太極拳與老子的智慧

太極拳與老子的智慧（一）

太極拳法陰陽變化三大原則：虛實、動靜、剛柔，

此自相矛盾現象，彼此相反而相成，是激發潛能的動力。

如《老子》第2章：有無相生，難易相成，長短相較，高下相傾，音聲相和，前後相隨。有無相互突顯，難易相互促成，長短相互顯現，高下相互依存，音聲相互陪襯，前後相互照應。

如〈太極拳論〉：太極者，無極而生，陰陽之母，動之則分，靜之則合。無過不及，隨曲就伸。陽不離陰，陰不離陽；陰陽相濟，方爲懂勁。故，太極拳法之要訣，動中有靜，靜中有動。剛中有柔，柔中有剛。實中有虛，虛中有實，是進入「懂勁」展現，「以柔克剛」技藝的門徑。

Tai Chi Chuan and the Wisdom of Laozi (Part One)

Tai Chi Chuan embodies three fundamental principles of yin-yang transformation: emptiness-fullness, movement-stillness, and hardness-softness. These seemingly contradictory phenomena complement each other, serving as the driving force to unleash latent potential.

As stated in Chapter 2 of the 'Tao Te Ching': existence and non-existence give birth to each other, difficulty and ease complement each other, long and short define each other, high and low incline towards each other, voice and sound harmonize with each other, and preceding and following follow each other. The interplay of existence and non-existence, difficulty and ease, and other dualities highlights mutual enhancement, a concept mirrored in the principles of Tai Chi Chuan.

In the 'Tai Chi Chuan Classic,' it is expressed: Tai Chi arises from the formless, the mother of yin and yang. When in motion, it divides; when at rest, it unites. There is no excess or deficiency, adapting to curves and extending as needed. Yang does not separate from yin, and yin does not separate from yang. The mutual support of yin and yang is the key to understanding jin (intrinsic energy). Therefore, the essence of Tai Chi Chuan lies in the interplay of movement within stillness, stillness within movement, hardness within softness, softness within hardness, fullness within emptiness, and emptiness within fullness, leading to the manifestation of 'understanding jin' and the path of skill in 'using softness to overcome hardness.'

太極拳與老子的智慧（二）

《老子》3章：虛其心，實其腹，弱其志，強其骨

心知的執著（人為的執著）不介入氣的運行，使氣回歸氣，生命自然柔和，如嬰兒般的自在與天真。

如同太極拳法之以靜制動、吃虧即是佔便宜、氣沉丹田、氣斂入骨等心法要訣。

虛其心：虛靜

弱其志：吃虧

實其腹：氣沉丹田

強其骨：氣斂入骨

老子的智慧參考王邦雄教授的註解。

Tai Chi Chuan and the wisdom of Laozi (Part Two)

In Chapter 3 of Laozi: Empty the mind, fill the belly, weaken the ambition, strengthen the bone. Obsession of mind and knowledge will not interfere with the flow of qi to ket it return to its natural state, resulting in a gentle and harmonious life, akin to that of a carefree infant. This aligns with the principles of Tai Chi Chuan, emphasizing stillness controlling movement, taking losses （investing in loss） to gain advantages, sinking qi to the dantian (elixir field), and condensing qi into the bones.

Empty the mind: Embrace stillness in emptiness.

Weaken the ambition: Accept losses.

Fill the belly: Sink qi to the dantian.

Strengthen the bone: Condense qi into the bones.

The wisdom of Laozi is referenced with insights from Professor Wang Bangxiung（王邦雄）.

太極拳與老子的智慧（三）

《道德經》第十章：專氣致柔，能嬰兒乎？

嬰兒未受世俗的影響，具備無知、無能、無心等三種天真的特質，也是修煉太極拳聽勁技巧所需具備的要素。

1.無知而能致專。

2.無能而能致柔。

3.無心而不執著。

就太極拳「以柔克剛」之技藝而言，首先要培養的能力是聽勁的技巧，訓練聽勁時必須放下身手的拙力與內在的企圖心，使身手輕靈，才能不斷地提升身手敏銳的觸感，訓練過程中看似柔弱、無知、無能、無用、無心其實不然， 等時機成熟，即能展現「以柔克剛」的技藝，又能回到孩童的天真，去探索人生的奧妙。

Tai Chi Chuan and the wisdom of Laozi (Part Three)

In Chapter 10 of the Tao Te Ching: Focus on energy to achieve softness; can you be like an infant? An infant, untouched by worldly influences, possesses the qualities of ignorance, incapacity, and lack of attachment, essential elements for practicing Tai Chi Chuan's listening energy techniques.

Ignorance leads to focus.

Incapacity leads to softness.

Lack of attachment leads to an open mind.

In mastering the art of 'using softness to overcome hardness' in Tai Chi Chuan, the initial skill to cultivate is the ability to listen to energy. During training, one must release reliance on brute force and internal intentions, allowing the body to become agile. This enhances the sensitivity of touch, seemingly frail and ignorant during training but developing the capability to exhibit 'using softness to overcome hardness' when the time is ripe, returning to the innocence of childhood to explore life's mysteries.

太極拳與老子的智慧（四）

《老子》55章：

心使氣曰強。物壯則老

是謂不道，不道早已。

心知介入氣的運行，鼓動了氣，產生英雄氣、江湖氣、優越感，擾亂了氣的自然運行，不合乎天道，反而使身體提早衰老。

如同主觀的企圖心與妄念，介入了太極拳架與推手訓練，造成強力與蠻力的現象，擾亂了身體自然運動的規律，反而阻礙了「以柔克剛」技藝的成長。

老子的智慧參考王邦雄教授的註解。

Tai Chi Chuan and the wisdom of Laozi (Part Four)

OmChapter 55 of the "Tao Te Ching" by Laozi states:

"To control the breath by will-power is to overstrain it;

to grow too much is to decay.

All this is against the Dao

and what is contrary to the Tao will soon perish."

Mind and knowledge intervene in the flow of Qi, stirring it up, generating heroic spirit, chivalrous spirit, and a sense of superiority, which disrupts the natural flow of Qi, goes against the principles of nature, and instead accelerates the aging.

It is the same as the disturbance caused by the subjective intentions and misguided thoughts, interferes with the training of Tai Chi forms and push hands, disrupts the natural rhythm of exercise, and  hinders the growth of the skill of "softness to overcome the hardness." 

Professor Wang Bangxiong's commentary provides insights into Laozi's wisdom.

太極拳與老子的智慧（一）

太極拳法陰陽變化三大原則：虛實、動靜、剛柔，

此自相矛盾現象，彼此相反而相成，是激發潛能的動力。

如《老子》第2章：有無相生，難易相成，長短相較，高下相傾，音聲相和，前後相隨。有無相互突顯，難易相互促成，長短相互顯現，高下相互依存，音聲相互陪襯，前後相互照應。

如〈太極拳論〉：太極者，無極而生，陰陽之母，動之則分，靜之則合。無過不及，隨曲就伸。陽不離陰，陰不離陽；陰陽相濟，方爲懂勁。故，太極拳法之要訣，動中有靜，靜中有動。剛中有柔，柔中有剛。實中有虛，虛中有實，是進入「懂勁」展現，「以柔克剛」技藝的門徑。

 

Tai Chi Chuan and the Wisdom of Laozi (Part One)

Tai Chi Chuan embodies three fundamental principles of yin-yang transformation: noemptiness-fullness, movement-stillness, and hardness-softness. These seemingly contradictory phenomena complement each other, serving as the driving force to unleash latent potential. As stated in Chapter 2 of the 'Tao Te Ching': existence and non-existence give birth to each other, difficulty and ease complement each other, long and short define each other, high and low incline towards each other, voice and sound harmonize with each other, and preceding and following follow each other. The interplay of existence and non-existence, difficulty and ease, and other dualities highlights mutual enhancement, a concept mirrored in the principles of Tai Chi Chuan.

 

In the 'Tai Chi Chuan Classic,' it is expressed: Tai Chi arises from the formless, the mother of yin and yang. When in motion, it divides; when at rest, it unites. There is no excess or deficiency, adapting to curves and extending as needed. Yang does not separate from yin, and yin does not separate from yang. The mutual support of yin and yang is the key to understanding jin (intrinsic energy). Therefore, the essence of Tai Chi Chuan lies in the interplay of movement within stillness, stillness within movement, hardness within softness, softness within hardness, fullness within emptiness, and emptiness within fullness, leading to the manifestation of 'understanding jin' and the path of skill in 'using softness to overcome hardness.'

 

太極拳與老子的智慧（二）

《老子》3章：虛其心，實其腹，弱其志，強其骨

心知的執著（人為的執著）不介入氣的運行，使氣回歸氣，生命自然柔和，如嬰兒般的自在與天真。

如同太極拳法之以靜制動、吃虧即是佔便宜、氣沉丹田、氣斂入骨等心法要訣。

虛其心：虛靜

弱其志：吃虧

實其腹：氣沉丹田

強其骨：氣斂入骨

老子的智慧參考王邦雄教授的註解。

 

Tai Chi Chuan and the wisdom of Laozi (Part Two)

 

In Chapter 3 of Laozi: Empty the mind, fill the belly, weaken the ambition, strengthen the bone. Obsession of mind and knowledge will not interfere with the flow of qi to ket it return to its natural state, resulting in a gentle and harmonious life, akin to that of a carefree infant. This aligns with the principles of Tai Chi Chuan, emphasizing stillness controlling movement, taking losses （investing in loss） to gain advantages, sinking qi to the dantian (elixir field), and condensing qi into the bones.

 

Empty the mind: Embrace stillness in emptiness.

Weaken the ambition: Accept losses.

Fill the belly: Sink qi to the dantian.

Strengthen the bone: Condense qi into the bones.

The wisdom of Laozi is referenced with insights from Professor Wang Bangxiung（王邦雄）.

 

太極拳與老子的智慧（三）

 

 

《道德經》第十章：專氣致柔，能嬰兒乎？

嬰兒未受世俗的影響，具備無知、無能、無心等三種天真的特質，也是修煉太極拳聽勁技巧所需具備的要素。

1.無知而能致專。

2.無能而能致柔。

3.無心而不執著。

 

就太極拳「以柔克剛」之技藝而言，首先要培養的能力是聽勁的技巧，訓練聽勁時必須放下身手的拙力與內在的企圖心，使身手輕靈，才能不斷地提升身手敏銳的觸感，訓練過程中看似柔弱、無知、無能、無用、無心其實不然， 等時機成熟，即能展現「以柔克剛」的技藝，又能回到孩童的天真，去探索人生的奧妙。

 

Tai Chi Chuan and the wisdom of Laozi (Part Three)

 

In Chapter 10 of the Tao Te Ching: Focus on energy to achieve softness; can you be like an infant? An infant, untouched by worldly influences, possesses the qualities of ignorance, incapacity, and lack of attachment, essential elements for practicing Tai Chi Chuan's listening energy techniques.

 

Ignorance leads to focus.

Incapacity leads to softness.

Lack of attachment leads to an open mind.

In mastering the art of 'using softness to overcome hardness' in Tai Chi Chuan, the initial skill to cultivate is the ability to listen to energy. During training, one must release reliance on brute force and internal intentions, allowing the body to become agile. This enhances the sensitivity of touch, seemingly frail and ignorant during training but developing the capability to exhibit 'using softness to overcome hardness' when the time is ripe, returning to the innocence of childhood to explore life's mysteries.

 

太極拳與老子的智慧（四）

《老子》55章：

心使氣曰強。物壯則老

是謂不道，不道早已。

心知介入氣的運行，鼓動了氣，產生英雄氣、江湖氣、優越感，擾亂了氣的自然運行，不合乎天道，反而使身體提早衰老。

如同主觀的企圖心與妄念，介入了太極拳架與推手訓練，造成強力與蠻力的現象，擾亂了身體自然運動的規律，反而阻礙了「以柔克剛」技藝的成長。

老子的智慧參考王邦雄教授的註解。

 

Tai Chi Chuan and the wisdom of Laozi (Part Four)

 

OmChapter 55 of the "Tao Te Ching" by Laozi states:

 

"To control the breath by will-power is to overstrain it;

to grow too much is to decay.

All this is against the Dao

and what is contrary to the Tao will soon perish."

Mind and knowledge intervene in the flow of Qi, stirring it up, generating heroic spirit, chivalrous spirit, and a sense of superiority, which disrupts the natural flow of Qi, goes against the principles of nature, and instead accelerates the aging.

 

It is the same as the disturbance caused by the subjective intentions and misguided thoughts, interferes with the training of Tai Chi forms and push hands, disrupts the natural rhythm of exercise, and  hinders the growth of the skill of "softness to overcome the hardness."

 

Professor Wang Bangxiong's commentary provides insights into Laozi's wisdom.

 

 

 

太極拳與莊子的智慧

莊子〈人間世〉心齋

若一志，

無聽之以耳而聽之以心，

無聽之以心而聽之以氣。

聽止於耳，心止於符。

氣也者，虛而待物者也，唯道集虛。

虛者，心齋也。

Tai Chi Chuan and the Wisdom of Zhuangzi.

"Heart's Fast (Heart Cleansing) " from the "Human World" section: If one's intent is unified, listen not with the ears but with the heart, not with the heart but with the Qi. Listening stops at the ears; the heart stops at symbols. Qi, being empty and awaiting things, only the Dao gathers emptiness. Emptiness is the heart's cleansing.

 

就人生哲學的修養功夫而言：

心齋也是人生哲學的修養功夫的三個境界，從耳目官能、到心靈的修養，再到氣的虛空，而能承載萬物。心齋的修養功夫與太極拳法的聽勁、懂勁、階級神明等境界的修練有異曲同工之妙。

就太極拳法而言

In terms of the cultivation of life philosophy:

Heart Cleansing represents three realms of the cultivation of life philosophy, progressing from sensory perception to spiritual refinement, and ultimately to the emptiness of Qi that can embrace all things. The cultivation of heart meditation shares similarities with the practice of listening energy, understanding energy, and reaching the level of divine clarity in Tai Chi martial arts.