Traditional Tai Ji Chuan Sanshou is based on literary practice and martial arts practice, and it has to go through six levels of training: shape, posture, strength, ambition, spirit and qi. These six aspects are relatively independent and closely related, and cannot be completely separated. They have distinct levels, from shallow to deep, similar to the theory of "hand-eye, body movement and mental strength" of Changquan. "Shape, potential and strength" can be regarded as external training, while "mind, spirit and spirit" can be regarded as internal training. There are internal and external, yin and yang; Internal and external combination, yin and yang auspicious, complement each other.
Form, for Tai Ji Chuan's primary kung fu. According to the fist score, "The picture shows the skeleton of the hand-foot officer." Just like practicing calligraphy and saying "correct your hands and feet first", practicing long boxing and saying "hand, eye and body movements". Usually, the shelf of the practice plate is used to practice modeling. Of course, physical training is not isolated. It should be combined with "mind, spirit and spirit", at least "both in form and spirit", and at the same time, it is impossible to practice real kung fu. The boxing score says: "The training should be in tune and the training spirit should be solid." "Practice is nothing more than Yin and Yang, and Yin and Yang are unknown. Where to practice? " Tai Ji Chuan's theoretical basis is the theory of Yin and Yang in traditional philosophy. Therefore, when practicing Tai Ji Chuan, we must understand the principles of Yin and Yang, excess and deficiency, opening and closing, rigidity and softness.
When modeling has a foundation, it is necessary to pay attention to potential and strength. Tai Ji Chuan was originally named "Thirteen Potential". It is extremely rare to punch with potential in China Wushu. This shows the importance of "potential" in this boxing. Therefore, it is the only way to cultivate Tai Ji Chuan's real kungfu by correctly understanding the connotation of potential and strength, mastering the methods of potential and strength and applying them.
What is potential? In popular teaching, there are many ways to describe the thirteen potentials of Taiji as thirteen methods. That's good. But when explaining the method in detail, it is faint, clear, incomprehensible and unclear. Generally speaking, "pushing, sliding, squeezing, pressing, picking, pushing, elbow and leaning" are called eight techniques or strength methods, and "looking forward and looking back" is called "five steps". This is worth considering. Because the thirteen potentials not only talk about "hands and feet" but also "official bones", that is, each potential contains "hand-eye-body footwork", which is not divided into two parts: manipulation and footwork. It is said in the boxing score that "one man attacks the enemy, relying entirely on Seinosuke", and it is also said that "it is now or never, and the body cannot be separated, and the disease is found from the waist and buttocks." It serves to show that body posture is an important part of the thirteen potential, and it can't be just understood as "technique and footwork". Judging from Tai Ji Chuan's Sanshou practice, hitting people with potential method is only one of the main characteristics of Tai Ji Chuan Sanshou; And each style is inseparable from the unique posture. Therefore, Tai Chi predecessors have both the theory of "striking people with posture" and the theory of "striking people with posture". Correct posture is the key to winning. In the old boxing spectrum, the first eight potentials belong to gossip and the last five potentials belong to five elements, which is based on the theory of yin-yang and five elements in ancient traditional philosophy to explain the thirteen potentials. Gossip is mainly about the changes of yin and yang of things, the five elements, and the coexistence of all things. Generally speaking, they all talk about the basic characteristics and principles of the emergence, development and change of things, and reveal the basic laws of the mutual growth, digestion and growth of all things. It can be seen that it is objective and reasonable to talk about thirteen methods, and it is also worth discussing to talk about eight methods and five steps.
Tai Ji Chuan is a wise man's fist. One of its wisdom can be seen from boxing itself. The boxing spectrum says: "mortal is born, and within three weeks, he can stand upright, pitch, rise and fall, stretch and bend, tread flat and tremble, advance and retreat, kick, all of which are revealed." Potential refers to the dynamic process of an object. The thirteen potential of Taiji is a process of showing the movement of "hand, foot and body" in some way. The method of this "process" is the "potential method". Therefore, thirteen potentials can be regarded as thirteen potential methods. Any boxing trend is a means to control people. Where there is potential, there is unstoppable. There is a saying in the idiom "unstoppable", and the old boxing score says: "Those in power control their power because of their control."
Tai Ji Chuan's potential and strength are different. Thirteen potentials can be explained by the theory of yin-yang change and mutual interaction. A potential word can be added after the thirteen words "stroke, squeeze, press, elbow, advance and retreat", indicating that they are all potential methods. But we can't add the word "strength" after them, which shows that potential may not always include "strength". It can also be said that in the process of utilizing potential, "strength" may not necessarily be shown.
Tai Ji Chuan's "strength" refers to an inner strength controlled by God's will and completely coordinated with breathing and movements. This kind of power is finally issued with the potential, so it is often used for power. For example, there are "strokes and squeezes" in the tail-grasping style, and not every trend is vigorous during the drill, so it is only a trend, not a force; Only a certain potential finally produces or emits strength can it be called strength. If you work hard at the end of the situation, it is called strength, and if you work hard at the end of the situation, it is called strength. "Looking forward and backward" mainly refers to posture, footwork, eye movement and other action methods in defensive attack. Generally, those who have no internal strength are only called potential, not strength.
When an action is over and has not changed, it is called a formula. There are also fixed formulas, but they are not the same. Formula refers to the shaping posture after an action is completed, usually after a certain situation is completed. The main difference between it and stereotype is that it is in series; If you are in the front, you can be energetic, generally heavier, also called moderate intensity. For example, the bright wings of a white crane drift with the tide, which is vigorous and produces moderate strength at the same time. The formula is formed after strength, and it will not be stronger. There is a strict distinction between the fixed plate and the fixed plate in the hands of Tai Chi Kuaiquan or Tai Chi San. Because fast boxing Sanshou emphasizes that "every certain situation is full of energy." Tendency is an internal force, which is the instantaneous force at the end of the potential action. After the strength is issued, there is only style, and there is no strength anymore. In short, we should understand that the formula is the form after the formula is completed, and there is no power to send it; Settlement is the end of the situation, and it often needs to be worked hard with the end of the situation. In Sanshou, when you finish your strength, the shaping time should not be too long, and you should change the momentum in time. If it is not changed in time, the outstretched fist will just sit there empty and become a posture without any strength, which is easy to be beaten at the mercy of the other party. In Tai Ji Chuan, changing potential is called closing, also called folding. The boxing score says, "We are turning the corner. It's amazing." Turning the customs is to change or change the potential. "Your own efforts, one potential one type after use, will be very long, endless, repeated, so it is also a long fist.
Tai Ji Chuan's emphasis on the potential method is not to restrain the exertion, just as it is not to restrain the exertion. Inner strength is the expression of the greatest strength coming out of the trend, especially the most powerful one at the moment when it is consistent with the breathing action under the control of the mind. It is intangible, connected with tangible tables, and difficult to describe. Potential is the carrier of inner strength. Without potential, strength cannot be expressed. No matter how tight the fist is, you can rush out without relying on the potential, or you can rush out to the "finish line" without paying attention to speed and quality, and you have no strength at all. Tai Ji Chuan's strength refers to inner strength. And the strength of the potential method itself is not the same. Potential itself is a dynamic movement process, and dynamic people or things will also have "force" because of the inertia of movement. This force is the force of nature, or the Force. You accidentally knocked down a person, or knocked over a chair, which is the result of the combined force of the mass of the limb and a certain speed. It has no cohesion under the mobilization of the mind, so it is impossible to produce real internal strength, and usually there is not much "strength". At the same time, you will quickly adjust your body shape, such as stopping. "Intention" and "unintentional" are different.
In Tai Ji Chuan's martial arts system, if you have used your maximum strength in the middle of the potential method, or your muscles are too tight and you don't relax, you can't use your maximum strength at the end of the potential method. Therefore, Taiji Kuaiquan and Sanshou are generally not forced but try to relax in the situation. The more relaxed, the faster, and finally the greater the strength. This is one of the most fundamental reasons for practicing Tai Ji Chuan's emphasis on relaxation. It is also the origin of the sentence "the meaning is not hard" in Taiji Zhuan.
Relaxation is a means of motivation, not an end. The slow boxing of Taijiquan's literary practice system mainly practices shape, mind and qi, but not strength and ability. Its original intention is just a show, expressed ideologically, and has no actual strength. It is impossible to develop inner strength, and it is impossible to send out real inner strength. Whether a person has inner strength or not and the level of inner strength can be seen through the methods and forms of his motivation. The first is "right" and the second is "good". For example, many people know that Tai Ji Chuan has an "energy", but they don't know what it is like. Universal slow boxing practitioners generally don't send it, and they often make mistakes when they do. This is because no one teaches, even if someone teaches, it is extremely difficult to master. Because this kind of energy is only suitable for young people to learn, if middle-aged and elderly people do not have a long-term basis for practicing martial arts, they will not only be unable to learn, but also easily sprain. Even those who have been practicing martial arts for a long time are often afraid to work hard when they are old. After all, the endurance of bones, muscles and internal organs is different from that of young people.
Friends who practice slow boxing often complain that others "push" or "push" when pushing hands, not only because of their poor skills, but also because they don't understand the relationship between potential and force and their application. In those days, Jiazhen Shen only learned slow boxing to compete with others, but he couldn't win. So, he asked Yang Chengfu to go to your home to study the potential method and the strength method alone, so as to realize the mystery. It is unfounded to ignore the speed and quality of the situation, practice hard methods, take it for granted to dissolve others, and blame others for their efforts if they can't melt. It is completely deceptive to advocate that "the mind is not hard" and "the big is soft".
Potential and strength complement each other in the hands of Taiji San. In Wushu, people usually like to use "trick" or "style". In fact, all moves are done by different potentials. Taiji Sanshou talks about "striking people with potential" and can "send what they want". Its essence is not for hair, but for hair according to the situation.
Take Catch the Sparrow's Tail as an example. In slow boxing, there are mainly four potentials, while in fast boxing, there are all thirteen potentials. If you have no actual combat experience and don't understand the meaning of the situation, you will find it difficult to apply it, or even don't need a trick at all. Because the situation is continuous, such as the running of the river, the rotation of the wheel and the running of the train, this is the process of action. It is important to start and end moves, and the standard is formula, which is the main form of potential after completion. For example, the determination of mustang's mane-splitting action is usually based on the final momentum rather than the "starting turn". However, in Sanshou, it is often in the process of "taking over" that the opponent has been subdued and does not need to be "converted", that is, saving hair and saving effort. Moreover, it is difficult to distinguish the name of any move when it is taken, and it is even more difficult to distinguish the changes in the process of application. It is easy to understand with the formula as the standard. The elder said, if you break the trick, you can break it. This is from experience. Explain that any trick can be used and broken, and "potential" is difficult to break, so-called unstoppable. If we can suppress the enemy's potential, that is, "seize the potential", then the kung fu will be deep. Very human can do it. Tai Chi Sanshou Kung Fu is the Kung Fu of seizing power.
To seize power, you must understand yin and yang. Yin and Yang are both principles and laws, and are the fundamental laws of Tai Chi Sanshou and Pushing Hands. Yin and Yang are mainly displayed as opening and closing in Tai Ji Chuan method. The boxing score says, "Tai Chi is taught by opening and closing." Let go, let go, and sink your hands; There is a combination at the opening and an opening at the closing. The so-called "Yin He hits people together" does not know the opening and closing of Yin and Yang in boxing, and it is rare to have Tai Chi skills. When the situation arises, you should be the first, and then your brothers will arrive together. It is called "Seven Stars" to hit people, and it is called trend. In other words, hit people with posture, not just with technique. Bullying others with your own body, taking advantage of the situation and pushing it to the roots is effortless. This is the secret of the true biography of Tai Chi Sanshou. Anyone who is interested in Tai Chi San feel must know. This is the reason why Tai Ji Chuan belongs to internal melee boxing.
There is no such thing as "blocking or parrying" in Tai Ji Chuan Sanshou, only "don't fight, just fight" and "see the red in the hand". This is because the fundamental characteristic of Tai Ji Chuan's technique is persistence. Power is the skill of "moving". Sticking to it is sticky. If you can persist, you can follow; It can be made by ability. "Yes" is not blocking, not parrying. Grids and frames are hard blocks. There is no hard stop in Taijiquan. Tai Ji Chuan takes swordsmanship as his fist method, which means avoiding the real and making the virtual, so as to win skillfully. Hard block is not only difficult to stick to each other, but also easy to let the other side escape and lose the fighter. For example, if a basketball flies at you, it will often rebound and get rid of it. Skilled people follow the trend. When the acrobat holds the jar, he first grabs it and throws it up, and then flies down with his eyes fixed on it. When the jar fell to a certain height, he squatted down in a certain way, and the jar "stopped" on his head lightly and steadily. This is "Zhan". "Similar to this, it is to welcome, receive, and cater to the trend, not to top or block; Close it hard and it will stick easily. Tai Ji Chuan's "first come, then come" feature can be fully displayed in Sanshou. He didn't give in at the moment when the opponent's fist approached or touched himself, but quickly turned to meet the middle of the opponent and hit his root section hard at the same time. Wu-style Tai Ji Chuan Sanshou has the formula of "turning waist to shoulder to elbow", which refers to this movement, commonly known as "shooting with meat". This action is fully displayed in the boxing photos of Wu Gongyi and Chen. Of course, clapping in Tai Chi Sanshou is as difficult to learn as acrobatics practicing the top jar, and it needs to be practiced hard. Especially "shooting with meat", no one is not beaten at the beginning of training. Therefore, in Tai Ji Chuan's martial arts system, in addition to the general internal strength and boxing, we should also practice volleyball and boxing. In order to enhance the skills of limbs, we should also practice palm and arm exercises. Otherwise, Wu Gongyi's arm would not be numb, but he was kicked.
Tai Ji Chuan emphasized softening and distribution; Don't use force to talk about intentions, but also about motives; Speaking of relaxation, I also talk about soft accumulation; Speaking of martial arts, I also talk about techniques. If you really know Tai Chi Chuan, it depends on whether you can attack. If you don't even understand the basic concepts, even fast boxing, Sanshou, potential method and strength method, it must be false teeth. Bottom line: The secret of Tai Chi Sanshou lies in "hitting people with potential"!