Taijiquan's Three Essential Steps

There are three important steps to achieving satisfactory progress in Taijiquan.

The First Step of Progress - Laying the foundation.

Start by  learning the unique characteristics of Taijiquan.  

Taijiquan’s unique method of practice and its terminology such as “cultivation of internal energy”, “using the intent and not force”, is a new concept and experience for people with established frames of reference.  Or this aspect itself may be completely new with no reference at all to go by.

However, the aspect of internal cultivation and stimulation is crucial in Taijiquan practice and must be set in place from the onset.  Wanting to learn  a routine as quickly as possible should not mean the omission of establishing the standard requirements i.e. the mental emphasis supported by correct physical structure.  Once wrong habits are formed the true meaning of Taijiquan  becomes more and more distant and difficult to retrieve.

The most important part of learning is consistence; not “three days of fishing and two days of sunning the net” (Chinese saying meaning intermittent commitment to a task) as this way ultimately practice is futile.  People can practice according to age and capability but the fundamental principles of Taijiquan must be present.

Therefore, the key to the first stage of learning Taijiquan is to understand what Taijiquan is and have a rough idea of the connotations of Qi (energetic flow),Yi (intent) and Shen (spirit), and to know what to learn and how to practise and slowly infuse the principles into the actions. 

The Second Step of Progress - Reconciling the internal and external aspects. 

According to Chinese medical theory, the nurturing of the internal organs results in a healthy external body. The whole body is said to be unblocked as the internal organs are able to send out all their essences to the outside - as manifested in good complexion, hair and skin, strong bones and proper functioning of all parts etc.  This also applies to the cultivation of the mental states as the “seven excesses” adversely affect the healthy working of the whole body.

Thus there’s a correlation of the internal and external, of “heaven and man”.

The same principle is shared in the practice of Taijiquan. The key is to achieve internal and external integration, forming a connection between the internal (body) and external (environment). 

Inside and outside does not refer to the division between the inside of the body and the surface of the skin at the level of the human body structure. It is the gongfu formed by shape, intent, qi and spirit in the continuous process of communicating, merging, blending and flowing with the external body and environment that the body is in.

One of the methods of practising internal and external harmony is the concept of three qi circles. The qi circles emanate from inside outwards and are distributed to the periphery.  The main qi circle is the waist that acts as guide and vector of the upper and lower circles;  the upper circle directs the shoulders and facilitates upper limb movements; and the lower circle controls the kuas and directs the rise and fall of the feet and movements.  The intention driven circles combine with external qi to form a holistic qi realm that’s "so large there’s no outside limit, so small there’s no inside", referred to as the unity of heaven and man.  

The Third Step of Progress - Upper and Lower coordination.

Generally speaking, having established the three circle foundation, in the process of practising the frame there will be some kind of upper and lower body coordination. 

Taijiquan theory that emphasises the importance of upper and lower integration says: "the root is in the feet, expressed through the legs, controlled by the waist, shaped in the hands; from the feet to legs to waist to hands, completed in one qi breath”.  If any part is missed out, it is said that qi is scattered.  Upper and lower body coordination is not just how the upper limbs move, but how the lower limbs move too. 

In order to avoid the dispersion of the mind and body in the process of practice, and to ensure that the three parallel qi circles can run in harmony, a imaginary vertical line is present at the centre of the three circles.  This way under the guidance and manipulation of his vertical line the body can move forward, backward, left or right without dispersion thus achieving internal and external as well as upper and lower coordination.

It is a long-term process of cultivation in the steps of progression and takes as long as it takes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Song and the Role of the Feet...

Being “Song” (translated as a state of looseness, relaxation, devoid of tension etc.) is one of the most important concepts of the internal arts. It is also the most difficult to realise.

One key aspect to achieving whole body “song” as well nimbleness of movements, lies in relaxing the foot, especially the section from below the knee to the foot. If the foot is not “song” your root breaks at the point of contact with the ground. (In tuishou it is easy for your opponent to upset your root). Conversely when the foot is relaxed your root is “the whole earth beneath you”, and proper grounding ensues.

Not only is the desired outcome of practice not realised, failure to keep the feet “song” is the biggest cause of knee injuries. This often happens in the desire to take low stances to impress or having the mistaken view that only low stances mean bitter work. The legs and feet are tensed to maintain balance rather than the internal arts’ method of sinking “qi and blood” into the ground. During zhan zhuang ( standing pole) pay attention to keeping the lower leg and feet relaxed. If necessary gently move (without breaking out of structure) to find the sense of relaxation. “Standing pole is not dead pole!”

Connect to the ground like a falling leaf, do not add extra force to the ground except your own body weight.

Walk gently like a cat, your quiet footfall cannot be heard.

Step carefully on thin ice, do not let heaviness break the ice and fall into the water.

Tread on grass and feel a kind of ascending feeling of the grass towards your feet rather than grinding the grass into the ground.

As in your daily standing and walking , do you deliberately apply force to stand and walk?

Peng JIn

 

Peng jin is considered the foremost of the eight jin of taijiquan. Without peng jin actions appear weak and lack the integral elasticity and pliancy of taijiquan and strength cannot be brought forth and expressed.

Peng jin is a kind of supple and supportive strength (the so-called eight directional support strength) achieved through the elongation and lengthening of the body during practice.

The process can be trained by observing the following three sets of fundamental principles: 

1.An insubstantial energy lifts the head; qi sinks into the dantian.

The head and the cervical vertebra gently lift upwards whilst qi sinks  and concentrates in the dantian. The latter at the most basic is allowing the lower abdomen to relax and the tailbone to fall.  The double actions create an opposing upward and downward force in the spine as it is being elongated.  In time the range of  movements of the joints increase,  and the fasciae expand to support proper qi flow into the dantian.  If the fasciae is not involved (if training is overly soft) it is difficult to feel and strengthen qi 

2. Contain the chest & extend the back; loosen the shoulders & sink the elbows.

This is to achieve a cross-over support of the shoulders and back. When containing the chest avoid pulling up or hunching the back. The chest remains flat and relaxed so that breathing is easy and natural.  There is an opposing expansion between the chest and the back, offering front and back support roles.  The shoulders blades open outwards to extend the back.

The purpose of loosening the shoulders is to connect the arms and the shoulders so that they move as a unit.  Sinking the elbows gradually loosens and extends the elbow joints. When the connection between the arms and back is established and the spine begins to control actions there will be peng jin in the arms because transmission of jin is not broken at the shoulders.

3. Round the crotch and loosen the kua.

These two principles enable the lower plane to achieve complementary opposites and lengthening forces.  Because the legs are constantly weight-bearing it is more difficult to achieve. But by keeping the crotch rounded and the kua loose the legs and joints are extended by opposing strength and also through the rotation of the centre and other actions.

The above mentioned extension, elongation, lengthening and application of opposite forces are done under the premise of looseness, relaxation and mind driven and not by force.

First look to the feet...

In Taijiquan, there is a saying: "Look first at the feet, then look at the hands”. 

Footwork is considered the foundation and precursor of Taijiquan proficiency.  Most people are concerned about the hand placements and often overlook the importance of foot placements.

Taijiquan emphasises that power is initiated from the heels, through the legs, controlled in the waist, expressed in the hands.  From the feet through to the hands,  the upper and lower parts are coordinated and completed with unbroken momentum (in one breath or one qi as often explained). The integrity of the lower plane determines the upper plane, therefore only if the  footwork is correct then body method is right. If foundation is unstable it is likened to the earth shaking the mountain that sits above it. Therefore, it is very important to strengthen the gongfu of the legs (feet) and pay attention to Taijiquan footwork .

So how to practise footwork? 

To begin, understand the different stances and steps, for example, horse stance, bow stance, T-shaped stance, empty stance, crouching stance, single-leg stance, forward steps, backward steps, horizontal step, oblique step, follow step, cover step etc. Be precise with each during training and not glance over them with an approximation.  Also build a good foundation by strengthening the legs and their capabilities to weight bear,  support and stabilise (through standing pole or single movement training) as well as increasing flexibility and pliancy. 

Taijiquan's Source - The Dantian

Taijiquan attaches great importance to the lower abdomen, because "when the lower abdomen is relaxed and calm qi arises naturally” (Wang Zongyue).  Situated in the lower abdomen is the dantian that "is the source of the movements of Taijiquan" (Wang Zhuanghong).  “The strength of the whole body is emitted from the dantian, and also received and stored in the dantian” (Chen Xin); also "all movements and breathing in Taijiquan are dictated by the dantian; the dantian effects and the dantian supplies" (Li Yaxuan).

The peristaltic motions of the soft viscera in the lower abdomen facilitates the internal rotational movements of the dantian that in turn effects a driving force for the whole body. Two reasons are given for this: First, the weight and peristaltic motions of the organs naturally produce motions such as centrifugal, centripetal and rolling force; Second, in an upright position, the body parts by virtue of gravity are concentrated in this region and forms the body’s centre (of gravity).  The position of the centre (dantian) is determined by the movements and harmonisations of all parts of the body.  Therefore adjustments and balancing of the various parts of the body are necessary for the centre to be maintained.  Based on the above two points, Taijiquan requires that all movements should originate from the dantian, return to the dantian, obey the dantian and support the dantian. 

All parts of the body have an impact on the centre, among which the most direct are 1. the rise and fall of the diaphragm with breathing;  2. the retraction of the abdominal muscles; 3. the push and pull of the mingmen and the navel; 4. the substantial and insubstantial changes of the left and right kua; 5. the lifting of the huiyin;  6. the movement and positioning of the tailbone; 7. the inward and outward tilt of the pelvis.  But all of them are affected by the movements of each other.  

Although the centre is constantly changing in movements, the change is like a piano glide (glissando); although it is a sweep, the sweep demands that each key along the way is pressed and not one should be missed or skipped.  

The internal dantian rotation should be smooth and circular, no matter if the direction is front or back, left or right, up or down, or oblique.  In all cases the centre is naturally relaxed downwards by gravity with its own weight, rather than being pushed or pulled.  The relationship between the centre and the legs is that force is sent downwards through the pelvis (kua), in order to facilitate the substantial and insubstantial changes in the legs (weight bear). Even if the upper body wants to borrow the rebound force from the ground, the centre should stay loosened down, and the upper body can only borrow the reactive force of the pushing down of the legs and feet. It's not the leg pushing directly upwards to move the centre.  Like an acrobat walking in a ball,  the ball rotates and moves by the changing of the centre, rather than being pushed from outside the ball.  So the centre (dantian) determines how the body moves. The exact route is always related to relevant movements, to relaxation and to mental intention.

Taijiquan's Compound Strength

The first step to understanding Taijiquan is that there are no absolutes. For example,  in the concept of Jin (trained appropriate strength).  Trying to find it in a quantitative way is futile.  Jin once realised is an ever present entity within the body.  Every principle in its appropriate state, jin can be brought forth instantly, whether in advance or retreat, for change from slow to fast, from soft to hard, from a great height to close to the ground... then it is said that you’re in the dao (on the right path of realisation).

Once you find the correct starting point, contain it, and with practice the body’s jin will become more and more subtle and indiscernible.   In appearance the arms may look soft, but there’s heaviness under the elbows.  The chest may look empty but the back is strong with a fully drawn bow.  The waist and rib cavities may be flexible but they are securely held by the dantian.  The body is compact and yet nimble.  What is practised is a compound strength.  Slow but not broken, fast but not dispersed.

High, Medium or Low Frame?

Each posture of traditional Taijiquan, whether low, medium or high, has its own strength and purpose. 

The purpose of a low frame is to train the muscles, bones and external appearance of the whole body in order to develop lower body capability - xiapangong.    The low frame stretches the muscles, extends the bones and exaggerates opening and closing...which in time increases the range of kua actions; strengthens the support capability of the legs; improves the flexibility of the waist and kua; enables the downward shift of the centre of gravity and the stabilisation of the lower plane. Throughout the process of developing  xiapangong pay strict attention to the specifications of the routine, eg. the hand positions for hand placements; the feet positions for footwork; the anatomical positions for the body method; and how to facilitate changes of directions.  This is the stage of “learning rules and training gongfu”.

The medium frame is the most common method of practice as Taijiquan progresses. The frame is conducive for whole body relaxation and sinking qi and to realise the light ethereal conversions between substantial and insubstantial. The focus of middle frame practice is on the whole body, seeking the three internal and external harmonies .  The mind/intention drives the movements of the body and the energetic conversions are no longer under the domination of the body’s strength.   Every part of the body is relaxed and pliant -  the waist-kua, knees-ankles, feet-hands, shoulders-elbows, head-neck, chest-back. Movements are completed alternately during the process of qi/jin sinking to the feet and then rising to the top, whilst striving to keep the centre light and natural. It is a perpetual cycle, with neither substantial or insubstantial taking precedence. Achieve skill through the comprehensive understanding of taijiquan principles through mastery of all relevant practice.   This is the stage of “abiding by the rule, compliance with the rule”.

The high frame practises qing-ling-yuan-huo - to be quick and skilful, flexible and smooth.  The goal is for every joint of the body to have a universal ball bearing that is capable of moving smoothly and efficiently. Each and every part of the body seems to have its individual autonomous control.   This stage of practice is almost exclusively internal with the cultivation of zhongding gongfu - central balance/stability- being the objective. Zhongding is considered the soul of the thirteen (all) potentials of Taijiquan and is highly regarded by long time practitioners.   Practice at this point is not to impress externally or being aesthetic. However possession of the skill renders the practitioner untouchable.  Movements are unpredictable and unfathomable and every part of the body is useable. This is the stage of “intangible ‘nothingness’”.