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LiJiong Yiquan Course PDF
LiJiong Yiquan Course PDF
By Li Jiong
(Assisted by Timo Heikkila, Bertram Chock, Mike Cherrill and Vahid Jabbari)
Preface
Since 1991, the first time I met Mr. Han Jingyu in Shanghai, about
twelve years passed. Guided by Mr. Han, I stepped in Yiquan world, and
from then on, I never gave up study. I am fortunate, I met a great teacher,
and he never gave up me. But the way of Yiquan Study is still not easy,
frankly speaking, I just saw the ultimate realm of Yiquan recently, and I do
not reach there yet. It is the common ideal of human being in fact, Taoism
calls it Tao; Buddhism calls it nirvana. People seek this ultimate result by
different ways, I approach it by Yiquan training, I believe now I will arrive
there sooner or later surely. From Mr. Wang Xiangzhai on, at least, there are
thousands practitioners did seek this ultimate result seriously by Yiquan
training, but few of them did arrive, most of them even did not see it clearly.
But believe me please, all efforts you do on Yiquan training will be worthy,
so long as you walk up the right way, every effort you do will get enough
repayment surely.
This is the second edition of our course. The first edition is a record of
Mr. Hans teaching mainly; in this second edition, there may be more
comprehension of me. As a course, I think it tries the best already, after all,
there is not everything can be expressed by words. The rest relies on you,
exert your wisdom, dont give up, I can arrive here, you can arrive too.
that relaxation is inherent in every one of us, it is an inborn and natural state
of ours, only hindered by tension. Anyone can attain it; all it takes is to stop
tensing. For many people it might indeed be more difficult not to do
anything, than to do many things. After one has learned to enter the state of
relaxation in this simple movement, it is time to extend this relaxed state into
a slightly more complicated movement.
down on your sides. Then start turning your body back and forth around the
central axis using the waist only, and your upper body will naturally follow,
the hands and shoulders still being like loose ropes, or pendulums of a rattledrum. Here you can feel your hands slapping your body in the front and
behind. You can try doing this movement with maximum speed, and if you
do it correctly, your relaxed hands will be hitting your shoulders or chest so
hard that it hurts very much. There's no need to keep doing the exercise with
such speed and get bruises, just try it to find out whether you can keep your
hands and shoulders relaxed. A qualified teacher can see it right away
whether one is relaxed when one does this, but without a teacher one has to
count on one's own judgment. If the hands are moving together with the
rotation of the waist, you are tensing the shoulders. When the hands and
shoulders are relaxed they will follow the movement with a small delay and
hit the body when it is already turning to another direction. This collision
will naturally change the direction of the hands. It is most likely that the
more one thinks of one's hands and relaxing, the more one will actually tense.
Forgetting the hands and shoulders, letting go of the tension will help in
relaxing them. So a beginner can pay his or her attention to turning of the
waist, make sure one does the movement around the central axis, without
moving the buttocks from side to side. If the hands do not slap the body at
every turn, another one in front and the other behind, it is a clear sign that
one is tensing them. The reason for the hands not slapping the body might be
unconscious fear, but after one can get over it, one will notice that there is no
pain involved.
Exercise 2
Stand straight with your legs parallel at shoulder width, as if you were
hanging from a rope from the crown of your head. Let your hands hang
be a direct line between your both hands when the final point of every swing
is reached. If you get tired very fast, it's a sign of tension. At this point,
having mastered the previous exercises, you should also be able to
distinguish the difference between relaxation and tension, so you should
know by yourself whether you do it correctly or not. You may select a target
(such as a forested mountain or a tree), then focus on your hands, and little
by little, first imagine to point at it, then touch it, then push it, then pierce it
with your palm (chuanzhang), and then drill it with your fist (zuanquan).
One point must be noticed: one shouldn't limit his spirit on the target only,
the mind should permeate the target and reach very very far, and the spirit
should never be limited in the training.
Exercise 3 - basis
The posture is same as in exercise 2, but now add a certain degree of
control in the movement, so that your other hand will swing directly forward,
and the other one backward. Choose a target in the distance in front of you,
at the eye level. Twisting your body, swing your hands towards this target,
the other hand always doing an opposite movement, that is, going backwards.
You can start with a smaller movement if you find it difficult to relax in the
"full" movement and when you can relax, just extend the movement, until
you reach the maximal movement. Going to the maximum, forces your
whole body to move, this is important later when issuing strength - even in a
tiny movement, every part of the body should move together. It is also
important to be able to relax in one's whole range of movement, thus when
doing this exercise, make sure that the body always turns so that there will
After you can do this properly, take a narrow stance, start taking small
steps without moving towards any direction, as if you were walking
normally, just without moving forward. When your left hand swings forward,
step with your right foot, and vice versa. Remember to keep the movement
of the hands and the twisting of the body "full" even when you take steps.
Here most people will notice that when they start taking steps, their
movement becomes very unnatural and they have much tension, especially
in the legs. You might feel it very difficult to twist your body while taking
cross-steps, but usually the major reason is tensing, and the muscles working
against each other, because you are not familiar with the movement.
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taking a hot bath, if one does not know what a hot bath feels like, or if one
cannot relax when really taking one, it is very difficult to relax just by
imagining it. For many people this way might take weeks or months, and
some never learn to relax, while with the new teaching method, one will gain
a feeling of relaxation right away, and will be able to extend this relaxed
state into different kinds of movements usually in a week or two, some
people even in a couple of days. Having entered a relaxed state, there is no
need for imagination in yangshengzhuang anymore. In fact, one should not
think of anything, only watch inside one's body, listen to the breath, and feel
the body bulging and shrinking by the breath; summed up, just feel one's
body. One should not, however, do breathing consciously, just leave it to
nature, and just let it happen by itself.
The positive effects for health originate from the brain and the central
nervous system having a complete rest and strengthened metabolism. That
all results from calming the mind and relaxing the body. This is also the
basis on what the practice of Qigong and Taiji bring benefits to the health.
Health preservation pile standing is also necessary for those interested
in combat. We all know that to be able to fight or compete victoriously, one
must be in good health. Besides, mental calmness and physical relaxation are
essentials of fast reactions and explosive and powerful movements.
Tightness in the muscles does not only hinder some of the strength, it also
increases the risk of injuries.
Below a few postures are given, as examples, but one must remember
that what is important is the mental and physical state within, not the
external posture. This does not, however, mean that one could just choose
the easiest and least strenuous posture. For both health and combat, there are
certain objective bases on what the external form is based on. The form we
talk of here is not some fixed postures or techniques, but general
fundamental principle. The objective bases come from the fact that we all
have two hands and two legs, and the same laws of physics apply to
everyone of us. One must be able to relax in any position, and in any
movement that includes all the points between these positions as well.
Stopping a movement at any point and keeping the right state of relaxation is
zhanzhuang.
do not push your stomach out. Keep the head and spinal column erect, as if
the spine was hanging from a thread, but do not raise the chin. Raise your
hands to the shoulder level, the arms forming a circle, as if you were holding
a big balloon. Do not raise the elbows to the same level with the hands and
the shoulders, but do not let them hang too low either. Close your eyes and
relax the whole body like you learnt in the previous exercises. Naturally
there is certain tension that is required to keep the posture, so what we mean
by relaxation is rather minimum tension, which is having only as small
amount of tension as is needed to keep the posture. Your palm and fingers
are opened as if you were holding a rubber ball in each hand.
Keep this posture for about twenty minutes each time in beginning,
and if you enter the right state in standing, the salivary secretion will
increase, it is a sign that your autonomic nervous system has begun to work
to clean the inner part of your body.
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Face right ahead, Keep the head and spine erect, as if they were hanging
from a thread, but do not raise the chin. Close your eyes and relax the whole
body, breathe naturally, be uniform and silent.
(b) Jushi-Raising posture
Continue the above posture, two hands uplift over the head, the palms of
the hands face each other, the fingers upward, two hands at about shoulder
width, image your body has a gigantic stature.
Zuoshi-Sitting postures
(a) Yubeishi-Preparation posture
Sit on a stool naturally (the stool should a little higher than your knees),
divide both feet a little wider than your shoulder, the shanks are vertical with
the ground. Both palms of the hand are upturned, placed lightly on the thighs.
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Continue the above posture, the forearms have an outward rotation, the
palms face each other, the fingers are upturned.
left and right, feel whether your body is whole, as if one wooden piece. Then
move your center of mass to the front and back, also feel whether your body
is moving as a whole. Then turn your body slightly, is it still whole? This
practice gives you a feeling of wholeness. You may keep relaxed, and at the
same time, keep whole. Remember the feeling of relaxation and wholeness,
and try to keep this feeling in all relaxation exercises.
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or two very little weaving movements, that is a sign of you continuing the
movement by yourself.
Exercise 4
Part 1 - the wrists
Stand naturally and raise your hands to the chest level, hands being
about 10cm (4 inches) away from the chest, do not raise your elbows, but let
them hang freely (if you feel it is easier, you can start with elbows slightly
raised though), let all the strength go from your wrists, just letting them hang
freely (to the inside, not forward). Then do a shaking movement with your
wrists, as if you had just washed your hands and were shaking the water off
now - do only one shake at a time though, and stop after that. Start the
sudden shake from a completely relaxed state, do not do a telegraphing
movement (i.e. pull your wrists backwards before shaking) and do not stop
the movement, just let the wrists bend as much as they bend and the hands
will return naturally to their original position. Do not use force during the
movement, only at the start, and even there, just a light impulse of strength
is enough. Common problems are: pulling the hands back - there is no need
to use any strength after the initial impulse, the hands will come back to the
original posture naturally if they are kept completely relaxed; if the hands do
not come back - this results from tensing at the point the hands have reached
their extreme posture, just relax the wrists and the hands will "bounce" back
automatically; tensing at the end of the movement - do not stop the
movement by tensing your hands when the hands return to the original
position, instead, let them stop by themselves, the hands will weave a little
after they have returned to the original position, but if they do more than one
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not do this movement with force, because the movement is stopped by the
elbow joint, which could get hurt if the movement was done with too much
force. Again, let your arms extend completely and "bounce" back to the
original posture without tension, that is, do not make two movements
extend & pull back - but let it all happen in one relaxed movement where
strength is used only for the sudden impulse to initiate the movement. A
common error is to pull the arms back before they have really extended, a
reason is usually unconscious fear when the hand extends without control
and this causes pulling the hand back with tension. Start with a smaller
amount of strength first to overcome this problem.
at this point. Common errors are: tensing the shoulders or the hands just
before the movement ask a friend to hold his/her hands on your shoulders
and feel whether the movement starts as one sudden impulse as it should or
by first tensing and the starting the movement, which is a common error
among the beginners; pulling the hands back - like in the previous part,
many people are afraid of giving up the control and letting the hands go
relaxed by themselves after the initial impulse, try to overcome this problem
by starting slower and gradually increasing the speed and explosiveness;
tensing at the end of the movement - there should be no tension during or
after the movement, but only when the movement is initiated as a sudden
impulse.
When you have learnt to do this exercise properly thrusting the hands
downwards, you can raise the target a couple of centimeters higher, and after
being able to do the movement in the same relaxed manner, with the same
feeling, you can move a couple of centimeters up again, and so on. You can
also do the same to the sides, i.e. the left hand goes to the left and the right
hand goes to the right. Start this from thrusting the hands almost downwards
at the beginning and raising a couple of centimeters at a time, like when you
did it forward. When you can do both of the movements in a relaxed way at
the shoulder level, it is time to move to Part 4.
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learn to drop your weight down: all of a sudden, pull your feet up about 3
centimeters, making your body fall down. Pull the knees towards your chest,
the balls of your feet towards your buttocks, and the toes towards your knees.
Do it all at the same time, after dropping your weight down, check that your
body is still relaxed, and if it is not, relax it, and then rise up slowly. After
you have learnt that, add thrusting your hands out in front of you at the
shoulder level to dropping your weight, make sure it all happens at the same
time and that you maintain your balance during the whole movement. By
pulling your feet up in the above mentioned way, there will automatically be
an impulse of tension in the whole legs, buttocks and abdomen and lower
back and by thrusting your hands forward, the whole arms, shoulders, and
upper body tense for the moment of the sudden impulse. For a beginner it
might be difficult to make the whole body tense at the same time and only
for the time of the sudden impulse, but after some time of training it will get
easier and soon it will happen naturally without even thinking of it - one has
built sound basis for fali (issuing strength) that comes later in the training.
After you have mastered this thrusting your hands forward, you can do the
same to the sides, again, on the shoulder level, still dropping down your
weight. Having mastered this too, you can start increasing the speed, seeking
maximum explosiveness. Maximum speed and explosiveness require
maximum relaxation, so do not try to increase the speed by any kind of
tension -it will not pay off in the end.
Stand naturally, like in the previous exercise. Swing your hands to the
sides, and let them drop and cross in front of you. Make sure that your hands
aren't like stiff straight sticks, but more like loose ropes that bend with the
movement. When you have practiced this simple movement for some time
and feel you can do it in a relaxed manner, you can start to "shoot" your
hands towards left and right (left and to the left side, and right hand to the
right) when they reach the highest point at both sides. "Shoot" your hands as
a sudden impulse, dropping your weight down at the same time, like in the
previous part of the exercise. Right after your hands have been "shot out,"
relax your whole body, letting your hands drop down. When done correctly,
they will first extend then slightly bounce back and fall down fast at the
same time. And then you may add turn, when dropping your weight down,
at the same time, turn your body, shoot your hands out.
Part 5
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speed to the surroundings, that is, after you have finished one push (reached
the extreme position), look for a new target right away. The new target could
be in the same direction, or behind you; you can take the target from any
direction. After you have found the target, start the next push with the other
hand right away. Have continuous movement without a break as your goal.
Although it is physiologically unattainable, you can still keep improving the
reaction speed all the time even though you will never reach the goal. When
you feel natural changing the targets, you can start practicing with left hand
pushing while the left leg is in front, and vice versa. Start it with moving
forward, then when you have mastered it, start altering your targets. After
you have mastered this as well, there is a third way of stepping left. Have,
for example, your left leg forward (naturally you must practice on both sides)
and push the ground with your right leg, raising your [left] leg off the ground,
keeping it completely relaxed. This way you keep another leg in front all the
time. Now that you have mastered all three ways of moving, start altering
them while you change the targets at every movement. If you start feeling
too tired with the fast pace, you can sometimes stop for a few seconds, just
searching for a new target, keeping extremely alert all the time.
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break when you hit something hard. Following these guidelines doesn't
mean that you now have a perfect fist, now you only have a fist that you can
start to practice with, you must practice with a sandbag to make your fist
strong enough. This doesn't, however, beating your fist against a hard bag
until it hurts, this kind of practice only spoils the joints on a long run.
Exercise 6
Now that you can do the swinging movement (push) well, it's time to
learn to do the same along a straight line. What is explained here is to teach
you to relax during all kinds of movement and to teach you to always move
the body as a unity, it is not a combat technique and would not work as one,
even though it distantly resembles that. Start with pushing one hand forward
towards the target in a straight line. The target should still be at eye level.
When one hand moves towards the target, the other hand moves back to the
hips. Keep your hand open, fingers pointing forward. While you do the
movement, twist your hand so that while on your hip, the palm points
downwards, and while the hand is extended the palm points upwards. Do the
twist during the whole movement, not at the end or at the beginning. The
same requirements apply to this exercise as to the previous one, i.e. make the
movement full, extending as far as you can reach, yet not bending forward
from the waist. Once you have mastered it standing still, you can start taking
steps without moving forward, and continue to free stepping like in the
Exercise 5. Another way to do this exercise is keeping your fist closed, but
do not make too tight a fist, let it rather be slightly open. In forming your fist,
pay attention to your wrist being straight, otherwise it can be broken when
you start actual combat training. You can get an idea of the correct wrist
position by first putting the backside of your fist and upper arm tightly
against a wall, and keeping this position, doing the same with the outside
edge of the hand. Then make sure your fist is flat, i.e. no finger points out
and all the knuckles are at level. When closing your fist, close the four other
fingers first, and thumb on them. If you have your thumb inside the fist, it'll
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you should always take only what works for you, or make it work for you;
do not follow anyone blindly, no matter how famous or good he is.
With these exercises you should now have a clear picture of what is
"relaxed." Now you can start to pay attention to your body in your daily life,
when you walk, sit, stand, ride a bike, play a ball game, type with a
computer, or whatever you do, check every now and then whether you are
relaxed, and if you are not, relax. Many people, without noticing it, tend to
raise their shoulders when typing on a computer, etc. Also, pay attention to
your posture in your daily life, try to keep a good posture even when you sit
down at work. Mastering all of this is not an instant thing. Doing it through
correspondence, that is, without having the guidance of a teacher, it might
take more than three months to master this. Remember that relaxation is the
basis of both combat and health preservation, although not enough alone,
and relaxation state is the most essence state of ones life, most time, you
stay in relaxation state. So do not despise the training of relaxation, don't
hurry, train hard and only when you feel comfortable and relaxed in one
exercise, move to the next one. After a month or two, when you start to feel
relatively comfortable with all the above mentioned exercises, you can start
to do some specific training to prepare you for combat that is techniques. At
this point, do all the techniques in a completely relaxed manner, without any
force. Here it is still training of relaxation at the same time, and you will also
build the movement memory into your brain for right kind of techniques.
Three most basic techniques are given here as examples: straight punch,
hook, and uppercut. You don't need to imitate these examples blindly, but
shape them for yourself. And you can go to seek a good boxing coach, who
could teach you more about striking techniques. But remember, in learning
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relaxation only, sometime, you have to use force, you will get into tension
state. So it is also a nature state of life. Tension Training will let you master
the proper way of force exertion, increase your strength, and since it is a
nature state of life, it will also help your health.
After practicing the first step for several months, you may achieve the
level that you can enter the Relaxation State whenever you wish, even to the
extent that without being aware of the body, it still stays in the proper state.
Then you may do the advanced exercise -- Tension Training.
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When you get the feeling of whole tension, you needn't do this exercise
any more, it hasn't any other use. Then you may practice the next exercise.
Exercise 2 Jijizhuang (Combat standing)
Here are some examples only, of combat standing. In fact, all postures,
which could appear in combat by any possibility, can all be Jijizhuang. We
have only selected some typical postures here, but one shouldn't think that
only these postures are Jijizhuang. In the beginning of practicing Jijizhuang,
youd better find a spacious place, it is best that there are mountains or big
trees in view.
(a) Hunyuanzhuang (perfectly round standing)
Select a target first, like a mountain, big tree, or any other big thing.
Face the target that you have selected; stand naturally; your feet at about
shoulder width; the toes pointing forward or slightly outward - try it by
yourself and find the most comfortable position for your feet. Then sit down
slightly, as if sitting on a high stool, but do not push your stomach out. Keep
the head erect, as if it was hanging from a thread, but do not raise the chin.
Raise your hands to shoulder level, the palms face each other, as if to hold
the target, open the eyes, gaze at the target, the line of sight is a little higher
than horizontal. Now, you may begin to work on your target, imagine
pushing, pulling, lifting, pressing or shaking it. The mind should be true, in
other words, your muscles are working and changing to follow your mind, as
if you are really doing it. You may also change the height of your body, sit
down some, or stand up a little, in order to train your ability to control the
whole space around you.
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In the beginning, one may do each Jijizhuang for a short while. Little
by little, the duration can be extended to more than five minutes, if you do it
truly, five minutes for each posture is enough. As we know, in combat, we
need tension for a short moment only; most of the time, our body will
remain in the relaxed state in order to maintain the ability of rapidly
changing. If one holds tension postures for too long, there is a danger of
becoming stiff.
Another point should be noted: Each action of tension training should
point towards a direction with the whole body, don't tense for tension sake
only. You should also include the possibility of motion instead of dead
rigidity. Also, while doing the tension practice, one also should keep the
ability to enter the state of relaxation, this means that you should be able to
relax the whole body immediately at any time. Just like an electric light can
be turned on or off in an instant. So, tension contains the possibility of
relaxation and relaxation contains the possibility of tension. In practice,
sometimes, one may tense for a few seconds and then relax, then tense again
for a few seconds. And the body remains unmoving (or may have a little
moving) when you change from relaxed to tense or from tense to relaxed. In
Yiquan training, the advanced steps contain the fundamental steps.
(b) Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang
Stand as Hunyuanzhuang, turn your body to the left (or right) 45
degrees, the center of gravity moves back a little. Also, find a target towards
your front; imagine holding the target. Do the same thing as in
Hunyuanzhuang (imagine pushing, pulling, lifting, pressing or shaking the
target). Note that all forces in Jijizhuang can be described as "whole force".
This means that you should imagine pushing, pulling, lifting, pressing or
shaking the target with your entire body, not just your hands. Also, the
relative position of the parts of your body shouldn't be changing much
within one posture.
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Test:
You may ask a person push or pull you in each posture; if you have
whole tension, he will find it very difficult to move you, and your body
structure will not be distorted.
Exercise 3 -- Bian xian (Change the line of sight)
Select two targets towards your front, stand as Hunyuanzhuang or
Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang. Focus on one of the targets first, and your
body begins to build up a connection with it, just as you did in Jijizhuang
standing, then turn to look at the other target suddenly, and the connection is
changed immediately towards the second target. Then you turn again to look
the first target, and then back to the second. Practice these changes again and
again. When you can do the change between two targets, you may do it
between three targets, four targets, and so on. At last, you may change the
line of sight freely, and your body will change automatically to follow your
line of sight. This exercise is very important; it will make your force become
very lively.
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waist and neck especially, to see whether they are tense or not.
Left-right Shili:
Stand as the above, try as if to move the target to the left and right by
your whole body.
Up-down Shili
Stand as the above, try as if to lift up the target and then press it down
by your whole body.
Front-back Shili:
Select a target towards your front, stand as in Hunyuanzhuang, begin to
push and pull your target, but this time your hands are really moving, and
your body moves slightly too, all the muscles are tense. You may check your
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Horizontal Shili:
Stand as Hunyuanzhuang, extend the two hands as if to press the target,
now try to turn it in a horizontal plane. The two hands draw a circle in the
front of your body, and at the same time, your body describes a circle too,
but it is smaller; the hands and body coordinate together.
Free Shili:
Now you may try to do Shili freely, hunt around for a target, move as if
to hold it and manipulate it spontaneously (pulling, pushing, lifting, pressing,
moving...). Change targets one by one; move your body freely (go ahead,
back, left, right, or rise, down).
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Note: In the beginning of Shili training, one should move slowly, the mind
hangs over the target, and at the same time, you should experience the
feeling of your body, in the movement. If you feel infirm in a certain
position, just stop and stand in this posture, use the techniques of Jijizhuang
to strengthen it, and then, go back to Shili training.
One should pay close attention to one's nutrition and rest while doing
tension training. Train hard and you will increase your power rapidly.
When you can tense your whole body at any moment and in any posture,
with the whole body becoming like a stone and with no flabbiness or
discontinuity in the body, then you may enter the next step in training relaxation and tension changing to each other.
Exercise 5 -- Zhoutian Zhenpai (circumfluence flap)
This is a supplemental exercise, which can improve blood circulation
and improve the body's resistance to strikes. With your right palm slap your
left arm repeatedly, moving from the shoulder to the hand on the inner side.
Each slap should overlap so that the entire area is covered. Then slap back
from the hand to the shoulder along the outer side; do this three times. Now
change hands; use your left hand to slap the right arm just as above. Then
use your two hands to slap the front of your body from the top down. Again,
do this three times. Slap the back of your body from the top down three
times too. Now, slap your legs along the outer flank from the top down and
slap along the inner side from the bottom to the top, three times. Then at the
same time, one hand slaps the front of your body, and the other hand slaps
the back of your body from the top down, alternately for three rounds.
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Finally, your right hand slaps the left Jianjing (the middle between the
shoulder and the neck) three times, and your left hand slaps the right Jianjing
three times.
You may repeat the above exercise several times, if you have enough
time. This exercise also can be done as a supplemental exercise at the
beginning or end of each training session.
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(send out an explosive force), after you send out the explosive force, you
should revert to relaxed state immediately, to prepare for the next Fali.
According to how the force produced, there are four basic ways of Fali:
1. The parts of your body move reversely (Mainly your hand(s) move
reversely with your body)
As we know, the force and its counterforce always appear with the form
of couple, and the magnitudes of them are equal, but the direction of them
are contrary. If we look at the body as a dynamic system, it is also in this
way. If you want to push ahead, at the same time, you should step backwards;
if you want to pull something down, at the same time, you will draw your
body upwards. If losing one, then the other also does not exist any more. All
actions are in this way, simply you have not given your attention to this fact,
so you have not the experience of using force with double directions, to
make your force become bigger and more effective, we should train the habit
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of using force with double directions. Because the mass ratio of double
direction movements, results in the difference of the movement speed, make
the small part get a high speed, and hit on the body of your opponent. For
example, in the process of pushing ahead, you arms use force ahead, your
body uses force backwards, they come into being a couple, the magnitude of
them are equal, the direction of them are contrary, but the mass of ones
arms is much less than ones body, therefore, the movement speed of the
arms is much higher than the speed of the body, accordingly, your fist or
palm can act on the opponent effectively.
In practicing Fali exercises, first, one should keep the state of
whole, on this foundation, use force with double directions.
2. Drop your center of gravity suddenly
In fact, we have already gotten the feeling of this way in the exercise 4
of Relaxation Training. By suddenly dropping your weight down, the weight
potential energy turns into kinetic energy, and is sent out from your hands.
3. Turn your body
This is also a Fali way that we often use. As we know, the muscles of
ones waist and hip are very strong; turning your body just means using
these strong muscles.
4. The back foot stamps the ground
This way is to just let your body unified with the earth, and gets the great
mass, you will also get a counterforce from the ground, and ones leg can
produce a large force too.
Of course, in fact, we often do Fali in a mixed way, mix some of these
four styles or all.
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than in daily time, in a flash to deal with this emergency. For example, you
can jump over a deep channel in an exigency, it is not possible to jump over
this deep channel at ordinary times, and later, you dont know how you
jumped over it. This is just the state of highest energy discharging. Namely,
use the maximal force as possible to deal with the dangerous situation; this
ability will increase the possibility of continuing ones life.
In martial arts, the above two modalities of discharging energy both are
useful. In Fali, one is in the state of highest energy discharging. Because in
the ordinary times, your body always stays in the first energy discharging
modality, in nature, the second energy discharging modality is excited
passively, it is not controlled by your consciousness. However, in martial
arts, we need the ability of entering these two energy discharging modalities
on our own initiative, therefore, we should train the ability of entering the
state of highest energy discharging at any moment by Fali exercise. And the
chief qualification is the spirit high united.
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relaxation state to the whole tension state, and change back to the whole
relaxation state again.
One may practice Fali against a real tree or sandbag to get proper
feeling, in preparation state, your hands may keep a distance of about one
inch to the tree/sandbag, this is they call cunjin (inch force).
You may also practice this Fali against a real tree or sandbag to get
proper feeling.
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your body becomes more and more relaxed, you mind becomes more and
more tense. As soon as your opponents spirit reveals a rip, attack him
immediately (you will shoot out a bursting-force unconsciously). Of course,
little by little, you may change the target in practice (or imagine there is
more than one enemy around you).
Exercise I
Two hands open, the palms towards the target, as if preparing to catch
a basketball. Move to the target in a serpentine way, your body relaxes more
and more, you mind tenses more and more, your spirit covers the target,
chains it up, all parts of your body (hands, head, elbows, shoulders, teeth,
knees, feet...) want to attack the target, as soon as the target (your opponent)
shows a flaw (mainly his spirit wavers), you attack him immediately without
thinking.
In this action, your two hands open, as if there is a chance for your
opponent to attack you, but it is a trap in fact, so long as the opponent comes
in, your two hands will converge, attack him at once.
In the beginning, if you cannot get into this state in movement, you
may take a combat standing to realize this state first, such as Asymmetric
Hunyuanzhuang, but this time, do not visualize to move the target, just
visualize it is a ferocious enemy/tiger/lion, you are going to fight for your
life.
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change, the back one moves ahead, and the another one follows. Your arms
are always turning. When you hit your opponent at last, then it is a Fali,
when your fist touch the opponent, all your muscles explosively shrink, two
hands shrink too, as if crumbling the eggs suddenly.
Exercise II
Make your hands to be two fists, but dont hold them tightly, relax,
each one as if holds an egg. Your fists always point to the target, two arms
turn like two snakes, your fists just are the heads of them, and they open
their mouths, wanting to attack the target at any moment. Move to the target
in a serpentine way. Your body relaxes more and more, you mind tenses
more and more, your spirit covers the target, chains it up, all parts of your
body (hands, head, elbows, shoulders, teeth, knees, feet...) want to attack the
target, as soon as the target (your opponent) shows a flaw (mainly his spirit
wavers), you attack him immediately without thinking.
In this action, your two fists, one in ahead, one follows, and then
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Free exercise
Try different forms by yourself, the principles of this stage are: Look at
a target, deal with it as a ferocious enemy, your spirit always covers the
target, chains it up, your body relaxes more and more, you mind tenses more
and more, all parts of your body (hands, head, elbows, shoulders, teeth,
knees, feet...) want to attack the target, and there is always at least one part
or some parts point at the target, can hit out at any moment, as soon as the
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target (your opponent) shows a flaw (mainly his spirit wavers), you attack
him immediately without thinking. It means that you should defeat his spirit
before you defeat his body.
You may also try Fali (real hit out) when your body is very relaxed, and
your mind is very tight, to see whether you can really send out a bursting
force in different postures.
abysm), only in this state can you excite all your energy and abilities, kill
your enemy in one punch.
The training of this step will also improve ones ability of responding to
an emergency, such as traffic accident, raid etc., of course, nobody would
like to meet such an emergency, but if it really happens, then if you are
trained well, you can respond to it naturally, enter the proper state
immediately, and it will increase the chance for you to exist and decrease the
damage.
This step is very close to real combat, the appearance of this stage isnt
light-hearted, like the playactors showing in some Kungfu movies, however,
if you really enter the proper state, you look as being afraid (the feeling is
similar as fear but isnt real fear, in others eyes, you look as being afraid, but
pressed by your spirit, your opponent feels as if he is dropping into an
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We offer three ways to verify your training results here; they are
Tuishou (pushing hands), Shizuo (combat) and Jianwu (Health
Dance/Martial Dance). If you do not like counterwork, you may try Health
Dance only. It will let you be aware how many good abilities you gained,
and what kinds of ability you did not get or not enough yet, then you can
turn back to make up them. There are also some techniques of Tuishou
(pushing hands) and Shizuo (combat) in this section. But bear in mind please,
ability instead of technique is the root of this art.
And then, finally, you may permeate Yiquan into your life; unite
Yiquan and your life into one, everything you do is ultimate truth, enjoy
your life lightheartedly.
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your hands, body and step are also combined to one, generally speaking, we
all use lively steps (never fixed).
I. Tuishou--Pushing hands
The purpose of Yiquan combat is to kill or wound your enemy, protect
yourself, once you hit out, it will work out a fearful wound, if it is not
absolute necessary, you do not barge up against a life danger, it cannot be
used in a hurry. Therefore, we cannot practice combat at ordinary times. To
make up this deficiency, let students can get the experience of combat
rivalry but need not via real combat; Yiquan ameliorated Taiji pushing hands
method, to accomplish the transition to combat. In the process of combat,
the two parties hit each other from each separate position, there are must a
process of both sides touch each other with their arms or bodies, in combat,
this process is very short, once touch, it has worked out victory or defeat
already, all changing happen in a touch. To let student realize this interest,
but again cannot go so far to work out wound, we use the method of pushing
hands to slower the speed of this process, let both sides realize the varieties
of all kinds of attack or defense forces gradually, accordingly, improve our
respondence ability.
1. Forms--Single and double pushing hands
In Yiquan pushing hands, determined by its concise intention, once
start, the attack intention is very clear, furthermore, the whole process of
pushing hands determined by the changing of the attack and defense of both
sides, once the hands touch, both sides begin the attack and defense actions,
there are not any fixed prescription, so, here I can but introduce the postures
of hands touch.
Single pushing hands: two practitioners stand face to face, like the
Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang, each stretches one hand ahead, towards the
nose of your opponent, nose is the sign of ones midline, two sides both do
the same posture, the hands touch at the middle of two persons, another hand
guards at the front of ones chest, to act as a seconder, after the hand touch,
they can begin to attack each other.
Double pushing hands: two practitioners stand face to face, like the
Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang (take the right posture as a sample), the right
hand is in the front and higher a little than the left hand, the right hand points
to the opponents nose, the left hand points to the opponents chest, two
hands combine to point at the opponents midline. There are three kinds of
touch forms between two practitioners, namely, they are: one both hands up,
or both hands down, or one hand up and another down.
Because Yiquan emphasizes whole all the time, in pushing hands,
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2. Principle
There are not any fixed pattern in Yiquan pushing hands, simply attack
and defend each other after touch hands by a posture. But we still can find
some principles. The aim of Yiquan is concise, how you practice, how you
use. Namely, hit just is hit; pull just is pull, go to your aim intently. When
the opponent attack you, while you feel uncomfortable, adjust your body
naturally, ought to incline, just incline; ought to evade, just evade. Attack
again after you adjust your posture and position, till you win him, there is
not any pretentious flourish. In the whole course of Yiquan training, we all
aim at application. For example: Jijizhuang, you stand in this posture, while
you meet the enemy, you also take this posture; Shili, how you practice to
push or pull, when you meet the enemy, you also such push or pull; As for
Fali, go without saying, how you practice, how you use. The hit methods are
numerous and complicated, if we study them one by one, then it is hard to
get all of them, therefore, Yiquan brings forward the principle of protecting
your center and using the center. Center is the center of gravity of the
body, the vertical line of the center of gravity called midline. The center of
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gravity being out of the sustaining area called losing the center, once one
losing the center, he will tumble. One is unable to attack his opponent in
the state of losing the center. While ones center deflective, he cannot
change his posture agilely, if one stays in this state, he will fall into passivity.
If you want to attack your opponent effectively, you must strike his center
by your own center (whole force namely). Therefore, the center is very
important to both sides.
Combat can be divided into attack and defense two sides, protect your
own center, and attack your opponents center by your own center. When the
opponent attack you, you just add a transverse force on it, to compose a new
force, because the direction and effect point of the force changed, it cannot
work out the primary effect, thus, you protect your center. As for using the
center, just find a chance to strike the center of your opponent by your own
center.
To sum up, Yiquan pushing hands isnt a game, it is a limited combat,
whatever how your opponent acts, defeat him with one fright. As for how to
frighten him, you should according to the situation of the time, such as leftright Fali, up-down Fali and ahead-back Fali, the important point is quick
and true, while your opponent out of his wits, strike his center by your center
immediately, dont wait him wake up.
II. Combat
Combat is a kind of means to strive for life with your enemy, the
victory or defeat is the integrative embodiment and validation of Yiquan
combat training. Mr. Wang Xiangzhai said: In a two-person duel, facing
the life and death, the situation is extremely critical. When they have already
met but have not yet touched, one still does not know what he will use, and
after the combat has been solved, again he does not know what he has just
used in this instance. This phenomenon is called don't expect and think
about it but make it so, reaching the enemy before one knows, and also
called requiring the automatic and good functioning of the extremely
rounded and very harmonious instinctive strength.
Therefore, we cannot say anything about the combat process, Don't
expect and think about it but make it so, reach the enemy before one knows
points the natural response ability which is out of thinking. Requiring the
automatic and good functioning of the extremely rounded and very
harmonious instinctive strength points the embodiment of ones vitality.
This just is the only aim that we are pursuing by Yiquan training.
Of course, there are still some principles regarding combat:
1. Bravery
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combat) detects it, and your body responds immediately, because your
opponent has an intention already, it's too late for him to change it while you
hit him, it is always a good chance for you to defeat him.
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seem to breathe better. I feel crackling like electricity about my face and lips.
Various surges up and down my legs. Tingling like light pins and needles in
hands arms testicles lower back lower neck soles of feet. I do sense a whole
body feeling of expansion when I breath in a little less when I exhale and
feel contraction. I would appreciate any comments.
Appendix I
Question List
Answered by Li Jiong
1. What I meant by difficult is that since I have been standing daily for about
one and a half years and still there are many days when holding 2nd position
for only 20 minutes I feel my muscles begin to tire and tense.
Answer: The first posture-Baoshi (holding a balloon posture) is the main
posture in Yangshengzhuang, in my daily training, I usually holding Baoshi
for 20 minutes and then holding other two postures (they are changed in
different day, but Baoshi is practiced every day) each for 5-10 minutes, plus
is 30-40 minutes, it is enough. Before standing, you may practice other
motive exercises, and after standing, you may also practice some motive
exercises. Practice them before standing, can make you be easy to enter the
relaxation state, Practice them after standing, in order to relax your joints,
because after standing for 30-40 minutes, your joints will be tired and tense,
it is natural, but if you feel agonies from some muscles, then you may adjust
your posture to be more relaxed in standing. All exercises are also the
foundation of the further training.
2. When holding Baoshi and listening inside I many times get random
thoughts or even questions I would like to ask you. I don't let it upset me and
go back to listening inside as best I can. I feel these thoughts may even help
me relax physically but not mentally. Sometimes it helps to open my eyes
especially outside. Is this ok and do you have any suggestions.
Answer: It is natural to get random in beginning, what you mentioned is
also ok, or you may imagine that you are stay in a very comfortable place,
like a hot spring with beautiful views around, imagine you are very happy
and comfortable, you may away from random.
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Answer: All these feelings are good, they indicate the body is in a good
adjusting, but don't pay fulsome attention to these feeling please, you may
let them have their own swing.
6. Could you give a bit more explanation on "Feel whole" exercise whenever I try to do it, it makes me tense up my shoulders - how does one
keep relaxed in this exercise and how long should it be practiced?
Answer: It is to examine whether you get "whole (conformity)" only,
whenever you get the proper feeling, you needn't practice it anymore. If it
still makes you tense up your shoulders, you may do other exercises to relax
your shoulders, don't always do "Feel whole".
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7. Could you please comment on the phrase in Theory of Yiquan, about self
defence when Mr. Wang Xiangzhai describes several strike techniques and
then in the end he says "but all-in-all, they are third-rate skills, and the clever
and wise person needn't practice them".
Answer: The strike techniques belong to the first course of Yiquan, but the
sentence "but all-in-all, they are third-rate skills, and the clever and wise
person needn't practice them", obviously, belongs to what
Mr. Han Jingyu said "the second course of Yiquan". Yiquan is a science of
response reaction, if one has really gotten all good abilities of movement,
then all reactions will be self-acting and subliminal, and naturally, they are
optimal. Correspondingly, all fixed strike techniques are lower skills.
your whole body in any posture and any moment), then you can
practice the second step-tension training, don't hurry please, otherwise,
it will be easy to get a harmful result.
10. My 1st Yi-Quan teacher told me that one can never get really high
level skill, unless one controls himself sexually. I find when I did that it
kept me up half the night and I was very tired all the time. What do you
think about that?
Answer: It shouldnt be done if just after practice, but it also shouldn't
be forbidden. We are seeking for nature, if you do the sex activity
suitable; it won't harm you to get really high level skill.
11. Master Wang did not seem to have a high opinion of tai chi, but is it
beneficial to move slowly and make up your own form as you go or do
some of your exercises very slowly.
Answer: It is also beneficial to move slowly, Master Wang against the
Taolu (a series of skills and trick) of tai chi only.
12. You say that one should be able to place their hands on their sides
when they stand still. If they do it shows tension. I find that I have to go
limp and lose "structure" in my body to do that. Also is that not called
wu-wei psture and is it beneficial to just stand in wu-wei for long
periods if it is relaxing?
Answer: It is also beneficial to just stand in wu-wei for long periods if
it is relaxing. But as you know, in the first stage, we are seeking for the
ability of relaxation that one can relax his whole body in any posture
and any moment, relaxing in wu-wei posture only is not enough
obviously.
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youre doing this posture for a period of time (days, months) how does
one know when to advance to the next posture for example Jushi,
Pengshi, and so on. Also, once you advance to the next posture should
you still continue to do the original one or only the new posture? If all
of them, how long for each? When does Zuoshi (sitting posture) come
in relative to this practice?
Answer: All Yangshengzhuang postures are paratactic (belong to a
same level), the advanced postures will appear in the next step - tension
training, one may select some of them in daily training, but the Baoshi
(holding a balloon) is the most essential. You may try all postures
include Zuoshi (sitting posture) and Woshi (lying posture) and then
select some postures which you like to practice frequently. As for
standing time, you may practice according to your own condition, if
you have enough time, and feel comfortable in training, you may
practice long, and otherwise, you may train short time.
14. I notice in the majority of Yangshengzhuang, the postures are held
rather high. In other words the knees are not bent very much. I was just
wondering if the posture was held lower, like a horse stance, if the
development would be quicker or would it slowdown development. I
know of many people to get extremely strong through horse stance
training which in some ways is similar to Yangshengzhaung. Part of me
thinks that with this type of training it would be very hard to relax at
least initially, but I'm curious if this is a type of training that goes
against the principles of Yichuan.
Answer: The lower postures will also appear in the next step - tension
training, each stage has its own requirement, don't hurry please, it is a
highway already :) The main aim of the first step is getting the ability
of whole relaxation.
15. My impression, from the course is that the practice of
Yangshenzhaung postures are to help our body become more and more
relaxed. Each posture aids in relaxing a different area until eventually
the whole body is completely relaxed. Is this correct?
Also, I believe these postures have another function not mentioned
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in the course, which is to develop chi and a root. I was curious why this
was not mentioned. Is this correct?
Answer: Each posture requires the whole body is completely relaxed in
this stage; such many postures let us experience relaxation in deffirent
postures.
Yangshengzhuang also can develop chi, but it is a nature process, don't
pay overfull attention to it, because if one focus this point, it will easy go
astray.
16. How does one measure there progress in Yichuan? I mean a person
can stand in each posture for the required amount of time, complete or
appear to complete certain exercises and never attain a thing. Are there
specific levels of attainment in Yichaun? How does one know they are
on the right path if there is no specific quality or stage you have to
reach in order proceed to the next? What are the different levels of
Yichuan?
Answer: There is a test "Feel whole (unitary)" in the course, you may know
whether you has achieved the certain level of whole relaxation by it. You
may also observe whether you are whole relaxed when you are standing,
walking, sitting and lying in your daily living and work. If you are, then you
can enter the next step training. Of course, one may test his ability in
Tuishou (pushing hands), combat and health dance after all. But in fact, one
may know whether they are on the right path if he reach a certain level, each
stage has four approaches:
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21. A question about Jushi: what is the position of the shoulders? Are they
relaxed like in Baoshi, for example, or are they stretched to the top, as if
trying to "touch" the sky? That is to say, should I just raise the hands or
should I stretch shoulders and arms?
Answer: The shoulders are still relaxed; there is still a little space to be erect
in fact. You may try to stretch your spine mainly, but also raise the hands
and stretch arms, all of them should be natural, produced by the jiajie
(imagine to touch the sky or put something on the moon), don't use
compelling force. The mind (image) should not be limited (ended), imagine
you are taller and taller; the spine will be stretched naturally.
18. When trying shili exercises I suppose one has to use "Yi" (by using an
image) to make the muscles react. As I understand it muscle tension should
only be the result of using an image - without using an image, there should
be no (or minimal) muscle tension. Is this correct?
Answer: Yes, and the image should be true to nature, we call it "zhen
zhuo (real apply)".
19. How long does one have to apply muscle tension? Is it all the time when
performing the exercise or do you apply it for let's say a few seconds and
then relax, then tense again for a few seconds?
Answer: These two ways both should be practiced, applying muscle tension
for a certain long time to improve your "gongli (power)"; "apply it for let's
say a few seconds and then relax, then tense again for a few seconds" to
keep agility of the muscles. You may take these two way alternately. If one
takes the first way only, it will be easy to be stiff; if one takes the second
way only, the force will be hard to be solid.
20. In the Theory of Yiquan, Wang Xiangzhai is describing the four sorts of
out forces. What does he mean by "the air resistance, this is what I called:
"echo with the atmosphere" "? Would you please explain more?
Answer: It is a feeling mostly, while act, you may feel the resistance of the
air, and make an equal force to respond it, it is to train the sentience of your
cutis mainly, and it is also a zhengli (contending force) with the atmosphere.
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23. My ability to relax still needs improvement, but I guess that it takes a
lifetime and is a continual process, isn't it?
Answer: Yes, relaxation training is a continual process; in fact, I also take
some exercises of it sometime now. But while you have a certain experience
of relaxation, you may take some further exercises at the same time, perhaps,
it will help you to understand relaxation better.
24. You make the point that relaxation should always be possible. Does this
imply that there could be a wrong way of doing the tension exercise?.
Answer: Yes, the tension training is easy to make people be stiff, and it will
harm one's health. Therefore, practice it in a proper way is very important.
25. When you suddenly relax, can the body parts move slightly?"
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Answer: Yes, the body parts move slightly is allowed, but one shouldn't
move too much.
26. About tension training, do you literally tense all the muscles that you can?
Answer: It rests with what target you Jiajie (imagined), for example, if your
target is a mountain, then you may need all your force to move it; if your
target is some air, then you may need a bit force to move it, it is also ok. But
whatever your target is, you should use your whole body to move it, it
means all muscles tensed equally, the tension degree is changing along with
what target you select though.
27. What is exactly the signification of "tension? When you write "the
whole body is completely like a stone", does "tension" mean "contraction?
Does it mean to contract muscles (like in some "ying qigong" exercises for
example)? So, must we contract muscles in zhanzhuang ? In the first course,
when one imagines pushing, pulling, etc..., the teachers say it must be done
only with the "yi", the intention, without using strength and without
contracting muscles. And what about shili: must we contract muscles too?
Answer: Here, "tension" means the mind and muscles are in tight state. It
also will bring on the muscles contracted, but it is different from "ying
qigong" exercises, "Each tension training exercise should point towards a
direction with the whole body, don't tense for tension sake only", just as a
sail tensed by wind, each part has the equal pressure; our wind is Jiajie
(imagining) though. Shili is the same, the body is moving though.
28. So, this kind of tension is produced by the intention to move the whole
body in one direction, but without contract and crisp the muscles since this
kind of crispation and contraction often take place at shoulder level : is it ok ?
Answer: It isn't imagining moving your body, but the target. And you must
use your whole body to do it. The important thing is your body is equal
tensed, so that the force can be passed everywhere of your body, and the
muscles can contract harmoniously.
29. Is it possible for a beginner who would not have practiced the first
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31. Is it a correct way of thinking to say Zhanshi builds energy in the body?
Is there a specific way for energy to be stored in the body? Some people say
you should do some sitting meditation. If true does this apply to our training
at some point?
Answer: Yiquan training can adjust the inner of the body of itself, it also
can say Zhanzhuang builds energy in the body, but there isn't a specific way
for energy to be stored in the body in Yiquan training, I think energy is
interspersed in the whole body, and Yiquan training also can improve the
ability of using these energy effectively. There are also Zuoshi (sitting
postures) and Woshi (lying postures) in Yiquan training, they are similar to
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sitting meditation.
Answer: Yes, of course. But it is the best to achieve the level I mentioned
above (enter the proper state whatever you doing).
35. How about breathing during tension? I have to keep reminding myself
not to hold my breath.
33. Having only trained Ji jizhuang for a short time, specifically only
Hunyuanzhuang, Asymmetric Hunyuanzhuang and a little Dulizhuang. I feel
I understand your instructions until I refer to "Don't tense for tension sake."
Could you please elaborate on this idea? For example I can imagine lifting a
large tree in the distance. I am trying to use my entire body as if really doing
it. It seems though as I check my body there is always room to add more
tension. Should there be a gradual increase in tension or go at the target
110%? The idea of adding tension arises even more in the Dulizhuang. The
leg off the ground seems to be getting tension for tensions sake. Could you
help correct my thinking?
Answer: It means all parts of your body should come into being a relation
with the target; don't let any part tense by itself only. For example, if you
imagine push a big tree, you may push it by your whole body, instead of
your hands only. In the Dulizhuang, the leg off the ground should also
produce a relation with the target, it means it pushes (or pulls, lifts...) the
target together with the whole body too. The tension degree rests with what
target you Jiajie (imagined), for example, if your target is a mountain, then
you may need all your force to move it; if your target is some air, then you
may need a bit force to move it, it is also ok. You may arrange a gradual
increase in tension at your own pace.
34. If the Zhanzhuang does build energy and you train for a half hour in the
morning does adding a half hour in the evening build energy twice as fast?
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36. The concept of tension is not still clear for me... When I used to train in
the first course, teachers said for example to imagine to hold a big tree and
to start pushing, pulling, etc... BUT without using muscles: one should have
the intention to do it, and his body does micro-movements, but without
contracting muscles really. Other example: one holds a balloon, which is at
the beginning very light, and progressively changes its weight in mind but
without contracting muscles really. Most teachers say "in yiquan, muscular
strength is not used". On the contrary, you seem to really tense muscles in
jijizhuang (and your hands shake) and not try to move the target only in the
"Yi". So, is it a mayor difference between the first course and the second
course, or is it me who did not understand what teachers of the first course
said (the second answer is really possible since I am a beginner and since I
had not the opportunity to ask a lot of questions) ? You said you have
practiced the first course for 5 years before: did you notice differences in
tension training? Did you learn in the first course to really tense muscles too
or did you learn it only in the second course?
Answer: In fact, not only Yiquan has tension exercise, other martial arts,
like Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, Baguazhang, etc., all have tension exercises, of
course, I point real ones here, not the watered down versions. And of course
again, they really tense muscles in training. The difference between the first
course and the second course of Yiquan rests with their cognition ways, the
first course is static, bitty and conceptually mainly; the second course is
motive, uninterrupted and feelingly mainly, it wants to let students advance
by themselves.
As for most teachers say "in yiquan, muscular strengh is not used",
maybe some wouldn't like to tell people the truth; some don't know it by
themselves; some express another meaning by this word. Otherwise, if one
doesn't use muscles, I really can't imagine how he moves, say nothing of
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combat.
37. When you show jijizhuang on the video, we can really see your hands
and your body move, whereas in the first course teachers speak about micromovements, which are barely visible (one can have the impression that the
practitioner is not moving at all): do you practice in the video only to
demonstrate the techniques, doing larger movements than in real training in
order to explain to us what are the movements of the body, or is it the correct
way to train (moving more than micro-movements)?
Answer: What I do in the video is a little exaggerated to demonstrate the
techniques, in real training, the movements of jijizhuang may very little, but
there are still movements in the body, others maybe can't see them though.
38. In the jijizhuang section you mention the importance of proper nutrition
and rest. Do you have any nutritional guidelines?
Chengguang for about a year before I decided to try out the Second Course.
At first, I was skeptical about the method (especially the tension training)
because it seemed to be contrary to what I was practicing. However, I have
been doing the tension method using your course and I found it to be very
effective. I noticed that I seemed to have gained more strength after doing
your course for a short time than doing master Yao Chengguang's method
for a year. Also, my practice in master Yao Chengguang method improved a
lot after doing the tension training as outlined in your course. I was
wondering if it is OK to do the first Course (master Yao Chengguang's
method) and Second Course method or is it better to just stay with the
Second Course.
Answer: It is Ok to do the first Course and Second Course. We would rather
say the Second Course is a thoughtway than say it is a training method only,
after you grasping the principle; you can learn all kinds of methods and
techniques you meet. Mr. Han lets us learn from Bagua, Xingyi and Taiji
masters, the rather that the first Course of Yiquan!
Answer: About nutritional guidelines, you may eat the foods with high
calcium and high protein, like shrimps, beef etc.
41. I read once that building muscles with weights was not good for Yiquan,
and I think I understood why. But what about simple pushups and abdominal
training without using weights? What do you think of it?
Answer: All partial muscles training will avail certain muscles but bring
side-effect to the whole body, Yiquan training is holistic. But of course, if
you feel some parts of your body are especial weak, the pertinent exercises
are allowable.
Answer: I don't think the strenuous activities will hurt the training; on the
contrary, they will promote the training in some sides. Of course, you should
have a good rest after these tired activities. I sometime train very hard, and
then have a rest next day, or do some sitting postures and lying postures only,
I found training in this way is even better than training averagely, of course,
I point the advanced steps training, if one just practices the first steprelaxation training, then it is the best to train regularly.
42. How do you make use of your whole body when using an image? I'll
explain: when you push/pull a tree it's easy to imagine it being only grasped
by your hands and forearms. This then initiates tension in your hands and
forearms. How can you initiate tension in other parts of your body? Should I
use an image where my whole body attaches to the tree and then try to move
this object by moving my whole body.
Answer: The practice of "whole" is taken at the very start, at the first steprelaxation training; the main purpose just is to get the ability of "relaxation
and whole". At the second step-tension training, we want to get the ability of
"tension and whole", in practice, we imagine all parts of the body are touch
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the target, and push/pull it at the same time, the tensile force of all muscles
are equal, we may often feel our body to check whether it stays in the proper
state, if not, one should adjust it immediately (feel which part is weak then
just strengthen this part).
Gradually, one will find whenever he feels his body, it always stays in
the proper state, and then the ability of "tension and whole" is gained. What
you said "use an image where my whole body attaches to the tree and then
try to move this object by moving my whole body" is also Ok.
43. When practicing tension training for the first periods, can we begin since
the first time with images which need a lot of force and product a lot of
tension, or should we first begin with image which do not need a lot of
tension (balloons on water for example)? I have the impression that if I start
with a lot of tension since the beginning my tension will not be really good
but rather a crispation... but I know also that a lot of tension (and images
which go with it) are necessary to build strength...
At the present time, I alternate images with a lot of tension and images
with little tension, but I would like to know your opinion: should I stop
using strong tension for a more or less long period (weeks? months?), then,
after that, using it again since I am familiar with little tension exercises, or
should I continue to alternate strong and little tension?
Answer: One must have a good foundation of relaxation training, then he
can practice tension training, otherwise, whatever he does all will be wrong.
If one gets the ability of "whole relaxation" already, then whatever "strong
tension" or "little tension" all are Ok, of course, don't make yourself too tired.
44. When doing shili, should I be using tension? Should I be relaxed like in
zhanzhaung? Or a combination of both? The way I have been previously
taught, we only use relaxation like in zhanzhuang.
clear feeling of it, you may try to move a real thing, like to push a wall, or to
push/pull/wave a big tree, don't mind whether your muscles are tight or not,
at this stage, tension is a nature result instead of a purpose.
45. Could you please explain more about this improper conception of
tension which is very popular? I think it could be useful in order to better
understand the right conception...
Answer: There are two instances mainly, one is negating tension training at
all, like most popular Taijiquan and Yiquan teaching; another is taking
infusing blood in the muscles for tension training, like ying-qigong.
46. Anyway, if I try to push and pull a real tree with all my force, my
muscles will be much tensed: do they need to be tensed in exactly the same
way when doing Jiji zhuang with the imaginary tree I jiaje? Is this what you
named "the ability of getting a rigid body"? Should it be understood literally,
that is to say a really rigid body, with really tensed muscles, and not a body
rigid only in imagination with relaxed muscles?
Answer: Please try to push a wall or a tree with about 45 degree (your body
from your hands to feet become a beeline, this beeline forms a 45 degree
corner against the wall/tree and also the ground), you may get the feeling. Of
course, jijizhuang is still something different from it, because one need
balance the body by himself. The feeling produced from "Feel whole
tension" exercise is more immediate in fact.
Yes, one should get "the ability of getting a rigid body", and it is a
really rigid body, with really tensed muscles, but can relax immediately,
only then, it is possible to fali (send out a bursting force), the force can be
passed swimmingly from your opponent to the ground via your body.
47. If I understood, it is an error to begin with a relaxed Jiji zhuang : it is
only after practicing tension that it is possible to do it in a relaxed way,
which is no longer relaxed in the same way as beginner, is it ok ?
Answer: I think there are three purposes in the second step-tension training:
1. to change the way of using force, get the "whole force"; 2. to strengthen
the muscles; 3. to get the ability of getting a rigid body (only then, one can
pass his full force to the opponent). Shili means testing force, if you are
relaxed like in Yangshengzhuang, then there isnt any force, how can you
test it?
Therefore, try to move the target by your whole body, if you can't get a
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Answer: Yes, tension training of Yiquan must produce a relation with the
environment (target), and must have a direction (push/pull/lift/press/shake,
or say up/down/frontad/back/left/right etc.).
49. I have a question about Exercise 4, Part 4, of Course 1 (Relaxation
Training) It says there:all of a sudden, pull your feet up about 3
centimeters, making your body fall down
My question is does that mean,
(a) You actually pull your feet up, so your feet are actually leaving the
ground (so, you have to land a second later, as from a real vertical jump?)
Or,
(b) Is it more like you just ~feel that you suddenly pull your feet up, but
really you are just suddenly dropping your weight down, so that your feet
never actually leave the ground?
Answer: "Drop" is the main side, but the feet may also be actually pulled
up, of course, a little. This exercise is a way of fali (send out bursting-force)
in fact, by sudden drop your weight down, the weight potential energy turns
into kinetic energy, and sends out from your hands. Therefore, the important
point of this exercise is suddenly dropping your weight down, for a beginner,
pulling the feet up may help you accomplish this aim.
50. How much time should one spend per day training? I read somewhere
that one must practice a minimum of 3 hours per day to achieve real results.
Can I split up my training? Can I do zhanzhuang in the morning, jijizhuang
and shili in the afternoon and the rest in the evening? Is it best to do
everything in one consecutive time frame? With my schedule, I find it hard
to find two to three hours at a time to do everything (except weekends). Will
this hinder my progress?
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hours per day is enough; as an amateurish practitioner, 1-2 hours per day is
OK. I mean total training time here, not only standing. In the beginning, if
you really want to gain something from training, then please practice not less
than 1 hour per day. Little by little, you are able to keep natural state at more
and more time, then you may decrease the special training time. It is OK to
split the training. Of course, full time training is the best (as I had ever been
in Zhuhai, Mr. Han let me train for six hours per day, two hours in the
morning, two hours in the afternoon and two hours in the evening), but the
things always wouldn't like to be such perfect :-(
51. In doing shili, should tension be held throughout the entire duration of
shili? Or should it only be held when you are "pushing" or "pulling" your
target? Should there be "breaks" in tension? And I should not be tensing for
tension sake, correct?
Answer: It should be continuous, but you can adjust the degree of tension,
if you imagine you are swimming in the air
(pushing/pulling/lifting/pressing/shaking the air), it is much like relaxed, but
there are still a little tight. Being continuous then requires your "yi"
(mind/spirit) can't be broken, it means there are not any "breaks" between
the actions and imaginations, although it may be very slow. If there are any
"breaks", then it just is "tensing for tension sake or slack (if you haven't any
tension then), both are wrong.
52. In the "standard" or "Course 1" type of ShiLi, it seems that since we are
not really tensed (just mentally mimicking), breathing can be fairly natural
or is not any issue. However, in the tensed-up version of "course 2" ShiLi, I
find that when I'm really tensed, my breathing tends to get very constricted
or to shut down completely. Does that mean that the duration of a single
ShiLi pattern (such as a single "press, lift, push, pull, or shake" action)
realistically can only be for duration of one tensed breath-hold, then you
have to relax, breathe again, and do another tensed action, etc., repeatedly ?
Or, are we supposed to keep trying to breathe in/out continuously throughout
many minutes of a single tensed action (such as a "press, lift, push, pull, or
shake" action)?
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Answer: Ordinary person uses thorax breath (the thorax expanded while
breathes in, and shrunk while breathe out), it is led by the chest muscles, if
one breathes by this way, then it will be constricted in tension training. But a
bridle-wise Yiquan practitioner may take the way of abdominal breath, it is
led by the diaphragm (the diaphragm goes down while breathe in, and it
goes up while breathe out). We tensed bone-muscles in tension training, but
the diaphragm still works in the course of nature, therefore, the breathing
can be natural in tension training. Generally, through the first step-relaxation
training, one may turn the breathing way to abdominal breath naturally; it is
also a reason that one can't practice the second step-tension training if he
hasn't past through the first step. A superior Yiquan practitioner may even
feel there are chi (qi) runs through to his heels every time he breathes in. Of
course, all things should be natural, can't pursue it factitiously.
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Answer: In relaxation training, one needn't bend his knees too deep. In the
second step, one may try lower postures like Dashizhuang Big Posture
Standing, Fuhuzhuang - subduing a tiger posture and Xianglongzhuang vanquishing a dragon posture, to get a root. And in doing Hunyuanzhuang,
you may also try to bend deeper. But you should advance gradually, and
don't do it without measure, in all postures, the inclination of your popliteal
fossa (the back of the knee) shouldn't less than 90 degree. After standing, it
is the best to massage and turn your knees slowly for a while.
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Answer: Just as Mr. Han says: The second course is main thread, the first
56. I have a question about xiang long zhuang : could you please explain
how we should train tension in this exercise ? I understand the use of tension
in the other exercices since we try to move the target with our whole body,
but in xiang long zhuang, which is the target exactly and how should we
work with it? It seems to be a static posture during which one imagines he is
subduing a dragon, but I do not understand how to use tension: I understand
for fuhu zhuang, since the posture is explicit (the tiger under the legs and the
hands on the tiger's back and neck), but I do not understand in xiang long
zhuang how to use tension to subdue a dragon with this position of arms and
legs."
Answer: You may imagine your frontal hand on the dragon's neck and the
back hand on its tail. Or you may try to push a real wall/tree with this
posture; maybe you will get the feeling.
Different from other postures, Xianglong Zhuang is a completion
posture (the end of Fali), from the frontal hand to the body to the back leg,
they form a beeline, the rebounded force can be past to the ground through
this beeline, Xianglong Zhuang training just is strengthening this
thoroughfare of force.
57. I would appreciate any further commentary on the relation between
Course 1 and Course 2 of Yi Quan. I realize that this has been touched on in
the Question files and some older posts. However, any further enlightenment
or commentary would be gratefully received. In particular, would it be
expected that somebody who has a firm foundation of long practice in
correct and classical "Course 1" YiQuan would have a huge advantage,
when moving to Course 2, over a total beginner, who has never practiced
any form of Yi Quan? Or, would they start out basically equal? Would the
experienced Course 1 person progress much faster? Since many of the
standing postures of Course 2 appear similar (or seem to have their basis in
Course 1 postures), is it recommended to seek professional instruction in the
basic Yi Quan postures and positions, etc. to supplement Course 2
instruction ? How important are the minute details of head position, arm
position, imaging specifics, range of motion, postural details, when
practicing Course 2? And if those minute details are important, is
professional Course 1 instruction required to achieve the minimal
correctness needed for progress?
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course is tool". If one has a firm foundation of long practice in correct and
classical "Course 1", he has mastered the tool, if he can understand the
second well, then, obviously, he will progress faster than a total beginner.
However, because the first impression is the strongest, the first course and
the second course use two different thoughtways respectively, person who
study the first course first would have some fixed actions and thoughtway, if
he cannot give up these implicit actions and thoughtway, it will obstruct his
progress. If one studies the second course from correspondence only, and
can't visit a qualified master of the second course in the near future, then it is
recommended to seek professional instruction in the basic Yiquan postures
and positions. The second course doesn't pay much attention to the minute
details, but it doesn't mean those minute details are unimportant, we just
expect the practitioners get those minute requirements naturally by entering
the proper state, if one pays overfull attention to the minute details, it just is
partial, that is what Yiquan opposes sorely.
58. When somebody has only studied Course 2 from correspondence, then if
such a person visits Master Han or Li in person, directly, in China, or
participates in a real seminar with such masters, would the student typically
find that they needed an enormous amount of personalized correction and
adjustment?
Answer: It is possible, but not certain. If one is wise enough, he may find
the right way by studying the second course from correspondence only; in
other words, he can learn from nature, nature is better than any master.
Otherwise, to be personalized correction and adjustment by a qualified
master is necessary.
59. Aside from subjective "feeling better", or "feeling healthy" and the
normal subjective sensations of ki energy in the body (similar to Qi Gong),
is there any objective way to self-test progress in mastering Course 2?
Answer: What the second course improved is one's good ability, ability
isn't a corporeal thing, it is difficult to be measured, it can be sensed by the
practitioner oneself mainly. Of course, if one reached a high level, then his
ability can be showed in using (like push hands, combat and health dance
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etc.) obviously.
61. I'm still a bit puzzled about mechanism of force in 1st method of Fali. If
you "throw" your hands towards yr opponent by moving yr body reversely
(i.e. to the rear) how do you then cope with the reaction force generated the
moment yr hands reach his body. How do you prevent that this reaction
force throws you backwards (since a considerable part of your body mass
moves away from the opponent?)
62.Do all the postures in jijizhuang belong to the same level? Is the weight
distribution on each leg in Dashizhuang 50-50? In zhoutiang zenpai, during
the exercise does our body stays always relaxed, always tense or do we tense
at the moment of impact?
Answer: Yes, all the postures in jijizhuang belong to the same level but they
have different functions. In Dashizhuang, it is 40-60 or 30-70, the back leg
bears more weight. In zhoutiang zenpai, you had better do it naturally, flap
from light to heavy little by little. Your body will tense at the moment of
impact naturally, and then relax immediately.
63. When I'm practicing tension training, in all the combat standing postures
I feel what you call in part III "The force and the counterforce". For instance:
when pressing down the target with my arms I feel my body has the
tendency to go upwards (although no part moves).
Can one practice like this or should I exert force with all parts of my
body to press down the target?
Answer: Yes, one may practice mainly in this way, it is a main way of Fali
(The parts of your body move reversely), practicing the combat standing
postures in this way can help your Fali exercises in the future. However, you
can also try to exert force with all parts of your body to act on the target; this
is a way of Fali (4. The back foot stamps the ground) too, to push your
opponent.
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3) Force and speed are the root, don't blindly worship complicated
techniques.
4) Don't be limited by the word 'reaction (response)', Yiquan is an active art,
always keep initiative, threaten and attack your opponent's center, as for
'reaction', let your instinct do it. This is what Mr. Wang said: 'between
conscious and unconscious', your attack is conscious; your instinct reaction
is unconscious.
5) Find some partners to practice it.
65. Just as a guideline, could you please give us an idea how long your
students practice on the average steps III and IV?
At the intellectual level, until step III I can understand what links the
different steps and what is required before passing to a new level.
Part IV is somewhat different; it puzzles me because it seems a
completely new "concept". Although our mind sets on the target like in step
II, the capability to catch a rip in the opponent's spirit, (What is called in
other martial arts "anticipation or the "highest level in sensing jing")I
believe is something that can only be perceived by intuition witch is very
difficult to achieve and I don't see the relation to the previous sections.
Could you please highlight this subject?
Answer: If one has a good foundation on step I and step II, and he practices
step III specially for at least 1 hour per day, it may take him about three
months only to pass through it, then he needn't practice this step specially
any more. As for step IV, till now, none of my student past through it;
among Han Jingyu's students, there are less than five guys achieve this level;
and as far as know, in the world, there are less than twenty persons who
really gets it. And the time to pass through step IV is very different to
different persons, a Shidi (junior fellow apprentice) of mine he practiced the
first three steps very well, but after more than one year training on step IV,
he still cannot get the proper feeling and get into the proper state, I think it
maybe because he is too virtuous and shy, his spirit isn't strong enough. As
for me, as soon as Mr. Han taught this step to me, I can feel this state, but till
now, I feel there is still a room for me to improve on this step.
Yes, it is exact that "is something that can only be perceived by
intuition", to improve your intuition, in all steps, in fact, all hide a principle:
"get rid of false mind, let nature appear", or maybe we can say: "undivided
attention, following nature". To improve your knowledge, add something
everyday; to improve your intuition, cut down something everyday. When
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practicing step IV, if you feel you are hard to get in the state, you may try
visualize you are in a dangerous place, face a tiger, or an atrocious enemy, or
anything dangerous, it maybe can help you get into the proper state.
66. From step IV and step V it seems that our spirit has two ways to deal
with a dangerous situation.
1) We react without conscious thinking; "like responding to an emergency
such as traffic accident..."
2) We have the time to be aware of this danger and "in this state we can
excite all our energy and abilities; ...your spirit detects it and your body
responds immediately..."
From the push- hands experience that you told us and also from stories about
Mr. Wang Xiangzhai who have also defeated all his opponents without
harming them and even in one occasion predicting were his opponent would
land, it seems that there is some degree of conscious control in action.
Do you think this is possible at a high level?
Do you think it is useful to start practicing push-hands without having
completely mastered step IV?
Answer: Step IV is training, we visualize there are danger around us (it is a
jiajie), to excite all our energy and abilities. The training of this step will
improve one's ability to get into the 'exciting' (this word may be not very
exact) state, in this training, the danger is created by our mind, of course, we
have the time to be aware of this danger. In actual application, mostly, we
have not the time to think, or sometime, we know there are a danger, but do
not know how it will attack us, also do not know how we should respond it,
all depend on your intuition and instinct, but you can get into the 'exciting'
state in advance to excite your intuition and instinct.
It is possible that there is some degree of conscious control in action.
And if your opponent is much weaker than you, you can use more conscious
control.
Yes, it still can be useful to start practicing push-hands without having
completely mastered step IV, if you do it as a test, it means don't always do
it, according to my personal experience, before you have completely
mastered step IV, practicing push-hands once a month is suitable. As I said
somewhere else, in fact, we have all natural abilities, but if without through
training, some of them are weak, some of them are hidden, some of them we
don't know how to use them. Push-hands can examine your abilities; let you
be aware of that you need strengthen which side or parts. But if you always
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a particular chosen posture for some time, despite the inner feeling leading
away from it, the resulting state is much less integrated, strong, and lively
than when I just go with my internal preference for the same amount of time
(just observing the body as a whole). In the course, you are advising to "just
feel one's body", but you are also offering specific postures "as examples",
because they "affect different parts of the body", while encouraging personal
exploration. Yet, apparently, holding a specific posture chosen in advance
for a certain period of time is not the same as simply following the body's
whims without knowing which configuration it will take next moment, and
there are probably good reasons for "molding" oneself into such
configurations. Could you suggest a way of interaction between following
an immediate body preference, and attempting to hold a specific posture?
Answer: People select some methods in order to achieve certain purposes, if
you achieved your purposes already, is it still necessary to mind which
method should be selected? If you have a better method to achieve your
purpose, do not mind the samples I offering. Get the right feeling by the
method you love, get into the right state, and then letting the feeling follow
into everything.
69. In several of your answers, you advice to pull or push a real tree or a
wall to get the feeling. While this "static tension" training is used in other
systems, I haven't heard it to be a method in Yiquan. What is the
reason? How is applying force to imaginary objects as in Shili different
from applying it to the real ones, and why you don't advice doing such
exercises on a regular basis?
Answer: While you do tension training by 'jiajie' only, your body itself has
to produce a contrary force to balance your body, this just is what they called
'zhengli', but if you pull or push a real tree or a wall, the tree or wall will
offer this counterforce to balance your body, this is their difference. As for
why I don't advice doing such exercises on a regular basis, I think we will
face a living opponent in combat or pushing hands, if one always practice
with tree or wall these static things, he will lose his agility. However, if one
practice with 'jiajie' only, it is easier to keep his agility. So it is Ok to pull or
push a real tree or a wall between times to get the feeling, but it is not a good
idea to do such exercises on a regular basis I think.
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70. The concept of 'zhengli' has been a mystery to me for a while. The
notion is apparently central to internal martial arts (my Taiji teachers used to
emphasize moving as if in a thick liquid), and it felt good, so I was
reasonably confident I was doing the right thing. But the mechanism has
always appeared paradoxical. When I stopped a movement to examine my
body, I was simply feeling muscles "fighting" each other (apparently, what
you are referring to as "counterforce"). Meanwhile, the stated objective is
apparently to train the body to act as a whole, which is all muscles working
"as a single muscle", which is exactly training them to not counteract each
other, right? That what looks as a paradox to me: How can training muscles
counteract each other prepare them to instantly function in unison? Is this a
true paradox that would take time and practice to realize, or am I simple
missing something?
Answer: Just as Mr. Wang said: 'all things are contrary, at the same time, all
things are harmonious'. Everything needs two sides to maintain its balance,
and since it gets balance, it is harmonious. Different muscle has different
function; do you think all muscles can work at a same direction? "Whole" or
Unison means all muscles work harmoniously, each one works properly. In
tension training, there is two force in fact, one is you
pull/push/press/lift/move... the target, another is its counterforce, if you
practice with 'jiajie', your body itself produce the counterforce, all muscles
work; if you practice with a real target, then the target will produce the
counterforce, it means half of your muscles are relaxed, you may try and feel
it carefully.
71. In your answers, you sometimes refer to the concept of "qi" energy
(though advising not to focus on it). My understanding from Master Wang's
as well as your teacher's writings (that I could find) were that they were
either critical of the concept or at least found it irrelevant. Is this
interpretation correct, and if so, what is your own opinion about qi? Do you
consider it a separate form of energy, or a mere useful metaphor that came
from the traditional medicine? The reason I'm asking is that the writings of
your lineage appears to be all highly rational and scientific; hence, I presume
you wouldn't be relying on a concept simply because it holds traditional
appeal, and perhaps you have some interesting evidence for its
validity. (This is, of course, a mere curiosity question).
Answer: I think 'qi' can be considered as energy. Master Wang had been
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72. For a while, I was trying to understand the concept, but whenever I
encountered its descriptions or manifestations, the "energy" appeared either
metaphorical (a shortcut for talking about neural activity corresponding to
particular imagery, and resulting physiological changes), or just a
superstition (just paying attention to the body and believing you are
balancing your "energy" can bring profound psychological and physiological
effects). However, I clearly didn't research the issue seriously enough, and
didn't discuss it with advanced practitioners, so my impression doesn't hold
much validity. What, in your opinion, counts as evidence for existence of a
separate form of energy?
Answer: According to my own experience, the 'energy' cannot be seen as a
separate form, but sometime you can feel it. Anyway, I do not mind what
form it is, I just aim at the purposes that I mentioned somewhere: "to
improve my physique; to improve my spirit; and improve my instinct".
73. From your description of Jijizhuang, the exercises can be split into two
categories, "controlling" (e.g. Fuhuzhuang or the initial one with holding
walls) and "manipulative" (all others). The "controlling" exercises require
restricting the movement of an imaginary force, while in the "manipulative"
ones we (imaginarily) effect an immobile object. Since you've emphasized
that those are only examples, I assume the exercises we can perform may
fall into either category: I.e. there would be nothing wrong about trying to
control an imaginary force in the Hunyuanzhuang. Is that correct so
far? The reason for making this distinction is that I found it relatively easy
to keep and develop the feeling in the "controlling" exercises, while an
attempt to "manipulate" (after performing relaxation standing) quickly leads
to the loss of frame, and feel generally more difficult to perform. That
seems peculiar, since the two types appears to be simply mirroring each
other (passive force and active counterforce, vs the other way around), yet it
doesn't feel this way to me? Actually, I've tried a game, and had
"manipulation" following "control" immediately (e.g. pushing the tiger down
after preventing it from getting up), and "manipulation" became much easier
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in this sequence. What am I doing wrong (or is this individual, and I just
need to keep practicing)?
Answer: Yes, the exercises we can perform may fall into either category. In
fact, "controlling" is more difficult than "manipulative", if you practice with
a real tiger (just joke, it is too dangerous, maybe you can try to control your
partner), you will get the idea. But if you practice with jiajie (imagination)
only, it is up to you how the target resists you, so it must stay in the limits
you can control it. So you feel it is relatively easy.
Therefore, I think you may practice "manipulative" more in the
beginning, as for you found it quickly leads to the loss of frame, that is just
why I suggest you try to effect on a real target (e.g. a big tree) to get the
proper feeling, and there is still a process to do this exercise well. Your
discovery that "had 'manipulation' following 'control' immediately may also
be tried. Anyway, if a method can help you achieve your purpose, then it is a
good method.
74. In the beginning of the chapter about "talk about four forms" in the
"theory of yiquan ", Master Wang Xiangzhai talks about the "four as" that
one achieves by the practice of zhuang as a prerequisite for the practice of
martial arts. Further on he also describes the "four as" as a precondition to be
able to practice the health dance. Two of them ("the whole body as a
casting" and "the muscles as one") seems to equal what you call "feel whole".
Are these feelings something that only comes after a long time of practice?
Following the second course, can one achieve good results without the
"four as"?
Answer: Yes, "the whole body as a casting" and "the muscles as one" just
mean one gets the ability of the whole relaxation and whole tension. The
feelings of four as are only come after a long time of practice, just as Wang
said, according to his own experience, it cost him about ten years to practice
to achieve this result. Following the second course, one also can achieve the
result of four as. Maybe it will be much shorter than ten years.
75. Doesn't the fact that Master Wang chose to have those as two rather than
one "as" suggest that the two should be somehow independent? I.e. if one
feels all muscles as one, but doesn't feel the whole body as a casting, then
one hasn't achieved the result? Actually, the third "as" (body as if filled with
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lead) also sounds similar to the first one (as a casting) to me. Are there
subtle distinctions that I am missing? This question seems quite important
to me, for being able to identify internal feedback correctly (not just
academic curiosity).
Answer: According to my understanding, "four as" describe a same state,
"the muscles as one" emphasizes particularly on 'the feeling of harmony';
"the whole body as a casting" emphasizes particularly on ''the feeling of
whole'; 'body as if filled with lead' emphasizes particularly on 'the feeling of
heaviness'; 'hairs as halberds' particularly on 'the feeling of strong spirit'.
Just as we describe a person, to get a comparatively rounded figure, we
may describe him from the front, to left side, to right side, and to his back.
77. If choosing the real target inside the room or at a distance doesn't matter,
then why have you suggested choosing a distant one to begin with (and
extend the spirit even further)? Seriously, though, do you have a way of
explaining (or at least, hinting at) the function of "spirit extension"? I've
heard this advice frequently (so it is probably important), but could never
understand it.
Answer: It is spirit training, it is really important. The traditional Chinese
call it: "spirit travels at the end of universe". This training can cultivate one's
spirit; make him be clement, open mind and great momentum. Extend the
spirit out, always exchange information with nature, you will always be a
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beneficiary, don't worry that nature will steal your energy. And I am sure
this training will improve one's penetrability of his force, what they call
"force penetrates enemy's back" (hit at an enemy's chest, but the enemy feels
pain at his back).
As a skilled practitioner, he will extend his spirit out naturally, whatever
indoors or outdoors, so it doesn't matter to choose real target inside the room
or at a distance, but bear in mind please, never limit your spirit at a target
only, you hold whole universe.
78. In the "Theory of Yiquan" Mr.Wang Xiangzhai wrote about Shili: "hold
the attitude of going when having to stop and stopping when having to
go...the body can feel and respond to the universal force."
Could you please give us your interpretation on this?
79. I must say that this method of doing ji jizhuang is superior to the first
course method. This method seems to solve the problem of uniform tension
ie: too much tension in certain muscles with others not being tensed at all
causing a broken link in the chain from fist to foot. With an object well away
from the body, both mind and body become one and act in the way nature
intended. the method used in the first course ,using springs, ropes etc pulling
on the body make the mind become the subject, observing the body as the
object, causing separation of the body and mind. It is almost impossible to
maintain a uniform amount of tension when mind and body are separated. I
find that when doing fali I can get an increase in force by visualizing the
object I use in ji ji zhuang i.e.: push tree, at the point of impact with the bag.
Is this caused by the correct muscles being tensed for forward motion?
Would tensing all the muscles as I do when not using the image result in a
braking effect and a decrease in the transfer of power?
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81. From many years practical a method of visualization of the circuit of the
energy, bound together to a system of "inverse" respiration (I contract the
belly when breath, I expand belly when I expire).
1) My respiration that use continuously in the practical one and the daily life
from 10 years is mistaken or is right for the yiquan?
2) The meditation seated and straight that practical it can be replaced from
the practical one Of the YIQUAN?
Answer: As I said somewhere before, our purposes of training are to
improve our physique, sprit, intuition and instinct, etc., as for how to achieve
these purposes, they are methods, Yiquan offers a natural way for the
practitioners to achieve their purposes.
Such as respiration, we say natural respiration, in fact, what you said
"inverse" respiration is right, we just do not pay much attention to our
respiration, if you get into the right state, and the respiration will be
"inverse" respiration naturally. The feeling of this natural respiration just as
if you are smelling a nice flower.
As for meditation, we also do it by a natural way, when you close your
eyes, you just feel your body, do not mind how the circuit of the energy
should be, your intuition and instinct will manage all the things, you just
being quiet and relaxed, if you feel some parts are not very comfortable, just
adjust your posture, for example, shake your body. When you open your
eyes, you can find a real target outside, to build a connection between you
and the target; you may also visualize a target, and do something to it.
In training, sometime, your stance or action is not natural, you will feel
uncomfortable, then just adjust your stance or action; sometime, just because
your inner is not so flowing, you will feel uncomfortable, you may adjust
your body too, just shake your body, it will help you relax, and help your
inner body to be flowing.
As for "work to a target", it is a good method to improve your ability of
responding the out circumstance.
82. I have been working with "relax" for the past several months. I am
looking ahead to "tension."
Do you think I should completely finish "relax" before starting the
exercises in "tension," or could I start to introduce them?
When working on "tension," should I work on both the combat stance
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exercises and shili at the same time, or get a good grounding in the combat
stance exercises first, then begin shi li later?
Answer: Each advanced step contains base step/steps, when you start
tension training, you may also practice relaxation training.
For example, I practice all five steps some days, little by little, you can
combine all steps into one, for instance, when you practice the fourth step,
while your body is very relaxed and your spirit is very tensed, you may try
Fali, it is the contents of the third step, then you combine the third step and
fourth step into one; or when you practice Health Dance, you may sometime
relax, sometime tense, sometime change your state suddenly, sometime body
relaxed and mind tense, then you combine the five steps into one.
As for "completely finish a certain state", it is hard to say. I find there is
always a room to improve my state in each step.
As for the combat stance and Shili, if you can get into the right state, you
may work on both at the same time, someone feels a little difficult to get into
the whole tension state in movement, then he can practice the combat stance
exercises first, after getting a good grounding in the combat stance exercises,
then begin shi li exercises.
Showing a feeling with a fixed method
Giving up the method after getting the feeling
Letting the feeling follow into everything
Personal feeling leads to complete awareness
These four phrases are the core expression of the second course, you
may appreciate these four steps in each stage, at last, your personal feeling
leads to complete awareness, and it means you will know what time you
may get into the next stage by yourself. When you feel it is the time to start
tension training, it is the exact time to start. The rest may be deduced by
analogy.
83. About Relaxation Training, 1) once a person can do exercises 1,2 and 3
properly and understands what it is to be relaxed, then he no longer needs to
do these exercises and can then focus on the Pile Standing etc., is that right?
2) At what point should exercises 4 - 6 be started, should we begin
exercise 4 after a lot of time doing Pile Standing exercises (weeks or months)
or immediately after exercise 3 has been done properly.
3) Finally, a theoretical question: if a person already understands
whole body relaxation and can maintain this relaxation at all times then
could that person go immediately to tension training or would he have to go
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through all the necessary exercises in the relaxation phase due to there
relation to future exercises?
Answer: If you walk up the right way, then every moment is good time,
every day is good day. No special time is stated.
Answer: 1) Exercises 1,2 just show you the feeling of relaxation, so as soon
as you get the proper feeling, you need not do these two exercises any more.
As for exercise 3, it contains some skills of combat in fact; you may do this
exercise again and again till you master it skillful.
2) You may begin exercises 4 and 5 immediately after exercise 3 has
been done properly, and start exercise 6 immediately after exercise 5 has
been done properly.
3) If there is really someone keeps his nature so well, he may go
immediately to tension training.
86. I believe I entered the state described as "body relaxed, mind tense" by
recalling the time I was stalked by a wild animal-some kind of black leopard.
The hairs stood up on the back of my neck and i felt a real sense of fear but a
determination to survive. It was like I was reliving the experience and
brought on some kind of primordial way of being. The state lasted in
intensity for a few minutes-which seemed like hours, then subsided. After I
was still hyped up and had difficulty sleeping. Is there any method that can
be used that can calm the mind after entering this state?
84. Do you think it is bad or wrong to have specific training goals? For
example: Monday, 1 hour Zhang Zhuang Jiji Zhuang, 20 min. Shili, 5 min.
Bianxian. Tuesday, 1 hour Zhang Zhuang Jiji Zhuang, 20 min. Fali, 20
min, Shili. Wednesday, so on and so on. Or should I just train how I feel at
that time. If I am a little tired, will it hurt to do more strenuous exercises or
should I just do easy ones. Or maybe a better question would be how hard
should I push myself? Some people when they stand have specific goals I
will hold this posture for X amount of time. They shake and quiver and I
wonder if this could be good?
Answer: I think these can be called training plans, we do not recommend a
very strict training plan, but also, we do not against to frame a training plan
if you think it is necessary.
"Do not train too hard", this word is talked to the professional
practitioners, as for the amateurish practitioners, I do not think it will be a
problem. 'Shaking' and 'quivering' that is one's body adjusts itself naturally, I
think all natural things are good, if we must say there is something not good,
then "having specific goals I will hold this posture for X amount of time is
not so good.
85. Most books on Chinese Internal Arts state that around 5am is the most
productive time of day to stand. Would you agree with this, or does it matter
as long as you practice daily?
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87. When practicing the first coursework, are there any restrictions
concerning food, drink, going to the bathroom and sex activity before or
after any zhan zhuang? Are there any guidelines people should follow?
Answer: Relaxation State is the main state of one's life, most time you stay
in Relaxation State, so mainly the guidelines of Relaxation Training are the
same as daily health preservation, such as: keep peaceful and comfortable;
proper food and drink (don't eat too full; don't drink too much; eat more
vegetables and fruits; drink green tea; stay in warm. Something special: don't
touch cold water just after training; avoid cold wind; don't make love just
after training too. In training, the pores of your body are open, if you wash
your body by cold water or blowed by cold wind just after training, it is easy
to be sick. As for sex activity, if you do it just after training, it may consume
more energy than normal, nothing more serious.
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You may take a walk for about 10 minutes after training, then all things will
turn back normal, you may do things as normal.
not practice tension training specially anymore, otherwise, you are wasting
you life. Of course, if you left too early, you can turn back to practice it
later.
Other stages are similar. If you feel you have not progressed for a long
time, you should check whether you have stayed in the boat too long.
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one day you feel some exercises are demoded, throw them away. No form or
method is inviolable.
To learn something you have to pay, but don't pay out your free will,
your wisdom, your freedom and your life.
Appendix II
The Essence of Martial Art
[The Theory of Yiquan (1)]
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Translator: Li Jiong
(Assisted by Romain Roche & Bertram Chock)
Table of Contents
Author's Preface
Narration on the Important Points of Practicing Martial Arts
A Talk About Credos and Rules
A Talk About Single and Double-Weightiness and Non-Zhaoxiang
Recognizing the Abstract, Insubstantial and Substantial, Emptiness and
Substance
General Principles
Formulas Put Into Verse
The Steps of Training
Zhanzhuang (Pile-Stance Keeping)
Shili (Testing Force)
Shisheng (Testing Voice)
Self-defense
Jijizhuang Method (Combat Pile Standing)
Talk About the States of Zhanzhuang (Pile Standing)
A Talk About the Four Forms
Brandishing Wave
Cruising Dragon
White Crane
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Frightened Snake
A Talk on the Philosophical Justification of Yiquan
A Talk About Quantao (A Series of Skills and Tricks in Martial Arts)
and Method
A Talk About the Relation Between Martial Art and Appliance
A Talk About Dianxue (Hit at Selected Points)
The Difference Between Inherence and Learning
Free From Mysticism
Explanation of Understanding and Doing
Why the Martial Art Science Had Been Lost
A Discussion on Freedom From the System of Master and Disciple
Conclusion
art Dacheng (2). I wanted to refuse it but they did not obey my
wishes, so there was nothing more to do but let things be (3). Now,
what this martial art is paying great attention to is spirit, feeling
and exercising natural force. In a nutshell, it makes a person
correspond with atmosphere in a natural way; in more words,
rooted in universe principle and elements, it nurtures the entire
spirit and powerful force, form bent and mind straight, void or
solid isn't fixed(4). You succeed in training the instinct of feeling
livingness: concerning the body, it is provided with all acts (5);
concerning the usage, then, you respond as soon as you have a
feeling. Seeing that common pugilists esteem form, advocate
method, pay attention to rough force, this of course cannot bear
mentioning in the same breath. Really, because common pugilists
have been mostly paying attention to form and method, and
therefore have developed it, martial arts have turned into all kinds
of quantao(6) that are complicated and superfluous, abnormal and
grotesque in shape. Even more, because they have been devoting
their efforts to seek enhancement of rough force, and therefore
have been practicing multifarious intense sports, they have
developed all kinds of wrong teachings and wrong meanings, they
are still feeling proud of themselves, hardly realizing that all are
life-harming sports! Their nerves, limbs and trunk, trachea and
muscles have already been wrecked by it and all these have
become decadent. How could one hope for them to accomplish the
mission of martial art science? Although I do not dare to say this
martial art is the supreme learning, if we are talking from now or in
the past, believe me, only I have it, and not the others. Science as a
matter of course should be higher from generation to generation,
otherwise there should be no need for it to exist! I deeply believe
that martial art science is good for exercising the nerves, limbs and
trunk, and thus benefit one's intelligence. It is also especially good
to warm up and nourish the healthy energy of muscles and to
nourish blood. Even more, it makes the breath easy and smooth,
and the vital capacity to intensify, so that instinctive strength is
also gradually increasing. Thus, by following it, will come true the
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Author's Preface
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One must know that using force and using mind originate both in
the fountainhead of qi, and they are based on each other: so using
mind is namely using force, mind is namely force. But it isn't the
force of the muscles stagnating, being tensional, and being
congested which is called force, if one does not guide the muscles
into being relaxed and in harmony by the mind, he will never gain
the living force that is retractile and can be made convergent or be
emitted for use at any time. Since one cannot get the natural living
force, I don't know how he could gain that health preservation and
putting it into use in fight, one must know that mind is produced
from form, and changes in force follow mind; mind is the
commander in chief of force, force is the army corps of the mind.
What is called mind tightened and force relaxed, muscles being
flexible and unpredictable, hair bristling and force made sharp like
a cutting edge. By this means, one can achieve the beautiful nature
of mind force for sure. Twenty years ago, this martial art had ever
been bearing the name of "Yiquan" (mind martial art) for a time. I
chose the character of "yi" to generalize spirit, and it is namely the
meaning of this martial art to advocate mind and spirit. Originally I
was hoping to awaken coteries, to help them, just as its name
implies, realize their error and tend toward the right target. Who
could have known that among common pugilists, each cherished a
selfish opinion? Bad old practices die hard, and, generally, they
would not calmly reject that which is defective and take in that
which is excellent, or investigate where is right and where is wrong,
and are willing to be conservative, all of which is to no avail.
Therefore, any result in accordance with my wishes has no way to
be fulfilled, alas, what can be done! Within my intellectual
capacity, I am absolutely not resigned to drift with the tide, and to
let the real meaning of our martial art science become forever lost
along the bottoms. I will simply still often utter a cry, and I hope to
remedy their numbness so that they suddenly start waking up to the
truth. This again is my trivial ideal and I cannot help but promoting
it.
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prove oneself.
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imbalance will literally cause zhaoxiang(13) and the force also will
lose its ability to change by being misaligned with the body.
Neither spirit, nor form, nor force nor mind can allow zhaoxiang.
Once you have zhaoxiang, which means you also have onesidedness, which isn't healthy and even more, one risks becoming
easily taken advantage of by others, students should remember it
carefully. Equilibrium isn't stiffness, if one is a little stiff then it is
easy to incur the affliction of double-weightiness. But one should
also avoid excessive agility: excessive agility will easily lead to
speciosity. The whole body must be stretched out loosely and be
pliable and connotative (14), such as during fali. You should also do
it in a continuous way, which is called force not being lost.
Double-weightiness does not refer only to the area of the two feet,
it is also expressed by the head, the hands, the shoulders, the
elbows, the knees, the crotch or the big and small joints. Once
there is the slightest hair-like force inside (an area), they all have
the differentiation between single and double, relaxed and
tightened, insubstantial and substantial, light and heavy. Nowadays
the pugilists mostly turn into absolute double-weightiness from
being unilaterally single-weighted (inclination). Even more, some
are going the way of becoming stone dead from absolute doubleweightiness. This is going too far, and as a result, the more time
passes, the more the learning of single and double-weightiness is
getting buried. Let us just talk about the martial arts books of
various sects nowadays. They also are all completely improper,
and moreover their authors are the same people who hold to fixed
forms, greatly breaking the rules and the unity of the body. All
their postures are really fantastic and disgusting, and the more
youre practicing them, the farther you are from the approach of
martial art science. Once there is zhaoxiang then one becomes
rigid, but even if there isnt (any rigidity), then one becomes
scattered and confused, without orderly ways. This happens even if
one comes cross the wonder of single-weightiness(15) by oneself,
because of not being able to appreciate it. This is also no different
than double-weightiness, where one never stops until becoming
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should never go out for nothingness and mind never return in vain.
Even an action with the slightest iota of force must be exact and
coordinated with every tiny part, to be joined inside and outside,
the insubstantial and substantial need each other to become the
Whole and the One (all-pervading), so one must have the sense
(instinct) of dealing combat all the time and anywhere. Once one
seeks quick results, then the entire course is skated over, so how
could one ever master the process of realizing it? Therefore, one
must take zhanzhuang as the foundation at the beginning of the
learning process, comprehending little by little and then advancing.
Anyway, spirit, form, mind and force must become a whole unit,
also the four centers must coincide (the centers of the palms, the
centers of the feet, the center of the body, and the center of the
crown of the head), and nerves must be unified, if one part moves
all parts move. Also it is even more important to develop the
coordination of every tiny part, between the four limbs and the
body, and among all the rest. Do not allow your mind to be over
absorbed and do not stop or break. Again, respond with
atmosphere, so that relaxation and tension at each point of force
can be transmitted and used by each other, thus youll just about be
okay. "There is nothing else to seek if leaving oneself, as persisting
in oneself is never correct." How delicious these words are, savour
them carefully! Then naturally, it isn't difficult to see the
profundity of martial art science.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(16) It means without doing and letting things take their own course.
(17) It means, to have doing and being promising, being able to do
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General Principles
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well rounded; whether or not the force of the mind can be shot out
in response to feeling at anytime and anywhere; whether or not the
whole body can feel and respond to the universal force (23); and
whether or not the mind force can become reality. We want to
respond with the universal force, so we must first feel the
atmosphere, then respond to it little by little. Next, test the
elasticity of the waves of air and the terrestrial centrifugal force. In
practice, one should experience the resistance of the air; use just
the amount of force to respond it, and then, in a natural way, the
force you use will not overextend and will not be inadequate. In
the beginning, use the hands to test it, next gradually, does it with
the whole body. If one can realize this force, good ability will
gradually develop. Practice it unvaryingly and you will naturally
acquire its unimaginable wonder, and then all kinds of strength
will also not be difficult to get. As for the mind, let it never be
broken and the spirit never be scattered. Be one integrated mass,
moving minutely and following the feeling. The whole body, its
upside, underside, left, right, front and the back, none of these are
forgotten or neglected. It must achieve the state of being
comfortable and full of strength, and be overflowing with
wonderful delight, only then we can say that one has gained the
wonder of the martial arts. The names of the kinds of force, which
are to be tested, are very numerous. For instance there is Xuli
(accumulating force), Tanli (springy force), Jingli (startling force),
Kaiheli (opening and closing force), and then Zhongsu (weighty
and rapid), Dingzhong (fixed in the centre or lingering), Chanmian
(binding), Chengbao (supporting embracing), Duoxing (inertial),
Sanjiao (triangular), Luoxuan (helical), Ganggan (lever), Lunzhou
(spindle), Huache (pulley), Xiemian (inclined), and so on. All of
these become known in a natural way from the practise of Shili.
All joints of the body bend, and at the same time, all joints contain
expansion, too. What is called shrinking and extending reciprocate
each other. Each joint forms an obtuse angle, and moreover, is not
coplanar. There are especially no fixed triangles. Hidden within the
power of the martial art, all is known via spiritual realization. The
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Self-defense
Self-defense is another name for combat. One should know a
big action is not as good as a small action and a small action is not
as good as stillness. The talent of stillness begets unceasing action.
For example, a machine wheel or rotor, when it turns very speedily
can seem motionless. When it can be seen to be running, then it
will soon stop and it becomes a representation of impotence. What
is called motionless motion is faster than motion. This very speedy
motion is similar to stillness. Motion and stillness are based upon
each others usage. Its ingenious usage rests mainly with control of
the nerves, leading the mind, the elastic power of breathing, a
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movement to start but yet not start, and all kinds of suggested
striking methods, although they are all partial, if one has not had
practice in the field, it is also difficult to get them. But, all-in-all,
they are third-rate skills, and the clever and wise person need not
practice them.
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fog, and the mind being as a clever rhinoceros, one should have the
force of a strong horse running, of a dragon braying and gnawing.
The head should be upright, the nape erected, the tip centers
pressing and shrinking, the whole body lively, the limbs connected,
the toes grasping the ground, the two knees have force to support
the body but also are pulling up, the heels are lifting a little, as gale
rolling up a tree, you can imagine having the force of being about
to fly, screwing, swinging and shaking, and then the whole body
has the force of supporting, wrapping, erecting and expanding, the
hairs are like halberds, the joints of the upper side and of the lower
side are twisting, like coils of hundreds of overlapping lines, and
by riding its pulling force, one intends to contend with heaven and
earth, the shoulders are supporting, the elbows are sidelong;
wrapping, rolling and turning, pulling and spinning never stop,
lifting up and dropping down; pushing and holding are working
one with each other, and force should always keep balanced, equal
and whole. The fingers stick arrisways, catch, and screw to the left
and to the right, turn outside and wrap inside, one having the
feeling of driving a mountain or the earth, muscles contain strength,
condyles produce edges, the whole body keeps coordinated, one
should know the move of the mind taking in and sending out large
quantities in a connotative way, and have the forces of supporting
sidelong, rolling, pushing, rasping, bagging and coiling, the hairs
standing as a forest, the back should be upright and the waist
straight, the lower abdomen should always be round, the chest
shrink slightly; then while moving one should be as an angry tiger
searching the mountain; and, as if the mountain forest were just
going to collapse, the whole body is like the state of a snake about
to change suddenly, also one should feel urgent as if the body were
about to be fired, furthermore, one should have the spirit and the
vigor of a torpid dragon which flies straight with the thunderbolts,
one should especially feel the muscles activating and poppling, the
force being like the powder and the hands like the cannonball, the
spirit is able to react so slightly that even a sparrow would have
difficulty to fly away, and then one should be fearfully like having
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about martial art from the point of view of fighting for life, then it
is duel, and duel has no morality neither justice. So, one should all
the more hold to the six words knack: "to be willing to, to have the
heart to, ruthlessness, carefulness, steadiness, and nicety", and be
determined to perish together with the enemy. If you can't hit your
opponent, you shouldn't hit naturally; only if you can kill the
enemy by one punch, then you can hit him. Holding such decision,
you may not be without victory naturally. This points to a Roland
for an Oliver, but if the opponent is inferior in skill, you might as
well release him safe. Now, if were talking about it from the point
of view of fellows visiting each other, and comparing their skills,
then it is contest, and contest is friendly and for research and
discussion purpose. So, it is very different from duel, and one
should pay attention first to morality and justice. Thus, one should
especially observe how the opponent's ability is, if thats as six to
one, then one should absolutely release him safe, it is important to
make him fear your power but also appreciate your virtue. Before
the contest, one should assume first a courteous attitude, words
should be guided by affability, actions should be inspired by
manners, and one shouldn't absolutely be overbearing and manic to
harm the harmony and concinnity. In the future, the virtue of
martial arts will be coming back, as the traditional way can live
forever. Indeed it is the clinking glory of our martial art way, and
so, I have a deep expectation of that.
first is the clothes and waistband being are getting loose (24) little
by little but one should never regret, the body becomes peak and
pine for the career. The second is: last night, the west wind
withered the green trees, walking up the tower lonely, and looking
the end of the skyline road". The third is: to have been seeking
her for thousands times in the public, suddenly, to turn the head,
and that person is here like in a waning lamplight." Practicing
martial arts should also be like this. The first state of Zhanzhuang,
talking about it according to the mentality point of view is called
"never regret". Student should have a conviction without any doubt,
and have the volition that can't be wobbled by one hundred of
cattle. Talking about it according to the physiology angle, by
persevering in practice during one hundred of days, then one will
have the feelings; by persevering in practice during three or four
years, then one will feel the limbs expanding, the hands and feet
being heated, and one will have the feeling of being as if being
filled with lead marbles. The insides of the limbs are easy and
quick to get this feeling, but their outside are comparatively
difficult and slow to get this feeling. Anyway, both the inside and
outside of the limbs should have the feeling of being filled with
lead marbles? and expanding, so you can consider to have gain
something then: once one attains this state, then one can begin to
learn the skills. The second state of Zhanzhuang, talking about it
according to the mentality point of view is called "to look the end
of the skyline road", hereat, one will believe that the wonder of all
martial arts is included in this martial art and not in the others, and
that only this one can give the best (25). Talking about it according
to the physiology angle, by persevering in practice for five or six
years, one will feel that the two ears are expanding, the brow and
the nose feel as if there were something moving inside, the neck is
upright as if suspended by the crown on a big rope, the scalp is
swelling, the hairs are as if flying, and one feels as if a big rock
were pressing the calvaria. This namely, is the result achieved by
the head held upright and the neck erects in practicing zhuang. At
the same time, the feeling of the arms spreads to the buttocks and
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the lower abdomen little by little. Thus, the feeling of the limbs is
grown day by day. When one attains this state, then one will feel
full of nature delight. However, the force he issued still is the
mechanical force of the limbs instead of that from the waist and the
spine. The third state of Zhanzhuang, talking about it according to
the mentality point of view is called "to look back", hereat, the
instinctive livingness is like a snake. "The spirit dignified and the
mind quiet", filliping or waving hand, all are nature. Looking back
again, every method which has been practiced during ten years, all
are like the shabby shoes, it behoove us to throw them away in the
ravine and we needn't to cherish them, what was practiced in
accidence namely is the positive result. Talking about it according
to the physiology angle, by persevering in practice for about ten
years, then one will feel the waist and the spine getting the feeling
of expanding. This feeling will go through the anus and genitalia,
and one will feel the whole body as a ingot, the body as if being
filled with lead, the muscles as one, walking as stepping in the mud,
once one will lift his hands then one will produce sharp edges, the
body will be moving as if riding a billow, the waist and spine will
be massive like that of a cattle. When one attains this state, then
once one acts one just feel full of wonder naturally, and the force
that is issued then begins to be equal and whole. Thus, the
qualification for martial art is prepared. The above fixed numbers
of years I mentioned are all according to my own experience. As
for students, some may need a little longer, some may need a little
shorter, all depend on one's inherence and skills. Mr. Zeng Guofan
had ever said: To accomplish the career, the inherence acts as
30%, however, the diligence occupies 70. This isn't empty words,
so students, be encouraged by it. If one has been practicing Zhuang
for a long time, but cannot discern any clear effect, one should
check ones own body, whether there isn't an incorrect posture. In
that case, maybe the mentality makes some side effect on the
physiology, or the physiology makes some side effect on the
mentality Anyhow, there must be a problem, and one should
also seek help from a wise person, don't consider yourself to be
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action is without jiajie, the body's force will not be true. In practice,
the whole body should never allow to lose the feeling of "the
whole body as a casting, the body as if being filled by lead, the
muscles as one and the hairs as halberds". What is called "mind
never being broken, spirit never being scattered, be in one
integrated mass, do not forget and do not lose it". Thus, the dance
just has the state of full of natural wonder. Physiology acts on
psychology, this just is the health preservation meaning of the
health dance. By this token, the real skill of Yiquan isn't gained
from moving, but one should seek it in immobility. Therefore, we
said: "The movement of immobility just is the living movement".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(32) Using something unreal to produce real results.
Brandishing wave
This pattern should be according to the principle of "the form
flexible and the force straight", and you shouldn't lose the state of
the "four as". Its embodiment then consists in using the forces of
extending, shrinking, pressing, raising, sinking, holding and lifting.
While the body is standing, the two feet immobile, however, the
body and the two arms are doing the undulant movement up and
down in contrary directions at the same time. Namely, the two
arms are lifting synchronously, however, the body is sitting down,
and while the two arms are pressing down, however, the body is
raising up, also namely, pulling up and down reversely to elongate
oneself, thus, the gravitation potential energy of the body translates
into kinetic energy, the whole body just being like a wave force, it
is called the "gravitation wave". This gravitation wave just is the
requirement in combat. At the same time, pulling reversely up and
down produces the longitudinal wave force, recurring to the force
of the two arms round support, it makes the longitudinal wave
secretly carrying transverse waves, thus, you just have the dance
movements and postures of brandishing wave. While doing this,
the two arms are in tandem. If the left hand is in front then put out
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the left foot, if this is the right hand that is in front, then put out the
right foot. The two arms are cooperating with the body, extending,
shrinking, pressing and raising up and down, pulling reversely and
elongate oneself, the two hands running an elliptic path. Left and
right are advancing and retreating, changing each other without
end. This pattern's image is just as a tortoise swimming out the
water, being about to float but sinking again, often floats and holds
the billows and raise waves at the surface, so this form is also
named a divine tortoise swims out the water.
Cruising dragon
This pattern should still be according to the principle of "the
form flexible and the force straight", still shouldn't lose the state of
the "four as", but then its embodiment consists in using the forces
of lifting, pressing, stroking, dividing, shutting, opening and
closing, and then the working of this pattern is the same as
brandishing wave, you still need to make use of the gravitation
wave to issue the forces of lifting, pressing, stroking, dividing,
shutting, opening and closing. The two arms cooperate with the
body to pull reversely up and down. The difference rests with the
two arms running an elliptic path by the forces of lifting, pressing,
opening and closing at the two flank fronts of the body. One
should produce the forces of lifting and pressing by longitudinal
wave, and the forces of opening and closing by transverse wave.
Longitudinal and transverse, high and low, advance and retreat, use
each other. The image is like a dragon swimming in the sea, the
dragon just is the billows, the billows just is the dragon, the dragon
goes just is the billows move, the billows move just is the dragon
goes. These two patterns, Brandishing Wave and Cruising Dragon,
are all using the gravitation wave to get the effect of martial art.
Therefore, in using them, one should grasp the degree of tightness
of the force wave. Relax to store up the strength, tense to shoot out
the force, relax, tense, tense, and relax, all with wave and billows.
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White crane
This pattern should still according to the principle of "the form
flexible and the force straight", still shouldn't lose the state of the
"four as". But its embodiment then is using the forces of embracing,
hacking, boring, thrusting, turning, raising, wrapping and screwing.
Every bending part of my body, when it acts on the enemy's body
and to be hindered, or one part of enemy's body acts on this place,
while it is going to be distorted, my this bending part produces a
resistance at once to stop the distortion, this spring force breaks out
to be burst force immediately. This burst force just is the
requirement of martial art, this is what I called "storing up,
springing, shocking and bursting" namely. Must know in the
allowable elongation that my bending part can flex freely, the
spring force is proportional to the elongation quantity (or the
recovery quantity) of my bending part. Therefore, in practicing this
form, the action scope of two arms should be big a little, to
strengthen the intensity of the bursting force in straightaway shot.
In action, the two arms draw arcs from outside to inside alternately.
If high, the fingers don't over the calvaria, if low, the fingers don't
lower than the navel, if the left arm raises up first then stride out
the left foot, the right arm raises up first then stride out the right
foot. In drawing arcs, the two arms should have the forces of
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Frightened Snake
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concourse of spirit. It also can be said that force isn't force. In other
words, what makes force become force isn't force, but spirit and
mind. This is just the quiddity why Yiquan is called Yiquan (mind
martial art).
II. Lao Zi said: "Keep inaction then all things can be done
naturally." Yiquan asserts "the action of doing something proceeds
from inaction" and "the movement of immobility is just the living
action." What they called "inaction" and "immobility" just are
zhanzhuang in Yiquan, what they called "doing something" and
"movement" just are shili and fali. Yiquan attaches importance to
zhanzhuang and is also the meaning of "inaction." In former days,
someone presented Yiquan as "the static qigong of ancient
Taoism." This isn't a derogatory term.
III. Lao Zi said: "Reversal is the movement of Tao." Yiquan
asserts, "force has two kinds, two can then be one," namely, the
antinomy and unification of the acting force and counterforce.
What is called "contradictory and fractured should be unified".
IV. Zen has a saying: "all methods are empty, that is namely
the real image." Again it is said: "don't think kindness, don't think
badness, instead return to the appearance when I haven't yet been
born." The appearance when I haven't yet been born is namely
"emptiness and nihility." Yiquan asserts that "all kinds of strength
are produced by the whole body extending to the point of being
inane (in mind) and forgetting oneself." Therefore, teach people to
"seek reality in nihility and exert it in emptiness."
V. Zen has another idiom: "without method and without
persisting." Yiquan then asserts: "never set up a method, without
persisting to defeat persisting." In a fight, "I never persist and
make the opponent also have nothing to persist." Not only resisting
and using force are considered persisting, but using fixed methods
is also persisting. Defeat persisting without persisting.
VI. The Ming dynasty scholar, Wang Shouren, had brought
forward the theory of "cause good cognition." Yiquan asserts the
theory of "develop good ability". Wang Shouren said: "It is really
like water flowing to a humid place and fire coming near a dry
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evolved to now what they called the theory of "five elements, the
mothers of birth and destruction", this is the tricksters talk at
random merely, how the students can read this? People know that
quantao is spurious mostly, however, how are the fixed posture
methods not fabricated by people? All are not the principle of
martial art and the learning of exerting instinct. Even if one has
pure and solid skills, believes confirmedly, and do it with
perseverance and willpower, but he is also attending to draff and
neglect of essentials in the end. One should know martial art
science hasn't method at all, also can be said that all are methods,
once there are method, the spirit just is inconsistent, the force also
is not true, the action is on the loose, it isn't manful and sudden, the
whole body can't be unified, furthermore, it is contranatural. What
is called method, it is the method of elements and principle, not the
side, unilateral and stark method, practice the side methods, just as
a quackishness, what he has learnt all are preparing methods and
prescriptions, to wait the sufferers, and the sufferers should sicken
according to his prescriptions, otherwise, there is no place to use
his skill. Everyone, who takes quantao and method as martial art,
this is just like disturbing the great Tao by the theory of bad
elements, all are sinner of martial art science. I sighs for the
nowaday students, even if have the ideal of studying carefully,
labor under without the gate to pass through, therefore, I fling
caution to the winds, swear to point out their evildoing. Since
quantao and method are no good and harmful, why are there still
never devoid of those teachers and students, why? Because these
people are dotty in wisdom and knowledge mostly, therefore they
are curious and like strange things mostly, even if we tell them the
truth, they are also difficult to aware, even if being aware they are
also difficult to practice. The practitioners all use quantao and
method to dazzle and flaunt, and the instructors even use quantao
and method to cheat people, depend on this to kill time and
convenient for make a living, the rather that people who don't
know what thing martial art is? Therefore, one by one, leave errors
by own error, it will never be end, it is really pitiful, teary and
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hateful. Alas, not only martial art, I feel all learning are also
misshapen developing. I really cannot bear to discern the
humankind goes astray to catastrophe but don't save, therefore, I
do not spare the gain and knowledge based on my realizing
experience for many years, I explain and discuss it again and again,
to correct their mistakes, and expect to awaken fellowmen, don't be
perverse any more. In most cases, the profound learning are all in
simple form but their meanings are numerous, however, that things
with involute forms and postures are empty of essentiality, it is no
doubt, not only martial art is such. I hope comrades think it again
and again.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(33) A series of skills and tricks in martial art.
(34) To
break stone, walk on swords and spears, they are what is called
dronish charlatan, these are even lower, it is not worth of a talk.
The above talk, each has its truth, but they are vague and partial
mostly after all, they can't make people clearly understand
thoroughly. I think if one has deep experience and skill in learning,
also has considerable effect, but because limited by knowledge, he
can't explain why it is, who can be said understanding is difficult
and practice is easy; if one has deep identification ability and skills,
although he is easy in understanding, and also not difficult in
practice; if one has identification ability but hasn't force and skill,
then he can be called understanding is easy but practice is difficult;
if one hasn't force and skill, again lack wisdom and knowledge,
then understanding and practice both are impossible. Learning
hasn't a limit essentially, one has how much understanding or
practice, practice to what extent, understanding to what extent just
is real understanding and real practice? Then I really dare not to
clinch an argument, but one should be able to understand then can
practice, be able to practice and also can understand, only then he
can be called understanding and doing unified. If without real
understanding, one will never have the day to practice really, also
if without real practice, it is impossible to have the time of real
understanding. The consistent truth of being needed each other and
promote each other, sciences are all so, martial art science is such
especially. Because this way should come true two opponents meet
each other momentary, there are not any time to think, even more,
it disallows hackneyed and stereotyped expressions. The way of
science, one should understand the truth chiefly, then should
lucubrate earnestly, if you don't understand the truth first, don't
know the key of training, it is easy to go astray, the deeper effort
you do, the severer harm you get. No matter what studying, writing
or any other arts, there are often someone at childhood who can be
brought up, how can know the senior and with deep skills one, who
has world-renowned already, on the contrary, is improbable to be
brought up, these things can be found everywhere. It because
guided by a bad teaching, lucubrate carelessly, pursue forms, study
what others study, echo what others say, what is called man who
follows like sheep just points this. If one practice but without effect,
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then he will also never get realization. His life at a loss, he hasnt a
bit actual thing. Furthermore, they will be easy to produce
mysticism thoughts, they can't espy the door (of the truth) after all.
Follow this, use up all their learning, they still havent any
realization in the end, what a pity! One should know technique is
the door of practice only, Confucius said: "Even if the children and
grandchildren are foolish, they still can't be exempted to study, and
also should let them understand truth, then should practice, the
outside and inside assist each other. Otherwise, it is difficult to
walk up the right path in the end.
hot stuff, who can give it the great name. I don't know what the
bold persons think of it. As for the gentlemen who advocating
sports, raise arm in calling for society daylong, how they know the
sportsmen are the leaders of death ahead of schedule. Alas! Why
do people follow like sheep thus? Hope people think carefully
silently, you should make a clear distinction between right and
wrong on it. Nothing is more valuable than the body, how can we
allow the eyeless faith destroy it? Seeking instruction from a
master should be careful. I know the difference of right and wrong
only, don't know factions or groups, to make martial arts be
flourishing, I would like to explain all my experience and
knowledge to the successors. Furthermore, I would like to let all
people know it, therefore, I teach all people who would like to
learn from me, always look people as my kindred. I don't like the
appellation of master and apprentice all along, expect to clean off
the concept of faction gradually, then maybe will martial arts
develop? This is my wish.
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Conclusion
Martial arts training not only depends on how many years one
has practiced, how deep one's skill and power are, and the body is
tall or short, old or young, furthermore, it doesn't rest with the
methods are numerous or few, the action is fast or slow, and the
seniority is high or low. The important thing rests with whether
one understands the principle and elements of martial arts science
or not. Especially, it rests with whether the inherence spirit has true
vigor or not, again consider how his ability and ambition are. Then
we may decide the depth of his accomplishments, and what realm
he will arrive in the future. The most valuable thing of martial art
training is the understanding of principle and having strong spirit.
In another word, namely, whether one has the true animal force or
not. If one has such true force, again work in training, train to the
great courage with new and graceful senses, naturally, it is not
difficult to go deep into truth, gain the essentiality and become a
generalist, and then overtake the abstruse nature. What is called
generalist, it is not only skillful in one subject, but also to all
learning, just hears peoples words then know what grade they are,
whether they are canonical or not, whether they are factual or not;
observes their methods, sees their details are whole or partial, or
small but complete with half an eye. As for how to repair it, can hit
the mark with a single comment of course, what is called gaining
the center to deal with the infinitude. As a teacher, can tell others
the rules, can't show sleights to students, especially shouldn't do
false work. As a student, should aborative imitate, taste and
practice, then observe how skillful his skill and spirit working
together is. What the above talked is martial art science, it is every
action engraved on ones mind that is called martial art, namely, it
is the meaning of understanding tacitly, realize and train it in all
time, it isn't what people think commonly is martial art.
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