Chen Style Xin Yi Hun Yuan Taijiquan as a Legacy of Chinese Culture
By Yaron Seidman
Chen style Xin Yi Hun Yuan Taijiquan (thereafter shortened to Hun Yuan Taijiquan) was created by grandmaster Feng Zhi Qiang. It is a complete system of martial arts with an intensely thought out philosophy. Hun Yuan Taijiquan finds its roots in Daoism, Chinese Medicine and in human virtue. In this article the author will explain the meaning of �Xin Yi Hun Yuan Taijiquan�, and will discuss the relationship between Hun Yuan Taijiquan and its three roots.
�Xin Yi Hun Yuan Taijiquan� entails three parts, first is �Taijiquan�, which implies a martial art based on the principles of Tai Ji. These principles will be discussed in length shortly. Second is �Hun Yuan�, which denotes the utilization of the primordial force. This is an invisible force that in the universe causes the earth and the stars to orbit around the sun, and in the human body causes the cycle of birth, growth, decline and death. Third is �Xin Yi� or �heart intentions�, as to emphasize the importance of the heart over the muscles. In this system the heart should unite with Intention, the Intention should unite with Qi, the Qi should unite with force, only then will true power display itself. Achieving these goals, the practitioner must empty his heart and possess clear intentions.
1) Hun Yuan Taijiquan and Daoism.
In ancient times, the sages of China observed and studied their environment to better understand the meaning of their own existence. At first the most obvious phenomena observed was the rotation of the sun and the moon, including various celestial cycles. During the day they observed the sun, and at night they observed the moon and the stars. In day light they inspected the earth, and at night the heavens. By studying the sun, moon, stars, and the earth, the sages came to realize a regularity referred to as the "Change", thus beginning the study of "Yi" (change), which is the fundamental basis for Daoism and the root for all Chinese philosophies.
Five thousand years of Chinese history gave birth to many schools of thought. Many of these schools devoted their entire energy to researching the "Yi". Even though different in perception, the different schools all explain clearly the fact that in nature there are two forces, the Yin and the Yang. The Yin moves inwards and is stored within, the Yang moves outwards and expresses itself in the periphery. The "Gui Cang Yi" school goes farther to emphasize the Yin as dominant and as the origin of all existence. In its arrangement of the "Ba Gua" (Eight Trigrams), it places the Kun trigram (earth) at the opening position. Kun represents Yin and storage, thus giving it priority as the first position.
In Hun Yuan Taijiquan, every movement contains Yin and Yang, movement and stillness. However soft movements and stillness are primary and correspond to "Kun" trigram. Hard and Quick movements are secondary and correspond to "Qian" trigram (heaven). In order to understand Yin and Yang, one must understand first the concept of "Tai Ji". "Tai" means to reach, "Ji" means the extreme limits. "Tai Ji" is thus to reach the extreme limits. To explain this deep concept farther, the reader must look to the father of Daoism, Lao Zi, and his follower the sage Zhuang Zi. Lao Zi in his " Dao De Jing" writes, "Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, three gives birth to the myriad things". Zhuang Zi writes, "Big as there can be nothing outside of it, it is called the big one. Small as there can be nothing inside of it, it is called the small one".
Over much time, this ancient Chinese concept of the Dao accrued around it four methods for understanding it. The lowest level of understanding is with words (talking to each other and explaining). The next method is with the use of numbers and numerology. A still higher method is with the use of form (such as the 8 trigrams, or Yin and Yang symbol), and the highest level of understanding is formless (such as direct mind perception). Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi make use of this natural progression to lift the reader from the word level to the numbers level. Lao Zi explains: the Dao gives birth to one (which is the Tai Ji), one gives birth to two (which are Yin and Yang). Zhuang Zi goes farther in explaining that the one (the Tai Ji) is so big that there is nothing outside of it, and so small that there is nothing inside of it. It is called the Tai Ji. The Daoist philosopher of the Song dynasty (11-12 centuries A.D.) Zhou Dun Yi, in his "Tai Ji Tu Shuo" (explanation of the Tai Ji Tu-the Yin and Yang symbol) writes:" At first Wu Ji (no limits, emptiness) and then Tai Ji (reach a limit and a form). Tai Ji begins to move and gives birth to Yang. Yang reaches its extreme limits and changes into stillness. Stillness gives birth to Yin. Yin reaches its extreme limits and changes again to movement. One movement one stillness is the root of Tai Ji." Later on the famous Taijiquan master of the 18th century, Wang Zong Yue, in his "Treatise on Taijiquan" wrote," Taiji is born in Wu Ji, the incorporation of stillness and movement, the mother of Yin and Yang".
Grandmaster Feng ZhiQiang teaches that Hun Yuan Taijiquan holds Wu Ji as primary. The opening form begins with Wu Ji stance. Within every movement there is Wu Ji and then Tai Ji. At first empty, then full; first Yin, then Yang; first soft and then hard. Practicing Hun Yuan Taijiquan fully embraces the "Tai Ji". When opening it is so big, as if there is nothing outside of it. When closing it is so small as if there is nothing inside of it. Practicing Hun Yuan Taijiquan must begin with Wu Ji (emptiness). Dao gives birth to one (Tai Ji), and Tai Ji is born in Wu Ji. Thus practicing Wu Ji is practicing the Dao, and practicing Dao is practicing Wu Ji.
2) Hun Yuan Taijiquan and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Traditional Chinese Medicine finds its roots in Daoism and the study of "Yi" (change). Its most basic theories such as Yin and Yang, the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water), etc., come directly from the study of "Yi". Searching deeper into Chinese classical writings, we learn that in ancient times, texts were written on stone tablets, later on on bamboo strips, and these were rolled into a "Juan"(bamboo scroll). The sages and philosophers had an urgent need to be very sparing with their words or else the "Juan" would be too heavy to carry around. As a result, the ancient classical texts are often written in a way, which conceals different meanings within the lines. Lao Zi, in the above quotation, also states: "Dao gives birth to one (heaven), one gives birth to two (earth), two gives birth to three (man), three gives birth to the myriad things", in which an additional meaning is concealed. It is the importance of the �three treasures�, heaven, Earth and man. In traditional Chinese Medicine, the sages aim was to search heaven and earth in order to gain knowledge of the human body, prevent illnesses and increase longevity.
Hun Yuan Taijiquan emphasizes, the concept that three unite into one. Heaven, earth and man all unite into the Tai Ji. The upper Dan Tian (precious field-energy center) corresponds to heaven. The lower Dan Tian corresponds to earth. The middle Dan Tian corresponds to Man. While practicing Hun Yuan Taijiquan and Hun Yuan Qigong, the intention constantly goes to the middle Dan Tian, so as to nourish it (since this is the Dan Tian that corresponds to man), thereby strengthening the human body.
The earliest Traditional Chinese medicine classical text, dated 800-200 B.C., is the "Huang Di Nei Jing Suo Wen Ling Shu" (The Internal Classics of the Yellow Emperor-Fundamental Questions and Miraculous Pivot). The opening paragraph in this text states: "The Yellow Emperor asked the Heavenly Teacher; �I have heard, the ancient sages all lived to be a hundred, and their movements and deeds never declined. In our era, the people live to be fifty, and their movements and deeds all decline, people say they lost it (the Dao), why?� Qi Bo (the Heavenly Teacher) answered; �the ancient sages they knew the Dao, lived according to Yin and Yang, and corresponded with the numbers.�" In the second chapter the classic farther states: " Yin Yang and the four seasons, it is the beginning and the end of the myriad things, the origin of death and birth. Opposing it will cause calamity, following it will prevent the diseases from arising. It is called reaching the Dao."
Practicing Hun Yuan Taijiquan is to follow Yin and Yang. It is to practice the Dao. In Hun Yuan Taijiquan, every movement entails opening and closing, Yin and Yang. When opening Yang reaches its extreme, then closing Yin follows. When closing Yin reaches its extreme, then opening Yang follows. Grandmaster Feng ZhiQiang teaches that Yin and Yang are two aspects of one Qi (energy). When the Qi expands, it is Yang and becomes formless. When Qi condenses it is Yin, and Form appears. It is like water. When adding Yang (heat) it evaporates and loses form, when the vapor changes to Yin (cools) it condenses into water again. Practicing Taijiquan, with every opening the intention is to expand and become formless, with every closing to contract and to form. Hun Yuan Taijiquan emphasizes " the body as one unified Qi". Expanding and contracting are within every movement, and are two qualities of the same Qi.
Traditional Chinese Medicine has also developed the Meridians theory, which recognizes a system of energy channels webbing the entire body to supply it with energy. Two of these meridians, the Ren meridian and the Du meridian, run in the centerline of the trunk in the front and the rear, respectively. The Ren meridian unifies all the Yin meridians, and the Du meridian unifies all the Yang meridians. While practicing Hun Yuan Taijiquan, the energy is circulated within these two meridians (it is called the small heavenly circle). The Qi in the entire system is ample, and the body is healthy.
3) Hun Yuan Taijiquan and Virtue.
As mentioned before the unchanging law of nature is "the Dao". As the great Daoist philosopher of the Song dynasty Zhou Dun Yi, in his " Tai Ji Tu Shuo" states, "So it is called; the Dao of heaven is Yin and Yang, the Dao of earth is soft and hard, the Dao of man is virtue and morality". Lao Zi also stated: "Dao gives birth to it (Tai Ji), and the virtue preserves it� It is the myriad things, that cherish the Dao and treasure the virtue". From the above quotation the reader can learn of the outmost importance of virtue.
Hun Yuan Taijiquan puts Virtue and morality at the foreground. As grandmaster Feng ZhiQiang often teaches: "the essence of Hun Yuan Taijiquan is `Xiu Xin` (correcting the heart) and `Wu De` (martial virtue). When there is no virtue a high level of Gong Fu can not be accomplished".
In conclusion, ancient Chinese texts can conceal various meanings, resulting in a beautiful complexity. In order to understand these texts, it is sometimes necessary to read commentaries about them. However, we must remember that a commentary is merely an opinion, and we should seek ourselves to get as close as possible to the original meaning. The same is true with Hun Yuan Taijiquan. The practitioner, through diligent practice, should seek a true incorporation of Tai Ji, Yin and Yang, of heaven, earth and man, and the unchanging law of nature. Practicing Hun Yuan Taijiquan, according to the principals taught by grandmaster Feng ZhiQiang, will lead the serious student to the building up of a character full with virtue and morality, a healthy body and a vivid spirit. It is a way of achieving a higher level of existence, a kind heart, and of finding harmony with the Dao.