My copy of Chen Taijiquan Illustrated arrived, and I’ve virtually completed it. It’s a simple learn because the phrase depend isn’t very excessive – it’s basically a sequence of top quality coaching notes, illustrated, which I feel actually helps to convey the message in a approach that textual content alone can not. I’m not going to do a full assessment for some time, I’m going to let the e-book sink in first, however I’d do a sequence of posts on concepts it has sparked in me.
Right here’s the primary one.
The factor I wished to speak about in the present day was how related Chen type (as described on this e-book) is to Yang type. I feel a Yang stylist would get virtually as a lot out of this e-book as a Chen stylist. Whereas the content material and strategies described within the e-book all clearly derive from Chen type, as do the illustrations, I’d say 90% (or extra) of what’s described right here is precisely the identical as Yang type.
So what’s totally different? Fine details on silk reeling, some stepping strategies and stance particulars and the bits on fajin. However even then, they’re not one thing alien to a Yang stylist, and could be simply inside attain of anyone who wished to take their apply in that course.
What’s the identical? The emphasis on posture is actually good right here – the right way to around the again, comprise the chest, around the kua, the eight energies, the 5 steps, push palms technique and coaching strategies, quotes from the classics, being centred and upright, rooting, the dantien, martial purposes, and so on.
What was I shocked to not discover extra of? Opening and shutting utilizing the 5 bows, and empty and stable. Maybe extra on utilizing the pressure from the bottom… There are mentions of these items all through, however the e-book by no means actually goes deeply into them. Maybe it was too complicated for the illustrated book-based strategy? There’s solely a lot you may slot in one e-book, and there’s loads of content material right here.
Nevertheless, the emphasis on the physique necessities of Tai Chi, and rationalization of why these items are accomplished, is superb and transfers effortlessly throughout Tai Chi types. It’s jogged my memory quite a bit how related Yang type and Chen type are ‘underneath the hood’, so to talk. I wrote a submit just lately the place I talked about them being related however totally different. I nonetheless sort of assume that. My view is that in some unspecified time in the future Chen type integrated the concepts contained in “Taijiquan” wholesale from Yang Luchan’s profitable educating enterprise in Beijing into its bigger, pre-existing, village type (which was extra militia preventing and weapons-based) – it absorbed it entire – a bit like a whale swallowing a smaller fish. It was simple as a result of all Chinese language types are much like some extent. However in fact, which means the Yang type remains to be there inside Chen, and it’s unimaginable to not see how ‘virtually the identical’ they’re when studying this e-book. (I feel the spiraling and silk reeling stuff was from the pre-existing Chen type). Your opinion could also be totally different. Meals for thought!