The Origin and Essence of Yi Jian Tai Chi

 The Origin and Essence of Yi Jian Tai Chi

By Wu Ronghui, Vice Chairman of the Republic of China Tai Chi Association and World Tai Chi Chuan Federation 

Yi Jian Tai Chi is a martial art that Master Song Zhijian strongly promoted. Its name, which reverses the first two characters of Master Zheng Manching’s "Jian Yi Tai Chi" (Simplified Tai Chi), is explained by Master Song:

The term "Yi Jian" comes from the I Ching (Book of Changes). In the Xici Commentary, it is stated: “Qian [Heaven] firmly displays ease, while Kun [Earth] gently displays simplicity.” Here, "Yi" represents the natural, transforming interaction of yin and yang, while "Jian" represents a path of ease and non-action, avoiding complexity. This simplicity, stemming from the virtue of Heaven and Earth, embodies persistence and constant effort, serving as the foundation for nurturing all things. The virtue lies in integrity and correctness, aligning with the principle that constancy and balance lead to enduring results. Therefore, the Xici also states: "The goodness of Yi Jian aligns with supreme virtue."

Confucius praised it, saying: “Heaven is known through ease, Earth through simplicity. Ease makes understanding accessible; simplicity makes following it feasible. When ease is understood, affinity is created; when simplicity is followed, results are achieved. Affinity brings endurance; achievement brings greatness. Endurance is the virtue of the wise; greatness is the work of the wise. Through ease and simplicity, the principles of the world are grasped, and one’s place within them is maintained.” The principles of Yi Jian Tai Chi reflect these ideas, and the art is thus named.

Yi Jian incorporates the principles of the I Ching, and the movements embody its philosophy. As stated in the Xici: “The I Ching contains the concept of Tai Chi, which generates two forms [yin and yang], which in turn generate four phenomena, and these generate eight trigrams.” The trigrams, when doubled, form sixty-four hexagrams, and the sequence says: “The sixty-four hexagrams constitute the structure, while the three hundred eighty-four lines constitute its application.” Additionally, the Xici explains: “Heaven’s number is twenty-five, Earth’s number is thirty, totaling fifty-five. This is how transformation and spirit proceed. Qian has 216 lines, Kun 144, totaling 360, aligning with the days of the period.” It continues: “Thus, firmness and flexibility mutually interact, the eight trigrams resonate, and from afar, they do not resist; nearby, they are calm and correct. Firmness and flexibility push and pull, with transformation inherent within.” The principles of Tai Chi reflect this, following the balance of emptiness and fullness, firmness and flexibility, and the dynamics of stillness and movement.

The two forms refer to emptiness and fullness; the four phenomena to movement, stillness, firmness, and flexibility; and the eight trigrams correspond to the eight techniques: Peng (ward-off), Lu (rollback), Ji (press), An (push), Cai (pluck), Lie (split), Zhou (elbow), and Kao (lean). The form consists of sixty-four movements, with repetitions and mirrored movements, culminating in fifty-five named sequences, for a total of 365 postures and 384 breaths. Thus, the movements align fully with the numerical principles of the I Ching, leading practitioners toward the effect of harmony between heaven and humanity and cultivating an unceasing strength.

易簡太極拳的淵源與內涵

                       中華民國太極拳總會副理事長 吳榮輝

   易簡太極拳是宋志堅宗師極力推廣的拳術，因與鄭曼青大師之簡易太極拳的起首二字顛倒為用宋志堅老師特地說明：

易簡一辭源出周易，繫辭傳說：「夫乾確然示人易矣，夫坤隤然示人簡矣。」易是陰陽交變之自然造化，簡是無為而從，易學不繁；易簡乃乾坤之大德，自強不息，為化育萬物之根基。德在貞，貞者正也，恒守中正乃可遠久，所以繫傳又說：「易簡之善配至德」。

    孔子贊曰：「乾以易知，坤以簡能，易則易知，簡則易從，易知則有親，易從則有功，有親則可久，有功則可大，可久則賢人之德，可大則賢人之業，易簡而天下之理得矣，天下之理得，而存位乎其中矣。」拳涵斯義，故冠以名之。

    易簡涵周易之義，拳勢涵周易之道，繫辭傳曰：「易有太極，是生兩儀，兩儀生四象，四象生八卦。」卦重則六十有四，序云：「六十四卦為其體，三百八十四爻為其用。」又傳曰：「天數二十有五，地數三十，凡天地之數五十有五，此所以成變化而行鬼神也。乾之策二百一十有六，坤之策百四十有四，凡三百有六十，當期之日。」又曰：「是故剛柔相摩，八卦相盪，遠則不禦，邇則靜而正。剛柔相推，變化在其中矣。」拳訣不外虛實剛柔之理，動靜變化之數，故曰太極。

    兩儀者虛與實，四象者動靜與剛柔，八卦者掤捋擠按採挒肘靠八法也，拳有六十四勢，合併左右重複八勢暨末尾收勢，實以五十五勢拳名相連貫，全套拳架計三百六十五動作，三百八十四呼吸，故拳與易數無所不符矣，是故習者乃有天人合一之效，自強不息之功。