Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

Fumin,
Hmmmm.....
I don't know that simply allowing an opponent not to find any solid or firm portion of your body will destroy his root, which is what it seems you are saying.
He would still have his root even if he doesn't find mine.
The idea, as I understand it, is to use listening energy to find stiffness or imbalance in his structure, then issue energy against that, destroying his structure and root.
Without that issuing though, his center could and should still be quite firm.

Maybe I misunderstood you? I've been known to do that from time to time.

Fumin,
I think I'd phrase this a tad differently as well.
The soft will overcome the hard.
I would leave out words like "weak" and "strong" when making this kind of statement. I know a few people who are very soft that have incredible stength and many people who are very hard (a lot of course strength) who are quite weak in most ways.

Semantics, I know, but that's really all we've got to work with here online.

Cheers.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">All is that Taichiquan requires that the central idea be carried out-- the soft and weak overcome the hard and strong.</font>

No doubt the story is great and nice to listen to but the present reality relating to taijiquan expression of martial skill is that the 'stronger' will almost all the time vanquish the 'weak' due to deficient training methods.

Keep in mind that 95% of practitioners have no interest in the martial arena of taijiquan!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Bob Ashmore:
<B>Fumin,
Hmmmm.....
I don't know that simply allowing an opponent not to find any solid or firm portion of your body will destroy his root, which is what it seems you are saying.
He would still have his root even if he doesn't find mine.
The idea, as I understand it, is to use listening energy to find stiffness or imbalance in his structure, then issue energy against that, destroying his structure and root.
Without that issuing though, his center could and should still be quite firm.

Maybe I misunderstood you? I've been known to do that from time to time.
</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hello,Bob
Happy to read your response. More than one year ago, I had been on this net discussing on Taichiquan. Then, you were here writing something I quite admired. I left this net
because my family and I immigrated to LA. So I disconnected this net until yesterday I applied a new user on this net.

You are right. If the opponent can't find any solid part of me and he still has a root, I should be happy and respect for him because he can listen and understand both his Jin and mine, and vice versa.
This way we can practice together every day if possible.

On the condition of his stiffness and imbalance you mentioned, he is already in your hand. Why this timing appear is through the accumulation of experiences of listening and understandin each other's Jin.

Cheers

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Bob Ashmore:
<B>Fumin,
I think I'd phrase this a tad differently as well.
The soft will overcome the hard.
I would leave out words like "weak" and "strong" when making this kind of statement. I know a few people who are very soft that have incredible stength and many people who are very hard (a lot of course strength) who are quite weak in most ways.

Semantics, I know, but that's really all we've got to work with here online.

Cheers.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hi, Bob.
Again, your phrase is quite precise in the interaction of push-hands.

When I met an old man,already over 80,and he,weighted around 110 pounds looked like the weak, he could easily overcome the stronger guy over 280 pounds in a soft way.
The stronger one has been practicing many years of martial arts.

So, I believe your few people can do that.
Since there is a story on it,and there is a princle left to us, I try this soft way every day either in frame or push and simulated fighting.

Cheers

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by shugdenla:
<B> No doubt the story is great and nice to listen to but the present reality relating to taijiquan expression of martial skill is that the 'stronger' will almost all the time vanquish the 'weak' due to deficient training methods.

Keep in mind that 95% of practitioners have no interest in the martial arena of taijiquan!

</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hi,shugdenla.

What you say is a real situation. Even not in the martial world but in real life, the huge quys vanquish those small and weak.

I believe a few people,Bob mentioned, can apply the taichi soft way to overcome the strong and huge in appearance.

I am curious about this. That's why I'm interested in practicing every day. I hope some day I can become these few people or I've been one of them.

Go get it.
Cheers

Fumin,
Welcome back to the Yang family boards.
I have only just begun to glean the tiniest amount of understanding about the ins and outs of Tai Chi Chuan. But I have time, I'll get there in the end.

I will be out of touch for a few days, I'm going to Louisville, KY to participate at Yang Jun's seminar there.
I hope to have discovered some new things about this wonderful art that I can discuss when I can get back to the internet on Monday.

Hello Bob Ashmore,

I must apologize again for this late reply. Thank you for that story about roofing. The concept of rooting is much clearer to me after that illustration!

It is also good to see that this forum has so many knowledegable members around.