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Learners should practise regularly every morning or before going to bed. It is preferable to
practise seven or eight times during the daytime; if one is hard pressed for time, then at least
once in the morning and once in the evening. Do not practise immediately after meals or after
drinking. The best place is in the gardens or parks where the air is fresh and the environment
conducive to health. Do not practise on windy days or in a filthy place. For when you do
exercise, you might breathe in too much dust or dirt which is harmful to your lungs. It is
advisable to put on sportswear and comfortable cloth or rubber shoes. When you sweat, don't
take off your clothes or wipe with cold towels, lest you catch cold and fall ill.
Yang Style Eye Usage
Yang style Taijiquan is very particular about the method of using the eyes. Tradition has it that
when Yang Cheng Fu pushed hands or engaged in combat, when emitting jing would look at the
opponent and the opponent on receiving the strength would fall in the direction which he looked.
Looking at Yang Shao Hou's precious image, his eyes appears to have brightness shooting forth,
this is a result of long term training fully concentrating on the eyes as well as the internal qi.
Yang Cheng Fu said: " The eyes though should look forward levelly, sometimes following the
body and so shift, the line of sight though may be fixed on emptiness is an essential movement in
the change, this compensates the body method's inadequacies."
Yang style Taijiquan's requirements regarding the eyes are:
1. The eyes should look forward levelly. In normal circumstances, the eyes look levelly
forward, looking through the hand in front towards the front, caring for the hand, but not
fixed dead on the hand. The eyes can also look downward to the front, it must follow the
boxing posture's main hand movement and so determine the direction to look.
2. The expression of the eyes is in accordance to the movements, the principle of the eyes's
turning follows the body's movements. The body moves the eyes follow, the body faces
what direction, the eyes gaze towards that direction. Taijiquan's practice has continuous
forward advancing backward retreating left and right turns, when forward advancing
backward retreating, left turn right rotate depends on the waist and body turning, the eyes
in left looking right glancing must follow the waist and body's turning to turn.
3. The eyes and the intent are consistant. The eyes are the mind's focal point, what the mind
is considering, the eyes is concentrated upon, if the eyes and the movements are not in
accordance the internal and external are also not in agreement, the usage of the eyes have
an important use in push hands, necessary to observe the opponent's upper and lower
portions, closely observing the direction of movement of the opponent's back, in the
course of movement catching hold of the opportune time to cause the opponent to be in a
predicament.
4. The method of the eyes must be natural. When utilising the eyes, do not stare, do not
close the eyes, keep the spirit held within. The correct use of the expression of the eyes
has a relationship with the energy at the top is light and sensitive (xu ling ding jing), the
energy at the top is light and sensitive, then the spirit can be raised, then the eyes will
naturally have expression.
Tung Ying Jieh's Taijiquan Basic Instructions
5. Relax
6. Use slow, continuous Movements
7. In learning, do not apply any force in the movements. In practicing the exercise, one will
gradually gain strength and know how to apply it.
8. In learning,use natural breathing through the nose, but keep the breathing slow and
gentle. With practice, breathing will be gradually mateched with the movements.
Intentional matching of breathing with movements for beginners may, however, be
harmful. After about one year's practice of Tai Chi Chuan when the movements become
correct, smooth and effortless, the teacher may be requested to give instructions on the
method of breathing during the exercise.
9. In the various movements, pay special attention to the shifting of the body weight
between the two feet. This is accomplished by shifting the position of the torso, whether
forward, backward or sidewise. This torso should be maintained in a vertical posture.
10. Pay attention also to the change in the direction the body is facing, through the twisting
of the waist.
11. During the exercise, knees and elbows are always bent, although the extent that they are
bent is different and keeps changing.
12. The knees, when bent, should not be further forward than the toes. This is helps to keep
the balance.
13. Whenever the hands are raised, keep the elbows slightly lower than the hands. This helps
to relax the shoulders.
14. In making steps, lower the heel first. Try to step in the way of a cat or a crane.
15. Always use the mind to lead the movements. Hence the eyes should lead the movements,
although in appearance, it may look as if the eyes follow the movements.
16. Tai Chi Chuan may be played any time of the day, but the best time is in the early
morning before breakfast and one hour before bed time. Avoid doing it immediately after
a heavy meal, and do not sit down or take a cold water bath immediately after the
exercise.
Dr Tseng Ju Pai'sTaijiquan Principles And Techniques
The principles and techniques of Tai Chi Chuan are somewhat unusual. All however are
contained in the Golden Maxims handed down by Wu Ho-Ching. For beginners it is necessary to
give here a summary.
17. The vertebral column, especially the neck, should be kept upright, so that the vital fluid
(qi) can easily rise to the top and the spirit can constantly rise as well. But in making
movements, the chest must be slightly concave and the back slightly convex, so that the
breath can sink to the Tan Tien.
18. The shoulder should be lowered, and the elbow down. If the shoulders are raised they
may cause the breath to "float" and the body become feeble. When the elbow rises
horizontally, it makes the arm feeble, giving the opponent an opportunity to dislocate it.
19. The stances and the movements of th ehands should be alternated with Yang (the real or
exerted strength) and with Yin (the unreal or lesser strength).
20. The vital fluid (qi) must always be sinking to the Tan Tien, so that it makes the body not
only full of vigour but also tireless.
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