Sunday, July 19, 2009

Questions on Taiji

Do you have a question on taiji? Do feel free to post them here as comments. It will give me ideas on what to write about, and who knows, maybe someone else can provide you an answer as well.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi,

I have an idea. Why don't you review the content of 武禹襄拳論 and 李亦畬拳論 in your blog ?

Teck said...

Good idea. But for those in a hurry, you may want to check out this book.
太極拳理論の要諦―王宗岳と武禹襄の理論文章を学ぶ
http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E5%A4%AA%E6%A5%B5%E6%8B%B3%E7%90%86%E8%AB%96%E3%81%AE%E8%A6%81%E8%AB%A6%E2%80%95%E7%8E%8B%E5%AE%97%E5%B2%B3%E3%81%A8%E6%AD%A6%E7%A6%B9%E8%A5%84%E3%81%AE%E7%90%86%E8%AB%96%E6%96%87%E7%AB%A0%E3%82%92%E5%AD%A6%E3%81%B6-%E9%8A%AD-%E8%82%B2%E6%89%8D/dp/489224046X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248453984&sr=8-1
You need to be able to read Japanese, though.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

What's your takeaway from this Japanese book? Any interesting insights that you can relate with your personal training experience?

Teck said...

I haven't gotten down to reading it properly yet. I have been glancing through, and selecting a few sections at a time to read. The portion on the taiji principles is quite good at explaining the principles (like what is relax, what it means to keep the body straight, etc) and the later portion on pushing hands (haven't gotten there yet, just glanced through) seems quite interesting and likely to let me learn something from it. If I do glean something significantly interesting from this book, be sure I will post something here to talk about it.

Teck said...

By the way, the author of the book is Chinese, but it seems that he used to work in foreign languages related jobs, which may explain why he is able to write so well in Japanese.

Anonymous said...

李亦畬《走架打手行工要言》

昔人云:「能引進落空,能四兩撥千斤,不能引進落空,不能四兩撥千斤」,語甚概括,初學未由領悟,予加數語以解之,俾有志斯技者,得所從入,庶日進有功矣。
欲要引進落空,四兩撥千斤,先要知己知彼。欲要知己知彼,先要捨己從人。欲要捨己從人,先要得機得勢。欲要得機得勢,先要周身一家。欲要周身一家,先要周身無有缺陷。欲要周身無有缺陷,先要神氣鼓盪。欲要神氣鼓盪,先要提起精神,神不外散。欲要神不外散,先要神氣收斂入骨。欲要神氣收斂入骨,先要兩股前節有力,兩肩鬆開,氣向下沉。勁起於腳根,變換在腿,含蓄在胸,運動在兩肩,主宰在腰。上於兩膊相繫,下於兩腿相隨。勁由內換,收便是合,放即是開。靜則俱靜,靜是合,合中寓開。動則俱動,動是開,開中寓合。觸之則旋轉自如,無不得力,纔能引進落空,四兩撥千斤。
平日走架,是知己工夫。一動勢,先問自已,周身合上數項不合,少有不合,即速改換。走架所以要慢,不要快。打手,是知人工夫。動靜固是知人,仍是問己。自己要安排得好,人一挨我,我不動彼絲毫,趁勢而入,接定彼勁,彼自跌出。如自己有不得力處,便是雙重未化,要於陰陽開合中求之。所謂「知己知彼,百戰百勝」也。

Anonymous said...

武禹襄 《打手要言》

以心行气,务令沉着,乃能收敛入骨;以气运身,务令顺遂,乃能便利从心。精神能提得起,则无迟重之虞,所谓头顶悬也;意气须换得灵,乃有圆活之趣,所谓变转虚实也。发劲须沉着松静,专注一方;立身须中正安舒,支撑八面。行气如九曲珠,无往不利(气遍身躯之谓);运动如百炼钢,无坚不摧。形如搏兔之鹄,神如捕鼠之猫。静如山岳,动如江河。蓄劲如开弓,发劲如放箭。曲中求直,蓄而后发。力由脊发,步随身换。收即是放,断而复连;往复须有折迭,进退须有转换。极柔软,然后极坚刚;能呼吸,然后能灵活。气以直养而无害,劲以曲蓄而有余。心为令,气为旗,腰为纛。先求开展,后求紧凑。乃可臻于缜密矣。又曰:彼不动,己不动;彼微动,己先动。劲似松非松,将展未展;劲断意不断。又曰:先在心,后在身。腹松气敛入股。神舒体静,刻刻在心。切记一动无有不动,一静无有不静。牵动往来气贴背,而敛入脊骨。内固精神,外示安逸。迈步如猫行,运劲如抽丝。全身意在精神,不在气。在气则滞。有气者无力,无气者纯刚。气若车轮,腰如车轴。

Anonymous said...

I have posted 2 treaties written by 武禹襄 and 李亦畬 for the benefit of other readers.

All traditional style of Taijiquan include them in their conceptual framework. They may not be aware of the existence of these important treaties. Or, regrettably, inadequate attention are placed to relate their practise to the spirit of these treaties.

Terry said...

Hi there,
you asked for questions or points of inquiry, well I'd love to hear more about the Yang Fast Form!

Is it the Tung/Dong one?

Great blog by the way. Keep up the great work.