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Whats Zhaobao Tai Chi ?

Zhaobao Tai Chi refers to a style of Tai Chi closely tied to Chen-style forms. But what does "Zhaobao" means? Zhaobao is the name of a street in Wen County, located near the Meng Feng intersection. For those unfamiliar, locals refer to it as "Zhaobao Jie," or Zhaobao Street. It’s only about a 3-4 minute ride from Chen Village, making it incredibly close to the birthplace of Chen-style Tai Chi. Zhaobao Street is shaped like a "Y," with one branch leading toward Jiaozuo City and the other toward Chen Village. The long tail stretches back to the Wen County center. In the early 1980s, Zhaobao Street was relatively small, entired street with buildings about 200-300 meter long, and with a large factory at the center of the "Y," flanked by a mini-hospital, a small theater, and local government offices. Over time, the theater are closed down, the area developed into a bustling hub. Shops began opening up, and vegetable and meat markets became regular fixtures. On trade days, (Ji Hui) , every months there one or two days is trade days, all the small business gather around the street to sell, you’d find tricycle cars lining on two side of the street, offering everything from clothes and shoes to household essentials.

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Very Important Methods of Relaxing the Waist

In Yang-style Tai Chi, relaxing the waist is emphasized as a crucial point: "The waist is the master of the whole body. Only when the waist is relaxed, then the feet are powerful, and the lower stance is stable. Changes between solidity and emptiness all come from the turning of the waist, thus it's said that the source of command is in the space of the waist. Any lack of strength must be sought in the waist and legs."

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Must Read Notes from Yang Style Master Yang Chengfu

       Yang Chengfu summarized the practice of Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan into ten essentials: "Empty the mind and top up the energy, contain the chest and pull up the back, relax the waist, distinguish between solid and empty, sink the shoulders and drop the elbows, use intent not force, coordinate the upper and lower body, harmonize the inside and outside, continue movements without interruption, and find stillness in motion.

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Three Stage of Tai CHi standing

Because Yin and Yang depend on each other (each exists as a precondition for the other), pure Yin does not last, and pure Yang does not endure. Hence, in martial arts, there is no absolute relaxation or tension. Complete relaxation is slackness, and complete tension is stiffness. There is relaxation within tension, and tension within relaxation, the transformations of Yin and Yang are infinitely profound.

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Tai Chi fighting basic knows Four Characters Secret

The postscript explains that to understand the Four Characters Secret, one must first understand the energy; without this understanding and reaching a highly refined level of practice, it's impossible to fully grasp it. This might sound mysterious, but practicing push hands involves a process of 'gradually understanding the energy from familiarity and progressing to a divine level of understanding.' Only after passing the initial stage can one gradually understand the "Four Characters Secret." Of course, due to individual differences in insight, even with the same effort, comprehension can vary in timing.

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Why Pan jia is traditional Tai Chi comprehensive training way

   In Tai Chi pan jia, every posture and even every small movement is permeated with Tai Chi Yin Yang philosophy. Otherwise, even practice for decades, just stay in physical fitness stage, cannot reach martial arts high level. For martial artists, not only know how it works but also why it works, then can keep improving. Purpose of pan jia must be clear: only through pan jia, can really grasp the whole body movement rules, achieve coordination of hand, eye, body, method, step; spirit, energy, intention, strength, mind, whole body as one family.

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Why can standing post (Zhan Zhuang) enrich the marrow and strengthen the body ?

Why standing post (Zhan Zhuang) can make bone marrow full and body strong? Secret is in stretching tendons and pulling bones! Post deep in ground, very stable, no matter wind or rain, it not move! Big sky and universe, stand alone, look down on everything! Stand between heaven and earth, fill the gaps of universe! Standing post is way to make body's qi channels fully stretch. It let essence, energy, spirit go back into marrow. People who do standing post often have strong bones and tendons. One sign of this strength is person look not fat, but weight is not light, this show body healthy. Some people look fat, but is soft fat, lots of flesh, when weigh, very light, this actually show essence not stay in bones.

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What is Wuji stance ?

Almost for all Tai Chi and any martial arts practitioners, the training is always begins with a fundamental stance. The Ma Bu, or "horse stance," is one of the most iconic basic learning. Why the name? Simple—it mimics the posture of a horse, with both feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, a steady and strong base, and a balanced, grounded position. Ma Bu is considered the foundation of martial arts training. In fact, there’s an old Chinese saying: “One year of Ma Bu is more beneficial than three years of practicing forms.”  how important to Ma Bu. The Wuji Stance is a another variation of Ma Bu, or at least shares similarities in its goals. While Ma Bu focuses on strength and stability, Wuji Stance serves a broader purpose in building your fundamental structure and mental focus , and the goal to get rid or remove the stiffness or  the energy prevent you from Tai Chi relaxation or call Loose . There’s also another foundational stance known as the Hunyuan Stance, often practiced by beginners in Tai Chi. Though Wuji Stance and Hunyuan Stance may seem similar, they are distinct in their purposes and practice. Many people confuse about the two stance, but understanding their differences is key.

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