Introduction ~ Tai Chi Chuan

China Hand Kung Fu Academy is dedicated to passing on the ancient art of Tai Chi Chuan. More specifically, the Yang Style Tai Chi System and even more specific, the Guang Ping Yang Style. This is the rare style from the Yang System as handed down by Yang Lu Chan and his son Yang Pan Hou, which bridges Yang Style from Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan.

As there are many paths in the world, so too are there many paths in Tai Chi Chuan. In order to properly understand Tai Chi Chuan one must first perceive it for what it is. Tai Chi Chuan is a tool, a man-made device designed to bring about harmony and balance between energy and mass. Through extension of this balance comes, as the Chinese say, “The Ten Thousand Things,” a euphemism for everything.

An appropriate analogy to the “Paths” of Tai Chi Chuan may be drawn from the multiplicity of uses that any tool might be put. For instance, a screwdriver is a tool designed to insert and extract screws. However, I have seen it used as; a pry-bar, an awl, a chisel, its handle used as a hammer, a nail extractor, a scraper, a paint mixer, a can opener, an electrical circuit device, a shear pin, a wedge and even as a finger nail cleaner. If used improperly, it can cause injury to oneself or someone else.

You will be learning is the Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan through forms which are movements linked together in a continuous fashion so as to form a single continuous motion from beginning to end or in effect one movement.

The definition of Tai Chi Chuan is “Grand Ultimate/Supreme Fist.” Solo forms are sometimes viewed as shadow boxing, however, this is a western assumption, and not relevant to the actual purpose.

The definition of Tai Chi as a concept is the “Ridgepole” where the original meaning was taken from the I Ching (Book of Changes). The Ridgepole supports the roof timbers.

The Empty Circle is an expression of the emptiness that gives purpose.

Yin and Yang is the natural energy divided into extremities, separate but complementary.

Tai Chi Chuan is the key to understanding the other Internal Styles (Nei Chia) and is ususally a prerequisite to learning Hsing Yi, or Pa Kua Chuan. Without experience in Tai Chi Chuan, Hsing Yi becomes too external (Wai Chia), and Pa Kua becomes too abstract.

Tai Chi Chuan is about 1,000 years old. Although the Chen Family were not the creators, we know that it was kept within their family for at least fourteen generations, before it was taught to an outsider about 1830 A.D. and that outsider was Yang Lu-Ch’an and he was taught by Chen Chang-Shen.

Tai Chi Chuan should be practiced every day, it should not however be something that you have to make yourself do but rather be something that you want and like to do, it should be fun rather than a chore.

Feeling – Internal styles stress feeling over technique.

Yin/Yang Theory – contraction follows expansion.

One, when someone comes into your space (expansion), yield. When they retreat (contraction), follow.

Two, balance – strike only when your opponent is unbalanced (i.e., when attacked, yield, the attacker becomes unbalanced by being unable to check his advance and at the point where his attack reaches its limit, strike).

Three, one cannot be totally pure Yin or Yang, this explains the fish eye, or dot of the opposite included in the Yin/Yang symbol. When one becomes too Yang, Yin will follow. Emptiness has nowhere to go, except to become full.

Slowness – One, performing tasks slowly, not only gives you more time to reflect on what you are doing, but also gives you more insight than if you performed it quickly. Two, doing something slowly and repeatedly, allows you to absorb it at an unconscious level, so that it becomes second nature (like taking a walk). Three, in Tai Chi Chuan, the better you get, the slower your routine becomes.

Recommended 30 – 45 Minute Training Regimen

• Warm up before you start to get deep into your workout, 5 – 10 minutes.
• Practice at least two of the eight “Basic Stances,” 10 sets each stance, 5 minutes.
• Practice all of the newest material you are learning every workout, 10 minutes.
• Practice at least one of you basic forms three times, 5 minutes.
• Practice at least one of your intermediate forms three times, 5 minutes.
• Practice at least one of your advanced forms at least three times, 10 minutes.
• Practice qigong, standing meditation for at least 5 minutes to cool down and center.

If at all possible, try to practice at least every other day.

The ancient art of Tai Chi Chuan is gaining popularity today in the USA because of its health benenfits. China Hand Kung Fu Academy teaches the Yang Style Tai Chi System and even more specific, the Guang Ping Yang Style. This is the more rare style from the Yang System as handed down by Yang Lu Chan and his son Yang Pan Hou and is the first Yang Style form practiced before the more popoluar styles seen today.