By Chen Zhaokui and Chao Zhenmin, translated by Lo Juinn Cherng, courtesy by 陈瑜太极网, cytjw-cn (思雨)  

二、陈式太极拳的特点 

Tai Chi Chuan, Xing Yi Quan, Baguazhang, and other martial arts are often referred to as internal martial arts. These practices emerged relatively late and have seen significant advancements in combat techniques. On one hand, there have been developments in fighting skills, and on the other hand, they've integrated with Qigong, leading to new strides in health maintenance. Now, let's delve into a brief discussion specifically focusing on Chen-style Tai Chi Chuan.

Part A: Aspects of Combat Techniques

In terms of combat techniques, the emphasis is placed on abandoning rigid confrontation and relying solely on physical strength, which is both limited and limiting. Instead, the focus is on evading direct confrontation, neutralizing the opponent's force, and then seizing the opportunity to counter the opponent's techniques. This places the mastery of combat skills as the decisive factor in determining victory or defeat, relegating physical strength to a secondary consideration. While each of these martial arts possesses its own unique characteristics and application methods, they adhere to some common principles. These principles are based on human anatomy and mechanical laws, ensuring that one maintains an advantage in physical movement and combat against the opponent. They are inherent and immutable, not subject to personal desires but rather to be understood, applied, and respected. Regardless of one's level of skill, these principles apply universally. In summary, these principles can be roughly categorized as follows:

(1) Always maintain sinking Qi to the Dantian (lower abdomen), with the tailbone held  straight and centred with the body aligned properly, whether in motion or at rest. This ensures stability of the center of gravity and agility of the body.

If one fails to maintain the aforementioned requirements while rotating the body, the center of gravity will inevitably tilt in one direction, hindering agile movement. This lack of agility prevents swift adaptation to incoming forces or changes in the opponent's movements, thereby impeding the ability to swiftly adjust one's "point of force" to evade the opponent's force or to capitalize on the opponent's vulnerabilities. Therefore, adherence to this rule is essential in the practice of forms, as well as in pushing hands or any other martial arts movements. 

Alternatively, some may believe that with advanced skill, even leaning back or similar movements can still effectively neutralize the opponent's force without being compromised. Indeed, individuals with higher skill levels and proficiency may utilize localized movements of various body parts to neutralize the opponent's force. While it may appear that they are leaning back, in reality, their body remains centered, allowing them to effectively counter with force. However, these techniques are only feasible under specific conditions (such as without footwork), limiting the range of application. If the conditions change, such as allowing the opponent to advance, it becomes apparent that previously seamless techniques may reveal vulnerabilities or even fail. For instance, allowing the opponent to step forward would inevitably disrupt one's ability to maintain stability while leaning back.

(2) “Concave chest, Pushing back the back”, “Sink the elbow and drop the shoulders” “Ensure elbows don’t stick to ribs”, to maintain flexibility in upper body movements and remain in an advantageous position.

“Concave chest, Pushing back the back" is aimed at addressing the tendency to protrude the chest and abdomen. This adjustment is crucial for sinking the Qi to the Dantian, preventing it from rising or floating upward. It involves slightly tucking in the front chest and gently pulling the back backward, allowing the pressure in the abdomen to sink downward, aligning the center of gravity with the tucked tailbone for stability. This ensures flexibility in movement and keeps the shoulders relaxed while sinking the elbows. During upper body movements, it's essential that the elbows never flip upward, ensuring they stay below shoulder level at all times. This prevents opponents from exploiting joint locks to control the elbows, which could otherwise result in being grabbed or struck. Additionally, in regards to “Ensure elbows don’t stick to ribs”; there should be at least an inch of space between them to allow for easy rotation of the torso in response to external forces. Otherwise, if the elbows touch the ribs, the upper body becomes vulnerable to control and manipulation by external forces, making it easier for opponents to grab, control or strike.

(3) Tucking the crotch, Drawing in the hips, to ensure a solid and stable lower body.

“Buttoning/Fastening” the crotch, Drawing in the hips, and slightly bending the knees, enables stable standing and agile rotation, making it easier to seize advantageous positions when in close proximity to the opponent. Drawing in the hips, and slightly bending the knees, enables stable standing and agile rotation, making it easier to seize advantageous positions when in close proximity to the opponent.Therefore, in any martial art form (referring to the aforementioned styles with internal power), there is no posture with both legs fully extended.

(4) Power starts from the heels, emanates from the spine, with the waist and abdomen as the pivot of movement, and the entire body working together as a unified force. Linking the neutralization of power with its generation, offense and defense become one, and the movement follows a curved path.

When exerting force towards the opponent, apart from avoiding direct confrontation, one should also utilize the opponent's own strength or reflexes to gain victory (by redirecting their force or causing injury). While this approach can conserve one's own energy significantly, it is just one aspect. Additionally, when exerting force oneself, it's essential to maintain balance while maximizing the effectiveness of the exerted force. To ensure that the reactive force during exertion doesn't affect one's own balance and to fully unleash the power of the entire body, force must be generated from the heels—allowing the pivot points to bear the majority of the reactive force through the limbs. Furthermore, the waist acts as the pivot to drive force during the rotation of the limbs (avoiding straight lines), thus neutralizing the opponent's force and delivering force in accordance with their movements. This not only shortens the distance traveled and increases speed but also puts the opponent in an unfavorable position. Moreover, one remains in a stable state, denying the opponent any chance to exploit vulnerabilities, and can adapt to changes in the opponent's movements effectively, resulting in a more pronounced effect in combat. This connected action of neutralizing and exerting force is often referred to as "rollback force" or "rolling force". Of course, Tai Chi, Xingyi, and Baguazhang each have their own unique techniques, but the basic principles remain the same.

The distinctive features of Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan are built upon the principles mentioned above.

Bibliography:

Chen Zhaokui and Chao Zhenmin (2011). Chenshi Taijiquan Duanlian Jingyan Tan. In: Chen Yu: Taiji Rensheng (pp. 55-76).

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