Cover Master Ma Yue

Qi Magazine is published by the Tse QigongCentre. Its aim is to bring you information not readilyavailable in the West.

Editor: Michael TseDeputy Editor: Darryl MoyAds Manager: Sheila Waddington

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Consultants (Listed in alphabetical order):

Grandmaster Chan Chi HoGrandmaster ChenXiao Wang

Grandmaster Ip ChunGrandmaster Yang Meijun

Columnists: Dr. ShulanTangGlen GosslingTse Sin KeiDaniel Poon

We encourage all our readers to contribute articles,letters or questions for possible inclusion in futureissues of Qi Magazine.

Articles appearing in Qi Magazine do not necessarilyreflect the opinion of the editor.Adverts appearing in the magazine are not necessar-ily endorsed by it or the editor.Exercises appearing in Qi Magazine are for referencepurposes only. Thus anyone wishing to study shouldseek qualified tuition.

Michael Tse 1998.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced, stored or transmitted in any way without

the written permission ofMichael Tse.

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ISSN 1358-3778

Qigong should bedone step by step.When the time isright, everything willhappen

How do you find a good teacher?A lot of this is to do with fate. When youopen a magazine all the advertisementssay how good this teacher is, or how thatone is a grandmaster who can open upthe secrets of a skill to you. Often theywill tell you how many days or weeks itwill take for you to become a Qigongmaster, how they will open your Sky-eye(Third-eye), and how they will teach youto transmit Qi to heal people. They alllook like adverts on TV, and some evensay, Money back guarantee if you are notcompletely satisfied! Theseadvertisements do not promote anyteachers. They only promotecommercialism.

Then suddenly, after another yearhad gone, she appeared in my class andasked me how to prevent someone whoseenergy was very strong from effecting her.I told her that no one could affect you ifyou do not want to be effected. Shereplied, He is very strong and I cannotget rid of him. So I told her that goingto another place might help. However,when I saw her later she looked tired andworried, and all her Qi had gone.

At first, I knew she was too eagerto develop her Qi. When she had beenstudying for only three months, she cameto me and said she wanted to teach WildGoose Qigong. I told her she was not

A goodway to find ateacher is to goand see theperson. Thenyou need to askyourself howyou feel abouthim/her. Youhave to look athow they behaveand thecondition oftheir health. Whether you want to studyQigong, or the martial art of taijiquan, agood teacher will behave well and lookvery healthy. They should be able toanswer your questions so you canunderstand. If they can do this, then theirknowledge is clear, and so their skillshould also be good. If this is the caseyou can probably study with them.

You should also look at the seniorstudents, people who have been studyingfor over three years. See how they behave,because if you eventually study with thisteacher you will most likely become verysimilar.

Recently, a student studied withme for about one year and then left.Probably she felt she wanted to learnmore things more quickly and so shewent to another Qigong master.

ready. Then, when she had almost finishedthe form, she left. It seems to me thatshe just wanted to develop Qi and notthe skill. Afterwards she ended up withanother teacher, someone who shethought would teach her the power of Qi.She decided to study this skill and finallyended up disturbed.

Studying Qigong should be donestep by step. When the time is right,everything will happen. There is a saying,Three years for small success, ten yearsto become a living immortal! It just takestime. Anything that happens quickly caneasily result in side effects. You need tobe patient. Just practise everyday, theresno hurry.

Qi Magazine 3

Contents Issue 36

1. Editorialwith Michael Tse.

4. PO Box 116News, views, short items and questions.

7 Herbal TeasWe have already looked at Chinese Herbal soups and discoveredhow good they are for your health. This time we take a look at herbalteas and their properties.by Jessica Blackwell

9 Chinese DragonsDragons have been a part of Chinas culture for centuries and theysymbolise many different things.by Nick Battersby

11 A Suitable PathThere are many ways you can go in life. The hard thing to decide iswhich you should choose. What is certain is that unless you choosethe right one for you, you will never be truly happy.by Tse Sihn Kei

12 Dayan Qigong 2nd 64 part 1For the very first time, Qi Magazine serialises the Second 64Movements of Wild Goose Qigong.

15 Cultivating Mind and BodyA Healthy body and a Healthy Mind - a common phrase, but formost of us this is where it stops. However, for Daoists and Buddhiststhis is where everything just begins.by Eva Wong

18 90 Years of PractiseThe story of Grandmaster Yang Meijun is a truly remarkable one. Asa child she began training in the Kunlun Dayan Qigong System.Today she is one of the most revered masters in China.by Michael Tse

21 MeetingSigongGrandmaster ChenXiao Wang is one of the great masters of taijiquanliving today. Only when he demonstrates his skills can you appreciatehow powerful he is, but if he demonstrates them on you more than

likely you will be left speechless. Fortunately the author couldstill put pen to paper.by Daniel Poon

28 ReviewsA review of Wild Goose Qigong by Master Yang Meijun and theOfficial Martial Arts Encyclopaedia CD ROM.

35 Useful Self-defence San Sau Quan FaA selection of techniques from Master Cheng Man Guangs fistmethod.by Master Cheng Man Guang

36 TCM & Obesity part 2Chinese has a very long history. It has remedies for many differentconditions including obesity.by Dr Shulan Tang

37 Feng Shuis Twenty-Four MountainsThe Twenty-four Mountains are very important for Feng Shui.Without them you will never be able to do Feng Shui.by Michael Tse

40 The Non-Discriminative ArtToday more and more women are turning to martial arts forself-defence. Most are put off by the dominance of men in theclass and leave because the training does not suit them.by Jenny Peters

43 History part 3Over the last two issues of Qi Magazine we have been given afascinating look at how Michael Tse has come to study withGrandmaster Ip Chun and Grandmaster Yang Meijun. He nowgoes on to tell us about his studies with Master Lee Hok Mingand Ermei Seven Stars Hard Qigong.by Michael Tse

47 Raymond Lo Lectures on Feng ShuiRecently London was the venue for one of Feng Shuis mostwell-known masters and authors Raymond Lo. Qi Magazinesent along a reporter to meet the man himself.by Glen Gossling

22 Cover Story: Master Ma Yue - Tongbei to Taijiquan

Master Ma Yue is quite a unique person whosetraining background is very impressive. Hisfamily has helped shaped the way martial arts hasdeveloped inChina over the last few decades withall the major wushu stars training in his familystyle. He is a Chinese National WushuChampion and he is a graduate of the mostprestigious Wushu University in China.Qi Magazine was fortunate to get this fascinatinginterview with him.Interview by Darryl Moy & Daniel Poon

Qi Magazine 4

A YEAR OF HARDQIGONG; selectionsfrom a training diary.November 1996,

Jules asks, Are you doing theHard Qigong then? as I pass the barafter a Saturday class. I suppose so now Im committed, I wonder what Ivelet myself in for, but Ill send off mycheque and see what happens. I donthave to carry on if I dont like it.

Saturday 4th January 1997.To London on the train with

Elaine and Bob from the Chen class. Weare all very keyed-up and alternatelyanimated and subdued. I feel very unfitand still not sure about this.

We learn 5 exercises and ameditation, which is exercise 18 from theset. The room is very full with aboutsixty people, most of whom seem to befrom the London classes, and to beknown by name to Michael. There is alot of first talk, and we take lots of notes.Also from Norfolk: - John, Brenda, andBilly from Stalham, and Jonathan fromNorwich. Jonathan is the only one of usto drop out, I think because the formwas not what he expected. After theseminar we are all starving hungry anddescend on the local Italian cafe doingwolf impersonations, then fall exhaustedonto the train and proceed to frightenthe other passengers all the way homewith our rather over-excited re-workingof the day.

Sunday 5th Friday 10th January.Work up slowly from 5 each day

to 10 of each exercise. I feel stiff, tired,elated, dizzy, a blocked nose, sleep wellsome nights and badly others, have veryodd dreams, and a feeling that this is allvery silly. I train at work (i.e. out ofsight), and feel most self-conscious.

Saturday 11thJanuary.

Meet at theOriental ArtsCentre at 11:30am,with Jules and JohnW. for a mutualsupport sessionand communaltraining. Feltunbearably self-conscious butJules is encourag-ing! All throughthe learningprocess thisSaturday session ismost helpful for allof us: - I think itwould have been much harder, if notimpossible to continue without thecontinuous support and mutual ridiculeof the others.

Monday 13th Friday 16th January.Second week. Now up to 12 of

each exercise. I feel ridiculously cheerfuland have lots of energy, and sleepingbetter than I have for a long time. I feelmy technique is very patchy, but I canfeel the difference between bad andbetter. I feel faintly paranoid, warm, stiff,vague, cheerful, and calm. My appetitehas changed; I want little meals moreoften.

Saturday 18th January.To the OAC with Jules, Richard

(both on Level 2), John W., Brenda,Elaine, and Jonathan. Great fun, andfollowed by a very good class, the bestfor ages.

January & February.

Slowly adding repetitions andworking on technique. By the end ofJanuary I am training twice a day, anddoing 32 repetitions (twice 16). I havedays when I feel this is all very silly, butthe Saturday sessions are a great help; Ithink I would have given up after a fewweeks without them.

I learn that it is vital to train everyday.

I am still training indoors at thispoint, not having the courage to attemptmy tiny garden, and afraid of the cold. Ihave a major breakthrough after aboutthree weeks, when I absent-mindedlyopen a jam jar by myself, something I

We are lecturedon the importanceof the meditation;some have not beenmeditating enough

If there is anything you want to discuss, if there is anything you want to share withothers, any news or any announcements you would like to make, send them to us:Qi Magazine, PO Box 116, Manchester M20 3YN.

Qi Magazine 5

havent done without help for almost 6months. The arthritis in my hands hasalmost stopped hurting and the strengthis coming back. If I get nothing else fromall this work, this would almost beenough.

My Wild Goose and Yang formsseem to be benefiting as well.

Phrases from the DiaryI dontknow if its the practise or the lack ordistractions, but I am really coming tovalue that time-out from the dayfeelgood and bad on alternate daysletsbeat this thing into submissionin asilly mood today, giggly and frivolous;oh dear, enjoying oneself againchesthurts: all that smoking damage finallygoing away: cough all day.

In the middle of February I get flu,which puts everything back a lot. For 6days I can barely train, and I have a feverand blocked up head.

All this is so discouraging, butwhen I train, even a little, it helps.Michael told us not to train if very ill, butI find that I have to be at Deaths doorbefore it is better to lie down. After theflu I damage both ankles, and spend 6weeks in support bandages and pain,feeling thoroughly miserable. But I workthrough it. I didnt know I could be thisstubborn for something that hurts.

Saturday 22nd February.To London for exercises 6 to 11.

Good session, and more people than Ihad expected, in a bigger room. Newexercises seem more fun and a bit easierthan the first lot, but we shall see. Thereis a good mix of people, men and omen ofall ages. 6 Norfolkies turn up. Verybouncy and full of beans afterwards; thistakes a few days to wear off.

Work hard all week to pull up therepetitions before next weekend: -

Saturday 1st March.Third seminar, in a very small

room due to mix-up at the venue. Newstuff seems to be not too hard. Praisedby Michael, (not bad), which Julestells me is a praise indeed! We arelectured on the importance of themeditation; some people have not beenmeditating enough, if at all! And get ageneral roasting. It is impossible to hidethis sort of thing for long. We have notbeen doing the left-and-right exercisesenough times, so I am doing 10 each of

Breath In orBreathe Out?Dear Michael,

What should the breathingpattern be like when performing the slowTan Saus in Siu Lim Tao an what shouldyou be trying to visualise in order to getthe Qi flowing?

I have herd that some people feelvery warm while performing this formand say that it is because of the Qideveloping, but it doesnt happen to meeven though my Sifu says that I amperforming everything right.

How do you know when youhave developed the right amount of Qifor training the first form?

Many thanks.

M. G. London

Dear M,When performing Siu Lim Tao,

your breathing should be natural. Yourbody will find its own natural rhythm. Ido not suggest you use visualisation. Qishould follow movement and not be acase of us mentally directing it. Every-

all, but this is more than last weeks total,so hard for a bit. I am still not sure that Iwant to do the exam.

March. April, May,Despite a lot of ups and downs,

and distractions, I start to slowly worktowards the leve1 I will need for theexam, while still totally unsure if I want todo it. I will decide two weeks before it isdue so this will not be the sole aim of mytraining. I find that I am nonethelessenjoying this more and more, Saturdaysare a great help, and I find I am appreciat-ing my other forms more, and that I ambeginning to be trusted to teach the WildGoose, under Jules watchful eye. This isa revelation, as I have always thoughtthat I could not teach anybody anything.I feel backache, sore throats, happy,tired, well rested, impatient, stiff, encour-aged, discouraged, bored, better. (Not allat once) At the end of March I start totrain out of doors. This is an absoluterevelation and I try not to train indoorsagain, although I do if it is raining orexceptionally cold. (This winter (97-98) Ihave trained indoors only about 10times.)

By the end of April I have ceasedto fi11 in the Diary every day, as it isgetting repetitious. I tentative1y train inpublic (at Kite festivals) but very earlyin the mornings.

At the beginning of July I decidethat perhaps it wi11 be a good idea totake the examined get to 50 repetitions. Irun out of free time entirely and amexhausted. We travel again to London tobe tested on

Saturday 26th July.It is blisteringly hot and we are

dreadfully nervous. The previousseminar over-runs and we talk andstretch in a tiny corridor with the othervictims. I find that most have notmanaged to get to 50, so feel faintlysmug. The exam is better than we hadfeared, and 15 people (6 from Norfolk)take and pass it, much to everyonesrelief and pleasure. We bounce and eat incelebration. I ring Jules from a phone boxin Oxford Street to tell him the goodnews

Monday 27th July.Up, out and halfway through

training before I remember that I dont

have to.... Settle back to 10 repetitionseach morning. I find that this really setsme up for the day, and that if I cannottrain I really miss it. I could be doing thisfor a 1ong time......Oh, and the free timefrom doing 10 instead of 50 is useful.

I gained : - confidence, mentalstrength, body strength, muscle tone,courage, the knowledge that I canachieve the seemingly impossible, therespect of my teachers, self-respect,peace of mind.

I lost: - fear, weight, the respect ofmy neighbours (but it came back),double chin, tea habit.

I learned: - a form which haschanged my life radically; that I can doanything I want to; to train on my ownwithout cheating (I didnt, not once!);that life is too short to say I dont havethe time to do that; to eat a properbreakfast to get on with it when disin-clined.

H. H. Norwich.

Qi Magazine 6

Enjoy a day finding out aboutthe very latest in health, beauty andalternative therapy at Londons,`Your Health Show`, from Friday3rd to Sunday 5th April at theBusiness Design Centre in Islington(Angel tube station).

The Tai Chi Union of GreatBritain will be giving dailydemonstrations on the showsfeature stage, plus experts from theworld of complementary health care,including author Leslie Kenton and

Sunday Times health writerHazel Courteney, will begiving seminars andanswering questionsthroughout the three dayevent on everything fromThe Natural MenopauseRevolution, tosupplements, Reiki, crystalhealing and feng shui. With healthycookery demonstrations from celebritychefs, including the BBC FoodProgrammes Linda Brown, and fitnesstips from the professionals, `YourHealth Show` has everything you needto help you Spring into Health. Allseminars and talks are free to visitors.Admission is 9 on the door or 7booked in advance. This includes a

SPRING INTO HEALTH

cheque book with over200 of vouchers. Forfurther information and

timetable call the ticket hotline on0121 767 4040.

Qi Magazine is offering 20pairs of tickets free to the first readerswho write in. Simply send your nameand address on a postcard to:

Qi / Your Health ShowPO Box 116ManchesterM20 3YN.

body is different and will have differentexperiences. It may be that you havesome blockages that are stopping the Qifrom flowing as freely as it should andso your hand and body are not as warmas they will be when you become evenhealthier.

As for your last question, onlyyou can answer this. Siu Lim Tao is forlife, it is not a form which you stoppractising once you have progressed toanother level. Continued practise of SiuLim Tao will develop not only yourinternal energy, but help develop yoursensitivity that will help to improveyour Chi Sau. Just keep practising.

If you want more informationabout Siu Lim Tao, I would suggest youget a copy of Wing Chun TraditionalChinese Kung Fu for Self-Defence andHealth by Grandmaster Ip Chun andmyself. See the advert on the inside backcover in this issue of Qi Magazine.

M.T.

Practical PoetryDear Mr Tse,

First I must say what an excellent

magazine your Qi, Health and InternalTraining is. I could not put it down!

Could it be possible at some timein the future to start a Chinese ofbeginners course between the pages ofQi? I am sure many people would like it.

Below is a Poem from Ssu-Kang-Tu 834-908AD. This poem gives megreat pleasure and I do hope you canprint it for others to read.

Expenditure of force leads tooutward decay,Spiritual existence meansinward fullness,Let us revert to nothing and enterthe absolute,Hoarding up strength for energy,Freighted with externalprinciples,Athwart the mighty void,Where the cloud masses darken,And wind blows ceaselessaround,Beyond the range of conceptions,Let us gain the centre,And there hold fast withoutviolence,Fed from an inexhaustiblesupply.

Yours faithfully

M. R. Lancs.

Where Abouts?Dear Michael,

I have been reading Qi Magazinefor about six months now and may I saythey are fantastic. There are a few thingsI hope you can help me with.

In Issue 34 there was an article onFo Kuan Shan and the temple in Man-chester. Could you please tell me exactlyhow to get to it as I would love to visit it.

Thank you.

R. E. Manchester

Dear R.Thank you for your kind words.

We all work very hard to make QiMagazine better and better.

The full address of Fo KuanShan is:

540 Stretford RoadOld TrafordManchesterM16 9AF

M.T.

Qi Magazine 7

The Chinese have drunk tea formany centuries. There are many varietiesand types of tea and many levels ofquality. If you visit a tea shop in China,there may be as many as ten varieties ofJasmine tea and even more of green tea.High quality tea leaves can be re-usedmany times before they lose their flavourand distinct fragrance so it can be moreeconomical to spend more in thebeginning andsave more in thelong run.

Tea is notonly consumedfor pleasure butcan also be takenas a remedy forhealth disorders.For instanceGook Fa Cha,ChrysanthemumFlower tea, canbe boiled anddrunk as a mildtea which willhelp clear heatfrom the body.There is alsocommerciallyprepared chry-s a n t h e m u mcrystals available which aresweeetened and only needto be dissolved in boilingwater. These can be usedfor the same purpose.Personally, however, I prefer to purchasethe dried buds and prepare them in ateapot as one would any loose tea. Call itsuperstition, but I always think that theremust be more natural essence in thesedried herbs than in some of the pre-prepared mixes.

Another tea which is muchstronger than Gook Fa Cha is Wu Fa Cha,

which literally means Five Flower Tea.This tea is one which must be simmeredfor an hour before drinking. Many peopleadd rock sugar to improve the taste as itcan be a bit bitter to some. To improveits efficiency, instead of adding rock sugar,you can add dried and sweetened wintermelon. Melon is cooling in its effect andworks in tandem with the heat dispensingproperties of the flowers. In this tea there

are a combination offive types of

dri ed

It may also be useful for patients who areundergoing radio or chemo therapy. Thesetreatments create a lot of heat within thebody and can cause drying of the skin orrashes. The tea will help release the heatfrom the body naturally.

Sometimes we can have heat in thebody which is a result of fever from a coldor flu. There is a mixture available called,Leung Cha which can be used to helpalleviate these cold, flu symptoms.

Some of the ingredients arehoneysuckle (very good for fever),

soybean which reduces heat, burdockwhich is slightly diuretic,and

wildmint and liquorice whichare both useful digestives.

flower buds.One ofthem is

chrysantheum.Another is honeysuckle flower which issometimes used in TCM along withDandelion, Chrysanthemum andForsythia to heal boils and carbuncles.

This tea is good for those sufferingfrom internal heat symptoms,whichinclude boils, skin rash, dry and hot skin.

This tea is good for colds and flu, coughs,headache, sore throats and body aches. Itis boiled similar to the Five Flower tea bytaking a standardChinese rice bowl (smallone)and measuring out three bowls ofwater. Add the tea and simmer the wateruntil one bowl of liquid remains.

All of the above teas are availablefrom the Tse Qigong Centre.

by Jessica Blackwell

Most people when they want a pick-me-up reach for a cup of tea. The Chinesehave drunk tea for many centuries. There are many varieties and types of tea andmany levels of quality. Some just taste nice, some can be a little strange at first and

some are actually very good for you.

Herbal Teas

Tea isconsumed for

pleasure butcan also be

taken as aremedy for health

disorders.

Qi Magazine 9

P owerful, fearsome, clever,wealthy and rarely malevolent,Chinese dragons are theantithesis of the raveningWestern species; of reptilian monstersmuch given to devouring innocent virginsor to being slaughtered by valiant knights.Chinese dragons whilst differing intemperament vary in appearance too.According to the Pan Tsao Kang Mu, afifty-two volume work written around1600, and drawing on much earlier lost

works, the dragon is the biggest of allcreatures. It has a head like a camel, withdeers horns, hares eyes and ears like abulls. It is armed with jaws like a tigersand claws like an eagles. It has eighty-one scales, being nine times nine, likethose of a carp, and its voice is the beatingof a gong. The mouth has whiskers andunder the chin is a bright pearl. Thebreath forms clouds, sometimes changingto rain and at other times fire. Thecharacter is fierce and it loves beautiful

gems and jade, eats swallows, and dreadsiron, centipedes and silk dyed with fivedifferent colours.

Whilst supreme amongst this scalyrace are the dragon kings, villages aremore likely to have lesser dragons, usuallyliving in water, for Chinese dragons areaquatic. These though, generally keepingthemselves to themselves, may bepetitioned for help. Their associationwith water lends them the ability tocontrol the rain, an attribute much

Chinese DragonsChinese DragonsDragons are mythical animals, but it seems every culture has a facsination with them.

To some they are evil creatures, to others they are gods and to others still they are bringers ofluck and fortune.

Qi Magazine 10

respected by the farmers, and the largerthe expanse of water that the dragon hasmade his home, the more powerful he is.

A traditional proverb says, Theearth joins up with the dragon, meaningit is raining. This aquatic association wasnot lost on the emperors. They lined theroof ridges of their buildings with smallzoomorphic creatures called Wenshou,the greater the number the moreimportant the resident, and put abovethem was the Chirwen. TheChirwen wasone of the sons of the dragon king of thesea, a mighty and fierce beast, who hadthe magical ability to raise the sea into afrenzied storm, take up the water andcause it all to fall as torrential rain. Thus,if the building ever caught fire, a constantworry in a land of wooden buildings, theChirwen could help to quench the flames.Builders recognised that a ferociousnature is not without drawbacks. Worriedhe would eat up all the smaller animals,like an Asian Pac Man, they called himthe ridge devouring beast. Theirprecaution against his destructive hungerwas to transfix him to the ridge with asword.

People connected dragons to thesky through rain and, believing thedragon kings could fly, legends grew ofthe Yellow Emperor riding on a dragonsback to the heavens. If dragons weremagical and powerful and flew, it wasnatural that they should inhabit theheavens as well, and so one quarter of the

sky was called the Palace of the GreenDragon. This was in reference to the starsof this quadrant, which in Chineseastronomy make the constellation of thedragon. However, these heavenlycreatures could not cut their watery linksand the appearance of the Dragonconstellation is said to be the precursorto the rainy season.

Ruling around the same time as thepyramids were constructed was the firstemperor of China, called Yu The Great.Reputed to have been born with thelikeness of a dragon, he maintained histies to them both on the earth and in theheavens. Once when Yu was crossing theYellow River, two dragons took his boaton their backs and terrified thepassengers. The emperor simply laughedand said:

I am appointed by heaven. I domy best to look after men. To be born isnatural: to die is heavens decree. Whybe troubled by dragons?

Deeply ashamed of their actions,the dragons swam away dragging theirtails.

Subsequent emperors recognisedthe importance of the dragon as a symbolof power and the imperial court soughtto convince common folk that theemperor was the Son of Heaven, all-powerful, a dragon upon the earth. Courtsymbolism reinforced the image and thedragon, along with the phoenix, becamethe principle motif for decorative designs

on buildings, clothing and articlesof daily use in the imperial palaces.Throne rooms were supported bycolumns entwined by gildeddragons and the central ramps ofmarble steps were paved with hugestone slabs of the dragon andphoenix carved in relief, whilstscreen walls displayed dragons inbrilliant colours. The names fornearly all the things connected withthe emperor or the empress werepreceded by the epithet dragon orphoenix, so the throne becamethe dragon seat, the emperor`sceremonial dress became thedragon robe and he slept in thedragon bed. As for the empress,she rode in a phoenix carriageunder a phoenix canopy.

The phoenix was also usedas a symbol of imperial power. It

is a gloriously beautiful, legendarycreature, sovereign amongst birds, as thedragon is sovereign over all animals. Ithas the head of the golden pheasant, thebeak of the parrot, the body of themandarin duck, the wings of the roc, thefeathers of the peacock and the legs ofthe crane.

Where does this leave the dragontoday? Preserved in quaint folk tales oras ornate statues in the Forbidden City?Chinese culture is more resilientthan this.Ferociously competitive dragon boat racesare the most visible sign of a living dragonculture; the race commemorates thesuicide by drowning of a loyal butdisgraced minister two thousand yearsago. Sayings concerning dragons still live,connecting them to the heavens andwater. Probably strongest of all are thelinks to Feng Shui where dragons arepowerfully symbolic. Recently, in HongKong, a long narrow hotel was designedwhich flowed along the contours of ahillside overlooking Repulse Bay. Beforeit was built, Feng Shui experts warned ofa huge dragon who lived in the hills abovethe site. They came up with a solution tothe problem and, remarkably in a landwhere real estate prices are amongst thehighest in the world and every squarecentimetre is valued, a large square holewas designed into the final construction.The reason? The hole allowed the dragonto come down to the water of RepulseBay to drink

by NickBattersby

Qi Magazine 11

As a child, I was introduced toChristianity through fleetingvisits to Sunday school and thenthrough more serious attendanceto our local church when I wasten years old. I remember sitting in the thirdrow shyly looking up at the pulpit whereour kind faced pastors would stand to sharethe Good News. At this age my mind waslike fertile soil, so the seeds that fell theretook root quickly and affected me quitedeeply.

I once asked my grandparents if theybelieved in Jesus and had been saved as Idid not want them to die and not be withme in heaven. Calling myself a Christian wasoften a joyous experience but at other timesit was quite painful. I read my little whiteleather Bible daily to look for guidance onhow to become a better person, whichperhaps made me a bit more serious than achild of that age should be.

As I grew older, however, the storiesthat had once been an inspiration becamemore like condemnation. Page upon pageproclaimed me to be a sinner. I found itever more difficult to reconcile what seemedto be overbearing strictures on conduct, andI finally left the church at the age ofseventeen. However, I never ever lost theyearning for spiritual guidance.

When I began to study Qigong, Iknew very little about its origins. I knew,however, that as I continued to practise Ibegan to feel more relaxed and have moreenergy to cope with things. After somemonths of practise, I began to feel otherchanges. My heart was beginning to becomemore generous and my mind more balanced.I felt myself going back to my originalnature, caring more for others and less formyself. My taste for the business world inwhich I was working long and stressful hourscontinued to diminish and I began to lookfor other means of employment where myprimary concern was not a high salary buthelping others. By now I had also learnedmore about the Qigong I was studying and

found that its origins lay with the Daoistmonks of the Kunlun Mountains in China.

So I began to read more aboutDaoism and there I found the spiritual homethat I had been seeking. There was no God,no Satan, no hell or heaven. Only myselfand responsibility for my own actions. Ilearned that in Daoism ones actions willdictate ones future, whether it be in thislifetime or the next. One often hears, Whatgoes around comes around. It seems thatin practising Qigong ones awareness of thiscycle increases, especially as the speed withwhich things come back around seems toaccelerate.

This makes it difficult to hide whenyou have done something wrong. Althoughit is hard to admit your guilt, doing so willfree your mind and help you to be more clearin finding a solution. Unlike in Christianity,there is no need to carry your sins with youas you wait for a judgement day. How youhandle today will shape what tomorrow willbring.

As one continues to practiseQigong, the mind is more balanced and ouremotions are more steady. This is becausethe emotions of anger, sorrow, joy, worryand fear are directly related to the organs;respectively, the liver, lungs, heart, spleenand kidneys. As one becomes healthier, theinternal organs become stronger and we canhandle difficulties more easily.

Daoism has helped me greatly.Looking back, I see many seeds of Daoismin Christianity. For instance, the saying, Dounto others as you would have others dounto you, is similar to the principles ofDaoism. In another part of the Bible it tellsus to care for the Temple of God, in effectour bodies. In Daoism, Qigong was evolvedas a way of caring for the body in order thatlongevity and hence immortality could beachieved. However, there is one majordifference and this is that in Daoism thereis no Saviour but ourselves; that we and wealone are responsible for the outcome andresults of our actions. by Tse Sihn Kei

A Suitable PathPeoples beliefs may vary greatly especially on the

subject of spiritual guidance. What one person believesto be the right way may not suit another. So each of us has to choose our ownpaths in life and only we can tell if they are right for us.

Qi Magazine 12

Having completed the 1st 64movements of Dayan Gong, it is veryimportant to be able to do it properly andunderstand it well. This usually takes sixto nine months of solid practise beforeyou can go on to the 2nd 64 movementsof Dayan Gong.

After the end of the 1st 64 youcontinue into the 2nd 64 with themovement Stretch Claws.

1. Stretch Claws.i. From the squatting position, Fig 1,

straighten your legs, but keep yourwaist bent and you hands still at theDantien. Fig 2.

ii. With the back of your hands touchingyour body, release your hands bysweeping them down from yourDantien along the stomach channel,down to your legs.

iii. Finish by holding a Qi ball in front ofyour Middle Dantien, Laogong pointsfacing the Shenzhong point. Fig 3.

This is the starting movement of the 2nd64 that helps the Qi to grow.

2. Draw Arms.i. Turn the left hand out. Fig 4.ii. Turn your body to the left ninety

degrees, then close the fingers of theleft hand and touch the Jing Menpoint on your back. The Jing Menpoint belongs to the Gall BladderChannel.

iii. Bring the hand back to the front,circling it round to the left, so you areonce again holding the Qi ball in frontof you.You should look at your hands.

Dayan Gong 2nd 64Part 1

Fig 1 Fig 2

Fig 3 Fig 4

With each passing year, Dayan (Wild Goose) Qigong gains in popularity. Many of you mayhave seen the First 64 movements but how many have seen the Second 64? Well for the very firsttime in the pages of Qi Magazine we present the Second 64 Movements of Dayan Qigong

Qi Magazine 13

iv. Turn the right hand outward.v. Turn your body through one hundred

and eighty degrees, Fig 6, and repeattouching the Jing Men point for theright side.

3. Looking for the Wind.i. Bring your right hand back round so

you are once again holding the Qi ballin front of your Middle Dantien.

ii. Lift up your head and body slightly.Make sure the chin rises a little, Fig 7.This opens the Lianquan point, whichis on the Ren channel. Look forwards.

iii. Turn one hundred and eighty degreesto the left side. Fig 8.

iv. Turn back to face the front.

Acu-Points

Fig 5 Fig 6

Fig 7 Fig 8

Jing Men Lianquan

Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan

Qi Magazine 14

4. Bring the Claws to the Shoulders.iv. Continue to raise the hands and close

the fingers of each hand. Fig 11.v. Bring them up over you shoulders and

touch the Jing Jing points. The JingJing points belong to the Gall Bladderchannel. Fig 12.

i. Turn your palms outwards. Fig 9.ii. Separate your hands out to your sides,

as if you are collecting the Qi.Straighten up your body. Fig 10

iii. Bring your hands round and up toyour front.

Fig 9 Fig 10

Fig 11 Fig 12

Acu-PointsJian Jing

Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan

The descriptions of the Acu-points of Dayan Gong in issue35 of Qi Magazine contained anerror. In the description of theMing Men point the text referedto the movements Draw Wingsto the Back and Cloud Hands.In these movements the Hegupoints actually connect to theShen Shu points not the MingMen point.

Qi Magazine 15

The Daoist arts of health and longevity are foundedon the principle of the dual cultivation of mind andbody. An unhealthy body cannot support a clearmind and an egotistical mind will weaken a healthybody. Clearing the mind and strengthening the bodyare equally important whether our goal is health,mental well being, or spiritual enlightenment.

As students of the arts of health and longevity, howshould we go about cultivating both mind and body?

Today, cultivating the body is usually associated withtechniques of Qigong, Daoist callisthenics, and internal martialarts such as taijiquan and baguazhang. On the other hand,cultivating the mind is usually associated with long sessions ofsitting meditation. Westerners, who are more comfortable withmovement than stillness, have gravitated more toward thetechniques of cultivating the body than those of cultivating themind. In Europe and especially North America, the dropoutrate in meditation classes is higher than that of say, taijiquan.

The perceived differences between cultivating mind andbody, moreover, have separated practitioners into those whoprefer mind only and those who prefer body only programsof training. This is unfortunate, because to benefit fully from

the Daoist arts of health, the training of body and mind must beintegrated in a balanced and harmonious way.

Knowing that a strong spine, articulated joints, flexibletendons, and relaxed muscles are necessary for practising sittingmeditation, the Daoists have recommended that new studentsstart their training with a gentle physical exercise such astaijiquan. Once the body becomes soft and relaxed a form of

CultivatingMindandBodyThey expelled all the toxins from the body,and constantly preserved their true energy.Having accumulated these effects over a longtime, their bodies were transformed, and theybecame immortals.

Qi Magazine 17

meditation known as quiet sitting is introduced. In this way, thepractitioner can work on emptying the mind without beingdistracted by backaches and cramped muscles. As the mindbegins to empty its thoughts, the practitioner will become morecomfortable with stillness. Subsequently, when he or shepractises the physical techniques, thinking will stopspontaneously, body and mind will be united, and stillness willbecome the guiding force behind movement.

As the practitioner progresses into increasinglychallenging physical movements designed to massage theinternal organs and open blockages in the circulatory system,the techniques of cultivating the mind also change. Because thephysical foundation has been built, meditation can now be usedto gather and conserve internal energy or Qi. Once internalenergy is gathered, physical movements are used to circulate itthrough the body thus, alternating movement and stillness andsimultaneously cultivating mind and body, health, longevity, andspiritual enlightenment can be attained.

Attitude and lifestyle are important in cultivating mindand body. This is where thewisdom of the Daoist sages canbe a valuable guide. Many peopledo not see the connectionbetween classroom training anddaily lifestyle. Consequently,they lose what was gathered inthe training session the very nextday. The Daoist sages tell us thattoo much thinking can dissipateenergy, too much desire canconfuse the mind, and too muchactivity can harm the body.Therefore, those who cultivatemind and body should refrainfrom a lifestyle of excess. Many

practitioners ofthe Daoist artsof health thinkthat they canindulge inspending energy,believing that energy canalways be replenished bypractising Qigongor meditation.This is unfortunate, because if energy gathered is spentimmediately, there will be no net improvement of health in thelong run.

Attitude can also affect how much we can benefit fromthe Daoist arts of health. Negative and competitive attitudesare not conducive to learning. Neither is the desire for fameand power. The Daoist sages and founders of the arts oflongevity lived a simple life and were at peace with themselves.They had few desires and did not seek social recognition andpolitical power. They were not excited by gains or worried overlosses. They did not compete with anyone; therefore no onecompeted with them. Because they integrated the practices ofstrengthening the body andclearing themind with their lifestyle,they were able to attain the highest levels of physical health,mental wellbeing and spiritual development. In the words ofthe Triplex Unity of the foremost Daoist texts of the arts oflongevity, these sages Carried the mystery and embraced theultimate reality... They covered their traces and hid from theworld. They conserved their energy and nourished the spirit...The sweet nectar moistened their skin and flesh. Their tendonsand bones were soft and strong. They expelled all the toxinsfrom the body, and constantly preserved their true energy.Having accumulated these effects over a long time, their bodieswere transformed, and they became immortals.

by Eva WongEva Wong is the author of Seven Taoist Master,

Cultivating Stillness along with many other titles.

Daoist sages & founders of the arts oflongevity lived a simple life and were atpeace with themselves.

Qi Magazine 18

If you can live to99 years of age and stillbe healthy will you behappy? Of course theanswer must be Yes!no doubt about it.Reaching a really oldage is something manypeople do, but to livelong and stay reallyhealthy is not socommon. It is a reallyhigh level.

Qi Magazine 19

Years ofPractise

front of a statue of the Buddha. He then lit some joss sticks and toldher to worship the Buddha three times.

Her grandfather said Today, whatever we say we areresponsible to the Buddha. From now on you will follow me tostudy Dao and Qigong. What ever you learn you are not allowed toteach until you are 70. Little Yang Meijun just listened to hergrandfather and told him that she had always respected and listenedto him. She thought that no matter what he taught her she wouldalways listen. Her grandfather continued to say When I was ateenager I studied with a Kunlun Mountain Daoist Qigong master.He taught me many skills: Qigong, martial art and healing. Theseskills have never been taught to the outside, only passed down insidehis family. Before I thought I should pass them down to your father,but he is already fifty and it will be difficult for him to learn myskill. I am getting older, I need to teach someone otherwise theseprecious skills will be lost. Now you are the only one person suitablefor this skill, you have the age and the time. Tomorrow we will goto the temple and perform the ceremony. After this little Meijunwent back to her room and almost could not sleep.

The next day, her grandfather took her to the White TowerTemple in Beijing. In front of a statue of Kuan Yin (a female Buddha),he told her to worship and swear. He said to her From now on youare the 27th generation inheritor of Kunlun System Dayan Qigong.He then took some things from the bag he was carrying. Therewere eight copper wild geese, each of them performing a vividmovement: One drinking water, one flying away, one stretching itswings and one scratching his legs. Very interesting, thought littleMeijun, these must be some toys for her to play with. Instead hergrandfather spoke and told her, These are Wild Goose Qigongmovements in Dayan Gong, Dayan Palm and Dayan Fist, you haveto follow these movements to do them properly. I will teach you allthese movements, but you must withstand the difficulty and continuepractising. One day you will fly away like a wild goose, away to getthe Dao. Although she did not fully understand what hergrandfather told her, she knew she was going to do somethingimportant, something that would change her life. She decided toovercome those problems.

After all the ceremony they left the temple. When she reachedthe main entrance, suddenly something with sharp claws attackedher. She was very scared. Suddenly her grandfather was beside her.He pointed two fingers at the things head. At that moment sherealised that it was a very wild monkey. The monkey appeared to havea very painful expression on its face, and screaming it ran away. Shewas very surprised atwhat her grandfather had done, andshe curiouslysaid, I want to learn that skill so that nobody can attack me. Grandpa,I didnt know you had that skill.. He said, This skill I will teach you,but not for hurting people, it is only for your protection. This skillcan also make you live longer and healthier, and you can also help toheal other people as well. He continued by saying, Qi is the leaderof blood. When I pointed at the monkeys acupuncture point the Qistopped flowing, the blood could not get there, so of course he feltpain.

After this incident, Little Meijun moved to live next door toher grandfathers room, not letting her parents know that she wasgoing to study with him. She just said she liked to spend more timewith her grandfather.

The next day her grandfather suddenly woke her up. It was3 oclock in the morning. He said This is the right time to practise,nobody will disturb us.

From then on she woke at three oclock and practised until 5oclock in the morning. She was taught things from basic techniquesof Qigong to acupuncture points and principles of Qigong. LittleMeijun listened to all her grandfather said and followed all he taught.

One old lady is the Honorary Director of the ChineseQigong Scientific Research Association, Consultantto the Beijing Qigong Research Association,Consultant to the Hudang - Boxing ResearchAssociation. Also she is President of the China Dayan(Wild Goose) Qigong Association (Dayan Qigongcomes from her family). In 1986 she was on the cover of Chinastop Qigong magazine, Qigong & Science, She is MasterYang Meijun.

At her home in Beijing many people come to visit, asking herfor Qigong treatment or to study Qigong even though she hasreached an age where most would have already retired. She stillreceives many invitations to travel to Wuhan, Wu Toy Shan,Guanzhou, Hong Kong and many other places in China. All becauseher level is so high and her knowledge of Qigong so deep and soprofound, especially her familys skill: Daoist Kunlun Dayan Qigong.She can transmit her Qi to make you warm, make your body shakeand even make you cold. She can see the colour of your Qi (aura)and she can diagnose your illnesses by looking at you or touchingyou. Particularly she is able to transmit her Qi with the fragrance offive different types of flowers, special incense, Jasmine, or nut.

Her skill has been recognised by the Chinese Governmentand abroad. Her Wild Goose Qigong has been published in printmany times. In Chinese, English, even in German and French. Herteachings have spread all over the World.

Actually her life has been very dramatic. She was born in thetime of the Qing Dynasty. At this time all the men had to wear theirhair in pig tails and shave the front part of their head, otherwise theQing government would chop off their heads (keep your hair andlose your head or lose your hair and keep your head!). Her familywas very poor and her father needed to work pulling a Rick Shawtransporting people from place to place. He had to work very hardjust to maintain his family. She had a grandfather who she noticeddidnt wear very cool clothing in the summer or very warm clothingin the winter, and he never caught a cold or became ill.

One evening, when she was 13 years old, her grandfathertook her to a room a spiritual room. He told her to kneel down in

Qi Magazine 20

For the first few days her whole body ached,and sometimes she felt a little tired, but dayby day she found her body getting stronger.In the beginning she foundit difficult to wakeup butafter a couple of days her bodys timingstarted to get used to it.

She started to learn the KunlunSystem Dayan Qigong basic techniques:Dayan Gong 1st 64. She learnt it verypatiently and diligently. After hergrandfather would check her movementsvery strictly, sometimes only teaching hersomething new from time to time. Hewanted her to pick up the principle and notto only just copy him.

As the time passed from month tomonth she learnt the Dayan Gongs 1st 64and went on to the 2nd 64. She picked upthings very quickly and this made hergrandfather very happy. He had found agood, suitable inheritor for his high levelQigong.

One night she asked her grandfatherWhy do we practise at midnight and not inthe day time?. He said Do you know whythe Morning Glory blooms at four oclockin the morning, why the Peony smiles atseven, Tuberose releases its fragrant smellat eight? In the morning from three to fiveoclock is the Yin time (this Yin refers tothe third hour of the Chinese clock, not as inYin and Yang). The Qi runs through the lungchannels, strengthening them. This is a goodtime to practise, at this time your Qi will bestronger.

Although little Yang Meijun wasyoung, she found that when she put theQigong principles together with theprinciples of Chinese medicine she learntvery quickly and found it interesting.

Time had gone by very quickly. Shecompleted Dayan Qigong 1st 64 and 2nd

64. She even learned higher levels : DayanPalm, Three Forks Spiral Gong, Dayan Fist,Twining Hand Bagua, Sun Gong, MoonGong, Long Distance Vision Dan Gong, 24Stars Gong, Sky Eye Gong and many otherhigh level Qigong skills. She also learnt alot of weapons: sword, spear, etc. She can usetwo small swords to transmit a Qi ball witha very strong light.

After many years of practise, one dayshe found herself very light! She could jumponto walls and even onto the roof of herhouse, like a wild goose flying away. She alsonoticed that on the 1st and 15th day of each

on the left than the right to get the Qi andthe blood to balance. Am I right SifuGrandpa?, and she blinked at him withcunning eyes, hoping to receive a reward.This made him very proud of his grand-daughter.

With many years of industrioustraining she really tasted the benefit ofQigong. Her body got healthier and stronger.Sometimes she did not eat: she didnt feelhungry. Often three to four hours of sleep anight was enough for her. Theseimprovements went unnoticed by herparents.

lunar month her grandfather wanted her topractise harder than usual. She asked himwhy?. He said You know that on the 1stand 15th day the moon is full. There is moreenergy than usual and the moon is closerthan usual, so you can gather more energy.

Once her grandfather asked her aquestion to see how much she understood.He said Little Jun, do you know why westart and practise on the left side first?. Shepretended it was nothing serious andanswered The left side controls the blood,the right side controls the Qi which runsfaster than the blood. So we practise more

mother also left. Then all that remained ofthe family was her father and her.

One evening her father wastransporting a Japanese by rickshaw. Uponarriving at the destination he asked for thefare but the Japanese man was drunk andrefused to pay him the money. During theargument he pulled out a knife and stabbedher father killing him. This greatly saddenedlittle Yang Meijun upsetting her and makingher feel very lonely. She did not know whatto do! She was all that was left of herimmediate familyto be continued... by Michael Tse

H e rg ra ndf athe rsaw that littleMeijun hadpicked up hisskill, and hehappily left herfor heaven.After a fewyears her

She listened to hergrandfather andfollowed all he taught.

Qi Magazine 21

Ithink in the future taiji historians willlook upon Chen Xiao Wangs comingto the West in the same manner as weview Yang Lu Chans leaving Chenvillage and going to Beijing: amilestone in the development of Taiji.

Sigong first talked about hisphilosophy of life. Your life should be likethe taijitu (what is often wrongly called theyin-yang symbol), constantly flowing,never stagnant. Some people are lucky -they have a lot, so their taijitu is a big circle.Others dont have much, and their taijitu isa small circle. What ever your situation, howbig or small your taijitu, so long as you keepit rotating you will be O.K.

taijitu stops rotating. This is the worst thingthat can happen, and sickness and depressionare sure to follow. If you keep your taijiturotating however there is always a chancethat things may get better again.

Towards the end of the evening,Sigong showed a self defence technique for aknife attack that involved a lock. We practisedit on each other for a while, and then heasked for two volunteers to demonstrate itto him. When I looked around, every oneelse had taken a step back except for myselfand Darryl Moy, so we were on the spot.After our valiant effort, Sigong said, Nowtry it on me.

other in the small of my back. The effect wasto spin me through the air a full 180 degrees.

To my horror, when I got back upSigong said, Now try again, with bothhands. This time the position of my handsmeant that they became trapped against mybody, and Sigong used a single push throughmy trapped hands and into my chest. Theeffect was to send me horizontally throughthe air several metres and crashing down on

Now the last thing you want to befaced with is the inheritor of Chen StyleTaijiquan trying to stab you, even if it is onlywith a ball point pen. However he gave meplenty of time to manoeuvre and apply thewrist lock he had shown us. Then came amoment that every martial artist is familiarwith. The feeling that what you have just donehasnt worked and something very nasty isabout to happen. Before I knew what washappening I was in mid air, upside down,looking at the ceiling between my feet, onmy way back down to the ground!

I didnt notice any tension inShigongs hand, but trying to twist his wristwas like trying to twist a metal bar. The

spiral like movement that released thelock also allowed Sigong to close in. Thethrow was achieved using two opposingforces: one across my chest and the

To the rest of the world, 1 July 1997 was the day HongKong went back to China. For me, it was the day I met ChenXiao Wang, my Sigong.

If you are very richor famous then there willalways be a chance that youmay lose your position orwealth. When this happensyou could say that yourtaijitu has become small.This in itself is not fatal,however if it happens oftenyou lose hope, and your

The last thing you wantis the inheritor of ChenTaijiquan trying to stabyou, even if it is onlywith a ball point pen!

my shoulder blades. Thecrowd made an Oooo noise,much like you hear atWimbledon.

Now this has made merealise a few things aboutfajing. If you push someonehard, and the point of contactis not at the centre of gravity,then they are going to flip over.It is like watching two carscollide. After impact the leaststable car will spin away fromthe other, and maybe roll over.

If you want to transfer as much force into anobject as possible, you should be very relaxeduntil the point of contact, and then apply theforce. If you have any tension when contactis made, the object will tend to bounce awayfrom youbefore youhave fully unloaded. Youcan see this if you hold a tennis racquet tootightly: the tennis ball will bounce away fromit before you have completed your followthrough.

Sigong travels around the worlddemonstrating and teaching true taiji. I knowthat he doesnt always show how powerfulhe is. I guess that day he must have been in agood mood. He will be here again in April,so dont miss the chance to see some realtaiji. We all know taijiquan is good. Butunless you meet Chen Xiao Wang, you dontknow HOW good

by Daniel Poon

yMeeting Sigong - the Hard Way

Qi Magazine 22

Tongto Ta

Qi Magazine 23

Master Ma Yue has a long and illustriouscareer in the martial arts. He was born into afamily famous for its martial arts, one thathas helped to shape their development inrecent times.Not only does he have his familys skillbehind him, he is a graduate in Wushu of thePeking Sport University, the most highlyregarded Sports University in China! And,if this is not enough, he was twice ChineseNational Wushu Champion.Now a resident in the UK, Master Ma hasbeen working hard to develop the manydifferent things he has learnt over here.

Qi Magazine: Could you tell us how you got involved in martial arts?

Ma Yue: I started when I was six with my father. That was in 1966 inmy own Family style called Tongbei, and Baji, Fanze and Piqua.

QM: So your family have a strong history in martial arts?

MY: Yes, from my grandfather. My grandfather and my father wereboth famous martial artists of their generations. My father has beenteaching martial arts and physical education for 35 years and in thelast three or four years was made one of the top ten martial artsprofessors in the whole of China by the Chinese government. Thisyear he told me he has been recognised as one of the most famousmartial artists in the world.

QM: How did martial arts actually come about in your family, howdid your grandfather come to learn them?

MY: My grandfather studied with a Master called Wang, in HebeiProvince, Tanzhou village. Tanzhou is where the Ma family originallycome from. That is why he learned mainly Tongbei and Piqua. MrWang was his Master. He went through a private ceremony and was

taken in as a student. But all his life he has developed his Tongbei,Piqua, Fanze and Baji to a very high standard.On top of that, my father, in his time, made these martial arts verypopular throughout the whole of China. He made the Tongbei stylepopular by teaching at a sports university for martial arts and wushueducation. At the same time he taught the professional wushu team,and from that time, Piqua, Fanze and Tongbei slowly became popular.Now all the wushu players use them in competitions. In the 80sthrough to the nineties all the top wushu men followed them, peoplelike Jet Li, Zhou Chanjing, Li Qijou and Tu Fangliang. During thistime you could call these people the Wushu Kings and Queens ofChina. Jet Li, as we all know, was five times champion and the otherswon many championships, although outside China people may notknow their names, in China and in the Wushu world everybody

MA YUE

beiquanaijiquan

Qi Magazine 24

recognises them. That is why Tongbei is so popular as all these toppeople used my family style.

QM: What are the origins of Tongbeiquan?

MY: There are many different styles of Tongbeiquan in China and alot of people confuse my familys Tongbei with other styles. I thinkyou understand how martial arts develop. They are like a tree. If Iam the first tree, the original, then there are no others. The originalTongbeiquan was created by martial artists who had a great deal ofexperience of the philosophy of the fighting side. They also used alot of animal movements, like the monkey. They watched themonkey way of moving, how it moved its arms, how it moved itsback. So that is the original Tongbei style. At first, if I am the onlyone doing it, then there is only one Tongbei, but if I have lots ofstudents, once they graduate, they start to go their own way andfollow their own understanding of the skill. On top of that, maybethey learn different martial arts and so they will develop in a differentway. So over the years their Tongbei develops in a different way, atanother angle, and this is why there are other forms of Tongbei. Myfamilys Tongbei is different and unique as it has Baji, Piqua andFanze and Chorjiao - the kicking. Chorjiao is very rare and notmany people in China know the real Chorjiao very well, but mygrandfathers knowledge is very good. So in China my familysTongbei is known as Mas Tongbei. If you say this in China peoplewill know which Tongbei you are talking about.Tongbei originated around Tanzhou, it goes back many, many yearsover many generations, but what the actual original Tongbei was, Idont know. Every style developed from natural fighting - fightingwith people or animals. With time people acquire experience andknowledge and thats how all martial arts started, whatever the style.

QM: How did you come to be in England?

My: Thats a long story. I came to England to study English and seewith my own eyes the Western way of life. I also thought I couldpromote and develop martial arts in the West. But it has not been aseasy as I thought. A lot of things are different.

QM: So what is your emphasis now?

MY: To be honest all these years I have lived in the West, Ive foundthat my knowledge of martial arts is too much for the Westernersbasic interest. It is too much above what they want to know. If Italk to Chinese people who have been interested in martial arts formany years, they will be interested to listen to me, but if I talk tosome body with only two years or, even ten years, of Karate theywouldnt understand what Im talking about. So I am planning asimple way to promote martial arts. My aim is to keep as much ofmy knowledge as I can, waiting for the day when I have people whohave achieved a high stage who will say I want to talk about realmartial arts with you and learn real martial arts from you. But beforeI can achieve that I have to bring myself down and teach verybasically. I could teach self-defence, maybe people want to enter akickboxing competition or maybe a basic Chinese wushu foundationto start with. I am also interested in developing health and promotingtaiji. I can see the potential in taiji and I am happy to help peopleimprove their health. It is a good thing to do, so from now on I willconcentrate on the taiji side, but I will not leave other skills aside. Iwill try to do both.

QM: So how is it going? Are you getting there?

MY: Ive been doing a lot of things throughout my years in Englandand I have only been concentrating one hundred percent on martialarts for the last four years, with an emphasis on taiji.

In 1994 I established my Level 1 taiji students. In 1985 I demonstratedin Birmingham at the National Exhibition Centre. In 1996 myteaching commitments increased and the number of students loyal totraining with me has got bigger and bigger. In 1997 I was invited toWashington DC to attend a World Conference by the WorldFederation of Martial Artists as a representative of internationalmartial artists.. More recently, in 1998 I have started as resident taijiinstructor at the Springs Hydro Health Farm. Taiji students at level2,including an English student, Mr. Steve Croghan, have been trainedto teach taiji introductory courses on my behalf.One of my ambitions this year is to produce my own Englishinstructional video.

QM: Do you have your own gym?

MY: No, not yet, but I would love one. As far as I can see it is hard tomake a living just teaching martial arts. Ideally I need a sponsor, sountil one comes forward I have to look at other ways of promotingtaiji and martial arts. For example if I get a chance to get back intothe movie business then I will. I was involved in the movie businessfor four years in China. Also if I get a chance to make a TV. seriesthen I will. There are actually a lot of ways to promote the martialarts, I dont think I will be teaching for the rest of my life.

QM: Do you find that teaching is the hardest way?

MY: Yes, it is a hard way because you are like a farmer. If you wantto grow a tree you have to plant a seed and look after it for manyyears until you have a real tree. Thats what teaching is, the studentsare like trees. At first they know nothing about what they are doing,until they grow. Its tough and there is a lot of responsibility. Thebest way is to take care of everything, take care of your teachingand keep it going and look for something else. If you can do that,then it is good.

QM: You mentioned you studied taiji at university, but did you studyany with your father?

MY: I didnt learn taiji from him, but he taught me Tongbei Qigong.A lot of martial arts have their own Qigong exercises. This is becausea lot of styles are physically very tough and so they need somethingto relax them and balance themselves.Also in old times people fought a lot, maybe in competitions oroutside. So Qigong helped them to release the pain and also buildthemselves up to withstand the blows. Now people can see thebenefits of Qigong for the health and so it has developed for healthas well.

QM: Is the Qigong you learnt mostly moving or standing postures?Did you learn special breathing methods, or was it more natural?

MY: It had both moving and standing, and also breathing exercisesand the natural way. Outside of China a lot of people think Qigongis something different, separate from martial arts. Actually it isnt.It was created by the oldest martial artists, from their experiences.For Medical Qigong you have to have a lot of knowledge on themedical side, but the Chinese Qigong doctors learnt a lot frommartial arts Qigong. They add to this their medical knowledge, anduse this to treat their patients. Sometimes it is hard to judge asQigong is something we cannot see, but Qigong definitely works.The only way to measure it is to see how the patients feel.This is one part I never touched in China. I learnt a lot of Qigongand taiji sets, but never went into this side. The reason I never wentinto it was I could see so many people doing taiji in China I thoughtI dont need it. I was also very young. When I left China I was onlytwenty-five so I thought, if I really want to start a Qigong or taijicareer I have got twenty years to go. Thats what I thought. Even

Qi Magazine 25

My aim is tokeep as much ofmy knowledgeas I can, untilthe day whenpeople will say,I want to learnreal martialarts from you.

Qi Magazine 26

My aim is totaiji and get it asIf it gets very big,good.

now I am still young, but with all the years of teaching, people oftencame up to me and said, why dont you tell us something aboutQigong and taiji. I also see the potential in taiji and I have come toan age where I need the taiji too!

QM: What are your aims for teaching taiji?

MY: It depends on the students interest. Of course I will start withhealth, but I would prefer that they would want to go to theprofessional taiji level, that they want to go to the performance sideand the taiji philosophy, push hands and things like that. I haveconfidence that I will have students who want to go further, but ifsome say to me, thats enough, we only want health, then they cango that way.My aim is to promote taiji and get it as big as I can. If it gets verybig, then that is good. If not, then I will keep what I have now.In the future maybe we can do things together. All the people whohave been teaching taiji and are interested in taiji, we can discussthings together and help each other out and promote taiji. I would bemore than happy to do it.

Qi Magazine 27

QM: Do you think taiji is established in the UK, or is it at a promotionallevel? Are there still a lot of misconceptions?

MY: It is still at a promotional level. I know a lot of people mayhave started teaching twenty even twenty-five years ago, but theywere not good enough to make it (taiji) big. If they were then therewould be no problem and we could all enjoy the success. After allthese years, taiji should be more popular than it is now.

QM: Do you feel that is due to the way it has been presented to people?

MY: Thats right, it is the same as martial arts. There are not enoughtrue taiji instructors here. There are some, and they are very good,but there is still not enough and there are those that do a negativejob for taiji.If you want to attract people in a big way you have to be veryprofessional. If you are professional then even if people do not knowthat much about taiji, they will see something of real value is there.If you are not professional enough then people will not see it. I feelthe only way to promote it is to do demonstrations and shows.Then people will have a first impression about it. You have to letthem feel what you are doing and touch them in some way. If you

How could tennis or snooker catch me? The first time I saw snookerI thought, this is disgusting! They get 100,000 just for hitting a ballwith a bloody stick! I could do the same with a pole! But slowly youget into the game and the psychological side. We need to be able to dothat for taiji, from the combat side or your own emotions. If you canattract people like that, then that is good enough. That is why peoplelike watching Jet Li and Jackie Chan. They perform brilliantly andpeople can feel it and are fascinated by them. Why do so many peoplefrom different cultures love them?There are forty million people in Britain, but you dont need all ofthem. Maybe only two thousand, personally I would be happy withfive hundred dedicated students in my whole lifetime. If I can achievethat then I will feel that I have done well.We need people who are professional and who also understandWestern thinking and have a high level of taiji or martial arts. If youhave these then you will be a winner.

QM: So you really feel taiji has a future?

MY: Yes, definitely. It has been proven in the Far East, in Japan,Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and China. The people in England andthe whole of Europe all need something instead of pills and medicineor alcohol.At the moment I am resident taiji instructor at the Springs HydroHealth Farm in Leicestershire. Each week throughout my classes Iteach between 100 and 150 residents and each week we have adifferent 100 to 150. I ask before the start of the class if anybodyhas ever experienced taiji before. It is very unusual if any of themsay yes, but it is very common for them to ask at the end of theclass, Do you know of any instructors in my part of the country?.I dont know where any instructors are, so if there are any goodinstructors teaching please let me know where you are and I willdirect people to you.Taiji is still at a promotional level and all instructors should worktogether.At Spring Hydro alone, nearly 4,000 people from all over the countryhave been through my classes during the last nine months and it isfrustrating when I am unable to help them further their interest intaiji.

QM: The Western mind is starting to open to it?

MY: I think so, yes. Thats how I feel. But without the proper taijithen we will get no-where. People can see how you move. It is likemusic. Music is for your ears. If you have not heard some musicyou wont buy it, you will say let me hear it first. Taiji is the samething. You cant say to someone who knows nothing about taiji,Come on, taiji is brilliant!, no, you have got to show themsomething unique. Of course, you know that when he walks intoyour class he will not be able to do what you showed him. Youknow he has got to go through the first steps, but that will attracthim to stay with you. How long he stays will depend on how muchyou have touched this person and how you encourage him to followyou.To attract him, you have to show him movements. You have to lethis eyes tell his brain he enjoys it. What we are doing is bodylanguage. Music is for the ears and what we do is for the eyes.I believe we will get there with all these talented people.

M: Do you have anything special planned for this year?

MY: Yes, we are planning a residential taiji weekend in April. Ifanybody would like to come, please get in touch.to be continued... Interview by Darryl Moy & Daniel Poon.

Master Ma Yue can be contacted on 0116 255 0124

touch them then theywill think, Oh I likethat, I dont understandit, but there issomething there.

QM: Is a lot of theproblem due to the factthat there is nothingequivalent in the West,nothing people canrelate it to?

MY: Yes, Ill give you anexample of myself.Before I left China Ihadheard of tennis, but

I had never seen any real tennis, the same with snooker. The firsttime I saw it on TV, I thought, what is this? Just two people withsticks hitting balls on a table. I didnt understand it. I saw all thosepeople at Wimbledon, sitting in the hot sun turning their heads,watching a ball, I didnt understand! But slowly, because of the playersprofessionalism and because they were so good, I was slowly drawnin and now I like tennis! Now I dont just see the game, I see theplayers. People like Boris Becker, Peter Sampras and Ivanisovich. I see

their emotions andhow they think. I evenfeel the same if I seethem lose a game andgo boom and smashtheir rackets. I go withthem. That is what taijineeds.Nobody is goodenough to let peoplefeel taiji. If you do notknow anything abouttaiji I should be able toshow you the Yang 24-step and if I can let youfeel two percent ofwhat I am feeling, thenI will catch you.

promoteasbig as I can.

,then that is

Qi Magazine 28

viewsReviewsReviewsReview

ReviewsReviews

WILD GOOSEQIGONGBy Master Yang Meijun

Today many people have heard aboutWild Goose Qigong. It was not so less thanthree decades ago when it was still practisedin secret by those who had been passed theskill secretly, from generation to generation.Master Yang Meijun is the twenty-seventhgeneration inheritor of Wild Goose Qigongand learned the skill from her grandfatherwho learned it from a Daoist who told himthat he could not pass on the skill until hereached the age of seventy. When MasterYang was thirteen years old, her grandfathertaught her in the quiet hours between 3 and5 am. He taught her Wild Goose Qigongand other forms which were part of theKunlun system.

Wild Goose Qigong is a profoundform that in addition to its obvious beautyhas many health benefits for the practitioner.Its movements connect with several of thebodys acupuncuture points and helps toopen the channels. This book illustrates boththe first and second sixty four movementsof the form and discusses the benefits of the

movements in detail in the concludingsection. It also relates cases of people whohave been helped by the study of WildGoose.

It is not suggested that you try tolearn the form from the book, however, it isa useful guide for reference for those learningthe movement in classes or for someonewanting to know more about Qigong. Itdiscusses the history of the Wild Goose formand Master Yang offers advice on the typesof hand movements in particular which willbe used throughout the form and advice onthe practise itself.

I have had my copy for many yearsnow and it is looking a bit worn around theedges, but everytime I pick it up I find Iunderstand something that more practiseand time puts into a different perspective.

by Jessica Blackwell

The OfficialMartial ArtsEncyclopaedia

This isthe first CDROM product Ihave found thatdeals with thissubject. It iscalled Officialbecause it hasthe endorsementof 18 or sodifferent MartialArts federationsand organ-isational bodies.As with allworks that try todeal with all mar-tial arts compre-hensively, I was abit scepticalwhen I wasasked to reviewit. However after spending a couple of hourssurfing around it, I must say that it isabsorbing stuff.

CD-ROM is a superb medium for apublication such as this. It gives textualdescriptions with pictures, but it is when

video clips are woven in that theEncyclopaedia comes alive. You can watch atechnique, pause it where ever you want, stepthrough it frame by frame, you can evenwatch it backwards if you want to! Also, thematerial is presented like a book, so that youcan jump from page to page without havingto wade through material, which is theproblem with videos dealing with the subject.

There are four main sections:Japanese Martial Arts, Chinese Martial Arts,Korean Martial Arts and Other Martial Arts.Due to their popularity over here, much ofthe material is devoted to Japanese andKorean systems. However there is a sizeable,if somewhat uneven, section on ChineseMartial Arts which would be of interest tothe reader of Qi Magazine. It is interestingto note that the popularity of a countrysmartial art is proportional to its economicstrength, so given the current problems inthe Pacific Basin, I guess Japan and Koreahad better watch out.

The involvement of martial artsorganisations in its production is both goodand bad. Good, in that it allows them to getpeople who know what they are doing to

give input, but badbecause what they sayis published withoutcriticism. Some of theentries were a bit ropyor a bit one sided, andI hope the publisherscontinue to researchto find out definitiveperformances to addto their work. Inparticular, a bit of filmwork from Tokyo,Beijing, or Soulewould make theproduct more of aheavy weight.

However thatis my brain speaking.My heart says I cantremember spending asmuch time reading a

martial arts book or watching a martial artsvideo for a long time. You will definitelyenjoy this product, and the time it will saveyou from surfing the net will save you afortune in phone bills.

by Daniel Poon

Reviews

Qi Magazine 35

Useful Self DefenceSan Sau Quan Fa

Throwing a Hook PunchThe attacker, A, throws a hook

punch towards Bs chin. B quickly blocksthe punch with his forearm andimmediately steps forwards whilstgrabbing As wrist and elbow.

B then twists As arm outand downcausing him to be thrown to the ground.

Locking a Punch

B throws a punch at As chin. Bremains very calm steps back and blocksthe punch with his palm. Without pullinghis hand away, he grabs Bs wrist. He thentwists it in and down thus locking the arm.

by Cheng Man Guang

Countering a Grab

B grabs A by the shoulders. Aignores Bs hands and attacks the weakerparts of Bs body. First he hits the floatingrib area, head-butts and then finishes witha knee strike to the groin area.

A B

B A

A B

Qi Magazine 37

A) Kuan Bun (Japanese SenTangle) 30g per day.

Contra indicated for those whosuffer from insufficiency and coldness ofthe spleen and stomach.

B) Dong Gua (Waxgourd).Cut 500g of the waxgourd into

thick slices and then make soup. It isadvisable to use a bit of sesame oil andsalt to flavour it. Waxgourd contains nofat and little sodium and is therefore idealfor reducing weight. Not only is itsuitable to be eaten frequently by obesepeople, but it does a lot of good to thosewho suffer from Kidney diseases anddiabetes.

C) He Ye Shan Zha Yin(Lotus leaf and hawthorn fruit drink).

Ingredients:- Lotus leaf 9g,Hawthorn fruit 9g. Decoct the lotusleaf and the hawthorn fruit inwater for a while and take itas a drink. To treat simpleobesity it is advisable totake such a drink frequently.

D) Sweet cornand radishes

These are good forlowering the cholesterollevel, getting rid of fat andlosing weight.

You can eat corn on the cob orcornflower. Radishes can be eaten rawor cooked.

E) Ninghong HealthProtection Tea.

With its long history, it has beenknown all over the world since 1930.Ninghong Tea is the finest in China andthe best in the world. In recent yearsNinghong Tea has been awarded gold andsilver prizes several times at nationallevels.

Ninghong Health Protection Teawas developed on the basis of NinghongTea with help from experts andProfessors of theS h a n g h a iTraditionalMedicine

TCM & Obesity (Part 2)In the last issue 35 of Qi Magazine, I had prescribed 4 prescriptions of Chinese

Herbal Medicine for the treatment of Obesity, now I am going to introduce moreDietetic Chinese Herbs for losing weight

Diet Therapy Association. The newproduct, which has Ninghong Teasfunctions of reducing human fat, diuresis,being a refreshing drink and preventingcancer, becomes more effective thanNinghong Tea with additives ofChrysanthemum Pollen and LiquoriceRoot. Therefore it has been consideredas the first in a series of health protectionteas in China.

Ninghong (diet) Tea has thefunctions to reduce human fat, diuresis,halitosis and relieve itching, it is effectivefor patients who are fat, have halitosis,itch,or are constipated,and is especiallygood for Cholocystitis. This tea will aidin long life. You are encouraged to drinkit often.

Acupuncture is another methodto treat obesity, it can help suppress theappetite and regulate the digestive system.Common points are:- Qu Chi (LI 11)He Gu (L.I. 4) Xue Hai (SP10) San YinJiao (SP6) Bai Hui (DU20).

If fat stomach add: Tain Shu(ST25) Shuidao (ST28) Ji Men (SP11).

If fat on the thigh add: Feng Shi(GB31) Huan Tiao (GB30).

If fat in back add: Shen Shu.In order to lose weight, apart from

the above treatments, we have to tryhard to have a good diet. Do not eat

too many fatty foods such asChocolate, Cheese, Milk,

Lamb, Beef. In addition it isimportant to do more

exercise to keep your bodyin good health.

For further information pleasecontact:-

Dr Shulan Tang50 Sandy Lane, Chorlton,Manchester M21 8TN. Tel:

0161 881 8576.

or Owen Road, Skerton,Lancaster

LA1 2DX. Tel: 0152469864.

Qi Magazine 38

W hen studying Feng Shui,understanding theTwenty-Four Mountains is veryimportant. Withoutknowing the Twenty-Four Mountains

you cannot do Feng Shui, no matter whatstyle of Feng Shui you study.

In the previous BaZi articles I havealready described Tien Guan (HeavenlyStems) and Di Zi (Earthly Branches)

together with the Bagua. From thesethree we pick the more important parts,and these are the Twenty-FourMountains.

Let us take the Tien Guan first:-

Tien Guan

Di Zi

FENG SHUITwenty-Four Mountains

(Mandarin) Jia Yi Bing Ding Wu Ji Geng Xin Ren Gui(Cantonese) Gaap Yuht Bing Ding Mou Gei Gung San Yum Gaai

(Mandarin) Zi Chou Yin Mao Chen Si Wu Wei Shen You Xu Hai(Cantonese) Ji Chau Yun Maao Sun Jih Ngh Mei San Yau Sat Hoi

WestEast

North

South

Fig 1

Fig 2

WestEast

North

South

Centre{Fire

{Water

Woo

dM

etal

{Fire

{Water

Woo

d

Meta l

Earth

Qi Magazine 39

We only use some of these. Fromthe Tien Guan we use all except Mou andGei, because these are in the middle andcannot fit in and from the Di Zi we useall, as these are much easier. Fig 4.

Ba Gau

However we have to add theBagua to it and so we choose the four leastimportant directions because in theTwenty Four Mountains the Di Zi are themost important. So we choose Kin, Gun,sun and Kun. Fig 5-6.

This gives us the Twenty-fourMountains we find on the Feng Shuicompass, Fig 7.

byMichael Tse

(Mandarin) Qian Dui Li Zhen Xun Kan Gen Kun(Cantonese) Kin Dui Lei Tsun Sun Hum Gun Kun

WestEast

North

South

Fig 3

Fig 6

Fig 4

Fig 5

Fig 7

Wo o

d

Metal

Fire

Water

Fire

Earth

Tien Guan

+

Di Zi

Tien Guan+

Di Zi+

Bagua

Tien Guan+

Di Zi+

Bagua

The Compass with the Twenty-fourMountains on the inner most ring

Qi Magazine 40

W omen are very oftenthe minority in the fieldof martial arts. Thosethat do test the waterare usually attracted toexternal disciplines believing them to bethe best option for their self-defence.They are mistaken. Be they black belt ornot, when it comes to the crunch, if theyare attacked, a strong member of theopposite sex would realistically triumph;this observation is by no way meant toappear derogatory to the art they practise.It is just a matter of body mechanics.Womens bodies in general are soft,sensitive and yielding; they are notnaturally muscular and built to carryhome the days hunting (only a couple ofbags from Tescos maybe). Yes, they arementally equal to their male counterpart,but it is physically unnatural for them tobe as strong. I believe we are much bettersuited to the sensitive art of taiji, wherewe can use our softness to our advantage,and make the odds more even.

Women do not have to try and riseto the mans strength. We can draw theminto our softness and use the element ofsurprise to re-direct or take their balance.After all, do we women really want toappear hard and aggressive when there isno need. You can achieve much with agreat deal less effort, and retain your

femininity. As this extract from my taijibible, There are no secrets by WolfLowenthal shows:

Professor Cheng said that womenare naturally much more gifted in taiji.Their understanding of sensitivity andsoftness usually takes men years toachieve. However, it can take a decadefor their talent to pay-off . In themeantime, in an insensitive push handsenvironment, they will be shoved aroundand, probably most frustrating of all, betaught by stronger men who assumethat because they are winning theymust know more.

Applying the virtues ofsoftness is frustrating anddifficult. All sincere pushhands (both men and women)must confront this problem.

It becomes clear that to reapthe health benefits from your practise oftaiji, relaxation and softness are essential,and this is the great gift we women canbring to the class. Over my years oftraining in push hands, women studentshave often complained to me that theydislike pushing with their malecounterparts because the mans egosometimes gets in the way. It is very hardfor a man to Invest in loss, which isessential. But to invest in loss to awoman, well I can see this must be doubly

difficult. In most cases as soon as thewoman gains some advantage and themale student starts to lose his balance(dare I say face), out comes brute force.This may not be a problem for the womanwho has learnt to harness her opponentsstrength, in fact the harder he becomesthe easier it is to take him down; the stiffbody is inflexible and unbalanced.However the newer lady practitioner whohas not yet acquired understanding and

TheNon-Discriminative Art

practitioner may feeltoo threatened to wantto continue.

The martial arts have always been dominated by men.If you go into any class you will be lucky to find more than

two or three women who have been training for more than acouple of years. However, in todays society,

martial arts are becoming ever more relavantfor women, so is there a martial art that can be

trained equally by all?

Qi Magazine 41

skill to cope with the attack, mayfeel too threatened to want tocontinue.

One of the problemsexperienced in class can be thatstudents cannot free spar, andtherefore are unable torealistically test their abilityas a fighters. Push hands

will allow them to find spacesin their partners defences,

improve sensitivity, and developtheir root, but because the natureof the art is for powerful fast takedowns of your attacker it wouldnot be safe or practical to gofurther in a training situation.

We also sometimesforget that as your fellowstudent is practising taiji aswell, there can be no real testof each others ability, in theevent of a real life situation.So how do we solve thisproblem? I personallypractise any new tech-niques on my 6 foot 4 inchson,