The extremities lead the power

[Father_Jon]

My Chen style teacher comes out of the New Frame system, and one of his training maxims was {and please excuse the the butchered romanization} "Xian Jie Ling Jing" [sounds like Show Jiay Ling Jing]. I was wondering about the original Chinese of this maxim. I've been reading through lots of Taiji manuals lately (what without having a decent TJQ teacher around) and the multivalency of translation is astounding to me. Any thought on the origin? Experiences with the technique?

[Wuyizidi]

Your teacher is probably paraphrasing this passage from Chen Xin's article Essay to Initiate an Understanding1 of Taiji Quan’s Chan Si Jin (太极拳发蒙缠丝劲论), where Chen Xin talked about what each part of the body should be doing:

其周身規矩：頂勁上領，襠勁下去（要撐圓，要合住。）；兩肩松下，兩肘沉下；兩手合住，胸向前合；目勿傍視，手在前者為的；頂不可倒塌，胸中沉心靜气；兩膝合住勁，腰勁下去；兩足常用鉤勁，須前后合住勁。外面之形，秀若處女，不可帶張狂气；一片幽閑之神，盡是大雅風規。

至于手中，其權衡皆本于心，物來順應，自然合進退、緩急、輕重之宜。此太極之陰陽相停，無少偏倚，而為開闔之妙用也！其為道豈淺鮮哉！


Translation:

The guidelines for bodily alignments are: upward force rising to the crown, [balanced by] downward force in the groin (that area must be round, but closing against each other). The shoulders relax downward, the elbows drop. The two hands integrated2 with each other; the chest round toward the front; the eyes do not look to the sides; the front hand serves as the lead; the head should not collapse to the sides; inside the chest the heart should be calm and settled; the two knees closing in to stabilize the forces; forces should be able to travel through the waist area downward4; the two feet should frequently be engaged in hooking actions5, the forces of front and back feet closing against each other6. In outward appearances, there is an elegance like that of fair maiden, with no trace of flippancy, impudence, insolence. Overall the feeling is that of leisurely freedom and ease in spirit, and grand refinement in character.

In terms of the hands, their act of measuring actually starts in the mind. When situations arise, react with following, advance or retreat, fast or slow, heavy or light, everything is done naturally, appropriately. Such is the way of Taiji - yin and yang part of a greater whole, neither insufficient nor excessive, [qualities that] support the wondrous usages for openings and closings. This is not something that is trivial, superficial.


Note:
1 The original word Fa Meng (发蒙) refers to the first lessons children receive in their education, such as basic reading and writing. The idea is that an uneducated mind is in the dark, where everything is muddled. The purpose of education then is to shed light on everything, to answer questions and clarify confusions, etc. And in that process the student’s intellectual abilities are developed, so that he can eventually do those things for himself. Fa Meng is the first step in that developmental process; meant to initiate, inspire, and elicit the use of intellect from the part of student. In that spirit, an essay like this is designed to be an introduction, a first lesson, in helping its readers understand something.

2 The original word here is he (合): This is the word used in the term six integration. The literal translation is closing, as in two halves of a box connected by a hinge closing against each other. The broader meaning is integration. Because each part should not act independently, separately of the other, their effort should be combined harmoniously to serve a unified purpose (snapping the box shut). So the word he also implies coordination.

3 The front hand, like the lead element of an army, serves to determine the direction of overall movements.

4 The waist area is the center of the body. According to the Classics it “should be like axel on the wheel”, moving freely and smoothly. In order to be free, it must be relaxed, able to move without impediment. In order for force to travel smoothly through it unimpeded, it must be neutral, with equal amount of open space is all directions. If for example the buttocks are sticking out, then force will be stuck at the waist, unable to travel further downward.

5 Our toes should be like talons of an eagle, catching the ground.

6 Between the front and back legs there should always be a feeling of inward closing force, as if to prevent the legs parting into split when one foot slips.


Wuyizidi