Most people associate t'ai chi ch'uan (Pinyin: taijiquan) with a series of graceful, slow motion movements. These slow styles of t'ai chi come mainly from the Yang family t'ai chi which is one of five originating in China. Yang style does consist of slow moving, aesthetically beautiful movements but it is much more than this. Sometimes it's described as a form of moving meditation or an ancient dance. But what a lot of people don't realise is that the moving meditation can be used for self-defence and is the basis of a comprehensive martial art! In fact training in t'ai chi's sequence of movements, or form, provides a whole spectrum of benefits to the practitioner. These include:
This may sound a lot, and it is, so not surprisingly it requires a competent teacher. A teacher trained in the authentic Yang style.
To gain the full health benefits of t'ai chi it needs to be taught properly and accurately. This involves grounding it in its martial arts' principles. A maxim of the Yang family style is that effective martial technique must be based on movements and attitudes that are naturally good for health. The mutual development of health and martial skill is emphasised. The health benefits of Taiji are entwined with the martial arts training
Not everyone wants to learn t'ai chi as a martial art and you don't necessarily have to follow this side of it up completely. However, what few enthusiasts realise is that its best health benefits (like deep relaxation, centredness and co-ordination) are derived from practising it as a martial art, even if they don't want to use it for fighting. Most of the teachers of the many versions of 'popular' t'ai chi around have not received this training, which is at the heart of authentic t'ai chi. Many people practising t'ai chi, for example, do not even know that it is a martial art, let alone arguably the premier martial art ever to have evolved out of the long Chinese tradition.
The key is correct posture. However, as the late Grandmaster Fu Zhong wen of the Yang style said in Impact (1996, p. 16), "Millions of people now practice taiji. With so many people practising, and with the proliferation of unqualified teachers and modifications to Yang's original form, the emphasis on correct posture has largely been lost. The result is that many practitioners practise a form whose movements have no real benefit for health and no practical application for self-defence."
Both the martial art side of the discipline and the health benefits derive from a relaxed and correct structural posture that stimulates internal energy (qi) along the acupuncture pathways. The nature of this relaxation-in-posture necessary for effective t'ai chi is widely misunderstood as members of the Yang family to this day are continuously pointing out. If this is not taught properly (and often its not), the benefits that derive from its practice are akin to those you would get from doing light callisthenics. If taught according to the authentic principles, which can only be learnt from a teacher trained extensively in the authentic art, then the deep healing and all the other benefits it is famous for, is possible.
The Yang Style of t'ai chi ch'uan is one of five recognised styles in China. Although in legendary terms the origins of t'ai chi ch'uan are attributed to the Taoist sage Chan Sang-feng (late 13thC), historically it's usually traced back these days to the Ch'en family style of the early 18th century in Henan province. So the oldest style is the Ch'en style. Out of this came the Yang style founded by Yang Lu-chan (1799-1872) who studied under Chen Chang-xing (1771-1853). Master Yang Lu-chan was known variously as 'Yang the Unsurpassable' 'Yang the Invincible' and 'Yang of No Equal' because it's claimed that he fought over 20,000 times without ever losing. And he often defeated his opponents without hurting them. Two other schools are both known as Wu style one coming from Wu Yu-xiang (1812-1880) and the other from Wu Chuan-you (1834-1952). Both these derive from the Yang style. The last style is the Sun from Sun Lu-tang (1861-1932) who synthesised his from the tai chi styles and two other internal' martial arts, Hsing I Chuan (xinyiquan) and Pa Kua Chang (baguazhang). The modern version of the Yang family style was created by Yang Cheng-fu (1883-1936) whose eldest son Master Yang Sau Chung (Yang Zhen-ming) was alive till the 1980s and teaching t'ai chi in Hong Kong. He has three official Yang family disciples, Yip Tai-tak ((HK), Chu Gin-soon (USA) and Chu King-hung (UK).
The complete art of taijiquan has much to offer the practitioner in terms of achieving their full human potential. Adam Hsu in a recent article in WellBeing (No. 66, 1997, pp. 30-34) on Taiji Quan, made the point that only a portion of the complete scope of the art has been studied. More often that not we think of taiji as a slow moving, low impact style of exercise that has a proven track record (for improving health and longevity). Hsu goes on to say that this really represents only " .. the most comfortable and elementary aspects of taiji quan practice ... the tip of the ice-berg". He claims that mature expressions of the art have yet to be studied and that a lot still remains to be explored in relation to the full use of the art. Like other Chinese and eastern systems taijiquan, if learnt as a complete system, addresses not only the physical (health, martial) aspects of human existence but also the psychological, philosophical and spiritual elements. As a complete art it does this in an integrated fashion with each of these facets working on and reinforcing the others in reciprocal fashion.
As we have seen, originally taijiquan developed as a Chinese Martial Art. Hsu actually describes it as "China's premier combat tool" - as is indicated by the translation of the name usually as "Grand Ultimate Fist (or Boxing)". Indeed, many consider it to be the zenith of martial art skills in China representing the full evolution of these skills based on a long and bloody history in that country (skills therefore that have stood the test of time). Part of this evolution was a break through in the approach to combat and the techniques used. All this often comes as a complete shock to people used to thinking of taiji (without the quan) as just those gentle slow motion movements.
I hope these facts do not turn peace-loving readers off, because actually taijiquan, even in its combat or martial art form, is very much about peace. Also it is important to stress that the emphasis in the phrase 'martial art' should be on the word art. In other words, taiji is a sophisticated complex of skills, which have application in a much wider context than just combat. Indeed, central to the whole art is spiritual development. In this sense it can be thought of as a 'Warrior Art' as many of the spiritual disciplines in the east are known including, for example, the compassionate discipline of Buddhism. This is because to develop spiritually one must be a warrior in the sense of being 'brave' enough to overcome our fears. One who can be tranquil in the face of a wrathful opponent or dangerous situation, according to this tradition, can claim to have achieved a true tranquillity. This is what the t'ai chi practitioner aspires to.
Let us begin our exploration of the complete art with the physical side of it. Rather excitingly there is a suggestion that the movements in taiji represent a return to the most natural, and therefore, most powerful way for a human being to move! They represent the consummate expression of the human animal in movement, a sort of return to an ancient state of being. The advice 'to become like a child again' is often heard in taiji. The child is relaxed, breaths deeply in the stomach, is well balanced and, as evidenced by their shouts and their grip, incredibly strong for their size. This natural style of movement in taiji, which in adults has to be re-learnt, is the basis of its use as a martial art and is what makes it amongst the most powerful of the Chinese martial arts. It is also the basis of its efficacy as a health art.
Taiji movements are, as Adam Hsu describes in his article, circular, continuous, graceful and soft. The movements are based on the principles of Taoism (see definition in Spiritual section). Like the fact that in Nature the soft overcomes the hard (like water eroding rock), and maximum returns can be achieved with a minimum of effort, especially by yielding (like the proverbial bamboo) and flowing with the energies the practitioner is dealing with (eg. an attacker). Given these principles taiji as a martial art or self defence system, therefore, is based on the notion that it is not necessary to use brute, physical strength to overcome an opponent. The classics claim that the weak and the old can overcome the strong. Also, once mastered, the power of the taiji movements can be used to 'best' an opponent without hurting them. This involves takedowns and pushes that strike unexpectedly and powerfully, but gently; usually causing surprise and even spontaneous laughter in the attacker - they feel good! What a way to resolve a conflict? However, the same movements can also be used to do devastating damage if intended.
To be able to use the soft to overcome the strong requires, however, a great deal of systematic and demanding training. Like anything worthwhile, it is not developed over night. Just doing the taiji form alone, and in a relaxed (even sloppy) fashion, is not enough to develop this ability, as some people think. In actual fact the practitioner, whilst learning to be soft and relaxed, also has to develop a powerful internal bodily structure. This is the principle of yang within yin (as well as yin within yang) - that the taiji diagram symbolises.
Internal As Opposed To External
Within the various schools of Chinese martial arts a mixture of muscle strength (or sinew) and internal strength (qi) are used (say 50:50 proportionally) to generate force (jing). Western style karate and western boxing and kick boxing are often contrasted as not emphasising qi at all (which they often deride), instead they rely on muscle power alone to generate force, and are thus considered external. In the internal schools of Chinese martial arts, of which taiji is considered the consummate one (others include xinyiquan and baguazhang), typically the proportion is about 70% qi to 30% sinew or muscle. Only taiji is supposed to use 100% qi to generate force.
Ch'i (Qi)
Qi can be thought of as psychophysical energy. The more of your psychophysical energy you can use, the more powerful you are. However, most of our qi is locked up in bodily tension (body 'armouring') and mental tension. Much of the latter is unconscious (the bulk of our psyche) where it is scattered and conflicting. The practice of standing qigong, the moving taiji form and sitting meditation is designed to enable the practitioner to access more and more of this scattered psycho-physical energy by integrating it behind the conscious mind and your intent (yi). This is where the tremendous power of the internal masters comes from right into old age (if anything getting more powerful as they get older!). The standing qigong training was a sworn secret of the Yang family's pupils up until the 1950s when Yang Lu Chan's great grandson, Yang Zhen-ming (Sau Chung), released it to the public for the first time. So the standing qigong (also known as zhan zhuang) is the basis of the internal arts. This is where authentic Yang style taiji starts and the moving form is moving qigong. Taiji comes from the inside out, from the mind. This is the difference between the internal and external arts.
Spiral Ch'i Force
The efficacy of t'ai chi, therefore, in regard to martial arts is based on a special type of internal force (jing generated by qi) and is entitled 'silk reeling or twining force' (chan si jing). This uses the spiral skeletal and musculature structure of the body in harmony with gravity to generate a 'spiral ch'i (qi) force'. It's claimed within the Yang family that this type of force became more refined and internalised in the Yang style than in the original Ch'en style where it is much more externally visible. So the authentic Yang style curriculum has at its heart the development of this type of force. It is a natural force in the sense of using the body naturally and in optimum fashion, and can be brought out in any man or woman to create a very powerful strength. It's also the basis of health in t'ai chi because it greatly stimulates the flow of qi through the meridians which is the basis of health and healing in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This does not result unless the authentic style is taught.
The structure to be learnt involves not only correct posture (so that qi is neither blocked nor wasted), but also learning to differentiate the yin and yang aspects of movement, how to use the centre, and how to combine the centre-move with 'opening' and 'closing' movements of the limbs. Added together the latter produce the famous chan si jing or 'silk reeling energy' of taiji. Trained in this fashion it is possible to move the whole body, from the centre, conveying tiny internal movements through a series of larger, integrated rotational movements, resulting in an enormous amount of power being released on the surface of the body, although it is still soft and relaxed. In fact if the body is not relaxed, that is if it is tense, the total energy of the body cannot be so used.
A soft, relaxed body seems weak compared to a tense one. But because it is relaxed the whole mass and energy of the body/mind is available, if linked up through correct posture and centre-movement and mind-intent. As one famous taiji teacher (Chen Man-ching) once put it, drawing on the Taoist image of the soft overcoming the hard, water and air are amongst the softest of Nature's elements, yet massed wind (cyclone) or water (tidal wave) can overcome the hardest thing! The taiji practitioner if properly trained is able to harness or access realms of psychophysical energy (qi) unavailable through mere muscular exertion. Another leading taiji exponent (Bruce Kamir Francis) once compared the power capable of being generated by the internal versus the external arts to that of the atomic energy of Quantum physics that results from splitting the atom, as compared to Newtonian, mechanical energy.
Whilst proper body posture and relaxation help the release of this internal energy, there is also a mental dimension (as the expression psychophysical suggests). It is the mind, which moves the qi, and mental intent and involvement must accompany taiji movements. The mind leads the movements. Here taiji starts entering its psychological and spiritual dimensions.
Much of the training in taiji involves partner work and various supplementary exercises to 'bring out' the qi. These include 'pushing hands' (tui shou and da lu), specific combat applications and 'free hands' (san shou). Taiji, as the yin/yang symbol suggests, is the ultimate art of transformation or change from one state to another and the partner work teaches this ability (amongst others) of following and adapting to whatever the opponent does. It also teaches the surrendering of coarse, awkward strength. Much of the self-defence training in t'ai chi is fun and helps bring out the qi so essential to the health side of the art. Finally the student learns san shou or the free hands, two-partner form. Taiji is a comprehensive fighting system, which covers all four of the main categories of defence - hitting, kicking, throwing and grappling.
Again, this learnt ability to change physically to adapt to any situation has powerful psychological and philosophical repercussions. Before leaving the martial side of the art it is worth pointing out that the whole art also consists of weapons training - the sabre (dao), sword (jian) and spear or long staff (kun). These forms also have two-partner 'push hands' components and help to develop the qi by extending it further out of the body into the weapon through the use of the centre, as well as whole body co-ordination and chan si jin. Often these aspects are not taught at all.
The long, taiji form of the Yang family style is designed in itself to teach many things, however, one of its primary functions was to develop the fitness and health, as well as skill, necessary for combat. This requires assiduous practice of the postures in the form, which are combat or self defence applications and which, if performed properly, are quite physically demanding. Unlike popular t'ai chi the authentic form is quite challenging to learn, as with any knew physical skill. It requires the learning and eventual mastery of the use of muscle groups and physical postures and movements that may be quite unfamiliar to the beginner. So patience and perseverance are needed. The rewards for this persistence are formidable.
The postures have to be performed in the special ways outlined above to mobilise the qi so it can be used to generate force (jing). Now qi (and its smooth circulation), as anyone familiar with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture will know, is fundamental to health from a TCM point of view. Ill health, according to TCM, is in essence the result of qi blocking or stagnating in the acupuncture pathways and is eradicated by restoring the smooth, uninterrupted flow. In TCM where the qi goes the blood follows and where the mind/intent (xin yi) goes the qi follows. If the blood is well oxygenated and impurities removed (through deep breathing), and is also carrying healthy nutrients (diet) then its deep circulation promoted by (qi) flow causes healing at a cellular level.
The postural and movement training of taiji is all about making sure the postures do not block or waste qi. If they do they are weak, if they allow unimpeded circulation they are strong. This requires a detailed and exact knowledge of the correct alignment of the limbs and the development of deep, muscular relaxation. Needless to say, this in turn requires training from someone who has learnt the principles involved from an authentic teacher. This training carried over into practising the form leads to a tremendous stimulation of qi circulation and the result is the good health that taiji is famous for. Taiji practised without these detailed, correct postures and tested through supplementary exercises, does not necessarily work on the qi circulation and can in fact be blocking it. Qi gong is also known as 'breathing exercise' (and work on the qi - breath and qi are interrelated). So deep breathing (also promoted by the form), a good diet (for healthy nutrition), qi circulation and the concomitant blood circulation are the basis for health and healing in taiji and related arts.
From the proper training the taiji student learns physical integration, relaxation, good posture, co-ordination and balance. The muscles and tendons are stretched, toned and strengthened. The postural aspects strengthen the joints and skeletal system and by stretching the spinal cord stimulates the central nervous system which in turn stimulates all the other glands and hormonal secretions. The 'knock on' health benefits of these factors are now well known. It has been scientifically established that qigong and taiji stimulate the immune system, thus they have a proven reputation as a powerful prophylactic (preventative) health system against disease and illness.
Much of t'ai chi's philosophy derives from neo-Confucianism, which is a blend of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, those three ethico-philosophical systems which flowered in China during the last three millennia or so. Taoism (Pinyin: Daoism) is about movement flowing in harmony with the Tao (The Way of all things or Nature). Buddhism is about setting up the right conditions to grow and achieve peace of mind. Confucianism is about ethical conduct and realising the full human potential. (Someone studying t'ai chi doesn't have to follow these systems but they do provide refreshing and helpful insights into healthy living).
The central aspect of taiji is the Taoist principle of transformation and change. The concept of 'T'ai Chi' after which the art is named, is Taoist and has been depicted since ancient times as the now famous yin/yang diagram . 'Taiji' is often translated as meaning 'grand ultimate terminus' in the sense of representing the beginning point that is also the ending point (like a terminal). When any extremity is reached (eg., of the journey in the case of a terminal) the situation reverses. Once yang reaches its fullness it changes to yin, and vice versa. This principle was observed to be a fundamental Law of Nature by the ancient Taoists.
Taijiquan applied this law to the martial arts. However, practising the constantly changing taiji form etches the principle into, not only the body, but also the psyche of the practitioner. As with the Taoist this principle is applied by the 'taiji quan-ist' as a philosophy of harmonious living. This is the well-known eastern principle of achieving harmony by flowing with, rather than resisting, the 'Way of Nature' (the Tao). The philosophy in action becomes one of intuitively identifying with situations and flowing with them in dance-like fashion till the situation resolves itself by completing its own tendency or momentum.
The situation can be a physical encounter (combative or non), or a psychological or spiritual one. The essential aim is to transform a negative situation into a positive one by flowing. Applications would include transforming personal negative emotional states, dealing with stress, interpersonal communication skills, conflict resolution and even management practice. For example, if one is experiencing a negative emotion, such as, depression, the practitioner yields and adheres to its energy, just as in the combat side of the art. In other words, you allow the feeling 'to be' instead of ignoring, repressing or wishing it away. These latter responses tend to keep the feeling alive. If you let it 'be' by experiencing its energy it will eventually 'have been', and having gone, will leave room for fresh feelings. It is also possible to transform the emotion once it is experienced as raw energy (qi). These psychological and philosophical sides of taiji, rooted in Taoist and Taiji classics, seem rarely taught as part of the complete art.
Like all spiritual practices, taiji ultimately is about growing beyond the narrowly defined confines of the ego-identity or self. Progress in the art doesn't proceed past a certain point without it. A translation of one of the classics, for example, says: "I know the opponent, but he doesn't know me". Applied to the combat side or pushing hands, this means the taiji exponent is so identified with the opponent by forgetting themselves that they are continuously aware of the opponent's centre and can uproot them anytime, whereas the opponent can't find the practitioner's centre. Intuition, identification and flow all require going beyond the ego to a large extent to be effective. To deal with life threatening situations successfully also does, and this has always been the spiritual raison d'Ítre of the martial arts - to face the most fundamental existential fear of all, the fear of death. Less dramatically, success in dealing with stress, personal problems, conflict resolution and communication skills are also facilitated by this training of intuition.
Taiji training expands the students sensing ability and awareness both internally and externally. This increase in awareness has psychological repercussions such as self-defence abilities, relaxation, stress-proofing and enjoying life to the full by flowing with it. Through qigong and sitting meditation taiji training moves into the spiritual dimension. Qigong and sitting meditation (which is also taught by genuine teachers) are about developing psychophysical integration - in fact spiritual development can be equated with such integration. Most people are un-integrated in both the psychic sense (a bundle of conflicting selves) and the physiological sense. The process of integration through physical exercise (the form), standing qigong and sitting meditation is one of bringing those conflicting selves and energies into harmony. Once harmonised a 'true self' emerges and self-transcendence becomes possible. Without it they are not. All the Chinese internal arts are underpinned by the goal of transforming the 'three treasures' (san bao) of Taoism into a higher, more refined state - jing (coarse physical energy) into qi (psycho-physical energy), qi into shen (spiritual energy) and shen into Tao - a process of achieving ever higher levels of integration.
At the ultimate (spiritual) level of Taoism and Taijiquan exists wu wei (best translated as 'non doing doing'). A more mundane translation would be 'ego-less action', action not predicated on the basis of an ego and its attendant interpretations, judgements, desires, aversions and delusions. Such perceptions distort reality. The classics say: "The sage does nothing but in doing nothing leaves nothing undone". Such a person is so completely identified with the situation and so far beyond the self and its ego-generated distortions, that they spontaneously flow and adapt harmoniously to any situation. This is the ultimate goal in taiji, to overcome any adversity, to adapt to any situation, by seemingly doing nothing. Thus opponents defeat themselves and the negative in any situation is transformed into the positive. If there are no negative situations the art of wu wei and taiji involves identifying with the creative moment to allow its fuller expression. This is the still centre at the heart of the taiji cyclone and integrates all the other dimensions of the art - physical, psychological, philosophical and spiritual.
Roger Bastick has over 20 years experience in these arts. He trained for a decade (1980-1995) under master Chu King Hung, the no. 3 disciple of the Yang family, in London (UK). During this comprehensive training, he appeared in two major public demonstrations of the art with Master Chu and instructed for him in the catchup classes. He maintains contact with Master John Ding, official 6th generation Yang family disciple.
From 1980-1983, Roger taught T'ai Chi at the Camden Institute of Adult Education and ran work-shops for the PE Institute. He also taught privately in London.
Prior to this, from 1976-1979, he studied
Taoism, Zen Buddhism, T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Hsin I Ch'uan, Ba Gua Chang
and Traditional Chinese Medicine under Master Liu Hsiu-chi in
London, UK. Roger has extensive experience in teaching Eastern
philosophy, particularly Taoism and Buddhism, at university level
in both the UK and Australia, during an academic career spanning
this period in the environmental field. Roger also has proven
ability to clearly communicate complex and comprehensive instructions,
and he inspires enthusiasm through his love of what he teaches.
Classes are held at St. Ursula's College dance studio Saturdays 3-5pm and Wednesdays 7-8:45pm (see map). You enrol in one class as your main class, but can attend more than one each week.
"I would like to enter into a contract with each student guaranteeing a degree of commitment to studying this valuable and sophisticated art seriously by paying fees a month in advance & with a polite attitude to the teacher & other students. In return I will guarantee clear instruction for the development of skills in the student (based on the following program ) carried out in a courteous, ethical context":
T'ai Chi Ch'uan (Taijiquan) Program:
Health Exercises; Standing Qigong;Postural dynamics - the six (harmonies) coordinations (3 external, 3 internal), the 3 circle principle; The Classical, Long Yang Style Form; the 'spiral ch'i form' (yin/yang form, open/close form, centre move, breathing); Push Hands (tui shou and da lu); Basic self defence; Martial arts applications; Free Hands (san shou); Weapons - the sabre (dao) form, the sword (jian) form and the staff (kun) forms; weapons push hands & two person sets; Philosophy.Shortcut to taichi_map
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