By Tian Yingjia & Yao GuoQing
Translated by Key Sun, Ph.D, Edited by LeRoy Clark
Grandmaster Tian Yingjia is a son of Tian Zhaolin (1891 – 1960).
Tian Zhaolin was a Yang style taiji direct descendent of the family. Tian Zhaolin’s father passed away when he was an infant. As a young boy of eight years, he had to sell fruit to support his mother and two sisters. Yang Jianhou, the son of Yang style founding father Yang Luchan, noticed him on his walks to the palace where he taught. He recruited him as his student and also provided maintenance for young Tian’s impoverished family. Thus, from the age of 13 years and on, Tian Zhaolin learned taiji from Yang Jianhou and subsequently from Jianhou’s sons Yang Shaohou (1862 – 1930) and Yang Chengfu (1883 –1936).These teachers were exceptional and profound taiji grand masters. Tian Zhaolin became one of the most senior non-family students of the Yang family; more senior than any yet known to the west. The following questions and answers were graciously shared by Grandmaster Tian Yingjia and Mr. Yao Guoqing with us recently for the purpose of presenting genuine material to serious learners of taiji’s wonder. We express our indebtedness to them for their noble intention.
Please note, the term “launch” is used herein as a sort of subset of “fajin”. This refers to issuing which not merely softly or easily pushes the other person away but rather to an issue of such magnitude that the receiver’s feet actually leave the ground – he is “launched”. The Chinese word for “energy” is “jin”. They are used interchangeably in this article. Note also please, taijiquan is often described in the west as having civil and martial components. Herein we see another term for the ”civil” – “literature”.
This is quite deliberate.
Q (Yao).
Shifu (Teacher), remember when I first started boxing, I asked you a question about taiji’s energy? You told me then that after I learned the 8-Section Brocade, you would discuss this with me. Did your father (Tian Zhaolin) also teach you in this manner?
A. (Tian).
When my father was alive, he often told me of Mr. Yang Jianhou telling him, “Force is square; energy is round”. To put it simply, we can say that power is dead but energy is flexible. For most learners, however, without at least three to five years of boxing practice, they can hardly expect to understand this concept. If they only have half-baked knowledge, it will only make it more difficult to comprehend later.
Please read the entire interview at: http://www.taijitian.com
