The Rising Sun School of
T'ai Chi Ch'uan

Practitioners Corner

Expand Your Approach
Study Guide for Students
Improving Form Study
Why Yang Styles Differ
Insight through the I Ching

Our School Lineage
Master Lee Shiu Pak
The T'ai Chi Family
Rising Sun School Faculty
Certified Instructors

General Interest

Books and Reviews
Starting a Peer Group
Instructional Products
News and Events

Toronto T'ai Chi Classes at

The
Rising Sun School of T'ai Chi Ch'uan

We have no more than 8 students per instructor and you progress at your own rate. If you miss a class, you pick up where you left off the last time. We specialize in personal coaching!

Come to a free introductory class and find out about how to get one month of free classes!

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"Let the postures
be without
breaks or holes,
hollows or projections,
or discontinuities or continuities of form."

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Ching
by Chang San-feng

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Commentary

Form should neither be broken nor always the same. It should be seamlessly diverse.

P'u

The Uncarved Block

"The essence of the principle of the Uncarved Block is that things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed."

The Tao of Pooh
by Benjamin Hoff

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Commentary

In T'ai Chi we say all movement should be natural. We study a Form in order to recover something essential about ourselves through movement. The process of revelation is as much psychological as it is physical. As we gradually understand the interplay of Yin and Yang, we are able to move with less effort and more beingness.

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You will find many T'ai Chi books and reviews at

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If you have comments or suggestions email
Paul McCaughey at

taichitoronto@rogers.com

How to select a good Instructor
or School of T'ai Chi Ch'uan

Learning T'ai Chi Ch'uan requires a significant dedication of one's time and energy. This is a challenging discipline with many rewards. It is prudent to have a sense of what the market has to offer before you select a place to study. Prospective students should be alerted to some vital information when shopping for a School or Instructor.

What are your goals? It is important to know what your goals are in T'ai Chi. For instance, if you are shopping for a computer and your only requirement is word processing, then a simpler computer with less speed and memory is adequate to the task. Similarly, if your main goal is stress reduction with some moderate exercise thrown in, then a Short Form class at an adult education program might be right for you. If you like depth and want the option of more features, then a full School is probably better suited to your needs.

In order to make an informed choice I have compiled a glossary of words and names you will encounter when you are shopping:

Classical: (prefix, as in Classical Yang Style), synonymous with 'Traditional', but also connotes that the style is performed according to the T'ai Chi Classics, a literary body of work which classical stylists refer to when they speak about T'ai Chi 'principles'.

Traditional: (prefix, as in Traditional Yang Style), the non-standard form of any style, which predates the Cultural Revolution modification, and standardization of Forms. Classical may be considered synonymous with Traditional as a style description.

Taoist: (prefix, as in Taoist Style) First, it should be known that all T'ai Chi Ch'uan is Taoist both in origin and practice. The T'ai Chi symbol is as an expression of natural balance and harmony at the core of all Taoist religious beliefs. T'ai Chi evolved through an application of Taoist principles to the martial arts, notably Shaolin Kung Fu, by Wu Tang Mountain Taoists. Later, the Chen family utilized Wu Tang T'ai Chi and Shaolin Chuan in their development of Chen Style. So the use of the prefix 'Taoist' is redundant, like saying that you play 'ball bouncing' tennis. Practitioners who refer to their practice as 'Taoist' Style, are practicing a modified Yang Style affiliated with religious Taoism. In this context, 'Taoist' represents an organization or association, rather than a lineage of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. 'Taoist' style has no general recognition as a distinct style in the traditional literature or histories.

Common Family Styles: Most Styles were originally developed and promoted within martial families in China and therefore bear their names.

Wu Tang Style:Unknown outside of China and presently bears little resemblance to all the Chen family linked styles. Its name refers to Wu Tang mountain, which figures prominently in T'ai Chi legend. (Refer to our history section for more information on this.)

Chen Style: emphasizes movements that are at once hard and soft, as well as fast and slow. This style tends to be more vigorous as exercise and emphasizes martial application.

Zhao Bao Style: Created by Chen Ching Ping from Wu Tang Style and Chen family New Frame. The style is named after Zhao Bao village where Chen Ching Ping resided and taught. This style is unknown outside of China.

Hao Style: Little known outside of China and descends through Wu Yu Hsiang to the Hao family who made it popular. Changed significantly by Hao Family to a wholly soft and slow execution of movements.

Sun Style: Founded by Sun Lu Tang, a Hsing Yi and Pa Kua Chang Master, who latterly studied with the Hao Family and then created a form which amalgamated his knowledge of all three Internal Schools of Chinese martial arts.

Yang Style: Also known as Large Frame Yang Style, for it's fully extended movements. This form has 108 movements or approximately 86 when repetitions are not counted. This is without doubt the most practiced style in the world today. Since the time of Yang Cheng Fu, this style is distinct from Chen Family Style, as Yang Cheng-Fu committed his form to wholly soft and slow execution.

Wu Style: Also known as Small Frame Yang Style. Finds it's origins in the Beijing Imperial Court where Yang Lu Chan had to create a smaller frame style to accommodate the robes of the Imperial Princes, which inhibited movement. Yang and Wu Style differentiated into separate styles in the time of Yang Cheng Fu. Wu Style is practiced softly and slowly and incorporates all the classical boxing practices.

Standard Style: Created during the Cultural Revolution by the Chinese government, mostly from Traditional Yang Style. These forms are 24 Yang Short Form, 48 Combined Form (mostly Yang, but contains elements of other styles), 88 Yang Long Form.

Applications: Each movement has martial applicability. A good instructor can isolate a single move and demonstrate its' martial use. Applications are performed bilaterally, with or without a partner and should be included as part of formal boxing training.

Boxing: This refers to T'ai Chi as a pugilistic or martial art. (One of the Four Aspects described by Master Lee.) This involves a system of practices based upon principles of displacement and return of which Push Hands is the most commonly known and practiced. T'ai Chi Boxing can also involve full contact sparring, utilizing both striking and leverage at full power and speed. This practice takes years to develop according to T'ai Chi principles and a School should have a good protocol to protect it's novices and an atmosphere of cooperation during training.

Form: Often expressed as 'Long Form' or 'Short Form' (denotes the quantity of movements in the Form), and less often as 'Large Frame Form' or 'Small Frame Form' (denotes length of extension in the arms and legs) and sometimes you will come across 'Fast Form' (denotes speed of practice). Form refers to a continuous series of movements which are performed at various rates of speed and degrees of extension according to its Style's tradition.

Guan: Means 'study hall'. This is the place where the training takes place. It often has a small shrine to the lineage from which the School hails. In traditional Schools it is good manners to remove shoes at the door and then pause and wait to be invited into the Guan.When entering one bows a little, acknowledging deference to the order and authority of the School. Such protocol may or may not be present. It is always best to wait and listen. In a good School, your needs will be attended to promptly as a prospective beginner always represents the future of a School. Protocol should not diminish your importance, but preserve everyone's.

Li Mao:(This phrase is not often encountered, but the practices related to its meaning are) Refers to the Confucian protocols which have structured Chinese society for millennia. Li Mao is in practice in Chinese Martial Art Schools through protocols that are used to organize the energy and function of the School.

A Guide to Understanding Li Mao:Many people think Confucianism is the very opposite of Taoism because one seems like restriction and the other like freedom. This could not be farther from the truth. These Confucian practices are all based in the natural dynamics or the 'Tao' of human relationships and acknowledge the different roles we play at different times with different people. For instance, bowing at the door is simply about acknowledging the space of learning and the group, thereby becoming more inclusive in one's behavior as a result. In the west, we tend to try to make everyone the same or equal. In many ways, this equality goes against the way in which people most naturally function in accordance with their age, experience, level of need, gender, etc. Peership is only one of five dynamic relationships recognized by Confucianism. The other four are: parent/child, brother/sister, husband/wife and senior/junior. Confucian practices are at their best when two people understand the dynamics of their functioning roles and conduct themselves with sensitivity. These practices are at their worst when used by the state to maintain a feudal or patriarchal hierarchy, where for example, women are considered second class citizens and male children are deemed of higher value than female.

Examples of Li Mao: calling the Master teacher Sifu (or Shr Fu, in Mandarin); bowing at the door before entering the Guan; when dining together waiting for the Sifu to eat first; making sure the elderly are fed first; etc. In the organizing principle of T'ai Chi Family a senior student ensures that a junior T'ai Chi student gets the help they need to learn; as a junior student you respect seniority for its leadership responsibilities. And so on...

Over-structuring creates a rigid group dynamic and under-structuring allows the idiosyncracies of a few to rule the many. One way or another, a school must develop a healthy structure which reflects a work-centred group function. In the Li Mao tradition we have found some forms which serve this purpose well and we have adapted them to our needs. We tell our students, 'Think of this place of study not as you would a temple, but more like a public library, where everyone recognizes the need for quiet if concentrated study is to take place. This is a study hall (Guan). Our protocol shapes our Qi (energy) as individuals and as a group. This creates a consistent natural harmony which we can depend on from one class to the next, rather than a more idiosyncratic dynamic based on the style of whoever happens to be there at the time.'

We have found that it is still possible to have warmth, spontaneity and humor, while maintaining a well-bounded work environment and functional roles. Once our students understand our intent, they are at ease with the organizing principles and participate in helping us help each other.

Push Hands: This is a two person exercise where one learns to yield to the opponents push until the energy of that push is exhausted, then return that energy by pushing back. This exercise should be part of all curriculums, even if one studies T'ai Chi for exercise purposes only. Push Hands tests your stance, walking, overall unity and your resolve to trust both softness and sinking as principles within your work. If your Push Hands is problematic, so is your Form whether you are aware of it or not. A well-functioning Form properly bears the weight load through the muscles. An ill-functioning Form will, at best, result in reduced benefit, and at worst, injury to the joints which are bearing the weight. Push Hands practice reveals a students problem areas of Form, as it teaches them how to wait, listen, follow, displace and neutralize force while adhering to the principle of Wu Wei, or 'Not-doing'.

Sifu / ShrFu: In Cantonese, 'Si' means 'eldest' and 'Fu' means 'method' ('Shrfu' in Mandarin). So 'Sifu' means 'eldest of the method', or generally the most senior faculty member of that School. The same honorific applies to both men and women. The practical effect of this formality, is that the intent of the Teacher/Student relationship, which is to study T'ai Chi Ch'uan, is kept clearly in the foreground. If the boundaries between the personal and the professional become blurred, both teacher and student are pulled out of their functioning roles and the T'ai Chi work suffers. When the honorific is used as a reminder of these boundaries, it serves us in our study and is a practice worth supporting. This is not to say that boundaries will not remain intact without the use of the honorific, just as it is equally possible to lose sight of the boundaries while using it. Ultimately, it all depends upon the relative maturity of those involved. I have found that using the honorific as an extrinsic protocol helps to remind people that the role of teacher and student is different from a peer to peer relationship. On the whole, this practice has made my life as a teacher much easier.

T'ai Chi Ch'uan: 'Tai Chi' translates as 'supreme ultimate' and is graphically expressed as the Yin Yang symbol. It refers to the dynamism of balance that exists within the known universe. 'Chuan", means 'fist' and is a reference to a martial system. Therefore, 'Tai Chi Chuan' means the martial art based on Yin and Yang.

Taoism: A present day Chinese religion with specific self-cultivation practices, ceremonial rites, priests and temples. It is also an ancient philosophical tradition which teaches a natural way of living. This tradition has garnered a large body of knowledge, which supports the goals of harmony, self improvement, longevity and even immortality. Central to all Taoist practices is the concepts of balance, harmony, conservation of resources, unity within diversity, inclusiveness, cycles and change. Taoism is the core philosophy underpinning all T'ai Chi practices. It expands the students awareness beyond the boundaries of the exercise movement and into all movement, both inner and outer.

Weapons: Weapons forms are performed according to the same T'ai Chi principles, as a continuous series of movements that demonstrate the many applications of that weapon. Like the 'empty-handed' form, these forms may be practiced for health benefit. Traditional Weapons Forms include: Sabre or Sword, Broadsword, Staff, Spear, Cane and Fan.

Wu Chi: Part of Taoist cosmology, referring to the state 'without differentiation' which precedes and follows T'ai Chi, hence the saying, "From Wu Chi, to T'ai Chi, to Wu Chi. This includes both the commencement and final posture in T'ai Chi Ch'uan where all polarities and movements either emerge from or resolve to a state of quiescence.

Wu Wei: Translates as 'not-doing' or effortlessness.If there is a goal in T'ai Chi Ch'uan, this is it. If there is a 'most challenging concept' in T'ai Chi for Western people, this is also it.When a practitioner cultivates Yin and Yang and finds the the natural way in which movements flow, then Wu Wei is there. So many students comment on how deeply they were affected by seeing someone do T'ai Chi for the first time. The powerful effect that T'ai Chi has upon the observer is the result of an ever deepening experience of Wu Wei within the performer. It should be noted however, that a great deal of 'doing' goes on to eventuate in the experience of 'not-doing'.

A Simple Guideline: First one must learn careful placement and timing of movement including the feet, hands, spine and head to achieve structural integrity. Next, learn how to breathe within the flow of the opening (Yin) and closing (Yang) qualities of movement. Breath work further refines one's structural integrity and overall flow of movement. Next, learn how to focus and define your mind intent. Internally, learn to direct the breath to your centre on Yin cycles of the breath and to a clear differentiation of Yin and Yang in the hands on Yang cycles of the breath. Externally, learn to rest your eyes on the hands, with a Yin hand gaze and Yang hand focus. Once the function of stucture, breath and mind have been woven together through layered study, then one should allow all of that to resolve to whatever level of integration is possible for the student at that time. In this way 75% of your work is doing, which then culminates through the 25% of 'letting go to integrate', in a 100% not-doing! After all, the inner direction of all your doing is, at its core, inspired by the principle and experience of effortlessness (not-doing), so all of your work tends to naturally resolve to this experience.

Paradoxically, this is not so much an advanced principle of practice, as it is a fundamental practice, and therefore should be emphasized from the beginning of study. We do this at the Rising Sun School through a short T'ai Chi Qigong set, where the principles of structure, breath and mind can be taught and practiced by a beginner within a few weeks of study. (Watch in Products for a video on this soon).

Wu Wei tempers all of what we do with why we do it, and that is to accomplish the 'not-do'. Wu Wei should be our first and our last goal in T'ai Chi. As we set goals and work to achieve them we reach beyond our grasp and grow, but that reach must not bring strain to our work. Wu Wei can be found each time we have worked very hard at learning something new, and then let go of the ideal we hold in our vision and let our work come together and flow on its own merit. Think of it simply as the time in your work when you allow for integration of what you have learned. With time, practice and understanding, Wu Wei becomes a more and more meaningful expression of your T'ai Chi work .

At what pace should a student progress? Students should have a sense of forward movement that respects their individual rate of learning. We emphasize both group and individual teachings. This allows a student to systematically progress through the School curriculum at their own pace, while being exposed to teachings that are fundamental at every level.

How much individual attention is given? One on one time with your instructor is important, especially where hands on correction is concerned. Your work should be checked in each class. There should be time for you to learn your movements properly from one class to the next, given that more complex sequences take more than one class to absorb. You should be able to remember the key elements of your first lesson when you go home.

Does the teaching method work for you or not? Some people get lost in a group, others thrive. Some find one on one teaching intimidating, others require the direct connection with the teacher. Know your virtues and defects as a learner and try to find a system that balances the support you need with the challenge to advance and improve.

How much time is spent on walking and stance work? Bad habits formed here will haunt you for years. One should be taught the placement and timing of the feet and centre with clearly described angles and directions. One should then be taught how to load the weight so that joints open and muscles engage through all phases of walking, to create a unified continuum where the Yin and Yang of the legs are connected and continuous.. At the Rising Sun School we practice walking separately from the form. Even if this is not part of your curriculum, you can adopt the practice of forward and backward T'ai Chi walking as a training method. (We will have a video on this method soon. Keep checking the Products section.)

Are you able to progress at your own rate? A student must not be pushed ahead or held back if it is outside of their natural threshold for learning. This is especially true for a novice. Where group work is concerned, the student must evaluate their rate of progress within a group context. The benefits of group learning must be taken into account, as students can learn as much from watching each other as they do from the teacher.

Are you being taught how to work with gravity, your centre, your breath, the lines of power and your concepts, all of which shape the execution of a movement? We address these concepts after the first stage of the Yang Long Form is learned (12 movements of 86). This allows a student to build a structure and flow within which the deeper practices can be recognized and understood. We feel students should be taken beyond rote learning as early as possible in their work, so that the further learning of the Form takes place at a deeper level of understanding.

How much experience must a student have before that person can become an Instructor? Master Lee's rule was that a student could not instruct until they had practiced and attended classes for three years. Within the T'ai Chi Family system, where senior students are expected to help junior students with their work, an eager student might get instructing experience before the three years, but would not be asked to officially apprentice, nor to lead classes.

Can the teacher express his or her self well? A command of language that describes movement succinctly is a great asset. A verbose description gets tiring after awhile. A good instructor will use fewer words with each repetition. They should describe and move at the same time, so you get the audio and visual reinforcement. Follow them as they speak so you absorb the teaching kinesthetically as well as through listening and seeing.

Are they able to break down movements intelligibly and with confidence? Sam Slutsky once said to me, "Separate first, later unite". This means that you should be able to know all the parts well first and then unity can be found. Learning T'ai Chi is an endless process of finding the balance between the focal and the fluid.

When they speak of T'ai Chi principles do they sound vague or are they able to make this level of teaching accessible to you once you know some movements? An instructor should be able to show you how your centre works in each movement; or how gravity affects the posture of your arms and shoulders; or how yin and yang are differentiated within each movement; or how breathing is shaped by the opening or closing of the structure of any movement, and so on.

Do the corrections you get help you to feel more confident? If you have a good handle on your self judgement, essentially you should experience your corrections as empowering. If corrections are leaving you feeling discouraged, either the instructor is not getting it across, or their own attitudes around your performance are getting in the way.

Do find yourself admiring the teacher, or Master Teacher as a leader? This can go a long way towards infusing your work with enthusiasm, as the spirit and energy of the teacher can inspire the spirit and energy of the student. One should not come to depend on the 'juice' of the teacher for all motivation, but it is a great extra if it is there. The real 'juice' is always in each practitioner, but good community and leadership can support getting in touch with it.

Is the Master Teacher available to all levels of students? In the old days the 'Sifu' (eldest of the method) was only available to the senior students, although this is less true now. Contact with the source is not essential, but has great value where available.

Does the Master Teacher still teach the novices? This makes a huge difference to how you will feel about the School and it's quality control. Master Lee was always there in class, giving corrections and feedback while his Instructors taught. He especially watched and encouraged the novices.

Environment: Apart from the components above, there should be a sense of community without cliques, idiosyncratic hierarchies, or cult-like tendencies. The organizing principles should seem fair, intelligible and balanced between the needs of the whole group and the needs of an individual. Like anything else, T'ai Chi is taught and practiced by human beings. If you feel the School makes room for your humanity, make room for it's mistakes as well. None of us has a blueprint as to how to do it right. If School has a healthy conceit balanced by a healthy humility, you are in luck. They are still learning and are likely to have empathy for your struggles as well.

Location: Many inquiring students seem concerned about locating a school which is in their immediate neighbourhood. Although it may be convenient, the closest possible location should not be your first priority. T'ai Chi is a lifetime investment and the quality of your training is of paramount importance. One class of excellent instruction followed by dedicated practice time is much better than two local classes of mediocre instruction and less-inspired or ineffective practice.