《渥太华2017.11.18实用拳法讲座》上有 4 条评论

1. by Ming on 2017/11/19

   Master Chen in Ottawa 2017

   Master Chen in Ottawa 2017
   “Winter is coming!” Master Chen took time from his busy schedule to visit Ottawa in a Weekend seminar organized by Disciples Rachelle B.and James T. . Participants from Ottawa, Toronto and Quebec City gathered to review their Practical Method Taijiquan progress for this year. Over the weekend, we focused on the theory and philosophy relevant to the Practical Methods. We then apply those understandings to the physical actions of the Foundations, forms and applications.

   The Ottawa group was extremely fortunate to have Master Chen traveling halfway around to world to provides us with hands on training in the Practical Method. In previous seminar I have written about the importance of direct transmission in the traditional martial arts. This seminar made me appreciate the importance of being on the receiving end of a technique from Master Chen. In addition, I realize that hearing the words and being in the presence of the teacher is just as important. As any of Master Chen’s student will attest, not only does Master Chen have ways with words but his words also has ways. Special thanks to Iron X fitness for the use of their facilities and Kelvin from Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method Toronto for helping with the seminar. Kelvin also provided an excellent summary of the workshop here. An additional note of appreciation to the Ottawa Chinese Taichi Association for their continual support. The following are my personal summary.
   Introduction to the Practical Method

   2017 Ottawa Winter Seminar Group Photo

   2017 Ottawa Winter Seminar Group Photo
   There are always a variety of participants with a diverse background that attends a workshop. Each participant have different exposure to the Taijiquan and to the Practical Method system of training. Master Chen provided the following summary of Practical Method to help participants understand what we are trying to do in this system.

   Taijiquan as a system was originally developed so that one can
   1. Learn to fight
   This system continues as
   2. Tradition (symbolic)
   Now, we train as a form of
   3. Exercise / Fitness
   What differentiates the Practical Method from other systems is an emphasis on the
   4. Importance to stretch. However, within the Practical Method system, stretch does no mean flexibility or using power.
   What is a stretch then? According to this system,
   5. The ingredients for a stretch is a fixed point and a moving point. A stretch is when there is a relationship between the two points. In other words, a stretch is two points with a clear relationship.
   In the Practical Method, a stretch is accomplished by
   6. Applying the Taoist Theory of Yin / Yang. Yin is a fixed point, Yang is a moving point. A stretch is accomplish by establishing a relationship between the Yin and the Yang. In order for the stretch to be effective, the action must “Get rid of” or “let go of” whatever that is in between the Yin and the Yang. Once such conditions are met then you have stretch. In direct terms, the middle has to let go and is not involve in the action.
   In the Practical Method, the focus is on
   7. the physical part, that is correct movement based on Principles. Other issues such as mental states or spiritual knowledge are not discussed.
   A more detail explanation of the Practical Method Rules list can be found here.
   Stay on task

   In a previous seminar, I have written about the difficulty in quelling the Monkey Mind ((xinyuan; “心猿”). ). Each student in the Practical Method bring with them their own experience and expertise that often hinders their progress. Master Chen offers the following advice to help the student stay focus on the task at hand during the learning process. Master Chen suggests that when your teacher is teaching a lesson, there are only three relevant questions that you should ask. The questions are:
   1. I did not hear. (Can you say it again?)
   2. I cannot see. (Can you do it again?)
   3. I did not understand the action. (Can I feel (experience) the action?)
   and one important condition:
   4. Never bring another thing in the equations. (as an example please reflect on the dilemma posed by the “Question of the kua?” )
   Achieving success through the Practical Method

   Master Chen and the steps

   Master Chen and the steps
   There are many obstacles in the study of Taijiquan. Among them include cultural barriers and an Taoist philosophy. The teachings method for the Practical Method is based on Traditional Chinese teaching systems. All actions in Taijquan is based on Taoist principles. Accordingly, the teaching can be described based on the adage ” you can do whatever you want as long as you do what I tell you.”

   To achieve success with The Practical method system of learning, obey the following steps:
   1 – Teacher is right
   2 – See “it”
   3 – Hear “it”
   4 – Understand “it”
   5 – One right, all right (re calibration)

   There are no short cuts. So do what you are told and assume it is real. This works in conjunction with the Duo system of learning from Master Hong as explained in Master Chen’s 2010 Edmonton seminar.
   Levels of Taijquan proficiency

   Grand master Hong once said there are nine levels of Taijiquan proficiency, Master Chen described the following three levels as:
   1 – A Dot. The Taiji practitioner understands and uses a dot.
   2 – A Line. The Taiji practitioner understands and uses a line.
   3 – Three Dimensions. The Taiji practitioner understands and uses the entire space around him.
   Grand master Hong did not describe other levels and Master Chen has yet to encounter those higher levels. So levels beyond three are left unnamed. What is known is that Grand master Hong himself was beyond level three because Grand master Hong can bounce people away at will and still no one knows how he achieve such abilities.
   Applications Tips and Strategies

   Practical experience with Master Chen

   Practical experience with Master Chen
   Over the two day intensive seminar, many concepts, techniques and applications were discussed. I can only include the following excerpt that might be of use to the students of the Practical Method.

   Master Chen Says:

   “Use the mind and Intention to establish the action.”
   “Smoothness is from accuracy. Smoothness is not a quality but movement without deviations.”
   “Smooth movement – means there is no traffic jam.”
   “The Taoist philosophy is Wuji to Taiji and is all about sequences. ”
   “Good things has similarities.”
   “Size is big. 360 degree big. In the beginning, work on size. Then work on rotation.”
   “You can use a pinch to interrupt your opponent’s power.”
   “One technique can solve all problems.”
   “Work on Foundations. Afterwards, work on “Timing, Angle and Speed.”

   Winter in Ottawa

   Another year has nearly passed. I hope everyone had a great and rewarding time training in Taijiquan. A few closing words until the next seminar.
   Canadian Pine Trees

   Canadian Pine Trees

   果欲结金兰。If you wish to make a good friend,
   但看松柏林。 Just look at the pine and cypress woods.
   经霜不堕地。 Amid the frost, they do not fall to the ground,
   岁寒无异心。Faithful even when the year is cold.

   子夜四时歌冬歌 Midnight Song of the Seasons: Winter Song
   (南朝乐府) (Southern Dynasties Music)

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2. by Kelvin Ho on 2017/11/19

   OttawaWorkshop_20171119
   Thank you for Rachelle Bergeron and James Tam for organizing the Ottawa workshop and their hospitality. It was always great fun to attend the Ottawa workshop. A lot of important aspects of Practical Method was shown and covered by Master Chen Zhonghua.

   What is Practical Method about?
   Practical Method was based on a fight system from long time again. It is an exercise we do to pass along the tradition.

   What is a Practical Method stretch?
   It is something with a moving and non-moving part.

   How do you evaluate if someone has learned the real taiji or not?
   1. Time/Chronology (Does that person exist in the timeframe as the claimed teacher?)
   2. Location (Is that person ever at the same place as the claimed teacher?)
   3. Details (Does he talk about things that are unique (not common knowledge)? Does he talk about things that another person knows as well and can attest to it?)
   4. If something makes sense, it is not real. (Is that person’s story too perfect? Is that person try to prove something? Someone authentic will not feel the need to prove anything.)

   Certificate is needed only for a special event. If you are doing the same thing often, you do not feel like needing a certificate anymore.

   When someone asks about how not to deviate, he has deviated already.
   When someone has deviated, there is no way to return because in his mind, he has not deviated.

   Learning is very difficult. You need blind faith.
   Most of the time, you think that you are learning from someone only because you happen to match his thought on the topic. You are really just acting out in your own desired way. When the time that he tells you to do something that does not match your desire, you will refuse to do it, which means you are not really learning from this person.

   If someone tries to bully you, deal with it in a way that he can’t continue.

   Teacher is right.
   If you can see it, you get it.
   If you can hear it, you get it.
   If you can understand it, you get it.
   One thing right, all things right. Most people can’t get even one thing right.

   3 bows/triangles in structural power:
   1) Hand, elbow, shoulder
   2) Shoulder, kua, knee
   3), Kua, knee, foot

   What’s the relationship between moving and non-moving? Stretch
   What’s the demarkation between moving and non-moving? Stretch
   What’s neither moving nor non-moving? Stretch

   I need to make my actions very big.
   Don’t power on the top, power from the bottom.
   Throw the waist into the opponent.

   Master Chen showed an exercise in which the opponent pushing him on the forearm and the forearm is placed on the Master Chen’s stomach. He stretched in a way as if a barrier was created between the opponent and him. The opponent’s force got merged into the 360 rotation of his barrier. He said anything less than 180 or more than 180 degrees for rotation towards the opponent, the opponent’ cannot feel. Only at 180 degrees, the opponent can feel.

   360 degree rotation covers all places. It’s the perfection we strive for.
   We train one technique so well, that he can deal with all problems/situations. We don’t train if-A-then-B kind of strategy.

   Fix two ends, move the middle.

   To pull your opponent into you, it is to push with the front foot.

   Grandmaster Hong Junsheng summarized taiji into ten Chinese words:
   In with elbow no hand. Out with Hand no elbow.

   What is real? It is not recorded, and it cannot be recorded. That’s the method to test if something is real.
   e.g. If you wear makeup, the real you is when you don’t wear makeup.

   Master Chen emphasized pulling the opponent in using initial closing.

   Getting in deep.

   My bottom is getting shorter. watch out to make it bigger again.
   We need physical size at first, later you need the structure to stretch to make it long.

   Play with a stick. get someone to hold the middle of the stick and you fight with it on the outside.
   Getting stuck is the position we want to start. Pretend to get a stuck is a method decided by Master Chen 30 years ago.

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3. 亲爱的师父，感谢你的讲座和私课。这个讲座很特别，因为它打开了我的眼界、澄清了“收肘不收手，出手不出肘”这个陈式太极拳实用拳法的基石概念。你还给我夯实了按照指令练拳的重要性。最后，感谢你给的冲锋衣。我穿上它，感到很自豪。

   Dear Shifu, Thank you very much for the workshop and private lessons. This workshop was very special because it opened my eyes and clarified the concept and the important role of “elbow in (no hand), hand out (no elbow) as a building block in Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method. You also hammered in the message of focus in following instructions. Finally, Thank you very much for the jacket. It makes me proud to wear it.

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4. 太极文化使者，文化自信的继承与传播，在陈中华老师的生命中每时每刻、每个足迹遍及的世界各地而灿烂绽放，我们没有任何理由不去学习、坚持与追遂，起床了，习练太极走起………

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