I watch Tai Chi
Tai Chi has three uses: seeking rational interests, strengthening the body, and self-defense through martial arts. The three can be selected according to the needs of the trainee, but in fact they are integrated into one.
For most practitioners, while aiming to strengthen their body, they can also seek the rational interest in boxing. Practicing boxing must combine form and mind, and realize the connections and contradictions between various parts of the body in every move of the boxing style, and then seek the connections and contradictions between the body and external objects, and gradually reach the state of "unity of nature and man" where oneself integrates external objects into one. In this way, practicing boxing goes beyond boxing, which not only makes the body healthy, but also makes the mind healthy.
Teacher Ma boxing photos
As for martial arts, today's Tai Chi seems to be unable to handle this important task. There are many "famous" teachers but few "ming" teachers. There are many people who are loud and few people who are silent. Tai Chi is a study of knowledge and action, which requires both understanding of principles and hands-on practice. Working hard without understanding is like a donkey grinding the mill; knowing the truth without practicing will end up just talking on paper.
According to my own exploration and practice, Tai Chi has four stages:
The first is balance: it is necessary to strictly follow the boxing theory to obtain the correct body method. Every move is in order;
The second is uniformity: every movement is round, and all parts of the body are organically connected;
The third is virtual spirit: focus on the mind, concentrate on the expression, interact with each other between virtual and real, hard and soft, elastic and tight coverings, intricate changes, unpredictable clues, all movements and movements are full of listening ability, over time, you can do what your heart wants, and it can happen at the touch of a button;
The fourth is non-thought: from attachment to inaction, extremely brilliant, and then returns to plainness, that is, as the predecessors said: "Both tangible and intentional are false, only when the skill is unintentional can it be true."
Ma Shixiang
Machine-translated from the Chinese original 我看太极拳（马士祥老师） (published 2020-02-23). WeChat original ↗