Master Songquan’s Discussion on the Tao | Inheriting Tai Chi, Cultivating Responsibility

The ancients said, “When it comes to the martial arts of our country, to seek the ability to integrate the principles of Yin and Yang changes, the subtleties of movement and stillness, opening and closing, the balance of hardness and softness, the interweaving of reality and illusion, and a complete circle, and to reach the ultimate point, and to be able to change in an instant without delving into the ultimate, Tai Chi is the only authentic form of national martial arts.”

Tai Chi is specialized in the Chen family of Chenjiagou, Wen County, Henan Province. My first ancestor, Bu Su, was an expert in martial arts. He once led the villagers to attack the bandits’ lair and ensured the safety of the area. Wang Tinggong was particularly skilled in martial arts. He once subdued Li Jiyu, a powerful bandit from Yudai Mountain in Dengfeng County, Henan Province. He entered the mountain alone and no one could defeat him. Zhi Changxing Gong was an extremely skilled martial artist. Standing among hundreds of people, no matter how they pushed and shoved him, his steps remained motionless. Those close to him felt as if water had touched a stone, unable to resist and collapsing on their own. As for my grandfather, Zhao PI Gong, he was an extremely skilled martial artist. He stood alone at the Xuanwu Tower in Beijing and fought with many warriors for seventeen consecutive days without ever losing, and his reputation soared.

Tai Chi is used internally to strengthen the body. For external use, natural resistance.

Tai Chi is the crystallization of five thousand years of Chinese health preservation techniques, integrating techniques such as breathing exercises, Five-Animal Exercises, Yijin Jing, and Baduanjin. Its breathing method is the art of exhalation. The movements included, such as the white crane spreading its wings, the ape exploring the fruit, and the Golden Rooster standing on one leg, are part of the Five Animal Exercises. Such techniques as “Yun Shou”, “Zuo Juan Gong”, and “Qian Chuan Ou Bu” are all part of the “Yi Jin Jing”. For instance, “Diancha” and “Qie Di Long” are examples of Baduanjin. It is a perfect set of health preservation methods.Chen Changxing said, “Tai Chi doesn’t hit people only because the skills are not good enough.” Tai Chi is like a tiger. Not all tigers can eat people. A newly born tiger cub can’t even swallow a piece of meat. But when it grows to three or five years old, it will naturally look imposing and majestic on the mountain. The process of practicing Tai Chi is like growing a small tiger into a big one and a small sapling into a towering tree.

Tai Chi develops the innate essence of a person (the two kidneys), making them as fierce as wolves and as powerful as tigers, possessing both the wildness of wolves and the might of tigers. Tigers and jackals eating people is not learned; it is their nature. Similarly, practicing Tai Chi to strike people is not something that can be learned; rather, it develops naturally after one has practiced it. The elders in Chenjiagou said, “Tai Chi doesn’t hit people. It scares even gods and ghosts.”

Tai Chi is extensive and profound. What does “extensive and profound” mean? The height of Mount Everest is called vastness. The depth of the sea is called profundity. The two characters “Taiji” perfectly encompass everything. Adding one character makes it more; subtracting one character makes it less. Tai Chi is the life and soul of the universe.

Tai Chi is neither gymnastics nor martial arts.

Tai Chi is the Dao, and the Dao is the truth. So, what is being cultivated in spiritual practice? Cultivating the Tao means achieving perfection. Cultivating the Tao is also building a path, on the way of seeking the Tao.

Following the laws of nature and achieving harmony between man and nature are the inherent survival concepts of the Chinese nation. To be exact, this is the inherent survival concept of all mankind. Tai Chi is the most perfect cultural heritage and treasure that has been praised by all mankind. All mankind needs to know Tai Chi and get close to it. All mankind needs to conform to the Dao and nature.

In today’s world, as a Taoist master, passing on Tai Chi is a long and arduous task. Responsibility lies primarily in inheritance and development rather than innovation. The three stages of the Great Way: the Way follows rules, the Way follows indifference, and the Way follows nature. The Great Way is ruthless. Only by following the rules and practicing the methods can one reach the realm of “nature”. If one does not follow the rules and regulations, the Great Way will ruthlessly leave people behind. Therefore, it is said: The way is not far from people, and people will keep their distance from them.

Yang Songquan

The fifth day of the fifth lunar month of the Gengzi year