Shanzhong vs Danzhong

Appledog44

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Here's a video clearly discussing sinking with reference to the shenzhong point. Master Chen says, "it's this point going in," and asks "Can you see I'm supposed to go in, but i'm actually also going down?"


The interesting takeaway here is that in some schools of Tai Chi the danzhong point is, in fact, directly part of the training. Misunderstanding over this is natural because most sources use shanzhong as a common term. There's no shame in it, but the confusion here is over the word 膻 in 膻䞭. shān is the ordinary dictionary reading (“rank / goat-like odor”) used by most people. However, the correct pronunciation is dĂ n; the reading used when 膻䞭 is the name of the chest region point in TCM. Many Chinese medical dictionaries list the point as dĂ n zhƍng.

I have no particular pride here, but it saddens me that there has been an incredible bait and switch in the Taiji world over the past 80-90-100 years and that so few people have seen it. Open your eyes -- many people in the know have lamented that kungfu is becoming lost -- does anyone here really think they are special and that they have it all figured out? The wu de of humility can serve you well by allowing you to keep an open mind. Analects 2.17: “Yu, shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a thing, hold that you know it; when you do not know a thing, allow that you do not know it: that is knowledge.” This is the wu de of intellectual humility, not “knowledge or pride.” Pride (jiao éȘ„ / ao ć‚Č) is treated as a vice of the small person; the junzi is modest in speech and ready to learn from anyone, including inferiors.

In our lineage we have similar but different ways to train the same thing as in this video. It's a common thing which is trained in internal styles. Yet looking at what Master Chen is doing here to train the point is, frankly, amazing. I am always impressed with his videos!
 
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If it’s not to be pronounced ”shānzhong” but instead ”dànzhomg” then the character for ”shān” must be changed
. Anyways.
Since it’s not informed in the OP ”dàn” meaning something like ”dawn” and with that one can draw conclusions it has something to do with awakening/alertness rising, or whatever such that may suit for the topic. As for ”shān ” - the smelly goat chest, well, I’ve just been doing an hour of Taiji practice(no time for watching videos) and my hairy armpits has gotten a little smelly, maybe not as a goat(don’t know how they smell) but yes a smell, definitely to do with the Taiji training I just did.
I feel both alertness and [around] the chest smell rising..

”smelly goat” and ”dawn” seems both fall right into place in this case.
 
I have no particular pride here, but it saddens me that there has been an incredible bait and switch in the Taiji world over the past 80-90-100 years and that so few people have seen it. Open your eyes -- many people in the know have lamented that kungfu is becoming lost -- does anyone here really think they are special and that they have it all figured out? The wu de of humility can serve you well by allowing you to keep an open mind.
exactly what is it you think is lost, what is that ”all” you want to have figured out for you ?
 
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