Welcome our new student to Chang Chun Tang. Under the guidance of senior disciple Chua, may your dedication in training lead you to mastery of this art in the near future.
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During the Thai New Year holidays, Sifu Chua returned home and visited the Nakhon Sawan Tai Chi Club to exchange skills. He trained with Khun Praphon Udomtong, who had just returned from the worldwide Yongnian disciples' gathering in Xi'an. The meeting was full of insight and inspiration for future practice.
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This article recalls a story from the book “Tai Chi of the Dong Family” about training through ten full rounds of form. It emphasizes the importance of following the teacher's instructions exactly and completing the practice no matter the circumstances. Train diligently and let the art reshape both body and mind.
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During a casual visit to Khelang Nakorn Park in Lampang, Sifu Chua happened to meet members of the local Tai Chi club. They exchanged ideas on Tai Chi Chuan and he demonstrated the Yang style, Dong lineage, for the group. Thank you to all who joined with such enthusiasm, and to Khun Ball of the Lampang Tai Chi Club for allowing us to share these photos.
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Sifu Chua from Chang Chun Tang visited the Nakhon Sawan Tai Chi Club to exchange knowledge and strengthen friendships. He trained together with club president Khun Piriya Khongkhavidtune and former president Khun Praphon Udomtong. It was a warm meeting that deepened the connection between the two Tai Chi communities.
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On December 16, the teacher expressed a desire to record a clip of the martial arts dance for preservation. The students in the school organized a team of experts in production to ensure the highest quality footage for future study by students and future generations. The filming took place at the Queen Sirikit Park in Chatuchak.
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Teacher Appreciation Ceremony 2024 On December 8, 2024, the school organized a Teacher Appreciation and Tai Chi Grandmaster Ceremony. All the students gathered together for this meaningful event. It was another year filled with learning from Master Xiao Wutthinan. The master bestowed blessings and emphasized the importance of diligently practicing our skills. Don't neglect the knowledge that the masters have painstakingly passed down to us.
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Announcement of Return to Campus: Classes at the Institute will resume on June 11, 2022. Announced on May 31, 2022.
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Announcement of Suspension of Classes During COVID-19 Due to the current outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, all in-person classes will be suspended. Classes will be conducted online for current students. For those interested in enrolling, please fill out the application form and review the details here. The instructor will contact you if there are any changes. Announced on January 5, 2021.
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The breathing in Tai Chi Chuan, as described in this text, is translated from the book "Unveiling the Secrets of Tai Chi Internal Strength," written by Zhu Da Tong, a disciple of Yang Yu Ting, a master of the Northern Wu style. #taiji The content of the book states: "What is written here is a part of the concluding chapter of the aforementioned book, which reads as follows: Dear readers, you may have already noticed that the Tai Chi internal strength described in this book..." Both internal and external training, including various aspects of boxing, have already been documented. Only the topic of breathing has not been included in the book. #taiji During my youth, I studied boxing under several instructors, totaling over ten years. During this time, I studied Tai Chi with Grandmaster Yang Yu-ting for the longest period, learning from him for nine years. The elderly master rarely spoke about breathing. #taiji While studying martial arts with the elderly Yang, we grew close and became as close as family. I often asked him in detail about the breathing techniques that felt uncomfortable in my chest. Some martial arts teachers emphasized and taught breathing techniques, and I have seen written materials on breathing methods, such as deep breathing techniques, Breathing Methods to Follow #taiji: abdominal breathing, reverse breathing, slow-fast deep breathing, Zhou Tian breathing, walking with energy along the back, etc. I have asked Master Yang many times. Master Yang said, "When practicing martial arts, don't think about your breathing and don't interfere with it. The more you think about breathing, the more you won't be able to breathe. Just breathe naturally." #taiji When I first started learning martial arts, I focused solely on my breathing. My chest and abdomen felt tight and uncomfortable all the time. The more I concentrated on directing my breath to my heart, the worse it felt. Thanks to the guidance of the elderly Yang master, who advised me not to think about my breathing, my breathing became smooth and unobstructed. As my Tai Chi skills improved, so did my breathing. #taiji
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Misunderstandings About Tai Chi Chuan Learning is not something that can be easily overlooked. Most of the time, we carry old knowledge and beliefs with us, using them to judge everything. The human body is much like the mind—it accumulates habits from past experiences or from a lack of exercise. When we learn something new, we tend to compare it to what we already know and assume it must be this way or that way, even though we may not truly understand what it really is. My Qigong teacher said that we often like to interpret things and jump to conclusions. I get it now!!! The core lies in listening silently without allowing the internal chatter of thoughts to overwhelm. This is the essence of the Zen story of the teacup, for a cup already full cannot hold anything new. The principles of Tai Chi Chuan practice are often explained with simple, single words, such as "Tai Chi is harmony" or "Tai Chi is balance." While these explanations are not incorrect, they are merely the tip of the iceberg. There is much more to learn. Tai Chi is not about duality, black and white, but rather unity, oneness, integration, and non-separation. Some people get confused just starting here, much like when Jesus Christ said, "Love your enemies." Or "Open the door to the thief." Tai Chi is the opposite of common understanding. The soft overcomes the hard, stillness subdues movement. Softness or hardness are qualities of the same thing. Stillness or movement are aspects of the same thing. How can two things that seem so diametrically opposed become complementary or mutually supportive? Is this just an elegant phrase that doesn't actually work? I would like to say it's because we have neglected oneness. We have chosen war over peace. There is a saying that blood cannot be washed with blood, yet most people believe that peace can be achieved through war. It seems strange that we aim for peace by learning combat skills. Although civilian martial arts differ from military ones, this is often misunderstood. Self-discipline becomes secondary to learning cool punching techniques. Duality refers to the division and classification of something into two distinct and extreme opposites. Monism is the principle that rejects duality or the separation into two, such as mind and matter, or God and human beings. In Qigong, which is the source of Tai Chi's energy, it is said that the mind guides the body. Tai Chi is a discipline conceived by scholars and is a product of intellect, not brute force. Therefore, it is not about achieving results, but rather achieving them effortlessly. Master Zheng Manqing once said that practitioners who cannot advance in Tai Chi do so because they neglect the fundamentals. This means that, from the very beginning, we must understand the training methods and practice correctly and consistently until we achieve success. Where does this understanding come from? It comes from paying close attention to what the teacher points out and asking questions regularly. If we cannot evaluate ourselves, how can we improve? We are not training for expertise; we are repeating movements like a mindless person, without thought. The ability to see our own mistakes is the starting point for improvement. The errors we observe will become increasingly detailed and harder to detect. Refining is something that needs to be done later. *The martial arts of the villagers are practiced for self-defense and to prevent harm, while the martial arts of the military are designed for combat and killing. They are different. Therefore, when general Chinese martial arts are pitted against Thai boxing, they often lose because Thai boxing is built for combat, whereas most Chinese martial arts are created for self-improvement. So, if we want to practice martial arts, we should ask ourselves which type we want. (-- comment from Master Xiao Liyan) God and humans are one, yet we are not very skilled at playing the role of God. People often seek idols to admire and worship, elevating them as representatives of the perfect and flawless God. That is an old story. The face of God changes constantly, but the nature of humanity never changes. There are many ways to do something, but sticking to the path you've chosen is the best way. Of course, it requires focus, patience, and perseverance to reach your destination. From the page Tai Chi for Health, translated by Phin Pharadam.
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