Welcome to the Wahnam Tai Chi Chuan Page.   Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit- Immortal waves sleeves. Please see 09 Valentines Smile from the Heart for Beginners 3 day workshop with the Grandmaster- A very special event!     Classes in Wahnam Tai Chi Chuan are currently being taught in Kerry and Dublin. It is preferred that students have first taken a Shaolin Chi Kung course with Sifu Joan or Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit but it is not compulsory. Classes are taught through different Levels and everybody begins at Level 1. The following are the basic combat sequences to be learned for the course and are included here for current students. http://wongkk.com/video-clips-3/taijiquan/learning-combat-sequences/learning.html If you cannot access it by clicking, please cut and past to your browser. Enjoy   Five Steps to Deriving the Best Benefits from Your Training: Have a sound knowledge of the philosophy, scope and depth of the art you practice • Define your aims and objectives clearly • Seek a master for the best available methods to attain your aims and objectives • Practice, practice and practice • Assess your progress or otherwise with direct reference to your set aims and objectives •   REVISED-Wahnam Tai Chi Chuan - Dublin.   The next set of courses on Wahnam Tai Chi Chuan will take place on one Sunday of each month beginning on Sunday October 19th in the Marine Hotel, Sutton.       The first Sunday is October 19th. The second Sunday is November 23rd. The third Sunday is December 7th.   These courses will take place in The Marine hotel from 9am -5pm each Sunday.   These 6 hours of study will correspond with a monthly class and the fee will be the same as a monthly payment of €100.00   As the days will be intense, everybody will have to work very hard on the days of the course and in between also. This discipline will enhance your scholar-warrior traits. It will also make it easier for everybody, in that you will not miss out on a section of the syllabus as many did last year by missing various nights.    Payment of €300.00 is due before September 19th, either by cheque, bank transfer or paypal on my website. Cheques to be made out to: Shaolin Wahnam Institute of Ireland Ltd., and addressed to Sifu Joan Browne, Shaolin Wahnam Institute of Ireland Ltd, Mullin , Cordal, Castleisland, Co Kerry.   New students begin at Level 1 of the Wahnam Tai Chi Chuan syllabus. Special preparatory sessions will be held on the Saturday evening prior to the above dates for anybody who wishes to be ready to take the Foundation Wahnam Tai Chi Chuan courses with Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit worldwide, this will include the 4 abridged combat sequences and set Old Eagle catches Snake.     Special Weekend- October 25th 26th Kerry Students from special Wahnam Tai Chi Chuan weekend March 2008   A very special weekend on Wahnam Tai Chi Chuan -Old Eagle catches Snake will be held on 25th and 26th October 2008 This is open to beginners and advanced students, it is Part One of a two part course in preparation for any of Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit's Foundation for beginners in Wahnam Tai Chi Chuan courses around the world.   Part two will be held 13th & 14th December 2008.   Students will learn basic stances, moving in stances, grasping sparrow's tail, Art of flexibility, pushing hands, and the first two of the 4 abridged combat sequences and set from the Old Eagle catches Snake set   Fee: Part 1 €350.00   Instructor- Sifu Joan     BOOKINGS FOR ALL COURSES: To book weekend course please click here for paypal or the Buy Now button above.       Programme for Regular Classes -- Wahnam Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) Level 1: Fundamentals of Taijiquan Form: Stances. Fundamental footwork and basic Taijiquan forms. Application: Taijiquan techniques to overcome simple combat situations. Force: Wuji Stance, Lifting Water, Three-Circle Stance, Grasping Sparrow's Tail, Leg Stretching. Philosophy: Dimensions, aims and brief history. Note: * From Wuji to Taiji, and back to Wuji. * Movement from the waist. * Differentiating between yin and yang. * One-pointed mind and energy flow. * Basic Taijiquan patterns. * Internal force training. Level 2: Basic Taijiquan Set Form: “White Crane Flaps Wings". Application: Pushing Hands and simple combat application. Force: Induced energy flow. Philosophy: Taijiquan for health and for combat. Note: * Unity of form, energy and mind. * The principle of yin-yang. Level 3: Techniques of Pushing Hands Form: "White Snake Shoots Venom". Application: Pushing Hands and Combat Application. Force: Flow of movement, Sensing ability, Using the opponent’s strength. Philosophy: Principles of internal force training. Note: * Techniques from "White Snake Shoots Venom". * Pushing from front, left, right and back. * Importance of good stances. * Movement from the waist. * Four tahils against thousand katis. * Flowing with the opponent to overcome him.. Level 4: Tactics of Pushing Hands Form: “Green Dragon Shoots Pearl”. Application: Combat application from “Green Dragon”. Force: Flowing with the opponent. Philosophy: Difference between techniques and tactics Note: * Passive and active advantages. * Tactic of continuous attacks. * Tactic of confusing moves. * Tactic of instantaneous counter. * Tactic of interuption. Level 5: Da Shou or Striking Hands Form: “Black Bear Sinks Hips”. Application: Combat application from “Black Bear”. Force: Exploding force. Philosophy: Principles of attack and defense. Note: * Four categories of attacks. * The principle of safety first. * Soft against hard, and vice versa. * Circular against straight, and vice versa. * Starting later but arriving earlier. Level 6: Cultivation for Health, Combat and Spiritual Development Form: "Carry Tiger Back to Mountain". Application: Combat application of “Carry Tiger”. Force: Performing movements flowingly with force but without panting. Philosophy: Use of Strategies. Note: * Strategies based on "Know Thyself, Know your Opponent". Level 7: Flowing Water Floating Clouds Form: Flowing Water Floating Clouds. Application: Combination Set of Flowing Water.. Force: Solo performance as well as sparring with picture-perfect form, force and speed, but without panting. Note: * This set, which is probably closer in spirit and form to the original Taijiquan practiced by past masters like Zhang San Feng and Cheng.Wang Ting than many Taijiquan sets practiced today, enables us to attain good health, combat efficiency and spiritual fulfillment. Level 8: Wudang Sword Form: Wudang sword set. Application: Combat application of Wudang sword. Force: Channeling energy to the tip of a sword. Philosophy: Principles of weapon combat. Note: * Safety, certainty and decisiveness. * Avoiding strength and attacking weakness. Level 9: Taijiquan Sabre Form: Taijiquan Knife set. Application: Application of Taijiquan Knife. Force: Accuracy and and power of chosen weapon. Philosophy: Characteristics of major weapons. Note: * Major weapons -- staff, knife, spear, sword, dagger, Big Knife, trident, soft whip. Level 10: Unarmed against Armed Form: Empty Hands Enter White Blade. Application: Unarmed against dagger, staff and knife. Force: Countering feign moves. Philosophy: The principles and practice of Apparent and Real. Note: * "Over Bridge, Flow with Water". Level 11: Single Unarmed against Multiple Unarmed Form: Tiger Enters Herd of Sheep. Application: Single unarmed against multiple unarmed. Force: "Bamboo Man" or "Through the Woods". Philosophy: "Back-wall battle" and "Dodge-hit battle". Note: * Agility, stamina and endurance. Level 12: Single Unarmed and Armed against Multiple Armed Form: Dodge Hit. Application: Single unarmed and armed against multiple armed. Force: Dodging skills and using enemy as shields. Philosophy: "Catch the Leader First" and "Break Through the Weakest". Note: * Importance of mind and energy control.     What is Tai Chi Chuan? Tai Chi Chuan is a famous form of Chinese martial art. The term "Taiji" means "the cosmos", and "quan" is the short form for "quan fa" which means "fist techniques" and refers to what westerners today would term as kungfu. It is illuminating to note that Shaolin Kungfu, another famous form of Chinese martial art, is known as Shaolinquan in Chinese; similarly, Hoong Ka Kungfu, Wing Choon Kungfu and Pakua Kungfu are known as Hungjiaquan, Yongchunquan and Baguaquan respectively. Is Taijiquan the same as Tai Chi Chuan? Yes. "Taijiquan" is the Romanized Chinese spelling, and "Tai Chi Chuan" the common English spelling. "Taijiquan" is phonetic, whereas "Tai Chi Chuan" may give rise to different pronunciation. Notice that the Romanized Chinese q is pronounced like the English ch'. The "chi" in "Tai Chi Chuan" is different from the "chi" in "chi kung". In the phonetic Romanized Chinese, the former is spelt as "ji", meaning "ultimate", and the latter as "qi", meaning "energy". Is Taiji (or Tai Chi) the same as Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan)? Strictly speaking, they are different. "Taiji", literally meaning "the grand ultimate", is the cosmos, whereas Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art. Besides in Tai Chi Chuan, the concept of Taiji is found in many Chinese disciplines, such as in Taoism, philosophy, metaphysics, feng shui (the Chinese science of environmental energy) and military strategy. The underlying principle of Taiji is yin-yang, which symbolizes the two complimentary yet opposing aspects of reality. Nevertheless, many people, especially in the West but also some Chinese themselves, shorten the term Tai Chi Chuan to Taiji. Almost always those who say they "play" Taiji are those who practise a debased form of Tai Chi Chuan without its martial dimension. One may play Taiji, but not Tai Chi Chuan which is a serious martial art demanding great effort and endurance. Why is Tai Chi Chuan called Tai Chi Chuan? This is because both the philosophy and application of this form of martial art are based on the concept of Taiji with its operating principles of yin and yang. Indeed, if you fail to understand the concept of yin-yang, you would have missed the essence of Tai Chi Chuan. For example, if you think that Tai Chi Chuan is only soft and never hard -- a mis-conception not uncommon amongst many students of Taiji, and symbolized as regarding Tai Chi Chuan as only yin and never yang -- you would probably be doing a Taiji dance rather than Tai Chi Chuan. If you perform only the external form of Tai Chi Chuan without appreciating its inner aspects of energy flow and mind -- symbolized as performing only yang and missing yin -- you would practise a physical exercise rather than an internal art for which Tai Chi Chuan is famous. Are there different types of Tai Chi Chuan? Yes. Because of different needs and environments, different styles of Tai Chi Chuan have developed. The oldest known form of Tai Chi Chuan is Wudang Tai Chi Chuan, developed by Zhang San Feng (13th century) at the Wudang Mountain. (Please note that Wudang is pronounced like "Wu-t'ang".) From this was evolved Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan, and Chen Wang Ting (1600-1680) was its First Patriarch. From Chen Style, Yang Lu Chan (1799-1872) evolved Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan. Combining the best of Chen Style and Yang Style, Wu Yu Xiang (1813-1880) developed Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. A descendent from the Yang's linage, Wu Chuan You (1834-1902) developed another Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. These two Wu's are pronounced and written differently in Chinese. Sun Lu Tang (1861-1932) combined elements from Tai Chi Chuan, Baguaquan and Xinyiquan into Sun Style Tai Chi Chuan. Who founded Tai Chi Chuan? There was no single founder as Tai Chi Chuan has been developed over many centuries by countless people. From historical records, the earliest mention of the term Taiji in martial arts was made during the Tang Dynasty (618-906) in China. The earliest use of the term Tai Chi Chuan was during the subsequent Later Liang Dynasty (907-923). The master usually credited to institutionalize Tai Chi Chuan as a comprehensive system of martial art was Zhang San Feng who lived towards the end of the Song Dynasty in the 13th century. Zhang San Feng is regarded by many as the First Patriarch -- not the founder -- of Tai Chi Chuan. What benefits can we derive from Tai Chi Chuan training? Tai Chi Chuan masters have categorized the benefits of Tai Chi Chuan into three levels. good health • self-defence • spiritual cultivation • Practising Tai Chi Chuan is an excellent way to promote physical, emotional and mental health. The training is gentle and graceful, and there is no need for special apparatus. Tai Chi Chuan is a very effective martial art, where physical size and mechanical strength are not necessarily winning factors. At the highest level, Tai Chi Chuan leads to mind expansion and spiritual fulfilment, irrespective of race, culture and religion. How does Tai Chi Chuan promote health? If practised properly, every movement of Tai Chi Chuan is a training of body, energy and mind. Body, energy and mind, known as jing, qi and shen, are the "three treasures" of every person. If any one of these treasures are not in order, he (or she) becomes sick, leading to physical, functional or mental illness. While conventional western medicine separates physical ailments from mental problems, and is often undecided over functional disorders (such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, asthma and cancer), the Chinese approach health care and disease treatment holistically. In Chinese medical philosophy, health and illness belong to the same continuum; health is when the three treasures operate naturally, illness when one or more of them are out of order. (You may like to go to GOOD HEALTH for more details.) Practising Tai Chi Chuan enhances the natural operation of body, energy and mind. Can Tai Chi Chuan really be used for fighting? Of course, or else it would not be Tai Chi Chuan. Remember that Tai Chi Chuan actually means Taiji Kungfu. But if you practise only its physical form, no matter how graceful your form may be or how long you may have practised it, yours becomes a sort of Taiji dance, and will not be effective for self-defence. Its health benefits are also minimal, because without its internal dimensions of energy and mind which are characteristics of training Tai Chi Chuan as a martial art, the graceful exercise of Taiji dance can give only gentle, physical benefits. How does Tai Chi Chuan lead to spiritual fulfilment? First we need to be clear about what spiritual fulfilment means. For our purpose here, it means accomplishing the needs of the spirit, or shen in Chinese. Because of different developmental stages, there are understandably many and varied forms of spiritual fulfilment. From the Taoist perspective, which constitutes the underlying philosophy in Tai Chi Chuan, these many and varied forms of spiritual fulfilment can be categorized into three major levels attaining good health and longevity in this life • become a saint or an immortal • attaining the Tao, which is expressed in other cultures as attaining Buddhahood, union with Brahman, return to God. • The attaining of these goals is achieved through the cultivation of body, energy and mind (or spirit) -- the "three treasures" of jing, qi and shen. At the elementary level, the cultivation of the three treasures, which occurs in every Tai Chi Chuan exercise, results in good health and longevity. At the intermediate level, the spirit is nurtured and is emancipated from the physical body as an immortal. At the highest level, the individual spirit becomes -- IS -- the Universal Spirit. However, in practical terms, the first level of attaining good health and longevity is applicable to the great majority of Tai Chi Chuan practitioners today. Their spiritual cultivation enables them to understand and to be aware that life extends far beyond our physical bodies, and they may sometimes possess extra-ordinary powers. If they have the rare opportunity to cultivate at a higher level to attain immortality, or at the highest level to attain the Tao, they will generally be known as Taoists, although they may still practise Tai Chi Chuan and at a very high standard. Must one embrace Taoism and become a Taoist to seek the highest attainment in Tai Chi Chuan? The answer is yes and no, depending on our perspective and the meaning we attach to Taoism and Taoist. If we take Taoism as a religion like Buddhism, Christianity or Islam, the answer is no. A person of any religion, or lacking a formal religion, can attain the highest goal in Tai Chi Chuan, including attaining the Tao. If we take Taoism to mean the way -- or more correct, a way, because Taoists like Buddhists never claim that theirs is the only way -- and Taoist to mean a seeker of the way, then anyone practising spiritual cultivation is a Taoist by definition       TAIJIQUAN FOR HEALTH, COMBAT AND SPIRITUAL CULTIVATION What does Taijiquan mean? Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) is a wonderful martial art. Besides being very effective for combat it is also excellent for health promotion and spiritual cultivation. Many people, however, are not aware of its combative and spiritual aspects. Even those who practise Taijiquan solely for health often do not get the best benefits of its health aspect. This article will explain why, and suggest ways you may adopt to get more benefits from your Taijiquan training. The term 'Taijiquan' is a short form of 'Taiji quanfa'. 'Taiji' is the Chinese word meaning 'the grand ultimate' or the cosmos. And 'quanfa' means 'fist techniques' or martial art. Taijiquan, therefore, means 'Cosmos Kungfu'. Indeed every movement in Taijiquan is made according to martial considerations, i.e. a Taijiquan practitioner moves the way he moves in a Taijiquan performance because that particular way gives him the best technical advantage in a given combat situation. Hence if you say that you practise Taijiquan for health and not for fighting, you probably do not realize that Taijiquan actually means Cosmos martial art, and that virtually all great Taijiquan masters in the past practised it for fighting. Practising Taijiquan as a Martial Art A martial artist has to be fit and healthy. otherwise he will be unable to fight well, or the martial art he practises is not wholesome. Different martial arts have different ways of training. In some arts, the practitioners have to strike sandbags, lift weights and often sustain hits in sparring. If you want powerful strikes, strong muscles and do not mind some injury sustained in sparring (which is often unattended to), you may choose such martial arts.    But if you prefer a more gentle approach to developing power and stamina, as well as calmness and mental freshness (which are not readily found in martial arts that emphasize aggressiveness and brutality), practising Taijiquan as a martial art is an excellent choice. Hits are sometimes sustained in Taijiquan sparring too, but unlike in many other martail arts where such hits are routinely left untreated, such accidental injury which is far less often in Taijiquan than in most other arts, is relieved by the nternal energy flow which forms an integral part of Taijiquan training. But if you prefer a more gentle approach to developing power and stamina, as well as calmness and mental freshness (which are not readily found in martial arts that emphasize aggressiveness and brutality), practising Taijiquan as a martial art is an excellent choice. Hits are sometimes sustained in Taijiquan sparring too, but unlike in many other martail arts where such hits are routinely left untreated, such accidental injury which is far less often in Taijiquan than in most other arts, is relieved by the internal energy flow which forms an integral part of Taijiquan training How can a student tell whether he is practising Taijiquan as a dance or as a martial art? It is actually quite easy, although it is amazing how very few students have given a thought to it. If much of the training time is given to performing beautiful external forms, with little or no training to develop internal force and combat efficiency, it is likely to be a Taiji dance. If after learning the external forms, the onus of the training is to develop internal force and combat efficiency, Taijiquan is practised as a martial art, which was also the way all great Taijiquan masters practised it in the past. Taijiquan for Spiritual Cultivation Yet, more than an excellent martial art, Taijiquan is a programme for spiritual cultivation, irrespective of race, culture and religion. Of course, not many people are ready for, or interested in, spiritual cultivation; that is the reason why this spiritual aspect of Taijiquan is seldom discussed and little known. Actually, spiritual cultivation was the original aim of Taijiquan when it was first evolved from Shaolin Kungfu by Zhang San Feng. The concern of this great Taoist master far surpassed petty fighting; he developed Taijiquan to further his spiritual quest to merge with the great void. Some Taijiquan exponents, especially those of the Chen style, regonize Chen Wang Ting instead of Zhang San Feng as the First Patriarch of Taijiquan. Chen Wang Ting was a great scholar-general at the end of the Ming Dynasty. If you examine his poems you can find much evidence that his main concern, like that of Zhang San Feng a few centuries before him, was spiritual development rather than martial efficiency. The following lines from his poem are illustrative: Now I only have the 'Classic of Yellow Palace' to accompany me. In times of leisure I invent martial art, In times of activity I farm the fields, And teach children and grandchildren to be strong and healthy to meet life's expediencies. Practising Taijiquan is helpful if you are interested in spiritual cultivation. If you can attain the advanced level of Taijiquan training whereby your form, energy flow and mind have beome one, you may have direct experiences that you are actually more than your physical body, thus giving you experiential result of spiritual cultivation which many people merely read about in books.     THE FLOWING CHARACTERISTICS OF TAIJIQUAN Taijiquan is often described as flowing. Can you please explain what does that mean? Do you know why Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) is regarded as a Taoist martial art? It is because both its philosophy and practice are derived from Lao Tzu's "Tao Te Ching", the principal canon of Taoism. In terms of philosophy, the principle of yin-yang is perhaps the most well known. In terms of practice, the flowing characteristic of Taijiquan is most noticeable. A performance of Taijiquan is often described as poetry in motion; this is mainly because of its exquisite flowing momentum. Taijiquan masters commonly tell their students that once they have started their Taijiquan movements, there is no beginning and no ending -- the whole set of Taijiquan is performed as one continuous flow     TAIJIQUAN (TAI CHI CHUAN) FOR EFFECTIVE COMBAT Question 1 Could you also exemplify Tai Chi Chuan exponents who solely practiced Tai Chi Chuan and could fight effectively in the past? Bodhi, United Kingdom Answer 1 Two modern examples are Wu Gong Yi and Wong Seng Yen. In the 1940s or 50s in Hong Kong, some martial artists from White Crane Kungfu commented that Tai Chi Chuan could not be used for fighting. Subsequently a public match, with the proceedings going to charity, was arranged between the Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan master Wu Gong Yi and the White Crane master, who was well known for his fighting ability and also much younger than the Tai Chi Chuan master. It was a much publicized fight. When blood was flowing profusely from the White Ctane Master's face, the referee stopped the match and declared it a draw. It was a tribute to both sides that they gracefully accepted the referree's wise decision, and remained friendly. In the 1950s in Singapore a duel was arranged between a Malaysian Tai Chi Chuan master Wong Seng Yen and a Singaporean international wrestling champion. The wrestler was in his prime age, whereas Wong Sen Yen was in his 50s. It was a serious duel. Both combatants signed an agreement that should there be injury or death, no one would be held responsible. But the match was to be conducted with a referee and umpires awarding points. Wong Seng Yen went round visiting his old friends telling them it might be the last time he saw them. In the match Wong Seng Yen, using purely Tai Chi Chuan techniques and tactics, easily threw the wrestler about. I could not remember the exact points, but they were something like 359 to 0. The wrestler could not even score a single point! Manifesting the qualities of a great master he was, Wong Seng Yen did not hurt the wrestler, he merely bounced him off; a lesser fighter would have smashed the wrestler's head or at least broken some of his bones. Sifu Wong Seng Yen and Sifu Wu Gong Yi have passed away, but they remain a great inspiration for us all. They not only demonstrated that Tai Chi Chuan by itself is a great martial art, but their actions put to utter shame martial artists who took pleasure in continuing to hurt their opponents when it was clear they had won.. Question 2 You have already said in your book that "If you want to be effective in self-defence you must develop internal force and practise combat applications" (The Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan, p.64). This seems to mean that Tai Chi Chuan is an absolutely independent martial arts. Could you please explain more? Answer 2 Yes, Tai Chi Chuan is an absolutely independent martial art. By itself, absolutely without having to take anything whatsoever from outside -- like taking warm-up exercises from the West, chi kung exercises from other chi kung types, fighting techniques from other martial arts -- Tai Chi Chuan is exceedingly effective for fighting. More than this, Tai Chi Chuan is a comprehensive programme for physical, emotional, mental and spiritual development. It is complete by itself. By practising just Tai Chi Chuan, without having to add anything from outside, one can be radiantly healthy, emotional calm, mentally fresh and may attain the highest spiritual fulfilment. It may sound too good to be true, and it would sound impossible to those who practise only Tai Chi dance, but it is true. Question 3 I'm trying to take up a self-defence art and considering Taijichuan as an option. Is it good to take up Chen Jia Taiji or is a more "external" form better? Is Taijichuan an adequate form of self defence compared to other arts? And how do you go about looking for a good Taiji sifu? Hui, Singapore Answer 3 Taijiquan is an excellent option. If you pay more emphasis on self-defence, Chen Jia Taijiquan (Chen Style Taijiquan) is generally the best choice. But other styles, so long as they are real Taijiquan, are also exceedingly effective for self-defence, as you can read in some of the questions and answers above. There is no such a thing as an "external form Taijiquan". If it has only external form but no internal aspects, it is not real Taijiquan; it may be Taiji dance. You should go about looking for a good Taijiquan sifu in a humble, determined manner. The first thing you have to find out is whether he teaches real Taijiquan (which will include, among other things, training for internal force and combat efficiency). He will not be easy to find; be aware that many teachers may be well known and have taught for many years, but they may only teach Taiji external form, not real Taijiquan. Finding a real Taijiquan teacher is difficult enough; getting him to teach you is more difficult. You have to accept the fact that he may have no interest, and certainly no obligation, to teach you even though you may be dying to learn Taijiquan. BASIC SELF-DEFENCE OF TAIJIQUAN - Part 1 - How would you use Taijiquan for self-defence? Taijiquan as a Martial Art Many people who practice Taijiquan, or Tai Chi Chuan, in the West may be surprised that it is actually an effective martial art. "Quan" (pronounced as "ch'uan") in the term "Taijiquan" is the short form for "quan fa", a Chinese term which corresponds to what westerners would call "kungfu". It is significant to note that "Shaolin Kungfu" is called "Shaolinquan" in Chinese, which is the short form for "Shaolin quan fa". "Taiji" means "the grand ultimate", which is the Chinese term for the cosmos. Hence, Taijiquan really means "Cosmos Kungfu". Taijiquan or Taiji Dance Even if your main objective of practicing Taijiquan is not for combat but for health, you still have to practice it as a martial art if you want to get value for your time and effort spent. If you practice it as a dance or some form of physical exercise, which will be inevitable if you miss its martial art aspects, the benefits you get from your Taiji dance or Taiji gymnastics are generally less than what you would get if you spend the same amount of time and effort on conventional dances and gymnastics typically found in the West. Becoming Healthier and Fitter as You Grow But if you practice Taijiquan as a martial art (although you may not be interested in fighting), your health benefits can be so remarkable that your dancing and gymnastics friends may find it hard to believe. While they may be panting for breath and often excitable after half an hour of active work-out, you can still be bouncing with energy yet relaxed after sparring for double the time. More remarkable is that at 50 and beyond, while your peers longed for the health and fitness gone by, you actually feel healthier and fitter than when you were 25. The most remarkable is that while many people yearn for something missing but they do not exactly know what they are seeking, you have inner peace and spiritual purpose in life. Taijiquan as Personal Cultivation How does a martial art provide such benefits? Or why do we practice a martial art if our main purpose is not to fight? Herein lie the beauty and wonders of Taijiquan, an exquisite and ingenious art developed by Taoists for "cultivation in normal times, subduing assilants in times of exigencies". Taoism, it may be significant to clarify, is not a religion as most westerners conceptualize what a religion is. "Tao" means the way, and in this context, the way to good health, longevity and spiritual joy. Explanation on how and why Taijiquan training is a process of such a cultivation is (and will be) found in other webpages; the purpose of this webpage is to illustrate some basic defence techniques of Taijiquan. Great Arts are Rare If you have been practicing Taijiquan (or what you think is Taijiquan) for many years, but find yourself no where near this Taoist cultivation, don't despair. Great arts in whatever times and places are rare, although their much diluted versions may be popular. But at least now you know that Taijiquan is not a dance or gymnastics, but a comprehensive programme for physical, emotional, mental and spiritual cultivation, you would know what to aim for should you decide to continue in its pursue. It is very important to realize that attainment in any art is through dedicated practical training, and not merely through reading or wishful thinking. The Four Attacks Attacks of course can come in countless ways, but to enable students to understand attacks better, past masters have classified all attacks into four major categories, namely • strikes • kicks • falls • holds The Four Strikes Strikes can come from any directions, but past masters have generalized them into four major directions, namely • top • middle • bottom • sides     The Four Kicks Like strikes, kicks are generalized into four major categories, namely • high • middle • low • sideway COMBAT APPLICATION OF TAIJIQUAN Can Taijiquan be Used for Fighting? Many people, especially in the West, will be quite surprised that Taijiquan can be effectively used for fighting. In fact the term "Taijiquan" means "cosmos martial art". All great Taijiquan masters since classical times have practised Taijiquan as a martial art and all Taijiquan classics have described it as a martial art, although the older texts often paid more attention to its function in spiritual cultivation than in combat efficiency. If you do not know the martial dimension of Taijiquan, you would have missed the essence of this wonderful art, and would probably have practised it as a dance. Even if your main intention of practising Taijiquan is for health reasons, you would have missed the best health benefits of Taijiquan if you do not practise it as a martial art. This is because if you practise Taijiquan as a dance, the most you can get are the benefits a dance can give such as flexibility, elegance, loosening muscles and blood circulation. The proverbial good health of a Taijiquan master, including his internal power, remarkable stamina and mental freshness, is obtainable only if you practise it as a martial art, i.e. if you train yourself to become a formidable fighter whereby these health features are essential. Amongst the various dimensions of Taijiquan, those of internal force cultivation and combat application are necessary if you train Taijiquan as a martial art. Without internal force a Taijiquan exponent would have no stamina to last a fight and no striking power to subdue an opponent; without knowing how to apply Taijiquan techniques to combat he would be helpless when attacked. Manifesting the yin-yang principle of the Taiji unity, internal force and combat application compliment each other. If a Taijiquan exponent has only internal force but no combat application, he may be able to give impressive demonstration of his power, such as taking punches without sustaining injury or sending a demonstration partner flying backward, but he would be unable to defend himself in a real fight. If he has only combat application but no internal force, he may be able to discuss the wonderful combative techniques of Taijiquan intellectually or perform some pre-arranged sparring elegantly, yet when involved in a real fight he may be easily defeated by a clumsy but mechanically stronger opponent. Internal force cultivation will be explained in another webpage; this webpage explain some combat applications of Taijiquan. All styles of Taijiquan are effective for combat; the examples illustrated here are taken from the Yang style.   The Flowing Movement of Taijiquan Some students may have heard that the First Patriarch of Yang Style Taijiquan, Yang Lu Chan, defeated all his challengers and he used only one Taijiquan pattern known as "Grasping Sparrow's Tail". Although many people may find it hard to believe, it is true that if you have sufficient internal force and are skillful in combat application, you can successfully employ just this one pattern, "Grasping Sparrow's Tail", to overcome virtually any forms of attack, irrespective of whether the attacks are punches, kicks, throws or holds! Photos 1 to 4, (right) which should be viewed clockwise, illustrate how this pattern may be used to counter a thrust punch, then fell the opponent onto the ground. In Photo 1 the opponent (illustrated by Goh Kok Hin) attacks with a thrust punch, which is a very common form of attack. The exponent (illustrated by Sifu Wong), beginning the Grasping Sparrow's Tail pattern, shifts his body backward slightly to avoid the punch.. Without any break, he wards off the thrust punch with the peng technique, Photo 2, then grips the opponent's throat and follows through with the li technique. Continuing smoothly in the same flowing movement, he fells the opponent onto the ground, Photo 3. Notice that the exponent's grip is still on the opponent's throat although the latter is already on the ground, Photo 4. If the exponent lets go his grip and walks away, the opponent could jump up and continue fighting, possibly striking the former from behind. In a life-death struggle, which fortunately are extremely rare nowadays, the exponent could maim or even kill the opponent by gripping hard at the latter's throat and tearing out the Adam's apple. But Taijiquan exponents, in line with the Taoist reverence for life, usually stop short of this fatal move and let the opponent go, after demonstrating his combative superiority.   If you learn from such self-taught "masters" you are not going to get good results even if you practice for a whole lifetime. On the other hand, if you learn form a genuine master, you will get better results in a much shorter time. Nevertheless, while learning from a genuine master, or at least a competent instructor, is important, there are other contributing factors too, and they are generalized into the following Five Steps to Deriving the Best Benefits from Your Training: Have a sound knowledge of the philosophy, scope and depth of the art you practice • Define your aims and objectives clearly • Seek a master for the best available methods to attain your aims and objectives • Practice, practice and practice • Assess your progress or otherwise with direct reference to your set aims and objectives •   Philosophy, Scope and Depth Understanding the philosophy, scope and depth of your chosen art is the essential first step if you want good result. Such an understanding acts like a map; it not only shows you the way and how to get there, but also the potential result at the destination. Without this understanding, many people not only waste a lot of time and are often lost along the way, but also they do not actually know what they are working at. If they understand, for example, that to practice chi kung or Taijiquan, actually means to work on energy flow or to train for combat efficiency, far less people would have wasted their time over exercises that at best are gymnastics or dance. If they further understand that the scope and depth of chi kung are much more than just energy flow, though working on energy flow is its essential foundation; and that the scope and depth of great kungfu like Shaolin and Taijiquan ae not just combat efficiency, though combat efficiency is the basic starting point, they would go beyond the foundation and basic to greater heights like vitality, longevity, mind expansion and spiritual fulfilment. Where can you obtain knowledge on the philosophy, scope and depth of your chosen art? There are two main sources: living masters and established classics. Obviously if you hear it from a self-styled scholar who himself has not experienced what he says, or read it from a book which merely repeats cliches, you are unlikely to benefit much. Living masters were rare even in the past; they are rarer nowadays. If you are so lucky to meet one, treat him with the respect as you would treat a living treasure. Showing Respect to the Master suggests the minimum you should do when meeting a living treasure. If you politely ask him relevant questions, he would answer them. If he gives excuses like the answers are too complicated for you to comprehend, or they involve secrets that you should not know (unless they really are secrets, which are not frequent in general questions), you are justified in suspecting whether he is a real master. Established classics were also rare in the past, but they are more readily available today. You need to overcome two obstacles to understand the classics. One, you need to know classical Chinese; and two, you need to have some background knowledge. Most people, especially in the West, have neither of these two conditions. Their alternative is modern, easy-to-read books clearly written and well illustrated by practicing masters. Therefore, in chosing a book for your prior reading, you should decide on the following three factors: whether the book is dull or interesting, whether it is written in jargon or simple language, and whether the author and his material are authentic. Defining Aims and Objectives It is so evident that without aims and objectives much of the learning or training is usually unfruitful, that mentioning this fact may become trite. Yet, most people practice chi kung or kungfu without set aims and objectives! Try asking some practitioners why do they practice chi kung or kungfu, and many of them will start searching for their aims or objectives after, not before, they have heard your question. Even if they have prior aims and objectives, often they are merely fashionable slogans, rather than real definitions to remind them of the direction of their training. For our puropose here, aims are general in their definition, and long-term in their attainment; whereas objectives are specific and short-term. For example, to be able to defend yourself is a general aim in your Taijiquan training, whereas to be able to release yourself from some particular locks and holds constitutes an objective. You should also set a time frame within which to accomplish your aims or objectives. Needless to say, you have to be realistic and reasonable when setting your time. For someone who has been suffering from an illness for years, for instance, it would be unreasonable to expect the disease to be overcome my just practicing certain chi kung exercises for only a few weeks. For convenience, objectiuves may be classified into personal objectives and course objectives. The choice of personal objectives depends on the needs and abilities of the person in question, and sometimes on his whims and fancy. Developing the art of tiger-claw, and performing well the Five Animals kungfu set are examples of personal objectives in Shaolin Kungfu training. Course objectives are related to the particular set of chi kung or kungfu exercises you intend to train for a period of time. For example, you may wish to spend six months on Golden Bridge training in Shaolin Kungfu, or on the Three Circles Stance in Taijiquan. In either case, developing powerful arms and solid stances is an appropriate course objective. To define your aims and objectives wisely, it is necessary to have some sound knowledge of the philosophy, scope and depth of the art in question. For example, if you do not understand that chi kung also promotes mind expansion and spirutual circultivation, you will be in no position to touch on the mind and spirit while you define your aims and objectives. If you think (mistakenly) that Taijiquan is merely moving your body, arms and legs gracefully, the aims and objectives you set for your Taijiquan training, no matter for how long you may practice, are necessarily limited by your narrow perspective. Seeking a Master for the Best Available Methods Having set your aims and objectives, the next logical step is to seek a master to help you realize your aims and objectives. Good masters are hard to find; you have to spend some time seeking them, but it is worth all your time and effort. The webpage Qualities of a Good Master will give you some ideas what to look for in your search. Remember it is you who seek the master; he may have neither the need nor the obligation to teach you. It is simply amazing why some people presume that just because they want to learn, a master is duty-bound to teach them. It is also illogical to presume that a master would not charge any fee for his teaching, that he could live on sunshine and water. The right attitude, which often turns out to be the best approach to a master, is for you to prove yourself to be a worthy student. If you cannot find a master, at least look for a competent instructor, who must qualify in the following two conditions. One, he must be professional, i.e. he knows what he is teaching. Someone who teaches a profund art like chi kung or kungfu, after having learnt it for a few months, literally does not know what he is teaching. He does not know, for instance, that he is teaching chi kung-like or kungfu-like dance or gymnastics and not real chi kung or kungfu. The second condition is that he must be ethical, i.e. he ensures what he teaches is beneficial, and if his students develop adverse side-effects he knows about them and is capable of rectifying them. A good master will choose the best available methods for you to acheive your aims and objectives. The selection will depend on numerous variables, such as your needs and abilities, the master's repertoire as well as enviromental factors and supportive resources. You may sometimes wonder if the choice made is a good one, but if he is a good master and has accepted you as his student, it is almsot always certain that he will choose the best method and procedure for you. Alternatively, you may have known from your reading or elsewhere some useful methods to accomplish your aims and objectives. Your task, therefore, is to seek for a master who can teach you your selected methods. However, if he advises you to make any changes -- such as in your aims or objectives, your previously selected methods, or the procedure of training -- it is again almost always certain that with his wider perspective and experience, he knows your needs and how to fulfill them better than you do. It is not without justification for the saying that real masters are worth more than their weight in gold. Practice, Practice and Practice The fourth step is the most important and takes the most time. It is significant to note that this step is "practice, practice and practice", and not "learn, learn and learn". In fact, frequently in chi kung and kungfu, especially at this stage, the more you learn the less you accomplish! This does not mean that learning is detrimental; in fact, learning about the philosophy, scope and depth of chi kung or kungfu is the first essential step to obtaining the best result in your training. But if your training is geared towards chi kung or kungfu proficiency, it is detrimental merely to learn, learn and learn. There are some crucial differences between practicing and learning. Practicing is practial and experiential; learning is theoretical and intellectual. Practicing deals with what has been known; its purpose is to develop and consolidate skills, force or ability. Learning deals with what is to be known; its purpose is to obtain new knowledge. Masters are made through practice, scholars through learning. Masters perform, and directly experience what they profess. Chi kung or kungfu masters, for example, can demonstrate internal force, and experience vitality and mental freshness. Scholars merely talk, but often have no direct experience of what they know. Nowadays there are many chi kung and kungfu scholars, especially in the West, but there are very few masters, even in the East. If you want to become a master, or just to be proficient, in chi kung or kungfu, you simply cannot escape this long process of practice, practice and practice. You do not practice just three times, or for three months, but preferably at least for three years. There is a saying that "three years of practice will bring a small success; ten years a big success". What you practice may be simple, and usually consists of only one or a few techniques! Actually it does not really matter what you practice, so long as you practice, practice and practice long enough, you will become a master of what you practice -- even if your chosen method is inferior. If you continuously strike your palms onto a sand bag, or strike your leg against a coconut tree every day for three years -- methods which are considered "inferior" in our Shaolin Wahnam School of Chi Kung and Kungfu -- you will become a master of iron palm or iron leg, and may have the power to kill a person with just one strike. Unless you are particularly fond of showing off your brute strength, breaking bricks or someone's bones with your palm or leg is normally not a rewarding thing to do. Hence, if you have acquired a good philosophical background in your first step, you will be in a better position to choose a "superior" method to practice in this fourth step for more rewarding results. Assessing Progress According to Aims and Objectives You should access your progress, or otherwise, according to your set amis and objectives. You must, of course, follow your master's advice and the conmditions required by the method of training. If your master asks you to breathe slowly and gently, it is sheer folly to attempt to be smarter than the teacher by breathing fast or forcefully. If the method requires you to practice daily for six months, it is a waste of your time and your teacher's effort if you discontinue your training after three weeks because you have not experienced any effect. If you follow your master's advice and practice according to the requirements of the established method, you will obtain the results that method is reputed to give. For example, Self-Manifested Chi Movement is reputed to clear energy blockage and balance energy level, and the pattern Grasping Sparrow's Tail in Yang Style Taijiquan is reputed to be an effective counter against all modes of attack. If you have practiced them correctly and adequately, you will have your energy blockage cleared, and be able to defend against all attacks. Why is this so? It is because the methods are established, which means they have been time tested for centuries to produce the expected results. If you do not derive the expected results, which may sometimes happen, the fault is usually traceable to one or more of the following three causes: the practice is incorrect or insufficient • the teacher is incompetent • the student is inadeqiate • Rectify the fault and the expected results will follow as a matter of course. Your assessment is made not only at the completion of the training but also regularly during the course itself. Of course modifications, but not complete changes, are made when necessary, but they should be done with the master's approval and supervision. These Five Steps to Maximun Results may enable you not only to obtain remarkable results in shorter time, but also to approach the full potential your training can offer. For example, students who do have the benefit of these five steps may be quite contented in their chi kung or kungfu training once they can cure their illness or attain combat efficiency, thinking that is all what chi kung and kungfu can do. Others who follow the five steps will understand a wider scope and greater depth of their art, and will therefore in a position to derive other benefits like mental clarity and spiritual joy. The Five Steps show not only the procedure to follow but also the relevant dimensions to cover, involving all the three essentials in any training, namely the method, the teacher and the student. Hence, with this understanding one can appreciate that to get the best results in any training, be it chi kung, Taijiquan, Shaolin Kungfu, playing the paino or painting, merely having good techniques is not enough, he (or she) must also have a good teacher and himself be a good student. With such advantages and foresight, it is not surprising you can achieve in six months what others may not be able to do so in six years.             A GLIMPSE INTO A VIP TAIJIQUAN COURSE VIPs and their wives practicing Wahnam Taijiquan for stress management and peak performance A Glimpse into a VIP Taijiquan Course Wahnam Taijiquan excellently serves the needs of leaders of commerce and industries. Besides helping them to manage stress and attain peak performance, it gives them vitality and mental freshness as well as provides them with some basic self-defence and recreation. Moreover it is convenient. It needs only about 15 minutes of practice in the comfort of their home. The following video clips give a glimpse of a four-day Taijiquan course specially designed for some corporate presidents and their wives, conducted in September 2005 at Villa de Leyva, a holiday resort on the Andes Mountains. Although most of the participants had no previous martial art experience, by the end of the course they could experience internal force and apply Taijiquan techniques for self defence. Cloud Hands Practicing “Cloud Hands” develops waist flexibility, energy flow and internal force. It is also an effective counter against many different attacks, or if one is skillful against all attacks! Notice that the participants in the video clip are in a chi kung state of mind, which is an important aspect in Taijiquan practice. The size of the video clip is 3.42 mb. Click here to enter. Chi Flow after Cloud Hands This video clip shows participants enjoying a chi flow and then standing meditation after practicing “Cloud Hands”. As both Taijiquan and Shaolin Kungfu are always practiced as chi kung in our school, Shaolin Wahnam, chi flow and meditation are integral parts of all kungfu training. In other words, Shaolin Wahnam students do not need to practice separate exercises to induce chi flow or enter into meditation; their kungfu training itself will enable them to do so. The size of the video clip is 618 kb. Click here to enter. Fa-Jing or Explode Force While “fa-jing” or “Explode Force” is taught at an advanced level in many Taijiquan schools, in Wahnam Taijiquan it is taught at the beginning as it is regarded in our school as a basic exercise, meaning one that forms the foundation for future progress. “Single Whip” is an effective pattern to train “fa-jing”. The exponent at the start of the video clip acting as a model for other participants to follow, is Sifu Piti Parra Duque, a Shaolin Wahnam instructor of Colombia. The size of the video clip is 4.36 mb. Click here to enter. Pushing Hands (1) The ability in “fa-jing” is put into practice in Pushing Hands, which by itself is a very important method to develop various combat skills. There are many kinds of Pushing Hands. Here participants practice pushing from the side. Appropriate footwork is required for successful application of Pushing Hands. The size of the video clip is 4.74 mb. Click here to enter. Pushing Hands (2) Skills, such as correct spacing, timing and footwork, and not muscular strength are required for successful Pushing Hands. Notice that here dainty ladies can effectively push hefty men around.. The size of the video clip is 2.84 mb. Click here to enter. Pushing Hands (3) In this Pushing Hands session, participants learn how to move to the back of an opponent. They also learn how to avoid being attacked from the back. The exponent in black kungfu suit is Sifu Rama Roberto Lamberti, the Chief Shaolin Wahnam Instructor of Latin America. It is evident from the video clip that these leaders of commerce and industries and their wives are having fun in their Taijiquan training. The size of the video clip is 4.96 mb. Click here to enter. Striking Hands While Pushing Hands develops combat skills, Striking Hands provides techniques for attack and defence. All the four categories of attacks and their counters are practiced in this four-day VIP Taijiquan Course. It is impressive that although the participant shown in this video, the wife of a corporate president, did not have any prior martial art experience, she has progressed so well that she could effectively defend against the fast attacks of Sifu Rama. The size of the video clip is 2.68 mb. Click here to enter. Felling Techniques This video clip shows participants learn Taijiquan felling techniques. With proper skills women could easily throw men around. Most of the participants, who are corporate presidents and their wives, had no previous Taijiquan or martial art experience. Being able to throw hefty opponents after just four days of lessons is quite a remarkable achievement. The size of the video clip is 4.68 mb. Click here to enter. Counters against Throws (1) How would you counter a backward throw? It is very simple if you have the necessary skills – so simple that many people may not believe it works, and may think what is shown in the video clip is choreographed. The two exponents at the start of the video are Sifu Jose Antonio and Sifu Diego Parra, Shaolin Wahnam instructors of Ecuador and Colombia respectively. In another part of the video, Sifu Rama demonstrates the counter-technique to a senior surgeon and a corporate president. The size of the video clip is 1.43 mb. Click here to enter. Counters against Throws (2) Isn’t it interesting that when an opponent attempts to throw you, at a time when he expects you to fall, he is fallen instead! It is even more interesting to see otherwise serious corporate presidents throwing one another and having fun. The size of the video clip is 3.02 mb. Click here to enter. Entering Tao After a lot of movements and a lot of laughter throwing one another, the participants enter Tao to experience inner peace and spiritual joy. On a professional note, entering Tao enable corporate presidents not only to manage stress but also to attain peak performance. The size of the video clip is 2.04 mb. Click here to enter.