Chen Jiazhen, Gu Luxin
Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan Secret Techniques
From the translator
Tai Chi Chuan is amazing gymnastics. It is unique: there is nothing similar neither in European culture - in physical education, especially in sports, nor among other world systems of self-regulation, and even in the Chinese martial arts (wushu) it stands apart. The depth of development of this system, the construction and constant maintenance of harmony in a person is striking - from the ratio of the movements of individual parts of the body relative to its center to harmony between the body (form), energy and consciousness. Needless to say, any system in the East has a spiritual base, without which higher advancements are impossible. A striking example: if in sports the main task - to surpass others, to rise above them, then the eastern systems assume only the elevation of today's self over yesterday's, and so on without end.
Modern types of Tai Chi Chuan have developed in the direction of simplification. This is both the Yang style as a simplified Chen style, and the simplified taijiquan (the so-called "24 forms"), which is quite widespread in our country, developed by the Committee on Physical Culture and Sports of China. However, some primitive forms of gymnastics are not attractive. This book is for them. Fans of oriental gymnastics will receive rich material on which they can work for a long time, smash their heads, understanding the inherent meaning hidden behind unusual terms that are often absent in Russian and in general in European languages.
Referring to the primary sources, the author cites numerous excerpts from old books. Often these are four-syllable or other short formulas (in translation you have to add conjunctions and prepositions). In this Procrustean bed of semi-verses, predecessors laid the meaning often allegorically, with a hint that even the Chinese reader is forced to understand and read for a long time, to break his head, to write comments. A person who does not know this tradition, at least the tradition of Chinese martial arts, cannot figure it out.
Translation of such a book is always a deep study, impossible without many years of studying the theory of Chinese gymnastics and personal practice (so that you can feel everything for yourself). Unfortunately, to understand 100%, the translator does not have enough experience.
If karate fans prefer to communicate in Japanese, yogis speak Sanskrit, musicians love Italian, which is good for a narrow circle of specialists, then the translator would not want to clog the Russian language with excessive Chineseism. Let everything that is possible be in Russian. The exception is words like yin-yang, qi, which are already widely known and difficult to translate due to the lack of Russian analogues.
The peculiarity of the Chinese root language is the absence of time, gender, declensions, conjugations. Without knowing exactly what the author is up to, you can translate in many different ways. For instance, iti: and - one, qi - or energy in general, or human life energy. You can translate: one energy, one energy, unity of energy, etc. Do not just translate verbs: either by a third person (do, attack), or an imperative form (do, attack). In Chinese it is impersonal and indifferent, but in Russian - different intonations. And how to translate hieroglyphs that are absent in dictionaries, appeared either due to the lack of literacy of the author, or invented on purpose? It also happens that in wushu the meaning of a hieroglyph is not at all the same as in another context. Ancient texts did not know punctuation, so colons, dashes, etc. are the translator's fantasy.
In general, there may be many flaws in translation for various reasons. The reader, however, will be helped by the fact that the author is repeated many, many times. And since it is not clear which translation can be considered ideal, ancient expressions (but not separate terms) in different places of the book may not be translated exactly the same - let the reader choose the most attractive (in his opinion) version. Practice and, of course, a good teacher will help to figure it out more precisely.
In the Chinese language, the structure of the phrase is rigid, but in Russian it is quite free, which made it possible to preserve the word order of the Chinese text in translation with the maximum approximation.
A sense of the rhythm of an ancient Chinese phrase will make it easier to get used to its inner meaning.
The authors, unfortunately, do not explain the concepts they use from the very beginning, so the reader is advised to use the attached dictionary and look, if necessary, for an explanation further down the text or understand it in context. You can also use the Translator's Wellness Dictionary. In that explanatory dictionary many concepts of wushu, qigong, and chinese medicine are explained. Even more regretfully, although the author constantly mentions internal energy qi and do x-shen, stresses their importance, but does not explain in detail what he means or how to work with them. The book was written by Chen Jiazhen, and Gu Luxin added the ending.
The authors attribute the creation of taijiquan to Chen Wangting. However, according to another version, it was known much earlier and originated in areas much south of the Chene Family Ravine. There is no scientifically proven history of Tai Chi Chuan.
The translator cannot help but express his gratitude to Master Liu Guanlai. A disciple of the disciple Chen Fa-ke, he, according to his stories, was exiled for "re-education" to the Chen Family Ravine (Chenjiagou), where he spent 10 years. Before that, from the age of five, he was engaged in wushu. As a result, the negative (link) manifested itself as positive in his life. Unfortunately, due to the short duration of contacts with Master Liu, not all questions were answered. Liu called this book "famous." The translator is also grateful to Andrey Struchkov for persuading him to undertake the translation. It is sad that knowledge and experience are not enough to make the perfect translation of this famous book, which we have never come across in the field of wushu more seriously. And one cannot help but express gratitude to Taoist Zhou Jinfu - the only one who could explain difficult passages of the text without hesitation.
In conclusion, it remains to wish the readers great progress on their way. The great limit, tai chi, on the one hand, is a cycle, a ring without beginning and end, but on the other hand, a spiral that allows one to go further and further into unknown endless distances.
Unmarked notes belong to the translator.
The most problematic terms for a translator - qi and jin. The translator translates qi as energy, meaning vital energy, which is written about in the old treatises of many peoples and which is felt during training, they work with it practically, controlling thought. Concerning jin, then we have no Russian analogue. A. Milanyuk calls it inner strength. It manifests itself in relaxed muscles through thought and has tremendous power. Chinese authors emphasize that it should not be confused with physical force, which is used to push, for example, a stone. Indeed: what is the strength if the muscles are relaxed? We will conventionally call jin an effort to somehow name (all terms are conventional) and not to pollute the Russian language with Sinisms - many translators do not translate foreign words, leaving the transcription, and this is an "under-translation".
M.M.Bogachikhin. Moscow, 1993-2004
Introduction
Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan Chen Shi Tai Chi Chuan (or the Chen style, or Chen, meaning the Chen family) at the end of the Ming dynasty - the beginning of the Qing dynasty (17th century), the famous gymnast master Chen Wangting, who lived in the village of Ravine of the Chen Family (Chenjiagou), Warm (Wenxian) County, Henan Province, created. His descendants improved the gymnastics complex, and gradually the now well-known first and second complexes were formed.
Continuous movements, turning one into another, have been precisely aligned. Their speed and intensity are not the same, ways for the body shenfa, amount of movement and difficulty are also not identical. However, they all comply with the principles of cyclicality and sequence, as well as mutual support of hard and soft.
Movements in the first lane lu gymnastics are relatively simple, there is a lot of soft, but little hard. Mainly, four orthogonal jin forces are used: reflection peng, rolling back lui, squeezing ji and pressing an, and as auxiliary movements, they use tearing tsai, dismemberment le, elbow action zhou and support kao, directed at four corners. The method of using the force is mainly the jin force of winding the thread. chansi, and auxiliary - release of effort-jin fajin. In movements, they strive for softness and consistency, the basis is the transformative effort of jin hua jin. When using soft, meet tough and transform tough. In the external form, there are features such as slowness, softness, stability. On initial stage classes strive to ensure that the movements are as slow as possible, and emphasize on practicing the jin effort of winding the thread.
Name: Secret Techniques of Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan
The book you are holding in your hands is quite famous among the experts in the Chen style. It is famous because it describes the subtleties of "inner work" that are practically not found in other books on this topic. Written by renowned Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan masters, it is intended for those seriously interested in this unique cultivation practice.
From a translator. nine
Introduction. 13
Chapter 1. Eight features of gymnastics.
16
The first feature is that the movements of thought and energy are controlled by the brain. 18
The second feature: elastic movements of the body and limbs when released in tension. 26
The third feature: the movements are spiral, like winding a thread back and forth. 34
The fourth feature: the body is aligned in the center, the top and bottom follow each other, the movements contain empty and full. 46
The fifth feature: in movements, joint by joint are threaded and strung, so that the lower back and ridge lead the head, the inner and outer are interlocked. 61
The sixth feature: the movements are connected and continuous with the formation of a single qi. 70
Seventh feature: in movements soft turns into hard, hard turns into soft, hard and soft support each other. 77
The eighth feature: from slow to fast, from fast to slow, movement with division into fast and slow. 86
Chapter 2. The first track di and lu.
97
The first Chen style Tai Chi Chuan complex. 98
1st form. Preparatory pose. 98
2nd form. The diamond strongman pounds in a mortar. 99
3rd form. Lazy tightening of clothes. 102
4th form. Seal with a six, lock with a four. 106
5th form. A single scourge. 109
6th form. For the second time, the diamond strongman pounds in a mortar. 112
7th form. The white crane flashes its wings. 113
8th form. Oblique move, broken step. 116
9th form. Initial picking up. 118
10th form. Knead in front, bent step. 120
11th form. Secondary oblique move, broken step. 122
12th form. Re-collecting. 122
13th form. Knead in front, bent step. 122
14th form. A blow with a fist covered by a hand. 122
15th form. For the third time, the diamond strongman pounds in a mortar. 126
16th form. Opening the body and punching. 128
17th form. Dorsal fracture and support. 131
18th form. The blue dragon comes out of the water. 132
19th form. Double pushing arms. 135
20th form. Triple change of palms. 138
21st form. Punch with your arm. 139
22nd form. Reverse twisting of the arm. 141
23rd form. Retreating step, pressing the elbow. 144
24th form. Whirling in the center. 147
25th form. The white crane flashes its wings. 149
26th form. Oblique move, broken step. 150
27th form. Dodging and passing behind the back. 150
28th form. A blow with a fist covered by a hand. 155
29th form. Seal with a six, lock with a four. 156
30th form. A single scourge. 157
31st form. Rotation of brushes. 158
32nd form. Tall equestrian scout. 161
33rd form. Rubbing the right foot. 164
34th form. Left foot rub. 167
35th form. Heel take off. 168
36th form. Knead in front, bent step. 170
37th form. Fist punch, attacking the ground. 171
38th form. Body flip and double foot lift. 173
39th form. Pose "animal head". 175
40th form. Whirlwind stop. 179
41st form. Heel take off. 182
42nd form. A blow with a fist covered by a hand. 184
43rd form. Small grip with impact. 186
44th form. Grasping your head, push the mountain. 189
45th form. Triple change of palms. 191
46th form. Seal with a six, lock with a four. 193
47th form. A single scourge. 193
48th form. Front luring. 194
49th form. Rear lure. 195
50th form. Splitting a wild horse's mane. 196
51st form. To limit with a six, to lock a four. 201
52nd form. A single scourge. 201
53rd form. Double foot shock. 201
54th form. The jasper maiden is threading the shuttle. 203
55th form. Lazy tightening of clothes. 205
56th form. The six is \u200b\u200bsealed, the four is locked. 205
57th form. A single scourge. 206
58th form. Circulation of brushes. 206
59th form. Leg swing and falling fork. 206
60th form. Golden rooster in a lonely stance, left and right. 209
61st form. Unfolding the hand scroll. 211
62nd form - see 23rd form. 212
63rd form - see 24th form. 212
64th form - see 25th form. 212
65th form - see 26th form. 212
66th form - see 27th form. 212
67th form - see 28th form. 212
68th form - see 29th form. 212
69th form - see 30th form. 212
70th form - see 31st form. 212
71st form - see 32nd form. 212
72nd form. Lotus swinging crosswise. 212
73rd form. A punch to the groin. 213
74th form. White monkey gives fruit. 217
75th form. The six is \u200b\u200bsealed, the four is locked. 219
76th form. A single scourge. 219
77th form. A dragon jumping on the ground. 219
78th form. Top step, seven stars. 221
79th form. Retreating step, saddle the tiger. 222
80th form. Turning the body, double swinging the lotus. 224
81st form. From a cannon to the head. 226
82nd form. The diamond strongman pounds in a mortar. 227
83rd form. Picking up poses. 228
Chapter 3. Diagrams and explanations for the second path of Chen style taijiquan.
229
6th form. Shifting obstructing elbow. 229
7th form. Fists in support of the heart. 230
8th form. Broken step, oblique move. 232
9th form. Elbow and fist suppressing the threat to the lower back. 234
10th form. Direct entry, stirring up the well. 234
11th form. The wind sweeps away the plum flowers. 235
12th form. The diamond strongman pounds in a mortar. 236
13th form. Covering the body with a fist. 237
14th form. Pull back the body and hit with a fist. 239
15th form. Chop off the brush. 240
16th form. Spinning flower, dancing sleeve. 241
17th form. A blow with a fist covered by a hand. 243
18th form. Flying stride like a luan broken elbow. 245
19th form. Circulation of brushes. 247
20th form. Tall equestrian scout. 249
21st form. Rotation of brushes. 249
22nd form. Tall equestrian scout. 251
23rd form. Cannon - a string of pearls, or automatic cannon (1). 252
24th form. Automatic cannon (2). 254
25th form. Automatic cannon (3). 254
26th form. The flip of the unicorn. 255
27th form. The white snake spits out a letter (1). 256
28th form. The white snake spits out a letter (2). 258
29th form. The white snake spits out a letter (3). 258
30th form. Turning a flower at the bottom of the sea. 259
31st form. A blow with a fist covered by a hand. 260
32nd form. Six pivot closures. 260
33rd form. Cotton with left-hand winding whip (1). 261
34th form. Cotton with left-hand winding whip (2). 263
35th form. Right-handed cotton (1). 264
36th form. Right-handed cotton (2). 265
37th form. Beast Head Pose. 265
38th form. Chopping pose. 267
39th form. Spinning flower, dancing sleeve. 269
40th form. A blow with a fist covered by a hand. 270
41st form. Tiger in ambush. 271
42nd form. Dye your eyebrows red. 272
43rd form. The yellow dragon muddies the water on the right three times. 274
44th form. The yellow dragon muddies the water on the left three times. 275
45th form. Left heel push. 277
46th form. Right heel push. 278
47th form. Flip a flower at the bottom of the sea. 279
48th form. A blow with a fist covered by a hand. 280
49th form. Sweeping leg, or cannon - rotating shin. 280
50th form. A blow with a fist covered by a hand. 281
51st form. Left skirmish. 283
52nd form. Right skirmish. 284
53rd form. Reverse insert. 285
54th form. Flip a flower at the bottom of the sea. 286
55th form. A blow with a fist covered by a hand. 287
56th form. Pull out two hands (1). 287
57th form. Pull out two hands (2). 290
58th form. A series of cannon strikes. 292
59th form. The jasper maiden is threading the shuttle. 294
60th form. Turn around and cannon at the gate. 294
61st form. The jasper maiden is threading the shuttle. 295
62nd form. Turn around and cannon at the gate. 296
63rd form. A punch with a turn of the body. 297
64th form. The elbow is a broken luan. 298
65th form. Elbow - longitudinal luan. 299
66th form. Elbow piercing the heart. 299
67th form. The cannon is in the den. 300
68th form. Pick up in the well, direct entry. 301
69th form. The wind sweeps away the plum flowers. 302
70th form. The diamond strongman pounds in a mortar. 303
71st form. Picking up poses. 304
Chapter 4. Pushing Hands in Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan.
305
Chapter 5. Buckets from treatises.
351
Biography of Chen Xin. 352
1. Chen Xin. The spectrum of the "Great Limit" gymnastics rules. 354
2. Chen Xin. The spectrum of wrestling in gymnastics "The Great Limit". 356
3. Classified extracts from Chen Xin's books on gymnastics "The Great Limit". 358
4. Chen Xin's thirteen sayings about body parts. 402
5. About gymnastics "opening hands". 411
6. Selected works by Chen Xin and others. 421
Tai Chi Chuan language. A short dictionary of common terms.
Blue dragon emerges from the water.
1st movement. The center of gravity will be mixed to the left, the body is also slightly turned to the left. At the same time, the right fist, twisting the arm, makes a straight winding, goes from above past the chest to the right in an arc downward to the side of the right leg, the center of the fist is directed up. The left fist moves away from the lower back, winds back, goes up in an arc from the left, the center of the fist is directed inward (Fig. 69). The right fist goes into reverse winding and goes in an upward arc from the right, and again switches to direct winding until the center of the fist goes to the left. At the same time, the left fist switches to straight winding, the arm bends at the elbow and moves across in front of the chest, and then down, stopping in front of the stomach, the center of the fist is directed up
Current page: 1 (total book has 27 pages)
Chen Jiazhen, Gu Luxin
Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan Secret Techniques
From the translator
Tai Chi Chuan is amazing gymnastics. It is unique: there is nothing similar neither in European culture - in physical education, especially in sports, nor among other world systems of self-regulation, and even in the Chinese martial arts (wushu) it stands apart. The depth of development of this system, the construction and constant maintenance of harmony in a person is striking - from the ratio of the movements of individual parts of the body relative to its center to harmony between the body (form), energy and consciousness. Needless to say, any system in the East has a spiritual base, without which higher advancements are impossible. A striking example: if in sports the main task is to surpass others, to rise above them, then the eastern systems presuppose only the elevation of today's self over yesterday's one, and so on without end.
Modern types of Tai Chi Chuan have developed in the direction of simplification. This is both the Yang style as a simplified Chen style, and the simplified taijiquan (the so-called "24 forms"), which is quite widespread in our country, developed by the Committee on Physical Culture and Sports of China. However, some primitive forms of gymnastics are not attractive. This book is for them. Fans of oriental gymnastics will receive rich material on which they can work for a long time, smash their heads, understanding the inherent meaning hidden behind unusual terms that are often absent in Russian and in general in European languages.
Referring to the primary sources, the author cites numerous excerpts from old books. Often these are four-syllable or other short formulas (in translation you have to add conjunctions and prepositions). In this Procrustean bed of semi-verses, predecessors laid the meaning often allegorically, with a hint that even the Chinese reader is forced to understand and read for a long time, to break his head, to write comments. A person who does not know this tradition, at least the tradition of Chinese martial arts, cannot figure it out.
Translation of such a book is always a deep study, impossible without many years of studying the theory of Chinese gymnastics and personal practice (so that you can feel everything for yourself). Unfortunately, to understand 100%, the translator does not have enough experience.
If karate fans prefer to communicate in Japanese, yogis speak Sanskrit, musicians love Italian, which is good for a narrow circle of specialists, then the translator would not want to clog the Russian language with excessive Chineseism. Let everything that is possible be in Russian. The exception is words like yin-yang, qi, which are already widely known and difficult to translate due to the lack of Russian analogues.
The peculiarity of the Chinese root language is the absence of time, gender, declensions, conjugations. Without knowing exactly what the author is up to, you can translate in many different ways. For instance, iti: and - one, qi - or energy in general, or human life energy. You can translate: one energy, one energy, unity of energy, etc. Do not just translate verbs: either by a third person (do, attack), or an imperative form (do, attack). In Chinese it is impersonal and indifferent, but in Russian - different intonations. And how to translate hieroglyphs that are absent in dictionaries, appeared either due to the lack of literacy of the author, or invented on purpose? It also happens that in wushu the meaning of a hieroglyph is not at all the same as in another context. Ancient texts did not know punctuation, so colons, dashes, etc. are the translator's fantasy.
In general, there may be many flaws in translation for various reasons. The reader, however, will be helped by the fact that the author is repeated many, many times. And since it is not clear which translation can be considered ideal, ancient expressions (but not separate terms) in different places of the book may not be translated exactly the same - let the reader choose the most attractive (in his opinion) version. Practice and, of course, a good teacher will help to figure it out more precisely.
In the Chinese language, the structure of the phrase is rigid, but in Russian it is quite free, which made it possible to preserve the word order of the Chinese text in translation with the maximum approximation.
A sense of the rhythm of an ancient Chinese phrase will make it easier to get used to its inner meaning.
The authors, unfortunately, do not explain the concepts they use from the very beginning, so the reader is advised to use the attached dictionary and look, if necessary, for an explanation further in the text or understand it in context. You can also use the Translator's Wellness Dictionary. This explanatory dictionary explains many concepts of wushu, qigong, and Chinese medicine. Even more regretfully, although the author constantly mentions internal energy qi and do x-shen, stresses their importance, but does not explain in detail what he means or how to work with them. The book was written by Chen Jiazhen, and Gu Luxin added the ending.
The authors attribute the creation of taijiquan to Chen Wangting. However, according to another version, it was known much earlier and originated in areas much south of the Chene Family Ravine. There is no scientifically proven history of Tai Chi Chuan.
The translator cannot help but express his gratitude to Master Liu Guanlai. A disciple of the disciple Chen Fa-ke, he, according to his stories, was exiled for "re-education" to the Chen Family Ravine (Chenjiagou), where he spent 10 years. Before that, from the age of five, he was engaged in wushu. As a result, the negative (link) manifested itself as positive in his life. Unfortunately, due to the short duration of contacts with Master Liu, not all questions were answered. Liu called this book "famous." The translator is also grateful to Andrey Struchkov for persuading him to undertake the translation. It is sad that knowledge and experience are not enough to make the perfect translation of this famous book, which we have never come across in the field of wushu more seriously. And one cannot help but express gratitude to Taoist Zhou Jinfu - the only one who could explain difficult passages of the text without hesitation.
In conclusion, it remains to wish the readers great progress on their way. The great limit, tai chi, on the one hand, is a cycle, a ring without beginning and end, but on the other hand, a spiral that allows one to go further and further into unknown endless distances.
Unmarked notes belong to the translator.
The most problematic terms for a translator - qi and jin.The translator translates qi as energy, meaning vital energy, which is written about in the old treatises of many peoples and which is felt during training, they work with it practically, controlling thought. Concerning jin, then we have no Russian analogue. A. Milanyuk calls it inner strength. It manifests itself in relaxed muscles through thought and has tremendous power. Chinese authors emphasize that it should not be confused with physical force, which is used to push, for example, a stone. Indeed: what is the strength if the muscles are relaxed? We will conventionally call jin an effort to somehow name (all terms are conventional) and not to pollute the Russian language with Sinisms - many translators do not translate foreign words, leaving the transcription, and this is an "under-translation".
M.M.Bogachikhin. Moscow, 1993-2004
Introduction
Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan Chen Shi Tai Chi Chuan (or the Chen style, or Chen, meaning the Chen family) at the end of the Ming dynasty - the beginning of the Qing dynasty (17th century), the famous gymnast master Chen Wangting, who lived in the village of Ravine of the Chen Family (Chenjiagou), Warm (Wenxian) County, Henan Province, created. His descendants improved the gymnastics complex, and gradually the now well-known first and second complexes were formed.
Continuous movements, turning one into another, have been precisely aligned. Their speed and intensity are not the same, ways for the body shenfa, amount of movement and difficulty are also not identical. However, they all comply with the principles of cyclicality and sequence, as well as mutual support of hard and soft.
Movements in the first lane lu gymnastics are relatively simple, there is a lot of soft, but little hard. Mainly, four orthogonal jin forces are used: reflection peng, rolling back lui, squeezing ji and pressing an, and as auxiliary movements, they use tearing tsai, dismemberment le, elbow action zhou and support kao,directed at four corners. The method of using the force is mainly the jin force of winding the thread. chansi, and auxiliary - release of effort-jin fajin. In movements, they strive for softness and consistency, the basis is the transformative effort of jin hua jin. When using soft, meet tough and transform tough. In the external form, there are such features as slowness, softness, stability. At the initial stage of training, they strive to ensure that the movements are as slow as possible, and emphasize on practicing the jin effort of winding the thread.
In movements methods for the body shenfa manage ways for hands showf, while achieving the decomposition of movements (using centrifugal force) and static harmony (using centripetal force), which are constantly changing. Since the speed of movement is relatively slow, the amount of movement can be adjusted using a high, medium and low stance, which allows you to choose the most comfortable stance for a person in order to strengthen the body. It is also useful for healing certain chronic diseases and promoting health in weakened practitioners.
In the second track lu, called "cannon strikes" pao-chui, the movements are the most difficult. Speed \u200b\u200band hard rhythm are needed, there is a lot of hard and little soft, the main thing in the use of jin effort is tearing off, dismembering, elbowing and supporting, and reflection, rolling, squeezing and pressing play an auxiliary role. Movements should be light and quick. When exercising, emphasis is placed on the elastic jin effort. The complex includes the movement "running jump", a fight with maneuvering and evasion, characterized by speed, rigidity, jumps. Considering from the standpoint of the external form, although this complex does not differ from other gymnastics in terms of speed, rigidity, jumps, but in essence it has the following features: during movement, they continuously "twist" the lower back and "fold" the spine, "fold" the wrist and " twist "the arms, twist the feet and" twist "the knees, as a result of which, when one moves, everything moves, a single spiral movement is formed, covering the whole body. From here it is possible to obtain opening and releasing, closing and collecting, as well as closing in opening and opening in closing, which form a single action. This gymnastic complex thanks to high speed and powerful explosive power is more suitable for training young and strong or relatively strong people.
While practicing the complex, one can gradually learn to fulfill such a requirement of Tai Chi Chuan as “hard and soft support each other,” that is, as they say, to carry out “work on knowing oneself”. In order to use techniques such as sticking, tying, and following, to achieve the "understanding of effort jin," Chen style tai chi chuan gymnastics also created "pushing hands" tuishou of an opposing nature, that is, "work on knowing the other." In these "pushing hands" it is required to "throw oneself away to accompany the person": in accordance with the external force of the enemy, they use their own technique. If the opponent's movements are fast, they respond quickly, if they are slow, they follow them slowly. Therefore, the complex and "pushing hands" must be worked out alternately, only then can you master the work gongfuto understand the effort-jin and achieve a certain training.
Chen style taijiquan is an ancient school, other areas of taijiquan have all developed on the basis of Chen style taijiquan. This is the Yang style, the Wu-Noisy style (Wu Jianquan), the Wu-Militant (Wu Yuzhang), the Sun style. Chen style Tai Chi Chuan has retained quite a few of the features of technical strikes, such as the soft transformed into the hard kick. Mastering and studying this gymnastics is very important for inheriting the past of wushu and creating a new one.
This book introduces us to the first and second tracks, compiled in the later years by Chen Fa-ke (1887-1957), a descendant of Chen Wangting. 1
The second complex is described in more detail in the book by Gu Luxin: "Cannon Strikes" - M., Libris, 1998. The description of the theory is continued there. - M. B.
Chapter I
Eight features of gymnastics
Tai Chi Chuan is an outstanding gymnastics, created and gradually developed by our ancestors during a long life practice. Through hundreds of years of practice and experience, people were able to identify internal connections and laws of motion. The tracts left to us summarize this experience. They provide us with a precious thread to explore Tai Chi Chuan and help us to better master this gymnastics. However, people of the past, due to the limitations of their era, were often theoretically unprepared, therefore, in practice, we are forced to draw on modern knowledge. Rejecting the rough, extracting the subtle, it is necessary to master the correct theory so that this gymnastics better serves to strengthen the health of the people. Therefore, while mastering Tai Chi Chuan, first of all, it is necessary to master correctly the theory of Tai Chi Chuan, set forth in the treatises, to master its key points and on this basis to move forward, gradually penetrating it deeper and deeper.
Tai Chi Chuan in the process of movement from beginning to end is permeated with yin-yang and empty-full. This is reflected in every form of Tai Chi Chuan in the form of opening and closing, round and square, folding and unfolding, empty and full, light and submerged, soft and hard, slow and fast. In addition, movements have left and right, upper and lower, internal and external, large and small, offensive and retreat - that is, special forms where opposites are combined together. These are the basic principles that make up the essence of Tai Chi Chuan.
Tai Chi Chuan is unique not only in its external form, but also in its internal work neigong also has its own special requirements. When practicing, first of all, you need to use consciousness, but not use brute force. Therefore, the movements should not be performed mechanically, but with the connection of mental energy iti, and outside to rely on the excitation of vibrations of psychic energy shenqi. That is, you need to work as a thought and, so over life energy qi.Features of thought movements and and energy qi - subtlety inherent in Tai Chi Chuan. They control other features of this gym. In addition, when practicing tai chi chuan, stretching, twisting, winding, as well as forward and backward movements passing into each other occur throughout the body. These movements should be manifested both soft and hard, should be full of elasticity. It is required that one movement be accompanied by the next one, link by link are sequentially connected, linking with each other, not interrupted, making up a single whole. The speed of movements should be either small or large, fast and slow movements replace each other. The force can be soft and hard, soft and hard lean on each other. In the stands and movements, it is necessary to maintain balance in the center without tilting, in the empty there is complete, and in the complete empty, there is a closing in the opening, and opening in the closing. Only when these conditions are present can Tai Chi Chuan fully manifest its special properties... In the physical culture and health plan, you can not only strengthen the organs of movement and internal organs, but also to learn to connect consciousness and control it, and using the principle of "use thought, do not use force", you can successfully control vital energy throughout the body. Thus, a person gets the opportunity to learn how to manage vital energy and control thought. Thought and energy reinforce and strengthen each other, as a result the body naturally becomes strong and strong. Simultaneously with regard to technical shocks jiji the specific effect of gymnastics is manifested: you can turn the lung into heavy, slow into fast. Overcoming and mastering nature; moving, you can make the whole body “work” in one motion (“the whole body is one family”), Thus, you know yourself, you know others, and you also know the technique and you know the form 2
Understanding technique is understanding and mastering the length of time, and understanding form is understanding and managing space. - Approx. the author.
This is the work of understanding effort-jin. Theory of Tai Chi Chuan Style Gymnastics
Chen has something in common with the “great limit” theory of other gymnastics, but there are differences. Below we will consider the features of the Chen style.
First feature: the movement of thought and energy is controlled by the brain
In treatises on gymnastics, the following requirements are given:
1) With the help of the heart, they lead energy, you need to command, diving deeply, then you can collect, pick up, penetrate the bones. 3
"Heart" - often, a spiritual mood. - M. B.
2) With the help of energy, the body moves, you need to command, following along, then you can successfully follow the heart.
3) The heart is the commander, the energy is the banner. Energy from direct cultivation is not harmful.
4) Thought of the whole body is in the psyche shen, not energy qi, because if in qi, then this is a mistake.
From the above four rules, you can see that Tai Chi Chuan is gymnastics, where one uses and trains thought, as well as leads and trains life energy. However, during classes you need to lead energy with the help of the heart: the heart gives the order, and the energy, having received the order, goes, "carrying the banner." Any movement requires the use of thought, but not power. First - the movement of thought, and then - the movement of the form (body). This is the only way to achieve the implementation of the principle: "thought reaches - energy reaches", energy has reached - effort-jin has reached. So the movements become deeper. And only after long training sessions can you concentrate energy and direct it to the bones. This can achieve the most complete penetration into the "walking of energy" shinqi.Therefore, we can say that Tai Chi Chuan is gymnastics for thought and energy. So, the first feature of Tai Chi Chuan is as follows: thought guides the energy, with the help of energy they set the body in motion, and also: use thought and do not use brute force.
1. Internal energy and use of thought
As stated above, qi driven by thought, but this qi is not the air we breathe, but a kind of "internal qi ". Such qi in Chinese medicine, they call the original qi, correct qi, qi the old sky qi, passing through energy channels. It is believed to come from the mother's fetus. In acupuncture, moxibustion and qigong therapy, this concept is still used. In this wushu qi called average qi (zhongqi), internal qi ( nei-chi), inner effort-jin ( neijin) and so on, considering that only when in training is the manifestation of this qi and get hold of it, work gongfu reached the goal. 4
In Chinese qi - air, gas as well as energy. Energy in general and vital energy in the body. We measure: energy. - M.B.
In general, since ancient times, both in the theory of Chinese medicine, and in wushu, in religion, it is believed everywhere that such qi, various kinds of practical experience also speaks of its existence. However, modern science has not finally determined what kind of qi. Domestic and foreign scientists studying the doctrine of longitudinal and transverse energy channels of Chinese medicine have not come to a common opinion. For example, some say that this qi - nerves, others - bioelectricity, special secretions, a special functional system, etc., so further research is required. However, physiological phenomena in the human body are complex, and it cannot be said that if the thought moved, then in nervous systemsthat is, biological electricity, etc., there will be no movement. So we, considering qi, which is spoken of in the theory of gymnastics, we temporarily consider it as a kind of complex product, consisting of nerves, bioelectric current, blood oxygen, etc. It is assumed that there is a function that has not yet been identified. Our goal is to somehow explain the previously used terminology that requires further study.
Being engaged in gymnastics "the great limit", as it were, they are doing "mental exercise". One should always focus on the use of thoughts, and the movement of body parts should be considered nothing more than an external manifestation of thought. Such "mental exercise" is a process of movement of the internal qi, and the outward manifestation is the state and the undulating movement of the external qi. Therefore, the internal qi can be radiated from the inside out, and can be collected from the outside inside.
Although training requires the body to move with the help of qi, however, it is unacceptable just to follow how qicirculates throughout the body, but it is necessary to pour thought into the movements, otherwise the state will become inhibited, qi not only will not be able to walk freely, but can lead to such an abnormal phenomenon as a mismatch qi and form, which will be bad for both thought and qi. The treatises say about this: “Thought is in the psyche shen, not in qi, if in qi, then the brake. " And that is precisely why one should be especially attentive to external manifestations, since they are the external expression of the inner thought of the heart. The inner thought and the outer spirit-shen should not be separated for a moment. 5
It follows from the text that the thought and - internal, that is, when a person thinks about something internal, but shen - external mental energy, i.e. when a person focuses on something outside his body. Shen - abbreviation from jingshen -psyche. - M. B.
As soon as you think and relax a little, the spirit of Shen dissipates. It is unacceptable to forget about it in the classroom.
In Chen style taijiquan, it is assumed that movements should be soft, and hard, and round, and square, and slow, and accelerated, and opening and closing. We believe that this corresponds to the physiological laws of the body. Everyone knows that when a person moves, bioelectric potentials increase, while at rest they decrease, and since movements in Tai Chi are variable, this stimulates the electrical potentials to increase or decrease, respectively. With an increase in potentials, blood circulation accelerates, partial pressure decreases, oxygen is also separated faster from hemoglobin, and a person can feel that there is energy qi. In a normal situation, the nerves cannot long time maintain the same excitement, so bioelectricity usually rises and falls, and the variability in the movements of Tai Chi Chuan just corresponds to this law
Considering from the standpoint of thought and energy, one can also see compliance with the above law. appearance and the movement of external energy is an outward manifestation of thought and energy, they represent from the outside the thought and energy existing within. The central link of such an external manifestation of spirit and energy, mainly manifests itself in external movements caused by internal consciousness, which contributes to concentration, strengthening and activation without obstacles of the forces of attention, expressed in movement. However, the power of attention, like nervous activity, is characterized by a wave-like character: it increases, then decreases. Therefore, if this feature is taken into account in training, then the power of attention can become stable. At the same time, only if there is a steady power of attention, there will be no big errors in thinking. However, in training, it is necessary to maintain the same intensity of attention for a long time, which is not easy to achieve. In fact, for some moments, the power of attention is deflected up or down, so if during the movement you make movements that do not have oscillations ("there is no wind, and the waves calm down"), then this will not only violate the above physiological law, but can also damage the stability of the force attention. Therefore, Tai Chi Chuan uses a number of rules to stabilize the power of attention (for example, changing fast and slow, opening and closing, square and round, hard and soft) and forces them to unite in a single movement. 6
Square fan the author calls the polygon - M.B.
These rules lead the movement of thought-energy iti to very naturally occurring vibrations, while the excitation of vibrations of the external psyche-energy comes into harmony shenqi and vibrations of inner thought-energy iti, and, consequently, the movements of thought-energy existing inside increase, which in turn stimulates external movements.
Since Tai Chi Chuan is a movement of thought and energy, those who practice a lot should only think about some area of \u200b\u200bhow the activity of energy can arise. So there were a lot of people who for many years in the mornings and evenings performed complexes and more than once engaged in adjusting them, and all in order to achieve these goals. After a stable form is achieved in training, the processes of excitation and inhibition in the cerebral cortex can be accurately replaced to a strictly defined degree. At the same time, muscles can also contract and relax harmoniously. And if unexpected stress suddenly arises, then this, too, will not be able to disrupt such a harmony of movements. The achievement of such a result shows that an extremely strong harmonious connection has formed between the movements of the muscles and the internal organs, and you just want the thought to reach, as the energy reaches, and when the energy reaches, then the effort-jin also reaches.
2. Realization of movements of thought and energy
It should also be noted that with regard to thought and energy in Tai Chi Chuan and in static work (including sitting, standing, and lying), similarly, emphasis is placed on mind training and energy training. However, Tai Chi Chuan requires training in movement (they seek peace in movement), therefore they talk about the movements of thought and energy, and in static work they do not make movements, only achieve peace, therefore they cannot be mixed.
And precisely because in tai chi the inner and outer are trained, and peace is sought in movements, it is necessary to achieve movements of thought and energy. That is, you need to properly manifest the spirit (psyche) and energy acting outside. As stated in the book "Making Movements Is Revealed by the Heart" Xing Gong Xin Jie: "The sight resembles a kite grabbing a hare, and the Shen spirit resembles a cat catching a mouse." And only through skill gongfu, achieved by training, when the inner and the outer are mutually combined and interdependent, it will be possible to achieve the implementation of the seven requirements that will be discussed in this chapter below. In other words, only the realization of these seven features makes it possible to understand the movement of thought and energy. However, although there are eight features, in fact they are all in a single body and have an internal connection, and we are considering them separately only for convenience.
Before describing in detail the remaining seven features, let us briefly consider their connection with the movements of thought and energy.
2nd feature: elasticity of movement, i.e. release in tension fanchan the trunk and limbs, or, in other words, the birth of elasticity as a result of the release of the tensile body and limbs. Cotton-like elasticity is an intrinsic factor that allows the body and limbs to vibrate. If there is no elasticity, then the movements can become ossified, that is, the vibrations of the psyche-energy, manifesting outside, cannot be formed again. And, of course, there can be no harmony with the vibrations of thought-energy that are inside.
3rd feature: spiraling movements. It can increase the undulation of the ups and downs in movements. If the movement forward and backward goes in a straight line without raising and lowering, without twisting inward and outward, then it is impossible to carry out undulating oscillations of rise and fall for the psyche, thought and energy and methods for the body shen fa. Therefore, it is necessary to combine the twisting of the arms, legs, lower back, spine, making direct and reverse spiral movements, which are arbitrarily combined into a movement that results in the great limit of effort-jin. Thus, without moving, they stop, but, while moving, naturally form postures of an oscillatory nature, which create centers for the movement of thought-energy.
4th feature: regulation of empty and full. It is the basis for a gentle thought-energy change that makes a person feel like a rolling ball. In other words, it is the dynamic basis of vibration excitation. They follow up - they adjust at the bottom, follow down - they grounded at the top, empty and complete replace each other. Then the spirit-energy, connecting with the ways for the body, is active and knows no obstacles. From here, vibrations of spirit-energy are born. If the top and bottom cannot follow each other, and the empty and the full are not adjusted, then it is impossible to achieve alignment in the center of the inner jin effort without deviation. If there is a deviation, then the methods for the body and the inner effort-jin lean in one direction, and thus the requirement for support on eight sides is violated. And one can imagine that in such a posture, when the inner effort-jin bends to the side, it is not easy to achieve vibrations in the spirit-energy.
5th feature (joint by joint are strung and threaded) and 6th feature, (the formation of a unified energy) actually represent two stages of one feature. The first suggests that in one pose it is necessary for the main joints of the body to form a dragon-like ligament, with consistent patency of joint after joint. The second requires that reception after reception go continuously, connected with each other, forming a single flow of energy. At the same time, the momentum increases and the specific requirement for the excitation of oscillations of link by link is fulfilled. When they cannot string successively link by link, an interruption of the effort-jin may occur. duanjin, then we can talk about the absence of hesitation. If it is impossible to form a single energy, then there will be an interruption, the continuity will be broken, and then the individual forms will become independent, not generating vibrations of a single energy. Therefore, if these two features are not taken into account, then the vibrations of the spirit-energy cannot be achieved, so that they depend on each other.
7th feature (hard and soft support each other) and 8th feature (fast and slow replace each other) form a unity of opposites and also serve to excite vibrations of spirit-energy. This should be taken into account in technical shots. If fast and slow, as well as hard and soft are not connected with each other, then it is not easy to properly combine the above features, undulating ups and downs, since these two features require achieving "soft and slow" and "hard and fast". It is required that the arising hard and fast resemble the head of a rolling wave, and the soft and slow - the tail of a rolling wave, and that these mutual changes could have a continuous exciting effect. This kind of action of hard and soft, supporting each other, as well as fast and slow, replacing each other, allows you to achieve in physical education the softness and slowness of the flowing energy, rigidity and speed at the point of application of movement, as a result, the energy will go throughout the body, without slowing down anywhere ... In technical shots, the rule is observed: "when I move quickly, I react quickly, and when I move slowly, I follow slowly." As a result, you can achieve the following: a tough person - I walk gently, a soft person - I stick hard. These two features make it possible to achieve a high peak so that the movements of the internal mental energy and the psychic energy manifesting outside in their excited vibrations reach a wave-like movement.
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Rotating the Tan Tien is the secret technique of Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan.
Tu-Kai Lam
Translation: Svetlana Fattakhova
Chen Style Taiji is the original style of Tai Chi Chuan from which four other main styles (Yang, Wu, Sun, and Hao) evolved. With its alternation of soft and hard movements, alternating slow and fast speeds, explicit combat use and explosive surges of force (fa-ching), Chen style Taiji does not look like an exercise with punches for the elderly, but really is one of the directions of Chinese martial arts.
Chen Style Tai Chi training includes two sequences of forms (Taolu) with their combat applications, pushing arms, strength training and finally free combat. After that, you can study forms with a sword, saber and other weapons. In the Chen style, the dantian (lower abdomen) is always used during training, and breathing is naturally combined with movement. The method of using the dantian was kept secret for a long time. Chen Fa-ke, a famous 18th generation master of the Chen family, taught in Beijing from 1928 to 1957, but not many of his students knew this breathing method. His son, Chen Zhaokui, was also a famous master. Chen Zhaokui taught many more students than Chen Fa-ke, but he did not begin teaching Dantian rotation to his older students until the 1970s. From that moment on, this breathing method began to spread.
Rotating the Tan Tien
The rotation of the Tan Tien is actually reverse belly breathing, plus the rotation of the Dan Tien, which is the lower part of our belly. Taoist monks believe that dantian is the most important part of the human body, and therefore working on it can ensure good health and slow down the aging process. And the martial arts practitioners believed that the Dan Tian was a source of inner strength, and his training allowed him to produce explosive strength. Both are right.
Our normal breathing uses only the lungs, especially the upper part of the lungs. When we inhale, air enters the lungs and the chest expands. When we breathe with our belly, we breathe deeper. When we breathe in, air enters the lungs, but we imagine that the air also flows further into the stomach. (This only happens in our imagination.) As a result, the abdomen, like the ribcage, expands. When we breathe out, the carbon dioxide is gone and we imagine air coming out of the abdomen as well. Therefore, the chest and abdomen are compressed. This is natural belly breathing.
In reverse belly breathing, we divide the belly in two using the navel as a dividing line. Our belly above the level of the navel is the upper abdomen, and below the navel is the lower abdomen or dantian. When we breathe in, we imagine air passing into the lungs and upper abdomen, while at the same time Chi (or air) moves upward from the lower abdomen to the stomach. Therefore, when we breathe in, the ribcage and upper abdomen expand and the dantian contracts. When we exhale, the air comes out of the lungs, so the rib cage contracts. We imagine that the qi that went up to the upper abdomen now descends back into the dantian. Consequently, the upper abdomen contracts and the Dan Tian expands. Belly Reverse Breathing is used by many Tai Chi practitioners to achieve good result... It is this belly breathing that I learned and practiced 15 years ago. It gave me so much energy that I felt ten years younger.
Rotating dantian is slightly more difficult than reverse belly breathing. Chen style practitioners compare dantian to a ball (which contains the muscles and internal organs of the lower abdomen). When they inhale, the ball contracts. When exhaled, the balloon expands. They also believe that dantian is a source of inner strength that can control all the movements of their arms and even legs. Each time they move their arms (or legs), their dantian moves first. The rule is always observed: "If the inner (dantian) does not move, then the outer should also not move." Since all movements in Chen Style Taiji are always spiral and circular, the dantian must move in the same way as the arms (and sometimes like the legs) in order to better control them.
For example, in the first movement of the "Crush in a mortar" form, in the Chen style, the hands move up in an arc curved to the left (along an arc to the left and up), and then down in an arc curved to the right, thereby drawing a vertical circle (from left to right) in front of chest. Dantian also rotates in a vertical circle. In the form of "Move and stop with the elbow", the dantian moves in a horizontal circle to the left and then to the right in accordance with the movements of the hands. In the form of "White stork spreads its wings," the dantian moves diagonally upward with the right hand. In the form "Left to comb the mane of a wild horse" dantian moves diagonally up to the left. In short, dantian moves in horizontal, vertical and diagonal circles according to the movements.
As the dantian moves along these circles, it contracts on inhalation and expands on exhalation. When you exhale, the dantian expands in all directions: forward (the lower abdomen moves forward), and back ("min-men" - the point on the back opposite the navel - moves back), and left and right. It is worth noting here that the rotation of the dantian should be done very relaxedly, without the use of force, so as not to damage anything. It will be easier if you start with reverse belly breathing and then move on to rotating the dantian a little later.
The benefits of rotating the dantian
From a combat point of view, dantian is a source of inner strength. If we want to punch with a fist, and for this we simply bend the arm and then straighten it - the force of the blow will only be the force of the hand. It is much weaker than the dantian swing with the lower back and chest rotating (the legs must also rotate), plus flexion and rotation of the arm. The Chen family knew this, and they used dantian with great success, creating the dantian spin. The result was the explosive power of fa-ching (force surge).
Rotating the dantian also helps to neutralize the incoming force more effectively. An important role in this is played by the spiral movements created by dantian, as well as breathing. That is why the classics of Tai Chi says: “When you breathe in, you must be able to uproot your opponent (neutralizing his strength); and when you breathe out, you must be able to throw it away from you. "
From a health standpoint, dantian rotation is the best of the three different belly breathing mentioned above, as it exercises the internal organs better than the other two. It helps well not only the abdominal organs, but also those above them - the heart, lungs, spleen, liver, stomach, kidneys and small and large intestines. The result is tremendous benefits for the circulatory, respiratory and even nervous systems. (From my personal experience, this is a good remedy for chronic fatigue that makes you feel tired all the time.) For this reason, Tai Chi Chuan practice can restore our energy and halt the aging process.
The lower abdomen contains glands that produce hormones. Rotating the dantian can stimulate these sex glands and make them work in full forcewhich will improve sex life... There are at least two doctors in China who use this breathing method with great success to treat impotence.
Coordination of breathing with movements
Coordinating the breath with movement is so difficult that many practitioners avoid discussing it. Most instructors tell their students to just breathe freely while practicing Tai Chi. Some say that Master Gu Luxin from Shanghai (China), who indicated in his book where to inhale and where to exhale, was wrong in this. They say this is unattainable because the movements in Tai Chi Chuan are very difficult.
I always teach my students belly breathing and how to coordinate breathing with movements. My argument is that if I don't teach them, they won't learn it themselves.
It is difficult to coordinate breathing with movements, but not unattainable. The masters of the past left us with a few guidelines. We breathe in when we raise our hands up and exhale when we lower them down. We exhale as the arms move away from the body (opening movements) and inhale as they move towards the body. We breathe out when we attack and breathe in when we neutralize the attack.
These guidelines are supplemented by several rules. For example, when there are two or three opening or attacking movements in a row, then we can inhale at the beginning of each movement and exhale before its end. When there are two or more closing or neutralizing movements in a row, we can inhale in one and exhale in the other (this rule can also be applied to two or three attacking movements).
Also, between our in-breaths and out-breaths, there should be some normal breathing to keep our breathing even and natural.
Conclusion
When Tai Chi Chuan was being developed, about 350 years ago, breathing and rotating dantian were introduced into Tai Chi forms to create a unique martial art that is both practical (self-defense and healthy) and artistic (looks graceful and beautiful) ... Hence, we can say that they are inseparable components of Tai Chi Chuan.
My experience tells me that practicing Tai Chi Chuan with rotating dantian can more than double the benefits of practicing Tai Chi Chuan with normal breathing, whether for health or for martial use.