Jing | ||
Internal/whole-body power | ||
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Li
Conventional power relies upon contracted muscle
strength, bone alignment and the rotation of the torso.
This is referred to as 'li' or 'external' power:
Over-contracted muscles
Locked joints
Using the arms independently of the body
Aggression
Force against force
These habits do
not work in a tai chi class. They represent a major impediment to
progress.
Whole-body strength
Whole-body strength (neigong) is quite different
to li.
The muscles remain relaxed throughout every
action.
This is seen as being 'soft' because the
muscles do not tense-up.
Whole-body movement
Whole-body movement (form) can be a sequence, a drill, a solo
qigong exercise or any
partnered exercise.
In fact, all aspects of
tai chi are opportunities
to use the body in this way.
Every movement you make should involve
the entire body moving as one.
Whole-body power
The ability to employ whole-body strength and
whole-body movement effectively is called 'jing' and
is part of what makes tai chi an 'internal'
martial art.
Power generation and practical
application are major areas of
development.
Kinetic (movement) energy
What matters in a martial art is the effect of your
actions.
Jing can be defined as 'your opponents
experience of the kinetic energy you manifest'.
It is sometimes spelled 'jin' or 'chin'.
Physical
Jing is a physical skill.
It is about how the body is moved and what you do with that movement.
Skill with jing requires the student to become very aware of their own body;
with their own muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, nervous system and
skeletal alignment.
3 levels of skill
There are 3 levels of skill with jing:
Obvious power (ming jing)
Hidden power (an jing)
Refined power (hua jing)
Ming jing is harder and longer, more forceful.
An jing is softer, shorter and requires greater skill.
Hua jing is subtle; covert. It employs elastic strength, twisting, change
and gentleness.
All forms of jing should feel effortless to perform. If there is any
struggling or forcing, this is li.
Energy release
Tai chi chuan (dynamic balancing boxing)
is interested in
how the body generates power and also the kinetic energy itself.
We discover how to store and release kinetic energy in an effective manner.
In order to be skilled, we must differentiate between different forms of
energy release.
13 methods
There were
designed to express kinetic energy:
Wardoff
Rollback
Push
Squeeze/press
Pluck
Split
Elbow
Bump/shoulder
Advance
Withdraw
See the left
See the right
Central equilibrium
Every movement in tai chi involves a
combination of these 13 methods.
Form
The purpose of 'form' is to shape and use kinetic
energy martially.
Form explores a massive variety of combat applications featuring the
13 methods.
Sensitivity
Kinetic energy is only one aspect of jing study.
Some jing pertain to sensitivity; considering the way in which you feel
(through touch) your partner's movement and
actions.
Sensitivity jing are not intended to be felt by your partner. The skill is
to use them unnoticed.
The obvious ones are 'listening' and 'understanding' jing.
Listening jing is your ability to feel what your partner is doing through
touch. Understanding jing is how you interpret and respond to that
information.
In both cases, your awareness must be unconscious. If you are thinking,
there is no jing. You must practice until you no longer realise you are
using them.
Your attacker is teaching you how to defeat them
In terms of listening, your opponent is everything.
Without them, you would have nobody to evade. There would be no need for
combat.
You must become a shadow, echoing your attacker, exquisitely sensitive to
their every movement.
The aim is to move as one.
This takes you into the realm of meditation.
Unless you are
present, you will not see/feel what is happening right in front of you.
Listen
Listening skill is far more than pushing hands.
If you cannot put the listening skill into actual combat and use it
effectively, why bother training it at all?
Maintaining contact (stick & adhere)
Tai chi requires you to
locate the opponent and make physical contact.
This contact has to be maintained.
They move, you move.
When you both move as one, they cannot strike you. As soon as the contact is
broken, they are free to attack again.
Page created 2 March 1995
Last updated
16 June 2023