do you know your Taiji (Tai Chi) aka yin-yang?

[neijia_boxer]

which is the correct one?


answer: here http://polariswushu.net/blog/2015/02/08 ... ng-symbol/

[Bao]

They are all wrong... The color of yang is Red and the color of yin is Green. But back then, I guess they had difficulties to print the Tai Chi Tu Shuo in color.

[johnwang]

what make you think that to

- "rotate an object", or
- "put that object in front of a mirror"

will change that object?

[Michael Babin]

As a former magazine editor I can see how the diagram was easily flipped both vertically and horizontally in early books that relied on manual typesetting and using negatives for illustrations. Once it starts being published 'incorrectly"; the issue of "correctness" starts to get clouded when other people copy the poorly proof-read originals.

I also liked johnwang's comment. 1+

[wuwei]

I know white should definitely be on top as white is yang, so that the sky/sun and should be on top. I don't know whether it should be on top left or top right or doesn't matter.

[Doc Stier]

As I was taught, the top right and the lower left logos are correctly displayed with Yang moving from left to right and Yin moving right to left, regardless of which polarity dominates the upper position and implied rotation of movement.

[Bao]

Chinese thought is very complex and have a nature of contradiction. And what something means is always very contextual. So saying that one symbol is the correct one and the others isn't does not compute very well with me.

We have one cycle of creation, one of destruction.
We have two different bagua arrangements, one pre-mortal, one post mortal
Old Chinese texts can be written from left to right, from right to left from down to up or up to down.
Chinese characters can be placed upside down for different symbolic values.

So who is to say that one arrangement or placement of yin and yang is the correct one? Why?
The question should rather be: in a certain context, what does the arrangement or placement of yin and yang actually mean?

[middleway]

In my training i most often use bottom left to explain some bodywork stuff. But have seen it many ways, all of which had their reasoning.

[Niall Keane]

Bottom left, yang is ascending in the constructive cycle, spring, the growth of potential, thus the symbol a tai chi school should adopt.
Top left yin is ascending so this means decay is setting in, the others are destructive cycle, and we don't seek to damage ourselves but to grow.

However, though there may be a correct symbol to use to signify a "correct" method of practice, other symbols may be apt for deviant methods.

As for does it matter if it's rotated or mirrored? Well let's take the letter "d" for dad, just the first d....
I am a dad of two soon to be three boys.
I am a bad of two soon to be three boys.
I am a pad of two soon to be three boys.

Form carries meaning and has relevance in communication, in martial arts such artistry is displayed in feints, draws and other such traps ;-)

Having said that, try this experiment, take a student who doesn't know how to read the tai chi symbol and also doesn't know how to feint. Spend 10 minutes explaining the symbol and let him spar another student. Note any improvment. Next spend 10 minutes teaching him how to feint low and hit high, real simple stuff, let him spar and note any improvement.
Talking about theory and written expression of such may be considered "destroying" his ignorance, but burning into his training time, lots of tcc folks like to do this, where as adding to his martial ability, "constructing" a fighter with additional practical tools may generate growth.

Not taking away from nei jia's question, "sifus" should know this, we have had plenty of time to become familiar with theory outside of training. Most here probably do, but I can also recognise the reluctance to make a big deal of symbols if one has a practical focus.
For those selling "health only" though, if it's on your brands logo incorrectly it's a big fuck up.

[GrahamB]

I don't know, I can see a butterfly, what about you?

[Taste of Death]

I don't know, I can see a butterfly, what about you?

Yin Yang Insane Clown Posse Rorschach

[Steve James]

Lái Zhīdé (來知德 / 来知德; also Lái Qútáng 來瞿唐 / 来瞿唐, 1525–1604) was a Ming period Neo-Confucian philosopher. He introduced into Chinese philosophy the well-known "Yin and Yang symbol", the taijitu (a "diagram of the great ultimate"). Lai Zhide is the author of an I Ching commentary, the Explanation of the Classic of Change Annotated by Mr Lai (ed. Zheng Can 1988).

[ppscat]

You're all wrong! LOL

From an I-Ching perspective, it's top right. See Hexagram 42 "Increase". The nature of Chien is to rise, the nature of Kun is to fall. If Chien and Kun are placed at the top and the bottom, respectively, the "forces" diverge and so, the yin-yang complementarity breaks. Instead, if Chien goes down and Kun up, that guaranties the full loop.

[taiwandeutscher]

Don't tell me of the Yijing, I wrote my diss on it's reception from the beginnings to late Song.

Lai Zhide is the original source of Chen Xin's Tushuo.

It all depends on the Former or Later Heaven Arrangement!

[neijia_boxer]

Here is where I heard this Tai chi symbol information for inspiration for this thread:

i have it starting at 9:11 into the lecture where the TCM Dr. talks about it. "not many Chinese know this" she says.

http://youtu.be/G72zA-dquoI?t=9m11s