T'AI CHI CH'UAN CLASSICS

Most of the following translations were based initially on The Essence of T'ai Chi Ch'uan: The Literary Tradition by Lo, Inn, Amacker, and Foe. (I recommend this book as one of the must have volumes in an enthusiast's library. !y com"aring and contrasting with other translations, I have made changes in the #nglish wording, but not in the underlying ideas. I've been collecting commentary from a variety of sources, both written and oral, as well as my own thoughts$observations. Maybe in a few years I'll be ready to "ost them also. %he &lassics fre'uently use "rehistoric mystic terminology from %'ai &hi &h'uan's "hiloso"hical roots in %aoism and traditional &hinese medicine. For the beginner, the use of these s"eciali(ed terms may seem to com"ound the difficulty of understanding some conce"ts. After long study and "ractice, however, it eventually becomes clear that there is no #nglish language vocabulary for e)"ressing some of the im"ortant ideas for moving towards mastery in %'ai &hi &h'uan. !orrowing terms from &hinese$%aoism may actually be less cumbersome than trying to attach new meanings$connotations to #nglish words. *ometimes a "assage will refer to the "ractice of the *olo Form, sometimes to a""lication, and sometimes to the internal as"ects of the art. +ot every "assage necessarily relates to all as"ects of %'ai &hi &h'uan. %he &lassics are generally cited as the authoritative source on %'ai &hi &h'uan "rinci"les by ,ang, -u and other styles that have branched off from the original &hen Family *tyles. %he authenticity of any documents "rior to ,ang Lu.chan is 'uestioned, and there a""ears to be a sense among some &hen stylists that the attribution of some of the &lassics to historical$'uasi.mythological figures was an attem"t by early "ractitioners to avoid giving full credit for the develo"ment of %'ai &hi &h'uan to the &hen Family. %here is a""arently a tradition in &hinese writing to attribute works to ancients, so 'uestions about authenticity cannot be discounted. /lease e.mail me if you have any suggested im"rovements to the translations I've researched so far.

Classics Table of Contents %'ai &hi &h'uan &hing attributed to &hang *an.feng %he %reatise on %'ai &hi &h'uan attributed to -ang %sung.yueh #)"ositions of Insights into the /ractice of the %hirteen /ostures by -u ,u.hsiang *ong of the %hirteen /ostures by 0nknown Author *ongs of %he #ight /ostures attributed to %'an Meng.hsien *ong of /ush 1ands by 0nknown Author Five &haracter *ecret by Li I.yu #ssentials of the /ractice of the Form and /ush.1ands by Lee I.,u ,ang's %en Im"ortant /oints by ,ang &heng.fu

T'AI CHI CH'UAN CHING

Attributed to Chang San-feng (est !"#$ -!%&'( as researched b) Lee N Scheele
In motion the whole body should be light and agile, with all "arts of the body linked as if threaded together. %he ch'i 2vital life energy3 should be e)cited, %he shen 2s"irit of vitality3 should be internally gathered. %he "ostures should be without defect, without hollows or "ro4ections from the "ro"er alignment5 in motion the Form should be continuous, without sto"s and starts. %he chin 2intrinsic strength3 should be rooted in the feet, generated from the legs, controlled by the waist, and manifested through the fingers. %he feet, legs, and waist should act together as an integrated whole, so that while advancing or withdrawing one can gras" the o""ortunity of favorable timing and advantageous "osition. If correct timing and "osition are not achieved, the body will become disordered and will not move as an integrated whole5 the correction for this defect must be sought in the legs and waist. %he "rinci"le of ad4usting the legs and waist a""lies for moving in all directions5 u"ward or downward, advancing or withdrawing, left or right. All movements are motivated by I 2mind.intention3, not e)ternal form. If there is u", there is down5 when advancing, have regard for withdrawing5 when striking left, "ay attention to the right. If the I wants to move u"ward, it must simultaneously have intent downward. Alternating the force of "ulling and "ushing severs an o""onent's root so that he can be defeated 'uickly and certainly.

Insubstantial and substantial should be clearly differentiated. At any "lace where there is insubstantiality, there must be substantiality5 #very "lace has both insubstantiality and substantiality. %he whole body should be threaded together through every 4oint without the slightest break. Chang Ch'uan 2Long !o)ing3 is like a great river rolling on unceasingly. Peng, Lu, Chi, An, Ts'ai, Lieh, Chou, and K'ao are e'uated to the #ight %rigrams. %he first four are the cardinal directions5 Ch'ien 2*outh5 1eaven3, K'un 2+orth5 #arth3, K'an 2-est5 -ater3, and Li 2#ast5 Fire3. %he second four are the four corners6 Sun 2*outhwest5 -ind3, Chen 2+ortheast5 %hunder3, Tui 2*outheast5 Lake3, and Ken 2+orthwest5 Mountain3. Advance (Chin , -ithdraw (T'ui , Look Left (Tso Ku , Look 7ight (Yu Pan , and &entral #'uilibrium (Chung Ting are e'uated to the five elements6 Metal, -ood, -ater, Fire, and #arth All together these are termed the %hirteen /ostures A footnote a""ended to this &lassic by ,ang Lu.ch'an (89::.8;9< reads6 %his treatise was left by the "atriarch &han *an.feng of -u %ang Mountain, with a desire toward hel"ing able "eo"le everywhere achieve longevity, and not merely as a means to martial skill. !ack to %able of &ontents

TH* T+*ATIS* ,N T'AI CHI CH'UAN

Attributed to -ang Tsung-)ueh .-ang /ong)ue0 (!&th Centur)( as researched b) Lee N Scheele
T'ai Chi 2*u"reme 0ltimate3 comes from Wu Chi 2Formless =oid3 and is the mother of yin and yang. In motion T'ai Chi se"arates5 in stillness yin and yang fuse and return to Wu Chi. It is not e)cessive or deficient5 it follows a bending, adheres to an e)tension. -hen the o""onent is hard and I am soft, it is called tsou 2yielding3. -hen I follow the o""onent and he becomes backed u", it is called nian 2sticking3. If the o""onent's movement is 'uick, then 'uickly res"ond5 if his movement is slow, then follow slowly. Although there are innumerable variations, the "rinci"les that "ervades them remain the same. From familiarity with the correct touch, one gradually com"rehends chin 2intrinsic strength35 from the com"rehension of chin one can reach wisdom. -ithout long "ractice one cannot suddenly understand T'ai Chi. #ffortlessly the chin reaches the headto". Let the ch'i 2vital life energy3 sink to the tan-t'ien 2field of eli)ir3. >on't lean in any direction5 suddenly a""ear, suddenly disa""ear. #m"ty the left wherever a "ressure a""ears, and similarly the right. If the o""onent raises u", I seem taller5 if he sinks down, then I seem lower5 advancing, he finds the distance seems incredibly long5 retreating, the distance seems e)as"eratingly short. A feather cannot be "laced, and a fly cannot alight on any "art of the body. %he o""onent does not know me5 I alone know him.

%o become a "eerless bo)er results from this. %here are many bo)ing arts. Although they use different forms, for the most "art they don't go beyond the strong dominating the weak, and the slow resigning to the swift. %he 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 techni'ues. From the sentence ?A force of four ounces deflects a thousand "ounds? we know that the techni'ue is not accom"lished with strength. %he s"ectacle of an old "erson defeating a grou" of young "eo"le, how can it be due to swiftness@ *tand like a "erfectly balanced scale and move like a turning wheel. *inking to one side allows movement to flow5 being double.weighted is sluggish. Anyone who has s"ent years of "ractice and still cannot neutrali(e, and is always controlled by his o""onent, has not a""rehended the fault of double.weightedness. %o avoid this fault one must distinguish yin from yang. %o adhere means to yield. %o yield means to adhere. -ithin yin there is yang. -ithin yang there is yin. Yin and yang mutually aid and change each other. 0nderstanding this you can say you understand chin. After you understand chin, the more you "ractice, the more skill. *ilently treasure knowledge and turn it over in the mind. Aradually you can do as you like. Fundamentally, it is giving u" yourself to follow others. Most "eo"le mistakenly give u" the near to seek the far. It is said, ?Missing it by a little will lead many miles astray.? %he "ractitioner must carefully study. %his is the %reatise !ack to %able of &ontents

*12,SITI,NS ,3 INSIGHTS INT, TH* 2+ACTIC* ,3 TH* THI+T**N 2,STU+*S

b) -u 4u-hsiang (-u 4u5ian( (!&!" - !&&6( so7eti7es attributed to -ang Chung-)ueh as researched b) Lee N Scheele
%he hsin 2mind.and.heart3 mobili(es the ch'i 2vital life energy3. Make the ch'i sink calmly5 then the ch'i gathers and "ermeates the bones. %he ch'i mobili(es the body. Make it move smoothly, so that it may easily follows the hsin. %he I 2mind.intention3 and ch'i must interchange agilely, then there is an e)cellence of roundness and smoothness. %his is called ?the inter"lay of insubstantial and substantial.? %he hsin is the commander, the ch'i the flag, and the waist the banner. %he waist is like the a)le and the ch'i is like the wheel. %he ch'i is always nurtured without harm. Let the ch'i move as in a "earl with nine "assages without breaks so that there is no "art it cannot reach. In moving the ch'i sticks to the back and "ermeates the s"ine. It is said ?First in the hsin, then in the body.? %he abdomen rela)es, then the ch'i sinks into the bones. %he shen 2s"irit of vitality3 is rela)ed and the body calm. %he shen is always in the hsin. !eing able to breathe "ro"erly leads to agility. %he softest will then become the strongest. -hen the ching shen is raised, there is no fault of stagnancy and heaviness. %his is called sus"ending the headto". Inwardly make the shen firm, and outwardly e)hibit calmness and "eace. %hroughout the body, the I relies on the shen, not on the ch'i. If it relied on the ch'i, it would become stagnant. If there is ch'i, there is no i 2e)ternal strength3. If not focused on ch'i, there is "ure steel. %he chin 2intrinsic strength3 is sung 2rela)ed3, but not sung5

it is ca"able of great e)tension, but is not e)tended. %he chin is broken, but the I is not. %he chin is stored (having a sur"lus by means of the curved. %he chinB is released by the back, and the ste"s follow the changes of the body. %he mobili(ation of the chin is like refining steel a hundred times over. %here is nothing hard it cannot destroy. *tore u" the chin like drawing a bow. Mobili(e the chin like drawing silk from a cocoon. 7elease the chin like releasing the arrow. %o fa-chin 2discharge energy3, sink, rela) com"letely, and aim in one directionC In the curve seek the straight, store, then release. !e still as a mountain, move like a great river. %he u"right body must be stable and comfortable to be able to sustain an attack from any of the eight directions. -alk like a cat. 7emember, when moving, there is no "lace that does not move. -hen still, there is no "lace that is not still. First seek e)tension, then contraction5 then it can be fine and subtle. It is said if the o""onent does not move, then I do not move. At the o""onent's slightest move, I move first.? %o withdraw is then to release, to release it is necessary to withdraw. In discontinuity there is still continuity. In advancing and returning there must be folding. Aoing forward and back there must be changes. %he Form is like that of a falcon about to sei(e a rabbit, and the shen is like that of a cat about to catch a rat. B *cholars argue "ersuasively that the use of the word i that actually a""ears here in ancient documents is a mistranscri"tion and the "assage should read chin. !ack to %able of &ontents

S,NG ,3 TH* THI+T**N 2,STU+*S

b) Un8no9n Author as researched b) Lee N Scheele
%he %hirteen /ostures should not be taken lightly5 the source of the "ostures is in the waist. !e mindful of the interchange between insubstantial and substantial5 %he ch'i circulates throughout the body without hindrance. !e still, when touched by the o""onent, be tran'uil and move in stillness5 changes caused by my o""onent fill him with wonder. *tudy the function of each "osture carefully and with deliberation5 to achieve the goal is very easy. /ay attention to the waist at all times5 com"letely rela) the abdomen and the ch'i rises u". -hen the tailbone is centered and straight, the shen 2s"irit of vitality3 goes through to the headto". %o make the whole body light and agile sus"end the headto". &arefully study. #)tension and contraction, o"ening and closing, should be natural. %o enter the door and be shown the way, you must be orally taught. /ractice should be uninterru"ted, and techni'ue achieved by self study. *"eaking of the body and its function, what is the standard@ %he I 2mind.intent3 and ch'i are king, and the bones and muscles are the court. %hink over carefully what the final "ur"ose is6 to lengthen life and maintain youth. %he *ong consists of 8DE characters5 each character is true and the meaning is com"lete. If you do not study in this manner, then you will waste your time and sigh with regret. !ack to %able of &ontents

S,NGS ,3 TH* *IGHT 2,STU+*S

Attributed to T'an :eng-hsien as researched b) Lee N Scheele
The Song of Peng -hat is the meaning of Peng energy@ It is like the water su""orting a moving boat. First sink the ch'i to the tan-t'ien, then hold the head as if sus"ended from above. %he entire body is filled with s"ringlike energy, o"ening and closing in a very 'uick moment. #ven if the o""onent uses a thousand "ounds of force, he can be u"rooted and made to float without difficulty. The Song of Lu -hat is the meaning of Lu energy@ #ntice the o""onent toward you by allowing him to advance, lightly and nimbly follow his incoming force without disconnecting and without resisting. -hen his force reaches its farthest e)tent, it will naturally become em"ty. %he o""onent can then be let go or countered at will. Maintain your central e'uilibrium and your o""onent cannot gain an advantage. The Song of Chi -hat is the meaning of Chi energy@ %here are two as"ects to its functional use6 %he direct way is to go to meet the o""onent and attach gently in one movement. %he indirect way is to use the reaction force like the rebound of a ball bouncing off a wall, or a coin thrown on a drumhead, bouncing off with a ringing sound. The Song of An -hat is the meaning of An energy@ -hen a""lied it is like flowing water. %he substantial is concealed in the insubstantial. -hen the flow is swift it is difficult to resist. &oming to a high "lace, it swells and fills the "lace u"5 meeting a hollow it dives downward. %he waves rise and fall, finding a hole they will surely surge in. The Song of Ts'ai -hat is the meaning of Ts'ai energy@

It is like the weight attached to the beam of a balance scale. Aive free "lay to the o""onent's force no matter how heavy or light, you will know how heavy or light it is after weighing it. %o "ush or "ull re'uires only four ounces, one thousand "ounds can also be balanced. If you ask what the "rinci"le is, the answer is the function of the lever. The Song of Lieh -hat is the meaning of Lieh energy@ It revolves like a s"inning disc. If something is thrown onto it, it will immediately be cast more than ten feet away. 1ave you not seen a whirl"ool form in a swift flowing stream@ %he waves roll in s"iraling currents. If a falling leaf dro"s into it, it will suddenly sink from sight. The Song of Chou -hat is the meaning of Chou energy@ Its method relates to the Five #lements. ,in and ,ang are divided above and below. Insubstantiality and substantiality must be clearly distinguished. Foined in unbroken continuity, the o""onent cannot resist the "osture. Its e)"losive "ounding is es"ecially fearsome. -hen one has mastered the si) kinds of energy, the a""lications become unlimited. The Song of K'ao -hat is the meaning of K'ao energy@ Its method is divided into the shoulder and back techni'ue. In >iagonal Flying /osture use shoulder, but within the shoulder techni'ue there is also some use of the back. Gnce you have the o""ortunity and can take advantage of the "osture, the techni'ue e)"lodes like "ounding a "estle. &arefully maintain your own center. %hose who lose it will have no achievement. !ack to %able of &ontents

S,NG ,3 2USH HAN;S

b) Un8no9n Author as researched b) Lee N Scheele
!e conscientious in Peng, Lu, Chi, and An. 0""er and lower coordinate, and the o""onent finds it difficult to "enetrate. Let the o""onent attack with great force5 use four ounces to deflect a thousand "ounds. Attract to em"tiness and discharge5 !han" Lian" #ian" Sui, no resisting no leting go. !ack to %able of &ontents

3I<* CHA+ACT*+ S*C+*T

b) Li I-)u as researched b) Lee N Scheele
CAL: %he hsin 2mind.and.heart3 should be calm. If the hsin is not calm, one cannot concentrate, and when the arm is raised, whether forward or back, left or right, it is com"letely without certain direction. %herefore, it is necessary to maintain a calm mind. In beginning to move, you cannot control (it by yourself. %he entire mind must also e)"erience and com"rehend the movements of the o""onent. Accordingly, when the movement bends, it then straightens, without disconnecting or resisting. >o not e)tend or retreat by yourself. If my o""onent has i 2e)ternal strength3, I also have i, but my i is "revious in e)act antici"ation of his. If the o""onent does not have i, I am also without i, but my I 2mind.intent3 is still "revious. It is necessary to be continually mindful5 to whatever "art of the body is touched the mind should go. ,ou must discover the information by non.discrimination and non. resistance. Follow this method, and in one year, or a half.year, you will instinctively find it in your body. All of this means you use I, not chin 2intrinsic force3. After a "racticing for a long time, the o""onent will be controlled by me and I will not be controlled by him. AGILIT4 If the body is clumsy, then in advancing or retreating it cannot be free5 therefore, it must be agile. Gnce you raise your arm, you cannot a""ear clumsy. %he moment the force of my o""onent touches my skin and hair, my mind is already "enetrating his bones. -hen holding u" the arms, the ch'i 2vital life energy3 is threaded together continuously. -hen the left side is heavy, it then em"ties, and the right side is already countering. -hen the right is heavy, it em"ties, and the left is already countering. %he ch'i is like a wheel, and the whole body must mutually coordinate. If there is any uncoordinated "lace, the body becomes disordered and weak. %he defect is to be found in the waist and legs. First the mind

is used to order the body. Follow the o""onent and not your own inclination. Later your body can follow your mind, and you can control yourself and still follow the o""onent. -hen you only follow your own inclination, you are clumsy, but when you follow the o""onent, then your hands can distinguish and weigh accurately the amount of his force, and measure the distance of his a""roach with no mistake. Advancing and retreating, everywhere the coordination is "erfect. After studying for a long time, your techni'ue will become skillful. =+*ATH To Gather the Ch'i If the ch'i is dis"ersed, then it is not stored and is easy to scatter. Let the ch'i "enetrate the s"ine and the inhalation and e)halation be smooth and unim"eded throughout the entire body. %he inhalation closes and gathers, the e)halation o"ens and discharges. !ecause the inhalation can naturally raise and also u"root the o""onent, the e)halation can naturally sink down and also fa-chin 2discharge energy3 him. %his is by means of the I, not the i mobili(ing the ch'i. INT*+NAL 3,+C* The Co7>lete Chin %he chin of the whole body, through "ractice, becomes one unit. >istinguish clearly between substantial and insubstantial. %o fa-chin it is necessary to have root. %he chin starts from the foot, is commanded by the waist, and manifested in the fingers, and discharged through the s"ine and back. Gne must com"letely raise the shen 2s"irit of vitality3 at the moment when the o""onent's chin is about to manifest, but has not yet been released. My chin has then already met his, not late, not early. It is like using a leather (tinder to start a fire, or like a fountain gushing forth. In going forward or ste""ing back, there is not even the slightest disorder. In the curve seek the straight, store, then discharge5 then you are able to follow your hands and achieve a beautiful result. %his is called borrowing force to strike the o""onent or using four ounces to deflect a thousand "ounds. S2I+IT Shen Concentrated 1aving the above four, then you can return to concentrated s"irit6 if the s"irit is concentrated, then it is continuous and uninterru"ted, and the "ractice of ch'i returns to the shen 2s"irit of vitality3. %he manifestation of ch'i moves with agility. -hen the shen is concentrated, o"ening and closing occur a""ro"riately, and the differentiation of substantial and insubstantial is clear. If the left is insubstantial, the right is substantial, and vice.versa. Insubstantial does not mean com"letely without strength. %he manifestation of ch'i must be agile. *ubstantial does not mean com"letely limited. %he s"irit must be com"letely concentrated. It is im"ortant to be com"letely in the mind 2I3 and the waist, and not outside. +ot being outside or se"arated, force is borrowed from the o""onent, and the ch'i is released from the s"ine. 1ow can the ch'i discharge from the s"ine@ It sinks downward from the two shoulders, gathers to the s"ine, and "ours to the waist. %his is ch'i from u" to down and is called closed. From the waist the ch'i mobili(es to the s"ine, s"reads to the two arms and flows to the fingers. %his is ch'i from down to u" and is called o"ened. &losed is gathering, and o"ened is discharging. -hen you know o"ening and closing, then you know yin and yang. 7eaching this level your skill will "rogress with the days and you can do as you wish. !ack to %able of &ontents

*SS*NTIALS ,3 TH* 2+ACTIC* ,3 TH* 3,+: AN; 2USH-HAN;S

b) Li I-)u as researched b) Lee N Scheele
Formerly "eo"le said6 ?being able to attract to em"tiness, you can use four ounces to deflect a thousand "ounds.? +ot being able to attract to em"tiness, you cannot deflect a thousand "ounds. %he words are sim"le, but the meaning is com"lete. %he beginner cannot understand it. 1ere I add some words to e)"lain it. If someone is ambitious to learn this art, he can find some way to enter it and every day he will have some im"rovement. >esiring to attract to em"tiness and deflect a thousand "ounds, first you must know yourself and others. If you want to know yourself and others, you must give u" yourself and follow others. If you give u" yourself and follow others, first you must have the correct timing and "osition. %o obtain the correct timing and "osition, you must first make your body one unit. >esiring to make the body one unit, you must first eliminate hollows and "rotuberances. %o make the whole body without breaks or holes, you must first have the shen 2s"irit of vitality3 and ch'i 2vital life energy3 e)cited and e)"anded. If you want the shen and ch'i activated and e)"anded, you must first raise the s"irit ("ay attention and the shen should not be unfocussed. %o have your shen not unfocussed, you must first have the shen and ch'i gather and "enetrate the bones. >esiring the shen and ch'i to "enetrate the bones, first you must strengthen the two thighs and loosen the two shoulders and let the ch'i sink down. %he chin 2intrinsic strength3 raises from the feet, changes in the legs, is stored in the chest, moved in the shoulders and commanded in the waist. %he u""er "art connects to the two arms and the lower "art follows the legs. It changes inside. %o gather is to close and to release is to o"en. If it is 'uiet, it is com"letely still. *till means to close. In closing there is o"ening. If it is moving, everything moves. Moving is o"en. In o"ening there is closing. -hen the body is touched it revolves freely. %here is nowhere that does not obtain "ower. %hen you can attract to em"tiness and use four ounces to deflect a thousand "ounds. /racticing the Form every day is the $ung fu of knowing yourself. -hen you start to "ractice, first ask yourself, ?>id my whole body follow the above "rinci"les or not@? If one little "lace did not follow them, then correct it immediately. %herefore, in "racticing the Form we want slowness not s"eed. /ush hands is the $ung fu of knowing others. As for movement and stillness, although it is to know others, you must still ask yourself. If you arrange yourself well, when others touch you, you don't move a hair. Follow the o""ortunity and meet his chin and let him fall naturally outward. If you feel some"lace in your body is "owerless, it is double.weighted and unchanging. ,ou must seek the defect in yin and yang, o"ening and closing. Hnow yourself and know others6 in one hundred battles you will win one hundred times. !ack to %able of &ontents

4ANG'S T*N I:2,+TANT 2,INTS

b) 4ang Cheng-fu (!&&% - !$%'( as researched b) Lee N Scheele
! ( Head u>right to let the shen .s>irit of ?italit)0 rise to the to> of the head >on't use i 2e)ternal strength3, or the neck will be stiff and the ch'i 2vital life energy3 and blood cannot flow through. It is necessary to have a natural and lively feeling. If the s"irit cannot reach the headto", it cannot raise. " ( Sin8 the chest and >luc8 u> the bac8 %he chest is de"ressed naturally inward so that the ch'i can sink to the tan-t'ien 2field of eli)ir3. >on't e)"and the chest6 the ch'i gets stuck there and the body becomes to".heavy. %he heel will be too light and can be u"rooted. /luck u" the back and the ch'i sticks to the back5 de"ress the chest and you can "luck u" the back. %hen you can discharge force through the s"ine. ,ou will be a "eerless bo)er. % ( Sung .+ela50 the 9aist %he waist is the commander of the whole body. If you can sung the waist, then the two legs will have "ower and the lower "art will be firm and stable. *ubstantial and insubstantial change, and this is based on the turning of the waist. It is said ?the source of the "ostures lies in the waist. If you cannot get "ower, seek the defect in the legs and waist.? @ ( ;ifferentiate bet9een insubstantial and substantial %his is the first "rinci"le in %'ai &hi &h'uan. If the weight of the whole body is resting on the right leg, then the right leg is substantial and the left leg is insubstantial, and vice versa. -hen you can se"arate substantial and insubstantial, you can turn lightly without using strength. If you cannot se"arate, the ste" is heavy and slow. %he stance is not firm and can be easily thrown of balance. A ( Sin8 the shoulders and dro> the elbo9s %he shoulders will be com"letely rela)ed and o"en. If you cannot rela) and sink, the two shoulders will be raised u" and tense. %he ch'i will follow them u" and the whole body cannot get "ower. ?>ro" the elbows? means the elbows go down and rela). If the elbows raise, the shoulders are not able to sink and you cannot discharge "eo"le far. %he discharge will then be close to the broken force of the e)ternal schools. ' ( Use the 7ind instead of force %he %'ai &hi &h'uan C assics say, ?all of this means use I 2mind. intent3 and not i.? In "racticing %'ai &hi &h'uan the whole body rela)es. >on't let one ounce of force remain in the blood vessels, bones, and ligaments to tie yourself u". %hen you can be agile and able to change. ,ou will be able to turn freely and easily. >oubting this, how can you increase your "ower@ %he body has meridians like the ground has ditches and trenches. If not obstructed the water can flow. If the meridian is not closed, the ch'i goes through. If the whole body has hard force and it fills u" the meridians, the ch'i and the blood sto" and the turning is not smooth and agile. Fust "ull one hair and the whole body is off.balance. If you use I, and not i, then the I goes to a "lace in the body and the ch'i follows it. %he ch'i and the blood circulate. If you do this every day and never sto", after a long time you will have nei chin 2real internal strength3. %he %'ai &hi &h'uan C assics say, ?when you are e)tremely soft, you become e)tremely hard and strong.? *omeone who has e)tremely good %'ai &hi &h'uan $ung fu has arms like iron wra""ed with cotton and the weight is very heavy. As for the e)ternal schools, when they use i, they reveal i. -hen they don't use i, they are too light and floating. %here chin is e)ternal and locked together. %he i of the e)ternal schools is easily led and moved, and not too be esteemed. # ( Coordinate the u>>er and lo9er >arts of the bod) %he %'ai &hi &h'uan C assics say ?the motion should be rooted in the feet, released through the legs, controlled by the waist and manifested through the fingers.? #verything acts simultaneously. -hen the hand, waist and foot move together, the eyes

follow. If one "art doesn't follow, the whole body is disordered. & ( Har7oniBe the internal and e5ternal In the "ractice of %'ai &hi &h'uan the main thing is the shen. %herefore it is said ?the s"irit is the commander and the body is subordinate.? If you can raise the s"irit, then the movements will naturally be agile. %he "ostures are not beyond insubstantial and substantial, o"ening and closing. %hat which is called o"en means not only the hands and feet are o"en, but the mind is also o"en. %hat which is called closed means not only the hands and feet are closed, but the mind is also closed. -hen you can make the inside and outside become one, then it becomes com"lete. $ ( :o?e 9ith continuit) As to the e)ternal schools, their chin is the Latter 1eaven brute chin. %herefore it is finite. %here are connections and breaks. >uring the breaks the old force is e)hausted and the new force has not yet been born. At these moments it is very easy for others to take advantage. %'ai &hi &h'uan uses I and not i. From beginning to end it is continuous and not broken. It is circular and again resumes. It revolves and has no limits. %he original C assics say it is ?like a great river rolling on unceasingly.? and that the circulation of the chin is ?drawing silk from a cocoon ? %hey all talk about being connected together. !6 ( :o?e 9ith tranCuilit) .See8 stillness in 7o?e7ent0 %he e)ternal schools assume 4um"ing about is good and they use all their energy. %hat is why after "ractice everyone "ants. %'ai &hi &h'uan uses stillness to control movement. Although one moves, there is also stillness. %herefore in "racticing the form, slower is better. If it is slow, the inhalation and e)halation are long and dee" and the ch'i sinks to the tan-t'ien. +aturally there is no in4urious "ractice such as engorgement of the blood vessels. %he learner should be careful to com"rehend it. %hen you will get the real meaning. !ack to %able of &ontents

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