Wild Lotus Arts: Tai Chi

Tai Chi Chuan

Tai Chi Chuan;

Translation from Chinese

Tai Chi- Supreme ultimate, grand terminus, supreme ridge pole

Chuan (fist or group, )

Picture Gerard in Yang shuo China 1997 and 1999 beside the Li river Huang Shuo
a picturesque haven for artists. On the right side top is Thomas Hu my Chen style teacher and friend. Bottom right is Sifu from New Park in Taipei who taught me the fan.

It has been translated as supreme ultimate soft fist. This moving meditation from China has stood the test of time over the centuries and survived due to its unique philosophy. It is a series of flowing movements called a form. There are various forms and schools. Gerard Teaches the Yang form and the Wu form plus various advanced sword, cutlass and fan forms.

The principles of the art are simple but require diligent practice to attain near perfection. Taoism, which is the philosophy behind the art, says there can be no absolute perfect but a relative perfection as consciousness keeps searching for improvement. The movements are circular and spiral. The breath is settled in the abdomen and allows us to free ourselves of unnecessary thoughts. The body is held upright and all the joints move freely as we centre our feet on the earth. This is our important link with Mother Nature. From this position of stability and flexibility we can move slowly in rhythm with the breath. It is excellent as a meditation and for improving posture, breathing, circulation, and low blood pressure. Picture Gerard in Yang Shuo China 1999.

The movements of Tai Chi are steady like the flow of the river of life

This prepares us for life as we practice each day, blending with the subtle emotional and physical forces, which are in everlasting change. The philosophy of the art says that NOW is the only constant entity, which one can be sure of and that too is

Nature Changes in a piecemeal way and this is one of the laws of the universe. Tai Chi is in harmony with the natural laws and allows us to change slowly. The movements are designed to blend us to slow, steady growth. All the movements unfold from one to another and are linked with one another just as the elements of earth, water, wind and fire are joined to form the wholeness of the forests, the oceans and the mountains.

Tai Chi is the lifetime study of personal energy called Chi, which is the essence of everything alive. In that process we learn better concentration, centering, self discipline, the relativity of all life and spirituality. The art is also a self-defense which is an optional side of its study and is among the most respected Chinese martial arts, which is taught only after years mental straining and hard styles (kung Fu).
Picture Gerard with sifu New Park Taipei 1982
Gerard teaches Chi Kung exercises to beginners and then the various short forms then moves to the longer Yang and Wu sets. The majestic long sword form (dragon spirit), powerful cutlass forms (tiger spirit) and scholars fan form are taught thereafter.

For more information on Tai Chi see Articles page.

Welcome to Wild Lotus Articles.

Tai Chi Chuan

Left Gerard 1984 New Park Taipei with sifu.
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Gerard's teacher is Sifu Yau Yee Kay from Melbourne one of the most advanced teachers in Australia originally from China. Gerard has studied widely in Asia, Beijing, Taipei, Hong Kong with Master Wong, Sifu Wu Taipei,Thomas Hu Yangshuo China and Grandmaster Chen. He is founding president of the Taijiquan Assoc. S.A. an umbrella body of Tai Chi players / teachers and a member of Tai Chi Australia Assoc.

Mr Yau Yee Kay from Australia is my long time Yahg style teacher below.

This is the Yang style slow cutlass form Mr Kay taught me.

Here is a link to an explanation of the cutlass

Click to listen

Forms
1. Chi Kung temple exercises - 1 term
2. Beijing 24 movement - 2 terms
3. The Wu form - 4 terms
4. The tiger broad sword medium speed - 2 terms
5. The Xian long dragon sword - 4 terms
6. Yang style Pushing hands, applications - 2 terms
7. The Oriental Healing units in Chinese massage - 2 units

Advanced Tai Chi

8. The Phoenix Fan form from New Park Taiwan
9. The fast cutlass Yang style
10 The Chen form from Yangshuo China
11 Long Yang 88 set
12 Double push hands, free style and applications
13 Meditation and study of Taoist classics
14 A study trip to China or Taiwan suggested

Travels
Taipei China 1984

I spent a brief training period in 84 in this fabulous city of interesting people studying in the New Park and with Master Wong.

Sifu in the new park taught me the fan a style from the kung fu system while Master Wong taught the old Yang style Tai Chi. The latter had many overseas students especially from France and I studied by night and in the early morning the fan form.

I found the fan with its kicks and round flowing movements very interesting and a challenge and it is always a joy to practice. I only tried to teach it to one student in Adelaide who last seen was in a monastery in Thailand studying Buddhism.

When one entered the trainings master Wong would give the student a Tai Chi name and mine was a splendid on "drunken dreamer". and here is the membership form for you to see. Teacher was very old and in his 80's then but very spritely and fit. He was also a big man for a Chinese.