Yang Cheng Fu                                     Classical Writings on Taijiquan    yingyang.bmp                                                              Yang_Chen_Fu.jpg                                                



                         

Yang Cheng Fu's Ten Important Points for Practice

Treatise by Master Chang San-feng (ca 1200 C.E.)

Treatise by Master Wong Chung-Yua (ca 1600 C.E.)

Treatise by Master Wu Yu-hsiang (1812-1880)

Treatise attributed to Wang Tsung-yueh (18th Century)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                              

Yang Cheng Fu's Ten Important Points for Practice


 1. Hold The Head Straight With Ease

The head should be erect in order for the spirit to rise. If force is used, the back of the neck will be stiff, and the circulation of blood and chi will be impeded. There should be a natural, light and sensitive feeling. If not, the spirit will be unable to rise up. 

In order to achieve the above, it is important that the neck is held straight, but very relaxed and alive. Keep your mouth natural with the tongue touching the upper palate. Avoid clenching your teeth or gazing out with an angry look. Keep your sacrum straight and slightly tucked under. If not, your spine will be affected, and your spirit will not be able to rise.

  2. Sink the Chest and Raise the Back

 There should be a slight drawing in of the chest, which allows the chi to sink to the "Dan Tian".  Avoid protruding the chest, as this will cause the chi to rise, which will lead to top heaviness, and the soles of the feet to float.  Raising the back means that the chi adheres to the back. If you can sink your chest, your back will naturally rise. If you can raise your back, your power will come from your spine enabling you to overcome any opponent.

Sink the chest and raise the back are similar to when a cat is in readiness to launch an attack on its prey.

  3. Relax the Waist

 The waist is the commander of the body. If the waist is relaxed and loosened, the foundation, that is, your legs will be stable, enabling you to issue power. Changes in solid and empty derive from the moving of the waist. It is said that "the waist is the well spring of your vital energy". If you lack power in your movements, look for the weakness in your waist and legs.

 4. Distinguishing Solid and Empty

 Distinguishing solid and empty is a fundamental principle of Tai Chi. If your body centre rests in your right leg, then your right is solid, and your left leg is empty. If your body centre rests in your left leg, then your left leg is solid, and your right leg is empty. When you can clearly make this distinction, your movements will be light, agile, and effortless. If not, your steps will be heavy and clumsy, and you are easily unbalanced due to the instability of your stance.

 The philosophy of Yin Yang is the underlying principle of change in stepping.

 5. Sink the Shoulders and Elbows

 The shoulders should relax and hang downwards. If the shoulders are raised, then the chi rises, and the whole body cannot summon up its power. 

The elbows must relax and point downwards. If the elbows are raised, the shoulders will become tense, inhibiting your ability to discharge your opponent to any great distance. Raising the elbows or shoulders is similar to breaking the Jin, which occurs in the external martial art systems.

  6. Use the Mind and not Brute Force

 According to the Tai Chi Classics, you use the mind and not brute force. In practice, your whole body is relaxed; not even using an ounce of brute force. If you employ brute force, you restrict the flow of energy through your sinews, bones, and blood vessels. This will inhibit your freedom of movement, preventing you from achieving agility, sensitivity, aliveness, circularity, and naturalness.

 "How can you have power without using brute force?" By making us of the meridians in the body. (Meridians are a network of pathways, which transport chi throughout the body. They connect the superficial, interior, upper and lower portions of the human body, making the body an organic whole). The meridians are similar to the rivers and streams of the earth. If the rivers are open, then the water flows freely. If the meridians are open, then the chi flows. If the meridians are blocked as a result of using stiff force, then the circulation of chi and blood become sluggish. Hence, your movements will not be nimble, and even if a hair is pulled, your whole body will be in a state of disorder.

Although your abdomen is full and alive, there is no force being used. For the chi to sink down to the Dan Tian slowly and naturally, the mind needs to be relaxed. By deeply relaxing while performing your Tai Chi movements, your chi will move freely to every part of your body. This will benefit the body greatly. On the other hand, if you tense your mind and forcefully try to move your chi, or use unnatural methods to circulate the chi, it is more than likely that blockages will occur which are harmful to your health.

 When you are able to use your mind and not brute force, then wherever your mind goes, your chi follows. After a long period of practice and chi circulating freely everyday, you develop Jin (an internal power that is different from hard force). This is what the Tai Chi Classics means by "from true softness comes true hardness". The arms of one who has Tai Chi kung fu will feel extremely heavy; like steel wrapped in cotton. People who practise external martial art systems look strong when they exert hard force. However, when they are not bringing their hard force into use, they are light and floating. You can see that this merely a superficial kind of strength. Instead of using the mind, they use brute force, which makes them easy to manipulate. Hence not worthy of praise.

 7. Coordinate your Upper and Lower Body

 According to the Tai Chi Classics, "the root is in the feet; issued through the legs; controlled by the waist; and expressed through the fingers. From the feet through the legs to the waist forms one harmonious chi." When the hands, waist, and feet move, your gaze needs to follow in unison. This is what is meant by harmony of the upper and lower body. If one part of the body is not in concordance with the rest, it will result in chaos.

 When you first learn Tai Chi, your movements are larger and more open than those of a seasoned practitioner. The larger movements ensure that your waist and legs are moving in concordance, and all parts of the body are in harmony. 

8. Unify your Internal and External

 Tai Chi trains the spirit. It is said that "the spirit is the leader and the body follows its command". If you can lift your spirit, then your movements will naturally be agile and alive. Postures are nothing more than solid and empty, opening and closing. Opening does not just involve the hands and feet, but they must work in concordance with the opening of the heart/mind. Closing does not just concern the hands and feet, but they should coordinate with the closing of the heart/mind as well. When the internal and external are unified as one harmonious chi, then there are no gaps anywhere.

 The heart/spirit is like a concealed sword. From the outside, your practice has the appearance of being relaxed and comfortable, but on the inside, your heart/spirit is concentrated and sharp as a sword.

 9. Continuity - No Stopping

 The external martial art systems employ brute force, which is stiff and unnatural. This force stops and starts; moves in a jerky fashion. When the old force is finished before the new one has begun, this is the time when one is most vulnerable to attacks. In Tai Chi, you use the mind and not brute force. From the beginning to the end, the movements are continuous without stopping; like an endless circle. This is what the Classics means by "a great river flowing continuously never ending", or "moving the jin like reeling silk from a cocoon". The above conveys the idea of stringing the movements together into one harmonious chi.

If your movements stop and start, you will be easily taken advantage of by your opponent because you have exhausted your old strength, and the new power is not yet born.

  10. Seek Serenity in Activity

 The external martial art systems consider leaping and crouching to be of value. They exhaust their energy and after practice, they are out of breath. Tai Chi uses serenity to counter activity. Even when you are moving, you remain tranquil. When practising the postures, the slower you move, the better the result. Slowness enables your breath to become deep and long with the chi sinking to the Dan Tian. This will naturally prevent the pulse rate from elevating. Students of Tai Chi should think deeply on the above in order to grasp its meaning.

 It is important to practise the movements slowly, so that you can understand the meaning within the movements. Practising slowly helps to regulate your breathing enabling your breath to become deep and long allowing your chi to sink to the Dan Tian. Practising in this manner also prevents the fault of top heaviness, which is caused by the chi rising up.
  

Narrated by Yang Cheng Fu, recorded by Chen Wei Ming and expanded upon by Fu Sheng Yuan
Taken from the Authentic Yang Family Tai Chi by Master Fu Sheng Yuan

 


Treatise by Master Chang San-feng (ca 1200 C.E.)

Once you begin to move, the entire body must be light and limber. Each part of your body should be connected to every other part.
The internal energy, chi, roots at the feet, then transfer through the legs and is controlled from the waist, moving eventually through the back to the arms and fingertips.

Such principles relate to Tai Chi movement in the same way that uprooting an object, and thereby destroying its foundation, will make the object fall sooner.

In Long Forms your body should ever move like the rhythmic flow of water on a river or like the rolling waves of the ocean.

The internal energy should be extended, vibrated like the beat of a drum. The spirit should be condensed in toward the center of your body.

When performing Tai Chi, it should be perfect; allow no defect. The form should be smooth with no unevenness, and continuous, allowing no interruptions.

Application of these principles promotes the flowing Tai Chi movement in any direction: forward, backward,, right side, and left side.

When transferring the chi from your feet to your waist, your body must operate as if all the parts were one; this allows you to move forward and backward freely with control of balance and position. Failure to do this causes loss of control of the entire body system. The only cure for such a problem is an examination of the stance.

In the Long Form ,Ward Off, Rollback, Press, Push, Roll-Pull, Split, Elbow and Lean Forward are called the forms of the Eight Diagram (Pakua), the movement encompassing the eight directions. In stance, moving forward, backward, to the right side, to the left side and staying in the center are called the Five-Style Steps. Ward Off, Rollback, Press, and Push are called the four cardinal directions. Roll-Pull, Split, Elbow, and Lean Forward are called the four diagonals. Forward, backward, to the left side, to the right side and center are called metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, respectively. When combined, these forms are called the Thirteen Original Styles of Tai Chi.

Besides clearly separating the positive and negative from one another, you should also clearly locate the substantial and insubstantial. When the entire body in integrated with all parts connected together, it becomes a vast connection of positive and negative energy units. Each positive and negative unit of energy should be connected to every other unit and permit no interruptions among them.

In all of this, you must emphasize the use of the mind in controlling your movements, rather than the mere use of the external muscles. You should also follow the Tai Chi principle of opposites: when you move upward, the mind must be aware of down; when moving forward, the mind also thinks of moving back; when shifting to the left side, the mind should simultaneously notice the right side - so that if the mind is going up, it is also going down.


Treatise by Master Wong Chung-Yua (ca 1600 C.E.)


To avoid double-weightedness you should further understand that positive and negative must complement each other. Then you will understand the flow of internal power, and, having repeatedly practiced and refined your technique and explored your own awareness, you van use and control your internal power at will. The Tai Chi principle is as simple as this: yield yourself and follow the external forces. Instead of doing this, most people ignore such obvious and simple principles and search fro amore remote and impractical method. This is the so-called inches mistake, which, when allowed to develop, becomes the distance of thousands of miles. All disciples of Tai Chi should be aware of this and study diligently.

 

When you practice Tai Chi, you should relax the neck and suspend the head, as if from a height above you. Internal power should sink to the lower part of the abdomen. Your posture should keep to the center. do not lean in any direction. your movements should be constantly changing from the substantial to the insubstantial. If your left side feels hungry, you should make your left side light. If your right side feels heavy, you should make your right side disappear.

When practicing Tai Chi, doing too much is the same as doing too little. when the body is in motion, it should follow the curve to extend the movements. If your opponent is hard, change your own side to make it soft. this is called following. If your opponent is moving and you adhere to him while following in the same direction, it is called sticking. Then you are attached to your opponent: when he moves faster, you also move faster; when he moves slower, you move slower, thereby matching his movement.

If you achieve this level of sensitivity, there is no force that will defeat you. There are thousands of methods and techniques in the martial arts. regardless of the techniques and postures employed, most depend on physical condition (strong destroys weak) and speed (fast defeats slow), so that the weak must fall to the strong and the slow must lose to the fast. This, however, is dependent on physical ability and does not relate to the discipline that we now discuss.

Observe the ability of the old man who can successfully defend himself against many opponents at once. This proves that speed does not determine victory. When you practice Tai Chi, you should stand with your posture balanced like a scale. When you move, Your movements should revolve as effortlessly as the turning of a wheel.

Following the changing situation, you move as is necessary. if you are unable to respond in this way you will become double-weighted. Often martial artists who have practiced fro years still cannot move properly and so cannot follow the flow of their opponent's movement. this is essentially because they are hindered by their mistake of double-weightedness.

Your body's sensitivity should be such that you are aware of the tiniest feather brushing against your skin. Even the mosquito finds no place to land on you without causing you to move. then there will be no way for your opponent to detect or control you, but you will be aware of your opponent and control him.

After coming to an understanding of the internal power of movement, you can approach the theory of natural awareness. Natural awareness is developed through practice over a long period of time: you cannot reach a sudden understanding of natural awareness without proper practice for an extended length of time.

Make your opponent feel that when he looks upward, you are much taller, and when he looks downward, you are much lower. When he moves forward, he should feel that he cannot reach you, and when he retreats, he should feel that he has nowhere to escape to.

Tai Chi is born out of infinity. It is the origin of the positive and the negative. When Tai Chi is in motion, the positive and the negative separate: when Tai Chi stops, the positive and the negative integrate.

Look into the technique of using four ounces of energy to control the force of a thousand pounds. Such technique as these do not depend on brute force to overcome.

Regardless of your opponent's actions, the principle of your response remains the same. Once this type of movement has become your own, you will understand internal power.  

 
Treatise by Master Wu Yu-hsiang (1812-1880)


Use your mind to exercise your internal energy. Let the internal energy sink and be attached to your body. Eventually, the internal energy can be condensed into the bone marrow.

 

Drive the internal energy to move your entire body; make certain that the internal energy circulates smoothly and completely. Eventually, the internal energy can follow the direction of your will.

If essence and spirit can be raised, then there is no need for concern withy being slow and awkward; this is called extending and suspending the crown point.

If mind and internal energy can be freely exchanged, then there is much satisfaction in performing smoothly and dynamically: this is called exchanged negative and positive.

When transferring internal power, it should be sunk, attached, and completed. The power should also be concentrated in one direction.

When performing, you should be centered, balanced, stable, and comfortable. You should also control the eight directions.

Circulating your internal energy is just like guiding a thread through the nine-channeled pearl. Then nothing can block the circulation.

Exercising your internal power is just like refining metal in to the purest steel. Then nothing can not be destroyed.

In performing the forms, you should be like the eagle which glides serenely on the wind, but which can swoop instantly to pluck a rabbit from the ground.

Your mind should be centered, like the placid cat-peaceful but able to respond instantly to the scurrying mouse.

When in stillness you should be as the mountain. When in motion you should move like the water of the river.

When condensing the internal power, it should be like the pulling of a bow; when projecting the internal power, it should be like the shooting of an arrow.

In Tai Chi movement, follow the curve to be aware of the straight line. In internal exercise, reserve the energy for transferring then power.

Transfer of power comes from the spine. Change of position follows the movement of your body.

Therefore, in Tai Chi "drawing in" leads to "projecting out"; "interruption" leads to "connection."

When you move in and out, your entire body acts like an accordion, folding and unfolding. When you move forward and backward, your stance changes in a varied, dynamic manner.

In Tai Chi, being very soft and pliable leads to being extremely hard and strong. Command of proper breathing techniques leads to the command of free and flexible movement.

Cultivate internal energy in a direct way only, and you will do yourself no harm. Store internal power in an indirect way only, and you will build great reserves.

Also it is said: If there is no motion, you will remain still. If there is even a slight change, you have already moved accordingly.

Also it is said: first you should exercise your mind, then discipline your body. Relax your abdomen and let internal energy condense into your bone marrow. Make your spirit peaceful and your body calm. Pay attention to your mind at all times.

Bear in mind that once you move, everything should be in motion; when you are still, everything should be in stillness.

When practicing push hands, as you move forward and backward the internal energy should attach to your back and condense into your spinal column.

Your spirit should be controlled internally; externally you should appear calm and comfortable.

When changing position, you should move like a cat. Exercising the internal power is like the delicate reeling of silk. 


Attributed to Wang Tsung-yueh [Wang Zongyue] (18th Century)


T’ai Chi [Supreme Ultimate] comes from Wu Chi [Formless Void] and is the mother of yin and yang.

In motion, T’ai Chi separates; in stillness yin and yang fuse and return to Wu Chi.

It is not excessive or deficient; it follows a bending, adheres to an extension.

When the opponent is hard and I am soft, it is called tsou [yielding].

When I follow the opponent and he becomes backed up, it is called nian [sticking].

If the opponent’s movement is quick, then quickly respond; if his movement is slow, then follow slowly.

Although there are innumerable variations, the principles that pervade them remain the same.

From familiarity with the correct touch, one gradually comprehends chin [intrinsic strength]; from the comprehension of chin, one can reach wisdom.

Without long practice, one cannot suddenly understand T’ai Chi.

Effortlessly the chin reaches the head top.

Let the ch’i [vital life energy] sink to the tan-t’ien [field of elixir].

Don’t lean in any direction; suddenly appear, suddenly disappear.

Empty the left wherever a pressure appears, and similarly the right.

If the opponent raises up, I seem taller; if he sinks down, then I seem lower; advancing, he finds the distance seems incredibly long; retreating, the distance seems exasperatingly short.

A feather cannot be placed, and a fly cannot alight on any part of the body.

The opponent does not know me; I alone know him.

To become a peerless boxer results from this.

There are many boxing arts.

Although they use different forms, for the most part they don’t go beyond the strong dominating the weak, and the slow resigning to the swift.  The strong defeating the weak and the slow hands ceding to the swift hands are all the results of natural abilities and not of well-trained techniques.

From the sentence “A force of four ounces deflects a thousand pounds”, we know that the technique is not accomplished with strength.

The spectacle of an old person defeating a group of young people, how can it be due to swiftness?

Stand like a perfectly balanced scale and move like a turning wheel.

Sinking to one side allows movement to flow; being double-weighted is sluggish.

Anyone who has spent years of practice and still cannot neutralize, and is always controlled by his opponent,
has not apprehended the fault of double-weightedness.

To avoid this fault one must distinguish yin from yang.

To adhere means to yield.
To yield means to adhere.

Within yin there is yang.
Within yang there is yin.

Yin and yang mutually aid and change each other.

Understanding this you can say you understand chin.
After you understand chin, the more you practice, the more skill.

Silently treasure knowledge and turn it over in the mind.
Gradually you can do as you like.

Fundamentally, it is giving up yourself to follow others.
Most people mistakenly give up the near to seek the far.
It is said, “Missing it by a little will lead many miles astray.”

The practitioner must carefully study.

This is the Treatise

 


                  Words of Experience by Tung Ying Chieh                                                               Dong Ying Jie

Dong_Ying_Jie.jpg
 1. Tai Chi Chuan is an internal martial art exercise. Strength is produced in the bones. Power is reserved at the muscles. It does not require one to have tough skin or thick muscles, but sunken “chi” and strong bones are required. Therefore, learners have no suffering of broken bones and hurt muscles, and the tiredness of jumping, but just move naturally to find the potential of power of origin. It is an exercise to develop your original power.

2. The three main points: spirit, intention, and posture (likeness of the movement’s names) have to be there. If the posture is correct, then the spirit and intention are there, and you will have good progression. Also, you will feel differently every day. Learners should try to feel the differences intentionally.

3. If the posture is not correct, then spirit and intention are not there. The result will be just like cooking an empty pot, even after many years of practice you will not be successful. There is a tease saying that ten years of Tai Chi Chuan practice is not as good as three years of kung fu. Therefore, for good Tai Chi Chuan practice: first, you have to practice diligently; and secondly you need to have good understanding. Also, the result is dependent on your intelligence, but hard practice can help stupidity. So you should always encourage yourself to practice harder.

4. Breathing during practice - to breathe naturally. Do not force your breath deeply. After many times of practice, your Tai Chi Chuan will reach the natural point. By that time, the breath will be balanced automatically.

5. Originally the thirteen movements of Tai Chi Chuan are the guiding methods of “chi”. Guiding means leading the circulation of “chi” and blood. Therefore, when you do a good job of guiding, the “chi” and the blood will have a good balance. All sickness will be gone, but don’t misunderstand the method, and try very hard to obtain that balance. If you practice hard and naturally, you will get it when you reach maturity (when the time comes).

6. Loosen the shoulders and drop the elbows means don’t hold the strength on the shoulders. Don’t try to make the hands heavy, but move smoothly and lightly.

7. Suspend your top (of your head), and hold the bottom (anus). To suspend the top, the head has to be held naturally. If you hold the bottom, the “chi” will come up from there automatically. To withdraw the power, the breast has to be a bit vacant, but don’t hold your breast and bend your back.

8. Every time when you practice the form, there are at least three things you must do. The first one is to relax your muscle. The second one is to adjust your postures. The third one is to concentrate more on intentions and spiritual styles. When you can master all the movements, then the spiritual style will appear when you move. When you reach this stage, your improvement will be better and quicker.

9. Feeling and understanding of power - To learn these you have to practice more of the push hands, then you will get the benefits of stick, hold, touch, and follow. If you don’t have a partner, you can always practice the form diligently, and always use two arms to feel the power. Try to imagine that your opponent is attacking you, and the way in which you are using to control him. If you keep on practicing like that for a long time, certainly you will learn the power too.

10. When you are doing push hands, the most important thing is to study the feeling of power, not trying to knock down your opponent. Try not to let your opponent discover your center, and always control your opponent’s center.

11. You can practice Tai Chi Chuan while you are walking, standing, sitting, and laying. The method is to use your mind to circulate the “chi”, and find the feeling. For example, to feel the difference between holding a teacup with strength, and without strength; to feel the difference of walking with heavy steps, and with light steps. When you are standing still, try to feel the difference of straightening your legs, and bending your legs, one leg, or two legs on the ground.

12. During the early stages of practicing Tai Chi Chuan you might experience sore muscles, but don’t worry, as this will pass and you will feel good later.

13. Basic steps to learning push hands is to know the power. There are many different types of power such as stick on power, follow on power, internal power, suspending power, rubbing power, tendering power, fastening power, holding power, touching power, and pushing power. As well, there are types of power such as penetrating bone power, shaking power, crisp power, sudden power, tenth of an inch power, shooting arrow power, and even power. In general, the above powers are learned from the feeling developed during practice. It is harder to learn the power by oneself, but easier with two people, as people are alive. Additionally, you can use your own adjustment and feeling when you are enforcing the power. Of course, all the types of power are learned and discovered from body movements. If you have no partners, you can learn the power from the AIR.

14. The principles of Tai Chi Chuan: The root is on the feet; enforced from the legs; controlled by the waist; and expressed by the fingers. These are the principles of enforcing power: never let the knees come over the toes; never stretch the hands over your nose; never raise over your eyebrows; and don’t press down below the center of the chest. All these are traditional rules. If you break these rules, then the power will not be as good. The variation is controlled by the waist. For example: If you push someone to the left with your right hand sideways, and your hand is over your nose, then the power will not be there. But if you let your left chest withdraw backward a little bit, and turn your waist to the left a little bit, then the power is there again. So this variation is on the chest, and controlled by the waist, and finally shows on you fingers, if the whole body is relaxed and sensitive, then strong power will show on the fingers.

15. People are animals, but with senses. For example, if I hit someone with my fist, the opponent certainly will use hands to block, or move his body to avoid the attack. It is the natural reaction of people, but materials are different. An example of this is a hanging sandbag. It is motionless hanging there. If you punch it, it will move forward and backward. The way it moves is on a fixed route. If you punch it to the left, it will move back to the right. It is the reaction of materials. But people are different, the opponent will have various reactions for a punch. Therefore, a boxer has three words: steady, accurate, and fierce. If I don’t have these three qualities, I cannot enforce the power. If I do, then the power has to be powerful. So, how to get steady, accurate, and fierce? First, you have to have sense. So, how does one get sense? Don’t move if the opponent is not moving. If the opponent moves, you follow and finish the movement before he does. So you will have to fight for that second to finish the movement. Then you will be unbeaten.

16. Before learning Tai Chi Chuan, The strength might be dull strength. After learning Tai Chi Chuan the whole body is relaxed, and with good circulation of the “chi” and blood. But you must get rid of all the nervous tension, and keep the original dull strength. Because when you are relaxed, dull strength can be turned into real power. An example of dull strength is what some people call shoulder power, as the strength is held at the shoulder, and is not controlled by the waist and shown on the fingers. Therefore, dull power is the capital. Relaxation is the Method. If you know the method, then even small capital can achieve great success. If you don’t know the method, then even with big capital you cannot be successful. That’s why if you understand the principle of Tai Chi Chuan, it will benefit you for all kinds of sports.

 

  Translated by Albert Tang