Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

"One of the difficulties we have is to get stability with mobility. Too much emphasis on stability can lead to stiffness and a reduction of mobility whereas an overemphasis on mobility can lead to collapsing and a reduction of stability. I think that training the solo form slowly facilitates th...

Hi Audi, I just thought that to literally translate 聽 into listening may not be so easily understood by non Taiji practitioners. 聽, in this context, could be translated into detecting jing, or picking up where the opponent's jing is. I was perhaps a bit careless in that, as this is a forum where the...

Hi all, I know it's out of my depth, but I am going to do it anyway! "能聽。然後能懂。此固為一定之理。然聽或不準確。卽不能全懂。故懂勁一門。亦甚困難。" You must be able to listen (or be able to pick up), only then you can understand. This (fact) has its certain truth. However the listening may not be accurate, which means the in...

能聽（劲），然後能懂（劲）。此固（然）為一定之（道）理。
然（而）聽（劲）或（许）不準確，卽不能（完）全懂（劲）。
故懂勁（此）一門（功夫/学问），亦甚困難。

The above is my take, bearing in mind how "stingy" the Chinese are when it comes to using words to explain. Probably we really believe the virtue of “惜言如金”.

cheers,
twc

Like what Tony Leung (in his role as Ip Man) said in the movie "The Grandmaster", martial arts fighting is summarized into a horizontal line and a vertical line. Those who lie on the floor (the horizontal line) have no right to stake claims. So having a knife into the back probably put me ...

My teacher's teacher was the last disciple of Grandmaster Wu Tunan （吴图南）. Grandmaster Wu learnt Wu style Taiji from Grandmaster Wu Jianquan （吴鉴泉）, and later studied under Grandmaster Yang Shaohou （杨少侯）to learn the Yang style "Yongjia". We are taught that the Taiji slow routine ("练架&qu...

I have not met with any of the forefathers before, so I cannot comment if they were really formidable. What I can take reference from is the fact that the social backdrop at their times was one of turbulance. To them, being good at their martial arts, regardless external or internal, was a means to ...

One of the simplest lesson I learned from my teacher is that there is no "right or wrong" when it comes to practicing taiji so long as we are mindful of the principles. A taiji beginner may not be able to relax his shoulders. That does not mean he is doing it wrongly; it simply means at hi...

Now when I do the long form I find I am always thinking more in terms of what I want the form to do, not in terms of how to do the form. ____________________________________________ Excellent point. The different forms offer the practitioner a set of exercises to practice the various taiji principle...

Hi all, I have been following this forum for some time now, but have hardly contributed to the discussion. I will like to share with everyone what my teacher taught me. "Song" (ËÉ) does not mean limp (Èí); it has to be "song with substance". Hence there is a saying of cotton-wrap...

Hi all, Recent studies on chi indicated that it is a form of energy field. Just like, say, magnetic field. If we can repel two magnets with like-poles facing each other, I don't see why we can't repel "giant magnets" like a person by means of mastery of chi. I understand that the prerequis...

The form Wu Tunan performed was the fast form or "yongjia" which means application form (for fighting) passed down from Yang Luchan to Yang Shaohou, and from YSH to WTN. Of course the video was shot when WTN was about a hundred years old, so he did not performed with the low stance. Whethe...

"from knowing the Form (first), one slowly understand Jing; from understanding Jing, one starts to attain clarity of the mind"

So I guess the second line from the earlier topic on "entering the gate..." comes in handy.

cheers

"Entering the gate" - to be initiated "tracing the route" - to be taught the secrets (of Taiji), thus be shown the Way (or Path) "requires oral instruction" - ok, this needs a little background history..... In ancient China, litracy is low. Most common people do not rea...

Hi there, I have come across this piece of literature on Yang Shao Hou Small Frame. There are very few books and public demonstrations on this small frame Taiji. http://www.itcca.it/peterlim/yshsmfr.htm Wu Tunan was a disciple (I think he was the last disciple) of YSH. WTN in turn had one disciple o...