Saw this quote from a very famous taiji master in China. The master is no longer living today:
rotate
I say to my students, the first day I tell you to relax; a month later I tell you to relax; a year later I tell you to relax; ten years later I tell you to relax; and a dozen years later I still tell you to relax. Why? Because after a while, your gongfu has improved so you must relax more and deeper. This is called the flavor of taijiquan. What is the function of taijiquan movements? It is to increase internal energy. Internal energy comes from practicing relaxed and soft movements. Therefore, we must seek the sensation of relaxation and softness. What is the intricacy of this sensation? It is as if you can feel friction in air and the feeling of your own qi and blood moving inside your body.
“我对我的学生说，学拳第一天叫你松软，一个月以后也叫你松软，一年以后也叫你松软，10年以后也叫你松软，几十年以后还叫你松软。为什么？时间延长了。功力在长，对松软的要求也就更高、更深入。这就是太极拳的拳味。练习太极拳动作的作用是什么？是增长内劲，内劲是从松软的动作练习中产生的。所以，要在练拳时找这松软的感觉。这种感觉最细微的是什么？是好象在空气中感觉 到了阻力，也体会到了自己身体里气血的流动等等。”
