Teaching Taiji’s New Generation

By Lawrence Huang, published in “Inside Kung-Fu” January 2002 edition.

It was 1999 in Virginia. At the annual Taste of China Taiji Tournament, a tiny, 150-pound man was facing an opponent almost twice his size. The audience laughed. It was not a competition! It was a mercy killing.

However, as the game progressed, the spectators were surprised when the smaller man used the force from the bigger competitor to push him off balance again and again. Finally, when the smaller guy won the competition, the audience rose to its feet and gave the winner a standing ovation. This smaller man turned out to be Steve Anderson, a student from Ji Hong Taiji College in Canada. Since master Luo Hongyuan founded the College in 1991, Ji Hong Taiji College has trained a group of elite taiji students who have won numerous international competitions.

From 1995-to-1998, Ji Hong Taiji College students entered 15 North American competitions and took home five Grand Championships and 209 gold medals. In addition, at the 1998 Taiji Legacy International Competition in Dallas, Texas, one student captured four gold medals in push hands competition.

At the 1999 Taiji Legacy Competition, one student won six gold medals in form performance, and another student won a gold medal in push hands competition. Again in 1999 at the Taste of China Taiji competition in Virginia, the school won four of the five push hands gold medals, as well as laying claim to the overall championship in men’s restricted step push hands. And last year, the school captured six gold medals in the highest level of taiji competition in Chen’s Village.

Finally, in 1997 and 1998, the Ji Hong Taiji School won gold medals in two weight levels of full-contact fighting at the Canadian National San Shou team member selection competition. This proved once and for all that the school was equally adept in forms, push hands and full-contact fighting.

The magic behind these accomplishments can be found in the ji hong taiji theory system. This new generation of taiji elite has been academically built and practically improved and perfected. Following is a brief introduction to this ji hong theory regarding all the aspects of the structure of this complex system:

1. Five Bow Theory

Master Luo published the article, “Five Bow Theory” when he was teaching in South China Teachers’ University. Traditionally, the spinal column or the backbone forms the main bow, while the hands and legs form the other four bows. Like a fully drawn bow, the spinal column, hands and legs, when stretched, carry potential energy. Then the dan tien (lower belly) directs the internal energy to the five bows.

However, master Luo improved on this concept. In the movements of the limbs, the dan tien takes on the important duty of energizing the limbs, transferring the internal energy (qi) through the spinal column to the hand bows and the leg bows, and finally reaching the tips of the limbs. The result is that the five bows form one unified system, converging all the powers into one single point. Thus, it releases tremendous and explosive power over the opponent.

Master Luo also compares the forming of these five bows into one with an automobile tire. Five bows are like the steel wires in the tire, forming a structure to contain the air pressure. This lays down a solid foundation for a powerful internal force (jin), and further for the generation and exercise of energy (qi).

2. Pressure Theory

Five bow theory sets up a framework for this pressure theory. Like an automobile tire, it cannot hold the air without its steel wires and the rubber frame. Master Luo compares the body to a tire. Bones and flesh are the steel wires and rubber, and dan tien is the air pump, which fills energy into the body like an air-pressured tire. Then the taiji system transforms the body into a strong tire-like air ball. This air ball could work only when it is under pressure. “Qi” (energy) itself does not do any work. It is only when “qi” is under pressure that it transforms itself into power “jing”. This is the energy of taiji (qi).

3. Energy Column

After the forming of the air ball, master Luo develops the theory to include the energy in front of the body circumvented by both arms and thighs. This forms an energy column (air column) held by the body. In the pressure theory, this also forms a bigger air ball with our body, arms, and thighs as half the ball, linking the missing half with our mind. This is more commonly called “Hit with qi (energy), hit with yi (mind).”

Master Luo is credited with developing this concept of energy column with rotating axis within the column. Like the earth and moon, all cylindrical objects move around a supposed axis. The central axis is placed along one’s spinal column; the external power would reach one’s backbones and thereby upset his balance. However, if the central axis is removed outside our system and into the opponent’s backbone, one can easily control and upset the opponent’s balance.

4. Theory of Rootlessness

After finishing the structuring process, Luo moves to rootlessness. In a fighting situation, if we root ourselves and the opponent is powerful, we will be uprooted. The taiji ball goes without roots. Then when the opponent pushes or hits the ball, the ball will turn and transfer his force back on him while ball remains intact.

According to Luo, one needs to remove all the roots to remain stable. As explained in classical taiji theories, you must move like walking on ice or ca cat prowling before catching a mouse. Both theories suggest a state of rootlessness.

When we feel external pressure, such pressure will be directed from our body, utilizing the qi column theory, but we should never allow the external pressure to reach to our feet. On the other hand, we will reach our opponent’s feet through push hands.

Master Lou further emphasizes the concentration of the energy in dan tien. When we build a heavy and solid dan tien, we will free our legs from rooting to the ground, leaving our opponents no change of “touching our legs” to uproot us.

5. Principle of Dynamics

Once we adjust ourselves, we can use the pressure created from dan tien to lock our opponent from his legs to the ming men (lower back). Once the opponent is under control, it becomes a matter of dynamics. Simply take the opponent’s ming men as the supporting point and his leg as the point receiving the force. Using the opponent’s ming men support impacts this legs and allows you to throw him yards away. This is the secret principle that makes taiji so powerful, so invincible.

Master Luo Hongyuan used these five points to develop a complete system for taiji practice and training. He complements this system with practical training methods in forms, push hands, and full-contact fighting. The goal, according to Luo, is to structure a new system that will cultivate a new generation of taiji students.

Many claim the taiji practiced in North America will never reach the standards found every day in China. But master Luo Hongyuan disagrees. He insists the Ji Hong Taiji system is perfect for developing a new legacy that will be used and copied for centuries.

Lawrence Huang is a martial artist and freelance writer.