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| The lost art? | ||
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The surface
Taijiquan is often imitated by people who are enamoured with the
idea of
taijiquan.
Dancers, external martial artists and performers copy the appearance of
the art, and sometimes even claim to be teaching it.
A simplistic perception of
taijiquan leads people astray.
Rather than spend years exploring the intricacies and
subtleties of this
fascinating art, most classes/students opt for a more superficial alternative.
Many classes focus on form, as though form were somehow the
whole of taijiquan rather than just a fraction of the
training.
The principles
Very few classes are offering the principles of taijiquan these days. It
is in danger of becoming a lost art.
Given the untold thousands of practitioners worldwide, this may sound
absurd.
But taijiquan can only be considered 'taijiquan' if it conforms to
the parameters that constitute the art.
The art
Training the superficialities of taijiquan will never give you any real
grasp of the art.
If you want to find out what taijiquan is really about, you will need to
commit yourself to a lengthy, arduous journey of
discovery.
This is a life-long journey and it has no conclusion.
To approach what is with an idea, a conclusion, a dream, is not to
understand what is.
(Krishnamurti)
Copy?
The problem with modern culture is that everything is so slapdash and
fickle.
People are not prepared to be patient and put in the work. They want a
quick fix. They want immediate results.
You cannot apply this same attitude to taijiquan. Could you play Mozart after a couple of
piano lessons?
Detail
It is naive to imagine that taijiquan can be understood by simply
copying the mechanical movements of somebody else.
Within the body there are countless details taking place. These cannot be
determined through observation alone.
The mind also has a unique part to play in taijiquan.
Body
Taijiquan body mechanics are explored using form and
neigong. Form can
be seen as the what, whilst neigong is the how.
Despite outward appearances, taijiquan involves a very
unusual way of
moving the body.
The body is incredibly soft, with no excess
muscle tension. It is
fully-connected at all times.
All parts of the body move as one.
Good body use
The taijiquan principles may sound simple enough but they are not easy to
master.
Most practitioners are very disconnected, tense and forceful.
Good body use requires unusual sensitivity, spatial awareness and a
cultivated nervous system.
Since the Taoist concepts are rooted in the most
distant past with the most
ancient beliefs of the
Chinese, it is difficult for the
Western mind to
understand them. Therefore, before you can investigate the
internal martial arts, you must first
back to the very origins of thought in ancient
China.
(Howard Reid)
Mind
Unless your mind is calm and composed, you cannot possibly train taijiquan to a high level.
Combat assumes a well-trained mind and relaxed
emotions.
Beyond these concerns there is Taoism.
Taijiquan draws upon the observations and insights of
Taoism and you
cannot expect to make any headway in taijiquan unless you are
well-versed in Taoism.
This is not going to be easy.
Ancient wisdom
Taoism is often contrary to the modern way of thinking.
To understand Taoism, you will need to re-perceive reality and that is no
small feat.
A very serious long-term commitment to regular study is required.
You will have to drop all of your existing opinions and established modes of
thinking.
Energy
At the root of taijiquan is energy.
The entire art is based upon the skilful exploitation of the attacker's
energy.
You learn how to go with the flow, roll with the punch, borrow kinetic
energy and utilise it well.
Your body is also trained to generate and
release energy.
Subtle
Beyond the obvious use of kinetic energy there is a more subtle level of
energy skill: wu wei, yielding,
4 ounces of pressure,
13 postures and jing.
These topics cannot be summarised in a few words or
understood quickly.
They are the study of a lifetime.
Combat
Taijiquan combat is nothing like the
external arts. It approaches the
entire experience of combat from another perspective.
You cannot transplant external attitudes in taijiquan and expect them to
work.
The art is way too subtle to be forced into being.
Skill
Gaining skill in taijiquan combat is a thorough, patient process.
Students pay attention to every detail and learn how to
feel rather than
think.
Instinctive responses are cultivated, along with composure, timing, rhythm
and jing.
Dying art
Taijiquan may well fade from our society, replaced by a hollow art that
merely resembles the outer shell of taijiquan. Will anyone miss it or realise that it has been lost?
It seems unlikely. People wallow in their ignorance. They are smug in their
superficiality.
Heritage
Taijiquan will only survive if enough individuals ignore the modern
obsession with performance art and karate-style
applications.
The real art is still there.
You can find the principles in numerous sources and learn them from many
teachers.
Just be wary of going astray.
The seeker wants another
level of mind
and strives for it without distraction
like a grandmother shopping at market.
(Loy Ching-Yuen)
Page created
18 April 1995
Last updated
13 January 2020
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