COURSE By Li Jiong (Assisted by Timo Heikkila, Bertram Chock, Mike Cherrill and Vahid Jabbari)
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Preface Since 1991, the first time I met Mr. Han Jingyu in Shanghai, about twelve years passed. Guided by Mr. Han, I stepped in Yiquan world, and from then on, I never gave up study. I am fortunate, I met a great teacher, and he never gave up me. But the way of Yiquan Study is still not easy, frankly speaking, I just saw the ultimate realm of Yiquan recently, and I do not reach there yet. It is the common ideal of human being in fact, Taoism calls it Tao; Buddhism calls it nirvana. People seek this ultimate result by different ways, I approach it by Yiquan training, I believe now I will arrive there sooner or later surely. From Mr. Wang Xiangzhai on, at least, there are thousands practitioners did seek this ultimate result seriously by Yiquan training, but few of them did arrive, most of them even did not see it clearly. But believe me please, all efforts you do on Yiquan training will be worthy, so long as you walk up the right way, every effort you do will get enough repayment surely. This is the second edition of our course. The first edition is a record of Mr. Han’s teaching mainly; in this second edition, there may be more comprehension of me. As a course, I think it tries the best already, after all, there is not everything can be expressed by words. The rest relies on you, exert your wisdom, don’t give up, I can arrive here, you can arrive too.
The first step--Relaxation Training ORIGIN: Why shall we do Relaxation Training? Because it is the basal nature state of one's life, most time we stay in the relaxation state, if we grasp this state well, we can get better rest, accordingly, we will get better health, and consequently, we can enjoy our lives better. This is the origin of Relaxation Training; all exercises are built on this origin. There are different actions, just train you to be able to get into the Relaxation State in all kinds of instances. Relaxation means the muscles of the body not being contracted, and the mind being tranquil. It is a state where the brain, central nervous system, and the muscles are at rest. But is it possible to relax all the muscles? No, certain muscles must always be supporting the frame, otherwise one will fall down.
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So relaxation means lack of any unnecessary tension, which is the meaning of the saying "tension in relaxation." One should not, however, take the approach of dividing the body into different parts and different muscles but see it as a unity. The way of analyzing is not the way to learn Yiquan. Analysis can explain the theory, while the real thing can only be understood by personal experience; both have their own value and use. In order to feel relaxation in its simplest form, stand still in a natural posture, your hands hanging down relaxed on the sides. Note that if your hands hang away from your body, it means you are tensing to keep them up, once you relax them completely, they will hang down touching your body. Then ask someone to grab your wrist and lift your hand and arm up, and then let it loose, let it drop down. Here your friend can test whether you are relaxed or not, if your hand feels light you are tensing up, while a heavy hand is a sign of relaxation. That is because by tensing one will keep the hand up with one's own strength, thus the other person does not need to exert any strength. When he drops your hand, it should fall down immediately and slap your leg or hips when it comes down, any delay before the hand falls down means tension. A relaxed hand feels like a loose heavy rope, and feels and looks like one even if the other person shakes it. Some might be able to do this right away, while for others it might take a while to learn to let go of all tension. After you can do it, it is time to move to the next exercise: Exercise 1 Stand with your legs parallel, at about your shoulder width. Bend your waist forwards about 45 degrees, keeping your back straight. Let your hands and shoulders hang down loosely. If you stay relaxed like that, without doing anything for a while you'll get a heavy feeling in your hands due to the blood packing in there, but that is not the purpose or the goal of this exercise. Next start moving your weight from one leg to another, keeping your hands and shoulders completely relaxed. The movement caused by moving your weight will make your hands wave like two big pendulums, or two thick and loose ropes. Let the hands go with their own speed, don't even try control them. If you ask another person to give a slight push to your hands at any moment, your hands will give up and weave to the direction of the push without any resistance. Again some might be able to do it right away, or after a few minutes of practice, while for others it might take days, or even a couple of weeks to learn it, it all depends on the level one starts from. Many martial artists even with dozens of years of experience might lack this basic skill of relaxing, and some might have made their bodies stiff and tense by incorrect practice. But even if you would find it difficult to relax, remember 3
that relaxation is inherent in every one of us, it is an inborn and natural state of ours, only hindered by tension. Anyone can attain it; all it takes is to stop tensing. For many people it might indeed be more difficult not to do anything, than to do many things. After one has learned to enter the state of relaxation in this simple movement, it is time to extend this relaxed state into a slightly more complicated movement.
down on your sides. Then start turning your body back and forth around the central axis using the waist only, and your upper body will naturally follow, the hands and shoulders still being like loose ropes, or pendulums of a rattledrum. Here you can feel your hands slapping your body in the front and behind. You can try doing this movement with maximum speed, and if you do it correctly, your relaxed hands will be hitting your shoulders or chest so hard that it hurts very much. There's no need to keep doing the exercise with such speed and get bruises, just try it to find out whether you can keep your hands and shoulders relaxed. A qualified teacher can see it right away whether one is relaxed when one does this, but without a teacher one has to count on one's own judgment. If the hands are moving together with the rotation of the waist, you are tensing the shoulders. When the hands and shoulders are relaxed they will follow the movement with a small delay and hit the body when it is already turning to another direction. This collision will naturally change the direction of the hands. It is most likely that the more one thinks of one's hands and relaxing, the more one will actually tense. Forgetting the hands and shoulders, letting go of the tension will help in relaxing them. So a beginner can pay his or her attention to turning of the waist, make sure one does the movement around the central axis, without moving the buttocks from side to side. If the hands do not slap the body at every turn, another one in front and the other behind, it is a clear sign that one is tensing them. The reason for the hands not slapping the body might be unconscious fear, but after one can get over it, one will notice that there is no pain involved.
Exercise 2 Stand straight with your legs parallel at shoulder width, as if you were hanging from a rope from the crown of your head. Let your hands hang
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be a direct line between your both hands when the final point of every swing is reached. If you get tired very fast, it's a sign of tension. At this point, having mastered the previous exercises, you should also be able to distinguish the difference between relaxation and tension, so you should know by yourself whether you do it correctly or not. You may select a target (such as a forested mountain or a tree), then focus on your hands, and little by little, first imagine to point at it, then touch it, then push it, then pierce it with your palm (chuanzhang), and then drill it with your fist (zuanquan). One point must be noticed: one shouldn't limit his spirit on the target only, the mind should permeate the target and reach very very far, and the spirit should never be limited in the training.
After this has been learned, it is time to go on. What is meant by "learned," is that one does it correctly every time. There are three phases for each of these simple exercises: 1. "Completely wrong," 2. "Partly right, partly wrong," and 3. "Always right." If one cannot overcome the first phase in a few minutes, it's no use to keep on doing that exercise, but one should move back to the previous exercise. In the second phase, one should do the exercise much, practice earnestly until one reaches the third phase. After getting to the third stage one does not need to keep on doing that exercise anymore, it has served its purpose, that is, given you a feeling of a certain state. At that point it is time to move to the next exercise. One can, however, always return to the previous exercise to get a feeling of the correct state.
Exercise 3 - basis The posture is same as in exercise 2, but now add a certain degree of control in the movement, so that your other hand will swing directly forward, and the other one backward. Choose a target in the distance in front of you, at the eye level. Twisting your body, swing your hands towards this target, the other hand always doing an opposite movement, that is, going backwards. You can start with a smaller movement if you find it difficult to relax in the "full" movement and when you can relax, just extend the movement, until you reach the maximal movement. Going to the maximum, forces your whole body to move, this is important later when issuing strength - even in a tiny movement, every part of the body should move together. It is also important to be able to relax in one's whole range of movement, thus when doing this exercise, make sure that the body always turns so that there will
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After you can do this properly, take a narrow stance, start taking small steps without moving towards any direction, as if you were walking normally, just without moving forward. When your left hand swings forward, step with your right foot, and vice versa. Remember to keep the movement of the hands and the twisting of the body "full" even when you take steps. Here most people will notice that when they start taking steps, their movement becomes very unnatural and they have much tension, especially in the legs. You might feel it very difficult to twist your body while taking cross-steps, but usually the major reason is tensing, and the muscles working against each other, because you are not familiar with the movement.
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Yangshengzhuang - Health Preservation Pile Standing After you have learnt to do the first three exercises properly, in a completely relaxed manner, you can start practicing the standing exercises (zhanzhuang). If you start too early, i.e. when you have not yet learnt what relaxation is, the standing can rather be harmful, because when you stand there tensing up, you will just be developing a habit of being tense and stiff. In the old teaching method, one started right away from yangshengzhuang, and tried to gain a feeling of relaxation by imagination. The practitioner would imagine, for example, "taking a hot bath" and try to enter the relaxed state this way. This of course assumes that one has experienced relaxation by
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taking a hot bath, if one does not know what a hot bath feels like, or if one cannot relax when really taking one, it is very difficult to relax just by imagining it. For many people this way might take weeks or months, and some never learn to relax, while with the new teaching method, one will gain a feeling of relaxation right away, and will be able to extend this relaxed state into different kinds of movements usually in a week or two, some people even in a couple of days. Having entered a relaxed state, there is no need for imagination in yangshengzhuang anymore. In fact, one should not think of anything, only watch inside one's body, listen to the breath, and feel the body bulging and shrinking by the breath; summed up, just feel one's body. One should not, however, do breathing consciously, just leave it to nature, and just let it happen by itself. The positive effects for health originate from the brain and the central nervous system having a complete rest and strengthened metabolism. That all results from calming the mind and relaxing the body. This is also the basis on what the practice of Qigong and Taiji bring benefits to the health. Health preservation pile standing is also necessary for those interested in combat. We all know that to be able to fight or compete victoriously, one must be in good health. Besides, mental calmness and physical relaxation are essentials of fast reactions and explosive and powerful movements. Tightness in the muscles does not only hinder some of the strength, it also increases the risk of injuries. Below a few postures are given, as examples, but one must remember that what is important is the mental and physical state within, not the external posture. This does not, however, mean that one could just choose the easiest and least strenuous posture. For both health and combat, there are certain objective bases on what the external form is based on. The form we talk of here is not some fixed postures or techniques, but general fundamental principle. The objective bases come from the fact that we all have two hands and two legs, and the same laws of physics apply to everyone of us. One must be able to relax in any position, and in any movement that includes all the points between these positions as well. Stopping a movement at any point and keeping the right state of relaxation is zhanzhuang.
do not push your stomach out. Keep the head and spinal column erect, as if the spine was hanging from a thread, but do not raise the chin. Raise your hands to the shoulder level, the arms forming a circle, as if you were holding a big balloon. Do not raise the elbows to the same level with the hands and the shoulders, but do not let them hang too low either. Close your eyes and relax the whole body like you learnt in the previous exercises. Naturally there is certain tension that is required to keep the posture, so what we mean by relaxation is rather minimum tension, which is having only as small amount of tension as is needed to keep the posture. Your palm and fingers are opened as if you were holding a rubber ball in each hand.
Keep this posture for about twenty minutes each time in beginning, and if you enter the right state in standing, the salivary secretion will increase, it is a sign that your autonomic nervous system has begun to work to clean the inner part of your body.
(b) Jushi - Raising posture Continue the above posture, two hands uplift over the head, the palms of the hand face each other, the fingers upward, two hands at about shoulder width, imagine your body has a gigantic stature, as if lift something to the moon.
Zhanshi - Standing postures (a) Baoshi - Holding a balloon posture Stand naturally, your feet at about shoulder width, the toes pointing forward or slightly outward - try it by yourself and find the most comfortable position for your feet. Then sit down slightly, as if sitting on a high stool, but 12
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(c) Pengshi - Holding up posture Continue the above posture, two hands slowly fall to the front of the umbilicus, the arms become a semicircle, the elbows brace out, the palms of the hand upward, the fingers point at each other, as if hold a ball.
(d) Tuishi - Pushing posture Two hands lift to the same level of the shoulders, push ahead, as if pushing something, or supporting a wall to have a rest. Other requirements are the same as Baoshi.
(e) Anshi - pressing down posture Lower both hands until they are at a distance of about 1 foot from the body, above the umbilicus a little, the distance between the two hands is a little wider than the hipbones. The palms of the hands are in front and facing down, each as if putting on a kid’s head. Other requirements are the same as Baoshi.
(f) Huashi - Rowing posture Two hands placed at the sides of the body, the arms have an angle of 45 degrees with the body, the palms of the hands face forward to the front. As if playing in the water and feeling very happy.
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Face right ahead, Keep the head and spine erect, as if they were hanging from a thread, but do not raise the chin. Close your eyes and relax the whole body, breathe naturally, be uniform and silent. (b) Jushi-Raising posture Continue the above posture, two hands uplift over the head, the palms of the hands face each other, the fingers upward, two hands at about shoulder width, image your body has a gigantic stature.
(g) Xiuxishi-Rest posture Two hands lightly placed on the lower back, the palms face to the rear, the whole body relaxes, the upper part of the body bends ahead a little, then sways to left and right several times, then stand up slowly, two hands put to the side of the body naturally. The whole body relaxed, as if floating in the sky.
Zuoshi-Sitting postures (a) Yubeishi-Preparation posture Sit on a stool naturally (the stool should a little higher than your knees), divide both feet a little wider than your shoulder, the shanks are vertical with the ground. Both palms of the hand are upturned, placed lightly on the thighs. 16
(c) Baoshi-Holding a balloon posture Continue the above posture, lower down your hands to the shoulder level, the arms forming a circle, as if you were holding a big balloon. Do not raise the elbows to the same level with the hands and the shoulders, but do not let them hang too low either.
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(d) Zhaishi-Picking posture Continue the above posture, the forearms turn inwardly so that the palms face downward, the wrists bend a little, the fingers droop, furl slightly, as if carry something. The shoulders, the elbows and the wrists all become an obtuse angle, droop the shoulders and drop the elbows, feel the whole body relaxed and comfortable.
(e) Woshi-Holding posture Continue the above posture, two hands lower down slowly, gently make two fists, the thumb inside, and other fingers outside, place lightly on the middle area of your thighs. The whole body relaxes. (f) Tuoshi-Supporting posture Continue the above posture, open the hands and lift them a little, the palms upward, the arms become a semicircle, the elbows brace out, the palms of the hand upward, the fingers point to each other, as if holding the air.
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Woshi- Lying postures (a) Yubeishi-Preparation posture Lie on your back on the bed, the whole body relaxes, both hands placed on the side naturally, the palms face down. Put both feet at about shoulder width apart, breathe naturally, and close your eyes, as if lying in tepid water.
(g) Jieshushi-End posture Continue the above posture, two hands lightly placed on the lower back, the palms face to the rear, the whole body relaxes, as if floating in the sky. Rest in this posture for a while, and then end the practice.
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(b) Woshi-Holding posture Continue the above posture, the fingers and the toes hold at the same time, as if holding a small bird, you don't want to kill it by holding too tightly, but you also don't want to let it fly away from your grasp.
(d) Baoshi-Holding a balloon posture Continue the above posture; extend your wrists and fingers a little, the arms forming a circle, the palms open on to your chest, as if you were holding a big balloon.
(c) Zhaishi-Picking posture Continue the above posture, two hands lift to the front of the chest, the wrists bend a little, the fingers droop, furl slightly, as if picking something. Bend and lift your knees, let it become an obtuse angle, two feet put on the bed flatly at the same as shoulder width.
(e) Tuoshi-Supporting posture Continue the above posture, the palms turn up, as if supporting something.
(f) Lishi-Erect posture
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Continue the above posture, the forearms have an outward rotation, the palms face each other, the fingers are upturned.
left and right, feel whether your body is whole, as if one wooden piece. Then move your center of mass to the front and back, also feel whether your body is moving as a whole. Then turn your body slightly, is it still whole? This practice gives you a feeling of wholeness. You may keep relaxed, and at the same time, keep whole. Remember the feeling of relaxation and wholeness, and try to keep this feeling in all relaxation exercises.
(g) Jieshushi-End posture Continue the above posture, lower your hands slowly, put them on the abdomen below the navel, rest for a while, then extend your legs naturally, and then end the practice.
Feel whole (unitary) Stand naturally with your feet at about shoulder width, stretch your arms to the sides, as if push two walls, then move your center of mass to the 24
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or two very little weaving movements, that is a sign of you continuing the movement by yourself.
Exercise 4 Part 1 - the wrists Stand naturally and raise your hands to the chest level, hands being about 10cm (4 inches) away from the chest, do not raise your elbows, but let them hang freely (if you feel it is easier, you can start with elbows slightly raised though), let all the strength go from your wrists, just letting them hang freely (to the inside, not forward). Then do a shaking movement with your wrists, as if you had just washed your hands and were shaking the water off now - do only one shake at a time though, and stop after that. Start the sudden shake from a completely relaxed state, do not do a telegraphing movement (i.e. pull your wrists backwards before shaking) and do not stop the movement, just let the wrists bend as much as they bend and the hands will return naturally to their original position. Do not use force during the movement, only at the start, and even there, just a light impulse of strength is enough. Common problems are: pulling the hands back - there is no need to use any strength after the initial impulse, the hands will come back to the original posture naturally if they are kept completely relaxed; if the hands do not come back - this results from tensing at the point the hands have reached their extreme posture, just relax the wrists and the hands will "bounce" back automatically; tensing at the end of the movement - do not stop the movement by tensing your hands when the hands return to the original position, instead, let them stop by themselves, the hands will weave a little after they have returned to the original position, but if they do more than one
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Part 2 - the elbows After you have mastered the previous part of the exercise then it is time to extend the movement into the elbows, the previous exercise is included in this one, that is, you do the movement starting from the elbows all the way to the hands, but there is no need to worry about the rest of the body at this point. Start from exactly the same posture as in the previous part of the exercise. This time extend your arms with a small impulse of strength. Do
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not do this movement with force, because the movement is stopped by the elbow joint, which could get hurt if the movement was done with too much force. Again, let your arms extend completely and "bounce" back to the original posture without tension, that is, do not make two movements – extend & pull back - but let it all happen in one relaxed movement where strength is used only for the sudden impulse to initiate the movement. A common error is to pull the arms back before they have really extended, a reason is usually unconscious fear when the hand extends without control and this causes pulling the hand back with tension. Start with a smaller amount of strength first to overcome this problem.
at this point. Common errors are: tensing the shoulders or the hands just before the movement – ask a friend to hold his/her hands on your shoulders and feel whether the movement starts as one sudden impulse as it should or by first tensing and the starting the movement, which is a common error among the beginners; pulling the hands back - like in the previous part, many people are afraid of giving up the control and letting the hands go relaxed by themselves after the initial impulse, try to overcome this problem by starting slower and gradually increasing the speed and explosiveness; tensing at the end of the movement - there should be no tension during or after the movement, but only when the movement is initiated as a sudden impulse. When you have learnt to do this exercise properly thrusting the hands downwards, you can raise the target a couple of centimeters higher, and after being able to do the movement in the same relaxed manner, with the same feeling, you can move a couple of centimeters up again, and so on. You can also do the same to the sides, i.e. the left hand goes to the left and the right hand goes to the right. Start this from thrusting the hands almost downwards at the beginning and raising a couple of centimeters at a time, like when you did it forward. When you can do both of the movements in a relaxed way at the shoulder level, it is time to move to Part 4.
Part 3 - the shoulders After you have mastered both of the previous parts, you can move to the shoulders. The whole arms and shoulders are involved in this movement, so the previous parts are again included in this one. Start from the same posture as in the previous exercises, but this time thrust your fingers downwards (slightly forward) and when they reach the extreme point, let them bounce back in a relaxed manner. Do not do the movement by swinging the lower arm around the elbow joint like in the second part of this exercise - this could be harmful to the elbows when done with greater explosiveness, and besides it does not serve the purpose in the end - but let the hands move in a straight line, the elbows and shoulders following it. Let the shoulders stretch as much as they stretch naturally and in a relaxed manner, but avoid any tension. The movement is initiated by a sudden impulse from the muscles of the arms and shoulders; there is no need to worry about the rest of the body
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Part 4 - whole body Take the same posture as previously, your feet at shoulder width, knees lightly bent. Now it is time to initiate the movement from the whole body, making it a sudden impulse created by all the muscles, but first you must
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learn to drop your weight down: all of a sudden, pull your feet up about 3 centimeters, making your body fall down. Pull the knees towards your chest, the balls of your feet towards your buttocks, and the toes towards your knees. Do it all at the same time, after dropping your weight down, check that your body is still relaxed, and if it is not, relax it, and then rise up slowly. After you have learnt that, add thrusting your hands out in front of you at the shoulder level to dropping your weight, make sure it all happens at the same time and that you maintain your balance during the whole movement. By pulling your feet up in the above mentioned way, there will automatically be an impulse of tension in the whole legs, buttocks and abdomen and lower back and by thrusting your hands forward, the whole arms, shoulders, and upper body tense for the moment of the sudden impulse. For a beginner it might be difficult to make the whole body tense at the same time and only for the time of the sudden impulse, but after some time of training it will get easier and soon it will happen naturally without even thinking of it - one has built sound basis for fali (issuing strength) that comes later in the training. After you have mastered this thrusting your hands forward, you can do the same to the sides, again, on the shoulder level, still dropping down your weight. Having mastered this too, you can start increasing the speed, seeking maximum explosiveness. Maximum speed and explosiveness require maximum relaxation, so do not try to increase the speed by any kind of tension -it will not pay off in the end.
Stand naturally, like in the previous exercise. Swing your hands to the sides, and let them drop and cross in front of you. Make sure that your hands aren't like stiff straight sticks, but more like loose ropes that bend with the movement. When you have practiced this simple movement for some time and feel you can do it in a relaxed manner, you can start to "shoot" your hands towards left and right (left and to the left side, and right hand to the right) when they reach the highest point at both sides. "Shoot" your hands as a sudden impulse, dropping your weight down at the same time, like in the previous part of the exercise. Right after your hands have been "shot out," relax your whole body, letting your hands drop down. When done correctly, they will first extend then slightly bounce back and fall down fast at the same time. And then you may add ‘turn’, when dropping your weight down, at the same time, turn your body, ‘shoot’ your hands out.
Part 5
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Exercise 5 - going further Now you can go further with Exercise 3, you have already learnt to walk forward while swinging your hands back and forth. Now, take a target at the distance at the level of your eyes and think that you were pushing this target with the hand swinging forward. Start taking longer and longer steps, but make sure that your can keep your legs relaxed, it happens with most beginners that their legs start to look as if they were wooden when they start doing this exercise, because their body is not used to using the hands and feet at the same time. Make your movements bigger and bigger, really trying to reach the target, even if it is meters away. Do not, however, lean forward from the waist, keep the rear leg and upper body in line, that is, at the extreme point of the push, you form a straight line from the rear foot to the fingers. But make sure to raise your body to an upright position when you have completed the push - it's like pounding with a hammer, after you have hit once, you must raise the hammer up to hit again. Keep the center of your body at the same level all the time, don't move up and down. Don't be afraid of a low posture, it will strengthen your legs, increase your balance and do no harm. If you can reach any further, then do that, make sure your movement is full every time. This way your whole body is forced to move together, you will naturally build the habit of moving your body as a whole. When you can do it well with cross-steps (left foot and right hand forward and vice versa), start changing your target every now and then, eventually advancing to changing the target at every push. At this point the speed of the movement is not important, but you should start working on the reaction
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speed to the surroundings, that is, after you have finished one push (reached the extreme position), look for a new target right away. The new target could be in the same direction, or behind you; you can take the target from any direction. After you have found the target, start the next push with the other hand right away. Have continuous movement without a break as your goal. Although it is physiologically unattainable, you can still keep improving the reaction speed all the time even though you will never reach the goal. When you feel natural changing the targets, you can start practicing with left hand pushing while the left leg is in front, and vice versa. Start it with moving forward, then when you have mastered it, start altering your targets. After you have mastered this as well, there is a third way of stepping left. Have, for example, your left leg forward (naturally you must practice on both sides) and push the ground with your right leg, raising your [left] leg off the ground, keeping it completely relaxed. This way you keep another leg in front all the time. Now that you have mastered all three ways of moving, start altering them while you change the targets at every movement. If you start feeling too tired with the fast pace, you can sometimes stop for a few seconds, just searching for a new target, keeping extremely alert all the time.
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break when you hit something hard. Following these guidelines doesn't mean that you now have a perfect fist, now you only have a fist that you can start to practice with, you must practice with a sandbag to make your fist strong enough. This doesn't, however, beating your fist against a hard bag until it hurts, this kind of practice only spoils the joints on a long run.
Exercise 6 Now that you can do the swinging movement (push) well, it's time to learn to do the same along a straight line. What is explained here is to teach you to relax during all kinds of movement and to teach you to always move the body as a unity, it is not a combat technique and would not work as one, even though it distantly resembles that. Start with pushing one hand forward towards the target in a straight line. The target should still be at eye level. When one hand moves towards the target, the other hand moves back to the hips. Keep your hand open, fingers pointing forward. While you do the movement, twist your hand so that while on your hip, the palm points downwards, and while the hand is extended the palm points upwards. Do the twist during the whole movement, not at the end or at the beginning. The same requirements apply to this exercise as to the previous one, i.e. make the movement full, extending as far as you can reach, yet not bending forward from the waist. Once you have mastered it standing still, you can start taking steps without moving forward, and continue to free stepping like in the Exercise 5. Another way to do this exercise is keeping your fist closed, but do not make too tight a fist, let it rather be slightly open. In forming your fist, pay attention to your wrist being straight, otherwise it can be broken when you start actual combat training. You can get an idea of the correct wrist position by first putting the backside of your fist and upper arm tightly against a wall, and keeping this position, doing the same with the outside edge of the hand. Then make sure your fist is flat, i.e. no finger points out and all the knuckles are at level. When closing your fist, close the four other fingers first, and thumb on them. If you have your thumb inside the fist, it'll
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you should always take only what works for you, or make it work for you; do not follow anyone blindly, no matter how famous or good he is.
With these exercises you should now have a clear picture of what is "relaxed." Now you can start to pay attention to your body in your daily life, when you walk, sit, stand, ride a bike, play a ball game, type with a computer, or whatever you do, check every now and then whether you are relaxed, and if you are not, relax. Many people, without noticing it, tend to raise their shoulders when typing on a computer, etc. Also, pay attention to your posture in your daily life, try to keep a good posture even when you sit down at work. Mastering all of this is not an instant thing. Doing it through correspondence, that is, without having the guidance of a teacher, it might take more than three months to master this. Remember that relaxation is the basis of both combat and health preservation, although not enough alone, and relaxation state is the most essence state of one’s life, most time, you stay in relaxation state. So do not despise the training of relaxation, don't hurry, train hard and only when you feel comfortable and relaxed in one exercise, move to the next one. After a month or two, when you start to feel relatively comfortable with all the above mentioned exercises, you can start to do some specific training to prepare you for combat that is techniques. At this point, do all the techniques in a completely relaxed manner, without any force. Here it is still training of relaxation at the same time, and you will also build the movement memory into your brain for right kind of techniques. Three most basic techniques are given here as examples: straight punch, hook, and uppercut. You don't need to imitate these examples blindly, but shape them for yourself. And you can go to seek a good boxing coach, who could teach you more about striking techniques. But remember, in learning
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Exercise 1 -- Feel whole tension First, let us gain a feeling of tension. The posture is just like the exercise of "feel whole" in the first step (Stand naturally with your feet at about shoulder width, stretch your arms to the sides, as if to push two walls; then move your center of mass to the left and to the right. Feel whether your body is whole, as if one wooden piece). But this time, imagine that these two walls are pressing you; you have to use all your strength to counteract them. The whole body is completely like a stone, and you try your best to push to the left and right. The body must not be transformative, That is to say: the relative positions of the parts of the body do not change, and the structure does not deform. This practice gives you a feeling of "whole tension". You may keep tension and at the same time, keep whole.
The training is a continuous process and it is not possible to completely describe it with words. Here, we are only offering some examples of the training and one should draw inferences about other cases from one of the instances. Please don't think that Yiquan training is only about some fixed exercises. Generally, our main task isn't to tell you how to place your hands, feet or your body, but to help you enter the proper state and get the proper feeling by doing some actions. Following this, the other things are dependent on yourself. Only by this way, you can get your own Yiquan, instead of the Yiquan as an object.
The second step -- Tension Training ORIGIN Why shall we do Tension Training? As we know, life isn’t
relaxation only, sometime, you have to use force, you will get into tension state. So it is also a nature state of life. Tension Training will let you master the proper way of force exertion, increase your strength, and since it is a nature state of life, it will also help your health. After practicing the first step for several months, you may achieve the level that you can enter the Relaxation State whenever you wish, even to the extent that without being aware of the body, it still stays in the proper state. Then you may do the advanced exercise -- Tension Training.
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When you get the feeling of whole tension, you needn't do this exercise any more, it hasn't any other use. Then you may practice the next exercise. Exercise 2 – Jijizhuang (Combat standing) Here are some examples only, of combat standing. In fact, all postures, which could appear in combat by any possibility, can all be Jijizhuang. We have only selected some typical postures here, but one shouldn't think that only these postures are Jijizhuang. In the beginning of practicing Jijizhuang, you’d better find a spacious place, it is best that there are mountains or big trees in view. (a) Hunyuanzhuang (perfectly round standing) Select a target first, like a mountain, big tree, or any other big thing. Face the target that you have selected; stand naturally; your feet at about shoulder width; the toes pointing forward or slightly outward - try it by yourself and find the most comfortable position for your feet. Then sit down slightly, as if sitting on a high stool, but do not push your stomach out. Keep the head erect, as if it was hanging from a thread, but do not raise the chin. Raise your hands to shoulder level, the palms face each other, as if to hold the target, open the eyes, gaze at the target, the line of sight is a little higher than horizontal. Now, you may begin to work on your target, imagine pushing, pulling, lifting, pressing or shaking it. The mind should be true, in other words, your muscles are working and changing to follow your mind, as if you are really doing it. You may also change the height of your body, sit down some, or stand up a little, in order to train your ability to control the whole space around you.
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In the beginning, one may do each Jijizhuang for a short while. Little by little, the duration can be extended to more than five minutes, if you do it truly, five minutes for each posture is enough. As we know, in combat, we need tension for a short moment only; most of the time, our body will remain in the relaxed state in order to maintain the ability of rapidly changing. If one holds tension postures for too long, there is a danger of becoming stiff. Another point should be noted: Each action of tension training should point towards a direction with the whole body, don't tense for tension sake only. You should also include the possibility of motion instead of dead rigidity. Also, while doing the tension practice, one also should keep the ability to enter the state of relaxation, this means that you should be able to relax the whole body immediately at any time. Just like an electric light can be turned on or off in an instant. So, tension contains the possibility of relaxation and relaxation contains the possibility of tension. In practice, sometimes, one may tense for a few seconds and then relax, then tense again for a few seconds. And the body remains unmoving (or may have a little moving) when you change from relaxed to tense or from tense to relaxed. In Yiquan training, the advanced steps contain the fundamental steps. (b) Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang Stand as Hunyuanzhuang, turn your body to the left (or right) 45 degrees, the center of gravity moves back a little. Also, find a target towards your front; imagine holding the target. Do the same thing as in Hunyuanzhuang (imagine pushing, pulling, lifting, pressing or shaking the target). Note that all forces in Jijizhuang can be described as "whole force". This means that you should imagine pushing, pulling, lifting, pressing or shaking the target with your entire body, not just your hands. Also, the relative position of the parts of your body shouldn't be changing much within one posture.
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This posture often appears in combat, so it also named jijizhuang. (c) Dulizhuang - One Leg Standing Stand as Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang, then move your center of gravity to the front leg, lift your back leg, and step ahead, as if to step on a football, do the same thing as Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang (imagine pushing, pulling, lifting, pressing or shaking the target which you find at the front). The raised leg also uses force to do the same thing; you use the whole body.
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(d) Dashizhuang - Big Posture Standing Stride with your left (or right) leg ahead, sit down some, do the same thing as Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang (imagine pushing, pulling, lifting, pressing or shaking the target which you find at the front).
(e) Fuhuzhuang - subduing a tiger posture Stand as Dashizhuang, go down a little, and put the two hands down, as if to press a tiger, the front hand holds the tiger's neck, the back hand holds the tiger's waist. Imagine that the tiger does all it can to break loose, and you are totally absorbed with the task of subduing it.
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(f) Xianglongzhuang - vanquishing a dragon posture Continue the above; the tiptoe of the front foot moves out a little; you bend forwards, the right (or left) hand pushes ahead forming a straight line with the back leg. The head turns back to watch the heel of the back foot, the left (or right) hand pushes backwards and pushes back in the opposite direction to the front. You may imagine that you are subduing a fearsome and untamed dragon; your front hand holds the dragon's neck, your back hand holds the dragon's tail, you struggle as if for your life.
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Test: You may ask a person push or pull you in each posture; if you have whole tension, he will find it very difficult to move you, and your body structure will not be distorted. Exercise 3 -- Bian xian (Change the line of sight) Select two targets towards your front, stand as Hunyuanzhuang or Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang. Focus on one of the targets first, and your body begins to build up a connection with it, just as you did in Jijizhuang standing, then turn to look at the other target suddenly, and the connection is changed immediately towards the second target. Then you turn again to look the first target, and then back to the second. Practice these changes again and again. When you can do the change between two targets, you may do it between three targets, four targets, and so on. At last, you may change the line of sight freely, and your body will change automatically to follow your line of sight. This exercise is very important; it will make your force become very lively.
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waist and neck especially, to see whether they are tense or not.
Left-right Shili: Stand as the above, try as if to move the target to the left and right by your whole body.
Exercise 4 – Shili (Trial of force) Shili is an extension of Zhanzhuang in three-dimensional space. By thinking of it in this way, we can also call it moving zhuang. The state of Zhanzhuang should also be kept in Shili. Here are some examples of Shili exercise:
Up-down Shili Stand as the above, try as if to lift up the target and then press it down by your whole body.
Front-back Shili: Select a target towards your front, stand as in Hunyuanzhuang, begin to push and pull your target, but this time your hands are really moving, and your body moves slightly too, all the muscles are tense. You may check your 48
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Horizontal Shili: Stand as Hunyuanzhuang, extend the two hands as if to press the target, now try to turn it in a horizontal plane. The two hands draw a circle in the front of your body, and at the same time, your body describes a circle too, but it is smaller; the hands and body coordinate together.
Coronal section Shili: Stand as Hunyuanzhuang, the two hands extend as if to press the target. Try to turn it in a vertical plane. The two hands draw a circle at the front of your body, moving from the left, up and then down to the right continuing down and then up to the left (or you can reverse the direction) and at the same time, your body also describes a smaller circle. 50
Vertical plane Shili: Stand as Hunyuanzhuang, extend your hands to the front, the palms face each other, as if to hold an object. Now, try to turn the object in the vertical plane in front of the chest.
Free Shili: Now you may try to do Shili freely, hunt around for a target, move as if to hold it and manipulate it spontaneously (pulling, pushing, lifting, pressing, moving...). Change targets one by one; move your body freely (go ahead, back, left, right, or rise, down).
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Note: In the beginning of Shili training, one should move slowly, the mind hangs over the target, and at the same time, you should experience the feeling of your body, in the movement. If you feel infirm in a certain position, just stop and stand in this posture, use the techniques of Jijizhuang to strengthen it, and then, go back to Shili training. One should pay close attention to one's nutrition and rest while doing tension training. Train hard and you will increase your power rapidly. When you can tense your whole body at any moment and in any posture, with the whole body becoming like a stone and with no flabbiness or discontinuity in the body, then you may enter the next step in training relaxation and tension changing to each other. Exercise 5 -- Zhoutian Zhenpai (circumfluence flap) This is a supplemental exercise, which can improve blood circulation and improve the body's resistance to strikes. With your right palm slap your left arm repeatedly, moving from the shoulder to the hand on the inner side. Each slap should overlap so that the entire area is covered. Then slap back from the hand to the shoulder along the outer side; do this three times. Now change hands; use your left hand to slap the right arm just as above. Then use your two hands to slap the front of your body from the top down. Again, do this three times. Slap the back of your body from the top down three times too. Now, slap your legs along the outer flank from the top down and slap along the inner side from the bottom to the top, three times. Then at the same time, one hand slaps the front of your body, and the other hand slaps the back of your body from the top down, alternately for three rounds.
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Finally, your right hand slaps the left Jianjing (the middle between the shoulder and the neck) three times, and your left hand slaps the right Jianjing three times. You may repeat the above exercise several times, if you have enough time. This exercise also can be done as a supplemental exercise at the beginning or end of each training session.
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(send out an explosive force), after you send out the explosive force, you should revert to relaxed state immediately, to prepare for the next Fali.
I. The dynamics analysis of Fali First, let us analyze how the force produced. As we know, F(force)=M(mass)*a(acceleration), in order to increase F(the force), there are two ways to achieve this aim, one is to increase M(the mass), another is to increase a(the acceleration). 1. How can we increase M (the mass) Generally, a non-training person will hit the opponent by one part (fist/palm/foot etc.) only, and then the M just is the mass of a fist (or a foot...). However, we emphasize to use "whole force" at the very start, in this stage it means, while you touch the opponent in a punch, tense all your muscles suddenly, your body becomes rigid and whole, then the M is the mass of your whole body, sometimes, it will be added the mass of the earth (your rigid body supported by the earth, become a mass, and your opponent knocks into this rigid mass to the moment). 2. How can we increase a (the acceleration) As we know, a=(v1-v0)/t, that is to say, the acceleration gets direct ratio from the variable of velocity, and varies inversely with the time of action. Then what you need do is to increase the speed, shorten the time of touch. Above we talk about how to increase your hit force in combat, if one does push hands, he may use sending force, mainly to defeat the opponent but not wound him. Then you need to increase your impulse, as we know, Ft(impulse)=MV(momentum), you should prolong the time of touch.
II. Four basic ways of Fali
The third step - relaxation and tension change each other
ORIGN: We know, sometime, the environment changes tempestuously, it is necessary to train your state changing capacity, so that you can protect your life better. It is also a natural ability, so this step training also will help your health. In Yiquan circle, relaxation changing to tension suddenly is called Fali 56
According to how the force produced, there are four basic ways of Fali: 1. The parts of your body move reversely (Mainly your hand(s) move reversely with your body) As we know, the force and its counterforce always appear with the form of couple, and the magnitudes of them are equal, but the direction of them are contrary. If we look at the body as a dynamic system, it is also in this way. If you want to push ahead, at the same time, you should step backwards; if you want to pull something down, at the same time, you will draw your body upwards. If losing one, then the other also does not exist any more. All actions are in this way, simply you have not given your attention to this fact, so you have not the experience of using force with double directions, to make your force become bigger and more effective, we should train the habit
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of using force with double directions. Because the mass ratio of double direction movements, results in the difference of the movement speed, make the small part get a high speed, and hit on the body of your opponent. For example, in the process of pushing ahead, you arms use force ahead, your body uses force backwards, they come into being a couple, the magnitude of them are equal, the direction of them are contrary, but the mass of one’s arms is much less than one’s body, therefore, the movement speed of the arms is much higher than the speed of the body, accordingly, your fist or palm can act on the opponent effectively. In practicing Fali exercises, first, one should keep the state of “whole”, on this foundation, use force with double directions. 2. Drop your center of gravity suddenly In fact, we have already gotten the feeling of this way in the exercise 4 of Relaxation Training. By suddenly dropping your weight down, the weight potential energy turns into kinetic energy, and is sent out from your hands. 3. Turn your body This is also a Fali way that we often use. As we know, the muscles of one’s waist and hip are very strong; turning your body just means using these strong muscles. 4. The back foot stamps the ground This way is to just let your body unified with the earth, and gets the great mass, you will also get a counterforce from the ground, and one’s leg can produce a large force too. Of course, in fact, we often do Fali in a mixed way, mix some of these four styles or all.
III. Two modalities of discharging energy As we know, Fali should use energy. Let’s talk about two modalities of discharging energy of the body. In a general way, when the body is discharging energy, it will comply with the principle of lowest energy. It means that on the condition you can gain your aim, cut back on energy discharging as much as possible, namely, use less force. For example, want to pick up a paper, you will use two fingers only, instead of shrinking all muscles of the upper limb forcibly. If you want to take up a satchel, you may use force by one upper limb, have no use for shrinking your whole body muscles forcibly. These actions accord with the principle of lowest energy, accordingly, you save energy and protect your vitality. But there is also another instance, while one barge up against a peril of his life, his nerves high tense, the body can burst out a much larger force,
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than in daily time, in a flash to deal with this emergency. For example, you can jump over a deep channel in an exigency, it is not possible to jump over this deep channel at ordinary times, and later, you don’t know how you jumped over it. This is just the state of highest energy discharging. Namely, use the maximal force as possible to deal with the dangerous situation; this ability will increase the possibility of continuing one’s life. In martial arts, the above two modalities of discharging energy both are useful. In Fali, one is in the state of highest energy discharging. Because in the ordinary times, your body always stays in the first energy discharging modality, in nature, the second energy discharging modality is excited passively, it is not controlled by your consciousness. However, in martial arts, we need the ability of entering these two energy discharging modalities on our own initiative, therefore, we should train the ability of entering the state of highest energy discharging at any moment by Fali exercise. And the chief qualification is the spirit high united.
IV. Some Samples: 1. Longxing Fali—Dragon Bursting Put together two legs, bend down your body, and relax. Then suddenly expand your whole body to all directions, and tensed all your muscles. You may try the state of relaxation and the state of tension first (the beginning and the end of this action), and then change suddenly from the state of relaxation to the state of tension. This exercise shows you the proper feeling of Fali. You may imagine there are five ropes tied around your two feet, two hands and neck respectively, and the another end of these five ropes all tied around your Dantian (the center of your body), feel as if these five ropes are broken at the same time when you do this Fali exercise. Or you may visualize there are five enemies hold and press you, one holds your left hand; one holds your right hand; one holds your left leg; one holds your right leg; and one holds your neck. Then you throw them away suddenly with this ‘Dragon Bursting’. Note: all in suddenness and at the same time, there is almost no process from relaxation to tension. This exercise can help you connect the Fali of the upper body and the lower body, it can remedy the deficiency of other Fali exercises, because other Fali exercises are easy to not produce force in the waist, and results in the upper body and the lower body becoming two parts (losing the “whole”).
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2. Tanzhang Fali—Stretching Bursting Stand as the same step as “Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang”, put your two hands in the front of the body, one about on the front of your mouth and nose, another on the front of your stomach. Suddenly, stretch your body ahead, the barycentre of your body drops down, at the same time, the lower palm hits out, and the higher arm moves back, tense all muscles at the same time. Then the body and hands turn back and relax immediately.
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3. Qiantui Fali—Pushing Bursting Stand as “Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang”, relax first, suddenly, move your barycentre ahead, the back foot stamps the ground, and at the same time, your hands both push ahead, all muscles explosively shrink, change the state from relaxation to tension, your body recoils, the front foot points the ground naturally, and immediately, your hands bounce back as if touching a very hot iron, and the whole body changes back the relaxation state. The important points of Fali are quick and whole, the whole process accomplished in a flash, and your whole body must change from the whole
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relaxation state to the whole tension state, and change back to the whole relaxation state again. One may practice Fali against a real tree or sandbag to get proper feeling, in preparation state, your hands may keep a distance of about one inch to the tree/sandbag, this is they call “cunjin (inch force)”.
You may also practice this Fali against a real tree or sandbag to get proper feeling.
5. Ce Fali—Side direction Bursting Stand as “Hunyuanzhuang” or “Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang”, two hands as if holding something, relax first, suddenly, two hands trun toward a side, the body and the arms move reversely (if your arms move to the left side, then your body moves to the right side, vice versa), all muscles explosively shrink, change the state from relaxation to tension, and then immediately, the whole body changes back to the relaxation state and the preliminary posture.
4. Houla Fali—Pulling Bursting Stand as “Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang”, two hands as if holding something, relax first, suddenly, two hands pull back fiercely, at the same time, your body move ahead, all muscles explosively shrink, change the state from relaxation to tension, and then immediately, the whole body changes back to the relaxation state and the preliminary posture.
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6. Xuanzhuan Fali—Turning Bursting Stand as the same step as “Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang”, the hands make a fist, relax first, suddenly, turn your body, throw one arm ahead and one back, all muscles explosively shrink, change the state from relaxation to tension, and then immediately, the whole body changes back the relaxation state and the preliminary posture. You may try both directions of turning.
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7. Jingdou Fali—Sudden Shaking Bursting It can be looked as “Ce Fali—Side direction Bursting” plus “Qiantui Fali—Pushing Bursting”. Stand as “Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang”, two hands as if hold something, relax first, suddenly, the body and the arms move reversely (if your arms move to the left side, then your body moves to the right side, vice versa), and then the back foot stamps the ground, and at the same time, your hands both push ahead, all muscles explosively shrink, change the state from relaxation to tension, and then immediately, the whole body changes back the relaxation state and the preliminary posture. The important point of this Fali is: the whole process should be finished in a flash, although it looks as “Ce Fali—Side direction Bursting” plus “Qiantui Fali—Pushing Bursting”, it can’t be broken to two actions. And the forces in two directions (side and ahead) both are true. You should destroy the opponent in both spirit side and body side, fill a mass of information in your opponent in a flash, make him be not able to deal with this, and then he can do nothing but be hit.
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8. Test—Hit the abdomen by yourself Stand as “Hunyuanzhuang” or “Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang”, relax first, suddenly, take back two hands to hit your own abdomen, all muscles explosively shrink, change the state from relaxation to tension, and then immediately, the whole body changes back the relaxation state and the preliminary posture. This exercise is to test whether your body can change from the relaxation state to the tension state synchronously, whether you can bear your own full hit.
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9. Huobu Fali—Free Fali After you master the above Fali exercises, then you may practice the free Fali exercise, in this stage, I can not tell you any fixed actions any more, according to the principles of Fali, you may try different directions and actions by yourself. Little by little, you will get the ability to send out a whole bursting force anytime and anywhere, according to the requirement of the nature. Note: Fali training will consume a lot of energy, so do not overdo it, according to our experience, to practice for a total two hundreds times per day are enough. And do not test the result of Fali on a real person (especially hitting Fali), it is very dangerous. There were two students of Han Xingqiao who died from Fali tests done to them by their companions.
V. Shisheng--Test the Voice Shisheng is a part of Fali, it should work with Fali at the same time. Shisheng is in order to excite the energy of yourself, make your spirit and force united, especially; it can tense your abdomen. The voice of Shisheng is similar as “yiĄer”, but it is not a shout by your mouth, however, you will feel as if it is emitted from the back of your brain.
your body becomes more and more relaxed, you mind becomes more and more tense. As soon as your opponent’s spirit reveals a rip, attack him immediately (you will shoot out a bursting-force unconsciously). Of course, little by little, you may change the target in practice (or imagine there is more than one enemy around you).
Exercise I Two hands open, the palms towards the target, as if preparing to catch a basketball. Move to the target in a serpentine way, your body relaxes more and more, you mind tenses more and more, your spirit covers the target, chains it up, all parts of your body (hands, head, elbows, shoulders, teeth, knees, feet...) want to attack the target, as soon as the target (your opponent) shows a flaw (mainly his spirit wavers), you attack him immediately without thinking. In this action, your two hands open, as if there is a chance for your opponent to attack you, but it is a trap in fact, so long as the opponent comes in, your two hands will converge, attack him at once. In the beginning, if you cannot get into this state in movement, you may take a combat standing to realize this state first, such as Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang, but this time, do not visualize to move the target, just visualize it is a ferocious enemy/tiger/lion…, you are going to fight for your life.
The fourth step — Body Relaxed and Mind Tensed ORIGIN: Life is not always easeful, sometime, you have to be absorbed in something, to prepare for responding the possible changing of the environment. In this state, your body relaxed, but your mind and spirit tensed. It is still a nature state, it not only can help you avoid dangers, but also can make you be more effective in some important occasions. In other words, this step training can also help one’s life greatly. If speak of martial arts only, it is a state just before going into combat, be searching and waiting for a chance to attack (Fali), it is a key to entering the state of highest energy discharging. In practice, select a target (imagine it is a ferocious enemy/tiger/lion), expand your spirit out, cover the target, your whole body (head, hands, elbows, shoulders, knees and feet...) wants to attack the opponent fiercely,
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change, the back one moves ahead, and the another one follows. Your arms are always turning. When you hit your opponent at last, then it is a Fali, when your fist touch the opponent, all your muscles explosively shrink, two hands shrink too, as if crumbling the eggs suddenly.
Exercise II Make your hands to be two fists, but don’t hold them tightly, relax, each one as if holds an egg. Your fists always point to the target, two arms turn like two snakes, your fists just are the heads of them, and they open their mouths, wanting to attack the target at any moment. Move to the target in a serpentine way. Your body relaxes more and more, you mind tenses more and more, your spirit covers the target, chains it up, all parts of your body (hands, head, elbows, shoulders, teeth, knees, feet...) want to attack the target, as soon as the target (your opponent) shows a flaw (mainly his spirit wavers), you attack him immediately without thinking. In this action, your two fists, one in ahead, one follows, and then 70
Free exercise Try different forms by yourself, the principles of this stage are: Look at a target, deal with it as a ferocious enemy, your spirit always covers the target, chains it up, your body relaxes more and more, you mind tenses more and more, all parts of your body (hands, head, elbows, shoulders, teeth, knees, feet...) want to attack the target, and there is always at least one part or some parts point at the target, can hit out at any moment, as soon as the 71
target (your opponent) shows a flaw (mainly his spirit wavers), you attack him immediately without thinking. It means that you should defeat his spirit before you defeat his body. You may also try Fali (real hit out) when your body is very relaxed, and your mind is very tight, to see whether you can really send out a bursting force in different postures.
abysm), only in this state can you excite all your energy and abilities, kill your enemy in one punch. The training of this step will also improve one’s ability of responding to an emergency, such as traffic accident, raid etc., of course, nobody would like to meet such an emergency, but if it really happens, then if you are trained well, you can respond to it naturally, enter the proper state immediately, and it will increase the chance for you to exist and decrease the damage.
The fifth step—Demonstration
--To verify your training results in Tuishou (pushing hands), Shizuo (combat) and Jianwu (Health dance/martial dance), and finally, permeate Yiquan into your life ORIGIN: Above we described four kinds of Life State, one should know, they are still factitious partition; the training methods we offered are still factitious methods, they need the assistance of Jiajie (visualization). In fact, there is one and only healthy state – Nature State; and reality is the ultimate truth. Now, it is the time to verify your training results in reality, and finally, get into and always stay in Nature State.
This step is very close to real combat, the appearance of this stage isn’t light-hearted, like the playactors showing in some Kungfu movies, however, if you really enter the proper state, you look as being afraid (the feeling is similar as fear but isn’t real fear, in others eyes, you look as being afraid, but pressed by your spirit, your opponent feels as if he is dropping into an 72
We offer three ways to verify your training results here; they are Tuishou (pushing hands), Shizuo (combat) and Jianwu (Health Dance/Martial Dance). If you do not like counterwork, you may try Health Dance only. It will let you be aware how many good abilities you gained, and what kinds of ability you did not get or not enough yet, then you can turn back to make up them. There are also some techniques of Tuishou (pushing hands) and Shizuo (combat) in this section. But bear in mind please, ability instead of technique is the root of this art. And then, finally, you may permeate Yiquan into your life; unite Yiquan and your life into one, everything you do is ultimate truth, enjoy your life lightheartedly.
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your hands, body and step are also combined to one, generally speaking, we all use lively steps (never fixed).
I. Tuishou--Pushing hands The purpose of Yiquan combat is to kill or wound your enemy, protect yourself, once you hit out, it will work out a fearful wound, if it is not absolute necessary, you do not barge up against a life danger, it cannot be used in a hurry. Therefore, we cannot practice combat at ordinary times. To make up this deficiency, let students can get the experience of combat rivalry but need not via real combat; Yiquan ameliorated Taiji pushing hands method, to accomplish the transition to combat. In the process of combat, the two parties hit each other from each separate position, there are must a process of both sides touch each other with their arms or bodies, in combat, this process is very short, once touch, it has worked out victory or defeat already, all changing happen in a touch. To let student realize this interest, but again cannot go so far to work out wound, we use the method of pushing hands to slower the speed of this process, let both sides realize the varieties of all kinds of attack or defense forces gradually, accordingly, improve our respondence ability. 1. Forms--Single and double pushing hands In Yiquan pushing hands, determined by its concise intention, once start, the attack intention is very clear, furthermore, the whole process of pushing hands determined by the changing of the attack and defense of both sides, once the hands touch, both sides begin the attack and defense actions, there are not any fixed prescription, so, here I can but introduce the postures of hands touch. Single pushing hands: two practitioners stand face to face, like the Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang, each stretches one hand ahead, towards the nose of your opponent, nose is the sign of one’s midline, two sides both do the same posture, the hands touch at the middle of two persons, another hand guards at the front of one’s chest, to act as a seconder, after the hand touch, they can begin to attack each other. Double pushing hands: two practitioners stand face to face, like the Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang (take the right posture as a sample), the right hand is in the front and higher a little than the left hand, the right hand points to the opponent’s nose, the left hand points to the opponent’s chest, two hands combine to point at the opponent’s midline. There are three kinds of touch forms between two practitioners, namely, they are: one both hands up, or both hands down, or one hand up and another down. Because Yiquan emphasizes “whole” all the time, in pushing hands, 74
2. Principle There are not any fixed pattern in Yiquan pushing hands, simply attack and defend each other after touch hands by a posture. But we still can find some principles. The aim of Yiquan is concise, how you practice, how you use. Namely, hit just is hit; pull just is pull, go to your aim intently. When the opponent attack you, while you feel uncomfortable, adjust your body naturally, ought to incline, just incline; ought to evade, just evade. Attack again after you adjust your posture and position, till you win him, there is not any pretentious flourish. In the whole course of Yiquan training, we all aim at application. For example: Jijizhuang, you stand in this posture, while you meet the enemy, you also take this posture; Shili, how you practice to push or pull, when you meet the enemy, you also such push or pull; As for Fali, go without saying, how you practice, how you use. The hit methods are numerous and complicated, if we study them one by one, then it is hard to get all of them, therefore, Yiquan brings forward the principle of “protecting your center and using the center”. “Center” is the center of gravity of the body, the vertical line of the center of gravity called midline. The center of 75
gravity being out of the sustaining area called “losing the center”, once one “losing the center”, he will tumble. One is unable to attack his opponent in the state of “losing the center”. While one’s center deflective, he cannot change his posture agilely, if one stays in this state, he will fall into passivity. If you want to attack your opponent effectively, you must strike his center by your own center (whole force namely). Therefore, the “center” is very important to both sides. Combat can be divided into attack and defense two sides, protect your own center, and attack your opponent’s center by your own center. When the opponent attack you, you just add a transverse force on it, to compose a new force, because the direction and effect point of the force changed, it cannot work out the primary effect, thus, you protect your center. As for “using the center”, just find a chance to strike the center of your opponent by your own center. To sum up, Yiquan pushing hands isn’t a game, it is a limited combat, whatever how your opponent acts, defeat him with one fright. As for how to frighten him, you should according to the situation of the time, such as leftright Fali, up-down Fali and ahead-back Fali, the important point is quick and true, while your opponent out of his wits, strike his center by your center immediately, don’t wait him wake up.
II. Combat Combat is a kind of means to strive for life with your enemy, the victory or defeat is the integrative embodiment and validation of Yiquan combat training. Mr. Wang Xiangzhai said: “In a two-person duel, facing the life and death, the situation is extremely critical. When they have already met but have not yet touched, one still does not know what he will use, and after the combat has been solved, again he does not know what he has just used in this instance. This phenomenon is called ‘don't expect and think about it but make it so, reaching the enemy before one knows’, and also called ‘requiring the automatic and good functioning of the extremely rounded and very harmonious instinctive strength’.” Therefore, we cannot say anything about the combat process, ‘Don't expect and think about it but make it so, reach the enemy before one knows’ points the natural response ability which is out of thinking. ‘Requiring the automatic and good functioning of the extremely rounded and very harmonious instinctive strength’ points the embodiment of one’s vitality. This just is the only aim that we are pursuing by Yiquan training. Of course, there are still some principles regarding combat: 1. Bravery 76
The first important thing of combat is bravery, namely, one’s psychosis and psychology diathesis. Whether you can keep imperturbation and press forward with indomitable will in face of a formidable enemy. If you cannot keep good psychology in combat, at a loss what to do, whatever how good you are in training, you cannot exert the time, you will be defeated unquestionably. Therefore, Mr. Wang Xiangzhai said: “If we're talking about martial art from the point of view of fight for life, then it is a duel, and duel has no morality neither justice. So, one should all the more hold to the six words knack: ‘to be willing to, to have the heart to, ruthlessness, carefulness, steadiness, and nicety’, and be determined to perish together with the enemy. If you can't hit your opponent, you shouldn't hit naturally; only when you can kill the enemy by one punch, then you can hit him. Holding such decision, you may not be without victory naturally.” The six words “to be willing to” means unsuspecting, deal with the enemy intently; “to have the heart to” means attacking your enemy without mercy; “ruthlessness” means attacking your enemy viciously, must kill him; “carefulness” means being careful and cautious; “steadiness” means your emotion must be steady; “nicety” means your target should be fixed, your action should be exact. Wang also told us: “While practicing, one must presume that outside one meter and inside two meters around oneself, there are some gigantic enemies who are holding broadswords and broad hatchets and beasts of prey and wriggling vipers that are coming. One should deal with such a scene of contending for life with an undaunted spirit, in an attempt to seek reality in nihility.” It is requiring us train our spirit in practice by endless imagination. 2. Whole hit Yiquan emphasizes “whole” all the way, unites the spirit, qi, force and form into one. Under the good psychology, use “whole” your ability fully, you can get the most powerful attack force, to defeat your enemy. As for other idiographic combat techniques, we do not encourage people spend much time to learn and practice them, but if you want, to try some of them is also Ok, but don’t practice them too much, any factitious and fixed technique is not natural. To sum up, in combat, you need one intention only: “attack, attack and attack...”, excitated your spirit, destroy your enemy’s spirit, attack his center. By the way, we say “natural respond”, it doesn’t means wait your opponent hit out, then you respond it, if in this case, you will be never in time. It means responding in spirit side, while your opponent just produces an intention to attack you, your spirit (note: not your mind, no time to think in 77
combat) detects it, and your body responds immediately, because your opponent has an intention already, it's too late for him to change it while you hit him, it is always a good chance for you to defeat him.
III. Health Dance Just as Mr. Han Jingyu said in , “Martial arts dance (health dance) is the top realm of Yiquan training, it is a result of martial arts studying, rather than of teaching content. It requests that one has hearty vitality, abundant feeling, excellent introspection ability, and harmonious sports ability. Its active doer is one’s own body and mind, its tool is one’s own body and mind, and what it is expressing is the feeling of one’s own body and mind, what it is perceiving is the existence of one’s own body and mind. What they call: the feeling comes, the hands wield it, the feet tread it, and it is a natural production. When you reach this realm, your whole life is all art.” Health Dance has not any fixed action; it is a natural outpouring of one’s feeling; it may incarnate the spirit of Yiquan, nimble and the instinct force. Mr. Wang Xiangzhai had a description of “four forms”, it can be looked as some samples of health dance, and you may find it at his main writing .
IX. Permeate Yiquan into one’s life All in all, as a science of life, its ultimate realm is to be life itself. It is the time to leave the boat now. Throw all factitious methods away, every action you do is nature. Whatever in walking, standing, sitting, lying or doing anything else, you always stay in the nature state, you never train specially, but you are training all the time. Then how do you know you are staying in the proper state? In the spirit psychology side: eliminate bad emotion, always keep in psychological moment, namely, keep calmness, acumen and clearness. In the physique side: always keep comfortable. You may check your state now and then, if you feel out of the good state, adjust yourself immediately. Furthermore, you may get complete awareness and comprehension of life by Yiquan training; accordingly, get full self-confidence and life freedom. OK, class is over, it is the time to go ahead by you yourself. Good Luck!
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seem to breathe better. I feel crackling like electricity about my face and lips. Various surges up and down my legs. Tingling like light pins and needles in hands arms testicles lower back lower neck soles of feet. I do sense a whole body feeling of expansion when I breath in a little less when I exhale and feel contraction. I would appreciate any comments.
Appendix I Question List Answered by Li Jiong 1. What I meant by difficult is that since I have been standing daily for about one and a half years and still there are many days when holding 2nd position for only 20 minutes I feel my muscles begin to tire and tense. Answer: The first posture-Baoshi (holding a balloon posture) is the main posture in Yangshengzhuang, in my daily training, I usually holding Baoshi for 20 minutes and then holding other two postures (they are changed in different day, but Baoshi is practiced every day) each for 5-10 minutes, plus is 30-40 minutes, it is enough. Before standing, you may practice other motive exercises, and after standing, you may also practice some motive exercises. Practice them before standing, can make you be easy to enter the relaxation state, Practice them after standing, in order to relax your joints, because after standing for 30-40 minutes, your joints will be tired and tense, it is natural, but if you feel agonies from some muscles, then you may adjust your posture to be more relaxed in standing. All exercises are also the foundation of the further training.
2. When holding Baoshi and listening inside I many times get random thoughts or even questions I would like to ask you. I don't let it upset me and go back to listening inside as best I can. I feel these thoughts may even help me relax physically but not mentally. Sometimes it helps to open my eyes especially outside. Is this ok and do you have any suggestions. Answer: It is natural to get random in beginning, what you mentioned is also ok, or you may imagine that you are stay in a very comfortable place, like a hot spring with beautiful views around, imagine you are very happy and comfortable, you may away from random.
3. I will describe some feelings while standing. I do get increased saliva especially in the first half of standing. My ears pop and my nose opens and I
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Answer: All these feelings are good, they indicate the body is in a good adjusting, but don't pay fulsome attention to these feeling please, you may let them have their own swing.
4. Should I go directly to Jushi from Baoshi without lowering arms for a moment? Answer: You can go directly to Jushi from Baoshi if you feel you can bear after Baoshi standing, otherwise, you may lower arms for a moment.
5. If I stand for approx 30 min in the morning do I improve my health by adding say two additional sessions of say 10 min each. I feel it would help my training especially on postures I am just learning but I was curious about the health part. Answer: All postures mentioned in the first part of the course are Yangshengzhuang, each can improve your health, Jijizhuang is something different, you may also practice Woshi (lying posture) and Zuoshi (sitting posture) if you have time, they may also improve your health and they are not such easy to make you be tired.
6. Could you give a bit more explanation on "Feel whole" exercise whenever I try to do it, it makes me tense up my shoulders - how does one keep relaxed in this exercise and how long should it be practiced? Answer: It is to examine whether you get "whole (conformity)" only, whenever you get the proper feeling, you needn't practice it anymore. If it still makes you tense up your shoulders, you may do other exercises to relax your shoulders, don't always do "Feel whole".
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7. Could you please comment on the phrase in Theory of Yiquan, about self defence when Mr. Wang Xiangzhai describes several strike techniques and then in the end he says "but all-in-all, they are third-rate skills, and the clever and wise person needn't practice them". Answer: The strike techniques belong to the first course of Yiquan, but the sentence "but all-in-all, they are third-rate skills, and the clever and wise person needn't practice them", obviously, belongs to what Mr. Han Jingyu said "the second course of Yiquan". Yiquan is a science of response reaction, if one has really gotten all good abilities of movement, then all reactions will be self-acting and subliminal, and naturally, they are optimal. Correspondingly, all fixed strike techniques are lower skills.
8. The problem is that as soon as I do the 1st posture, my neck/spine become painful after about 2 minutes, so then I switch to posture #2, but after 3 minutes more my shoulders hurt(even if I experiment with dropping or raising them. The 3rd posture, while putting a little stress on my back seems to be the most relaxing and enjoyable out of the first 3 postures. So would it be ok to only do the 1st 2 postures for 2 minutes each and spend a few minutes in the 3rd posture and try to increase each posture about 1 minute per week or two? Answer: The soul of Yiquan is each practitioner finds out his own way of training, according to his own condition; at last, get freedom in one’s life. So you may test all postures, and decide the time of each exercise, you may also adjust yourself in each posture to get the proper feeling (just as you get from the first three exercises).
your whole body in any posture and any moment), then you can practice the second step-tension training, don't hurry please, otherwise, it will be easy to get a harmful result. 10. My 1st Yi-Quan teacher told me that one can never get really high level skill, unless one controls himself sexually. I find when I did that it kept me up half the night and I was very tired all the time. What do you think about that? Answer: It shouldn’t be done if just after practice, but it also shouldn't be forbidden. We are seeking for nature, if you do the sex activity suitable; it won't harm you to get really high level skill.
11. Master Wang did not seem to have a high opinion of tai chi, but is it beneficial to move slowly and make up your own form as you go or do some of your exercises very slowly. Answer: It is also beneficial to move slowly, Master Wang against the Taolu (a series of skills and trick) of tai chi only.
12. You say that one should be able to place their hands on their sides when they stand still. If they do it shows tension. I find that I have to go limp and lose "structure" in my body to do that. Also is that not called wu-wei psture and is it beneficial to just stand in wu-wei for long periods if it is relaxing? Answer: It is also beneficial to just stand in wu-wei for long periods if it is relaxing. But as you know, in the first stage, we are seeking for the ability of relaxation that one can relax his whole body in any posture and any moment, relaxing in wu-wei posture only is not enough obviously.
9. You mention nothing about tendon and bone development in your writings. Is developing the tendons very important in developing fighting skills and do you include it in the second part of the course? Also, should I do some of the tendon stretching exercises I have been taught from various prior baji and pakua teachers? Answer: Yes, developing the tendons is important in developing fighting ability; it is included in the second part of the course - Tension Training. I think one should get the ability of relaxation first (can relax 82
13. When doing Yangshengzhuang, take the first posture Baoshi (holding a balloon), the course says to stand for about 20 minutes in this posture (or longer if it feels comfortable I assume). However, if
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you’re doing this posture for a period of time (days, months) how does one know when to advance to the next posture for example Jushi, Pengshi, and so on. Also, once you advance to the next posture should you still continue to do the original one or only the new posture? If all of them, how long for each? When does Zuoshi (sitting posture) come in relative to this practice? Answer: All Yangshengzhuang postures are paratactic (belong to a same level), the advanced postures will appear in the next step - tension training, one may select some of them in daily training, but the Baoshi (holding a balloon) is the most essential. You may try all postures include Zuoshi (sitting posture) and Woshi (lying posture) and then select some postures which you like to practice frequently. As for standing time, you may practice according to your own condition, if you have enough time, and feel comfortable in training, you may practice long, and otherwise, you may train short time. 14. I notice in the majority of Yangshengzhuang, the postures are held rather high. In other words the knees are not bent very much. I was just wondering if the posture was held lower, like a horse stance, if the development would be quicker or would it slowdown development. I know of many people to get extremely strong through horse stance training which in some ways is similar to Yangshengzhaung. Part of me thinks that with this type of training it would be very hard to relax at least initially, but I'm curious if this is a type of training that goes against the principles of Yichuan. Answer: The lower postures will also appear in the next step - tension training, each stage has its own requirement, don't hurry please, it is a highway already :) The main aim of the first step is getting the ability of whole relaxation. 15. My impression, from the course is that the practice of Yangshenzhaung postures are to help our body become more and more relaxed. Each posture aids in relaxing a different area until eventually the whole body is completely relaxed. Is this correct? Also, I believe these postures have another function not mentioned
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in the course, which is to develop chi and a root. I was curious why this was not mentioned. Is this correct? Answer: Each posture requires the whole body is completely relaxed in this stage; such many postures let us experience relaxation in deffirent postures. Yangshengzhuang also can develop chi, but it is a nature process, don't pay overfull attention to it, because if one focus this point, it will easy go astray.
16. How does one measure there progress in Yichuan? I mean a person can stand in each posture for the required amount of time, complete or appear to complete certain exercises and never attain a thing. Are there specific levels of attainment in Yichaun? How does one know they are on the right path if there is no specific quality or stage you have to reach in order proceed to the next? What are the different levels of Yichuan? Answer: There is a test "Feel whole (unitary)" in the course, you may know whether you has achieved the certain level of whole relaxation by it. You may also observe whether you are whole relaxed when you are standing, walking, sitting and lying in your daily living and work. If you are, then you can enter the next step training. Of course, one may test his ability in Tuishou (pushing hands), combat and health dance after all. But in fact, one may know whether they are on the right path if he reach a certain level, each stage has four approaches:
"Showing a feeling with a fixed method; Giving up the method after getting the feeling; Letting the feeling follow into everything; Personal feeling leads to complete awareness." What a teacher can do is the first approach "Showing a feeling with a fixed method", others depend on the students. The course just delineates some fixed methods to show some feelings, don't limited by it. :) 17. I naturally want to stretch after standing in any posture more than 5
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minutes or in between changing postures. Is it ok to squat down and let my knees touch my chest or put my finger tips or palms on the floor for a few seconds if I feel the urge to do it? Answer: I don't think it is a good idea, because after standing, the qi and blood circulation is improved, squat down and let your knees touch your chest will cumber it, and the palms also can't touch cold things just after training. You may take "Xiuxishi-Rest posture" (Two hands lightly placed on the lower back, the palms face to the rear, the whole body relaxes) for a while if you feel tired in between changing postures.
21. A question about Jushi: what is the position of the shoulders? Are they relaxed like in Baoshi, for example, or are they stretched to the top, as if trying to "touch" the sky? That is to say, should I just raise the hands or should I stretch shoulders and arms? Answer: The shoulders are still relaxed; there is still a little space to be erect in fact. You may try to stretch your spine mainly, but also raise the hands and stretch arms, all of them should be natural, produced by the jiajie (imagine to touch the sky or put something on the moon), don't use compelling force. The mind (image) should not be limited (ended), imagine you are taller and taller; the spine will be stretched naturally.
18. When trying shili exercises I suppose one has to use "Yi" (by using an image) to make the muscles react. As I understand it muscle tension should only be the result of using an image - without using an image, there should be no (or minimal) muscle tension. Is this correct?
22. Was "Theory of Dachengquan" and "Theory of Yiquan" in fact the same book with two different tittles?
Answer: Yes, and the image should be true to nature, we call it "zhen zhuo (real apply)".
Answer: Yes, "Theory of Dachengquan" and "Theory of Yiquan" was in fact the same book with two different tittles, because Yiquan is also named Dachengquan that time.
19. How long does one have to apply muscle tension? Is it all the time when performing the exercise or do you apply it for let's say a few seconds and then relax, then tense again for a few seconds? Answer: These two ways both should be practiced, applying muscle tension for a certain long time to improve your "gongli (power)"; "apply it for let's say a few seconds and then relax, then tense again for a few seconds" to keep agility of the muscles. You may take these two way alternately. If one takes the first way only, it will be easy to be stiff; if one takes the second way only, the force will be hard to be solid.
20. In the Theory of Yiquan, Wang Xiangzhai is describing the four sorts of out forces. What does he mean by "the air resistance, this is what I called: "echo with the atmosphere" "? Would you please explain more? Answer: It is a feeling mostly, while act, you may feel the resistance of the air, and make an equal force to respond it, it is to train the sentience of your cutis mainly, and it is also a “zhengli (contending force) with the atmosphere.
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23. My ability to relax still needs improvement, but I guess that it takes a lifetime and is a continual process, isn't it? Answer: Yes, relaxation training is a continual process; in fact, I also take some exercises of it sometime now. But while you have a certain experience of relaxation, you may take some further exercises at the same time, perhaps, it will help you to understand relaxation better.
24. You make the point that relaxation should always be possible. Does this imply that there could be a wrong way of doing the tension exercise?. Answer: Yes, the tension training is easy to make people be stiff, and it will harm one's health. Therefore, practice it in a proper way is very important.
25. When you suddenly relax, can the body parts move slightly?"
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Answer: Yes, the body parts move slightly is allowed, but one shouldn't move too much. 26. About tension training, do you literally tense all the muscles that you can? Answer: It rests with what target you Jiajie (imagined), for example, if your target is a mountain, then you may need all your force to move it; if your target is some air, then you may need a bit force to move it, it is also ok. But whatever your target is, you should use your whole body to move it, it means all muscles tensed equally, the tension degree is changing along with what target you select though.
27. What is exactly the signification of "tension”? When you write "the whole body is completely like a stone", does "tension" mean "contraction”? Does it mean to contract muscles (like in some "ying qigong" exercises for example)? So, must we contract muscles in zhanzhuang ? In the first course, when one imagines pushing, pulling, etc..., the teachers say it must be done only with the "yi", the intention, without using strength and without contracting muscles. And what about shili: must we contract muscles too? Answer: Here, "tension" means the mind and muscles are in tight state. It also will bring on the muscles contracted, but it is different from "ying qigong" exercises, "Each tension training exercise should point towards a direction with the whole body, don't tense for tension sake only", just as a sail tensed by wind, each part has the equal pressure; our wind is Jiajie (imagining) though. Shili is the same, the body is moving though.
course? Is it possible to become strong without practicing JijiZhuang for hours and hours? You wrote that in combat we need tension for a short moment and it is no necessary to overrun fifteen minutes in doing each JijiZhuang, but Zhanzhuang is said to change one's strength, not only to prepare at the moments of tension during a fight. Answer: Yes, Zhanzhuang is also to change one's strength, in fact, if one can practice a Jijizhuang correctly for fifteen minutes, it is quite good already, and you may practice some postures per day, if you practice four postures, it is an hour already. 30. You wrote in the question list that all yangshengzhuang postures are paratactic (belong to the same level) and that one may select some posture which one likes, even though Baoshi is the most essential one. I read in a paper that Master Wang Yufang said that all yangshengzhuang postures are good for health, but that it is possible to choose postures according to specific problems: such posture for stomach and digestion problems, such posture for lungs problems, such posture for stress, etc...., etc.... but she did not explain more as it was a short interview. What do you know about it? I think it could be very interesting to have these precisions: where can I find them? Answer: Mr. Wang Xiangzhai tried to settle this problem in his late years, but unfortunately, he hadn't finished it. And till now, I don't know anyone settled this problem faultlessly. Maybe someone of us can do this work in the future.
28. So, this kind of tension is produced by the intention to move the whole body in one direction, but without contract and crisp the muscles since this kind of crispation and contraction often take place at shoulder level : is it ok ? Answer: It isn't imagining moving your body, but the target. And you must use your whole body to do it. The important thing is your body is equal tensed, so that the force can be passed everywhere of your body, and the muscles can contract harmoniously.
29. Is it possible for a beginner who would not have practiced the first 88
31. Is it a correct way of thinking to say Zhanshi builds energy in the body? Is there a specific way for energy to be stored in the body? Some people say you should do some sitting meditation. If true does this apply to our training at some point? Answer: Yiquan training can adjust the inner of the body of itself, it also can say Zhanzhuang builds energy in the body, but there isn't a specific way for energy to be stored in the body in Yiquan training, I think energy is interspersed in the whole body, and Yiquan training also can improve the ability of using these energy effectively. There are also Zuoshi (sitting postures) and Woshi (lying postures) in Yiquan training, they are similar to 89
sitting meditation. Answer: Yes, of course. But it is the best to achieve the level I mentioned above (enter the proper state whatever you doing). 35. How about breathing during tension? I have to keep reminding myself not to hold my breath.
32. I am adding the second step tension training to my Zhanshi training. I feel if I stop the Zhanshi training for a while I may lose some ability and regress. Is this correct? Answer: If you can enter the proper state whatever you doing (walking, sitting, lying, standing or working etc), then you are doing Zhanzhuang training 24 hours every day, you won't regress anymore. But if you haven't achieved this level, you still need do Zhanzhuang training specially, if you stop the Zhanzhuang training for a long time you may lose some ability and regress.
33. Having only trained Ji jizhuang for a short time, specifically only Hunyuanzhuang, Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang and a little Dulizhuang. I feel I understand your instructions until I refer to "Don't tense for tension sake." Could you please elaborate on this idea? For example I can imagine lifting a large tree in the distance. I am trying to use my entire body as if really doing it. It seems though as I check my body there is always room to add more tension. Should there be a gradual increase in tension or go at the target 110%? The idea of adding tension arises even more in the Dulizhuang. The leg off the ground seems to be getting tension for tensions sake. Could you help correct my thinking? Answer: It means all parts of your body should come into being a relation with the target; don't let any part tense by itself only. For example, if you imagine push a big tree, you may push it by your whole body, instead of your hands only. In the Dulizhuang, the leg off the ground should also produce a relation with the target, it means it pushes (or pulls, lifts...) the target together with the whole body too. The tension degree rests with what target you Jiajie (imagined), for example, if your target is a mountain, then you may need all your force to move it; if your target is some air, then you may need a bit force to move it, it is also ok. You may arrange a gradual increase in tension at your own pace.
34. If the Zhanzhuang does build energy and you train for a half hour in the morning does adding a half hour in the evening build energy twice as fast? 90
Answer: About breathing, we advocate natural breath, whatever during relaxation training or tension training, in fact, if you do the exercises correctly, it will turn to abdominal breath naturally.
36. The concept of tension is not still clear for me... When I used to train in the first course, teachers said for example to imagine to hold a big tree and to start pushing, pulling, etc... BUT without using muscles: one should have the intention to do it, and his body does micro-movements, but without contracting muscles really. Other example: one holds a balloon, which is at the beginning very light, and progressively changes its weight in mind but without contracting muscles really. Most teachers say "in yiquan, muscular strength is not used". On the contrary, you seem to really tense muscles in jijizhuang (and your hands shake) and not try to move the target only in the "Yi". So, is it a mayor difference between the first course and the second course, or is it me who did not understand what teachers of the first course said (the second answer is really possible since I am a beginner and since I had not the opportunity to ask a lot of questions) ? You said you have practiced the first course for 5 years before: did you notice differences in tension training? Did you learn in the first course to really tense muscles too or did you learn it only in the second course? Answer: In fact, not only Yiquan has tension exercise, other martial arts, like Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, Baguazhang, etc., all have tension exercises, of course, I point real ones here, not the watered down versions. And of course again, they really tense muscles in training. The difference between the first course and the second course of Yiquan rests with their cognition ways, the first course is static, bitty and conceptually mainly; the second course is motive, uninterrupted and feelingly mainly, it wants to let students advance by themselves. As for most teachers say "in yiquan, muscular strengh is not used", maybe some wouldn't like to tell people the truth; some don't know it by themselves; some express another meaning by this word. Otherwise, if one doesn't use muscles, I really can't imagine how he moves, say nothing of 91
combat.
37. When you show jijizhuang on the video, we can really see your hands and your body move, whereas in the first course teachers speak about micromovements, which are barely visible (one can have the impression that the practitioner is not moving at all): do you practice in the video only to demonstrate the techniques, doing larger movements than in real training in order to explain to us what are the movements of the body, or is it the correct way to train (moving more than micro-movements)? Answer: What I do in the video is a little exaggerated to demonstrate the techniques, in real training, the movements of jijizhuang may very little, but there are still movements in the body, others maybe can't see them though.
38. In the jijizhuang section you mention the importance of proper nutrition and rest. Do you have any nutritional guidelines?
Chengguang for about a year before I decided to try out the Second Course. At first, I was skeptical about the method (especially the tension training) because it seemed to be contrary to what I was practicing. However, I have been doing the tension method using your course and I found it to be very effective. I noticed that I seemed to have gained more strength after doing your course for a short time than doing master Yao Chengguang's method for a year. Also, my practice in master Yao Chengguang method improved a lot after doing the tension training as outlined in your course. I was wondering if it is OK to do the first Course (master Yao Chengguang's method) and Second Course method or is it better to just stay with the Second Course. Answer: It is Ok to do the first Course and Second Course. We would rather say the Second Course is a thoughtway than say it is a training method only, after you grasping the principle; you can learn all kinds of methods and techniques you meet. Mr. Han lets us learn from Bagua, Xingyi and Taiji masters, the rather that the first Course of Yiquan!
Answer: About nutritional guidelines, you may eat the foods with high calcium and high protein, like shrimps, beef etc.
41. I read once that building muscles with weights was not good for Yiquan, and I think I understood why. But what about simple pushups and abdominal training without using weights? What do you think of it?
39. I participate in many strenuous activities. Ice climbing, rock climbing, extreme skiing, mountaineering, etc.. Will these activities hurt my training? For example, last Sunday I went ice climbing for about 7 hours. The next day while doing my standing, my shoulders felt very tense from the previous day’s activity, so I could not hold a posture for very long without feeling tense. The next day they were fine.
Answer: All partial muscles training will avail certain muscles but bring side-effect to the whole body, Yiquan training is holistic. But of course, if you feel some parts of your body are especial weak, the pertinent exercises are allowable.
Answer: I don't think the strenuous activities will hurt the training; on the contrary, they will promote the training in some sides. Of course, you should have a good rest after these tired activities. I sometime train very hard, and then have a rest next day, or do some sitting postures and lying postures only, I found training in this way is even better than training averagely, of course, I point the advanced steps training, if one just practices the first steprelaxation training, then it is the best to train regularly.
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42. How do you make use of your whole body when using an image? I'll explain: when you push/pull a tree it's easy to imagine it being only grasped by your hands and forearms. This then initiates tension in your hands and forearms. How can you initiate tension in other parts of your body? Should I use an image where my whole body attaches to the tree and then try to move this object by moving my whole body. Answer: The practice of "whole" is taken at the very start, at the first steprelaxation training; the main purpose just is to get the ability of "relaxation and whole". At the second step-tension training, we want to get the ability of "tension and whole", in practice, we imagine all parts of the body are touch 93
the target, and push/pull it at the same time, the tensile force of all muscles are equal, we may often feel our body to check whether it stays in the proper state, if not, one should adjust it immediately (feel which part is weak then just strengthen this part). Gradually, one will find whenever he feels his body, it always stays in the proper state, and then the ability of "tension and whole" is gained. What you said "use an image where my whole body attaches to the tree and then try to move this object by moving my whole body" is also Ok.
43. When practicing tension training for the first periods, can we begin since the first time with images which need a lot of force and product a lot of tension, or should we first begin with image which do not need a lot of tension (balloons on water for example)? I have the impression that if I start with a lot of tension since the beginning my tension will not be really good but rather a crispation... but I know also that a lot of tension (and images which go with it) are necessary to build strength... At the present time, I alternate images with a lot of tension and images with little tension, but I would like to know your opinion: should I stop using strong tension for a more or less long period (weeks? months?), then, after that, using it again since I am familiar with little tension exercises, or should I continue to alternate strong and little tension? Answer: One must have a good foundation of relaxation training, then he can practice tension training, otherwise, whatever he does all will be wrong. If one gets the ability of "whole relaxation" already, then whatever "strong tension" or "little tension" all are Ok, of course, don't make yourself too tired.
44. When doing shili, should I be using tension? Should I be relaxed like in zhanzhaung? Or a combination of both? The way I have been previously taught, we only use relaxation like in zhanzhuang.
clear feeling of it, you may try to move a real thing, like to push a wall, or to push/pull/wave a big tree, don't mind whether your muscles are tight or not, at this stage, tension is a nature result instead of a purpose. 45. Could you please explain more about this improper conception of tension which is very popular? I think it could be useful in order to better understand the right conception...
Answer: There are two instances mainly, one is negating tension training at all, like most popular Taijiquan and Yiquan teaching; another is taking infusing blood in the muscles for tension training, like ying-qigong. 46. Anyway, if I try to push and pull a real tree with all my force, my muscles will be much tensed: do they need to be tensed in exactly the same way when doing Jiji zhuang with the imaginary tree I jiaje? Is this what you named "the ability of getting a rigid body"? Should it be understood literally, that is to say a really rigid body, with really tensed muscles, and not a body rigid only in imagination with relaxed muscles?
Answer: Please try to push a wall or a tree with about 45 degree (your body from your hands to feet become a beeline, this beeline forms a 45 degree corner against the wall/tree and also the ground), you may get the feeling. Of course, jijizhuang is still something different from it, because one need balance the body by himself. The feeling produced from "Feel whole tension" exercise is more immediate in fact. Yes, one should get "the ability of getting a rigid body", and it is a really rigid body, with really tensed muscles, but can relax immediately, only then, it is possible to fali (send out a bursting force), the force can be passed swimmingly from your opponent to the ground via your body. 47. If I understood, it is an error to begin with a relaxed Jiji zhuang : it is only after practicing tension that it is possible to do it in a relaxed way, which is no longer relaxed in the same way as beginner, is it ok ?
Answer: I think there are three purposes in the second step-tension training: 1. to change the way of using force, get the "whole force"; 2. to strengthen the muscles; 3. to get the ability of getting a rigid body (only then, one can pass his full force to the opponent). Shili means testing force, if you are relaxed like in Yangshengzhuang, then there isn’t any force, how can you test it? Therefore, try to move the target by your whole body, if you can't get a 94
Answer: Almost yes, most Yiquan practitioners ignore this step; it is an important causation why they can't succeed. We call those superiors doing as "cotton wraps iron", the "whole force" and the possibility/ability of fali are always contained in their practice, it is no longer relaxed in the same way as beginner.
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Answer: According to our experience, as a professional practitioner, 5-6 48. In both ying qigong and yiquan tension training muscles are really tensed, with a rigid body, is it ok? But in ying qigong it is often tensing for the sake of tensing only, whereas in yiquan one tenses muscles trying to use his whole body to move imaginary things, is it ok?
Answer: Yes, tension training of Yiquan must produce a relation with the environment (target), and must have a direction (push/pull/lift/press/shake, or say up/down/frontad/back/left/right etc.). 49. I have a question about Exercise 4, Part 4, of Course 1 (Relaxation Training) It says there:Āall of a sudden, pull your feet up about 3 centimeters, making your body fall down” My question is – does that mean, (a) You actually pull your feet up, so your feet are actually leaving the ground (so, you have to “land” a second later, as from a real vertical jump?) Or, (b) Is it more like you just ~feel that you suddenly pull your feet up, but really you are just suddenly dropping your weight down, so that your feet never actually “leave the ground”?
Answer: "Drop" is the main side, but the feet may also be actually pulled up, of course, a little. This exercise is a way of fali (send out bursting-force) in fact, by sudden drop your weight down, the weight potential energy turns into kinetic energy, and sends out from your hands. Therefore, the important point of this exercise is suddenly dropping your weight down, for a beginner, pulling the feet up may help you accomplish this aim. 50. How much time should one spend per day training? I read somewhere that one must practice a minimum of 3 hours per day to achieve real results. Can I split up my training? Can I do zhanzhuang in the morning, jijizhuang and shili in the afternoon and the rest in the evening? Is it best to do everything in one consecutive time frame? With my schedule, I find it hard to find two to three hours at a time to do everything (except weekends). Will this hinder my progress?
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hours per day is enough; as an amateurish practitioner, 1-2 hours per day is OK. I mean total training time here, not only standing. In the beginning, if you really want to gain something from training, then please practice not less than 1 hour per day. Little by little, you are able to keep natural state at more and more time, then you may decrease the special training time. It is OK to split the training. Of course, full time training is the best (as I had ever been in Zhuhai, Mr. Han let me train for six hours per day, two hours in the morning, two hours in the afternoon and two hours in the evening), but the things always wouldn't like to be such perfect :-(
51. In doing shili, should tension be held throughout the entire duration of shili? Or should it only be held when you are "pushing" or "pulling" your target? Should there be "breaks" in tension? And I should not be tensing for tension sake, correct?
Answer: It should be continuous, but you can adjust the degree of tension, if you imagine you are swimming in the air (pushing/pulling/lifting/pressing/shaking the air), it is much like relaxed, but there are still a little tight. Being continuous then requires your "yi" (mind/spirit) can't be broken, it means there are not any "breaks" between the actions and imaginations, although it may be very slow. If there are any "breaks", then it just is "tensing for tension sake” or slack (if you haven't any tension then), both are wrong. 52. In the "standard" or "Course 1" type of ShiLi, it seems that since we are not really tensed (just mentally mimicking), breathing can be fairly natural or is not any issue. However, in the tensed-up version of "course 2" ShiLi, I find that when I'm really tensed, my breathing tends to get very constricted or to shut down completely. Does that mean that the duration of a single ShiLi pattern (such as a single "press, lift, push, pull, or shake" action) realistically can only be for duration of one tensed breath-hold, then you have to relax, breathe again, and do another tensed action, etc., repeatedly ? Or, are we supposed to keep trying to breathe in/out continuously throughout many minutes of a single tensed action (such as a "press, lift, push, pull, or shake" action)?
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Answer: Ordinary person uses thorax breath (the thorax expanded while breathes in, and shrunk while breathe out), it is led by the chest muscles, if one breathes by this way, then it will be constricted in tension training. But a bridle-wise Yiquan practitioner may take the way of abdominal breath, it is led by the diaphragm (the diaphragm goes down while breathe in, and it goes up while breathe out). We tensed bone-muscles in tension training, but the diaphragm still works in the course of nature, therefore, the breathing can be natural in tension training. Generally, through the first step-relaxation training, one may turn the breathing way to abdominal breath naturally; it is also a reason that one can't practice the second step-tension training if he hasn't past through the first step. A superior Yiquan practitioner may even feel there are chi (qi) runs through to his heels every time he breathes in. Of course, all things should be natural, can't pursue it factitiously.
53. As I understand it, one way to do abdominal breathing is to imagine the breath moving downwards and filling the abdomen on the inhale. For breathing through to the heels, do you imagine the breath going past the abdomen, all the way down into the heels during the inhale?
Answer: To get a feeling of abdominal breathing, you may try to smell a nice flower at a relaxed state. Just a suggestion, it isn't compulsory. As for the way you mentioned, I think it is the best "don't forget it but also don't help it", let it slides. 54. I do understand that abdominal breathing is the most natural and correct way. I have no problem to relax my abdominal muscle at all. My question was, that if we really and truly deliberately tense up our whole body in the tension training, then we think that even the abdominal muscle itself (because, it is still a muscle!) should also get tensed up by us, as part of our definite training action. Then, once the abdominal muscle is tensed, breathing will become somewhat constricted. But, perhaps I misunderstood, as you have written We tensed bone muscles in tension training, but the diaphragm still works in the course of nature So, rather than the WHOLE body being tensed (every muscle, Which includes abdominal), instead it is ONLY the arm and leg muscles ? That is no problem for me; certainly I can relax abdominal muscle anytime. I just misunderstood, thinking that I SHOULD try to tense abdomen up also.
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Answer: In fact, I never say we should deliberately tense up our body, tension is a natural result of an action only. Maybe "tension" is a bit of misnomer as the "feeling" of "tension" that is sought is really a feeling of all the muscles locking simultaneously and in unison in one direction. Maybe we should say "strengthening", then people won't take such a scunner against at it :). While one sends out a bursting force, in a flash of touching the target, the body should be rigid, if there are any part is weak, then your force and the rebound force will concentrate at there, and it will be harmed. According to my experience, fasheng (send out a sound) just is for strengthening the abdomen mainly. This is the content of the third step; we may discuss it more detailed in the future. In the second step, we try to strengthen our muscles and get the ability of whole tension (every skeletonmuscle, which includes abdominal, but doesn't include diaphragm, it is a smooth muscle). In fact, the waist (includes the abdomen) is a weak part for many practitioners. But anyway, if one constricts his breathing, then obviously, it is wrong (in doing Fali, it is proper that your breath constricted for a short time).
55. I have a question regarding zhanzhuang and standing. How important, if at all, is bending your knees deep as compared to slightly bent? I have been trying a lot deeper bend and have found pain to be occurring in my knees a couple of hours after and into the next day. For the past two years I have been standing slightly bent without any discomfort. I remember reading some literature from Kenichi Sawi where he mentioned needing to bend the knees deep to get "spring power" from the legs. Also other masters from other schools encourage the same thing. Do you have any comments regarding this subject?
Answer: In relaxation training, one needn't bend his knees too deep. In the second step, one may try lower postures like Dashizhuang – Big Posture Standing, Fuhuzhuang - subduing a tiger posture and Xianglongzhuang vanquishing a dragon posture, to get a root. And in doing Hunyuanzhuang, you may also try to bend deeper. But you should advance gradually, and don't do it without measure, in all postures, the inclination of your popliteal fossa (the back of the knee) shouldn't less than 90 degree. After standing, it is the best to massage and turn your knees slowly for a while.
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Answer: Just as Mr. Han says: “The second course is main thread, the first 56. I have a question about xiang long zhuang : could you please explain how we should train tension in this exercise ? I understand the use of tension in the other exercices since we try to move the target with our whole body, but in xiang long zhuang, which is the target exactly and how should we work with it? It seems to be a static posture during which one imagines he is subduing a dragon, but I do not understand how to use tension: I understand for fuhu zhuang, since the posture is explicit (the tiger under the legs and the hands on the tiger's back and neck), but I do not understand in xiang long zhuang how to use tension to subdue a dragon with this position of arms and legs."
Answer: You may imagine your frontal hand on the dragon's neck and the back hand on its tail. Or you may try to push a real wall/tree with this posture; maybe you will get the feeling. Different from other postures, Xianglong Zhuang is a completion posture (the end of Fali), from the frontal hand to the body to the back leg, they form a beeline, the rebounded force can be past to the ground through this beeline, Xianglong Zhuang training just is strengthening this thoroughfare of force. 57. I would appreciate any further commentary on the relation between Course 1 and Course 2 of Yi Quan. I realize that this has been touched on in the Question files and some older posts. However, any further enlightenment or commentary would be gratefully received. In particular, would it be expected that somebody who has a firm foundation of long practice in correct and classical "Course 1" YiQuan would have a huge advantage, when moving to Course 2, over a total beginner, who has never practiced any form of Yi Quan? Or, would they start out basically equal? Would the experienced Course 1 person progress much faster? Since many of the standing postures of Course 2 appear similar (or seem to have their basis in Course 1 postures), is it recommended to seek professional instruction in the basic Yi Quan postures and positions, etc. to supplement Course 2 instruction ? How important are the minute details of head position, arm position, imaging specifics, range of motion, postural details, when practicing Course 2? And if those minute details are important, is professional Course 1 instruction required to achieve the minimal correctness needed for progress?
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course is tool". If one has a firm foundation of long practice in correct and classical "Course 1", he has mastered the tool, if he can understand the second well, then, obviously, he will progress faster than a total beginner. However, because the first impression is the strongest, the first course and the second course use two different thoughtways respectively, person who study the first course first would have some fixed actions and thoughtway, if he cannot give up these implicit actions and thoughtway, it will obstruct his progress. If one studies the second course from correspondence only, and can't visit a qualified master of the second course in the near future, then it is recommended to seek professional instruction in the basic Yiquan postures and positions. The second course doesn't pay much attention to the minute details, but it doesn't mean those minute details are unimportant, we just expect the practitioners get those minute requirements naturally by entering the proper state, if one pays overfull attention to the minute details, it just is partial, that is what Yiquan opposes sorely.
58. When somebody has only studied Course 2 from correspondence, then if such a person visits Master Han or Li in person, directly, in China, or participates in a real seminar with such masters, would the student typically find that they needed an enormous amount of personalized correction and adjustment?
Answer: It is possible, but not certain. If one is wise enough, he may find the right way by studying the second course from correspondence only; in other words, he can learn from nature, nature is better than any master. Otherwise, to be personalized correction and adjustment by a qualified master is necessary. 59. Aside from subjective "feeling better", or "feeling healthy" and the normal subjective sensations of ki energy in the body (similar to Qi Gong), is there any objective way to self-test progress in mastering Course 2?
Answer: What the second course improved is one's good ability, ability isn't a corporeal thing, it is difficult to be measured, it can be sensed by the practitioner oneself mainly. Of course, if one reached a high level, then his ability can be showed in using (like push hands, combat and health dance
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etc.) obviously.
60. In tension training our mind is identified with an external object. Zhanzhuang in "course 1", it seems the mind is focused on some visualizations and, in my opinion, in "course 2" mind is focused on itself. So, apart from the posture, the practice of zhanzhuang seems similar to other traditions (like Zen) that uses meditation as a tool to achieve what Master Han calls "awareness of oneself" and self-realization. Does that mean that zhanzhuang would be the door to the intuitive process of cognition witch is one of the differences from "course1". Is this the reason why great masters have practiced it all life long? Answer: In my opinion, apart from the posture, all practice we do just is to give up all factitious minds, and let nature appear, and then follow nature; it will be our best lives. "Awareness of oneself and self-realization” just means one knows nature by himself. Only on this meaning, Yiquan can be said as “life science”, and this just is the reason why great masters have practiced it all life long.
61. I'm still a bit puzzled about mechanism of force in 1st method of Fali. If you "throw" your hands towards yr opponent by moving yr body reversely (i.e. to the rear) how do you then cope with the reaction force generated the moment yr hands reach his body. How do you prevent that this reaction force throws you backwards (since a considerable part of your body mass moves away from the opponent?)
62.Do all the postures in jijizhuang belong to the same level? Is the weight distribution on each leg in Dashizhuang 50-50? In zhoutiang zenpai, during the exercise does our body stays always relaxed, always tense or do we tense at the moment of impact? Answer: Yes, all the postures in jijizhuang belong to the same level but they have different functions. In Dashizhuang, it is 40-60 or 30-70, the back leg bears more weight. In zhoutiang zenpai, you had better do it naturally, flap from light to heavy little by little. Your body will tense at the moment of impact naturally, and then relax immediately.
63. When I'm practicing tension training, in all the combat standing postures I feel what you call in part III "The force and the counterforce". For instance: when pressing down the target with my arms I feel my body has the tendency to go upwards (although no part moves). Can one practice like this or should I exert force with all parts of my body to press down the target? Answer: Yes, one may practice mainly in this way, it is a main way of Fali (The parts of your body move reversely), practicing the combat standing postures in this way can help your Fali exercises in the future. However, you can also try to exert force with all parts of your body to act on the target; this is a way of Fali (4. The back foot stamps the ground) too, to push your opponent.
64. Pushing hands clarification. Answer: As we know, the mass of one's hands is much less than the mass of one's body, accordingly, the distance that the body moving is much less than the distance that the hands moving. And in most actions of Fali, the hands are thrown towards up-ahead (about 45 degree upwards), accordingly, the body moves back-down (about 45 degree downwards), then most reaction force will be past to the ground. And in actual exertion, one may use the fourth method of Fali first, make the whole body get a movement ahead (to get a kinetic energy first), then immediately, Fali by the 1st way (as I said above, it includes the 2nd way "Dropping" already), sometime, maybe also add the third way "Turning" at the same time.
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Answer: 1) Yiquan pushing hands is something different with Taijiquan pushing hands, nowadays, Taiji pushing hands is an amusement mainly, they have many theories and skills in pushing hands, but we think pushing hands is a limited combat, it is an interim to real combat. I do not say taking pushing hands as an amusement is wrong, I just say the purpose of pushing hands in our course is not amusement. 2) Just as Mr. Wang Xiangzhai said: 'if one never practices pushing hands, his skill won't be great; however, if one always concentrates on pushing hands, he will be defeated surely in real combat'. A limited combat is still something different with real combat. Just let you get some similar experience of combat, don't always stay there. 103
3) Force and speed are the root, don't blindly worship complicated techniques. 4) Don't be limited by the word 'reaction (response)', Yiquan is an active art, always keep initiative, threaten and attack your opponent's center, as for 'reaction', let your instinct do it. This is what Mr. Wang said: 'between conscious and unconscious', your attack is conscious; your instinct reaction is unconscious. 5) Find some partners to practice it.
65. Just as a guideline, could you please give us an idea how long your students practice on the average steps III and IV? At the intellectual level, until step III I can understand what links the different steps and what is required before passing to a new level. Part IV is somewhat different; it puzzles me because it seems a completely new "concept". Although our mind sets on the target like in step II, the capability to catch a rip in the opponent's spirit, (What is called in other martial arts "anticipation” or the "highest level in sensing jing")I believe is something that can only be perceived by intuition witch is very difficult to achieve and I don't see the relation to the previous sections. Could you please highlight this subject? Answer: If one has a good foundation on step I and step II, and he practices step III specially for at least 1 hour per day, it may take him about three months only to pass through it, then he needn't practice this step specially any more. As for step IV, till now, none of my student past through it; among Han Jingyu's students, there are less than five guys achieve this level; and as far as know, in the world, there are less than twenty persons who really gets it. And the time to pass through step IV is very different to different persons, a Shidi (junior fellow apprentice) of mine he practiced the first three steps very well, but after more than one year training on step IV, he still cannot get the proper feeling and get into the proper state, I think it maybe because he is too virtuous and shy, his spirit isn't strong enough. As for me, as soon as Mr. Han taught this step to me, I can feel this state, but till now, I feel there is still a room for me to improve on this step. Yes, it is exact that "is something that can only be perceived by intuition", to improve your intuition, in all steps, in fact, all hide a principle: "get rid of false mind, let nature appear", or maybe we can say: "undivided attention, following nature". To improve your knowledge, add something everyday; to improve your intuition, cut down something everyday. When 104
practicing step IV, if you feel you are hard to get in the state, you may try visualize you are in a dangerous place, face a tiger, or an atrocious enemy, or anything dangerous, it maybe can help you get into the proper state.
66. From step IV and step V it seems that our spirit has two ways to deal with a dangerous situation. 1) We react without conscious thinking; "like responding to an emergency such as traffic accident..." 2) We have the time to be aware of this danger and "in this state we can excite all our energy and abilities; ...your spirit detects it and your body responds immediately..." From the push- hands experience that you told us and also from stories about Mr. Wang Xiangzhai who have also defeated all his opponents without harming them and even in one occasion predicting were his opponent would land, it seems that there is some degree of conscious control in action. Do you think this is possible at a high level? Do you think it is useful to start practicing push-hands without having completely mastered step IV? Answer: Step IV is training, we visualize there are danger around us (it is a jiajie), to excite all our energy and abilities. The training of this step will improve one's ability to get into the 'exciting' (this word may be not very exact) state, in this training, the danger is created by our mind, of course, we have the time to be aware of this danger. In actual application, mostly, we have not the time to think, or sometime, we know there are a danger, but do not know how it will attack us, also do not know how we should respond it, all depend on your intuition and instinct, but you can get into the 'exciting' state in advance to excite your intuition and instinct. It is possible that there is some degree of conscious control in action. And if your opponent is much weaker than you, you can use more conscious control. Yes, it still can be useful to start practicing push-hands without having completely mastered step IV, if you do it as a test, it means don't always do it, according to my personal experience, before you have completely mastered step IV, practicing push-hands once a month is suitable. As I said somewhere else, in fact, we have all natural abilities, but if without through training, some of them are weak, some of them are hidden, some of them we don't know how to use them. Push-hands can examine your abilities; let you be aware of that you need strengthen which side or parts. But if you always 105
do push-hands as an amusement, it will lose the function of examination. And since you have not completely mastered step IV yet, if you often do push-hands as an amusement, some improper fixed actions will come into being, and it is very difficult to correct them later.
67. Your relaxation training exercises are supposed to lead to complete relaxation, e.g. hands hang loose along the body. Elsewhere, there was a comparison to the natural state of a young baby. I have two little kids, and from observing their posture and movement, I've noticed that while their muscles are always soft and pliable, their bodies are never "limp": When they are being held vertical (fully supported, without the need to maintain balance), their arms are still "floating", sensitive to the whole body motion, and even when a (healthy) baby falls asleep, their hands (or even arms and legs) could be sticking almost vertically in the air. Yet their bodies do produce an impression of being "filled with lead". Could you comment on this observation? Answer: Relaxation means lack of any unnecessary tension, and in fact, this is an inherent state, therefore, you can see this state on your little kids, obviously, they have not taken any intended training. When one grows up, many factitious concepts are being infused, little by little, he lose nature, and lose the ability of relaxation, therefore, we have to spend much time to get back this state now. Otherwise, we can practice the second step--tension training directly.
68. Regarding Yangshengzhuang practice: I understand your reasoning behind using a method to achieve the right feeling. However, I've noticed in the past that my body has a preference at any moment in time which posture would feel best to assume (out of the ones you suggested, or similar to those), and sometimes even an asymmetrical one, even with a spine bent. A slight spontaneous body motion is always present, and eventually the feeling arises to change a posture substantially. Over time, the posture tends to get closer to a "classic" one, but even then a clear (perhaps, subtle) preference, is always present. That is the case even when standing is prefaced with relaxation exercises (similar to the ones you've suggested). It is not that I tend to prefer simpler postures: Each of the ones you have described appears most comfortable at a certain time; it's just that the right one can't be anticipated until the feeling is in place. So, when I decide to persist and hold 106
a particular chosen posture for some time, despite the inner feeling leading away from it, the resulting state is much less integrated, strong, and lively than when I just go with my internal preference for the same amount of time (just observing the body as a whole). In the course, you are advising to "just feel one's body", but you are also offering specific postures "as examples", because they "affect different parts of the body", while encouraging personal exploration. Yet, apparently, holding a specific posture chosen in advance for a certain period of time is not the same as simply following the body's whims without knowing which configuration it will take next moment, and there are probably good reasons for "molding" oneself into such configurations. Could you suggest a way of interaction between following an immediate body preference, and attempting to hold a specific posture? Answer: People select some methods in order to achieve certain purposes, if you achieved your purposes already, is it still necessary to mind which method should be selected? If you have a better method to achieve your purpose, do not mind the samples I offering. Get the right feeling by the method you love, get into the right state, and then letting the feeling follow into everything.
69. In several of your answers, you advice to pull or push a real tree or a wall to get the feeling. While this "static tension" training is used in other systems, I haven't heard it to be a method in Yiquan. What is the reason? How is applying force to imaginary objects as in Shili different from applying it to the real ones, and why you don't advice doing such exercises on a regular basis? Answer: While you do tension training by 'jiajie' only, your body itself has to produce a contrary force to balance your body, this just is what they called 'zhengli', but if you pull or push a real tree or a wall, the tree or wall will offer this counterforce to balance your body, this is their difference. As for why I don't advice doing such exercises on a regular basis, I think we will face a living opponent in combat or pushing hands, if one always practice with tree or wall these static things, he will lose his agility. However, if one practice with 'jiajie' only, it is easier to keep his agility. So it is Ok to pull or push a real tree or a wall between times to get the feeling, but it is not a good idea to do such exercises on a regular basis I think.
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70. The concept of 'zhengli' has been a mystery to me for a while. The notion is apparently central to internal martial arts (my Taiji teachers used to emphasize moving as if in a thick liquid), and it felt good, so I was reasonably confident I was doing the right thing. But the mechanism has always appeared paradoxical. When I stopped a movement to examine my body, I was simply feeling muscles "fighting" each other (apparently, what you are referring to as "counterforce"). Meanwhile, the stated objective is apparently to train the body to act as a whole, which is all muscles working "as a single muscle", which is exactly training them to not counteract each other, right? That what looks as a paradox to me: How can training muscles counteract each other prepare them to instantly function in unison? Is this a true paradox that would take time and practice to realize, or am I simple missing something? Answer: Just as Mr. Wang said: 'all things are contrary, at the same time, all things are harmonious'. Everything needs two sides to maintain its balance, and since it gets balance, it is harmonious. Different muscle has different function; do you think all muscles can work at a same direction? "Whole" or ‘Unison’ means all muscles work harmoniously, each one works properly. In tension training, there is two force in fact, one is you pull/push/press/lift/move... the target, another is its counterforce, if you practice with 'jiajie', your body itself produce the counterforce, all muscles work; if you practice with a real target, then the target will produce the counterforce, it means half of your muscles are relaxed, you may try and feel it carefully.
71. In your answers, you sometimes refer to the concept of "qi" energy (though advising not to focus on it). My understanding from Master Wang's as well as your teacher's writings (that I could find) were that they were either critical of the concept or at least found it irrelevant. Is this interpretation correct, and if so, what is your own opinion about qi? Do you consider it a separate form of energy, or a mere useful metaphor that came from the traditional medicine? The reason I'm asking is that the writings of your lineage appears to be all highly rational and scientific; hence, I presume you wouldn't be relying on a concept simply because it holds traditional appeal, and perhaps you have some interesting evidence for its validity. (This is, of course, a mere curiosity question). Answer: I think 'qi' can be considered as energy. Master Wang had been 108
critical of the concept, just because he aimed at the superstition on the concept that time. All truths are not absolute when they are on paper (enunciated by words), each one aims at a certain purpose and is effective at certain time and space.
72. For a while, I was trying to understand the concept, but whenever I encountered its descriptions or manifestations, the "energy" appeared either metaphorical (a shortcut for talking about neural activity corresponding to particular imagery, and resulting physiological changes), or just a superstition (just paying attention to the body and believing you are balancing your "energy" can bring profound psychological and physiological effects). However, I clearly didn't research the issue seriously enough, and didn't discuss it with advanced practitioners, so my impression doesn't hold much validity. What, in your opinion, counts as evidence for existence of a separate form of energy? Answer: According to my own experience, the 'energy' cannot be seen as a separate form, but sometime you can feel it. Anyway, I do not mind what form it is, I just aim at the purposes that I mentioned somewhere: "to improve my physique; to improve my spirit; and improve my instinct".
73. From your description of Jijizhuang, the exercises can be split into two categories, "controlling" (e.g. Fuhuzhuang or the initial one with holding walls) and "manipulative" (all others). The "controlling" exercises require restricting the movement of an imaginary force, while in the "manipulative" ones we (imaginarily) effect an immobile object. Since you've emphasized that those are only examples, I assume the exercises we can perform may fall into either category: I.e. there would be nothing wrong about trying to control an imaginary force in the Hunyuanzhuang. Is that correct so far? The reason for making this distinction is that I found it relatively easy to keep and develop the feeling in the "controlling" exercises, while an attempt to "manipulate" (after performing relaxation standing) quickly leads to the loss of frame, and feel generally more difficult to perform. That seems peculiar, since the two types appears to be simply mirroring each other (passive force and active counterforce, vs the other way around), yet it doesn't feel this way to me? Actually, I've tried a game, and had "manipulation" following "control" immediately (e.g. pushing the tiger down after preventing it from getting up), and "manipulation" became much easier 109
in this sequence. What am I doing wrong (or is this individual, and I just need to keep practicing)? Answer: Yes, the exercises we can perform may fall into either category. In fact, "controlling" is more difficult than "manipulative", if you practice with a real tiger (just joke, it is too dangerous, maybe you can try to control your partner), you will get the idea. But if you practice with jiajie (imagination) only, it is up to you how the target resists you, so it must stay in the limits you can control it. So you feel it is relatively easy. Therefore, I think you may practice "manipulative" more in the beginning, as for you found it quickly leads to the loss of frame, that is just why I suggest you try to effect on a real target (e.g. a big tree) to get the proper feeling, and there is still a process to do this exercise well. Your discovery that "had 'manipulation' following 'control' immediately may also be tried. Anyway, if a method can help you achieve your purpose, then it is a good method.
74. In the beginning of the chapter about "talk about four forms" in the "theory of yiquan ", Master Wang Xiangzhai talks about the "four as" that one achieves by the practice of zhuang as a prerequisite for the practice of martial arts. Further on he also describes the "four as" as a precondition to be able to practice the health dance. Two of them ("the whole body as a casting" and "the muscles as one") seems to equal what you call "feel whole". Are these feelings something that only comes after a long time of practice? Following the second course, can one achieve good results without the "four as"? Answer: Yes, "the whole body as a casting" and "the muscles as one" just mean one gets the ability of the ‘whole relaxation’ and ‘whole tension’. The feelings of ‘four as’ are only come after a long time of practice, just as Wang said, according to his own experience, it cost him about ten years to practice to achieve this result. Following the second course, one also can achieve the result of ‘four as’. Maybe it will be much shorter than ten years.
75. Doesn't the fact that Master Wang chose to have those as two rather than one "as" suggest that the two should be somehow independent? I.e. if one feels all muscles as one, but doesn't feel the whole body as a casting, then one hasn't achieved the result? Actually, the third "as" (body as if filled with 110
lead) also sounds similar to the first one (as a casting) to me. Are there subtle distinctions that I am missing? This question seems quite important to me, for being able to identify internal feedback correctly (not just academic curiosity). Answer: According to my understanding, "four as" describe a same state, "the muscles as one" emphasizes particularly on 'the feeling of harmony'; "the whole body as a casting" emphasizes particularly on ''the feeling of whole'; 'body as if filled with lead' emphasizes particularly on 'the feeling of heaviness'; 'hairs as halberds' particularly on 'the feeling of strong spirit'. Just as we describe a person, to get a comparatively rounded figure, we may describe him from the front, to left side, to right side, and to his back.
76. I would like to ask you a question about step II. How can we practice indoors, for instance when it is raining . Should we visualise an imaginary target in the distance or is it better to choose a real target inside the room? Answer: About the second step, in the beginning, it is the best to practice in an open space with big trees or mountains in your sight, to get the true feeling and get into the true state. Little by little, you can get the true feeling and get into the true state without the true circumstance, then it is no problem to practice indoors. You can visualise an imaginary target in the distance, spread your spirit out, pierce through the wall, and act on the imaginary target. However, you may also choose a real target inside the room, it doesn't matter.
77. If choosing the real target inside the room or at a distance doesn't matter, then why have you suggested choosing a distant one to begin with (and extend the spirit even further)? Seriously, though, do you have a way of explaining (or at least, hinting at) the function of "spirit extension"? I've heard this advice frequently (so it is probably important), but could never understand it. Answer: It is spirit training, it is really important. The traditional Chinese call it: "spirit travels at the end of universe". This training can cultivate one's spirit; make him be clement, open mind and great momentum. Extend the spirit out, always exchange information with nature, you will always be a 111
beneficiary, don't worry that nature will steal your energy. And I am sure this training will improve one's penetrability of his force, what they call "force penetrates enemy's back" (hit at an enemy's chest, but the enemy feels pain at his back). As a skilled practitioner, he will extend his spirit out naturally, whatever indoors or outdoors, so it doesn't matter to choose real target inside the room or at a distance, but bear in mind please, never limit your spirit at a target only, you hold whole universe.
78. In the "Theory of Yiquan" Mr.Wang Xiangzhai wrote about Shili: "hold the attitude of going when having to stop and stopping when having to go...the body can feel and respond to the universal force." Could you please give us your interpretation on this?
79. I must say that this method of doing ji jizhuang is superior to the first course method. This method seems to solve the problem of uniform tension ie: too much tension in certain muscles with others not being tensed at all causing a broken link in the chain from fist to foot. With an object well away from the body, both mind and body become one and act in the way nature intended. the method used in the first course ,using springs, ropes etc pulling on the body make the mind become the subject, observing the body as the object, causing separation of the body and mind. It is almost impossible to maintain a uniform amount of tension when mind and body are separated. I find that when doing fali I can get an increase in force by visualizing the object I use in ji ji zhuang i.e.: push tree, at the point of impact with the bag. Is this caused by the correct muscles being tensed for forward motion? Would tensing all the muscles as I do when not using the image result in a braking effect and a decrease in the transfer of power?
Answer: At the beginning of Shili training, it is the best to do it slowly but never broken, it means the whole Shili training session is one action only, but as we know, your hands (or any parts) cannot always move ahead (or any directions), so the direction of force must often change, in Shili training, this change is smooth, when the direction of force is changed little by little, but the form (your body or a part of your body) is still going at the original direction (it will be a arc track in fact), at this time you will get the feeling of "hold the attitude of going when having to stop". Another instance, in Shili training, the forces on our body are balanceable on the whole, it means while you push a target (in Jiajie), there is must a counterforce, while you feel the counterforce stop you, but you still conquer it and go ahead. "Stopping when having to go" is analogical. For example: While you visualize pushing a big mountain, actually, it is impossible to move it, so you "have to stop", but you still move ahead, it is "hold the attitude of going when having to stop"; while you visualize practicing in the big waves, sometime the waves push you, it seems you "have to go", but you resist the waves, you "stopping when having to go". Anyway, I think this sentence is describing the feeling of Shili. The purpose of Shili training is let you keep 'whole force' at any actions; keep the feeling that you get from Jijizhuang in movement. Shili--test force, just as its name implies, the important point is force -- continuous whole force, instead of your movement form.
Answer: Yes, Jiajie (visualising some scene) is used widely in Yiquan training, it is also helpful to Fali training. But it is a good method only, instead of the purpose itself. Just as Wang Xiangzhai said, at last, no form, no mind, the real mind exists in no mind. Here the real mind means intuition and instinct I think. In Fali training, inspire all your muscles, change the state from relaxation to tension suddenly will produce a great power, being whole tension with a direction lets all the power be sent out, instead of staying in your body. Jiajie here is helpful to inspire all your muscles and get a direction for the power.
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80. It seems as if fali is more of a natural instinct than a cognitive process. All animals seem to have this ability from the moment that they are born. Animals also seem to have the ability to switch from relaxation to tension instantly. Could we say that part of yiquan is to undo the bad habits we have acquired since birth and let mind and body act as nature intended? Answer: Yes, but animals can use their natural instinct passively only. However, by training, we want to grasp our natural instinct on our own initiative, it means that you are able to get into the blazing state anytime you want, in this blazing state, you can inspire all your energy, awaken your intuition and instinct.
81. From many years practical a method of visualization of the circuit of the energy, bound together to a system of "inverse" respiration (I contract the belly when breath, I expand belly when I expire). 1) My respiration that use continuously in the practical one and the daily life from 10 years is mistaken or is right for the yiquan? 2) The meditation seated and straight that practical it can be replaced from the practical one Of the YIQUAN? Answer: As I said somewhere before, our purposes of training are to improve our physique, sprit, intuition and instinct, etc., as for how to achieve these purposes, they are methods, Yiquan offers a natural way for the practitioners to achieve their purposes. Such as respiration, we say natural respiration, in fact, what you said "inverse" respiration is right, we just do not pay much attention to our respiration, if you get into the right state, and the respiration will be "inverse" respiration naturally. The feeling of this natural respiration just as if you are smelling a nice flower. As for meditation, we also do it by a natural way, when you close your eyes, you just feel your body, do not mind how the circuit of the energy should be, your intuition and instinct will manage all the things, you just being quiet and relaxed, if you feel some parts are not very comfortable, just adjust your posture, for example, shake your body. When you open your eyes, you can find a real target outside, to build a connection between you and the target; you may also visualize a target, and do something to it. In training, sometime, your stance or action is not natural, you will feel uncomfortable, then just adjust your stance or action; sometime, just because your inner is not so flowing, you will feel uncomfortable, you may adjust your body too, just shake your body, it will help you relax, and help your inner body to be flowing. As for "work to a target", it is a good method to improve your ability of responding the out circumstance.
82. I have been working with "relax" for the past several months. I am looking ahead to "tension." Do you think I should completely finish "relax" before starting the exercises in "tension," or could I start to introduce them? When working on "tension," should I work on both the combat stance
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exercises and shili at the same time, or get a good grounding in the combat stance exercises first, then begin shi li later? Answer: Each advanced step contains base step/steps, when you start tension training, you may also practice relaxation training. For example, I practice all five steps some days, little by little, you can combine all steps into one, for instance, when you practice the fourth step, while your body is very relaxed and your spirit is very tensed, you may try Fali, it is the contents of the third step, then you combine the third step and fourth step into one; or when you practice Health Dance, you may sometime relax, sometime tense, sometime change your state suddenly, sometime body relaxed and mind tense, then you combine the five steps into one. As for "completely finish a certain state", it is hard to say. I find there is always a room to improve my state in each step. As for the combat stance and Shili, if you can get into the right state, you may work on both at the same time, someone feels a little difficult to get into the whole tension state in movement, then he can practice the combat stance exercises first, after getting a good grounding in the combat stance exercises, then begin shi li exercises. ‘Showing a feeling with a fixed method Giving up the method after getting the feeling Letting the feeling follow into everything Personal feeling leads to complete awareness’ These four phrases are the core expression of the second course, you may appreciate these four steps in each stage, at last, your personal feeling leads to complete awareness, and it means you will know what time you may get into the next stage by yourself. When you feel it is the time to start tension training, it is the exact time to start. The rest may be deduced by analogy.
83. About Relaxation Training, 1) once a person can do exercises 1,2 and 3 properly and understands what it is to be relaxed, then he no longer needs to do these exercises and can then focus on the Pile Standing etc., is that right? 2) At what point should exercises 4 - 6 be started, should we begin exercise 4 after a lot of time doing Pile Standing exercises (weeks or months) or immediately after exercise 3 has been done properly. 3) Finally, a theoretical question: if a person already understands whole body relaxation and can maintain this relaxation at all times then could that person go immediately to tension training or would he have to go 115
through all the necessary exercises in the relaxation phase due to there relation to future exercises?
Answer: If you walk up the right way, then every moment is good time, every day is good day. No special time is stated.
Answer: 1) Exercises 1,2 just show you the feeling of relaxation, so as soon as you get the proper feeling, you need not do these two exercises any more. As for exercise 3, it contains some skills of combat in fact; you may do this exercise again and again till you master it skillful. 2) You may begin exercises 4 and 5 immediately after exercise 3 has been done properly, and start exercise 6 immediately after exercise 5 has been done properly. 3) If there is really someone keeps his nature so well, he may go immediately to tension training.
86. I believe I entered the state described as "body relaxed, mind tense" by recalling the time I was stalked by a wild animal-some kind of black leopard. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck and i felt a real sense of fear but a determination to survive. It was like I was reliving the experience and brought on some kind of primordial way of being. The state lasted in intensity for a few minutes-which seemed like hours, then subsided. After I was still hyped up and had difficulty sleeping. Is there any method that can be used that can calm the mind after entering this state?
84. Do you think it is bad or wrong to have specific training goals? For example: Monday, 1 hour Zhang Zhuang – Jiji Zhuang, 20 min. Shili, 5 min. Bianxian. Tuesday, 1 hour Zhang Zhuang – Jiji Zhuang, 20 min. Fali, 20 min, Shili. Wednesday, so on and so on. Or should I just train “how I feel at that time”. If I am a little tired, will it hurt to do more strenuous exercises or should I just do easy ones. Or maybe a better question would be “how hard should I push myself”? Some people when they stand have specific goals “I will hold this posture for X amount of time”. They shake and quiver and I wonder if this could be good? Answer: I think these can be called training plans, we do not recommend a very strict training plan, but also, we do not against to frame a training plan if you think it is necessary. "Do not train too hard", this word is talked to the professional practitioners, as for the amateurish practitioners, I do not think it will be a problem. 'Shaking' and 'quivering' that is one's body adjusts itself naturally, I think all natural things are good, if we must say there is something not good, then "having specific goals I will hold this posture for X amount of time” is not so good.
85. Most books on Chinese Internal Arts state that around 5am is the most productive time of day to stand. Would you agree with this, or does it matter as long as you practice daily?
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Answer: According to my personal experience, the blazing state is similar with fear, your hairs stand up, your blood circulation quickens, and your potential is excited, but you do not really feel afeard. As for how to calm the mind after entering this state, mainly, it lies on how strong your spirit is, in other words, it lies on how good results you get from foregoing training (from relaxation training to the fourth step). In fact, in the just beginning of the fourth step training, I did also need a long time to calm my mind after training, but now it is better. I think since you have difficulty to calm the mind after entering this state, you'd better do not practice this too often now, and you may practice relaxation exercises after entering this state, or just take a walk.
87. When practicing the first coursework, are there any restrictions concerning food, drink, going to the bathroom and sex activity before or after any zhan zhuang? Are there any guidelines people should follow? Answer: Relaxation State is the main state of one's life, most time you stay in Relaxation State, so mainly the guidelines of Relaxation Training are the same as daily health preservation, such as: keep peaceful and comfortable; proper food and drink (don't eat too full; don't drink too much; eat more vegetables and fruits; drink green tea; stay in warm. Something special: don't touch cold water just after training; avoid cold wind; don't make love just after training too. In training, the pores of your body are open, if you wash your body by cold water or blowed by cold wind just after training, it is easy to be sick. As for sex activity, if you do it just after training, it may consume more energy than normal, nothing more serious. 117
You may take a walk for about 10 minutes after training, then all things will turn back normal, you may do things as normal.
not practice tension training specially anymore, otherwise, you are wasting you life. Of course, if you left too early, you can turn back to practice it later. Other stages are similar. If you feel you have not progressed for a long time, you should check whether you have stayed in the boat too long.
Leave the boat when you arriving the other side By Li Jiong You know it is an allegory. Our training is as if to across a river. To arrive the other side is our purpose, training methods like boats, they are the instruments serve our purpose. To choose a good boat is very important, otherwise, if you choose a bad boat, maybe it will sink in the middle of the river. However, it is also very important to leave the boat at the proper time. If you always stay in the boat, you will be always in the river, never step on the other side. What is the other side of Yiquan training then? It is your real life, when your every action is natural, every action is dance, every action is art, then every action is training, you are training all the time, you do not need practice specially any more. Han Xingqiao said, when stayed in Beijing, Wang Xiangzhai never practiced specially, everyday, he walked to Taimiao park, watched his students practicing (they were trained by Han Xingqiao, after Han left, they were trained by Yao Zongxun), and then walked back home. Han Jingyu said, within fifty years, he saw his father practice specially once only. I always think we should let Yiquan serve our lives, instead of we serve Yiquan. In each stage, there is also a similar process. For example, tension training, we know there is three purposes at this step: 1. To form 'whole force' habit; 2. To increase your strength; 3. To get the ability of forming a rigid body in a twinkling. One's strength is limited, it won't be always increasing, it is enough that you can lift a person. As for 'whole force' habit and 'rigid body', it is OK as soon as you get them, you won't get anything more after that. As soon as you achieve all these three purposes, leave this 'tension training boat' please and move to the third step training. You need 118
Why do many practitioners feel difficult to learn martial arts? To choose a good boat is difficult; to leave the boat at the exact time is more difficult. Of course, many masters themselves do not know they should leave the boat one day.
Change Knowledge to be Wisdom By Li Jiong As we know, all information expressed by words is knowledge. It is necessary to learn some kinds of knowledge for your life. But to really benefit your life, knowledge is not enough. One very important and difficult thing you have to do: 'Change knowledge to be your own wisdom'. It is also the Key of Yiquan training, as well as any profound arts or sciences. It is a pass you have to get across by yourself; no one can substitute for you. When you get across this pass, then you will succeed sooner or later surely. Knowledge is static; however, life is dynamic, only your wisdom can correspond to your life nicely. By this reason, every thing I write here or in the course is not ultimate truth, they are knowledge yet. For example, about standing time, if you really get the truth, then 5 minutes is OK, 20 minutes is OK, half an hour also is OK, 40 minutes is OK too, you will not care the time any more. Otherwise, all are wrong. As well as the stances, if you really get the truth, this stance is OK, that stance is OK too, standing with one posture is OK, and standing with different postures one by one is also OK. Otherwise, all are wrong. Yiquan isn't Zhanzhuan, Shili, Fali or any method; it is your life itself, if
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one day you feel some exercises are demoded, throw them away. No form or method is inviolable. To learn something you have to pay, but don't pay out your free will, your wisdom, your freedom and your life.
Appendix II The Essence of Martial Art [The Theory of Yiquan (1)]
The thoughtways of human can be divided into three stages: The first stage is logic, at this stage, one thinks A just is A, most martial arts styles take this thoughtway mainly, the teacher teaches you how act, how much time you should practice; The second stage is dialectic, at this stage, one knows every existence is conditional, only when certain condition exist, then A is A, otherwise, A may be not A. So contrary, isn't it? The first course of Yiquan just takes this thoughtway mainly, and that's why Wang Xiangzhai called himself 'An old man of contradiction' in his late years. The third stage is ontology, in substance, it exceeds concept, it cannot expressed by words. At this stage, one knows everything runs naturally, no contradiction, no fixed form or method. The second course of Yiquan takes this thoughtway. We just offer an origin to you, it is the purpose of our training, and the rest depend on you in fact. Of course, there are still some samples in our course, they are my experience, I just hope they can give you some revelation; you should change them into your experience. If I give the fixed answers to your questions, they are still my experience, not yours.
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Author: Wang Xiangzhai
Translator: Li Jiong (Assisted by Romain Roche & Bertram Chock)
Table of Contents Author's Preface Narration on the Important Points of Practicing Martial Arts A Talk About Credos and Rules A Talk About Single and Double-Weightiness and Non-Zhaoxiang Recognizing the Abstract, Insubstantial and Substantial, Emptiness and Substance General Principles Formulas Put Into Verse The Steps of Training Zhanzhuang (Pile-Stance Keeping) Shili (Testing Force) Shisheng (Testing Voice) Self-defense Jijizhuang Method (Combat Pile Standing) Talk About the States of Zhanzhuang (Pile Standing) A Talk About the Four Forms Brandishing Wave Cruising Dragon White Crane 121
Frightened Snake A Talk on the Philosophical Justification of Yiquan A Talk About Quantao (A Series of Skills and Tricks in Martial Arts) and Method A Talk About the Relation Between Martial Art and Appliance A Talk About Dianxue (Hit at Selected Points) The Difference Between Inherence and Learning Free From Mysticism Explanation of Understanding and Doing Why the Martial Art Science Had Been Lost A Discussion on Freedom From the System of Master and Disciple Conclusion
The greatness of martial art science, is really due to the national spirit of necessity, the art of the masses, the foundation of the philosophy of human life, and the lifeline of societal education. The very core of its mission rests on educating the will of the people, helping them to express their emotions, transforming physiology, developing good abilities, making students honest and healthy, benefiting the country and benefiting the masses. Therefore, we are not only paying attention to combat. If what we have can achieve all such objectives, then it can be truly called a martial art; otherwise, it is a deviation. Practicing deviant martial arts is like drinking poisoned wine, its harm cannot bear saying. Very often I think of benefiting others, and pained by this thought, I cannot bear just sitting by and watching. I have been practicing martial arts for more than forty years, exploring where the genuine meaning is, using scientific principles to consider, proving things by my own cognition, getting rid of its harmful aspects and disclosing its secret, putting away shortcomings and taking in excellence, eliminating the false and retaining the true, digesting it, and all of this in order to carry forward it and make it become an unique martial art science, and most friends feel sweet in test, to practice it with delight. Because of this everyone called my martial
art “Dacheng” (2). I wanted to refuse it but they did not obey my wishes, so there was nothing more to do but let things be (3). Now, what this martial art is paying great attention to is spirit, feeling and exercising natural force. In a nutshell, it makes a person correspond with atmosphere in a natural way; in more words, rooted in universe principle and elements, it nurtures the entire spirit and powerful force, form bent and mind straight, void or solid isn't fixed(4). You succeed in training the instinct of feeling livingness: concerning the body, it is provided with all acts (5); concerning the usage, then, you respond as soon as you have a feeling. Seeing that common pugilists esteem form, advocate method, pay attention to rough force, this of course cannot bear mentioning in the same breath. Really, because common pugilists have been mostly paying attention to form and method, and therefore have developed it, martial arts have turned into all kinds of quantao(6) that are complicated and superfluous, abnormal and grotesque in shape. Even more, because they have been devoting their efforts to seek enhancement of rough force, and therefore have been practicing multifarious intense sports, they have developed all kinds of wrong teachings and wrong meanings, they are still feeling proud of themselves, hardly realizing that all are life-harming sports! Their nerves, limbs and trunk, trachea and muscles have already been wrecked by it and all these have become decadent. How could one hope for them to accomplish the mission of martial art science? Although I do not dare to say this martial art is the supreme learning, if we are talking from now or in the past, believe me, only I have it, and not the others. Science as a matter of course should be higher from generation to generation, otherwise there should be no need for it to exist! I deeply believe that martial art science is good for exercising the nerves, limbs and trunk, and thus benefit one's intelligence. It is also especially good to warm up and nourish the healthy energy of muscles and to nourish blood. Even more, it makes the breath easy and smooth, and the vital capacity to intensify, so that instinctive strength is also gradually increasing. Thus, by following it, will come true the
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Author's Preface
ability of fali (7) in a touch. Concerning the important point of effort and the method of training, all are given a detailed account in the body of this book, so I will not give unnecessary details now. But originally, this piece was founded to allow the students to be at ease to practice the martial art, so it can't compare with the literature that cater to laymen. Because I am getting old, everybody is pressing me to leave some markings. I have only taken the teachings that are studied everyday, gotten them recorded in a disconnected way, and then left behind this work for reference. In the future, everyone will hold a piece of it and it will be easy to comprehend. However, I always take seeking knowledge as my duty, if there really is a prominent personage within the country, he would like to point out the mistakes of this martial art so that they can be corrected, or then even teach me, I will especially appreciate that, and will praise him for that. Because I have been thinking that even a stupid person may once in a while have a good idea, I have been able to gradually make more and more use of the advice of others. In days to come, I hope that all students who are learning from me will seek advice extensively in an open-minded way, and to the best of one's abilities, and to exert themselves to develop toward the one and only direction. If someone has learned something, I hope that you will be able to research altogether at any moment, in order to gain the profound and extensive implications. By this I am expecting to benefit the public and improve the level of the physical culture of the country. Really, I'm extremely expecting this; otherwise all counts for nothing. Thus if we’re promoting it but cannot succeed, it is because our spirit is inadequate, or our intelligence does not accord with it. Moreover, the source of science is common to all human being, what kind of person I am, how I dare to keep it secret to myself? So without estimating whether it would be too simplistic and crude or not, I worked hard and accomplished this book. I am not good at writing and as to the profound and subtle in this martial art, I couldn't elucidate completely. What I was hoping to do is just put down in writing, describing such inside information as to what in my mind, 124
it is really impossible; so it will depend on students to draw inferences about other cases from one instance. Because I am sincere in teaching te Tao and emotionally cordial, then it is unavoidable that some of my sayings will appear vehement, and sometimes I get lost at being unruly or unrestrained. Just understand me or place the blame on me, you may deride and taunt me at your discretion. Boling city, Hebei province Xiangzhai Wang Nibao Record at Taiyi Wanzilang -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(1) At that time, Yiquan also named Dachengquan. (2) It means "complete success" or "great accomplishment". (3) Mr. Wang thinks that as a science, can't say complete success
(Dacheng), therefore he would rather use the name of Yiquan than Dachengquan, but others mostly call it Dachengquan, so he has to let them call what they want. (4) It means one is nimble. (5) It means one's body is able to do all acts. (6) A
series of skills and tricks in martial arts. out a bursting-force. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------(7) Send
Narration on the Important Points of Practicing Martial Arts Most martial arts practitioners, in modern times, parade their muscles, showing the people how strong and tough they are, and acting like sportsmen. They are hardly aware of the fact that this phenomenon of malformed development not only obstructs health, but also does not have any other use. It is the main thing tabooed by physiologists, and it count for nothing in sport. These last years, I have censured their error in newspapers over and over again. Although commonly sensible person have all expressed their sympathy, most people are still vulgar and fatuous, devoting their
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hearts to harm the truth, and especially by speaking thoughtlessly to slander others. This really is beneath contempt. Therefore it is unavoidable that there be many persons who bear a sense of resentment toward me in the end. In most cases, society has a poor understanding of the one who is singularly holding the consummate knowledge seeking happiness and benefits for mankind, and also of the loyal and sublimely wise person. How low their level can be imagined. I am concerned about the perpetuity of martial art science, and I really dare not take into account my private benefit. I hope that prominent personages within the country will not mind understanding and forgiving me. If one examines the origin of martial arts, it was originally picking the strong points of birds and beasts in combat, imitating their form, comprehending their minds, gradually progressing, unifying the spirit through jiajie(8) principle, and just assembling these points to become this skills(9). However as far as latter-day pugilists are concerned, since even forms aren't similar (to these things), how can they avail themselves of spirit, mind and feeling any further? And also, there are someone talking about "Using force then (you will be) sluggish, using mind then (you will be) nimble", if ask him why this is so, then again he will stare at you tongue-tied and will not be able to tell you why. Use force then muscles will be sluggish and the body isn't nimble, and that harms health. There is no doubt to this, but say it in the regards to combat, then using force is just the force at its completion, using method is just method being used up. Once you have a method, it is just partial, it is just acquired and artificial, and of no avail the learning of instinct. And that spirit cannot unify, the strength also cannot be solid. Even more, one cannot make use of the response of universal force, his spirit is already limited by its scope, and his actions seem to hesitate to move forward. Moreover, “using force” is the changing appearance of resistance, and resistance is produced because of the fear of getting hit by the enemy. Thus, wouldn't it be an acceptance of the adversary’s blow? And then, how can one not be hit by others? Really, the harm of “using force” is great. 126
One must know that using force and using mind originate both in the fountainhead of qi, and they are based on each other: so using mind is namely using force, mind is namely force. But it isn't the force of the muscles stagnating, being tensional, and being congested which is called force, if one does not guide the muscles into being relaxed and in harmony by the mind, he will never gain the living force that is retractile and can be made convergent or be emitted for use at any time. Since one cannot get the natural living force, I don't know how he could gain that health preservation and putting it into use in fight, one must know that mind is produced from form, and changes in force follow mind; mind is the commander in chief of force, force is the army corps of the mind. What is called mind tightened and force relaxed, muscles being flexible and unpredictable, hair bristling and force made sharp like a cutting edge. By this means, one can achieve the beautiful nature of mind force for sure. Twenty years ago, this martial art had ever been bearing the name of "Yiquan" (mind martial art) for a time. I chose the character of "yi" to generalize spirit, and it is namely the meaning of this martial art to advocate mind and spirit. Originally I was hoping to awaken coteries, to help them, just as its name implies, realize their error and tend toward the right target. Who could have known that among common pugilists, each cherished a selfish opinion? Bad old practices die hard, and, generally, they would not calmly reject that which is defective and take in that which is excellent, or investigate where is right and where is wrong, and are willing to be conservative, all of which is to no avail. Therefore, any result in accordance with my wishes has no way to be fulfilled, alas, what can be done! Within my intellectual capacity, I am absolutely not resigned to drift with the tide, and to let the real meaning of our martial art science become forever lost along the bottoms. I will simply still often utter a cry, and I hope to remedy their numbness so that they suddenly start waking up to the truth. This again is my trivial ideal and I cannot help but promoting it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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(8) To make use of something in mind, using something unreal to produce real results. (9) It means that people picking the strong points of birds and beasts in combat, imitating their form, comprehending their mind, gradually progressing, uniting the whole range of spiritual jiajie principle, assembling all these and then martial arts come into being. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Talk about Credos and Rules The way of martial art science, is not only exercise to limbs and trunk, but there also exists an important and profound meaning. Just talking about tradition, one should first pay attention to dharma, and as for the credos that should be complied with, they are all included, such as respect the teacher, respect parents and show filial piety to the elder, good faith and kindheartedness, etc.. Furthermore, one needs, even more, the zeal of a knight-errant and a Buddha, and must have a steady aspiration of giving up one's own opinion to comply with the truth. If one does not have these qualities, then one cannot be said to be a master-hand of martial arts. As for being simple and honest and running deep lofty qualities, persevering and having a firm and resolute spirit, sensibility of expressing humanism, and a nimble and heroic aptitude, these are especially essential qualifications for students, otherwise I am afraid that they can hardly been taught, and even if they are taught, then they could also hardly get its essence. Therefore, at every occasion of teaching a new person, the predecessors used to be prudent time and again before teaching them. Because persons with these abilities are rare, they did not easily agree to accept students. As for the process of teaching, they, generally, all took four appearances and five important points as first-hand criteria. For the four appearances, you have: head straight, eyes upright, spirit elegant, and voice quiet(10). Besides this, you can take "respectful, careful, mindful, sincere and harmonious" as a five words rhymed formula to remember the five points. Let us now display these five words rhymed formula song 128
as follows in order to show its meaning: Since entering a martial art school to practice, the chief important point is to respect the teacher. Revere friends and be careful to uphold justice, the morals of martial art must be completely obeyed. In moving be like dragon and tiger, quiet as ancient Buddha's heart. Heart should be respectful and careful, like meeting a Very Important Person. If respectful then the spirit won't be scattered, be careful, it is like looking down from above an abyss. With a boundless mind (infinite spirit of ), fill your body with vitality. Seeking truth in nihility, do not lose rightness, harmony and proportionateness. The feeling of force is like penetrating electricity, which is studied with daily profundity. Internal turning causes exerting the voice, producing a lingering charm like a dragon singing. Respectful, careful, mindful, true and harmonious, this is a five words secret clearly expressed. Once knowing nature and understanding truth, on the contrary, seek toward outside the body. Do not be limited by method and principle, furthermore, do not become one who stops studying. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(10) It means one is not shallow and often needs say something to
prove oneself. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Talk about Single(11) and double-weightiness(12) and Non-zhaoxiang Speaking in accord to the principles of martial art science, no matter while exercising or in combat, the student must keep the whole body well balanced, with no inclinations. The slightest 129
imbalance will literally cause zhaoxiang(13) and the force also will lose its ability to change by being misaligned with the body. Neither spirit, nor form, nor force nor mind can allow zhaoxiang. Once you have zhaoxiang, which means you also have onesidedness, which isn't healthy and even more, one risks becoming easily taken advantage of by others, students should remember it carefully. Equilibrium isn't stiffness, if one is a little stiff then it is easy to incur the affliction of double-weightiness. But one should also avoid excessive agility: excessive agility will easily lead to speciosity. The whole body must be stretched out loosely and be pliable and connotative (14), such as during fali. You should also do it in a continuous way, which is called “force not being lost.” Double-weightiness does not refer only to the area of the two feet, it is also expressed by the head, the hands, the shoulders, the elbows, the knees, the crotch or the big and small joints. Once there is the slightest hair-like force inside (an area), they all have the differentiation between single and double, relaxed and tightened, insubstantial and substantial, light and heavy. Nowadays the pugilists mostly turn into absolute double-weightiness from being unilaterally single-weighted (inclination). Even more, some are going the way of becoming stone dead from absolute doubleweightiness. This is going too far, and as a result, the more time passes, the more the learning of single and double-weightiness is getting buried. Let us just talk about the martial arts books of various sects nowadays. They also are all completely improper, and moreover their authors are the same people who hold to fixed forms, greatly breaking the rules and the unity of the body. All their postures are really fantastic and disgusting, and the more you’re practicing them, the farther you are from the approach of martial art science. Once there is zhaoxiang then one becomes rigid, but even if there isn’t (any rigidity), then one becomes scattered and confused, without orderly ways. This happens even if one comes cross the “wonder of single-weightiness”(15) by oneself, because of not being able to appreciate it. This is also no different than “double-weightiness”, where one never stops until becoming 130
unnatural, uncomfortable and the body deviates. Consequently, these people have to go the way of mechanical methods, losing the ability of moving according to situation and frequent change, they will never have a day of developing good ability. Alas, this is also really very pitiful. As for the “non-zhaoxiang” of spirit and mind, one can only prove it by applying the natural ability of lively force. For example, in a two-person duel, facing the life-and-death, the situation is extremely critical. When they have already met but have not yet touched, one still does not know what he will use, and after the contact has been solved, again he does not know what he has just used in this instant. This phenomenon is called “don't expect and think about it but make it so, reaching the enemy before one knows”, and also called “requiring the automatic and good functioning of the extremely centered and very harmonious instinctive strength.” -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(11) It means the strength deviates. (12) It means the strength is statuesque and stiff. (13) Zhaoxiang means being attached to some fixed form, or say, similar
over-absorption of mind of like in fixed forms. (14) Containing implied or concealed strength. (15) The “wonder of single-weighted” means lively force. Being singleweighted is wrong, and double-weighted is also wrong, one should often change between being single-weighted and double-weighted. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recognizing the Abstract, Insubstantial and Substantial, Emptiness and Substance There is not only one method of beginning the practice of martial art, however, the whole wonder of its crystallization simply depends on the exertion of spirit, form, mind and force together in a unified way. These ways of exertion are all like “watching it but cannot see any form”, “listening to it but cannot hear any sound”, without substance and also without figure. If you just consider its materiality, that is like the vigor of a flag in the air, swaying
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astatically, but only responding to the power of the wind, this is what is namely called “respond and unite with the atmosphere”; it is also like a fish in the waves, undulating without fixed orientation, moving along length and breadth or forward and back according to its touch (with the water around it). It only relies on the seas of implicit spirit to move by watching the chance to act by responding to feelings, being void and nimble and to keep silent. The important point rests with estimating the true within nihility, and also estimating nihility within ens. It really combines with Taoist school's and Buddhism’s wu-wei(16) and yet produces yu-wei(17), the myriad methods are all empty then made into real representations, Actually, all the academic theories are mostly similar. Thus the fact that in creating a painting, each one uses his own pretty and elegant technique of drawing, tracing his solitary travel within heaven and earth, can be mentioned in the same breath. The accomplishment of its crucial point and delight consists in invisibly being alike in spirit, considering the intention to seek it. One should avoid operating facing towards a mirror during practice, for fear of once seeking to be similar in form, then the inner becomes empty and spirit will be lost. While practicing, one must presume that outside three chi(18) and inside seven chi around oneself, there are some gigantic enemies who are holding broadswords and broad hatchets and beasts of prey and wriggling vipers that are coming. One should deal with such a scene of contending for life with an undaunted spirit, in an attempt to seek reality in nihility. If once formidable enemies are standing in great numbers, I am deal with them as if entering a place without anyone, then it is seeking nihility in reality. The important point depends on practicing, realizing, soaking, accumulating, studying and nourishing this during ordinary times. Anyway, all are gained from the abstract, this is what they call “spirit and mind are enough, one need not seek for the human body to be similar (in form); even more, disallow it to keep an object (in mind) and that gets rid of a whole lot of other things.” Be sure to keep in mind that in practice, one must be slow in action and the spirit should be fast, the hands 132
should never go out for nothingness and mind never return in vain. Even an action with the slightest iota of force must be exact and coordinated with every tiny part, to be joined inside and outside, the insubstantial and substantial need each other to become the Whole and the One (all-pervading), so one must have the sense (instinct) of dealing combat all the time and anywhere. Once one seeks quick results, then the entire course is skated over, so how could one ever master the process of realizing it? Therefore, one must take zhanzhuang as the foundation at the beginning of the learning process, comprehending little by little and then advancing. Anyway, spirit, form, mind and force must become a whole unit, also the four centers must coincide (the centers of the palms, the centers of the feet, the center of the body, and the center of the crown of the head), and nerves must be unified, if one part moves all parts move. Also it is even more important to develop the coordination of every tiny part, between the four limbs and the body, and among all the rest. Do not allow your mind to be over absorbed and do not stop or break. Again, respond with atmosphere, so that relaxation and tension at each point of force can be transmitted and used by each other, thus you’ll just about be okay. "There is nothing else to seek if leaving oneself, as persisting in oneself is never correct." How delicious these words are, savour them carefully! Then naturally, it isn't difficult to see the profundity of martial art science. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(16) It means “without doing” and letting things take their own course. (17) It means, “to have doing” and being promising, being able to do
something obeying the nature. (18) 1 chi = 0.3 meter ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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General Principles
Formulas put into verse The ancients usually used the method of formulas put into verse, to act as a teaching tool, so I am now going to imitate their intention, but with small changes, specially in editing the formulas put into verse and publishing them as follows to present to students.
This martial art is rooted in heart, some people recommended the name of Great Achievement, it is easy to approach, and full of reasons of interest. By never setting up a method, all methods are contained; martial art is originally without method, having methods also is empty. It keeps the truth and changes one’s character, edifies temper, faith and benevolence and courage, all is therein. Let force growing naturally, strong and vigorous as a dragon, exhale and inhale the fountain of spirit, and realize the function (of the body). Keep anyone at a respectful distance, comity modest and courteous, force united with the universe, exert fine ability. Gaining the center, in an improvisation without form, get back sight and listen to the inner, exercising the nerves. Move like an angry tiger, quiet like a torpid dragon, expression like a leopard in the fog, and force as if a rhinoceros is on the go. Store up the spirit and keep silent, (be ready to) respond to the infinite possibilities.
The way of martial arts is very subtle, do not regard it as a fanciful school. From the beginning, the main stress was on military issues, so study of the art begin from there. It was mostly lost in the present age, It becomes absurd and away from the point. The way of martial arts is based on heart, collecting all strong points. With an earnest will of advocating martial art science, I wish to renew the ancient origin. I bear in mind to investigate truth and nature, combat skill comes in second. If you want to know the essentiality of martial arts, first start with zhanzhuang. The mind hangs in the air, by realizing it you start to study shili(19). With the whole body supported equably, keep bending within proportion. As if rising high in the clouds, breathing quietly, long and slender, Comfortably altered and extensively spread out, the appearance seems crazy and idiotic. Cut off disturbance and get rid of mussy thoughts, concentrating the spirit (as if) listening to fine rain. The whole body full with vacant and inspirational feelings, does not allow a whit of feather to adhere to it. Tangible like running water, immaterial as atmosphere. Let your spirit continuously feel as if drunk,
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and be carefree and content like having a bath in warm water. Silently facing heaven, let an empty spirit settle your mind. Your body like a great furnace, edifying innumerable things. To make brainwaves inwardly change, regulate breathing to hear quietness and emptiness. Keep peaceful as a virgin, move like a torpid dragon getting up. The force is relaxed but the mind must be firm, hairs straight up as halberds. Muscles are full of power and as about to emit (force), in the fulcrum the force is like rolled thread. The spiral force is without form, the whole body being like a spring. The joints are like pulleys, conjecturing the mind force. Muscles are as a startled snake, walking is as if the wind were carrying along a mat. Freely move about like huge surging waves, like the convolutions of a whale swimming and spiraling. The force of the crown of the head is flexible and unpredictable, the body is as if being hanged by a rope, The expression of the two eyes is fixed and gathered, and the ears are listening inwardly and shut to the outside. The lower abdomen should be generally round, the chest slightly restrained and collected. The force in the fingertips is like an electric discharge, and the condyles give rise to edges. The lively spirit exceeds that of a nimble ape, and you should step as an uneasy cat. The body moves like a hill flying, circulate power like the sea overflowing On the verge of breaking out, burst effectively without staccato. 136
Students, do not seek the queer things, simple things produce the beauty of nature. Return to the infant stage to seek the sounds of nature, the body soft as a bathing baby. Do not forget and also do not pull out the seedling to make it grow faster, but gradually get involved into profound scholarship. As for talking about how to face an enemy attack, it is a subtle skill of the martial art way. First one should make the force equal and whole, with the axis not tending toward inclination. Movement and stillness nourish one another, spirit has many hints(20). The roadway is tread with the barycentre, in relaxing and tensing do not slide or be stagnant. Circumgyrating, must be done carefully, steadily and exactly, hooking and grinding must work suitably together. Sharp or blunt, wise or stupid, check deeply the opponent's intention. Bend and follow the opponent and suddenly extend, shift naturally between void and solid. Accumulate power like a fully drawn bow, touch the enemy at high speed like electricity. Gaze forward like a hawk, and be as majestic as a tiger looking around,
the feet feel as if stepping in mud. Like a falcon touching down and a dragon diving, the whole body imbued with opposite power. Be deliberate and willing to endure ferocity, bold but cautious. Whether cleaving, wrapping, drilling, binding or crossing, you should estimate the right occasion for touching. When having practiced it for a long time, You need not expect anything but will naturally reach (the target). While changing, the form is invisible, while contending (with an opponent), the mind is purposeless. 137
Shout shaking heaven and earth, covering a small world. If one wants to draw an analogy from metaphor, with regards Laozi’s, Zhuangzi’s and Buddha’s awakening ways, Bangu’s and Sima Qian's ancient writings, Wang Xizi’s, Zhong Yao’s and Zhang Xu's calligraphies, Da Li’s and Wang Wei's paintings, their abstruse wonder are very similar. How can one reach these attainments? the answer is to be good at nourishing one’s noble spirit. To sum up, all is abstract, but the spirit must be genuine. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(19) Trial of force (20) It points Jiajie-using something unreal to produce real results. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Sequence of Training The basic training of this martial art is namely zhanzhuang. Its efficacy rests with the fact that it can exercise spirit, adjust breath, make blood circulation unobstructed and make the muscles stretched and in harmonious proportion. It really is the study of health preservation and how to be sturdy and beneficial to one's intelligence; it is also a sport that allows one to coordinate one's life. After that are all sorts of principles, like shili, shisheng(21), imagination and realization; then there is self-defense, to echo with atmosphere and the waves of relaxation and tension, to be conscious of one’s good abilities, and the importance of the void and the solid rooting together. Now I’m going to explain each stage below, one by one. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(21) To test voice.
Zhanzhuang (pile-stance keeping) Zhanzhuang is namely the work of keeping a standing posture. 138
At the beginning of practice is jiben zhuang(22). While practicing it, one must first settle the frame of the whole body, one should be quiet and void inside, and outwardly thoroughly remoulded, relaxed and harmonious, and natural, the head straight and the eyes upright, the body should be proper-looking and the crown of the head should be erect, the spirit should be strong and the force equal (throughout the body), the mood quiet and the breath gentle, mind should gaze far away, the hairs should bristle and the waist relax, the body's joints seem to have the meaning of bending a little, clean out distracting thoughts, face the vast sky silently, the inner mind shouldn’t wander outside and extrinsic thoughts mustn’t invade the inside, shining as if a magic light at the crown of the head, clear and bright, only the void spirit exists, the hairs of the whole body should have the tendency of extending a lot and standing straight, and the inside and the outside of the whole body should be like surging and convoluting. In that way, one should feel like a precious tree that is high in the clouds, hanging from a rope, and with wooden props below to support it. The expression of such melodious things depends on each people, but if we want to draw an analogy, let us call it “swimming in the air”, which I guess it may most resemble. Next, one should learn to feel the state of muscle cell excitation, if one achieves some progress by exercising it, which’s because it is a natural activity by itself. By natural, I mean that is an important means of physiology transforming, for instance, it can heighten hemoglobin in the case of anemia, and decrease high blood pressure to become normal. Because it is a natural way of exercising, no matter how one does it, it never causes the heart to beat irregularly. It allows it to develop evenly and to work normally. But from the spiritual side, one should regard the body as a great smelting furnace, and realizing all things are being fused in the kiln. At the same time, one should be aware that all cells are working naturally and simultaneously. There may not be the slightest reluctance, and furthermore one should disallow all illusions. If one is exercising according to what is mentioned above, then all the muscles have not been exercised 139
(consciously) yet they have gotten exercised by themselves, spirit has not been nourished (consciously) yet it has gotten nourished by itself, and the whole body will feel entirely free from worry, the temperament also gradually changes along with it. This instinctive and natural force, it is really not difficult to develop it bit by bit, naturally, from inside to outside. However, one must remember that body and mind should never use force, otherwise, they will lose their relaxed and harmonious state with the slightest block of blood, and if one is not relaxed then qi becomes sluggish, and force wooden (stiff), the mind stops, and so spirit is broken, and all become wrong. Anyway, no matter what you’re practicing, zhanzhuang, shili or combat, as long as or once the breath is out of normal, or once the diaphragm tightens, that is just wrong, so I hope students will practice carefully, and that they absolutely do not neglect these things. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(22) Foundational pile-standing.
Shili (Testing Force) When you have a good foundation in the above basic practices, all kinds of favorable abilities will be increasingly developed. One should then continue further to learn Shili in order to realize the expression of all kinds of strength and really be able to use them. This practice is the most important and difficult work in martial arts. Shili is the way to acquire force (power). One comes to understand force through Shili, and by knowing force, it is then one can use it. When practicing, you should make your body evenly balanced and whole, the muscles empty and nimble. Imagine a flow of air coming and going through all the pores, yet at the same time, the bones and hairs should all be supportive and consolidated. By moving more precisely, the spirit will become more complete. Slowness excels over quickness, begin to go and yet stop, begin to stop and yet go, furthermore, hold the attitude of going when having to stop and stopping when having to go, in order to recognize whether or not the entire force of the mind is 140
well rounded; whether or not the force of the mind can be shot out in response to feeling at anytime and anywhere; whether or not the whole body can feel and respond to the universal force (23); and whether or not the mind force can become reality. We want to respond with the universal force, so we must first feel the atmosphere, then respond to it little by little. Next, test the elasticity of the waves of air and the terrestrial centrifugal force. In practice, one should experience the resistance of the air; use just the amount of force to respond it, and then, in a natural way, the force you use will not overextend and will not be inadequate. In the beginning, use the hands to test it, next gradually, does it with the whole body. If one can realize this force, good ability will gradually develop. Practice it unvaryingly and you will naturally acquire its unimaginable wonder, and then all kinds of strength will also not be difficult to get. As for the mind, let it never be broken and the spirit never be scattered. Be one integrated mass, moving minutely and following the feeling. The whole body, its upside, underside, left, right, front and the back, none of these are forgotten or neglected. It must achieve the state of being comfortable and full of strength, and be overflowing with wonderful delight, only then we can say that one has gained the wonder of the martial arts. The names of the kinds of force, which are to be tested, are very numerous. For instance there is Xuli (accumulating force), Tanli (springy force), Jingli (startling force), Kaiheli (opening and closing force), and then Zhongsu (weighty and rapid), Dingzhong (fixed in the centre or lingering), Chanmian (binding), Chengbao (supporting embracing), Duoxing (inertial), Sanjiao (triangular), Luoxuan (helical), Ganggan (lever), Lunzhou (spindle), Huache (pulley), Xiemian (inclined), and so on. All of these become known in a natural way from the practise of Shili. All joints of the body bend, and at the same time, all joints contain expansion, too. What is called shrinking and extending reciprocate each other. Each joint forms an obtuse angle, and moreover, is not coplanar. There are especially no fixed triangles. Hidden within the power of the martial art, all is known via spiritual realization. The 141
motion of the form is tiny. Watching it outwardly, it seems the form is motionless, but the volution of all joints are rotating and never fixed, they are sinuous and never stop. In fact, it should be known that by holding a fixed form then the force is dissipated and without a fixed form then the spirit is assembled. You, yourself, must experience it, only then you can truly understand it. According to my experience, triangular forces produce helical force. All forces result from the muscles moving and the imagination of the spirit working with each other, they all have an affiliated relationship. If we talk about them individually, then we again enter the doorway of methods and the whole becomes merely a slice. Therefore, if not taught face to face and with the heart, it is not easy to gain the essence. It is impossible to be described by words, so it need not be expatiated here. To sum up, all forces are used by the spirit in tight concentration with the inside and outside contained congruously. If we talk about them separately, then the result is a mechanical martial art with a fixed form and “broken body” (misaligned and fragmented body). This is not Yiquan. According to my experience in practicing and realizing martial arts for more than forty years, I deeply find that all kinds of strength are produced when the whole body extends toward emptiness (in mind) and forgetting oneself. However, this whole body emptiness also results from gradual comprehension of the minute angle formations. Therefore, again I find that all learning is contradictory, but at the same time, all is harmonious. Unite the contradictions and only then can there be a thorough understanding. Just make use of their divisions and agreements; otherwise, it is not easy to understand the principle. As for the method of using force, the important reason for unifying the body, it absolutely does not rest with the form being good or bad and it especially does not rest with the postures being numerous or simple. The important thing rests with how the spirit controls, how the mind leads, and how the inside and outside of the entire body work together. In action, whatever the form is, whether single out, both turning back, shoot out together, single movement
forward, traverse, ram straight ahead, frontal attack or attack sidelong with any of the entire body's joints, points, lines, and surfaces, all these methods have the distinctions of being either early or late, light or heavy, and relaxed or tense. But these should not show outwardly in the form and the force shouldn't be outside the body. There also shouldn't be any broken connections and one especially shouldn't have the tendency of feeling light or heavy. No matter Shili or Fali, one should keep the body relaxed and harmonious, the strength pithy and containing “listening” force in waiting for the feeling. The spirit should collect inwardly and the bones should conceal their edges. Within the area of 1 meter from the body, one should feel as if protected by a layer of netting. In this netting, feel as if there are many swords and bows ready to shoot outwardly. On the other hand all the rest of the hairs and muscles extend, shrink and turn, and the whole body inside and outside has the feeling of ball bearings and edges. Others, such as imaginative metaphors of all kinds of endless forces, are too numerous to talk about, so we will not discuss the matter - students may understand them by their own inner selves. If you have really acquired the above kinds of forces in your own body, be sure not to think that the path of learning martial arts has ended here, all this means is that you have gained only some of the principles. You now have the proper disposition to study martial arts; if in action then be able to have suitable states of relaxation and tension, as well as the proper insubstantiality and substantiality. The knack of getting the essence, is again, not easy to achieve except for a generalist master who has had plenty of experience in true combat. One should also have tiptop talent, outstanding verve, and especially should have profound and pure skill. Then gradually, one may gain an instinctive state of liveliness. Here one needn't think, does not expect, or think about things but just makes it so, and thus reaches the enemy before one realizes it. The points of force of the smallest extremes of the entire body should also avoid the action of discharging at random. But then again, without the whole body being able to discharge at random, it is difficult to
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achieve its wonder. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(23) It points the force of nature, for example: gravitation, resistance of
the atmosphere, etc.
Shisheng (Testing Voice) Shisheng supplements Shili for its minute inadequacies. Its effectiveness rests with stimulating the cells work via sound waves. Its original intention does not reside in communication, but for the people who hear it, a frightening feeling will suddenly be produced in all. This is really because it is the voice and the force shooting out together. It is different with people who empty shouts in order to bulldoze others. While doing Shisheng, the air in mouth shouldn't be spit out. It is the skill of the voice turning inwardly. In the beginning, one should make a sound, and then gradually, turn to silence. People's voices are different, only the sounds of Shisheng are all the same. The voice is like the sound of ramming a big bell in a glen. Just as our predecessors said: “Shisheng is like the root of a big musical instrument.” It can not be described by words. One should allow students to watch the teacher's mien during Shisheng, consider its principle, hear the sound, conjecture its meaning, then test the state of the voice. In this way, maybe one can get its essence.
Self-defense Self-defense is another name for combat. One should know a big action is not as good as a small action and a small action is not as good as stillness. The talent of stillness begets unceasing action. For example, a machine wheel or rotor, when it turns very speedily can seem motionless. When it can be seen to be running, then it will soon stop and it becomes a representation of impotence. What is called motionless motion is faster than motion. This very speedy motion is similar to stillness. Motion and stillness are based upon each other’s usage. Its ingenious usage rests mainly with control of the nerves, leading the mind, the elastic power of breathing, a 144
stable pivot, route displacement, and changing the barycentre. With all the above kinds of methods, if one can use them properly, then one has a base for combat. One should also train the habit of making the provision for issuing force in response to all opportunities at anytime and anyplace. The main point concealed within the insubstantial spirit is that the mind intent can be influenced in inexhaustible ways; this is a valuable thing. However, although it is not necessary to get to the bottom of the combative methods, it seems we still need to pass through the process. If the opponent is stiff and always presents his center of gravity, then we needn't be concerned about him. If the opponent’s action is rapid, his body never fixed at a place and he is lively like a monkey, we need not say that he has all kinds of force. Just by his rapid actions, it is clear that not everyman can deal with him; therefore, we should also research combat methods during peacetime. In practice, first train the hypogastrium to be substantial, buttocks to be firm, the head, the hand, the shoulder, the elbow, the crotch, the knee, the foot, each has a combat method. With reference to Tida (lifting strike), Gouda (hooking strike), Anda (pressing strike), Guada (hanging strike), Juda (sawing strike), Zhuanda (drilling strike), Cuoda (twisting strike), Fuda (whisking strike), Dieda (folding strike), Cuoda (alternating strike), Guoda (swathing strike), Jianda (trampling strike), Jieda (cutting strike), Duda (blocking strike), Cuida (destroying strike), Boda (dispelling strike), Gunlida (rolling force strike), Zhilida (branched force strike), Hualida (slippery force strike), Nianlida (viscidity force strike), Quanbuda (circling step strike), Yinbuda (stretching step strike), Jinbuda (advancing step strike), Tuibuda (retreating step strike), Shunbuda (sequence step strike), Hengbuda (sidelong step strike), Zhengbuda (full step strike), Banbuda (half step strike), inclined forehand, front diagonal strike, unilateralism of the whole strike, whole of the partial strike, top and underside coiling strike, left and right leading strike, inside and outside leading strike, front and back revolving strike, “the force stops but the mind doesn't stop,” “the mind stops but the spirit connects again,” the opportunity of the 145
movement to start but yet not start, and all kinds of suggested striking methods, although they are all partial, if one has not had practice in the field, it is also difficult to get them. But, all-in-all, they are third-rate skills, and the clever and wise person need not practice them.
Jijizhuang Method - Combat Pile Standing To compare Jijizhuang with the basic zhuang for health, their spirit and form differ a little from one each other, but still root on the same principle. The step should be as the character "/ \", and is also named dingbabu: it’s a bow step with the feet placed half like the Chinese character "ding" and half like "/ \". 30% of the weight of the body is divided on the front and 70% on the back, the force of the two arms is 70% holding and 30% supporting. While Fali, force is just equal, but past equalizing, it still should be as the spring of a firearm, and one should have the intention of extending and shrinking continuously. The variable distance between the hands and between the feet doesn’t exceed 1 chi (0.33 meter) at its maximum, and it is less than one inch at its minimum. Front and back, left and right, change in one each other without end, and the more one practice it, the more he gets skilled and finds its wonder. As for the use of relaxation and tension, and of the heavy and the solid, conjecturing the soft, being quiet and suddenly springing, being far or near of the way, how to hold the posture, whether the Fali is false or true, the universe force wave and what opportunity to use it, then one should enter into it gradually. The whole problem of martial art science is contained in the following: in daily practice, one should assume there is a tiger at one’s front and store up force to fight with one each other for subsistence; this is the only way to learn combat in the beginning, it is also the first principle. Now let’s try again to explain the exertion of spirit, mind and force below. The exertion of spirit and mind: The important thing in Jijizhuang, rests with the whole body being empty, agile, equal and whole, in fine feather, the spirit being like a tiger in the
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fog, and the mind being as a clever rhinoceros, one should have the force of a strong horse running, of a dragon braying and gnawing. The head should be upright, the nape erected, the tip centers pressing and shrinking, the whole body lively, the limbs connected, the toes grasping the ground, the two knees have force to support the body but also are pulling up, the heels are lifting a little, as gale rolling up a tree, you can imagine having the force of being about to fly, screwing, swinging and shaking, and then the whole body has the force of supporting, wrapping, erecting and expanding, the hairs are like halberds, the joints of the upper side and of the lower side are twisting, like coils of hundreds of overlapping lines, and by riding its pulling force, one intends to contend with heaven and earth, the shoulders are supporting, the elbows are sidelong; wrapping, rolling and turning, pulling and spinning never stop, lifting up and dropping down; pushing and holding are working one with each other, and force should always keep balanced, equal and whole. The fingers stick arrisways, catch, and screw to the left and to the right, turn outside and wrap inside, one having the feeling of driving a mountain or the earth, muscles contain strength, condyles produce edges, the whole body keeps coordinated, one should know the move of the mind taking in and sending out large quantities in a connotative way, and have the forces of supporting sidelong, rolling, pushing, rasping, bagging and coiling, the hairs standing as a forest, the back should be upright and the waist straight, the lower abdomen should always be round, the chest shrink slightly; then while moving one should be as an angry tiger searching the mountain; and, as if the mountain forest were just going to collapse, the whole body is like the state of a snake about to change suddenly, also one should feel urgent as if the body were about to be fired, furthermore, one should have the spirit and the vigor of a torpid dragon which flies straight with the thunderbolts, one should especially feel the muscles activating and poppling, the force being like the powder and the hands like the cannonball, the spirit is able to react so slightly that even a sparrow would have difficulty to fly away, and then one should be fearfully like having 147
the valor of someone assisted by God. Therefore, everything you meet, once the spirit and mind meet one each other, just as having a tight encirclement, nothing can run away, like the thunderbolt sparks, and a heavy snow purging the vegetation, and even more, nothing can explain its amazingly quick launching. Therefore, I name this spirit and mind motion as "hypervelocity motion", expressing that its speed is quicker than any velocity. The above texts are mostly abstract, however, in the spirit one “should do them really, lest should come into the shadow of a shade”. How exerting the forces: If we except the question of spirit and mind, exerting forces is the more important issue, and of course I’m speaking about the good natural force, not the unilateral one. And, most of this force has to be gained by Shili. In practice, one should be without deflection in any part by seeking the equal and whole strength; then, from the equal and whole force at a point, one should try to conjecture the deflection between the insubstantial and the substantial, and again by the deflective alternation between relaxation and tension one can test the suitability of Fali, again by suitable Fali, using the spirit wind around and at the edge of the wave spring force, which again go out by all hairs of the body as if to ask the way, and like this, one could expect to get the ability expressed by the word of “on the verge of breaking out”. Further more, in preparing the defense and attack of some spots, one should be also as if dealing with a formidable enemy momentarily, and one should especially pay attention to the point that one wants to hit with Fali, one must never shoot at random. Take sight at the void place you don't hit, but hit the solid place, you should know that solid place is just a kind of weakness, (and hit) the hinge place where the void and the solid are exchanging. Were it not for experience, one will never know that disordered and daredevil hits can be availability and vulnerability (to the opponent) too, so one should see carefully who is the opponent before to do that. The frontispiece turns a little, namely is bevel, bevel counterpunch can push (your opponent) flat. Practice diligently and research by all your best, by carefully and quietly considering it. If we're talking 148
about martial art from the point of view of fighting for life, then it is duel, and duel has no morality neither justice. So, one should all the more hold to the six words knack: "to be willing to, to have the heart to, ruthlessness, carefulness, steadiness, and nicety", and be determined to perish together with the enemy. If you can't hit your opponent, you shouldn't hit naturally; only if you can kill the enemy by one punch, then you can hit him. Holding such decision, you may not be without victory naturally. This points to a Roland for an Oliver, but if the opponent is inferior in skill, you might as well release him safe. Now, if we’re talking about it from the point of view of fellows visiting each other, and comparing their skills, then it is contest, and contest is friendly and for research and discussion purpose. So, it is very different from duel, and one should pay attention first to morality and justice. Thus, one should especially observe how the opponent's ability is, if that’s as six to one, then one should absolutely release him safe, it is important to make him fear your power but also appreciate your virtue. Before the contest, one should assume first a courteous attitude, words should be guided by affability, actions should be inspired by manners, and one shouldn't absolutely be overbearing and manic to harm the harmony and concinnity. In the future, the virtue of martial arts will be coming back, as the traditional way can live forever. Indeed it is the clinking glory of our martial art way, and so, I have a deep expectation of that.
Talk about the states of Zhanzhuang (pile standing) By practicing zhuang, one should come through three kinds of states: at each stage, one should realize and learn something from that, and then become the skill. What is called state, namely, is the mentation and physiological state in practicing zhuang. The mentality acts on the physiology, and the physiology acts on the mentality, so they reflect each other. In the end of the Qing dynasty, scholar Mr. Wang Guowei had ever said: "Every person who succeed in his career should go through three kinds of states”. The 149
first is “the clothes and waistband being are getting loose (24) little by little but one should never regret, the body becomes peak and pine for the career”. The second is: “last night, the west wind withered the green trees, walking up the tower lonely, and looking the end of the skyline road". The third is: “to have been seeking her for thousands times in the public, suddenly, to turn the head, and that person is here like in a waning lamplight." Practicing martial arts should also be like this. The first state of Zhanzhuang, talking about it according to the mentality point of view is called "never regret". Student should have a conviction without any doubt, and have the volition that can't be wobbled by one hundred of cattle. Talking about it according to the physiology angle, by persevering in practice during one hundred of days, then one will have the feelings; by persevering in practice during three or four years, then one will feel the limbs expanding, the hands and feet being heated, and one will have the feeling of being as if being filled with lead marbles. The insides of the limbs are easy and quick to get this feeling, but their outside are comparatively difficult and slow to get this feeling. Anyway, both the inside and outside of the limbs should have the feeling of being filled with lead marbles? and expanding, so you can consider to have gain something then: once one attains this state, then one can begin to learn the skills. The second state of Zhanzhuang, talking about it according to the mentality point of view is called "to look the end of the skyline road", hereat, one will believe that the wonder of all martial arts is included in this martial art and not in the others, and that only this one can give the best (25). Talking about it according to the physiology angle, by persevering in practice for five or six years, one will feel that the two ears are expanding, the brow and the nose feel as if there were something moving inside, the neck is upright as if suspended by the crown on a big rope, the scalp is swelling, the hairs are as if flying, and one feels as if a big rock were pressing the calvaria. This namely, is the result achieved by the head held upright and the neck erects in practicing zhuang. At the same time, the feeling of the arms spreads to the buttocks and 150
the lower abdomen little by little. Thus, the feeling of the limbs is grown day by day. When one attains this state, then one will feel full of nature delight. However, the force he issued still is the mechanical force of the limbs instead of that from the waist and the spine. The third state of Zhanzhuang, talking about it according to the mentality point of view is called "to look back", hereat, the instinctive livingness is like a snake. "The spirit dignified and the mind quiet", filliping or waving hand, all are nature. Looking back again, every method which has been practiced during ten years, all are like the shabby shoes, it behoove us to throw them away in the ravine and we needn't to cherish them, what was practiced in accidence namely is the positive result. Talking about it according to the physiology angle, by persevering in practice for about ten years, then one will feel the waist and the spine getting the feeling of expanding. This feeling will go through the anus and genitalia, and one will feel the whole body as a ingot, the body as if being filled with lead, the muscles as one, walking as stepping in the mud, once one will lift his hands then one will produce sharp edges, the body will be moving as if riding a billow, the waist and spine will be massive like that of a cattle. When one attains this state, then once one acts one just feel full of wonder naturally, and the force that is issued then begins to be equal and whole. Thus, the qualification for martial art is prepared. The above fixed numbers of years I mentioned are all according to my own experience. As for students, some may need a little longer, some may need a little shorter, all depend on one's inherence and skills. Mr. Zeng Guofan had ever said: “To accomplish the career, the inherence acts as 30%, however, the diligence occupies 70”. This isn't empty words, so students, be encouraged by it. If one has been practicing Zhuang for a long time, but cannot discern any clear effect, one should check one’s own body, whether there isn't an incorrect posture. In that case, maybe the mentality makes some side effect on the physiology, or the physiology makes some side effect on the mentality… Anyhow, there must be a problem, and one should also seek help from a wise person, don't consider yourself to be 151
always right, so, be careful! Be careful! Again, in the zhuang practice one should avoid by all means to always practice one only posture, one should alternate different postures, so, alternate them every day. At the same time, one should also distinguish between the standing postures, the sitting postures, and the lying postures, the standing postures and lying postures should be persevered in especially. Just this way of doing allows a fine-tuning of the physiology. Thus, although each zhuang can cultivate the inner strength, each zhuang has its own particular effect (therefore, if you want to handle one' particular case by zhuang, just work out the postures according to each person). If one is always practicing one fixed posture, looked from the point of view of martial art, then it is partial; students, be cautious about this! It is suitable to practice zhuang for an hour to one and half an hour per day. The time of practicing zhuang per day should account for two parts out three of the whole training time, and use the third one to do shili (testing force). According to my experience, thus it is suitable. Due to zhuang is the basic exercise of Yiquan. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(24) It means one becomes thin. (25) It sounds a little like sectarianism, but it is a betweenness only
instead of the final proper manner. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talk about four forms Practicing zhuang achieves the state of "the whole body as a casting", "the body as if being filled with lead," "the muscles as one" and "the hairs (shot up) as halberds", then we can talk about martial art. What is martial art? Martial art is the force coming into play vigorously, it isn’t partial methods. In former days, I had written a poem with the title "the appearance of dance": The body moving with brandishing wave dance, the mind force traveling on the water surface. As a cruising dragon or a white crane playing,
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making detours as a snake being frightened. The muscles contain strength, the spirit being kept and the bones producing edges. Wind and cloud emit the splendid moon, the heroic spirit run through the long rainbow. Those "brandishing wave", "cruising dragon ", "white crane" and "frightened snake" about which were talked in the poem are all martial art patterns. The dance reproducing these martial art patterns, also namely, is what they called: the "Health dance" or the "Martial dance". During Sui and Tang dynasty (A.D.581-907), Health dance had ever been quite prevalent, it was the health preservation and combat method of that time. Not only warriors practiced it, but most scholars also practiced it, it was mostly lost later. The latter-day martial artist Mr. Huang Muqiao based on his experience of researching martial arts for many years, and conjectured from the dance postures of the persons in Dunhuang fresco and figurines, and only then he reconstruct some moves of health dance. On an occasion of the northern expedition (A.D. 1926), I traveled to Huainan(26), so that I could meet Mr. Huang Muqiao, and then get his teaching, and in some sort, get the intendment of the health dance, I dare not to keep the secret by myself, so I have ever taught it to my students again, but among them, only about ten persons who could be said to have got the wonder of the health dance. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(26) A place in the middle part of Anhui Province.
As the precondition of being able to practice the health dance one just should achieve the state of the "four as", namely, having the ability of "the whole body as a casting", "the body as if being filled by lead," "the muscles as one" and "the hairs as halberds", otherwise, it is difficult to dance out the appearance. That dance is only swinging the limbs. I had said: “the strength should be sought in the body, the force shake out of the body”. Practicing zhuang to the state of "four as", then the inner strength will be prepared. But concerning how to break out this inner strength to become an outside force, to get its effect in combat, then the four forms are 153
the most proper modality. The four forms dance should be according to the principle of "the form bended and the force straight". In practice, one should always set up an imaginary enemy, storing up the force to fight against him. The hands are pointing and the wrists screwing, the fingers bending and the claws holding (27), no matter whether a single hand or double hands rise to dance, the fingers are always pointing the opponent's mouth and nose; you should try your best to control the opponent's midline, giving a menace to your enemy. To control the opponent's midline is also namely to protect your own midline being out of trespassing. Not only the forefinger, middle finger, third finger and little finger all point the enemy, even the thumb should also bend and store up the force to point the same direction with the other four fingers. This palm skill is thoroughly dissimilar with what they called internal martial arts, like Taiji quan, or outside martial arts, like Shaolin. This is the meaning of “the hands pointing and the claws holding namely. If desire the hands pointing and the claws holding then the wrists disallow arched and sinked, don’t arch and sink, therefore, while using this, one must screw the wrists, and then one can be agile to overmaster the enemy. One should also have the wonder of clasping, grinding, contracting and resisting. The ten fingers disallow to be stiffened, all should bend and store up (force); the fingers should be detached, the palms should be concave, while using, the top of the fingers may have the feeling of passing through electricity, this just is the wonder of the fingers bended and the wrists screwed. The two arms in action are never allowed to lose the force of swathing, rolling, supporting and holding, even a mosquito or a fly can't fall on the body(28). The two feet in advancing or retreating are never allowed to lose the ability of sword, forking, disparting and thrusting, footwork should not yield an inch. The shoulders should be sustainable (29), the elbows should be transverse (30), then the two arms just have the force of swathing, rolling, supporting and holding. The crotch should sit down, the knees should be sent out, by sitting down the crotch and sending out the knees then you just have strength, you just have the 154
ability of sword, forking, disparting and thrusting. While fighting with an opponent, I persist in nothing, making him also completely unable to catch anything, the trick rests with the shoulders and the crotch writhing. Furthermore, the shoulders and crotch writhing should again be powered by the waist and the spinal column, therefore, in practice, the waist and the spinal column should sway and turn like an axis, thus one just can defeat persisting by no persisting. The two feet should be shifting as if moving in mud or snow, and the weights 30% and 70% on each of the two feet are changing each other. The feet haven't a fixed place, the body hasn't a fixed posture, either by making the back foot as the frontal foot, or by making the frontal foot as the back foot, the front and the back are alternating, the empty and the solid evolve in one each other, and use your step to contend for the enemy's place. While in action, the body moves following the mind, the hands leave the traces (31), one should feel his whole body as if meeting a substance, the three tips should keep harmonious, the four centers homologized. If (you act) quickly, disallow afloat; if (you act) slowly, disallow slack. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(27) As if holding a bowl adown by palm. (28) It
means one is very keen, even if a hairlike thing, like a mosquito or a fly, wants to touch his body, his body will detect it and respond automatically to slip it. (29) As if shouldering something. (30) Contain Zhengli (contending force), as if struggle to get free from binding. (31) It means that the hands are storing up power, as if lacerate something, and leave the traces. The forces should break out all in a flash. In this time, if you attack an enemy, malevolence is the best tactic, because the force breaks out following the mind. By being merciless then one can defeat the enemy, because the methods are produced following the mind. Therefore, in practice, every action need jiajie(32), if one’s 155
action is without jiajie, the body's force will not be true. In practice, the whole body should never allow to lose the feeling of "the whole body as a casting, the body as if being filled by lead, the muscles as one and the hairs as halberds". What is called "mind never being broken, spirit never being scattered, be in one integrated mass, do not forget and do not lose it". Thus, the dance just has the state of “full of natural wonder”. Physiology acts on psychology, this just is the health preservation meaning of the health dance. By this token, the real skill of Yiquan isn't gained from moving, but one should seek it in immobility. Therefore, we said: "The movement of immobility just is the living movement". -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(32) Using something unreal to produce real results.
Practicing the four forms is a directional training to the inner strength, to make it be able to break out to become an out force at any time and any where, to get the avail of combat; therefore, in practice, we seek whether it is comfortable only, don't seek to make the posture stand or fall, whether it be beautiful or not. But nevertheless posture is the representation of form, and therefore, you should also make the postures be correct, namely, never disobey the laws of physiology dynamics. If every action can follow the laws of dynamics, and never lose the state of the "four as", then a big action will be right and a small one right too, otherwise, all actions will be incorrect. In practice, one should also pay attention to use the law of unity between the opposites, about the out force and the inner strength of the body. The out force of the body is of four sorts: 1. The gravity of the body, namely, the gravitation potential energy translate into kinetic energy, this namely is called the "contending force with the earth"; 2. The ground support force and its counterforce, this is what I depicted as "being about to pull out the ground to fly"; 3. The air resistance, this is what I called "to echo with the atmosphere"; 4. The opponent's force in fight, this is what I called "borrowing force". These forces, I name them together as the "universe contending 156
force". The body's inner strength, namely, consists in the whole muscle’s pull in the state of the "four as", this namely, is what I called the "perfectly round contending force". The diaphragm power, this is what I called the "breath elasticity", also is a kind of body's inner strength. If you want to get the real avail of martial art, you should make the perfectly round contending force and the universe force being on the rhythm, the wonder of their action all depends on the breath elasticity. So we say "expire and inspire the fountain of spirit, the force unites with the universe", "the shout rides the whirlwind". Therefore, once the diaphragm tightens, that’s just wrong, so students should care about it. Now, I’m going to explain the four forms respectively:
Brandishing wave This pattern should be according to the principle of "the form flexible and the force straight", and you shouldn't lose the state of the "four as". Its embodiment then consists in using the forces of extending, shrinking, pressing, raising, sinking, holding and lifting. While the body is standing, the two feet immobile, however, the body and the two arms are doing the undulant movement up and down in contrary directions at the same time. Namely, the two arms are lifting synchronously, however, the body is sitting down, and while the two arms are pressing down, however, the body is raising up, also namely, pulling up and down reversely to elongate oneself, thus, the gravitation potential energy of the body translates into kinetic energy, the whole body just being like a wave force, it is called the "gravitation wave". This gravitation wave just is the requirement in combat. At the same time, pulling reversely up and down produces the longitudinal wave force, recurring to the force of the two arms round support, it makes the longitudinal wave secretly carrying transverse waves, thus, you just have the dance movements and postures of “brandishing wave”. While doing this, the two arms are in tandem. If the left hand is in front then put out
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the left foot, if this is the right hand that is in front, then put out the right foot. The two arms are cooperating with the body, extending, shrinking, pressing and raising up and down, pulling reversely and elongate oneself, the two hands running an elliptic path. Left and right are advancing and retreating, changing each other without end. This pattern's image is just as a tortoise swimming out the water, being about to float but sinking again, often floats and holds the billows and raise waves at the surface, so this form is also named “a divine tortoise swims out the water”.
Wave needs elasticity mainly, this elasticity should break out to be a blast force as soon as it meets something, this namely, is storing up, springing, shocking and bursting. Practice Brandishing Wave and Cruising Dragon these two patterns, again should have the body that if you raise it then it is very high, if you pronate then it is very deep, if the opponent comes highly then I am high to do it, make him has the feeling of being high up in the air and agravic, feel too high to reach. If the opponent comes lowly then I am low to do it, make him has the feeling of facing an abysm, nod to its fall, falling deeper and deeper. This just is the method of "high then raise the body, low then shrink the body".
Cruising dragon This pattern should still be according to the principle of "the form flexible and the force straight", still shouldn't lose the state of the "four as", but then its embodiment consists in using the forces of lifting, pressing, stroking, dividing, shutting, opening and closing, and then the working of this pattern is the same as brandishing wave, you still need to make use of the gravitation wave to issue the forces of lifting, pressing, stroking, dividing, shutting, opening and closing. The two arms cooperate with the body to pull reversely up and down. The difference rests with the two arms running an elliptic path by the forces of lifting, pressing, opening and closing at the two flank fronts of the body. One should produce the forces of lifting and pressing by longitudinal wave, and the forces of opening and closing by transverse wave. Longitudinal and transverse, high and low, advance and retreat, use each other. The image is like a dragon swimming in the sea, the dragon just is the billows, the billows just is the dragon, the dragon goes just is the billows move, the billows move just is the dragon goes. These two patterns, Brandishing Wave and Cruising Dragon, are all using the gravitation wave to get the effect of martial art. Therefore, in using them, one should grasp the degree of tightness of the force wave. Relax to store up the strength, tense to shoot out the force, relax, tense, tense, and relax, all with wave and billows.
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White crane This pattern should still according to the principle of "the form flexible and the force straight", still shouldn't lose the state of the "four as". But its embodiment then is using the forces of embracing, hacking, boring, thrusting, turning, raising, wrapping and screwing. Every bending part of my body, when it acts on the enemy's body and to be hindered, or one part of enemy's body acts on this place, while it is going to be distorted, my this bending part produces a resistance at once to stop the distortion, this spring force breaks out to be burst force immediately. This burst force just is the requirement of martial art, this is what I called "storing up, springing, shocking and bursting" namely. Must know in the allowable elongation that my bending part can flex freely, the spring force is proportional to the elongation quantity (or the recovery quantity) of my bending part. Therefore, in practicing this form, the action scope of two arms should be big a little, to strengthen the intensity of the bursting force in straightaway shot. In action, the two arms draw arcs from outside to inside alternately. If high, the fingers don't over the calvaria, if low, the fingers don't lower than the navel, if the left arm raises up first then stride out the left foot, the right arm raises up first then stride out the right foot. In drawing arcs, the two arms should have the forces of
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embracing, hacking, boring, thrusting, turning, raising, wrapping and screwing, in practice, one should according to different imaginations and jiajie, the spring force which is produced by the arms' bending parts turning, or raising, or wrapping, or screwing, or embracing, or hacking, or pulling, or boring, or thrusting to break out to be bursting force. The wonder of this pattern also rests with raise the foot to override the enemy. If the left arm raises first, then the left foot raises broadwise and falls broadwise. Don't rise high than the knee of own solid leg, and don't fall high than the enemy's chest. Raise the knee, fall the foot, the strength issued from the hands, the force break out should be one sound, this pattern of falling the foot isn't kick, stretching out, treading, or trampling, it is stamping in fact. Only use the break-out force, two arms continual use by turns, two feet use together, the image just like a white crane breaks through, being about to fly. The "three fists and one foot" of Yiquan just are changed out from this pattern.
supporting, holding, swinging or lifting. Front, back, left and right change each other without end, the image just is as a frightened snake runs suddenly, make a detour left and right it flashes sword light. What they called three fists (drilling, wrapping and trampling) and three sticks (over shoulder stick, chest front stick, head back stick) are all changed out from this pattern, unparalleled fearfulness. White crane and frightened snake these two patterns are all using elasticity to get the effect of martial art. Therefore, in practice, should grasp the quantity of elongation and recovery, retract to store up the strength, extend to shoot out force. If you are going to extend it, then must retract it; if your are going to retract it, then must extend it; elongation and recovery should make the whole body as a spring. This spring force should break out to be bursting force as soon as meet an object. Therefore, these white crane and frightened snake two patterns also are exerting "storing up, springing, shocking and bursting".
Frightened Snake
Practicing white crane and frightened snake two patterns again should know white crane can override transverse (enemy), frightened snake can nip lengthways (enemy). If the opponent (two hands) come out together, then I wrap his force, make him be circumvolved and pull out his root; the opponent advances solely, then I let his force pass, let him exhaust the force and pronate ahead. This namely is the method of "transverse then wrap his force, lengthways then let pass his force”.
This pattern should still according to the principle of "the form flexible and the force straight", still shouldn't lose the state of the "four as". But its embodiment then is using the forces of raising, stamping, taking in, sending out, supporting, holding, swinging and lifting. The action of this pattern is the same with white crane, one should still make use of the spring force of the bending parts to break out the forces of raising, stamping, taking in, sending out, supporting, holding, swinging and lifting. In action, if you stride out the left foot then raise the left arm, draws arc from inside to outside, at the same time, the right arm draws arc from outside to inside under the left arm. Advance the right foot, the right arm draws arc to outside, at the same time, the left arm draws arc under the right arm. In doing, according to different imaginations and jiajie, what I called bending spring force can break out to be bursting force by the form of raising, stamping, taking in or sending out, also can break out to be bursting force by the form of
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A talk on the philosophical justification of Yiquan With regard to the philosophical justification of Yiquan, I hesitate to write too much, and will only put it forward in the form of a philosophical proposition. After collation, it is not difficult to see the real aspect of Yiquan in a natural way. I. Zhuang Zi said: "The thing which makes substance isn't substance." This means what makes substance become a substance, isn't substance itself. Yiquan asserts that all forces are the 161
concourse of spirit. It also can be said that force isn't force. In other words, what makes force become force isn't force, but spirit and mind. This is just the quiddity why Yiquan is called Yiquan (mind martial art). II. Lao Zi said: "Keep inaction then all things can be done naturally." Yiquan asserts "the action of doing something proceeds from inaction" and "the movement of immobility is just the living action." What they called "inaction" and "immobility" just are zhanzhuang in Yiquan, what they called "doing something" and "movement" just are shili and fali. Yiquan attaches importance to zhanzhuang and is also the meaning of "inaction." In former days, someone presented Yiquan as "the static qigong of ancient Taoism." This isn't a derogatory term. III. Lao Zi said: "Reversal is the movement of Tao." Yiquan asserts, "force has two kinds, two can then be one," namely, the antinomy and unification of the acting force and counterforce. What is called "contradictory and fractured should be unified". IV. Zen has a saying: "all methods are empty, that is namely the real image." Again it is said: "don't think kindness, don't think badness, instead return to the appearance when I haven't yet been born." The appearance when I haven't yet been born is namely "emptiness and nihility." Yiquan asserts that "all kinds of strength are produced by the whole body extending to the point of being inane (in mind) and forgetting oneself." Therefore, teach people to "seek reality in nihility and exert it in emptiness." V. Zen has another idiom: "without method and without persisting." Yiquan then asserts: "never set up a method, without persisting to defeat persisting." In a fight, "I never persist and make the opponent also have nothing to persist." Not only resisting and using force are considered persisting, but using fixed methods is also persisting. Defeat persisting without persisting. VI. The Ming dynasty scholar, Wang Shouren, had brought forward the theory of "cause good cognition." Yiquan asserts the theory of "develop good ability". Wang Shouren said: "It is really like water flowing to a humid place and fire coming near a dry 162
place." The trend is just so.
Talk about quantao(33) and method The profoundness of martial art is inexhaustible, even if the student is zenithal clever, and has the spirit of religiousness and try his best to practice, and has practiced for lifetime, it is still difficult to investigate its end, however, quantao and method, what is called artificial martial art shelf. From Qing dynasty three hundred years on, it is used by the common laymen to perform, namely, it is the tool to make a living by the unworthy pugs. Person who really wants to study martial arts, then how will he have free time to practice this? It is not only used for nothing, but also has a good many disturbances to the nerves, body and mind, it will harm all the body's good abilities, therefore, people who practicing this is short of wisdom and insight. Furthermore, it is especially improper for application (34), and has many more harms, it is hard to write out all of them, for the mission of martial arts, the principle of health, it is too far from that things, then we needn't talk about these at all. For combat, if one doesn't use method and quantao, however, acts recklessly and tangly hits, maybe he won't be defeated, if use it in case, then he is sure to be defeated. As for the theory of "The five elements, the mothers of birth and destruction", then is especially absurd. At a flash of fight, how could you have the time to think? If you see it with your eyes first, then think of it in your mind again, and then react to deal with the enemy, it is hard to avoid being defeated. The theory of "birth and destruction", I'm afraid that even if a little child also is difficult to believe it completely. Who does believe it? You may ask it to the person who has the experience of fight, you will know that my words are not erroneous naturally. In (35), refers to Hong Huan five elements, it points that cause of the need of polity and demos, to open up metal, wood, water, fire and soil to be used. Later, some ignorant people misused it, and fabricated it absurdly, so that it
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evolved to now what they called the theory of "five elements, the mothers of birth and destruction", this is the tricksters talk at random merely, how the students can read this? People know that quantao is spurious mostly, however, how are the fixed posture methods not fabricated by people? All are not the principle of martial art and the learning of exerting instinct. Even if one has pure and solid skills, believes confirmedly, and do it with perseverance and willpower, but he is also attending to draff and neglect of essentials in the end. One should know martial art science hasn't method at all, also can be said that all are methods, once there are method, the spirit just is inconsistent, the force also is not true, the action is on the loose, it isn't manful and sudden, the whole body can't be unified, furthermore, it is contranatural. What is called method, it is the method of elements and principle, not the side, unilateral and stark method, practice the side methods, just as a quackishness, what he has learnt all are preparing methods and prescriptions, to wait the sufferers, and the sufferers should sicken according to his prescriptions, otherwise, there is no place to use his skill. Everyone, who takes quantao and method as martial art, this is just like disturbing the great Tao by the theory of bad elements, all are sinner of martial art science. I sighs for the nowaday students, even if have the ideal of studying carefully, labor under without the gate to pass through, therefore, I fling caution to the winds, swear to point out their evildoing. Since quantao and method are no good and harmful, why are there still never devoid of those teachers and students, why? Because these people are dotty in wisdom and knowledge mostly, therefore they are curious and like strange things mostly, even if we tell them the truth, they are also difficult to aware, even if being aware they are also difficult to practice. The practitioners all use quantao and method to dazzle and flaunt, and the instructors even use quantao and method to cheat people, depend on this to kill time and convenient for make a living, the rather that people who don't know what thing martial art is? Therefore, one by one, leave errors by own error, it will never be end, it is really pitiful, teary and 164
hateful. Alas, not only martial art, I feel all learning are also misshapen developing. I really cannot bear to discern the humankind goes astray to catastrophe but don't save, therefore, I do not spare the gain and knowledge based on my realizing experience for many years, I explain and discuss it again and again, to correct their mistakes, and expect to awaken fellowmen, don't be perverse any more. In most cases, the profound learning are all in simple form but their meanings are numerous, however, that things with involute forms and postures are empty of essentiality, it is no doubt, not only martial art is such. I hope comrades think it again and again. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(33) A series of skills and tricks in martial art. (34) To
use it in true combat. (35) History of the Former Han Dynasty (B.c.206 -- A.D.25).
Talk about the relation between martial art and enginery The ancients said: "martial art succeeded then the enginery accomplished, don't practice arms only". If you can get the truth of martial art, again, to the inner power of all kinds of forces, the bend of subsections, substantial and insubstantial of long or short, sidelong or full-face, the function of three segments and nine sections, direction and height of the route, the chance and duration of touch, can really understand, then whatever falchion, spear, sword and wand etc. all kinds of enginery, given directions a little, all will be versed. Even if you meet an enginery which never been seen or heard before, and it is held by an expert of this enginery, he still can't compare with you. It is just as engineer compares with a little ironsmith, or doctor compares with a nurse, can't be mentioned in the same breath.
Talk about Dianxue(36) 165
People all think the theory of dianxue is wonderful, someone says to hit at a selected point, someone says to hit in a certain time, they dispute numerously and endlessly, hearing that make one weary, what they talk about are all wrong. If two persons fight, nip and tuck, needless to say the fixed point is not easy to be hit, even any point also is very difficult to be hit, if only some points can be hit, again check up on time in addition, then you have been defeated by your opponent already. To sum up, if one hasn't the essential ability of martial art, even if let him jab discretionarily also without the place to use his skill, even if hit the certain point luckily, it is still no any effect. If one has gained the true power of martial art, then any part of two flanks or the chest, once it is hit by him that can cause death immediately. Don't hit at selected point intentionally, but the place be hit none is not point, if only study somewhere is point, sometime can hit, is it away from the right path more and more? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(36) Hit at certain point, causing internal injury.
The difference between inherence and learning People often say, one has a stature of two meters, his power exceed 1000 jin (500 kilograms), he is very brave can't be blocked off. One must know a stature of two meters and the power exceed 500 kilograms, can be said abounding in gifts of nature only, can't exemplify martial art learning. Again say one can strike off a big whetstone by one punch, split off eight bricks and jump ahead three meters, jump back two meters, if really thus, they are some partial skills of fool only, and will walk into the way of disabled person. Don't talk about this for the moment, however, they all can't be regarded with martial art science, what talked above, people all takes for especial phenomenon, if they meet an all-round master, then they can do nothing. As for talking about leap onto roofs and vault over walls, knight-errant, these are all dreamed and faked by fictionists, can be dismissed with a laugh only. As for 166
break stone, walk on swords and spears, they are what is called dronish charlatan, these are even lower, it is not worth of a talk.
Free from mysticism There are often some talentless and short learning people, their humanness is loyal, they have been taught by someone, and have taken a more advanced course of the training, they specialize a pure skill, although it is partial, most people inferior to them. Hearing their occult saying, watching their function, people who are less identification, just think that a man can't do this, just take for mystery. They hardly realize the talking of mystery is absurd at all, it is produced due to lack wisdom and learning, less identification ability and haven't been proficient in realization. Even if luckily once in a while, get the truth of martial art science, however, they can't appreciate it and hold loose, therefore, each time they meet the thing which is profound in reason, they always produce a mystery thought. If one is deep in training, and he has experience and extensive knowledge, while meeting something, he will know it clearly naturally, and won't doubt there are any other things. All things like that, how does martial art science like this only?
Explanation of understanding and doing The important thing of learning, rests with understanding and doing, one should can practice and also can understand, otherwise, it is hard to avoid deceiving oneself as well as others in the end, full of lies, say flubdub and gulf mostly. The names of understanding and doing are simple, but their truth are numerous and difficult. People some say understanding is difficult and practice is easy, some say understanding is difficult, however, practice is more difficult, some say understanding and practice are syncretic, or things do not have being difficult or easy essentially. 167
The above talk, each has its truth, but they are vague and partial mostly after all, they can't make people clearly understand thoroughly. I think if one has deep experience and skill in learning, also has considerable effect, but because limited by knowledge, he can't explain why it is, who can be said understanding is difficult and practice is easy; if one has deep identification ability and skills, although he is easy in understanding, and also not difficult in practice; if one has identification ability but hasn't force and skill, then he can be called understanding is easy but practice is difficult; if one hasn't force and skill, again lack wisdom and knowledge, then understanding and practice both are impossible. Learning hasn't a limit essentially, one has how much understanding or practice, practice to what extent, understanding to what extent just is real understanding and real practice? Then I really dare not to clinch an argument, but one should be able to understand then can practice, be able to practice and also can understand, only then he can be called understanding and doing unified. If without real understanding, one will never have the day to practice really, also if without real practice, it is impossible to have the time of real understanding. The consistent truth of being needed each other and promote each other, sciences are all so, martial art science is such especially. Because this way should come true two opponents meet each other momentary, there are not any time to think, even more, it disallows hackneyed and stereotyped expressions. The way of science, one should understand the truth chiefly, then should lucubrate earnestly, if you don't understand the truth first, don't know the key of training, it is easy to go astray, the deeper effort you do, the severer harm you get. No matter what studying, writing or any other arts, there are often someone at childhood who can be brought up, how can know the senior and with deep skills one, who has world-renowned already, on the contrary, is improbable to be brought up, these things can be found everywhere. It because guided by a bad teaching, lucubrate carelessly, pursue forms, study what others study, echo what others say, what is called man who follows like sheep just points this. If one practice but without effect, 168
then he will also never get realization. His life at a loss, he hasn’t a bit actual thing. Furthermore, they will be easy to produce mysticism thoughts, they can't espy the door (of the truth) after all. Follow this, use up all their learning, they still haven’t any realization in the end, what a pity! One should know technique is the door of practice only, Confucius said: "Even if the children and grandchildren are foolish, they still can't be exempted to study, and also should let them understand truth, then should practice, the outside and inside assist each other. Otherwise, it is difficult to walk up the right path in the end.
Why the Martial Art Science had been lost The important thing of martial art practice has three principles: one is health preservation; one is self-defense; one is altruism. Altruism is our vocation, also is an essential important item of martial art, but all of all, absolutely, should be gotten from the body and mind healthy. Ill health won’t have enough spirit absolutely, if falling short of spirit one will never have the story which move one to praises and tears, for the moment we need not say "die to achieve virtue, lay down one's life for a just cause". I'm afraid if he meet one drowns or hangs oneself also will recoil in fear, how can he pull out sword to help other while see something unfair? Not only this, every ill health person is small tolerance and in a bad temper mostly, therefore, toleration and happiness also should be in good health. Improving one's health is the root of life, practicing martial art is the basis of improving one's health, all careers depend on it, since it counts for so much, how can we let them mix the false with the truth, deceive people all ages without distinguish? I examined that martial arts were very simple in the first instance, then became miscellaneous gradually, martial art is the tool to improve the physiological function, it is the secret of success to develop the good ability. If from numerous to simple then it seems ok, from simple to numerous, breaching the physiological elements and principle, then it is not good. There are 169
three fists in Xing Yi Quan originally, furthermore, three fists are one action, what is called Jian (trampling), zhuan (drilling) and guo (wrapping), as a horse runs one after another, come out the unification action of three forces without a break. As for five elements and twelve forms are also included. Five elements are pronoun originally, the noun of five kinds of force, as for twelve forms point that twelve birds and beasts, each has its strong suit, one should try to gain them, there are not twelve forms and all kinds of quantao independently. Ba Gua Quan is also like such, originally, there are single and double huanzhang (change palms), later, because the people with superficial insight could not understand the true meaning in these, actually, fabricated sixty four palms and seventy two kicks etc. false actions absurdly. It is not only useless, and even harmful. The abuse of Taijiquan is especially deep, but its harm is not violent at the physiology side, it isn't very absurd yet, but all postures are also worthless. If talk about it by , the diction is fine, but has pity for less succinct content and principles but much general terms, and it is vague mostly. To sum up, examine all latter-day martial arts, all are out of the question whether it is proper or not in health preservation and combat, also there is not a method can conform with physiological demand. I walked all over the country in forty years, met thousands martial artists, never saw one posture can be balanced, the rather that profound and wonder? Martial art is simple in form and numerous in mind originally, furthermore, there are someone who has practiced for lifetime but can't understand the essentialities, as for one who achieve the holy circumstances, then is rare especially, again moreover, the man who falls short of this way at all. It isn't the elements of martial art science is difficult to understand, in fact, it is because most people are short of unassuming thoughts and strong volition. To this age, factions are come out on end, fixed actions and methods are excessive to indescribability, ask them why, they said it is seeking for beautiful to prepare for performance. If we practice martial art in order to please people, then wouldn't it be better to give up 170
practicing martial art to play drama? Furthermore, there are still many fine things in drama, it is better than most martial artists are really. I often hear that nowadays martial art practitioners, frequently, tell others that they can do several quantao and many fixed actions and then show self-satisfaction, they are hard to know insight people has been laughing in their sleeve already, furthermore, sighs again and again. Then the martial art science being lost, how isn't the quantao and methods make it so? After practicing each other three hundreds years, it is a custom already, it is difficult to get rid of deep-rooted practice, humble professionals add fuel to the fire, so as to develop to the theories of sixiang (four-quadrant), wuxing (five elements), jiugong (nine modes), bagua (the eight diagrams), and the learning of hehai (the river and sea of qi). Every flimflam and peculiar words, being used and strain their interpretation to the best of their abilities. They make students can't understand the right way, however, moved by the demagogic theory and scramble for it, thus how could the elements of original way be not lost? Again, there are someone who has learnt several series of sword, spear, falchion and wand, wants to make a living by these. Luckily, by chance, his plan is sold, then other people who fail in living takes for there is an opportunity to take advantage of, fallen over each other to imitate, suffuse the world. These actions not only abandon the truth of martial art science, and the custom of errantry is also abandoned follow it. Mean solar time, it is hard to avoid that there are some exceptional wise persons, who can see the profound implication of martial art, but they have pity for being limited by confirmed habit and prejudice, would not like to show the essentiality which they gained to others, they don't know how the water of sea will be afraid to be taken by people, why are they stingy like this because without wide view? Learning is common by humankind essentially, if one gains some learning, behoves to promulgate them to the world, how can keep it secret and then make them in oblivion? Recently, again I hear that there are someone relies upon Buddhism, talks about supernatural, tell lies how cultivate oneself 171
according to a religious doctrine and how meet celestial being, they are especially absurd and unreasonable, again as a demon, it is deplorable really. Today is an epoch with flourishing science, they how dare to make this erroneous theory and transmit it one by one, publish it on the newspapers, these ill and muddleheaded people, really don't know there are still shame on the world. If the Buddha knows it, I don't know what will he think about these people who transmits erroneous seeds? The way of making a living is not only one, it is not necessary to make use of the weakness of the society to deceive others as well as themselves, talk to this, I can not help to be sad for martial arts, furthermore, sigh to the manners and morals of the time and the will of the people. The decline of martial art way, of course, it should blame Kang and Yong those two emperors, because they advocated it in a false way in that period. But it also should impute the comrades fell short of wisdom and insight, natural instincts ill, so as to be deceived by them, thus far, transmitting errors by errors, however, no one can recognize this way. Even if there are someone in consciousness, again because of the prejudice of conservatism and then blame others. Thus, it became lower and lower. The way of martial art, if one learns properly, it is beneficial to one's body and spirit, furthermore, it can assist all careers; if one learns improperly, it may make one's moral character, nerves, body and temperament all be out of gear, furthermore, tamper with his life, thus, bring calamity for life. If someone doesn't believe me, look the past famous martial artists please, most of them were getting paralysis because the muscles lost the harmoniousness, and these samples can be found everywhere. Practicing martial art is in order to improve health originally, now harm the health on the contrary, what a pity! People always call martial art is the quintessence of the country, thus quintessence, wouldn't it be the tool to produce disabled person? Since 1926, there are schools of national art everywhere, to show that other arts are all unmerited the name of “national”. But such lose face and jadish national art also can be seen in our country only, but I don't know there are still such wise 172
hot stuff, who can give it the great name. I don't know what the bold persons think of it. As for the gentlemen who advocating sports, raise arm in calling for society daylong, how they know the sportsmen are the leaders of death ahead of schedule. Alas! Why do people follow like sheep thus? Hope people think carefully silently, you should make a clear distinction between right and wrong on it. Nothing is more valuable than the body, how can we allow the eyeless faith destroy it? Seeking instruction from a master should be careful. I know the difference of right and wrong only, don't know factions or groups, to make martial arts be flourishing, I would like to explain all my experience and knowledge to the successors. Furthermore, I would like to let all people know it, therefore, I teach all people who would like to learn from me, always look people as my kindred. I don't like the appellation of master and apprentice all along, expect to clean off the concept of faction gradually, then maybe will martial arts develop? This is my wish.
A Discussion on Freedom from the System of Master and Disciple The system of master and apprentice is praised as a virtue, but there is always perfectly satisfactory thing, if carry out it in our country, then it becomes full of abuses, acts like a buffoon, and the society of martial arts is especially grievous. Therefore, most people despise it. The students think if doesn’t formally acknowledge as teacher, it will be difficult to get the secret of teaching. The teachers also think that without formally acknowledge as teacher is inadequate for showing their intimacy, and then would not teach secret of success to students, people imitates this action one by one, and they get accustomed to be sure. Alas! It is really hideous. For the moment, we don't talk about that these superficial people haven't any skill can be kept secret at all, even if they have some, then they keeping it secret will make the
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truth of martial art science to be zero surely. So much as in a school, there are also someone holds secret by himself and don't teach to students, I really don't understand the reason. This is really dirty. The martial art science is obscure, this is the reason. Down to now, strange martial arts and blind theories are spread all over the world, it is further intensified, I can't bear to sigh! The truth of martial art science can say it is the same as the truth of life, also can say, it is as profound as the profundity and subtlety of the universe. If one practices it without understanding the way, can't get the truth by seeking for lifetime. If one practices it by the right way really, practicing for lifetime still can't finish it, how are there time to keep it secret? Everyone should think others, take others as himself, if really thus, then the world will be balanced, otherwise, even if all people are died, only your family is existent, it can say your selfish hope gets to the limit, then how will it be? I'm afraid the blessedness of humankind is cleared away forever. Our country accumulated declining tendency, most things are not as good as others, the root cause of trouble also rests with here. Furthermore, learning is the common treasure by all humankind forever, it ought not to have the difference of boundary, much more in the same country and nation, there are shouldn’t any discrimination. Even if limited by national boundaries, all bustling live under the light of sun, are there any secret again? Those actions are dirty, really not worth a doit. Therefore, I teaching martial art, always keep open doors, everyone who is interest in this, so long as he comes, I teach him surely, and I am sure to try my best, so long as one ask me, I tell him surely, and I am sure to tell him all meanings. In a panic for fear that he can't get it, or nothing can let him to get. Therefore, everytime I in teaching, there are someone hears but doesn't understand, or he understands but never practices it, I always produce the regret deeply. Once I see someone understands and can practice it, practices and gets progress, then I feel very happy again, my this heart, take comforting others as my comfort only, I never pose as a teacher all along. People company together, respect spirit, lay stress on emotion, don't depend on appellation form. If I
have true learning to teach others really, although I never pose as a teacher, people who gain the benefits who will cannot bear kindness and submit the truth, and regard me as his master, thus, the name of teacher is lost but the fact is living, what has it been lost again? If deceive the public and mislead the people by strange martial arts and blind theories, even if acknowledged as one's teacher, however, sensible person once detects his absurdity, will abhor him awfully, this again what teacher he is? The name of teacher is living but the fact is lost. Once the name of master and apprentice is determined, then the concept of respectful and humble is produced, even if the apprentice thinks there are something improper in the master's talking, fears to displease master's dignity and then dare not to violate it. Even if the student violates it, however, for keeping the dignity, the master also will refute it instead of reflect on himself, thus, are there still any science morality and justice? The system of master and apprentice is helpless to martial arts, now this can be seen. Again, the rather that contention of school, often become intense cause of the system of master and apprentice in vogue, sectarian views, diverse and confused tumult, from lineage to be school, from school to be faction, again from the ambiguity of factions to the academic theory numerous and jumbled. Thus, the truth of martial art science will never be flourishing, is the trouble more terrible? Furthermore, one has learnt something, then begins having teacher, if one knocks head three thousands times, calls master eight hundreds times, but is ignorant in learning at all, then he doesn't know where the master is after all. One should know science is the heavenliness of universe, is a common teacher, this is the reason that I strongly advocate to free from the system of master and apprentice. Although this is my personal view, and the system of master and apprentice is inveterate in martial arts society, if we couldn't get rid of it at once, for carefulness, then also should wait both sides have a clear understanding of each acqierement and moral character then do it, thereby, avoid the harm of follow blindly and conflict, it seems more appropriate.
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Conclusion Martial arts training not only depends on how many years one has practiced, how deep one's skill and power are, and the body is tall or short, old or young, furthermore, it doesn't rest with the methods are numerous or few, the action is fast or slow, and the seniority is high or low. The important thing rests with whether one understands the principle and elements of martial arts science or not. Especially, it rests with whether the inherence spirit has true vigor or not, again consider how his ability and ambition are. Then we may decide the depth of his accomplishments, and what realm he will arrive in the future. The most valuable thing of martial art training is the understanding of principle and having strong spirit. In another word, namely, whether one has the true animal force or not. If one has such true force, again work in training, train to the great courage with new and graceful senses, naturally, it is not difficult to go deep into truth, gain the essentiality and become a generalist, and then overtake the abstruse nature. What is called generalist, it is not only skillful in one subject, but also to all learning, just hears people’s words then know what grade they are, whether they are canonical or not, whether they are factual or not; observes their methods, sees their details are whole or partial, or small but complete with half an eye. As for how to repair it, can hit the mark with a single comment of course, what is called gaining the center to deal with the infinitude. As a teacher, can tell others the rules, can't show sleights to students, especially shouldn't do false work. As a student, should aborative imitate, taste and practice, then observe how skillful his skill and spirit working together is. What the above talked is martial art science, it is every action engraved on one’s mind that is called martial art, namely, it is the meaning of understanding tacitly, realize and train it in all time, it isn't what people think commonly is martial art.
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