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T’ai Chi Qi & Jin T’ai Chi Qi & Jin Ultimate Guide for Developing Internal & Intrinsic Energies Stuart Alve Olson Valley Spirit Arts Phoenix, Arizona Translations from T’ai Chi Ch’uan Tao Chien Kan San Shou Ho Lun (T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Sword, Saber, Staff, and Dispersing-Hands Combined), by Chen Kung Disclaimer Please note that the author and publisher of this book are NOT RESPONSIBLE in any manner whatsoever for any injury that may result from practicing the techniques and/or following the instructions given within. Since the physical activities described herein may be too strenuous in nature for some readers to engage in safely, it is essential that a physician be consulted prior to training. Copyright © 2005 by Stuart Alve Olson. New and expanded edition. Portions of this text were originally published by Dragon Door Publications in two separate works: Cultivating the Ch’i (1993) and The Intrinsic Energies of T’ai Chi Ch’uan (1994). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from Valley Spirit Arts. Library of Congress Control Number: 2005925043 ISBN-13: 978-1-889633-19-0 ISBN-10: 1-889633-19-4 Valley Spirit Arts Phoenix, Arizona www.phoenixtaoistcenter.com Dedication In reverent memory of Master Kung Wei (1910–1997). By the Sea of Java dwelt a living dragon. Oh Kung Wei, Your kung fu, healing the poor, Within “rusty iron” is pure steel. The poor and destitute stood at your door, Hands seeking your hands. I brought you only apples, You gave me three bright star gods. Oh Kung Wei, All my efforts seem to fade, As your ease and merits shine on. Even the gods have to lower their heads to a true man. The Immortal Ancestor, Chang San Feng Founder of T’ai Chi Ch’uan (A statue in his honor at Wu T’ang Temple, Wu-T’ang Mountain, Hupei Province, China) Testimonials (From The Intrinsic Energies of T’ai Chi Ch’uan) “An excellent and extremely informative translation of an important body of work, that includes many principles and techniques not found in popular T’ai Chi manuals. Olson has written an accu- rate and lucid translation of a broad treatise, which, flavored by insights from his own experience of the oral teachings, renders an invaluable service in bridging the gap between theory and practice, enriching the understanding and practice of T’ai Chi players at all levels.” —Terry Dunn, author of T’ai Chi For Health: The Yang Long Form. “Every student of the art will find inspiration and guidance in this translation. Olson is to be commended for his dedication and tenacity in producing it. This helps to fill a real gap in the available literature.” —Paul Crompton, author of T’ai Chi Workbook and Elements of T’ai Chi “This book is a very good document for both T’ai Chi players and instructors. Nowadays, no one has completely reached the high levels described here. Therefore this book really provides important goals to work toward attaining. If a dedicated T’ai Chi player can master these different ‘energies,’ they will help promote the art to a very high level.” —Master Jou Tsung Hwa, author of The Tao of T’ai Chi Ch’uan “I predict that this will be one of the most important works on T’ai Chi yet to be published in English. While the text itself is enlighten- ing, the real pearls of knowledge contained in this book are to be found in Olson’s commentary. Concepts and ideas typically mysti- fied by practitioners are masterfully presented in a clear, direct manner.” —Dan Miller, editor Pa Kua Chang Journal Acknowledgments First and foremost I must thank Master Chen Kung, the author of the Chinese language work from which I have drawn so much. Without his diligent efforts in publishing the original Yang family documents in Shanghai, China, the T’ai Chi community would sorely be missing crucial literature. Everyone involved in T’ai Chi, and mostly myself, owe Mr. Chen and the Yang family a great deal of gratitude for preserving all these wonderful documents. In 2004, I started corresponding with Chen Kung’s grandson, Donald Chen. He confirmed the story of how his grandfather obtained the Yang family records, and that he had become a doctor of Chinese medicine. Chen had written two unpublished works on T’ai Chi Ch’uan, and I will be collaborating with the Chen family to ensure that these works are translated and published in English, along with a full history of this incredible and knowledgeable man. I deeply wish to thank Donald Chen for entrusting me with presenting his grandfather’s work to the English reading audience. More than 10 years have passed since I published Cultivating the Ch’i and The Intrinsic Energies of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, and even though both works were very well received in the T’ai Chi community, they were in dire need of revision. This new book has been completely revised and reorganized, and it expands upon the materials found in those earlier works. I could never have attempted writing this book in the first place without the many years of instruction and help from my teacher, the late T’ai Chi Master T.T. Liang. My translation work actually began over twenty years ago when he first introduced me to this material by giving me a Chinese original of the text in 1982, and encouraged me to translate it into English. Since then I have, as Liang admonished me, “incessantly mugged and bugged him” frequently about various aspects of this work. I am very fortunate to have had him, of all the T’ai Chi experts in the world, to help me along with this very difficult project. I man- aged only to get a droplet of his art, but I will forever be in his debt for his frustrated attempts to help me understand things beyond mere understanding. I doubt very much, unfortunately, that I have done real justice to what we had discussed over the years. Therefore, all mistakes are mine and mine alone. VIII