charles wrote:Bao wrote: What I mean is that what Chen Xin describes doesn't really fit exactly into the modern format. So interpreting Chen Xin from a modern practicing perspective will lead to confusion.
Where, specifically, do you believe modern Chen practice deviates from what Chen Xin wrote?
One thing specifically? I didn't write "modern Chen practice." I said from a modern perspective. The common standard of Chen style is new. So I mean mostly large frame, the new style. Though many small frame practitioners seem to have adapted the modern, large frame "look" as well.
"Once Qi of the hand moves to the back of the foot, then big toe simultaneously closes with the hand and only at this moment (one can) step firmly."
"Whether foot is Empty (Xu) or Solid (Shi) depends on hand, if hand is Empty then foot is also Empty, if hand is Solid then foot is solid too." (http://www.chinafrominside.com/ma/taiji/chenxin.html)
This implies direct connection between foot and hand, and it's also logical considering the follow step used in small frame. Most Chen stylists today, speaking about large frame, use a more indirect connection and sequential coordination between the body parts. From what I have watched from Small frame as well, the shenfa can be very compact and look much more simplistic.
There are other things as well, as things you can see in old Wu (Yuxiang, which comes directly from small frame) a much more complicated shenfa with active use and coordination of lower ribs, spine and scapula. Makes me wonder what was inherited in Wu/Hao and simplified or lost in Chen style....