Habilidades e Fundamentos Tai Chi Yang - Por Huang Yuanxiu

MARTIAL ARTS DISCUSSIONS by HUANG YUANXIU
Posted on June 1, 2014by Paul Brennan
THE SKILLS & ESSENTIALS OF YANG STYLE TAIJI BOXING

and
MARTIAL ARTS DISCUSSIONS
by Huang Wenshu [Yuanxiu]

[published by Martial Arts United Monthly Magazine
Society, June 15, 1936]
[translation by Paul Brennan, June, 2014]
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Group photo of leading figures in Chinese martial arts:
The people in this photo are (from right to left):

Front row:
Tian Shaoxian [Zhaolin], Zheng Zuoping, Du Xinwu, Li Fangchen [Jinglin], Liu
Baichuan, Sun Lutang, Yang Chengfu
Back row:
Shen Erqiao, Huang Wenshu [Yuanxiu], Chu Guiting, Gao Zhendong, Qian
Xiqiao, Su Jingyou
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Group photo of famous martial artists from Hebei [from right to left]:
Huang Yuanxiu, Chu Guiting, Su Jingyou, Wang Xiangzhai, Zhao Daoxin, Zhang
Zhaodong, Li Xingjie, Gao Zhendong, Sun Rujiang, Li Ziyang
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Group photo of famous martial artists from Hebei:
[back row, right to left:]
Fang Ruichen, cavalry corps martial arts instructor
Huang Jianbai, cavalry corps head martial arts adviser
Ma Chengzhi, cavalry brigade martial arts instructor

[front row, right to left:]
Tan Mengxian, Nanchang Field Headquarters head Taiji Boxing adviser
Huang Yuanxiu,
Yuan Yuanhui, cavalry corps martial arts instructor

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The author of this book, Huang Yuanxiu, has been the department head of the
Nanchang Bereavement Office, the supervisory inspector and commander in
charge of public safety for the Fujian 4th Administrative Division, and the
Tongan county magistrate. In this photo, he is practicing Taiji Boxings large
rollback exercise with Yang Chengu.
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Portrait of Li Jinglin
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Portrait of the author, Huang Yuanxiu

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Huang Yuanxiu & Liu Baichuan performing Luohan Boxing
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Huang Yuanxiu & Han Qingtang performing Shuaijiao

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Huang Yuanxiu & Zhejiang Martial Arts Institute instructor Han Qingtang
practicing saber versus spear, photo 1
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Huang Yuanxiu & Han Qingtang practicing saber versus spear, photo 2
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Han Qingtang performing cross-shaped kick
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Han Qingtang performing Yang Style spear

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[right to left:]
Huang Yuanxiu
Ye Jingcheng, martial arts instructor to 79th Army Division
Major Cao Yanhai, martial arts adviser and instructor to the Bandit Suppression
Army Northern Headquarters
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[right to left:]
Huang Jianhou
Huang Yuanxiu
Xu Yusheng, an elder of Yang Style Taiji Boxing

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[right to left:]
Taiji Boxing master Chen Ziming of Chen family village, Wen county, Henan
Huang Yuanxiu
Taiji Boxing master Chen Zhaopi of Chen family village, Wen county, Henan
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Huang Yuanxiu & Ye Jingcheng practicing Wudang Sword
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Cao Yanhai practicing long spear

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Huang Yuanxiu & Li Yaxuan performing Taiji pushing hands

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Huang Yuanxiu & War Ministry martial arts instructor Chu Guiting practicing
Wudang Sword
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Liu Baichuan, dean of Zhejiang Martial Arts Institute, performing double sabers
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Liu Baichuan performing Luohan Boxing
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Cao Yanhai practicing Taiji Sword

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Huang Yuanxiu & Tian Zhaolin practicing Taiji spear applications
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Huang Yuanxiu & Tian Zhaolin practicing Taiji spear applications

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Huang Yuanxiu & Tian Zhaolin performing Taijis large rollback exercise
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Huang Yuanxiu & Tian Zhaolin performing the Taiji two-person set [posture 28
(Huang in the B role, Tian in the A role)]
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Huang Yuanxiu & Tian Zhaolin performing the Taiji two-person set [posture 34
(Huang now in the A role, Tian in the B role)]
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Tian Zhaolin & Huang Yuanxiu performing Taiji pushing hands

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PREFACE BY TAN MENGXIAN
In March of 1934, I went to Nanchang to visit with committee heads. There I

met field headquarters section chief Huang Yuanxiu. He was putting out this
book and asked me to add a few lines to it because I am supposedly someone
who has something to say on the subject. So I went and asked my teacher Yang
Mengxiang [Shaohou] about it. He said: There are three keys to the study of
Taiji Boxing:
1. PRACTICING THE SOLO SET
In the beginning, it should be even, slow, upright, and stretched out.

Even:
The circles you draw in the air should be round. When two arcs cross the
lines of each other, they should pass through all the way to the center of the
other circle. Seek to keep the movements orderly and consistent.
Slow:
This causes internal energy to store up. Gradually it will reach your
fingertips. Seek to have an unfretting temperament.
Upright:
Your whole body is balanced and comfortable, without making the mistake of
leaning in any direction. Seek to make your posture graceful.
Stretched out:
Get your muscles and joints to naturally extend. Seek to get the exercise to
conform with the principles of physiology.
2. PUSHING HANDS
1.
2.
Once the solo set has been practiced to familiarity and your skill has slightly
progressed, then learn pushing hands, which is also called touching hands or
pressuring hands. Pushing hands is done with two people, each using one
hand or both to apply a slight pressuring touch. While using the four-part skill
of sticking, connecting, adhering, and following, they draw a yinyang symbol in
the air. There are two methods of this:
i. Person A draws a circle which Person B goes along with, or B draws a circle
which A goes along with.
ii. A and B each draw a half circle, which together forms a full circle.
Whether they are making an integrated circle or each is just making their half
of it, both people within this circling are working with the four essential
techniques of ward-off, rollback, press, and push.
However, attention should also be paid to the fact that each person has a
center of balance, and that when they press their hands together, the point of
contact naturally creates another center. This third center point comes from the
vying between the two people. If you gain this center, you will win. If you lose
the center, you will lose. This is a fixed principle.
3. ISSUING AND NEUTRALIZING
Once pushing hands has been practiced to familiarity, then practice issuing and
neutralizing. In the beginning, you can practice by placing your hands on top of
someones issuing energy. This is called joining palms or assisting hands.
Those with deeper skill will practice waist energy, or issuing from the heel,
which is called issuing from the heel and expressing at the fingers.
Issuing should be straight. Neutralizing should be rounded. Neutralizing has
no limit [for a curve can go on coiling forever]. Issuing has no distance [for a
straight line can be infinite]. When first learning neutralizing, the direction
should be at an angle, but at a high level of skill, you will be able to neutralize
toward your own body, as in guiding him in to land on nothing.
It is also said that the masters method is to reverse the control you try to
have over him, meaning that the opponents force is borrowed and used to
strike the opponent, or the opponents energy is borrowed and used to control
the opponent.
However, when issuing or neutralizing, it must be done in the context of
sticking, adhering, connecting, following, warding off, rolling back, pressing,
pushing, plucking, rending, elbowing, or and bumping, otherwise it cannot be
effective.
As for myself in regard to Taiji Boxing, it is something I love to study but I have
not yet done any concentrated research. In carrying out this task that Huang
assigned to me, I have not presumed to place the responsibility onto another,
rather I have carefully made a lasting record of my teachers words instead of
making something up.
sincerely written by Tan Mengxian in Nanchang
PREFACE BY YAO YIHUA
Huang Yuanxiu has studied widely and has many abilities. He esteems martial
heroism. When he was a youth in his hometown, he loved to converse freely
about martial arts with the more seasoned practitioners, and always understood
intuitively. He was not yet civilized in those days, so often rebelling against the
elders of his community. Then when he grew up, he was always in a rush dealing
with affairs of state, exhausted by his duties and never having time for these
things.
Once he become middle-aged, he started learning from Tian Zhaolin and
Yang Chengfu, and became acquainted with many other famous martial artists,
one after another, until he had learned Taiji Boxing and various other martial
arts. Before long he became a student of Li Jinglin and trained in the Wudang
sword art. For more than a decade, he has reached out and made friendships
from which he has benefited extensively, progressing daily in his studies.
Recently he has written Martial Arts Discussions, amounting to more than
fourteen thousand words, explaining boxing arts training in detail and methods
of their use. His words are especially clear on subjects such as regulating
physical strength and nourishing the body and mind. As for the many kinds of
schools and styles, their masters and traditions, he briefly presents their general
ideas, sufficient to serve as reference material. There is no lack of excellent
boxing arts manuals, but this one presents not only method and theory, it can
also give practical instruction about general function.
Because this book represents what Huang has obtained through experience,
he has brought to it a meticulous understanding, and so you will find it to have
moments of real distinctiveness. It is written in ordinary language, yet its
presentation of the theory and practice is comprehensive. I hope you will not
delve into it only to disregard it, for it is good stuff.
- sincerely written by Huangs junior classmate, Yao Yihua, second month of
spring, 1934
PREFACE BY JIANG XINSHAN
Martial arts are generally separated into the classifications of Wudang and
Shaolin. Shaolin comes from Damo. Wudang comes from Zhang Sanfeng.
Examining the martial skills of Wudang, it then split into different paths. The
ones that I know of are Taiji Boxing, Bagua Swimming-Body Continuous
Palming, and the Wudang sword art, all of which were passed down from Zhang
Sanfeng.
Those in Taiji Boxing who reached the pinnacle of perfection were Xu
Xuanping and Li Daozi of the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Sanfeng of the Yuan
Dynasty, and Zhang Songxi of the Ming Dynasty. Zhang Songxi was the top
disciple of Zhang Sanfeng. He taught students in Yin county, Zhejiang, and the
many famous exponents that came after him should all be considered to be of
the Zhang Songxi branch.
The best in Bagua Swimming-Body Continuous Palming was the great master
Dong Haichuan, who learned from the Daoist Bi Dengxia at Mt. Withered
Blossoms in the Jiangnan area, while the best at the Wudang sword art was my
teacher, the late Song Weiyi, who learned from the Daosit Bi Yuexia, Bi
Dengxias elder classmate, at Mt. Shamans Gate. The arts of each Bi are similar
but different, different but similar. Whether twisting rope to the left or twisting
rope to the right, both are a matter of twisting rope. In this way, they are
different but similar.
One changes in its techniques by coming up from below while the other
comes down from above. The one that changes from below [Bagua] is like the
Qian trigram with its full lines, advancing with noticeable fire. The way it spins
is like the turning of a ball. The way it adapts with the body is like a willow in the
wind, while the hands are like shuttles weaving cloth. The one that changes from
above [Wudang Sword] is like the Kun trigram with its broken lines, retreating
with hidden meaning. It is like an avalanche of round rocks [Art of War,
chapter 5], but the key to its method is to lure the opponent into the trap. [The
best warriors are not warmongers.] The best fighters are not berserkers. The
best victors do not fight. [Daodejing, chapter 68] In this way, they are similar
but different.
We should further differentiate the Wudang elixirist sword art as taught to
Zhang Songxi by Zhang Sanfeng at Mt. Siming in Yin county, which is therefore
also known as the Siming sword art. Zhang Songxi was originally a famous
Shaolin exponent. He traveled everywhere and had never been defeated, but
was bested at last by Zhang Sanfeng at Siming. Thereupon he discarded all his
Shaolin learning and devoted himself to the Wudang arts, keeping only the
Shaolin Five-Elements Hidden-Hand Staff, also called Damos Yangzte-Crossing
Staff. Therefore the Zhang Songxi style of swordwork is steeped in the methods
of the Shaolin Hidden-Hand Staff.

In the autumn of 1924, Song Weiyi talked to me about the principles of Taiji
Boxing. I was not aware of his Taiji Boxing fame, as indeed practitioners of Taiji
Boxing are unaware of his famous Wudang sword skill. The essentials of Taiji
Boxing are sticking, adhering, connecting, and following. The essentials of the
Wudang elixirist sword art are retreat into solitude and attack into emptiness,
entirely a matter of maintaining lack of contact, of entering and exiting without
a trace. When we examine the eras and places, it is clear both arts come down
to us through Zhang Songxi.
My colleague Huang Yuanxiu of Hulin has written Essentials of Taiji
Boxing / Martial Arts Discussions, and he has asked me to make a preface. I am
neither smart nor well-read, and so I have simply described a general idea of the
origin and development of the various Wudang systems. My great hope is that
modern martial fads will fade out [in favor of the Wudang arts].
- written by Jiang Xinshan of Hebei in Tianjins Cleansed Karma Temple
Martial Arts Research Society, Autumn, 1934
PREFACE BY BAO FOTIAN
Huang Yuanxius knowledge is incredible. Both scholarly and heroic, he is

honest and sincere. When he was young, his ambition was for martial arts, but
since these methods were still mainly hidden away at that time and experts were
not highly regarded, he could not yet attain such a goal. In his quest, he joined
the military, which developed his character, and he put all his energy into affairs
of state, which took up all his time for many years.
Then his aspirations finally all came together at the fateful National Martial
Arts Gathering, due to which he received profound personal instruction from
the Taiji Boxing star Yang Chengfu in the inherited boxing art of Yang The
Invincible Luchan. Because he was now associated with famous martial arts
experts from all over the country, he became a different person. He also learned
the Wudang sword art from General Li Jinglin, which nicely complements the
Taiji boxing art.
From this point on, he felt he should seek out and gather together all such
wisdom, increasing his knowledge of the secrets of these methods. Recently he
has given all his free time, even forgetting to eat, to producing Essentials of
Yang Style Taiji, including Martial Arts Discussions, which contains what he
has learned from his own experience. There are the ways of various boxing arts
systems, their methods and principles, the regulating of physical strength, the
cultivating of body and mind, everything presented with devotion. For those
with ambition in this direction, this can indeed be held up as a standard text.
Huang has said: I am making a record of the many parts of the Yang Style Taiji
written tradition so they do not become forgotten.
Last summer, when the field headquarters here was established, Huang
received orders to come to Jiangxi. I threw myself into the task of making him
feel at home, and since then, every bit of my spare time has gone into emulating
his movements and soaking up his knowledge. Fortunately he does not look
down on anyone, and instead he quite forgets the distinction between self and
others. I began to find out what a truly skilled martial artist he is.
I myself had failed in these methods. I had studied them when I was young,
but it was merely the equivalent of learning to walk, and I suffered from having
no one I could ask for guidance. Now I was inspired by his knowledge, to the
point of being obsessed and determined, but my duties pressed on me, worldly
affairs holding me back and preventing me from training. When January came
along, I was finally able to start making up for the diminished six months that
had preceded, and I have since spent some time every evening with Huang for
extra practice in boxing sets and swordwork, until my head is now stuffed with
his many theories.
From ancient times to the present, the fine words and deeds of wise and
worthy people have given us rules and lessons, direction for what we should do
in life the way of being rooted in sincerity, always courteous and cordial,
always gracious in speech. As for the young, they should put extra effort into
training their bodies and giving attention to the principles of conduct, working
harder than just praying to the Buddha or giving to the poor.
Because Huang is so considerate of personal behavior, he sees practicing
martial arts and strengthening the body as not merely an end, but as a
beginning. He in fact sees a martial artist as having the same strengths as an
ethicist or a philanthropist, simultaneously exercising moral character,
maintaining health, and benefiting the masses martial arts as a single thread
pervading all of these essentials.
I have been learning from Huang for more than a year now, but have
glimpsed maybe a hundredth of a percent of his knowledge, and so I am
overjoyed that he has written this book, and I look forward to the rest of you
being able to share in such delight.
- written by Bao Fotian of Jingshan at the Nanchang Field Headquarters, Oct,
1934
PREFACE BY LIN JINGPING
When I learned Taiji Boxing from Tian Zhaolin, I got to know Huang Yuanxiu.
He is a man of profound determination, one who when he has a task in front of
him, he just gets on with it, and whatever skill he is working on, he has to
master it before moving on from it. Hence the speed of his progress and the
depth of his attainments I cannot even measure.
In the spring of this year, Huang has spent his spare time from working for
the state by committing to writing what he has learned from experience in his
many years of hard work and gathering it all together to make his Martial Arts
Discussions. He wishes to reveal to beginners the real methods of training. The
benefits of this to the world are by no means insignificant. Once the manuscript
was finished, he assigned me, on the grounds of my little bit of medical training,
to present some succinct words on the physiological benefits of boxing arts. Out
of respect for his request, I sincerely offer the points below:
1. As for the art of Taiji Boxing: If one part moves, every part moves, and if
one part is still, every part is still. In both movement and stillness, it is always
the case that body and mind are to be attended to simultaneously, inside and
outside mutually cultivated. Never make the mistake of emphasizing one over
the other. It is to be trained in the proper sequence, going from the easy to the
difficult, progressing step by step. It values mildness rather than awkward
effort. Anger is forbidden. Never make the mistake of overdoing it. If you can
develop the health of your bodys organs and get your flesh to fill out, your body
will become stronger with each day.
2. As for the actual practice of Taiji Boxing, gather your essence and rouse
your spirit to tell your body what to do. With every movement, intention is in
command. No freedom of anarchy can compare to this. If you can focus your
will, your spirit will become stronger with each day.
3. Breathing is what we depend on to stay alive. Its importance can hardly be
conveyed in words, but in actuality it tends to get overlooked. We commonly
ignore our breath and then seek to put forth a massive amount of effort, with the
result that our faces go purple and swell until our veins pop out, then we turn
pale and dejected as we collapse to the ground. This is always due to a lack of
awareness of the attention that is to be paid to the breath, and a lack of
compliance to the oxygen requirements within the body. This is not the case
with Taiji Boxing, in which the mind is focused within and moves the breath.
The inhaling and exhaling are always done according to the bodys movements.
The breath is always linked up with the alternating of emptiness and fullness.
Thus it is said [also from Understanding How to Practice]: Use mind to move
the energy Use energy to move your body. Between body and mind is the
breath. Therefore if you can make your body nimble and your breathing smooth,
your lung capacity will grow with each day.
The three points above are just the general idea, just enough to fulfill my
responsibility, quite inadequate toward fully describing the physiological
benefits of boxing arts.
- sincerely written by Lin Jingping, director of the Nanchang Field
Headquarters 8th Provisional Hospital, Jan, 1934
AUTHORS PREFACE
Since childhood I have loved engaging in martial arts and hearing stories of
ancient heroes. I learned from fellow villagers but after several years still had
not succeeded. When I grew up, I studied science and then joined the army, and
so I no longer had time for it.
In 1919, a fellow student, staff officer Si Jingwu, invited Tian Zhaolin of
Beijing to teach in Zhejiang and told me I should join in. I had learned from
Tian for just a few months, and then there was an outbreak of hostilities in
Jiangsu and Zhejiang. I was then rushing around overworked and had to give up
in the middle of the training.
In 1929, Zhang Jingjiang came to Zhejiang to hold the National Martial Arts
Gathering, bringing together famous martial arts experts. I was thrilled to take
part in the event, getting an intensive training in Taiji Boxing from Yang
Chengfu of Guangping, as well as studying various skills with old friends Sun
Lutang and Zhang Zhaodong, and from my sworn brothers Du Xinwu and Liu
Baichuan. I then received instruction from Li Jinglin in the Wudang sword art,
and am ashamed that after six years of it I have still not mastered it. I admire
him deeply, remember him fondly, and indeed I never go a day without missing
him.
Last year in the first month of spring, the Japanese occupied the northeast
[establishing the Manchukuo government in Feb, 1932]. Colleagues requested
my presence as an attach to the 8th Army Camp and so I came south with the
onset of summer and was appointed to a position in the field headquarters here.
I have spent my spare time amusing myself with boxing sets and swordplay.
Since there are plenty in the barracks with the same interests, I have ardently
written down the material in this manual to provide for all my colleagues, also
including several compositions discussing my experience of practicing boxing
arts.
- written by Huang Yuanxiu at the field headquarters in Baihuazhou,
Nanchang, middle of Jan, 1934
BIO OF ZHANG SANFENG
Zhang Sanfeng, given name Tong, called Junshi, was from Liaoyang. He was a
Confucian scholar from the end of the Yuan Dynasty, excelling at calligraphy
and painting, versed in poetry and essays. In the first year of Kublai Khans
reign [1260], he was noticed for his remarkable talent and was appointed as a
scholar-official for Zhongshan. He admired the nature paintings of Ge
Zhichuan, which inspired him to abandon his official career, and he traveled to
Mt. Baoji, where the mountain has three peaks so proud and elegant, green and
lush, a joy to behold, and from then he was known as Three Peaks [san feng].
Over the generations, about a dozen sources of biographical information
about Zhang have accumulated, but none discuss his superb boxing art. At the
beginning of Emperor Hong Wus reign [1368], he was invited to court, but his
way was blocked at Wudang. That night in a dream, the deity Xuan Wu gave
him the boxing method, and then at dawn he used it to defeat the bandits.
Thereupon his boxing art was known as the Wudang branch, or the internal
school of boxing.
Internal stylists are of a Confucian mentality, and are therefore distinct from
transcendentalists. Also because eight techniques and five steps are the key
within this boxing art, it is therefore called Thirteen Dynamics [or thirteen
postures], meaning thirteen methods. Later generations have misunderstood
the term as indicating postural postures, leading to confusion.
It was taught to Zhang Songxi and Zhang Cuishan. Then beginning with Song
Yuanqiao and Yu Lianzhou, and followed by Yu Daiyan, Zhang Songxi, Zhang
Cuishan, Yin Liheng, and Mo Gusheng, these seven colleagues met each other in
Nanjing, then together went to the Wudang Mountains. They sought to visit a
Master Li, but they did not get to meet him. However, passing by the Jade
Emptiness Temple, they did meet Zhang Sanfeng. They did obeisance to him,
listened to his wisdom for over a month, and then went home, constantly
returning to get more lessons. From this it can be seen that all seven of these
men considered Zhang to be their teacher, but only Zhang Songxi and Zhang
Cuishan taught his art by the name of Thirteen Dynamics.
It is also said that Zhang lived during the reign of Huizong [1082-1135] of the
Song Dynasty. During the invasion to install the Jin Dynasty [1115-1234], he
killed more than five hundred Jin troops single-handed. The people of
mountainous Shaanxi admired his valiance, earning him hundreds of followers,
and so he passed down his skill in Shaanxi.
When the Yuan Dynasty began, Wang Zongyue of Xian obtained the
authentic transmission and became renowned everywhere. He authored the
Taiji Boxing Classic, the Taiji Boxing Treatise, Understanding How to
Practice, the Touching Hands Song, and the Thirteen Dynamics Song. Chen
Tongceng of Wenzhou learned it, and thereupon it spread from Shaanxi all the
way to eastern Zhejiang [i.e. from the mountains to the sea].
More than a hundred years later, there was Zhang Songxi of Haiyan county,
Zhejiang, who became the most famous within the system (see the Records of
Ningbo Prefecture). His art was then passed on in Ningbo to Ye Jimei, called
Jinquan, who then taught it to Wang Zhengnan, called Laixian, during the reign
of the Qing Emperor Shunzhi [1644-1661].
Because Zhengnan was bold with people but just, he had a unique reputation
at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Huang Zongxi puts the greatest importance on
Wang Zhengnan (whose deeds can be found in the Stories of Knight-Errants).
When Wang died, Huang wrote a memorial inscription for him. Huang Baijia
[Huang Zongxis son] wrote theBoxing Methods of the Internal School,
including Six-Line Long Boxing, Ten Sections of Brocade, and other
instructions. More than a century after Zhengnan, the next person of note was
Gan Fengchi. These are all exponents of the southern branch.
Of those who passed on the northern branch, it was taught by Wang Zongyue
to Jiang Fa of Henan, who then taught it to Chen Changxing of the Chen family
village, Huaiqing prefecture, Henan. Chen always stood straight, impassively,
not inclining in any direction, was as expressionless as a rooster made of wood,
and so people called him Mr. Board. He had two sons, Gengxin and Jixin.
At that time, Yang Luchan, called Fukui, from Yongnian county, Guangping
prefecture, Hebei, heard of his fame, and so he with his fellow villager Li Baikui
went to learn from him. When they arrived, they were the only students who did
not have the surname Chen and they were looked upon as being very much
outsiders, but because there was a close bond between the two of them, they
studied wholeheartedly, often practicing throughout the night instead of
sleeping. Mr. Board saw that Yang studied diligently and thereupon taught him
all his secrets.
Yang went home and taught the art to his fellow villagers, and it was
commonly known as Soft Boxing or Neutralization Boxing, because it has the
ability of using evasion to gain control over a strong force. Then Yang traveled to
Beijing and was a guest in every mansion. Many Qing Dynasty royals, nobles,
and men of rank learned from him, and at that time he was made martial arts
instructor to the Manchu barracks. He had three sons, the eldest named Qi, who
died young, the second named Yu, called Banhou, and the third named Jian,
called Jianhou, also called Jinghu, and both Banhou and Jianhou earned much
fame.
I learned from Yang Jianhou for years and know his familys history. He has
three sons, the eldest named Zhaoxiong, called Mengxiang, the middle one
named Zhaoyuan, who died young, the third named Zhaoqing, called Chengfu.
Banhou had one son, named Zhaopeng, who is a farmer in his village. While
Yang Luchan served as instructor at the Manchu barracks, three people who got
instruction from him were Wan Chun, whose power was hard, Ling Shan, who
was good at flinging opponents away, and Quan You, who was good at
neutralizing, and so it is said that three people each obtained one of his
qualities. When he physically declined, he then told them all to do obeisance to
Banhou as their teacher, and hence they are said to be Banhous disciples.
Song Shuming, who says he is descended from Song Yuanqiao, has traveled
much, is an expert in the theory of the Book of Changes, and is proficient in the
Taiji boxing art, contributing many innovations. He is casual and familiar with
me, and I have had a constant association with him from which I have received
unique benefit. Instructors in my organization such as Ji Zixiu, Wu Jianquan,
Liu Enshou, Liu Caichen, and Jiang Dianchen have also received much from
him.
- text by Xu Yusheng of Beijing [from his 1921 manual]
CONTENTS TO ESSENTIALS OF YANG STYLE TAIJI BOXING
Prefaces:
Preface by Tan Mengxian
Preface by Yao Yihua
Preface by Jiang Xinshan
Preface by Bao Fotian
Preface by Lin Jingping
Authors Preface
Contents:
1. The Taiji Boxing Treatise
2. The Treatise of Wang Zongyue
3. Understanding How to Practice the Thirteen Dynamics
4. Thirteen Dynamics Song
5. Names of the Postures in the Taiji Boxing Set
6. Pushing Hands Song & Large Rollback in Brief
7. A Few Words from Yang Jinghu [Jianhou]
8. Names of the Postures in the Taiji Long Boxing Set
9. Taiji Long Boxing Songs
10. Taiji Sword Posture Names
11. Taiji Sword Song
12. Song of Posture Names for Taiji Saber

13. Stick & Follow Spear
ESSENTIALS OF YANG STYLE TAIJI BOXING (compiled by Huang Yuanxiu)
1. THE TAIJI BOXING TREATISE
Before there was a universe, within the infinity of space was the single
indistinct energy of non-polarity [wu ji]. Then from this neutral energy came the
principle of grand polarity [tai ji], which is foundation of the universe and for
the evolving of people and things, the beginning of all transformation. Once life
gets going, there is sometimes change from one form into another, leading to
the frequent generating of new forms. For instance, insects are born from within
trees and lice come to life upon the human body. These are both examples of
changing states of life. If there was no sweat on the body or decaying wood
within trees, how would such situations come to be? From this can be seen that
the grand polarity [i.e. the engine of creative interaction between the passive
and active aspects] is the guiding principle of the universe. (I wonder if this
section should have been left out.) [It is indeed a mystery why Huang included
this introductory paragraph in the first place. It is from the early Qing Dynasty
novel Gossip in the Bean Shed, chapter 12, and does not typically lead
into the more usual text that follows.]
Once there is any movement, your entire body should be nimble and alert.
There especially needs to be connection from movement to movement. Energy
should be roused and spirit should be collected within. Do not allow there to be
cracks or gaps anywhere, pits or protrusions anywhere, breaks in the flow

anywhere. Starting from your foot, issue through your leg, directing it at your
waist, and expressing it at your fingers. From foot through leg through waist, it
must be a fully continuous process, and whether advancing or retreating, you
will then be able to catch the opportunity and gain the upper hand. If not and
your body easily falls into disorder, the problem must be in your waist and legs,
so look for it there. This is always so, regardless of the direction of the
movement, be it up, down, forward, back, left, right. And in all of these cases,
the problem is a matter of your intent. It is internal and does not lie outside of
you.
With an upward comes a downward, with a forward comes a backward, and
with a left comes a right. If your intention wants to go upward, then harbor a
downward intention, like when you reach down to lift up an object. You thereby
add a setback to the opponents own intention, thus he cuts his own root and is
defeated quickly and certainly. Empty and full must be distinguished clearly. In
each part there is a part that is empty and a part that is full. Everywhere it is
always like this, an emptiness and a fullness. Throughout your body, as the
movement goes from one section to another there has to be connection. Do not
allow the slightest break in the connection.
This relates to the theory left to us from Zhang Sanfeng of Mt. Wudang. He
wanted all the heroes in the world to live long and not merely gain martial skill.
2. THE TREATISE OF WANG ZONGYUE
Taiji [grand polarity] is born of wuji [nonpolarity]. It is the manifestation of

movement and stillness, and the mother of yin and yang [the passive and active
aspects]. When there is movement, passive and active become distinct from
each other. When there is stillness, they return to being indistinguishable.
Neither going too far nor not far enough, comply and bend then engage and
extend. He is hard while I am soft this is yielding. My energy is smooth while
his energy is coarse this is sticking. If he moves fast, I quickly respond, and if
his movement is slow, I leisurely follow. Although there is an endless variety of
possible scenarios, there is only this single principle [of yielding and sticking]
throughout. Once you have engrained these techniques, you will gradually come
to identify energies, and then from there you will gradually progress toward
something miraculous. But unless you practice a lot over a long time, you will
never have a breakthrough.
Forcelessly press up your headtop. Energy sinks to your elixir field. Neither
lean nor slant. Suddenly hide and suddenly appear. When there is pressure on
the left, the left empties. When there is pressure on the right, the right
disappears. When looking up, it is still higher. When looking down, it is still
lower. When advancing, it is even farther. When retreating, it is even nearer. A
feather cannot be added and a fly cannot land. The opponent does not
understand me, only I understand him. A hero is one who encounters no
opposition, and it is through this kind of method that such a condition is
achieved.
There are many other schools of boxing arts besides this one. Although the
postures are different between them, they never go beyond the strong bullying
the weak and the slow yielding to the fast. The strong beating the weak and the
slow submitting to the fast are both a matter of inherent natural ability and bear
no relation to skill that is learned. Examine the phrase four ounces moves a
thousand pounds, which is clearly not a victory obtained through strength. Or
consider the sight of an old man repelling a group, which could not come from
an aggressive speed.
Stand like a scale. Move like a wheel. If you drop one side, you can move. If
you have equal pressure on both sides, you will be stuck. We often see one who
has practiced hard for many years yet is unable to perform any neutralizations,
always under the opponents control and never able to control the opponent,
and the issue here is that this error of double pressure has not yet been
understood. If you want to avoid this error, you must understand passive and
active. In sticking there is yielding and in yielding there is sticking. The active
does not depart from the passive and the passive does not depart from the
active, for the passive and active exchange roles. Once you have this
understanding, you will be identifying energies. Once you are identifying
energies, then the more you practice, the more efficient your skill will be, and by
absorbing through experience and by constantly contemplating, gradually you
will reach the point that you can do whatever you want.
The basic of basics is to forget about your plans and simply respond to the
opponent. We often make the mistake of ignoring what is right in front of us in
favor of something that has nothing to do with our immediate circumstances.
For such situations it is said: Miss by an inch, lose by a mile. You must
understand all this clearly.
Long Boxing: it is like a long river flowing into the wide ocean, on and on
ceaselessly
The thirteen dynamics are: warding off, rolling back, pressing, pushing,
plucking, rending, elbowing, and bumping which relate to the eight trigrams:
and advancing, retreating, stepping to the left, stepping to the right, and staying
in the center which relate to metal, wood, water, fire, and earth: the five
elements. These combined [8+5] are called the Thirteen Dynamics.
Warding off, rolling back, pressing, and pushing correspond to , , , and
in the four principle compass directions [meaning simply that these are the
primary techniques]. Plucking, rending, elbowing, and bumping correspond to
, , , and in the four corner directions [i.e. are the secondary
techniques].
Advancing, retreating, stepping to the left, stepping to the right, and staying
in the center correspond to the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and
earth.
It is important to be mindful of every sentence in this essay. It does not contain

a single word that does not enrich and sharpen its ideas. But if you are not
smart, you will not be able to understand it. The founder did not lightly teach
the art, not just because he was discriminating over accepting students, but also
because he did want to go to the effort only to have it wasted.
3. UNDERSTANDING HOW TO PRACTICE THE THIRTEEN DYNAMICS
Use mind to move the energy. You must get the energy to sink. It is then able to
collect in the bones. Use energy to move your body. You must get the energy to
be smooth. Your body can then easily obey your mind.
If you can raise your spirit, then you will be without worry of being slow or
weighed down. Thus it is said [in the Thirteen Dynamics Song]: Your whole
body will be nimble and your headtop will be pulled up as if suspended. The
mind must perform alternations nimbly, and then you will have the qualities of
roundness and liveliness. Thus it is said [also in the Song]: Pay attention to the
alternation of empty and full.
When issuing power, you must sink and relax, concentrating it in one
direction. Your posture must be upright and comfortable, bracing in all
directions.
Move energy as though through a winding-path pearl, penetrating even the
smallest nook (meaning that the energy is everywhere in the body). Wield power
like tempered steel, so strong there is nothing tough enough to stand up against
it.
The shape is like an osprey catching a fish. The spirit is like a cat pouncing on
a mouse.
In stillness, be like a mountain, and in movement, be like a river.
Store power like drawing a bow. Issue power like loosing an arrow.
Within curving, seek to be straightening. Store and then issue.
Power comes from the spine. Step according to your bodys adjustments.
To gather is to release and to release is to gather. Disconnect but stay
connected.
In the back and forth [of the arms], there must be folding. In the advance and
retreat [of the feet], there must be variation.
Extreme softness begets extreme hardness. Your ability to be nimble lies in
your ability to breathe.
By nurturing energy with integrity, it will not be corrupted. By storing power
in crooked parts, it will be in abundant supply.
The mind makes the command, the energy is its flag, and the waist is its
banner.
First strive to open up, then strive to close up, and from there you will be able
to attain a refined subtlety.
It is also said:
First in the mind, then in the body.
With your abdomen relaxed, energy gathers in your marrow. Spirit
comfortable, body calm at every moment be mindful of this.
Always remember: if one part moves, every part moves, and if one part is
still, every part is still.
As the movement leads back and forth, energy sticks to and gathers in your
spine.
Inwardly bolster spirit and outwardly show ease.
Step like a cat and move energy as if drawing silk.
Throughout your body, your mind should be on the spirit rather than on the
energy, for if you are fixated on the energy, your movement will become
sluggish. Whenever your mind is on the energy, there will be no power, whereas
if you ignore the energy and let it take care of itself, there will be pure strength.
The energy is like a wheel and the waist is like an axle.
4. THIRTEEN DYNAMICS SONG
Do not neglect any of the thirteen dynamics,

their command coming from your waist and hips.
You must pay attention to the alternation of empty and full,
then energy will flow through your whole body without getting stuck
anywhere.
In stillness, movement stirs, and then in moving, seem yet to be in stillness,
for the magic lies in making adjustments based on being receptive to the
opponent.
In every movement, very deliberately control it by the use of intention,
for once you achieve that, it will all be effortless.
At every moment, pay attention to your waist,
for if there is complete relaxation within your belly, energy is primed.
Your tailbone is centered and spirit penetrates to your headtop,
thus you will be wholeheartedly nimble and your headtop will be pulled up as
if suspended.
Pay careful attention in your practice that you are letting bending and
extending, contracting and expanding, happen as the situation requires.
Beginning the training requires personal instruction,
but mastering the art depends on your own unceasing effort.
Whether we are discussing in terms of theory or function, what is the
constant?
It is that mind is sovereign and body is subject.
If you think about it, what is emphasizing the use of intention going to lead
you to?
To a longer life and a longer youth.
Repeatedly recite the words above,
all of which speak clearly and hence their ideas come through without
confusion.
If you pay no heed to those ideas, you will go astray in your training,
and you will find you have wasted your time and be left with only sighs of
regret.
-

5. NAMES OF THE POSTURES IN THE TAIJI BOXING SET
[1] TAIJI BEGINNING POSTURE
[2] CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
[3] WARD-OFF, ROLLBACK, PRESS, PUSH
[4] SINGLE WHIP
[5] RAISE THE HANDS
[6] WHITE CRANE SPREADS ITS WINGS
[7] LEFT BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
[8] PLAY THE LUTE
[10] RIGHT BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
[12] PLAY THE LUTE
[14] ADVANCE, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
[15] SEALING SHUT
[16] CROSSED HANDS
[17] CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK TO ITS MOUNTAIN

[20] DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP
[21] PUNCH UNDER THE ELBOW
[22] RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY LEFT & RIGHT
[23] DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE
[24] RAISE THE HANDS
[26] LEFT BRUSH KNEE
[27] NEEDLE UNDER THE SEA
[28] MOON THROUGH THE BACK
[29] TURN AROUND, TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH
[30] WHITE SNAKE FLICKS ITS TONGUE
[31] STEP FORWARD, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
[32] STEP FORWARD, CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
[34] SINGLE WHIP
[35] CLOUDING HANDS LEFT & RIGHT
[36] SINGLE WHIP
[37] RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE HORSE

[38] KICK TO THE RIGHT SIDE
[39] KICK TO THE LEFT SIDE
[40] TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK
[41] BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE LEFT & RIGHT
[42] ADVANCE, PLANTING PUNCH
[44] TURN AROUND, WHITE SNAKE FLICKS ITS TONGUE
[46] RIGHT PRESSING KICK
[47] FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE LEFT & RIGHT
[48] RIGHT PRESSING KICK
[49] DOUBLE WINDS THROUGH THE EARS
[50] LEFT PRESSING KICK
[51] TURN AROUND, RIGHT PRESSING KICK
[53] SEALING SHUT
[54] CROSSED HANDS

[59] LEFT WILD HORSE VEERS ITS MANE
[60] RIGHT WILD HORSE VEERS ITS MANE
[61] LEFT WILD HORSE VEERS ITS MANE
[64] SINGLE WHIP
[65] MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE LEFT & RIGHT
[68] SINGLE WHIP
[70] SINGLE WHIP
[71] SLANTING BODY, LOW POSTURE
[72] GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON ONE LEG LEFT & RIGHT

[78] NEEDLE UNDER THE SEA
[79] MOON BEYOND THE BACK
[81] WHITE SNAKE FLICKS ITS TONGUE
[85] SINGLE WHIP
[87] SINGLE WHIP
[89] TURN AROUND, RIGHT PRESSING KICK
[90] LEFT BRUSH KNEE, PUNCH TO THE CROTCH
[93] SINGLE WHIP

[95] STEP FORWARD WITH THE BIG DIPPER
[96] RETREAT TO SITTING TIGER POSTURE
[97] TURN AROUND, DOUBLE-SLAP SWING-THOUGH KICK
[98] BEND THE BOW TO SHOOT THE TIGER
[100] SEALING SHUT
[101] CROSSED HANDS
[102] CLOSING POSTURE
6. PUSHING HANDS SONG
Ward-off, rollback, press, and push must be taken seriously.

With coordination between above and below, the opponent will hardly find a
way in.
I will let him attack me with as much power as he likes,
for I will tug with four ounces of force to move his of a thousand pounds.
Guiding him in to land on nothing, I then close on him and send him away.
I stick to him and go along with his movement instead of coming away or
crashing in.
LARGE ROLLBACK IN BRIEF
[1] I rollback his elbow.
[2] He steps forward with press.
[3] I slap with a single hand.
[4] He turns his body and rolls back.
[5] I step forward with press.
[6] He evades with his body.
[repeat of 1 on the opposite side] I do a rollback.
[repeat of 2 on the opposite side] He steps forward with press. [And the same
pattern continues on the opposite side. I slap with a single hand,...]
7. A FEW WORDS FROM YANG JINGHU [JIANHOU]
He said: With lightness there is sensitivity, with sensitivity there is movement,

with movement there is adaptation, and with adaptation there is
transformation.
He also said: If he takes no action, I take no action, but once he takes even the
slightest action, I have already acted. The power seems to be relaxed but not
relaxed, about to express but not yet expressing. Although the power finishes,
the intent of it continues. If you are not an experienced practitioner, you will
not be able to understand these words.
8. NAMES OF THE POSTURES IN THE TAIJI LONG BOXING SET
[4] FISH-TAIL SINGLE WHIP
[5] PHOENIX UNFURLS ITS WINGS
[6] BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
[7] PLAY THE LUTE
[8] SPARROWS TAIL POSTURE
[9] BEND THE BOW TO SHOOT THE GOOSE
[10] LUTE POSTURE
[12] WINNOWING BASKET POSTURE (SAME AS SEALING SHUT &

CROSSED HANDS)
[17] PUNCH UNDER THE ELBOW
[18] RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEYS HEAD
[19] BRUSH KNEE, PUNCH TO THE CROTCH
[21] STEP FORWARD, PLANTING PUNCH
[22] DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE (THREE TIMES)

[24] FISH-TAIL SINGLE WHIP
[26] STEP FORWARD, MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE
[27] DOUBLE PALMS & DOUBLE PUNCHES, LEFT PALM & RIGHT PUNCH
[29] WILD HORSE VEERS ITS MANE LEFT & RIGHT (TWO TIMES)
[31] GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON ONE LEG LEFT & RIGHT
[36] BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
[37] PEARL UNDER THE SEA
[38] MOON THROUGH THE BACK
[39] TURN AROUND, WHITE SNAKE FLICKS ITS TONGUE

[42] SINGLE WHIP
[43] CLOUDING HANDS LEFT & RIGHT (THREE TIMES)
[44] SINGLE WHIP
[46] KICK TO BOTH SIDES
[48] BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE LEFT & RIGHT
[49] DOUBLE WINDS THROUGH THE EARS LEFT & RIGHT
[50] FLYING KICK
[51] LEFT FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE
[52] DOUBLE WINDS THROUGH THE EARS RIGHT
[53] LEFT PRESSING KICK
[54] TURN AROUND, PRESSING

KICK
[55] STEP FORWARD, TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH
[56] WHITE SNAKE FLICKS ITS TONGUE PUNCH
[57] ADVANCE, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
[60] SINGLE WHIP
[61] CLOUDING HANDS LEFT & RIGHT (THREE TIMES)
[62] SINGLE WHIP
[64] TURN AROUND, SINGLE-SLAP SWING-THROUGH KICK
[65] STEP FORWARD, PUNCH TO THE CROTCH
[67] TURN AROUND, SINGLE WHIP
[68] LOW POSTURE
[69] BIG DIPPER POSTURE, SITTING TIGER POSTURE
[70] TURN AROUND, DOUBLE-SLAP SWING-THROUGH KICK
[71] BEND THE BOW TO SHOOT THE TIGER
[72] PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
[73] SEALING SHUT
[74] CROSSED HANDS
[75] CLOSING POSTURE
9. TAIJI LONG BOXING SONGS
[1] The Taiji Long Boxing set is unique to this school.

That it endlessly transforms is truly no exaggeration.
Its subtlety is entirely based on borrowing the opponents power.

In that moment of anxiety, do not be so willing to grab him.
[2] Palm or fist, elbow and wrist,

shoulder, waist, hip, knee, foot
the power of these nine sections above and below
each depend on the waists central role in issuing.
To sum up:
By going along with the opponent, you will be able to get into the right position.
By borrowing his power, there will be no need to grab him.
10. TAIJI SWORD POSTURE NAMES
[1] THREE LOOPS AROUND THE MOON
[2] KUIXING POSTURE
[3] SWALLOWS TAKES UP WATER
[4] LEFT & RIGHT BLOCKING SWEEPS
[5] SMALL KUIXING POSTURE
[6] SWALLOW ENTERS ITS NEST
[7] QUICK CAT CATCHES THE MOUSE
[8] PHOENIX NODS ITS HEAD
[9] WASP ENTERS THE HIVE
[10] PHOENIX UNFURLS ITS WINGS TO THE RIGHT
[11] SMALL KUIXING POSTURE
[12] PHOENIX UNFURLS ITS WINGS TO THE LEFT

[13] WAITING FOR A FISH
[14] DRAGON MOVING TO THE LEFT & RIGHT
[15] BIRD GOES INTO THE FOREST TO ROOST
[16] BLACK DRAGON SWINGS ITS TAIL
[17] BLUE DRAGON LEAVES THE WATER
[18] WIND ROLLS UP THE LOTUS LEAVES
[19] LION SHAKES ITS HEAD LEFT & RIGHT
[20] TIGER HIDES ITS HEAD
[21] WILD HORSE JUMPS THE STREAM
[22] TURN AROUND, REIN IN THE HORSE
[23] COMPASS NEEDLE
[24] BRUSHING OFF DUST AGAINST THE WIND LEFT & RIGHT
[25] GOING WITH THE CURRENT TO PUSH THE BOAT
[26] METEOR CHASES THE WATER
[27] DIVINE BIRD DESCENDS THROUGH THE SKY
[28] RAISING A CURTAIN
[29] LEFT & RIGHT WHEELING
[30] SWALLOW PECKING AT MUD
[31] RUKH UNFURLS A WING

[32] TRYING TO SCOOP THE MOONS REFLECTION FROM THE WATER
[33] EMBRACE THE MOON
[34] NEZHA SEARCHES THE SEA
[35] RHINO GAZES AT THE MOON
[36] SHOOT THE GOOSE
[37] BLUE DRAGON SHOWS A CLAW
[38] PHOENIX UNFURLS ITS WINGS
[39] CARRYING THE BASKET LEFT & RIGHT
[40] SHOOT THE GOOSE
[41] WHITE APE OFFERS FRUIT
[42] LEFT & RIGHT FALLING PETALS POSTURE
[43] MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE
[44] WHITE TIGER TWITCHES ITS TAIL
[45] FISH LEAPS THE DRAGON GATE
[46] BLACK DRAGON COILS AROUND THE PILLAR LEFT & RIGHT
[47] IMMORTAL POINTS THE WAY
[48] HOLDING UP A STICK OF INCENSE
[49] WIND SWEEPS THE PLUM FLOWERS
[50] IVORY FLUTE POSTURE

[51] EMBRACE THE SWORD AND RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL POSITION
11. TAIJI SWORD SONG
The sword art is hard to teach,

for its directness of attack and withdraw is so subtle.
Basically, if you keep swinging it at me like its a saber,
Zhang Sanfeng will laugh at you.
12. SONG OF POSTURE NAMES FOR TAIJI SABER
BIG DIPPER and SITTING TIGER are followed by EXCHANGING THE

SABER.
ALWAYS AT THE READY, SUDDENLY EXPAND, rousing mind and energy.
LOOK LEFT & RIGHT, then SPREAD APART TO BOTH SIDES.
WHITE CRANE SPREADS ITS WINGS with a five-element palm.
WIND ROLLS UP THE LOTUS LEAVES, then store inward.
MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE deals with all directions.
THREE STARS POSTURE, then open and close, and TAKE CHARGE OF THE
SITUATION.
DOUBLE KICK, then perform FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE.
DRAPE THE BODY, hanging at an angle, then perform MANDARIN DUCK
KICK.
GOING WITH THE CURRENT TO PUSH THE BOAT, use your iron staff like a
punting-pole.
LOWERING, ENGAGE THREE TIMES, moving with fluency.
SWIM TO THE LEFT & RIGHT, then LEAP THE DRAGON GATE.
BIAN HE CARRIES THE STONE, then the PHOENIX RETURNS TO ITS
NEST.
What my teacher has bequeathed us is praised everywhere.

Because of his personal instruction, I can never forget what he taught me:
the techniques such as cleaving, hacking, scratching, checking, shaving,
raising to the wrist, and so on
13. TAIJI STICK & FOLLOW SPEAR
1. Advance, stabbing to his solar plexus.
2. Advance, stabbing to his ribs.
3. Advance, stabbing to his arm.
4. Advance, stabbing to his throat.
(These are advancings that come from retreats, retreating in response to the
opponent advancing, then advancing toward him.)
[1] Retreat with a plucking spear technique
[2] Advance with a rending spear technique.
[3] Advance with a shoveling spear technique.
[4] Step forward with a flinging spear technique.
(These four spear techniques lie within the first four.)
Above are the main ideas of the various skills of the Taiji school and their
essential principles, but without personal instruction and experience, you will
not be able to understand them.
PREFACE TO MARTIAL ARTS DISCUSSIONS
Ever since ancient times, wise men and scholars have all taken what they have
studied and what they have inquired into, fully exploring the essence of a
subject then explaining its principles, and have recorded it all in books. For
instance, on the subject of learning itself, there is Gu Yanwus Daily Collectings
of Knowledge. On the Confucian classics, there is Wang
Niansuns Miscellaneous Notes on the Classics. On the study of history, there
are Zhang Shizhais Constants in Literature and History and Ji Xiaolans Select
Complexities of History. On literature, there is Liu Xies The Literary Mind and
the Carving of Dragons. On painting and calligraphy, there are Bao
Shichens Art of Rowing with Two Oars, as well as Kang Youweis expanded
rendition of it, Dong Qichangs Paintings from the Zen Chamber with
Accompanying Calligraphy, Da Zhongguangs Paintings of Fish Traps, Gong
Xians Paintings with Poetry, and Qin Zuyongs Paintings with Poetry Made in
the Shade of the Tong Tree and The Art of Painting from Ones Heart. On
medicine, there are Chen Shiduos On Distinguishing Feverish Illnesses and
Zhu Danxis Art of Psychology. And so on.
Although these examples do not constitute a huge collection [a vast store of
books made by filling the house through the labor of oxen], they are made of
the penetrating insights that have come from personal experience. The authors
have presented basic essentials and put them on display for future generations,
hoping that such learning will not fall by the wayside, but will instead be further
developed by those who read them.

Martial arts are the innate form of physical education in China. Through five
thousand years of magnificent and glorious history, they have been used to
strengthen the masses and support the nation, defend the self and resist
aggression. But due to the sheer variety of systems, there is a lack of truly
adequate teaching materials. It is so rare to find recorded explanations of the
essentials and examinations of their subtleties that what has been passed down
to us leaves us merely speculating, and this is indeed one of the major causes for
the daily decline of these arts.
In the spring of 1934, my major ambition was to enlist the help of Chu Minyi
and various comrades in order to produce the Martial Arts United Monthly
Magazine in Shanghai. By that summer, I really felt that there was a lack of
material, as I specifically pointed out in the second part of our magazines article
on Main Principles: These things that have been learned through personal
experience, or written based on personal reflection, are presented in a manner
that is enthusiastic and open-minded, avoiding expressions of ridicule or
disrespect, and put forth in a language that is pleasant and smooth so that
readers will come to understand through the study of such contributions. What
worries me is that there are not enough people writing.
Now Huang Yuanxiu, with a worthy introduction from Tan Mengxian, has
made this combined volume of Martial Arts Discussions and Essentials of Yang
Style Taiji Boxing, an outpouring of brilliance from the Nanchang Field
Headquarters, spreading its words to those who have sought but not found. The
perfect author for this situation, Huang takes abstruse and complex boxing
principles and puts them into writing that is insightful and graceful, with a
mentality of admiration and gratitude for such knowledge. The work now
completed, Huang has been corresponding with distant colleagues to let them
all know the date of publication for this book that will be of benefit to
aficionados everywhere. Before that day arrives and this special volume
becomes famous as a bestseller, I presume to convey some of my appreciation
by being the first to commemorate the occasion.
- written [by Jiang Xiahun] at the Hundred Heroes Lodge, June 10, 1936
MARTIAL ARTS DISCUSSIONS (by Huang Yuanxiu)
Since the Revolution [1911], we have seen advancement in every field of

learning, which has brought an end to the tradition of secrecy in martial arts
and given them the opportunity to flourish. By now, every province has set up
their own special institutes, and they spread their publications in the cities. But
so far it is only the methods of spear, saber, staff, and boxing that have been
taught, and a study has not yet been made of their educational aspects.
As for the purpose of such training, no one yet fully understands how far the
results can go, and therefore while those practicing who are strong are getting
results, those practicing who are severely ill are also getting results. I feel that as
truly important as the skills are, it is the body itself that should be given the
most attention. Therefore we must first understand methods of taking care of
oneself and that the goal is effectiveness, and then we may commence to
training the skills and participating in all the customs within the world of
Chinese martial arts, adhering faithfully to their essentials. What I have gained
through my own experience, I present below:
ONE: THE PURPOSE OF PRACTICING MARTIAL ARTS
The reason we are promoting our nations martial arts is not for any immediate
practicality in combat, but for the indirect results it will bring to our
undertakings. Modern mechanized and chemical warfare can make no use of the
human body as a weapon. Anyone with common sense can understand this. It is
scientific research that builds cannons and makes planes fly, yet without a
strong body, you would be unable to use such machines with ease. Without an
imposing air, you would be unable to be a leader that inspires confidence.
Without an abundant spirit, you would be unable to handle the research that is
involved.
In the undertakings of normal society, this is also always the case. If a student
of a martial art can indeed adhere to its process, practicing according its
principles and in a nurturing way, never overdoing any part of the training nor
quitting halfway, but gradually progressing step by step, then he will certainly
be able to increase his vigor, vigor which can applied in these ways: those
engaged in education must be able to freely apply argumentation, those engaged
in industry must be able to be sufficiently enterprising, those engaged in
military tasks must be able to fulfill their assignments, and those engaged in
scientific studies must be able to broaden their research. These are examples of
how directly attending to matters of health will indirectly bolster all
undertakings, and such attention will enable all citizens in the nation to increase
their power to struggle for their own well-being.
Martial arts instructors are not necessarily like sports coaches, nor do they
need to be presiding over larger gatherings of people. Regardless of winter or
summer, rain or shine, they are out there dancing with their swords in the
moonlight, exhibiting theory and skill like a lamp for all to see, even in remote
mountains and distant valleys. In every era, there have been teachers, especially
in our nation of several thousand years, in the consummate art of improving
ones health.
When we speak of happiness, we mean that our bearing shows a sensation of
comfort or that our thoughts are reveling in our interests. But when we seek the
source of our happiness, it always comes from abundance of spirit. Children for
instance jump around with so much liveliness, with limitless joy in their hearts,
and the reason for this is abundance of spirit. Those addicted to cigarettes and
alcohol use those vices to lift their spirits, but it is a perversely temporary
comfort, and although they know it is harmful, they are unable to quit. They do
not understand that those who practice martial arts are full of vigor and fresh
with health, and have a sense of happiness that so utterly outclasses the
ephemeral highs of substance abuse. One person will eventually become so ill as
to be rendered almost immobile, while the other who is training to develop
wonderful skills will be preventing disease and prolonging his life. The
difference between these benefits and harms is immeasurable.
TWO: MAINTAINING HEALTH
People nowadays are learning boxing arts just because their bodies are frail and
weak. In the beginning of the training, the first principle in taking care of
oneself is awareness of the seasons. In spring, take medicines to keep you cool.
In summer, take medicines that drive out heat. In autumn, take medicines that
help you retain moisture. In winter, take medicines that heat you up. Such
tonics are indispensable throughout the year for martial arts practitioners.
(There is a saying in my village: Poor in learning, rich in fighting. In the old
days, students of the classics first studied the Four Books, and they might
throughout their lifetime value only a few hundred works. Those who instead
trained for the provincial military examinations trained year round and put all
their money into weapons and equipment far exceeding the price of a set of the
Four Books [and thereby subverting the saying to rich in learning, poor in
fighting].)
As for which tonics will help you progress, it is hard to determine because
every body is different, but it is usually the case that medicine does not compare
to eating right. Usually foods such as cod-liver oil, milk, eggs, beef tendon, liver
and kidneys, and spinal marrow are to be recommended. Other weird foods like
tiger tendon, deer breast, tortoise, soft-shelled turtle, or varieties of eel are very
rich and oily, and if you eat them too often, they will probably cause ulcers, and
so I recommend avoiding them.
Of the recommended foods above, liver is good for your liver, kidneys are
good for your lower back, cod-liver oil is good for your lungs, spinal marrow is
good for your marrow, and beef tendon is good for your tendons. Beyond these,
beans are also extremely nourishing, and do not neglect garden vegetables.
Overall, food does not need to be exotic, appetite does not need to be insatiable,
use the right amount of food for efficient digestion meaning neither too much
nor too little and to digest efficiently, make sure to chew your food thoroughly.
The famous martial arts master Sun Lutang, who carried a great reputation
for his prowess in the arts of Taiji, Xingyi, and Bagua, passed away without
illness above the age of seventy. His diet usually consisted of extremely bland
food. The leading Taiji authority Yang Chengfu of Guangping, known
everywhere from north to south, has a very large body, but not an excessive
appetite. The famous Shaolin masters Du Xinwu and Liu Baichuan take the
same meals as very ordinary people. My elder classmate Cao Yanhai is tall and
robust with a skill that is refined and deep. He earned 4th place in the national
competition in Zhejiang and 1st place in the national competition in Shanghai.
Little did I imagine that he is actually a vegetarian.
None of these gentlemen have been known to touch alcohol. Examining their
experience, or that of bodyguards throughout the north, career soldiers on the
move, or traveling performers everywhere, it is well-known that in their
ordinary sleeping, eating, and daily life, they are all conscientious of staying
healthy. It is obvious that the maintaining of health does not lie with gluttony,
what the ancients called a man who takes three gallons of wine and ten
helpings of meat, which is nothing more than a description of unrestrained
behavior.
On regulating time spent:
Time for training and time for resting should harmonize with each other. Ones
daily work routine should be restricted in its hours so as to make time for
nurturing body and mind. This is a crucial point. I have seen several of my
friends become so revitalized due to the training that they threw themselves
back into their professional tasks with even more excessive effort than before,
and then after a year, they looked spent and hunched over. Some friends took
their boosted spirit to the brothels and then rapidly perished after a couple years
of that. If you train in but do not obtain the skills, there may be no benefit. But if
you do obtain the skills and yet do not know how to take care of yourself, not
only will there be no benefit, there will be harm. If you ardently seek these arts,
ponder these words over and over.
THREE: SOME THINGS TO AVOID
Whenever people train in martial arts, a heroic spirit naturally manifests and a
usually timid manner becomes forgotten. This often may lead to behaviors of
drunkenness, laziness, or combativeness. Therefore in ancient and uncivilized
times, typical parents would always forbid boys from fighting with sticks, firstly
to prevent them from getting hurt, and secondly to keep them from disturbing
others. I have witnessed in the street market near a certain Martial Arts
Institute a practitioner brawling with people. This would not have happened in
those former times, in which it was the little boys who most easily slipped into
such a pattern. As for drunkenness, it injures the body, and as for laziness, it
wastes a life, but those who love to get into fights are sure to cause a great deal
of trouble. The source of their behavior being deemed reckless courage is
actually a mischaracterization, for the activation of a heroic personality would
normally result in a more compassionate heart. When the opposite occurs and
people are harming others, this must not be allowed and should be gravely
guarded against.
Avoid practicing martial arts when too full or too hungry, after drinking
alcohol, or when in wind. After sex or nocturnal emissions, and after recovering
from illness or becoming fatigued due to work, you should give yourself a day to
recover, maybe even two or three. Once you feel your spirit has returned to
normal, you may then continue, otherwise you are bound to make yourself ill.
After practicing, do not remove clothes just because you have been sweating,
nor suddenly drink any cold beverages, nor sit down and take a nap. These are
all things to be avoided which will cause you at the least to catch a cold, and in
worse cases will lead to such internal aching as to impede you in your training.
For martial practitioners, it is essential to be aloof from sexual lust, especially
abstaining from masturbation, since natural nocturnal emissions already
diminish enough of the bodys energy, and so anything beyond it would be
harmful and shorten your life span. Be sure not to become addicted to
pornographic materials or brothels. Even marital sex should be engaged in only
in moderation, no more than once a month past the age of thirty, no more than
once a season past the age of forty, and no more than once a year past the age of
fifty.
Both martial practitioners and cultivators of the Way thus have internal
resources to draw upon the three treasures of essence, energy, and spirit.
Without these resources, there is really no capacity for practice. On this point,
there was a martial man who said: If a body that practices martial arts were
valued in gold, a single hair on it would be worth a thousand pieces. This serves
to show that warriors since ancient times have attached importance to health
maintenance.
FOUR: EXERCISE & TRAINING
The ancient worthies said: Train your essence and transform it into energy.
Train your energy and transform it into spirit. Train your spirit and return to
emptiness. Then by way of emptiness, achieve the Way. After thousands of
years, this principle is unchanged. Take a look at our recent martial arts
competitions and performances. You will often see long white beards, healthy
old warriors. Famous athletes in Europe and America on the other hand will
probably no longer be engaging in their particular forms of exercise when they
are at an advanced age. Recently the Japanese athlete Mikengi was headed into
the next year with a great reputation, then suddenly he was dead and buried.
Why is this so? Because he did not understand the cultivation of the three parts
essence, energy, and spirit.
A wise man said: With eyes bright and tongue moist, ones essence is
abundant. With clarity of voice and articulation in speech, ones energy is
potent. With rosy eyelids and the fingernails pink and smooth, ones blood is
thriving. And also: When ones essence is sufficient, there is no obsession with
sex. When ones energy is sufficient, there is no craving for food. When ones
spirit is sufficient, there is no drowsiness.
Most people have three meals a day, which are broken down in the stomach,
then broken down further in the intestines, and once absorbed and dissolved,
essence is produced. (This particular mention of essence is not referring to the
sexual essence, but the nutritional essence that is crucial for maintaining life.)
For scholars of cultivation practices, when the fire of the life gate rises, it
transforms energy and blood, ascends to create spirit, spreads to create muscle,
and acts to build strength, its changes natural, miraculous, invisible. This is a
rough explanation of the process. If you persistently visit prostitutes, a different
process will enter your kidneys, weakening your energy, impoverishing your
blood, diminishing your strength. Or if you harmfully consume alcohol, or
overwork yourself, then nutrition will be not enough to repair you and you will
be irretrievably expending your life essence, the reducing of which will natural
lead to illness and shortening of life span.
Energy is the basis of the universe, as in the manifestings of energy [i.e.
portents in the sky], movements of energy [operations of fate], or calculations
of energy [wheel of fortune]. All forms of increase or decrease are a matter of
the waxing and waning of energy. Why would this not also be the case for
human beings? We always talk of someones energy being up in the same way
energy rises into the sky to produce rainbows, or how ones energy gives one a
heroic countenance with a bold voice and authoritative air. When ones energy
declines, one dwells deathlike in its vestiges, breathing feebly. Therefore our
strength or weakness, our ups or downs, are entirely a matter of energy.
Unaware of our energy, it is actually produced by our sexual essence. Though
dwelling in our elixir field, its source is the life fire and sexual essence. Daoists
call this water and fire in a state of mutual benefit and is what is meant by
internal elixir. For an analogy, motive power in modern machines depends on
steam. Fire is used to evaporate water, the water becomes steam, and the steam
gives movement to the machines. Even the electrical power from power plants is
generated by steam-produced friction. If the water ever dried up or the oil ever
ran out, without such explosive intensity, there would be a collapse.
Exercise is: the energy and blood moving internally, and the bodys shell
being worked externally. Exercise, inside and out, is as the saying goes [Lu Shi
Chunqiu, book 3, chapter 2]: Running water never goes stale and a door that
gets used does not get rusty hinges. We push aside the old to take in the new, or
pick out what is false to practice what is true, and this is an asset in esoteric
cultivation practices. Daoists have their Five Animal Frolics, while Buddhists
have their Tendon Changing Classic. Daoists have Zhang Sanfeng, while
Buddhists have Damo. But when we investigate the fuel for such exercises, it
turns out there is nothing but essence, energy, and spirit.
The training should not be interrupted, regardless of winter or summer, fair
weather or foul. The way the human body is put together, unless it is the time of
year in which the plums are ripening, we are oppressed by those grandest of
alternations that are summer and winter. Thus we are typically practicing
during either severe cold or intense heat, and so we always have to pay special
attention to our health.
With diligent training, you will be able to develop skill without easily
regressing. When training, always practice until you are sweating. Otherwise
you were just posing, rendering your training superficial and useless. A person
usually begins to sweat from his head and armpits, then from his lower back and
belly, then his thighs, and once his calves are sweating, then he ought to stop.
Likewise when we are running a horse at a gallop, if the horse is sweating
behind its ears, we must stop the horse, otherwise we would endanger its life.
For a regular boxing arts regimen, get up each day before 4 in the morning
and practice for an hour. Then lie down and rest until dawn. After breakfast, go
for a walk outside, breathing in fresh air. Return for lunch, then take a siesta for
an hour. Get up at 3 or 4 in the afternoon, then practice for an hour or maybe
two. Have supper at 7, practice again from 8 until 9, then sleep at 10. This is a
more focused practice, but for those of us who have jobs, we should try to get
two hours of practice out of our mornings and evenings combined, although an
hour or half hour will be acceptable. Always expect to put many years into it and
do not seek to develop in a mere day.
FIVE: THE GENERAL COMPONENTS OF TAIJI BOXING
In recent years, Taiji Boxing is in vogue everywhere and can be said to be the
most widespread boxing art in the Chinese martial arts world. Observing it in
various places, how it is practiced by various practitioners, and the distinctions

between them, it can generally be classified into three branches:
1. Hebei Hao Style
I do not know who started this style, but I have heard it has been passed down
by Grandmaster Hao of Hebei. I do not recall his name, but everyone calls him
Grandmaster Hao. During the Qing Dynasty, he was a convoy escort in the area
between Shanxi and Shaanxi. He was highly skilled and an expert with a
halberd. He was called The Terror of Forest Bandits and bodyguard agencies
vied to employ him. He was truly a hero of the highways of Shanxi and Shaanxi.
I have met Jiang Xinshan of Tianjin and Liu Zishan, who both practice this
boxing art. There are not many practitioners of it in the south, but when my
teacher Li Jinglin came to the south, his family and close colleagues all became
proficient in it. Its techniques are extremely complex, and it has twice as many
movements as the Yang and Chen styles, with perhaps more than two hundred
postures. To perform it once takes an excessively long time.
According to Li: In addition to its boxing set, it also has a variety of
additional pushing hands methods, making its repertoire of techniques more
comprehensive than other styles. Because it is so detailed, it is more difficult to
remember. Its theory is consistent with Yang Style, and it is not really necessary
to add it to your practice if you are already practicing Yang Style. I asked some
colleagues to learn it and see how far they got after two months. They were
unable in that time to complete the set, and from this can be seen how
complicated it really is.
Sun Lutang told me: The strength of this art is that it is so utterly soft and
yielding. At that time, I neglected to seek out its boxing manuals, and so I do
not know the similarities and differences between its theory and that of the
Chen and Yang styles.

2. Henan Chen Style
This is the boxing art passed down through the generations in the Chen family
village of Wen county, Henan. I am familiar with Chen Boyuan, his nephew Jifu,
and Jifus brother Ziming, each of them descendants in the Chen family and
transmitters of their art. According to the brothers Chen Ziming and Chen Jifu:
Our ancestors used this art to serve their nation and protect their homes,
rendering meritorious service over and over again, and therefore we all practice
Taiji Boxing.
There are two versions of it, the old frame and the new frame, and it also has
what is called Taiji Cannon Boxing. I have tried this arts movements and
perused its manuals. It is completely different from the Yang family tradition.
Its hand techniques are firm, its stances are heavy, and it wields power with
every move. It also has places in it that allow for some originality, which means
that all who perform the Chen Style will not feel it exactly the same way as
others.
I recently heard that director Zhang Zhijiang had sent some people to the
Chen family village to make a study of what is there and obtain inherited
manuals for publication, and that the book made by Chen Ziming [published
1932] is in some parts at variance with them. I suspect the reason for this is that
with handwritten copies of anything, there are always and inevitably errors in
transcription. Not to mention there are also those who discover things in their
own experience and then revise the work of others, adding to or deleting from
someone elses text. As it passes through many hands, it goes through many
alterations, and is ultimately rendered inconsistent.
3. Beijing Yang Style
Inheritors of the teachings of Yang The Invincible Luchan include Yang

Banhou, Yang Jianhou, Yang Shaohou, Yang Chengfu, Xu Yusheng, Wu
Jianquan, and others. Each performs in a different way, but the differences
mostly divide into two classifications: large frame and small frame. I once asked
Yang Chengfu about this, and he told me: First strive to open up, then strive to
close up. In the beginning of the training, it should be the large frame, which
can get your sinews and vessels stretched out, boosting the flow of blood and
energy. This will put you in a position to then manifest skill. When the time
comes to apply the techniques, you have to be quick and fluent, and for that you
will need the small frame. The way my elder brother [Yang Shaohou] practices
now [placing this exchange prior to 1930] is all about fighting methods.
His idea seems to be that if the basic skills are not yet attained but you wish
to skip ahead to fighting, you would be no better than a child who is not yet able
to walk and first wants to learn how to jump. Could the child do it? It is also like
learning to swim. If you are not yet able to swim in calm water but you wish to
swim in choppy rivers and seas, would you be able to? It is also like learning to
ride a horse. If you are not yet confident even at a slow trot but you wish to leap
over barriers, would you be able to? An ancient man said [from the Zhong
Yong]: To climb high, you must start low. To go far, you must start where you
are. This is indeed a true maxim.
In short, fighting is not something you need to face every day, whereas health
you cannot really do without for even a moment. Let us then ask ourselves
which is more important, more urgent. This book is full of common sense rather
than grand theories. If you can proceed in this steady way, you will find that
although there may not be much material in a day of it, there is more than
enough after a month, and your health will benefit. As for amazing and
astonishing theories presented in an elaborate style, I dont know any.
A typical student nowadays by which I mean ordinary students, not
disciples usually wants fast results, hoping to be given Taiji Boxing skill in a
just few steps and attain decades of learning in just a few days, and because of
this, many hundreds of thousands of people have accumulated in a recent years
to learn Taiji Boxing, everywhere from north to south, from the mouth of the
Yellow River to the Yangtze River and down to the Pearl River delta. But when
take a look at Zhejiang for instance, of the several thousand who have been
practicing there for more than ten years, those who now can be considered to
have made even some small achievement in it are very few and far between. As
for the average ability in pushing hands, those who are clearly distinguishing the
four techniques of ward-off, rollback, press, and push are again very rare.
What is the reason for this situation? One reason is that they seek to get
results quickly, another is that they have no perseverance. Those who expect too
much will certainly not succeed. On the other hand, those of us who start with
the basics and then build on that foundation will certainly not fail. First seek to
make your energy and blood abundant, then you will be able to make your spirit
full and your body strong. Make sure that your postures are correct and your
movements are appropriate. Make the exercise beneficial rather than harmful.
Train in the proper sequence and progress gradually. It is not a matter of forcing
the pace, but of how diligent you are at learning and how safe your method is.
Yang Shaohous boxing set was small and hard, the movements fast and
heavy. He always used the stiffening and severing energies, and those who
fought with him always came away from it with their skin and muscles in pain.
His instructions were usually about methods of application. While his skills
were certainly the authentic transmission from his grandfather, unfortunately
no ordinary people were able to learn from him. Frail scholarly types were not
able to endure his teaching, and those who did not already have a foundation
were not able to understand what he was talking about. He had a violent
disposition, which he probably got from his uncle Banhou. His comrades have
all heaved angst-ridden sighs over how difficult the training was. Therefore
although his fame was great, his followers were few.
The boxing set of Yang Chengfu, Shaohous younger brother, was stretched
out and supple, the techniques soft and heavy. It has been described as a steel
bullet wrapped in silk, for there is hardness within the softness. Taiji Boxing
enthusiasts have all welcomed his version. Yet there are still those who are
reluctant to push hands with him, because every time he issues power or
someone is struck by him, that person falls down more than ten feet away. His
students still have a hard time bringing themselves to experience his power. I
have often asked Yang Chengfu why the teaching has to be done in this way. He
has said: If its not like this, if theres no demonstration of power, if the
teaching is casual and vague, why should people come for it? Wouldnt it just be
a waste of their time and money?
In the autumn of 1929, Yang Chengfu became the dean of the Zhejiang
Martial Arts Institute. I have often pushed hands with him. Sometimes when I
tried the double-hand push on him, he would seize the opportunity to pat my
chest, and before his fingers had even touched my jacket, there would be a dull
pain in my chest for a moment. As to why this would happen, before his arm had
made contact, how could I feel pain? Could this be said to be some boxing arts
folktale? I asked Yang about it, and he said: After all this time, I still dont
understand how this internal energy stuff works.
According to Tian Zhaolin: During the years I was learning from Yang
Jianhou, I punched him in the gut as hard as I could, but just then he made his
belly bulge out, and I fell down outside the courtyard. He was still sitting quietly
on his chair, smoking his pipe as before, as if unaware that he had moved at all.
Later on I also had a bout with Yang Chengfu in which he hit me on my right
ribs, and then my left ribs hurt for over a month.
These kinds of instances depict unimaginable skill [except perhaps for
Huangs pushing hands chest pain, which appears to be a simple case of
Pavlovian anticipation], especially considering that Tian Zhaolin himself is so
skillful. With the cleverness of his hands and the heaviness of his power, he is
truly no ordinary Taiji Boxing exponent, and his skill can be considered to be
beyond our reach. But it is not my purpose here to trumpet his prowess, and
everyone aware of Taiji Boxing history already knows that Tian Zhaolin is a
master.
Others such as Wu Huichuan, Chu Guiting, Chen Weiming, and Dong Yingjie
have all learned directly from Yang Chengfu, and have taken his methods north
and south. They have for years earned their own prestige and the esteem of
people in society. Though their techniques are not always the same and they
each have their own emphasis as to theory, it is obvious they all learned from
Yang when compared to others who did not.
These three branches of the art each have their particular strong points and are
each extremely ingenious, but they cannot be expected to follow identical paths
or have identical strengths. They cannot be divided into which of them is better
or lesser, and you must also not think of one as right and another as wrong. In
short, they are all the same art. And it can go on for another thousand years or
more without being abandoned, for it has gained the admiration of ordinary
people. There is within it an indelible set of principles that causes in people
immeasurably wonderful effects.
According to the situation above, regardless of which style or which teacher,
there is transmission of a system and transmission through a person, and so the
number of movements will not always be the same, nor does it need to be
entirely identical. This is not only so in Taiji Boxing, but also for example with
Tantui, in which there are those who practice a ten-line version and those
practice a twelve-line version. Although it is a single Muslim art, it is
nevertheless divided into two versions. It is also the case for the various styles of
Shaolin Boxing, Taizu Boxing, or the methods of the Yue school.
For each transmission that is passed down, it has what it has and it does not
have what it does not have, and it is only in terms of theory that the styles need
to be unanimous. If the theory is not the same, then it is clearly a distinct branch
and cannot be said to be of the same school. I think the nations experts would
concur with this.
PRACTICING THE BOXING SET Part 1
To practice the entire Taiji Boxing set, by learning one or two postures each day,
sticking at it without skipping a day, a person of ordinary intelligence can learn
the whole thing in about a month. You must then go through two months of
making corrections, and then another month of ardent training, totaling four
months to solidify the postures, and then you may leave your teacher after a
year without it being prone to altering from what was taught.
If you only put a month into it, you would barely get the general idea. You
would not go through a process of receiving corrections, and thus you would not
be able to grasp what you have learned, and because you have taken even a short
break from it, the orientations and movements would soon begin to slip and
become distorted.
Instead you must continue to go over it again every day without interruption.
If you practice it twice a day, you will be well-versed in it. If you practice it three
times a day, you will become increasingly skillful. If you practice it only once a
day, you will merely be keeping yourself from forgetting it.
As regards the learning of the boxing set, to go from the initiating of the first
movement to the halting of the last is considered a single set. There are within it
more than a hundred named movements. Every posture is to be done with
precision and completeness. Moreover, you are to be sensitive and calm. In not
a single posture can you just do whatever you feel like, nor in a single posture
can you be coming away or crashing in coming away in this case
meaning not being present, crashing in in this case meaning being stiff.
Your limbs and every part of your body should adhere to nimbleness, flow,
and softness. You are to be nimble rather than abrupt. You are to move
continuously rather than in a punctuated manner. You are to be soft rather than
crumbly. If you focus [too hard] and give rise to stiff energy, this is called
crashing in, and you will then have departed from the Taiji path. Ardently pay
attention to this.
For a single practice of the boxing set, the longer it takes to go through it, the
more profound the experience. There are those who need more than an hour to
practice it. But after slowness has been trained, you must then switch to
practicing quickness. There are those who practice it five or six times within just
a few minutes.
Whether slow or fast, in either case the evenness of the movements is to be
maintained, as is said in the Taiji classics [the Treatise]: Do not allow there to
be cracks or gaps anywhere, pits or protrusions anywhere, breaks in the flow
anywhere. For a beginner to go through it once, it will take at least eight to ten
minutes. If you keep at it for five or six years, your skill will have deepened
enough that you can then practice doing it fast. Yet you must still do every
posture perfectly and cannot allow it to get sloppy because of the faster pace.
The solo set divides into three versions: Beginners practice a high frame,
intermediates perform a more level frame (gaze, hands, thighs, and crotch
flattened out), and then once skill has deepened, there is gradual progress into a
low frame. Going from high to middle to low depends entirely on skill level and
must not be forced, otherwise a multitude of errors will manifest, and there will
be no benefit for you at all.
When practicing the set, externally you should pay attention to the movements,
which should be done smoothly and calmly, as is said in the Taiji classics [the
Treatise]: From foot through leg through waist, it must be a fully continuous
process. Internally, breath is divided into inhale and exhale, which should also
be smooth and calm, like it is no task at all, and you should never be holding
your breath.
Your mental intent must not be stagnant, as is said in the Taiji classics
[Understanding How to Practice]: If you can raise your spirit, then you will be
without worry of being slow or weighed down. Thus it is said: Your whole body
will be nimble and your headtop will be pulled up as if suspended. The mind
must perform alternations nimbly, and then you will have the qualities of
roundness and liveliness. Thus it is said: Pay attention to the alternation of
empty and full.
Additionally, there is the skill of transforming energies, like the energy of
RAISE THE HANDS transforming into the energy of WHITE CRANE SHOWS
ITS WINGS, which then transforms into the energy of BRUSH KNEE IN A
CROSSED STANCE. With each posture and breath, each breath and energy,
they change from one to another, yet are connected in between. A change of
posture is a change of technique. A change of technique is a change of intent.
From a change of intent comes a change of breath. From a change of breath
comes a change of energy. These are the transitions of transformation.
Internally there is the movement of your intent and breath, while externally
there is the reaching, turning, expanding, and contracting of your limbs, and of
the greatest concern is that these things must conform to the principles in the
Taiji classics.

Those who are increasing their skill are the ones who gradually, day by day,
lengthen their breath (rather than holding their breath and trembling), those
who gradually increase the nimbleness of their hands and feet, gradually
increase the flexibility of their hips, gradually thicken their palms and the soles
of their feet, gradually increase the rosiness of their completions, leading to
abundance of spirit, attention to detail, clarity of voice, ability to endure hunger
or cold, to face things calmly, to handle hard work, to feel satiated at meals, and
sleep soundly, all of which are demonstrably the case.
Although each boxing technique has benefit, it may or may not actually suit the
students body. Thus there is a distinction between a liberal education and a
specialized education. If you are in your prime and your surroundings are
conducive, then you might as well learn widely from the ways of every system,
browsing amongst them until you end up favoring one style over the rest. If you
are already old, or your professional life is hectic, then it will be easiest to make
gains by simply selecting what is most suitable for yourself and practicing just
that.
One whose body is heavy and large can learn Tongbi Boxing or Shuaijiao. One
whose body is of average build and strong can learn Chuojiao Boxing, Baji
Boxing, Taizu Boxing, or Xingyi Boxing. One whose body is nimble and petite
can learn Ditang Boxing, Monkey Boxing, or Drunken Eight Immortals. One
whose body is old and weak can learn Bagua Boxing, Taiji Boxing or the Twelve
Jingang Methods. Chinese martial arts are extremely numerous and I have here
only given a general idea.
Practicing the boxing set is an exercise in the art of self-defense and a matter of
self-cultivation. The pushing hands exercises and two-person set are learned for
methods of attack and evasion. Techniques of training the energies have to do
with dealing with opponents.
For one who is already old and suffers from chronic ailments, emphasizing
the practice of the boxing set can prevent illness and prolong life. For one who is
young, very fit, and lives in affluent surroundings, one can focus on hiring a
noteworthy instructor and make an involved personal study of it.
According to colleagues, the various postures within the Taiji Boxing set are
actually just boxing postures from various systems. Within the set as a whole,
there are the eight kinds of techniques ward-off, rollback, press, push, pluck,
rend, elbow, and bump and there are also eight kinds of energy:
[1] expanding as in RETREAT TO SITTING TIGER POSTURE
[2] contracting as in RAISE THE HANDS
[3] lowering NEEDLE UNDER THE SEA
[4] lifting WHITE CRANE SPREADS ITS WINGS
[5] advancing BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
[6] retreating RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY
[7] turning to the right CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK TO
ITS MOUNTAIN
[8] turning to the left PUNCH UNDER THE ELBOW
There are also eight kinds of stances (example Taiji posture / equivalent Shaolin
stance):
[1] CROSSED HANDS / parallel horse stance
[2] BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE / attack stance [or bow
stance]
[3] LOW POSTURE / flattened stance
[4] GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON ONE LEG / one-legged stance
[5] PLAY THE LUTE / Taiji stance
[6] PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH / sitting twisted stance
[7] PLANTING PUNCH / unicorn stance
[8] SITTING TIGER STANCE / hanging foot stance [i.e. empty stance]
These are the eight stances. No matter how many kinds of boxing techniques,
they never happen in anything other than these eight stances. Therefore what
are called fighting skills [ba shi] by some instructors may actually be an
erroneous homonym for the eight stances [ba shi].
Song of Eight Quicknesses:
Move like the wind.

Stand like a nail.
Rise like a monkey.
Descend like an eagle.
Punch faster than a shooting star.
Your gaze is like lightning.
Your waist writhes like a snake.
Kick through like a drill.
Beyond the eight techniques and eight stances, there are also eight kicks:
snapping, pressing, lifting, swinging, catching, sheathing, trimming, and
stamping. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, there were only four kicking
maneuvers being practiced: KICK TO THE SIDE [snapping], TURN AROUND
WITH PRESSING KICK [pressing], DOUBLE KICK [lifting], and SWINGTHROUGH KICK [swinging]. And nowadays there are only three: snapping,
pressing, and swinging. Those other four are heard of less and less.
Catching:
When I see the opponents kick is coming, I use my lower leg to kick his lower
leg, thereby catching it.
Sheathing:
When I see his kick is coming, I kick out with a sheathing kick [i.e. sticking in
a kick to his standing leg while his other leg is raised]. If he kicks with the left, I
insert a kick to the right. If he kicks with the right, I insert a kick to the left.
Trimming:
I use my foot to kick the inside of his foot, as though it is the inside of a
hemline.
Stamping:
I stamp with my foot at an angle when he attacks me from the side.
These four kicks are truly not easy to practice, nor are they easy to apply. You
must work at each of them over a long period as a supplementary practice,
otherwise you will not be able to apply them smoothly. I suppose that when
ordinary Taiji Boxing instructors found themselves incapable of getting
everyone to learn these extra kicking techniques, being especially difficult for
the old and weak to practice, they were eliminated from the training. However,
due to their practical ingenuity, they have to be included for your kicking art to
be complete.
The essentials of kicking lie in four terms: straighten, lift, whoosh, and wave.
Straighten:
Snapping kicks and pressing kicks, whether forward or to the side, must
always straighten. If your leg does not straighten, your kicks will be unable to
penetrate skillfully.
Lift:
Send it high. Snapping kicks and pressing kicks should both be high. You are
thus able to cover the full range. At the very least, kick higher than your waist.
Ability to kick high during practice means that you will be able to kick wherever
you wish when applying it.
Whoosh:
When performing a snapping kick or a pressing kick, do it fast enough that
there is a whooshing sound. The term has to do with speed. There is no speed if
there is no whoosh, and without it you will be unable to express power.
Wave:
When performing a snapping kick, there is the appearance of a wave from
your waist to your toes, indicating power penetrating all the way to the tip of
your foot.
With these four terms, you can consider the fundamentals of your kicking
complete. This is not only the case for Taiji Boxing, but for any school or style.
These are always the basic requirements.
Kicking with the foot [ti jiao] may not be quite the same as kicking with the
leg [ti tui] (kicking with the foot snapping kick / pressing kick uses the
toes, edge, or sole to strike an opponent, whereas kicking with leg uses the
whole lower leg or the heel to strike an opponent), but their essentials are the
same, according to these sayings from experts: While the hands spread apart
like the two edges of a fan, striking the opponent entirely depends on the kick.
The eight stances do not play a game of feinting, but pointing above makes it
easy to strike below. This sufficiently demonstrates the significance of kicking.
When practicing the boxing set, the five most important things to pay attention
to are: hand, gaze, body, technique, and step.
The hand has to do with the actions of the palm, fist, elbow, or wrist.
Your gaze has to do with looking left, right, up, or down.
The body has to do with the actions of the shoulders, as in containing the
chest and plucking up the back, as well as the waist and hips, as in turning or
shifting the weight.
Technique means every kind of posture in the art, whether it be Taiji Boxing,
Hong Boxing, Hua boxing, etc. There is too great a variety of schools, sets, and
techniques to comprehensively describe, but it should be understood that within
every boxing set are methods for fighting opponents.
Stepping is the easiest part of the training for practitioners to overlook, yet it
is the most important of all, for your stance is your foundation. Your speed lies
with your step, and so does your stability. Your technique lies with your step,
and so does its ingenuity. An expert has said: If your feet are not arriving when
your hands are arriving, you will find you have much to worry about. If you are
drooping your head and stooping at the waist, what you have been taught is
surely not of a very high level. These five principles are all encapsulated here in
a couple phrases.
Included below is some correspondence I have received from Wu Huichuan and

Tian Zhaolin:
Dear Wenshu, my elder classmate,

Its been quite a while since we last talked, and Ive been missing you very
much. Ive just received the wonderful letter of questions you sent. Here are the
answers Im sending back to you about the main points of practicing Taiji
Boxing:
Your body must be balanced and upright, rounded and full.
Your energy should be relaxed.
When your hands give a push, it should wriggle through your shoulders,
then elbows, then rub outward.
Your shoulders should loosen and your elbows should sink.
Your tailbone should be tucked in.
When your foot comes down, it starts empty then fills.
Your upper body and lower should work in unison.

Every posture should be rounded and full.
Your headtop should be lifted.
Energy should sink to your elixir field.
When practicing, it should be done slowly. If fast, your energy will float
up as if you are on the Gan River.
Be an understanding friend, able to give a few tips here and there to make
practicing together easier. Then your pushing hands will easily make progress
and your body will become healthy.
I have long known you to be a scholar with profound insights and that you
are able to conduct research with an open mind. In days ahead, you will surely
become a famous exponent of Taiji, helping the art to prosper. But I anticipate
this of only you since I doubt others are capable of such achievement. Go forth
and clear aside those who are corrupt, then when you return triumphant, I
will hurry up your stairs to congratulate you. Although it will take you a great
deal of time and hard work, I hope youll take good care of yourself and that
everything will go smoothly for you.
Sincerely, your younger classmate Wu Huichuan, Oct 21, 1934
Dear Wenshu,
Ive read your letter which you first sent to Lin Jingping for a readthrough.
Youve recently been devoted to the study of Taiji Boxing with its energies of
neutralizing and issuing. Your progress has certainly been rapid and I deeply
admire it. You have put forth questions on several points and asked me to
explain. Im ashamed of my superficial skill and I fear I cant really explain
very thoroughly, but Ill present here some brief bits of understanding on a few
things:
1. Neutralizing energy is the most important thing. Go along with the
opponents force, especially matching his speed. If you go too fast, his energy
will easily adapt. If too slow, you will remain unable to neutralize.
2. To issue, you must first neutralize in order to change what you receive
into something better, then you will have the opportunity to issue. When such
opportunity is yours, you should release swiftly, your power should be in good
order, and you should be calm.
3. To attack the opponent, you must in the right place at the right time. If
the opportunity has not yet arrived, it is inappropriate to attack the opponent.
When spreading apart or just spreading to one side, you should join with him
and get him to go upward, ward-off energy being also extremely important.
Bump energy should be preceded by neutralizing and closing in. When
bumping, you have to be quick and you should have a specific target.
For all of these kinds of situations, unless you practice them for a very long
time, you will be unable to carry them out very proficiently.
Do you agree with these ideas?
My family wishes you safe and sound and free of worries. Respectfully
yours, peace to you, Tian Zhaolin, Oct 8, 1934
PUSHING HANDS Part 1
The practice of the boxing set relates to an imaginary opponent, making the
training of the energies a rather vague study. For that, the practice advances
into pushing hands. This builds up the techniques of ward-off, rollback, press,
push, pluck, rend, elbow, and bump, which it does by means of cycling through
attack and defense in order to actually try out Taiji Boxings methods of
attacking and evading with a partner.
Its most difficult aspects are the four skills of listening, neutralizing, seizing,
and issuing. Listening is when I connect to the opponent with my hand, wrist, or
body, so that I will instantly be aware of his changes of movement. Neutralizing
is when I evade his attack. Seizing is when I take control of his technique.
Issuing is when I attack his weakest point. As for the specific details of these
four parts of technique, they occur within but a moment, and this is why these
four skills are so incredibly difficult that there will be no end to them even after
a lifetime of study.
The key to it all is a circle, neutralizing and issuing, evading and attacking, all
occurring as part of a circle, which is why it is called taiji [as in the image of
the yinyang symbol], and why it seems like magic. (This is as true for plucking,
rending, elbowing, and bumping as it is for warding off, rolling back, pressing,
and pushing.)
As for the general plan, pushing hands practice begins with ward-off, rollback,
press, and push, commencing with two people cooperating to perform five kinds
of large circles, which are considered the basic methods: 1. level circle, 2.
vertical circle, 3. diagonal circle, 4. back-and-forth circle, 5. natural circle. Start
by drilling these until you are skillful at them, then you may switch to other
kinds of circling to enhance the effect. However, these five circles have to be
taught personally, for the movements are too hard to explain in words.
Start with a large circle to get the idea, then shrink the circle to make it
livelier. Then shrink it further so that it is inside but no longer outside, a circling
intent with no longer a circling shape. Within such a moment, issuing is
wonderfully subtle. At this level, you will be operating on intuition rather than
instruction. No one really comprehends such subtlety, yet it is a subtlety which
will arise naturally. But without hard work over a very long period, you will not
be able to achieve it.
Pushing hands is the testing ground of Taiji Boxing. This has already been
explained, but here are three further things to pay attention to in the course of
it:
1. You must not be competitive. People who are of a similar mentality will
naturally improve each other in a friendly way. They will slightly frustrate each
others movements as they go back and forth, but as there is no winner or loser,
triumph or disgrace, to speak of, there will not be any sense of dispute or envy.
2. You must not be reckless. The marvels of Taiji lie in skillfulness rather than
ferocity. It says in the Taiji classics [Wang Zongyue]: Examine the phrase four
ounces moves a thousand pounds, which is clearly not a victory obtained
through strength. If ferocity is being relied on, the way of Taiji Boxing is not
being studied.
3. You must not seek to embarrass others. People who are of a similar
mentality should all love each other and help each other. Toward one who is my
superior, I should politely seek his guidance. Toward one who is my inferior, I
should cordially offer him pointers. There is a saying [Book of Poetry, Poem
184]: The stones from other mountains can carve just as well. And so I will not
bully one who is weaker than me, nor one who departs from my expectations,
nor even one who does not seem to think like me at all.
When two partners link hands, they must drill the five aspects of hand, eye,
body, technique, and step, and train the energies of palm, fist, elbow, wrist,
shoulder, waist, hip, knee, and foot, as well as the Thirteen Dynamics: ward-off,
rollback, press, push, pluck, rend, elbow, bump, advance, retreat, go to the left,
go to the right, and stay in the center. Right from the start, this is the goal and
basic task of pushing hands, but we typically find that students are not
practicing according to this list. It is as though they are just grinding beans to
make tofu, and although they may repeat the same actions thousands of times,
they get very little benefit.

When you begin practicing these things:
- It is best to choose a partner whose body size is equal to yours, then calmly
analyze and ponder.
- If any aspect is incorrect or not understood, ask a teacher for specific
directions.
- Do not be intimidated by the complexities of the task nor whine that it does
not suit your temperament. Through focused and persistent study, it will
naturally someday all come to fruition.
Here is some commentary upon parts of the Taiji classics that have to do with
the skills of listening, neutralizing, seizing, and issuing:
It says in Wang Zongyues Treatise: He is hard while I am soft this is
yielding. My energy is smooth while his energy is coarse this is sticking.
These two terms have to do with the moment when the opponent and I make
contact, in which if he attacks with hardness, I neutralize him with softness.
This is neutralizing. [What is being described here is neutralizing in the context
of listening.]
I am now borrowing his energy, which causes him to back off, and I then
follow his momentum without letting go of it. This is seizing. What I am
describing here is sticking [seizing] in the context of neutralizing.
If I can get the opponent to back off and then stay with him as he goes, the
merest issuing will put him in a state of being pressured while he is already
collapsing and he will surely topple. [What is being described here is issuing in
the context of seizing, because:] Seizing is what the opportunity for issuing
comes from. It is also said [in Understanding How to Practice]: Within curving,
seek to be straightening. Store and then issue Store power like drawing a bow.
Issue power like loosing an arrow When issuing power, you must sink and
relax, concentrating it in one direction. This explains issuing.
However, the four skills above of listening, neutralizing, seizing, and issuing
must emerge from practicing sticking. Wang Zongyue said: If he moves fast, I
quickly respond, and if his movement is slow, I leisurely follow. As is being
described, if the opponent steps in quickly, I respond with the same quickness,
whereas if he comes in slowly, I will go along with his slowness. In either case, I
never lose contact with him, and this is sticking. If my arms are not sticking to
him or my feet are not following him, I will not be able to listen and neutralize,
much less seize and issue.
It says in Understanding How to Practice: In going back and forth, there
must be folding. In advancing and retreating, there must be variation. This
refers to adaptive body maneuvering as the opponent closes in.
Extreme softness begets extreme hardness. Your ability to be nimble lies in
your ability to breathe. This has to do with the training of internal movement.
Step like a cat and move energy as if drawing silk. This means that you are
to take your steps with both the nimbleness and stability of a cat as it walks, and
to move energy with both the continuousness and unsuddenness of drawing out
silk. These have to do with the external aspect of the training.
You should experiment with all that has been said here so far, but never
depart from this comment from Wang Zongyue: Once you have ingrained these
techniques, you will gradually come to identify energies, and then from there
you will work your way toward something miraculous. In other words, if you
wish to be identifying energies, you will not be able to without drilling the
techniques to perfection, and then by proceeding step by step, you will attain a
level of almost magical clarity. But how does one come to identify energies, or
train the techniques to perfection, or even train the techniques at all? Only
through doing pushing hands.
Students of pushing hands must never lean forward or back.

1. If I were to lean forward, my center of balance would go forward. The
opponent would use plucking energy and I would easily fall forward. If I were to
lean back, my center of balance would go back. The opponent would use rending
energy and I would surely fall to the rear.
2. Once we cross hands, he is sure to have a method of attack, and so I need
to maintain extra room to adapt, as well as extra capacity for my body to
maintain good structure as I move to the left, right, forward, back, or turn.
When pushing hands with an opponent whose wrists are heavy or whose
attack is fierce, you must not: i. shrink your arms in, ii. use a ferocious energy,
iii. hold your breath, iv. draw your body back.
If you shrink your arms in, you will shorten your reach and be unable to draw
in the opponent. If you use a ferocious energy, your whole body will only stiffen
like that of a clumsy idiot, contrary to Taiji principles, and you will be ingraining
a method which you cannot apply. If you hold your breath, your blood will
stagnate, your face will turn blue, and you will only be obstructing yourself
physiologically. If you draw your body back, the opponent will correspondingly
advance with an attack, and there will be nothing you can do. Watch out for
these four errors.
Constants for beginners, whether practicing the boxing set, pushing hands, large
rollback, or sparring:
1. You should watch people practicing, to see what is good body structure,
skillful hand technique, and nimble footwork, and thus you will build up a
model to learn from. You must pay attention to every detail in order to ingrain it
well.
2. You should listen to people explaining, taking in the experiences of your
elders and classmates, and you should always be listening with an attentive and
open mind so as to gain understanding.
3. You should practice! This is really what skill comes from, what gets you to
the ability for practical function. Although if you only know how to practice and
you do not know how to watch and listen, it will be like the old saying of the
blind cultivating blindness. On the smaller scale, all your hard work would be
in vain, while on the larger scale, you would hurt yourself in body and mind. The
results you achieve would be the reverse of your goals.
The pushing hands and the boxing set having already been explained above,
there are two terms to consider within your body: emptiness and fullness.
For every part of your body, there has to be a distinguishing between empty and
full, as well as hard and soft. If while you are advancing and retreating, lifting
and lowering, you have no sense of emptiness and fullness, you will inevitably
be clumsy in your actions, incapable of nimbleness. Your feet should be divided
into empty and full, for each foot must be either empty or full. Your hands also
must have emptiness and fullness, for each hand must be either empty or full.
The Treatise says: Empty and full must be distinguished clearly. In each part
there is a part that is empty and a part that is full. Everywhere it is always like
this, an emptiness and a fullness.
Wang Zongyue said: We often see one who has practiced hard for many
years yet is unable to perform any neutralizations and is generally under the
opponents control instead of able to control the opponent, and the issue here is
that this error of double pressure has not yet been understood. What is meant
by double pressure is that empty and full are not being distinguished.
If you have equal pressure on both sides, you will be stuck. What is meant
by stuck is that your movement is unable to be nimble and you are thus easily
controlled by the opponent.
If you drop one side, you can move. If you sink an arm or leg without a
sense of which is empty or full, you are sure to give the opponent control.
If you want to avoid this error, you must understand passive and active
The active does not depart from the passive and the passive does not depart
from the active, for the passive and active exchange roles. Once you have this
understanding, you will be identifying energies, and then the more you practice,
the more efficient your skill will be. Some examples of passive/active are:
empty/full, hard/soft, gather/release, contract/expand, retreat/advance,
lower/lift, dodge/spin, grab/throw.
As for hardness and softness:

When pushing hands with one whose spirit outwardly blooms but whose
muscles are stiff, whose movements are extra large but whose issuing is able to
find its way right to your center, this is a person who practices weapon sets more
and boxing sets less,
for his energy tends toward hardness.
When pushing hands with one whose movement is continuous and delicate,
whose footwork and body maneuvering is nimble, whose technique seems
powerful yet hits with no feeling of striking, this is a person who practices
boxing sets more and weapon sets less, for his energy tends toward softness.
If it is with one who is able to make his spirit comfortable and his body stable
as a mountain, be coordinated above and below, issue with energy that is both
heavy and extended, and using his entire body when giving a shock release of
power, this is a person who trains both hardness and softness, the energies of
passive and active complementing each other.
It must be understood that soft energy and hard energy are not like
specialized laws of physics or chemistry. As we practice throughout our lives, we
sometimes incline toward hard energy, sometimes toward soft energy, and the
rarest moments are when hardness and softness balance out. Practitioners of
Pigua Boxing or Baji Boxing usually tend to issue with hard energy, whereas
Bagua or Taiji practitioners more often tend toward soft energy. It really does
not matter what school or what style it is. They all have to work with both
hardness and softness, passive and active, for the boxing art to be genuine.
Although the pushing hands actions appear to take place at the hands and
wrists, its actually all about the waist. It could be said that thirty percent of
what is going on is at the hands, ten percent at the shoulders, ten percent at the
chest, and fifty percent at the waist. If your shoulders cannot loosen, your chest
cannot hollow, your waist cannot liven, and it all depends on your hands and
wrists, you will never be able to neutralize an opponent nor shoot him away.
This situation has to be given attention when practicing the boxing set.
The stability or otherwise of your stance has to do with the energy at your
crotch area. This means that the movements of hips, legs, and feet are
coordinated there. To put it another way, ability to stick and connect lies with
your upper body (hands, shoulders, chest) while ability to follow and maintain
stability lies with your lower body (hips, legs, feet), but the engine of movement,
both above and below, lies entirely with your waist. It says in the Taiji classics
[the Treatise]: The problem must be in your waist and legs, so look for it there.
Energy being organized at the waist is not only important in Taiji Boxing. Xingyi
and Bagua both lay particular stress on it, and every school of Shaolin pays
attention to it as well.
The words above have to do with postural quality. As for internal energy, it
begins from intention. Where intention goes, energy may not necessarily arrive,
and when energy arrives, blood may not necessarily have increased flow in that
area. But there is no other way to get started, and so you must first use intention
to guide energy and use energy to mobilize blood flow. After a long time,
intention and energy will naturally be able to function as one, and energy and
blood will naturally be working together.
It says in Understanding How to Practice: Use mind to move the energy. You
must cause the energy to sink. It is then able to collect in the bones. Use energy
to move your body. You must cause the energy to be smooth. What is meant by
mind here is intention. What is meant by body is the blood and flesh. As for
movement, energy sinking and energy smooth should especially be given
importance. Otherwise you will drift into floating and become stuck in
awkwardness. By sink is meant energy sinking to your elixir field. By smooth
is meant the liveliness of your waist and legs. Inside and out working in unison
is the idea. You must make use of absorbing through experience and by
constantly contemplating and then you will be able to do whatever you want.
Someday I will explain these very subtle principles in more detail when I have
more free time from my military correspondence.
Ordinary practitioners of the boxing set and pushing hands pay most of their
attention to the upper body, analyzing the intricacies of the hand techniques
and body maneuvers as have been explained earlier, but they do not understand
that the lower body is actually more important. To evolve and progress, we must
continue to experiment and practice.
In the beginning of practicing the boxing set, you will be unable to get the
height and size of the postures to be natural, or to get the movements to be
steady. Then the movements become gradually more even and the steps become
gradually more stable. As you progress, you will gain a more nimble manner and
you will move as you please.
In the beginning of experiencing pushing hands, your waist and legs will be
stiff and you will be wobbly. Then your turning, advancing, and retreating will
gradually become stable. As you progress, your hands will be doing what is in
your mind, and your waist and legs will operate as a single unit.

LARGE ROLLBACK
Taijis pushing hands training divides into three stages:

1. Fixed-step pushing and pulling.
2. Moving-step pushing hands. (I advance, he retreats. He advances, I
retreat.)
3. When you have become skillful at the first two steps, you have made
progress with the techniques of ward-off and rollback. But these exercises move
back and forth only along a straight line, and so once you are skillful at them,
continue on into practicing the large rollback exercise, which moves toward the
four corners.
When practicing large rollback, the person doing the bump must advance
three steps in order to be at a right angle to the person doing the rollback. If
only two steps, you will end up stepping in from too acute an angle. The person
doing the rollback must retreat two steps. If only one step, you will be unable to
evade the opponents attack.
I roll back, he bumps, then he rolls back, I bump, and the exercise recycles on
and on. Whatever direction you are moving toward when rolling back or
bumping, your stance should be grounded and your hips should be square, and
you will thus be conforming to the requirements.
SPARRING which is the fourth stage and divides into two types:
1. To sharpen the ability to apply each Taiji Boxing posture, two partners oppose
each other [in a choreographed sequence]. For example: when person A attacks
person B with DOUBLE WINDS THROUGH THE EARS, B upsets it with
DOUBLE-HAND PUSH, or when A attacks B with ROLLBACK, B upsets it with
BUMP. As the two people continuously trade attacks, if they oppose each other
only within the context of making pretty movements, it will bear no
resemblance to transforming an opponents attack into a counterattack sent

back to him. If you do not train in this way, then you will not understand the
practical function of each Taiji Boxing posture, and your solo set will only
amount to a solo dance.
2. The two-person set described above entirely has to do with prearranged

postures which both partners have to drill together to complete the set. The
second type of sparring is not like this. Both partners go without
prearrangement, no choreography at all. They each get into a posture of
readiness, then begin attacking: sometimes slow and sometimes fast, sometimes
high and sometimes low, sometimes straight and sometimes round, sometimes
punching and sometimes kicking, both responding to each other freely.
On the whole, there are a couple of constant fighting patterns. There is the
round pattern, as in person A going through the center while person B moves
away to attack from all sides, and then there is the straight pattern, in which
both people go directly back and forth, as in you attack and I go back, and since
I am retreating while you are advancing, this makes a duel along a straight-line.
During competition, it is most of the time nothing more than these two patterns.
When two opponents cross hands, it is called joining. When joining in
combat, there are estimations of degree, which are wholly indicative of the other
persons daily training regimen. For instance, is his energy long or short? How
accurate are his fists and feet? What is the magnitude of the power he issues?
Such refining comes about entirely from doing the pushing hands and large
rollback exercises.
This section of the training is entirely a matter of practical skill and can be
considered the final stage. For those in this stage, you will not succeed unless
you are in a constant state of hard training. Beginners should be sparring with
instructors, and the instructors should always allow the students to do the
actual striking. For such instructors, this is called feeding with kicks and
punches [i.e. performing restrained attacks to give the student the chance to
learn how to defend against them].
If the teacher does not feed the student, the student will be unable to get the
knack, although this is for teachers the most difficult and arduous form of
instruction. One issue is that the opportunity is hard to come by in which
sparring occurs when the spirit is as burgeoning as it should be or there is
nobody around distractingly watching, and it necessary for the teachers body to
receive strikes, inevitably entailing some pain. Another issue is that some
teachers will keep students from completing their study, becoming traitors to
their profession, and some will even forbid students from winning against their
teacher for fear that he may lose his status and livelihood. For this reason,
teachers are often not willing to teach, but really they have no choice but to bear
with it. This is just the way it is in the study of boxing arts. The study of weapons
is also thus, yet is even more arduous than the study of boxing.
Names of the movements in the Taiji Boxing two-person sparring set:
1. (A) STEP FORWARD & PUNCH
2. (B) RAISE THE HAND
3. STEPPING FORWARD, BLOCK & PUNCH
4. PARRY & PUNCH
5. STEP FORWARD WITH LEFT BUMP
6. RIGHT FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE
7. STRIKE WITH LEFT ELBOW
8. RIGHT PUSH
9. LEFT BACKFIST
10. RIGHT BUMP
11. WITHDRAW A STEP, LEFT FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE
12. RIGHT BACKFIST
13. RAISE THE HAND
14. TURN & PUSH
15. FOLD UP, BACKFIST
16. PARRY & PUNCH (TAKING THE MOMENTUM ASIDE)
17. HORIZONTAL RENDING TECHNIQUE
18. WILD HORSE VEERS ITS MANE LEFT POSTURE (SWITCHING THE
FEET)
19. RIGHT FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE (USING LOWER HAND)
20. WITHDRAWING A STEP, ROLLBACK
22. TURN & PUSH
23. SEPARATE BOTH HANDS, PRESSING KICK (RETREAT TO SITTING

TIGER STANCE)
24. PUNCH TO THE CROTCH
25. STEP FORWARD, PLUCK & REND
26. SWITCH THE FEET, MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLES RIGHT

POSTURE
27. LEFT WARD OFF, RIGHT BACKFIST

28. WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS (PRESSING KICK)
29. LEFT BUMP
30. WITHDRAW A STEP, TWIST THE ARM
31. TURN & PUSH (ROLLING BACK)
32. DOUBLE WINDS FILL THE EARS
33. DOUBLE-HAND PUSH
34. LOW-POSTURED PARRY & PUNCH
35. SINGLE-HAND PUSH (TO THE RIGHT ARM)
36. RIGHT TWIST THE ARM
37. SEIZING THE MOMENT, PUSH
38. NEUTRALIZE, STRIKE WITH RIGHT PALM
39. NEUTRALIZE & PUSH
40. NEUTRALIZE, STRIKE WITH RIGHT ELBOW
41. PLUCK & REND
42. SWITCH THE FEET, BREAK THE ARM
43. RIGHT FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE
44. TURN, WITHDRAWING A STEP, ROLLBACK
46. RETURN WITH PRESS

47. SPREAD WITH BOTH HANDS, BUMP (SWITCHING THE FEET)
48. TURN, LEFT BUMP (SWITCHING THE FEET)
49. STRIKE WITH RIGHT ELBOW
50. TURN, LEFT ONE-LEGGED STANCE
51. RETREAT & NEUTRALIZE
52. PRESSING KICK
53. TURN & BUMP (STEPPING FORWARD)
54. TWIST THE LEFT ARM
55. TURN (SWITCHING THE FEET), KICK TO THE RIGHT SIDE
56. SPREADING WITH BOTH HANDS, RIGHT BRUSH KNEE
57. TURN (SWITCHING THE FEET), KICK TO THE LEFT SIDE
58. SPREADING WITH BOTH HANDS, LEFT BRUSH KNEE
59. SWITCH HANDS, RIGHT BUMP
60. RETURN WITH RIGHT BUMP
61. WITHDRAW A STEP, ROLLBACK
62. SEIZING THE MOMENT, BUMP
63. RETURN WITH PRESS
64. TURN & PUSH
The sixty-four techniques listed above in columns for attacker and defender
comprise only half of the techniques in the solo set. As for the rest of them,
continue to bear them in mind during your spare time.
[Evidently it was soon felt that this situation was not good enough, since by
1943 the other half of the movements from the solo set were added into the 2person set, replacing movements 61-64 of the 1936 list and adding a further
twenty-four to bring the total to 88.
This 1936 publication and Chen Yanlins 1943 manual therefore give us a rare
moment when a piece of the Taiji curriculum can be reasonably dated. We can
justifiably say that movements 61-88 of the complete two-person set of Yang
Style Taiji were added sometime around the late 1930s. As to who exactly added
them is another matter.]
PRACTICING THE ENERGIES
Whether practicing a boxing set or a weapon set, you must in either case send
internal energy to your limbs. If practicing with weapons, whether it be the
sword art or spear art, you must send internal energy to the sword tip or spear
tip. As for the extent of your energy, it is not the same kind of thing as an innate
talent, and so it cannot be as clearly described. If you are able to extend energy
all the way to the tip of your weapon, your martial skill will be able to reach a
high level.
However, you must train in the proper sequence and not skip ahead.
Beginning therefore with the bare-handed training, send your bodys energy to
four sections: shoulders, forearms, thighs, and feet. It will then arrive at your
fingers and toes. To get to this level will take three or four years and then you
may move on to using short weapons.
When the training gets to long weapons, you have to get your internal energy
to pass through the weapon, which is extremely difficult and quite unlike the
bare-handed training. Knowledgeable practitioners say there are three phases to
this: 1. sending energy through the weapon, 2. energy coursing from the handle
to the center of the weapon, 3. energy reaching the tip. These three phases do
not have anything to do with how much strength you have, but with how much
patient and painstaking work you put into it every day. Professionals (which
grow from apprentices) put in enough extra work that most of them can get
through these three phases, but ordinary amateurs can rarely make it.
What with the process of training energy having been described above, the
various energies in Taiji Boxing are explained individually below:
1. Soft energy:
This is also called sticking energy. It says in the Taiji classics [the Treatise]:
Once there is any movement, your entire body should be nimble and alert.
There especially needs to be connection from movement to movement Do not
allow there to be cracks or gaps anywhere, pits or protrusions anywhere, breaks
in the flow anywhere. When practicing the boxing set, you must use soft
energy, otherwise the movements will not link together, and there will inevitably
be the errors of cracks and gaps, pits and protrusions, breaks in the flow.
It says in Wang Zongyues Treatise: He is hard while I am soft this is
yielding. My energy is smooth while his energy is coarse this is sticking
Neither lean nor slant. Suddenly hide and suddenly appear. When there is
pressure on the left, the left empties. When there is pressure on the right, the
right disappears. (This has to do with the skill of soft energy when fighting with
an opponent, and can easily be made use of during pushing hands.) It says in
Understanding How to Practice: Extreme softness begets extreme hardness
Step like a cat and move energy as if drawing silk. It says in Words from Yang
Jianhou: The power seems to be relaxed but not relaxed, about to express but
not yet expressing. Although the power finishes, the intent of it continues.
With these words, the principle of soft energy is explained with great clarity.
Its effects are the abilities of sticking and drawing in, sticking to the opponent to
keep him from ever getting away, drawing him in to put him under your control.
Beginners must start from this energy, and if it is not given attention, you will
easily stray from the path of Taiji and it will be truly difficult to have any
achievement in it.
2. Hard energy:
This is also called interrupting energy, stiffening energy, or rending energy.
Different names, same technique. The nature of it is fierce, and when issuing it
is like an artillery shell exploding. It says in the Taiji classics [Understanding
How to Practice]: Wield power like tempered steel, so strong there is nothing
tough enough to stand up against it In stillness, be like a mountain, and in
movement, be like a river. Store power like drawing a bow. Issue power like
loosing an arrow. Within curving, seek to be straightening. Store and then
issue When issuing power, you must sink and relax, concentrating it in one
direction.
About these words, each of these instructions has to do with methods of hard
energy. Its effect is to subdue the opponent completely. When practicing this
energy, pay attention that it has both fierceness and length. If your issuing is a
short sharp jolt, then even if it is fierce, it will not often be effective.
3. Connecting energy:
This is also called borrowing energy. This energy contains all the energies or
listening, neutralizing, hardness, and softness. It is the most difficult energy to
practice and is the last stage of the training. When the opponents energy
arrives, so does mine. It says in the Taiji classics [Words from Yang Jianhou]:
Once the opponent takes even the slightest action, I have already acted. In
other words, while the opponents energy is reaching my body, I am neutralizing

it and issuing, for just as his energy is about to arrive, I am already issuing my
energy before his energy [has fully reached me]. Whenever I connect to the
opponents energy, I borrow it and then issue, a technique which operates by
way of a circle. As his energy is coming to me, I lift it up with a tiny circle and
then issue. This circle is not visually perceptible, it is beyond the comprehension
of beginners, and it cannot be understood without having attained a level of
subtlety. It is said that it can be intuited but cannot be explained verbally.
It says in the Taiji classics [the Treatise]: Catch the opportunity and gain the
upper hand [If your intention wants to go upward, then harbor a downward
intention,] like when you reach down to lift up an object, you thereby add a
setback to the opponents own intention, thus he cuts his own root and is
defeated quickly and certainly. It says in the songs [Pushing Hands and Long
Boxing respectively]: Guiding him in to land on nothing, I then close on him
and send him away I will tug on his movement with four ounces of force
moving his of a thousand pounds. The subtlety is entirely based on borrowing
the opponents power That there is endless transformation is truly no
exaggeration.
An essential part of connecting energy which has gone unsaid is that this
technique must be learned through personal instruction and must also
be practiced, because no words can sufficiently describe it.
COMPETITION
This comes out of learning sparring, through which you have gained experience
and made progress, and with further hard work you will then attain the level of
competition with a firm enough grasp of what is going on that even if you
encounter an opponent stronger than yourself, he will be unable to defeat you,
unless it is by accident. Therefore sparring as a stage of training truly is the final
phase of martial practice, and indeed the ultimate purpose of it. If a martial arts
practitioner does not learn to spar, then he will never be able to compete, much
less actually fight, for in an emergency he would not be able to suddenly obtain
the necessary skills. This is why Westerners slander Chinese martial arts as
solo dancing. Below I attempt to state my views regarding competition:
Competition within the training is called sparring, whereas within a contest
it is indeed called competing, and within actual conflict is called fighting.
Their names are different, but their function is the same: a struggle to
determine winner or loser. We all have the same five senses and four limbs, and
although we have different natural gifts, we have the same innate intelligence as
well. I am able to see the opponent and he is also able to see me. I am able to
strike the opponent and he is also able to strike me. Therefore ability to succeed
lies in both method and skill. If I have method but no skill, it amounts to having
nothing at all. If I rely solely on skill but have no method, this is like the blind
cultivating blindness and would be a futile effort. There are three key
components to method & skill: determination, quickness, and precision.
1. With determination, I can seize the offensive. I will be able to get my hands
to where I send them, be able to express with all of my power, and be able to
defeat the opponent. If on the other hand I am timid of mind, whatever I do
would easily be rendered useless.
2. Quickness has to do with when we both issue at the same time. As soon as
he issues, I issue sooner. If he issues short, I issue long. If he issues soft, I issue
hard. If he issues vaguely, I issue with determination. And thus I am victorious.
3. Precision is the most important. If I send out a leg or hand technique
without precision, then even if I am determined and quick, it would be of no
use.
[A LOOK AT SOME OTHER SYSTEMS:]
[1] WUDANG SWORD THE MOVEMENTS IN ITS SPARRING SETS [This

material is from Huangs 1931 Wudang Sword book, chapters Three and Nine.]
Set #1:
[1] A & B, both of you perform the initiating posture, then do a horizontal-blade
stab (full active grip) toward each other, then an overturned flick toward each
other. [2] A, tap to Bs wrist. [3] B, do a drawing cut to As wrist, then stab. [4]
Both of you, do a lifting cut toward each other, then walk around each other. [5]
B, do an overturned block, then a dragging cut to As waist, then A, do an
overturned block, then a dragging cut to Bs waist Do this twice. [6] B, press
down As sword, then strike to As ear (filling the ear). [7] A, do a dragging cut
to Bs wrist (with a flicking energy). [8] Both of you, do a lifting cut toward each
other, then chop at each other. [9] B, stab to As throat. [10] A, do a dragging
action to Bs sword, then stab to his throat. [11] Both of you, perform active
sword circling. [12] A, perform horizontal stirring. [13] B, strike to As head. [14]
A, strike to Bs leg. [15] B, check to As wrist. [16] A, do a dragging cut to Bs
wrist (getting into the guarding the gate posture). [17] B, do a left check to As
wrist. [18] A, do a drawing cut to Bs wrist, then stab to his chest. [19] B, check
to As wrist. [20] A, do a dragging cut to Bs wrist (guarding the gate). [21] B,
do an overturned block. [22] A, do a drawing cut to Bs wrist. [23] Both of you,
adopt the guarding the gate posture. This concludes set #1.
Set #2:
[1] B, step forward and strike. [2] A, strike to Bs wrist. [3] Both of you, do a
lifting cut toward each other. [4] A, stab to Bs knee (in an arrow stance). [5] B,
press down As sword, then do a dragging cut to his waist (in an arrow stance).
[6] Both of you, do an overturned flick toward each other. [7] A, tap to Bs wrist.
[8] B, step diagonally and do a stabbing flick. [9] A, do a drawing cut. [10] B,
stab to As belly. [11] A, do a left check to Bs wrist. [12] Both of you, chop at each
other. [13] B, do a reverse strike to Bs ear. [14] A, do a reverse strike to Bs
wrist. [15] B, do a drawing cut to As thigh. [16] Both of you, stab to your
opponents wrist, do a drawing cut to his waist, then walk around each other
Do this twice. [17] B, strike to As head. [18] A, do a dragging cut to Bs wrist,
then do a reverse strike. [19] Both of you, do a lifting cut toward each other,
then return to the guarding posture. This concludes set #2.

Set #3:
[1] B, chop to As head. [2] A, block Bs sword, then do a dragging cut to his
waist. [3] B, block to As wrist, then do a dragging cut to his waist. [4] A, block to
Bs wrist, then do a dragging cut to his waist. [5] B, block to As wrist, then do a
dragging cut to his waist. [6] A, block to Bs wrist. [7] B, press down As sword,
then do a reverse strike to his ear (filling the ear). [8] A, do a vertical-blade
dragging cut (with a flicking energy). [9] B, do a lifting cut. [10] A, step forward,
cover Bs wrist, and strike. [11] B, step forward, cover As wrist, and strike. [12]
Both of you, walk around each other, both do an opposite drawing cut [one
doing drawing from above while the other does drawing from below] toward
each other. [13] B, stab to As belly. [14] A, block to Bs wrist. [15] Both of you,
coil around your opponents wrist, then return to the guarding posture. This
concludes set #3.
Set #4:
[1] A, do a clearing cut. [2] B, perform active sword circling, your hand lifted. [3]
Both of you, perform active sword circling. [4] B, perform passive sword
circling, your hand lifted. [5] Both of you, perform passive sword circling. [6] B,
advance with stirring. [7] Both of you, stir. [8] B, do a drawing cut. [9] Both of
you, advance and retreat with drawing and dragging Do this three times. [10]
B, flick. [11] A, do a drawing cut. [12] B, step forward and stab. [13] Both of you,
press down your opponents sword. [14] A, strike to Bs thigh, then do a reverse
strike to his ear. [15] B, do a vertical-blade dragging cut. [16] Both of you, do a
lifting cut toward each other, then return to the guarding posture. This
concludes set #4.
Set #5:
[1] Both of you get into a crouched posture. [2] A, stab (half passive grip). [3] B,
strike to As wrist. [4] A, raise your sword and do a horizontal check. [5] Both of
you, check to your opponents wrist. [6] Both of you, do a lifting cut toward each
other, then walk around each other. [7] A, do an upright flick (half passive grip).
[8] B, do a dragging to As wrist (putting you into the guarding posture). [9] A,
advance and do a reverse block (half passive grip). [10] B, do a drawing cut to
As body, then check to his wrist. [11] A, step forward and check Bs wrist. [12] B,
do a reverse check to As wrist. [13] A, do a drawing cut to Bs hand, then check
his wrist. [14] B, do a drawing cut to As hand, then check his wrist. [15] A, do a
dragging cut to Bs thigh, then switch feet and stab to his waist. [16] B, switch
feet and stab to As waist. [17] A, do a horizontal drawing cut. [18] B, stab to As
chest (performing GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON ONE LEG). [19] A, do a
horizontal-blade dragging cut. [20] Both of you, do a lifting cut toward each
other, return to the guarding posture, then get into a crouched posture. [21] B,
stab to As chest. [22] A, do a horizontal strike. [23] Both of you, do a lifting cut
toward each other. [24] Both of you, chop at each other. [25] Both of you, stab at
each other. [26] A, block to Bs wrist. [27] B, turn over your wrist and stab. [28]
A, cover Bs wrist and stab. [29] Both of you, turn around, chop at each other,
return to the guarding posture, then finish with the closing posture.
The sword arts thirteen techniques:
The Wudang sword art basically consists of thirteen techniques, namely

drawing, dragging, lifting, blocking, striking, stabbing, tapping, flicking,
stirring, pressing, chopping, checking, and clearing. This is the same situation as
with Taiji Boxings [thirteen dynamics]: plucking, rending, elbowing, bumping,
warding off, rolling back, pressing, pushing, advancing, retreating, moving to
the left, moving to the right, and staying in the center. Beyond them, there is
free style sword dancing. You will not be able to learn it until you have become
skillful, nor able to even comprehend it without personal instruction.
These sparring sets were made by the eminent sword expert Li Jinglin and are
constructed of the thirteen techniques. When practicing these sparring sets,
examine what comes at you and consider what you will send out, always acting
in accordance with your training in those techniques. When beginning to learn
these sets, it should be slow instead of fast, deliberate instead of rushed. Your
postures should be perfect and your techniques should be genuine. Sometimes
during the sets, you will have to take note of the difference between combat and
training, and that the training in these sets will give you only a general sense of
it.
[2] A GENERAL LOOK AT SHUAIJIAO
In Chinese boxing arts, beyond kicking and striking, there are also the arts of
throwing and grabbing. Shuaijiao [throwing] is an indispensable technique for
when you are tangled up close to an opponents body. At first glance, it seems to
be all brawn, and those who know nothing of its methods have no way of seeing
that it is actually highly skillful.
Beginners first practice single exercises with a partner, such as advancing and
retreating, turning the body, turning the head, hooking with the foot, raising the
leg, straightening the back, horse-riding stance, and so on. But there is no
striking or kicking, and if you violate this rule, all partners will refuse to work
with you.
In the beginning, there is training with the teacher, then contests against
fellow students such as: clasping the forearms, hoisting the buttocks, wiping the
neck, and others. It is a skill entirely built on personal experiment.

Mastery of it is a matter of turning your head. If an opponent has tried to
grab you from above or below, and you have turned your body but not your
head, you will still be unable to make him fall, but once you turn your head, he is
sure to fall.
The most proficient at this art nowadays are all in the Jiangnan area: Yang
Fangwu, Tong Zhongyi, and Wang Ziqing.
The training equipment includes a special jacket to attack and a waistband to
grip. The etiquette is that it is the jacket that gets thrown to death rather than
ones partner. Your level of quality is measured by how many times you throw
an opponent.
In competition, the standard is to agree to either thirty or fifty throws.
Experts usually find thirty to be sufficient, for they can easily throw an opponent
thirty times, or throw an opponent up a flight of stairs, or throw an opponent to
break his back or leg or even kill him. Some people therefore consider this a
dangerous art, but that actually depends more on the temperament of the
teacher or student.
Shuaijiao has a great many techniques, as well as a specialized literature, for
it takes more than a few words to be able to describe it all. This book briefly
presents a general idea so as to help Taiji students have some idea of it.
What the Japanese call Judo actually comes from our own ancient tradition.
When we examine its effectiveness, it is indeed a profound achievement, but
when we examine its methods, it is still not worth a tenth of our Shuaijiao.
Unfortunately we are not able to unanimously encourage Shuaijiao in our nation
because it is generally looked upon as the superficial tricks of street performers,
undeserving of admiration from people of refinement.
[3] ESSENTIALS OF QINNA
The art of Qinna [grabbing] does not strike, kick, or throw. It focuses on
special hand techniques of grabbing an opponent. To put it another way, it
sends out a single technique against one of the opponents limbs and makes him
incapable of moving, muscling his way out, or escaping at all. If he resists, that
particular limb of his will suffer intolerably and he will risk injuring his
ligaments or breaking his bones, and so he only gets to listen to my commands.
This is called apprehending. Below are listed the methods of grabbing various
parts:
1. Methods of apprehending at the head: Pressing aside the head, grabbing the
face, grabbing the ear, and pinching the throat.
2. Methods of apprehending at the elbow: twining around the elbow, deflecting

the elbow upward, pushing the elbow upward, turning around and resisting the
elbow, horizontal elbow break, and pressing the elbow down.
3. Methods of apprehending at the fist: wrapping the fist and rolling the body,
rolling the fist, covering the fist and turning the elbow, and covering the fist and
pressing down the elbow.
4. Methods of apprehending at the wrist: twining one hand around the wrist,
twining both hands around the wrist, and large twining around the wrist.
5. Methods of apprehending at the palm: turning the palm over and breaking
the elbow, tugging the palm and straddling the elbow, pulling the hand,
covering the palm and pushing down the elbow, covering the hand and turning
the elbow, and pinching the hand and pressing acupoints on the back of the
hand.
6. Methods of apprehending at the leg: sitting backwards onto the leg, twisting
the leg, and grabbing the groin and yanking on it.
[4] TARGETS OF KICKING & STRIKING
There are three kinds of targets: eight permissible targets, eight emergency
targets, and eight forbidden targets. The eight permissible targets can be struck
without causing injury during competition. The eight emergency targets are for
punishing real-life attackers. The eight forbidden targets are too dangerous to
strike. These three kinds of targets must be understood by students, and so they
are listed below:

The eight permissible targets:
- the upper ribs

- the upper arms
- the shoulder blades
- the thighs
These eight places can be struck during practice between teacher and pupil
without impeding the training.
The eight emergency targets:
1. the space between the eyebrows as well as the eyes themselves

2. the Ren Zhong acupoint above the upper lip
3. the hollow between the lower ear and cheek
4. the spine
5. the elbow joint
6. the soft tissue just below the kneecap
7. the ankles
8. top of the foot, the toes, or shin
If you encounter a criminal or ruffian whose actions are vicious, correct him
from among these eight targets, rendering him either in pain or unconscious,
incapacitating him from committing further evil.
The eight forbidden targets:
1. the crown of the head

2. the ears
3. the throat or windpipe
4. the solar plexus
5. the floating ribs
6. the groin
7. the kidneys
8. the tailbone
Kicking or striking these eight targets will endanger someones life, and are
therefore forbidden.
[5] THE NATURAL SCHOOL
This boxing art is practiced according to the natural actions of the human body.
In the beginning of the training, the hands and feet, waist and legs, eyes, and the
fingers and toes, are all given special attention. Its training methods are
explained in Wan Laishengs seminal Compilation of Martial Arts Systems,
published by Commercial Press, LTD [as was Huangs Wudang Sword book]. He
was among the winners in the Central Institutes competition.
His teacher is my sworn brother, Du Xinwu. Du, now seventy years old, is
consummately skillful, with eyes that flash like lightning. Unfortunately he has
become obsessed with enlightenment and has essentially turned into a Daoist
priest. I have recently heard that he has retreated to the woods to live the life of
a recluse.
[6] THE MAGICAL SCHOOL
This school of boxing is the most detailed and complete of the Shaolin arts. In
the beginning of the training, there are five kinds of patterns that are first
learned, which are also called Luohan boxing or basic skills. Then trained as
isolated techniques are a variety of striking methods and eight kinds of kicking
methods that are absent from other systems. Practice consists of methods of
both movement and stillness.
It is so extremely detailed and profound that ordinary people are incapable of
learning it. My senior colleague Liu Baichuan has studied this art intensively. At
the end of the Qing Dynasty, he was a convoy escort in the north. After the
revolution came, he became Chiang Kai-sheks bodyguard. At the end of the
Northern Expedition, he resigned on the grounds of old age. He now serves as

the dean of the Zhejiang Martial Arts Institute.
SIX: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENERGY & STRENGTH
The effectiveness of the movements of our limbs is called strength by physical

education experts, but is called energy by martial arts experts. The distinction
between these two words seems tiny. However, strength manifests naturally in
accordance with changes in age and health: a young person is strong whereas an
old person is weak, and a healthy person is mighty whereas a sick person is
feeble.
These are not the case for energy, which after many years of diligent training
will produce an effectiveness that will not be diminished by age or illness. When
Bagua master Dong Haichuan was on his deathbed at the age of more than
ninety, a sturdy soldier tried to change his clothes for him. Dong did not want
to, so with but a raise of his hand, he flung the soldier out of a window. This is
nowadays a favorite anecdote in Bagua schools and sufficiently demonstrates
that internal energy does not abate due to illness. We can take the bodys
strengths and develop them into internal energies, as follows:
Strength in gripping will become grasp energy.
Strength in closing in will become press energy.
Strength in drawing a bow will become rend energy.
Strength in pushing will become push energy.
Strength in tugging will become pluck energy.
Strength in pulling will become rollback energy.

Strength in propping up will become shoulder energy or brace energy.
Strength is raising will become ward-off energy.
Strength in lifting will become lift energy.
Strength in drawing in will become wrist energy.
Strength in horse riding will become sink energy.
Strength in shoving aside will become spread energy.
These twelve energies are the basis of issuing. They each start from the foot, are
directed by the waist, and then sent through the limbs.
SEVEN: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEACHER & STUDENT
Through the ages, the teaching of boxing arts, even though taught by way of oral
transmission, has never been other than one of these three situations:
Version 1:
The student is called disciple. The teacher is called master. The student has
to train whole-heartedly. The teacher has to instruct whole-heartedly. However,
apart from his studies, the student also has to be ready at all times to do odd
jobs for the teachers family members. The teacher waits for the student to
manifest some skill, then begins to give him a few tips, and finally switches to
properly teaching him.

Three to five years of teaching salary will then supply for all the teachers
needs. After that time, the student will notice the teacher sizing him up and
considering his quality. As the student gradually becomes experienced, the
teacher eventually becomes polite to him. From that point, the student will look
after himself in all things, but will still respect the teacher as his senior.
Seniority is taken very seriously in boxing arts systems.
This pattern is mostly the same as for traveling performers, such as those in
traditional opera troupes. The usual practice within an opera school is that the
apprentice must do his utmost to make a big name for himself, play leading
roles, be able to draw large and diverse crowds, earn a large monthly wage,
which he then gives entirely to his teacher, and by the time he is qualified, he is
already an old man. After going through this whole process of his
apprenticeship, he then has the freedom to run the business. It is the same
situation for every teacher and every student.
Although this is the conventional practice for traveling performers, it is also a
normal human inclination. If it were not done this way, the teacher would have
no hope of making a profit, and would thus have no reason to put all his effort
into teaching the student. On the students side, he would admire the teachers
skill but be unable to obtain it, much less surpass it.
Version 2:
The student is a student or within the school a devoted pupil. The teacher is
a teacher. Between teacher and student, there is a slight ceremoniousness. The
student is not engaged in any personal business beyond his studies. The teacher
teaches at a suitable level of instruction and the student correspondingly
achieves. As for the students, there are those who do their best to fulfill their
obligation to their teacher and those who do not, but the instruction is the same
for everyone in the school.
Version 3:
The teacher is simply an instructor, as in educational institutions and military

barracks, and merely goes along with what is currently popular. Classes are held
only once or twice a week, and so he is unable to give accurate guidance. The
student will receive what is in fashion, but that is all, and so the experience will
be very unlikely to result in any meaningful achievement.
All those who become a formal student of a master must give a red invitation.
On the first page is written your name and reverence to the teacher. On the
second page is written your family lineage going back three generations your
parents, grands, and greats your age, birthplace, and address. On the third
page, some write the name, birthplace, and address of those who recommended
them, while others instead just write the date.
In addition, set up an altar with incense for making offering to the schools
founder, then invite the teacher, with his colleagues and students, to attend the
ceremony. First the teacher will bow to the founders image (Damo in Shaolin
schools, Zhang Sanfeng in Wudang schools), then his students will also bow.
Kneel down and offer the teacher his invitation again, then bow twice toward
him, rise and salute each of your teachers colleagues and your fellow students,
and then hold a banquet.
The presenting of gifts is not always required. It depends on the sentiment
between teacher and student, and the students financial situation.
Here is the process of Shaolin training (as taught in the Shaolin schools in the
regions of Shandong and Cangzhou):
1. Make obeisance to a teacher. Gain an introduction through others, then send

an invitation to share some wine, and go through the various ceremonies.
2. Practice Tantui. This is the foundation of the various Shaolin boxing sets, and
therefore it is practiced first.
3. Go through the various boxing sets, practicing them until your hands and feet
are skillful, your body movement is natural, and the power of your whole body
can be expressed through your limbs, (meaning all the way to your fingers and
toes). After about two or three years of this, you may then move on to learning
sets for short weapons. If you were to skip ahead to weapons, it would easily
create problems, which is why the teacher will not allow it.
4. Learn saber and sword sets, as well as whip-rod, hammer, and other short
weapons. Then train with the long spear.
5. Drill the boxing techniques. Take each of the postures from the boxing sets
and explore their functions. Then do the same with the weapons techniques.
6. Practice two-person sets to drill the various fighting techniques.
7. Learn hand techniques, meaning various kinds of grabbing techniques.
8. Practice two-person weapon sets to drill the fighting techniques for the
various weapons.
9. Free sparring. There are two kinds of sparring civil and martial. The
civil kind is when you use your hands more than your legs. The martial kind is
when you use your legs more than your hands. When using hands and legs
equally, it is civil and martial combined.
10. Study its poetic canon. The canon is like the secret jargon of traveling
performers, or street performer speak [akin to carnival lingo]. Through the
ages, this has been considered an important aspect, hence the saying: The
many arts through the millennia have all had their own oral tradition. Because
this kind of specialized jargon is only known by people within the tradition, the
community of practitioners becomes like a family which looks after and
maintains its traditions.
Note [by way of example of one of its traditional phrases]:

If you dont talk a walk at the end, no medicine will help you when you get old.
This means that after practicing, you must not stop and sit down, but should
walk around for several laps to loosen your legs, balance your energy, and
regulate your bloodflow.
EIGHT: CUSTOMS WITHIN THE MARTIAL ARTS WORLD
Practitioners of martial arts have to be somewhat familiar with general rules, in

the same way that someone entering a new country will inquire as to what is
forbidden there or someone entering a new town will ask about what is
customary in such a place.
When watching someone performing a boxing set or weapon set, you must
stand rather than sit, otherwise you are sure to be met with contempt, or even
be made to move from your seat. If the seat you have chosen happens to be the
teachers place, or that of a senior student, or of a parent or uncle, then there
will be no restraining the amount of contempt you will face. Once the person has
finished his set, you must express praise for his performance.
When performing yourself, you should remove your hat and long robes. You
must not take off your shirt or go barefoot, but at least dispense with hat and
jacket. You are then to apologize to everyone present for not being good enough,
otherwise your fellow martial artists will think you are being disrespectful
toward your teacher, scornful toward your ancestors, and arrogant. A silent bias
will grow against you and you will soon find yourself challenged, leading to a
lengthy enmity.
If you go up to people and seek to borrow a saber, sword, or other weapon [to
perform with], you must not be blunt and casual about it, but must instead start
by asking their permission. Once you have been lent a weapon, you should go
away off to the side before examining it. You must hold it so its sharp edges are
facing toward yourself, never toward the other person, otherwise it would
extremely disrespectful, not to mention that you might even injure him. The
most important thing is that you must not polish his sword with your fingers
and spit. If you do this, you will be especially despised.
While seated at a banquet table, when fellow martial artists hand you tea or
pour you some wine, you should always express respect and admiration for their
etiquette. Once you have received, you should stand and toast to their
hospitality, never overlook it.
In ordinary speech, always avoid commenting on whether someones skill is
good or bad. Even though you may simply be chatting and have no prejudice
about someones abilities, that persons reputation and therefore livelihood may
as a consequence be struck a significant blow. He will do everything in his power
to seek revenge, and so you must be aware of this.
All the various items above are inevitably just a general idea, a mere smattering.
As for the wonders of Taiji, I first heard about them more than ten years ago and
have since set out to propagate such teachings among the public. By way of
instruction from various teachers and personal experience, as well as
experimenting with fellow students and colleagues, you can reach a high level of
proficiency and truly obtain a magical and incomprehensible ability. But I am
not making a novel here, so I do not need to impress with dazzling words. All
that matters is to point out to good students that if you work hard, you will
naturally succeed.
[As for weapons,] there have since ancient times in China been a great variety
of weapons in a great variety of shapes. Their names are different, but they are
commonly referred to collectively as the eighteen kinds of weapons: long
spear, large saber, dagger-axe, spear, halberd, lance, axe, hook, claw, trident,
rake, fork, staff, hammer, sword, saber, whip-rod, and archers bow. Since
maces are based on whip-rods, crossbows are based on bows, darts are based on
spears, and daggers are based on swords, they have not been listed among the
eighteen.
POSTSCRIPT
,
In my opinion, the term we use often for martial arts national arts [guo
shu] should be changed to simply martial arts [wu shu]. It is more
suitable. This is because the term national arts has too great a scope. The arts
of China our drawing and painting, our music and chess, the traditions of the
hundred crafts and the six arts can all be considered national arts. Why
should we single out our martial arts?
Someone may say: But if we say martial arts, it runs the risk of conjuring a
military connotation. Nonsense, the studying of battle formations is always
labeled military. There is military strategy and military training, military
colleges and military academies. There is the army [land military], navy [sea
military], and air force [sky military]. There are soldiers [military men],
field officers [military officials], noncombatant officers [military assistants],
ordnance [military mechanisms], etc. This is the same in every country in the
world and nowhere is it ever confused with martial arts.
Someone may say: This has to do with specifically Chinese skills, and so we
must apply the word national. If we let that be the case, then should not all of
Chinese science and every Chinese invention be labeled national as well? In
every country, east or west, the learning that occurs in ones native land is never
labeled national, for the keys in any field of understanding are the facts and
the context of itself.
Recently the Central Guoshu Institute has also been conducting courses in
such arts as Western boxing and Japanese fencing, therefore it would surely be
better to change the guoshu to wushu. I ask you, is there an intelligent
person anywhere in the nation who would not agree?
-

APPENDICES TO MARTIAL ARTS DISCUSSIONS
1. Photo of Sword Pond at Mt. Mogan
2. Photo of the Sword Casket Pavilion in Fengcheng
3. The Ancient Sword Casket
4. On the Restoring of the Sword Casket Pavilion
5. List of Famous Sword Heroes in History

-
Sword Pond
Sword Pond at Mt. Mogan is where Mo Ye and Gan Jiang made swords. There is
a rocky cave there which is not very wide, and a waterfall above it that is rolling
over a series of rocks as it pours downward, making it an especially distinctive
place. Engraved there are the two words sword pond, but it is not known in
what era this was carved.
- note by Huang Yuanxiu
-
The Ancient Sword Casket Pavilion in Fengcheng county, Jiangxi

In the center of the pavilion is the ancient stone sword casket of Gan Jiang and
Mo Ye, explained below in the two sections that follow:
THE ANCIENT SWORD CASKET
This object is from the time of the Zhou and Qin dynasties, locked away long ago
among King Helus military treasures. He had shown two white rabbits to the
swordsmiths Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, and told them: It is essence and energy that
makes things. He then requested they make two swords, one masculine and
one feminine, engraved with exquisite script and astrological markings to make
them truly magical objects. The Qin emperor did not dare to wear them at his
waist and so buried them deep in his cellar, thinking that such magical objects
might suppress his royal power.
Then during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Zhang Hua and Lei Huan observed
there was a sword energy in addition to the sunlight. Seeking its source, they
found it to be in Fengcheng. They prayed profoundly and excavated the spot
deeper and deeper until had they obtained the stone casket containing the two
Zhou Dynasty swords. The casket we have inherited is the casket that was
hidden away in those ancient times. Our city is already known for the swords,
and we also have the casket. We cherish it as a way to look upon those worthies
from long ago, for we cannot help but regret the loss of [the complete version
of] Records of a Great Variety of Things [by Zhang Hua].
- written by Li Yong of Fengcheng, third month of spring, during the reign of
Emperor Guangxu, year 43 of the cycle [1906]
ON THE RESTORING OF THE SWORD CASKET PAVILION
Sword Pond is in Yanping prefecture, Fujian. In the summer of year 57 of the

cycle during the reign of Emperor Jiaqing [1800], I attended my father on a trip
to Fujian. As we passed by the Pond, a boatman told us there was there a pair of
dragons coiled under the water. I hesitated to go any farther. But it sparked my
memory that Lei Huan in the Jin Dynasty excavated in Fengcheng [in the
neighboring province of Jiangxi] and found a stone casket containing two
swords [a pair of dragons]. One was delivered to Zhang Hua, who said: This
is Gan Jiang. Why is Mo Ye not here? The divine objects were ultimately
reunited and were now in Fengcheng. I wondered, was the ancient casket also
there or not?
Unfortunately I could not then make a visit to Fengcheng. More than seven
years later, I came to Jiangxi as a city official. It was then another thirteen years
until my duties finally took me to Fengcheng and I got to examine what was said
about the stone casket. In addition to the caskets covering section, there is a
base for it to rest on. The covering section was there, but its base had been
lost. A woman told me: The base disappeared into a pond in the village of
Rongtang. Every year on the third day of the third month, there is a breeze
above the pond, and in a rainy mist the twin dragons return from their casket to
see if the base is there.
She did not talk deeply on the subject, merely recited that the swords were
magical objects and that the casket was also a magical object, and that they had
been separated for a thousand years. Zhang Hua and Lei Huan have ascended
to become immortals, the swords of Gan Jiang and Mo Ye have transformed to
become dragons, and the casket alone has gotten ruined through the course of
wars and relocation to a pond. But cozy in our human world, we cannot really
know that the Creator has not performed a miracle and does not want the
obscurity of the caskets base to end yet.
Examining the caskets process from beginning to end, first it was buried in a
hole in the ground. Then during the Jin Dynasty, it was uncovered among an
assortment of other old objects. In the Ming Dynasty, it was moved to a modern
institute of study. Then in the 11th year of the reign of our Qing emperor Jiaqing
[1806], at the command of Zhu Rujin [Fengcheng county magistrate], it was
placed for the first time to the east side of the Venerable Scripture Chamber and
covered by a pavilion. Not long after, the pavilion was ruined by flood and the
casket was again temporarily consigned to the wilderness. Being an innately
magical object, it cannot be obtained through effort, only luck, and thus we hear
of it disappearing, reappearing, and disappearing again, making us greatly sigh.
In summer, in the sixth month, with the authority of my city administrators
seal, I and members of the gentry made plans to rebuild the old site. We
constructed many feet high, restoring the pavilion to its former appearance and
readying it to again contain the casket, so that travelers to the pavilion can see
the casket [minus base] for themselves and be moved by it. A person may be
unswervingly indifferent to it, another may find it plain and say so bluntly,
another may be reserved in his refinement and not show that he is impressed,
and still another may be of a solitary disposition and his quests will take him
elsewhere. But some talented person may become inspired and rise to new
heights, far up among the constellations of Ox and Ladle, transcending from
mere literary brilliance to dragon-like glory, and it will be said in future
generations that he is admired even by those who do not follow in his footsteps.
Then we will know the miracle cannot be treated lightly, that the miracle will
have no end.
When Su Dongpo went to Mt. Stone Bells, he berthed his little boat below a
precipice to find out why that place had such a resonant reputation. Ever since I
passed by Sword Pond, I always wanted to see the stone casket. I never expected
that after a couple of decades I would be able to. As a travel-wearied official, I
finally encountered it among the duckweeds. Fate has never yet played false
with us, and now I have been sent fulfillment for my heartfelt admiration of
ancient works. Thus I have recorded these words.
- written Yao Minde of Qiupu, assistant to the Fengcheng county magistrate,

day 36 of the day-cycle, sixth month, year 21 of the year-cycle, fourth year of the
reign of Emperor Daoguang [1824]
[Note: The pavilion was demolished during the Cultural Revolution and the
casket again went missing. Once it had been recovered in the 1980s, the pavilion
received yet another restoration, though it now looks rather different than in the
priceless photo above.]
LIST OF FAMOUS SWORD HEROES IN HISTORY
name / title / era / story / source:
[1] Master Zhuanxu / emperor / ancient times
He ruled with the swords of Shadowmaker and Skyflyer. If armies came from
anywhere, these swords flew up, pointed in their direction, and cut them down.
(Record of Recollected Lost Works [book 1])
[2] Zhong You [Zilu] / scholar / Spring & Autumn period
Dressed in martial attire, he met Confucius. Confucius asked him: What do you
like to do? I like to draw my long sword and dance with it. Didnt gentlemen
in ancient times use swords to defend themselves? (Sayings from the School of
Confucius [chapter 10])
[3] Juzi Gengyu / ruler / Spring & Autumn period
He was cruel but loved swords. Whenever he had a sword made, he had to test it
on somebody, so everyone feared him. (Gongyang Gaos Commentary to the
Annals [Spring & Autumn Annals, 23rd year of Duke of Zhao])
[4] Cao Mo / general / Spring & Autumn period kingdom of Lu
Cao Mo was a Lu general who was defeated by the kingdom of Qi three times,
rendering Lu a pacified territory. While forming the alliance at Ke, Cao Mo took
out his dagger and threatened Duke Huan of Qi. The duke was too afraid to
move, and so he returned all the territory to Lu. (Historical Records, Bio of Cao
Mo [Bios of Assassins])
[5] Chu Ni / assassin / Spring & Autumn period kingdom of Lu
Duke Ling of Jin was no gentleman. He shunned the admonishment of Zhao

Dun and hired Chu Ni to murder him. Zhao was in court dress and sitting
properly. Chu sighed in admiration and said: One who never forgets such
respectfulness is worthy of being the ruler of the people. To murder the ruler of
the people would be disloyal. But to ignore the command of my prince would be
unfaithful. So he threw himself at a pagoda tree [presumably with his sword
braced against the tree and pointing at himself] and died. (Zuos Commentary
to the Annals [second year of Duke Xuan])
[6] Zhuan Zhu / assassin / Spring & Autumn period kingdom of Wu
The son of the Duke of Wu wanted power. He invited the king and his officials to
drink with him. He had Zhuan Zhu hide a dagger within the belly of a broiled
fish and bring it forward. Once in front of the king, Zhuan Zhu tore open the fish
and stabbed the king, who died. But Zhuan Zhu also was killed. (Historical
Records, Bio of Zhuan Zhu [Bios of Assassins])
[7] Yao Li / assassin / Spring & Autumn period kingdom of Wu
The king of Wu ordered Yao Li to kill Qing Ji. Yao offered to slaughter his own
wife and children, and to have his own right hand cut off, as a ploy to appear to
be a desperate criminal and flee to be under Qings protection. Qing believed the
plot, then while crossing the river on the way to Wu, Yaos spear pointed at Qing
because the wind was behind them, so he stabbed it forward, and Qing died. Yao
then also killed himself. (Annals of Wu & Yue [second year of King Helu])
[8] Qiu Laidan / assassin / Spring & Autumn period kingdom of Wei
Qius father was killed by Hei Luan. He decided to get revenge by killing Hei
with a sword. But having no ability, he then borrowed a precious sword from
Wei Kongzhou, which was named Night Visible. He made three slashes at Hei
Luan, but there was no blood on the blade. Then he made three stabs at Heis
son, again in vain. So he sighed and went home. (Liezi, chapter 5)
[9] Chi Bis killer / assassin / Spring & Autumn period kingdom of Chu
Gan Jiang was killed by the king of Chu and his son Chi Bi sought revenge. As
the king knew of this, Chi Bi fled, only to meet his own assassin, who promised
to also fulfill Chi Bis revenge against the king. Chi Bi then killed himself, and
the assassin took his head and sword and showed them to the king, who was
delighted. The assassin asked the king to look in at Chi Bis head in a bubbling
caldron. When the king looked in at it, the assassin chopped of the kings head,
which fell into the boiling water. The assassin then cut off his own head, which
fell into the boiling water too. (Collection of Supernatural Tales [book 11])
[10] Ci Fei / sword master / Spring & Autumn period kingdom of Jing
As Ci Fei was crossing the Yangzte river, two dragons coiled around his boat.
Facing death unflinchingly, he pushed up his sleeves, pulled out his sword, went
into the water, attacked the dragons, and cut off their heads, saving the people
in the boat. (Huainanzi [chapter 12])
[11] Lanzi / sword master / Spring & Autumn period kingdom of Song
Lanzi used his skill to perform for the rulers of Song and Yuan. He juggled seven
swords, tossing them in alternation so there were always five in the air at a time.
(Liezi, chapter 8)
[12] The Maiden of Yue / sword hero / Spring & Autumn period kingdom of
Yue
The king of Yue sent Duke Yuan to employ the Maiden of Yue, seeking her
sword art. Encountering her on the road, she gave an invitation to test her skill.
Thereupon Duke Yuan grabbed them some bamboo stalks that had dried but
not yet fallen to the ground. The Maiden was so fast with her tip, Duke Yuan fled
up into the tree as though he was a monkey. The maiden then went to see the
king of Yue and discuss her sword art. This is the beginning of the sword
heroes. (Annals of Wu & Yue [Goujian, year 13])
[13] Yu Rang / assassin / Warring States period
Yu Rang was a minister to Zhi Bo [who was killed by Zhao Xiangzi] and intent
on being his avenger. He hid in wait for Zhao in his bathroom, then again under
a bridge. Both times Zhao discovered him before he could act. But Zhao showed
honor to Yu Rang by giving him his jacket for him take his revenge on. Yu Rang
drew his sword and cut through Zhaos jacket. Then he fell on his own sword
and died. (Strategies of the Warring States[book 1 of Zhao, chapter 4])
[14] Nie Zheng / assassin / Warring States period
Nie Zheng was moved by his friend Yan Sui and promised to take revenge on the
Han minister Kui. There was a government meeting at Dongmeng and Kui
would be there. Nie Zheng went in alone, holding his sword, and stabbed him
right though, killing him and killing at the same time the Marquis Ai. Nie Zheng
then also killed himself. (Strategies of the Warring States [book 2 of Han,
chapter 22])
[15] Jing Ke / assassin / Warring States period
Prince Dan of Yan feared the Qin emperor would annex his territory, so he
entreated Jing Ke to assassinate him. Jing used the head of Fan Wuji and the
map of Dukang in Yan as presents to get close to the emperor. Unrolling the
map for him to look at it, Jing Ke pulled the concealed dagger out of it and
stabbed at him, chasing him all over the hall. The emperor drew the ceremonial
sword he was wearing and cut Jing Kes thigh. Jing Ke knew the situation was
now hopeless, so he leaned against a pillar, laughing, cursing his killers as they
swarmed upon him from all directions. (Historical Records, Bio of Jing Ke [Bios
of Assassins])
[16] Gao Jianli / assassin / Warring States period
Gao Jianli went to the state of Qin and changed his name to Song Jiayong. One
day, he played the zither, reducing all the listeners to tears. The Qin emperor
heard about this and summoned him to hear him play. As soon as he was close
to the emperor, he tried to strike him with his zither, but he missed and was
then put to death. (Historical Records, Bio of Jing Ke [Bios of Assassins])
[17] King Wen of Zhao / ruler / Warring States period
He loved to watch swordplay. More than three-thousand swordsmen had

crowded through his palace gate, day and night fighting each other for his
entertainment. (Discussion of Swords [Zhuangzi, chapter 30])
[18] Zhu Fu of Zhao / ruler / Warring States period
Zhu Fu learned the art of invisibility from a holy man. He entered the residential
palace of King Zhao of Qin in the dead of night without anybody knowing, intent
upon assassinating the king with a dagger. He reached the target, but then left
the king unharmed. (Records from the Divine Library [book 1])
[19] Xiang Zhuang & Xiang Bo / warrior & heroic guest / Chu-Han Contention
Xiang Yu gave a feast at Hong Gate for the Duke of Pei [Liu Bang]. Fan Zeng
ordered Xiang Zhuang [Xiang Yus cousin] to perform a sword dance in order to
strike the Duke of Pei. But then Xiang Bo [Xiang Yus uncle] also got up to join
in the dance and used his body to shelter the Duke of Pei. ([Historical Records,]
Annals of Gaozu [Xiang Yu])

[20] The Assassin Sent by the King of Liang / assassin / time of Han Emperor
Jing
The king of Liang resented Yuan Ang for criticizing his succession, and so he
sent someone to kill him. When the assassin reached Guanzhong [now called
Shaanxi], everyone praised Yuan as a man who always stood up for what he
believed. He felt he could not bear to kill such a man, but then he pulled himself
together and put his sword into him. (Books of Han, Bio of Yuan Ang [Bios, part
19])
[21] Prince of Huainan / prince / Han Dynasty
Prince An of Huainan learned how to use a sword, and he considered himself to

be peerless. ([Books of Han,] Bio of King An of Huainan [Bios, part 14])
[22] The Assassin Sent by the People of Shu / assassin / time of Han Emperor
Jianwu
Lai Xi attacked Gongsun Shu, defeating him and then advancing. The people of
Shu were very afraid of him, so they sent an assassin, who killed him. (Books of
the Later Han, Bio of Lai Xi [Bios, part 5])
[23] Yang Xian / assassin / time of Han Emperor Jian Wu
Kui Xiao ordered Yang Xian to assassinate Du Lin at Longdi. Yang Xian found
Du Lin pushing along a deer cart laden with offerings for his younger brothers
funeral. Yang Xian sighed and said: How can I bear to murder such an
honorable man? And so he left him alone. ([Books of the Later Han,] Bio of Du
Lin [Bios, part 17])
[24] The Assassin Sent by Liang Ji / assassin / Han
Liang Ji [governor of Henan] ignored the admonishment of Cui Qi [a court

official] and sent him home, then ordered an assassin to secretly kill him. The
assassin found Cui Qi plowing a field while trying to read a book, and so he took
pity on his willpower and told him to run away. ([Books of the Later Han,] Bio
of Cui Qi [Bios, part 70a])
[25] The Assassin Sent by Liu Ping / assassin / Later Han
Liu Bei lead his forces to Pingyuan. Liu Ping had always despised him and so he
sent an assassin to kill him. But the assassin could not bear to do so, said so, and
left. (Records of Shu [ Records of the Three Kingdoms], Bio of Liu Bei
[book 2 of Shu])
[26] The King of Yue / general / during the reigns of Han emperors Huan and
Ling
An expert in the sword art, the noise of his fame shook the capital. (Preface to
Cao PisLiterary Treatises)
[27] E Yan / general / during the reigns of Han emperors Huan and Ling
He obtained the entire sword art of the King of Yue. (Preface to Literary
Treatises)
[28] Deng Zhan / general / Han
An expert in various weapons, he was able chop through blades with his bare
hands. (Preface to Literary Treatises)
[29] Cao Pi / prince / Wei Dynasty
In his youth, he learned how to fight with a sword, and in his experience, he
taught a great many. During the reigns of emperors Huan and Ling, the warrior
king of Yue was an expert at the sword art, and known as the best of them all.
The Henan governor E Yan traveled to Yue and obtained the kings entire sword
art, and then Cao Pi learned from E Yan and became highly proficient. He heard
that the Pinglu general Deng Zhan was an expert and discussed the art with
him. They then had a test of skill and Cao Pi won. (Preface to Literary
Treatises)
[30] Deng Xia / sword master / Jin Dynasty
There was a dragon in the Mianshui section of the Han River north of the city of
Xiangyang
which was frequently killing people. Deng Xia therefore drew his sword and
entered the river. As the dragon coiled around his feet, Deng Xia waved his
sword, chopping the dragon into several pieces, and came out of the river. (Bio
of Deng Xia [ Imperial Readings of the Taiping Era, book 275
Brilliant Generals, part 1])
[31] Mu Qian / assassin / Jin
Liu Yu feared Sima Chuzhi, so he sent the female assassin Mu Qian to kill him.
Sima heard that Mu was ill [though she was pretending to be so as to get close to
him], so he personally brought her some restorative soup. She was so touched
by this that she revealed her dagger and told him everything, whereupon she
entered his service instead. (Books of Wei, Bio of Simu Chuzhi [Bios, part 25])
[32] L Yuanbo / assassin / Jin
Liu Yilong feared Wang Huilong, so he sent assassin L Yuanbo to take his
head. L pretended to have fallen on hard times and asked Wang for help. Wang
suspected him and had him searched, finding a sword on him. L begged to die,
but Wang forgave him. ([Books of Wei,] Bio of Wang Huilong [Bios, part 26])
[33] Zheng Zhi / assassin / Liang Dynasty
Fufeng prefectural chief Dong Hun sent Zheng Zhi to Yongzhou [old name for
Fengxiang, Shaanxi] as a secret assassin. But the Yongzhou governor Zheng
Shaoshu [Zheng Zhis younger brother] knew of this and secretly warned the
visiting emperor, who then threw a banquet at which they invited Zheng Zhi to
view the local military forces. Zheng Zhi then left, not daring to act [now
knowing that the forces of Fufeng would have no chance against Yongzhou].
(Books of Liang, Bio of Zheng Shaoshu [Bios, part 5])
[34] The Man from Zaoqiang / assassin / end of the reign of the first Tang
emperor
While personally leading his army through Hebei, the Tang emperor
commanded Yang Shihou to split off his forces to attack Zaoqiang county. After
penetrating halfway through the territory for a week, they came upon stone
walls that blotted out the sun, there to protect children and elderly from being
slaughtered. Meanwhile from within the walls was sent out a man named Min to
pretend to join the attacking army. Li Zhouyi received him into his ranks. Min
told Li: Please let me be the first swordsman to scale the walls and enter the
town. Li said it was not yet time. Min suddenly slipped his bags of tea off the
pole at his shoulder and struck Li with it, who fell to the ground, and Min was
then captured from all sides. He originally wanted to single out Yang Shihou,
but could not figure out who he was, and so he targeted Li by mistake. (Chatter
of Dreams from the North [book 16])
[35] The Guest With Curly Whiskers / sword hero / Sui Dynasty
Knowing Li Jing was a brave man, he gave to him all his martial manuals, with
which Li would later help the Tang Dynasty to prevail. One day, the Guest was
drinking wine with Li. He opened a leather bag containing a human head and
heart. Leaving the head in the bag, he sliced off a chunk of the heart with his
dagger while they ate their meal together. He said: This was a heartless man. I
have sought him for ten years and now at last I have found him, Im sorry to
say. (Du Guangtings The Guest With Curly Whiskers)
[36] Li Jing / general / Tang Dynasty
Receiving the martial methods and sword art from Curly Whiskers, he then
assisted the first Tang emperor in establishing his reign. (Du Guangtings The
Guest With Curly Whiskers)
[37] Pei Min / sword master / Tang Dynasty
Pei Min performed a sword dance for the painter Wu Daozi. His steps were swift
as a horse as he whirled all around to the left and right. He threw his sword into
the clouds, hundreds of feet up as though a lightning bolt had shot down, then
reached out holding his scabbard, and his sword came down right into it. Pei
Min also frequently campaigned in the north with Youzhou army commander
Sun Quan. Their forces surrounded the Xi clan. Pei immediately danced with his
sword. His blade intercepted arrows from all directions. The Xi people were
amazed and decided to be on their way. (Records of Unique Tales [book 2])
[38] The Maiden of Chezhong / sword hero / Tang Kaiyuan era
A scholar from Wu prefecture had come to the capital and was mistakenly
arrested for stealing from the imperial gardens. The Maiden got into his prison,
tied strong silk around his chests and arms, and also her own body, then leapt
up and away, bringing him down many miles from the city. (Tales of Sword
Heroes)
[39] Mo Lei of Kunlun / sword hero / Tang Dali era
He put Cui Sheng and his concubine over his shoulder and flew over the high
city walls to come down several miles away. Later fifty armored soldiers
surrounded Cui Shengs home, so Mo Lei grabbed his daggers, jumped out over
the walls, and stabbed as rapid as flapping wings, as fast as eagles pouncing.
Arrows fell on him like rain, but none of them could hit the target. (Tales of
Sword Heroes)
[40] The Old Man at Lanling / sword hero / Tang

The old man occasionally visited the town of Lanling. From the capital was a
man named Zhao Yin who could not quite attain his level. The old man
demonstrated his sword skill by dancing around the courtyard juggling seven
long swords, punctuated by sudden leaps and slashes, blades flashing like
flickers of lightning, waving them side to side as if whipping out silks, whirling
around as though he was fighting off a fire. He then took two short swords, both
just over two feet long, and played at Zhaos beard. Zhao went to look in a
mirror and found his beard had been trimmed down to less than an inch. (Tales
of Sword Heroes)
[41] Lady Gongsun / sword master / Tang Kaiyuan era
Among her dances were Western River, Deflecting Everything, Flowing Li

River, and Broken Rhythm. She was the best of all sword dancers known and
the emperor regarded her as the best of all women. (Annals of Tang [Preface to
Du Fus poem Watching Lady Gongsuns Student Performing a Sword Dance])
[42] Twelfth Lady Li / sword master / Tang Dali era
She was a pupil of Lady Gongsun. In Kui prefecture, in the special residence of
Bie Jiayuan, I got to see the sword dancing of Twelfth Lady Li of Linying. Her
performance was magnificent and peerless. (Preface to Du Fus poem
Watching Lady Gongsuns Student Performing a Sword Dance)
[43] Hong Xian / sword hero / Tang
Luzhou governor Xue Song worried that Weibo governor Tian Chengsi intended
to combine their territories, so his servant girl Hong Xian came up with plan.
She snuck after dark into Weibo and stole a golden box from Tians room. In the
middle of the night she returned to Luzhou, having covered over two hundred
miles to go there and back. When Tian found he had lost his golden box, his
soldiers searched for it but thought it would never be found. Xue then sent
someone to return to Tian the golden box with a friendly letter. Tian was
extremely grateful. From then on, the two territories had cordial relations with
each other, but Hong Xian decided it was time to go away and live alone. (Tales
of Sword Heroes)
[44] The Monk Hero / sword hero / Tang beginning of Jianzhong era
A scholar named Wei encountered a monk on the road and the monk invited
him to stay in his home. But it took such a long time to get to it, Wei became
suspicious and loaded his pellet bow. Once they arrived, the monk was very
generous to him. He came outside with five pellets for Wei and also handed him
a sword. He then begged Wei to use all the skill he had to try and kill his disciple
Fei Fei. Wei loaded his bow and awaited the monks disciple. Once he had shot
off all his pellets, he leapt onto the roof and silently tiptoed along the wall, then
used his sword to attack. But Fei Fei was suddenly close to Weis body and Wei
just barely blocked the short rod that was assaulting him out of nowhere. There
was nothing he was able to do to harm the boy. (Tales of Sword Heroes)
[45] Nie the Hermit Woman / sword hero / Tang Zhenyuan era
She was the daughter of General Nie Feng of Weibo. When she was ten years
old, a nun took her away into a cave and instructed her for five years in her arts.
Once the training was completed, she sent her home. Every night she
disappeared [to be with her secret fianc], then returned at dawn. When her
father died, Liu Changyi [Liu Wu] had a premonition that she was coming to kill
him [on the orders of the new Weibo commander], and then she entered his
service instead. An assassin named The Proficient One was now sent to take
his head, but the woman killed him. Then a better assassin named The
Transcendent One was sent whose skill would have been too much for her, so
she told Liu to wear a jade collar around his neck, and she transformed into a fly
and flew down into his intestines. At midnight, Liu heard a loud noise at his
neck. The woman then leapt out of his mouth and told him he was safe. Later
she left his service, and was never seen again. (Songs from the Sweet Marsh)
[46] Lu Sheng / sword hero / Tang Yuanhe era
The hermit Tang was said to be an expert in alchemy. He encountered Lu Sheng,

who sought his art, but Tang was not willing to share it with him. Lu explained
he was a swordsman and took a dagger from his jacket. In fear, Tang explained
his whole art to him. Lu then laughed and said: This is only half the art. I was
already taught the whole art by a true expert [and just wanted to find out if you
were a fraud]. (Tales of Sword Heroes)
[47] Tian Penglang & Wang Xiaopu / sword heroes / Tang reign of Emperor
Wenzong
The emperor had lost his pillow made of jade and initiated a rigorous search for
the thief. One night, General Wang Jinghong of Fan was having a midnight
banquet for his troops and he wanted music. Wang was amazed his servant
arrived with a lute so quickly and asked him who if he knew who the thief was.
The servant told him: It was Tian Penglang. The soldiers in the business
district would not be able to catch up with him, for he is unusually brave and
strong, and he is an expert at walking the rooftops. With a thousand soldiers or
even ten thousand cavalrymen, he would be difficult to catch. The following
night, Tian was about to leave the city through Holy Gate. The servant [was
waiting for him and] struck his leg with a bat, breaking his leg [so he could not
get away with his fast-walking skills], and Tian was arrested. (Tales of Sword
Heroes)
[48] Li Guishou / assassin / Tang reign of Emperor Xuanzong
The Duke of Jin retired to his study, followed by his dog, Pretty Duck, who
chomped on his robe to pull him back. The duke entered anyway and the dog
looked up at him and started barking urgently, so he then became doubtful, took
up a sword, and called to the air: If theres any strangers or magic spirits in
here, come out so we can take a look at each other! Suddenly a man dropped
from the roof beams, apologized, and said: I am Li Guishou. Someone gave me
a large bribe to murder you. The duke decided to pardon him [and employ
him]. (Yangzte River Tales [ Extensive Records of the Taiping Era,
book 197: chapter 4 of Heroes, part 3])
[49] Thirteenth Lady Jing / sword hero / Tang
Li Zhenglang and a courtesan were in love with each other. But the womans
parents instead forced her to become the courtesan of the wealthy Zhuge Yin. Li
told this to Lady Jing, who said to him: At noon on the sixth day of the sixth
month, await me at Mt. Beigu in Runzhou. When that time arrived, Lady Jing
brought to Li the courtesan and the severed heads of her parents. (Tales of
Sword Heroes)
[50] The Old Shop Owner West of the Capital / sword hero / Tang
Wei Xinggui was traveling through the area west of the capital, confident in his
archery skill. An old man advised him not to travel at night. He paid no heed
and went on for many miles. Someone rose up out of the grass behind him, so
he fired his arrows at him. He used up all his arrows, but the still the man would
not retreat, and Wei was terrified. Suddenly there was wind and thunder, so Wei
hid under a big tree. He looked up at the sky and saw lightning heading his way.
As it gradually approached the top of his tree, he looked up and called out a
prayer. The storm stopped, but there was nothing left of the tree but its trunk.
He went back to the old carpenters shop. The old man laughed and said:
Strangers should not rely on archery. They need to know the sword art. Then
he turned and pulled a fresh board out of a bucket. Wei saw the bucket was filled
with all the arrows he had shot last night [and realized the old man had been the
one standing in the grass and that his swordwork had caused what seemed to be
lighting and had taken apart the tree]. (Tales of Sword Heroes)

[51] The Assassin on the Roof Beam / assassin / Tang
While Li Mian, Duke of Qian, was magistrate of Kaifeng, he had pardoned a

criminal. Later when he was no longer the magistrate, he happened to meet the
man, who then welcomed him into his home, was a generous host, and wanted
to repay his kindness. But his wife was embarrassed that such kindness would
be too expensive to repay, and so she asked him to just murder Li instead. Once
Li knew of this, he fled in the night. Arriving at a shop in Tianjin, a man up on a
roof beam looked down at him and said: I sometimes kill my elders by
mistake. He then went away, and just before dawn he brought Li the heads of
the criminal and his wife. (Supplemental History of Tang [book 2])
[52] Chang Ankes Concubine / sword hero / Tang Zhenyuan era
Chang Anke purchased a concubine who then lived with him for several years,
but suddenly he did not know where she was. One night she appeared holding
up a human head and explained to him: I had to avenge my father, which is
why you see me like this, and why it is now time for me to let you know. She
asked to leave, [made a tearful farewell,] then went out the door like wind,
suddenly whirling back in only to slit the throats of the two children they had
together, and disappeared. (Supplemental History of Tang [book 2])
[53] The Assassin from the Prince / assassin / peak of Tang
Army commander Xie You was ruthless and cruel. He compelled King Cao to
commit suicide. But then the kings son sent a stealthy assassin to cut off Xies
head. (Secret Records of the Golden Carriage [ Tales of Both Court
and Commoners, book 2])
[54] L Yongzhi / sorcerer / Tang reign of Emperor Xizong
L Yongzhi returned to society after learning magic and offered his services to
Gao Pian. There was a grudge between Gao and Zheng Tian. L had
foreknowledge that Zheng had sent an assassin to kill Gao. He informed Gao
and asked him to put himself under the protection of his colleague Zhang
Shouyi, and Gao thus avoided danger. [Zhang had pretended to save Gao by
clanging his sword at the entrance to his bedroom and splashing around some
pigs blood. L thereby succeeded in winning Gaos favor through this scheme.]
(Lessons in Government [book 254])
[55] The Assassin sent by King Kang / assassin / Five Dynasties period first
year of the reign of Emperor Zhenming of Liang
King Kang Youzi wanted to become emperor, so he sent an assassin to kill the
current emperor. The emperor had a dream of someone trying to harm him, and
so he was already awakened because of it. He then heard the sound of a sword
clang against furniture. He [jumped up, drew a sword,] tangled the assassin up
with his bed ropes, and killed him himself. (New History of the Five
Dynasties [book 13], Bios of Individuals [part 1])
[56] Tian Ying / assassin / Southern Tang twelfth year of the reign of Emperor
Baoda
Receiving reward from general Jing Hanru of Zhou, he beheaded the Khitan
envoy and brought ruin to Pan Shitou of Jiangnan. (Books of Southern
Tang [book 18])
[57] Pan Yi / sword master / Five Dynasties period Southern Tang
Zheng Kuanguo was prefectural governor of Haizhou. After he learned he had a

sword master in his household, he asked for a demonstration of his skills. Pan
took two pellets of tin from his jacket and placed them on his palm. After a
while, energy came out of his fingertips like two white rainbows and coiled
around Zhengs neck with a deafening noise. Pan then drew them back to his
hand and they became tin pellets again. (Books of Southern Tang [book 17])
[58] Rinsed-Off Dirt / swordsman / Five Dynasties period
In Weishu was a recluse who left footprints in the rinsed-off dirt that had
accumulated in the ditches. He then rested in the shade of a large tree belonging
to Yuwen Huas estate. Yuwen saw that he was unusual and invited him to come
visit. A week later, Rinsed-Off Dirt arrived at the door. The doorkeeper saw his
broken hat and scolded him sternly. Yuwen heard this and went out to meet the
visitor. They drank much together, discussed the Way, and then Dirt took his
leave. The next morning, he knocked on the door and left something for Yuwen
wrapped in a new handkerchief. Yuwen unwrapped it and saw that it was
somebodys topknot. As the sun rose higher, his doorkeeper still had not taken
his post, so he called for him and was told: Sometime before dawn, someone
cut off my topknot while I was sleeping. (Gossip From the Thatched
Pavilion [book 3])
[59] The Anonymous Bodyguard / swordsman / Five Dynasties period
Yan Nu had a bodyguard who could shoot out two multicolored pellets from his
wrist. He shouted at them to change and they transformed into birds which flew
up into the sky. He called them his bird slaves [yan nu]. He commanded them
to change again, and they transformed into two small swords which fought each
other. In an instant, they again became pellets and went back into his wrist.
(Miscellaneous Records on Cloud-Dwelling Immortals [book 9])
[60] Li Guangfu / swordsman / Song Dynasty
Li Guangfu was an expert sword fighter during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong.
He went to see the emperor and was told: We will praise you, and then
everyone will know the excellence of your swordsmanship. (History of Song,
Records from the Reign of Emperor Zhenzong [book 6])
[61] Zhang Guaiya / sword hero / Song
Zhang Guaiya one day was visiting the hermit Zhu. Zhang took a date from
Zhus date tree in one hand. He extended his hand and a dagger flew from his
sleeve at about shoulder height, cutting the date in two. Zhu was surprised and
said: I once saw Chen Xiyi do that trick, but I had never spoken of it with
anyone. Another day, imperial examinations candidate Wang Yuanzhi saw him
in the countryside and made way for him in the road while he was still a
hundred paces off. [Zhang asked why he did this, and] Wang explained: When I
see a gentleman walking with such bold strides and such an inspired aura, I
know he must be an extraordinary person. (Records from the Spring
Islets [book 3])
[62] The Tangut Assassin / assassin / Song
Duke Wei of Han had quelled surrounding rebellion and was staying in Yanan.
Zhang Yuan hired an assassin from among the Tangut people and sent him to
stab the duke at night in his bed. The duke awoke and told the assassin: Take
my head and go. The assassin said: I cannot bear to now that youve told me
to. That gold belt will be enough. (Miscellaneous Records of Clarified
Events [book 2, section 21])
[63] The Assassin from Miao & Liu / assassin / Song
Zhang Jun denounced Miao Fu and Liu Zhengyan. He sat down one night, his
garrison on full alert. Suddenly a stranger appeared in front of him, pulled out a
document, and said: See here that Miao and Liu are recruiting criminals with
offers of reward. Though my ability to read is poor, I know where my loyalties lie
and I cannot be a criminal for their hire. But [spies will see that your defenses
are not good enough and] I fear there will be more intruders like me. [The next
day, Zhang executed many criminals to keep them from becoming assassins.]
(History of Song, Bio of Zhang Jun [Bios, part 120])
[64] The Divine Swordsman of the Jiang Household / divine swordsman / Song
Jiang Lianfu had just gone to bed one night when suddenly a woman came in
and told him she wanted to be his concubine. Then one day she said there was
trouble and that she had to go away for a while. She went out the door and
disappeared, then soon a Daoist came in. He told Jiang to set up a bed in quiet
room and lie down on it with the door shut until noon the next day. After a long
while, Jiang heard the noise of swords ceaselessly hitting each other, then
suddenly the sound of something falling to the floor and rolling under the bed.
At noon, the Daoist opened the door and came in with a smile. He said there
was no longer anything to worry about and told him to look at what fallen under
the bed a giant skull. The Daoist applied some magic medicine and the skull
melted away into water. He then told Jiang: That woman and I, we are sword
spirits. She was already married to this giant fellow, but she discarded him to be
with you. This enraged him and so he sought to kill you and her. I put all my
effort into saving you both, and now that I have succeeded, I will go. Then the
woman came back into the room to be with Jiang as before. (Miscellaneous
Records of the Sincere and Pure [book 2])
[65] The Daoist Hermit Who Saved Guolun / sword hero / Song
Guo was being insulted by some obnoxious youths. [After a Daoist intervened,]
Gou offered him a drink in thanks. The Daoist accepted the drink, then said: I
am no ordinary person, Im a sword hero. He put aside the finished cup,
bowed, and walked out the door. With a loud sound, a sword appeared and fell
to the ground. The Daoist stepped onto it and flew away up into the sky. (Tales
of Sword Heroes)
[66] Liu Sui / sword master / Liao Dynasty
Emperor Shengzong commanded Liu Sui to teach sword methods to his Divine
Warriors army in Nanjing, rewarding him with beautiful clothes and wealth.
(History of Liao, Records from the Reign of Emperor Shengzong [book 4])
[67] aqan Temr / general / Yuan Dynasty
In the eleventh year of the Zhizheng era [1351], rebels attacked Ruyang [in
Henan] and Yingzhou [in Anhui], burning cities and towns, and slaughtering all
those in charge, wreaking such havoc as to bring about the collapse of all the
prefectures around the Yangtze and Huai rivers. The imperial government
conscripted armies to punish them, but was ultimately unsuccessful. By the next
year, aqan Temr had raised an army of many hundreds. Combining his forces
with the army of Li Siqi of Luoshan [in Henan], they attacked and destroyed the
rebels there. When the news came to the imperial court, he was given official
titles for his righteousness and made commander of the eastern forces, tens of
thousands of troops, with which he made victorious war upon the traitors. (New
History of Yuan [book 220])
[68] Zhang Sanfeng / divine swordsman / Yuan
A divine swordsman at the time the Yuan Dynasty ended and the Ming Dynasty
began, he was originally a Wudang elixirist. He was summoned by the first Ming
emperor but his way was blocked. That night in a dream, a deity taught him the
boxing method, making him the most skillful in the world and giving him a
thorough understanding of the sword art. At dawn, he used it to kill more than a
hundred bandits single-handed. (Bio of Zhang Sanfeng)
[69] Mysterious Loyalty / sword hero / Ming Dynasty reign of Emperor

Zhengde Wuzong
This and the following nineteen heroes are drawn from anecdotal Ming history.
When Prince Fan of Ning conspired against the state, he everywhere seized
livestock, his soldiers committed depravities, and he brought disaster to the
realm and the people, his megalomania out of control. Wang Shouren
[Yangming] of Yuqian employed a team of incomparably skillful heroes who
were able to leap over walls. These sword heroes worked together, pooling their
righteousness and abilities. They fought their way into the princes lair and the
traitor was captured. Whether or not these were real people or their exploits
actually happened, I will not dare to assert, I will only list them according to
extracts from various books. (anecdotal Ming history, as are the following
nineteen below)
[70] A Bit of Dust / sword hero / Ming
[71] Flying Cloud / sword hero / Ming
[72] Keeping Quiet / sword hero / Ming
[73] In the Mountains / sword hero / Ming
[74] Rainbow Clothes / sword hero / Ming
[75] The Seagull / sword hero / Ming
[76] The Scholar Ling Yun / sword hero / Ming
[77] The Scholar Yu Feng / sword hero / Ming
[78] The Scholar Yun Yang / sword hero / Ming
[79] The Scholar Kui Lei / sword hero / Ming
[80] The Scholar Du Hu / sword hero / Ming
[81] The Scholar Wo Yun / sword hero / Ming
[82] The Scholar Luo Fu / sword hero / Ming
[83] The Scholar Yi Piao / sword hero / Ming
[84] The Scholar Meng Jue / sword hero / Ming
[85] The Scholar Shu Shi / sword hero / Ming
[86] The Scholar He Ji / sword hero / Ming
[87] The Scholar He Hai / sword hero / Ming
[88] The Scholar Zi Quan / sword hero / Ming
[89] Zhang Songxi / sword master / Ming
He was Zhang Sanfengs top disciple. (Bio of Zhang Sanfeng)
[90] L Siniang / sword hero / Qing
This and the following eight sword heroes appear in so many scattered
anecdotes in books, their details will not be cumbersomely noted here.
[91] Zhou Xun / sword hero / Qing
[92] Cao Renfu / sword hero / Qing
[93] Gan Fengchi / sword hero / Qing
[94] L Yuan / sword hero / Qing
[95] Lu Minzhan / sword hero / Qing
[96] Bai Taiguan / sword hero / Qing
[97] Zhang Fuer / sword hero / Qing
[98] Chen Meiniang / sword hero / Qing
[99] The Sword Hero Xie / sword hero / 1933
On a certain day in August, 1933, Huang Qinghan of Changde, Hunan, who had
been an apprentice for seventeen years in a cosmetics shop to Geng Xinger of
Yiyang, was lured by a Daoist to a tall mountain where he stayed for ten days.
There was at the same time another man who had been lured there and who was
the same age as Huang. The Daoist was brainwashing them both to become
sword assassins. Suddenly a man appeared out of nowhere, frightening the
Daoist, and told him: You are an evil murderer. Then he took a quantity of
myrrh from his jacket and made the Daoist swallow it, who promptly fell down
dead, the color drained from his face. He then took both men from there,
hurried them away to Yingwuzhou in Hanyang [in Hubei], and advised them to
return home and get help from their families. They asked him his name, but he
only answered that his surname was Xie and then disappeared. Thus he was
called The Sword Hero Xie. Xie and that Daoist both happened to speak with a
northern accent. This story is indeed true. (from recent records)
[100] Chen Shijun / sword master / Republic
He was from northern Anhui. He spent many years living as a hermit in

Guangdong. He was able to appear and disappear without trace. He could eat a
whole sheep in a single day or go several days without eating at all. He wore no
thick furs in winter nor thin clothes in summer. He taught the human realm
sword art to General Li Jinglin of Hebei.
[101] Li Jinglin / general / Republic
He was from Zaoqiang county, Hebei. He learned personally from the sword
hero Chen Shijun, who taught him the human realm sword art. He utterly
defeated all contenders, be they the Japanese soldiers occupying the eastern
provinces or famous martial artists and sword fighters of China. He also
excelled in other boxing arts and spear arts. (Bio of Li Jinglin [See Huangs 1931
Wudang Sword book.])

Although sword heroes are not often encountered, throughout the last few
millennia there have been such people. However, there is no way to examine
what their systems were like, since these methods were taught personally rather
than written down. Their arts have come and gone, appearing and then
disappearing, vanishing like magic dragons. The general populace was very
ignorant of such heroes and thus incapable of speaking about their methods.
These arts were also something of a taboo, and so most chroniclers did not dare
to write about them, and most scholars did not consider them worthwhile
anyway. The further that heroes were placed from ordinary people, the greater
the estranging distinction between them.
This list was compiled from biographical records within historical texts,
miscellaneous records from various schools of thought, and recorded anecdotal
histories. Because the systems of these people cannot be examined, we are left
with only their chronological placement in history. While perhaps not in the
same rank as the rest of the heroes, there are some sword experts who are
widely known, therefore the three gentlemen of Xie, Chen, and Li have been
added to the end of the list, who are each modern rarities. As my knowledge on
the subject is not extensive, I have listed perhaps only a hundredth of a percent
of these stories, and I hope that more learned gentlemen will help fill in the
gaps.
written by Huang Yuanxiu of Hulin at the field headquarters in
Baihuazhou, Nanchang, Dec, 1934
-

Habilidades e Fundamentos Tai Chi Yang - Por Huang Yuanxiu

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MARTIAL ARTS DISCUSSIONS by HUANG YUANXIU

Posted on June 1, 2014by Paul Brennan

THE SKILLS & ESSENTIALS OF YANG STYLE TAIJI BOXING

by Huang Wenshu [Yuanxiu]

Group photo of leading figures in Chinese martial arts:

The people in this photo are (from right to left):

Fang Ruichen, cavalry corps martial arts instructor

Huang Jianbai, cavalry corps head martial arts adviser

Ma Chengzhi, cavalry brigade martial arts instructor

Tan Mengxian, Nanchang Field Headquarters head Taiji Boxing adviser

Yuan Yuanhui, cavalry corps martial arts instructor

Portrait of the author, Huang Yuanxiu

Huang Yuanxiu & Han Qingtang performing Shuaijiao

Han Qingtang performing Yang Style spear

Ye Jingcheng, martial arts instructor to 79th Army Division

Xu Yusheng, an elder of Yang Style Taiji Boxing

Cao Yanhai practicing long spear

Huang Yuanxiu & Li Yaxuan performing Taiji pushing hands

Cao Yanhai practicing Taiji Sword

Huang Yuanxiu & Tian Zhaolin practicing Taiji spear applications

Tian Zhaolin & Huang Yuanxiu performing Taiji pushing hands

Huang Yuanxiu & Ye Jingcheng practicing Wudang Sword

PREFACE BY TAN MENGXIAN

In March of 1934, I went to Nanchang to visit with committee heads. There I

1. PRACTICING THE SOLO SET

In the beginning, it should be even, slow, upright, and stretched out.

3. ISSUING AND NEUTRALIZING

PREFACE BY YAO YIHUA

PREFACE BY JIANG XINSHAN

of the Shaolin Hidden-Hand Staff.

PREFACE BY BAO FOTIAN

Huang Yuanxius knowledge is incredible. Both scholarly and heroic, he is

PREFACE BY LIN JINGPING

BIO OF ZHANG SANFENG

CONTENTS TO ESSENTIALS OF YANG STYLE TAIJI BOXING

Preface by Tan Mengxian

Preface by Yao Yihua

Preface by Jiang Xinshan

Preface by Bao Fotian

Preface by Lin Jingping

1. The Taiji Boxing Treatise

2. The Treatise of Wang Zongyue

3. Understanding How to Practice the Thirteen Dynamics

4. Thirteen Dynamics Song

5. Names of the Postures in the Taiji Boxing Set

6. Pushing Hands Song & Large Rollback in Brief

7. A Few Words from Yang Jinghu [Jianhou]

8. Names of the Postures in the Taiji Long Boxing Set

9. Taiji Long Boxing Songs

10. Taiji Sword Posture Names

11. Taiji Sword Song

12. Song of Posture Names for Taiji Saber

ESSENTIALS OF YANG STYLE TAIJI BOXING (compiled by Huang Yuanxiu)

1. THE TAIJI BOXING TREATISE

cracks or gaps anywhere, pits or protrusions anywhere, breaks in the flow

2. THE TREATISE OF WANG ZONGYUE

Taiji [grand polarity] is born of wuji [nonpolarity]. It is the manifestation of

It is important to be mindful of every sentence in this essay. It does not contain

3. UNDERSTANDING HOW TO PRACTICE THE THIRTEEN DYNAMICS

4. THIRTEEN DYNAMICS SONG

Do not neglect any of the thirteen dynamics,

[1] TAIJI BEGINNING POSTURE

[2] CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL