Mechanics of movement and quietness

[Yeung]

Mechanics of movement and quietness

Dong jing Zhi Ji 動靜之機 mechanics of movement and quietness, according to Shen shou 沈壽 who proofread and translated the Taijiquan classics in 1991, this term was coined by Xu Yu Sheng 許禹生 in his book “Taiji Boxing Postures Explained” (1921). The following is the relevant section translated by Paul Bannan, 2012:


動靜之機、陰陽之母也
It is the manifestation of movement and stillness, and the mother of yin and yang [the passive and active aspects].
變易物體之位置。或動體進行之方向曰動。保存或維持其固有之位置或方向曰靜。機者朕兆也。如陰符經天發殺機之機。夫動靜無端。陰陽無始。太極者其樞紐機關而已。太極拳當行工時。中心泰然。抱元守一。未常不靜。及其靜也。神明不測。有觸卽發。未常無動。於動時存靜意。於靜中寓動機。一動一靜。互為其根。合乎自然。此太極拳術之所以妙也。
Change in position or the progress of the body in a certain direction is called “movement”. Solidly staying in or preserving its location or orientation is called “stillness”. By “manifestation” is meant the “sign” of their occurring. It is similar to the use of that word in the Classic of the Talisman of the Abstract, in which it says: “The sign of the sky expressing its destructiveness [is the shifting of the constellations]” [the shifting of the constellations indicating the change of seasons, the different seasons bringing different weather, and each change in weather being “destructive” to the previous status quo of weather]. There is no beginning or end to the cyclings of stillness and movement, passive and active. “Taiji” means the pivoting mechanism between them.
When practicing Taiji Boxing, there is calm within the mind, an embracing of a primordial state of oneness. Do not get stuck in either movement or stillness, but be instead magically unpredictable. Once there is contact, issue, but do not then freeze into stillness. When moving, preserve an intention of stillness, but within the stillness dwells the potential for more movement. Movement and stillness are rooted in each other and complement each other naturally. Herein lies the subtlety of the Taiji Boxing art.

https://brennantranslation.wordpress.co ... u-yusheng/

[taiwandeutscher]

機 Ji mechanics, really?
Incitement

[Doc Stier]

機 Ji mechanics, really?
Incitement

Haha! Don't be a trouble maker. LoL

[twocircles13]

It’s a great passage illustrating how the mechanics of yang and yin, movement and stillness is rotation.

Were you just sharing or was there also a question? Or do you recommend further discussion?

BTW, This passage is in Chapter 6 of the cited text, if someone else wants to look it up. The remaining passages in the section are enlightening too.

Thanks for posting.

[Yeung]

In Paul Brennan’s paraphrasing, he suggested that “There is no beginning or end to the cyclings of stillness and movement, passive and active. “Taiji” means the pivoting mechanism between them.” He translated Ji as “manifestation”, and my interpretation is that movement and quietness in Taijiquan manifested the mechanism of passive and active. In the context, the author suggested that quietness means the maintaining, staying, and moving towards the original position. Ans there are the unique concepts of touch and issue 有觸卽發 (Yǒu chù jí fā) while in quietness and seeking quietness while in motion. I think we have discussed these unique concepts in this forum. So what is the pivoting mechanism between movement and quietness?

[Bao]

So what is the pivoting mechanism between movement and quietness?

The only mechanics is that when one of them (or something) reaches its limit, it turns to its opposite. It's like a pendulum.

Taiji is:
Tai = "too much",
ji = "utmost point" (as much as, or as high as, anything can become)

Together it means that something reaches over its utmost point. Which means that it can't become more, so it turns to its opposite.

[twocircles13]

機 Ji mechanics, really?
Incitement

I have been trying to figure out what you were saying.

My CE dictionaries define ji, 機 (机) as noun 1. machine; engine; 2. opportunity; 3. intention; 4. aircraft; 5. pivot; 6. crucial point; Adjective 1. flexible (quick-witted); 2. organic; 3. clandestine.

So, mechanics might be inferred.

The statement is 動靜之機, Dòng jìng zhī jī; 陰陽之母也, Yīnyáng zhī mǔ yě.

Without tampering with Brennan’s translation too much. It might more literally be translated

It [taiji] is the engine [mechanics] of movement and stillness, and the mother of yin and yang.


It is instructive and probably fits better with the next paragraph or two, but it I not very elegant. Although I tend to see these writings as how-to instructions, or how-to reminders, others desire to emphasize their literary value, which is sometimes notable. So, substituting manifestation for machine, machinery, or mechanics.

The author could have included “pivot” as a secondary, “hidden” meaning. That’s something to think about.

[taiwandeutscher]

Coming from a sinological-philosophical background (Zhouyi studies), and as a non-native speaker of English, mechanics just sounds strange to me. Ji in classical Chinese philosophy is often the moving power of the universe (cosmic incitement), which never acts like a machine (mechanical in always the same way), but changes in whatever fashion we can imagine, is not cousciously controlled, and so not mechanic. My faulty understanding of English?

[everything]

like 機器 machine?

[wayne hansen]

When I hear Mechanics I don’t think Machine
I think correct method or way of movement application
But like a machine if the gears don’t mesh the function is compromised
What is your face before you were born
What are your God (Tao) given rights

[Bao]

*Sigh*... Let me try again then...

It says: "There is no beginning or end to the cyclings of stillness and movement, passive and active. “Taiji” means the pivoting mechanism between them."

Taiji IS the mechanics. "Mechanic" or "ji" just means function, something that makes it happen. Taiji is that principle.

Taiji here in this sentence is not the martial art taijiquan, but the philosophical principle.

Read again:

[When something] reaches its limit, it turns to its opposite. It's like a pendulum.

Taiji is:
Tai = "too much",
ji = "utmost point" (as much as, or as high as, anything can become)

Together it means that something reaches over its utmost point. Which means that it can't become more, so it turns to its opposite.

THIS is the "ji" = 機, or the mechanics/function/principle. Here it would be better to translate "ji" as "principle".

[everything]

I like what Bao says

[twocircles13]

Coming from a sinological-philosophical background (Zhouyi studies), and as a non-native speaker of English, mechanics just sounds strange to me. Ji in classical Chinese philosophy is often the moving power of the universe (cosmic incitement), which never acts like a machine (mechanical in always the same way), but changes in whatever fashion we can imagine, is not consciously controlled, and so not mechanic. My faulty understanding of English?

That and the usage in the next paragraph is a rationale for Brennan translating Ji as “manifestation.”

"By “manifestation” is meant the “sign” of their occurring.” It is similar to the use of that word in the Classic of the Talisman of the Abstract, in which it says: “The sign of the sky expressing its destructiveness.” There is no beginning or end to the cyclings of stillness and movement, [yin and yang].

“Taiji” means the pivoting mechanism between them [movement and stillness].

The author knows “ji" is an odd word choice, because he has to explain it. I have removed Brennan’s note, which indicated the changes in the constellations. “The sky expressing its destructiveness brings to mind the nightly rotation of the sky and revolution of day to night to day and so on.

In any case, there is the expression of rotation, pivoting, and cycling inherent in the notion of taiji.

[suckinlhbf]

機 can also refer to time, moment in time, change of timing in the moment....

動靜之機、陰陽之母也 ..... The moment in time to change from movement to stillness and from stillness to movement is the core for Yin Yang. My 2cents.

[Yeung]

A google translation from baidu:

Xu Yu Sheng 許禹生 (1879-1945)

From the age of 6, under the supervision of his father and brother, he practiced Zhaquan and Tanju. When he was 20 years old, he respectfully invited Mr. Liu Dekuan from Cangzhou, Hebei to pass on his art at home. When Mr. Liu lived there for three months, he was convinced that Xu Yusheng's character, culture, and skills were all satisfactory, so he began to teach him the Liuhemen boxing weapon and the strange weapon "Lu Bu Fangtian painted halberd". He passed on the art for 6 hours a day until Mr. Liu left the Xu family 4 years later. When Xu Yusheng was 24 years old, a famous Zha boxing master named Zhao from Jinan Prefecture in Shandong posted a post to visit him. Xu Yusheng fought against him, and the result was three wins and two losses. Since then, Xu's reputation has risen, and all the masters from all over the world are eager to go to Beijing to find Xu Yusheng for a competition. Xu Yusheng's home has become a place for martial arts experts to communicate with each other. Among the visitors from all walks of life, there are not only the guards on duty of the Qing court, but also the bodyguards and fist teachers of the bodyguard bureau, and even the heroes of the green forest. Xu Yusheng also benefited a lot from their exchanges. As long as the skills that are good at are unique and practical, they will try their best to ask for advice. He saw Yang Jianhou, a master of Tai Chi, defuse the fierce punches with his unique softness many times, so he humbly asked for advice until he understood the philosophy of "four ounces to pull a thousand catties". Yang Jianhou saw that Xu Yusheng was humble, honest and polite despite his skills, so he decided to accept him as his successor to teach the true meaning of Tai Chi. After years of hard training and comprehension, Xu Yusheng has mastered part of the essence of traditional martial arts, which laid the foundation for the establishment of a martial arts group in the future.