everything wrote:I'll actually start a different thread, but it makes me wonder about circle walking. Sure you can start and end facing a particular way, but you are going in a circle all of the time and "facing" somewhere from all directions.
Bao wrote:everything wrote:I'll actually start a different thread, but it makes me wonder about circle walking. Sure you can start and end facing a particular way, but you are going in a circle all of the time and "facing" somewhere from all directions.
Exactly. The directions doesn't make sense. It's like we would write "turn to one o'clock" in a Tai chi manual. I am sure that people from other countries would interpret it as you should stand there and wait until the clock shows one o'clock before turning.
If you look at old manuals there are never left or right mentioned. Why?
I think they do mention left right "The five elements are: advance (fire), retreat (water), step to the left (wood), step to the right (metal), and stay in the center (earth)."
Again, instead they used the cardinal directions to express forward, back, left, right. This is also the reason why there is zhong (or zhongding).
might want to check the meaning of what its used for...
When you turn on the spot, you'll create four new directions and you need to start look at "South" from where your head is facing again.
relative / absolute
This explanation makes much more sense IMO.
THE EIGHT GATES & FIVE STEPS
方位 八門
position / gate:
掤 南 坎
warding off – S / ☵
捋 西 離
rolling back – W / ☲
擠 東 兑
pressing – E / ☱
按 北 震
pushing – N / ☳
採 西北 巽
plucking – NW / ☴
挒 東南 乾
rending – SE / ☰
肘 東北 坤
elbowing – NE / ☷
靠 西南 艮
bumping – SW / ☶
The positions of the eight gates are based on the principle of the passive and active aspects inverting each other, cycling round and round, following each other in their process. All of the four primary techniques [corresponding to the cardinal directions] and four secondary techniques [corresponding to the corner directions] must be understood. Warding off, rolling back, pressing, and pushing are the four primary techniques. Plucking, rending, elbowing, and bumping are the four secondary techniques. The combining of these cardinals and corners thus positions the trigrams.
The body makes its steps according to the five elements, bracing in all directions zhongding. The five elements are: advance (fire), retreat (water), step to the left (wood), step to the right (metal), and stay in the center (earth).
Advancing and retreating are the steppings of water and fire, left and right are the steppings of metal and wood, and the central earth is the axis for all of them.
Embrace the eight trigrams as you step through the five elements. Techniques plus steps equals eight plus five, amounting to thirteen, naturally expressed as the Thirteen Dynamics, known as the Eight Gates & Five Steps.
Brinkmann wrote :
Facing south is an astrological reference point which coincides with the human body in relation to Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.
It would be difficult to explain the theory in a short paragraph but it is based on an astro-cartography model used in fortune telling, fengshui,
Chinese medicine etc. In facing south, the body is seen to absorb solar energy through the ventral surfaces, while the energy circulating
in the back of the body expands, thus warding off the cold northern influences emanating from the north. Apparently the forbidden city was designed with this
geomantic principle is mind wherein the emperor sits, facing south with his back to the north. The "Great Wall" protects China from the pernicious( evil) cold influences
from the North. The back of the body (dorsal surfaces) thus protects the body in a similar fashion. The front of the body is therefore perceived to
contract the solar energy inward (closing) while the energy of the back is expanding (opening). The sides of the body (align with the east west axis) are then
perceived to pivot between the ventral closing and dorsal opening energetics. The body's meridian system is based on this 24 hour energy trine which is seen to open
(8 hours) pivot (8 hours) and close (8 hours) and is the basis for the body's12 part meridian structure or rather it energy circulation dynamics. The body in very simple terms
reflects this open, pivot and close energy dynamic according to its ventral, side and dorsal physical structure and to a greater degree its physiological functions.
I think they do mention left right "The five elements are: advance (fire), retreat (water), step to the left (wood), step to the right (metal), and stay in the center (earth)."
Bao wrote:I think they do mention left right "The five elements are: advance (fire), retreat (water), step to the left (wood), step to the right (metal), and stay in the center (earth)."
Which means that this passage is not as old people believe that it is. It should be South, North, West, East if it was old. The classics were compiled, or maybe even written by, Wu Yuxiang.
Brinkmann over analyzes it. The simplest most logical solution tend to be true.
My explanation I gave is not something I made up, but comes from a very well respected Chinese scholar and professor who has read and examined a great deal of old original texts. I like his explanation as it makes sense and de-mystifies the superstition. It’s so simple and logic so I see no reason to not believe it.
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