Sun-style Tai Chi Chuan (孙氏太极拳, Chinese Shadow Boxing)
Shumin Martial Arts Training Center(恕民武术馆)
Tai Chi Chuan is one of the three major internal styles of Chinese martial arts (namely Hsing-I, Bagua, and Tai Chi).
Sun-Style Tai Chi Chuan is characterized by its distinctive forward, and backward steps, agile movements and a continuous flowing motion like water, every turn of the form are accompanied by the opening and closing hands.
Sun Jianyun(孙剑云), Sun Lutang’s daughter, described the Sun-Style Tai Chi Chuan method as “employing Bagua Chuan’s stepping method, Hsing-I Chuan’s leg and waist methods, and Tai Chi Chuan’s body softness.” So, when you practice Sun-Style Tai Chi Chuan, remember that it is not only about getting the movements right but also about comprehending and searching for a deeper understanding behind them.
The essential feature of Sun-Style Tai Chi Chuan is the utilization of Hsing-I Chuan’s unification of interior and exterior and Bagua’s unification of stillness and motion into taijiquan’s state of harmony. The are no ups and downs, left and right, the agility of the movements ensures the center of gravity is always changing.
Tai Chi focuses on directing the breath through correct postures, with fluid, graceful, and balanced movements that promote complete harmony of body and mind. From the beginning to the end of the form, all movements require the body to stay upright while maintaining its compactness and coherence. This is so that the body, both inside and outside, can be developed holistically. Hence, it is important to follow the rules set to practice the form.
Tai Chi provides mental relaxation and physical well-being, which is essential in our modern, stressful lives. Tai Chi is a form of exercise that strengthens the body and mind from within.
In short, Sun-Style Tai Chi Chuan is a Chinese martial art of gentle, slow boxing, with self-defense, fitness, health, and self-cultivation roles. Sun-Style Tai Chi Chuan practitioners are healthy and achieve longevity.
Sun-style Bagua Chuan (孙氏八卦拳, Chinese Eight-diagram Boxing)
Shumin Martial Arts Training Center(恕民武术馆)
Bagua Chuan is one of the three major internal styles of Chinese martial arts (namely Hsing-I, Bagua, and Tai Chi).
Sun-Style Bagua Chuan was developed from I-Ching(易经) and HUANG DI Nei Jing(黄帝内经), the concept had a strong traditional Chinese culture embedded into the art. It is simple, beautiful, and practical for people of all ages.
The goal of Sun-Style Bagua Chuan is to learn about change. The exercises open and strengthen the body and return it to its natural state. The core of the methods is based on discovering the twisting force that the body can produce – this is why we practice circle walking. Walking the circle is one of the specialities of Bagua boxing art. By walking on the outside edge of an imaginary circle and pushing the palms to the centre, a spiralling force is created. The practitioner then follows this force and is led around the circle until they change direction to walk the opposite way. Regular Bagua Chuan practice can stretch open the whole body allowing tension to be released. The body is then able to become more integrated, as the arms become better connected to the spine and the legs to the pelvis.
Sun-Style Bagua Chuan is an excellent way to change the body and mind. You don’t have to be a martial artist to learn Bagua Chuan exercise. The Bagua boxing art has an effect on the body and mind. It can prevent disease and prolong life, and is not only for training martial skills.
Hsing-I Chuan is one of the three major internal styles of Chinese martial arts (namely Hsing-I, Bagua, and Tai Chi).
If you are familiar with Chinese characters, you will know what it means as soon as you see the name “Hsing-I Chuan”(形意拳). Hsing refers to form or shape and “I” commonly refers to the mind or intent. Chuan [fist] denotes a method of unarmed combat. Hsing-I Chuan is commonly referred to as Form and Mind boxing. The name illustrates the strong emphasis placed on the motion of the body being subordinate to conscious control. The form the body takes is an external manifestation of the internal state of mind and is the underlying premise behind Hsing-I Chuan as a method of combat.
The direction of movement in Hsing-I forms is predominately linear. Practitioners walk through the forms coordinating the motions of their entire bodies into one focused now. The hands, feet, and torso all arrive together and the nose, lead hand, and lead foot are aligned along the same vertical axis (San Jian Xiang zhao - 三尖相照). The arms are held in front of the body and the practitioner lines up his or her centerline with the opponent’s centerline.
The techniques of Hsing-I Chuan are characteristically aggressive in nature and the Hsing-I Chuan fighter prefers to move into the opponent with a decisive strike at the earliest opportunity. The style prizes the economy of motion and the concept of simultaneous attack and defense. As the name implies, the form or shape of the movements is only a physical manifestation of one’s internal state (intent). A fundamental principle underlying all styles of Hsing-I Chuan is that the mind controls and leads the movements of the body.
A familiar adage of Hsing-I Chuan is that “the hands do not leave the [area of] the heart and the elbows do not leave the ribs.” There are few kicks in the style and the techniques are predominately percussive in nature. Great emphasis is ‘placed on the ability to generate power with the whole body and focus it into one pulse which is released in a sudden burst.
As well as effective combat martial arts, Sun-Style Hsing-I Chuan is also an excellent health exercise. It is suitable for people of all levels of physiques and ages. Movements are simple and easy to learn and practitioners can practice the arts at their own level of capabilities. It is excellent for building physical as well as mental strength.