Taiji Songquan· Promote the Dao and cultivate righteousness
It began in 1988
I’m a Tai Chi enthusiast. Whenever I see someone practicing Tai Chi well, I can’t move my legs.
Whenever I come across a good discussion about Tai Chi, I will read it to my heart’s content even without sleeping.
Because I have been practicing Tai Chi since childhood, I have never been able to grasp the mystery of Tai Chi. So, it became a knot in the heart. It’s not that I want to practice boxing to perfection, but I just want to know what exactly is going on with this boxing.
I was born in a small county town called Wan County, Hebei Province, where almost every household practices a few rounds of Tai Chi. It is now called Shunping County. Sun Lutang and Tian Xiuchen were both from Wan County. Moreover, there is another street downstairs in my hometown, called Sun Lutang Street. Influenced by it from a young age, I could only learn a few times.
Later, I went to university to study24I practiced Tai Chi but found it wasn’t quite to my taste. Because of my weak constitution and perhaps also due to the inheritance of some Taoist doctor Zhu You, I am allergic to many things. When others eat it, it’s fine, but I get diarrhea. The inappropriate traditional Chinese medicine makes one feel dizzy when smelled. Similarly, while others think that popularizing Tai Chi is not a big deal, I feel that my qi is not smooth. After practicing it for a long time, my knees even hurt.
And an old boxing frame will become more and more comfortable as you fight. Moreover, watching others fight makes one feel physically comfortable.
It was such a fate that led me to meet Senior Brother Zhu Bo. Senior Brother Zhu Bo is one of the most diligent disciples of Master Yang Songquan.
2021In that year, for a period of time, Senior Brother Zhu practiced boxing outside my window every day. At the beginning, I watched while having a meal. Later, I simply went out to have a look. Later, I thought about it and realized that doing it this way doesn’t seem like a solution.
So, Senior Brother Zhu taught me the “Old Five Forms” of Chen-style Taiji. Then he strongly invited me to the Nine-Dragon Wall in Beihai to learn boxing from my master. Here, I would like to express my gratitude to Senior Brother Zhu Bo.
As soon as I arrived at the Nine-Dragon Wall in Beihai, I was stunned. It turns out there’s still a large group of people who practice boxing so well! Moreover, every move and every technique was so precise, and the flow of qi and blood was very smooth. I signed up quickly to learn boxing. But I thought, since I’m learning boxing, I might as well start from the new term. But because of the epidemic2022No classes were held this year.
Finally, after I had practiced the Old Fifth style for over a year, I finally got it2023The class will start in the spring of next year.
After sharing my story with you all, let’s get to the point. I’m grateful to my respected teacher, Mr. Yang Songquan. Although my master passed away a year ago, I always feel that as long as the boxing practice continues, my master is always there. The master is with the fist.
Master is born in the Year of the Rabbit.1951Born in [year], the same age as my father. So every time I see my master, I feel particularly close to him. Especially when I saw my master’s punches so well, my eyes simply shone with golden light. Although no new classes have been opened in Beihai, the previous classes have always been practicing boxing there. So whenever I have free time, I go to the Nine Dragon Wall in Beihai to watch the master leading everyone in practicing boxing from afar.
Sometimes, it is Senior Sister Yang Junfeng who leads everyone in practicing boxing.
The master is a true master of Tai Chi. It has been reported in many newspapers and even on CCTV. I won’t write about these. From my personal perspective, I’ll write about why my master is so remarkable.
First of all, Master Yang Songquan’s Tai Chi is the authentic old Taiji. As the master said, he didn’t move at all. He teaches in the same way as his ancestors passed it down.
Nowadays, many people may think that innovation is good. But when it comes to traditional culture, everyone needs to think it over. If it were me, I would believe more in the boxing that has been practiced for several lifetimes than the boxing that has only been practiced for a few years.
How can I confirm that it’s an old boxing form? It’s not just because of what my master said, but because I can sense something that others can’t see. This sounds a bit mysterious when said, but actually it’s nothing. It’s just that my intuition is more accurate than others’. Another possibility is that it is because one has more exposure to Tai Chi and a stronger desire to explore.
The old Taiji passed down by the master has a silky smooth sensation of qi, no breaks, and the qi directly sinks to the soles of the feet. The primary, intermediate and advanced levels are all in the same vein. The first and second forms of boxing are even more coherent and unified. The more you learn, the easier it becomes.
Master Yang’s boxing form is old Taiji. Passed down to Senior Sister Yang Junfeng, it is still the old Taiji. It’s really remarkable.
Because old Taiji is the mother form. Once you understand a set of mother boxing, you can create as many new styles as you want! What a great temptation is this? In the face of such temptation, remaining unmoved, one’s spirit is truly commendable. That’s why I say, remarkable.
Second, the master never holds back when teaching martial arts.
With the master, there are no secrets and everything is open and honest. Senior Sister Yang Junfeng is even more outspoken and shares everything she knows. Of course, it’s not about just saying it in words, but really practicing it to show you!
For example, knee pain, which everyone is concerned about. With just one sentence from the master, use the latter instead of the former. There won’t be so many unnecessary twists and turns in the market. Just explain it clearly to you in one sentence. If you still don’t understand, I’ll directly correct the boxing form for you. If I still don’t understand, I don’t even know what to do. But Master still has a way to tell you, practice slowly, don’t be in a hurry, and find the feeling gradually.
I haven’t heard of any of my fellow apprentices or senior apprentices practicing boxing under my master having knee pain.
I think this is the charm of old Taiji.
Thirdly, the master’s fist is the fist for entering the Dao.
The Tai Chi we usually see outside are just some frames, the kind that people jokingly call Taiji exercises.
The true fist of entering the Dao is alive and has life. It enables us to understand where we come from and where we are going, and to understand the martial arts of the existence of the “greater self”.
Among them, the principles of boxing are not about having a fight or making the body strong and robust. Those simple things.
This set of boxing can make our lives complete. In this era of increasingly abundant material life, it is truly rare to learn such a set of martial arts that can lead to spiritual fulfillment.
There are simply too many remarkable things about my master. Only three points are written here, which I think are particularly important. Thank you, Master. Thank you for the old Taiji passed down by Master. Respect heaven, respect the earth, and respect all the elders in the world.
May Master’s dojo, under the leadership of Chief Coach Yang Junfeng, become better and better, and enable more people to benefit from Tai Chi.
Li Ying
2024years11month28day
taijisongquan@126.com
Taiji Songquan Respectfully begins
Taiji practitioner
Born of the boundless, it is the mechanism of movement and stillness, and the mother of Yin and Yang
Tai Chi is
The rhythm of music and the connotation of philosophy
The construction of beauty, the artistic conception of poetry
Taiji Songquan
Encounter Taiji, encounter the gift of life
