Saturday, 18 January 2025

Tai Chi Treatise by Wang Zong-Yue


 太極拳論 (1)

王崇岳著太極拳論

作者:王崇岳 明朝

太極者,無極而生,陰陽之母也。動之則分,靜之則合。無過不及,隨曲就伸 。人剛我柔謂之走,我順人背謂之粘。動急則急應,動緩則緩隨。雖變化萬端, 而理為一貫。由招熟而漸悟懂勁,由懂勁而階及神明。然非用力日久,不能豁 然貫通焉。虛靈頂勁,氣沉丹田。不偏不倚,忽隱忽現。左重則左虛,右重則 右杳。仰之則彌高,府之則彌深,進之則愈長,退之則愈促。一羽不能加,蠅 蟲不能落,人不知我,我獨知人。英雄所向無敵,蓋皆由此而及也。斯技旁門 甚多,雖勢有區別,概不外,壯欺弱,慢讓快耳。有力打無力,手慢讓手快, 是皆先天自然之能,非關學力而有為也。察四兩撥千斤之句,顯非力勝;觀耄 耋御眾之形,快何能為。立如秤准,活如車輪,偏沉則隨,雙重則滯。每見數 年純功,不能運化者,率皆自為人制,雙重之病未悟而。欲避此病,須知陰陽; 粘即是走,走即是粘,陽不離陰,陰不離陽;陰陽相濟,方為懂勁。懂勁後, 愈練愈精,默識揣摩,漸至從心所欲。本是捨己從人,多誤捨近求遠。所謂差 之毫釐,謬之千里。學者不可不詳辨焉。是為論。

太極拳論 王宗岳 (2)

Tai Chi Treatise (2)

By Wang Zong-Yue

太極者﹐無極而生,陰陽之母也。

Tai Chi means grand limit.  It comes from Wu Chi, which means no limit, and is the mother of Yin and Yang.

動之則分,靜之則合,無過不及,隨曲就伸。

In movement, it separates, in stillness, it combines. It must neither be excessive nor insufficient.  Stretching is found in bending.

人剛我柔謂之走,我順人背謂之粘。

When I meet hardness with softness, this is called to go-along.  When I am in a favourable position, and my opponent is in an unfavourable one, this is called to adhere.

動急則急應。動緩則緩隨,

I respond quickly to rapid attack; I follow calmly to a slow offensive.

雖變化萬端,而理惟一貫。

Although changes and variations are countless, the basic principle remains the same.

由著熟而漸悟懂勁,由懂勁而階及神明。

Through constant practice of forms, postures and applications, come the stages of gradual awareness of the internal energy. Through gradually awareness of the internal energy comes the stages of spiritual understanding.

然非用力之久,不能豁然貫通焉。

Without a long period of arduous and persistent effort one cannot achieve thorough understanding.

虛領頂勁,氣沉丹田。

Always lift the spirit up to the crown, sink the qi down to the dantien (lower abdomen).

不偏不倚,忽隱忽現。

No leaning (on opponents), no inclining (to one side, constantly maintaining the central equilibrium) . Suddenly appearing and suddenly disappearing.

左重則左虛,右重則右杳。

When strong force is felt on the left, the left becomes insubstantial. When strong force is felt to the right, the right disappears.

仰之則彌高,俯之則彌深,進之則愈長,退之則愈促。

Countering a force pushing me up, I rise higher. Confronting a force pushing me down, I sink lower.

The more my opponent advances, the more he feels the distance unreachable. The more my opponent retreats, the more he feels he cannot escape.

一羽不能加,蠅蟲不能落,人不知我,我獨知人。

Neither a feather can be added, nor a fly can alight without me noticing the change of equilibrium. 

My opponents do not know me; I alone know my opponents.

英雄所向無敵,蓋皆由此而及也。

These are the reasons why the master is invincible. 

斯技旁門甚多,雖勢有區別,概不外乎壯欺弱、慢讓快耳。

In martial arts there are many different schools. Although they differ in form, most can never go beyond reliance upon the strong overcoming the weak, the fast overtaking the slow.

有力打無力,手慢讓手快,是皆先天自然之能,非關學力而有為也。

The strong defeat the weak, the fast defeat the slow; this is due to innate physical endowment, and has nothing to do with hard study and patient practice.

察四兩撥千斤之句,顯非力勝;

Examining the old saying, "four ounces deflect a thousand pounds"; it is clear that this cannot be achieved by sheer force alone.

觀耄耋能御眾之形,快何能為。

Having seen an old man defeating a group of people, how can this be executed solely due to swiftness?

立如秤準,活如車輪,偏沉則隨,雙重則滯。

Stand still like a balanced scale; move freely like a whirling wheel.

Focusing too much to one side is the cause of losing balance.  Double heaviness is the cause of stagnation.  

每見數年純功,不能運化者,率皆自為人制,雙重之病未悟耳。

One can frequently see many who have spent years of painstaking practice; they are still unable to neutralise an attacking force, and are always controlled by others.

This is because they still have not fully comprehended the fault of double heaviness.

欲避此病,須知陰陽;

To avoid this problem you must understand the separation of Yin and Yang.

粘即是走,走即是粘,陰不離陽,陽不離陰;

To adhere is to go-along; to go-along is to adhere.  Yang does not leave Yin; Yin does not leave Yang. 

陰陽相濟,方為懂勁。

Yin and Yang should be complementary.  When Yin and Yang can complement each other,  one starts to comprehend internal strength.

懂勁後,愈練愈精,默識揣摩,漸至從心所欲。

After I started to comprehend the internal strength, the more I practised the better my skill became. Watching and understanding quietly, practising and experiencing, I gradually reached a level where I felt I could act at will.

本是舍己從人,多誤舍近求遠。

Basically one should let go of oneself and follow one's opponent. Most people misunderstand this; they give up what is within reach and seek something far away.

所謂差之毫厘,謬以千里。

This is what is described as: The slightest deviation will take you a thousand miles away from the right way.

學者不可不詳辨焉。以為論。

In the study of this art, students should critically distinguish right from wrong, truth from falsehood. For this reason this treatise is made.

Note:

  1. Extract from Wikisource: https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/太极拳论
  2. The English translation is based partly on The Showme Tai Chi Society web page article: https://www.philcheung.com/TaiChi/ex_05e.htm, and partly on the book "Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan - Forms, Concepts and Applications of the Original Style" by Wu Ying-hua and Ma Yueh-liang.


Saturday, 14 December 2024

On "sink the shoulders, drop the elbows" (沉肩墜肘)

Introduction

The phrase, “sink the shoulders, drop the elbows” (沉肩墜肘) is well known for Tai Chi practitioners.

I prefer the phrases "relax the shoulder" (鬆肩) and "sink the elbow" (沈肘) more. I will discuss more in the later part of this post.  

For the more popular statement “sink the shoulders, drop the elbows” (沉肩墜肘) , where should they be sunk down to?  Is it just anywhere? Is it the front? back?  side?  or the centre of the body? Or perhaps towards the feet?  Do they have to sink down all the time? 

Do shoulders and elbows have to sink down all the time?

My answer is No.  

The shoulder joints are useful parts of the body.  Seniors often have problems with the shoulder joints.   If one does not have major issues with the shoulder joints,  one should keep them active.   So during Tai chi practice,  if it makes sense to move the shoulder joints, one should move them.   Keep the shoulder muscles relaxed like all other parts of the body.

In terms of martial arts, there may be times that one would want to raise the shoulders and retract the head for example to protect the neck and head.

Similarly for the elbows, there may be times that one needs to raise the elbow.  For example, when we wish to do an elbow strike or when the opponent pushes one's elbow up and one needs to deflect with the elbow.

So the statement "Sink the shoulders, drop the elbows" should  be considered to be a general recommendation.  Tai Chi practitioners should not be afraid to raise the shoulders and elbows when required.

Where should one sink the shoulders to?

Should one sink the shoulders to the front of the body? back? side?  or the centre of the body? Or perhaps towards the feet? 

To answer the above, we need to clarify what we mean by "sinking".  In general, "sinking" does not mean forcefully pushing the shoulders or elbows down.  It means relaxing the shoulders and elbows and allows them to comfortably relax down due to gravity.

If one is in a normal standing position with hands to the side, the shoulders and elbows should sink down to the side in a relaxed way, with the body in a good posture, not leaning forward or bending back and balanced between left and right sides.

During Tai Chi practice, for example, when doing the starting form, both hands move forward and up.  The elbows stay relaxed and sink down in front of the body.  The back is slightly rounded and both shoulders point forward slightly.   

So in general, elbows sink down to the ground at whatever positions they happen to be.  The shoulders stay relaxed supporting the movements of the arms.

The above is a general recommendation.  There may be particular movements or situations where the shoulders and elbows should sink down in a particular way, or be connected to a certain part of the body, or raise up, or move in a particular way.  Therefore, when practising the Tai Chi form, one should focus well on the movements, and analyse the movements when appropriate.

Relax the shoulder (鬆肩),  Sink the elbow (沈肘)

In Wu(Hao) style Tai Chi, "relax the shoulder" (鬆肩) and "sink the elbow" (沈肘) are two of the body methods that Hao style Tai Chi practitioners are required to pay attention to.  Master Hao gives the following comments about these two body methods:

Relax the shoulders

Use yi (thought) to loosen and open the two shoulders. Qi should sink down. Add the word "quietness" to the yi. This is called relaxing the shoulders.

Sink the elbows

Use yi to circulate qi. Let qi circulate to both elbows. The wrists should be agile. The tips of the elbow should always have the sense of hanging down. This is called sink the elbows.

Tuesday, 23 July 2024

My experience with the Peace and Love approach

 
"Achilles Tendonitis Treatments - The Good, the Bad, and the Useless" by Treat My Achilles

The injury

I landed badly and sprained my Achilles tendon when playing badminton on Tuesday (16/7/24) at around 6 pm.  I felt a fairly sharp pain on my right heel after landing badly on my right foot.  It was not too severe and I knew nothing was torn.  

I decided to try out the PEACE and LOVE and no-HARM approach.  See my post on Soft Tissue Injuries

No-HARM stands for: no Heat, Alcohol, Running/activity, or Massage.  PEACE stands for: Protect, Elevate, Avoid anti-inflammatory drugs, Compression, and Education.  LOVE stands for: Load, Optimism, Vascularisation, and Exercise.

Disclaimer: The following is a record of my attempt to try out the no Harm and Peace and Love approach. The following should NOT be considered an instruction on how to recover from an injury.  It is merely a record of my experience.  I did not consult a medical professional for the following attempt in recovery as I considered the injury minor.  Please make your own decision and consult your medical advisers as appropriate. 

No-HARM and PEACE and LOVE 

First day (Tuesday 6 pm to Wednesday 6 pm)

Tuesday evening: The right heel was quite sore.  There was some warmth to the area, perhaps some inflammation.  I did not put ice on the area and avoided too much hot water during shower.  I tried using two Nordic Walking poles when moving around. 

"Is Ice Or Heat Better For Achilles Tendinitis?" by Treat My Achilles

Second day (Wednesday 6 pm to Thursday 6 pm)

Wednesday evening: I could move the ankle a few times through its restricted range of motion.  There was a slight pain afterwards.  Gentle massage and elevation felt comfortable.  I applied a compression bandage to the ankle. I tried using two Nordic Walking poles to protect the right foot.  

Thursday morning: I walked slowly.  I applied kinesiology tape to the ankle.  It was important to have a balanced gait when walking.  My heart rate increased when moving around.  I slowed down and calmed myself.  It helped with more awareness and mental connection with the injured area. Learning about the injury and related information was useful.  

I practised Tai Chi (the Hao 96 form) with no problem, allowing pain to guide my range of motion. The movements of this Tai Chi form were slow and gentle.

Day Three (Thursday 6 pm to Friday 6 pm)

Day three: Continued practicing PEACE. 

Day Four (Friday 6 pm to Saturday 6 pm)

Friday afternoon: I walked around reasonably well.  The right ankle was still slightly sore.  I practiced the Tai Chi and did some two legged standing isometric heel raise. 

Saturday morning: I taught Tai Chi classes for about 2-1/4  hours. I walked around reasonably comfortably.

Day Five (Saturday 6 pm to Sunday 6 pm)

Sunday morning and early afternoon: I moved around quite freely.  I had some soreness in the hip area due over-compensation.  I did more exercises including standing isometric heel raise, lunge, and push ups.

Day Six and Seven (Sunday 6 pm to Tuesday 6 pm)

Monday: I taught Tai Chi (for 1 hour) in the morning and did some strengthening exercises.  I removed the kinesiology tape that was put on from Day Two.

Tuesday: The ankle was a bit sore after waking up in the morning.  It felt better after some walking.  I walked around normally without pain in the afternoon.

Concluding thought

The no-HARM and PEACE and LOVE approach had worked well.  After 7 days, my right ankle injury was much better.  Further implementation of the LOVE principle should strengthen the ankle.

Tuesday, 25 June 2024

Soft tissue injuries (sprains and strains)

YouTube video - "PEACE & LOVE: New acronym for the treatment of traumatic injuries"
from La Clinique Du Coureur

When we engage in physical exercises, sometimes we sustain soft tissue injuries.  We have been taught in the past to use the R.I.C.E. approach as a first aid treatment for minor soft tissue injuries.  RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.  

The mnemonic was introduced by Dr. Gabe Mirkin in 1978. He withdrew his support of this regimen in 2014 after learning of the role of inflammation in the healing process. The implementation of RICE for soft tissue injuries as described by Dr. Mirkin is no longer recommended, as there is not enough research on the efficacy of RICE in the promotion of healing.[1]

What are the current recommendations?

The following general guide from Safer Care Victoria provides a guideline for the initial treatment of minor soft tissue injuries.

Soft tissue injuries (sprains and strains)

The guideline above recommends an updated RICE and no HARM approach for the first 48 to 72 hours following the injury.  HARM stands for Heat, Alcohol, Running/activity, and Massage.

Some health practitioners recommend a PEACE and LOVE approach.  The YouTube video above explains briefly the PEACE and LOVE approach. 

For more information, please refer to the following web page: 

https://www.physio-pedia.com/Peace_and_Love_Principle.

Moderate and severe injuries

Some scientists proposed that for minor soft tissue injuries, the No Harm and Peace approach may be appropriate in the acute phase.  However for moderate and severe injuries, a CARE approach should be adopted.  For further information, please see reference [4] and [6] below.

Additional information

The references below provide additional information on minor soft tissue injuries and proposed treatments.

Reference:

  1. Wikipedia - RICE (medicine) 
  2. Wikipedia - Soft tissue injury
  3. YouTube video - "Physiotherapy Treatment for Soft Tissue Injury - Your Comprehensive Guide" from Ask Giri - The Physio Show
  4. Minor Soft Tissue Injuries may need PEACE in the Acute Phase, but Moderate and Severe Injuries Require CARE - Konstantinos Fousekis and Elias Tsepis, Therapeutic Exercise and Sports Rehabilitation Lab, Physical Therapy Department, University of Patras, Greece.
  5. Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE by Blaise Dubois,The Running Clinic, Lac Beauport, Quebec, Canada, and Jean-Francois Esculier, Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
  6. Is Ice Or Heat Better For Achilles Tendonitis? by Treat My Achilles on YoutTube.

Disclaimer: The above information is for general education purposes only. Please consult with your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for you.

Sunday, 7 April 2024

Silk Reeling Gong 纏絲功

 
Silk reeling gong is an important practice in Chen style Tai Chi.  I believe practising the silk reeling gong can enhance Qi and improve understanding and coordination of the basic techniques in Chen style Taijiquan.

陳小旺 Chen Xiaowang - 纏絲功 Chen-Style Taijiquan Silk Reeling


太極基础纏絲功簡易口訣: 一個中心兩個角 ,上下分別三個圈 Simple formula: 1 center 2 corner 3 circles up and down separately - from AWCC Tai Chi

陳正雷老師 纏絲勁訓練

The above videos give some basic understanding of silk reeling gong.

Tuesday, 2 April 2024

Monday, 26 February 2024

Ba Duan Jin - English videos and notes

 

Techniques Demonstration of Ba Duan Jin - from Chinese Health Qigong Association

Ba Duan Jin videos in English

Please find below the playlist of Ba Duan Jin videos on YouTube form the Chinese Health Qigong Association.


Ba Duan Jin notes






Tai Chi Treatise by Wang Zong-Yue

 太極拳論 (1) 王崇岳著太極拳論 作者:王崇岳 明朝 太極者,無極而生,陰陽之母也。動之則分,靜之則合。無過不及,隨曲就伸 。人剛我柔謂之走,我順人背謂之粘。動急則急應,動緩則緩隨。雖變化萬端, 而理為一貫。由招熟而漸悟懂勁,由懂勁而階及神明。然非用力日久,不能豁 然貫通焉。...