The transcendental path begins with Tai
Chi Chuan thirteen steps; known as "Eight Jings and Five
Directions (八勁五行)."
"Eight Jings and Five Directions" happen naturally, some
does without even knowing them. However, knowing them makes the
method even more certain.
Jings(勁)are mental power which utilize Qi to maintain the body postures. "Eight Jings" are Peng (掤), Lu (履), Ji (擠), An (按), Cai (採), Lie (列), Zhou (肘), and Kao (靠), which are eight principles and techniques to use Qi to move and to reshape the body on a static footing.
Peng (掤), is to pressurize the body and to project the Qi to the outside edge of the body (like a toad expands itself before a fight). The foundation of Peng is the Bow and Arrow stance. The Bow and Arrow stance is front leg "Bow" (bent) and back leg "Arrow" (straight). As the back leg pushes straight, we are neutrally forward. Some practice Peng with a bent rear knee to maintain the flexibility. However, such "improvement" does not concur with the nature of Peng-to Peng like "the way air fills the void."
Yielding and resisting at the same time, Lu (履), is to reduce the Qi from the outer edge of the body without losing contact of the outside forces. The key to Lu is to shift the weight back to the back leg and maintain the balance with it.
Ji (擠), is to squeeze; Ji is robust, covering space-time without "a hair spread of separation."
An (按), is to push; expanding the Qi like a running stream, subtle but last, the way of An is to push intensively but steadily.
Cai (採), is to pick, formless but delicately balanced.
Lie (列), splits or spins. Lie is to spin by rotating the hips.
Zhou (肘), elbows, means using elbow for shorter distance.
Finally, Kao (靠),; Kao is to strike like "falling mountain," unstoppable yet no bouncing. Kao illustrates the idea of "being there at the right time and the right place."
Doing Tai Chi Chuan, by the ancient Tai Chi Chuan classics, is actually "feet stepping Five Directions and hands wielding Eight Jings" (Jiao Cai Wu Xing, Shou Hui Ba Jing , 腳踩五行 ,手揮八勁) to deliver the Qi to go where we want it to go. In Tai Chi Chuan, power, as Qi, is "issued from the feet (heels)," (Fa Yu Gen, 發於跟) "controlled on the waist," (Zhu Zai Yu Yao, 主宰於腰) and "displayed in the hands" (Xing Yu Shou, 形於手).
To achieve the maximum effect of Qi, Qi must be expanded along the least resistant path. As the Qi issued from the heels travels upward through knees, hips, back, to shoulders, elbows, to wrists, and displayed in hands, Eight Jings are used to open, close, move, and twist the joints to provide a proper channel (body posture) for the Qi to flow through.
As Eight Jings synchronize the body movement with the Qi, the least resistant path is reached when the body movement matches the Qi it delivered. As they do, Eight Jings transcend the whole body into interwoven of Qi, that is shaped by expanding, contracting, twisting of the joints along the lines from heels to the fingertips.
With thanks from article: "Of Tai Chi and Tai Chi Chuan" by Ichin Shen.
Jings(勁)are mental power which utilize Qi to maintain the body postures. "Eight Jings" are Peng (掤), Lu (履), Ji (擠), An (按), Cai (採), Lie (列), Zhou (肘), and Kao (靠), which are eight principles and techniques to use Qi to move and to reshape the body on a static footing.
Peng (掤), is to pressurize the body and to project the Qi to the outside edge of the body (like a toad expands itself before a fight). The foundation of Peng is the Bow and Arrow stance. The Bow and Arrow stance is front leg "Bow" (bent) and back leg "Arrow" (straight). As the back leg pushes straight, we are neutrally forward. Some practice Peng with a bent rear knee to maintain the flexibility. However, such "improvement" does not concur with the nature of Peng-to Peng like "the way air fills the void."
Yielding and resisting at the same time, Lu (履), is to reduce the Qi from the outer edge of the body without losing contact of the outside forces. The key to Lu is to shift the weight back to the back leg and maintain the balance with it.
Ji (擠), is to squeeze; Ji is robust, covering space-time without "a hair spread of separation."
An (按), is to push; expanding the Qi like a running stream, subtle but last, the way of An is to push intensively but steadily.
Cai (採), is to pick, formless but delicately balanced.
Lie (列), splits or spins. Lie is to spin by rotating the hips.
Zhou (肘), elbows, means using elbow for shorter distance.
Finally, Kao (靠),; Kao is to strike like "falling mountain," unstoppable yet no bouncing. Kao illustrates the idea of "being there at the right time and the right place."
Doing Tai Chi Chuan, by the ancient Tai Chi Chuan classics, is actually "feet stepping Five Directions and hands wielding Eight Jings" (Jiao Cai Wu Xing, Shou Hui Ba Jing , 腳踩五行 ,手揮八勁) to deliver the Qi to go where we want it to go. In Tai Chi Chuan, power, as Qi, is "issued from the feet (heels)," (Fa Yu Gen, 發於跟) "controlled on the waist," (Zhu Zai Yu Yao, 主宰於腰) and "displayed in the hands" (Xing Yu Shou, 形於手).
To achieve the maximum effect of Qi, Qi must be expanded along the least resistant path. As the Qi issued from the heels travels upward through knees, hips, back, to shoulders, elbows, to wrists, and displayed in hands, Eight Jings are used to open, close, move, and twist the joints to provide a proper channel (body posture) for the Qi to flow through.
As Eight Jings synchronize the body movement with the Qi, the least resistant path is reached when the body movement matches the Qi it delivered. As they do, Eight Jings transcend the whole body into interwoven of Qi, that is shaped by expanding, contracting, twisting of the joints along the lines from heels to the fingertips.
With thanks from article: "Of Tai Chi and Tai Chi Chuan" by Ichin Shen.
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