The Form
Q: You seem to teach Taijiquan more than the other martial arts which you are also qualified to teach. Why is this so? Tek: Taijiquan provides a fast way to achieve mind and body harmony, and my wish is for other people to discover this as well. In the West great emphasis is placed on 'believing' in something. Instead I seek to 'understand'. Through practice you accumulate experience, and from the accumulated experiences hopefully one begins to understand. Once you 'understand' the elements of 'belief' don't hold anymore.
Q: Master Tek, why do you choose to teach Yang Style Taijiquan instead of other styles?
Tek: Well, it is mainly for health reasons. The Yang Form is generally more open, upright and out-stretching. For the weak, old and sick, they need more stretching to enhance their blood circulation, breathing and hence their Qi. But don't get me wrong that I've said Wu Style, Chen Style and other styles are not as good. They are all equally good for health. However the emphasis of those styles might be more on power, Fa Jing and self-defence. Please don't get me wrong again that I've said Yang Style is less powerful or less effective in self-defence either.
Anyway, some fellow Taijiquan teachers/friends have said to me "Hey, Tek, your Yang Style looks like Wu Style? and your Liu He Ba Fa looks like an elongated Taijiquan routine set. Is it Wu or Yang or Sun or Hao?" I just smiled and answered "Lao Zi says, "The name that could be named is not the eternal name." So Taijiquan is Taijiquan. Whether you call it Yang, Wu...Liu He...Ba Gua or whatever, what difference does it make if it helps and serves the purpose? It does not really matter."
Given the same token, as long as that 'form' teaching and practice brings goodwill, vitality and health to the entire mankind, who cares what you call it or name it? So it is too with form practice, whether it be the entire routine or any single posture. Whatever, whenever, wherever serves the purpose and applies the best.
Q: Your Eight Brocades are very different from the Eight Brocades commonly seen elsewhere. Would you like to elaborate about this art further? (i.e. Why and how is it different from the others?)
Tek: In fact the Eight Brocades which we practice consists of 3 components:
"The transmission of Dharma (teachings) is from (my) mind to (your) mind. So I establish no texts or scripts. And so there will be no chance of your confusion or misinterpretation".
So the Changing Tendon Sutra and Bone Marrow Cleansing Sutra are just two names in the historical records. The 'teaching' is imbued in the practice itself. While Five Animal Frolics has its definite form and appearance within the Eight Brocades, the effect of Changing Tendon and Cleansing Bone Marrow is imbibed to become the spirit of the movements. In practice, if without the essence, one might just breathe but direct no Qi (the intrinsic energy), and one might just move his limbs and body but attain no Gong (merits, achievements). This could have been the differences you witnessed in our Eight Brocades.
Read More
Q: You seem to teach Taijiquan more than the other martial arts which you are also qualified to teach. Why is this so? Tek: Taijiquan provides a fast way to achieve mind and body harmony, and my wish is for other people to discover this as well. In the West great emphasis is placed on 'believing' in something. Instead I seek to 'understand'. Through practice you accumulate experience, and from the accumulated experiences hopefully one begins to understand. Once you 'understand' the elements of 'belief' don't hold anymore.
Q: Master Tek, why do you choose to teach Yang Style Taijiquan instead of other styles?
Tek: Well, it is mainly for health reasons. The Yang Form is generally more open, upright and out-stretching. For the weak, old and sick, they need more stretching to enhance their blood circulation, breathing and hence their Qi. But don't get me wrong that I've said Wu Style, Chen Style and other styles are not as good. They are all equally good for health. However the emphasis of those styles might be more on power, Fa Jing and self-defence. Please don't get me wrong again that I've said Yang Style is less powerful or less effective in self-defence either.
Anyway, some fellow Taijiquan teachers/friends have said to me "Hey, Tek, your Yang Style looks like Wu Style? and your Liu He Ba Fa looks like an elongated Taijiquan routine set. Is it Wu or Yang or Sun or Hao?" I just smiled and answered "Lao Zi says, "The name that could be named is not the eternal name." So Taijiquan is Taijiquan. Whether you call it Yang, Wu...Liu He...Ba Gua or whatever, what difference does it make if it helps and serves the purpose? It does not really matter."
Given the same token, as long as that 'form' teaching and practice brings goodwill, vitality and health to the entire mankind, who cares what you call it or name it? So it is too with form practice, whether it be the entire routine or any single posture. Whatever, whenever, wherever serves the purpose and applies the best.
Q: Your Eight Brocades are very different from the Eight Brocades commonly seen elsewhere. Would you like to elaborate about this art further? (i.e. Why and how is it different from the others?)
Tek: In fact the Eight Brocades which we practice consists of 3 components:
- The Wu Qing Xi, or Five Animal Frolics, which was initially taught by the medical sage, Hua Tuo, in the Tung Han Dynasty in about 190 A.D.
- The Yi Jin Jing, or Changing Tendon Sutra, and
- The Xi Sui Jing, or Bone Marrow Cleansing Sutra
"The transmission of Dharma (teachings) is from (my) mind to (your) mind. So I establish no texts or scripts. And so there will be no chance of your confusion or misinterpretation".
So the Changing Tendon Sutra and Bone Marrow Cleansing Sutra are just two names in the historical records. The 'teaching' is imbued in the practice itself. While Five Animal Frolics has its definite form and appearance within the Eight Brocades, the effect of Changing Tendon and Cleansing Bone Marrow is imbibed to become the spirit of the movements. In practice, if without the essence, one might just breathe but direct no Qi (the intrinsic energy), and one might just move his limbs and body but attain no Gong (merits, achievements). This could have been the differences you witnessed in our Eight Brocades.
Read More