Eastern U.S. Tai Chi Seminar 2024

 

SupplePushing Hands and Tai Chi Philosophy 

(Eastern US - Washington DC & New Plymouth) (中文）

Instructor Profile

Instructor Overview

• Master Wu Rong Hui is a highly experienced Tai Chi and Push Hands instructor with over 35 years of teaching and practice. He is a renowned expert in the Tai Chi world, having won numerous competition awards and authored multiple Tai Chi books. Master Wu Rong Hui is passionate about sharing his knowledge and helping others experience the many benefits of Tai Chi.

Lineage : 

• Yang Chen-Fu → Cheng Man-Ching → Song Zhi-Jian → Wu Rong Huei
• (studied with Grandmaster Song from 1986 to 2000)

Educational Background:

• Graduated from the Institute of Athletics and Coaching Science at the National Taiwan Sports University in 2007.

Current Positions:

1. Three positions at the National Tai Chi Chuan Association, NTCCA, which is the central governing body of Tai Chi Chuan in Taiwan and World Tai Chi Chuan Federation.

(1) Vice Chairman

(2) Chairperson of the Referee Committee

(3) Head referee for all competitions the NTCCA sponsored from 2004

      to present

2. Chairperson, Chinese Tai Chi Institute

3. CEO of Yijian Tai Chi Chuan Association

4. Lecturer at two departments of National Taiwan Sports University:

(1) Department of Athletic Training and Health 

(2) Department of Adapted Physical Education  

5.Coach at these clubs

    Locally:

(1) Tai Chi Chuan push hands at the Institute for the Blind of Taiwan 

(2) Tai Chi Chuan push hands at the National Taipei University of

      Technology

(3) Head Coach of the National Tai Chi Chuan Association and Yijian

      Tai Chi Chuan Association

 

Internationally:

Coach of the Tai Chi Chuan groups at

(1) Semarang City, Central Java, Indonesia

(2) Paris, France

(3) Thun, Switzerland

(4) Wuppertal, Germany

(5) NC and Washington DC, USA

(6) Guang Zhou, China

(7) Chubut, Argentina 

(8) Tokyo, Japan

(9) Brussels, Belgium

(10) London, UK

(11) Austria

(12) Zhuhai, Guangdong, China

(13) Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Competition Achievements:

• Awarded over 20 championships in various Push Hands competitions from 1989 to 2000.
• In the span of 12 years, from 1989 to 2000, Wu Rong Huei won more than 20 championships in the following Tai Chi push hands competitions, all in the 60-65kg division except the one in 1999. In that year, he voluntarily signed up for division 7 (75-80kg) competing with people 4 divisions heavier than him. He won the championship.

Publications :

(1) Technical Reports on Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands Techniques, 2004

《太極拳推手技術報告書》

(2) 25 Years of Push Hands, 2010 《太極拳推手生涯二十五年》

(3) Supple Tai Chi Chuan, 2014 《鬆柔太極拳》

(4) 30 Years of Push Hands, 2016 《太極拳推手生涯三十年》

(5) Supple Tai Chi Chuan Analysis, 2019 《鬆柔太極拳闡》

(6) How Three Masters Taught Pushing Hands

Three Glimpses of Cheng Man-Ching’s Push Hands System

2020《鄭子門下三位大師之推手技藝》

(7) Supple Tai Chi Chuan Pushing Hands, 2024《鬆柔太極拳推手》

Teaching Philosophy

Master Wu Rong Hui believes that Tai Chi Chuan is suitable for everyone, regardless of age, physical condition, visual impairment, or experience. He creates a supportive and welcoming learning environment where students can learn at their own pace and comfortably explore their potential.

 

Teaching Methods

Master Wu Rong Hui employs a variety of teaching methods to ensure that all students can learn effectively. These methods include:

(1) Lecture and Demonstration: Master Wu Rong Hui provides clear and concise explanations of Tai Chi principles and techniques, accompanied by demonstrations to illustrate the proper execution of movements.

(2) Verbal Instruction: Master Wu Rong Hui offers personalized verbal guidance to students during practice sessions, providing feedback and correcting mistakes to help them refine their technique.

(3) Hands-on Assistance: Master Wu Rong Hui physically assists students in achieving proper posture and alignment, ensuring that they are using their bodies correctly and effectively in Tai Chi practice.

(4) Partner Practice: Master Wu Rong Hui encourages students to engage in partner practice, allowing them to apply their Tai Chi skills in a dynamic and interactive setting.

(5) Small Group Discussions: Master Wu Rong Hui facilitates small group discussions to foster a sense of community among students, encouraging them to share their experiences, ask questions, and learn from each other.

These diverse teaching methods cater to different learning styles and ensure that all students have the opportunity to progress in their Tai Chi practice. Master Wu Rong Hui's commitment to individualized instruction and a supportive learning environment creates a truly inclusive and effective learning experience for students of all backgrounds and abilities.

Course Outline

(1)Introduction to Tai Chi and Push Hands

 History and Philosophy of Tai Chi

 Basic Principles of Tai Chi

 Introduction to Push Hands

 Warm-up Exercises

 

(2 ) Tai Chi Forms

Yi Jian Tai Chi Chuan

 

(3) Push Hands Techniques

Basic Push Hands Techniques: Peng, Lu, Ji, An, Cai, Lie, Zhou, Kao

Advanced Push Hands Techniques

Application of Offensive and Defensive Techniques

Course Content

(1) The Essentials of Tai Chi Classics and the Secrets of Relaxation

(2) The Thinking Logic of Tai Chi and Lao Zhuang and the Changes of

      Yin and Yang in the Book of Changes

(3) Application of Tai Chi Form and Push Hands

(4) Competition Rules and Application of Offensive and Defensive

    

Techniques in Tai Chi Push Hands

The above basic exercises can lead to the development of ten techniques:

1.     Forward right Ward Off, Roll Back and Pluck Technique.

2.     Exchange Hands Technique of left and right Ward Off, Roll Back and Pluck Technique.

3.     Ward Off, Roll Back and Pluck Softening Technique.

4.     Advanced right Ward Off, Roll Back, Pluck and Push Technique (Connection Through the Inside of the Upper Arm).

5.     Advanced left and right Ward Off, Roll Back, Pluck and Push Technique (Connection Through the Inside of the Upper Arm).

6.     Advanced right Ward Off, Roll Back, Pluck and Push Technique  (Connection Through the Outside of the Upper Arm).

7.     Advanced right and left Ward Off, Roll Back, Pluck and Push Technique (Connection Through the Inside and Outside of the Upper Arm).

8.     Pushing and Fa Jin Method

 

Thematic Articles （3 aritcles）

1.     Tai Chi Chuan and the Three Principles of the Book of Changes (Yi Jing)

  Three major characteristics  found in the hexagrams of the I Ching are Image, Number,    and Principle – these elements also find resonance in our tai chi chuan practice.

 

Image: Phenomenon. Number: Digit. Principle: Reason.

 

Image: Phenomenon. Through changes in the emptiness and fullness of the feet, the movement and stillness of the hands, and the hardness and softness of the body, the phenomena of the Tai Chi Eight Methods, forms, and pushing hands techniques are produced.

 

Number: Digit. The numbers representing the length of the legs in advancing and retreating, the angles and positions of each joint, the height of the body's center of gravity, the arc of turning left and right, and other numerical changes demonstrate the subtlety of Tai Chi Chuan.

 

Principle: Reason. The Tai Chi form and the techniques of pushing hands are inspired by repeated practice, which verifies the rationality of the form and the skills of pushing hands.

 

According to the three principles of the Book of Changes: image, number, and principle, the eight methods of Tai Chi Chuan (peng, lu, ji, an, cai, lie, zhou, kao) are phenomena generated by changes in the angles and positions of the body's major joints. This phenomenon, in terms of the body's structure, is a natural variation. By following Grandmaster Cheng Man-Ching's training methods: "Beautiful Lady’s Hands," "No Arms in Tai Chi” (NAIT) and "Investing in Loss.", and the Original Space Position(OSP), Original Body Position(OBP), and the utilization of the energy of nature such as gravitational force, reaction force, and inertia, the body produces changes in emptiness and fullness, movement and stillness, and hardness and softness. Changes in the body's major joints, parts, and positions result in the movements of the form and the techniques of pushing hands.

 

2.     Training in Supple Pushing Hands Techniques (Part 1)

 

The key to supple pushing hands lies in the agility of body and hands. Only with agile body and hands can one use the principles of "adhering, sticking, connecting, and following without losing contact" to manipulate the opponent's center of gravity. During training, through the changes of stillness and movement in the arms, and the changes of emptiness and fullness in the legs, continuously disrupt the opponent's balance, and at critical moments, pull the opponent's body without causing any physical harm, but stimulating the body's potential.

 

Adhering Method: It means to attract, lift, and bring back. When the opponent pushes forward with force, I use the adhering method to attract and dissolve, making it difficult for the opponent to launch an attack.

 

Sticking Method: It means to attach. When the opponent retreats, I use the sticking method to follow suit, making it difficult for the opponent to escape.

 

Connecting Method: It means continuous and uninterrupted. When sparring with the opponent, I use the method of adhering and sticking to probe the emptiness and fullness, and if there is any interruption, it will give the opponent an opportunity.

 

Following Method: It means to follow suit. The key is to let go of intentions and clumsiness, neither too close nor too far, to track the opponent, probe the opponent's emptiness and fullness, and be ready to act at any time.

 

Not Losing Contact: It means not to detach or resist. As stated in the Tai Chi Classics: "When the opponent moves fast, respond fast; when the opponent moves slowly, follow slowly." Do not resist forcefully, nor passively

 

 

3.     Training in Supple Pushing Hands Techniques (Part 2)

 

Push hands technique training is based on the training of the nine major joints of the body (shoulders, elbows, wrists, neck, back, waist, hips, knees, ankles) as connecting points. Through the changes of the stillness and movement of both hands, it creates a corresponding relationship between yin and yang. As the Tai Chi Classics say, "Yin does not leave yang, yang does not leave yin, yin and yang complement each other to understand jing (internal energy)." In terms of push hands skill, it is a cooperative skill between both hands. To make the cooperation seamless, one must first let go of intention and abandon clumsy force, allowing the body and hands to be agile, so as to move with the flow.

 

The Tai Chi Classics also state, "When moving, the whole body  must be agile, especially interconnected." Arm and hand training seeks agility first, then interconnectedness. Agility causes unpredictable changes in the yin and yang of both arms and hands, facilitating their cooperation, and ultimately leading to the wonderful application of interconnectedness. Interconnectedness is a cooperative relationship where both hands take turns leading and following, with the right hand as the main and the left hand as the support. When the left hand is the main, the right hand is the support. During training, repeatedly explore the coordination of the weight of both hands, seeking the optimal ratio to disrupt the opponent's balance and create the best timing for strikes.

 

Therefore, the training of forms and basic push hands is to cultivate the agility of the body and hands as the foundation for the changes of yin and yang. Then, it enters into the corresponding relationship between point and point. In the application of push hands techniques, the ratio of the weight of both hands is the key to disrupting the opponent's balance and also determines the realm of "move a thousand pounds with four ounces."