AN INTERVIEW WITH TAI CHI MASTER CHENG MAN-CH'ING
Excerpt from the book One Last Thing: A Time-Travellers Guide to Taoism, Martial Arts and 21st Century Thinking
A SHORT MESSAGE ABOUT TIME-TRAVEL FROM THE EDITOR:
As a time-travelling reporter, I visited a number of Tai Chi masters. We dropped into the Chen Village to see Yang Lu Chan create his own version of the Tai Chi Form. We saw Yang Chen Fu as he debated dropping the martial from Tai Chi and of course we visited the late Cheng Man-ch'ing. Unfortunately, sections of the interviews were corrupted on our journey back to the 21st century, but 5 answers to important questions were saved. One Last Thing: for the sake of interplanetary security and a Facebook Data leak investigation, the Doctor and I had to disguise both the voice and the appearance of the great man. - Gerald Greene
As a time-travelling reporter, I visited a number of Tai Chi masters. We dropped into the Chen Village to see Yang Lu Chan create his own version of the Tai Chi Form. We saw Yang Chen Fu as he debated dropping the martial from Tai Chi and of course we visited the late Cheng Man-ch'ing. Unfortunately, sections of the interviews were corrupted on our journey back to the 21st century, but 5 answers to important questions were saved. One Last Thing: for the sake of interplanetary security and a Facebook Data leak investigation, the Doctor and I had to disguise both the voice and the appearance of the great man. - Gerald Greene
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THE ANIMATED ANSWERS 1: WHY CHANGE THE TAI CHI FORM? |
1. WHY I CHANGED THE TAI CHI FORM
"People say I have changed the Tai Chi Form too much by reducing the long version down to just 10 minutes. But you know, times change, things move on. Think microwave popcorn. Anyway...it's not just about length or time. People always stop me in the street and say...hey Man-ch'ing, you still practising that yoga jazz, how long you been doing it now huh?
This is a pointless question. If I've been practising for 45 years you will say...hey that's impressive. But if I've only been practising once a week for 10 minutes what's so impressive about that? Now, say I've been practising 18 hours a day for just 2 years - Isn't that impressive! A bit obsessional too, but anyhow...you get what I'm trying to say?
And while I'm on the subject...let me just say that the Tai Chi Form is relative. Time is relative. My Uncle is a relative. Everything is relative. I don't know why everyone gets so hung up about the number of postures, the length of the Form...even what it is called, for the love of Confucius!...Some people get really anal about Tai Chi."
This is a pointless question. If I've been practising for 45 years you will say...hey that's impressive. But if I've only been practising once a week for 10 minutes what's so impressive about that? Now, say I've been practising 18 hours a day for just 2 years - Isn't that impressive! A bit obsessional too, but anyhow...you get what I'm trying to say?
And while I'm on the subject...let me just say that the Tai Chi Form is relative. Time is relative. My Uncle is a relative. Everything is relative. I don't know why everyone gets so hung up about the number of postures, the length of the Form...even what it is called, for the love of Confucius!...Some people get really anal about Tai Chi."
2. CAN TAI CHI GIVE YOU SUPER POWERS?
"Yes, it’s true, I could push lots of big men over with just a twitch of my eyebrow but don't go all Kwai Chang Caine about that. If you study those YouTube videos closely, you'll see it has more to do with timing and body mechanics than Kryptonite powers. And like all instructors who give demos, you have to remember, who is telling who what to do. You really think my students are going to show me up? Listen, if you want to do the same - the secret is in the detail: Patience, practice, stay soft. Oh and get a good cameraman." Watch the animated video of this interview
3. IS TAI CHI STILL A MARTIAL ART?
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"Tai Chi as a martial art? I'm shocked you should even ask! Of course it is...well it was.
Today...street defence, cage fighting, 21st Century and all that...well, that's another kettle of fish. All I'm saying is don't just limit yourself to perfecting 'Ward off Left.' It's a great posture for sure, but if you get jumped by a couple of types in a dark alley, Ward Off isn't going to do it. You want to fight like Bruce Lee? Go learn Jeet Kune Do" Watch the animated version here |
4. HOW CAN ANYONE BEST LEARN TAI CHI?
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"Don't just breathe the Tai Chi stuff. Yeah, of course, study the classics and all that 5 Excellencies stuff... But don't forget who you are. Doesn't have to be calligraphy or herbal medicine either.
Start from where you are, be creative. Apply the flow to driving a taxi, filling shelves in a supermarket, listening to your customers without judgement...start from where you are. Look to see what unites people, not what separates them. That's just lazy and far too easy. Find the sweet spot where things fuse and melt. Think of all relationships as cheese on toast...." Watch the animated version here |
5. TAI CHI AND WESTERNERS
"It's ok for you to borrow our stuff. We don't mind.
We do the same to you, but...I've just got to say...about the silk tunics. Believe me, they just look silly on you."
Watch the animated version here.
We do the same to you, but...I've just got to say...about the silk tunics. Believe me, they just look silly on you."
Watch the animated version here.
Read all the interviews with Masters from the History of the Ancient Arts
The controversial repackaging of Martial Arts History and 21st Century Thinking: One Last Thing.
Featuring: Cheng Man-ch'ing, Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, Bruce Lee, Mas Oyama, Alan Watts, Chuck Norris, Yang Chen Fu, Rocky and a whole host of characters.
Updated for 2019.