No Threshold
Theory and Practice Go Hand in Hand
Learning Taijiquan is a gradual process, and it is natural for students to feel overwhelmed by the amount of information, theory, and practice involved. The classics and the teachings of past masters contain the accumulated wisdom of many lifetimes of practice, but they were written from the perspective of people who had already reached a deep level of understanding. A beginner should not feel discouraged if advanced concepts seem difficult or impossible to apply at first. Taijiquan has no barrier to entry, and anyone can receive benefits from practice, but like any profound art, the deeper levels require patience, a strong foundation, and steady progress.
The key is to follow the proper order of learning: build the external movements, develop the body, and gradually cultivate internal skill through practice. Trying to grasp the highest theories too early usually creates confusion and often delusion, while limiting oneself to only the most basic ideas and never exploring deeper levels results in stagnation, boredom, and frustration. Many principles, such as relaxation, alignment, and maintaining connection, remain important at every stage, but their meaning changes as one’s skill develops. With consistent practice, what once felt difficult gradually becomes natural, and the student’s understanding grows together with a healthy balance of theory and experience.
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The below excerpt on this topic is from:
Ma Jinggang and Qi Yi. 2012. Yang Shi Taijiquan Zhongjia Yu Neigong (Yang Style Taijiquan Middle Frame and Internal Skills). Beijing: People’s Sports Press. pp. 69-70
Why Is It Necessary to Practice in Stages?
Today, the study of Taijiquan principles and methods is mostly based on some of the classic writings, verses, and sayings that have been passed down through history (hereafter temporarily referred to collectively as the Taijiquan classics). Many famous practitioners and masters have also summarized their own experiences, written books, and helped Taijiquan practitioners improve. Many books also emphasize that learning must proceed through different levels.
In fact, Taijiquan has no threshold for entry. Anyone can learn it, and everyone can gain benefits from it. However, like other fields of study, the higher the level, the more difficult it becomes. Especially for those who did not establish a solid foundation at the beginning, having to learn while constantly correcting mistakes makes the process even more difficult.
Whether it is the Taijiquan classics or the writings of famous practitioners, all of them represent the culmination of a lifetime of effort and the distilled experience of their entire lives.
Learners must follow their existing level and progress step by step in an orderly manner. If beginners hold onto high-level theories while practicing, their skill will probably have great difficulty entering their body. On the other hand, those who already possess an intermediate foundation but only remember shallow-level theories and refuse to investigate more deeply will also achieve nothing.
For example, the Taijiquan classics require: “Large movement is not as good as small movement; small movement is not as good as no movement.” If a beginner also practices this way, when would they ever succeed? What is being said here is not literally true non-movement. It means the external form does not move, while internally there is skill. However, if beginners do not go through training of the external movements of the form and rely only on sitting meditation and standing postures, what they develop is Qigong, not Taijiquan. The internal Qi and internal strength of Taijiquan are formed through practicing the movements of the form, regardless of whether results come quickly or slowly.
Of course, whether Qigong or other methods of exercise, they all have value as assistance and reference for Taijiquan. However, Taijiquan has its own rules, methods, and characteristics. It requires theory to be combined with reality, and practice to be combined with study and investigation, gradually improving step by step.
Some contents of the Taijiquan classics are suitable for all levels from low to high. For example: “suspend the crown of the head,” “sink the shoulders and drop the elbows,” “upright, centered, calm, and comfortable,” and “the tailbone relaxes and sinks.” With regard to these basic requirements, one absolutely cannot compromise. Practice them slowly until they become habits, so that even without paying attention one can still do them. Even if one does not reach a high level, they will certainly improve the quality of life.
At different levels, the same requirement contains different meanings. For example, at the beginner stage, not losing and not resisting (不丢不顶) means not losing contact and not pushing against the opponent’s physical form. At the intermediate stage, it means not losing contact and not resisting the opponent’s internal skill. At the advanced stage, it means not losing contact and not resisting the opponent’s shen and yi (spirit and intention).
