YOGA TAICHI 91
Harmonious alliance of Yoga, Taichichuan, Qigong and Meditation
Classic 2: Taiji Quan Canon (Taiji Quan Lun)
Taiji (the Supreme Limit),
Is born from Wuji (Limitless).
It produces both movement and stillness.
It is the mother of Yin and Yang.
As soon as there is movement, there is separation.
As soon as there is stillness, there is unity.
There is nothing exaggerated, nor anything missing.
Sui (follow) by bending and then straightening,
When the opponent is hard and stiff and I am flexible and soft, this is called Zou (mobility);
When I am smooth and the opponent is not, it is called Nian (grip);
If the opponent's actions are sharp, then my response is sharp.
If his actions are slow, I Sui (follow) them slowly.
Although there are 10,000 transformations,
The principles remain the same.
Through practice and familiarity (Zhao Shu), one comes to gradually understand Jin (the trained force).
From the understanding of Jin, one can achieve enlightenment (Shen Ming),
However, one must be applied for a long time,
And one cannot become an expert instantly.
Forcefully empty the neck and the top of the head,
Qi (vital energy) sinks into the Dan Tian (vital heat region).
Do not lean to either side, forward or backward,
Suddenly conceal, suddenly reveal,
When the left feels heavy, then empty the left,
When the right feels heavy, then move the right away,
When the opponent looks up, I am even higher;
When he looks down, I am even lower.
When he advances, the distance seems incomparably long,
When he retreats, the distance seems incomparably short.
A feather cannot be added,
A fly cannot land,
No one knows me,
Only I know them,
A hero thus becomes invincible.
Other schools of martial arts are so numerous
Though they have external differences,
Without exception, they amount to nothing more than the strong tyrannising the weak;
The slow capitulating to the fast;
The powerful beating the powerless;
The slow hands surrendering to the fast hands.
This is entirely due to innate natural ability (Anterior Heaven)
This is not at all related to learning the skillful use of Li (strength.)
About the phrase "Four taels (Chinese gram) displaces one thousand catties (Chinese kilo)".
It is obvious that one does not use force to gain advantage.
When we observe an old man of eighty years resisting the assault of a group of people,
How can it be due to speed?
Stand like a balance,
Move like a wheel.
Push the weight to one side then Sui (follow),
With the double heaviness, there is then hindrance.
We often see people who have practiced their skills for years,
But still cannot change or turn.
This leads to being entirely set on others.
They are not aware of their disease of double heaviness.
If one wishes to be free from this disease,
One must know Yin and Yang.
When Nian (adherence) is simply Zou (mobility),
When Zou is simply Nian,
When Yin does not deviate from Yang,
When Yang does not deviate from Yin,
When Yin and Yang help each other,
Then we can say that we understand Jin (the trained force).
After understanding Jin,
The more we practice, the more expert we become.
Silently memorize, study and imitate.
Gradually you reach the point where you can do anything you want,
Originally it was to give up and follow the opponent,
Many mistakes are made by forsaking what is near and seeking what is far.
It is said: "One minute of divergence leads to an error of one thousand Li (Chinese kilometre)".
The student must exercise his critical sense carefully.
This text is often attributed to Wang Zong-yue, a martial artist and active scholar of the late 18th century.