The Mental Elucidation of the Thirteen Postures

Wang Chung Yueh of the Ming Dynasty Let the mind direct the ch'i so that it sinks deeply and steadily and can permeate the bones. Let the ch'i circulate throughout the entire body freely and without hindrance so that the body will follow the dictates of the mind. When you feel as if your head were suspended by a thread from above your spirit of vitality will be raised and the defects of obtuseness and clumsiness will be no more. !he mind and the ch'i must respond ingeniously and efficaciously to the e"change of substantial and insubstantial so as to develop an active and harmonious tendency. When attacking the energy should be sunk deeply completely rela"ed and concentrated in one direction. When standing the body should be erect and rela"ed able to sustain an attack from any direction. !o direct the ch'i is like threading a pearly with nine crooked paths# there is no hollow which it does no penetrate. !he energy when mobili$ed is like steel refined a hundred times over. !here is no stiff adversary who cannot be overthrown. !he appearance is like a hawk sei$ing a rabbit# the spiritual insight is like a cat catching a rat. %n resting be as still as a mountain peak# in moving act like the current of a great river. !o store up energy is like drawing a bow# to release energy is like shooting an arrow. &eek the straight from the curved# reserve energy before releasing it. !he energy is released from the spin. !he changing of steps must be in accordance with the movements of the body. !o withdraw is to attack# to attack is to withdraw. !he energy is severed and again re'oined. When moving to and fro (folding up( techni)ue is to be applied# when advancing and retreating it is necessary to turn the body and change the steps. *rom the most fle"ible and yielding you will arrive at the most infle"ible and unyielding. %f you can breathe correctly your body will become active and alert. !he ch'i should be cultivated naturally and harmoniously so as to avoid ill effects. !he energy should be reserved slightly +by bending the limbs somewhat, so that there is a surplus in order to avoid e"haustion.

!he mind is the commander# the ch'i is the flag# the waist is the banner. -t first seek open and e"panded postures later seek to make them close and compact so that a perfectly delicate and fine status will be attained. %f your opponent does not move you do not move. -t his slightest stir you have already anticipated it and moved beforehand. !he energy appears rela"ed and slackened but is in reality powerful and firmly rooted. !he arms are ready to stretch but not to the fullest e"tent. !he energy may be broken off +i.e discharged, but the mind.intent remains. +%t is also said, !he mind is the leader and body is the follwer. !he abdomen is completely rela"ed enabling the ch'i to penetrate the bones# the spirit of vitatlity is at rest and the body is tran)uil permitting you to heed the intent of your mind. -lways remember that once you act everything moves and once you stand still all is tran)uil. When you push and pull withdraw and attack your ch'i adheres to the back of your body and is gathered into the spine. %nwardly you strengthen your spirit of vitality# outwardly you appear peaceful and )uiet. !ake steps like a cat walking# mobili$e the energy as if reeling silk from a cocoon. %f you pay full attention to your spirit of vitality and ignore your breathing your striking force will be as strong as pure steel. %f you pay attention only to your breathing your blood circulation will be impeded and your striking force will be inactive and ineffective. !he ch'i is like a cartwheel# the waist is like an a"letree.

13 Postures: An Introduction to T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Chi Gong (Taijiquan and
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!ai'i)uan is the pinyin version of spelling !'ai Chi Ch'uan +which is also sometimes seen as tai chi chuan taichichuan tai chi taichi or tai'i,. 4inyin is the system adopted in 5676 for transliterating Chinese ideograms +characters, into the 8oman alphabet +pinyin is the official system of romani$ation for China and became the 1nited 2ations &tandard in 5677,. *or e"ample the old Wade.9iles system spells the capital of China as 4eking but using the newer pinyin system 4eking is now known as :ei'ing. !he special characteristics of true tai'i)uan are a tran)uil mind and loosened 'oints which allow the application of integrated supple strength directed by the waist and spiraled to the lower and upper

limbs as well as continuation of internal energy +)i, from movement to movement without interruption. !hese components of tai'i)uan are taught at the !utelage +established in 567;, using the concrete and refined methods developed by the late Wu !a.yeh. !<ai Chi Ch<uan is a traditional Chinese e"ercise choreography and martial art. !he practice of this e"ercise can strengthen and tonify muscles bones and internal organs# and improve circulation fle"ibility and endurance. !he movements are centered rela"ed and graceful and can be practiced by people of all ages and physical abilities. !ai Chi Ch<uan is based on nature and has the interrelation of opposites as its foundation. !he training methods and principles of this system point beyond themselves toward the essence of movement and focused presence. Consistent performance of the !<ai Chi Ch<uan e"ercise promotes mental and physical integration well.being and en'oyment.

The "i#e Ani$als

The "i#e Ele$ents

The "i#e %easons

The "i#e &rgans

The "i#e Tastes

The "i#e Ps'chological Characteristics

The "i#e (ulnera)ilities

The "i#e Ps'chological E*cesses

The "i#e (oice

ualities (%ounds!

The "i#e Tissues

The "i#e Indicators

The "i#e &rifaces

The "i#e %ensations

The "i#e Gro+ths , -e#elo.$ents

The "i#e Musical /otes

The "i#e /eurotrans$itter Che$icals

The "i#e Ti$es of Ma*i$u$ Acti#it'

The Eight -irections

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0igong is a self.healing art that combines movement and meditation. >isuali$ations are employed to enhance the mind@body connection and assist healing. 8egular practice of )igong can= prevent and treat illness reduce stress . establish balance integrate mind@body@spirit . bring peace

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:y ?enneth &. Cohen We live in a field of )i (vital breath( or (life energy.( Yet like a fish in water or a bird in flight we are unaware of the medium that supports us. 0igong means (working with the )i.( %t is the ancient Chinese art and science of becoming aware of this life energy and learning how to control its flow through a precise choreography of posture movement respiratory techni)ue and meditation. Like biofeedback )igong teaches psychophysiological self.regulation# the student becomes aware of bodily functions conventionally considered involuntary.. blood pressure respiratory rate even the flow of blood and nutrients to internal organs.. and learns to restore a healthier balance. 3owever unlike biofeedback no technical devices are needed. 0igong is one of the most cost.effective self.healing methods in the world. !he only investment needed is time a half.hour to an hour each day# the dividends of better health increased vitality and peaceful alertness accrue daily and are cumulative. 0igong is like a great river fed by four ma'or tributaries= shamanism spirituality medicine and martial arts= 5. &hamanism= -n ancient te"t !he &pring and -utumn -nnals states that in mythic times a great flood covered much of China. &tagnant waters produced widespread disease. !he legendary shaman.emperor Yu cleared the land and diverted the waters into rivers by dancing a bear dance and invoking the mystical power of the :ig Dipper Constellation. -s the waters subsided people reasoned that movement and e"ercise can similarly cause the internal rivers to flow more smoothly clearing the meridians of obstructions to health. 0igong.like e"ercises are found on ancient rock art panels throughout China. Chinese shamans used these e"ercises and meditations to commune with nature and natural forces and to increase their powers of healing and divination. A. &pirituality +!aoism and :uddhism,= -. !aoism. 0igong philosophy and techni)ues are mentioned in the classic of !aoist philosophy the

Dao De /ing written in the fourth century :.C. (:y concentrating the )i and making your body supple can you become like a childB( 0igong was the ideal way for !aoists to reali$e their goal of wu'i an empty alert boundless state of consciousness and "ing ming shuang "iu (spirit and body cultivated in balance.( !aoists and )igong practitioners were both looking for a harmony of yin and yang= inside and outside earthly and spiritual stillness and activity. !he ma'ority of works on )igong are still found among the appro"imately 5 5CC te"ts in the !aoist Canon. :. :uddhism. !he :uddhist emphasis on tran)uillity awareness and diligent practice are part of )igong. &everal styles of )igong were developed by :uddhists who needed an e"ercise and healing system to complement their lengthy seated meditations. ;. Medicine= Chinese medicine includes acupuncture herbalism massage diet and )igong. 0igong is the preventive and self.healing aspect of Chinese medicine and was used in the past as today to teach patients how to improve their own health. !he ma'or early te"t on )igong is the Dao.yin !u (Dao.yin %llustrations( +5DE :.C.,. Dao.yin is an ancient word for )igong. !his work contains illustrations of forty.four )igong postures prescribed by ancient Chinese doctors to cure specific ailments. !he patriarch of Chinese medicine 3ua !uo +second century -.D., was one of the great early )igong masters. 3is (*ive -nimal *rolics( imitate the movements of the Crane :ear Monkey Deer and !iger and are still practiced today. 3ua !uo said that 'ust as a door hinge will not rust if it is used so the body will attain health by gently moving and e"ercising all of the limbs. F. Martial -rts= 0igong practice can improve performance in the martial arts or any other sport. Chinese martial artists designed or helped to improve many )igong techni)ues as they looked for ways to increase speed stamina and power improve balance fle"ibility and coordination and condition the body against in'ury. 0igong was a ma'or influence on the development of western gymnastics thanks to /esuit 4. M. Cibot's 5776 illustrated *rench translation of !aoist )igong te"ts= 2otice du Cong.fou G?ung.fuH des :on$es !ao.see G!aoist priestsH. Cibot's descriptions inspired 4er 3enrik Ling +577D.5E;6, to create the first school of modern gymnastics in &weden. You can see why it is hard to find a simple definition for such a comprehensive system of mental and physical development. 0igong is a spiritual practice with roots in shamanism and !aoism. %t is a powerful method of self.healing and a warm.up for any sport. %t includes both e"ercise and meditation. 0igong is practiced by more than EC million Chinese people and probably by tens of thousands in the 1nited &tates and Iurope. 0igong has been rigorously tested in controlled scientific e"periments and clinical trials and is often used as an ad'unct to conventional allopathic medical treatment. 3ypertensive patients who take medication and practice )igong fare better than controls who only take the medication. &imilarly there is solid evidence that )igong can improve immune function and mental health and prevent disabilities that come with age. 0igong acts like >itamin C increasing the activity of an en$yme that helps to deactivate free radicals highly reactive chemicals that promote tissue degeneration and loss of memory. %n 566J the /ournal of the -merican Medical -ssociation published evidence that !ai'i 0uan a form of )igong is effective at preventing loss of balance and falling in'uries among the elderly. 8esearchers at /ohns 3opkins &chool of Medicine confirm that !ai'i 0uan works like aerobics at reducing high blood pressure. !here are thousands of styles of )igong. &ome are designed for general health and well.being and may

be practiced every day for a lifetime. Kthers are therapeutic and targeted to cure specific problems. 0igong techni)ues are suitable for men and women young and old athletes and sedentary and for the disabled. -ll styles are based on similar principles= rela"ed rooted posture# straight supple spine# diaphragmatic respiration.. the abdomen e"panding on inhalation retracting on e"halation# fluid movements without e"cess effort# and tran)uil awareness. 0uality is more important than )uantity. &tudents are advised to learn one or two )igong styles that are en'oyable and effective. *inding a )igong lao.shi )igong teacher is not an easy task. -lthough )igong is popular the training is not standardi$ed.. % do not believe that it can or should be.. and both )uality and )ualifications can vary immensely from teacher to teacher. !here are unfortunately too many con.artists charlatans and magicians among our ranks trying to impress the public with stunts of allegedly supernatural )i.power such as pushing ob'ects without touching them. &tudents should apply the same standards of professional e"cellence to )igong teachers that they would apply to teachers of any other sub'ect. - )igong lao.shi should be humble and compassionate and open to )uestioning and dialogue. 3e or she has not arrived at a final goal but is rather on a never.ending )uest for e"panded potential and deeper understanding.

%ong of the %u)stance and "unction of the Thirteen Postures

!he thirteen basic postures must never be regarded lightly. !he original source of their meaning is in the waist. %n changing and turning from substantial +Yang, to insubstantial +Yin, and vice versa one must pay close attention# ch'i will circulate throughout the entire body without the slightest hindrance. %nwardly tran)uil one responds to a forceful action while maintaining an unruffled attitude. Manifest your inscrutable techni)ues to accord with an opponent's changing actions. 4ay special attention to your every posture and seek out its hidden meaning then you can ac)uire this art without e"erting e"cessive effort. 4ay attention to your waist at all times. When the abdomen is completely rela"ed the ch'i will soar up +and circulate through the entire body,. When the lowest vertebrae are plumb erect the spirit of vitality reaches to the top of the head. When the top of the head is held as if suspended from above the whole body feels light and agile. I"amine and investigate carefully and thoroughly. Whether bending stretching opening or closing let it take its natural way.

!o enter the gate and be guided onto the correct path one re)uires verbal instruction from a competent master. %f one practices constantly and studies carefully one's skill will take care of itself. %f one asks about the correct standard of substance and function +the answer is that, the mind and ch'i direct and the flesh and bones follow. Carefully e"amine what the ultimate purpose is..the enhancement of longevity re'uvenation and immortality. !he &ong of the !'ai Chi !hirteen 4ostures contains 5FC Chinese words. Iach one is genuine and true doctrine which e"plains fully and without reservation the meaning and purpose of !'ai Chi. %f you do not seek carefully in the direction indicated above your time and effort will be spent in vain and you will have cause to sigh with regret.

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Classic

Chang &an *eng 5;th Century %n every movement the entire body should be light and agile and all of its parts connected like a string of pearls. !he ch'i should be stimulated and the spirit of vitality should be retained internally. !here should be neither deficiency nor e"cess neither hollows nor pro'ections neither severance nor splice. !he energy is rooted in the feet develops in the legs is directed by the waist and moves up to the fingers. !he feet legs and waist must act as one so that when advancing and retreating you will obtain a good opportunity and a superior position. %f you fail to gain these advantages your body will be in a state of disorder and confusion. !he only way to correct this fault is by ad'usting your legs and waist. !he same principle applies to upward and downward forward and backward left and right. -ll the movements are to be directed by the consciousness within rather than by the appearance without. When attacking above you must not forget below# when striking to the left you must pay attention to the right# and when advancing you must have regards for retreating. %f an attack is proposed upward the initial intent must be downward. %f you want to pull something upward you must first push downward causing the root to be severed and the ob'ect to be immediately toppled. !he insubstantial and the substantial should be clearly discriminated. Iach single part of the body has both a substantial and an insubstantial aspect at any given time and the body in its entirety also has an insubstantial and a substantial aspect. -ll the 'oints of the whole body are to be threaded together without the slightest severance.

!'ai Chi Ch'uan is also called Chang Ch'uan +Long :o"ing, because its consecutive movements resemble the stream of a long river which rolls on ceaselessly. Ward Kff 8oll :ack 4ress 4ush 4ull &plit Ilbow.&troke and &houlder.&troke in !'ai Chi Ch'uan are e)uivalent to Chien ?un ?'an Li 3sun Chen !ui and ?en in the (Iight !rigrams.( !he first four postures represent the four cardinal points +i.e. &outh 2orth West and Iast,. !he second four postures represent the four corners +i.e. &outhwest 2ortheast &outheast and 2orthwest,. !he *ive -ttitudes..-dvance 8etreat Look to the Left 9a$e 8ight and Central I)uilibrium..in !'ai Chi Ch'uan are e)uivalent to the *ive Ilements of Chinese philosophy= Metal Wood Water *ire and Iarth. !hus the Iight 4ostures plus the *ive -ttitudes are generally termed the !'ai Chi !hirteen 4ostures. 2ote..!his treatise has been handed down by *ounder Chang &an *eng of Wu !ang Mountain so that brave men everywhere can prolong their years and enhance longevity not use the art merely as a means to martial skill.