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Styles & Practices

Taoism is not a religion, nor a philosophy. It is a "Way" of life. It is a River. The Tao is the natural order of things. It is a force that flows through every living and sentient object, as well as through the entire universe.

Taoist Dietary Advice

The Chang Ming Taoist diet is based on simple rules, one of the most important being 'eat only food' - this means avoiding unnatural foods that the body cannot process (artificial additives, drugs etc.) and heavily processed foods that contain little or no nutritional value (white flour, sugar etc.) These are not things that the body is designed to consume, so are not really 'foods' fit for human consumption.

Additionally it recommends avoiding food which is hard to digest (e.g. dairy products and red meat) and anything acidic which upsets the delicate balance of the stomach (e.g. citrus fruits). The final recommendation is to eat the food nature intended us to eat by opting for locally grown season produce whenever possible. It also follows that organic is best, as organically grown food contains no artificial chemicals and causes less harm to the environment.

These simple guidelines dispense with the need to count calories or fat levels, or to worry about deficiencies. By eating a varied diet with lots of whole grains, seeds, nuts and seasonal fruit and vegetables you get everything you need for a healthy body and mind. After all, we are a part of the natural world, and have evolved to eat the foods that grow around us. Everything we need is readily available to us without the need to rely on man-made additives and chemicals.

TAOIST MEDITATION METHODS

Taoist meditation methods have many points in common with Hindu and Buddhist systems, but the Taoist way is less abstract and far more down-to-earth than the contemplative traditions which evolved in India. The primary hallmark of Taoist meditation is the generation, transformation, and circulation of internal energy. Once the meditator has 'achieved energy' (deh-chee), it can be applied to promoting health and longevity, nurturing the 'spiritual embryo' of immortality, martial arts, healing, painting and poetry, sensual self-indulgence, or whatever else the adept wishes to do with it.

The two primary guidelines in Taoist meditation are jing ('quiet, stillness, calm') and ding ('concentration, focus'). The purpose of stillness, both mental and physical, is to turn attention inwards and cut off external sensory input, thereby muzzling the "Five Thieves". Within that silent stillness, one concentrates the mind and focuses attention, usually on the breath, in order to develop what is called 'one-pointed awareness', a totally undistracted, undisturbed, undifferentiated state of mind which permits intuitive insights to arise spontaneously.

Taoist masters suggest that when you first begin to practice meditation, you will find that your mind is very uncooperative. That's your ego, or 'emotional mind', fighting against its own extinction by the higher forces of spiritual awareness. The last thing your ego and emotions want is to be harnessed: they revel in the day-to-day circus of sensory entertainment and emotional turmoil, even though this game depletes your energy, degenerates your body, and exhausts your spirit. When you catch your mind drifting into fantasy or drawing attention away from internal alchemy to external phenomena, here are six ways you can use to 'catch the monkey', clarify the mind, and re-establish the internal focus:

• 1. Shift attention back to the inflow and outflow of air streaming through the nostrils, or energy streaming in and out of a vital point, such as between the brows.
• 2. Focus attention on the rising and falling of the navel, the expansion and contraction of the abdomen, as you breathe.
• 3. With eyes half-closed, focus vision on a candle flame or a mandala (geometric meditation picture). Focus on the center of the flame or picture, but also take in the edges with peripheral vision. The concentration required to do this usually clears all other distractions from the mind.
• 4. Practice a few minutes of mantra, the 'sacred syllables' which harmonize energy and focus the mind. Though mantras are usually associated with Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist practices, Taoists have also employed them for many millennia. The three most effective syllables are 'Om', which stabilizes the body, 'ah', which harmonizes energy, and 'hum', which concentrates the spirit. 'Om' vibrates between the brows, 'ah' in the throat, and 'hum' in the heart, and their associated colors are white, red, and blue respectively. Chant the syllables in a deep, low-pitched tone and use long, complete exhalations for each one. Other mantras are equally effective.
• 5. Beat the 'Heavenly Drum' as a cool-down energy-collection technique. The vibrations tend to clear discursive thoughts and sensory distractions from the mind.
• 6. Visualize a deity or a sacred symbol of personal significance to you shining above the crown of your head or suspended in space before you. When your mind is once again still, stable, and undistracted, let the vision fade away and refocus your mind on whatever meditative technique you were practicing.

Taoist meditation works on all three levels of the 'Three Treasures': essence (body), energy (breath), and spirit (mind).

1. The first step is to adopt a comfortable posture for the body, balance your weight evenly, straighten the spine, and pay attention to physical sensations such as heat, cold, tingling, trembling, or whatever else arises.

2. When your body is comfortable and balanced, shift attention to the second level, which is breath and energy. You may focus on the breath itself as it flows in and out of the lungs through the nostrils, or on energy streaming in and out of a particular point in tune with the breath.

3. The third level is spirit: when the breath is regulated and energy is flowing smoothly through the channels, focus attention on thoughts and feelings forming and dissolving in your mind, awareness expanding and contracting with each breath, insights and inspirations arising spontaneously, visions and images appearing and disappearing. Eventually you may even be rewarded with intuitive flashes of insight regarding the ultimate nature of the mind: open and empty as space; clear and luminous as a cloudless sky at sunrise; infinite and unimpeded.

Just as all the rules of chee-gung practice can be boiled down to the three Ss - slow, soft, smooth - so the main points of meditation practice may be summed up in the three Cs: calm, cool, clear. As for proper postures for practice, the two positions most frequently used in Taoist meditation are

Sitting cross-legged on the floor in 'half-lotus' position, with the buttocks elevated on a cushion or pad. The advantages of this method are that this position is more stable and encourages energy to flow upwards towards the brain.

Sitting erect on a low stool or chair, feet parallel and shoulder width apart, knees bent at a 90-degree angle, spine erect. The advantages of sitting on a stool are that the legs do not cramp, the soles of the feet are in direct contact with the energy of the earth, and internal energy tends to flow more freely throughout the lower as well as the upper torso.

Most meditators who follow Taoist Meditation use both methods, depending on conditions. When sitting cross-legged, Western practitioners, whose legs tend to cramp more easily than Asians', are advised to sit on thick firm cushions, perhaps with a phone book or two underneath, in order to elevate the pelvis and take pressure off the legs and knees. This also helps keep the spine straight without straining the lower back.

The way the hands are placed is also important. The most natural and comfortable position is to rest the palms lightly on the thighs, just above the knees. However, some meditators find it more effective to use one of the traditional 'mudras', or hand gestures. Experiment with different combinations of posture and mudra until you find the style that suits you best. Taoist meditation masters teach three basic ways to control the Fire mind of emotion with the Water mind of intent, so that the adept's goals in meditation may be realized.

The first method is called 'stop and observe'. This involves paying close attention to how thoughts arise and fade in the mind, learning to let them pass like a freight train in the night, without clinging to any particular one. This develops awareness of the basic emptiness of all thought, as well as non-attachment to the rise and fall of emotional impulses. Gradually one learns simply to ignore the intrusion of discursive thoughts, at which point they cease arising for sheer lack of attention.

The second technique is called 'observe and imagine', which refers to visualization. The adept employs intent to visualize an image - such as Buddha, Jesus, a sacred symbol, the moon, a star, or whatever - in order to shift mental focus away from thoughts and emotions and stabilize the mind in one-pointed awareness. You may also visualize a particular energy center in your body, or listen to the real or imagined sound of a bell, gong, or cymbal ringing in your ears. The point of focus is not important: what counts is shifting the focus of your attention away from idle thoughts, conflicting emotions, fantasies, and other distracting antics of the 'monkey mind' and concentrating attention instead on a stable point of focus established by the mind of intent, or 'wisdom mind'.

The third step in cultivating control over your own mind is called 'using the mind of intent to guide energy'. When the emotional mind is calm and the breath is regulated, focus attention on the internal energy. Learn how to guide it through the meridian network in order to energize vital organs, raise energy from the sacrum to the head to nourish the spirit and brain, and exchange stale energy for fresh energy from the external sources of heaven (sky) and earth (ground). Begin by focusing attention on the Lower Elixir Field below the abdomen, then moving energy from there down to the perineum, up through the coccyx, and up along the spinal centers into the head, after which attention shifts to the Upper Elixir Field between the brows. Though this sounds rather vague and esoteric to the uninitiated, a few months of practice, especially in conjunction with chee-gung and proper dietary habits, usually suffices to unveil the swirling world of energy and awareness hidden within our bodies and minds. All you have to do is sit still and shut up long enough for your mind to become aware of it.

Tai Chi, Qigong & Meditation

The word Qigong (pronounced "chee gong") is a combination of two ideas: “Qi” means air, breath of life, or vital energy of the body, and “gong” means the skill of working with, or cultivating, self-discipline and achievement. The art of Qigong consists primarily of meditation, relaxation, physical movement, mind-body integration, and breathing exercises. Practitioners of Qigong develop an awareness of qi sensations (energy) in their body and use their mind to guide the Qi. When the practitioners achieve a sufficient skill level (master), they can direct or emit external Qi for the purpose of healing others.

For thousands of years, millions of people have benefited from Qigong practices and believed that improving the function of Qi maintains health and heals disease. In traditional Chinese medicine, good health is a result of a free flowing, well-balanced energy system. It is believed that regular practice of Qigong helps to cleanse the body of toxins, restore energy, reduce stress and anxiety, and help individuals maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

There exists a long history of movement and exercise systems which are associated with Taoism. In some sense one can see elements of all of these as contributing to the climate from which Tai Chi emerged.

Lao Tsu, the founder of Taoism, wrote:

There are some interesting inspirations for the movement philosophy of Tai Chi within the writings of Chuang Tzu, for example:

"The pure man of old slept without dreams and woke without anxiety. He ate without indulging in sweet tastes and breathed deep breaths. The pure man draws breaths from the depths of his heels, the multitude only from their throats."

And:

"[The sage] would not lean forward or backward to accommodate [things]. This is called tranquility on disturbance, (which means) that it is especially in the midst of disturbance that tranquility becomes perfect."

Talisman of the Jade Lady. Talisman of the Jade Lady.

This approach is reflected in the entire movement philosophy of Tai Chi Chuan. There is, moreover, a long tradition of Taoist monks practicing exercises. Some of these were referred to as tai-yin or Taoist Breathing. Exactly what these were and what their origins were is obscure but they are mentioned in Chinese chronicles as early as 122 B.C.

Then in the sixth century A.D. Bodihdharma (called Ta Mo in Chinese) came to the Shao-Lin Monastery and, seeing that the monks were in poor physical condition from too much meditation and too little excersize, introduced his Eighteen Form Lohan Exercise. This approach gave rise to the Wei Chia or 'outer-extrinsic' forms of exercise.

Later in the fifteenth century A.D. the purported founder of Tai Chi Chuan, the monk Chang San-feng, was honoured by the Emperor Ying- tsung with the title of chen-jen, or 'spiritual man who has attained the Tao and is no longer ruled by what he sees, hears or feels.' This indicates that already at this time there was a close association between the philosophy of Taoism and the practice of Tai Chi.

In the Ming dynasty (14th to 17th centuries), Wang Yang-ming a leading philosopher preached a philosophy which was a mixture of Taoism and Ch'an Buddhism which had certain associations with movement systems.

In any event the principles of yielding, softness, centeredness, slowness, balance, suppleness and rootedness are all elements of Taoist philosophy that Tai Chi has drawn upon in its understanding of movement, both in relation to health and also in its martial applications. One can see these influences (of softness and effortlessness) in the names of certain movements in the Tai Chi Form, such as:

• Cloud Hands
• Wind Rolls the Lotus Leaves
• Brush Dust Against the Wind
• Push the Boat with the Current
• Winds Sweeps the Plum Blossoms

Moreover the contemplation and appreciation nature, which are central features of Taoist thought seem to have been reflected in the genesis of many Tai Chi movements such as:

• White Crane Spreads Wings
• Snake Creeps Down
• Repulse Monkey
• Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain
• White Snake Sticks Out its Tongue
• Grasp Sparrow's Tail
• Golden Cock Sands on One Leg
• Swallow Skims the Water
• Bird Flies into Forest
• Lion Shakes it's Head
• Tiger Hugs its Head
• Wild Horse Leaps the Ravine
• White Ape Devotes Fruit
• Yellow Bee Returns to Nest

The story comes to us that Chang San-feng watched a fight between a bird and a snake and in this event saw how the soft and yielding could overcome the hard and inflexible. Particularly significant here is the reference to the White Crane (The Manchurian Crane, Grus japonensis), with its red crest an important symbol for Taoist alchemists.

Certain features of Taoist alchemy and talismanic symbolism have also penetrated the Tai Chi forms. As part of their contemplation of nature the Taoists observed the heavens and were keen students of astronomy and astrology. Movements of the Tai Chi Form such as :

• Step Up to Seven Stars
• Embrace the Moon
• Biggest Star in the Great Dipper
• Encase the Moon in Three Rings
• The Smallest Star in the Big Dipper
• Meteor Runs After Moon
• Heavenly Steed Soars Across the Sky

Meditating Under the Protection of the Big Dipper. Meditating Under the Protection of the Big Dipper.

Reflect this Taoist astrological concern.

Symbolism was a potent force in Taoist thinking. Taoist magic diagrams were regarded as potent talismans having great command over spiritual forces. They invoked the harmonizing influence of yin-yang and Eternal Change; the Divine Order of Heaven, Earth and Mankind; and the workings of the Universe through the principal of the Five Elements. These were symbolized by the Five Sacred Mountains (Taishan, Hengshan [Hunan], Songshan, Huashan and Hengshan [Hopei]), central places of Taoist development and pilgrimage.

Thus it is no surprise to find that the symbolism of names has, in important ways, infiltrated the forms of Tai Chi. There was a numerological component to this symbolism as well. The number '5' has a special mystical significance to Taoists (and to Chinese in general). There are the symbolic five mountains, five elements, five colours, five planets, five virtues, five emotions, five directions, etc. all of which have a mystic significance. Hence we see five Repulse Monkeys or Five Cloud Hands in the Tai Chi form. There are many instances where the numbers '1', '3', '5' and '7' figure prominently in the structure of Tai Chi.

Master Hong Junsheng & Master LI Enjiu

Hong Junsheng was born on February 17, 1907 (Chinese Lunar Calendar) in Yuxian County, Henan Province and passed away on January 23, 1996 in Jinan, Shandong Province, China.

At an early age he moved to Beijing with his father. Poor health set him on a search for a good taiji master. Initially, he studied Wu Style Taijiquan from Master Liu Musan in Beijing. Master Liu was a famous Wu style teacher at the time. On hearing the news about a Chen Village master teaching in Beijing, Master Liu decided to invite him over for a demonstration. What they saw was Chen Fake's demonstration of Chen Style second routine Paochui. No body could understand it, including master Liu. The execution of the moves was too fast, according to the popular understanding of Taijiquan at the time. However, master Liu had the foresight to decide to learn the forms from Chen.

After master Liu and his students finished learning the first set of the Chen form, they decided to ask master Chen to teach them push hands. Master Liu told the students that push hands is the real test of taiji skills. In order to teach it, master Chen would be forced to demonstrate his skills. If he failed, all students would keep the story quiet and continue with their Wu Style learning. If otherwise, everyone would continue to learn from master Chen.

Master Chen Fake decided to show the principles of Chen Style push hands with master Liu Musan. On initial touching, the students already saw the difference. Master Liu acted like an invalid infant. He could not hold his stance. Master Chen declared that he would within one minute put master Liu in a chair that was situated far away from them in the corner of the courtyard. Master would fall into the wicker chair. If the chair fell down, or master Liu fell down outside of the chair, Chen would admit defeat. This was an outlandish claim. Chen Fake was not talking about ability to fight at all. He was talking about precision only. That was how proud he was of his skills.

His every claim came true so in 1930, master Hong Junsheng, together with his master Liu Musan and his fellow students, became a student of Chen Fake in Beijing. He stayed on to learn the details of the entire Chen Family Taiji curriculum from Chen Fake for 15 years. As a result, he became a very healthy person with profound Chen Style Taiji skills and understanding. His Chen Style Taiji had the characteristics of looseness, roundness, spiralling, continuous, powerful and holistic. He very much possessed the personal style of his master.

In 1956, he went back to Beijing for further training from his master. Every time he asked his master about an application of a technique that he was using, the answer was always, "Yes". He tried every technique and every move of the whole system with his master and was corrected or accepted one by one.

When he went back to Jinan, he continued to teach the curriculum that was approved by his master. He continued his research. He experimented with students, friends and other martial artists. Through the years that ensued, his understanding of Chen Style Taiji became profound, and his student population also increased.

Hong was the only person to study under Chen Fake for 15 years consecutively. He was regarded by some to be a living resource person on Chen Fake's life and his teachings. Most of the stories about Chen Fake originated from him.

Hong was a very learned person. He read extensively and had an amazing memory. He was an expert of "temperament" (study of the rhythms of Chinese poetry) and was a poet and calligrapher. In his Chen Style Taiji research, he combined philosophy, physics and logic into his experiments. He followed his master's habit of using everyday life analogies in his explanations of the principles, theories and techniques of Chen Style Taiji. He was an enlightening master.

He was traditional in keeping the art yet modern in keeping up with the times. He used common terminology in his teachings so that the layer of mystery is removed so easier understanding of the art from today's background. He refused to use words such as "qi" in his teachings and his writings. Yet anyone who personally experienced his push-hands knows that he was a man who reached a very high level of ability even in the eyes of "qi" masters.

Hong had a hard life and spent half of his life in poverty. His only ambition in his entire life was to carry on his master's art. His life time persistence in the art brought to his door step students and visitors from all over the world including many from Japan. For many, to personally visit with this "sage" was an event to remember for life!

During the last few years of his life, he was honoured with titles such as chairman of the Jinan Municipal Martial Arts Association, and senior advisor of the Jinan Martial Arts Academy, advisor to the Shandong University Martial Arts Association, and was a member of the Jinan Political Consultative Conference.

He published many books including "Chen Shi Taijiquan", "Chen Shi Taijiquan Shiyong Quanfa (Practical Chen Style Taijiquan)", "Chen Shi Taijiquan Techniques", and "Interpretation of Taijiquan Treatise of Wang Zengyue". In 1994, he was working on his last book, "Comparisons of Characteristics and Methods of the Five Styles of Taijiquan". The book was completed but not published.

Hong was a humble man till the last day. He never called himself a master. He considered himself "school mates" to his students. In the school of Chen Style Taiji, he believed that he was always a student and all learners of different ages and times are "school mates".

He started teaching this form in Jinan in 1956 till his death in 1996. He was devoted to this one art for 56 years. This single-minded devotion made him of the most important authorities in Chen Style. Many other famous masters such as Gu Liuxin and Chen Zhaokui often sought his advice. He became a leading source of information in the style as well.

To me, his most achievement is that he strictly followed a Taiji/Daoist way of life. This is the most difficult thing to achieve for modern people. He never worked in his life and only taught Chen Style Taijiquan.

His life was totally dictated by Taijiquan. Even during his last days, in bed because of food poisoning, he insisted on pushing hands with disciples.

He is one of the few masters in the 20th century who achieve little reputation by huge ability. Those of us who were privileged to have learned from him are indeed lucky people. In these day and age, it is almost an impossibility to have pure martial art without the influence of any politics.

Shandong Northern Praying Mantis

There are many legends surrounding the creation of Northern Praying Mantis boxing. One legend attributes the creation of Mantis fist to the Song Dynasty when Abbot Fu Ju, a legendary persona of the historical Abbot Fu Yu (1203-1275), supposedly invited Wang Lang and seventeen other masters to come and improve the martial arts of Shaolin The Abbot recorded all of the techniques in a manual called the Mishou ( "Secret Hands") and later passed it onto the Taoist priest Shen Xiao. This manual supposedly disappeared until the Qianlong reign era when it was published under the name "Arhat exercising merit short strike illustrated manuscript" (Luóhàn Xínggong Duan Da) Some sources place the folk manuscript's publication on the "sixteenth day of the third month of the spring of 1794". The manual records Wang Lang "absorbed and equalized all previous techniques" learned from the 17 other masters.

Chinese Weapons Training

The basic theory for weapons training is to consider the weapon as an extension of your body. The same requirement for footwork and body coordination is required in weapons training as in the solo practice of empty hand technique. The process of weapon training proceeds with forms, forms with partners and then applications.