Lecture09/05 Practice Chen Zeng Xiang Taichi Chuan is an art of correction

First of all, we must know what is Taichi Chuan. In the eyes of the Chinese, Taichi Chuan can be said to be like a dragon, it symbolizes the fragrance of the sun and the moon amidst evils, it has a mythical image and power, it can travel on clouds, it can call upon winds and the pouring rain, it swirls the rivers and tumbles the seas, it is invisible, it smells nothing, it is untouchable, inaudible, concepts that are abstract and feelings of the thoughts of mind, it passes on from generations to generations, thus becoming today’s image of the dragon.
Taichi Chuan talks about letting go oneself to accommodate others. This is the thought process of Buddhism, yet it is the treasure of application of Taichi Chuan. If Taichi Chuan does not let go of oneself to accommodate others, then it is no more Taichi Chuan. This is Taichi Chuan’s kungfu of listening to Jin(force), understanding Jin and warding off Jin. If Taichi Chuan does not have this kungfu of listening to Jin, understanding Jin and warding off Jin, then it is like a blind man with eyes open, all the kungfus about supposedly Fa Jin are null and void.
Coming back to correction. Master always say “Taichi Chuan is an art of correction”. In the process of our learning, we can easily find the following
faults:
First, Basic actions not solidly learnt. The so-called basic actions are Bear Swing, Bird Sway, Cloud Hands, Wiping the knees and step bent, and the Taichi Chuan stances. In the beginning, learners would imitate the physical shapes of the trainer. When he thinks that he somewhat looks the same, he would go on to learn the next stance. Very soon he finishes the whole set of stances. This is in violation of what Grandmaster Zheng Man Qing said in Taichi Chuan. He called it too greedy, meaning you don’t care whether this stance is done correctly or not.
Secondly, not diligent in practicing. Humans are normally lazy, as described by the famous proverb: catching fish for three days but drying net for seven days.
Thirdly, the principles of Taichi Chuan must be understood through and through. Our daily lives generate a lot of actions which run contrary to the principles of Taichi Chuan, e.g. the soft beats the hard, Yin and Yang complement each other, letting go oneself to accommodate others, roots at the foot, the foot is divided into the hard and the soft, no moving of the hands, etc. Have we achieved this?
We all know of the above 3 items. The question is: do we do it? Do we think of it? Do we correct it? Do we practise it? Do we try not to violate it as much as possible? This is what the Master always tells us about “Taichi Chuan is an art of correction”.
In this lecture today, I shall quote the Master’s words as a conclusion. He always hope us to “make Taichi Chuan life-oriented, and make Taichi Chuan life-oriented”.
Lastly, I want to quote an ancient saying: “If I believe it is viable, though it may be as difficult as moving the mountains and tumbling the seas, there must be a day I can be successful. If I don’t believe that it is viable, then even though it is as easy as turning over the hand, it becomes difficult in reality.”
Thank you.