Tai Chi Classics
@taichiclassics.bsky.social
Exerpts from classic writings of Tai Chi and Chinese internal arts
A feather cannot be placed,
a fly cannot alight
on any part of the body.
- Wang Tsung-yueh
a fly cannot alight
on any part of the body.
- Wang Tsung-yueh
March 20, 2025 at 12:29 PM
A feather cannot be placed,
a fly cannot alight
on any part of the body.
- Wang Tsung-yueh
a fly cannot alight
on any part of the body.
- Wang Tsung-yueh
If the opponent's movement is quick,
then quickly respond;
if his movement is slow,
then follow slowly.
- Wang Tsung-yueh
then quickly respond;
if his movement is slow,
then follow slowly.
- Wang Tsung-yueh
March 19, 2025 at 12:41 PM
If the opponent's movement is quick,
then quickly respond;
if his movement is slow,
then follow slowly.
- Wang Tsung-yueh
then quickly respond;
if his movement is slow,
then follow slowly.
- Wang Tsung-yueh
It is not excessive or deficient;
it follows a bending, adheres to an extension.
When the opponent is hard and I am soft,
it is called tsou [yielding].
When I follow the opponent and he becomes backed up,
it is called nian [sticking].
- Wang Tsung-yueh
it follows a bending, adheres to an extension.
When the opponent is hard and I am soft,
it is called tsou [yielding].
When I follow the opponent and he becomes backed up,
it is called nian [sticking].
- Wang Tsung-yueh
March 5, 2025 at 1:40 PM
It is not excessive or deficient;
it follows a bending, adheres to an extension.
When the opponent is hard and I am soft,
it is called tsou [yielding].
When I follow the opponent and he becomes backed up,
it is called nian [sticking].
- Wang Tsung-yueh
it follows a bending, adheres to an extension.
When the opponent is hard and I am soft,
it is called tsou [yielding].
When I follow the opponent and he becomes backed up,
it is called nian [sticking].
- Wang Tsung-yueh
T'ai Chi [Supreme Ultimate] comes from Wu Chi [Formless Void] and is the mother of yin and yang.
In motion T'ai Chi separates;
in stillness yin and yang fuse and return to Wu Chi.
- Wang Tsung-yueh
In motion T'ai Chi separates;
in stillness yin and yang fuse and return to Wu Chi.
- Wang Tsung-yueh
February 25, 2025 at 9:12 AM
T'ai Chi [Supreme Ultimate] comes from Wu Chi [Formless Void] and is the mother of yin and yang.
In motion T'ai Chi separates;
in stillness yin and yang fuse and return to Wu Chi.
- Wang Tsung-yueh
In motion T'ai Chi separates;
in stillness yin and yang fuse and return to Wu Chi.
- Wang Tsung-yueh
... This is the so-called inches mistake, which, when allowed to develop, becomes the distance of thousands of miles.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
February 18, 2025 at 1:56 PM
... This is the so-called inches mistake, which, when allowed to develop, becomes the distance of thousands of miles.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
The T'ai Chi principle is as simple as this: yield yourself and follow the external forces. Instead of doing this, most people ignore such obvious and simple principles and search for a more remote and impractical method...
February 18, 2025 at 1:56 PM
The T'ai Chi principle is as simple as this: yield yourself and follow the external forces. Instead of doing this, most people ignore such obvious and simple principles and search for a more remote and impractical method...
Then you will understand the flow of internal power, and, having repeatedly practiced and refined your your technique and explored your own awareness, you can use and control your internal power at will.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
February 17, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Then you will understand the flow of internal power, and, having repeatedly practiced and refined your your technique and explored your own awareness, you can use and control your internal power at will.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
To avoid double-weightedness you should further understand that positive and negative should compliment each other...
February 17, 2025 at 4:18 PM
To avoid double-weightedness you should further understand that positive and negative should compliment each other...
... and so cannot follow the flow of their opponent's movement.. This is essentially because they are hindered by their mistake of double-weightedness.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
February 14, 2025 at 11:36 AM
... and so cannot follow the flow of their opponent's movement.. This is essentially because they are hindered by their mistake of double-weightedness.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
Following the changing situation, you move as is necessary. If you are unable to respond in this way, you will become double-weighted. Often martial artists who have practiced for years still cannot move properly ...
February 14, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Following the changing situation, you move as is necessary. If you are unable to respond in this way, you will become double-weighted. Often martial artists who have practiced for years still cannot move properly ...
When you practice T'ai Chi, you should stand with your posture balanced like a scale. When you move, your movements should revolve as effortlessly as the turning of a wheel.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
February 5, 2025 at 12:18 PM
When you practice T'ai Chi, you should stand with your posture balanced like a scale. When you move, your movements should revolve as effortlessly as the turning of a wheel.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
... and speed (fast destroys slow), so that the weak must fall to the strong and the slow must lose to the fast. This, however, is dependent on physical ability and does not relate to the discipline we now discuss.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
February 4, 2025 at 9:27 AM
... and speed (fast destroys slow), so that the weak must fall to the strong and the slow must lose to the fast. This, however, is dependent on physical ability and does not relate to the discipline we now discuss.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
If you achieve this level of sensitivity, there is no force that will defeat you. There are thousands of methods and techniques in the martial arts. Regardless of the techniques and postures employed, most depend on physical condition (strong destroys weak) ...
February 4, 2025 at 9:27 AM
If you achieve this level of sensitivity, there is no force that will defeat you. There are thousands of methods and techniques in the martial arts. Regardless of the techniques and postures employed, most depend on physical condition (strong destroys weak) ...
Look into the technique of using four ounces of energy to control the force of a thousand pounds. Such techniques as these do not depend on brute force to overcome.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
January 27, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Look into the technique of using four ounces of energy to control the force of a thousand pounds. Such techniques as these do not depend on brute force to overcome.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
... or control you, but you will be aware of your opponent and control him.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
January 27, 2025 at 9:15 AM
... or control you, but you will be aware of your opponent and control him.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
Your body's sensitivity should be such that you are aware of the tiniest feather brushing against your skin. Even the mosquito finds no place to land on you without causing you to move. Then there will be no way for your opponent to detect ...
January 27, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Your body's sensitivity should be such that you are aware of the tiniest feather brushing against your skin. Even the mosquito finds no place to land on you without causing you to move. Then there will be no way for your opponent to detect ...
Make your opponent feel that when he looks upward, you are much taller, and when he looks downward, you are much lower. When he moves forward, he should feel that he cannot reach you, and when he retreats, he should feel that he has nowhere to escape to.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
January 9, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Make your opponent feel that when he looks upward, you are much taller, and when he looks downward, you are much lower. When he moves forward, he should feel that he cannot reach you, and when he retreats, he should feel that he has nowhere to escape to.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
... Your movements should be constantly changing from the substantial to the insubstantial. If your left side feels heavy, you should make your left side light. If your right side feels heavy, you should make your right side disappear.
- Master Wong Chun-yua
- Master Wong Chun-yua
January 8, 2025 at 11:17 AM
... Your movements should be constantly changing from the substantial to the insubstantial. If your left side feels heavy, you should make your left side light. If your right side feels heavy, you should make your right side disappear.
- Master Wong Chun-yua
- Master Wong Chun-yua
When you practice T'ai Chi, you should relax the neck and suspend the head, as if from a height above you. Internal power should sink to the lower part of the abdomen. Your posture should keep to the center. Do not lean in any direction...
January 8, 2025 at 11:17 AM
When you practice T'ai Chi, you should relax the neck and suspend the head, as if from a height above you. Internal power should sink to the lower part of the abdomen. Your posture should keep to the center. Do not lean in any direction...
you cannot reach a sudden understanding of natural awareness without proper practice for an extended period of time.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
January 7, 2025 at 10:13 AM
you cannot reach a sudden understanding of natural awareness without proper practice for an extended period of time.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
After coming to an understanding of the internal power of movement, you can approach the theory of natural awareness. Natural awareness is developed through practice over a long period of time;
January 7, 2025 at 10:13 AM
After coming to an understanding of the internal power of movement, you can approach the theory of natural awareness. Natural awareness is developed through practice over a long period of time;
Regardless of your opponent's actions, the principle of your response remains the same. Once this type of movement has become your own, you will understand internal power.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
January 6, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Regardless of your opponent's actions, the principle of your response remains the same. Once this type of movement has become your own, you will understand internal power.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
... Then you are attached to your opponent: when he moves faster, you also move faster; when he moves slower, you move slower, thereby matching his movement.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
January 3, 2025 at 8:30 AM
... Then you are attached to your opponent: when he moves faster, you also move faster; when he moves slower, you move slower, thereby matching his movement.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
If your opposite side is hard, change your own side to make it soft. This is called following. If your opponent is moving and you adhere to him while following in the same direction, it is called sticking...
January 3, 2025 at 8:30 AM
If your opposite side is hard, change your own side to make it soft. This is called following. If your opponent is moving and you adhere to him while following in the same direction, it is called sticking...
When practicing T'ai Chi, doing too much is the same as doing too little. When the body is in motion, it should follow the curve to extend the movements.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua
January 2, 2025 at 11:40 AM
When practicing T'ai Chi, doing too much is the same as doing too little. When the body is in motion, it should follow the curve to extend the movements.
- Master Wong Chung-yua
- Master Wong Chung-yua