ChiDragon

Clarification: I had translated the following lines incorrectly in another thread. 5. 德善。 Correct: 5. I've gained kindness. Incorrect: 5. It's the virtue of kindness. If the characters 德善 had been reversed such as 善德, then I would have been correct. 8. 德信。 Correct: 8. I've gained trust. Incorrect: 8. It's the virtue of trust. If the characters 德信 had been reversed such as 信德, then I would have been correct.

In classic text, "wang" and "wu" are interchangeable as "none" which implies that something that "does not exist". Hence, There was no difference between "wang wei" and "wu wei". "wang wei" was, only, a more classic way of writing.

The post above was totally incorrect and misleading.

1. If you have used all your prenatal chi up at age 31 already, you are dead by now. 2. There are no positives from this horrible truth. It was only a myth believed by the ancients. If you practice Chi Kung of any kind, it will increase your vital energy.

十有三, has two possible interpretations: 1. Three out of ten. 2. Ten plus three which is thirteen. Item 1 was talking about percentage. It was obvious that Chapter 50 was talking about the percentage of the mortality rate of the people. 2. Those who lived longer are three out of ten(30%), 3. Those who die sooner are three out of ten(30%), 4. Some of the people could have lived longer, 5. But they choose to run toward death, 6. Also, three out of ten(30%). Line 2 says 30% of the people lived through their lifespan. Line 3 says 30% of the people die before their lifespan due to illness. Line 6 says 30% of the people die due to drugs, alcohol, and dangerous lifestyle. The other 10% was unknown. Item 2. Ten plus three which is thirteen. In the Chinese custom, this was a formal way to express somebody's age. e.g. For the age of 13; it would be expressed as 十有三(10 plus 3).

Thanks. Yes, in the Chinese system, ten was the highest number for quantitative expression. e.g. three out of ten as 30%; and the western expression is 30 out of 100 as 30%

Chapter 50 Translation in terse English: 1. From birth to death, 2. Those who lived longer are three out of ten, 3. Those who die sooner are three out of ten, 4. Some of the people could have lived longer, 5. But they choose to run toward death, 6. Also, three out of ten. 7. Then, why so? 8. It was due to their extravagant way of life style. 9. I heard one who knows how to preserve life, 10.Walking on land will not meet a rhinoceros or a tiger. 11.Enlisted man will not be harmed by weapons. 12.Rhinoceros has no chance to thrust its horn. 13.Tiger has no chance to utilize its claws. 14.Weapon have no chance to cut with its sharpen edge. 15.Then, why so? 16.Because one has not entered a fatal environment. Note: 十有三, has two possible interpretations: 1. Three out of ten. 2. Ten plus three which is thirteen. It was improper to translate it as "thirteen" within context here. 1. 出生入死。 2. 生之徒，十有三。 3. 死之徒，十有三。 4. 人之生， 5. 動之於死地， 6. 亦十有三。 7. 夫何故﹖ 8. 以其生生之厚。 9. 蓋聞善攝生者， 10.陸行不遇兇虎， 11.入軍不被甲兵。 12.兇無所投其角。 13.虎無所用其爪。 14.兵無所容其刃。 15.夫何故﹖ 16.以其無死地。

Normally, the local tour guide in Beijing will take you to a TCM herbal visit. If not, you can ask the guide to lead you to one. Just be aware not to over bought the herbs which they may be recommended.

Yes, our friend was good at that all the time. We have to keep our eyes on him....!!!

The (之) in "為(之)心" is optional as I said before. 為 (之) 心 or 為 心 was understood AS "as (his) heart" FYI There are no rules in classic text. All interpretations have to be determined by the logic within context. A statement may be taken as a good interpretation as long it is logical. However, an interpretation of a phrase may be logical by itself but it may not flow with the rest of the phrases. Then, a different interpretation has to be done with another attempt until everything falls into place. One might call this is a trial and error method.

Tai Chi is Yin-Yang. All Tai Chi practitioners should have some knowledge about the Yin-Yang concept to be more appreciative about the art of the practice. Just for sharing our common knowledge for discussion sake, how much do you know about this concept when it comes to Tai Chi Chuan...??? Edited to add: Actually, I am really asking how was the Yin-Yang concept being applied to Tai Chi Chuan...??? This is not a question to be answered by a beginner per se. One may be either doing Tai Chi or not at all. Just by going through the routine of the movements or the gestures may not be considered Tai Chi if one was not applying the Yin-Yang concept during the practice of the routines.

As soon one touched the opponent, one stays in contact by sticking and following him with the head always upright.....???

Not true.

MWD-A and B Chapter 64 执(之)者失之 执者失之 Those who possess it will lose it.

To answer this question, I think this is the Wing Chun concept by Fa Jin in a short distance. Fa Jin can pull the muscle tissue away from the body of the opponent. It was a little more violent. The Fa Jin in a shot distance concept was to damage the most vulnerable area of the opponent before he knew it was coming. By the time he realizes it, then it was too late. As in Tai Ji, it is not a matter of short distance rather than body contact. The goal in Tai Ji is to stay away from the opponent. If no body contact, then there is no counterattack. However, if there was a body contact, the goal was to get the opponent off balance but causing no damage to his body. This was considered to be the virtue of martial arts by not having an intention to hurt anyone.

I think the reason that we are having this kind of line of questioning is because the we aren't sharing the same definition about Fa Jin. By the Chinese definition as I had indicated before, Since the definition of Jin was developed by the continuous Tai Ji practice, the Li becomes Jin in a Tai Ji body. Therefore, the exerted strength by a Tai Ji practitioner was Jin not Li; as oppose to an ordinary person, the exerted strength was Li not Jin. In other words, at any instant in time, any force exerted by a Tai Ji practitioner was Jin and considered to be Fa Jin(發勁). In our discussion, by your description that Fa Jin was taken place only occasionally. Therefore, I can understand why you did not understand my question. In the video, the instructor must have used Fa Jin in order to have his student fall back so far. Otherwise, the student would have had been fell back a lot shorter. BTW You had said that the instructor did not use Fa Jin which tells me that you have a different conception about Jin or Fa Jin.

以 百 姓 之 心 為 (之) 心 <------ the second (之) just gives it a little more emphasis. 以 百 姓 之 心 為 心 He takes the heart of the people as his heart. In classic text, both lines are saying the something. The second (之) may be omitted or optional; and it was mentally understood that the second (之) is there. Thus the original thought have not changed.

Thank you...!!! What is Qin Na, is 擒拿....??? In general practice but not in combat, why is so important that the arms and legs are not fully extended or lock out in Tai Ji Chuan...??? How do you consider yourself that you are being Fa Jin...???

Tai Chi Sparring

Steve and Stigweard... Do you have your students extend their arms or legs fully doing practice....???

Perhaps this is less clunky. How would you make it more acceptable in English...??? Please give it a try and help me to improve this translation. Thanks... Chapter 49 - The unselfish sage. 1. A sage is always unselfish. 2. He considered the craves of others as his own. 3. I'm kind to those that are kind. 4. I'm kind to those that are not kind too. 5. Thus I've gained kindness. 6. I trust those that are trustworthy. 7. I trust those that are not trustworthy too. 8. Thus I've gained trust. 9. A ruler by dismissing his personal ego, 10. And fulfill the requisition of the people. 11. Let the people devote to their own senses, 12. And return to the innocence of childhood.

Yes, it was my personality and the writing style reflects that. At times, I was warned a few times about my arrogance by others. I will make a mental note more seriously this time and make correction to improve this undesirable habit. I apologize and thanks again.

Anyway, no problem. The way I was taught is 順其自然, let it be natural, and everything will fall in place.

Very good demonstrate on fa jin(發勁). First, it was to make the guy off balance then fa jin. After the initial push, you can almost see and feel the jin was penetrating right through the opponent to make him flew away. It was the guy's own body weight plus the jin that was making him fall back non stop until he landed on the floor. The Tai Ji practitioner already have an idea how the guy is going to fall by the Yi(意) from his counteract movement.

Steve, I do agree 100% of what you said. This is a much higher level of understanding to explain to the beginners. What I trying to do is make it as simple as possible here so people will get a general idea. If we are feeding too much information to a novice, then it would be like a Ph. D. talking to a kiddy garden.