DiTan Park

We went to DiTan Park.......the Temple of the Earth.........its not as big as Tian Tan.........but in the morning lots of people practice Wushu there........ Xing-i, Bagua,shuai chiao, tang lang.......and my classmate Chen Xiang teaches Hun Yan Taiji to a large group of about 50 people.  Before we went over to the big group...we spent a couple hours working with Master Chen on Baiji......but not the version most people are use to seeing....his form combines the traditional Baiji with the principles of Hun Yan Taiji.  The key is to relax completely, but to explode suddenly......if you cannot relax you cannot flow into the next movement......sounds easy until you try.  Reason being it can be easy to relax and be soft and smooth...but to explode with power in an instant is very difficult.  Then to relax instantly and be able to apply next technique ...........he demonstrated how to deflect an opponent's attack and counter...........because he is relaxed there is no hint as to what the next technique will be........its like an ocean tidal wave.

Master Chen Xiang working out on Hun Yuan Chen 24 with the Di Tan Park Class.

Anyway, spent time on some basics and learning a form to help generate power..........Ben plcked it up quickly......contemporary wushu always makes it easier to learn other forms and style.  Richard found Baji more to his liking.......simple, direct, and powerful.............which is fine, when one can generate power in one style...you can do it in another................especially, if you understand the principles of Hun Yuan Taiji.......................the principles can be applied to any martial art.  The advantage is to be relaxed and not use any physical force......Baji, like Xing-i........requires the expenditure of lots of external force and like Chen uses stamping and shaking force.....very hard on the body.  Hun Yan principles teaches you to store your Qi and to use the entire body when applying any technique. After practice we were invited by Master Feng's daughters and the Hun Yan Taiji School to have lunch.......excellent food......and while many items were familiar, the way of preparation and the food was all organic, and fresh.  Madame Feng said that this meal was prepared with the objective of eating healthy.....reduce sugar and carbs and have lots of fresh vegeies......Ely would have been right at home with this meal!!  I also, received an official invitation to participate at Master Feng's World Hun Yuan Taiji Conference in October.......should be an event anyone interested in the development of Hun Yuan Taiji.Then it was back to Shichahai for another 64 Bagua Sessions.............this was a tough lessons........it concentrated on how to take a blow and how to hit a person with power.......Ben and Mike took lots of shots to the body.  Breathing is very important.....or you get hurt.  After class, Master Yang and two of my Bagua Classmates took us out to dinner and lots of beer and er guo tou................a mild 46 proof!  Tomorrow is a day to relax and review...Glenn and I might run down to Wangfujiang and check out what's new at the big bookstore there.....they have one of the largest collection of Wushu books and tapes....and of course books on almost anything....when in Beijing I always stop in there.  Time to catch some Z's.......jet lag is a bitch....always awake at the wrong times!.