There are two main methods of transmitting and training Taijiquan: one is the "trunk" method and the other is the "leaves & branches" method. The Yang family were the first known Taijiquan masters to make a living by teaching Taijiquan. They used the "trunk" method for some students and the "leaves & branches" method for others. The "trunk" method requires great effort and commitment in order to have an effect, and has little if any fun or enjoyment in the learning process. Only a person who possesses natural talent, tenacity and a deep commitment to Taijiquan is willing to accept this kind of training. The "trunk" method was used by past martial artists who needed to hone their skill in a limited time to defend home and country. They did not have the luxury of time and indulgence. Today the common method is the "leaves & branches" method. This method does not require very hard practice before yielding the first results. The sense of success and accomplishment is reinforced by the many branches and beautiful foliage - unlike the trunk where there's only the thick body and bark.
However, all is not lost in the "leaves and branches" method. Sometimes a discerning person recognises that establishing the trunk is a prerequisite for the branches and leaves to survive and to continue to be beautiful and robust. This is considered a roundabout and longer route. Sometimes the significance never becomes apparent and the trunk never reaches its full potential or is rendered useless and discarded.
Is the trunk method considered Harder in the sense of hard and soft martial arts? when does a person start to encroach on the trunk and leave the branches? Is it when they leave the realm of learning entirely for health and focus more on the martial?
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