On the Theory of Qi in Tai Chi
In traditional martial arts, Tai Chi is most closely related to and connected with the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Both disciplines capture the essence of the human body's life patterns, making them like two good brothers from the same family. Among the various schools of Chinese martial arts, Tai Chi uniquely integrates the principles and benefits of combat, healing, fitness, and longevity into one system.
For hundreds of years, throughout the history of Tai Chi theory and practice, there has always been an almost invisible, intangible, unclear, and incomprehensible "qi" present.
The theory states: "Qi should be stimulated and expanded; spirit should be internally collected; lead the top of the head upward while relaxing the breath into the lower abdomen." These are sentences from the Chen-style Tai Chi classics: "Be neither leaning nor inclining, suddenly yielding yet suddenly firm," as described in the Tai Chi Classic. "Use intention to guide qi, ensuring it is deep and substantial, so that it can collect within the bones. Use qi to move the body, ensuring it flows smoothly, thus allowing the mind to control freely. Circulate qi like a nine-curved pearl, unobstructed everywhere (referring to qi flowing throughout the entire body). Qi should be nourished continuously without harm, strength should be stored in curves for extra power. The heart gives commands, qi acts as the flag, and the waist is the standard bearer. Relax the abdomen, let the qi sink into the bones, and allow the movements to adhere to the back while collecting qi into the spine. Focus on the spirit rather than qi; focusing on qi will cause stagnation. Where there is qi, there is no force; where there is no qi, there is pure hardness. Let qi flow like a wheel, with the waist as the axle." These are phrases extracted from the "Thirteen Postures Movement Understanding."
Many ancient martial arts texts also discuss qi: "I cultivate my vast and righteous qi", "The universe has righteous qi, which manifests in diverse forms", "Qi leads blood, and blood follows qi," etc.
The concept of qi in Tai Chi theory and practice is largely a small component of the broader Chinese cultural understanding of qi.
However, over thousands of years, books, poems, medical texts, and boxing manuals have mentioned qi, including the aforementioned descriptions of Tai Chi, yet its exact nature remains unclear. Taking the concept of qi in Tai Chi alone, how exactly does one nurture and stimulate it? How does qi sink into the bones? How does it adhere to the back? How do we interpret and execute the idea of using intention to guide qi and store it within the bones? These questions remain challenging for many practitioners. Additionally, due to the lack of detailed explanations in the boxing manuals, many Tai Chi instructors struggle to articulate these concepts clearly, leading to confusion.
In simple terms, the so-called qi in humans, the body, and martial arts refers to the overall function, ability, energy, particle flow, and energy field of the human body. In modern scientific terms, qi equates to bioenergy or bioenergy fields, including bioelectricity, biomagnetism, biomechanics, biophotonics, biomicro-waves, and bioelectromagnetic particle flows, among others.
Tai Chi is one form of internal martial arts that involves practicing qi. This practice includes nurturing, storing, sinking, circulating, using, and balancing qi. It involves dividing and combining, transitioning between parts and the whole, moving from the local to the global and vice versa, integrating qi into blood circulation, and transforming qi into martial arts techniques and back again. This interaction between physical skills, martial actions, and mental intent combined with bioenergy storage and utilization constitutes the internal work of Tai Chi.
Traditional Chinese medical theory also discusses the relationship between qi and blood, which is similar to Tai Chi principles. Qi represents function and is yang, while blood represents substance and is yin. The meridians of the human body are the major channels of bioenergy, and acupoints are the key nodes for energy reception, release, and transformation. In Tai Chi practice, external movements belong to the physical realm and are yang, while internal qi cultivation belongs to the energetic realm and is yin. Within yin lies yang, and within yang lies yin. There is a constant interplay of yin and yang, as well as balance between emptiness and fullness. Such Tai Chi can truly be considered an internal martial art, enabling one to gradually understand the essence of force. After understanding force, one can begin to glimpse the path to higher levels of mastery, eventually reaching a profound level of skill.
Modern biomedical theories about the brain are still in their infancy. However, research has shown that when the mind and body reach a certain level of calmness, the brain secretes a chemical substance. This substance serves as a carrier for language and sensory information and can indeed promote positive transformations in thought, emotion, and health. On February 18, 1994, the American journal Science named this substance "Agmane," which can be provisionally translated as "precious amine." This precious amine has some connection to the theory and practice of Tai Chi, with the key being the state of mental and physical calmness.
One of the main principles of practicing Tai Chi is relaxation and tranquility. What is referred to as "innate qi" is the result of the brain and organs producing substances like precious amine, information, and various bioenergies and particle flows during periods of appropriate calmness. These accumulate continuously and sustainably; they are stored internally as qi and force, and externally manifest as Tai Chi postures and methods. By guiding slow and gentle movements with intention, one cultivates relaxation and tranquility, practices qi, stores it internally in the lower abdomen, collects it into the bones, and stimulates it throughout the body. Over time, through repeated integration and transformation, Tai Chi skills deepen and grow, eventually aligning with the rhythms of the universe.
So, in practicing Tai Chi, should one focus on stimulating qi, collecting it into the bones, or storing it in the lower abdomen?
The answer is: all of the above.
In summary, focusing the mind on the lower abdomen, which is essentially storing qi in the lower abdomen, is the fundamental principle that runs throughout Tai Chi practice. Although it is fundamental, it doesn't require complete concentration like in qigong meditation but rather partial attention—80%, 70%, or even 60% is acceptable. The remaining 20% or 30% can be guided by intention, with 20% focused on turning the waist and 10% extending to the hands or feet. Focusing mainly on the lower abdomen while distributing attention to the movement of the waist, hands, and feet allows qi to flow and circulate accordingly.
This is the first level of qi distribution.
In Yang Chengfu's "Discussion on Practicing Tai Chi," regarding kicking and stomping, he says: "When kicking, focus on the toes; when stomping, focus on the sole. Where intention goes, qi follows, and where qi goes, force naturally follows..." The word "focus" here means directing intention rather than force, indicating the stimulation of true qi. At the same time, this focus does not interfere with the deeper collection and cultivation of qi in the lower abdomen. The breathing of the lungs, the opening and closing of the body, and the extension and retraction of movements—all these, combined with the deep focus of intention and the stimulation of qi, gradually lead to the attainment of a unified, tranquil, and genuine skill.
Regarding the proportions of focus on the lower abdomen (70%), the waist (20%), and the hands and feet (10%), although seemingly fixed, they are actually flexible and variable. Different postures, forms, and exercises, as well as different stages of practice such as practicing the form, stationary push hands, or free sparring, involve different distributions of intention and qi. However, focusing on the lower abdomen should always take up the majority, approximately 70-80%, or even 90%, leaving only a small portion for the waist and limbs. As proficiency increases, this small portion may decrease further, but it will always remain. The root is in the feet, initiated by the legs, controlled by the waist, and expressed through the fingers. From the feet to the legs to the waist, everything must be integrated seamlessly, whether advancing, retreating, or staying still, to achieve optimal positioning and advantage. All of this is achieved through intention, not external force.
Understanding this, practicing Tai Chi can become gentle, then relaxed, then light and agile, and finally reach a state of unity between body and mind, inside and outside, a state of emptiness. When expressed as force, it becomes soft, relaxed, light, and ethereal.
This is the second level of qi distribution, a dynamic distribution.
Storing qi in the lower abdomen achieves stillness, which is yin; using intention to guide qi in turning the waist and moving the hands and feet achieves motion, which is yang. Guiding qi internally with intention is yin, while external movements of the form are yang. All of these embody the unity of yin and yang and the balance of emptiness and fullness. Movements and intentions shift from left to right, from top to bottom, bones relax and naturally contract...all of these represent the interchange of yin and yang and the transformation of emptiness and fullness. The Tai Chi Classic states: "Emptiness and fullness should be clearly distinguished; each place has its own emptiness and fullness, and everywhere embodies this one principle of emptiness and fullness... Throughout the body, every joint should be connected without interruption." This explains the meaning behind these concepts.
Following this principle, after about four to five years of practice, one might hear cracking sounds in the joints during the form. This is a good sign, though it should not be deliberately sought after, and even if sought, it may not necessarily occur.
Guiding qi with intention, ensuring it flows continuously through every joint without interruption, is yin; maintaining stillness while incorporating motion is yin containing yang; achieving lightness and agility throughout the body while ensuring all movements are continuous is yang; initiating motion with intention is yang containing yin. When the left foot is solid and the right foot is empty, seven-tenths of the intention is directed to the right shoulder, arm, hand, palm, and fingers, while three-tenths remain on the left shoulder, arm, hand, palm, and fingers. The opposite applies to the hands and feet. When the posture changes and the left foot becomes solid, the right hand also becomes solid, yet the fullness and emptiness of the hands and feet remain opposite. This fullness is not force but intention, which guides qi. Various combinations of fullness and emptiness create a constantly changing dynamic balance. The stimulation of qi creates this dynamic balance, and dynamic balance reflects the stimulation of qi.
The exchange of fullness and emptiness between the left and right feet, the exchange of intention guiding qi to the left and right hands, represents the process of contraction and expansion. During contraction, the collection of intention and qi aligns with the return of movements, creating a feeling as if the entire body and mind shrink to the spine and lower abdomen, approaching a state of absolute emptiness. This is contraction, which is yin. Then, intention guides qi, turns the waist, focuses on the hands, extends the spine, raises the head, straightens the back, relaxes the bones, stretches the limbs lazily, and feels like embracing heaven and touching earth. This is expansion, which is yang. Contraction and expansion together form yin and yang. When this continues endlessly, it represents the harmony of yin and yang. This is the process of collecting qi in the bones, storing it in the lower abdomen, then extending the posture through the movements of the waist, hands, and feet, ultimately connecting heaven and earth. This is also the process of stimulating qi.
From the beginning to the end of the form, this process flows like a great river or sea, endless and without interruption or flaw. This is the true meaning of "stimulating qi" as described in the Tai Chi Classic.
Thus, Tai Chi can be considered a great river or sea, where qi flows throughout the entire body.
Understanding this principle, diligent individuals can apply it in daily life to gain significant benefits.
By focusing on the lower abdomen in everyday actions, even if only partially (30%, 50%, or 70%), the entire body becomes relaxed and light, avoiding stiffness and fatigue. One develops long-lasting energy and vitality, feels comfortable, maintains a pleasant mood, and gains efficiency in tasks. Over time, this accumulates energy, prolongs life, ensures health, and offers countless benefits. Of course, this is also a practice of yin and yang, a method of training, and a form of cultivation.
"Qi flows like a wheel, the waist is the axle, and qi should be stimulated." These twelve words are easy to understand and not difficult to practice, whether in Tai Chi or daily life. The key lies in persistence.