This is Tai Chi:
50 Essential Questions and Answers
Paul Read
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 Paul Read
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Chapter 1 - Understanding the Basics of Tai Chi
Chapter 2 - The Fascinating History of Tai Chi
Chapter 3 - Recognising the Diverse Styles of Tai Chi
Chapter 4 - Learning the Tai Chi Form
Chapter 5 - Learning Tai Chi as a Martial Art
Chapter 6 - Learning Tai Chi as a Health Art
Chapter 7 - Energy Sources in Tai Chi
Chapter 8 - Tai Chi as a Living Philosophy
Chapter 9 - Tai Chi in the 21st Century
Sample Chapter from The Manual of Bean Curd Boxing
This small book came about for two reasons. Firstly, many students - both actual and prospective - tend to ask the same questions when starting a new course of Tai Chi. Over the 20 years during which I have been teaching, I have heard most of the concerns and preoccupations of newcomers to this art, so I decided to compile the 50 most common questions and attempt to answer them as clearly as possible. I hope that the answers will be a useful guide for anyone considering the study of this fascinating and profound art.
The second reason is due to the Internet. Since the phenomenal growth of digital content and the ease of information exchange from the 1990’s onwards, there have been consistent claims from every corner of the globe as to what is - and what is not, Tai Chi. Consequently, it has become very difficult for anyone looking for a simple introduction to sift through the mountains of opinions, anecdotes and stories that proliferate each year on the Internet. Discussion boards and social media sites are so overflowing with contradictory facts and information that anyone who approached the subject with an innocent curiosity would very quickly become confused and probably disillusioned by the number of arguments about authenticity of style, methods of practice and the importance of lineage.
To this end I have written this introduction. My hope is that it conveys some of the universal principles of Tai Chi and not just the particular approach of one school over another. I have tried my best to avoid all contested dates, figures and frequent points of contention. I have not always been successful, however, but I believe by focusing on that which unites the different branches of Tai Chi, everyone can benefit from the simple guidelines and explanations presented here.
There are nine distinct chapters in the book, each attempting to look at one particular aspect of Tai Chi: from the basic questions about class structure and what the name itself means, to something on the history and the different styles and forms that are now taught. There are also chapters on the different applications of Tai chi: martial, health and energy use. The final section focuses on living Tai Chi: attitudes, ideas and 21st century applications.
Although the book has been written with a linear plan…section following section, I recognise that linear planning is not always the best idea, and that in these times of hypertext and the circularity of thought, it would be just as valuable to be able to jump from one idea to another. So feel free to do this, to dip into any section in order to take what is useful, and discard the rest.
If after reading the book, you crave more detail, and feel confident to go a step further in exploring some of the training concepts in greater depth, then drop by at www.teapotmonk.com to read about a contemporary perspective on this Noble Art, or get hold of the companion book to this introduction: The Manual of Bean curd Boxing - Tai Chi and the Noble Art of Leaving Things Undone.
Feedback will always be helpful. You will find at the end of the book a list of contact points. Please leave comments, suggestions or any enquiries at any of the addresses you will find there.
As I often say to my students: Breathe easy and enjoy the journey .
Paul Read
Granada, Andalusia
Summer 2011.
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Chapter 1: Understanding the Basics of Tai Chi
Q1. Why learn Tai Chi?
A. Perhaps this is the question that begins our journey, but it is also the question to which we return again and again. Why learn, why practice and why invest time and energy into this most noble of arts? A single word answer is often "health". But health can be interpreted physically, mentally, spiritually, philosophically or even culturally. Throughout this book we shall be looking into all of these interpretations, but first let us try and see the larger picture.
When we begin to learn Tai Chi we embrace something unique in our lives. Tai Chi teaches us to slow down, to relax and to let things be. It teaches us that by emptying our minds we can find space to learn more about life than perhaps we thought. Often, we find this very difficult, as our culture does not always look too favourably on self-examination. However, in this instance, the little time we put aside for ourselves is genuine, qualitative time for ourselves and for our 'health'. Time for replenishing the spirit, time for leaving behind the toil of daily activities, time to recharge, rebuild our strength and quieten the mind
Whilst the rest of the planet finds itself distracted by the communications age and consequently accelerates in order just to keep up, the Tai Chi practitioner slows down, steps back and watches as it all rushes by. S/he breathes deeply, and while s/he may be distracted by technology and the 10,000 things (see chapter on Philosophy), a Tai Chi practitioner's attention is also diverted pleasantly by the texture of sunlight, the path of the moon or the movement of wind moving over water.
All of these are reasons to learn Tai Chi, yet for many it begins, once more, with health. Physically, you are choosing to do something positive in life, something that will play a consistent, incremental and beneficial role in building your overall constitution, changing your posture, deepening your breath and improving your overall strength.
Finally, people all over the world are learning Tai Chi for it is good to learn something that will not disappear like a new gadget, a passing fad or like yet another fitness craze. Tai Chi has been around a long time and is getting more popular. In part this is because it is so open to all sexes, all ages and cultures. It is an art that you can practice today, and still be perfecting it when you are walking your last days on this planet. It is an art that is relatively cheap to learn, requires neither special equipment nor clothes, and can be carried with you everywhere you go! Imagine, if you will, an exercise and health regime in the 'cloud', which is always there, pushed down to you at any time, in any place.
Tai Chi is an art for life.
Q2. What happens in a Tai Chi Class?
A. The best way to find out is to go and view a class. Find out where your nearest classes are and go and visit each one. Introduce yourself, say you are there to watch (or join in if invited) and just see what you think and how you feel.
What you will see is pretty standard, though there are variations of course, contingent upon the instructor and the style you choose. Most classes begin by running through a series of movements and exercises that introduce you to the varying aspects of Tai Chi. For example, a warm up usually involves movements that loosen the body, improve flexibility and begin to build an awareness of body-tension. These may be followed by visualisation exercises, specific breathing exercises or drills in certain techniques or parts of the form.
The instructor will not only be showing these exercises to the class, but also watching to see how students are picking up the movements, who perhaps is struggling, who is sprinting ahead and whether the aim of each exercise is being correctly transmitted. You may also see some walking exercises that will help reach a quiet state of mind before engaging with more detailed parts of the class.
Very likely, there will be a section where the Form is taught and practiced. Students will follow the teacher’s movements, initially to emulate them, but in the long term to internalise the patterns and eventually to produce a version that will be unique to you. We are all different after all, and no matter how much we might want to copy another person, ultimately we must find and interpret our own way of movement. (For more on this theme, see Final chapter on Philosophy and Music).
There may be other sections that follow the Form, some of which may involve working with a partner: yielding, sticking, push hands, rooting are some of the most common.
Q3. What does 'Yielding', 'Sticking' and 'Rooting' mean?
A. Yielding is simply the ability of the body to respond appropriately to incoming stimuli. Sensitivity is the key to be able to successfully yield.
Wang Chung-Yueh wrote:
"Your body should be so light and nimble that a feather could not land on it without being felt, and a fly could not alight on it without setting it in motion."
To be able to stay relaxed is the key, for in relaxation there are no tight muscles that block the messages that need to travel through you. Once upon a time, this was predominantly an aid to fighting. Now, the advantages of learning to yield go beyond the combat arena, for yielding enables a practitioner to remain calm, centered, whilst still acutely aware of all that is happening and without being swept up in the reactions of others. It is often practiced by yielding to the force or push of another Tai Chi player, without losing your own sense of center and balance.
Sticking is taught in many exercises, including one called 'Push-hands'. Again, it teaches you to stay calm, relaxed and to interpret another person’s state of being by maintaining contact. Through such contact, information about tension, breath, posture, anxiety and intention can be read.
Rooting is dependant on good posture and alignment, so that you learn better balance in movement and whilst remaining completely still. Rooting connects you to the ground. As the name implies it is about finding your strength not just in your own physical body, but also by interconnecting yourself with the immediate environment. This may be with the use of breathing techniques, visualisation work or some simple body dynamics.
Over time, these partner exercises, solo forms and postural and breathing routines will become familiar and slowly merge into one continuous exercise, not just in your class sessions, but in the rest of your life as well.
This is when Tai Chi gets really interesting.
Q4. What does 'Tai Chi Chuan' mean?
A. Literally it means the "supreme ultimate fist". Now, this probably does not help you very much so we need to take a look at something other than the literal meaning. We need to explore some of the ways in which Tai Chi is has been defined, and how it continues to be defined by different people for different reasons.
The two words, “Tai” and “Chi” together, mean the unity of Yin and Yang, or in Taoist circles: the mother of the 10,000 things. See! I told you that literal meanings would get us nowhere! The "10,000 things" is really just a name used to represent everything from the lunar winds to the clippings of your toenails. It was a description used a lot in early Taoist texts, and although it's not necessary that you grasp all the philosophy of Taoism to learn about Tai Chi, it is useful to know some of the concepts, such as Ying and Yang and Wu Wei. We will look at some of these in more depth later. But for now it is important to remember that when these concepts are brought together, “Tai” and “Chi” they mean the ideas and not just the physical movements. Now, when you add the third name “chuan” to the first two, you get the complete name and the complete concept: T’ai Chi Chuan - The system of fighting based on the principles of the mother of all things.
There, clear now?
Q5. What's the difference between Tai Chi, Tai Chi Chuan and T’ai Chi Ch’uan?
A. There are some people that answer: Who cares what the difference is, the important thing is what they are in themselves, not how they are written! This is an understandable point of view. But, to be fair, there are two points that do need to be raised here. The first is that you often see Tai Chi written with an apostrophe between the T’ and the ai. Technically, this is the correct spelling - otherwise the pronunciation changes from a T sound to that of a D sound. Can you imagine calling it Dai Chi?
However, despite this technical point, popular use seems to be ignoring the rule, ignoring the complaints of linguists and purists everywhere. Languages, one has to admit, adapt and change and in this case the simple use of Tai Chi - without apostrophe - to denote the practice is becoming something of a standard (outside the forums of activists and the training halls of the most traditional practitioners.)
Finally, the word ‘Chuan’ at the end of Tai Chi means fist and so the whole phrase ‘Tai Chi Chuan' technically refers to the practice of Tai Chi as a martial art. Therefore, some teachers have singled out the shorter phrase Tai Chi to mean the non-martial practice of Tai Chi Chuan. But not all subscribe to this view, and this is where it can get even more confusing.
Given the complications listed so far, many people just use the description - Tai Chi - as it rolls off the tongue a lot better and is quicker to type than all those versions with tricky accents.
Now, we have just one more linguistic variation to look at. Then we can leave the subject behind us and move on.
Q6. What about Tai Ji Quan and Tai Chi?
A. You may see Tai Chi Chuan written as Taijiquan or a variation thereof. Don't worry about this too much as it is still pronounced the same. It all depends on which transliteration of the original Chinese you are reading. Some systems favour the Tai Chi Chuan approach (Wade-Giles) whilst others favour the Taijiquan version (Pinyin). Followers of each argue about the merits of one over another, but perhaps they really ought to remind themselves that the only correct version is that which is written in Chinese. All other versions are simply translations.
In this book you will see the use of Tai Chi liberally scattered here and there without too much caution. This is because I do not really want to spend an inordinate amount of time arguing about the order of some letters in a word. (Something we have already spent far too much time on already) I'd rather focus on the concepts and ideas behind them. So, for the sake of simplicity and typing speed, Tai Chi is what you will see throughout the book - pronounced with a ‘T’ and meaning the practice of the whole thing (whatever that means). There, that's the grammar section over with.
Q7. Will I have to wear a Chinese Silk Uniform if I join a Class?
A. Although you do see quite a few practitioners wearing flowing silk uniforms, it is not obligatory. In fact some would say that is not advisory either. I’m a fan of flamenco music, but this doesn't mean I like to carry castanets in my back pocket, or keep a fan tucked up my sleeve. Unlike many Japanese arts that insist on you adopting uniforms and going though gradings to achieve different belts to mark your progress, Tai Chi is a Chinese art and therefore does not follow the uniform or belt systems historically adopted for arts practiced in other countries. Progress is neither linear nor colour based. It is circular, and skill level is marked by persistence and dedication, not by what holds up your trousers.
Q8. Will I have to wear those Little Flat Black Shoes?
A. Many classes do indeed promote the idea of wearing Chinese slippers. This is for two reasons. Firstly, they like you to think you are doing something oriental by wearing clothes or shoes from another culture, and secondly, because they like to encourage you to feel the ground beneath your feet. Trainers and hiking boots may inhibit that sensation, so choice of footwear is important when you first start learning Tai Chi. Chinese slippers are also useful for developing a good sense of balance and rooting.
If you do buy a pair, they generally come with either rope soles or plastic soles. The difference is quite important: With rope soles you can slide about a lot more, the shoes are more flexible and less noisy when performing on your own in front of the whole class. There is nothing worse than a beautifully executed form demonstrated to the accompaniment of a squeaky pair of plastic shoes. Plastic ones also tend to stick to certain floors making it difficult to do some postures, particularly the circle turns and kicks. So the choice is yours. Then again, if it's raining out, I know which I’d rather be walking back in.
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Chapter 2: The Fascinating History of Tai Chi
A. The History of Tai Chi Chuan is shrouded in myth and legend. It's almost impossible to get an objective overview of how the art has developed. Douglas Wile writes in his book 'Yang Family Secret Transmissions':
"Abandon all hope ye who search for certainty…there is not a single detail that is not the subject of bitter scholarly debate."
So if we put the disputed facts to one side, the legends and myths can perhaps tell us something else, something even more fundamental than the places and people that economics or politics have recorded for personal posterity. Facts are rarely objective. Dates and names may be, but the interpretations we place on them depend as much on who we are and why we are recording the information, as anything intrinsic to the data itself.
Perhaps it is the stories that will make a practitioner's feet “dance to the insights and inspirations of the words”. (Douglas Wile again).
We suspect that a mythical figure existed at some point in the early mists of martial art history; a solitary figure who practiced the postures as separate moves, later unifying them into a unified form. We know that it was not until centuries later in the ‘Chen Village’ that the art we know truly developed, and it did not begin to spread out until Yang Lu Chan adapted it to a new era. We know that it was during the Chinese political and civil conflicts of the early 20th Century that the art was inspired to change again, eventually fleeing abroad to Taiwan and later the West where it would evolve again into something else for another people and another culture. More than this though is unclear. But that matters little when we look for inspiration rather than fact.
With that in mind, I present the -totally unsubstantiated - two-minute version of the History of Tai Chi Chuan. This version takes into account that we now live in a world suffering from attention deficiency and a world raised on a diet of social media updates and twitter length items and adjusts itself accordingly: