Tai Chi (the Supreme Ultimate),
It was born from Wu Chi (No Ultimate).
It produces both movement and stillness,
It is the mother of Yin and Yang.
Some definitions are in order here. The term "Wu Chi" means No Ultimate, as opposed to "Tai Chi", the Supreme Ultimate. It can be found in a passage of the Zuo Chuan, the commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals written by a disciple of Confucius around the beginning of the 3rd century BC, where women are described as being "wu chi" or "without limit" in their desires (24th year of Duke Xi).
In the Tao Te Ching (Canon of the Way and of Virtue), c. 4th century BC, the term also appears but with more of a cosmological connotation, saying that, "if one is a model for the kingdom, constant virtue will not be lacking and one may return to Wu Chi".
Tai Chi may have been a later concept as the first known reference to Tai Chi in Chinese literature is in Appendix III of the Book of Changes (I Ching) which dates from around the 2nd century BC It states:-
"The I (Book of Changes) has Tai Chi (the Great Ultimate),
It gives birth to the Two Forms (i.e. Yin and Yang).
The Two Forms give birth to the Four Emblems;
The Four Emblems give birth to the Eight Trigrams."
Essentially the author in the first two paragraphs of the Canon of Tai Chi Chuan is quoting directly from the Neo Confucian philosopher, Chou Tun-I.
Many Tai Chi Chuan hand forms put this philosophy into physical practice by starting from an at rest position which symbolises the state of Wu Chi which is then followed by a Tai Chi ready position which is then followed by the techniques of the form. Thus movement comes from stillness and Tai Chi gives birth to Yin and Yang - up and down, forward and back etc.
Once there is movement, there is separation.
Once there is stillness, there is unity.
There is nothing exaggerated, nor is there anything lacking.
Once we have movement, we immediately have a separation of Yin and Yang, as there will be front and back, up and down, left and right etc. Many hand forms conclude with the movement Tai Chi in Unity i.e. the individual components Yin and Yang revert to Tai Chi.
Nothing exaggerated or lacking just tells us that nothing we do should be either too big or too small this applies to both form and self-defence movements.
Follow the bent and the straight,
When the opponent is hard and stiff and I am pliant and soft, this is called Zou (Moving);
When I am smooth and the opponent is not, this is called Nian (Adherence);
If the opponent's actions are swift, then my response is swift;
If his actions are slow then I slowly Sui (Follow) them;
Although there are multifarious changes,
The principles remain the same.
I have translated the Chinese term "Sui" as follow rather than the more usual translation of yield because the process of "Sui" can involve moving in any direction and is not just a matter of giving way before an attack.
Firstly, the opponent's movements may be bent i.e. twisted or in a curve or may be in a straight line. Our response should be appropriate to the nature of the attack we face. us Secondly, in Tai Chi Chuan our movements, although circular, do have focus so although there is bend there is also the straight. This is precisely Tai Chi Chuan in action; circle and focus. The circle contains Yin and Yang in defence and counter and ends in focused power.
"Zou" means to run or to go. Here it indicates that one is ready to move swiftly in any direction in accordance with the opponent's movements. This can only be achieved by being both pliant and soft.
If we are stiff we will be unable to respond to our opponent's movements.
"Nian" means to adhere or stick and here indicates that we should intercept and smoothly redirect the opponent's force rather than blocking it using force against force. This can only be accomplished by total body movement, thus changing the angle and distance. While doing so we adhere to the opponent's attacking limb.
Finally our timing must match that of the opponent. We should not have a set plan, but respond in accordance with the changes of the opponent. If we move too soon our opponent may be able to counter our attempted counter, while if we are too slow we will be hit before we have started our counter.
Through practice we gradually come to understand Jin (Trained Force).
From understanding Jin, we can aspire to the highest level of ability,
However, we must be diligent over a long period of time,
And cannot suddenly become expert.
"Through practice" doesn't give the full flavour of the Chinese "Zhao Shu". The character for "Zhao" can also be pronounced "Zhuo" or "Zhe". One of its meanings is to play chess. Chinese chess requires two players here the phrase "Zhao Shu" means becoming familiar with techniques through practice with others.
"Jin" (Trained Force) can be used in defence or attack and is dealt with in more detail later. Understanding Jin is something we can really only achieve through concentrating on total body movement when practising and by training with many different partners in Pushing Hands and self defence.
In understanding Jin there is a three step process. The first step is to be able to "Ting Jin". "Ting" literally means to listen or to hear, but in the present context can be taken to mean to detect where the opponent's Jin is coming from and where it is going to. At a distance from the opponent we can use our eyes to detect all this, but when we are at close quarters with an opponent we should either be hitting him or have physical contact with his hands or arms so that we can "Ting". Failure to hit him or to have contact will give him the opportunity to hit us.
The second step is to be able to "Hua Jin". "Hua" means to change or influence; here it involves using defensive Jin after we have been able to "Ting" the opponent's Jin to redirect it away from him or back to him. In order to be able to do this we must be relaxed so that we can follow, adhere and move effectively.
The third step is to "Fa Jin" or to discharge Jin where we use Jin to counterattack the opponent. The ability to use Fa effectively does require the use of certain types of conditioning training part of which exists in the Nei Kung. This process of Ting, Hua and Fa should be instantaneous.
Relax the neck and align the head correctly,
The Chi (Vital Energy) sinks to the bottom of the Tan Tian (Region of Vital Heat),
Don't lean to either side or forward or back,
Aligning the head properly is essential; firstly for balance - hence the statement that we shouldn't lean, secondly for the effective functioning of the nervous system and thirdly to open the airways and take an optimal amount of oxygen into the lungs allowing them to extend downward.
The Taoists considered that there are in fact three Tan Tian. The first is between the eyebrows, the second just below the level of the heart and the third, which is the one referred to here, is a point about 2" below the navel. Each region consists of nine cavities. I do not propose to go into great detail on this topic as this is only a passing reference and such detail is not necessary for an understanding of the point made here.
Tan Tian is often literally translated as "Cinnabar Field", but a better translation used by the late Professor Joseph Needham among others is "Region of Vital Heat". It is a reference to one of the staging posts in the creation of an "Inner Elixir" or Nei Tan by the use of among other things respiratory exercises. In Taoist theory, attainment of this Inner Elixir would lead to longevity or even immortality.
This is one of the reasons for Tai Chi's popularity with the literati - both Western and Chinese. However, I don't yet know of any immortals created by this process.
For our purposes the Chi sinking to the Tan Tian means that when performing the movements of the form the relaxed state produced promotes abdominal breathing and we can see and feel the abdomen contract and expand in tune with the respiration. In addition as we constantly swallow saliva when doing the form, air is brought down into the stomach and this can cause a degree of flatulence. This is not something to worry about, but can be socially embarrassing.
The admonition to avoid leaning is often misunderstood. What we must avoid is leaning the head in any direction out of alignment with the neck; this does not require us to keep stiffly erect at all times and indeed in most styles of Tai Chi Chuan there are movements requiring us to lean the body in one direction or another. If you're not sure check out photos of famous masters such as Sun Lu-tang, Wu Jian-chuan and Yang Chen-fu.
Suddenly conceal, suddenly reveal,
When the left feels heavy then make the left void,
When the right feels heavy then make the right distant,
When the opponent looks up, I am still higher;
When he looks down, I am lower still.
When he advances, the distance seems surpassingly long,
When he retreats, the distance seems surpassingly short.
Tai Chi Chuan is essentially a counter attacking style, therefore we normally conceal our intention until the moment of the opponent's attack when it is revealed in our response.
When he puts pressure on or attacks us in one direction, rather than resisting the pressure or the attack, we confront him with the Void by either diverting his force away from us or by removing ourselves from the path of his force and then attempt to counter attack him as he is unbalanced.
Being still higher or lower than the opponent means that if his force is upward directed we direct it even further upward, likewise if it is downward directed we direct it yet further down.
By timing our movements exactly in accordance with his we make it impossible for him to close the gap with us when he attempts an attack, but our counter attacks follow so quickly that he is unable to withdraw in time. In Chinese military strategy this is referred to as retreating in order to attack. Once the opponent's sting has been drawn he is vulnerable to a counter attack.
A feather cannot be added,
A fly cannot land,
Nobody knows me,
I alone know them,
A hero thus becomes invincible.
Here the writer emphasises that we should be so alert and relaxed that we are responsive to even the slightest change, while making no unnecessary move ourselves. In this way the opponent finds it difficult to fathom our strategy as we are always responding to or pre-empting his attempted attacks.
Other schools of martial arts are so numerous
Although there are external differences,
Without exception, they amount to nothing more than the strong bullying the weak;
The slow surrendering to the fast;
The powerful beating those without power;
Slow hands surrendering to fast hands.
This is entirely due to innate ability
It is not related to trained ability at all.
I will only say that even as a practitioner of Tai Chi Chuan I find this a breathtakingly sweeping statement to which I can think of many exceptions. Indeed the vast majority of Tai Chi Chuan exponents are deservedly the butt of many jokes in the martial arts world, but their colossal arrogance seems to increase in inverse proportion to their fighting abilities.
From the sentence, "Four taels (Chinese ounce) displaces a thousand catties (Chinese pound)."
It is evident we do not use force to get the upper hand.
When we observe an old man of eighty withstanding the assault of a group of people,
How can it be due to speed?
This idea of using four taels to displace a thousand catties is a key concept in Tai Chi Chuan which we shall meet again in the Da Shou Ge (Fighter's Song) and is often misunderstood. We can only accomplish it if, instead of trying to block an opponent's attack, we move around it with body evasion or footwork, then intercept and redirect his force with a smooth diversion; this is using Yin to overcome Yang.
This is one of the reasons that Tai Chi Chuan emphasises Pushing Hands skills as these are designed to improve our ability to use the opponent's force against him to unbalance him and make him vulnerable to our counters.
As for the remarks about an old man of eighty, I'm afraid this is poetic licence. It may happen, but I wouldn't count on it.
Stand like a level scale,
Move like a wheel.
When the weight is sunk deeply on one side then we can follow,
When there is Double Weightedness then our movements will be hindered.
You can often see people who have practised their skills for several years,
But who still cannot change and turn.
This leads to their being entirely regulated by others.
They are not aware of their sickness of Double Weightedness.
If we wish to be free from this sickness,
We must know Yin and Yang.
Here again the writer emphasises being ready to move smoothly in response to any pressure, together with the concepts of turning and circular movement like a wheel. However, weight distribution is of fundamental importance.
Double weightedness is often misinterpreted as being where there is an even amount of weight on each leg. This is patently absurd as nearly every martial art I can think of has at least some movements where the weight is evenly distributed, rather it is the last line in this section that gives the best definition of Double Weightedness; it is an absence of Yin and Yang. This arises when we are either unbalanced or tense and therefore cannot move easily. This is rightly referred to as a sickness.
As for people who have practised their skills for years being unable to turn and change; it depends what skills we are talking about and what we mean by practice. For example each application should be practised regularly at speed against an opponent who sometimes attacks on the left sometimes on the right. There should be a degree of spontaneity in the training rather than just going through preset routines and drills.
The weight doesn't have to be predominantly on one leg or the other, but we should be able to move easily at any instant in response to the movements of the opponent. If we know Yin and Yang we can easily effect this change.
When Nian (Adherence) is simply Zou (Moving),
When Zou is simply Nian,
When Yin does not depart from Yang,
When Yang does not depart from Yin,
When Yin and Yang aid one another,
When we can say that we understand Jin (Trained Force).
Adherence (Nian) refers to the idea that when at close quarters with an opponent we must have arm contact with him so we can feel what he is doing and counteract it by redirecting his force, while Moving (Zou) means that we move the feet or body forward, back or sideways in response to the movements of the opponent. It is not enough to have only Nian or only Zou; they go together like Yin and Yang. The key is to be able to be or to use Yin at the right time and to be able to use Yang at the right time and to be able to change from one to the other as required.
The skills of Nian and Zou are trained in Pushing Hand drills, such as Four Directions and Da Lu.
After we understand Jin,
The more we train, the more expert we become,
Silently memorise, study and imitate.
Gradually we reach the point where we can do all we wish,
Originally it is giving up yourself to follow the opponent,
Many err by forsaking what is near to pursue what is far.
It is said, "A minute discrepancy leads to an error of one thousand Li (Chinese mile)."
The student must carefully discriminate.
I discussed earlier the three step process involved in understanding force. Jin can be hard or soft, Yin or Yang, long or short.
The writer here also emphasises memorising, studying and imitating. In other words don't just talk about it, do it!
".... Giving up yourself" means that rather than having preset notions or plans we should act in accordance with what the opponent actually does rather than what we expect him to do, so we must detect and immediately respond to his every change.
"Forsaking what is near to pursue what is far" would be where in defence, rather than using a quick and simple diversion, we attempt something overcomplicated or where, when counterattacking, we pick a target which is out of reach rather than what is nearest to hand.
Small mistakes lead to big mistakes, especially where the person making them is himself a teacher, so it is important to pay attention to every detail.