Is Taiji logical?

by Sarah on 2017/01/12

Today I realised, why I like (our) Taiji that much. We had class (Patrick, John and me), Chén Xù was teaching. He showed us twisting the towel. Push the left foot and then don`t move (one point on the right side of the body), push the right foot, don`t move (one point on the left side of the body). This is the same principle Chen Laoshi explained in this video . When I heard Chén Xù`s explanation, I thought, that this is so illogical. Because, if you lock the right side and turn the left, and then lock the left side – there where you are – and turn the right, in the end you are moving forward. Although I saw Chén Xù doing it, believing his explanation, my mind said: How??? That`s not logical.

Just for joking I asked him about my worries and he said, don`t care about it!

This for me is the challenge and attraction. I always loved maths but practical method is more complicate! It seems to be so logical and scientific, but then very often, for me it makes no sense at all 🙂

About Sarah

I am learning Taijiquan - Practical Method since 2011.

{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

James Tam January 12, 2017 at 7:20 am

Sarah, interesting. I understand that you are referring to the testing towel drill. (Correct?) However, with respect to what Chen Xu was asking you to do, I still do not get the exact movements and don’t-move relationships of the hands and the feet. Could you explain a bit more. Thanks!

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Kelvin Ho January 12, 2017 at 8:22 am

Push the left foot and then don`t move (one point on the right side of the body), push the right foot, don`t move (one point on the left side of the body).

If you lock the right side and turn the left, and then lock the left side – there where you are – and turn the right.

These two statements don’t seem to describe the same thing.

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Sarah January 13, 2017 at 7:40 am

I will try to answer tomorrow with a short videoclip (I will upload it in the english group on wechat).

Reply

胡歌 January 13, 2017 at 2:27 pm

Good points Sarah!

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207 - Kenny Ly January 13, 2017 at 8:10 pm

Hi everyone,
I am from Sydney, Australia and this is my first post and hope it won’t be the last.
I found this interesting, so I decide to try it and feel for myself as described.
When I push the left foot and not move one point on the right side ( fix my right knee ) I found by pushing the left foot into the ground it opens my left Kua which also force my left arm ( which is in a fix position as in twisting towel ) to move forward without moving my hand, at the same time my waist is rotating to the right. Not sure if I am on the right track.

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胡歌 January 13, 2017 at 8:21 pm

If you are practicing you are on the right track. Thanks for the description. Feel free to upload videos of yourself doing foundations or Yilu.

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