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A Brief Analysis of the Taiji Dragon-Serpent Form

(This is a pretty literal and at times somewhat rough translation)

By Wang Rongshan 

In 2005, I had the honor of reading the preface that Mr.s Chen Liqing wrote for Master Ma Hong’s book "Taiji Theory". One section of the preface recalls Mrs. Liqing returning to her hometown of Chenjiagou in 1974 to celebrate the Spring Festival, where she met Mr. Chen Zhaokui, who had returned from Beijing to his hometown specifically to cultivate the Taiji talents [of the village]. Liqing had not seen her Tenth Uncle (Chen Zhaokui) for several years and sincerely invited him to perform a Taiji set. Tenth Uncle readily agreed. 
As soon as Tenth Uncle began, Liqing was immediately captivated. Tenth Uncle’s posture was very low, his body upright and steady, just like a brightly colored (silk) ball rolling back and forth on the ground, with his entire body moving in the form of a dragon and serpent*. Liqing watched in amazement and couldn’t help but exclaim, "This is truly marvelous! Taiji!"

At the time, when Mr. Zhaokui practiced, his movements were infused with the form of a dragon and serpent, which piqued my great interest. For this reason, I traveled to Xi'an to visit Mr. Liqing on the 27th day of the lunar month. We arranged a meeting with Comrade Li Gang, who was working in the area, to visit Mr. Liqing, who was 86 years old at the time. We entered the room and saw Liqing sitting in a chair. Her caretaker told us that it was difficult for her to walk. Although it had been a while since we last saw each other, she still seemed very energetic. I quickly stepped forward and took her hand. She looked at me for a moment and asked, 'What is your name?' I replied, 'My surname is Wang.' 'Where are you from?' 'Sanmenxia.' She pulled me to sit beside her, and immediately we had much to talk about. Her memory was clear, and she responded sharply. Fearing she might become tired, I brought up the main topic and asked her to explain the "Dragon-Serpent" form that Mr. Zhaokui used in his movements.

Liqing paused for a moment, then spoke emotionally: 'It’s such a pity! Tenth Uncle left us too soon. His style of boxing is something not everyone can master. The Dragon-Serpent form was only fully expressed through his body. That day, Tenth Uncle's stance was very low, his posture upright, with relaxed shoulders and hips. He moved with stability, lightness, flexibility, and a sense of grandeur. His waist controlled various spiraling and coiling movements, his abdomen rotated in all directions — up and down, left and right, forward and back. His chest, back, and hips opened and closed in a synchronized manner. The entire body moved in an orderly manner, with expanding and contracting motions that cycled back and forth, transitioning smoothly from one form to another. The chest, waist, and hips moved seamlessly in complex, multi-dimensional patterns that were extremely subtle and coordinated. His whole body demonstrated twisting, turning, expanding, contracting, bending, twisting, and rotating movements, with the guiding energy extending to each joint. His hands, elbows, feet, and knees executed techniques like "ward off," "roll back," "press," "push," "pluck," "split," "elbow strike," "shoulder strike," "hook," "block," "sweep," "burst," "twist," and "stamp." The Dragon-Serpent form was vividly brought to life, its movements wonderfully lifelike. At times, it seemed like a python emerging from its cave, its body moving in waves, alternating between curves and straight lines. At other times, the upper body coiled and the lower body followed, the lower body sinking while the upper body responded.'"

"At times, it was the application of yielding and pressing in seeking straightness from curves. At other times, it involved coiling, sinking, folding, merging, and turning, with the head and tail responding to each other. Ten Uncle moved as he wished, in perfect harmony and unity. It was truly marvelous. That conversation gave me a preliminary understanding of the Dragon-Serpent form."
After nearly two hours of conversation, I still felt unsatisfied, wishing that this Taiji master could share more stories about the great masters of previous generations, and explain more of the mysteries and essence of Taiji. But for the sake of her health, I respectfully and reluctantly said goodbye to Chen Liqing, who had dedicated her life to promoting Taiji culture.
June 1, 2010  
Beijing
  
Source: Chen Yu (2011). Taiji Rensheng.
 
 
* "龙蟒" (Lóngmǎng) refers to "Dragon Python" or "Dragon Serpent" in English. The term often symbolizes a combination of the mythical qualities of a dragon (龙, "Lóng") and a python or large snake (蟒, "Mǎng"). In Chinese culture, both the dragon and the python are powerful and mystical creatures, often associated with strength, agility, and transformation. The dragon, in particular, is a symbol of power, wisdom, and auspiciousness, while the python symbolizes flexibility, stealth, and constriction. In martial arts and Taiji, "龙蟒" is used metaphorically to describe the movements that embody the fluidity, strength, and coiling nature of both creatures. It refers to the qualities which are both flexible and powerful, involving spiraling, coiling motions, or invoking imagery of these legendary creatures in practice.
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