"From Wuji Taiji is born"

 

Many people know the expression "From Wuji Taiji is born". What is Wuji? What is Taiji? Wuji is "Non-Existence"; Taiji is "Existence". Therefore non- existence (Wuji) gives birth to existence (Taiji). It is a law that particularly corresponds with the process of change and evolvement of all things. The Daoists also apply "Wuji" to the human body. A quiet and motionless body is in a state of "non-existence" or "Wuji". When stillness is broken by a movement - for example..., when the heart (emotion) or mind (thought) is activated, "Taiji" or "Existence" occurs. In the body changes occur with the "existence" of "Shen" (spirit or a seed of an idea), "Yi" (intention of action), and Qi (energy within to drive spirit and intention and without to drive actions). This is what is referred to as "from Wuji Taiji is born". This concept is realised by taijiquan practitioners through long term practice. It is a tangible process of taijiquan that is known traditionally as "having substance in the body", or "gongfu imbues the body". The process of acquiring Taijiquan principles from nothing to great skills can also be seen as the process of Wuji to Taiji. This is the big Dao of Taijiquan.