After a certain period of training, when the body has become suitably supple, the internal strength in the “zhongqi” (central energy) has increased, and the mind has become more alert and aware, a naturally sinking momentum, sensory responsiveness, and a soft yet resilient strength will naturally emerge. Due to these conditions, what is referred to in the terminology of Tai Chi Chuan as “Jin” (a kind of internal force) is experienced. After experiencing this “Jin,” learning various push hands techniques and further studying the skill of “understanding Jin” will not be difficult to master thoroughly.
Main Explanations
- Regarding Yin and Yang in Tai Chi Chuan Forms
Yin and Yang serve as synonyms for the positive and negative aspects of hand movements in the forms. In the forms, when the palm faces upward, it’s considered Yang, and when the back of the hand faces upward, it’s Yin. Slight Yang is when the palm is slightly upward but not fully facing up, and beyond that is considered extreme Yang. Slight Yin is when the back of the hand is half-facing up, and beyond that is considered extreme Yin.
- About the Body Stance in Tai Chi Chuan Forms
The hips should be seated correctly, not protruding forward or backward. The spine should be straight, the shoulders should be relaxed, and the elbows should hang naturally, avoiding raising the shoulders during stances.
- For Every Bow Stance
The leg in front should have the shin vertical, toes pointing forward, and the leg behind should be straight but not overly so, slightly reserved. The toes should turn inward about 45 degrees, with the weight distribution being seven parts on the front foot and three parts on the back foot.
- For Every Horse Stance
This is a square stance with legs squatting down, the distance between the legs being about three feet long, just right for the stance. The weight is evenly distributed between both legs.
- For Every Half-Horse Stance
Like in “Step Back and Repulse Monkey,” the front foot bears about thirty to forty percent of the body weight, and the back foot bears sixty to seventy percent.
- For Every Empty Stance
The body weight is on the firm leg, with the other leg virtually acting as if it’s there without bearing weight. Whether in front or behind, whether the toe or heel touches the ground, it should be extremely light, as if it couldn’t crush an ant or break an egg. Both legs should be slightly bent.
- For Every Crouch Step
The leg in front extends straight, parallel to the ground, with the palm flat on the ground and toes slightly tucked in. The leg behind squats down, as seen in forms like “Snake Creeps Down.”
- About the Head
The head should be held as if suspended from above, the chin slightly tucked in, the tongue resting naturally and comfortably against the upper palate, without forcefully pressing. This is because Tai Chi Chuan emphasizes naturalness, achieving a state of natural comfort, and when the mind is at peace, saliva naturally becomes sweet, thus it’s important to pay attention.
- About Breathing
In the beginning, it’s sufficient to find a comfortable and natural, deep, and long breathing pattern without trying to synchronize it with movements. Because in the early stages, the movements are not yet mastered, and it’s not easy to achieve synchronization, trying to do so can lead to restrained breathing, which becomes unnatural. If this continues for a long time, it can affect health. Therefore, initially, there’s no need to make breathing match the movements, an important aspect of practicing Tai Chi Chuan. Only after movements become fluent and habitual, achieving a state of physical and mental comfort, should one gradually try to match breathing with movements to do it properly and comfortably.
- Breathing Coordination Method
The situation of coordinating breathing with movements is such that for movements that open, expand, or extend, it’s time to exhale; for movements that retract or reduce, it’s time to inhale. However, this is just a principle. If one has been practicing Tai Chi Chuan for a long time and has advanced, the movements will necessarily be slow, allowing for a deeper understanding of profound meanings. Because movements are slow, breathing cannot slow to that extent, necessitating an additional breath, meaning adding a breath in the middle of the movement. For example, in expanding movements, exhale at the start, add an inhale in the middle, and exhale again at the end. Similarly, for retracting movements, inhale at the start, add an exhale in the middle, and inhale again at the end. This method still counts as coordinating breathing with movements, but even while coordinating, comfort and naturalness are the standards, and forced mechanical application should be avoided.
- About Using Intent
Tai Chi Chuan repeatedly emphasizes “using intent, not force,” and says “using force
makes one clumsy, using energy makes one stagnant.” Therefore, the initial practice is about focusing attention on every movement. Later, at the highest level, the aim is to train the alertness and sensitivity of the nerves. The main method is based on stability and comfort. During the movement process, maintain full concentration without any negligence. However, avoid focusing too much on one aspect to prevent some areas from being illuminated while others are not. It’s also not advisable to over-concentrate, causing the spirit to become externalized, as this prevents saliva from being produced. Tai Chi Chuan takes naturalness as its principle, achieving a state of great natural comfort and a peaceful spirit. When saliva is produced, it should be swallowed promptly and not spit out, considered “golden elixir.” Qigong practitioners liken the tongue touching the palate to “building a high bridge,” believed to facilitate the connection between the Ren and Du meridians, aiding in the downward flow of “heavenly river water” to nourish the body.
- About Push Hands
When learning push hands, it’s essential to practice according to the rules, performing techniques like warding off, rolling back, pressing, and pushing correctly, striving for sticky, continuous following without losing contact or resisting. This lays the foundation for later learning moving-step push hands, large rollback push hands, and eventually free-hand push hands, gradually deepening and improving skills. For example, in calligraphy, one starts with regular script, learning how to begin, pause, and end strokes, creating a foundation in penmanship, then moves on to running script, and after mastering running script, learns cursive script. This way, even though one writes quickly, the rules are not confused. Otherwise, the characters produced will be hard to recognize. The same applies to learning Tai Chi Chuan.
- About the Tai Chi Chuan Classics
The key points of practicing Tai Chi Chuan are summarized in the old Tai Chi Chuan classics. As long as one has a teacher’s guidance and practices according to the rules, significant progress will be made over time. Thus, the “Thirteen Postures Song” states: “Songs and verses, a hundred and forty in all, true and precise, leaving nothing out. If one does not seek to understand them, all efforts are wasted and lead to sighs.” Some people now incorporate things that are not part of Tai Chi Chuan into the practice and claim they are secret techniques passed down from their masters. This is irrelevant to the essence of Tai Chi Chuan, and practitioners should be aware.
- About Choosing a Teacher
Learning Tai Chi Chuan starts with selecting a good teacher. Then, listen to the teacher’s guidance, be patient and persistent, do not be greedy for more, and do not deceive yourself. Master one form before learning another, earnestly completing a set of Tai Chi Chuan. This approach is beneficial for both body and mind. If the teacher is not proficient, leading you astray, or if you are impatient and greedy, focusing on quantity over quality, you will drift further from the true skills of Tai Chi Chuan. To truly master Tai Chi Chuan, one must start over, which is more challenging than learning from scratch. Mistakes in practice or lack of dedication can affect the health benefits. To excel in Tai Chi Chuan, one must also engage in “four more” practices: more practice, more observation, more questions, and more contemplation.
“Four more” represents dual cultivation of body and mind; through “four more,” one seeks to understand Jin, and from “four more,” one cultivates and refines spiritual clarity. “Four more” guides one towards tranquility of heart, mind, intent, and thought, and the purity of the body, achieving the true essence of Tai Chi Chuan. In the journey of Tai Chi Chuan cultivation, “four more” is indispensable for practitioners, playing a crucial role in mastering the art.
