Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

Let’s look on LI ( 理 ) in the perspective of the next line: “Refining the techniques and then – gradual realizing of dong jin (understanding jin) ….” Whose jin are we going to understand? Can we understand the other’s jin without understanding of our own? Principle/ pattern/ arranging - - body-mind/...

Raise Hands (the Commencing form) 起势 - is the continues transformation of PENG jin, CAI jin and AN (press) jin in traditional Yang Chengfu style. Like all movements in this style it consists of some of the thirteen SHI (original thirteen positional basics). One just need to be taught to recognize th...

Greetings Louis, Let me start from a brief look into TCMA history. I'd like to make two points about the period when neijia started to emerge. I presume that - first, neijia was somewhat different from the styles that were derived from Shaolin monastery with its Buddhism teaching as a base for inner...

Thanks! The authors of the site made a good job.

Michael, As for me – I just sometimes have no other way to tune myself into "taiji thinking" and into a good mood. To do that a conversation with friends is the best way, isn't it? I even have rid of my TV http://www.yangfamilytaichi.com/ubb/smile.gif )) Therewith "taiji thinking mode...

I think 'jiejin' term might also come from the (earlier) weapons jargon, where interception (jie) is one of the main techniques as in sword-jian for example. Regarding the phrase 虽变化万端，而理为一贯。I think it’s probably an interlink between the preceding prescriptive lines and the following introduction to...

Greetings Louis, I think 'yielding' is probably more understandable rendering of 'zuo' for the public translation. And all our attempts here ¡V the great posts above - help us and others to see the original meaning closer. Personally, I especialy like how Chen Weiming put it - I find his comment to ...

YCF style doesn’t always use yielding to evade an attack. In fact, sometimes yielding in real fighting situation may be not the best response due to dangerous of the following linked attacks. The applications I was shown quite often uses redirecting instead of yielding and immediate counterattack. T...

I think ZUO and NIAN advocate to agility as a way to conquer a direct forceful attack. As opposite to the attacker that has already chosen the direction and technique in his mind and is on the way to perform it we try to read him and respond accordingly first, then we try to control the situation an...

Greetings Louis, I believe that in taiji there are some things that can’t be defined in a fixed single way and this is probably one of them. People with their differences each try to find in taiji what he/she values for himself or herself more. Naturally a man who say studies taiji with a serious ma...

I suggested my translation of the classical line only as a possible in my opinion variant (that came from my study of general theory of neijia and my understanding of levels in some taijiquan branches) for everyone’s consideration in the light of the above discussed matters. I am glad that Louis and...

Thanks for the comment Jerry, I'll agree with you.

I think Louis most probably is right here. I hope the following bit from the description of right warding off from the Fu family book titled "杨式太极拳教练法" (pp. 15, 16) will bring a bit clarity about all these notions or at least let us to see the issue from another angle: Here it goes: 《 右臂向前...

As a matter of fact, the Fu family uses the both terms in their teaching – jin dian and li dian. I didn’t ask the official version on the meaning of the terms but to me they have different meanings. And li, of course, here is not a zhuo li (coarse clumsy strength) that prohibited in taijiquan but LI...

Audi, Yes, what you are saying about the right curves is quite important. Sufficient to recall the following classical lines: ¡§qi goes through out the body like through a pearl with nine curves¡¨ and at the same time ¡§seek straight in curves¡¨. So I see the idea behind your post. However I would l...