Taijiquan origin and school characteristics

Taijiquan origin and characteristics of schools

Taijiquan is a major martial arts boxing. Taijiquan this name is because the boxing method is ever-changing, so with the ancient Chinese "yin and yang", "Tai Chi" this philosophical theory to explain the boxing theory and was named. The following is my compilation of the origin of taijiquan and the characteristics of the school, welcome to share.

First, the origin of taijiquan

On the origin of taijiquan, there are many different opinions, and there are roughly the following claims:

1, began in the Tang Dynasty Xu Xuanping. 2, began in the Song Dynasty Zhang Sanfeng. 3, began in the Ming Dynasty Zhang Sanfeng. 4, began in the Qing Dynasty Chen Wangting and Wang Zongyue, and so on.

However, experts and scholars from the relevant departments of the Republic of China proved that the various styles of taijiquan circulating in society at that time (Yang, Wu, Wu, Sun, Zhao Bao, and other styles) were directly and indirectly evolved from the taijiquan of Chenjiagou in Wenxian County, Henan Province.

In March 2007, in the face of a variety of social claims, the Ministry of Culture commissioned the Chinese National Association, organized the national martial arts, archaeology, folklore and other aspects of the well-known experts, composed of China's folk culture township assessment inspection and acceptance group, after a careful examination of Chenjiagou, further recognized Wen County Chenjiagou as "Taijiquan origin" and hung a plaque (see 2007) to mark the "Taijiquan origin". and listed (see June 11, 2007, People's Daily Overseas Edition, page 2, "The Birthplace of Taijiquan is Designated as Wen County, Henan Province"); in August 2007, the State Wushu Department named Chenjiagou of Wen County as the "Birthplace of Chinese Wushu Taijiquan" after further detailed investigation and argumentation of various claims in the society (see People's Daily, August 22, 2007, "The Birthplace of Chenjiagou", page 2); and the State Wushu Department named Chenjiagou of Wen County as "The Birthplace of Chinese Wushu Taijiquan" (see People's Daily August 22, 2007 page 12 report).

Originated in Wenxian County, Henan Province, is a group of scholars and martial arts research, teaching institutions after years of investigation and research, repeatedly recognized the results. In this investigation and research process, although there are earlier than the taijiquan originated in Wenxian legend, but so far not found to withstand the authentication of the informative arguments (see the State General Administration of Sports Wushu Research Institute Secretary General, the National Wushu Research Institute of Experts Committee of the Executive Committee of the experts Kang Gowu, "Interpretation of the Wenxian was named the birthplace of the Chinese martial art of taijiquan," the article - In the State General Administration of Sports "Sports Culture Guide" in 2008, the first issue, "Chinese Wushu" in 2007, 12). As for a variety of claims circulating in the community, to blackmail or append ideas are not, these issues are still to be relevant experts to further proof of research, everything depends on the facts, we have to respect the history, and more respect for the facts; on the origin of taijiquan other claims, but also need to have the support of the evidence as well as experts and scholars of the serious test.

Second, the origin and characteristics of each school of Taijiquan

1, the origin and characteristics of Chen-style Taijiquan:

Chen-style Taijiquan founder of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Wen County, Henan Province, Chen Jiagou, Chen Wangting (the word Zuoting, 1600-1680). Chen practiced martial arts since childhood, inherited martial arts skills from his ancestors, and served as a "township guard" in Wen County at the end of the Ming Dynasty, where he "wore a firm hand and swept away the atmosphere". After the death of Ming Dynasty, he lived in his hometown and created Taijiquan on the basis of his family's martial arts, absorbing and learning from the essence of the popular martial arts at that time, guided by the theory of taijiquan yin and yang, and fused with the concept of Confucianism's neutrality and harmony, Taoism's guiding and vomiting of the essence of health and Chinese medicine and meridian science and other cultures. This art has been practiced and evolved by the descendants of the Chen family for many generations, forming many sets of Chen-style Taijiquan, such as big frame, small frame, new frame (all of which are divided into one or two routes) and short and long instruments, which have been handed down to the present day.

Characteristics of Chen-Style Taijiquan:

Chen-Style Taijiquan pays attention to the spiral twisting movement under the intention of leading the gas and gas urging, emphasizing that under the domination of consciousness, the head tops the gas sinking, and letting go of long limbs, and taking the waist as the axis to drive the four limbs, the inside and outside of the joint, and the joints and joints. The movement of the fist is spacious and elegant, with the use of "arrow-quiver, stroking, squeezing and pressing" as the main part, and the use of "picking, holding, elbowing and leaning" as the supplementary part, which is soft and rigid. The movement of the qi is mainly based on the exercise of winding silk strength, supplemented by the use of hair strength. The main feature is "采挒、肘、靠", supplemented by "掤、捋、挤、按". They are jumping and leaping, moving around and flashing, shaking the feet and sending out the strength, and highlighting the characteristics of rigidity, quickness, brittleness and violence.

2. The origin and characteristics of Yang Style Taijiquan:

Yang Style Taijiquan was created by Yang Lu Chan (1800-1873), a native of Yongnian, Hebei Province. Yang Lu Chan liked martial arts since childhood, began to learn Hong Quan, then admire Chen-style Taijiquan, through the introduction of more than 20 years, three Chen Jiagou, Wen County, Henan Province, to worship Chen's Taijiquan sixth-generation heir to Chen Changxing as a teacher to learn the art of Yang Lu Chan studied hard and learned from the transmission. Because of his skillful boxing and pure kungfu, he was known as "Yang Invincible" in the capital at that time. When Yang Lu Chan taught boxing in Beijing, he adapted to the needs of the general practitioners and changed some of the rigid movements in Chen-style Taijiquan, mostly showing them in a soft and flexible way. He changed the routine on the basis of Chen-Style Taijiquan, which was perfected through three generations of research and practice, and finally finalized by his grandson, Yang Chengpu, as the present traditional Yang-Style Taijiquan.

Characteristics of Yang Style Taijiquan:

Yang Style Taijiquan also has a big and small frame, the big frame is mainly soft, stretching and simple, strict structure, and smooth movements, the body in the right way, just and soft, loose and natural, such as clouds and water, continuous, with a unique style of stretching and softness. There are high, medium and low fist frames. Practitioners can adjust their exercise according to different ages, genders, physical conditions and different requirements. Therefore, it is not only suitable for medical care and health care, but also suitable for people with good physical strength to practice attack and defense techniques. Compared with the big frame, the Yang-style small frame is more rigid, more powerful, and mainly emphasizes the role of technical combat.

3. The origin and characteristics of Wu-Style Taijiquan:

Wu-Style Taijiquan was developed from Yang-Style Taijiquan. Quan You (Manchu, 1834-1902), a native of Daxing, Beijing, learned Taijiquan big frame with Yang Lu Chan in Beijing, and then studied Taijiquan small frame under Yang Banhou, the second son of Yang Lu Chan. He absorbed the essence of Taijiquan of Chen and Yang, and gradually revised the posture on the basis of Yang Style Taijiquan Small Frame, and then formed Wu Style Taijiquan after decades of melting and improvement by his son Wu Jianquan.

Characteristics of Wu-Style Taijiquan:

Wu-Style Taijiquan has a compact posture, is loose, quiet and natural, light, round and active, and is famous for being good at softening. Its movements are easy and natural, continuous, following the rules and regulations, and it is unique in its static splendor. Although the frame is small, it has the foundation of a large frame, which is compact from the development, and in the compactness, it has its own stretch, without being constricted. Push hands, upright and tight, delicate and ironing, guarding the quiet and not move, to be good at melting.

4. Origin and Characteristics of Wu-Style Taijiquan:

Wu-Style Taijiquan was created by Wu Yuxiang (1812-1880), a native of Yongnian, Hebei Province. Wu Yuxiang, who practiced literature and martial arts since he was a child, first learned Chen-Style Taijiquan with Yang Lu Chan, and then went to Zhao Bao Town, Wen County, Henan Province, in 1852 to study Taijiquan with Chen Qing Ping, the 15th generation of Chen Clan from Chen Jiagou and the seventh generation of Chen-Style Taijiquan, and gained the essence of it, and based on the foundation of Chen-Style Taijiquan, created Wu-Style Taijiquan by practicing and realizing the style by himself.

Characteristics of Wu-Style Taijiquan:

The characteristics of Wu-Style Taijiquan are: rigorous stance, compact posture, soothing movements, strict pace, and clear distinction between reality and reality. The rotation of the chest and abdomen in and out of the body is always neutral, and the left and right hands are each in charge of half of the body and do not overstep each other. The hand does not exceed the tip of the foot, and does not stick to the body when it closes, and the foot tips to the ground first when stepping, and then the heel is lowered to a level foot. Boxing posture pay attention to the starting, bearing, opening, closing, action coherent and smooth.

5, the origin and characteristics of Sun Style Taijiquan:

The creator Sun Lutang (1860-1933), name Fuquan, word Lutang, No. Hanzhai, the people of Wanxian County, Hebei Province (now Wangdu County). Sun Lutang Formal Idea Boxing, then learned Bagua Palm, and then studied Wu-style Taijiquan from Hao Weizhen, a generation of masters of Wu-style Taijiquan. On this basis, the set of Taijiquan, Bagua, Xingyi three boxing long, founded the Sun style Taijiquan.

Characteristics of Sun Style Taijiquan:

Advancement and retreat follow each other. The movements are spacious and round, agile and natural, and when practicing, the feet are clear, and the whole trip is practiced as if it is running in the clouds and flowing water, which is continuous. Every turn to "open" and "close" each other, so it is also called "open and close live step Taijiquan".

6, and the origin and characteristics of style Taijiquan:

He style Taijiquan, the founder of the late Qing Dynasty, Wen County, Henan Province, Zhao Bao Town, and Zhaoyuan (1810 - 1890). He Zhaoyuan was born in a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and learned medicine from a young age, and in 1825, he learned taijiquan from Chen Qingping, the seventh generation of Chen-style taijiquan practitioners in Zhaobao Town, and then, under the influence of Li Tangjie, who was a great scholar of science, He Zhaoyuan standardized the boxing frame by taking theory of science, Confucianism, Taoism and medicine as a guideline, and based on the Chen-style taijiquan, he created a set of agent frame which was consistent with the use of body and technique and rationality, i.e., Wo-Style Taichi Boxing, which is called Zhaobao Taichi Boxing due to the locality. It is also called Zhaobao Taijiquan because of the region.

Characteristics of He-Style Taijiquan:

He-Style Taijiquan is based on the principles of smoothness, roundness, naturalness and truthfulness, and it does not sit on the wrists, fold the wrists, collapse the waist, turn over the hips, and does not have any twisting movements. When walking the frame, it emphasizes that the body is upright, the spine is straight, the movements are not greedy and not in arrears, and the movements are light and round, requiring the body to be like a living snake, the waist to be like a reverse bow, and the movements to be compact and smooth. Hands and feet start, line, stop the rules upright, the body to keep the center, step live circle round, up and down with each other, hands and feet together, a must be to progress, progress must be followed, retreat must follow, action is simple, simple and fluent.

Taijiquan Mantra

First, the virtual spirit of the top

The virtual spirit of the top refers to the practice of taijiquan, always keep the head upright, the hundred points gently upward leading up, the meaning of the rope lift. This is one of the most basic elements of practicing Taijiquan.

In order to achieve the virtual spirit of the top strength, we must first identify the location of the Baihui point. Hundred points are located in the top of the human head in the center of the hair circle, that is, the back of the hair center up seven inches, also known as the three suns, three suns will be five, five will be the top, the sky full, Vi will be the Naiwan Gong, Ling, Ling full of sky, etc., for the body's high point. Boxing Theory" says: "Hundred points lead the whole body". The top strength of the virtual spirit is to clear the air to rise, the virtual reach in the Baihui points.

How to grow up? Boxing Theory" said: "not calm and quiet, the turbid gas will fall to the foot. A potential is completed, the upper body clear gas are made to return to the dantian, cover the heart of a gas, then the whole of the gas are not all down. The top strength lead up, the gas returns to the dantian, from the perineum, up the abdominal line through the tianchu, Lianquan, on the dushi vein, also from the perineum, over the Changqiang, along the spine and backward and up to the Baihui.

What is "top strength"? Boxing Theory" said: "top strength, is the top of the head of the gas in the head also. If the gas does not lead upward, the gas is collapsed, limbs limp, nothing to rely on, like a pile of mud, boxing how to talk about?

But top strength is not hard top, hard top is stiff, not for the real top strength. If it is too much, then the positive qi surges upwards, the head is heavy, the foot is unstable, the twisting does not work, the qi veins are impassable, the horizontal qi fills the chest, which is detrimental to the health of the body.

The top strength and not less than, less than the spirit can not be lifted. Therefore, the "fist theory" said: "in the gas on the lift, if intentional, if unintentional, not light, not heavy, like nothing, but not as much as, folding which is only." "Boxing is all top strength, top strength collar good, the whole body spirit for a revitalization."

The virtual spirit of the top strength, both boxing must strictly follow the basic principles, but also a boxing realm. At the beginning of the practice of boxing, it is difficult to really understand its meaning, accurately grasp the essentials, as long as the trick is familiar with the gradual realization to understand the stage of strength, the internal qi began to turbulence, the Qing qi generation, abundance, bladder heat, dantian in the vastness of the positive qi, can really experience the spirit of the machine, the Qing qi upward, the surrounding body of the wonderful realm of the spirit of emptiness. But despite this, the practitioner from the beginning, must strictly abide by the essentials of the virtual spirit of the top strength. Nonetheless, it is difficult to practice taijiquan well, and will not produce clear gas, and there will be no future clear gas up, turbid gas down, and the free flow and freedom of the heart.

Second, chest and waist collapse

Chest and waist collapse is to open the hips and bend the knees at the same time the chest inward slightly contained, the heart of the gas down, the two hypochondriacs slightly bundled, waist strength naturally collapsed, the blood flow around the body without obstruction; to collapse the waist, must be contained chest. The two can not be separated, but should be a prerequisite for each other, and each other to take care of.

Containing the chest to contain the strength, do not chest out, if the chest out, will cause the gas embracing the chest surface, resulting in their own weight on the bottom of the light, feet and legs floating, the center of gravity is not stable. Containing the strength to be covered on all sides, but not tightly closed, but to "chest virtual as a rock". Boxing theory" said: "the middle chest and abdomen from the sky Turku points to the umbilicus yinjiao, qihai, shimen, guanyuan, such as rock folded such as bowing shape, it is called containing the chest, it is to close the strength, to be false." "Loose between the chest, once the chest is loose, the whole body is relaxed, not to have a heart, nor to be heartless. From Huagai to Shimen, it should be empty and contained, so as not to fill the chest with transverse qi." "The horizontal qi in the chest and diaphragm should be discharged to the soles of the feet, and even if this is not possible, it should be discharged to the dantian." That is to say, when the qi fails to penetrate the body, even if it is not possible to sink directly to the Yongquan acupoint, it should be sunk into the Dantian. This is the first time I've ever seen a person who has been in a position to do this.

Collapse waist can not bow waist, bow waist into a hunchback, meridians, bone bending pressure, gas and blood can not be; collapse waist and can not be soft, soft is the loss of the spirit of strength activities. Boxing Theory" said: "waist for the upper and lower body pivot turn off the place, not soft, not hard, folding its top to get (folding which means)". When collapsing the waist, "the waist strength is expensive to go down and expensive to be solid."

Containing the chest and collapsing the waist at the same time, the body of the bone joints everywhere open, the Dantian in the clear gas can be on the long, smooth to the Hundred Meetings Point, the sinking of the gas can be successfully sunk to the Dantian to reach the Yongquan. The qi of the body starts from the Dantian and goes out in four ways, one through the other. Six points to the heart, divided into two strands, each three up the left and right shoulders, from the bone doubt Palace through to the left and right fingers; the remaining four points, into two strands, each two down to the left and right legs, through the bone seam through to the left and right toes to ensure that the virtual spirit of the top strength.

So, with the chest collapsed waist is very important, carefully mastered, the whole body to go through the blood to go live, must strictly abide by this basic essentials.

Third, relaxing the waist to raise the qi

Relaxing the waist to raise the qi refers to the relaxation of the waist, in order to cultivate the body's natural qi, which is also the basic essentials of practicing Taijiquan.

Loosening the waist and collapsing the waist are related, but the key points are different. Collapse of the waist refers to the collapse of the waist strength, the natural sinking of the gas into the dantian; loose waist refers to the waist of the loose work, the purpose is to maintain and refine the positive qi. When collapsing the waist, "the waist strength is expensive to go down, expensive and solid". When the waist is loose, "the waist should be virtual, a virtual is up and down all the spirit.

"Boxing Theory" said: "waist as axle gas as a wheel. The waist can not be tight, the tightness of the bundle of gas, the whole body stiff; waist to be loose, the kidney gas can be in and out of the free flow, the body parts of the gas can be up and down, through the Dantian, all over the body. Clear gas up, turbid gas down, up to the Baihui, down to the Yongquan, the gas moves freely, everywhere open, over time, the natural filling of the internal gas. Therefore, the loose waist can raise gas.

Loosening the waist to raise the gas, can run around the body of the virtual spirit, can promote the virtual yin and yang changes, foot from the hand movement, to waist as the axis, round turn freely. Hand in hand with others, in and out of the attack and defense, rigid and flexible, loose live popping and shaking, the intention to gas to, foot stable body solid, invulnerable.

Loose waist first to loose crotch. Crotch for the waist root, loose crotch to loose waist. Crotch loose, waist loose, the chakra can be through, Yongquan, Dantian, Baihui and other points, in order to be connected to a gas.

The practice of Taijiquan should pay great attention to the skills of the loose waist, to develop the vastness of the gas, the gas from the resistance with the Kung Fu long, to get the magic of Taiji.

Fourth, the separation of real and virtual

The body up and down, limbs and bones, everywhere, there is a distinction between real and virtual, so that all the movements of Taijiquan must be separated from the real and virtual. Action can be clearly divided into real and virtual, can be flexible transformation, in order to be durable and not fatigue, tension and relaxation of light and heavy even transport conversion, not to be trapped.

When practicing taijiquan, not only the hands should not be false, feet should not be false, the left hand and the left foot, the right hand and the right foot should be up and down, in the movement of the clear false, the left hand is the left foot of false, the right hand is false right foot of true. A move a potential, virtual and real, all hiding the mystery.

Virtual, not all power; real, not all implementation, accounting for real. It's just that the weight of each has its own bias. Beginners, the action can be wide open, big virtual and real, according to the physical conditions and age changes, the degree of progress of kung fu can choose to practice in the frame or small frame. For example, two-eighths of a point, to a small virtual small solid, into three-sevenths, four-sixths, and so on. The small virtual and small real, due to the smaller amplitude of movement, the virtual and real conversion is more flexible.

Distinguish between the real and the imaginary, but don't be too biased. The so-called "bias" refers to the eccentric distance of the center of gravity beyond the middle third of the distance between the two feet. Too partial is not conducive to conversion, vulnerable to attack, not easy to flexibly respond to the enemy. Distinguish between the real and the virtual, not too real, too real is sluggish; not too virtual, too virtual is floating, no landing, the foundation is not stable.

To distinguish between the real and the imaginary, we need to pay attention to the remedies of the hands of the corner. Fighting with people, bias weight out of the corner of the situation often occurs, pay attention to the use of the corner hand to correct their own bias bias real disadvantage, improvisation to overcome the enemy to win.

Separate the real and the imaginary, the practitioner himself should try to achieve the appearance of concealment, the heart of the clear. "The heart should be false, the heart is false, all four bodies are false, Dantian and waist strength foot to be real, three places a real is the four bodies of the false are real, this is called false and real." "There is emptiness in the real, and there is reality in the virtual, the natural and wonderful use of Tai Chi, to the time of the result, then realize the subtlety of its reasoning." "To open and close the real and the imaginary, that is the boxing scripture." Separate the real from the imaginary, get the essentials of the real changes, play carefully, I believe that the practitioners will gradually understand the true flavor of Taiji.

V. Sinking the shoulders and dropping the elbows

Sinking the shoulders and dropping the elbows is that while releasing the hips and bending the knees, containing the chest and collapsing the waist and binding the ribs, the two shoulder wells will be loosened and sunk, the two elbows will be collapsed, and the bones and joints will be relaxed, and the heart will be sunk into the Dantian, the clear air will be raised, and the turbid air will be lowered to the Chungquan, so that the whole body will be connected, and the strength will reach the four corners of the body.

Sinking shoulders and elbows with chest and waist collapse should be consistent with each other, only sinking shoulders can fall elbows, only chest can collapse waist, only chest and waist collapse can sink shoulders and elbows. Otherwise, you can not make the body of the strength of one, the movement of the upper and lower does not follow, inside and outside, blood and gas is not smooth.

"Boxing Theory" said: "boxing movement in the hand collar, turn off the whole in the loose shoulder, work for a long time, the shoulder of the bone since the opening, can not be forced, the left and right shoulder is not loose off the turn off the spirit." "The arm is like hanging on the shoulder." "The two elbows should be sunk, if not sunk, the shoulders will be raised, not suitable for use." All of these are the basic essentials of sinking the shoulders and dropping the elbows.

The shoulders should be loosened, not loosened, the upper body is stiff, the chakra does not work, the virtual spirit of the top force, the qi sinking Dantian can not be completed. But loose shoulder is not to lose shoulder, lose shoulder is not the spirit; not to shrug the shoulder, shrug the shoulder gas and blood does not surge, the gas can not reach the four tips. Therefore, "boxing theory" said: "shoulder collapse, can not be set up." Also said: "shoulders should always be loose, see there is a pan, will be loose; but must not be on the pan, listen to its on the pan, pan that is loose, not loose is not a full-brachial conversion is not spiritual. Therefore, it is appropriate to pan the pan, it is appropriate to loose the loose. After each potential, the chest forward together, the two shoulders echo each other."

When you become a potential, sink your shoulders and drop your elbows, contain your chest and collapse your waist, your knees and elbow tips up and down relative to each other, so that the outer three and the inner three are closely matched, the whole body echoes and holds together the strength, and over time, the kung fu is self-completion.

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