Tai Chi Master

Wikipedia.org describes Tai Chi Chuan or Taijiquan as an internal Chinese martial art often practiced with the aim of promoting health and longevity. The Mandarin term "taijiquan" literally translates as "supreme ultimate boxing" or "boundless fist". Tai chi training involves learning solo routines, known as forms (套路 taolu), two person routines known as "pushing hands" (推手 tui shou), as well as martial applications of the postures of the form.

Some call it a form of moving meditation, as focusing the mind solely on the movements of the form purportedly helps to bring about a state of mental calm and clarity. The physical techniques of tai chi chuan are described in the tai chi classics (a set of writings by traditional masters) as being characterized by the use of leverage through the joints based on coordination in relaxation, rather than muscular tension, in order to neutralize or initiate attacks.

The philosophy of the style is that if one uses hardness to resist violent force, then both sides are certain to be injured at least to some degree. Such injury, according to tai chi theory, is a natural consequence of meeting brute force with brute force. The collision of two like forces, yang with yang, is known as "double-weighted" in tai chi terminology. Instead, students are taught not to directly fight or resist an incoming force, but to meet it in softness and "stick" to it, following its motion while remaining in physical contact until the incoming force of attack exhausts itself or can be safely redirected, the result of meeting yang with yin. Done correctly, achieving this yin/yang or yang/yin balance in combat (and, by extension, other areas of one's life) is known as being "single-weighted" and is a primary goal of tai chi chuan training. Lao Tzu provided the archetype for this in the Tao Te Ching when he wrote, "The soft and the pliable will defeat the hard and strong."

For those who haven't seen people practising the "pushing hands" style of Tai Chi, it's basically two people facing each other and going through what looks like a series of hand pushing, locking, blocking and "tangkis menangkis" exercises. Perhaps the pictures below will help illustrate.

Anyway, that is the original meaning and short description of Tai Chi Chuan or Taijiquan. In Malaysia, however (not sure about other Asian countries as well), apart from the above we have an alternative meaning for Tai Chi. If someone says you are a classic Tai Chi Master, do not feel flattered and thank the fella, especially if it's your Boss or colleague saying it to you. Why? Because it means that you are very clever at pushing aside jobs and responsibilities and basically avoiding being accountable for anything at all, even if that something falls directly under your area of responsibility or supervision. A true alternative Tai Chi Master is able to avoid and push aside all manner of dirt and recriminations thrown at him/her and make it stick onto others, so that he/she comes out smelling like roses.

A note of caution though, even the best alternative Tai Chi Masters eventually get "found out" for the lying, weaseling low-lifes they are. When that happens, the more stubborn ones will try to cling on for as long as they can (for whatever reason). However, more often than not, eventually they will meet their deserved fate in the end with an ignominious exit. On the other hand, the more expert ones who have been practising their brand of Tai Chi for decades very quickly see the writing on the wall and leave the scene quietly (or they move on to practise their art somewhere else). The trick, of course, lies in learning to very quickly see the writing on the wall when it starts to appear. At the end of the day, if you consider yourself to be an "expert" alternative Tai Chi Master, the relevant question to constantly ask yourself is "Will I heed the writing on the wall when the time comes?"


/ichithekiller

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May 22, 2007 21:49 PM

Stop The 'Finger-pointing' - Abdullah
From Leslean Arshad

TOKYO, May 22 (Bernama) -- The Public Works Department (PWD) is responsible for maintenance of government buildings and there should be no "finger-pointing" whenever a defect occurs, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today. The Prime Minister said he had told Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu that matters pertaining to maintenance of government buildings was under the PWD's jurisdiction and accusations as to who was responsible must stop as it would only lead to embarrassment.

Instead, he wanted the authorities responsible to carry out the entrusted tasks, he said. "I've told Samy Vellu that the PWD was responsible for matters related to maintenance, don't quarrel among yourselves, it's embarrassing." It's alright if you want to talk it over and carry out the repairs jointly ...what's the point of quarrelling with each other to the extent of the people knowing. If there's something wrong, talk to each other, cooperate and do it quietly...what's the point of quarrelling in the newspapers, one says they're responsible, the other says it's your problem," he said when commenting on the issue of maintaining government buildings and the leaking roof in Parliament."

Already people are unhappy with what has happened, who is to take responsibility and who is responsible have also become a public issue, two agencies quarrelling...this is not good," he said. Abdullah said the authorities concerned must have the sense of responsibility to do what they are supposed to do. "Whoever is responsible must have the sense of responsibility to make sure what it was responsible to do. It takes action, it carries out its responsibility," he said. He said the scope of duties and responsibilities have been clearly spelled out and they should not wait to be told on what to do." For example, if you've been appointed as a cook... why wait before starting to cook," he said.

Abdullah said that allotting adequate allocations for maintenance was not a waste or a burden as it was a money-saving measure as more money would have to be spent if a building was damaged or defective." Maybe the building needs to be replaced with a new one. So the expenses incurred will be more than the allocations set aside for maintenance," he said.

Abdullah said he was impressed with the maintenance culture of the Japanese people who are known for their efficient maintenance practices, cleanliness, public courtesy and high civic-consciousness. He believed that the 14,000 Malaysians, who have studied in Japan, would have been "influenced" to emulate the noble cultures of the Japanese in their daily lives. The prime minister also marvelled at the creativity of the Japanese who could commercialise materials that were often discarded in Malaysia.

- BERNAMA (NewsLink: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=263487)