Tai Chi Chuan and the Tao Te Ching

[Taiji Rebel]

The longer I study the Tao Te Ching, the deeper my understandings become. There are many translations in my library which I enjoy reading. Even Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig features the words of Lao Tzu. A worthy exercise is taking verses from your favorite translations and merging them to create your own personal version of the book.

The Tai Chi Journey by John Lash is a wonderful read if you enjoy reading Lao Tzu, and also practice Tai Chi Chuan 👍

 

[Xue Sheng]

The longer I study the Tao Te Ching, the deeper my understandings become. There are many translations in my library which I enjoy reading. Even Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig features the words of Lao Tzu. A worthy exercise is taking verses from your favorite translations and merging them to create your own personal version of the book.

The Tai Chi Journey by John Lash is a wonderful read if you enjoy reading Lao Tzu, and also practice Tai Chi Chuan 👍

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Is it just me, am I on philosophical overload, or does this make a lot of sense as it applies to Tai Chi Chuan.

This is from one of many translation of the Tao Te Ching Lao Tzu

When you wish to contract something
You must momentarily expand it
When you wish to weaken something
You must momentarily strengthen it
When you wish to reject something
You must momentarily join with it
When you wish to seize something
You most momentarily give it up
This is called subtle insight

The soft and weak conquer the strong

My Sifu used to say that the classics are for review after one has experienced the physical reality. It seems like you are displaying that exact virtue.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Interesting you came up with that idea. When I started trying to read about Tai Chi every reference stated that it originated with the Tao Te Ching and you couldn't understand Tai Chi without understanding Lao Tzu's poems in it. I don't think I've seen that stated anywhere for nearly ten years or so, but it literally used to be the fist statement on any article or book on Tai Chi over ten years ago.

Another side note:
Tai Chi Chuan translates into "Supreme Ultimate Fist" which I always took to mean most powerful fist. However, someone else told me it actually meanst fist based on the supreme ultimate theory of yin-yang, which makes so much more sense.

Supreme Grand Ultimate Fist. Or Supreme Grand Ultimate Pole. My Sigung used to say “ feel your bunghole on top of your head!”

 

[Taiji Rebel]

The Red Pine translation is a favorite. It takes a poetic mind to comprehend Lao Tzu's words. The essence of all CMA can be discovered within the covers of this book. John C.H. Wu's translation is another edition worthy of your time. And, if you are really into Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, grab yourself a copy of Creativity and Taoism: A Study of Chinese Philosophy, Art, and Poetry by Chang Chung-Yuang.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

The soft and weak conquer the strong

It's better to be strong than to be weak.

What I don't like Lao Tzu's idea is

if you promote one person, you will upset your entire group.

This way of thinking just don't fit in our 21th century that you work hard, you will be rewarded.

 

[mograph]

Tai Chi Chuan translates into "Supreme Ultimate Fist" which I always took to mean most powerful fist. However, someone else told me it actually meanst fist based on the supreme ultimate theory of yin-yang, which makes so much more sense.

Yep. "Supreme ultimate" can roughly mean "first extreme," or "first polarity." The yin-yang image or taijitu, depicts the emergence of (conceptual) extremes or polarities (after the conceptual state of wuji, or no-polarities), but they're in a dynamic relationship: always shifting, or being able to shift, from one to the other.

So taijiquan is this dynamic polarity shifting, but expressed through the medium of a martial art. To put it another way, it's a martial art that uses dynamic extreme (or polarity) shifting between yin and yang as its central metaphor.

 

[Xue Sheng]

It's better to be strong than to be weak.

What I don't like Lao Tzu's idea is

if you promote one person, you will upset your entire group.

This way of thinking just don't fit in our 21th century that you work hard, you will be rewarded.

I think you are missing the point.....

 

[_Simon_]

I bought this book yeeeeeears ago in a secondhand bookshop, still haven't read it! Thanks for the reminder!