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第七特点从柔到刚、从刚到柔的
刚柔相济运动
The Seventh Characteristic
From Soft to Hard and Hard to Soft
Hard and Soft Mutually Appearing Movement
拳谱规定:
(1)“运劲如百炼钢,何坚不摧”,“极柔软,然后极坚刚”
(2)“外操柔软,内含坚刚,常求柔软之于外,久之自可得内之坚刚;非有心之坚刚,实有心之柔软也”
(3) “太极拳決不可失之绵软。周身往复,以精神意气为本,用久自然贯通焉”
(4) “运劲之功夫,先化硬为柔,然后练柔成刚。及其至也,亦柔亦刚。刚柔得中,方见阴阳。故此拳不可以刚名,亦不可以柔名,直以太极之无名名之''。
List of Boxing Rules:
(1) "Move jin (strength) like well-tempered steel, strong and unbreakable", "extremely soft, then extremely strong and firm (hard)"
(2) "Externally exercise softly, internally strong and firm (hard), always seek softness on the outside naturally for a long time to have the internal strong and firm (hard); it is wrong to intend strong and firm (hard), also the real intention is soft"
(3) "Taijiquan certainly must not lose softness and flexibility. The whole body moving backward and forward, using essence, spirit, intention, and qi, do it for a long time and your body will naturally string together (connect)."
(4) "Moving jin gongfu, first stiff transforms into soft and then train soft to firm (hard). Until soft and firm (hard). Firm (Hard) and soft is success. Square appears as yin and yang. Therefore, boxing is not named hard, nor can it be named soft, it is the nameless name - Taiji".
从上列四项规定中可以看出,太极拳的学习,首先要摧毁人们动作中原有的坚硬劲,使它化为柔软,这是化柔的时期。这个时期愈长,则愈可把僵硬摧毁得彻底。此时的要点是仍须不失绵软,在柔软之下,向着更有弹性的坚刚上迈进。这个刚,不是从努责和鼓劲而产生的“生铁”的刚,而是由松开和放长而产生的弹性的刚。因为身肢放长,并不断螺旋式地绞来绞去,就可产生这种弹性。因此,又可名为“掤劲刚”。这样绷紧中能搓揉得愈柔软,则內在的质量也就可愈坚刚@.只有这种具有弹性的刚,才能到“外操柔软,內含坚刚”的要求。这种刚柔的变换是由精神意气的隐显来掌握的。所謂“隐则柔”、“显则刚”一,就是这个道理。功夫精进后,劲可内隐得极深,使外形显得极柔,使人感到好像又回复到柔上去了,其实内在的质量却更加刚了。因此,从柔到刚、从刚到柔的刚柔相济运动就成为太极拳的第七个特点。
It can be seen from the four rules listed above that when learning taijiquan it is important to first remove the original stiff jin in people's movements and transform it into softness. This is the period of softening. The longer this period the more thoroughly the stiffness can be removed. This is essential. It is still necessary to have softness. Soft heading towards having an elastic nature that is strong and firm (hard). This hardness is not like "pig iron" produced by hard work, rather it is the elastic firmness (hardness) produced by loosening, relaxing, releasing and stretching. This kind of elasticity can be produced because the limbs are released, lengthened, spiralled and twisted continuously. As a result, it can be called "peng jin firmness (hardness)". In this way stretching taut allows one to twist and massage the soft tissue to recover softness and then the internal becomes strong and firm (hard) {7-1}. Only this kind of elasticity and firmness (hardness) can meet the requirements of "the exercise is externally soft and internally strong and firm (hard)". This transformation of hardness and softness is mastered by the subtle use of mind, intention, and qi. This is called "concealed in softness" and "appearing to be strong (hard)" this is the principle. After one's gongfu advances and refines the jin (strength) can be concealed internally becoming extremely deep, making the external form appear extremely soft, making people feel as if they have returned to softness again. In fact, internally the quality is even more firm (hard). As a result, of the soft becoming firm (hard) and the firm (hard) becoming soft, hard and soft mutually appearing movement has become taijiquan's seventh characteristic.
一、刚柔相济拳
One
Hard and Soft Together Aids Boxing
对太极拳刚柔的看法,怎样才算正确,这是练拳人都希望知道的问题。为了解答这个问题,还须从太极拳发展的环境起。黄河流域的人民大多喜习硬功拳,因此在该地区流传的陈式拳也有向坚刚上发展的趋势。但陈氏家传者,却仍能保持太极阴阳的原则,表现出刚柔相济的特色。在长江流峸,为保健而学习太极拳的知识分子占了很大的比重。他们为了适应体质的需要,逐渐的向着柔软上发展。但杨氏家传者也仍保持着太极拳“柔中寓刚,棉里藏针”的风格。现在流行的各式太极拳,从架子的编组上来看,大体上是相同的,但是从刚柔快慢上来看,则各具特色。因此,一般学习太极拳者可各按其需要而学其所爱。于纯柔无刚或纯刚无柔的说法,则任何武术都是没有的。即使是一般所称的硬功拳,内中亦仍有刚有柔。何况太极拳是由阴阳相济产生一系列相济而又对立的特色的一种拳术。因此,所谓“柔功太极拳”或“刚功太极拳”的说法是不存在的。
What is the correct view of taijiquan's hard and soft? How do you know it's correct? This is a question that people training boxing want to know. In order to answer this question, it is necessary to start from the environment in which taijiquan develops. People in the Yellow River basin are mostly like to practice hard boxing, so the Chen style boxing spread in this area also has a tendency to develop strong and hard. However, the Chen family heirs can still maintain the principle of yin and yang in Taiji showing the characteristics of hard and soft. In the Yangtze River area (?), intellectuals learning taijiquan to maintain good health account for a large proportion. In order to adapt to their physical needs, they gradually develop towards softness. However, the Yang family heirs still maintain the style of Taijiquan which is "hard within soft and a needle hidden in cotton". The various styles of taijiquan that are popular nowadays are basically the same from the standpoint of the forms, but from the perspective of hard and soft and fast and slow they have their own characteristics. As a result, with a general study of taiji boxers can learn what they like according to their needs. Pure softness with no firmness or pure harness with no softness are not methods that are discussed - there is no such thing in any martial art. Even in the so-called hard gongfu boxing, inside the hard there is still soft. What's more, taijiquan is a kind of boxing technique that produces a series of complementary and opposite characteristics from the harmony of yin and yang. Therefore, the so-called "soft gongfu Taijiquan" or "hard gongfu Taijiquan" does not exist.
二、求软摧僵时期
Two
Seek the Soft to Remove the Rigid Phase
一个人不论他是否练过武术或其他运动,但他在日常生活中必定经常拿过重物,用过气力,这样,就使每个人在动作中都不免带有硬僵的鼓劲。若想学好太极拳的运劲,对这些原有的攱劲就必须以“百炼成钢,何坚不摧”的劲头把它去掉,这是练太极拳的初期要求。
Regardless of whether they have trained martial arts or other sports a person must often hold heavy objects and use strength in daily life. In this way everyone will inevitably have stiff, rigid, bulging strength in their movements. If you want to learn the jin of taijiquan you must correct this original strength to have "to be tempered into steel remove the rigid". This is the initial requirement of training taijiquan.
在此时期,应力求柔软,务须在走架子的“千锤百炼”过程中使人们动作中所固有的僵硬劲化为柔软劲,并养成这种柔软的习惯。这是摧去原有硬僵和建立新的柔软的时期。这一时期的特色是尽力求柔,在毫不用力的原则下慢慢地动作。这时愈不用力,就愈易使人发现动作中的缺点,也就能愈快地摧去动作中的硬僵劲。因此,可以说这是一个最好的“炼钢转炉”,能把运劲炼到节节柔软地贯串起来。
In this stage we should strive to be soft, and we must train the form with "hard work and numerous corrections" to turn the inherent stiffness in people's movements into softness and develop this soft jin into a habit. This is a period of removing the original stiffness and rigidity and establishing a new softness. The characteristic of this period is to try to be soft and move slowly under the principle of effortlessness. At this time, it is better not to exert oneself physically. It is easier for people to discover the shortcomings in the movement and the faster the stiffness in the movement can be removed. Therefore, it can be said that this is one of the best ways to "refine steel", to start to be able to move jin and refine joint by joint and softly connect (string together).
三、练柔成刚时期
Three
Train Soft Into Hard Phase
上述求软摧僵期的要求是化硬转柔的初期要求。本期则是转柔成刚的时期。这一时期,首先必须明确刚是哪一种性质的刚和怎样才能运柔成刚。拳谱上说,练拳要“有心求柔,无意成刚”,所以动作不准用力,要求全身松开。这种“松”是有意识的松,但不是静寂而没有意图的松,同时它和努责鼓劲也是毫无共同之处的。所谓“松”,意为由放长身肢来达到松开,由松开的放长来使身肢产生弹性。弹性加强,则成为掤劲,掤劲正是太极拳要求的弹簧劲。这种弹簧劲的加强,就是太极拳所要求的刚。
The above-mentioned requirements for the soft to remove the rigid phase are the initial requirements for turning stiffness into softness. The current phase is turning soft into firm. In this phase we must first clarify firm/hard what is the nature and quality of firmness and how can it be soft and firm? The boxing list above explained that it is important to train boxing "to seek softness and have no intention of becoming hard". This is why you should not exert yourself physically, the whole body is required to be loose, relaxed, and released (songkai ). This kind of "loose and relaxed". It is a conscious looseness and relaxedness, but it is not unmoving, isolated and unintentional looseness and relaxedness. At the same time, it has nothing in common with exertion and bulging strength. The so-called "loose and relaxed" means to loosen and relax the body by lengthening the limbs and to make the body flexible and elastic by the lengthening (stretching) loosening, relaxing, and letting go. Increasing the elasticity becomes peng jin, and peng jin is exactly the springy, elastic jin required by taijiquan. This kind of springy, elastic jin is the jin required by taijiquan's firmness.
明确了刚的性质,现在再谈一谈怎样才能运柔成刚。刚性的加强,是靠內气的贯串而实现的。刚性质量的提高,则是靠缠丝劲绞来绞去以加强弹性的韧度而实现的。因此,运劲如缠丝和身肢放长便成为做到最柔而又最刚的关键。这就是拳谱中所说的“常求柔软之于外,久之自得坚刚之于内”, “非有心之坚刚,实有心之柔软”。太极拳就是这样由柔软变成坚刚的,也只有这种由柔软变成的坚刚,才可以达到忽柔忽刚、亦柔亦刚的熟练境界。
After clarifying the nature of firmness now let's talk about how to make the soft firm. The development of firmness is achieved by the stringing together of internal qi. The increase of the firm quality is achieved by winding the silk jin (chansijin) to increase the elastic toughness. As a result, moving jin like winding silk (chansi) together with lengthening (stretching) and releasing the limbs is the key to turning the soft into the firm - this is what is said in the boxing list: "Always seek softness on the outside, it takes a long time to naturally become solid and firm on the inside", "It is incorrect to intend to be solid and firm, honestly intend to be soft". This is how taijiquan changes from softness to solid firmness, and only this kind of solid firmness from softness can achieve the proficiency of softness and firmness, and trained softness and firmness skill.
四、刚柔的变换
Four
Hard and Soft Transformation
变换刚柔,在神气上说,是通过隐与显表现出来的,隐则柔,显则刚;在姿势上说,是通过开与合,在运劲过程中表现为柔,在运劲到达落点时,则表现为刚。因有神气的隐显与劲势开合的配合,刚柔就得以充分地表现出来。落点是运劲到达尽头之点,乃是神显气聚之处,所以此时此处运用刚法,可谓恰到好处。除此以外,在一切开合转换过程中,因都是神气鼓荡和圆活转换变化的过程,此时均宜用柔法。概括起来说,每个拳式动作都有开合,每个开合过程中都有运劲的落点,落点要用刚劲,其它都用柔劲,以做到刚柔相济。这就是运用刚柔相济的正确地点,是一项必須遵守的原则,也是练出丿乀门劲别的基础。在这方面,可以根据苌乃周氏拳谱内《刚柔相济论》的说法,把刚柔转换归纳为五点,供作参考。
(1)若纯用刚法,则气铺全身,牵制不利,到达落点必不能表现坚刚。
(2)若纯用柔法,则气散不聚,没有归着,到达落点也不能表现坚刚。
(3)应刚而用柔,则气应聚而不聚;应柔而用刚,则气应散而不散,皆不得刚柔相济的妙用。
(4)所以善用刚柔者,到达落点时用刚,如蜻蜓点水,一沾即起这是表现刚点的正确形象。在一切运劲转换时用柔,如车轮旋转滚走不停;这是表现柔点的正确形象。
(5)必如是,乃得刚柔相济的妙用,方能去掉气歉不实和濡滞不利的缺点。
The transformation of hard and soft, in terms of spirit, is expressed through both the concealed and the apparent. The concealed is soft and the visible is hard; in terms of posture, it was previously said that it is through opening and closing in the process of moving jin that the soft is expressed and when moving jin settles to a point it appears firm. Because of the coordination of the concealed and visible taking part in jin and the power of opening and closing the hard and soft can be fully expressed. The point where applying jin reaches the end is the place where qi gathers and is expressed visibly, so at this moment this is the place to use the hard method, it could be said it's just right. In addition, in the process of opening and closing and transforming, because it is the process of lively drumming of qi movement together with circular transformation and change this is the moment it is suitable to use the soft method. To sum it up every boxing style has opening and closing movements and in the process of each opening and closing the use of jin settles to a point. The point where the jin settles must be hard, and the others must be soft to achieve the combination of hard and soft. This is the proper place to use hard and soft together. It is a principle that must be followed. The foundation for training and the gateway to jin is stretching. In this regard according to "The Combination of Hard and Soft" in Chang Naizhou's internal boxing list the transformation of hard and soft can be summarized into five points for reference.
(1) If a purely hard method is used the qi will spread over the whole body impeding and being detrimental (to the qi) and it will not be able to manifest firmness when it reaches the point of impact.
(2) If you use the purely soft method the qi will scatter and not gather it will not return to re-use and you will not be firm when you reach the point of impact.
(3) Must be hard and use soft and then the qi will gather and yet not gather; must be soft and use hard and then the qi will scatter but not scatter combining hard and soft in an ingenious way.
(4) Therefore, those who make good use of hard and soft use firmness when reaching the point where it settles just like a dragonfly touching the water and it will appear as a firm point. This is the correct image to express firmness. Use softness when using jin to change like wheels rotating and rolling away; this is the correct image to express softness.
(5) It must be the case and it is the ingenious way of hard and soft that can then eliminate deficient qi and stagnation.
五、刚柔和济的掌握
Five
Mastery of Hard and Soft
(1)力求柔软一一初学走架子时,主要是学习各种姿势。通过学习这些不同的姿势,先化去身上原有的僵硬劲,这种僵硬劲是人人都有的。所以,在这一阶段应不遗余力地尽量求柔软,这对先前学过硬功拳而后转学太极拳的人来说,则更加显得重要。
(1) Strive for softness. Little by little when learning the form, it is mainly to learn various postures. By learning the different postures, the original stiffness of the body can be removed first. This kind of stiffness is common to everyone. Therefore, at this stage we should spare no effort to seek softness as much as possible, this is even more important for those who have learned hard style boxing before and then changed to taijiquan.
(2)力求身肢放长,以生弹性刚一一在这样很柔、很慢地练习一、二年之后,如果动作中已经去净僵硬,达到绵软的程度,且已养成这种习惯,就可以转入下一步的练习。这时,首先在心意上应有全身处处放长的意念,并在姿势动作中按照拳论规定,大力进行放长的专门练习(如虚领顶劲、气沉丹田、含胸拔背等),借使心意与身肢在紧密配合下专习全身的放长,以求得弹性刚。初练拳时,对各种放长的规定,如含胸拔背等,只用意念就可以了,而到此阶段,刚应在用意和身肢上共同进行了,因到此时已不致因放长再染成相反的攱劲病象了。
(2) Strive to lengthen the limbs and develop a firm elastic quality little by little, so it is also soft. After one or two years of such very soft and slow practice if the movement has removed the stiffness, it has reached the level of soft cotton and then cultivate this habit you can move on to the next exercise. At this time first of all the intention (xinyi) is that the whole body in all respects releases and lengthens (stretches) moving through the postures. In accordance with the rules of boxing theory vigorously release and lengthen with specialized training (such as lightly lift the top of the head, qi sinks to dantian, contain the chest and pull up the back, and so on). Use mind and intention (xinyi) together with the limbs, so the entire body releases and lengthens in order to become firm and elastic. When training boxing for the first time for various kinds of rules for lengthening such as containing the chest and pulling up the back just use the mind. At this stage the hard should comply with the intention together with the limbs, because at this time it is not likely to release and lengthen and the opposite may be accomplished.
Figure 16
（方理相生)
(Fang Lisheng)
Method of Mutual Development
柔运线 個
Soft Movement Thread
图16刚柔相济示意图
Figure 16 Schematic Diagram of Hard and Soft Aiding One Another
(3)做好“柔行气,刚落点'一一在全身放长达到要求后,就可以进一步在每个开合的落点结合着神气外显形成方点,表现出四正和四隅的劲別来,这是太极拳“方圆相生”中方的练习。在方点要表现出极其坚刚的刚(也就是要使身肢绷得极紧且长),而刚过后则要求在整个运动过程中表现出极其柔软的行气。整趟架子就应在这样的刚柔相济情况下进行。因此,练拳时应该牢牢记住六字要领:“柔行气、刚落点”。
(3) Do a good job of "circulating qi softly, hard on point of impact", little by little the whole body is released and stretched to meet the requirements, then it's possible to go one step further and every opening and closing clearly has a point of impact producing the harmonious use of lively qi revealing the square together with the four corners jin. This is taijiquan's "square and circle produce one another" training method. At the square point it is important to express extreme firmness (that is, it is important to make the body and limbs stretched taut and lengthened) and immediately afterwards it is required to produce extremely soft qi movement. The whole form must be carried out like this with hard and soft aiding one another. Therefore, when training boxing one should keep in mind the six-character essentials "circulate qi softly, hard on point of impact".
(4)刚柔运用与“意气风发'一一刚柔的运用,必须结合着心意、神气和呼吸的运用:也就是在“意气风发”的基础上,配合运用深强的呼气来使身肢下沉而放长,借以加强弹性,成为弹性刚(如发劲等);在意静气敛的基础上,来使肢体肌肉连带松开,从而形成活泼无滞的柔软,由柔软变化万端。这两者在生理上都是一种自然现象。
(4) The use of hard and soft together with "intention and qi is the way to issue", little by little the use of hard and soft must be combined with the use of mind and intention (xinyi) and lively qi together with breath, that is, on the basis of "intention and qi is the way to issue" use deep exhalation to sink the body and limbs to enhance the releasing and lengthening elasticity becomes elastic firmness (such as fajin (issue jin)); the foundation is to pay attention to calm qi, next the muscles of the limbs are released, loosened, and relaxed, thereby forming a lively and non-sluggish softness which changes from softness. Both of these are physiologically a natural phenomenon.
总之,太极拳的刚,不是鼓劲的刚,太极拳的柔,不是无弹性的柔,而是“意气风发”外显以成刚,意静气敛内隐以成柔。心意一动,神气随之,神气隐显,则柔刚变换。所以在一趟架子的练习中,神气应忽隐忽显,心意应不断地指挥,神气还要不断地隐显和鼓荡,这样肌肉才能不断地变换刚柔。这是掌握和练习刚柔变换的一条要道。
In short, taijiquan's hard is not the bulging strength of hardness and taijiquan's soft is not inelastic softness, but the "intention and qi is the way to issue" appears to be frim. The idea is to restrain and calm qi concealing it inside to become soft. When the mind moves lively qi follows, lively qi barely visible and then soft and hard transform. When training the form, the lively qi must comply with suddenly concealed and suddenly visible and the mind must be constantly directed. The lively qi should continuously appear and disappear drumming and moving, so that the muscles constantly transform hard and soft. This is an important way to master and practice the transformation of hard and soft.
为便于掌握特点七,把其要领概括如下:
(1)初期要化去原有的僵硬劲,越柔软越好,这段时间也是愈长愈好,一般要一、二年的时间。
(2)全身练到绵软后,即可进而具体地练习全身的放长,以练习刚劲。
(3)行气用柔,落点用刚,是太极拳划分刚柔的界限。
(4)心意结合神气的忽隐忽显和呼吸,是太极拳对于刚柔变换的法则。
(5)刚柔同样达到高级水平,是太极拳妙手称号的标准{1}
In order to master characteristic seven, the essentials are summarized as follows:
(1) In the initial stage it is important to transform the original stiffness into softness. The longer the period of time, the better, usually one or two years.
(2) After the whole body is soft you can then train to lengthen the whole body, specifically to train hard jin.
(3) Circulate qi softly, hard on point of impact, taijiquan differentiates between hard and soft.
(4) The mind combines lively qi, suddenly concealed and suddenly appearing with breath, this is the method taijiquan transforms hard and soft.
(5) Hard and soft in equal measure is an advanced level which is the standard for the title of taijiquan master {7-2}.
Footnotes for characteristic seven
{7-1} 如钟表的法条,有最柔软的弹性刚,也是质量最坚的刚。
{7-1} concentrate on the method it is a very soft, flexible, elastic quality that is also strong and firm.
{7-2}按陈鑫《总论发明》说:“纯阴无是轪手,纯阳无阴是硬手,一阴九阳根头棍,二阴入阳是散手,三阴七阳犹觉硬,四阴六阳类好手;惟有五阳并五阴,阴阳无偏称妙手,妙手一运一太极,迹象化完旧乌有。”这是陈式对于太极拳刚柔度的标准。因陈家沟地处黄河流域,练硬功拳者多,因此惟恐为环境所熏染而渐趋于坚硬,故有硬手、散手、好手、妙手之称,以作为限制练拳者趋于坚硬的准则·
(7-2) Chen Xin's "General Theory of Invention" says "pure yin are soft hands and pure yang and no yin are hard hands, one yin and nine yang fight with sticks, two yin and eight yang are hand to hand combat (sanshou), three yin and seven yang feel hard, four yin and six yang are good hands; only five yang combined with five yin, yin and yang are equal are called highly skilled hands and highly skilled hands are Taiji and the signs transform to emptiness." This is Chen style's standard for taijiquan's hard and soft. Because Chenjiagou is located in the Yellow River Basin there are many people who train hard gongfu, so they are afraid of being affected by the environment and gradually become hard. Therefore, they are called hard hands, free hands (sanshou), good hands, and skillful hands.
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