the active aspect being rooted in the element of water [which is passiveness at its
peak] and the passive aspect being rooted in the element of fire [which is activeness at its
peak], akin to wanting to retreat at the end of advancing and wanting to advance at the end of
retreating. The disposition of wood is to be flexible yet resilient, and the temperament of
metal is to be malleable yet resistant, and in the boxing exercise this is akin to bending and
extending, opening and closing, sticking and yielding, absorbing and pressing. All things are
born of earth, which therefore dwells in the central position [of the five elements], and so this
is akin to your mind. During pushing hands, the actions of ward-off, rollback, press, and push
generate and overcome each other, but if you are not mentally engaged in them throughout,
they will be done incorrectly. The Explanation to the Diagram says: When these five kinds
of weather [cold (corresponding to water), hot (fire), damp (wood), dry (metal), wind (earth)]
occur accordingly, the four seasons march along as they should. The five elements each have
a different nature and the four seasons each have a different weather, but none of these natures
and weathers can go beyond their roles within the passive and active aspects. Passive and
active occupy different positions, movement and stillness occur at different times, but they
cannot depart from their roles within the taiji.
Fourth and fifth, there is the comparison to people and to things. We have discussed wuji
[i.e. the Zero], the two [aspects], and the five [elements]. They gather and take form, affecting
each other and then join to produce all things. The essence of Taiji Boxing lies in movement
and stillness, both merging to fulfill the [taiji] principle, thereby controlling the center at the
basis of all variations. Once you are responding according to the opponents changes, no
matter how interlinked his techniques or intricate his methods, you can deal with everything,
since all your variation is rooted in a single principle. Zhou said: A wise man is fixed upon
being fair and upright, compassionate and just, is guided most of all by a sense of peace, and
is thereby the best of men. Fairness has to do with his behavior. Uprightness has to do with
his character. Compassion has to do with his influence. Justice has to do with his judgments.
There is movement and there is stillness. All who are devoted to the taiji principle [i.e. the
perfect balancing of complementary opposites] are without flaws, and therefore there is
nothing they do that is not successful.
ZHOU LIANXIS TAIJI DIAGRAM
taiji / wuji
active movement / passive stillness
fire / water
earth
wood / metal
Shaos Chart of the Development of Change concerns passive and active, hardness and
softness, movement and stillness. It is somewhat different from Zhous diagram with its
words of With movement, the active is generated With stillness, the passive is generated
The workings of the sky are based upon passive and active [or more literally, shade and
sunshine]. The workings of the ground are based upon softness and hardness [or more
connotatively, yielding and firmness].Shao observed things and wrote: When movement
begins, the active is generated. Once movement peaks, the passive is generated. When
stillness begins, softness is generated. Once stillness peaks, hardness is generated. Thus it is
movement that generates passive and active, and it is stillness that generates hardness and
softness. Although his line of reasoning is different, yet his description of movement and
stillness as a machinery producing a distinction between passive/active and hardness/softness
is of unique worth in the Taiji boxing art, and you should consider it and grasp its meaning.
--
stillness / movement
-- --
softness / hardness / passive / active
-
-
-
-
great soft / great hard / lesser soft / lesser hard / lesser passive / lesser active / great passive /
great active
CHAPTER FIVE: THE VARIOUS SCHOOLS OF TAIJI BOXING
Since Fu Xi first drew the set of eight trigrams, the concepts of passive and active were
understood, and the taiji principle was already implied within it. He later assigned Yin Kang
to make a Grand Dance to guide people to become more invigorated. The Yellow Emperor
made his famous book of medicine, containing massage and limbering techniques, all based in
the taiji principle, to make formless exercises. Hua Tuo based his work on words from the
Book of Zhuangzi [chapter 15]: Expel dead air and take in fresh. Loosen by imitating the
walking motions of bears and stretch by imitating the extending motions of birds. He wrote
the Five Animals Classic to instruct Wu Pu, who was already an early advocate of postural
exercises.
There was Xu Xuanping of the Tang Dynasty. (He was from Jiangnan, Huizhou prefecture,
Xi county. He lived as a hermit at Mt. Chengyang, where he retired on the south-facing slope
and avoided eating grains. He was seven and a half feet tall. His beard reached his navel
and his hair reached his feet. He walked like a galloping horse. Xu, a Tang poet, often carried
firewood to sell in the marketplace, chanting to himself: I carry firewood in the morning to
sell, / so I can buy wine to find retreat in being drunk all day. / Pardon me, where do I live? /
Through the clouds up the verdant hillside. Li Bai went to visit Xu but did not meet him,
then carved a poem [about not meeting him] onto Gazing Immortals Bridge.) Xu taught a
Taiji boxing art he called Thirty-Seven, because it had only thirty-seven posture names. His
method of instruction was single posture training, making the student train each posture to
perfection and only then moving on to the next posture. There was no fixed solo practice set,
but once all the postures were learned, all the postures could be linked up with each other as
an unbroken continuity, thus it was also called Long Boxing. It secrets are contained in the
Eight Character Song, On Mental Understanding, On Using the Whole Body, the
Sixteen Key Points, and the Song of Function, all passed down to Song Yuanqiao.
The Taiji Boxing that Mr. Yu (of Jiangnan, Ningguo prefecture, Jing county) taught was
called Innate Nature Boxing, and Long Boxing. He learned it from Li Daozi of the Tang
Dynasty (who was from Anqing, Jiangnan). Li lived in the Wudang Mountains at the
Southern Cliffs Temple. He did not cook his food, instead snacking on wheat bran several
times a day, and people called him master. Those who were taught by Mr. Yu that we know
of were Yu Qinghui, Yu Yicheng, Yu Lianzhou, and Yu Daiyan.
The Cheng style Taiji boxing art started with Cheng Lingxi (He was called Cheng Yuandi. He
was from Hui prefecture, Jiangnan. He protected Xizhou in Anhui during the Houjing
Rebellion [548-552], and because of all his help was given charge over it by the Liang
emperor as a devoted and powerful soldier.), who received it from Han Gongyue. It
eventually was passed down to Cheng Bi. (Cheng Bi [in 1193] achieved a second level in the
civil service exam in Shaoxing prefecture, was then given the mayorship of Changhua [a town
near the city of Hangzhou], working his way up to Minister of Rites, was honored with a
degree from Hanlin Academy, given the title of Marquis of Xinan prefecture [modern day
Huizhou in Anhui], as well as Scholar of the Hall of Clarity, was an expert in the theory of the
Book of Changes, and author of the Luo River Collection.) The name was changed to Small
Highest Heaven and had fourteen postures in total. It includes a list of Five Study
Reminders and the Song of Four Natures Returning to One.
The Taiji Boxing art taught by Yin Liheng was called the Acquired Nature Method, and he
taught it to Hu Jingzi (of Yangzhou). Hu Jingzi taught it to Song Zhongshu. (Song was from
Anzhou. He traveled to Gusu, where he wrote this poem on a temple wall: Universe eternal,
on and on forever, / you dont think about me, so I dont care about anything. / I wander to the
ends of the Earth, nobody paying any attention to me, / and when spring breezes come, I blow
my flute in taverns.) His posture count amounted to seventeen, many of which were elbow
techniques. Although its posture names were different, its method of use was the same as
before.
Zhang Sanfeng, given name Tong, called Junshi, was from Liaoyang. He was a Confucian
scholar from the end of the Yuan Dynasty, excelling at calligraphy and painting, versed in
poetry and essays. In the first year of Kublai Khans reign [1260], he was noticed for his
remarkable talent and was appointed as a scholar-official for Zhongshan. He admired the
nature paintings of Ge Zhichuan, which inspired him to abandon his official career, and he
traveled to Mt. Baoji, where the mountain has three peaks so proud and elegant, green and
lush, a joy to behold, and from then he was known as Three Peaks [san feng].
Over the generations, about a dozen sources of biographical information about Zhang have
accumulated, but none discuss his superb boxing art. At the beginning of Emperor Hong Wus
reign [1368], he was invited to court, but his way was blocked at Wudang. That night in a
dream, the deity Xuan Wu gave him the boxing method, and then at dawn he used it to defeat
the bandits. Thereupon his boxing art was known as the Wudang branch, or the internal
school of boxing.
Internal stylists are of a Confucian mentality, and are therefore distinct from
transcendentalists. Also because eight techniques and five steps are the key within this boxing
art, it is therefore called Thirteen Dynamics [or thirteen postures], meaning thirteen
methods. Later generations have misunderstood the term as indicating postural postures,
leading to confusion.
It was taught to Zhang Songxi and Zhang Cuishan. Then beginning with Song Yuanqiao
and Yu Lianzhou, and followed by Yu Daiyan, Zhang Songxi, Zhang Cuishan, Yin Liheng,
and Mo Gusheng, these seven colleagues met each other in Nanjing, then together went to the
Wudang Mountains. They sought to visit a Master Li, but they did not get to meet him.
However, passing by the Jade Emptiness Temple, they did meet Zhang Sanfeng. They did
obeisance to him, listened to his wisdom for over a month, and then went home, constantly
returning to get more lessons. From this it can be seen that all seven of these men considered
Zhang to be their teacher, but only Zhang Songxi and Zhang Cuishan taught his art by the
name of Thirteen Dynamics.
It is also said that Zhang lived during the reign of Huizong [1082-1135] of the Song Dynasty.
During the invasion to install the Jin Dynasty [1115-1234], he killed more than five hundred
Jin troops single-handed. The people of mountainous Shaanxi admired his valiance, earning
him hundreds of followers, and so he passed down his skill in Shaanxi.
When the Yuan Dynasty began, Wang Zongyue of Xian obtained the authentic
transmission and became renowned everywhere. He authored the Taiji Boxing Classic, the
Taiji Boxing Treatise, Understanding How to Practice, the Touching Hands Song, and
the Thirteen Dynamics Song. Chen Zhoutong of Wenzhou learned it, and thereupon it
spread from Shaanxi all the way to eastern Zhejiang [i.e. from the mountains to the sea].
More than a hundred years later, there was Zhang Songxi of Haiyan county, Zhejiang, who
became the most famous within the system (see the Records of Ningbo Prefecture). His art
was then passed on in Ningbo to Ye Jimei, called Jinquan, who then taught it to Wang
Zhengnan, called Laixian, during the reign of the Qing Emperor Shunzhi [1644-1661].
Because Zhengnan was bold with people but just, he had a unique reputation at the end of
the Ming Dynasty. Huang Zongxi puts the greatest importance on Wang Zhengnan (whose
deeds can be found in the Stories of Knight-Errants). When Wang died, Huang wrote a
memorial inscription for him. Huang Baijia [Huang Zongxis son] wrote the Boxing Methods
of the Internal School, including Six Path Long Boxing, Ten Sections of Brocade, and
other instructions. More than a century after Zhengnan, the next person of note was Gan
Fengchi. These are all exponents of the southern branch.
Of those who passed on the northern branch, it was taught by Wang Zongyue to Jiang Fa
of Henan, who then taught it to Chen Changxing of the Chen family village, Huaiqing
prefecture, Henan. Chen always stood straight, impassively, not inclining in any direction,
was as expressionless as a rooster made of wood, and so people called him Mr. Board. He had
two sons, Gengxin and Jixin.
At that time, Yang Luchan, called Fukui, from Yongnian county, Guangping prefecture,
Hebei, heard of his fame, and so he with his fellow villager Li Baikui went to learn from him.
When they arrived, they were the only students who did not have the surname Chen and they
were looked upon as being very much outsiders, but because there was a close bond between
the two of them, they studied wholeheartedly, often practicing throughout the night instead of
sleeping. Mr. Board saw that Yang studied diligently and thereupon taught him all his secrets.
Yang went home and taught the art to his fellow villagers, and it was commonly known as
Soft Boxing or Neutralization Boxing, because it has the ability of using evasion to gain
control over a strong force. Then Yang traveled to Beijing and was a guest in every mansion.
Many Qing Dynasty royals, nobles, and men of rank learned from him, and at that time he
was made martial arts instructor to the Manchu barracks. He had three sons, the eldest named
Qi, who died young, the second named Yu, called Banhou, and the third named Jian, called
Jianhou, also called Jinghu, and both Banhou and Jianhou earned much fame.
I learned from Yang Jianhou for years and know his familys history. He has three sons,
the eldest named Zhaoxiong, called Mengxiang, the middle one named Zhaoyuan, who died
young, the third named Zhaoqing, called Chengfu. Banhou had one son, named Zhaopeng,
who is a farmer in his village. While Yang Luchan served as instructor at the Manchu
barracks, three people who got instruction from him were Wan Chun, whose power was hard,
Ling Shan, who was good at flinging opponents away, and Quan You, who was good at
neutralizing, and so it is said that three people each obtained one of his qualities. When he
physically declined, he then told them all to do obeisance to Banhou as their teacher, and
hence they are said to be Banhous disciples.
Song Shuming, who says he is descended from Song Yuanqiao, has traveled much, is an
expert in the theory of the Book of Changes, and is proficient in the Taiji boxing art,
contributing many innovations. He is casual and familiar with me, and I have had a constant
association with him from which I have received unique benefit. Instructors in my
organization such as Ji Zixiu, Wu Jianquan, Liu Enshou, Liu Caichen, and Jiang Dianchen
have also received much from him. (Wu Jianquan is Quan Yous son, and it is often said that
he was close friends with Ling Shan.)
CHAPTER SIX: THE TAIJI BOXING CLASSIC ANNOTATED
Tai means the grand or extreme. Ji means the central pivot point. Taiji is the ultimate
foundation of everything in existence. Taiji Boxing therefore is what each boxing system
ultimately attains to. To be born of wuji means that wuji [no pivot] is the origin [of the
grand pivot]. This boxing art emphasizes refining spirit and uses the wielding of energy to
make the postures, which are natural and unrestrictive in their shapes. Emptiness is the
foundation, yet it embraces everything, and thus it is called wuji [also meaning no limit].
However, a beginner should work on the postures as the initial training. After a long period of
becoming familiar with them and then identifying energies, you will naturally have a
breakthrough, and you will begin to have a condition of the miraculous.
It says in Zhou Dunyis Explanation to the Taiji Diagram: Wuji, then taiji. Zhu Xis
commentary to it says: Natures work is silent and intangible, yet it is truly the operation of
creation, the foundation of all things. This is why it says there is wuji, then taiji. But wuji is
not beyond taiji, since taiji will return to wuji. Although in that case, the phrasing of born of
wuji would thus seem to be a poor choice of words.
It is the manifestation of movement and stillness, and the mother of yin and yang [the passive
and active aspects].
Change in position or the progress of the body in a certain direction is called movement.
Solidly staying in or preserving its location or orientation is called stillness. By
manifestation is meant the sign of their occurring. It is similar to the use of that word in
the Classic of the Talisman of the Abstract, in which it says: The sign of the sky expressing
its destructiveness [is the shifting of the constellations] [the shifting of the constellations
indicating the change of seasons, the different seasons bringing different weather, and each
change in weather being destructive to the previous status quo of weather]. There is no
beginning or end to the cyclings of stillness and movement, passive and active. Taiji means
the pivoting mechanism between them.
When practicing Taiji Boxing, there is calm within the mind, an embracing of a primordial
state of oneness. Do not get stuck in either movement or stillness, but be instead magically
unpredictable. Once there is contact, issue, but do not then freeze into stillness. When moving,
preserve an intention of stillness, but within the stillness dwells the potential for more
movement. Movement and stillness are rooted in each other and complement each other
naturally. Herein lies the subtlety of the Taiji Boxing art.
Everything that comes into existence carries the passive and contains the active [Daodejing,
chapter 42]. They all have taiji. When there is taiji [i.e. polarity], there is therefore duality.
Therefore taiji is the mother of passive and active. Every technique and posture in Taiji
Boxing contains a circle. When it moves it is active, and when still it is passive. So it is with
hard and soft, advance and retreat, etc, all having the same principle of change. Therefore here
I will explain the principle of alternating changes in an easy way:
The theory in ancient China was that everything corresponded analogously to passive and
active, and therefore passive and active themselves do not have fixed roles. This is the case
for correspondences of passive and active in Taiji Boxing
active / passive:
movement / stillness
hands going out / drawing in
advancing / retreating
hardness / softness
issuing / gathering
sticking / yielding
joints extending / bending
spreading apart / closing inward
expanding / shrinking
contracting / expanding
rising / lowering
All of these correspondences, regardless of how one thing changes into another, are each
contained within a circle. Therefore when movement and stillness become distinct, passive
and active then do not occupy the same place and taiji is everywhere.
With movement there is division [into the vectors of the initial force and the diverting force
(often called a thousand pounds and four ounces)]. With stillness there is merging [into
the net force of both].
Movement means change. When there is movement, there is differentiation of passive and
active, and the two polarities are established. When there is stillness, there is nothing
disturbed and nothing that gives anything away, though the principle of passive and active is
complete within it.
When practicing the Taiji boxing art, in each of its postures, movement and stillness
alternate with each other. This boxing arts movements go forward or back, left or right, up or
down, but in all cases there is passive and active, empty and full, to be abided by. Therefore it
is said that in movement they become distinguishable. In postures of stillness, although there
is no trace of anything that can be specifically pointed out, passive and active, empty and full,
are all already within. Therefore it is said that in stillness they become indistinguishable.
If we break down the exercise, then Taijis active aspect transforms and its passive aspect
merges, which with an air of physics or mechanics represent the principles of the dividing
force [components of force] and merging force [resultant/net force]. In the Taiji boxing art,
when I encounter an opponent and he wants to control me, I then right away [take his attack]
to the side, dividing his power into two paths [i.e. the components of force], causing his
power to be unable to directly reach my body (coarsening his energy). This is what is meant
by With movement there is division.
If this induces him to stick to me, I apply lifting energy [a further vector added upon the
sideways energy], which is a transformation of the active aspect, and once initiated, a stillness
is established which either causes him to cease his movement or gets his power to land on
nothing. [If the latter (he has landed on nothing but is still moving),] then once there is the
slightest stillness [i.e. hesitation, confusion, indecision on his part], I promptly issue, making
use of the merging energy [i.e. taking advantage of the net force in other words, capitalizing
on the direction he is now unpreparedly moving in], which is the merging of the passive
aspect.
If the opponent wants to issue upon me, I then respond by being calm in my mind,
watching for the moment and taking the opportunity when it comes. While there is stillness, I
wait [for the moment to move at an angle and thereby create components of force]. Once there
is the slightest movement, I respond [by seeking the stillness within movement of the merging
net force which can be taken advantage of]. It is like the saying goes: Second to shoot but
first to hit the target.
There is only one Way. In the primal chaos there were not yet distinctions and the vast
opaqueness was not yet cleared away. If in the beginning there was neither movement nor
stillness, how could there be passive and active? Therefore use emptiness as the foundation
and you will invariably join with the Way.
The universe is like this, the Taiji is like this, and when you have practiced Taiji Boxing
until it is extremely refined, it will also be like this. But these words about the beginning of
the universe are being used to talk about the practicing of the boxing art and how depth of
practice advances you to the Way, and beginners may suddenly find this difficult to discuss.
The sky and the ground are fixed, and the two polarities are separated. When there is
passive and active, there is movement and stillness, and thus one who talks of Taiji must pay
attention to the postures. Taiji Boxings separating and joining, movement and stillness,
accord with passive and active. If there is movement in a posture, you must seek to open up.
When wielding power, you must understand emptiness and fullness. When he is hard,
neutralize him. This is called dividing [i.e. creating components of force]. Once he is soft,
defend against him. This is called merging [i.e. making use of the net force]. The ground is in
a state of stillness seeking movement. It has an end but no beginning, and we must submit to
it. The sky is in a state of movement seeking stillness. It has a beginning but no end, and the
only thing to do is return to emptiness.
It is the principle of all things that emptiness receives and stillness completes. The universe
stands within emptiness and revolves within stillness. Therefore when the primal chaos
opened up, the whole of the beginning was established. The whole body truly initiates from
wuji, invariably coming from a state of emptiness and quietude.
Wang Chongyang said: Here I describe the source of the Way: work first at emptiness
and quietude. As for emptiness, there is nothing it does not welcome. As for quiet, there is
nothing it does not answer. Looking at it this way when practicing Taiji Boxing, if emptiness
and quietude are taken as your foundation, then the changing between dividing his force and
merging with it will naturally happen as you please.
Neither going too far nor not far enough, comply and bend then engage and extend.
Too far means you are going beyond. Not far enough means you are not arriving. To
comply means to not resist. To engage means to approach. Going too far or not far
enough are both cases of becoming uncentered. If you become uncentered, you will be
resisting by way of your active aspect or separating by way of your passive aspect, and you
He is hard while I am soft this is yielding. My energy is smooth while his energy is coarse
this is sticking.
By he is of course meant the opponent. Hardness indicates being strong and forceful.
Softness has to do with smoothness. Yielding has to do with neutralizing. Using softness and
smoothness, change according to the direction of the opponents force so it does not restrict
you, and thus it is called yielding. Smoothness is being unrestrained and easy. Coarseness is
being restrained and difficult. Sticking is seizing control of the opponents power. Upon
encountering the opponents hard power, I smoothly respond to his momentum and take
charge of it, causing him to lean into range of my control, and thus it is called sticking.
Taiji Boxing always uses little strength in response to the opponents great strength. Weak
defeating strong, soft controlling hard this is the gist of it. However, the conventional
opinion is that the small cannot really match the large, that weakness cannot really defeat
strength, and that it is really difficult for softness to gain control over hardness. But in talking
of matching, defeating, controlling, there is indeed a theory behind getting the upper hand: the
opponents power must get to me for it to be effective, but if I gain control over what he is
trying to do, I take advantage of the moment he begins to apply hard power, watching for the
opportunity and responding accordingly, arresting his attack and sending him back to seeking
control over his own body.
Therefore even if I am weaker, I always claim control over the opponents position, and
even if he is stronger, he is always in a position of being controlled. If it is difficult for him to
freely expand, then even if his power is great, what good would it be? The statement of Laozi
that the teeth wear out but the tongue goes on very much aligns with the idea of hard and
soft in Taiji Boxing. But if you are not an ardent student who ponders deeply upon these
things, these words will not help you.
If he moves fast, I quickly respond, and if his movement is slow, I leisurely follow. However
countless his changes may be, the principle of this timing is a single constant.
The speed of your movement should be based on the speed of the opponents. If you want to
know his speed, you must first watch for the pivotal moment his power moves, then you will
be able to respond appropriately. What is this moment of movement? It says in Zhou Dunyis
Penetrating the Book of Changes: The pivotal moment is the time before action has taken
shape, between when it is not and when it is The moment is subtle, and so it is hard to
spot. As difficult to recognize as it is, if you have not trained deeply it will not be easy to
understand. As long as I catch the timing, it does not matter what the opponent does, for
countless variations are based upon that single principle, and so I hold to it, controlling the
variations by making them return to their single basis. I observe the timing and respond to the
situation, neither overdoing nor underdoing. Holding to that single constant and being ruled
by it, your movement will be pure and natural and be without the slightest bit of stagnancy.
Thus it is said [Zhuangzi, chapter 12]: Obtain the One and all things are accomplished.
Once you have engrained these techniques, you will gradually come to indentify energies, and
then from there you will work your way toward something miraculous. But unless you
practice a lot over a long time, you will never have a breakthrough.
For Taiji Boxing practitioners, there is a fixed process of progress. You cannot skip steps and
rush ahead. The subtlety of Taiji Boxing all comes down to using energy. (This energy has
to do with nimbleness and liveliness, comes from a deeper level of training, and cannot be
explained only in terms of physical strength.) Although the energy is shapeless, it must be in
accord with the shape of the technique in order for you to start to be able to manifest it. In
Taiji Boxing, whenever you concentrate power it depends on being good at moving energy. If
you neglect it when applying techniques, you will end up unable to understand why they are
not working, and you will feel pathetic, that you have wasted your time, and that progress is
hopeless. Compared to proceeding step by step and progressing gradually, you will instead get
half the effect for double the effort, the result of not abiding by the natural sequence.
Confucius discussed education along these lines: if it is always based in talented
instruction, then each student will benefit from it. Although boxing arts are a lesser skill, it
takes applying it upon opponents to say you have mastered it, which no one has ever been
able to do quickly, therefore a practitioner of this boxing art should first imitate the teachers
postures.
Once you are doing them correctly, you must seek to be mindful of linking them with each
other. Once you can do the solo set fluently, you must focus on each postures function. Once
you are familiar with the techniques, see whether or not you can apply them properly. Once
you have grasped the proper way to apply them all, see whether or not your power is empty.
Once your power is substantial, you have truly engrained the techniques.
Then seek to identify energies through pushing hands. Study the weight and speed of your
opponents movements and the direction his energy moves toward. After a long time, you will
naturally come to identify a little bit, then a little more, until you progress to the point that you
sense the slightest thing and everywhere know what it is, and then you will have grasped what
is meant by identifying energies.
Once you are identifying energies, you will not try to apply techniques and they will
happen by themselves. You will progress to the point that without the energy there is no
technique and without the technique there is no energy. Gradually you will reach the level at
which you do not need to apply techniques, you only need to apply energy. Then finally you
will not try to apply energy and the energy will happen by itself, for you are wielding power
by way of intention and transposing intention with energy. There is spirit in your touch and
nothing can stand against it. You have proceeded to the miraculous. Indeed, without several
decades of ardent practice, how could you attain this?
Forcelessly has also been written as must [making You must rouse strength at the
headtop.], but it seems appropriate to go along with forcelessly. Force-lessly is said in
opposition to -fully. To do it forcefully would cause you to be jammed up and slowed
down, making it hard to be skillful. [i.e. You must rouse strength at the headtop neglects the
point that it should be done without effort, and in fact due to the imperative nature of must,
it would seem instead to encourage effort. Therefore must can be dismissed as simply
wrong. It was surely not intended and was most likely the wrong character transposed for the
right one, an easy and common mistake when characters have identical pronunciations, a
major hazard of the Chinese language.] Headtop means the top of the head, the area also
called the fontanel. During infancy, the bones in this area are soft and not yet joined, and it
often trembles along with the breath.
Daoists call it the upper elixir field or the clay pellet palace. It is the mansion in which
the spirit is stored. When a Buddhist is ordained, he receives marking there. For Daoists, the
upper field is where spirit is cultivated. The Book of Changes says: He walks in his
courtyand but does not notice his family. (The courtyand indicates the forehead, but means
the top of the head [the headtop]. Walks this is the spirit and energy flowing along
[corresponding to rouse / strength]. Does not notice his family this is the emptiness
[corresponding to effortlessly].) The Yellow Courtyard Classic says: He wishes to be
immortal and cultivate himself at Kunlun. (This mountains name is a metaphor for the
headtop.) All these examples show people with the knack for self-cultivation.
A persons cerebrum controls thought while the cerebellum controls movement, but the
headtop is really the source from which all things emerge, controlling all the nerves. [The
acupoint at the top of the head is named (Bai Hui) where all meet.] It is the
governors mansion, and its position is important as such, for it is a fitting place to
emphasize when engaged in self-cultivation. The Taiji Boxing practitioner directs body and
mind to unite. Inside and out are simultaneously cultivated, and spirit and body are
simultaneously tempered. Therefore, when moving energy in the body, you must move
intellect in the brain, penetrating spirit to the headtop, seeking to make a halo of clearmindedness round the head, and thereby refining the spirit. The head is the whole bodys
guide. Guiding upward, the gaze then spreads outward. When the headtop is suspended,
throughout the body the skeleton is upright, the muscles behave smoothly, and whenever there
is movement, the whole body functions as one unit, whether to the left or right, forward or
back, without being impeded by anxieties.
The elixir field [Dan Tian] is the name of an acupoint. The Daoists say there are three elixir
fields: one at the headtop storing spirit, one in the belly storing energy, and one below the
navel storing essence. This last one is the lower elixir field (three inches below the navel).
Through constant deep breathing, which causes energy to accumulate at this point, you will
naturally have sufficient energy and abundant spirit.
The Yellow Courtyard Classic says: When breathing, take outside air into the elixir field
and see how long you can keep it there. The length of the ordinary persons breath is short
and only goes as deep as the belly (i.e. meeting the diaphragm [but not expanding it]) and
cannot make it to the elixir field. This causes the circulation to slow and the lungs to weaken,
inadequately removing impurities from the abdomen, and hence the blood cannot be lively,
greatly shortening a persons life span. Laozi said [Daodejing, chapter 5]: The space between
sky and ground is like a bellows. He also said [Daodejing, 3]: Empty the mind, fill the
abdomen. This is along the lines of [Zhuangzi, chapter 15]: Expel dead air and take in
fresh (expel meaning exhaling bad air from the abdomen and take in meaning inhaling
fresh air) and [from Daodejing, 16]: Returning to the root [and thereby] rejuvenating life.
(By root is meant the source, i.e. the vitality in the elixir field [in the lower abdomen] and
what is called the life-gate in the lower back, and then returning and rejuvenating
meaning the intention is inverted and aimed at these places.)
Use intention to guide energy to the lower elixir field where it is refined. After a long time
you will naturally be able to prolong life and prevent disease. The lower elixir field is the key
point of the whole body for practitioners of boxing arts. By sinking energy to this area, you
will be majestically stable and it will not be easy to affect you or make you topple. But
sinking the energy is to be done slowly, somewhere between deliberately and unconsciously,
not like an external stylists sinking by way of effort and outwardly swelling the abdomen. If
you are not careful, you could end up giving yourself a hernia, amongst other ailments.
Recently Gang Tianhu, a second-level practitioner of Japanese meditation, died of diabetes. It
is suggested the cause may be in connection with him being too forceful with his lower elixir
field, a hypothesis which is not unreasonable.
To lean means to lose your balance. To slant means to deviate from your upright posture.
To hide means to conceal. To appear means to show. To suddenly hide and suddenly
appear means to be magically unpredictable. Neither lean nor slant has to do with the
bodys posture. Suddenly hide and suddenly appear has to do with the movement of spirit
and energy. In Taiji, there is emptiness and clarity, balance and uprightness, meaning that the
posture must be balanced and upright, and that the movement seems both intended and not
intended, causing the spirit, energy, intention, and power to course through the whole body.
Neither going too far nor not far enough, suddenly hide and suddenly appear, making the
opponent unable to figure out what you are doing. When you have practiced until you are
skillful, you will easily come to comprehend this.
In geometry, between two points there is only a single straight line. In Taiji Boxing,
strength at the headtop is to be roused above and the center of balance is to be guarded below,
and as long as the whole body is balanced and upright, these will easily be the case. But both
the rousing above and guarding below must contain an intention of liveliness and a quality of
being abundantly natural, whereas if you overdo them and become restrictive, then the spirit
and energy will become sluggish, the posture will become stiff, the wielding of power will not
be able to be done with effortless nimbleness, and your own movements will begin to obstruct
you. Therefore it is said: Suddenly hide and suddenly appear.
When there is pressure on the left, the left empties. When there is pressure on the right, the
right disappears.
This continues the thought from the previous explanation. I hide and appear inconstantly. If
the opponent feels me applying force on my left side and wants to add pressure to it to cause
me to lose my balance, I then empty my left side and await his pressure, guiding his power to
land on nothing. If he feels I am applying force on my right side and that he can take control
of it, I promptly hide it and store it away, my empty and full switching roles. If you adapt to
the situation and respond accordingly, how can an opponent ever use his techniques?
When looking up, it is still higher. When looking down, it is still lower.
Looking up means rising. Looking down means lowering. If the opponent wants to lift
me to make me go upward, I then continue it even higher, or if he wants to crush me to make
me go downward, I then continue it even lower. This makes him lose his balance and turns the
tables to subject him to my control.
The character for feather [can also mean wing but here indeed] means feather. To be
added is in the sense of to be put on you. To land means to lower and touch you. These
phrases describe one who has excellent Taiji skill, perceiving acutely, knowing the opponent
upon the merest contact, putting an end to the situation when the opponent makes the merest
attempt. Even if his touch is as light as a feather or as slight as a fly, if he encroaches upon me
to the smallest degree, I am immediately aware of it, evading his attack but not adding any
pressure to him in the course of doing so. With the natural clear-mindedness we call spirit, I
am aware of his action and then able to act upon it. [Daodejing, chapter 16:] Achieve an
extreme softness and maintain a sincere stillness. Be silent and still, sensing and connecting,
and give no warning when you act. If you do not train to the point of purity, building a supple
nimbleness in your body and developing an abundant power of touch, you will not be
qualified to discuss these things.
He does not know me, only I know him. A hero is one who encounters no opposition, and it is
through this kind of method that such a condition is achieved.
When you are empty and still, passive and active blend together. When you are aware and
alert, hard and soft alternate with each other. Whatever the opponent does, I know it all. As
for what I am doing, the opponent has a very difficult time knowing any of it. When an expert
of boxing arts encounters no opposition, it is because of this principle [of knowing and being
unknown]. Sunzi said [Art of War, chapter 4]: Good fighters do not make a show of their
skill. He also said [chapter 3]: Knowing both self and opponent, you will win every time.
But not knowing the opponent and only knowing yourself, you will have only a fifty-fifty
chance. If the opponent does not know me but I am able to know him, then I will meet no
opposition.
There are many other schools of boxing arts besides this one.
they generally do not go beyond the strong bullying the weak and the slow yielding to the
fast.
Other kinds of boxing arts emphasize strength and showing off. They do not seek to identify
energies, and thus the ingenuity of merging timing and momentum, of applying sensitivity,
and of using stillness to overcome movement of any speed, are things which are typically not
looked into.
The strong beating the weak and the slow submitting to the fast are both a matter of inherent
natural ability
This points out that both great strength and quick reflexes are talents one is born with.
Examine the phrase four ounces moves a thousand pounds (See the Touching Hands
Song [i.e. Playing Hands Song] where it says: I will tug with four ounces of force to
move his of a thousand pounds.), which is clearly not a victory obtained through strength.
When measuring weights on a scale, the pulley responds to the heavier side, as per the
mechanics of leverage. Taiji Boxings use of a small force to defeat a large force, or an
absence of force to gain control over a presence of force, is in accordance with science.
Or consider the sight of a septua/octogenarian repelling a group, which could not come from
an aggressive speed.
In the old days, septuagenarian was commonly used to indicate a man in his seventies,
octogenarian a man in his eighties. An old man moves slowly, but in ancient times there
were great generals like Lian Po, who when he was old could still defeat many. Therefore
there is surely more to it than hands and feet being fast.
If your body is upright and comfortable, neither leaning nor slanting, the three sections of the
spine will naturally be correctly placed.
If your poise is rounded and dignified, your movement nimble and without sluggishness, then
your whole body will have a wheel-like quality, constantly turning without end.
To drop means to go to one side. It is like when water is being drained by being poured
from a bottle. This causes one side to be empty and therefore you can draw off the water. If
the bottle were overfilled, it would spill on its own.
There is the equal pressure between me and the opponent [i.e. neglecting to drop one side
and release the pressure on that side to draw the opponent off balance, instead maintaining
pressure on both sides and merely spending effort holding him back], and there is the equal
pressure that has to do only with myself [i.e. having equal weight on both feet]. Taiji Boxing
is based on naturalness. If you cannot function with single pressure [i.e. with the weight more
on one foot than the other], what is double pressure supposed to get you?
We often see one who has practiced hard for many years yet is unable to perform any
neutralizations and is generally under the opponents control, and the issue here is that this
error of double pressure has not yet been understood.
Long ago it was said [in the Historical Records, chapter 68]: Those who rely on virtue
flourish. Those who rely on force perish. It says in the Book of Changes: The sky acts with
vigor. A gentleman ceaselessly improves himself. Building upon these words, when you are
empty you are sensitive, being sensitive you move, by moving you change, by changing you
neutralize, and when you neutralize you do not get stuck. [Sunzi said (Art of War, chapter 6):]
One who is good at dealing with opponents always controls the opponent and is never
controlled by the opponent. Is not this even more important to know for one who is under
the opponents control? Although you may have worked to the point of skill, if you do not
understand the error of double pressure, it is like you have not yet learned anything.
Pairings of passive and active are rather numerous, and as it has already been touched upon
above, such a list will not be repeated here.
When you control the opponents energy, this is called sticking. When you neutralize the
opponents energy, this is called yielding.
The active does not depart from the passive and the passive does not depart from the active,
for the passive and active exchange roles. Once you have this understanding, you will be
identifying energies.
Being aware of both the opponents and your own hardness and softness, emptiness and
fullness, then passive and active mutually wax and wane. When switching emptiness to
fullness [and vice versa] without misjudging the time to do it, here indeed is the identifying of
energies.
Once you are identifying energies, then the more you practice, the more efficient your skill
will be,
By contrast, if you are not identifying energies, then despite lots of practice you will have
very little increase in efficiency.
and by absorbing through experience and by constantly contemplating, gradually you will
reach the point that you can do whatever you want.
Once you are identifying energies, you can constantly think about them and further
understand them by experiencing them. Experience and contemplation are your extra teachers.
The basic of basics is to forget about your plans and simply respond to the opponent.
[Confucius said (Lun Yu, 9.4):] There is no idea, no imperative, no insistence, no me.
Respond according to situations. Do not get stuck in expectations.
We often make the mistake of ignoring what is right in front of us in favor of something that
has nothing to do with our immediate circumstances.
When you do not sense the right moment to act and then end up acting with haste, what your
action gets you is not going to be what you would want.
You must understand all this clearly. That is why it has been written down for you.
Someone in the past said: Obtain the real stuff and ardently work at it. If you do not
discriminate over details, then you will simply be wasting your effort.
This essay comprises what Wang Zongyue learned from Zhang Sanfeng. Its words are simple
and comprehensive. He wanted Taiji Boxings subtle theory to be explained without anything
left out. Of the many primary texts, start with this one, including its commentaries. If you
come across doubtful areas, as is bound to happen from time to time, please pardon.
PART TWO
CHAPTER ONE: THE SEQUENCE OF THE TAIJI BOXING SOLO SET WITH
MOVEMENT POSITIONING CHART (COMPLETE WITH EXPLANATIONS)
[1] With north to your [right] and west in front of you, perform READINESS POSTURE.
[2] Advance with your left foot, turning your torso to the right, and perform CATCH THE
SPARROW BY THE TAIL.
[3] Step out with your left foot, turning around to the south, and perform SINGLE WHIP.
[4] Shift your right foot forward and perform RAISE THE HAND.
[5] Staying where you are, perform WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS.
[6] Step out with your left foot to the south and perform BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED
STANCE on the left side, step forward with your right foot and perform BRUSH KNEE IN A
CROSSED STANCE on the right side, then step forward again with your left foot, and
perform BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE on the left side.
[7] Bring your right foot beside your left foot and perform PLAY THE LUTE.
[8] Stepping out with your left foot, perform PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH.
[9] Staying where you are, perform SEALING SHUT.
[10] Bring your left foot beside your right foot, facing west, and perform CROSSED HANDS.
[11] Step out with your right foot, turning around diagonally to your right rear, to the
northeast, and perform CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK TO ITS
MOUNTAIN.
[12] Staying where your are, perform CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL.
[13] Turn around to the southwest, stepping out with your left foot, and perform DIAGONAL
SINGLE WHIP.
[14] Step forward with your right foot, withdraw your left foot, face south, and perform
[42] Bring your right foot down, step forward with your left foot, and perform PARRY,
BLOCK, PUNCH.
[43] Staying where you are, perform SEALING SHUT.
[44] Bring your left foot beside your right foot and perform CROSSED HANDS.
[45] Step out with your right foot, turning around diagonally to your right rear, to the
northeast, and perform CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK TO ITS
MOUNTAIN, then staying where your are, perform CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE
TAIL.
[46] Turn around, stepping out with your left foot to the southwest, and perform DIAGONAL
SINGLE WHIP.
[47] Step forward with your right foot and perform the first movement of WILD HORSE
PARTS ITS MANE, step forward with your left foot and perform the second movement of
WILD HORSE PARTS ITS MANE, then again step forward with your right foot and perform
the third movement of WILD HORSE PARTS ITS MANE.
[48] Step forward with your left foot and perform the first movement of MAIDEN WORKS
THE SHUTTLE to the northwest, turn around to your right rear and perform the second
movement of MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE to the southwest, again step forward with
your left foot and perform the third movement of MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE to the
southeast, turn around to your right rear and perform the fourth movement of MAIDEN
WORKS THE SHUTTLE to the northeast, then stay where you are and perform CATCH
THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL.
[49] Step out with your left foot, turning around to the south, and perform SINGLE WHIP.
[50] Bring your left foot beside your right foot and perform the first movement of
CLOUDING HANDS, step out with your left foot and perform the second movement of
CLOUDING HANDS, again bring your left foot beside your right foot and perform the third
movement of CLOUDING HANDS, then step out with your left foot and perform SINGLE
WHIP.
[51] Staying where you are, perform LOW POSTURE.
[52] Stand your body up, lift your right leg, and perform GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON
ONE LEG on the right side, then lower your right foot, lift your left leg, and perform
GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON ONE LEG on the left side.
[53] Withdraw your left foot and perform the first movement of RETREAT, DRIVING
AWAY THE MONKEY, withdraw your right foot and perform the second movement of
RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY, then withdraw your left foot and perform
the third movement of RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY.
[54] Retreat your right foot to the northwest (or advance your left foot to the southeast) and
perform DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE.
[55] Shift your right foot forward and perform RAISE THE HAND.
[56] Staying where you are, perform WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS.
[57] Step out with your left foot, facing south, and perform BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED
STANCE on the left side.
[58] Withdraw your left leg a half step, bend your [right] leg, and perform NEEDLING
UNDER THE SEA.
[59] Step out with your left foot and perform FAN THROUGH THE BACK.
[60] Turn around to your right and perform FLINGING BODY PUNCH, then advancing with
your right foot, perform STEP FORWARD, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH.
[61] Staying where you are, perform CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL.
[62] Step out with your left foot, turning around, and perform SINGLE WHIP.
[63] Bring your left foot beside your right foot and perform the first movement of
CLOUDING HANDS, step out with your left foot and perform the second movement of
CLOUDING HANDS, bring your left foot beside your right foot and perform the third
movement of CLOUDING HANDS, then step out with your left foot and perform SINGLE
WHIP.
[64] Withdrawing your left foot a half step, perform RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO
THE HORSE LEFT.
[65] Step out with your left foot, threading through with your left palm, then turn around to
your right rear, and perform CROSSED-BODY SWINGING LOTUS KICK.
[66] Bring your right foot down and perform BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE on
the right side, then advance with your left foot and perform BRUSH KNEE, PUNCH TO
THE CROTCH.
[67] Step forward with your right foot and perform CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE
TAIL.
[68] Step out with your left foot, turning around, and perform SINGLE WHIP.
[69] Staying where you are, perform LOW POSTURE.
[70] Stand your body up, step forward with your right foot, and perform STEP FORWARD
WITH THE BIG DIPPER, then retreat your right foot, withdraw your left foot, and perform
RETREAT TO RIDE THE TIGER.
[71] Turn around to your right rear, step forward with your left foot, threading through with
your left palm, then again turn around to your right rear, and perform SPIN AROUND ON
THE FOOT, SWINGING LOTUS KICK.
[72] Lower your right foot to your right and perform BEND THE BOW TO SHOOT THE
TIGER.
[73] Step forward with your left foot so your feet are standing next to each other, both hands
hanging down, and return to READINESS POSTURE.
1. Generally when practicing martial arts sets, you should end where you began. So that it is
easy here to see everything in the chart, it is spread out [vertically], and therefore the
beginning and ending posture cannot occupy the same place [horizontally].
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2. Often you will continue through several postures without changing your location. It is
difficult to show this and so they are merely put in order by piling them up.
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3. When two postures happen in the same place, but the movement slightly shifts away, the
postures are given an irregular alignment.
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4. When movements have a vertical line between them, it means you are advancing in that
direction, and when it is happening diagonally, the line is diagonal, but the length of the line
has no bearing on the distance you are advancing.
5. Whether a posture is at an angle or straight, it is indicated by the angle of the box in the
chart.
6. Each posture is written toward the direction it [your torso] faces, a hint to be given attention
to. [This is displayed only in the Chinese text in the chart, whereas in the list I have simply
used arrows to indicate which direction your torso is facing.]
7. [In the chart,] a full turn of your body is indicated by a full circle spiraling inward/outward
and a half turn is indicated by a half circle.
8. For the LEFT & RIGHT KICK TO THE SIDE, the chart shows the direction your toes are
pointing [rather than the direction your torso is facing].
9. When a box is made of dotted lines, its posture is indicated in the box below it. Because the
space in the chart is confined, it would be inappropriate to write it so high [for the sake of the
movements that continue from it], and so it is shifted below.
10. As to the other direction indicators for the whole chart, the common way is for up to be
north and down to be south, but here it is different [up being east and down being west]. [As
no actual reason for this is given here, this does not satisfy. It amounts to saying something
along the lines of, What most people call left, in my book I have decided to call right. Why
not just leave it the common way of up being north? And since Xu so rarely mentions
compass directions within his actual instructions for the postures, there seems little purpose in
his bringing it up at all.]
The Taiji boxing art uses nothingness as its root. What it trains is nothing more than spirit and
energy, and it is not like the external boxings emphasis on how it looks. So why care about
the postures at all? Well, what does a persons spirit and energy depend on? The body, by way
of which the spirit is trained. Use the actions of the mind to move the body. Its contracting
and expanding, bending and extending, are each as the mind dictates. Make body and mind
merge to become one. By way of opening and closing, rousing and stimulating, inhaling and
exhaling, advancing and retreating, the energy is tempered. By way of the sensitivity of the
body, the sensitivity of the muscles, and sensitivity of touch, the spirit is sharpened. For the
sake of training both Taijis form and function, a practitioner of the Taiji boxing art will be
particular about the postures, and so it seems they cannot be treated dismissively. Examining
the different schools of Taiji Boxing, they fall into three categories:
[1] There are those who practice many postures such as the schools of the Thirty-Seven
Postures, Small Highest Heaven, and so on.
[2] There are those who make use of the symbols in the Book of Changes such as the
schools of Innate Nature Boxing, Acquired Nature Boxing, and so on.
[3] There are those with specific techniques of moving energy and moving the feet such
as the school of the Thirteen Dynamics.
The postures, names, and practice method of each school are different. Although any of
them can be selected, apart from the school of the Thirteen Dynamics many use a single
posture practice without a fixed sequence, but I feel that to continue into that as an
accompaniment to Part One of this book would not yet be very suitable, so I will save it for a
future edition. For now I will begin by presenting the postures of the Thirteen Dynamics solo
set in their original sequence, with drawings and explanations for you to consult.
1
PREPARATION POSTURE
Explanation of the name:
Before practicing any boxing set, there must be a readiness, a rousing of the whole body and a
focusing of the mind, like when your sense of caution is stimulated, making you more alert.
When practicing, there is also the intention of paying respect to those observing you, same as
standing at attention in gymnastics. Taiji Boxing uses the mind to move muscle, and so when
practicing, your spirit must be concentrated, and then you can be efficient. Therefore within
the Taiji Boxing art, PREPARATION POSTURE is particularly important.
One movement:
1. Get ready.
There are six movements. When beginning to train, this posture divides into only the two
movements of catching and cutting. When you are more advanced at it, then both your hands
go from inward to outward and again from outward to inward, the path of the movement
making a circle. In finer detail, the posture then divides into the six movements of lift, press,
rollback, push, ward-off, and cut.
1. Step out, lifting your hands.
2. Advance, penetrating with a press.
3. Sit back, rolling back to catch.
4. Advance with your hands pushing.
5. Hang outward, warding off forward.
6. Push forward with cutting hands.
2. Advancing your right foot to the right, your right arm bends and does a press outward and
forward, elbow hanging down, thumb at nose level, your right leg likewise bending forward.
3. Your left leg sits to the rear, your arms embracing inward as though with the intent of
catching something with a downward rollback.
4. Your hands push forward.
5. Your right hand faces upward and hangs forward with an intention of warding off.
6. Both hands rotate inward, fingertips drawing an arc, your right hand rotating until the palm
is downward then pushing forward with a cutting motion, while your left hand stays by your
right elbow, the hands unevenly placed but pushing forward in unison.
Application:
When using the rear hand, if contacting the outward side [of an opponents arm], then I
outwardly hang [my hand over it] and push forward, and if contacting to the inward side, then
I inwardly catch with a plucking action and lift up to push forward. When using the front
hand, [if contacting to the outward side,] then I catch to the outside of his elbow and push
forward, and if contacting to the inward side, then I outwardly hang over his elbow or wrist
and then push forward.
3
SINGLE WHIP
Two movements:
1. Hang from your [right] wrist.
2. Extend your [left] arm, sending out your palm.
Application:
An opponent uses his front hand to advance and strike me, I take advantage of his momentum
to draw his arm in, causing him to slightly lean forward, then extend my palm to strike his
chest with either a pushing energy or a cutting energy.
4
RAISE THE HANDS
Explanation of the name:
Raising describes the energy. It is like lifting an object up, hence the name is Raising [up
with] the Hands.
Two movements:
1. Bring your hands together.
2. Raise your hands up.
But when your right arm embraces inward, there are two parts: going down from above, and
up from below.
2. Drop your right wrist, then lift it up, passing your left palm to the inside, until at about nose
level. See second drawing:
Application:
An opponent uses his front hand to strike directly to my face. One response is to make contact
with his arm from above and use my wrist to do a pressing technique to throw him away, or
squat down and ward off upward to throw him away. Another is to use my left hand to push
down on his wrist while drawing out my right hand, lifting my wrist to strike his chin or nose.
5
WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS
Two movements:
1. Spread your arms.
2. Raise both hands.
2. Withdrawing your left foot, your body stands upright, your left hand, elbow bending, rising
up to about head level or slightly higher, palm upward. At the same time, your right hand also
turns to face forward [with the palm also upward], both hands making the same posture, your
head and arms forming the character for mountain: . See second drawing:
Application:
1. For an opponent to my left side, my left [right] hand threads through from under his [left]
armpit, lifting and spreading away, while my right [left] hand strokes away downward [along
his left arm], causing him to lean back.
2. Or I simply spread open to tangle up his hands.
6
LEFT & RIGHT BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
[Repeat the posture on the other side and then once more on this side.]
Application:
The opponent strikes at me from below, so I use my front hand to brush it aside and use my
rear hand to push his chest.
7
PLAY THE LUTE
When your hands play, your fingers seem to give a strum to the strings.
Two movements:
1. Embrace with your hands.
2. Step together, rubbing outward.
2. Bring your right foot up to stand together with your left foot behind the heel, both your
hands moving outward with a round shape.
Application:
The opponent grabs my right wrist, so I withdraw my right hand toward my chest to neutralize
his energy, then advance my right foot, using my left hand to push his shoulder down and then
forward.
8
ADVANCE, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
then a block to obstruct him, and then a punch to strike him directly. Southerners use a
different character for punch which directly indicates a fist, whereas the one used here
instead expresses a mace. This is one of the five punching techniques in Taiji Boxing. When
ADVANCE, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH is performed retreating, it is called
WITHDRAWING STEP, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH.
Three movements:
1. Inward parrying hand.
2. Outward blocking hand.
3. Punch forward.
3. Your right hand grasps into a fist and turns inward, tigers mouth upward, and punches
forward past your left palm. See second drawing:
(This is parrying and blocking upward. If you parry and block downward, then you will punch
forward over your left wrist.)
Application:
The opponent punches to my chest, so I move my front hand inward to parry it aside. If he
wants to escape outwardly, I then jam him and take the opportunity to punch him in the chest.
9
SEALING SHUT
Three movements:
1. Cross your hands.
2. Spread your hands apart.
3. Push forward.
Application:
If when I apply PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH, the opponent uses his left hand to push my right
fist, I then turn my right fist inward and withdraw it, while sending my left hand from below
to the outside of my right fist to block his hand, and once I have cleared his right hand aside, I
push forward.
10
CROSSED HANDS
One movement:
1. Make an X shape with your hands.
With your left hand inside, right hand outside, your hands rise in unison, crossing above your
headtop, arms slightly bent.
Five movements:
1. Staying where you are, brush past your [left] knee.
2. Stepping forward, brush past your [right] knee.
3. Palm strike with the rear hand.
4. Embrace inward.
5. Push forward.
3. Extend your left palm to make the posture of BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
on the right side.
4. Your left hand not moving, your right hand extends to the rear, and using the shoulder as a
central pivot point and the arm as the radius of a circle, goes from downward to the rear and
turns over upward, until forward, having made a large circle, wrapping around below. Once
the hand and elbow are at shoulder level, sit back your torso, rolling back to the rear with both
hands, and make the CROSSED HANDS shape.
5. Both hands spread apart and do a level push forward.
Application:
If an opponent uses his left hand to strike me from behind on my right side, I then send my
right hand downward to brush aside his arm and use my left palm to strike his face. If his left
arm takes advantage of the momentum by lifting to carry outward, or he turns to the left and
strikes to my head, I then advance, using my right shoulder to brace under his armpit, circle
my right arm to the rear, and wrap around his torso. If he wants to escape, I withdraw my
torso, using my right hand to rend his hands outward, and push forward to his chest.
12
CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL (as before)
13
DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP
Movements:
Same as in SINGLE WHIP.
Application:
Same as in SINGLE WHIP.
14
GUARDING PUNCH UNDER THE ELBOW
Three movements:
1. Shift a step, leading with your [right] hand.
2. Withdraw a step, raising your [left] hand.
3. Punch under your [left] elbow.
Explanation for the drawing:
Making a triangular shape in relation to the previous posture, your left foot is at point A(1),
right foot at point B(1).
1. Your left foot staying where it is, your right foot steps out a half step to the right, shifting to
B(2), your right hand moving along with it.
2. Your left foot withdraws a half step inward, from A(1) to A(2), heel touching down, toes
up. At the same time, your left hand arcs inward from outward, passes your hip, and rises until
in front of your chest, palm inward, at about shoulder level.
3. Your left wrist slightly turns outward and props up, while your right hand makes a fist and
is placed under your left elbow, and your right leg slightly bends, making an empty stance, the
weight shifting fully to your right foot.
Application:
If the opponent uses his right hand to strike, I use my left hand to grab his right elbow and
lead it forward, turn my wrist over to prop upward, then use my right hand to strike
underneath to his ribs.
15
RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY
Three movements:
1. Retreat with your left foot, extending your [right] palm.
2. Retreat with your right foot, extending your [left] palm.
3. Same as 1.
2. Your left foot staying where it is, your right foot retreats a half step behind you, while your
right hand goes from the rear, turns over, goes upward until beside your ear, and extends
forward to its limit, fingertips up, palm expressing power, wrist at shoulder level, your left
hand lowering until beside your hip, same as in BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE.
3. Same as 1.
Application:
If the opponent uses either his fist to strike or foot to kick, I use my front hand to brush
downward and block it, then use my rear hand to strike to his face.
16
DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE
Two movements:
1. Meeting wrists.
2. Diagonally flying.
Application:
This posture is a technique of surprise. If my right hand and the opponents left hand are
touching each other, I send my left wrist up to carry his wrist and send my right hand forward
to strike him.
17
RAISE THE HANDS
18
WHITE CRANE UNFURLS ITS WINGS
19
WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS
20
BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
Explanation of the name:
Under the Sea is the name of an acupoint on the human body. [Hai Di, more
commonly known as Hui Yin (Gathering Place of the Passive), is located just in front of the
anus.] NEEDLING UNDER THE SEA means your hand has an intent of poking toward the
Under the Sea point. [Going by the application explanation below, you are not to aim for
this acupoint directly, but instead use it as a mental target to help you go through the opponent
as you aim your intent at his lower abdomen, his Qi Hai area, appropriately indicating that to
get to his Under the Sea, you must go through his Sea of Energy.]
Two movements:
1. Lift your [left] foot, brushing with your [left] hand.
2. Stab the needle to Under the Sea.
Application:
When the opponent [in the previous posture] used his right hand to strike me and I then used
my left hand to brush it away to the side while using my right hand to strike his chest, if at
that moment he uses his left hand to grab my right wrist, I then turn my wrist over, pointing
downward, and issue my energy forward, making him topple away.
22
FAN THROUGH THE BACK
Two movements:
1. Stand up, bringing your wrists together.
2. Palm through the back.
Application:
If the opponent uses his right hand to strike, I then use my right hand to slyly lift his wrist and
use my left palm to strike his ribs.
23
FLINGING BODY PUNCH
FLINGING BODY PUNCH means you fling your waist to the rear, causing your torso to fold
up, then advance and strike using your wrist. This is one of the five punching techniques in
Taiji Boxing.
Two movements:
1. Cross your hands below your ribs.
2. Flinging torso punch.
Application:
An opponent from behind me uses one hand to push down on my wrist and the other to push
down on my elbow. When he is about to hurl me away, I then fling my torso to the rear,
bending my elbow to seize control of his arm, taking advantage of the opportunity to step in,
making a fist, and intercepting his attack with a [palm] strike.
24
WITHDRAWING STEP, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
Two movements:
1. Inward parrying hand.
2. Punch forward.
2. Your right fist punches forward, same as in ADVANCE, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH.
Application:
When contacting the opponents hand, if he forcefully lifts up, I withdraw a step to the side to
neutralize his energy, then take advantage of the moment to strike forward to his chest.
25
CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL (as before)
26
SINGLE WHIP (as before)
27
CLOUDING HANDS
Three movements:
1. Staying where you are, cloud with your [right] hand.
2. Shifting your step, cloud with your right [left] hand.
3. Shifting your step, cloud with your left [right] hand.
2. Continuing from the previous movement, your right hand lowers, again arcs to the left,
until past your headtop and slowing by your right temple. The rest is the same as the first
movement, except that when your left hand is by your right ribs, your right foot coordinates
with your right hand by shifting a half step to the left, and your left hand coordinates with the
lowering of your right hand by going upward until past your headtop and slowing by your left
temple. See second drawing:
3. Your left hand continues from the previous movement by lowering, passing your knees,
and rising to the right until beside your right ribs, your right [left] foot shifting a half step to
the left. Your right hand at the same time goes past your headtop and slows by your right
temple. Each hand clouds three times. After the last time, again perform the SINGLE WHIP
posture as before.
bodys movement. Your upper body should not sway. Your eyes follow along with your
upper body as your hands move side to side.
Application:
If an opponent attacks my right shoulder from the rear, I meet his hand with my right hand,
and as I turn over my palm, I issue power to throw him away. [If the same situation to the
left,] my left hand does the same. Or if an opponent attacks from the front, I then move it
aside to the right with my right hand, then take advantage of the moment by advancing and
striking [with my left].
28
RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE HORSE LEFT
Two movements:
1. Roll back with your [left] hand.
2. Palm strike to the face.
Points for attention:
When your hand rolls back, the lifting and lowering of your foot must happen in unison.
Application:
If the opponent uses his left hand to strike forward to my chest, I then use my right [left] hand
to roll back and twist his wrist, and strike with my [right] hand.
29
KICK TO THE RIGHT SIDE
Two movements:
1. Withdraw a step, rolling back with your hands.
2. Kick to the side.
Points for attention:
When withdrawing your foot and rolling back with your hand, hand and foot must act in
unison. When kicking, your arms are level, your standing leg slightly bent, and the weight is
entirely on the standing leg.
Application:
When I roll back the opponents arm and use my palm to strike to his face, if he follows my
energy and uses his elbow or arm to resist upward, I then wrap my hand around under it, from
inward spread my hand outward to cast away his arm, and take advantage of the moment by
kicking forward.
30
RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE HORSE RIGHT
Two movements:
1. Withdraw your foot, bringing your hands together.
2. Palm strike to the face.
Points for attention:
Same as in RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE HORSE LEFT.
Application:
Same as in RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE HORSE LEFT [but with left and
right reversed].
31
KICK TO THE LEFT SIDE
32
TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK
Explanation of the name:
TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK means your body turns around to the rear, and then you
press forward using your heel.
Two movements:
1. Turn around.
2. Pressing kick.
Application:
If an opponent suddenly attacks me from behind, I then turn around to prevent it, taking
advantage of the moment to press forward with my foot, my hands spreading away to the left
and right to prevent him from brushing my leg aside.
33
COME DOWN, BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
Two movements:
1. Step again, brushing past your [right] knee.
2. Step out, brushing past your [left] knee while performing a planting punch.
Application:
If the opponent uses his fist to strike to my chest, I then use my left hand to brush it aside
while sending my right hand forward to strike his face. If he then uses his left hand to grab my
wrist, I then turn over my hand, make a fist, and strike forward to his abdomen.
35
TURN AROUND, FLINGING BODY PUNCH (as before [but in the opposite direction])
36
DOUBLE KICK
Two movements:
1. Roll back with your [left] hand and kick forward.
2. Step down and kick forward.
Points for attention:
The path [of your hands] in the second movement should make an arc.
Application:
The opponent uses his left fist to punch my chest, so I send my left hand forward to grab his
wrist and strike his face with my right hand, capitalizing on the surprise by kicking him with
my left leg. If he retreats or blocks my foot, I then hop to change feet and kick him once more,
now with my right foot.
37
LEFT & RIGHT FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE
Two movements:
1. FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE on the left side.
2. FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE on the right side.
2. Your right foot shifts a half step to the right, and makes a right bow & arrow stance, your
torso inclining to the right and facing halfway to the left. At the same time, your fists lower,
pass in front of your lower abdomen, until below your right ribs, left fist turned over and
placed sideways below your right ribs, right fist raising up from outward, and faces upward
[tigers mouth again facing downward in the drawing], turned over beside your right temple.
Application:
The opponent uses both hands to grab my arm, so I withdraw my arm, turning it over upward,
then use my other hand to thread through below my ribs, replacing his grab of my arm with a
strike to his head [ribs].
38
DRAPING THE BODY, KICK
Explanation of the name:
DRAPING THE BODY, KICK means your body inclines into a diagonal draping posture, and
your foot lifts and kicks forward.
Three movements:
1. Drape your body, rolling back with your hands.
2. Crossed hands.
3. Spread your hands and kick forward.
Application:
The opponent uses his left hand to strike directly to my chest, so I drape over my body, using
my hands to roll back his arm, then I strike out with my right hand propping upward while
kicking his chest or ribs with my right foot.
39
DOUBLE WINDS THROUGH THE EARS
Two movements:
1. Step down with your hands manacled.
2. Spread your hands apart and thread them through.
Application:
The opponent punches to my chest, so I use both hands to block to the sides, and then take
advantage of the moment to advance and strike his ears.
40
ADVANCE, PRESSING KICK
Two movements:
1. Advance, bringing your hands together.
2. Spreading your hands apart, do a pressing kick.
Application:
When I use my left hand to strike the opponent, if he uses his right hand to prop up my elbow
from below, I then squat my torso to the right, [my hands] going outward and downward to
wrap around his arms, and lift my left foot to do a pressing kick to his ribs.
41
TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK
42
Two movements:
1. Twist your torso, bringing your hands together.
2. Step forward, spreading your hands.
The left side version is the same as the right, except your limbs are reversed left and right.
In the course of practicing the solo set, the movements of this posture should be done an odd
number of times if the right side is done twice, the left is done once but while the first one
only advances a half step, the rest each advance a full step.
Application:
An opponent makes a direct attack to my chest, so I use my rear hand to push down on his
wrist while advancing a step behind his knee and extending my front arm under his armpit to
go diagonally upward with a carrying strike.
48
MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE
Two movements:
1. Twist your torso and bring your hands together.
2. Bend your arm and extend your palm.
Second time:
1. Your hands come together to embrace in front of your chest, making the CROSSED
HANDS shape, and your body turns around to the right rear.
2. Your right steps out diagonally [to the forward right], and your hand movement is the same
as in the first time, but with left and right reversed.
Third time:
Your left foot steps across to the left, your hand movement the same as in the first time.
Fourth time:
Your body turns around to the right rear, your hand movement the same as in the second time.
Points for attention:
When turning your body around, your step and waist movement must be in unison, and
although the direction is diagonal, your body posture should still be upright and not lean.
Application:
An opponent uses his rear hand to strike me from behind, so I turn around and use my rear
hand to wrap around his wrist from the side, then advance a step while using the same arm in
an upward ward-off to his arm and extending my other hand to strike his chest.
49
SINGLE WHIP
50
CLOUDING HANDS
Two movements:
1. Squat, withdrawing your [left] hand.
2. Stand, extending your [left] arm.
2. Bending your forward leg, your rear leg straightens, causing your body to rise up to be
standing, and your left arm extends forward from above [below], the path of the movement
making the lower half of a circle, and with the previous movement makes a complete circle
(returning you to the SINGLE WHIP posture).
Application:
If the opponent grasps my arm with both hands, or makes a forward attack to my body which
I cannot resist, I then use this posture of squatting my body to avoid it, neutralizing his force
and causing him to land on nothing, and then take advantage of the situation by striking
forward.
52
LEFT & RIGHT GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON ONE LEG
Two movements:
1. Advance and lift your [right] leg, propping up with your [right] palm.
2. Retreat and lift your [left] leg, propping up with your [left] palm.
2. Your right foot comes down, your left hand and left foot lift as in the first movement, your
right arm hanging down, the fingers pointing to the right side of your left foot.
Application:
If I use my fist or palm to strike the opponents chest and he uses his hand to block it, I
respond by using my [other] hand to lift his away, then strike his lower abdomen with my
knee while striking forward with the same hand.
53
RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY
54
Four movements:
1. Thread through with your [left] hand.
2. Palm strike to the face.
3. Turn around, raising your [left] palm.
4. Swinging kick.
3. Sitting on your left leg, turn around to your right rear, slightly relaxing your right leg so
you seem to be in an empty stance, while your left arm goes from the left of your head, raising
up in an arc to placed above your head, palm forward.
4. Your right foot does a swinging kick from the left to the right, while your left palm goes
from the right to the left, slapping the top of your right foot, causing your left arm to hang
down, palm downward.
Application:
An opponent attacks me from behind, so I turn around, using my hand to block it, and take
advantage of the situation by sending out a sideways kick.
66
BRUSH KNEE, PUNCH TO THE CROTCH
Three movements:
1. Bring your foot down and brush past the knee.
2. Advance, brushing past your [left] knee.
3. Punch to his crotch.
1. From CROSSED-BODY SWINGING LOTUS KICK, your right foot comes down and
your right hand brushes past your right knee, making the posture of BRUSH KNEE IN A
CROSSED STANCE on the left [right] side.
2. Your left foot advances a step and your right [left] hand brushes past your left knee.
3. Inclining your body and bending your knee forward, your right hand grasps into a fist
(tigers mouth upward) and extends diagonally forward and downward, while your left hand
can either be placed beside your left knee or touch your right arm to assist the punch.
Application:
The opponent attacks my groin with his left hand then his right foot, which I respond to by
blocking with my hands in succession, and then I take advantage of the situation by advancing
and punching him in the groin.
67
STEP FORWARD, CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
68
SINGLE WHIP
69
LOW POSTURE
it is called riding a tiger. These two postures must be linked when practicing, therefore I
have combined them here.
Two movements:
1. STEP FORWARD WITH THE BIG DIPPER
2. RETREAT TO RIDE THE TIGER
2. Your right foot retreats a half step, the knee bends into a squat, and your left foot withdraws
to be beside your right foot, toes touching down, making an empty stance. At the same time,
your arms wrap inward, your right hand going from pulling out from inward of your left arm
and extending to the right side, palm forward, as your left hand makes a hook which brushes
diagonally to the lower left as your left knee rises, the fingers making a monkey fist [i.e. a
hook hand], fingertips pointing to the rear [although the drawing shows a downward palm].
Your shoulders should be level.
Points for attention:
For STEP FORWARD WITH THE BIG DIPPER, the weight sits fully on your left foot. For
RETREAT TO RIDE THE TIGER, the weight sits fully on your right foot.
Application:
1. STEP FORWARD WITH THE BIG DIPPER: If the opponent punches to my chest, I use
my left arm to prop it up or block it outward, then advance with my right foot and use my
right hand to strike under my left hand to his chest.
2. RETREAT TO RIDE THE TIGER: Continuing from the previous application, if the
opponent uses his hand to push [my strike] down or brushes it aside and kicks forward, I then
use my left hand to brush down his hand or foot, withdrawing my right hand to then push his
chest or shoulder.
71
TURN AROUND, SWINGING LOTUS KICK
Two movements:
1. Turn around, joining your hands.
2. Swinging lotus kick.
2. Lift your right foot and go from left to right with a swinging kick, both arms extended
forward, the hands going from right to left, slapping the back of your right foot,
then gathering in to be placed at both sides [to the left side] of your waist, your right foot now
lowering to the ground, toes touching down close beside your left foot.
Application:
If an opponent attacks from my left side, I evade it by dodging with my body and stepping
forward [back] with my left foot, drawing him in to be ambushed as I then turn around and lift
my right foot to kick his ribs from the side.
72
BEND THE BOW TO SHOOT THE TIGER
Two movements:
1. Step out, bending your arms.
2. Loosen your arms and extend them forward.
the forward right, your arms bend, making fists, and go from the left side of your waist,
passing in front of your navel, and move to the right until to the right of your waist. Your
arms lift up, your right shoulder and elbow level with each other, the fist overturned (tigers
mouth downward) near your right cheek, pointing to the forward left, the posture like holding
an arrow. Your left elbow is bent near your ribs, the hand lifted in front of your chest. Your
gaze is forward and the posture is like holding a bow.
2. Your fists go toward the lower left, slightly corkscrewing, aligned with each other as right
fist above and left fist below, your arms extended.
Application:
If the opponent connects with me to the right and pushes down my right arm, I go along with
the movement in a semicircle to neutralize his energy, riding his energy until it has slackened,
then strike forward.
73
CLOSING POSTURE
Two movements:
1. Step together, joining hands.
CHAPTER THREE: DISCUSSION OF TAIJI BOXINGS PUSHING HANDS SKILL
Pushing hands, or touching hands, or nearing hands, is a feature of many boxing arts, and
is used to train close-body techniques. The secret to the art of Taiji Boxing is identifying
energies, the first step of which is to make your skin keenly aware. The method of training
this sensitivity lies in two people touching with each others elbows, wrists, palms, and
fingers, pushing back and forth to rub at the skin. The measure of sensitivity that comes from
your skin being gently pressed is used to perceive whether the opponents energy is light or
heavy, empty or full, and in which direction it is going. After a long time, your sensitivity will
be very acute, sticking and yielding will be assisting each other, and when there is the
slightest movement you will be aware of it, thus you will be identifying energies. The Taiji
Boxing Classic says: Once you are identifying energies, then the more you practice, the more
efficient your skill will be.
When practitioners of Taiji Boxing do not practice pushing hands, it is equal to not
practicing at all. And if you practice pushing hands but are not yet able to identify energies,
then it will be worthless when you try to apply it. Alas, there are levels to work through. Upon
entering each room [i.e. moving on through each level], understand there is a door [that leads
to another]. When practicing the pushing hands techniques, there are things you need to pay
attention to:
The pushing hands techniques divide into single touching-hands postures and double
touching-hands postures (explained below). Single touching is a single hand pushing by itself.
Double touching is both hands being used together. This is always a case of touching
outwardly with the fingers (the chest being inward, the fingers and forearms being outward).
There is also what is called open & close hands, in which one partners hands both go
inward while the others go outward, alternating with each other, going back and forth with
double-hand pushes.
In single-hand pushing hands, the rubbing method is the same as in the nearing hands in
the boxing of Fujian, as well the five element hands (dividing into techniques for metal,
wood, water, fire, and earth, the five generating and overcoming each other throughout the
movements), and have many uses.
In my youth I learned from Liu Jingyuan, training in the single-hand pushing hands
techniques, gaining something of the idea. Then I sought out the various postures in the
various schools of Taiji, and bit by bit I standardized a training method, organizing a complete
regimen of pushing hands techniques to supplement the original four cardinal and four
corner exercises where each is insufficient. I have added additional sections to provide you
with the cardinal and corner exercises, but have selected only the beginning levels of them
and have explained them in brief to make your experience easier.
CHAPTER FOUR: EXPLANATIONS OF THE EIGHT TECHNIQUES OF THE PUSHING
HANDS SKILL
WARD-OFF [peng]
This means to hold up, to carry, or to expand.
It is like when inflating a leather ball and pushing down on it the further it is pushed
down, the more the expansion is felt, causing the force to be unable to push all the way down.
From poem 78 of the Book of Poems: His quiver is spent. According to Du Yu, the word
means an arrow guiver. It is also pronounced bng.
From Zuos Commentary to the Spring & Autumn Annals, 25th Year of Duke Zhao: [His
men took off their helmets and] sat down holding their quivers. An annotation explains that
the character used in this passage represents an arrow quiver which can be used as a drinking
vessel as well as a carrier for arrows and is interchangeable with the same character that
appears in poem 78.
In the Taiji skill, it is the trick when touching hands of going against the opponents
momentum by carrying him upward and making him unable to lower himself.
All these things make up ward-off.
ROLLBACK [l]
Although it is pronounced l, the actual character does not appear in any dictionary, and
may be a mistake for a similar looking character meaning to extend. From Ban Gus drama
Replying to a Guest: In solitude, we extend our thoughts beyond the whole universe.
Or it can mean to distribute. From Sima Xiangrus Book of Nature Worship:
distributing without limit.
Or it can mean to disseminate. From On the Rhapsodizers East of the Yellow River,
by Yang Xiong: extolling the Six Classics from which they disseminate their odes.
Or it can mean something akin to gallop. From Thinking Profoundly, by Zhang Heng:
The eight chariots are released and overtake with their gallop.
In the Taiji skill, when touching hands, usually when the opponent does a ward-off or
press to me, I use rollback as a trick to dispel his force, causing it to gallop away, unable to be
regrouped.
All of these things make up rollback.
PRESS [ji]
The Shuowen Jiezi [Chinas earliest dictionary] says that it means to forcefully remove,
or to push away. It is to send a hand outward with a forward push to something.
From Zuos Commentary to the Spring & Autumn Annals, 13th Year of Duke Zhao: A
man who is oblivious to his old age gets pushed into a ditch.
From the Historical Records, Annals of Xiang Yu: A gap in the Han army made for a
push from the Chu army.
From Zhuangzi, chapter 4: Those rulers [Jie and Zhou] pushed these virtuous men away
[i.e. had Guan Longfeng and Prince Bigan killed] because they were more virtuous than
themselves.
Generally you may use your hand, shoulder, or back to press the opponents body and
make him unable to move, and from that point give him a push to throw him away.
All of these things make up press.
PUSH [an]
The Shuowen Jiezi says this means to go downward.
The Guangyun [a rhyming dictionary] says this means to press downward.
From the Rhapsodies of Emperor Jianwen of Liang: By way of variety and pressing down
[i.e. restraint], elegance runs through it.
The Erya [an ancient thesaurus] lists it as a synonym of words meaning to suppress.
From the Historical Records, Annals of Zhou: The king pushed his army [i.e.
encouraged] with the command of: no exit!
Poem 241 of the Book of Poems says: Crush their armies [with yours], and the word is
there explained [in the accompanying commentary of Zheng Xuan] as meaning to suppress.
From the History of the Early Han Dynasty, Annals of Emperor Gao: Both officials and
commoners settled down [the two characters in the text making a term which is a combination
of push down and stop up] to how it was before, with the commentary then explaining:
Pushing constantly until the walls were sealed up and there was no change.
It also means to occupy, as in the Historical Records, Bio of Bai Qi: The Zhao
commander pacified the people by pushing in with an occupying force.
It also means to stroke, as in the Historical Records, Bios of Rulers of the Plains: Mao
then stroked his sword and marched onward into history.
There is also the meaning of massage [to push down plus to rub equalling
massage]. In ancient times, there were the massage and limbering arts, as is mentioned in
the History of the Early Han Dynasty, Bibliographical Records: The Yellow Emperors Qi
Bo wrote ten chapters on massage.
As for the Taiji boxing art, when your opponent presses forward, use your hands to push
down and suppress his action, making him unable to do what he wants.
This is push.
PLUCK [cai]
This means to take.
From the Books of Jin: On the mountain is a fierce tiger, and the plants are not what he
picks to eat.
To select and take is called plucking.
In Taiji Boxing, this is when you pluck to take control of the opponents force. This taking
is like the movement of energy inward when a practioner of silent meditation restrains
himself.
The Classic of the Talisman of the Abstract says: The sign of the sky expressing its
destructiveness [is the shifting of the constellations.] [i.e. The stars disappear over the
horizon as if pulled down.]
Once you understand these explanations, ponder on them.
REND [lie]
This means to turn or to twist.
From the Writings of Han Yu: Turn your hands to stir the soup.
It also means to coil. It is an intention of rotation.
In Taiji Boxing, when you use rotational force to control the opponents body, it is called
ELBOW [zhou]
This is the name of the boney point in the middle of your arm where it bends.
When practitioners of boxing arts use this area to strike opponents, it is called elbowing,
making it a verb rather than a noun.
In Taiji Boxing, there are many methods of applying elbowing techniques. In this book, it
is only mentioned in the pushing hands section when relevant, and discussed briefly.
BUMP [kao]
This means to lean on, to lean against, or to lean upon someone else.
In Taiji Boxing, when you are near with your body and you use your shoulder or hip to
strike the opponent, it is called bumping, the two methods being known as shoulder bump
and hip strike.
CHAPTER FIVE: TAIJI BOXINGS PRACTICAL FUNCTION PUSHING HANDS
Section 1: TAIJI BOXINGS STANCE
The Taiji boxing arts stance often uses the river-character posture [or three-line posture
showing a line for each foot and the line between them].
From a posture of standing straight, your left foot takes a step out to the forward left, the
toes of both feet are equally forward, and the distance between your feet to the left and right is
shoulder width. Squat your body down, slightly bending your knees, and make the weight of
your whole body go to your rear foot. It is somewhat like the T stance, except the front toes
are held upward or placed flat on the ground, so it is slightly different.
Your upper body should be upright in your waist and empty in your chest, with energy
concentrated at your lower abdomen. Your head is held straight, headtop empty and
suspended. Your tailbone is centered and spirit passes through to your headtop. Your spine is
in a bow shape.
Your arms are slightly bent and go forward, raising until level. Your palms extend forward
and your wrists sit. Your fingertips are slightly bent, are spread, and are upward, the
forefinger of your forward hand at about nose level, your rear hand at about chest level. Your
palms are unevenly facing each other and seem to be holding something. Droop your
Two people stand facing each other. Each steps out forward with the right foot, while the right
hand extends forward from beside the right ribs in an arcing motion, as in the standing posture
above. The backs of the wrists stick to each other, making a crossed shape. This is the single
touching-hands posture.
Section 3: DOUBLE TOUCHING-HANDS METHOD
This posture is like the single touching-hands posture, except that the rear hand also comes
forward to pat the other persons elbow area. Four arms are touching, making a complete
circle. The wrists touching each other are turned inward so that both people occupy the area in
front of their chests, each getting half of the circle. It is just like the two fishes of the taiji
symbol. This is the double touching-hands posture.
Section 4: SINGLE-HAND HORIZONTAL CIRCLING PUSHING & RUBBING
METHOD
Both partners stand facing each other and make the right-sided single touching-hands posture.
1. As right palm pushes down on Bs right wrist, pushing forward toward Bs chest.
B bends his right arm, his hand withdrawing toward his own chest, moving horizontally,
retreating and rubbing, making a semicircle, his wrist passing below his left shoulder, moving
to the right until in front of his breastbone.
2. Bs torso sits back, elbow hanging down, turns over his hand drawing in beside his ribs,
his wrist extending outward, peeling aside As wrist, then in turn pushes down on As wrist.
3. Bs hand then pushes toward As chest as in movement 1.
4. As hand retreats and rubs as in movement 2, also making a semicircle. Go back and
forth, pushing and rubbing. Wait until you are skillful at it, then practice another posture. This
Both partners stand facing each other and make the right-sided double touching-hands
posture.
1. A with his right palm pushes down on Bs right wrist and with his left hand pushes
down on Bs right elbow, making the push posture toward the sides of Bs chest.
2. B bends his right arm, the hand withdrawing toward his chest, retreating and
neutralizing with a horizontal motion, his left hand is patting behind As elbow. His right
wrist is passing below his left shoulder as it moves to the right, left hand going along with it
downward to the right, the arm bending, making a rollback, both elbows hanging down.
3. B with both hands pushes As elbow and wrist toward As chest to make the push
posture, as in movement 1.
4. A with both hands retreats and rolls back, as in movement 2.
Section 6: SINGLE-HAND VERTICAL CIRCLING PUSHING HANDS METHOD
Both partners stand facing each other and make the right-sided single touching-hands posture.
1. A uses his right palm to cut downward onto Bs wrist (B going along with As cutting
action), fingertips pointed forward toward Bs belly.
2. B bends his arm, going along with As cutting energy, neutralizing with a withdrawing
arc from below in a vertical semicircle, lifting past his right ribs until beside his right ear.
3. Bs right hand continues the previous movement by making the upper half of the circle,
extending his arm forward, pointing at As forehead.
4. A sits his body back, bending his right arm, his hand sticking to Bs wrist and going
along with his movement, turning his body to the side to lead downward, until when beside
his ribs he turns it into a forward push.
Note:
This exercise can train the two postures of RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY
and LOW POSTURE. If A moves in the manner of RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE
MONKEY, B then moves in the manner of LOW POSTURE.
Section 7: ROLLBACK & PRESS PUSHING HANDS METHOD
Both partners stand facing each other and make the [right-sided] double touching-hands
posture.
1. A squats his torso, standing up his left forearm, and rolls back Bs right arm diagonally
to the rear.
2. B takes advantage of the moment and extends his right arm downward, advancing his
torso toward where his elbow is being touched by A to do a bump forward, and by using his
left hand to pat the inside of his own arm, does a press outward.
3. A leans his torso forward to slow down Bs power, going across with his left ulna or
wrist to touch the middle of Bs upper arm, causing Bs arm to get near his own torso, and
then using his right hand to pat the inside of his own forearm, does a press forward.
4. B softens his torso inward to yield to and neutralize As power, squats his torso,
standing up his left forearm, and rolls back As right arm diagonally to the rear, like A in
movement 1.
5. A is like B in movement 2.
6. B is like A in movement 3.
Section 8: SINGLE-HAND PRESSING DOWN PUSHING HANDS METHOD
Both partners stand facing each other and make the [right-sided] single touching-hands
posture.
1. As right hand sticks to Bs right wrist and moves outward horizontally, correspondingly
withdrawing [as if in response to a forward energy from B], his hand turns over and presses
down on Bs wrist, palm upward, arm bent, elbow close to his ribs. (The bend in the arm
should make an obtuse angle.)
2. A, continuing from the previous movement of using his upward-facing palm to press
down Bs wrist, extends his arm forward toward Bs belly.
3. B goes along with the force of As forward push, turns his hand over in a horizontal
motion, bends his arm, retreating, then waits until the moment A is almost in front of his
belly, and sucks in his torso and hangs his elbow down, turns his hand the rest of the way
over, and presses down As wrist, like A in movement 1.
4. B extends his arm forward toward As belly, like A in movement 2.
This exercise is done the same on the left side.
Section 9: PRESSING DOWN THE WRIST & PUSHING DOWN THE ELBOW
PUSHING HANDS METHOD
Two people stand opposite each other, making the [right-sided] double touching-hands
posture.
1&2. A presses down on Bs wrist as before, except that his left hand, fingers pointing
down, pushes down on Bs elbow to assist the power.
3&4. As B retreats, turning over his wrist and withdrawing, his left palm goes upward to
prop up Bs elbow, which is different from before.
Section 10: PUSHING HANDS METHOD FOR THE FOUR PRIMARY TECHNIQUES
Pushing hands with the four primary techniques is when two people are pushing hands using
the four techniques of rollback, press, push, and ward-off, which are aligned with the four
cardinal directions [of the eight trigrams], and repeat their cycle over and over again, back and
forth between the two people. To begin, they stand opposite each other and cross their right
hands.
1. A bends his knees and sits back, bends his arms so his elbows hang down (making the
lute posture), his hands catching Bs right arm at the elbow and wrist, and he rolls back
inward and diagonally downward.
2. B takes advantage of the momentum and bends his right arm horizontally, making a
ninety-degree angle, and presses forward toward As chest with his wrists connected, then
shifts his left hand to touch the inside of his own forearm and assist the power.
3. Right when B presses with his elbow, A turns his waist slightly to the left, both hands
taking advantage of the momentum and pushing down on Bs left arm.
4. B then uses his left arm to do a pressing push, bringing it away [from his right arm] in
an upward arc to ward off and neutralize As pushing force. At the same time, his right arm
also wraps around from below to prop up As left elbow and assist the neutralization.
5. Once B wards off and neutralizes As pushing force, he then takes advantage of the
momentum and rolls back As left arm.
6. A goes along with Bs rollback energy and presses forward.
7. B goes along with As pressing energy and pushes down.
8. A then wards off and neutralizes Bs pushing power, and then rolls back.
All of this goes round and round without end. This is the pushing hands method for the
four primary techniques.
Section 11: PUSHING HANDS METHOD FOR THE FOUR SECONDARY TECHNIQUES
Pushing hands with the four secondary techniques, also known as Large Rollback, is when
two people are pushing hands using the four techniques of elbow, bump, pluck, and rend,
which are aligned with the four corner directions [of the eight trigrams], and repeat their cycle
over and over again, back and forth between the two people. It compensates for the limitations
of the four primary techniques. To begin, [persons A and B] stand opposite each other along a
north-south line [A facing south, B facing north] and cross their right hands.
1. A steps his right foot diagonally to the northwest, making a stance between a horseriding stance and a wide T-stance, with his right arm level and bent, his right hand touching
Bs right wrist, his left arm bends at the elbow and uses the middle area of the outer forearm
bone to roll back Bs right arm diagonally to the northwest.
2. B then takes advantage of the momentum and steps his left foot across forward and to
the left, moving his right foot to step forward between As legs. At the same time, his right
arm extends downward, his shoulder going along with As rollback energy, and bumps
forward into As chest with his left hand assisting by touching the inside of his own right arm.
Both people are again facing each other, with B looking toward the northeast.
3. A uses his left hand to push down on Bs left wrist and his right hand to push down on
Bs left elbow, plucking down. At the same time, his left foot goes from the outside of Bs
right foot to step between Bs legs.
4. B goes along with As plucking energy and withdraws his left leg to the southwest,
making a horse-riding stance, and with his left arm level and bent, his left hand touches As
left wrist, and his right arm bends at the elbow and uses the middle area of the forearm bone
to rollback As left arm diagonally to the southwest.
5. A takes advantage of the momentum and steps his right foot forward, moving his left
foot to step forward between Bs legs. At the same time, his left arm extends downward, his
shoulder going along with Bs rollback energy, and bumps forward into Bs chest with his
right hand assisting by touching the inside of his own left arm. Both people are again facing
each other, with A looking toward the southeast.
6. As left arm wants to lift up. B then goes along with As lifting energy, his left hand
doing a palm strike toward As face while his right hand pushes on As left shoulder,
diagonally rending downward.
7. A goes along with Bs rending energy and withdraws his left foot a step to the northeast,
his left hand touching Bs left wrist, his right arm bending at the elbow, and rolls back Bs left
arm to the northeast.
8. B takes advantage of the momentum and steps forward with his right foot, moving his
left foot to step forward between As legs, his left arm going along with As rollback energy
and using his shoulder to bump forward into As chest, his right hand assisting. The direction
B is facing is northwest.
9. A uses his right hand to push down on Bs right wrist and his left hand to push on Bs
right elbow, plucking down. At the same time, his right foot goes from the outside of Bs left
foot to step between Bs legs.
10. B goes along with As plucking energy and withdraws his right foot to the southeast,
his right hand touching As right wrist, and with his left arm bent at the elbow, rolls back As
right arm diagonally to the southeast.
11. A takes advantage of the momentum and steps forward with his left foot, moving his
right foot to step forward between As legs, his right arm going along with Bs rollback
energy, and uses his shoulder to bump forward into Bs chest, his left hand assisting. The
direction A is facing is southwest.
12. As right arm wants to lift up. B then goes along with As lifting energy, his right hand
doing a palm strike toward As face while his left hand pushes on As right shoulder,
diagonally rending downward.
[Movement 1 repeating:] A retreats his right leg, and with both hands he rolls back Bs
right arm at the wrist and elbow area.
Both people have returned to the posture of crossing their right hands and this whole
sequence may continue. This is the pushing hands method for the four secondary techniques.
Chinese boxing arts began during the Warring States period and were carried along through
the dynasties Han, Wei, Tang, Song, etc. They were passed on through the generations, but
always by personal instruction, and with some things being kept secret, unrecorded in books.
It is known that in the Han Records [History of the Early Han Dynasty, Bibliographical
Records] there is mentioned records of [six chapters of] bare-hand fighting and [thirty-eight
chapters of] swordsmanship, but those writings are long lost.
During the Ming Dynasty, there was Qi Nantangs [Qi Jiguang] New Book of Effective
Methods and Mao Yuanyis Records of Martial Training Methods, and there emerged the
Sword Classic, Boxing Postures, Staff Techniques, and Spear Treatise, some of these texts in
detail, others in brief. Later generations of those who trained in martial arts were unable to
surpass the range of those writings until the boxing essay of Huang Baijia on the internal
school and the writings of Wu Shu on bare-handed fighting and the spear, which were
detailed and refined.
During the early Qing Dynasty, it was forbidden to teach or train in martial arts, and
therefore it was done in secret, very rarely appearing in books. What was preserved was
always through simple songs which were memorized and could not be very detailed about the
theory or techniques, and this situation was caused because those transmitting it were often
not very well-read.
In the first summer month of 1920, I bumped into Xu Yusheng on my way somewhere,
and he invited me to come right away to the physical education school he had established to
see Ma Zizhens new martial arts performance team, but I was already running late and did
not get to see them. I subsequently associated with Xu and so I got to look at two pieces of his
writing: A Commentary to the Taiji Boxing Classic and Explanations with Illustrations. I
thereupon began to understand his motivation for opening a school, as well as its emphasis on
a deep understanding of Taiji Boxing. I had already known of him for quite a while as a
skilled martial artist, but I did not expect the depth of his learning.
Taiji Boxing is the way most people refer to the internal school, and together with
Shaolin makes two distinct schools. Studying the internal school is more common but most
who study it do not complete the course, and then when its essential principles are left a
secret, later students will be even more unable to seek guidance. With the publication of this
book, those who admire the internal school will have a way ahead, for it is a truly unparalleled
work. But I have heard that the work of learning a martial skill never has an end.
I truly hope that going through Xus stripped-down postural explanations and studying his
meticulous commentary to the Classic will bring the internal school to be as equally regarded
as Shaolin, and it is now recorded in a book to provide greater access to future students.
Comparing him to a complacent teacher who keeps things to himself, he exhaustively shares
the skills of the internal school, and so it is apparent which one has a more generous heart.
Since Xu and I have a worldly friendship, I will not presume to praise him, and therefore I
have confined myself to straightforward words in writing this postscript.
sincerely written by Zhong Lan (Zhong Ruiyuan)