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69 • Concepts of the Human Body

Excerpts taken from, The Illustrated Canon of Chen Family Taijiquan by Chen Xin
a) The Body

Even though Taiji boxing is considered a microcosm of the Absolute Way, one must remember that ‘in the small you can notice the great.’ Therefore when in combat, do not regard Taiji boxing as simply a game. Your body must be upright and positioned in accordance with the original principles. This means that without exception, movements must be internally dis- cerned as correct and upright. Following the highest standards, do not walk lamely, neither leaning forward nor backward, nor falling over under any circumstances.

All movement should rely on these principles: the mind moves the hands, the hands lead the elbows, and the elbows determine the motions of the whole body. Although in the end one’s hands lead the body’s movement, the body assumes its own position to determine the motion of the hands.

Theoretically, it is the body that directs the play of the hands. As for the hand movements, they play as the body moves. When the body moves diagonally, its inclined position contains significant elements of straightness. Additional study of the yin-yang and closing-opening concepts is necessary.
The opponent can be perfectly understood if you understand yourself. This is the way to master all opponents. However, if you want to perform round movements and avoid corners your body should be flexible and responsive against unforeseen dangers that may appear suddenly in front of you.

b) The Mind/Heart

The Chinese term for mind/heart is ‘xin’
Existing between heaven and earth, Man, with his mind/heart, his soul, his five sensitive organs and myriad bodily structures, is representative of the human race. Man’s mind/heart is the Host of his body, and according to Zhu Xi, the mind/heart is composed of qi, the psycho-physical substrate of all things which adheres to the principles underlying the cosmos. once the mind/heart is active, it commands the sensitive organs and the myriad bodily structures. Those organs and structures that do not follow the mind/heart’s commands cannot be considered as the properly ruled organs. As Mencius states: “All movements back and forth are out of timing for those who do not yet realize their original source.”

She who follows her mind/heart and listens to its orders has high aspirations and the ambitions of a human of good character. You can see what she does and what she is able to potentially do by the spiritual quality of her mind/heart. From the perspective of Taiji practice, a spiritually concentrated mind/heart is reflected by the stable positioning of the feet, slightly bent hands, an upright head and a quiet peaceful gaze.
All movements and every single gesture should be concentrated with potentiality, allowing the mind to go forward. Looking at such a posture, it is invisible; listening to it, it is soundless; even tasting it, it leaves no taste. In Taiji boxing, the internal force of all motions is beyond manifestation.

We should argue less about what is said in the many teachings of numerous classics and focus more on trying the postures and positions during practice. Most people are unaware that these positions are actually external manifestations of Taiji concepts and principles encapsulated in forms and routines. The boxing postures themselves are direct expressions of concentrated consciousness. A routine is actually a series of postures set in a predefined order and cannot be attached to any fixed place. The routine itself is the true outward expression of qi, so it follows that the series of forms and postures comprising a routine are a true manifestation of the principles. This means that the concepts of opening and closing, stopping and following cannot be replaced nor changed, since all movements follow a natural sequence determined by Nature. A practitioner must develop his postures based on this knowledge of Li, the natural order or pattern.

If you aim too high or seek to reach the peak from a point too far below, it means you are trying to delve into the deep and profound by shallow means, entering through a path outside the Golden Mean, and relying on your own superficial opinion and selfishness.

A better way to enter the boundless levels would be to apply single-minded focus and concentration of essence, persevering through crooked and winding paths to reach the zenith. Though high, remote and difficult to reach, this realm, known as the doctrine of the Golden Mean, always exists in one’s mind, lying before one’s eyes.

c) Consciousness

Consciousness (yi) encompasses the mind/heart. It includes all that has happened or has been developed in one’s mind. For instance, an idea to write something could be considered as developing one’s consciousness in a certain direction on a particular subject, performed on paper with a brush in the form of words and characters. By expressing one’s thoughts externally through words and sentences, we learn also to discern the internal workings of others through their outward manifestations.

The secret of Taijiquan, however, lies in the fact that its movements exist not of themselves but are elements in an ancient tapestry of thought and consciousness, combining philosophy, healing and fighting into a single fabric. Thus consciousness or thinking developed in the depths of one’s mind/heart can be conveyed by means of the hands as the final expression of an idea. What is called the ‘expression of one’s mind’ is actually the development of one’s consciousness, of a way of thinking. If the way of thinking is correct and positive, the expression of it in the position of the hands, and hence the body movements, will also be correct. If the way of one’s mind is false and negative, the hand expressions will become uneven and distorted.

In practice terms, this means that if you want to improve sinking (chen) for example, that is, to become more stable by emptying the force of the upper body and moving it down to your legs, it is important that you first move your thoughts down the central line of the body straight to the ground, and imagine that every single move of your body develops from there.

Thus using the imagination intentionally to focus the direction of your thoughts can greatly promote the effectiveness of Taijiquan. If the mind is calm and quiet, the hands and body movements will become natural and correct. However, if one is impatient, overly eager, confused, stressed, idle or dissolute, these internal conditions will inevitably be expressed externally in the hands.

Restless motion destroys quietness and hence the natural formation of the sensitive organs and bodily structures. This formative process is regulated according to the doctrine of the Golden Mean, and any disturbance to it impacts on the ability of the organs and bodily structures to express the core Taiji principle, that is, to exist midway between non-existence and existence. Between these two points there is a frame of additional time during which the body moves away from what is called the ‘direct and positive way.’

This deflection is a by-product of correctness, so implying that any deflection also includes correctness, that is, proper and positive thinking. As long as this is so, the line of consciousness will continue to flow uninterrupted like a smooth winding silk thread of thought, quite the contrary to the image of a ruler-tyrant who absconds defiantly from his responsibilities relying on a clique of corrupted ministers and subservient vassals.

Consciousness is determined by a way of ruling based on a predefined order or set of principles. This is the way of development, and is also associated with the refinement of qi. Pure refined qi is as hard and solid as steel hands and may be strong enough to kill a person. Needless to say, all depends on control- this applies to every case under heaven.

Thus by observing the external manifestations of a person’s consciousness and armed with a little knowledge, it is possible to ascertain the direction of a person’s thoughts. Hence if my thinking can be known, I too can discern what others are thinking.

d) Volition

Volition (zhi) is a mental attribute valued by all people. Without volition, nothing can be completed and brought to an end. To have volition is to raise one’s life to a level higher than physical need. With willpower you will be able to ascend from one level to the next, from beginning to end, directed by a single-minded focus which ignores all past and superfluous details. You do not indulge in idleness, fully aware of the exigencies of creating absolute perfection. One who is resolute and has strong volition will work diligently till the end. If the task is not complete, it is considered a failure. In most cases, however, people tend not to cultivate a strong volition to strive for something difficult to attain.

e) Perseverance and Constancy

Also translated as ‘willpower’.
The Way of heaven and earth is in constancy (heng) and nothing more.
The sun and the moon always alternate with each other, thus providing constant illumination for all changes to occur through the four seasons. They also nurture the sages and enlighten them on the ways of all transformations under heaven, including the art of creation and completion of all things and situations. With unabating enthusiasm, attentiveness and diligence, one’s creation or offspring can only become a reality and be beautiful. The Classics emphasize “the value of study in constancy.” Confucius also states, “Those who do not know what constancy means cannot be magicians nor shamans.”

Knowing what is needed for the diligent practice of gong-fu, it is clear that perseverance and constancy are the two most important qualities required of a serious practitioner. Perseverance is the basis for good gong-fu- unremitting perseverance leads to victory, anything else to certain defeat. Despite distinctive attributes, volition and perseverance in combination form an unassailable force for success in any situation. Beginner should realize that enlightenment does not happen quickly, but only happens through ceaseless cultivation of gong-fu in daily practice over time.

It is said that “one day of practice will gain you a day’s worth of experience, but a day of non-practice will lose you ten days of experience.” So if you practice every day, your rate of progress will increase steadily, but if you stop practicing, your rate of progress will drop rapidly. In other words, if your foundation is not properly built, all your efforts will come to an end sooner or later, by which time it will be too late to blame your master for not alerting you to this. Indeed, there is no-one stopping you from asking yourself, “What is my level of gong-fu today?”.

f ) Coherence and Tracing

Since antiquity, sages who wrote classics were well versed in the martial arts. This explains why some parts of their literary works - canons, books and classical writings - were devoted to martial affairs. From the time of Emperor Huang-di through to the Yao and Shun periods, and even up to Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties, military affairs were widely covered in literature. The skills and techniques of hand-to-hand combat and the art of boxing were, however, not specialized yet.

No-one knows the precise date when the martial arts were formed and defined as a complete written tradition in the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing periods. Although there are some ancient works on the subject, most of them consist of simple pictures lacking in detail, especially regarding principles and rules. While it is generally accepted that the study of texts can lead to improvement of one’s gong-fu, students are vulnerable to losing their gains through excessive inflexibility in thought and practice, focusing on the hard and solid instead of the soft and empty. This only leads to the blockage of blood and qi flow, resulting in the disintegration and obfuscation of one’s positions and principles.

One must also use the mind to control the body, shadowing an imaginary foe’s movements rather than one’s own. Eventually, the body will follow the mind while the mind itself focuses on following the opponent’s movements. Moving in isolation without focus, the body becomes clumsy; responding to another’s movements, the body becomes agile. If you stick very closely to your adversary’s movements, your hands will be able to take accurate measure of the magnitude and direction of his force, helping you to execute timely advances and retreats. The more time you spend practicing this, the closer your skill will be brought to perfection.

When principles and positions are unclear, base qualities such as arrogance and selfishness take root. As for me, representative of the Chen family from Shanxi province Qianwen County, I openly declare that I have mastered the principle, the true gate to the martial arts. This principle and the essence of boxing cannot be learned by the ignorant nor the unintelligent, regardless of existing literature accompanied by illustrations.

High grade gong-fu looks deceptively one-dimensional and simple, but in fact, it should not be discussed recklessly without deep reflection.
To practice correct technique, beginners must remember that every movement is directed by the mind, that is, one must establish full mental control over every movement: from the way one’s hand commences a posture, to the area through which it passes, and up to its final resting place. This is actually an external expression of your internal qi or intrinsic force (jin) flow, going from your mind/heart, passing through a pre-defined path and sinking into every tiny pore and cavity of your body. This process of ‘smoothing out’ the lower body is accompanied by the harmonizing of the upper body, so that the middle body can be permeated. It is as if you bear the upper body in your hands and raise the lower body to allow blood to run through the whole body so that there is no difference between the upper and the lower. This process of reintegration begins in opposing directions to converge into one, like two divergent roads merging to form a main thoroughfare. Likewise, qi from every little stream and channel in the body unite to merge into a main flow.

陳 氏 太 極 拳 圖 說
陳 鑫

As an example, let’s take the posture Holding one Lap Pull on the Robe (Lan Zha Yi). Move the right hand rightward to the front from under the left arm, palm down and fingers drawing a small circle, pointing first obliquely downward then turning upward. When passing in front of acupoint Shen-ting[77], rotate the right forearm outward and slowly lower it down, elbows bent. Then move the right arm in a wide semi-circle until the hand stops at shoulder level, the back of the hand facing obliquely upward, fingers pointing up. At the same time, take a wide step up to form a right bow step in the final motion.

When the right hand passes in front of the head, flatten the right sole on the ground to establish firm footing for a stable stance. At the same time, emit intrinsic jin force from the mind/heart and pass it through the right part of the chest, from the right nipple toward acupoints Zhong-fu, Qing-ling, Shao-hai, Ling-dao and Lie-que[78], and then to the channels Shao-chong and Shao-shang[79]. Energy flowing through the arm acupoints runs parallel to the right foot flat on the ground, where the intrinsic force passes through acupoint Young-quan through to Da-dun[80] and Yin-bai[81] located at the end of the big toe. Meanwhile, the intrinsic force stored in the bones emerges to fill up the skin of the upper body, then moves toward the five fingers and the crown of the head. From the top of the head, this force directs the waist energy downwards to Zhang-qiang at the coccyx, then turns over to the crotch. Following this, lower both hands to the level of the crotch and connect the energies of the knees, crotch, chest and lower abdomen, leaving no part isolated. Bring the whole body under control and protect it from chaos and disorder by uniting shen (spirit) and qi. Now all spaces between the body parts should be filled with energy in readiness for action. If you need to mobilize your spiritual energy in a certain direction, employ all bodily resources toward your aim. Since your body is already completely filled with energy, you will not have to bypass the empty spaces between parts of the body, thereby avoiding unnecessary energy loss in transmission and delivery of energy. Your reactions to external assaults will thus be instantaneous and highly effective. The process of qi flow in the Single Whip posture is also very similar. The activity of both hands can be divided into the yang or active hand and the yin or passive hand. The back of the body is the yang or active side, while the chest is the yin or passive side. There is also yang within yin and vice versa. The hand functioning as yang leads the yin hand and vice versa. Thus one hand can express both yin and yang aspects at different times: now yin outward and yang inward; or yin and yang substances alternately peaking at the midway point as the real intrinsic jin force. [77] Located on the upper forehead. [78] All these acupoints run in parallel 1.5 cun above the wrist. [79] The channels of the heart and lungs respectively. [80] The liver channel. [81] The spleen channel. If you can produce and hold fast to the central energy peak of jin, your body will not be deflected nor distorted but will be able to store truly refined qi in your center [82]. This refined qi is called Haoran zhi Qi or Magnificently Refined Energy. Governing from the center according to the will of the mind/heart depends on the movement of qi outward.
Chaotic and unclear qi descends downward from the center to flow into the intrinsic force of the crotch, thus stabilizing the lower body and establishing a steady and dependable stance. The upper body must be be empty to move with quick agility. To articulate the qualities required of this posture is difficult, but you can see it clearly in the graceful movements of the ‘dance’ of the Taiji form, which can be likened to the movements of the brush in calligraphy.

As in Taiji, the ability of a calligrapher to manifest spirit through the motion of her brush and body depends entirely on the level of skill. However, good skills notwithstanding, nothing can be expressed without black ink, as affirmed by Mencius: “You can be good in getting on with people, but you cannot make them skillful.” [82] mind/heart.

陳 氏 太 極 拳 圖 說
陳 鑫

g) Management

Management is the device used to organize symbols, men, deeds and situations in space and time between heaven and earth. It allows us to act in concord with others, play the same game as Nature does to exist in harmony with other human beings. We manage our actions in accordance with Nature by observing heavenly principles and moral values through the doctrines of opening and closing, alternating movement and stillness in exact coherence with the natural way of well-being. This is what I call perfection or purifying the Way (dao).

h) Intrinsic Energy

The substance known as qi is the healthy and the strong emanating from heaven. In other words, heaven is the symbol of strength and health, the embodiment of healthy and strong qi which never rests nor deteriorates, and which never becomes chaotic nor deviates from its proper course.
This is what is called Zhong-qi or Centralized Essential Energy, generated through strictly cultivated albeit unmalevolent gong-fu. Zheng-qi or Truly Refined Energy is produced in the image of Qian (heaven) and Kun (earth) interacting upward and downward.

Mencius also named this energy Haoran zhi Qi or Magnificently Refined Energy. The side effect of intercourse between Qian and Kun, is the so-called ‘crossed intercourse’, from which Heng-qi or overcrossed Energy emerges. It possesses hard and sharp qualities and is concealed in the chest area of the body. With Heng-qi, it is difficult to be round and movable, as if hindered by a very sharp and sensitive instrument in your chest on the edge of bursting, making you stressed and anxious. You wish to advance but you cannot; you want to retreat but dare not; you find yourself doing ill-considered actions, throwing caution to the wind. Why does this happen? The blockage causes blood and qi to flowing across instead of up and down, leading to disintegration of connections between the upper and lower body.

i) Additional Features of Zhong-qi and Other Elements

Zhong-qi can be interpreted as Centralized Intrinsic Energy, characterized by its undeviating flow up and down the vertical axis of the upper and lower body.

Its name suggests a stong link with the pattern (li) of qi flow, incorporating the concepts of yin-yang and the Five Phases (Wu-xing), both effective instruments of transformation and generation of all things. In addition to qi which manifests visually, there is also invisible qi, called Yuan-qi, which determines the nature of internal resources bestowed by heaven to humans. As mentioned, qi and its flow pattern are integral parts of each other, and there is no way for qi to flow or be managed without a pattern since both cannot exist in separately for long. If qi is not managed, it means the existing management process cannot control qi. If the way of management fails, qi also fails. Any breakdown of management will immediately reveal hidden deficiencies - if failed qi harbours an overcrossed nature, this shortcoming will be exposed instantly. only when the management process and qi work in concert as one can they create the phenomenon called Zhong-qi.
In truth, the manifestation of Zhong-qi is beyond description. It is what Mencius called Haoran zhi Qi or Magnificently Refined Energy, and merges easily with Ultimate Harmony of Yuan-qi. As the saying goes, “Qi is the integral part of management.”[83]

When we speak of qi, we are refering to the pattern which lies within Taiji boxing movements and the movement of qi as the principle focus of martial arts techniques. Within this pattern there is a governing structure which occupies the central place. This concept is quite difficult to describe with words. Suffice to say that we can only perceive and appreciate refined qi through its outward manifestation in forms that are filled with qi, and through its effectiveness in the mind/heart. Development of heart qi enables a practitioner to accept orders from volition created in the kidneys. When the mechanism of the mind starts to work, volition follows the mind toward the five sensitive organs and other numerous body structures.

[83] ‘Management’ here refers to the governing pattern or structure of qi flow.

陳 氏 太 極 拳 圖 說
陳 鑫

All visible forms consist of substances which are classified according to their categories. Some substances are also distinguished by their pre-birth and post-birth qualities. Hence, we have so- called ‘small virtue collaterals’ which produce ‘great virtue channels’ of arrangements and transformations in the way of Dao, which flows with the current and never against it. This also applies to the Single Whip form. At the start of the postures, the mind/heart wishes to close both hands [84] to utilize jing [85], turning it around by merging with the feet. By bringing the left foot beside the right, you merge your mind/heart with the supporting right foot, spreading out the left hand through direct rotation of jing essence [86]. Simultaneously, the right hand moves its jing essence in reverse direction to allow the legs to properly utilize jing essence of the whole body. Hence the left leg moves in direct rotation while the right in reverse. At the same time, jing essence rises to the crown of the head, directing chest jing essence to merge with waist Jing-essence, then descending to the crotch to properly open both legs. Then, in the way of ‘no-minded mind,’ this merging of the upper and lower body generates jing essence in all the internal organs so that they run freely through the energy channels and collaterals. As this happens, the qi pattern adopted by the body causes the small and large organs to remedy all the errors of the mind/heart.

Hence, mind/heart mechanism works by directing the myriad body structures to take orders from the center [87] through ‘small virtue collaterals’, thus creating ‘great virtue channels’ of arrangement and transformations in the way of Dao, always following the stream and never against it. This is what is known as Zhong-qi flowing throughout the body as described above.

j) Additional Distinctions Between Zhong-qi, Haoran zhi Qi, Blood and Qi

[84] In other words, to accumulate the energy of both hands. [85] pre-birth essence. [86] essential energy. [87] mind/heart. Whilst Zhong-qi [88] and Haoran zhi Qi [89] share only very minor distinctions, they differ quite significantly from blood (xue) and qi. Zhong-qi is the embodiment of undeviating and impartial management, the course of the Golden Mean allocated to the Ultimate Harmony of Yuan-qi. once one reaches the state of ‘no soft, no hard’ associated with the benefits of Zheng-qi, one can use this qi by moving it along the arms. In fact, the entire body’s energy is involved in this process. Nothing under heaven can alter this, nor can any human attain the essence of gong-fu through any alternate route other than adhering to the proper way. Hence he who acts through an alternate route cannot get a hold of me, but I can get him.

The intrinsic value of qi is hidden deep in its central position, as indicated by its name, Zhong-qi. Such qi is located in the center of the internal organs and body structures and not in alternative or deviated locations. Haoran zhi Qi is much more difficult to define, and has been the subject of much fascination for the great philosophers, such as Confucius and Mencius, who endeavoured to understand all about qi manifestation in the temporal world. Confucius named it ‘Ultimate Harmony’ while Mencius called it ‘Energy Indication’ to suggest that it was an embodiment of all that was great, healthy, upright and honest in the world. I prefer to call it a ‘very complicated and hard subject,’ in so far as it is from the side of the universe which is hard and solid, as opposed to the other side which is soft and weak and and contains Yuan-qi. Also known as Ultimate Harmony, Yuan-qi is like a reserved and obedient youngster who has much to learn in this world. Therefore Haoran zhi Qi is almost indistinguishable from Zhong-qi.

When applied to Taiji boxing, a practioner must be able to move Haoran zhi Qi back and forth. After becoming competent in regenerating this energy through reeling, he must then cultivate self-restraint or self-mastery through repeated practice to integrate Zhong-qi into the blood and qi.

The Truly Refined Energy [88]. Magnificently Refined Energy [89]

陳 氏 太 極 拳 圖 說
陳 鑫

Energy transmitted along the arteries is called Heng-qi [90]
To rely completely on youthful strength and vigor instead of sensitivity and good qi structure will result in defeat. Most players want to know how to attain the power to win, and many even come to consider victory as a matter of chance and good fortune. This attitude generally leads to defeat when pitted against skillful opponents, even if players possess advantageous positions. Indeed, even if you are able to defeat opponents and subdue them physically by adhering to the rules and principles of Taiji boxing, you cannot impact their mind/heart.

Only by attaining the realm of Zhong-qi can you have power over your adversary’s intention: you can stop his advances or retreats and dissolve his entire body into a weak mass, as if he were standing on a round and shaky boulder. Thus destabilized, he will be forced to regain his balance, only to fall because he finds his legs refuse to move. At that instant, he becomes convinced that all these things have befallen him without your involvement. Unaware of the truth, he cannot see his mistakes, so how can they be corrected?

i) Feelings and Sensitivity

The principle (li) and qi develop through external manifestation. Human feelings are a result of complex human relationships and consist of a distinct set of models and patterns which include pauses and transitions in color and rhythm. In boxing, the fabric of human feelings is reflected in the principle that when you wish to press down you should first rise up, and rise up before you press down. The lively and agile qualities of Nature must be factored into boxing too, otherwise the Taiji boxer will be like a block of uncarved wood, a lifeless puppet. A dead snake on the ground provokes a feeling of complacency, but a swooping dragon or graceful tiger widens your eyes, fills your mouth with eager anticipation, your heart filled with yearning to learn exciting martial arts styles. You must be confident you have the [90] overcrossed energy, strength and will to accomplish your aims, even if they tower like a mountain before you. The major aim of the practice is to develop sensitivity and the ability to respond appropriately to any force, even a tiger’s; and to understand when to withdraw or advance, using the energy of your uncontrolled opponent in your favor. Whilst a martial arts exponent cannot be without feelings, these must remain hidden during fighting to avoid exposing vulnerability.

j) Beauty

Beauty [91] (jing) generated by spiritual movement is also another aspect of motion which obeys the principles of opening and closing, receiving and releasing, bending and straightening. Just as in calligraphy and painting, the beauty of the human body comes from its symmetrical composition - it has a top and a bottom, a left and a right, as stated in Taiji theory. Taiji postures emphasize the need for symmetrical balance. This artistic perspective is a typical idea handed down by the ancients, who labeled these symmetrical properties under the banner of beauty, or more precisely, scenery beauties, likening them to the beauty of Nature. In accordance with the principles, the beauty of Taiji movements is never disassociated with feelings, so supporting the doctrines. If your mind/ heart is not interested in creating beauty in boxing practice, you will never become a good boxer. Lack of beauty in Taiji practice cannot lead to mastery. So, the question is how to employ beauty to become a good practitioner? First, one must respect and obey orders, adhering assiduously to rules and established traditions. With time, the rules transform and ultimately disappear to reveal the pure spirit. From my experience, the ultimate dissolution of rules to reveal pure spirit can be likened to celestial flowers falling from the heavens unpredictably and at random. Similarly, the revelation of pure spirit can be likened to striking a table or making a sound or gesture of amazement, that is, powerful external manifestations of the spirit inside.

[91] Here meaning ‘aesthetics’

陳 氏 太 極 拳 圖 說
陳 鑫

In Nature, it resembles the fresh breeze of springtime sweeping through a misty landscape, willow blossoms hanging down with pride, the bright peaks of mountains, the bubbling of meandering brooks or the glimpse of a stranger at the turn of a narrow path. Glimpsing these instances of natural beauty, your heart is inspired to compose a poem, being filled with the joyful spirit of boundless beauty, the same beauty which you contemplate through boxing practice.

k) Spiritual Power

The external manifestation of spirit comes from the development of jing essence and qi and therefore easily risks being harmed. Between heaven and earth, all myriad things are endowed with spiritual self-sufficiency. For humans, the connection and mutual influence of internal organs and bodily structures manifest outwardly through external parts of the body. However, the spirit manifests itself through some organs and parts of the body, such as the heart, hands, and eyes, and its absence from these organs denotes death. Indeed, whether a person is alive or not can easily be determined by the spiritual condition of their eyes. Hence, when practicing boxing, your eyes should not express any angry emotions but simply follow the movements of the leading hand. In Holding one Lap Pull on the Robe (Lan Zha Yi), the eyes follow the right hand, concentrating on the middle finger. When the hand rises to the level of the head, look straight ahead and at the middle finger, which is fixed at eye level to focus head energy. The hand should not rise above the level of the forehead, and the whole body’s spirit should concentrate on the final position of this movement. Hence, Lan Zha Yi is the form where the upper and lower body connect through complete spiritual concentration.

While performing Single Whip (Dan Bian), maintain visual focus on the left hand which moves slowly left and upward from the lower right side in a large semi-circle at the front of the body. At the end of the movement, focus on the middle finger of the left hand. The whole movement should be performed slowly and smoothly. In Turn Body and Punch (Pi Shen Chui [92]), focus the eyes on the toe of the back foot, while in Fist Beneath Elbow (Zhou Di Kan Quan) and Small Catch and Push (Xiao Qin Na) the focus is on the fist located under the elbow. When performing Walking obliquely And Twist Step (Xie Xing Ao-bu), keep the eyes on the right hand while it moves forward. In Fold Head and Push Mountain (Bao Tou Tui Shan) focus your eyes on the leading right hand as both hands move forward. In Punch to Crotch (Zhi Dang Chui), keep the eyes focused on the punch downward; while in Crouch Step Astride the Tiger (Xia-bu Kua Hu), look upward. In Screen Hand and Punch (Yan Shou Chui) concentrate your attention on the forward punch; and in Turn Round and Strike (Hui Shou Chui), be attentive all around you, keeping watch at every corner, above and below.

Through the eyes, you maintain contact with the subject of your focus at a spiritual level. Actually, the abovementioned doctrines and rules are quite spiritual in themselves, and pure consciousness (yi) associates naturally with those practitioners who have established these doctrines in practice .The power and authority of a great commander should be reflected in the brightness of his eyes, his vision penetrating all four cardinal directions, leaving the trace of his spirit all around. In fact, boxing practice is used to create a spiritual atmosphere in places where this is lacking. In other words, instead of Nothingness, the place becomes ‘something’ due to its filling up with spiritual substance. Where there is miraculous manifestation of the spirit, yin and yang substances develop naturally. Once your boxing practice reaches this level, you enter the realm of art, where motion and stillness, slow and fast movements, are performed fluidly in accord with the mind/heart. What troublesome and impure things can touch you when your spiritual condition protects you so completely?

l) Transformation of Physical Strength into Spiritual Power

[92] Also known as Bi Shen Chui

陳 氏 太 極 拳 圖 說
陳 鑫

Transformation involves changing of established practice and breaking of rules. In a sense, there are two realms of transformation: creativity and apotheosis. The former happens in the beginning, while the latter denotes the end. Those who deal with apotheosis even at the age of seventy continue to follow the mind, never departing from the rules. once you mature in your martial skills and transcend visual forms, you start to be like the Dragon Spirit, ceaselessly transforming in pursuit of your own way of development, free from other patterns, styles, schools and predecessors, to create a way that is the true product of your own spirituality. The essence of Taiji emerges inexplicably, traceless, without beginning or end, just vividly moving, but remaining paradoxically still. Although Taiji boxing is called the small way, this ‘small’ must be treated as a great thing. Words are inadequate to describe these great changes.

iii • Diagram of Wuji or No Extremes

Wuji or nothingness is the Grand Primordial state called the Great Chaos. This is the moment of initial arrival, when the practitioner appears on stage at a boxing performance, standing upright and looking directly ahead, stabilizing his physical and mental state and establishing natural breathing. It is important to seek stillness from within through conscious effort rather than postural rigidity. Hang shoulders loosely and drop the elbows, relax and lower the arms, turn both palms inward to face the thighs. These adjustments will prevent the shoulders and elbows becoming angular and blocked. Keep the shoulders in a natural and relaxed position, the feet shoulder-width apart and the toes pointing forward parallel to each other.

Stillness of the body means stillness of the mind. empty the mind of thought — the mind should be full of nothing, not a single thought. A still center represents the Great Chaos or Wuji, its name describing the initial cosmic state of non-differentiation prior to the appearance of forms. Therefore the form is also called ultimate nothingness.

陳 氏 太 極 拳 圖 說
陳 鑫

iv • Diagram of Taiji or Supreme Extremes

Taiji is born of Wuji or ultimate nothingness. Although this state represents something shaped with a sound, it is still known as Absolute nothingness. Conversely, the state of Wuji (ultimate nothingness) can also be defined as Taiji. Although Taiji is known as shapeless and soundless, the pre-origin of the seed of a great fruit begins to take form, which will eventually transform into a seedling. This is the formless newborn mechanism of motion and motionlessness, not yet sufficiently formed to be launched or represented as a seed. Heaven and earth are still in the state of the shapeless oneness or the Great Chaos, Wuji, a traditional name describing the initial cosmic state of non-differentiation between yin and yang. Still, the mechanism of differentiation already exists, marking the condition just prior to the appearance of forms, a pivotal point between opposing impulses from which creative activity emanates. This transition from external stillness to readiness for movement is known as going from Wuji to Taiji. Movement will cause clear qi to ascend to heaven, and ‘muddy’ or impure qi to fall to earth. Prior to this, there is no differentiation between clear and impure qi. Thus, the ancestors used the term Taiji to denote the non-separated state depicted by heaven and earth, yin and yang and the Five Phases, a state beyond any name or concept. So when we talk about Taiji, we mean the initial form of yin and yang and the Five Phases.

At the starting position of the Taiji performance, although the four extremities are still motionless, the internal mechanism of yin and yang, opening and closing, growth and decline, full and empty contained in the mind/heart and abdomen is maintained properly due to the adjustment of all the body’s parts. At this very moment, unification of volition and the concentration of spirit will occur if the starting position of the form is treated respectfully and carefully, whilst the dualistic principles of yin and yang, opening and closing, growth and decline, full and empty and so on are still beyond visual manifestation and thus cannot be defined or named. For the sake of clarity, we use the term Taiji to describe the initial or preparatory stage of the entire routine.

Preparation is necessary to establish one’s balance and bearing prior to movement. Though not visible to the eye, it is crucial. Before starting to practice the Taiji routine the student must first purify her heart and empty her mind of thought. As a result, she will possess a look of serenity, and her physical and mental conditions will be completely mobilized to launch the mechanisms of Taiji motion. The aim of the practitioner is to unite the two extremes into one in order to return to Wuji through practice and ac- complishment of the Taiji routine.