Did Yang Lu Chan has a secret taichi form that was the deadliest? Was Yang Shao Hao's compact form better then Yang Cheng Fu's expanded form? Is Chen style better than Yang style or Yang style better than Wu style and so on? To me, all these are questions from an uninitiated. Tai chi chuan was never about forms and techniques.
All tai chi chuan styles abide by the same set of internal principles that were clearly stated in Tai Chi Chuan Classics. The styles, forms and techniques may vary but the principles are the same. By analog, tai chi principles are the roots of a tree, internal force forms the trunk of the tree and styles, techniques and physical forms are the branches, stem and leaves. So how can we say this style is better than that style and vice versa when all come from the same source?
Taichi founder Chang San Feng said "what is tai chi chuan? tai chi chuan is made-up of 13 postures". "What is 13 postures? They are peng, lu, ji, an, chai, lieh, zhou, kao, left, right, forward, retreat and center". The level of competency in these 13 postures determines the effectiveness of one's tai chi chuan and styles, techniques and forms have very little to do with it.
The next time you hear about so and so is in town teaching secret forms and etc, and charging an exorbitant amount, don't bother even to check it out. Just concentrate doing your 13 postures right and you will be on your way to mastery.
Tai chi chuan is not about physical forms, techniques and style.
2 comments:
i agree tai chi is not about form.
ie a specific form,however it is all about form.
ie correct movement according to the classics.
i love how each system has its own variation on a theme without deviating from the one set of values.
it is either tai chi or not,if it follows the classics it is ,if it does not it is somthing other.
¨Each man belongs to a style which claims to possess truth to the exclusion of all other styles……
Stylists…cling to forms and go on entangling themselves further and further, finally putting themselves into an inextricable snare.¨
B. Lee
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