Following on from the previous seminar sifu continued explaining how to control hard with soft. We do not have to be powerful or big to overcome an opponent by using the principles of taijiquan involving circles and spirals. This is why understanding chan si jing is important. There is no use using force against force as that is wasting energy, it is better to divert the attack by moving to the side and deflecting the punch another way is to let them come in then move to the side so they can loose their balance and you can strike. In both of these examples good foot work is important. Soft and simple is the way to control an opponent.
In Taijiquan there always seems to be a poem to help you understand the principles of a form .Â
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Polishing the part of the form we had learnt continued and helped clear up some of the tricky bits.As with all things the more we repeat and watch the more we see.This form is forever changing direction with its circles/spins and turns. It certainly gets the circulation going I read somewhere if it is good for the heart it is good for the brain and vice versa.The new part to the form gets the heart going with the hit and kick turning and zha with one arm.A challenging but enjoyable form.
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by Ann Sim
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Student Comments
It was great to continue the Chen Spear today! All the previous sections seem much clearer now after many repetitions. I really enjoyed all the different Jia in the new section – stabbing people in the same way gets old, so it is good to mix it up ;). Thank you, Sigong. Best, Tom Hogg.
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Intriguing lecture – I am always interested to hear about the basic principles and ideas behind Taijiquan.
I liked the new part of the form – having to Za from different positions and angles helps us to reach a deeper understanding and control of our body.
Thank you Sigong.
Paul Hogg
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The lecture at the beginning of the seminar on energy and sensing energy in taiqiquan was fascinating. I especially found the discussion about the various weights and the way of rounding up the weights for poetic neatness interesting. It seems the various English translations of the original Chinese may sometimes be misleading though. Often, the English is rendered as ‘Four ounces repelling a thousand pounds’, but I would guess it’s more a matter of ‘diverting’ or ‘deflecting’, as ‘repel’ suggests force against force. The latest move of kick and hit is really cool! Thanks very much Sigong. Peter Hogg
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Really enjoyed the Chen spear seminar today, lots of good details to think about. Thank you Sifu. Peter A.
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It’s great to go through the beginning in more detail to get it right and feel better how the form flows. And it was very nice to hear the lecture and the principles again. The newest part is easier than it initially looked and I’m looking forward to practice the Chen spear when we finish it. Thank you Sifu!
-Radu
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Enjoying getting a better understanding of the Chen Spear. It is a complicated form, but it feels good when can feel the movements through the body a little bit more. Some cool movements in the new section too! Thank you Sigong. Christine
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