From Forum 6, October 2003, Lori N. writes:
"I just completed my first lesson -- the walk. Very tricky but also very fun. “
MASTER HWA’S RESPONSE:
"I am glad you have made a good start. It is important that you feel fun and challenged while you doing it. Your comments about Tai Chi as a kind of dancing is what prompted me to write about the topic Yi click here for article on – the martial art intent. I remember my teacher became unhappy when someone referred to Tai Chi as an exercise. Again, the “intent” is lost when it was called as an exercise. "
Most people are now learning Tai Chi, probably for reasons other than for serious martial art applications. So the question is, how much should we emphasize the martial art aspects of Tai Chi?
Certainly, Tai Chi Form movements make more sense and are easier to remember if they are corroborated with the martial art origin of the movements - why there are these sequences of movements, and what the positioning of the body and timing ofthe movements mean.
Besides this aspect, there is a more subtle but powerful reason why the martial art aspect of Tai Chi is essential. I shall discuss that below:Tai Chi Form should be practiced with “Yi” (martial art intention). “Yi” is not something complex and elaborate. It is single-minded and somewhat intuitive, with the desire to deliver the internal power externally through hands, arms, and feet, whatever the movement is. If the hand is moving forward, then the Yi goes to the palm and fingers; if the hand is moving laterally in a blocking movement, then the Yi goes to the leading edge on the side of the hand; etc.
Once the practitioner masters the “Yi”, it is no longer a conscious effort anymore. It becomes subconscious and comes naturally whenever the practitioner moves.
At this stage, when you play the Form, you have both the internal energy and Qi (nerve signal - a simple-minded definition) circulating in the torso of your body. With the “Yi” as a catalyst, the Qi can flow to your hands and fingers while the internal energy continues to circulate in your torso until you need it for anapplication. Then the internal energy will follow the Qi to the arms, hands, and fingers for delivery.
External martial arts such as Karate also practice a solo form called Kata. Kata allows the practitioner to study movements at full power and speed, and enables the student to move with the enemy in mind. So, both Tai Chi form and Kata are practiced with “Yi”. But Kata is practiced with a tensed up arm moving with power and speed, while Tai Chi is practiced with a relaxed arm and moving at a slow speed. The “Yi” in Tai Chi is therefore purely mental.
For some students, “Yi” is relatively easy to develop. It is almost natural to them. For some students, it is pretty challenging to be consistent – other intentions creep in subconsciously from time to time. Students who have studied dance or are interested in dance face such problems. Usually, the fingers become very warm after playing the Form even in cold weather.
One of my students here, who had already achieved good internal movements, complained about cold fingers. Upon close examination, she frequently had small flourishes in her hands and fingers. After reducing that flourish, her problem with a cold finger improved. Extraneous motions, or nerve signals, along the path of Qi, such as the shoulder, elbow, and arms, have the same effect of disrupting the flow of Qi between the body and the fingers. People who use their hands intensively, such as dancers, typists, and piano players, could have such problems.
They need to keep localized nerve activity dormant and let the body's Qi take over. This is a good reason to learn the Classical Tai Chi Square Form, from which the practitioner will get used to movements with steady arms and hands without localized impulses.
The focus here is on the arms and hands, not on the legs and feet. The reason is that during form playing, the lower limbs have definite functions to perform, and their energyand Qi are already integrated with that of the torso. During Form playing, the upper limb’s function is entirely abstract and mental, and is easily distracted."
Jim Roach on Square Form: Some practitioners reject the Square Form because it challenges their existing habits or requires sustained effort to master. Rather than adapt, they may dismiss the form as impractical or overly rigid, attributing their difficulty to the method itself rather than their own learning curve. With its precision it is the insurance that subsequent generations will do the Form correctly!
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