Chung Wen Yuan
(Translated by Sheun Fung Yi)
Water has three forms, liquid, solid and gas , Tai Chi Chuan also shares three similar forms as water which are liquid, the solid form and gas form. However, these three forms in Tai Chi Chuan are not referring the liquid inside our body nor the air that we breathe. Contrary, they have different meaning.
So what do these three states of the Tai Chi Chuan actually referring to? In fact, they symbolize the Forms and Movements (hereinafter we call it “Chuan Jia”) and its application. In our Chuan Jia practice, we first look for a water-like movement; this is to achieve the so-call “soft body” stage. When our body has reached the softest, our body begins to extend and contract. The body structure will switch to smaller elements and gradually re-structured into a rigid body. Then, further extend will then be occurred slowly and over a period of time; you will feel like combined with the air, extremely soft & gentle; just as light as the air.
Like water, no matter how it changes to diffrent, it is still water. What’s different is just the shape and properties. The most important thing is that the change of the states shall comply with the external environment. The same in Tai Chi, no matter in which state, it is a natural expression of its own identity. It depends on internal and external demands and conditions for various state developments.
Of course, there are different requirements in Tai Chi practice. However, we shall first train out the water-like body of Tai Chi. After water-like body has been formed; the body structure of Tai Chi is first completed. Only after that, we can then move forward to carry out the training on rigid body and the air-like body.
For the Tai Chi applications, they are classified into three states as well. Generally speaking, the soft body state is actively reform during push-hand (practize). As it works mainly on taking the external force by others to strengthen our body in terms of resilience, flexibility, integrity and unity. Yet, in real fight (hereinafter we call it “Sanshou”), we commonly change the state to either solid or air form, simply because of their quick penetration property and massive attacking power. Nevertheless, there is no fixed rule/ form for real fight. It depends all on your “heart” – your will and focus.
As for how to train out and achieve the three states of Tai Chi, and how to apply it in actual combat; I would leave this for further discussion in a separate column later.