January 3, 2004

Tainan, Taiwan

By Wang Yen-nien 王延年

Translated into English by Julia Fairchild 費巳華

“New Classmates, Hello Everyone,

I haven't seen you for a long time. I hope [you have discovered] the more you practice the younger you get.

In the past, the sequence in which we taught Yangjia Michuan] Taijiquan was to not teach tuishou until after [a student] had finished learning the form. However, I have since found the practice of tuishou basic exercises combined with the practice of the form brings flexibility and nimbleness to the waist and legs more quickly [than] only practicing the form, which in the beginning, may be monotonous.

Tuishou is physically demanding: within a few minutes [of practice] our body heat increases and we sweat. (As opposed to the practice of the form, where we would need a half hour for the body to slowly heat up.) Take note that, only through the use of neijin (inner strength) do we see efficacy; practice mindfully and with qi. This is not just for the outward development of muscles and strengthening of joints. (Most athletes reach their peak at age 35; after that they decline.) More importantly, qi in the body circulates continuously, in other words, an inner movement of qi [Neigong], barely visible on the outside, but which is of big help to the internal organs. Neigong is the real foundation of better health. Without Neigong, the organs easily get in trouble. As soon as one organ has problems, many illnesses and sufferings follow.

Therefore, in basic tuishou first train with thought (yi) and qi coordinated. Thought (yi) is listening energy (tingjin). What moves and pushes a partner is qi. While thought (yi) develops quick-mindedness, adroitness, sensitivity, qi is a type of revolving elastic force released outwardly and rebounded.

Basic tuishou exercises are before-practice warm-ups. This allows us to get used to coordinating mind (yi) and qi , once this becomes profound, we will no longer feel the need to depend on external strength. Otherwise, using only brute force, tuishou will look like a street fight or a wrestling match.

The 15 Basic Tuishou Exercises start off easy, get harder and then gradually more complicated. However, they never leave the scope of the Thirteen Postures. Those who are more familiar with the exercises guide those who are just beginning. [In this way] new students quickly gain an understanding of the exercises. Each one assisting and helping the other to increase one's inner strength and together moving toward the goal of “getting rid of oldness, returning to the youngness.”

[Tuishou is] without question not for competition or fighting. Every movement in the form can be used to hurt a partner. For example, “Pat High on the Horse.” Using inner strength, hit a partner's throat – this is not just skin and muscle hurting. This being the case, as soon as the hand goes out someone can be hurt; therefore, we don't dare use these movements lightly.

If we want to make a breakthrough in our form, we will need the help of tuishou. For example, the upper and lower parts of the body need to move as one, otherwise transformation will not be natural. Because the foot is our root, if the foot wants to move, it needs to follow the body as it turns. Not the other way around: the foot moves and the body follows. I invite everyone to pay particular attention to this when practicing."