Questions/Answers

1. What kind of Tai-Chi Chuan are we practicing in our school ?

We are practicing the Combined Tai-Chi Chuan 67 movements. This form was created by several masters of Tai-Chi Chuan during the 60's and has been adopted in 1958 as the first official form by the Chinese National Athletic Committee. It is a form that makes a synthesis of diverse elements of old family forms. China has since created many new official forms, so we could say that we are practicing the "old" new form.

2. What are the other styles of Tai-Chi Chuan ?

The style Chen, Yang, Sun, Wu, Wo and Fu.

3. Who is at the origin of the Tai-Chi Chuan ?

The historical origin of Tai-Chi Chuan is controversial. We may consider two official theories to explain the roots of our martial art.
One of them gives a Taoist monk Chang San Feng as the creator of Tai-Chi Chuan. This monk would have lived in the 14th century AC as an ascetic in the Wudang Mountains and would have created Tai-Chi Chuan after his observance of the fight between a snake and a bird. Another legend tells that Chang San-Feng would have received Tai-Chi Chuan from a fairy while he was dreaming. However the real existence of this monk is called into question by the historians.
The other theory is the follow up of the discovery of official documents dating from the 18th century mentioning Chen Chang-Xing as practicing and teaching Tai-Chi Chuan and by this way this makes the link between the Tai-Chi Chuan and the clan of the Chen family. It is widely admitted that the clan Chen is at the origin of Tai-Chi Chuan and in the same time that Chang San-Feng is the founder father of Tai-Chi Chuan.
Both theories may be seen as controversial however we may very well agree to both if we admit Chen San-Feng as the legendary founding father and the official records of Tai-Chi Chuan mentioning the clan Chen at the origin of the practice.
In any case, Tai-Chi Chuan is a martial art that has acquired its specific quality through an evolutionary process as well as from other martial arts.

4. What is the symbol representing Tai-Chi Chuan and its meaning ?

The symbol is called "taiji" and represents two fishes, one black, one white or in other words, the Yin and the Yang. The white fish is Yang, the black one is Yin.

Each fish in its entirety contains the "seed" of the other (represented by the small round shape of opposit colour in its centre) and by this way reminds us of the cyclical transformation from one into the other and their interdependency. Looking at the symbol, we see the two fishes turning clockwise. Therefore with the Taiji symbol (or more simply : Yin-Yang), we have the representation of the universal polarity.

The translation of the word Taiji would be "the supreme top" - also valid for Yin-Yang - and is in full a part of Chinese philosophy. It is a picturesque way to make the difference between the top and the bottom, the inside and the outside, the beginning and the end, etc.

And Tai-Chi Chuan (Taijiquan) means the boxing (as martial art) of the polarity.

5) Which are the main basic techniques of Tai-Chi Chuan ?

We count 13 of them from which 5 techniques are for the feet and 8 for the hands. The one for the feet are : to move forward, to move backward, to turn on the right, to turn on the left and to stay at the centre. Those for the hands are : to stave off (Peng), to press (Ji), to pull (Lu), to press (An), to pull (Tsai), to knock with the shoulder (Kao), to torn (Lie) and to knock with the elbow (Zhou).

6)The 8 techniques for the hands are divided into 2 distinct groups. Four of them are oriented on the 4 cardinal directions and the 4 others on the diagonals.

They are Peng, Ji, Lu and Au. These four energies are applied face to face with a partner and allow for a tui-shou with non-interrupted flux between two partners. This small series is called Xiao Lu.

7) We have seen Peng, Ji, Lu and An. Still remain now the 4 other technics for the hands to complete the list of 8 Tai-Chi Chuan techniques for the hands. Which are they ?

They are : Cai, Lieh, Kao and Zho.
These four technics are also called Da Lu or Large Diversions or also the Four corners technics.
Here the strengths involved are more martial and break the contact with the adversary. We could say that the diagonal technics are emergency technics and secundary to the square ones.

8. What is Chi or Qi ?

Qi could be translated by the Breath, the Fluid and the Vital Energy or even by Prana, speaking of Yoga or by Ki, like in the Japanese tradition. In the Christian tradition we might be talking about the breath of God. In other words, it is what animates the living. The Chinese also use the word Qi to speak about the environment as we do about vibrations

9. What is the Wu Chi and what is the meaning of the position called Wu Chi ?

In the Chinese cosmology, Wu Chi is the mother of Yin and Yang.
The Wu Chi is the original state of being, the one before separation into polar strengths which are necessary to give birth to any movement or creation.
This is why we use the Wu Chi position at the beginning of the form, a standing position without separation of the Yin from the Yang in order to be centred : equal weight on both feet, the body aligned as to be one unity between the top and the bottom, the left and the right, the arms connected or generically encompassed in the chest. The spirit, the breathing and the physical body are adjusted to simply BE between sky and earth. This position allows unobstructed exchange between the energy of heaven and energy of earth through our body and ressources us. It could be told that it is a way to recharge one's batteries and to enter with accuracy in the Tai-Chi Chuan movements.

10. Can you name five characteristics which makes you recognise Tai-Chi Chuan?

According to sifu Bow Sim Mark:

1) The continuity in the movement
2) The coolness in the movement
3) The relaxation in the movement
4) The harmony between the inside and the outside
5) The harmony between suppleness and firmness

It is considered that the Tai-Chi Chuan movement must flow like a large river, continuously and with quietness, without interruption. The body moves with a minimal muscular effort, on a relaxed way.

11. How can we translate Dantien?

Dantien is a Chinese word to explain the notion of energy centre. In fact we work with three Dantiens, with three energy centres corresponding also with three treasures that are Jing, Chi and Shen.

The lower Dantien is situated roughly two fingers below the navel, inside the abdomen. This centre is associated to Jing. Jing is the treasure expressing the creativity, the sexuality, the expression, the movement. It could be compared to the light (bulb).

The middle Dantien is situated in the chest. It is associated to Chi. This centre collects all the energy provided by the breathing, the feeding and the relations. It could be compared to the electricity.

The upper Dantien is situated between the eyebrows; it is associated to Shen. This centre is the home for the mental energy, the intellectual and spiritual concentration, the abstract. Shen expresses our spirituality and could be compared to the master electrician.

The three Dantien are of equal importance in Tai-Chi Chuan even though we work more on the bottom Dantien at the beginning because it is associated with the movement, expressing the energy. Later we work more on the second Dantien associated to breathing and Chi. The third step would be the work on the upper Dantien with the goal to always survey our three treasures as they are interdependent.

12. Do you know the 10 rules of Tai-Chi Chuan given by Yang Cheng-Fu (1883-1936) ?

1. Put energy at the top of the head, keep your spirit sharp and destressed
2. Pull your breast in and stretch your back
3. Relax your waist
4. Make the difference between solid and void
5. Let your shoulders and your elbows down
6. Use your spirit and not your strength
7. Link the top to the bottom
8. Unify the inside to the outside
9. Move in the continuity - without interruption
10. Seek for calm in your movements

13, Does the codification of the movements and the forms make law or are we allowed to proceed to changes ?

Tai-Chi Chuan is a heritage. As pupil we are bounded to the given codification, in respect to both the creators of theses forms and the tradition. All modification must be done conscientiously and not by negligence.
For patricians this codification assures a correct development of the art and also frees the spirit to allow a better concentration on the internal work.
You must arrive to a very deep control to be able to create your own form because any modification involves or means the beginning of a new style. For example, the Yang style is the result of modifications brought by Yang Lu Chan, the Cheng Man Ching style, the result of modifications brought by the master on the Yang style or even more the William Chen style, the result of modifications of the master on the Cheng Man-Ching style.
Nevertheless Tai-Chi Chuan is above all the way you move and this can be trained by free improvisation respecting the essential (see question 12).