《道德經》第三章與太極推手
Chapter 3 of the Tao Te Ching and Tai Chi Push Hands
Although Chapter 3 of the Tao Te Ching does not directly discuss martial arts, its principles closely parallel the mindset and strategy of Tai Chi push hands.
《道德經》第三章原文
Original Chinese Text
不尚賢，使民不爭；
不貴難得之貨，使民不為盜；
不見可欲，使民心不亂。是以聖人之治：
虛其心，實其腹；
弱其志，強其骨。
常使民無知無欲，
使夫智者不敢為也。
為無為，則無不治。
English Translation
Do not exalt the talented, and people will not compete.
Do not prize rare treasures, and people will not steal.
Do not display objects of desire, and people's hearts will not become disturbed.
Therefore the Sage governs by:
Emptying the mind,
Filling the belly,
Softening ambition,
Strengthening the bones.
He keeps people free from excessive knowledge and desire,
So that the clever dare not manipulate.
Practice non-forcing (Wu Wei),
And nothing will remain out of harmony.
與推手的關聯
Connection to Push Hands
1. 不爭 (Not Contending)
《道德經》
不尚賢，使民不爭。
English
Do not glorify superiority, and people will cease competing.
推手應用
In push hands, the greatest mistake is the desire to win.
Beginners often:
- try to overpower,
- push harder,
- resist directly.
Advanced practitioners:
- listen first,
- follow first,
- transform first.
太極拳論
人剛我柔謂之走。
When the opponent is hard, I become soft.
The goal is not to defeat force with greater force, but to dissolve force.
2. 虛其心
Empty the Mind
《道德經》
虛其心
English
Empty the mind.
推手應用
A cluttered mind cannot listen.
When pushing hands:
- thinking too much slows response,
- planning ahead creates tension,
- anticipation causes mistakes.
The mind should be calm and receptive.
《莊子》
至人之用心若鏡。
The perfected person uses the mind like a mirror.
A mirror reflects but does not cling.
This perfectly describes listening energy (聽勁).
3. 實其腹
Fill the Belly
《道德經》
實其腹
English
Fill the belly.
推手應用
Traditionally this refers to stabilizing one's center.
In Taiji:
- Dantian (丹田) becomes the center of movement.
- Force returns to the center.
- Balance originates from the center.
The body remains rooted rather than top-heavy.
4. 弱其志
Soften Ambition
《道德經》
弱其志
English
Soften ambition.
推手應用
The desire to dominate creates stiffness.
Many practitioners become tense because they:
- want to win,
- want to show skill,
- want immediate success.
The more ambition appears, the less sensitivity remains.
Laozi advises reducing ego-driven intention.
5. 強其骨
Strengthen the Bones
《道德經》
強其骨
English
Strengthen the bones.
推手應用
This does not mean muscular strength alone.
It refers more to:
- structure,
- alignment,
- rooting.
Push hands depends upon skeletal support rather than muscular effort.
Related Taiji Principle
虛領頂勁，氣沉丹田。
The body becomes relaxed yet structurally connected.
6. 無知無欲
Free from Excessive Knowledge and Desire
《道德經》
常使民無知無欲。
English
Keep people free from excessive knowledge and desire.
推手應用
In push hands:
- excessive technique hunting becomes a burden,
- excessive desire to control becomes an obstacle.
The highest level becomes natural.
《莊子》
得魚忘筌。
Once the fish is caught, the trap is forgotten.
Similarly:
- first learn techniques,
- then transcend techniques.
7. 為無為
Act Through Non-Forcing
《道德經》
為無為，則無不治。
English
Practice non-forcing, and nothing remains out of harmony.
推手中的最高原則
This may be the single sentence that best explains advanced push hands.
When force comes:
- do not resist,
- do not collapse,
- do not rush.
Simply:
- connect,
- listen,
- follow,
- transform.
Then the appropriate response naturally emerges.
推手中的第三章總結
Chapter 3 Applied to Push Hands
| 道德經第三章 | Push Hands Principle |
|---|---|
| 不爭 | Do not compete with force |
| 虛其心 | Empty the mind and listen |
| 實其腹 | Stabilize the center (Dantian) |
| 弱其志 | Let go of ego and ambition |
| 強其骨 | Maintain structure and rooting |
| 無知無欲 | Avoid attachment to technique |
| 為無為 | Respond naturally without forcing |
一句話總結
Summary in One Sentence
《道德經》第三章教人「不爭而善勝」，而推手正是將這種無為而化、以柔克剛的智慧，透過身體實踐出來。
Chapter 3 of the Tao Te Ching teaches us to “win without contention”; Tai Chi push hands is the physical embodiment of this wisdom—transforming through non-forcing and overcoming hardness through softness.
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