Tai Chi is a discipline that integrates culture, martial arts and health preservation. It is different from ordinary sports, dances and competitive events. Every move and posture is deeply rooted in the profound traditional thoughts and culture, traditional martial arts and military strategies, and traditional Taoist health preservation techniques of the Chinese nation over thousands of years.
I have been learning, practicing and researching the traditional Chen-style Tai Chi for 44 years. Over the past few decades, I have come to realize that to master this set of Tai Chi, one must grasp three fundamental aspects: adhering to the rules, understanding the principles of the art, and comprehending the force. I have summarized 20 key points. Today, I would like to share them with you all, hoping to inspire further discussion and joint exploration.
1. Concentration:
When practicing Tai Chi, one must be highly concentrated and enter a state of tranquility with intent. One needs to be fully focused, with the mind reaching every part of the body, even down to the tip of the middle finger. During the practice, one should pay attention to whether the thumb and little finger are properly joined, and whether the force is properly channeled to the middle finger when performing the palm-piercing move. A set of Tai Chi lasts about 15 minutes, with 83 postures and hundreds of movements, all meticulously arranged and highly coherent. One must not let their mind wander. Tai Chi emphasizes concentration and intent. Each movement should reflect the principles, methods, force, and energy. Once the mind wanders, the postures will be performed incorrectly and the practice will fail. Some people say that walking is the best form of exercise, but one can still think while walking and it is difficult to enter a state of tranquility. However, practicing Tai Chi is the best way to achieve tranquility because it seeks stillness within movement.
2. Soft and supple:
The most distinctive feature of Tai Chi’s combat techniques is the combination of “neutralization and attack”. When the opponent applies force, I try to neutralize it as much as possible. The key is to accommodate and neutralize, causing the opponent to lose balance rather than defeating them outright. The integration of neutralization and attack, especially in the low stance of Chen-style Tai Chi, is because the low stance has a greater capacity. Grandmaster Chen Fa Ke emphasized “following”. Mr. Chen Zhaoxiu said: All four major parts must be relaxed, that is, both shoulders and both hips must be relaxed. Only when the whole body is relaxed can it be easier to accommodate and neutralize.
3. Light and Heavy:
When throwing punches, one must combine lightness and heaviness. Especially when the hand is exerting force upwards, the waist and hips must be relaxed and lowered, meaning that whenever there is an upward movement, there must be a downward movement. Just like a golden rooster standing on one leg, when the right hand is raised upwards, the left hip must sink down. It’s like a tree that grows tall; its roots must be deeply rooted. Also, when shifting the center of gravity, the crotch must move along a downward arc, and the five toes of the foot must firmly grip the ground. When changing from a forward spiral to a backward spiral or vice versa, at the moment of transition, the palm root must be depressed. When the palm root is depressed, the elbow must drop, the shoulder must sink, and the hips must be relaxed. When in a fixed position, one must spiral and sink down, while exhaling and sinking simultaneously.
4. Bacon:
“First cultivate the root before practicing boxing,” this is a famous saying in Chenjiagou. If the stance is incorrect, the toes do not grip the ground, and the lower body is not stable, then even if the upper body is correct, it is still incorrect. Modern sports principles emphasize the body’s stability angle, that is, the feet should be parallel and slightly outward, and when practicing boxing, the feet should not be on a straight line when moving forward and backward; instead, they should be on the same line. When opening the feet, they should not leave the ground. The bow and horse stances must be distinguished. The bow and push stances are most common in Chen-style Tai Chi. What is a bow and push stance? The bent leg’s calf should be vertical, the knee should not kneel, the front leg is the support point, and the back leg is the force point. For example, in a right bow stance, the force comes from the inner side of the left heel, passing through the waist, spine, and back vertebrae to the right hand. The most important thing is the back leg. It should neither kneel nor have the knee turn outward. The thighs and calves should be pushed upward, the hips should be relaxed, and the feet should be turned inward. If not, it will be difficult to exert force. Emphasizing only softness without combining softness and hardness is not Tai Chi. When advancing, be gentle; when retreating, be quick. For example, in the “Rolling Back the Sleeve” move, the feet should not leave the ground when retreating. If they do, it will be difficult to exert force. Moreover, the retreat should be short and quick, and the advance should be gentle, as the saying goes, “Step like a cat.” Teacher Chen Zhaokui said, “Practicing boxing is not walking. Once the feet move, they must be useful.”
5. Rules:
One must respect the boxing manual, meticulously study it, and ensure that both the large and small movements of one’s punches are executed accurately. There can be no carelessness in hand-eye coordination, body posture, and footwork. For instance, when forming a palm, the little finger and the thumb must be in contact, and the tiger’s mouth should be round. When thrusting a palm, the force should be applied at the fingertips; when lifting a palm, the force should be on the back of the hand. Different palm shapes have different uses, and all these points should be kept in mind while practicing boxing.
6. Whole-body strength:
One of the primary characteristics of Tai Chi is the emphasis on practicing the form as a unified whole, with the force being integrated. This applies to both large and small movements, all of which should be executed under the command of the brain, with the rotation of the dantian driving the entire body. By pushing off the ground with the feet to harness the rebounding force of the earth, the internal and external forces of the human body are combined. The hands and feet should be coordinated, as should the waist, legs, and back. The whole body should work in harmony, with a single movement triggering a response throughout. It stresses that without internal movement, there is no external expression; without the waist moving, the hands do not act. The movement should be continuous and seamless from the inside out, preventing isolated and disjointed actions.
7. Dan Gong:
The key to all movements in Tai Chi lies in the pivotal role of the dantian. The entire body is one in Tai Chi forms, and both large and small movements should be centered around the dantian. The movement of the dantian is also known as the pelvic movement. The so-called “crucible for transforming essence into qi” emphasizes the movement of the dantian, which is the lower abdomen area below the navel. The movement of the dantian plays a significant role in maintaining human health, regardless of the speed of the movement. We know that the pelvic area contains the most internal organs, with the majority of the endocrine, digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems located in the dantian region. The rotation of the dantian not only benefits the improvement of the endocrine and digestive systems but also provides excellent exercise for sexual and reproductive functions.
8. Upright and impartial:
At all times, keep the upper body upright. From the very beginning of a form, one should have the feeling of lifting the top of the head, tuck in the chin, keep the eyes level, and maintain an upright head. Grandmaster Chen Zhao Kui compared the chest and waist area to the general on a chessboard, which should not be moved casually. People call the founder of Chen-style Tai Chi, Grandmaster Chen Changxing, “Mr. Board”, because his form was very strict, requiring the chest, waist and trunk to remain upright without leaning left or right, bowing forward or backward, or swaying from side to side. No matter what the situation or state, there should always be a sense of upward and downward stretching between the Baihui and Huiyin acupoints. This way, your spine, cervical vertebrae, thoracic vertebrae and lumbar vertebrae will be less prone to illness. At the same time, through the three-dimensional spiral force, one should also be flexible, able to bend and stretch freely, and rotate freely.
9. Balance:
When practicing boxing, it is essential to emphasize three-dimensional balance, ensuring symmetry and equilibrium in all directions: up and down, front and back, and left and right. When the hands push forward, the waist’s Mingmen point must extend backward. Where there is an upward movement, there must be a downward one; where there is a leftward movement, there must be a rightward one; where there is a forward movement, there must be a backward one. This is called eight-directional support.
10. Spiral:
The most distinctive feature of Chen-style Tai Chi is the silk-reeling movement. The movements of the limbs are either in reverse or in the same direction. The key lies in the three-dimensional spiral movement of the chest and waist. In the move “Jin Gang Dao Dui”, when making a fist, first sink the right hip and flip the left hip, and slightly turn the chest to the left. When lifting the fist, sink the left hip and flip the right hip, and turn the chest and waist to the right. When smashing the fist and stomping the foot, it changes to sinking the right hip and flipping the left hip, and the chest and waist turn forward. “Jin Gang Dao Dui” is a three-dimensional spiral movement, with the waist and hips moving in a horizontal figure-eight pattern. In daily practice, pay attention to flipping the hips and turning the hips. In summary, when practicing Tai Chi, the chest and waist should not move in a flat manner, and the hands and feet should not move in a straight line.
11. Illusion and Reality:
Teacher Chen Zhaokui said that practicing Tai Chi is about maintaining one’s own balance at all times, while pushing hands is about finding ways to disrupt the opponent’s balance. To achieve this, one must master the two kinds of emptiness and fullness during movement. The first is the emptiness and fullness of the body’s center of gravity shift, and the second is the emptiness and fullness of the main and secondary force application. In Chen-style Tai Chi, the center of gravity is either on the left or the right. From the very beginning, it is divided into emptiness and fullness. When the center of gravity shifts, the crotch must move in a downward arc. When the left hand sinks to apply the “cai” force, the left foot is empty and the right foot is full; when the right hand sinks to apply the “cai” force, the right foot must be empty. When applying force by stomping or kicking, the foot that applies the force is empty in terms of the body’s center of gravity. But in terms of the emptiness and fullness of the force application, it can be called full. Only by distinguishing these two kinds of emptiness and fullness can one achieve both lightness and heaviness, and maintain the body’s balance.
12. Opening and closing:
In opening there is closing, in closing there is opening. To open, one must first close; to close, one must first open. One should also pay attention to the opening and closing of the three sections: when the fist closes, the elbow opens; when the elbow closes, the fist opens. When the extremity closes, the middle section should extend and the root section should relax. When practicing Tai Chi, one should also pay attention to the opening and closing of the chest and waist: when the chest opens, the back should close; when the back opens, the chest should close. When opening, it should be opened fully and well; when closing, it should be closed tightly. Moreover, the opening and closing should be spiral. There is opening and closing everywhere in Tai Chi forms. For instance, in the move “Yan Shou Gong Chui”, when the final punch is delivered, it involves the opening and closing of the chest with three forces.
13. Folding:
The folding of the chest and waist is one of the key points in Chen-style Tai Chi practice, emphasizing the flexible and powerful “mutual generation of opposites” transformation function with the dantian as the pivot. Simply put, it is the opening and closing of the chest and waist as well as the flexion and extension of the limbs. The I Ching says, “There is no going without returning.” In Chenjiagou, there is a famous saying, “Not understanding the folding method is in vain.” The alternation of opening and closing, flexion and extension, left and right, and coiling and releasing, as shown in wanting to go left but first going right, wanting to go right but first going left, wanting to open but first closing, wanting to close but first opening, wanting to take but first giving, etc., all require the folding of the chest and waist and the four extremities to transform and move.
14. Round shed:
The force of “peng” is very important. When practicing boxing, the whole body should be “peng” round, and the force of “peng” throughout the body should be increased, so that every part of the body’s surface has the feeling of expanding outward. There is a common saying that there are three circles in boxing: First, all movements, big or small, should be rotating. Second, the routes taken by all movements, big or small, should be either circular or arc-shaped, never straight. Third, in the fixed postures, every part of the body should be “peng” round.
15. Coherence:
Continuity means that when practicing Tai Chi, the movements should be seamless and unbroken. A set of Tai Chi should last about 15 minutes without stopping or losing momentum. We say that Tai Chi is an aerobic exercise, and in aerobic exercise, there should be no pauses because once the momentum is lost, the flow of oxygen is also disrupted. Whether it’s slow or fast, the key is to maintain the momentum without interruption.
16. Rhythm:
The speed of punches should alternate between fast and slow. When performing punches, one should combine hardness and softness, openness and closure, and ensure that each section is connected seamlessly, like flowing water. Not only should a set of punches have both fast and slow movements and climaxes, but even a single punch or movement should also vary in speed. For instance, when making a circular motion, the lower half of the circle should be slow to build up momentum and deflect, while the upper half should be fast to release power. This way, the punches will have ups and downs, a clear rhythm, and avoid being stiff. It should be noted that when moving slowly, it should not be interrupted or sluggish; when moving fast, it should not be disordered or lose the silk-reeling force, and one should remain composed and maintain a balance between lightness and heaviness.
17. Breathing:
When practicing Tai Chi, one should combine abdominal breathing with thoracic breathing. Abdominal breathing means that when inhaling, the lower abdomen contracts, and when exhaling, it expands. The advantage of abdominal breathing is that it can increase the absorption of oxygen and the expulsion of stale air from the lungs, thereby increasing lung capacity, which is highly beneficial to human health. Additionally, breathing should be coordinated with the exertion of force when performing the movements.
18. Understanding the Force:
The term for Tai Chi Chuan is “internal energy surging, external form full and complete”. That is, there is always a “peng” force everywhere. Tai Chi Chuan talks about eight different forces: “peng”, “lu”, “ji”, “an”, “cai”, “lie”, “zhou”, and “kao”. In fact, the other seven are all extensions of the “peng” force. It is also necessary to combine “breaking down the form to explain the force” to understand the force point, force structure, and force changes of each posture clearly.
19. Power:
The force of Tai Chi should possess four major characteristics: mutual assistance of yin and yang, overall operation, spiral and reverse silk reeling, and relaxation, flexibility, elasticity and vibration. Among them, especially the spiral force, elastic vibration force, mental force and dantian force are the special symbols of its power. If one wants to increase power, first, under the premise of understanding the force of big and small movements, one should practice more to cultivate overall power; second, practice with low stances to strengthen the strength of the legs and enhance the flexibility and endurance of the shoulder, hip, knee and ankle joints; break down the movements and practice each single movement one by one; combine with push hands to practice sensitivity, listening force, understanding force, adhesion, connection and following, borrowing force from the opponent’s force, creating force to borrow force, and combining defense and attack to cultivate power; combine with auxiliary power training, such as twisting Tai Chi ruler, shaking Tai Chi big pole, rubbing Tai Chi ball, rotating Tai Chi wheel, practicing silk reeling pole, and hitting sandbags, etc., to enhance power; alternate between fast and slow movements in the sequence, with accumulation and release, and rhythm, to practice buffering force; mental force is also a kind of material force. When practicing Tai Chi, pay attention to guiding the force of the whole body with the mind, and cultivate mental force through full concentration.
20. Divine charm:
In traditional Chinese culture, whether it is calligraphy, painting, drama, song or martial arts, they all emphasize unique charm. Tai Chi also emphasizes the flavor, taste and quality of the art. Tai Chi is a kind of martial art that cultivates both life and nature, and exercises both body and mind. Through practicing Tai Chi, a person can well demonstrate his or her demeanor, temperament, sentiment and cultivation. This means that you have found the “Tai Chi flavor” and the charm of Tai Chi. To reach this realm:
First of all, one should understand the principle of mutual assistance and harmony between Yin and Yang in ancient Chinese philosophy.
Secondly, one should possess the demeanor of a great general and the spirit of a hero, which means to defend one’s territory with neither arrogance nor servility, and to follow the principle of “do not attack others unless attacked, and if attacked, respond with wisdom and restraint.”
Thirdly, when practicing boxing, one should display a powerful and imposing manner. The internal energy should surge, the external form should be full and complete, and the movements should be both elegant and solemn, expansive yet compact. This conveys a noble state of being that is capable of both flexibility and strength, openness and closure, rigidity and suppleness, with an air of natural grace and integrity.
Fourth, one should strike the rhythm and cadence of the boxing form. The punches should be both light and heavy, hard and soft, opening and closing, spiraling and entwining, sometimes hidden and sometimes revealed, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, flowing through each section seamlessly, like a dragon or a snake, as smooth as flowing clouds and water, allowing people to feel the embodiment of a beautiful melody.
Fifth, pay attention to your eyes – the window to your spirit and vitality.
In conclusion, to master Tai Chi well, one must make efforts in three aspects:
First, one must meticulously study the boxing manual and adhere to the rules.
Second, one must master the principles of boxing and identify the patterns.
Third, one must study the boxing techniques and understand the force application.
I have three sentences to share with you all regarding the fundamental attitude towards practicing martial arts:
The purpose of the first practice of boxing is to maintain one’s own health.
Second, if you like it, take it as a discipline and study it throughout your life.
Thirdly, if someone wants to learn, you should pass on your knowledge enthusiastically, offer your love and be ready to help others.
