Rotation is the driving force of all taiji movements. Rotation is movement without displacement of space. Here is a video clip of a rotation. It is similar to the concept of hinge and axis.
Rotation Clip
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if we turn a bicycle upside down and set it on it’s handle bars and seat and turn the pedal…the tire moves without moving. meaning it spins (moves) but, stays in the same place relative to everything else around it (doesn’t move)… it doesnt move in the second sense, because it is locked on to the bike, which has a sound structure (composed of triangles) which is connected to the ground. it displaces no space…(other than that which it already occupied) but it will surely displace any object that comes into contact with it…if the tire had happened to be caked with mud, and enough velocity was achieved, it would then throw that mud off, with equal force in all directions simultaneously (theoretically anyway…there would be other obvious factors involved..like friction barriers, relative adhesion due to moisture content, etc…) so, if i were to get out of this 3 dimensional framework, and expand it to a 5 dimensional framework, meaning i could rotate in many directions at the same time… i would have real peng jing. it seems only spirals could make this possible…
if the tire were spinning and i took a razor blade and started at one edge of the tire and gradually moved it across the tire (while spinning) separating it into a spiral due to rotation + separation (yin-yang split)…. it would be possible! also it would release chi! (air)!!! lol ….. perhaps the ancient taoist were not wrong in saying “the secret to the production of energy lies in emptiness” the empty space between the spiral rubber form allows the chi to escape…. funny analogy, but in all seriousness it sounds as if we must have 3 things….movement….stillness….and rotation. right master chen???
Bruce, try the razor example physically and see what happens. One of my learning methods is to try everything first, no matter how obvious it is. Even things people claim to have done for thousands of year, you need to try it for yourself.
drat… i meant to say…. movement (rotation), stillness (center connected to ground) and separation (yin-yang split) right???? movement, stillness, separation….
ouch… that would hurt. yes my analogy is severely flawed as applied to human anotomy. was only trying to give an example of moving without moving and perhaps got a bit carried away. i apologize. in humans it seems this is made possible by what are called kinematic linkages in mechanical physics. the vertical up down piston like movement of the femurs driving into the ball and socket joints in the hips causing the hips (the wheel) to rotate converting vertical power to horizontal force…the central axis (bai hui through hui yin to ground) mustn’t move while while this rotation takes place or some of the power will be lost…when i do this the front leg must push back while the back leg pushes forward without moving up and down in order to maximize torque…if i am understanding correctly….it feels very efficient…
Terminology wise: rotation == separation of yin and yang
Practical Method terminology.
Rotation=continuous separation of yin and yang.
Lever=yin yang separation.
Rotation=Continuous lever.
You can continue to redefine but cannot change the central meaning.
thanks kelvin.. i had always thought this was fairly obvious, but master chen’s video from recent visits to toronto made me question it…. in either #2 or #5 he talks about all his power converging onto one line… which makes me think yin and yang splitting outwardly but converging inwardly onto the center? is this possible?
1. The human body is not made to rotate. Therefore, we need special methods in our training to cause this rotation.
2. When the human body is made to rotate, it is a result, not a physical appearance that matches what people think rotation is.
See here for further details. http://internalartsia.wordpress.com/
thank you master chen, the articles you referred me to make everything much more clear… i think i have gained some understanding and i appreciate you taking the time… i’ve been studying your videos and practicing PM fundamental exercises for about a year now and recently have begun learning yilu… i wonder if after i learn the first 13 movements i might submit a video for review/correction to see if I’m on the right track? it may be some time before i can attend a seminar. it seems your teaching schedule keeps you very far from where i am in virginia..
No problem with the video correction. No plans to be in your area this year at least.
thank you. for now i will concentrate my efforts on learning yilu correctly…
I think the vertical axis of rotation is the line between left toes and left wrist. The left wrist acts shun chan first then ni chan but the swich is almost invisibile. The oponent is prepared to resist one direction, but behind there is nothing to sustain him. Yin yang separation is in the switch between shun chan and ni chan on the left wrist combined whith continuous rotation on the vertical axis.
Can this demonstration be done on the left heel?