“IT’S EASIER TO FIND A GOOD TEACHER THAN TO FIND A GOOD STUDENT”:

 Q: Whom do you consider your most important and influential Taiji teachers? How did you meet them?

Davidine Sim: Every teacher that I have trained with has had an impact on my Taijiquan journey.  Some good, some not so good and some signficant.  As I’ve learned through the years, it is just as important to learn how not to be as how to be.  The path has not been smooth all the way, but I persevered. At different stages of my own development I gained different things from different teachers.  For me the primary thing has always been the art of Taijiquan rather than the peripheral things connected with it - e.g. the fame of teachers, plush training venues, geographical distance...

My first ever contact with Taijiquan was the renowned teacher Huang Sheng Shyan who lived a few doors away from my then family home. His Taijiquan was different than the “old people’s Taiji” we were accustomed to seeing. He showed the martial capabilities of the art as well as the slow soft side.   As I was very young he would ‘chase’ me away when the adults started to play the ‘hard stuff’.  But it planted the seed that Taijiquan is exciting and can be used for self-defence and fighting.

The first Chen Taijiquan Master I met was Chen Xiaowang in 1996 (I would like to qualify that by Master I mean an exponent who has devoted a lifetime in the study of the art and has attained proficiencies). I followed and studied with him right up to 2015 when he retired to China.  He introduced me to his brother Master Chen Xiaoxing in 2003, as he thought I would benefit more from personalised hands-on instruction rather than big group seminar instruction.  I’ve had the same personalised instruction from Chen Xiaoxing ever since to the present day, having set aside training time every year, either in Chenjiagou or at my home or when he’s teaching in Europe.  I would credit the major part of my Taijiquan ability to him, although I had input from other teachers I’ve sought and trained with in order to gain the fullest picture of the art.  

Over the last 2 decades and more in my thirst for learning I’ve gone out of my way travelling far and wide to seek masters that I felt could enhance my understanding of the great art.  On my first and subsequent two visits to China in the later half of the 1990s I trained with Master Chen Zhenglei, and then each time he came to the UK until 2012.  I sought out Master Zhu Tiancai in Singapore in 2000 where he was resident at the time and where I had family and trained with him each morning. I invited him to my home in the UK in subsequent years,  as well visiting him in Singapore, so that I could have more time to understand his take on Taijiquan.    In Beijing I met the  late Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang who left a lasting impression with his kindness and openness.  Also in Beijing’s Purple Bamboo Park I trained with my only female teacher Tian Jingmiao on separate visits.  She’s the only female disciple of Lei Muni, who’s an early disciple of Chen Fake.

I met Master Chen Yu, the son of Chen Zhaokui in Chenjiagou and arranged to meet and train with him in Beijing.  I wanted to explore his take on his father’s form and the experience was illuminating.

Master Wang Xian came in much later on my Taijiquan journey. I wanted completion in the “Four Buddha’s Warrior Attendants” legend.  I’m glad that I met and trained with him in France and Spain and also interviewed him as he’s indeed worthy of his reputation as a great master.

Besides, I’ve trained with perhaps now less know Master Zhang Xuexin, a student of Chen Zhaokui and later disciple of Grandmaster Feng, who taught in Ireland and England in the late 1990s.  I have also attended the classes of several developing teachers (Chen Ziqiang, Wang Haijun...) because I feel that it is important to have as much input as possible, “always having a beginner’s mind”,  to be open-minded to new ideas and approaches, as long as they adhere to the traditional methods of Taijiquan practice).   And it’s often beneficial to see the “unfinished products”, as often the subtleties less discernible in the accomplished masters are more visible and therefore helps to answer some questions.  The younger teachers are often more able to show the route that needs to be taken in order to reach the destination as they are within sight of you on the road.

Q: How would you describe their(his/her) approach to teaching?

DS: My main teacher Chen Xiaoxing is an old-school traditional teacher. His method of teaching focuses very much on the relentless training of fundamentals, without which he says nothing can be built.  Methodical, no frills, no excuses, no shortcuts, with an emphasis upon self-motivation and self-realisation.  He’s a man of few words during teaching and guides with his hands, taking you through movements meticulously and patiently. The trust I’ve built up with him makes me relaxed into my training session with him, knowing that he would guide me in the right way as best he could.

Chen Xiaowang emphasises the importance of establishing a solid structure supported in every direction with the dantian as the core.   To that end he focuses on fixing the frame (posture correction) with the hope that learners come to understand the feeling of what it is to be centred and balanced and replicate it in their own practice..  Many of his followers, however, as a result of not fully understanding his aim, begin to focus on the dots rather than the joining of the dots.  From the late 1990s onwards I’ve followed him in many of his UK and European teaching tours and feel I can understand what he’s trying to do.  To be able to communicate with him in Chinese is a definite advantage as his limited English, which in the latter years of teaching he insisted on using, often cannot fully explain a complex discipline such as Taijiquan theories.

I had a few years of input from Zhu Tiancai, in the UK where I invited him to my home, when I travelled with him to Europe, and when I trained with him in Singapore.  I found him to be an lively teacher who explained more than most on theories and principles as well as relating stories and anecdotes.  His style is flamboyant, but as he explained, “your form reflects your personality; an introverted person will not exhibit the same form as an extrovert”.

Feng Zhiqiang opened my mind to the importance of the cultivation and nurturing aspect of Taijiquan at a time when I perhaps did not place as much emphasis on that side of training.  In recent years I have come to appreciate and value what he taught.  It is often the case that words that appeared vague at the time of issue become illuminating and relevant at a later stage with your own realisation.  For this reason I do not dismiss anything a teacher says just because I don’t understand it at the time.  And also for this reason I try not to miss anything a teacher says, whether to me or to someone else.  One of my pet hates is seeing people having their own conversations when a teacher is speaking.

Chen Zhenglei, during my time training with him (spanning 1998-2008 in China and in the UK),  did not do much hands-on corrections.  However he explained practice methods and body requirements systematically.  He played an important role in that particular point of my development.

I had the opportunity to train with Wang XiAn recently and also interviewed him about his approach to Taijiquan training.  He’s a thoughtful man and is approachable and hands on. He constantly emphasises the importance of relaxation - “song”, and urges people to place their hands on his body so that they can feel at what points the body should open or close.  He talks about intentions and functionalities of movement, without which Taijiquan is nonexistent.

Each person I train with has provided a piece/pieces in the great puzzle of Taijiquan, or simply to facilitated an insight into seeing the big picture of the puzzle.

Q: What has been your approach to training? Did it change over the years?

DS: I was a fully committed learner from the beginning.  I have travelled widely and spent a lot of time in pursuit of Taijiquan and in my search for good teachers. My quest for it was relentless.  For me it didn’t matter how many times I repeated the same basics.  If I knew there was a class/workshop somewhere I would be there, no matter what was being taught, as long as I believe the teacher had something to teach me.  In the early days I feel that’s crucial as I was filling in the gaps of understanding a very complex and sophisticated discipline.  That I have the cultural background and the language is a definite advantage.  I never asked what the programme was, nor told my teacher what to teach me.  Every time I stood in a class if I realised just one thing I was happy.  I left it to my teacher to tell me what I needed to learn at any given time of my development.  I showed respect to my teacher by practising what has been taught so that he did not feel that his time is wasted; and by reading as widely as I could around the subject so that I could understand what he was trying to tell me, and I could ask appropriate questions.  After a time, the  teacher is there to fill in the gaps of my own knowledge.

The learning curve is steep at the beginning of one’s training and many things are new and exciting - new form, a dynamic weapon form, challenging push hands techniques.  The curve becomes flatter after a period of time and then reaches a plateau.  This is the time when many learners leave as they feel either that they “know everything now”, “not motivated anymore” or the realisation that there’s still so much they don’t know and the task is insurmountable.  Only a deep interest and commitment see a person persevere through this stage.  And self-reliance and self-motivation.  And then the next layer is revealed that is just as challenging and fascinating.  That Taijiquan is much more than knowing movements and remembering forms.  One comes to appreciate the fundamentals more and more as everything is built upon them.  And the fact that everything is inter-related.  That the wider Taiji philosophy is in every aspect of life.   That one has to look beyond the kicks and punches to understand the philosophical root of Taijiquan.

Taijiquan practice must naturally change and adapt over the course of a lifetime. It has to be age appropriate and according to your health status at different stages of your life.  For example, Chen Taijiquan is a demanding physical discipline, yet often relatively young people train as if they were already old - afraid to stretch out or do any dynamic movements. Just as bad are the out of shape middle-aged learners who fixate on fajin and applications, when they'd be better served working on improving their level of health and fitness first.

Q: What aspect of Taijiquan is the most important for you personally?

DS: Taijiquan has allowed me to connect in a very real way with my Chinese heritage, particularly as I’ve lived in the West since my teenage years.  The Taiji philosophy is the bedrock of Chinese culture and world view.  A lot of that has eroded through the political upheavals in China itself and through years of separation for the overseas Chinese. The philosophical/ cultural side of the Taijiquan is important to me, and the matching of its various elements to the physical discipline of Taijiquan.  As Professor Yu Gongbao (renowned Taijiquan researcher) aptly explained, “Taijiquan culture operates within a system that cannot be divided or isolated, but can be understood from many angles...the main focus of which is  Taijiquan’s social element, as well as Taijiquan’s link with philosophy, military, art, literature, medicine, religion, folk customs, and ethics.”

Q: Your husband, David Gaffney, is, like you, a Taiji teacher and a prolific writer on various Taiji topics.  What is your dynamic as a couple when it comes to training, teaching and writing? For example, do you train together, and do you correct each other while training? And your writing commitments: do you split those between the two of you?

DS: We travel together to train with various teachers.  While we do discuss different aspects of practice, we almost always train individually. Taijiquan is a discipline that requires you to engage your intention and pay close attention to your own posture, movements and energetic state.  Tuishou being the exception and we are fortunate that we have a training partner whenever the need arises.

It works well with us as a couple because we both have a deep interest in the art and everything that goes with it.  We read widely on the subject and related topics and often discuss what we read. We each have our separate blogposts but collaborate on larger projects, like writing our books. We feel that the  collaboration has worked well.

At the moment we are putting the final touches on to our third book titled “Chen Taijiquan: Masters and Methods” which is a series of interviews with some of the most accomplished older generation of Chen Taijiquan that we have been fortunate enough to meet, train and speak with, including the late Feng Zhiqiang, Chen Xiaoxing, Chen Xiaowang, Wang Xian, Chen Zhenglei, Zhu Tiancai, Chen Yu, and Yu Gongbao.  It is important to have their insights as they trained during a time when there were no incentives of fame and fortune to motivate them.

Q: A few years ago you started a blog, “Chinese whispers” (http://davidinesimchinesewhispers.blogspot.co.uk/), where you write and discuss diverse topics such as the transmission of the essence of Taijiquan; water and the big dao of Taiji; and identifying errors in one’s own practice. How do you select the topics for your blogposts? What effect should a good Taiji blog aim to achieve for its readers, in your opinion?

DS: I read a lot around the subject and of course I have access to the articles and discussions of the Chinese Taijiquan community.  My blog posts usually arise naturally from some topic I'm looking at at the time, commenting on an aspect being taught or discussed in the classes, or addressing common mis-perceptions of Taijiquan and Taiji theories.   My aim with these short posts is not to  fully answer all the questions, but to highlight areas in a way that encourages people to do further research of their own, or inspire them to go out and practise. Taijiquan is a multi-faceted art and appeals to different people in different ways.  My blogposts, therefore, include technical and training aspects, as well as philosophical and theoretical aspects of Taijiquan. 

2. Teaching and Taiji principles

Q: You initially came to Slovenia in 2015 and are now, along with David, a regular guest here. In terms of your Taijiquan path and teaching, what has left the greatest mark on the last three years?

DS: The best reward for a teacher is the commitment and progress of the students.  There are students who have been there from the outset, and always turn up for the workshops and their regular classes.  Some have challenges in their lives, often difficult ones, but have not lost motivation and focus. It is apparent who has been training on a regular basis either because improvement is noticeable from the previous visit, or simply fluency and familiarity of the form.  Many beginners start but only a few stay but that’s the case in every place.  From the few who stay each time an increasing core group is established and it is then possible for continuity and progression. 

Q: You spend part of the year travelling around the world, conducting workshops for people with different levels of Taiji knowledge and understanding. What essential principle or lesson would you like those taking part in the workshop here in Slovenia to retain in their daily practice when you’ve left the country?

DS: First of all, that students actually do maintain a consistent training regime. Generally only a minority of people actually commit to daily practice.  We constantly tell our students - a little practice everyday.  Hopefully this part of daily routine becomes habitual and more focused training may follow.  Many people only have a superficial interest in Taijiquan and only do their practice when they attend a class.  They go to classes and rely on the teacher to motivate them.  They may train and sweat during the classes/workshops but do little training on their own.  The teacher imparts the theory and shows the practice method.  The bedding-in has to be done through considerable practice times outside of the short class and workshop/ seminar times.

Train step by step.  The first step of learning is to know the foundation form, because everything that one needs to know about the movement principles is within it.   Knowing and being familiar with the sequence of movements go without saying. Then it must be the strict adherence to the requirements. 

Taijiquan postures are often complex in nature and require the mind to be focused on more than one area, such as on the coordinations of the upper and lower limbs; on the coordinations of the hands, eyes, body and footwork;  on the body and structure being in their intended positions;  on the functionalities of every action and posture;  on keeping the whole body relaxed and supple; on the coordinations of movement with the breath and energetic feeling.  In practical learning and training, find out the meaning of each action, what the key points  and specifications of an action are and its Yin -Yang (complementary opposites) principles.

A new learner does not  yet know how to work in concert and tends to focus on one aspect and lose another.  The key is in the slow practice method of Taijiquan. Don’t be in a hurry and don’t be impatient.  Be exact and don’t be careless and settle with approximation. Start from the simple and work towards the complex.

Q: How does one train correctly, in order to achieve a good end result?

DS: First it is necessary to find a knowledgeable teacher and then follow the instructions without being in a hurry for results. It's important not to fall into the trap of trying to understand Taijiquan in relation to some other discipline (karate, yoga, other external martial arts etc..). The system has its own unique training methodology that must be approached step-by-step, going through the different levels at the correct time. In the earlier stages lay down a solid foundation and then build upon this. It is important that people know the sequence of training. 

Familiarity is the stage of laying down foundation.  This is learning the taolu (form).  Following the teaching of a good teacher, every move must be clear and exact and must not deviate from principle, because once a mistake is fixed it is difficult to correct and also can lead to further mistakes.  Realisation and improvement depend on the dedicated practice of the individuals.   You need to slowly and gradually examine and feel  the actions.  First intellectually understand (which may not take a long time) and then working it into the body (which will take a longer time).  To achieve a good “end” result is then a matter of letting time mature the skill that has been learnt and internalise them so that they become part of you. It takes as long as it takes.

The encompassing qualities and therefore training approach is song (relaxed and devoid of stiffness), rou (pliant and elastic), man (slow and unhurried). 

Q: What, in your opinion, is the single most important thing we need to pay attention to when training?

DS: I'd caution against looking for a "single most important thing". One thing and all things are of equal importance, once people understand the Taiji philosophy of inter-relationships and co-existence.  “Concentrate on one thing and lose everything”.  At different stages of one’s Taijiquan journey a certain aspect may take temporary precedence - for example, in the beginning movements must be big and expansive (to let the joints stretch and let the Qi flow), and then at a certain point movements must be reduced and contained and Qi gathered.  The importance is to know that Taijiquan has no absolute.

From the outset establish the "taiji modus operandi": Taijiquan is a complete theoretical and operational system that has two objectives: 1. to reform our usual way of thinking about our body and 2. to replace it with the Taiji body - by transforming the quality of the body, freeing the body of stiffness and rigidity,  discarding physical strength,  and. stabilising the root. changing - at all times.  Have a general understanding of the many facets of Taijiquan, first from wide knowledge then to specific learning. This way you won’t lose your direction and succumb to misconceptions.  Find a good teacher to help you understand and follow the right principle and method.

Q: What happens in the body when we achieve the state of Fang Song?

DS: "Fang Song" (translated as an act of letting out the body’s looseness and pliancy, a releasing of tension).  It is one of the most important and fundamental element of Taijiquan, and is the ongoing goal of every Taijiquan player. Even with guidance from a good teacher, the state of "song" can be achieved gradually only after a long period of self discipline and correction, of which there is no end point.  It involves a multi-layered understanding of essential principles.  It  can be said that almost all of the essentials of Taijiquan are directly or indirectly associated with "fang song".

"Song" enables the body to settle and sink (chen).  This sinking facilitates softness and pliancy which in turn leads to lightness and agility.  Lightness and agility results in extreme sensitivity of the whole body and it is this state that develops the neutralising skill that is considered to be the highest level of Taijiquan.

No part of the body should have a trace of any unnecessary musculoskeletal as well as mental or energetic tension.  This is an extremely difficult thing to do.  Any action that does not adhere to principle will affect to some extent the quality of "song".  For instance, if the body is not balanced and stable, the muscles and joints contract in order to restore balance during movements, using unnecessary strength as well as creating musculoskeletal tension.  The mind become anxious and the attempts become frustrating, affecting mental calmness.  Therefore, achieving balance and correct structure is one of the methods for achieving "song". And addressing mental imbalance such as worry, stress, impatience etc...

“Song” also leads to rootedness as Qi sinks downwards into the ground through the heels and feet.  This sinking must not be confused with bending the knees and lowering the body.   It requires guidance, considerable practice and experimentation to achieve.  Rooting skill enables an incoming force to be  directed down the legs to the ground and outgoing force to be generated  from the ground.

Q: How would you explain the purpose of Chan Si Gong exercise in Chen Taijiquan?

DS: Chan Si Gong exercises were devised for the purpose of understanding and training the fundamental movement patterns and basic energetic route of Chen Taijiquan.  Unlike in the past when people in the Chen village trained full time and came to understand the movement system through sheer repetitions. In the more recent times it was deemed necessary to devise some kind of basic exercises that would enable learners to grasp the spiralling and rotational movement principles of the system.  Through a set of repetitive and relatively simple exercises learners are able to grasp the essential points and then transfer them to form training.  For the same reason they are able to feel the energetic flow more quickly, which helps when they go on to do the long form.  The energy/power that result from Chan Si Gong (Silk Reeling Exercises) is known as Chan Si Jin (Silk Reeling Energy).  The eighteenth generation master Chen Zhaopi said that Taijiquan is in fact Chan Si Jin, without which it is not Taijiquan.  He described Chan Si Jin as a state characterised by complete circularity of each and every movement, and the absence of any angle or straight line. To achieve this is not easy and requires many repetitions and considerable focus, hence the logic of the creation of the sets of exercises.  However many learners fail to appreciate the purpose of the exercise and view Chan Si Gong and the Taolu as separate entities.

Q: What are the essential requirements to execute Chan Si Gong movements correctly?

DS: The requirements are the same as that of the form except that you are doing a single movement repeatedly.    Maintain a correct posture throughout by fulfilling the rules for each part of the body - e.g. head suspended, shoulders relaxed, elbows sunk down, etc.   Know the exact time when weight shifts should take place.  Know the positions of the arms ( and legs) as they rotate within the parameters of your body.  The guideline is strict, for example, the upper hand should be in line with your eyebrow, the lower hand at the dantian level (fulfilling the functions of guarding the head and protecting the crotch and knees). The centre line of the body determines how far the hands should rotate inwards and at no time should they cross over. That is, the wrist should not pass the centre line etc...  Identify and maintain the body’s core (dantian). Keep the mind and mental state calm and focused in order to use intention rather than strength to execute the movements and to feel the sensations of each actions.

Thus, based on correct body posture the spiral and rotational movements of the whole body is trained to move through different sets of Chan Si Gong that cover basic directions, angles and dimensions - front, side, left, right, up, down, in, out etc...until the movement system - dantian as the core supported in every direction, continuous sequence of actions that link from joint to joint -  become natural and spontaneous (the default way to move).

Q: Many people view Chan Si Gong as a beginner’s exercise. Do you believe it’s important to continue practising Chan Si Gong once past the beginner’s stage, and if so, why?

DS: The set of Chan Si Gong as practised today is a fairly recent addition, as I said previously.  It was devised in order to offer a systematic introduction, a jibenggong (fundamental set of exercise) in line with other Chinese martial arts to people new to Chen Style Taijiquan.  In the past taolu (the form) was the only medium through which to train Chen Taijiquan's movement system Chan Si Gong and its end product Chan Si Jin.  With that in mind, it is very important that during every practice all practitioners do not deviate from the movement principle of Chan Si, even if they are not doing the set pieces.  If a movement in the form doesn’t feel right, examine it and see whether it conforms to the fundamental principle.  Single movements of the form have always been taken out and practised repeatedly until they have the same end result.

Q: What kind of energy are we cultivating, by training in Chan Si Gong?

DS: Chan Si Gong is translated as "reeling silk exercise", the energy that’s  cultivated as a result  is Chan Si Jin or "reeling silk energy". It’s an idea derived from the silk gathering activity of the silkworm farmers whereby movements are soft so that the silk strands don’t break, at the same time firm enough to extract so that the thread don’t get entangled.  So the energy is the presence of both soft and hard strength.  It’s a little difficult to translate Jin and Qi in a single word so the term energy is used, although they can be viewed as something esoteric or metaphysical.   Jin is trained strength, a state of knowing the appropriate strength to use for a given situation, based on practice and experience.  The opposite would be uncontrolled strength used in response to a situation, be it excessive or deficient (a sledgehammer to crack a nut comes into mind). Eighteenth generation master Chen Zhaopi, the teacher of most of Chenjiagou’s 19th generation masters, explained Chan Si Jin as a state whereby “all movements are circular, with no sharp angles or flat surfaces, no deficiencies or excesses”.  Actions are smooth and flowing, the outward gentle movements disguising a latent strength (as in silk gathering).  The rotational and spiral Jin trained and cultivated from Chan Si Gong is the core power of Chen Taijiquan and its accuracy and usage are based on practice and experience, for example in Tuishou, Sanshou, Sanda.  Its effectiveness has been seen when the past generations used it in actual life and death situations.

Q: Comparing male and female students, have you noticed any differences in their approach to Taijiquan, their practice and/or their relationship with the skill?

DS: I’ve observed that more females start but more males stay.  This may be because women are more sociable and less intimidated to start a group activity.  At the same time they are generally more distracted by their lives outside of their practice once it becomes more than just a casual pursuit.  The distraction is largely, in my opinion, the demands placed on women on a societal level.  Women still shoulder the bigger share of home obligations and child care as well as holding down jobs, although much has been said about equality of the sexes.  Generally women tend to put their family obligations first when it comes to time set aside for practice, to attend classes/seminars on a regular basis, to travel to deepen their skills etc. They are often faced with time and financial constraints, with child rearing, caring for elderly parents, dependant husbands/partners etc.  This is a point of fact and is true throughout the world, some more than others.

As for Taijiquan practice, it is generally harder for a male practitioner to realise “song” as they are inherently less so, again due to cultural expectation and socialisation. A female practitioner, however, often needs to be encouraged to have more “gang” as their postures and movements lack the base energetic quality required.  So the approach for a male student would be more focused on ridding the musculature of stiff hard strength and the female student on developing more energy. Eventually fulfilling the quality of a combination of hard and soft for both. 

Q: Is there a particular female practitioner/teacher whom you greatly admire? If so, why?

DS: I’ve been almost exclusively taught by male teachers.  The only female input is Tian Jingmiao, whom I met on separate visits to Beijing.  She’s known to be the only female disciple of Lei Muni, a disciple of seventeenth generation Chen master Chen Fa-Ke, who’s still teaching and actively promoting Chen Style Taijiquan.  She has continued her practice without break since she first started 40 years ago,  through life-threatening illness and other challenges in life.  She pointed out several aspects of training that’s only relevant to female practitioners - placement of upper limbs due to anatomical differences in male and female, during pregnancy, menstruation.  (I’ve already written about that so won’t elaborate here). 

There are not enough female Chen Taijiquan “masters”. An old clip of a few very able Chen female practitioners were shown in a film about Chenjiagou in the1980s.  Unfortunately they didn’t get the same ensuing publicity and accolades as their male counterparts, many of whom had gone on to become world famous masters and grandmasters.  There was an old decree in the Chen clan that transmission should only be through the male line.  Although this no longer applies, the challenges for women practitioners are still very real - societal expectations of a woman’s role.

Q: In his interview for our blog, Chen Ziqiang described the main characteristics of a good student as intelligence, diligence and perseverance. What, then, are the main characteristics of a good teacher, in your opinion?

DS: There is a well known saying that “it is easier to find a good teacher than to find a good student”.  Also, “when a good student is ready the teacher will appear”. Basically that means that it is very much a two way thing. A good match between teacher and student depends on what the Chinese call “yuan fen” (natural affinity; predestined relationship; luck by which people are brought together).  Most students meet their teachers through a set of circumstances, the chief of which is the desire to learn a skill the teacher possesses.  Whether the teacher is able to transmit the skill depends on, on the one hand, the training attitude of the student and on the other, if the skill of the teacher is genuine and if there is a willingness and commitment to teach.  In the beginning it is not so easy to determine these, that’s why in the Chinese martial arts it is said that anybody can teach a beginner. Traditionally  a teacher takes a disciple only after many years of contact and observation, or if a disciple is accepted through introduction and connection, and teaches the person properly only having been convinced of the student’s sincere commitment to learning, again through personal contact and observation.

The position of a Shi Fu (teacher father) is based on the Chinese philosophical concept of the “mandate of heaven” (the circumstances under which a ruler rules; whereby good  rulers are allowed to rule with the Mandate; and despotic, unjust and unworthy rulers would have the Mandate revoked). The social relationship of the teacher and student is based on the family unit - the student is a child to the master thereby owing him respect and obedience.  The teacher, as the parent, is responsible for the learning, wellbeing and development of his “children”. In this system of relationships, the teacher only has authority as long as he fulfils his duties and upholds his responsibilities to his “children”, through continuous development of his own skill, and living a virtuous and moral life.

So as much as there are demands on being how to be a good student, there are also requirements on being a good and responsible teacher.

3. Taijiquan and the mind

Q: How important is it, in your view, to train one’s mind as part of the Taiji routine?

DS: Correct Taijiquan training calls for precise, accurate movement and the fulfilment of movement rules and exact and changing requirements for every part of the body. Approximation is not acceptable. For this reason the mind must be focused and engaged at all times. Not upon any single thing, but upon the relationship between the different parts and their integration into a coherent whole. Taijiquan is a completely mind-driven discipline and the inevitable result of training in this way is the development of qualities such as calmness, perseverance and attention to detail.

Taijiquan's mental training (Xin Yi) mainly trains the spirit, the mind intention, the energetic quality and the state of the body.  It is not an easy to do.  And it cannot be seen as a casual pursuit.  Through a disciplined process of mental and physical adjustments, the conscious state that governs focus and intention progresses from the chaos of a chattering mind and scattered thoughts to enter a state of quietness and focused consciousness.   And the physiological state that controls movements and actions progresses to enable blood and Qi to flow unobstructed and the physical body to become free of tension and stiffness.   

How can this be achieved? First and foremost, the acceptance that it is a long-term cultivation of the body and mind.  Continuously amend, modify, repair the physical and mental states that don’t meet the requirements of Taijiquan principles.  Also constantly cultivate, nurture and breed the mental and physical requirement that are in accordance to Taijiquan principles.  Implement these processes at all times without exception.  The physical and psychological adjustment is the prerequisite for internal mental cultivation.  These are not tasks that are easy to achieve.  We can strive to get as close to these ideals as we can.

Q: Do you meditate, or is the cultivation of mind inherent to Taiji practice? If so, in what ways?

DS: Cultivation of the mind is inherent to Taijiquan practice if it is trained in the correct way. Taijiquan theory states that movement arises from stillness. For example, each time one trains the form, the starting point is a state of mental calmness and physical balance.  Practitioners are often in a hurry to get on to the form practice and don't place the same importance on the mental preparation.

Zhan zhuang training represents a state of "movement within stillness". To an observer it may appear as if nothing is happening and many misunderstand standing training as a kind of spaced out self-indulgence. However, an experienced practitioner simultaneously maintains a deep sense of calmness and an acute awareness both of the internal sensations of the body and of their environment.

Q: How important a role do moral character and spiritual development play in one’s progress in a martial arts skill?

DS: All Chinese martial arts emphasise the dual approach of training the physical skill and cultivating the character.  In the past when martial skills were used to defend oneself, the home and the clan (community) the moral character of a person was carefully observed before skill was taught, for the preservation of the art and more importantly that it was not put to bad use against the community.  The down side was that many old martial arts were too closely guarded and disappeared.  Most martial arts systems, including Chen Taijiquan, have a moral code that has been written down and passed down through the ages for the purpose of guiding the morals and ethics of its practitioners.  Most of the codes can be observed in a practical way and applied to one’s practice , e.g. curb impatience and arrogance; do not use acquired martial skills to bully and exploit; be modest and magnanimous etc.  This is the much talked about but often overlooked “Wu De” (martial virtue) without which one’s martial arts will not reach the highest level of attainment.

Q: Many Taiji teachers speak of applying Taiji principles to everyday life. Can you give us some examples of how you yourself use these outside the gym?

DS: As much as possible incorporate the wider Taiji principle into every aspect of daily life.  First of all we have to make sure that our life style and habits don’t contradict or conflict with the rules.   For example, Taijiquan requires looseness, suppleness and calmness; in life, therefore, try to avoid tension and using unnecessary strength.  Also try to incorporate the principles into every aspect of daily life.  This way you are in fact practising Taijiquan all the time and not just in the classroom.   You can train when you are standing in a queue, walking,  driving, reading, chatting etc...never be too far from your practice.

As Taijiquan trains both the body and the mind therefore anything that is detrimental to the physical body and mental health is bad for its development.  TCM, which is a big part of Taijiquan, says that external factors which cause physical weakness are the excessive or untimely exposure to conditions such as wind, cold, heat, humidity, dryness etc...  Also habits such as unregulated food intake, irregular lifestyle, personal uncertainties, overworking or too much idle time. Mental stability is affected by the extreme emotions such anger, anxiety, brooding, grief, fear etc....  as well as negative thoughts such as arrogance, envy, greed, pride etc...

Human nature is such that we fall constantly but insight and mindful cultivation do help us be aware of the pitfalls.

Q: Do you have any aspirations in terms of your own personal development?

DS: I hope that Taijiquan and the Taiji philosophy, the idea of complementary opposites to gain balance and harmony, will be a guide for how to lead my life.  It’s a matter of constantly being mindful and not letting myself deviate too far from it.  The  physical exercise will keep my body pliant and elastic, fit and free from injury into the future as I age.  I hope I can always keep a learner’s mind so that I will continue in my pursuit of its complexities.  It’s my wish to continue to study, translate and write about the subject so that the wider Taijiquan community (and myself) understand the true nature of Taijiquan.