Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Spread
of Wing Chun
Grandmaster Ip Chun:
his father & the popularity of
this style of Kung Fu
Lung Nourishing
Simple sitting exercises to
strengthen the lungs and
breathing
Chen Style
Tai Chi
Defining Yin & Yang 9 771358 377007 56
Cover: Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang
In the Yuan Dynasty, a group of scholars On hearing this, Master Jung
Qi Magazine is published by the Tse Qigong went to pay their respects to Master Jung Fung then invited each of the scholars to
Centre. Its aim is to bring you information not Fung, a very famous and wise monk who express their thoughts on what was good
readily available in the West. resided on Tianmu Mountain. Afterwards, and what was bad.
Editor: Michael Tse they sat down with the Master asked if The Third Scholar then spoke for
Deputy Editor: Darryl Moy they might take this opportunity to ask the first time and expressed his views as
Design Assistant David Drennan some questions. to what was good and what was bad.
Assistants: Sarah Bloomfield
John Hayes He nodded his agreement and so He said, “To yell at and beat others is
Martin Gale the First Scholar asked, “Master Jung bad. To respect and treat others in a
Fung, Buddhist teachings often speak of mannerly way is good.” But Master Jung
Legal Adviser: Tony Walsh
a person’s karmic reward for their good Fung shook his head and said, “Not
Proof Reading: Yvonne Dixon and bad deeds. It is said, ‘They are like a necessarily”.
Mike Stenson shadow, following the body wherever it The Fourth Scholar said, “Being
Marketing/Distribution: Jessica Blackwell
Sweden: Barbro Olsson
goes.’ Why is then that there are people greedy for wealth and taking another’s
who practise kind deeds but their family money is bad, not being greedy and
Consultants (Listed in alphabetical order):
and their descendants are not prosperous abiding by proper ways is good.” Again
Grandmaster Chan Chi Ho and successful? On the other hand, there Master Jung Fung shook his head and
Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang
Grandmaster Ip Chun are bad and wicked people who do said, “Not necessarily.”
Grandmaster Yang Meijun improper things, but their family and The remaining scholars all
Columnists: Glen Gossling
descendants do quite well. Where has the expressed their own views on what was
J. Reynolds Nelson Law of Cause and good and bad but
Dr. Shulan Tang Effect gone? Is Master Jung Fung still
Sihn Kei there no standard replied, “Not
Adam Wallace
in the Buddha’s necessarily”. So the
Readers may contact any of our contributors c/o teachings?” scholars then decided
Qi Magazine.
We encourage all our readers to contribute articles, letters Master Jung to ask the Master
or questions for possible inclusion in future issues of Fung answered the what is really
Qi Magazine.
Articles appearing in Qi Magazine do not necessarily scholar saying, considered good and
reflect the opinion of the editor. Adverts appearing in the “Ordinary people what is really
magazine are not necessarily endorsed by it or the editor.
Exercises appearing in Qi Magazine are for reference are blinded by considered bad.
purposes only. Thus anyone wishing to study should seek worldly views and Master Jung
qualified tuition.
have not cleansed Fung said, “ To do
Michael Tse 2001. their minds of things with the
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored or transmitted in any way without the
impurities and intention of bringing
written permission of Michael Tse. cannot see with benefit to others is
Advertising: Qi Magazine has proved to be an effective true perception. good. To do things for
way of reaching a wide variety of people. All enquiries Therefore, they the sake of oneself is
welcome.
For UK call: 0161 929 4485 look upon true bad. If what we do is
For USA call: (808) 528 8501 goodness as for the sake of
Subscription: Costs per year: wrongdoings and benefiting another,
UK £20 inc p&p. mistake true then it does not matter
USA $35 inc p&p
Europe £25 (airmail) inc p&p. wrongdoings as if we yell at or beat
Worldwide £35 (airmail) inc p&p. goodness. This is that person, it is still
For UK/Europe/Worldwide very common
Please send payment in Pounds Sterling. Payment can be n o w a d a y s !
by Credit Card or Cheque, drawn on UK bank, payable to
Qi Magazine:
Qi Magazine
PO Box 59 Altrincham, WA15 8FS, UK
“When kindness
Furthermore, these people
do not blame themselves
for bad
Tel:0161 929 4485 Fax: 0161 9294489
email: tse@qimagazine.com
For USA/Canada
perception on
their part, but
instead blame
springs from within
the heavens for
the heart, it is real
Please send payment in US Dollars. Payment can be by
Credit Card or Check payable to Qi Magazine:
their misfortunes!”
Tse Qigong Centre
The Second
PO Box 15807, Honolulu HI 96830
Scholar then said, “ Good is good and
goodness”
Tel: (808) 528 8501 Fax:(520) 441 6578
email tse@wildgooseqigong.com bad is bad. How can they be mistaken
http://www.qimagazine.com for each other?”
ISSN 1358-3778
... continued on page 8
Qi Magazine 1
1 Editorial
with Michael Tse.
3 PO Box
Qi Magazine 3
encompasses all of these and allows you only comes from a long period of training. just before you go to work, but when you
to train kicking and use of energy in Whichever martial art you choose, you come home as well, to release the energy
attacks. So it is not just about training in should enjoy it and also make sure that you gathered through the day.
a ‘hard’ way, it must be balanced. If you your instructor is following the principles Yours sincerely,
train yourself to be hard all of the time, of that art. Otherwise, no matter that you Michael Tse
do you think this follows Wing Chun learn both skills, you still may have only
principles? In that case, how do you apply
sensitivity? Strong does not equal
half an apple with each.
Yours sincerely, Question:
sensitivity. You must be relaxed in order Michael Tse Q. I was wondering is there any
to feel and sense your opponent’s energy.
This, along with centreline attacks, is the Negative difference to my Qi development when I
practise with my friend in the same
foundation of Wing Chun principles.
As for Taijiquan, many people only Advice room?
see slow and soft movements thinking that Dear Michael, A. It depends on the person, how
this is all that there is. Actually, there are I would like your advice on the healthy they are. If you are both quite
many styles of Taijiquan, but it has been following: Are a social worker and healthy, then it will create a stronger Qi
documented that all of these styles are counsellor ’s jobs dangerous and field when you do meditation together for
derived from Chen Taijiquan, the founder polluting to the body’s Qi because they instance. This is why I have everyone join
of whom was Chen Wanting of the Ming are open to peoples’ problems? How can together to do meditation in a circle at
Dynasty. During this time, there was a lot Qigong help? Thanks and hope you will the end of my classes. All together, it
reply soon because I thought creates a very strong Qi and then
of changing the above jobs everyone can benefit and start to feel the
mentioned. effects of meditation more so than they
Regards, TCL, would on their own.
Singapore
Qi Magazine 4
Ghosts HONG KONG
QIGONG
Dear Sifu,
Mind Body Spirit
When people claim to see a ghost, are they really seeing a ghost or a
person’s spirit from another time and dimension or does our own mind- On 10 June, the Tse Qigong
intent create these images? There are many children who claim to see ghosts Centre participated in a Hong Kong Mind
or transparent figures in their houses. Also, are haunted houses affected Body Spirit Open Day. Lawrence Tse
from a person’s own energy and Qi and perhaps very bad feng shui within demonstrated some exercises from the
the house? I have often heard about haunted houses and each time the Balancing and Healthy Living Gong sets,
house is based around a bad area or has a bad history. Thank you for taking using them as examples of ways Qigong
the time to answer my questions. can be used for healing certain illnesses.
B, Nottingham His demonstration stimulated a lot of
people to ask for information about the
Dear B, Centre. This is good as many Chinese
I think many people would like to know the answer to these questions, people are often skeptical whether Qi
even myself! I cannot answer this question based on my personal experience really exists, particularly in commercial
of having seen a ghost myself, only on stories people have told me. For instance, Hong Kong. Qigong massage was also
in Hong Kong, one of my best friend’s wife says she can see ghosts , and not offered and it proved to be very popular,
only that, she also sees quite scary things like blood dripping down walls. She with many people, both Westerners and
sees all the time. Another student’s wife, says that her mother can see ghosts Chinese, queuing up for a treatment.
and once, when she was a little girl out walking with her mum and brother,
her mum suddenly pulled them to one side, even though there was nobody
there. Afterwards they asked why and she said it was because there was a
ghost person walking in front of them and that she was giving way to him.
BBC Exposes
Even my own mother is very sensitive for these things. Once when I
was a teenager, I had gone out with my friends to the Moon Festival. It was
Fake Qigong
quite late when I came home and I was very tired but before I could even sit BBC Radio 5 recently exposed a
down my mum almost shouted at me, telling me to be more careful as I had fake Qigong teacher / healer during one
let someone walk in the door after me. It made me have goose bumps on the of their late night shows. The teacher
back of my neck and it made me nervous for awhile because of course, I did who is active mainly in Yorkshire and
not see anyone there. Afterwards, I forgot about it as I did not want to think Nottinghamshire has been charging
about it. I know the more you think about these things, then the more sensitive people upto £10,000 for treatment with
and open you become. promises of miraculous cures.
Your sincerely Michael Tse Qi Magazine did discuss this very
teacher and his various exploits a
number of years ago. Unfortunately it
2. How is an instructor course develop naturally. You should study
seems that the person in question is still
structured? Is there a core syllabus of Qigong to make yourself healthy not with
up to his old tricks. Even more, he is even
practice and techniques or does one the goal of being a healer or instructor
using the name Wild Goose. We can only
specialize immediately? first. Otherwise, your focus will be too
presume he is either trying to attach
3. What is the cost associated with concentrated on so many details and you
some authenticity to his style or once
achieving instructor-level status? will miss the concept of relaxation and
more attempting to mislead people
4. What are my opportunities for energy.
looking for the real skill.
learning Hard Qigong, and how long When you come to the Centre, you
We can see that as Qigong
does it take complete, say, Level 1? are becoming a part of a family and we
becomes more and more popular, more
5. Do your courses involve all respect and help each other. There are
unscrupulous people will try and exploit
studying in any detail the acupuncture many people who would like to be
it. All we can do is make sure that the
points or Qigong massage or certified by the Centre, but whether they
true skills are preserved and popularised.
acupressure? have the patience and heart is another
Then when the general public is more
matter. So first, I recommend you see if
aware, they will not be tricked so easily.
I look forward to hearing from you and you enjoy the Qigong and if it is fit for
We would say to those looking for a
to any insights you can offer on you and then, just take it one step at a
teacher, to make sure you check their
finding a path. time. When we taste too many things too
history and background and also see
Yours gratefully, RB fast, it can spoil your taste for what is right.
some evidence that their teacher has
The best is that you try one thing at a time
given them authority to teach before you
Dear RB, and see what you think. Then when you
commit yourselves, and to those who
You have a lot of ideas but the know what is right for you, you can
take advantage of others “What goes
best is you begin your studies and see how concentrate to develop.
round comes around.”
you feel. If it is right, then everything will Best wishes, Michael Tse
Qi Magazine 5
Qigong Side Effects Qigong is a very profound skill. It
can be simple and it can be hard. It can
be deep and it can be shallow. But in all
these cases, one has to follow the right
principles. Too many people learn a little
Dear Michael, bit and then think they know the whole
I was reading your magazine Dear A, story. Actually, all they have seen is one
about Qigong and side effects and it Qigong side effects are not just a chapter and do not even know the
prompted me to write. This is what joke and can be serious as you have ending. Some people do not even know
happened to me while meditating found out. Qigong side effects can easily that much, having only read a few
some years ago. I was seated in the happen when paragraphs before thinking they are
half lotus position concentrating on my we try to qualified to pass on skill.
energy going to my Dantian and from direct our Qigong is a profound skill
there to my Huiyin point and then to Qi using because it deals with energy and the
the point on my back which is opposite t h e internal body and the mind. When we
to my Dantian and then up my back understand how Qi flows in the body and
to another point onto the head and how it relates to the channels and
then guiding the energy back down acupuncture points, when we understand
to the Dantian. how it is dispersed through the internal
I was doing this for some time organs and feeds the cells and nourishes
and the energy was running the rest of the body, we know it is not
smoothly and my eyes were out of simple. That is not to say the beginner
focus when suddenly all I could needs to understand Qi on this kind
see was a line of energy going of level, but the instructor does. That
around my body following the is why each proper Qigong method
passage I described earlier. will have its own principles which
Then I could see my Chakras need to be followed. If an instructor
glowing brightly and the does not know the principles, then
next minute it seemed like how can they teach their students
I was out of my body and
out in space. A lot of
strange ideas started
running through my
mind. Some of these
ideas were about
pressure points on the
body and how they were
similar to the stone circles
and leylines on the earth.
“One has
to follow
I also thought something Dr Xie Peiqi demonstrating meditation from
about the plants in the the Yin style of Bagua Zhang
universe and this made me
realise how we are all one with the mind and visualisation.
This may not always be a
the right
universe or a heavenly body.
After this experience, quite a problem – but if the person
few months later, I had a nervous does not know enough
breakdown. I still suffer with voices in about how to settle their Qi
my head and also I am very sensitive and bring it back to their
principles”
to energy. It sometimes feels like Dantian, then problems can
someone is sending bad energy to me. arise. It is like leaving your
I also get a sensation like energy balls car in high gear all the time.
in my body which are popping. Of course, we know, we
It is very strange, and would should only use it at certain
like to know can you explain any of times, like when overtaking
these experiences to me, please. Also another car to give us more
are there any exercises which I can do acceleration. But if you use it all the
to stop getting the voices and the other time, even when just going to the shop to properly? In the end, students of these
effects as well. I realise you are not a buy bread or drive to and from work, it is unqualified instructors can find
doctor but would gladly try anything like someone is putting pressure on you themselves with some of the same
to get better. all the time. It will cause stress and problems which you have experienced or
Best wishes, A nervousness and other problems. even worse.
Qi Magazine 6
The style of Qigong which I teach,
Dayan Qigong, does not use visualisation.
Instead, the movements guide the Qi. For
instance, in the movement Draw Wings to
the Back from Wild Goose Qigong 1 st 64
, we close the five fingers in a special
position call Plum Blossom claw and then
bring the Qi back the Shenshu points,
touching with the Hegu points. This
stimulates the kidneys without us even
having to think about it. However, if
someone does not follow the principles and
forgets to close the fingers or brings the
Qi to a different place on the body, then it
will not bring the benefit that it could.
Other movements, if done improperly, may
have a more serious effect, like back
problems or hypertension. If they are trying
to do visualisation of the Qi as well, it can
cause mental problems.
Sometimes people put too much
emphasis on things, thinking that they will
get a better result if they use lots of
concentration. Just because we use more
force, does not mean that it will have a
good result. I have told the story many
times in my lectures about the farmer who
wanted to make his rice grow faster. He
grew tired of waiting for it to grow taller,
so one day he comes up with an idea. So
that day, he tugged on each shoot, pulling
Tse Qigong Centre UK
it upwards a few centimetres, hoping to PO Box 59
help it ‘grow’ faster. Of course, what
happened? The next day, he came back to Altrincham WA15 8FS
his field and all his plants had died.
Everything in life has to come
0845 838 2285
naturally. We cannot force results, +44 161 929 4485
particularly in Qigong. You should always
make sure you study with a properly tse@qimagazine.com
qualified instructor, finding out who their
teacher is and who their teacher’s teacher
is. Find out about the history of the Qigong
method itself. How long has it been
around? What are its principles? There are Everyday we receive many letters from people all over the world, sometimes asking for advice,
many, many different Qigong styles to sometimes just sharing their experience. Unless specifically asked otherwise, we will consider these
choose from now days. Sometimes people letters for possible publication in Qi Magazine. In this way, we all come together like a family and
will learn more than one style and even share and help each other. That is the reason I began Qi Magazine and particularly the PO Box.
mix them up. This too can cause a bad - Michael Tse
result. If you study more than one style,
If there is anything you wish to share with others, any news or any announcements you would like
then you should not practise them at the
same time, but always separate them
to make, send them to us. We also welcome articles (800 - 1000 words in length) on topics
because the energy they produce may be appropriate.
completely different and not compatible. Please write to:
It could be like mixing vinegar and tea and
trying to drink it. This is why I always UK USA
recommend that people study with a
qualified teacher. Otherwise, you are Qi Magazine Tse Qigong Centre
PO Box 59, PO Box 15807,
drinking from a cup that you do not know
Altrincham WA15 8FS. UK. Honolulu, HI 96830. USA.
if it is clean or dirty. email tse@wildgooseqigong.com
email tse@qimagazine.com
Yours sincerely,
Michael Tse
Qi Magazine 7
something which helps that person harm I find that I am less upset and that the
themselves and this is bad. whole day will be smoother.
So if you are not sure, then why Another example, when I go to the
not buy them food instead and give this supermarket, I no longer try to find the
considered good. If our intention is for to them instead of the money. In this way, closest parking space to the store.
self-benefit, then regardless of our you know you have done the right thing. Instead, I will park further away and let
appearance of respect and courtesy, it is Today, many people think that by giving someone else take that space. When I
still considered bad.” money away or helping others that they am in London, on the underground or
“Therefore, when we practise kind have done a good deed. For instance, bus, I now prefer to stand if it is crowded,
deeds with the sole intention of say you want to heal someone or teach leaving that space for someone else.
benefiting others, this is considered somebody skill. Before you do this, first, These are just a few small things we can
benefiting the public and if it is public, are you healthy enough to heal? Are you do which will help others without others
then it is real goodness. If we only think qualified to teach? Or will you pass on noticing or calling attention to ourselves.
of ourselves while doing kind acts, then another problem to the person you are This is good for our heart and attitude
that is considered private benefit and this trying to help? If you are ill and you give and affect our Qi, making us calmer. This
is false goodness. When kindness springs someone a treatment, you will pass on in turn will make us healthier as we will
from within the heart, it is real goodness. your negative energy on to another not be so stressful for things.
When we do good just for the sake of person. If you are ill, you should use your Sometimes we will do things that
doing a good deed, then it is false. In energy to make yourself healthy first. will affect other people negatively. For
addition, when we do good without After I heard Master Jung Fung’s example, you like to listen to music loudly.
expecting anything in return, it is explanation of good and bad, it changed That is fine if others around you do not
considered real goodness. “When we my attitude for certain things. For mind or if you are on your own. But
practise kind deeds for some other example, when I drive now, I will give maybe your neighbour or your partner
purpose than to benefit others, it is false. way to other cars now, instead of trying does not like it. If you keep doing it, then
Those who wish to practise true kindness to be first or faster. This is good for other it is making more bad karma for yourself.
need to contemplate all these people. Why do I have to be first? It does Confucius said, “Making other
differences.” not cost me a lot of time but afterwards, people happy is your own true
happiness.”
Qi Magazine 8
Yin and Yang are at the heart of any system of Taijiquan. They have many
attributes. Yin and Yang can be dark and light, earth and heaven, death and life; any
phenomenon can be described in terms of Yin and Yang. For Taijiquan some of the more
important attributes are: movement and stillness, hard and soft, fast and slow, forwards
and back, open and close.
I
t can be said that Yin and Yang are
more clearly differentiated in Chen
Taijiquan than any of the other
Taiji & Pao Choi,
systems. Chen clearly has fast
movements and slow movements, hard
movements and soft movements. This
Old & New Frames
is not to say that other styles do not use
practice the body should be sufficiently The Chen New Frame is directly
Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are, after
conditioned to enable you to do the Pao comparable with the Old Frame. Both
all, relative terms. You can make ever
Choi form without seriously injuring start with the relatively soft form based
more subtle differentiations between
yourself. on Taiji principles and then work through
shades of grey or you can have sharply
The Pao Choi in both Old and various weapons to develop skill and
contrasting blacks and whites. In some
New Frames reverses the principles of the power finally arriving at the Pao Choi.
senses it is an aesthetic choice, in others
Taiji form. In the Taiji form Yin leads Yang The real difference between the
it is a matter of intention and
while in the Pao Choi Yang leads Yin. The Old Frame and the New Frame is that
application. Even within the Chen
Pao Choi emphasises the use of the New Frame is never simple. It is like
system you can see different degrees
Fajing. Fajing is the method by a symphony. Multiple refrains and
of polarity between Yin and Yang
which Taiji systems generate melodies interweave. In the New Frame
when you compare Old and New
power. There are a few Fajing each limb is doing something different,
Frames, Taiji and Pao Choi.
techniques in the first form but sometimes co-ordinating and sometimes
Chen Taijiquan
In the Old Frame the Taiji
they are usually first taught complementing. Techniques are multiple
principle is expressed in a
without the Fajing energy. and simultaneous. It is a high level
number of ways. The most
This is introduced later system. The Old Frame draws the circle
obvious is the concept of the circle.
once the posture is large and uses it to define the limits of
In the first of the silk reeling exercises
correct and the the body. The new frame draws much
one hand is moved in a circle in front
movements are smooth smaller circles. It assumes that you
of the body. During the movement
and relaxed. It is not already know the limits of your body. It
around the circle the hand moves
possible to use Fa- draws several circles at a time and it uses
from Yin to Yang and Yang to Yin.
jing when tense and several planes.
In this particular exercise the
if your posture is The New Frame uses spirals to
further the hand is away from the
incorrect you will create multiple centres that can shift and
Dantian the more Yang it is and
injure yourself. move. This is the heart of its martial
the closer to the Dantian the
To draw a technique. You disguise your own centre
more Yin it is. If you are doing
comparison, it is while taking control of your opponent’s
the exercise with the right hand
a little like and by taking it outside of their limits,
then there is a relationship of
doing one their body is forced to rotate around the
equivalence between the right
finger external centre that you have created, or
hand and the left foot. Another
hand break. The theory is of course much more
way of considering this exercise
simple than the practice. The beauty of
is to imagine an invisible circle
stands; the new frame is like that of a symphony.
around the body. This circle
very few Although there is tremendous complexity,
represents the limit of
people are there is also structure and clarity. The
movement. Its centre is the
able to do them movements are dynamic; sometimes soft
Dantian. The hand moves away
without spending and subtle and sometimes combining
from the Dantian and when it reaches
some time refining their into a unified sweep that delivers a
the extreme limit it returns. The same is
technique and sudden burst of power that is shocking
true of the left foot. This is what is meant
conditioning their body. in its raw brutality. Like the best
by opening and closing.
Taiji as a system works from soft symphonies the New Frame is a cultural
At the same time you learn to co-
to hard. This is one of the ways in which product that has been developed down
ordinate breathing in with opening and
it balances itself as a system. Kung Fu the ages. Many individuals sought and
breathing out with closing. Thus the
systems often work in the reverse manner attained excellence. They passed their
inhaling and exhaling become part of
- starting with simple hard and energetic skills down the generations until the
the Yin Yang cycle. The Old Frame
forms and then building up in complexity genius of Chen Fake refined them into
gradually builds up layers of skill giving
and introducing soft Qigong elements at the coherent system which is distilled in
time for each new skill to become
the more advanced stages. Taiji toughens these forms
habituated into the body by many
the body from the inside out. Glenn Gossling
repetitions. After several years of email: glenn@qimgazine.com
Qi Magazine 9
Good Chinese doctors can tell the condition
of your health just from your appearance. This is
because your appearance is like a mirror image of
your internal condition. Like everything in TCM,
internal and external are linked together.
The Complexion
l o o k s Prescription: Jin Ju Di Dan Wan
T
he condition of the complexion Yin and Yang are in good balance, then
is not considered as an illness yet you will be healthy and look bright”. If 3. Patchy Complexion
it is an important sign of health for you have an imbalance between Yin and Brown pigmentation on the face,
Traditional Chinese Medicine
everyone. No matter if you are a young Yang in your body it will show in a poor accompanied by backache, irregular
lady or an elderly woman, a young man complexion. Chinese herbal medicine menstruation, dark red tongue. Thready
or an elderly man. It makes no difference can help you to balance the Yin and Yang hesitant pulse, usually seen in women
if you are white, black or Asian race. The and regulate the Qi and blood to improve after labour.
healthy complexion is bright and shiny the complexion. Causes: Deficiency of blood and
and a good shape; not too fat or too thin, The most common types of poor stagnation of Qi
smooth and soft. A healthy complexion complexion and the causes and Treatment: Harmonise the Qi and blood
treatment are: in Chong and Ren channels.
1. A Pale Sallow Prescription Nu Bao, Tai Tai Kou Fu Ye,
complexion Shi Quan Da Bu Wan
It usually accompanies Diet: Dan Shen powder, take it daily as
tiredness, dizziness, poor coffee
concentration or memory,
insomnia, pale tongue with 4. Puffy Complexion
a thin white coating and a Puffiness in the face and eyelids,
deep thready pulse. Most accompanied by swollen fingers and legs,
usually seen in people backache, water retention, difficulty
suffering from anaemia. passing urine, overweight, pale and
Causes: Deficiency of blood enlarged tongue, moist white coating,
and blood fails to nourish the deep slow pulse.
complexion. Cause: Deficiency of the kidney Yang
Treatment: Tonify the blood Treatment: warm the kidney Yang to
to nourish the face induce urination
Prescription: Gui Pi Wan, Ren Prescription: Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan, Wu
Shen Yang Rong Wan, Ba Pi Yin, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan
Zhen Wan Diet: Yi Yi Reng, sweet corn, make it as
2. Red complexion rice pudding
A bright red face, possibly
acne, dry itching skin, 5. Thin Complexion
accompanied by hot flushes, The face looks thick accompanied by poor
headache, stress, appetite, chronic diarrhoea, and
palpitations, constipation lethargic, pink tongue with a thin white
and thirst. Red tongue with coating, thready weal pulse.
think yellow coating and a Causes: Deficiency of spleen Qi
rapid pulse. Treatment: enrich the spleen to improve
Causes: Excessive blood digestion
heat, rising liver Yang affects Prescription: Jiang Pi Wan,
the fact Bao He Wan
Treatment: Clear away the Diet: Fu Ling, boil it with soup
heat, cool the blood and Dr. Shulan Tang
calm the liver Yang email: shulan@qimagazine.com
Qi Magazine 10
4 Cicada Takes Off the Shell.
i. Lift both hands from the Futu points to the front of the
shoulders level, meanwhile breathe in with toes up. Fig 13
ii. Bend the fingers first, then bend wrists, bend the elbows at
the end put hands in front of the shoulders; meanwhile still
breathe in. Fig 14
iii. Turn your Hegu, Shangong, Erjieu, Sanjian, open to your
chest. Keep going down those acupoints, past the armpits
and then pass through urinary bladder channels up to the
coccyx meanwhile breathe out with toes down. Fig 15 fig 13 fig 15
iv. Bring both hands to the side of the waist with both wrists
bending, meanwhile breathe in with toes up. Fig 16
fig 14 fig 16
v. Bring up both hands to the shoulders level and still keep
the wrists bending, breathe in at the same time with toes
up. Fig 17
vi. Drop both hands as at the beginning, Laogong points on
Futu points. Fig 18
vii. Repeat all the movements three times, breathing in the same
as the last two movements and with the same sound. Relax
and tense are the same as well, only the concentration is
on the Laogong points this time. fig 17 fig 18
Lung
Nourishing
Gong
Part 2
Qi Magazine 12
fig 23 fig 25
fig 24 fig 26 fig 27
Qi Magazine 13
When you can find a good teacher, you are very lucky.
However, when you do find the teacher you want, you then
have to find out how to learn the skill. Even with them
standing in front of you, you might miss it.
Qi Magazine 14
“The hardest part is
energy. You see detail in the movement, but also start
see the to see the flow and energy. This is the
easy part is part that takes many years to achieve.
remembering Some people never get this part as once
The Dao
De Jing
Chapter One – Dao De Jing Nothing is the beginning of the universe.
Something is the mother of the universe.
If you can explain Dao, then this is not Dao.
If the things can be named, this is not the proper name. This means that everything starts from nothing. There
was no universe, there were no dinosaurs, there were no human
beings. No you and me. Nothing happened or changed. Once
This means Daoism cannot just be explained by giving
things happen, then it is like a mother. A mother creates
it a label. It is based upon how you feel and your understanding
children, but in this instance, mother also means parents. Things
at that moment. For instance, if you have an itchy back, then it
come, we are here, the universe is here, then all things are
is hard to explain to someone how to find and scratch that
created and many situations also arise from this. This is nature.
exact spot.
If you can allow yourself to be empty, then you will find
Chinese say, “You might understand it, but I cannot
that many interesting things will happen.
explain it.” This is how much of Chinese culture was developed,
based upon feeling and enlightenment. Some things cannot
be touched, cannot be seen, cannot be proven by science but When you are something, you will see the results.
can only be felt. Once you feel, then suddenly you realise you
understand it. To be empty is to not wish for anything or want to change
Many times people ask me how they can get anything. We will find that there are so many things that you
enlightenment. Basically, when the person asks this question, never expect will come. And when they come, they will come
they are not ready yet for enlightenment, even if it is right properly and steadily.
there in front of them. I can only answer, that when the time is However, people think to do nothing is a kind of laziness.
right, they will know and also understand. Therefore, Chinese This is wrong. Laziness is looking for comfort for yourself. To be
culture and philosophy have developed very differently than empty you can stand still and do nothing, like in meditation.
Western science. Daoism, often written as Taoism, is like this. Do one thing with concentration and consistency, with no
Qi Magazine 16
external changes, this is emptiness. However, inside, many Chapter Two
things are changing and it is these changes that are interesting.
They are positive and natural and the right way to progress.
Everybody knows what is beauty, because of this, ugliness
This is the same as a lot of Qigong principles. When we practise
exists.
and empty the mind, this is how the Qi will develop. This is
how all the Daoism magic develops, because they constantly Everybody knows that good exists, therefore, bad also exists.
do one thing without being affected from outside.
To be something, means you want something. You will Lao Tzu is very clever to look at things like this. Because
see the result. For example, I take a bus from the town to my people only see beauty and ugliness and good
home. This is and bad, they forget, that without this contrast,
something.
Because you “A wise person one cannot appreciate the difference between.
If you think yourself so pretty, remember, there
want something is always someone with more beauty. If you
and are making
plans for this,
expects things to go taste something very delicious, we should know
that there is something even better. However,
Qi Magazine 17
Tit Sin Kuen PaiIt has long been a goal of mine to
publish an article that accurately presents
the richness and depth of Iron Wire
Boxing. Nam Siu Lam Kuen (Nan
Shao Lin Quan, Southern Shaolin
Boxing) is generally considered a hard
external boxing system that focuses on
animal and elemental boxing techniques.
H
ung Ga Kuen (Hong Jia Quan, Hung Family Boxing)
Qi Magazine 18
of 14 sections totalling 216 movements or postures - relatively dangerous for the beginning student. I do agree internal health
longer than taught in the various Wong Fei Hung branches of or martial exercises must be practised under the guidance of a
Hung Ga Kuen. The difference in length, however, is of little qualified instructor, but I do not believe one must be a martial
relevance to the nature and focus of the form itself. The form artist to practice Iron Wire Boxing. We should remember that
presents as a balance of soft and hard, slow and fast, and fluid Leung Kwan taught this form to his friend, Lee Chong, a school
and abrupt movements – a harmonization of Yin and Yang. It teacher who was very ill with lung disease. Through daily
is this depth and richness that are the exact reasons I introduce training of Iron Wire Boxing Lee Chong’s health improved and
it to my students early on to build a proper foundation for he was cured of his disease.
Traditional Southern Siu Lam Boxing.
Growth in traditional arts is not a matter of weeks or
even years. Traditional arts are a path of life that require
decades of hard work. Traditional Siu Lam arts provide the
practitioner with a means by which to strengthen their body so
their mind may grow. Just as it takes many years for a seed to
grow into a tree and bear fruit, so too it takes many years for
the human body and mind to develop. If we wish to enjoy the
fruits of our labours then we must plant the seeds early on.
Within our lineage Iron Wire Boxing is the seed from which the
body and mind can ripen.
History
Looking back to the life of
Tit Kiu Sam provides us with a
glimpse into the origin and
purpose of training this system. Internal Concepts
Tit Kiu Sam was born Just like other internal arts, Iron Wire Boxing focuses
Leung Kwan, the third son of the heavily on the Three Treasures (Jing, Qi, Shen), proper body
Leung family. His family was alignment, and specific breathing techniques. Iron Wire Boxing
wealthy and paid for him to study also includes the use of specific emotions and sounds to
under several famous masters. facilitate the generation, movement, and release of Qi.
The instructor who had the most In terms of health the relationship between Jing, Qi,
significant influence on Leung and Shen (a concept well understood within Internal Boxing
Kwan’s development, however, styles) is that through building the body’s Qi we can convert it
was the monk Kwok Yan. It was to Jing which is then used to nourish the Shen. In practical
Kwok Yan who taught him the terms this means Qigong is used to nourish the body and
Rock Body and 12 Kiu Sau
techniques and it was through
training these techniques that Leung Kwan eventually
earned the nickname Tit Kiu Sam. Kwok Yan’s
“The form provides
an introduction to
influence was such that Leung Kwan spent many years
living at the Ching Chuk Temple (Qing Zhu Si). During
this time Leung Kwan’s perspective on life and the
focus of his martial arts training were no-doubtedly
influenced by the Buddhist teachings of the monks.
These principles would later be passed down through
Iron Wire Boxing.
dynamic yoga support
spiritual growth.
As far as martial arts
The form provides the practitioner with an
introduction to the dynamic yoga principles that are
central to Buddhistic boxing. It is this concept that
principles” are concerned I like to
describe Jing as the vehicle, Qi
as the fuel, and Shen as the
differentiates our lineage from the common idea that driver. This means it is the Shen
Hung Gar is a hard fighting style. Within our curriculum, (mind) that ultimately controls the manifestation of Qi. In
fighting skills are secondary to a practitioner’s personal and learning to control the Shen, a focused practitioner can lead
spiritual development. This may seem odd to many practitioners the Qi to any place inside or outside the body: an ability that
of Southern arts but we need only consider the goals of a monk has obvious relations to both healing and martial arts.
to understand this perspective. Nonetheless, we must also Through training Iron Wire we learn the flow of Qi can
remember Leung Kwan was, at his core, a martial artist and be regulated through controlled muscular tension. As
not a monk, so it should be no surprise that Iron Wire Boxing practitioners of internal arts know well, the more the joints or
contains many principles to improve one’s martial techniques. gua are open, the smoother the Qi will flow. In Iron Wire
In the end however, the merging of mind and body for Boxing, after the Qi is led to an area we then lock or store it
harnessing martial power or developing the spirit is the same. there through the use of specific muscular tension and
Many Hung Ga teachers claim Iron Wire Boxing must appropriate visualisation. This concept can be easily seen in
only be taught to the most advanced students as it is too the movement Tsai Kiu (Zhi Qiao) where the practitioner turns
Qi Magazine 19
the practitioner to recognize each emotion within their body
and how to let it pass or balance it with another emotion.
The Seven Emotions are long considered a major cause
of disease within Chinese medicine and are certainly the largest
obstacle to spiritual development within Buddhism. Each
emotion affects specific organs and can benefit or
damage one’s health. Within our version of
Iron Wire Boxing we mainly affect four
organs (although their paired organs are
also affected): the Kidney, Heart, Lung,
and Liver. The Kidneys are affected
through the generation of Qi and
its concentration in the Dantian.
Joy and Elation both affect the
Heart, Sadness the Lungs, and
Anger the Liver. When we look
to the role of each organ
according to Chinese medical
theory the purpose of the
inward with form becomes quickly
the emotion of sorrow and a strong obvious. The Kidney is our
contraction of the forearm (kiu sau, qiao source of life. The Lungs
shou, bridgearm) thereby compressing the dominate our Wei Qi
generated Qi into the deep tissues of the arm. Likewise (Defensive Qi) which is
we can see the use of body alignment and breathing closely related to our
techniques combined in the technique Ding Gam Kiu immune system and the
(Ding Jin Qiao) where we combine the softening and development of a martial
spreading sound “Hoh” with a posture where the hip artist’s Iron Shirt. The Qi of
gua is open, the shoulders are dropped, and the the Lungs also supports the
elbows sunk. Together the posture and sound Heart’s function of smoothly
allows the Qi to be softly spread out to the Kiu moving blood in the body. The
Sau (Qiao Shou) and throughout the body. Heart is the house of our Shen,
Integration of emotions within the our spirit, and as such directly
martial arts is quite rare. In Iron Wire as experiences all emotions and
practised within our lineage we use the Four controls our state of mind and
Feelings of joy, anger, elation, and spiritual development. Finally the
sadness. Incorporating the emotions Liver dominates the free flow of Qi
teaches the practitioner how to harness within the body. The only Zang or
the power of each emotion (think of Yin organ not directly affected
through Iron Wire Boxing is the Spleen
Qi Magazine 20
Channels through the twisting techniques or Kiu Sau Faat (Qiao Shou Fa). The 12 bridge-hands
of the waist. If you make the are techniques and principles that teach the practitioner how to
sound yourself, you will notice make contact and bridge the distance between with their
it begins low in the Dantian opponent. These twelve bridge-hand techniques form the core
and ends in the throat – a rising of Hung Gar boxing’s famous hand techniques, but can also be
sound. “Tsaaah” is the sound found in other southern styles such as Wing Chun Kuen (Yong
of sorrow, affects the Lungs, Chun Quan) and Choy Li Fut (Cai Li Fo).
and is an emotional turning Hidden within the movements of Iron Wire Boxing are also
inward. It is used with Tsai Kiu the six elbow techniques, an aspect that is rarely taught. Learning
(Controlling Bridge) where the to use the elbows, however, is an important step in understanding
forearms are contracted in such proper body mechanics and is very useful for applications. The
a manner that the Lung and its next time you have an opportunity to observe the form look beyond
paired organ the Large the hand techniques to find the power of the elbows. This is an
Intestine are contracted while important aspect of Iron Wire Boxing.
the other meridians of the arm Within our lineage the entire form takes about 11 minutes
to perform. We finish by performing Yau Lung Pa Kwa Kuen,
Swimming Dragon Ba Gua Fist (You Long Ba Gua Quan) to help
“Iron Wire Boxing balance the intense nature of Iron Wire. It is also advisable to
spend some time in seated meditation. Yin and Yang must always
be balanced.
teaches much more than Although Tit Kiu Sam was a small, thin
man, it is said he was able to lift six men and
carry them 400 metres. In reality it is very
the Iron Shirt” unlikely any person has the physical strength to
perform such an act, so the question is how
did this story develop? Tit Kiu Sam lived
are stretched. As you can see sounds are used for the effect they in a secluded Buddhist society for many
have themselves and combined with postures for their influence years studying Siu Lum arts. Through
over specific organs. the dynamic yoga exercises he
The above form the core principles of Iron Wire learned from Kwok Yan, Tit Kiu Sam
Boxing’s internal concepts. Harmonization of was able to bring together mind,
these concepts will take a lifetime and body, and spirit to perform some
certainly benefit the practitioner on many amazing physical feats.
levels. Guidance from an experienced Iron Wire Boxing
instructor becomes obviously represents a culmination of Tit Kiu
necessary when you consider the Sam’s martial experiences and
power created by bringing together can lead a person to be able to
the mind, breath, emotions, sound, perform similarly amazing feats of
and body. A well-schooled teacher physical strength, but that is not
should be aware of common side- the purpose of this form. To
effects of improper training and know understand Iron Wire Boxing we
how to adjust a practitioner’s form, should look back to Tit Kiu Sam’s
training, and lifestyle to treat the life and how he taught the form.
problem and prevent it’s recurrence. Harmonization of the emotions,
cultivation of the Three Treasures,
and mobilization of the body’s
External Concepts internal awareness all lead
Externally, Iron Wire Boxing is towards the monk’s goal of a
composed of 14 sections of various healthy body and mind. In the end
isometric and isotonic exercises that this is just one step on the path
are combined with the different towards spiritual enlightenment
emotions, sounds, and breathing but a very necessary one for the
patterns. Each emotion has a specific remaining changes to occur.
facial expression, breathing pattern, Despite my years of training I still
and sound; these in turn support each consider myself a student of this
physical technique. To the novice, system and enjoy interaction with
watching the form usually results in other serious practitioners. It is
laughter. To the advanced practitioner, through open communication
there is recognition and appreciation of a that we can develop a better
rare internal form. understanding of the many rich arts
As mentioned above, Leung Kwan was a first a martial handed down by the monks from China, please send any
artist and so it is not surprising that Iron Wire boxing teaches comments to Qi Magazine and they will be forwarded to me
martial techniques which can be found in the Twelve Bridge-hand Evert van der Meulen
Qi Magazine 21
Qi Magazine 22
Most people want to be good at what they do.
The study of Taijiquan is no exception. In order to be
good at Taijiquan, not only do your movements have
to be good, but also your energy and spirt.
As people train and become more experienced,
there are certain stages that they go through. If you
can understand where you are with your training, it
can help you to see where you are going and what else
you need to do.
Chen Taijiquan
Five Levels
of Taijiquan
I
f one hundred people study Taijiquan, then maybe only five
of these people can use it for self defence. Why is it like
this? Because most people only study Taijiquan for health.
They only practise the forms and many have never even done
Tui Shou (Pushing Hands). Many do not even realise Taijiquan
is a martial art. However, did you know that Tui Shou and forms
are equally important.
Tui Shou can help you understand forms, and forms improve
your Tui Shou skill. Tui Shou can help you understand how to
control your energy and how relaxed you should be. Many people
who do only forms, will never be able to understand how much
you need to relax to relate with another partner. We always think
we are relaxed, but when you touch hands with another person,
we are still quite stiff. Because you understand pushing hands, it
also means you understand the application of the movement.
When you do the form, you can relate how to do it properly.
Traditional classics on Taijiquan mentions that there five
different levels of skill. If you just want to do Taijiquan for health,
then it is not necessary to know these five levels, however, it will
improve your Taijiquan.
Qi Magazine 23
nine Yang’, like a hard stick. This is because when a beginner
Level One starts the form, they are just copying the movement from the
teacher. They still do not see the relaxation of the movement.
They still do not understand to co-ordinate the principles with
The name, ‘Taiji’, originally comes from the book, Yijing.
the movement. Just like a baby learning to walk, in the
Yijing means the Book of Changes. Generally, this book is used beginning they are quite imbalanced. This is very natural
for prediction, however, it is also an immense book on the though, because the beginner will firstly spend the time just
philosophy on the universe which tells us why things change. It trying to copy the movement. They will not consider about the
is a very profound book for anyone wanting to understand detail.
Chinese skill and culture.
This is understandable but many people, when they
The Yijing says that Wuji creates Taiji. Wuju means
finish the form, all they can think about is learning another
‘nothing’. Taiji means ‘something’. Taiji creates ‘Liangyi’ which form. Today, there are so many Taijiquan forms:- short form,
means Yin and Yang. Liangyi creates ‘Sixiang’ which means long form. However, traditionally, there were only two forms:-
four images. Sixiang creates ‘Bagua’, which means eight one was a slow form, which is the basis of what we see today,
situations. This means that everything is both multiplied and no matter what style of Taijiquan. These are all based upon
divided into infinity. It looks very simple but actually there is a
the first form. Once we learn the first form, we should
lot of meaning underneath.
concentrate on all the details. Short form is good for beginners,
Chinese mathematics is also based on the principles but at the end, long form is traditional.
found in the Yijing. Traditional Chinese mathematics believes
Level Two
that each number has its own energy and relates to all the
things in nature. For instance, when there is one person eating
in a restaurant alone it is a much different energy than five
people eating together in the restaurant. So this is how the After you have at least 3-5 years of practice for the first
Yijing can show us how things change. For example, a horse is form, then you can learn the second Taijiquan form, which is
treated as the number one and a cow is number eight, goat is called Pao Choi or Cannon Fist. Without the first form
number seven. foundation, we cannot do the second form. The first form is
When we study Taijiquan, we should understand the like learning how to walk and the second form is like learning
basic prin- how to run. For the beginner, when learning the first form,
ciples of the there is a lot of stiffness throughout the body. The teacher will
Yijing. For not even have time to correct all of it because your body is not
instance, Wuji ready. It is like trying to do the splitz. If your body is not flexible,
is nothing. Taiji you will not be able to do it until you have a lot of practice.
is an object I have seen occasionally a Taijiquan demonstration
which contains where I do not even want to watch. It is not because their
Yin and Yang movement is not good enough but it is because they claim to
together. The themselves to be a Taijiquan master, saying how many years
Five Elements they have studied. However, their movement is still very stiff.
are also part of We have all gone
this knowledge through this stage but
and the same we should be humble to
for Bagua. The carry on our studies
Five Elements instead of just knowing
are wood, fire, the form and then start
earth, metal Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang supervising some students to spread a low quality
and water. doing Pushing Hands of skill on to other
We should understand all of these as they are principles people.
of the Yijing and apply to our study of Taijiquan. For example, If somebody
Wuji is just like when we stand in Zhan Zhuang position. Your wants to study Taijiquan
mind and everything should be empty and so you become part with you but you do not
of nature and your Qi becomes strong. When our Qi is strong, find you have that
then we will be healthier and our physical body will be strong. quality, then you should
In the future, when you do Fajing, you will even be more introduce them to your
powerful. Also, when we start the form, it is like Wuji creates teacher. There are some
Taiji. Every movement contains Yin and Yang principles. people who will never
Sometimes we open our bodies, which is Yang and sometimes improve their quality
we close and this is Yin. because they lack the
Forward is Yang and stepping back is Yin. Walking to skill of observation and
the left is Yang and walking to the right is Yin. Up is Yang and cannot judge higher or
down is Yin. Breathing out is Yang and breathing in is Yin. The Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang and Michael Tse lower quality. So they
doing Tui Shou
whole Taijiquan form follows this principle. will not be able to
It is so simple to understand when we explain it. improve themselves. If anybody studies Taijiquan who has good
However, it is very difficult to put it into practice, following the eyes and can distinguish between higher and lower quality,
Taiji principle. We often say that a beginner is ‘One Yin and then definitely they will improve in the future. Having 90%
Qi Magazine 24
Qi Magazine 25
stiffness in the beginning and 10% relaxation is okay for after you know the form, we have to be careful of our
beginners but do not be satisfied to stay with that level. To movement. We should follow the Taiji principle in which every
pass this will usually take about six months to complete and to movement comes from the Dantian. In Chen style, we call this
be able to move onto level two. Some may have already begun Chan Si Jin. Everything we move, either right
to learn Tui Shou but others may not have started yet. or left, forward or backward, should all come
If you start doing Tui Shou in this level, you may be from the Dantian. The hands do not lead,
uncomfortable and your muscles will be tired, stiff and but should follow the body.
aching. This is because you use too much energy. Chinese martial arts talk about
However, on this level, you will find your health is the Six External relations. This means
improving. Your blood circulation will be better and that no matter what the movement,
you will have more energy for other things. Already, the following relationships apply:- leg
you will have gotten a lot of benefit from level and hand connect, elbow and knees
one. Sometimes, if you miss a day’s practice, you connect, shoulders and lower back
will find your body stiff and easy to be tired. connect. There are also Six Internal
After six months, we will pass on to level relations which are:- heart and mind, Qi
two, which is, ‘Two Yin, Two Yang is ordinary and strength, bone and tendon. Follow these
skill’. You will find it more comfortable to do principles to improve your position and
your form, however, you will find out internal energy, but be careful of your posture,
yourself, the blockages and stiffness in for example, shoulder up, hips out or tension
your body. This level can be another year on the arms or wrist. Whatever the stance, it
or another ten years. Why do I say this? should be clear. Every movement should
Because this level is based upon your relate with the whole body. Qi should flow
understanding of the Taiji principle. I have along the whole body and every movement
seen people who have been practising should flow together without hesitation or
Taijiquan for a long time but their stopping. Keep the weight centred and do
movement never really improves. I feel pity not shift the weight in an exaggerated
for them. There are a lot of blockages manner which will break the Qi flow.
and stiffness still in their movement Sometimes, you may find you are doing very
because they do not pay attention to well and everything is
correct movement. Then their problem
becomes habit and then is very hard
to correct.
“Everything
we move,
It is just like hammering a nail
into the wood. With the first hit, you just
tap the nail into the wood to hold it
should all
steady. With the second hit, you can hit a bit
harder, to make it go deeper. However, there
are some people who are too eager and who
will hit the nail too hard at the second stage.
What does it mean to hit the nail too hard in
relation to Taijiquan. It does not mean you
practise a lot. Of course, to practise a lot is good.
come from the
It is how much you like to show off your skill in
the public, being too proud of yourself and your
movement. However, you forget one thing, the
Dantian”
energy that flows along the body. I have seen
some people doing the form where everything is flowing naturally. Another day, you may find not smooth at
very external with too much concentration on a all, but this is natural for level two.
very low stance and Fajing. They are missing the I have met some people, because they cannot
co-ordination of how the movement should manage Chan Si Jin, or spiral energy, that they have given
connect with the Dantian. up their Taijiquan. So, in this level, it is better to concentrate
Of course, for the outsider, it looks very more on relaxation and the correct position, letting your
impressive, but for somebody with Taijiquan teacher or seniors help you with any mistakes you have.
quality, they can see the blockages and the Do not concentrate too much on Fajing or this could
missing connections. Still others think Taijiquan damage the correct position. At this level, the movements
should be very slow. They think by slowing down should flow like waves. When one movement begins, then
the form, that this is relaxation. However, this kind of the next one should already be beginning, flowing smoothly
movement will make the person feel cold and sleepy. Or their together. For Tui Shou, you already understand how to do
movement will be highly exaggerated, collapsing their chest pushing hands, but still when you are pushing or trying to
by rounding their shoulders too much. All this is because they control somebody, you are still using so much energy, even
hit the nail too hard and it becomes crooked. This creates more with someone more junior than you. So still, your self defense
blockages in the body. So when we come to the second level, is not yet developed enough
to be continued... by Michael Tse
Qi Magazine 26
The Great
North-South Debate
One of the most frequently asked questions regarding Feng
Shui is: What happens in the Southern Hemisphere? Since the Sun
reaches it’s highest point in the North, and since the seasons are the
reverse of those in the Northern Hemisphere, ought not the
principles of the Eight Trigrams and the Five Elements be reversed
as well?
I
t is an intriguing argument. But alas, one which does not in the northern hemisphere, places such as India, Arabia or
bear close scrutiny. A demonstrably simple answer is that North Africa regard the cool north as beneficial, while the sun,
the compass needle always points to the North, irrespective far from being a warming source of energy, is actually a
of whether one is in the northern or southern hemisphere. destroyer of vitality. But the principles of Feng Shui calculation
Another is that the Sun always are not altered to suit the climate.
rises in the East, whatever part We can add to this the fact that the most populated
of the globe one may be at.
Then again, a moment’s
thought will uncover the
problem that if rules of Feng
“The area of the northern hemisphere is the ‘temperate’ zone. There
are very few inhabited places, remote and scattered as they
are, lying in equivalent
temperate latitudes in the
principles of
Shui are to be reversed for the southern hemisphere.
southern hemisphere, where Most people are familiar
does the reversal begin? What with geographical globes
happens at the Equator: does which reveal the Pacific
universal”
is not so acutely defined. that if a geographical
Between the tropics of Cancer globe is stood on its North
and Capricorn, the sun will Pole, the southern
cross over the boundary line at hemisphere would be
some point in the year – for longer the closer one is to the seen to have a wide continuous belt of ocean in the region
geographical equator. Any suggestion that rules must be which corresponds to the continents of North America, Europe
reversed for the southern hemisphere must therefore take and Asia.
account of the fact that Feng Shui could change from one day Then there is astronomical correspondence to consider.
to the next; even, if one is going to take this matter to its ultimate The principles of Feng Shui are universal in that the Northern
conclusion, during the course of the day. But there are many Sky and the Great Bear are always above the North Pole, and
other reasons to show that the philosophies cannot be bent to the Southern Sky, with the Southern Cross are below the South
accommodate the argument that the south is reversed. Pole. The ancient Chinese sages were well aware that the Earth
The first is to remember that the association of the was a sphere, even though symbolically, it was referred to as
elements and trigrams with the seasons is purely a notional square. The Chinese pantheon includes Nan Ji Lao, the Old
one. While we might consider the trigram Li to lie in the south Man of the South Pole. Curiously enough, what they did not
and Kan in the north, this only holds true when we are working grasp was that once the equator was crossed, the climates
with the Post-Heaven sequence. In the Pre-Heaven sequence, receded, and thinking that the world became hotter and hotter
the trigrams are not associated with these directions, but with as one ventured southwards, Nan Ji Lao was always portrayed
East and West respectively. covered in flames!
Thus, although the association of the elements with the So the question of whether the principles of Feng Shui
seasons can be a useful aid to memory, and a way of are reversed for the Southern Hemisphere, the answer has to
understanding the latent forces of the elements, the be a resounding ‘No’
correspondence should not be taken too literally. After all, even by Derek Walters
Qi Magazine 27
This issue we will be talking about the famous Peoples Square, or Ren Men
Park and the Masters of Qigong and Gong Fu and other characters associated
within it.
diversity of
people hanging from
trees or bouncing up and
down while clapping their
hands seem commonplace.
Qi Magazine 28
Although the primary purpose of practising Qigong is to be healthy,
Qigong is not just for health and longevity. I believe that not all of us
have the fate to live to be one hundred years old. If we did, could you
imagine the drain on the earth’s resources? So if this is true, why do we
need to practise Qigong?
Life Training
journey easier and then,
when it is our time to
pass, we can do so with
avoided ” However, I found I had
to compromise not only
my health but my heart
peace. We can do so a wiser and better to do that and in the end, I found I did
because we are in person for society. not need that much. My priorities shifted
harmony with nature. If Old age is not so although I still love to travel, it is now
death is as natural as going to sleep, who to be avoided but to be not just to have a good time on holiday,
can fear this? But if it is painful and accepted and made but to enrich my soul and learn about
debilitating, who does not fear it. If we friends with. It is a others and also to teach and help
are healthy, then we know that when the reminder that we introduce more people to Qigong.
time comes, we can go gently. Qigong should not squander Sometimes travelling can be too much
can help us harmonise both heart and our time and and I find myself floating in a cloud of
mind and body and spirit. When all are resources but use jet lag, rather than being rooted in soil
in balance, we can understand and are each moment wisely. If and growing. It is then I decide I must
a part of the great universe. We know we do this, we will find listen to my body and settle my Qi.
that we are but just one small speck and we are living in Because of my Qigong training, I can
that we should use our time here on earth the present understand this.
to contribute something worthwhile. This moment and But how many people do not listen
is true immortality: to leave behind a not ‘living’ on to their bodies. They listen to their
footprint that is remembered and is an the future. This parents telling them to make lots of
inspiration and guide to those following is how Qigong can money, they listen to their friends telling
on behind. help us. Q i g o n g them to come out and have a good time.
However, our society is so balances our emotions by But between working and playing, what
preoccupied with trying to prolong life, making the internal body and time is left for themselves and the quiet
that the very methods used may create organs stronger. When our lungs time when one’s body and mind rests and
more disharmony in the body. We use are strong, we will not be depressed. recovers. When we do not listen to our
medicines that in combination with When our kidneys are strong, we will not body, then we are out of tune with nature
others, may become toxic or even lethal, be fearful. And then, when we are in tune and this disharmony is what leads to
causing more health problems instead of with nature, we find that material things disease.
curing the total body. We run a race with become less important. So Qigong is not just for health. It
time, feeling upset when we see one When I was twenty, I used to love is for understanding ourselves and nature
more wrinkle or grey hair. We see them shopping and buying nice clothes. Now, and for living in harmony with the cycles
like ticking hands of a clock, telling us I buy what I need for my life, with only a of the universe, living, dying and being
that our time is going by. few rare extravagances. Less and less do reborn
I have begun to find more grey I have that feeling of wanting to dress to by Sihn Kei
hairs lately and for awhile it upset me impress another. I dress for what I do and email Sihnkei@qimagazine.com
Qi Magazine 35
Da Cheng Quan
Non-Stop Hitting Techniques
D
a Cheng Quan is one of the valuable methods of Chinese martial arts . It was created by Master Wang Xiang Zhai and
it is a collection of the essence of Shaolin Quan, Xingyiquan and Baguazhang. Its emphasis is on practical fighting skill.
The “Non-stop Hitting Techniques” are the basic techniques which are very powerful and useful fighting techniques.
fig 30
fig 32
fig 28
fig 31
fig 29
fig 36
fig 34
fig 33 fig 35
Qi Magazine 36
ii. When your opponent starts to attack you with his right hand,
Pushing to the Side and Continuing your right hand makes a circle to trap his arms together.
Punch Fig 41
iii. Lean your body to the right to make your opponent lose his
Individual Practice
balance. Then suddenly attack his stomach. Fig 42
i. Stand with your right foot forwards, right hand open to the
Opponent Attacks First
side and the left hand down. Fig 37
i. When your opponent attacks with his right hand, block him
ii. Turn the body to the right side and attack with the left hand.
with your right hand. Fig 43
Fig 38
ii. Then grab his right arm with your left hand and move your
iii. Suddenly turn back to the left and attack with a low right
right hand back to grab his left hand. Fig 44
fist. Fig 39
iii. Pull up his right hand, then suddenly drop your right hand
Attack the Opponent First
to punch his stomach. Fig 45
i. Attack your opponent with your right hand, and he blocks
by Zhao Shao
with his left hand. Fig 40
fig 45
fig 44
fig 43
Qi Magazine 37
The Spread of
Wing Chun
Ip Man starting teaching Wing Chun in the 1950s in Hong Hong and he died in
1972. In just over twenty years of teaching he made Wing Chun very popular and it
spread throughout the world.
W
hether they are just beginners or more should be quite obvious and has been spoken about many
experienced people, I would estimate that times, so I do not want to repeat this.
there are about 1 million people practising Instead I would like to concentrate on the elements that
Wing Chun. In the 20 years that my father have made Wing Chun so appealing to students and how it
taught, he relied on his own resources and has become so wide spread.
received no outside support. So the fact that Wing Chun became In Wing Chun we have an exercise called Chi Sau that
so popular is quite remarkable. In fact, there are actually some is very good. If you don’t know how to fight, then this exercise
Wing Chun practitioners who are investigating why Wing Chun helps to teach you how to fight. If you only studied the forms of
is so popular. In this article, I will express my ideas of why this Wing Chun, then you would still not know how to fight. Without
is so and why it is still spreading. Chi Sau, the only way to learn the fighting skill would be to
In Wing Chun, or in fact anything you do, to be successful fight with other people. This process is quite long and hard. At
depends on two things. The first is yourself, whether you have the beginning you will get beaten up and possibly suffer many
the talent and determination to reach your goal. The second is injuries before you learnt the skill. Before you reach that level
the support you receive from the people around you. So one is you might even give up. However, with Chi Sau the learning
an internal factor and the other is an external factor. curve is much quicker and you will not have to suffer as much.
Wing Chun is not only for self defence or fighting, it is For this reason people like Chi Sau since it helps them to learn
also for self development and health. Wing Chun is well known self defence much more quickly and safely.
for its skills of self defence. Since it is a martial art, this part Another reason Chi Sau is good is that it is good for
your health and your body. How is Chi Sau good for your
health?
Today many people are concerned about their
health as they lead very stressful and busy lives. As a result
things like Qigong, Yoga, Taiji and other exercises are very
popular as people want to learn how to relax. When you
can let go your mind and relax then automatically this will
benefit your health. However, to be able to do this is not
easy. If I asked ten people to relax and think of nothing,
then out of these ten people only one or two would be
able to do this. However when you practise Chi Sau you
dare not think about anything else, otherwise your
opponent will hit you. Also when you are doing Chi Sau
you must relax or else again you will be defeated.
In Chi Sau you are also constantly moving and so
this constantly exercises your body. Therefore practising Chi
Sau in the correct way will definitely improve your health.
People can be very easily excited or become nervous.
When they are at this stage, they are easily prone to making
mistakes. When you are excited, you will not be able to
think clearly as your mind will not be calm. A Wing Chun
practitioner should be able to empty his or her mind. An
experienced practitioner of Wing Chun will be able to
accomplish this and can control their mind. So another
beneficial side to Wing Chun training is it changes your
everyday attitude, making you calmer when dealing with
people in general. So Wing Chun is good for your health
and your character and this is most important. Personally
I have found Wing Chun and Chi Sau very beneficial. I am
well in to my seventies, but I am still very fit and active.
These are some of the main elements that have
made Wing Chun so appealing. However to understand
why Wing Chun is so popular we need to also understand
how Wing Chun spread out.
In the 1950s, there was only one University in Hong
Kong and places there were very few. As a result many
students had to go abroad to further their education. Hong
Kong was a British colony and so they usually went to
Qi Magazine 40
places like, England, America, Canada and Australia, places with only half the system. That is why there is such a contrast
where they spoke English. between different teachers of Wing Chun.
Ip Man found that some of the best people to teach Like today, everyone knew that there were three forms,
were students who were at the age when they would be going one dummy form and one Baat Jam Dao form in Wing Chun.
to university, as they were able to understand the concept and So those students who had not completed the system would
methods he was teaching, and were very enthusiastic. On add things themselves try and complete their system. The first
leaving, these students found it hard to keep up their Wing two forms, especially the first form Siu Lim Tao, most had
Chun training, as they did not have anyone to Chi Sau with. So completed, and so these would all be the same. However, since
they would go to my father and ask him what to they should they did not know the later forms like Biu Jee and the knives
do. He would tell them they should find a
few friends, teach them how to do Chi Sau
and so they could continue their training
with them. This the students would do, and
at the beginning there would be only two or
“The student would start
three friends who they taught and they would
not charge them. At the time Chinese martial
arts were getting more popular and after a
to make a living from
teaching”
while, more and more people would that some
one was teaching. Then more people wanted to learn. The they had to create
student would then start to charge for the classes. After the their own forms rather
student graduated from university, he could have up to one than admit that they did
hundred people training under him. Because of this the student not know them. So the
would start to think about making a living from teaching rather differences in teachers are due to their own making and so
than getting a job using their university degree. So a lot of that is why we have so many “styles” of Wing Chun.
them stayed in the countries where they studied and taught When teaching, the worst thing that happens is when
Kung Fu and many of them went on to become famous teachers. someone asks why is your Wing Chun different from another
Bruce Lee went on this very same route. teacher’s Wing Chun. However, the teacher will never say that
The spread of Wing Chun in English speaking countries he made this part up himself and so would say that Ip Man
is due to these reasons, due to the university students. The fact personally taught them these different forms in secret. In saying
that Wing Chun could spread so easily through this route is a this, the teacher does not realise that he is in fact ruining the
very positive point, but there is also a bad point to this. reputation of his own Sifu, Ip Man and his attitude to teaching.
When the student went abroad, it was likely he would When Ip Man was teaching, he would never teach one
not have completed the whole Wing Chun system. There were person a special technique and not teach the others. He thought
some people who had completed the system and were more to do this was immoral and so he treated everyone the same.
experienced. They would take the whole Wing Chun system to I hope that in future people will not continue on this path and
the country they went to, but there were many others who had keep saying these things, as it damages my father’s image
barely learnt half the system. Some had only just started and is morally wrong
studying Tsum Kui (the second form), so they would go abroad by Grandmaster Ip Chun
Qi Magazine 41
The Dragon is a symbol of China, as we see very often in many Chinese
stories. Swimming Dragon Gong is one Qigong form from Kunlun System. It is
very dynamic and challenging, and the movements imitate a dragon’s behaviour.
a b c
d
a. Step forwards with your left foot and then stretch the left hand forwards
with the right hand behind it, so the Laogong points on the palms
face each other as if you are holding a Qi ball.
b, c, d.Keeping walking, alternating steps from left and right in an
anticlockwise circle taking eight steps. At the end, you should have
both feet together.
Meanwhile, keep rotating the Qi Ball forwards with both hands. Make
sure you keep the Laogong points facing each other.
Bagua steps are very important in the Dayan Qigong system. The eight
directions relate to different organs. At the same time we gather the Qi by
rotating the Qi ball. This makes the Qi in the circle very strong and also the
hands become very warm and full of Qi.
Qi Magazine 42
b
a (front)
a b
Qi Magazine 43
Qi which is circulating, pure, and fresh, is considered ‘positive’ while
that which has become static and stagnant (associated with illness and decay)
is referred to as ‘negative Qi’.
Evading Negative
Evading Negative Qi
Qi
N
egative Qi is absorbed by the body The air is charged with electrons. discharged their negative Qi onto you
through any variety of ways: Negative ions (by Western definition) are and taken your Qi. Massage therapists,
polluted air, poor quality or spoiled beneficial to health while positive ions psychologists, and social workers face
foods, alcohol, drugs, caffeine, nicotine, trap dust particles and pollution, robbing this problem every day. Surprisingly,
and even other people. The body also the air of healthy Qi. In the countryside, many have no methods for protecting
creates negative Qi itself from simply the estimated ratio of negative ions to their bodies against sick Qi, or releasing
remaining inert for extended periods of positive is 50:1 while in heavily it, and eventually become ill themselves.
time. According to Chinese medicine, populated cities it is two positive to one Some basic methods to block negative
doors only become insect-riddled and negative ion! Qi include folding the arms across the
their hinges only rust due to lack of use, Central-heating and air- chest (to ‘close’ the body), pacing around
so the body needs movement to release conditioning destroy negative ions and instead of sitting still directly opposite the
negative Qi and remain in good health. make you feel sleepy which is why patient (to prevent negative Qi
When the body is injured, Qi flow Qigong should never be practised accumulating), and avoiding direct eye
is impeded and this causes pain. The indoors with the windows closed. Those contact (as the eyes are ‘energy gates’
blocked Qi leads to blood stagnation and who work in offices opposite computers through which Qi is passed and
the afflicted area turns dark. In the case emitting radiation, breathing stale, received). To release negative Qi
of many injuries while most Western recirculated air, and sit for hours without afterwards shake the hands (and body)
doctors would recommend complete rest moving or stretching absorb negative Qi vigorously, and stamp the feet.
this may only worsen the condition. in abundance, and should pay attention Sky Qi enters the body through
Qi Matters
Gentle movement increases Qi flow and to this. the Baihui point (crown of the head) and
removes the is released to the earth through the
blockage, thus
aiding
recovery.
the “Negative Qi is a Yongquan points (sole of the foot). It can
also be released through the Laogong
points (on the palms) and through the
Mosquitoes
are attracted to
stagnant water but
constant enemy fingertips. It is best to release
negative Qi to the earth, and when
you become angry and feel like
they are not
responsible for its
stagnation. Like-
& we cannot shouting at
someone go
outside and
wise, diseases do
not cause illness.
They are the result
completely yell at the
trees; they are
strong enough to take it.
of negative Qi
accumulated
where the body is
avoid it.” When your feet ache you can sit
up straight on a chair and place the
feet on their sides so the soles face
already weakened and sick; this is Cle a r inwards, one in front of the other.
because the fresh Qi cannot reach that and pinkish This opens Yongquan and
area. Hence, cancer attacks a smoker’s complexion, smoothes the channels of the
lungs or a glutton’s colon etc. bright eyes legs, allowing negative Qi to
The act of breathing involves the with strong flow down and exit the body.
exchange of stale air for the fresh. Qi spirit, and After a few minutes, or when
within channels of the human body needs soft and taut you feel like changing, just
to be changed like the oil in a car. Unlike skin are all switch the feet.
a car’s oil, which is changed every six evidence of positive Qi within the body In any battle, it is best to know
months, the body’s Qi should be changed while greyish, green/yellow, or pallid your foe. Throughout life, negative Qi is
daily to function optimally and remain complexion, listless eyes, and slack skin a constant enemy and while we cannot
in sound health. When you practise all indicate a predominance of negative ever completely avoid it, we can defend
Qigong, the acupuncture channels are Qi. ourselves, and discharge it. The more
more open to receive Qi so the better Have you ever wondered why positive Qi we cultivate the more we can
the environment the better the result. If certain people, including family lessen the harmful effect of negative Qi
you were to practise in New York’s members, always leave you feeling by Adam Wallace.
subway, you would only absorb negative utterly exhausted after they depart? The adam@qimagazine.com
Qi and accelerate your demise. answer lies in the fact that they have
Qi Magazine 44
Last time we talked about some conditions of the
bedroom and here we continue with some more cases.
Feng Shui
cannot get a peaceful mind. If
you can, cover the window so that
exciting”
any lights will not affect the inside.
9. If one of the bedroom lights
has burnt out or if the light is
Car lights shining in the
bedroom window can affect your concentration
Qi Magazine 45
Seeing a healthy mountain and landscape from your window is good
A bed with a
canopy can make you
the middle of the room, the room, it should still be closer to one
wall, rather than evenly balanced
between the two. It will affect the
relationship, like the two will want to
with space all around, separate.
20. If the bed has one side against
the wall, then this is good for relationship
you will lose your and love. However, if the bed is in this
position, then the room should not be too
large, then it is like both people being
Qi Magazine 46
Residential Courses
Summer 2001Summer 2001
An opportunity to study intensively with Michael Tse,
in the peaceful surrounding of Wye College
Triple Crossing
Spiral Gong
Wye College, Wye (nr Ashford), Kent:
9 to 14 August
This is an usual form which uses spiral and crossing
movements to help balance the energies on both sides
of the body. As we age, we develop habits of using one
side of the body and brain more than the other. The
crossing movements in this form help the Qi to connect
both sides of the body, helping to prevent stroke or mind
problems in the future.
Tse Qigong Centre Members in adv: £430. (non refundable deposit £100)
Non Members in adv: £470. (non refundable deposit £100)