THE ILLUSTRATED CANON OF CHENFAMILY TAIJIQUAN by Chen Xin (Chen Pin San) Wen County Henan Province Published by INBI MATRIX PTY LTD PO BOX 775, Maroubra 2035 NSW Australia Copyright © 2007 INBI Matrix Pty Ltd Translation© 2007 Alex Golstein All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retreival system, without permissing in writing from the publisher First edition, 2007 Printed in China Project design: Roman Mukhortikov Editor:Juliana Ngiam Editorial manager: Chen Xiaowen Translation: Alex Golstein ISBN-13: 978-5-98687-008-5 ISBN-ro: 5-98687-008-5 EDIToR's NOTE "The Illustrated Canon of Chen Family Taijiquan" is universally acknowledged by the Taoist community and Taiji practitioners as the seminal sourcebook ofTaiji philosophy and techniques A work of intense scholarship which took over fourteen years to complete, this tome was intended by its author to be both the first ever written repository ofTaiji lore, and a referential resource for Taiji instructors and practitioners for generations to follow The English translation of this canon marks the first ever attempt to translate into English Chen Xin's highly esoteric and detailed technical explanations of Chen-style Taijiquan techniques, including his meticulous inscriptions for over 400 illustrations Given the complexity of the material, the main objectives of this translation are twofold First, to render the work accessible to as wide an audience as possible by modernizing and simplifying the language while conserving the integrity of the author's intention and instruction To this end, the Pinyin transliteration system has been used to standardize the spelling of all Chinese nouns, and footnotes have been added wherever additional clarification was deemed necessary The second objective is to encourage its usage as a reference book by improving on the user-friendliness of its structure Hence, minor adjustments were made in the order and naming of the chapters, and more importantly, the order of inscriptions explaining the illustrations have been clarified through a detailed numbering system While many areas for translation and editorial improvement remain, it is hoped that readers will find this first edition a useful introduction into the philosophy and techniques of Chen Taijiquan and a valuable source of knowledge as their practice and understanding evolves TABLE oF CoNTENTS INTRODUCTION: THEORY & PHILOSOPHY I 3· 4· 5· 9· IO I I I2 I3 I4 IS I6 I7 IS I9 20 Useful notes to readers Diagram of No Extremes or Ultimate Nothingness (Wuji) Diagram of Supreme Extremes (Taiji) Explanation of the He River Map (He-tu) Explanation of the Luo River Writings (Luo-shu) Illustrated explanations of the Eight Trigrams according to the sequence of Fu Xi I I Illustrated explanations of the Eight Trigrams according to the sequence of King Wen I Illustrated explanations of the Supreme Extremes (Taiji) producing the Two Forms (Liang-yi), the Four Symbols (Si-xiang) and the Eight T rigrams (Ba-gua) 20 Illustrated explanations of the coincided numbers of the Eight Trigrams 23 Illustrated explanations of the Eight Trigrams movement according to the pre-birth arrangement 25 Illustrated explanations of the Eight Trigrams according to the prebirth sequence ofFu Xi 27 Horizontal diagram of the Eight Trigrams doubled to make the sixty-four figures according to the yang form 32 Horizontal diagram of the Eight Trigrams doubled to make the sixty-four figures according to the yin form 33 Illustrated explanations of the Eight Trigrams doubled to make the sixty-four figures 34 Diagram of the transverse interrelation of the sixty-four figures 38 Diagram of direct intercourse and inversion of the two end figures in the eight chambers 4I Diagram I: Sequence of the figures according to direct inversion 42 Diagram 2: Sequence of the figures according to direct inversion 43 Diagram 3: Sequence of the figures according to direct inversion 44 Diagram 4: Sequence of the figures according to direct inversion 45 21 22 23 24 25 26 2S 29 30 31 32 33· 34· 35· 36 37 3S 39 40 41 42 43· 44· 45· Illustrated explanations of the inversion of the sixty-four figures 46 Diagram ofTaiji giving birth to the compatible 12S figures 4S Diagram on the determinate positions of heaven and earth performed through intersection so Explanations of the Square Chart of the Male and Female Formation 53 Illustrated explanations of the Ruler (Qian) and the Storekeeper (Kun) 56 Diagram of heaven's origin and the moon's cavern ss Explanations of the vertical diagram of yang and the vertical diagram of yin according to the doctrine of growth and decline, fullness and emptiness 63 Illustrated explanations of the Three Powers (San-cai) 67 Illustrated explanations of heaven and earth's visual forms 71 Illustrated explanations of the primeval state of universal qi around the year 74 Illustrated explanations of the primeval state of the universal qi during the month 76 Illustrated explanations of the primeval state of the universal qi around the day 79 Illustrated explanations of the core of changes and development of the Taiji sequence according to Fu Xi S1 The ancient Taiji diagram ss Explanations of the Ancient Taiji Diagram S6 Illustrated explanations of the eight trigrams' growth and decline in the sequence according to Fu Xi 92 Illustrated explanations ofTaiji performed in the black and white pattern 95 Illustrated explanations ofTaiji according to the Yellow River Chart 9S Illustrated explanations ofTaiji according to the Luo River Writings 99 Illustrated explanations of interaction between heaven and earth according to the Yellow River Chart 101 Illustrated explanations of interaction between the sun and moon according to the Luo River Writings 103 Illustrated explanations of the round diagram ofTaijiquan's internal power 105 Illustrated explanations of the square diagram ofTaijiquan's external form 107 Illustrated explanations of the Taijiquan's silk-reeling method of energy regeneration 109 Illustrated explanations ofWuji or No Extremes II2 46 47 4S 49· so 51 52 53· 54· 55· 56 57· sS 59· 6o 6r 62 63 64 65 66 67 6S 69 70 71 72 Illustrated explanations of the silk-reeling method applied in the human body (front view) II3 Illustrated explanations of the silk-reeling method applied in the human body (back view) IIS Treatise on Taijiquan's silk-reeling method II6 Four verses on the silk-reeling method ofTaijiquan II7 A Song on diagram of the Twelve Principle and [Eight] Miraculous Channels II9 Diagram of the Eight Assemblies 154 Diagram of the Seven Chong-Men or painful acupoints 156 Treatise on Wei-qi or Defensive Energy 157 A song on the diagram ofZang and Fu organs according to the Earthly Branches 159 A song on the diagram of the six sorts ofQi energy according to the yearly cycle 161 Song ofYin-Yang correlation of the Zang and Fu organs 163 Song of outside and inside manifestation of the Zang and Fu organs 163 Song of blood circulation according to the twelve watches 164 Chart of blood circulation according to the twelve watches 165 Treatise on the Central Miraculous Channels Ren-mai and Du-mai 166 Song of the main acupoints and their sites 170 Taijiquan Classics 174 Revised treatise on Taijiquan 17S Some statements on the Taijiquan Classics I So Revised statement on the Taijiquan Classics 1S2 Regarding the name ofTaijiquan 1S4 Regarding the origins ofTaijiquan IS6 Explanation ofTaijiquan's mechanism of development ISS Concepts of the human body 191 Explanations ofTaijiquan application 209 Restricting 213 The secret of success in combat 215 VOLUME ONE: OvERVIEW & PosTURES 1-12 PART 1: OvERVIEW ii iii IV Useful notes to readers 22 Thirteen sections of the Taiji form 225 Diagram ofWuji or No Extremes 231 Diagram ofTaiji or Supreme Extremes 232 PART 2: PosTURES 1-12 I 3· 4· 9· 10 11 12 Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounds with Pestle 236 Holding One Lap Pull on the Robe 250 Single Whip 267 Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounds with Pestle 28o White Goose Reveals Its Wings 283 Brush Knee and Twist Step 291 Posture of Previous Implication 307 Walking Obliquely and Twist Step 317 Second Posture of Implication 328 Lower Stance in Front of Chamber and Twist Step 332 Screening Hand Strike with Hidden Forearm 338 Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounds with Pestle 344 Inscriptions: the right palm faces backward; the right elbow bends slowly; the right elbow tip points outward and assumes the role of a supporting pole; C} listen to the situation behind you; focus the energy at the top of the head; look straight ahead at level of the chest; the left hand is placed in front of the right nipple; lift up the right leg until the right foot reaches crotch level; bend the left knee and flatten the sole onto the ground General description The preceding Xia-hu Kua Hu posture requires the right hand to assume a blocking position above the head against an attack from above, while ensuring that the right arm remains strong and immovable Then, the right arm follows the body as it turns around to face the back At the same time, the left hand moves gradually upward from its position behind the torso Meanwhile, following the torso's turn, first take a left step northwest, then a right step northwest Spread both arms out also to the northwest, holding the fingers of both hands' together and placing them at nipple level Raise the right leg northeast and hold the foot up at crotch level Then move the right foot in a lotus-leg cross-cut gesture going from south to north toward the left, while the right palms move in the opposite direction from north to south As they meet, slap the fingers of both hands on the right in-step, first the left fingers then the right After the slap, return the right foot to its initial position Drop both hands downward toward the northwest from their position at the south, then without a break, draw a large circle backward-up-forward until they stop in front of the chest, place the left fist in front and the right fist behind Connect the energy between both fists with the chest and the crotch The right knee is bent and the right foot immobile 3· Internal power (nei jing) While the left hand moves from behind to draw a circle, the energy flows up from acupoint Rr-YuE to the front part of the shoulder in direct rotation, then continues along the arm toward the left hand The right hand applies the silk-reeling method of energy regeneration in reverse rotation, causing the energy to flow from the back part of the shoulder inward toward the fist The left leg coils energy directly, starting from the toes up the thigh, through the crotch then to the DAN-TIAN The right leg reels energy in the reverse direction, starting from the right toes up the thigh, eventually reaching the crotch 4· Seven-character a line verse dedicated to the posture The right hand pushes up to draw a bow in reverse rotation of the hand; First of all remove the right arm to make way for the true herols•l Again, use both hands to punch obliquely left; Move the right foot diagonally across the bodylssl and slap both hands on it To proceed to the highest levels of skills perfectly executed [54] [ s] theleft fist In the style of the full lotus gesture PosTURE 66 HEAD-ON BLOW DANGTouPAo This posture derives its name from its final move which comprises of a preventive strike to the opponent's head and other vulnerable areas It is important to perform this posture as a smooth continuation of its predecessor, Bai ]iao Diagram of the posture All the body parts and structures work as one to join the energy of the upper and lower body Sink the waist energy down, otherwise, the soles of the feet will be disconnected from the crotch energy, and become weak and unstable 0 FIG 3.66.r HEAD-ON BLow (DANG Tou PAo) Inscriptions: point both elbow tips outward; both fists face each other: the left one placed in front, the right one resting behind to create an energy connection between them; relaxed and drop the shoulders down; not raise them; Cl focus the energy at the top of the head and send it down to acupoint ZHANG-QIANG at the tailbone which functions as a hinge in the body's movement; look at the left fist and concentrate you attention on the left elbow tip; close the chest and empty it completely; form a right hook foot with toes pointing inward and re-adjust the heel position by moving it outward; establish a close energy connection between the toes and heel; bend the right knee and open the crotch; the crotch must be rounded-in and the area around it empty so that energy can pass through; the big toe of the left foot turns inward to dig into the ground with the other toes and heel; the left leg takes a bow step; the knee should bend forward beyond the toes General description Both hands move backward and down, cutting to the right in a large circle, then returning in a forward punch at head level using both fists While drawing the circle, the left hand and left leg apply energy regeneration in direct rotation, while the right hand and leg apply it in reverse After slapping on the right foot, point both elbows outward and face the knuckles of both fists upward Withdraw both hands downward from their position at the upper left corner, then circle them upward to form a dual-fisted punch to the opponent's head All four limbs use energy from the chest area Close the chest to connect its energy with the opened and rounded-in crotch Turn the toes of both feet inward to connect their energy together in closing The energy at the top of the head coils the energy from the shoulders, knees and ankles outside in, releasing their total power into the double punch Fix your gaze midway between the two fists Another name for the current posture is 'Center Guarding Punch; and it is similar to the ]in-gang Dao Dui posture The crucial aim of Dang Tou Pao is to protect the heart or the central part of chest - as long as your heart is unshakable and still, all four limbs will be able to execute their principle function of protecting the body from attack 3· Internal power (nei jing) While turning backward to the right, draw a circle with both hands before punching both fists forward The left fist leads, using energy focused in the left knuckles If the fist does not hit the mark, strike forward with the outside of the elbow The right fist's role is to support the left fist in its punch The left hand then draws back and down, after which the torso turns right then back and left When this occurs, the left sole stamps on the ground to the left, in the direction of the body turn At the same time, the right hand follows the leading left hand to take its position behind the latter in a double punch The leading left fist punches with nine-tenths strength, that is, at almost full strength, while the rear right fist punches with at eighttenths strength Hence the punching strength ratio between fists is nine to eight The left hand reels energy in direct rotation to punch at the left side of the opponent's torso If it does not hit its mark properly or fully, the right fist completes the task As you close-in toward the opponent for attack, you need to apply the correct posture for optimum impact, so that the force and spirit of the whole body can be leveraged to help the left hand fully release power outward Although both hands are energetically connected, they in fact punch diagonally from right to left in opening or releasing the energy, then con- tinue in the opposite direction, from left to right, before closing or accumulating energy Opening and closing is the essential formula for the mastery of boxing Since the human body is a microcosm of heaven and earth, your body's opening-and-closing can be compared to the opening-and-closing of heaven and earth and vice versa, where one becomes two and two is one, thus forming the oneness of the Taiji motif Taiji represents yin and yang in their formless manifestation everywhere, and so yin and yang may be considered as an alternative name for the Taiji moti£ representing its two opposite meanings Movement gives birth to yang substance, which correlates with the opening or release of energy releasing Stillness gives birth to yin substance, which corresponds to the closing or accumulation of energy Hence it is said that opening and closing is the key to mastering Taiji boxing For this particular posture, the left foot is placed in front and the right foot behind The right foot then takes a step forward to stamp beside the left foot to bear an equal loading of body weight From their previous position in front of the chest, both hands circle backward and upward before unleasing a forward punch, mirroring the final movement of the ]in-gang Dao Dui posture This, indeed, marks a return to the beginning Each beginning has its own end, while the end returns to the beginning in perpetual alternation Hence to go into the realm of boxing is hard work, each round, each turn and each twist demanding a great amount of energy to gain skills, an investment of approximately ten to one, where ten is amount of energy expended and one, at best, refers to success When you have some strength, not hesitate to practice; when your strength is completely exhausted, stop practicing - not go into extremes and overstrain yourself as this will not lead to any benefits If you follow the rules and principles, you will not have to wait too long for success as this will come naturally in full accordance with the level of your preparation 4· Diagram of the movement of both hands The two loops in the FrG 3.66.2 and FrG 3.66.3 depict the turning of both hands upward and forward from their position in the lower right corner It is not possible to accumulate sufficient force and energy against the opponent without drawing a circular movement with both hands A) MovEMENT OF THE RIGHT HAND FIG 3.66.2 MovEMENT oF THE RIGHT HAND Inscriptions: point the right elbow outward; @ the right fist punches forward and works in concert with the left fist; t) this is the place the right arm turns; this is the place the right hand drops downward B) MovEMENT oF THE LEFT HAND Fm 3.66.3 MovEMENT oF THE LEFT HAND Inscriptions: this is the path of the left fist punching forward; @ point the left elbow left; t) from this place the left hand drops downward The path is executed according to the silk-reeling method of energy regeneration using both arms in circular movement 5· Symbolic meaning of the posture This posture is allocated to hexagram Kan (29), symbol of water, sinking and total peril The separate paths of both hands resemble the upper divided line ofKan (29); the undivided line in the middle denotes the torso; while the bottom divided line refers to the widely spread feet The strong line in the center implies that the figure is filled up with a solid substance Weak outside but strong inside - this is what figure Kan ( 29) suggests The central line moves to change the Kan (29) into Kun (earth), which then has intercourse with Qian, turning the central yin line of Kun into the central yang line of Qian This efficient transformation shows the efficacy of Zhong-qi, represented here as the 'second sorl We we merge the symbols for the current Dang Tou Pao posture with the preceding Bai Jiao, we get hexagram Ji-ji ( 63 ), formed by the fire trigram below and water above, which symbolizes that which has been successfully completed.Ji-ji (63) is the inverse ofWei-ji (64), which signifies that the end will not arriave as long as the action is unceasing In its initial form, hexagram Wei-ji (64) is formed by the water trigram below, denoting the tendency to flow down, and the fire trigram above, which signifies the tendency to move upward The ]in-gang Dao Duil