I
was just reminded of one of the most valuable books I have. Of course I can’t
find my copy right now. It was the 1984 edition of Advanced Tai Chi 2 by Dr.
Yang Jwing- Ming. At a time kata applications were first being discussed in the
magazines as ‘bunkai’ he showed how each of the major techniques of tai chi
could be applied. And going from memory the structure he used was this. Each
movement was shown as working in 3 different ways
Downing
the Opponent
Chin Na
Cavity Strikes
Chin Na
Cavity Strikes
I
have seen others adopt this analysis with changes such as dividing
sub-characteristics into separate divisions. Such as turning the 3 methods into
5 methods,
Downing
the Opponent meaning using the technique as a takedown of throwing technique.
Chin
Na controlling techniques which could also project the attacker.
Cavity
Strikes or where the technique strikes into the body for effect.
Taken
together a useful way to analyze motions from form.
It
certainly in not the only way to do this, but it is interesting. It sure helped
me understand what a logic of application could be.
The
lesson about time you keep learning, is how often what was old is new again.
Martial literature, which in most cases is a form of vanity press (one time
publication) even that which is provoking at the time of publication, doesn’t
reach the new audience unless we share it exists from time to time.
Specifically the writings of Dr. Yang Jwing- Ming, sharing both his arts and other works from Chinese Martial writings,which were very thought provoking when initially published, are now often overlooked.
But when published they were at the front of the wavefront of what was happening.
For myself, from my beginning kata application was not a concern with karate. I later studied yang tai chi and various Chinese forms, more for knowledge that martial use, of course some of it came along with the rest. But I was not ready for that knowledge then.
At a later date, when Advanced Tai Chi 2 was published, a friend who was then teaching me his families form of ‘bunkai’ and some Indonesian tjimande, remarked that this publication could be what was in his tjimande.
My tai chi instructor certainly knew what the tai chi and Northern forms I had studied could do, but it wasn’t what I wanted then.
I first took Dr. Yang’s book, random ally opened a page and tried to use it. It worked. I had studied the Chinese forms just to be a more knowledgeable judge. Tai Chi was just to do tai chi. And that is what I got.So I turned to another page at random, That one worked too. I discovered I could use all of it. And I had not studied that.
In the long run it was more than just what I could do. It provided me a framework which I have used for application studies ever since, Now 3 decades later.
Specifically the writings of Dr. Yang Jwing- Ming, sharing both his arts and other works from Chinese Martial writings,which were very thought provoking when initially published, are now often overlooked.
But when published they were at the front of the wavefront of what was happening.
For myself, from my beginning kata application was not a concern with karate. I later studied yang tai chi and various Chinese forms, more for knowledge that martial use, of course some of it came along with the rest. But I was not ready for that knowledge then.
At a later date, when Advanced Tai Chi 2 was published, a friend who was then teaching me his families form of ‘bunkai’ and some Indonesian tjimande, remarked that this publication could be what was in his tjimande.
My tai chi instructor certainly knew what the tai chi and Northern forms I had studied could do, but it wasn’t what I wanted then.
I first took Dr. Yang’s book, random ally opened a page and tried to use it. It worked. I had studied the Chinese forms just to be a more knowledgeable judge. Tai Chi was just to do tai chi. And that is what I got.So I turned to another page at random, That one worked too. I discovered I could use all of it. And I had not studied that.
In the long run it was more than just what I could do. It provided me a framework which I have used for application studies ever since, Now 3 decades later.
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