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Tai Chi Academy of Los Angeles
2620 W. Main Street, Alhambra, CA91801, USA
FAQ
Do you have any questions about Tai Chi? We are willing to discuss with you and are happy to have your questions answered.

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What is Zhou? Zhou is elbow. Zhou means to use elbow to strike.

What is Lie? Lie is to split or break? Lie requires two hands to cooperate. There are, basically, two kinds Lie applications. One is to go inward, left and right, to break your opponent’s arm. The other is to go outward, forward and backward, to separate or split your opponent’s holding on you.

What is Cai? Cai is pluck. Cai is to use your finger. Cai technique is mostly used to grab or hold your opponent’s wrist and being applied with the Li technique.

What is An? An is either press down or push off. An is unique in that it can neutralize by bring down and also can strike by push off. An goes downward or forward.

What is Ji? Ji is squeeze. It is to smash or crush something between. Ji requires both hands or both arms work together. Ji is focused attack, but you should always place some Yi on both of your elbows.

What is Lu? Lu is rollback. Lu is to use your hand(s) to deflect from center and neutralize the incoming force. Lu goes sideway. Lu is to make a tangent on the circle. You should always keep yourself in the center of the circle and manipulate your opponent on the circumference.

What is Peng? Peng is ward off. You use your arm(s) to make a defense line and to form a buffer zone. When you're Peng,you are on alert and become aware. Your Yi cover your whole body and so does your Qi. Ward off is protection.

What are the Taiji four cardinal hand techniques? They are Peng, Lu, Ji and An.

What are the four complimentary hand techniques? Cai, Lie, Zhou and Kao.

What does Taiji Mean literally? Ji means ending point, beginning point or turning point.
Tai means “very” which is to emphasize.
So Taiji means the very ending point, the very beginning point or the very turning point.

Taiji means that chang is about to happen and change is happening. Change means growth. Change means life.


What is Taiji Quan? Taiji Quan is the martial application of YinYang philosopy.
Quan in Chinese means fist or martial art.
Taiji is Chinese YinYang philosopy that is about change and growth.
Please check "What's the meaning of Taiji?"

What is Taichi? Taichi is the wrong pronunciation of Taiji.
Check the topic "Waht is Taiji?"

What's the meaning of Taiji? Taiji is the Chinese pronunciation of Taichi. Most westerns accept Taiji as Taichi for its easy pronunciation and as the equivalent of Qi that means life energy.

In Chinese, Ji has totally different meaning. Ji means pole, that is the starting and ending point or turning point. Tai is to emphasize and means Very. So,literally, Taiji means the very starting point or turning point of Yin-Yang change. Yin-Yang change and exchange bring forth the life.

Taiji is the art of change and of the balance of change. Taiji Quan is the martial application of this art. Taiji in this site refers to Taiji Quan.


What is Dan Tian? Dan Tian is a specia term used in Chinese internal training which located in your lower belly where the colon, small intestine and internal reproduction organs reside.
The ancient Chinese regard Dantian as the most important part of the body because it is the place where Qi is generated, stored and nourished. There is a famous saying “ Get hold of Dantian and exercise Neigong (internal Kung-fu).”

How to exercise Dantian? We have a Three-Phrase Pragram to exercise Dantian.

(1) To activate Dantian by Dantian-Reverse-Deep-Breathing. It is a breathing training that aims to get feeling of Dantian and to generate Qi.

(2) To mobilize Dantian by Three-Dimensional-Dantian-Rotation. The purperse is to massage internal organs and circulate Dantian Qi within the body.

(3) To function Dantian as energy source (or driving force) by coordinating it with external movements.


What are the basic rules for the Hand? Basic rules for the Hand in Taiji Quan

(1) Connect with DanZhong and QiHai
Top hand talks to Dan Zhong and bottom hand talks to Qi Hai.
Talk here means connect, protect or be in front of.
In doing so, we often direct our thumb or pinky to the relevant pressure point.

(2) Hand should not be off central line.
Hand, palm or fist, goes out from center and comes back to center.
Always protect your center and target your opponent’s center.

(3) Hand should not cross central line.
Each hand takes care of it’s own side.
Have your armpit empty and turn your body (adjust your torso angle) if necessary.
Keep your elbow and shoulder round awareness to avoid crossing line.

(4) The extension line of both hands should cross in front.
Taiji is circle. The posture is spherical. The movement is of round and continuous.
When both your hands face forward, either in movement or in posture, make sure their extension line will meet or cross somewhere in front


Do you do "wave hands like clouds" without the hands crossing the center line?

Hi,Kevin
You're right. Your hands do not cross the center line when you do "wave hands like clouds".Turn your body left and right 45 degree, have your armpit empty and elbow round wareness.


What's the martial application of "Double Punch the Ear" ? The martial application of "Double Punch the Ear" in the 24 Short Form.

(1) “The devil knocks the door.”
Hold your opponent both arms, pull inward and kick his crotch.

(2) Side hook strike
In reality, we don’t strike opponent’s ears with both fists. We use one hand to hold head and strike with the other.
In practice we have both fists is to illustrate the point that we won’t show our Yin Yang before you show yours. We should adapt our technique according to our opponent’s. We can either strike him from left or from right.


One of the forms after that you called something like "embracing the moon", I had never heard that. Do you know the one I mean? Hi,kevin
Thanks for your question.It helps you remember whenever you raise question.

"Embracing the moon" is also called "Catch the moon from the ocean”.
It’s a typical technique of knee strike.
Picture yourself holding your opponent’s two arms and pulling downward, at same time using your knee to strike his groin.


How do I know my Kua is loosened or opened? Kua’s loosening or opening is a kind of feeling
1. The feeling of Qi sinking down to the feet.
2. The feeling of grounded.
3. The feeling of low gravity.
4. The feeling of your top body as light as leaf and bottom as heavy as steel.

How to loosen or open the Kua? Loosening or opening the Kua is crucial in Taiji Quan training.If your Kua is stiff or tight, you won’t be able to sink your Qi down and you won’t be able to find your rooting. You will find difficult to neutralize the incoming force.

The techniques to loosen or open the Kua.
1. Fine-toning your knees’ bending.
2. Hipbones stretch a little outwardly.
3. Inner thigh is adjusted round.


How to build up rooting in Taijiquan? Taiji Quan is all about search for the feeling.
The feeling of the opening and loosening Kua is crucial.

To loosen Kua by bending knees
To sink Qi down to Yong Quan by opening Kua
To get feeling of rooting by sinking Qi down


I've yet to fully understand the kua. can you descibe an action that demonstrates when it is open, and when it is not? Dear Greg:

Sometimes “the communication can only be done through Yi not words”.You will fully understand when I let you see and when I let you feel.

But I still can try to have you understand with words.

Technically:
1. Fine-toning your knees’ bending.
2. Hipbones stretch a little outwardly.
3. Inner thigh is adjusted round.

Physically:
Kua’s opening is a kind of feeling
1. The feeling of Qi sinking down to the feet.
2. The feeling of grounded.
3. The feeling of low gravity.
4. The feeling of your top body as light as leaf and bottom as heavy as steel.

Finally, opening Kua or loosening Kua’s techniques is applicable to all postures and actions.


What are the “Peng, Lui, Ji and An”? When you want to make a contact with your opponent and form a protection, it is Peng or ward off.
So you can listen.
Peng is bouncing.

When you want to neutralize and redirect the incoming force, it is Lui or roll back.
You should yield not to resist.
Lui is and rolling.

When you want to strike your opponent inside your sphere, it is Ji or squeeze.
You trap your opponent and then attack.
Ji is striking.

When you want to have your opponent off balance and away from your sphere, it is An.
An is introducing inward, downward and then forward, upward.
You bring down your opponent first and push him off.
You empty your opponent and then attack.
An is half circle defense and half circle offence.

“When you want to…” shows that it is your Yi that initiate movement.
You start the activity by picture it in your mind.


What is the palm requirement in Yang Style Taiji? 1. Thumb talks to pinky. (as if holding something under)
2. Tiger mouth opens. (tiger mouth refers to thumb and index finger)
3. Fingers slightly separate.
4. Each knuckle is slightly bent.

What do we see from Yin Yang symbol? Life is in pair and life is round.

How do we practice to develop Yi (mind/intention)? Knowing before doing;
Sensing while moving;
Checking after finishing.

What are the body awareness should we develop? Suspending awareness of head;
Dropping awareness of shoulders;
Round awareness of elbow;
Opening awareness of Kua;
Bending awareness of knees;
Rooting awareness of feet.

How to exercise spine in Taijiquan? Suspending Bai Hui (crown of head)
Bowing out Ming Men (small of the back)
Tucking in Wei Lui (the last tail bone)

What's the martial application of the commencing form? The martial application of the commencing form:

(1) “First attack loses.” Do not telegraph your movement nor show your Yin Yang until your opponent moves.
The basic principle is that your Yin Yang changes should adapt to your opponent’s. Let your opponent move first and then decide which hand block and which hand attack.

(2) “Borrow from your opponent.”
You place your hands on your opponent’s shoulders. You can throw him or you can simply balance yourself by using his standing.


What's the key point of the commencing form? The key point is that the movement starts from Dantian.

How to do that?
Bend your knees slightly and relax your Kua.
By relaxing your Kua, you can initiate your Dantian to raise up your arms.

In the classics, it says:
“Once in motion, all parts of your body follow.”
Once in motion means once your Dantian in motion.


What's the Yi application of the commencing form? The Yi application of the commencing form:

(1) “The separation of your Yi and Qi.”

This technique is to ensure your rooting not floating.
Your hands follow your Yi going up and your shoulders follow your Qi sinking down.
The Yin Yang Sphere is round. One part up the other part is down.

(2) “There is nothing but as if there is something there.”

This technique help you balance and also make your movement meaningful. You picture yourself placing your hands on your opponent’s shoulders and having two more feet to support you.


Why do we need to massage our colon in our daily training? The detoxifycation is crucial to our health because "the death begins in the colon". Taiji Quan is a very good exercise to cleanse our body. In the naturopathic view, desease is caused by uneliminated wastes.

How to cleanse colon in Taiji? We have a three-phase-cleanse program to help you reduce the risk of diseases.

How to relax shoulders?

There are techniques to help to relax shoulders:

  1. Check your shoulders to see if you can drop down a little bit more after finish each movement.
  2. Open shoulder joints by stretch outwardly and roundly.
  3. Have your shoulder rounded and avoid flatness.
  4. Tense up your shoulders and then have them relaxed.

What are the so-called “the Four Big Joints”? They are two shoulder joints and two hip joints that is Kua.

Why relaxing “Four Big Joints” are crucial in martial art training?

By relaxing your shoulders you can sink your Qi to Dantian and find your center.

By relaxing your Kua you can sink your Qin down to Yongquan and find your rooting.

What does Yin Yang mean?

It means one body of two sides. There are always two opposing forces co-existing and making balance.

We always put Yin first. Yin is female-like referring to soft, yielding, courtesy and diplomatic. We don’t say Yang Yin, like in our social life. It is always lady first and the order of the words is non-changeable.

In diplomacy, dove and eagle, olive and arrow.

In physics, static and dynamic.

In chemistry, compose and decompose.

In mathematics, minus and plus.

In medicine, positive and negative.

What is Kao?

Kao means shoulder. It is to use shoulder as a weapon to bump your opponent.