Preface

Zhang Sanfeng watching a bird attack a snake.

Taijiquan (T’ai Chi Ch’uan), at its core, is not a martial art, at least not in the sense of what is commonly thought of as martial art. Taijiquan is not really even a system of self-defense. Rather, it’s a system of “defense against the self,” as the main premise of practical application has more to do with a disciplined and trained response so you will not make the errors and defects that cause injury to your self. If you were attacked, for example, Taijiquan teaches you to yield and use an attacker’s force against them, instead of relying on force, strength, speed, or techniques to overcome the opponent.

In nature, when snow falls upon a pine tree’s branch and the weight of the snow becomes extreme, the branch bends, the snow falls away, and the branch naturally snaps back into place. This is the same natural reactionary energy used within Taijiquan. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that Taijiquan is a martial art full of techniques relying on speed and strength. Even the story of how Zhang Sanfeng created Taijiquan demonstrates this aspect of using natural reactionary energy by relating how he had observed a snake defend itself against a bird’s attack. Briefly, when the bird attacked the snake’s head, the snake’s tail would respond. When the bird attacked the tail, the snake’s head responded. If the bird then went for the snake’s body, both the snake’s head and tail reacted.

When reading this book, keep this concept of using natural reactionary energy firmly rooted in your mind, rather than the practice of using external muscular force that is set forth in descriptions of many oth er martial art systems.

Taijiquan is based entirely on natural simplicity, which is so simple that it protects itself from discovery by most practitioners, especially those who attempt to view Taijiquan as a martial art.

The full scope of Taijiquan practice contains the following four benefits and goals:

1. Health and Longevity.

2. Defense Against the Self.

3. Mental Accomplishment and Wisdom.

4. Immortality and Internal Alchemy.

Although Taijiquan encompasses these four areas of practice and accomplishment, which sound difficult to achieve, they are all natural responses rooted in simplicity. Just as Zhang Sanfeng discovered long ago while seated in his meditation hut watching a bird attack a snake, the secret of the art lies in responding to what life throws at you in a natural, yielding, and simple manner. If you can keep this in mind and apply it to your life and practice, you can go far in acquiring the skills and benefits of Taijiquan.