Water TaiJiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) Course
We started the taijiquan course on September 24 with students from 13 different countries.
Everyone has been very excited to train the physical aspect of the course out in the front courtyard for these last few days. After Shifu’s demonstrations, he’s checking and correcting everyone’s stances and movements on the taijiquan form and push hands.
The training continues, the bodies may be tired but everyone is enjoying the process very much.
Students first had a few theory classes on taijiquan, longevity qigong, and sitting meditation. At the theory classes on taijiquan, Shifu explained the requirements for the body postures and their relations to the power, energy and movements of qi within and without the body. Practicing qigong, taijiquan and meditation, one can unify with Heaven and Earth.
Taiji theory is based on the theories of the ancient River Map (河图), Luo Scroll (洛书), Yi Jing (易经), Five Elements (五行), and Eight Trigrams (八卦). It is a result of thousands of years of continuous summarizations and sublimations. As taijiquan forms originated from Five-Animal Qigong (五禽戏) Eight Brocades (八段錦), Guiding and Leading Exercises (导引术), etc., these are also derived from changes and sublimation of past masters’ understandings, practices and cultivation.
When asked about taijiquan sects, styles and lineages, Shifu explained that taiji is not owned by anyone or any group. Due to the differences in each individual’s foundation, level of understanding and gong (skill), those who had a deeper and higher grasp of the theory and forms became the grandmasters of sects. If you do well, you can be one of them.
