Chen.quest.ion

Mental models are sometimes used in discussing taiji.  Actually they’re used often, since taiji is – both literally and figuratively – “hard to grasp”.  Analogies and metaphors are employed (for better or for worse) to help students understand: what the body/mind does, when it is doing things in the taiji way.In discussing taiji, “shapes” is a useful concept since the body and its spatial envelope are constantly changing shape.  (“If no movement, then no taiji”.)  That’s the external side of the coin.The internal aspect involves forces (silk reeling, qi, sinking, etc.) that have directions or paths rather than shapes.

Stances are the cornerstone of the martial arts, IMO.  Stances are an area where Chen taiji really shines; it’s the stances of Chen style that brought me to Chen style.

Initially I was seeking something that I wasn’t sure existed, but was pretty sure ought to exist: “stationary kung fu poses for exercise and training”.  I got lucky when I found a really interesting web site about Luohan Chi Kung, as taught by Dr. Gaspar Garcia.

The Luohan.com site contained wonderful photos of kungfu stances from the “18 Luohan Hands” (also known as Lohan; also known as the “18 Pieces of Brocade”; etc.).  Sifu Garcia’s section on “Chi-kung” was a great find for me.  Most of the key elements of taichi were briefly mentioned or shown: the meditation stance for preparation; dantian; breathing; mind-intent; curved/circular, flowing movement; body relaxed yet taut “as if it were of rubber”; postural points. And the powerful, exciting postures themslves. 

However great they “looked”, I soon discovered that these stances were difficult!

I was quite physically fit in the ordinary sense, fooled around with yoga, had had some martial arts classes.  But I was getting older and I felt the need for something more… what I was looking for was zhan zhuang (although I didn’t know the name).  But thanks to Luohan.com, when I later encountered Chen taiji short forms (via the book “Chen Style T’ai Chi Ch’uan” by Shing Yen-Ling), my mind had been prepared for what I was seeing.  It looked very complicated  -  too complicated I thought  -  but months later I went back and said, I have to try this.  That was four or five years ago.

I’m guessing that most everyone who’s had tai chi classes is familiar with “holding the ball” standing exercise.  Also there is the “zhuang gong” of holding a taiji posture… for example, Single Whip (or any of the completed forms).  My understanding is that if your alignment and other elements are acceptable, chi flow will be tangible.  I have some experience with this effect.

Though I don’t claim any substantial chi cultivation for myself and even less of chi circulation and utilization, years of stance work do have their benefit!  In my opinion stance training is never wasted, unless someone has completely failed to do their homework.  It’s a slow accrual of internal fitness over the years.

Personally I favor the Chen taiji stances over all others; in my case, the New Frame of Chen. I love their combination of power, mobility, and versatility… and, it should be said, deceptiveness!  There are other great stances in other martial arts and I’ve experimented with some of these, to see what they might have to offer.

“Standing post” training seems to reach its zenith in Yiquan. I’ve read about this… but if training Taiji without personal instruction is quixotic, training Yiquan wihout personal instruction = don’t bother. Even the noble and fundamental San Ti stance, which promises so many benefits, appears to be quite a mountain to climb… simply to get it right physically, never mind the mental aspects!  Actually this basic stance appears in Shaolin and also in my own routine (as the completion of “Turn Over Flowers and Brandish Sleeves” or Fan Hua Wu Xiu) but I suspect I’ll be a long time in meeting even my own standards for this movement/posture.

One final word, I found great introductory material on Standing and Yiquan from Karel Koskuba, and for great, scholarly instruction, look up Sifu Gregory Fong.

I also have not tried to do the “Squatting Monkey” exercise for qiqong, which is popular in Internal MA circles.  Basically I am nervous about fooling around much with qigong; too many scary warnings from the ancients.  So I stick to the simple stuff.

Taiji routines begin with Wu-ji meditation stance.  I’ve always enjoyed that part.  Somehow it comes easier to me than seated meditation.  (I‘ve tried to get zazen sitting into my lifestyle and I finally managed for a period of weeks; but it didn’t stick.  Only reason I got that far was by discovering that Ninjutsu has a well-developed tradition of, and approach to, meditation, and it got me motivated. But that’s another topic, or two.)

I don’t regard Wuji stance as something to do for extended periods. I like what I read on the Chen Village website about simply relaxing and clearing one’s mind for a few moments and then proceeding with the form.  Most of us need somewhat more than a few moments to properly prepare for tai chi, of course.  Life in Chen Village centers around hard physical labor, they’re in shape, and don’t pile up the same sort of mental and physical stresses that are endemic where I live: urban/suburban America.

I’ve done some white-collar work but more of my jobs have involved labor and the current one, running the shipping department of a busy publishing company, is no exception.  This is a fairly new position for me and involves  intensive physical labor as well as paperwork, running computers, and helping out in light-assembly tasks elsewhere from time to time.  I’m on my feet 8 hours a day minimum, and often moving around crowded floor areas under time pressure and carrying things.  In short I’m using my body intensely 5 days a week.  (Used to be 6… I try to avoid that now.)  This is surely NOT “martial arts” and also to paraphrase Bruce Lee: “Boxes don’t hit back”!  But I have every reason in the world to want the benefits of bodywork practices and intelligent, efficient, and hopefully RELAXED movement along with mind-in-harmony.  

Taiji basics: next to lifting the head-top (unfortunately our daily work is often “down” rather than at eye level!) it’s most vital to sink the dantian and kua (what I call “the ball in the wok”) by bending the knees at least somewhat.  This is something that can be done anytime we spare the attention to do so, when standing at a mirror, a workbench, a bus stop, whatever!

No stance is worth much if it’s not rooted properly (among other things).  But perhaps that issue belongs in a section about “sung”.

Greetings! The Chen.quest.ion blog (get it, “Chen quest”) is intended to be of interest to people who are interested in Chen style taijiquan… which is a big interest of mine! Interested?

Also suitable for discussion are:

> staying strong and healthy into old age and for that matter, middle age (I’m 50);

> preventing and healing injuries;

> “body mechanics” in taiji practice, the workplace, and elsewhere;

> tai chi in general; martial arts in general; and Asian culture in general.

To prevent any wasted time or misunderstandings, please note this DISCLAIMER: I’ve never (yet) had a tai chi class; my other martial arts instruction has been quite limited; and I am well aware of the many admonitions that “You can’t teach yourself tai chi”. What I’ve been working hard at for the last five years, ever since I first encountered Chen style (as opposed to other forms of taiji), is incorporating the principles into my everyday health and work activities.

I’ve also worked on Chen forms, and now have a 24-form routine for my practice; but its quality is of interest only to me, God, and my future taiji instructor(s). If you’re just shaking your head at this point, I understand perfectly… fare well, neighbor.

Otherwise, check it out. This is no joke to me, but something I work at each and every day.

I know my form needs corrections. So does yours too I’ll bet. Neither of us is likely to become the next Chen Fa-ke (no jokes, please). By the way, I’ll try to include some humor in my writing, hope that someone enjoys it.

Just to reiterate: I have zero in the way of credentials; and I don’t advise you to try doing things my way, Lord knows. But I’ve trained gongfu in my own way for many years (a lot more than 5 years); studied a great deal, experimented, figured out a few things. And I know what questions to ask. I’m not that physically talented but I’ve come a long, long way since I decided to really dig into what the Asian cultures have come up with over the past centuries.

I don’t expect to receive a free education but if you have any answers for me, maybe you’ll want to give them. Or else just tell me to work on xyz for more years; practice more, talk less; and by the way, you need a teacher! There, it’s been said. Let’s move on.

Where I have real, proven experience with demonstrable results (like how I whipped three guys in a street fight last week… just kidding) then I may put it out for your consideration. For the rest, I won’t pretend to be a teacher, merely someone – like you maybe? – who wants a fuller, more interesting life in terms of “internals” rather than “externals”. This leads us to the Martial Arts and my favorite style, Chen taijiquan.

Howdy! Let me start with the basics. This is the 24-form routine I currently practice. These are from the Chen Competition Routine or “56 Forms”. It’s taken me several years to get this far. (The form names I use here are for convenience; I have other versions of several of these names; and I’m aware that these are not necessarily good translations of the Chinese names.)

1. Preparation
2. Buddha’s Warrior
3. Lazy Tying Coat
4. 6 Sealing, 4 Closing – right
5. Single Whip – left
6. Parry and Punch
7. Heart-Protecting Fists
8. Crane Flashes Wings
9. Walk Obliquely, Twist Step
10. Withdraw and Lift
11. Wade Forward
12. Hidden Hand Punch – right
13. Fists Draping Body
14. Back-Fold Strike
15. Water-Dragon
16. The Chopping Hand
17. Brandish Sleeves
18. Tidal Wave Rising
19. Hidden Hand Punch – left
20. 6 Sealing, 4 Closing – left
21. Single Whip – right
22. Wave Hands – right
23. Wave Hands – left
24. Pat Horse

You may notice that there’s no Form 25, “Closing”. I’ve only been doing High Pat on Horse (or “Holding the Horse” as I sometimes call it) for a very few weeks, it’s pretty rough and really quite “hollow”. But I did search for a transition to Closing Form and decided that I could simply transition to the final stroke of “Buddha’s Warrior” which of course can precede Closing Form. But I found this process to be pretty unsatisfactory so far… as in, very sloppy and not balanced.

I hope to write about Forms a lot, not to instruct, but for the sheer enjoyment and appreciation of Chen taijiquan forms. I’ve put A LOT of time into studying these and if I’m on the wrong track, well, it’s my life. But the forms have a lot to teach – bottomless, maybe – and while I may be a slow learner, I do eventually put quite a bit together. Hope there’s folks out there who want to yak about forms although I do need to keep in mind: PRACTICE makes perfect. Talk does not.