• TAIJIQUAN DAO (POEM)
• CONVERSATIONS WITH ZHANG XIUMU
• LÎ CHÉNG YÙ: LIFE AND DEATH OF A CENTENARY TAOIST
• ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES OF TAIJIQUAN AND NEIGONG PRACTICES
• ZHAO BAO LONGEVOUS
• FIRST CONGRESS OF ZHAO BAO
• CHEN XIAOWANG INTERVIEW 2006

Phonetic transcription:

Tài jí quán dào

Lái shì tài jí quán zhï lî,

Yï xiàn guàn töng tïan rén di.

Tài jí bên tî xiän tiän qì,

Fën ér yïn yáng hòu tiän tî.

Duì dài zhe shù miào zài yï,

Liú xíng zhe qì qiào zài zhöng.

Fâ yân xiän tiän bèi sï kòu,

Dào zhào shëng huà biàn wú qióng.

INTRODUCTION

(1) Lai Zhi De Diagram
What follows is my intention to translate a poem in which Zhang summarises the essence of, what is to him, tai-chi chuan and to reach the true assimilation which entails reaching a high level in this pugilistic art. The Chinese version of the poem is placed in the ´´Introduction´´ section.

In principle, I wanted him to break down all the implicit meaning of each word, each phrase so that ´´no leaf would be left unturned´´ in the translation. However, he finally helped me understand this was not possible by the following explanation:

When a poem is used, and not a broad and detailed description, it allows the reader to gather his own conclusion, imagination and ideas…. If a poem is explained, it loses the poetic feel, its richness and its use as a poem. On the other hand, those who practise and understand the profoundness of Tao, can have a closer understanding. Those who do not, will be trapped in the literal meaning, the intellectual analysis or simply resort to referring to previous readings that are similar. There are even some who do not see anything new or remarkable. But this is how things are. It is wonderful for those who read this and get some use out of it; for those who do not, what else could we do?

EXPLANATION

Galaxy in spiral.
A demonstration of the validity of Lai Zhi De´s diagram.

The fundamental theories of tai chi chuan is in the Lai Zhi De´s diagram (1)

The vertical line of the diagram represents the connection of the ´´qi´´ of Heaven, Man and Earth.

The objective of ´´taiji´´ is in itself situated in the internal centre circle and expresses the indivisible before- heaven (pre-celestial) ´´qi´´ .

When before heaven ´´qi´´ is divided in ´´yin´´ and ´´yang´´, it is converted into after-heaven (post- celestial).

The mystery in the hand contact is to use or employ exactly the ´´single qi´´ of ´´taiji´´ to correspond to the force that comes from the opponent.

While exercising or practising, the ´´qi´´ that flows in the body is principally that of the middle ´´tan tien´´ (referring this ´´middle´´ to the ´´zhèng dan tian´´ or the central tan-tien, in the zone of the navel).

The method of practising tai chi chuan is to practise the ´´bei si kou´´ of before-heaven (*)

The own nature of Tao has to be employed to guide the practice and the use of tai-chi chuan. With this, the internal force can arise and liberate us from the force that comes to us from outside. In this manner, in contact, there can be unlimited changes (pushing hands, etc.)

(1) Lai Zhi De is also known as Lai Qu Táng