I used to be studying by way of my newest buy, Chen Model Illustrated, once more lately and I received to one thing that piqued my curiosity – it’s the part the place they’re describing the 8 energies and we get to Press (Ji)
“When involved the intention of this gradual rolling transfer is is to unsettle the stability of he opponent.”
It’s not a nasty description in any respect, however I don’t resonate with the phrase “gradual” there. The most typical utility you are likely to see for Press is of a type of “bump” that places the individual off stability, however my expertise of Ji has been that there’s nothing significantly gradual about it. That bump may be utilized in a tough sharp approach. Jin executed in a ahead route (which is Press) can usually be fairly jolting and it hurts inside.
The 8 energies are:
掤 peng, 捋 lu, 挤 ji, 按 an, 採 cai, 挒 lie, 肘 zhou, 靠 kao
Google interprets 挤 as “press” or “crowd in”. (I’m unsure that one other translation you usually see of “squeeze” is useful. I’ve learn individuals writing about squeezing the arms collectively – that’s not it in any respect. ) From that you simply get the sense of a scenario the place you’re already involved with the individual and, perceiving some extent of weak point of their defence you press them additional on the purpose. It jogs my memory a whole lot of the technique of Horse in Xing Yi, which is to assault some extent of defence that’s already defended however has a weak point you may exploit.
Within the Tai Chi kind Ji is normally executed with the again of the hand within the typical Grasp Hen’s Tail sequence (presumably as a result of it the best approach to capitalise on a superb place you’ve already achieved), however there’s nothing concerning the vitality you’re utilizing which means it needs to be executed with the again of the hand. It may be executed with a fist or palm too.
And that is the place the Tai Chi waters get a bit murky. There may be the martial approach Press, which is to do with urgent additional ahead into an opponent you’re already contacted with, after which there may be the summary idea of “jin in a ahead route”. Anytime you specific jin (energy derived from the bottom by way of a relaxed physique) in a ahead route you may be mentioned to be doing 挤, however once you put it right into a Tai Chi context it takes on this high quality of crowding in and urgent that assault.