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Copyright © 2008 by Ian Sinclair

The story goes that the brother of Wu Yuxiang (founder of Wu/Hao style tai chi chuan and also the student of Yang Luchan and Chen Changxing) found a copy of the "Taijiquan Lun" (Tai chi chuan treatise) in the back of a Beijing salt store. For this reason, it is sometimes called the "Salt Shop Manual" or "Salt Shop Classic."

Wu attributed the authorship of this dissertation to Wang Zongyue (王宗岳 Wáng Zōngyuè), a reputed 18th century master whose name is sometimes written "Wang Tsung-yueh." The true authorship is somewhat in question. Some claim that Wu himself wrote the text.

In any case, the "Taijiquan Lun" has been an important piece of work, and mandatory reading for generations of Tai chi chuan students.


Each line is presented first in Chinese, then in pinyin.
I have then attempted to provide a transliteration of the Chinese text, hoping that it may give some insight into the challenges presented by the task.

I have then translated the line into English. Since my understanding of tai chi principles is more thorough than my understanding of the Chinese language, I actually have more confidence in my translation than I do in the transliteration.

Following the translation is an examination of the meaning of each section.

太極拳論 - 王宗岳
Tàijíquán Lùn - Wáng Zōngyuè
Dissertation on Tai Chi Chuan - by Wang Zongyue

太極者無極而生，
Tàijí zhě wújí ér shēng,
[Supreme Pole] [nominaliser] void [right after] [give birth],
Taiji (The primal duality of the universe) is born of non-duality,

陰陽之母也；
yīnyáng zhī mǔ yě;
yin and yang it mother also;
and is seen in the nature of yin and yang.

動之則分，
dòng zhī zé fēn,
move it [conjuction] divide;
(Yin and yang) are seen as differentiated in the dynamic relationships,

靜之則合，
jìng zhī zé hé,
still it [conjuction] combine;
yet can be seen as undifferentiated in a non-dynamic frame of reference.

無過不及，
wúguòbùjí,
be free of excess or deficieny
(The nature of yin and yang) is reliably constant

隨曲就伸。
suí qū jiù shēn
follow curved [go with] stretch.
and universally applicable. (flowing with chaotic changes and extending to infinity.)


人剛我柔謂之走，
rén gāng wǒ róu wèi zhī zǒu
person firm I soft call it leave.
For example, when my opponent is forceful and I am soft and yielding,

我順人背謂之黏；
wǒ shùn rén bèi wèi zhī nián;
I follow person [turn away] call it [adhere/stick]
or when I follow and stick to the opponent who retreats,

動急則急應，
dòng jí zé jí yīng,
move urgent [conjunction] urgent respond,
responding urgently to sudden movement,

動緩則緩隨，
dòng huǎn zé huǎn suí,
move slow [conjunction] slow follow,
following slow movements slowly.

雖變化萬端，
suī biànhuà wànduān,
although change ten thousand extremity
Even if the changes are constant and complex,

而理為一貫。
ér lǐ wèi yīguàn
yet law consistent
the principle (of applying the theory of yin and yang) remains consistent.


由著熟而漸悟懂勁，
yóuzhe shú ér jiàn wù dǒng jìn,
by familiar and gradual awaken understand [strength/spirit].
By learning to feel the interaction of yin and yang, one gradually comes to understand the meaning of intrinsic energy.

由懂勁而階及神明； yóu dǒng jìn yóu jiē jí shénmíng;
from understand [strength/spirit] and stage and divine;
From this understand of intrinsic energy comes profound insight;

然非功力之久，
rán fēi gōnglì zhī jiǔ,
although [non-] achievement and duration,
But without long and consistent practice,

不能豁然貫通焉。
bùnéng huòránguàntōng.
unable open-correct-penetrate-understand thus.
such "sudden enlightenment" is not possible.

虛靈頂勁，
xū líng dǐng jìn,
empty mysterious top [strength / spirit]
Energise the spirit in a calm and relaxed manner

氣沈丹田，
qì chén dāntián,
energy sink field of elixer,
while keeping your energy centred in the lower abdomen.
不偏不倚，
bù piān bù yǐ
not inclined not [leaning against],
Be magnanimous about,

忽隱忽現；
hū yǔn hū xiàn;
sudden disappear sudden appear;
constant changes.

左重則左虛，
zuǒ zhòng zé xū,
left weight (conjunction) void
Don't resist rebellion

右重則右杳，
yòu zhòng zé yòu yǎo
right weight (conjunction) right
or struggle against intransigence.

仰之則彌高，
yǎng zhī zé mí shēn
aspire it [conjunction] make more tall
Fixating on the strength of the opponent makes them seem even more superior

俯之則彌深
fǔ zhī zé mí shēn
bow it [conjunction] make more deep
while observing their weakness can make them seem more inferior.

進之則愈長，
jìn zhī zé yù cháng,
advance it make more long,
The chaser makes the distance effectively longer,

退之則愈促，
tuì zhī zé yù cu
withdraw it make get better close
and retreating makes the distance shorter or irrelevant.

一羽不能加，
yī yǔ bùnéng jiā,
one feather not can add,
A feather cannot be added,

蠅虫不能落，
yíng chóng bùnéng luò
fly insect not can land
and a fly cannot land,

人不知我，
rén bùzhī wǒ,
person not know me,
People cannot read me.

我獨知人，
wǒ dú zhīrén
me alone assess people
But I can read them.

英雄所向無敵，
yīngxióng suǒ xiàng wú dí
hero man that towards without enemy
The hero seeking the condition of having "no enemy"

蓋皆由此而及也。
gài jiē yóucǐ ér jí yě.
build all from this and also.
achieves it in this way.

斯技旁門甚多，
sī jì pángmén shènduō
Thus technique other gate many much
There are many different martial arts,

雖勢有區別，
suī shì yǒu qū bié,
although configuration have classify separate,
and they appear very different from each other.

概不外乎壯欺弱、
gài bùwàihū zhuàng qī ruò,
roughly not be beyond strong bully weak,
Yet most never progress past the level of the powerful conquering the weak

慢讓快耳！
màn ràng kuài ěr!
slow yield fast!
or the fast beating the slow!

有力打無力，
yǒulì dǎ wúlì,
have power hit no power
(When) the powerful conquer the weak

手慢讓手快，
shǒumàn ràng shǒukuài,
hand slow yield hand fast,
(or) the slow lose to the fast,

是皆先天自然之能，
shì jiē xiāntiān zìrán zhī néng,
be all inborn natural it can,
this is merely an expression of natural inborn abilities.

非關學力而有為也。
fēi guān xuélì érqiě yǒuwéi.
not implicate scholarship productive either.
It does not demonstrate any useful knowledge or skill.

察四兩撥千金之句，
guānchá sì liǎng bō qiān jīn zhī jù
observe [fifty grams] turn (thousand pieces of gold) it (line of poetry),
The axiom, "4 ounces controls a thousand pounds"

顯非力勝；
xiǎn fēi lì shèng
obvious non force victory
reminds us that strength is not required for victory.

觀老者能禦眾之形，
guān lǎohě néng yù zhòng zhī xíng,
view old person can defence crowd contrast,
And when you see a senior citizen defeat a group of younger attackers,

快何能為？
kuài hé néngwéi?
fast how ability?
it is obviously not due to superior speed.

立如平準，
lì rú píng zhǔn,
Exist like level normal
If you are like a balanced scale

活似車輪；
huó sì chēlún;
moving similar chariot wheel.
you can move as easily as if you were on wheels.

偏沈則 隨，
piān chén zé suí
lean sink make follow,
But if you lean or slouch your movement will be unstable,

雙重則滯。
shuāngchóng ze zhì.
double heavy make stagnant.
and your lazy bracing will restrict your power.

每見數年純功，
měi jiàn shùnnián chú gōng,
every see several years pure achievement,
You might train sincerely for many years

不能運化者，
bùnéng yùn huà zhě,
not can use transform (one who)
and yet not be able to neutralise an attacker's

率自為人制，
shuài zì wéi rén zhì,
lead self for person control
control of you,

雙重之病未悟耳。
shuāngchóng zhī bìng wèi wù ěr.
double heavy it fault [did not] awaken ear.
if you do not clue-in to the error of bracing.

欲避此病，
yù bì cǐ bìng
desire avoid this disease,
If you wish to transcend this defect,

須知陰陽相濟，
xūzhī yīnyáng xiāng jì,
must sense yin yang mutual (river crossing)
you must understand the designation that divides yin and yang.

方為懂勁；
fāng wèi dǒng jìn
method become understand [strength/spirit]
This is the way to understand the intrinsic energies.

懂勁後，
dǒng jìn hòu,
understand [strength/spirit] after
When you understand intrinsic energy

愈練愈精，
yù liàn yù jīng
improve practice improve refined
you must practice refining it.

默識揣摩，
mòshí chuǎimó,
silent know surmise massage (rub it in)
Become the embodiment of the knowlege

漸至從心所欲。
jiàn zhì cóng xīn suǒ yù.
gradually until from heart place desire
until, gradually, you achieve freedom. (you can do as you wish)

本是舍己從人，
běn shì shè jǐ cóngrén,
basis be abandon self from person,
The essential principle is to surrender your self to those whom you would control,

多誤舍近求遠，
duō wù shè jìn qiú yuǎn,
many miss abandon entreat far,
not make the common mistake of sacrificing yourself in an attempt to control the opponent.

所謂差之毫釐，
suǒwèi chà zhī it háolí
(that which) call differ it (fine hair)(1/3 mm)
These two things sound almost the same.

謬以千里，
miù yǐ qiānlǐ
(grossly erroneous) taking thousand lǐ
But the difference has profound implications. ("A miss is as good as a mile")

學者不可不詳辯焉！
xuézhě bùkěbù xiáng biàn yān
study person not can not detailed debate thereupon.
The student must examine this carefully.

是為論。
shìwéi lùn.
be for discourse.
This concludes the dissertation.


COMMENTARY

Taiji (The primal duality of the universe) is born of non-duality,
and is seen in the nature of yin and yang.
(Yin and yang) are seen as differentiated in the dynamic relationships,
yet can be seen as undifferentiated in a non-dynamic frame of reference.

The word "Taiji" (a.k.a Tai chi) literally translates and "supreme pole" and illustrates the nature of duality as seen from a daoist perspective.
This section summarises the daoist view of the Universe. The phenomenal universe exists as a function of the relationship between mutually dependent opposites. All things have a relative counterpart without which it could not be defined. "Up" and "down", "left" and "right", "me" and "not me", "existing" and "not existing". This duality is described in terms of two universal principles called "yin" and "yang". Yang is the masculine/active/functional principle, while yin is the feminine/passive/potential principle. Everything is yin or yang relative to something else, and everything contains yin and yang within.

Yin and yang are said to emanate from an undifferentiated source called "wuji". Wuji is akin to a singularity wherein yin and yang cannot be distinguished from each other. This singularity is sometimes compared to "the state before the big bang." This is difficult to express, since time and space are not defined in wuji, so how can there be a before or after.

Wuji also refers to a state of mind or a state of being that people can experience where the designation of the ego is not apparent, and where distinctions between one thing and another are irrelevant. This is not the absence of the self. Rather it is an expansion of the self to include all things.

(The nature of yin and yang) is reliably constant
and universally applicable. (flowing with chaotic changes and extending to infinity.)
For example, when my opponent is forceful and I am soft and yielding,
or when I follow and stick to the opponent who retreats,
responding urgently to sudden movement,
following slow movements slowly.
Even if the changes are constant and complex,
the principle (of applying the theory of yin and yang) remains consistent.

Yin and yang are everywhere in the theory and application of taijiquan, as it is in many martial arts. In order to defeat the opponent without using force, I am required to blend with the opponent. This requires that the pressure between myself and the opponent neither increases nor decreases. This is achieved through the understanding of yin and yang.

By learning to feel the interaction of yin and yang,
one gradually comes to understand the meaning of intrinsic energy.
From this understand of intrinsic energy comes profound insight;

There are 24 main intrinsic energetic qualities or skills that must be embodied in order to understand the deeper strategies of tai chi chuan.
With correct practice, these become inherent qualities, rather than skilful manipulation. The study of these energies allows the students to transcend technique and achieve a deeper understanding of the opponent, themselves, and their relationship between the internal and the external.

But without long and consistent practice,
such "sudden enlightenment" is not possible.

There is the modern parable about the musician or the actor who becomes and overnight success after years of hard work and struggle.
Tai chi students may notice considerable changes at the beginning of their studies. But as they advance, plateaux become longer. One may go for a long period with no noticeable improvement, and then suddenly achieve profound skill and deep understanding.

Energise the spirit in a calm and relaxed manner
while keeping your energy centred in the lower abdomen.

One method of energising the spirit and increasing awareness is to focus on a point at the top of the head and hold that point as if balancing a leaf on it, or as if it were suspended from above by a thread. This must be done in a relaxed manner and with a calm mind. It is important not to force it or even to be overly attached to the concept.
If to much energy is sent to the head it can lead to problems. This upward energy must be clearly "grounded" and allowed to flow downward as well. Hence, the practice of "sinking the breath to the dantian" which refers to the way that a relaxed and properly aligned body will enable the diaphragm to expand downward, causing the belly to expand.
When the qi sinks to the dantian, the waist area relaxes in order to expand and contract with the breath. This results in the tension being released from the core and placed in the thigh muscles where it belongs. With the relaxed core, the centre of gravity is unencumbered and the body can be co-ordinated as an integrated system controlled by the core. Sinking the qi to the dantian also helps to calm the mind and regulate the emotions.

Be magnanimous about,
sudden changes.

In any kind of situation, especially those of conflict, changes are sudden and unpredictable. It is important to never get attached to one thing or another. The mere fact that the opponent jabbed with a left, doesn't mean that they will strike next and not try to grapple. You must be able to instantly let go of what happens in any given moment, like an irregular strobe light that flickers without any pattern. The opponent's intent may appear and disappear instantly. You must be able to do the same without preparation or warning.

Don't resist rebellion
or struggle against intransigence.

If the opponent is attacking, do not stop them. Instead, blend and redirect the energy.
If the opponent is resisting your attempt to move them, quit trying to move them that way. Find the part that wants to move, and let it move in a way that suits you.
"Don't use force, Luke. "
"Resistance is futile."

Fixating on the strength of the opponent makes them seem even more superior,
while understanding their weakness can make them seem more inferior.

Your view of something can create the reality.
If you see an opponent as being bigger and stronger than you, then your mind will reinforce that, and keep you constantly focused on the strengths of your opponent. If, however, you look for the part of the opponent that cannot resist you, you will be able to find it.

The chaser makes the distance effectively longer,
and retreating makes the distance shorter or irrelevant.

If you have ever seen a boxing match where one contestant spent the bulk of the time chasing the other around the ring and couldn't catch him even though it was a restricted space. Then you can see how having the attitude of chasing something will make it seem endlessly far away. To overcome this, the attitude of chasing must be abandoned, and the attitude of sticking must be fostered. Then you can cut the opponent off and trap him in his own pattern.
Similarly, if you try to flee from an attack, you will increase the effectiveness of the attack.
One must not flee from an oncoming train. But if you simply step away from the tracks, you can stand comfortably and wave at the passengers at they go by.

A feather cannot be added.
A fly cannot land.
People cannot read me.
But I can read them.
The hero seeking the condition of having "no enemy"
achieves in this way.

When the body and mind are relaxed, calm, and properly aligned, then I become so sensitive that a feather landing on me will set me in motion. Even a fly trying to land will find that the skin retreats beneath its feet and it will have no solid place on which to alight. With such sensitivity and internal harmony, I will be able to sense the movement, energy, and intent of the opponent. But they will not be able to predict my intent, since I am empty and have not attachment. By being "empty" I am able to harmonise so effectively that I have not enemy. This is the condition sought by the great masters. They were unbeatable because they had no enemy. If anyone were to attack such a hero, the attacker would be defeated by the nature of their own attack.

There are many different martial arts,
and they appear very different from each other.
Yet most seldom progress past the level of the powerful conquering the weak
or the fast beating the slow!
(When) the powerful conquer the weak
(or) the slow lose to the fast,
this is merely an expression of natural inborn abilities.
It does not demonstrate any useful knowledge or skill.

The axiom, "4 ounces controls a thousand pounds"
reminds us that strength is not required for victory.
And when you see a senior citizen defeat a group of younger attackers,
It is obviously not due to superior speed.

Most martial arts try to teach that to depend on strength, speed, and conditioning is not the highest level of skill. But people tend to use what they have. So, the young and strong tend not to develop the subtle skills and sensitivity will be required as they get older. This is why many old masters are also short is stature. They learned very early that brute force was not enough for them. Therefore, they began developing advanced skills when their classmates were still relying on strength.

When the body and mind are properly aligned and relaxed, speed is not necessary. This is because the master has discovered that the fasted way to get somewhere is to already be there. Efficiency is found not in speed and strength. Instead, it is found in understanding space, time, and the shape of the mind.

If you are like a balanced scale
you can move as easily as if you were on wheels.
But, if you lean or slouch, your movement will be unstable
and your lazy bracing will restrict your power.

You might train diligently for many years
and yet you will not be able to neutralise an attacker's control of you
if you do not clue-in to the error of bracing.

When the body is properly aligned, there is no internal resistance to movement. The weight of each part of the body is directed through the body into the ground. There is no lateral pressure and, therefore, no resistance to lateral movement. Movement does not cause the body to tilt or vault. The body flows smoothly from one position to the next as if it were on wheels.

Bracing (often called "being double weighted," happens when different parts of the body lean against each other to take the weight off the muscles.
Go to any high school and you will probably see everyone doing it. (Hips out, spine crooked, knees locked.) For the body to move, it must first release the locked joints and engage the muscles. Even then, the tension that often remains in the muscles after being misaligned can cause aberration.
But bracing is a difficult habit to get away from, and requires training of both mind and body.
I can be double weighted internally. But I can also be double weighted with regards to the opponent if I brace against them or resist their pressure. When this happens, the first person to recognise the mistake and release the pressure will usually be victorious.

If you wish to transcend this defect,
you must understand the designation that divides yin and yang.
This is the way to understand the relationships between intrinsic energies.

Yin and yang alternate constantly. The "place" where they intersect is difficult to discern, even if you have practised doing so. It is like pinpointing the exact moment when inhaling switches to exhaling. It sounds simple. But real understanding of the process takes time.

Part of the problem is that it can be difficult to recognise exactly how to differentiate between yin and yang. Yin contains yang, and yang contains yin. An excess of one leads to the other. When does a strength become a weakness? When does a weakness become a strength? When does the weight shift start and stop? When does the push cease to be a push? The importance of understanding the real meaning of yin and yang is something that many martial arts masters speak about. Yet their students often fail to achieve the highest level of skill simply because they don't entirely understand the nature of yin and yang.

When you understand intrinsic energy
you must practice refining it.
Become the embodiment of the knowlege
until, gradually, you achieve freedom (you can do as you please).

There are several different types of jin (勁 jìn), or intrinsic energies. Beginners mistakenly think of these as mere skills. But with practice, it becomes apparent that they are not things that you do, so much as ways to be. When you can embody these energies, rather than trying to manipulate them, then you achieve a quality that is unassailable, and truly liberating.

The essential principle is to surrender your self to those whom you would control,
not make the common mistake of sacrificing yourself in an attempt to control the opponent.
These two things sound almost the same.
But the difference has profound implications. ("A miss is as good as a mile")

Recent history has shown us how a once proud nation can become so fearful for the survival of it's way of life and high minded principles, that it wilfully sabotages that very way of life and those very principles in order to attack an external enemy. The same history shows how easy it is to achieve a condition of "no enemy" by fostering internal harmony and selflessness.

Great generals throughout history have always understood the importance of understanding the enemy. But pride, ego, and hatred are not tools for understanding.
When famous martial artists like Morihei Uyeshiba speak of Love as being the true meaning of the warrior way, they are not mere spouting some idealistic dogma. They are, instead, advocating a proven means to victory.

Have you ever been so in tune with someone that you developed the same breathing pattern, the same mannerisms, and the same posture? Have you ever been so in harmony with someone that you both simultaneously had the same spontaneous thought? Have you ever thought of a distant friend just before they phoned you?

You will never understand you opponent by hating them. But, if you can surrender your ego, and learn to let go of attachments to desires, fears, and preconceptions, then you might learn to love your enemy. Then you will really be able to kick their butt. (But you won't need to.)

The student must ponder this carefully.

This concludes the dissertation.

Copyright © 2008 by Ian Sinclair

Tags: tai chi classics, wong zongyue, tai chi philosophy, treatise, taijiquan, taijiquan lun