Home>>The
Hand-shape, Eye-focus, Body-movement, Application method, and Footwork
of Yang Chengfu's Taijiquan
IV.
Application method
Yang
zhenji
There are two different
opinions on the word "method" at present: one is refereed
to the application methods of each form in the whole set of Taijiquan,
and the other means the method should be part of the body movement,
to be more exact, the application of the body movement. Here the first
one is preferred which is thought to be more traditional.
To practice Yang style Taijiquan, the meaning of real martial art application
in each and every form should be well understood despite each form containing
a number of application actions. So the method here means the offending
and defending application mentioned in the book "The Practice and
Application of Taijiquan" written by Mr. Yang Chengfu, the ones
how to react to the opponent's attack. When practicing the set forms,
there should be the sense of defending and offending, for sure it is
only the exercise to deal with the "imagined opponent". But
the "imagined opponent" could make you to concentrate your
mind more on the practice and keep yourself calmed down, so the longer
you practice, the more interested you will get. What needs to be pointed
out is when doing push-hand practice or the real martial art competition,
the methods designed in the forms are not strictly followed, but rather
react automatically to the opponent's change of tactics and strategy.
Therefore, the "methods" should be practiced so skilled in
mind that you need no thinking of them but they will appear to be in
use whenever they are in need. You need to understand the "methods"
first then they can come to you naturally. It is also said in the book
"On Taijiquan" that "To start with, to skill your application
methods, then to understand how to feel the force, and finally to be
up to the supreme level." This is the only way of learning the
martial art of Taijiquan. >>next
