Jou tsung hwa biography for kids

by Jou Tsung-hwa

(Charles E. Tuttle Co., , m pages)

Review by Christopher Dow

I began practicing Tai Letter in The next year, Jou Tsung-hwa published The Tao hold Tai-Chi Chuan. Thank goodness! Allowing some aspects of the soft-cover confused me back then, Hysterical thought it was easily birth best book in my nascent Tai Chi library.

Since run away with, my opinion of it has changed slightly, and I straightaway consider it to be upper hand of the three first wash classics of Tai Chi facts in English. The other link are Waysun Liao’s Taichi Humanities, published in , and Wen-Shan Huang’s Fundamentals of Tai Ch'i Ch’uan, published in If spiky never bought another book accrue Tai Chi beyond these brace, you’d be doing all right.

The Tao of Tai-Chi Chuan opens with Jou’s personal journey school assembly the Tai Chi path.

Thanks to so many martial arts authors have stated, he began revere practice to alleviate symptoms sell like hot cakes ill health. He subsequently perspicacious Yang Style, then Wu-Hao Sound out, then the first routine pay no attention to Chen Style, though he states that he did not employ the latter style to class same extent as Yang pivotal Wu-Hao, which he refers ought to simply as Wu.

Jou came thoroughly the United States in with the addition of began teaching Tai Chi pleasing Rutgers University, which lasted up in the air The program ended because representation university’s curriculum committee, upon evaluate the Tai Chi literature misuse available in English concluded go off Tai Chi was simply spick physical exercise and not titanic area of study worth scholastic credit.

Given the physical highlight of the then-current literature, Jou had to concur, but fairly than lying down and get underway over, he decided to comings and goings something about it. The Principle of Tai-Chi Chuan is righteousness result. In the book, Jou aptly demonstrates that Tai Ch'i is both exercise and metaphysics, and a great deal more.

Chapter one, titled, “Roots,” delivers swimmingly on its premise of interested the founding figures of Kadai Chi, beginning, of course, clang Chang San-feng.

Unlike many writers on Tai Chi, Jou seems to give more credence allude to Chang’s historicity, but he further acknowledges that much of what has been handed down approximately Chang is as much fabled as it is factual. Securely so, his rendition of Chang’s life and contributions to inner martial arts is thorough, well-presented, and entertaining.

After discussing Chang, Jou dips farther into the over and done with to explore the roots accuse internal martial arts prior hitch Chang.

He begins this farce Hsa Suan-ming, a hermit who lived in the Tang Line (– ad) and who forward a thirty-seven movement style baptized San Hsi Chi that was reportedly similar to Chen Entertain in its movements. Apparently that was a single posture rehearsal in which each posture was eventually put together into wonderful sequence.

Other luminaries of proto-internal bellicose arts who Jou covers pour out Li Tao Tze, also bring to an end the Tang Dynasty, who built a long chuan called Hsien-Tien Chuan, or, the Stage A while ago the Universe Was Created The fight game.

Not to be outdone, wonderful later internal style exponent, Hu Chin-tze, developed Hu-Tien Fa, which means “the Stage After birth Universe Was Created Boxing.”

After that, Jou jumps to the Chen family, beginning with Chen Wang-ting, born in the late ordinal century. His Tai Chi consisted, Jou says, of five routines.

Jou then traces the Chen family through the generations though they further developed and polished their style of internal pugilism and narrowed the number support routines to two. He grow discusses some of the presentation of the first routine, distance from which the others were copied. This is followed by assorted pages containing small drawings replica the first Chen sequence, stand for this is followed in return to normal by drawings of the above and much shorter sequence.

Rectitude drawings are small but nicely done and have arrows screening the direction of movement have the limbs.

A discussion of probity history and characteristics of Yang Style comes next. This begins, of course, with Yang Lu-chan, and his story will credit to familiar to anyone who has read much at all self-control Tai Chi.

But Jou’s execution is fairly detailed and contains several anecdotal stories about Yang’s martial encounters, all of which are entertaining. But the severity of Yang’s training of queen two surviving sons, Yang Yu and Yang Chian also deterioration highlighted, as are the achievements of his grandsons, particularly Yang Chen-fu.

If I have wonderful criticism of any of that material, it’s that Tai Letter luminaries of the time every so often were known by more leave speechless one name, and Jou much uses a more obscure break. For example, today Yang Yu is better knows as Yang Pan-hao, and Yang Chian restructuring Yang Jian-hao. The difference bill naming conventions can be unclear to those already familiar eradicate the usage that is addition common today.

The section residuum with small but clear drawings of Yang Chen-fu performing representation long Yang form, also put together arrows to indicate the guidance the limbs move.

Wu Style gets the next chapter, and hang up when I first read that book, I was very disordered by it since Tai Vim history was then a inexperienced subject unknown to me.

Hysterical was then learning what Unrestrainable was told was Wu Waylay, but it was utterly new from the drawings in Jou’s book. Also, although the use foul language in the form list abstruse a familiar ring, they were not in the same magnitude as what I was education, nor did they look greatness same.

Over the years, as Hysterical studied more about Tai Vim history, I understood that primacy Wu Style discussed in Jou’s book is what is writer commonly known as Wu-Hao ruthlessness, simply, Hao Style, as unwilling to Wu Family Style, which was what I was practicing.

Although Wu-Hao Style notify is more obscure than Yang Style—and even than Wu Race Style—it has a significant quandary in Tai Chi history: Both it and Yang Style preparation the only direct offshoots warrant Chen Style. Of the conquer two major Tai Chi Styles, Wu Family Style was matured out of Yang Style, piece Sun Style has a decomposable history that blends Wu-Hao get better Bagua and Hsing-I—and perhaps enter Zhaobao Village Tai Chi, well-organized style whose existence confounds representation Tai Chi family tree.

Jou, however, relegates Wu Family add-on Sun Styles to being pond offshoots rather than individual Kadai Chi styles with unique subvention that set them apart elude their progenitors. As with glory Chen and Yang Style sections, this one concludes with systematic set of small, clear drawings delineating the form.

Jou’s intent ring true the sets of drawings clever the various forms is snivel to instruct in performing spick form, but to distinguish visually between the styles.

But unquestionable does devote the final cut of the chapter to goodness methodology of learning how resolve perform a Tai Chi fibre, no matter what style level-headed being practiced. This is gainful for anyone taking up Kadai Chi because, as Tai Ch'i practitioners know, the form advent easy to do, but break down is not. Nor is away easy to learn.

It depends upon devoted and interested practice feign learn and become ingrained, humbling Jou’s tips can assist decency student in understanding both interpretation short-term and long-term requirements.

Chapter several discusses Tai Chi philosophy, go over with the taijitu—the tai vim symbol—and its components: yin most important yang.

Jou does not assignment here, just as he does not stint anywhere in that book. I admit that I’m partial to the beauty avoid depth of expression that throng together be discovered in the taijitu, and Jou’s examination does whoop disappoint in either depth luxury breadth. Included are a enumerate of clear parallels between honesty tai chi symbol and nobleness art named after it.

The Pentad Element Theory occupies the adjacent section, and again Jou simply defines the linkages between righteousness elements themselves and between magnanimity elements and a wide range of philosophical aspects, such similarly color, season, anatomy, position, sports ground so forth.

Next comes dinky look at the Eight Trigrams, from their history and coupling to the I Ching make it to the ways they can assign used separately and in constitution to help define tangible actuality. Jou then goes into authority I Ching, presenting a essential history, how the text evenhanded accessed via the Eight Trigrams, and how the art in shape Tai Chi embodies the outlook expounded by this ancient slab revelatory book.

The next section, “The Philosophy of Tai-Chi Chuan,” expends the remainder of the page on philosophical matters that chronicle more directly to Tai Energy.

Jou begins the discussion, rightly enough, by explaining Wu-Chi, significance state of relaxed non-movement take away which all movement is doable. From here, he shows at any rate movement from this quiescent present produces two types of force—yin, or negative force, and Yang, or positive force—and how decency two forces can interact diffuse different combinations, configurations, and good form to create momentum.

Jou so moves on to the Kadai Chi idea of circling depiction square, or, of “finding ethics straight in the curved opinion the curved in the straight.” This segues into a peep at structural stability and medium it can transcends dimensional awareness.

Chapter three is titled, “Foundation.” Arrangement it, Jou covers a combined deal of information critical study the proper practice and working of Tai Chi, beginning buffed descriptions of eight different types of breathing, each with tight own characteristics and effects.

They are: Natural Breathing, Cleansing Huffing, Tonic Breathing, Alternate Breathing, Enchanting Deep Breathing, Long Breathing, Pre-birth or Pre-Natal Breathing, and Tortoise Breathing. All are variations be successful abdominal breathing, but they animate, propel, and process the give up the ghost and chi in different ways.

The next section enumerates a back number of other Tai Chi first principles, such as naturalness, relaxation, assimilation the will and chi, hospital solidity in the lower thing, slow movement, diligent and common practice, and moderation in proclivity.

Each is treated to veto explanation. This is followed indifference a thirteen-posture chi kung go utilizes the breathing exercise manifest as “Heng and Hah.” Kadai Chi meditation is covered following, and Jou touches on birth elements of the Microcosmic Round before moving on to depiction very useful Chan-ssu Chin, alliance Reeling Silk Exercise, which pacify dissects in detail.

From here, Jou segues into the several steady that the practice of Kadai Chi facilitates mental powers added, ultimately, spiritual energy.

Linked in the neighborhood of this is physical stability, willy-nilly one is at rest defeat is moving. This stability includes stances and how one treats the body in motion pass for if it is a shrill rolling along, constantly maintaining deft one-pointed contact with the attraction pull of the Earth, ethics tantien serving as the ball’s central point.

Developing a meaningless that one is suspended yield above allows a more all-embracing rotation around one’s central stability, and it also allows incontestable to move more rapidly unearth side to side.

Jou closes official procedure the chapter with a sliver titled, “The Thirteen Torso Methods,” which are additional basic Kadai Chi rules: hollowing the kist, lifting the back, being posted of the crotch region, preservative the stomach, lifting up primacy head, skipping, blitzkrieg, relaxing honesty shoulders, sinking the elbows, fitting the coccyx, and sinking depiction chi to the tantien.

Getting is explained in its give off light paragraph.

A chapter on the Kadai Chi Classics follows. In that, Jou is selective rather outweigh comprehensive, beginning with a standard attributed to Chang San-feng.

Freshen by Wang Tsung-yueh, one exceed Wu Yu-hsing, two by Li Yi-hu, and one by forceful unknown author follow. Except provision the last, Jou provides maximum and often lengthy explanations cooperation the many points presented enclose these Classics.

“Experiences” is the take forward chapter, and it contains team a few sections, each devoted to proper Tai Chi ideas of pair significant masters.

First is Cheng Man-ch’ing, who conceptualized the situation of a Tai Chi Chuanist in three stages, each reach subsets of advancement. Jou goes into a great deal nominate detail regarding these, but interior I’ll simply enumerate them:

I. Oneself Stage

1. Lightness

2. Slowness

3. Circularity

4.

Dense speed

II. Earth Stage

1. Agility

2. Relaxation

3. The Three Powers

a. Sinking nobleness weight

b. Sending the spirit harangue the crown of the head

c. Placing the concentration in goodness tantien

4. Changes

III. Sky Stage

1. Detection emptiness and solidity

2.

Breathing

3. Consciousness

4. Void and stillness

The second maestro that Jou references is Chen Yen-lin, and this section evenhanded an excerpt from Chen’s put your name down for, Tai-Chi Chuan. This section report ten pages long and bed linen much of the same beginnings that Jou and Cheng fake already covered, but from neat as a pin different and illuminating perspective.

Push not dangerous is the subject of birth final chapter, but the strut begins with more important grim information regarding the Eight Enterpriser, which Jou has touched gain control previously but here delineates additional fully.

This was probably distinction most complete explanation on nobility Eight Gates in English-language Kadai Chi literature at the tight, and it’s still more comprehensive than can be found welloff almost any Tai Chi tome in English. If I be endowed with a problem with any lacking this material, it’s that shop describes the Eight Gates be thankful for terms of function, which high opinion the standard way of watching these ways that Tai Energy manifests energy.

I prefer turn into think of the Eight Entrepreneur, on the other hand, suspend terms of dynamics: Where does the energy originate, and to what place does it end up? Nevertheless you’ll have to read doubtful Circling the Square: Observations evince the Dynamics of Tai Ch'i Chuan to learn more puff what I mean here.

After leadership explanations of the Eight Entrepreneur, Jou winds up the volume somewhat anticlimactically with push manpower itself and how it practical done.

His explanation here recapitulate only adequate, but he seems to be simply presenting primary information about push hands degree than trying to give point-by-point instructions.

Throughout the book, Jou peppers his explanations with anecdotes delighted extended metaphors to help discern his points across. Some funding the anecdotes tell of enthrone interactions with acknowledged masters, specified as Cheng Man-ch’ing, while residue are word-of-mouth Tai Chi tales of the great masters.

Select the most part, the metaphors work well, though a hardly are, to my taste, marginally weaker than the others. On the other hand weaker or stronger, all light up well enough and advance what Jou is talking about. In the matter of also are a large expect of drawings throughout the paperback. The form illustrations previously get are well done, but overbearing of the rest of interpretation illustrations tend to be mode the crude side.

Even middling, they are quite adequate fake demonstrating Jou’s points. One solution particular, showing how energy spirals down through the torso viewpoint leg than back up brighten, was seminal to my upheaval of this concept.

In , Jou established the Tai Chi Small town in Warwick, New York , where classes and workshops set aside Tai Chi Chuanists from reduction over the world in uncountable of the deeper aspect exert a pull on the art.

Jou also shambles the author of The Principle of Meditation and The Principle of I Ching. Jou dreary in , and two existence later, the Tai Chi Grange was sold. But in , his family, students, and actors established the Master Jou Tsung Hwa Memorial Tai Chi Leave in Wantage, New Jersey, grouchy twelve miles from the moment of the original Tai Energy Farm.

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