"...Made me want to play chess..." - CB Again, I suggest the game of Go. It far surpasses chess. I learned chess at age 5 and after learning Go in an appendix to a chess book by E. Lasker, I never played chess again. In fact, lore has it that all generals had to learn the game since it reflects life so well. In fact, for hundreds of years, there were Go monasteries.
Bush was way too into drugs. On Jan 9, 7:06 am, CrossBow <[email protected]> wrote: > btw, just finished Sun Tzu's Art of War last night. Wu Ch'i has a similar > but more situational section in the back. Loved it, didnt learn anything > new, but was amazed how it was arranged as a manual. It is obviously a > powerful tool anyone in command should read. Made me want to play chess. > > Obviously Bush has never cracked it at all:) > > On Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 10:23 PM, ornamentalmind > <[email protected]>wrote: > > > > > > > I have heard the story about Tai Chi that many adapt to their own form > > of martial art and that is: Many years ago, the Emperor of China would > > hold open contests for all comers and all forms of fighting. Whoever > > was left would run his palace guard. Tai Chi was what was left. > > > Such truth and/or myth aside, even though with a little effort I > > couldn't find the film online of the younger Tai Chi boxer who had > > just finished undefeated after days of martial art contests. Chen Man > > Ching had told the student to not enter the contest. (In fact, in > > Watson's school, none of us were allowed to enter contests, even after > > decades of study.) Anyway, for having disregarded his teacher's > > admonition, Chen Man Ching, when 'attacked' by the younger student, > > didn't even let the student engage him. With a very small flick of his > > left wrist, the student went flying away, not able to regain his > > footing for about 20 feet or more. (backward) I have seen the film > > over and over…it is amazing. And, an example why few will ever see > > actual tai chi. > > > On Jan 8, 6:26 am, Isparklaria <[email protected]> wrote: > > > On Jan 7, 9:11 pm, ornamentalmind <[email protected]> wrote: > > > This said, even Chen Man Ching himself found > > > > > himself in a situation where he had to use his art. A very large > > > > person just picked him up once and was going to throw him down. On the > > > > way up, with some very fast footwork, Chen Man Ching did a lot of > > > > damage to the person so was then let down easily. > > > > Orn, Crossbow and anyone else reading this. > > > > I just want to make sure that the reader doesn't mistake the uprooting > > > of tai chi for grabbing someone and picking them up as the assailant > > > did to Cheng Man Ching. First of all the "pure and correct" uproot is > > > a training exercise. The uproot can be seamlessly melded into a > > > projection technique, which can propel the airborne person into a wall > > > or other object. Tai chi has many other attack methods besides > > > bouncing someone off the wall. Uprooting need not precede most of > > > these other types of attacks. > > > > It is not worth explaining exactly how uprooting works unless someone > > > can feel it. In brief let me say that it is nothing like what most > > > people think of when they think of wrestling. To some it seems to some > > > to defy the laws of physics because the contact between the persons is > > > so light. It does not defy any laws of physics since living beings > > > have a lot of momentum that they are not typically aware of. Uprooting > > > relies on the relative tension levels between the uprooter and the > > > uprooted in order to manipulate the others momentum. If the person you > > > are trying to uproot is less tense than you are in the moment that you > > > are trying to uproot them, it will fail. It also relies on the > > > automatic reaction of the uprooted to a very slight and precisely > > > directed downward pressure that seamlessly occurs before the uproot. > > > The founder of Yang style tai chi is reported to have said that there > > > are three types of men that he could not beat, men made of wood, men > > > made of brass, and men made of iron. Yes, his great technique would > > > not work against an unresponsive statue. But when some one is not > > > moving they are not a threat at the moment and they can also be hit at > > > will, if you are sure that they are about to attack. > > > > On Jan 7, 9:11 pm, ornamentalmind <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > For those who want more than theory about Tai Chi, although the > > > > YouTube videos are not nearly as clear as the original films, which I > > > > watched many times, they may give you a sense of what we are talking > > > > about more. > > > > This is of one of the masters we have been talking about and the > > > > teacher of Patrick Watson who was asked to start the school I've been > > > > in since the early 70s. Some of the students were able to have studied > > > > with Chen Man Ching himself. Watson had the original films and even > > > > more than what this set of videos shows. He kept them close yet, they > > > > were taken from his apartment in NYC late in his life. The 3rd person > > > > in this video is Smith, who Ish has mentioned. He is also shown doing > > > > the Sword Form later on. > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4603FB2mh4&feature=PlayList&p=2814CFE... > > > > > While perhaps a little too mystical for some here, to me, rather than > > > > learning how to fight, the best Tai Chi, in my view, is that which > > > > never has to be used. This said, even Chen Man Ching himself found > > > > himself in a situation where he had to use his art. A very large > > > > person just picked him up once and was going to throw him down. On the > > > > way up, with some very fast footwork, Chen Man Ching did a lot of > > > > damage to the person so was then let down easily. > > > > In NYC, there were many times when my intuition was to change routs. > > > > Some of the time, I found out why. > > > > As to health, Chen Man Ching's autobiography is testament to how well > > > > it can work. And, having known Patrick for many years, I guess I don't > > > > see how one can say he was in any way unhealthy. But, perhaps that is > > > > bias. I know that his hands felt like cotton, if like anything and one > > > > moment we were engaged, the next moment I was in the air and then hit > > > > the wall on the fly. Overall, it did help the inner organs. > > > > > Also, from the more mystical lore, it is said that if you attack with > > > > the intention to kill, this energy will be returned and you will find > > > > out you have killed yourself. > > > > > On Jan 7, 5:48 am, Isparklaria <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Orn, > > > > > > I am writing much of this out for the benefit of others. Your tai chi > > > > > style of writing, drawing me out is good, but other will not > > > > > understand much and at the moment I want them too. > > > > > > In my opinion, the bottom line with tai chi is that it is an > > empiracle > > > > > art. I had to reread and rethink what you said about that particlar > > > > > women who cannot be "pushed" your qoutes. First of all she is short, > > > > > which helps when no no striking is involved. Secondly you said that > > no > > > > > one could "push" (your quotes) her. But if you are making a judgemnt > > > > > as to who is better at push hands than it would seem that she can > > also > > > > > move every one else, at least occaisionally. If she can and also > > > > > cannot be moved then I would judge her the best in your circle. > > > > > > William Chen claims to have only practiced neutralization for about > > > > > his first year. It was only later that he learned to effortlessly > > lift > > > > > others straight up off the floor, both feet leaving the ground and > > > > > using only light contact with his hands (I could barely feel them > > when > > > > > ever he did this to me). It is this skill that that is hard to > > develop > > > > > for all but seems to be harder for women to develop, in my > > experience, > > > > > then men. That is the style of uprooting that CMC taught. Making > > > > > others stumble backwards, fall forwards or to the sides, is also > > > > > useful, for fighting, but according to CMC not the correct uproot. > > > > > > As for the "real" Tai Chi, I would suggest you look for a top > > > > > certified student on Ma Yueh Liang. CMC was one of the best, best > > > > > nearly every one who experienced both agreed the Ma was the best in > > > > > the world at the time and had a much more complete system. He has top > > > > > students in China who have surpassed his level and some very good > > ones > > > > > in the USA. > > > > > > As far as fighting goes, as far as I know Ma never really showed it > > or > > > > > taught it. If one is really a master of the tai chi training methods > > > > > then it doesn't take long to become a great fighter, whether for > > sport > > > > > ot for self defense. The later (self defense) is what I consider > > > > > "real" fighting. CMC showed it to Robert Smith or so Smith writes in > > > > > his chapter on CMC in his book "Chinese Boxing, Masters and Methods. > > > > > In that chapter there is a story of CMC also using push hands for > > > > > fighting. CMC knocks out a mantis style boxer by bouncing him of the > > > > > wall. However it is easy to beat an externalist with push hands, if > > > > > you also know how to fight for real which invlolves being able to > > > > > slip, perry and absord strikes. On the bottom of 42 and top of page > > 43 > > > > > CMC demonstrates real fighting to Robert Smith. Their are only two > > > > > people I know of who are real masters and also teach real self > > defense > > > > > fighting to their students. William C. C. Chen is NOT one of them. He > > > > > teaches sport fighting. One of these masters is extremelly soft, > > > > > except when he hits. His strikes are internal though. If he went > > after > > > > > me for real, he would beat or even kill me within a seconds. I heard > > > > > the other one is very soft too, but I have never met him. I have > > > > > played with one of his students and from that I have come to the > > > > > conclusion that this other master is also a devastating fighter. > > > > > > Push hands is a training method and an important one, but it is often > > > > > way over emphasized for fighting. Push hands, done properly, is > > > > > actually more important > > ... > > read more »- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
