Tai Chi Healthways Association

Tai Chi Instructor Leadership Training Manual-Vol. 2

Part IV. Tai Chi General Characteristics and Key Guidelines

Part V. Collections from Yellow Emperor’s Internal Medicine:

Human Preserving Health Energy in Ancient Times
Part VI. Collections from Yellow Emperor’s Internal Medicine:
Preserving Health in Accordance with the Four Seasons
Part VII. Collections from Yellow Emperor’s Internal Medicine:
Human Vital Energy Connecting with Nature
Part VIII. Collections from Sun Zi’s The Art of War – for Tai Chi Push Hands

Note: The origin and nature of Tai Chi is not historically verifiable at all until around the
1600s when the Chen Village, Henan province, China appear identified as possessing a unique
martial arts system. Sourced histories around Chen Wangting (1600-1680), who incorporated
theories from a classic text by General Qi Jiguang 戚继光, Jixiaoxinshu 继效新书 (New Book
of Effective Fighting Techniques) and Huang Di Nei Jing 《黃帝內經》, Yellow Emperor's
Canon Chinese Medicine. It said there was this Yellow Emperor’s Canon Chinese Medicine
accompanied him during the time he created the Chen style Tai Chi.

We would like to share with you some key points from this book since Tai Chi Healthways
Association promote the self-healing aspect of Tai Chi as well as the self-defense concept.

“The Art of War” is a good ancient book from which Tai Chi push hands was rooted.

[Link] 1
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

Part V. Tai Chi General Characteristics and Key Guidelines

1. Soft and Gentle

Tai Chi emphasizes cultivating internal energy. The movements should be performed in a
smooth, slow and steady manner. Tai Chi does not rely on brute strength. Rather, its
tremendous power derives from the apparent gentleness of the movements. This external
softness , however, conceals an internal hardness. It is a pliable strength rather than a
tensed strength. It is “the steel wrapped in cotton.”

2. Proper Body Alignment

Proper body alignment is essential to Tai Chi. Your head should be upright with the neck
relaxed. Imagine that a wire suspends your head from above. Keep your body centered and
upright. Keep your chest curved in and your back rounded up. Keep your waist and hips
loosen. Drop your shoulders and lower your elbows to make the shoulder joints loosen.
Adjust your body structure to sense the downward pull of gravity from body weight.

3. Wholeness and Harmony

There are nine major joints in your body: waist, hips, spine, shoulders, neck, elbows, wrists,
knees and ankles. Integrate these major joints into one motion. Coordinate your upper
body and lower body, as well as your mind. When one part of your body moves, all the
other parts also move.

Your waist should always play the dominant role since it connects your upper body with the
lower body. Once your waist moves, the other joints in the body follow. Keep your body
pivot on the waist.

4. Maintain a Low Gravity

Root your feet into the ground for a solid and firm stance. Bend your knees slightly and
loosen the waist and hips. Maintain a lower center of gravity to relax your upper body.
Loose your neck, spine, shoulders and elbows for an unimpeded flowing of the inner
energy. By doing so, your stress and tension will be washed down through your feet into

[Link] 2
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

the ground. When stepping, shift your weight from one foot to the other gradually. Always
remain aware of your center of gravity. Keep your movements flow without bobbing up
and down.

5. Abdominal Breathing
Maintain a natural breathing. Do not force yourself to follow a certain pattern. Find your
own rhythm of the inhalation and exhalation. Tai Chi promotes deep and slow abdominal
breathing because of its slow and gentle movements. Abdominal breathing makes you more
relaxed and your breathing more efficient.

As your movements become smooth, you can coordinate your breathing with your body
movement. Normally, you inhale while your hands or arms go backward or inward
(towards you body); and exhale while the hands or arms go forward or outward (away from
your body). When your arms move in the opposite direction, your breath should follow the
major action arm (the arm making the larger or more important movement).

6. Concentration and Regulating Energy Flow Through the Mind

Your mind leads the movements of your body and provides guidance for the inner energy
flow. Try to sense and lead the inner energy to specific areas of your body to integrate with
your physical movements. You can also use your mind to achieve balance, transferring the
energy from areas where there is too much energy to those with little energy to achieve
balance. Normally, keep your mind focused on your lower abdomen (the “Dan Tian”) to
prevent the scattering of your thoughts and inner energy. By paying attention to your
abdominal breathing, your body stimulates the kidneys to produce more energy to nourish
your body.

7. Circularity and Rotation

Just as nature abhors a vacuum, Tai Chi abhors a straight line. Your arms should most of
the time be curved and move in circular patterns. Do not lock your elbows. Your arms
follow the movement of your waist. Circular movement is a natural extension of the spine
and the rotary nature of the bones, joints and ligaments. Your arms should be always

[Link] 3
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

rotating when you move the arms. The rotary aspect of Tai Chi is best demonstrated by the
turning in and out of your palms constantly during Tai Chi. As an extra benefit, this non-
stop circular motion and rotation of your arms effectively massage your shoulders, elbows
and wrists.

8. Weight Shifting and Fullness and Emptiness in Steps

Your body weight usually concentrated on one foot during practice. The foot which is
bearing the most weight is called the “full foot,” and the other one is called the “empty
foot.” The full foot implies firmness and stability. The empty foot implies the ability to
change. While practicing the forms, your weight constantly shifts from one foot to the
other. You cannot maintain stability or move skillfully without shifting weight
appropriately.

[Link] 4
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

Part VI. Collections from Yellow Emperor’s Internal Medicine:

Human Preserving Health Energy in Ancient Times

Yellow Emperor asked the Taoist master Qibo, saying: “I am told the people in ancient times
could all survive to more than one hundred years old, and they appeared to be quite healthy and
strong in actions, but the people at present time are different; they are not so nimble in actions
when they are only fifty, and what is the reason? Is it due to the change of spiritual principles
or caused by the artificial behavior of men?”

Qibo answered: “Those who knew the way of keeping a good health in ancient times always
kept in their behavior in daily life in accordance with the nature. They followed the principle
of Yin and Yang, and kept in conformity with the art of prophecy based on the interaction of
Yin and Tang. They were able to modulate their daily life in harmony with the way of
recuperating the essence and vital energy, thus they could master and practice the way of
preserving a good health. Their behaviors in daily life were all kept in regular patterns such as
their food and drink were of fixed quantity, their daily activities were all in regular times.
They never overworked. In this way, they could maintain both in body and in the spirit
substantiality, and were able to live to the old age of more than one hundred years.

“But the people nowadays are quite different. They do not recuperate themselves according to
the way of preserving a good health, but run in counter to it. They are addicted to drink
without temperance, keep idling as an oldinary, indulge in sexual pleasures, and use up their
vital energy and ruin their health. They do not protect their primordial energies as carefully as
handling a utensil full of valuable things. They don’t understand the importance of saving their
energy, but waste them rashly by doing what ever to their liking. They know not the joy of
keeping a good health and have no regular pattern of their daily food, drink, and activities.
Therefore, they become decrepit when they are only fifty.”

“In ancient times people behaved according to the teaching of preserving health of the sages:
All evil energies of various seasons are harmful to people; they attack the body when it is in
general debility, and they should be defended anytime and everywhere. When one is
completely free from wishes, ambitions, and distracting thoughts, indifferent to fame and gain,
the true energy will come in the wake of it. When one concentrates his spirit internally and
keeps a sound mind, how can any illness occur?

“Therefore, those who are able to keep a leisured aspiration will not be afraid at the time when
something terrible happens, those who have strong bodies will not feel fatigued after labor, and
those who have a quiet spirit, their primordial energy will be moderate, their desires can be
satisfied easily only if they are not insatiably greedy. It is precisely because of their having the
above spiritual basis, they are able to adapt to any environment. They are not too particular
about the quality and style of the costume, but feel at ease with local customs. They do not
seek or admire the material comfortable life of others, so they are plain and honest.

“As they are having a quiet and stable state of mind, no desire can seduce their eyes, and no
obscenity can entice their heart. Although the intelligence and moral character between

[Link] 5
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

different people are not the same, they can all attain the stage of giving no thought of personal
gain or loss, and thus, they are all able to live according to the way of keeping a good health.

“The reason of those who can live more than one hundred years without being decrepit is that
they can manage the way of keeping a good health thoroughly.”

[Link] 6
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

Part VII. Collections from Yellow Emperor’s Internal Medicine:

Preserving Health in Accordance with the Four Seasons

The period of the three months of spring is the time of birth and spread. Grasses and trees are
becoming vivid and all living things in the world become flourishing with a new dynamic
atmosphere. Since a man is one of the living things in the universe, he can, by no means, be
excluded. In order to keep in accordance with the law of the variation of the seasonal
sequence, one should go to bed when night comes and gets up early in the morning. In the
morning, he should breathe the fresh air while walking in the yard to exercise his tendons and
bones and loosen his hair to make the whole body comfortable along with the generating of
spring energy.

The period of the three months of summer is called the season of flourishing, as all the living
things in the world are prosperous and beautiful. On Summer Solstice, Yang energy reaches its
summit, and Yin energy begins to emerge, thus, the intercourse Yin and Yang energies occurs
at this time. As Yang energy forms the vital energy of things and Yin energy shapes up things,
the combination of vital energy and the shaping energy cause all living things on earth come
into blossoming and yielding fruits. In the course of intercrossing heaven-energy and earth-
energy, one should, like in springtime, sleep when night comes, and get up early in the
morning. He should not detest the sunshine nor get angry often, so as to correspond to the
property of summer energy of ‘growth’ that promotes the growing of the flowers and fruits.
One’s sweat should be perspired for letting off the Yang energy to avoid the heat being
stagnated, in other words ‘be keen on the exterior’. These are the ways of preserving health in
summer.

In the three months of autumn, the shapes of all living things on earth mature naturally, and are
ready to be harvested. In autumn, the wind is vigorous and rapid; the environment on earth is
clear and bright. So, during this period, one should go to bed early to stay away from the
chilliness, get up early to appreciate the crisp air of autumn, keep the spirit tranquil and stable
to separate oneself from the sough of autumn by means of restraining the spirit and energy
internally, and guard the mind against anxiety and impetuosity. In this way, one’s tranquility
can still be maintained even in the sough of autumn atmosphere, and breathing can be kept
even as well.

In the three months of winter, all grasses and most of the trees are withered, the insects are in
hibernation, the water ices up, and the ground is frozen with gaps. Things are mostly shut up
or go into hiding to guard against the cold. It is called the season of ‘shutting and storing’. In
this period, one should be kept warm in the room, dress warmly, and take strict prevention
against the cold, so that the Yang energy may not be disturbed; he should go to bed early in
night, and get up late to wait for contacting the sunlight. Keep the spirit hiding and subsiding,
like having a private consideration in heart, but not revealing or seem to have a definite idea in
mind already for meeting the situation. Since the weather is cold in winter, one should avoid
the cold and move toward warmness, and prevent the skin from much perspiring to guard
against the consumption or exhaustion of Yang energy. These are the ways of preserving
health in winter.

[Link] 7
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

When a sage treats a patient, precaution is always emphasized, and often uses preventive
measures in claming down the disturbances. If the disease is treated after it has already been
formed, or try to calm down the disturbance after it has already taken shape, it will be too late,
just like to dig a well until one is thirsty, or to cast weapons after the war has already broken
out.

[Link] 8
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

Part VIII. Collections from Yellow Emperor’s Internal Medicine:

Human Vital Energy Connecting with Nature

The Emperor said: “Since ancient times, it is considered that the existence of man has
depended upon the communications of the variation of Yin and Yang energies. Thus, human
life is based on Yin and Yang.

“All things on earth and in the space communicate with the Yin and Yang energies. Human
beings are a small universe, as the human body has everything that the universe has.

“There are twelve solar terms in the universe, and man has twelve channels. The Yin and
Yang energies of human beings correspond with the Yin and Yang energies of the universe,
and the Yin and Yang energies of all things (including men) are communicating with that of
the universe.

“The survival of a man depends on the Yin and Yang energies and on the five elements. (metal,
wood, water, fire, and earth) Because of this, it is so called ‘life depends on five’.

“When the human energy is connected with that of the universe, the human temperament will
be fresh and cool in a calm circumstance where there is no strong wind and rain-storm. With
the calm circumstance, one can keep his spirit quiet and clear as the blue sky, and refrain from
the disturbances of over joy and violent rage. By this time, his bodily Yang energy is
substantial, and will not be hurt even if it is being attacked by evil factors. This is due to his
ability of adapting the sequence and variations of the four seasons to preserve his health in a
good way.

“Therefore, as a sage can keep his essence of life and energy in concert with the Yang energy
of heaven, he can communicate his energy with the divinity of heaven. But, unfortunately,
most people run in the opposite direction to it, so whenever he is assaulted by evil factors, his
nine orifices become obstructed internally, and his muscle contracts disease of stagnation
externally. Even his Wei-energy becomes dispersed. This is due to his inability of adapting to
the sequence and variations of the four seasons.

“There is Yang energy in the human body like there is a sun in the sky. When the sun is not at
its proper position, the heaven and earth will become dark, and when the Yang energy of a man
is not at its proper position, he will die early. So the unceasing operation of heaven depends on
the brightness of the sun, and the bodily health of a man depends on the clear and floating of
Yang energy which guards against outside.

“When the Yang energy is within one’s body and brings its delicate function into play, it will
nourish the vitality internally and soften the tendon externally. It is normal when the skin
pores of a man open in spring and close in the winter. If it does not open when it should open
and does not close when it should close, it will leave the opportunity for the cold-evil to
invade. When the cold-evil penetrates deep and damages the Yang energy, he may contract
hunchback. This is because of the damaged Yang energy; it can no longer soften the tendons.

[Link] 9
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

“When the cold-evil enters into one’s channels, it will cause stagnation of blood. When the
cold-evil and blood accumulate and remain in the muscle for a long time, scrofula may be
contracted. When the energy of the channel system is in debility, the cold-evil will invade the
solid and hollow organs through the channels. As the solid organs take charge of the mental
activities, so when invaded by the cold-evil, one’s spirit will lose its quietness and the
syndromes of timorousness (due to heart) and timidness (due to liver) will occur. This is
because the damaged Yang energy can no longer support the spirit.”

Qibo said: “Yin is to store the essence of life and the vital energy is watching inside. Yang is
to defend the periphery of the body, and is guarding outside. If the Yang energy has some
activities outside, Yin energy will correspond from inside. If the Yin energy is insufficient
while the Yang energy is excessive, this causes Yin to be inferior to Yang. The flow of
channel energy will be forced to become faster and stronger, and it may cause mania; if the Yin
energy is excessive and the Yang energy is insufficient, this causes Yang to be inferior to Yin.
The energy of the five viscera will be stagnated to form the obstruction of the nine orifices.

“However, sages can arrange his Yin energy and Yang energy properly to each of its suitable
state, keep the tendons and channels in a harmonious condition, make the bone and marrow
substantial, and can keep the vital energy and blood on its own path. In this way, one may
keep his internal and external condition of Yin and Yang energies in harmony, and his health
will remain unharmed, and even when the evil factors invade, his eyes and ears will remain
sharp. Moreover, he can frequently maintain his primordial energy firmly inside.

“The essentials of the communication of Yin and Yang rest in the denseness of the Yin energy
and the firmness of the Yang energy. If the Yin and Yang are inharmonious, it will be like
having no autumn, but only spring, no summer, but only winter in a year. Under such
circumstance, all living things on earth will not be able to exist and reproduce according to the
law of birth, growth, development, harvesting and storing in due seasons. Since only a sage
can harmonize the Yin and Yang energies in a proper way, it is considered to be the standing
order of the sage.

“Therefore, if the Yang energy is too strong and loses its function of defending outside, the Yin
essence will be let out due to the Yang’s failure of guarding outside. When the Yin essence is
consumed, it will soon die out.

“If the Yin and Yang energies of a man are being kept in a state of equilibrium, his body will
be strong and his spirit sound. If his Yin and Yang energies fail to communicate, his vital
energy will be declined and finally exhausted.

“If one contracts a disease stemmed from the exposure to dew and wind, coldness and heat will
occur. As the dew in Yin-evil and the wind is Yang-evil, and as Yin-evil produces cold, and
Yang-evil produces heat, the syndrome of coldness and heat will occur.

“When the body is hurt by wind-evil in the spring, and the disease comes on immediately, it is
the exogenous disease, but if the disease does not come on immediately but retains inside, it
will become diarrhea with indigested food in summer.

[Link] 10
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

“When one is hurt by summer-heat evil in summer, and the disease comes on immediately, it is
the summer-heat disease; if the disease does not come on immediately, but incubates inside,
malaria will occur in autumn.

“When one is hurt by cold-evil in winter and the disease comes on immediately, it is the
exogenous cold-evil disease. If the disease does not come on immediately and the cold-evil
incubates inside, the cold-evil will turn into seasonal febrile disease when the Yang energy
ascends in spring.

“When the weathers of the four seasons are warm in spring, hot in summer, cool in autumn,
and cold in winter in their normal conditions, man will not get sick. If one or more of the
weather conditions is particularly stressed to be abnormal, it will not only damage the
activation of production, circulation, and function of the vital energy, but it will also damage
the five viscera of a man.”

[Link] 11
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

Part IX. Collections from Sun Zi’s The Art of War – for Tai Chi Push
Hands

All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when
using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe
we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. Hold out baits to
entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him. If he is secure at all points, be prepared for
him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to
irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him
no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear
where you are not expected. These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged
beforehand.
兵者，詭道也。故能而示之不能，用而示之不用，近而示之遠，遠而示之近。利而誘之，亂而取
之，實而備之，強而避之，怒而撓之，卑而驕之，佚而勞之，親而離之。攻其無備，出其不意，此兵
家之勝，不可先傳也。

Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a
hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also
suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
知彼知己，百戰不殆；不知彼而知己，一勝一負；不知彼，不知己，每戰必敗。

Sunzi said: The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and
then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. To secure ourselves against defeat lies
in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy
himself. Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain
of defeating the enemy. Hence the saying: One may know how to conquer without being able
to do it.
孫子曰：昔之善戰者，先為不可勝，以待敵之可勝，不可勝在己，可勝在敵。故善戰者，能為不
可勝，不能使敵必可勝。故曰：勝可知，而不可為。

Security against defeat implies defensive tactics; ability to defeat the enemy means taking the
offensive. Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; attacking, a
superabundance of strength. The general who is skilled in defense hides in the most secret
recesses of the earth; he who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the topmost heights of
heaven.
不可勝者，守也；可勝者，攻也。守則不足，攻則有餘。善守者，藏于九地之下；善攻者，動于九
天之上

In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be
needed in order to secure victory. Indirect tactics, efficiently applied, are inexhaustible as
Heaven and Earth, unending as the flow of rivers and streams; like the sun and moon, they end
but to begin anew; like the four seasons, they pass away to return once more. There are not
more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies

[Link] 12
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

than can ever be heard. There are not more than five primary colors (blue, yellow, red, white,
and black), yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. There are not
more than five cardinal tastes (sour, acrid, salt, sweet, bitter), yet combinations of them yield
more flavors than can ever be tasted. In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack -
the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of
maneuvers. The direct and the indirect lead on to each other in turn. It is like moving in a circle
- you never come to an end. Who can exhaust the possibilities of their combination?
凡戰者，以正合，以奇勝。故善出奇者，無窮如天地，不竭如江河，終而復始，日月是也；死而復
生，四時是也。聲不過五，五聲之變，不可勝聽也。色不過五，五 色之變，不可勝觀也。味不
過五，五味之變，不可勝嘗也。戰勢不過奇正，奇正之變，不可勝窮也。奇正相生，如循環之無
端，孰能窮之哉

The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known; for then the enemy will have to
prepare against a possible attack at several different points; and his forces being thus
distributed in many directions, the numbers we shall have to face at any given point will be
proportionately few. For should the enemy strengthen his van, he will weaken his rear; should
he strengthen his rear, he will weaken his van; should he strengthen his left, he will weaken his
right; should he strengthen his right, he will weaken his left. If he sends reinforcements
everywhere, he will everywhere be weak. Numerical weakness comes from having to prepare
against possible attacks; numerical strength, from compelling our adversary to make these
preparations against us.
吾所與戰之地不可知，不可知，則敵所備者多，敵所備者多，則我所與戰者寡矣。故備前則後
寡，備後則前寡，備左則右寡，備右則左寡，無所不備，則無所不寡。寡者，備人者也；眾者，使人
備己者也。

Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places
and hastens downwards. So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is
weak. Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the
soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing. Therefore, just as water
retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions. He who can modify
his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-
born captain. The five elements (water, fire, wood, metal, earth) are not always equally
predominant; the four seasons make way for each other in turn. There are short days and long;
the moon has its periods of waning and waxing.
夫兵形象水，水之形，避高而趨下：兵之形，避實而擊虛；水因地而制流，兵因敵而制勝。故兵
無常勢，水無常形；能因敵變化而取勝，謂之神。故五行無常勝，四時無常位，日有短長，月有
死生。

To refrain from intercepting an enemy whose banners are in perfect order, to refrain from
attacking an army drawn up in calm and confident array - this is the art of studying
circumstances. It is a military axiom not to advance uphill against the enemy, nor to oppose
him when he comes downhill. Do not pursue an enemy who simulates flight; do not attack
soldiers whose temper is keen. Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy. Do not interfere

[Link] 13
 Tai Chi Healthways Association

with an army that is returning home. When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not
press a desperate foe too hard. Such is the art of warfare.
無邀正正之旗，勿擊堂堂之陣，此治變者也；故用兵之法，高陵勿向，背邱勿逆，佯北勿從，銳卒
勿攻，餌兵勿食，歸師勿遏，圍師必闕，窮寇勿迫，此用兵之法也

The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our
own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that
we have made our position unassailable.
故用兵之法，無恃其不來，恃吾有以待之；無恃其不攻，恃吾有所不可攻也

If we know that our own men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the enemy is not
open to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory. If we know that the enemy is open
to attack, but are unaware that our own men are not in a condition to attack, we have gone only
halfway towards victory. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, and also know that our
men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the nature of the ground makes fighting
impracticable, we have still gone only halfway towards victory. Hence the experienced soldier,
once in motion, is never bewildered; once he has broken camp, he is never at a loss. Hence the
saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you
know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete.
知吾卒之可以擊，而不知敵之不可擊，勝之半也；知敵之可擊，而不知吾卒之不可擊，勝之半
也。知敵之可擊，知吾卒之可以擊，而不知地形之不可以戰，勝之半也。故知兵者，動而不迷，
舉而不窮。故曰：知彼知己，勝乃不殆；知天知地，勝乃可全

[Link] 14