Chapter 10: The profoundness of Taichi’s art of pushing hands (2/2)

Wang Chao came to a shocking realization, “Sis Chen, were you planning on leaving after you teach me?”

“Correct. After I am done teaching you, I will be leaving. Starting from today onwards, whatever I teach you you will learn. Aside from anything martial arts related, you will not ask any other question. You will not talk too much, but if you do, I will immediately take back what I have taught.”

She gazed off to the side.

Wang Chao knew that this gesture was extremely important. Although he didn’t know just how sis Chen would take back what she taught if he were to talk too much, Wang Chao knew it wasn’t a smart thing to ask, so he nodded his head in a hurry.

“Good. Then I shall tell you this now about the world of Chinese boxing.” Tang Zichen spoke. “Chinese boxing has three realms, three stages, and three arts. The three realms are “Refining Essence into Qi”, “Refining Qi into Spirit” and “Refining Spirit and back to Nothing”. I’ve told you of the principle of refining essence into Qi before, but refining Qi into spirit, you’ve touched upon that briefly as well now. You used to be reserved and shied away from any task. But after practicing martial arts, you’ve grown brave. Chinese boxing can enable for a person’s very personality to change. The cowardly can become the courageous, the fiery can become introverted yet profound. To educate and discipline is the state of refining Qi into spirit. As for refining the spirit back to nothing…”

Tang Zichen thought a moment, “This is a realm that humans move walk towards to in their lives to come and realize. To talk and make empty promises regarding this realm is to end up becoming an empty lie. So I won’t speak of this realm. Then we come to the other two aspects of Chinese boxing, the stages and skills.”

“Clear Jin, Hidden Jin and Transforming Jin are things I’ve already told you. Thus, there are only the three arts remaining: bone change, muscle change, and marrow change. Specifically, these are tempering the bones, muscles and then the bone marrow. The first two, the bones and muscles are the easiest to temper. However, the bone marrow is the hardest. To make the breakthrough in the first two arts is to be considered a martial artist. To practice martial arts is to strive to surpass your limits, and to surpass your limits is to be born again. That is why the third step, the marrow change is so essential.”

“En, the bone marrow creates new blood, and so when even the bone marrow is changed, then the entire body’s blood supply will be too. This is the meaning to be reborn.” Wang Chao understood and realized the explanation. “Then just how would one be able to temper their bone marrow?” He asked.

“You use sound to vibrate the bone marrow. You must pay attention to this. This sound is not from the mouth or from the stomach. This is from the result of martial arts. Those accomplished enough will be able to freely control any bone, muscle, skin and organs within their body and can make it vibrate. When the vibrations resonate, then the resulting sound will be like the roar of thunder, hence the name “Tiger’s Thunder”.

Thinking for a moment on how to better explain the Tiger’s Thunder, she spoke, “Have you read the literary work, “Carving Up an Ox” by Zhuangzi before? Within the story, the knife that cuts away the bones creates a sound that becomes almost symphonious. The meaning behind this is very deep and the meaning of having a good health is stated within. Even the bells within a temple will ring for an endless amount of time after the first strike. This lingering sound of the bell is the result of the slight vibrations. The muffled thunder of the skies is also the result of vibrations through the sky.

TL Note:

“Pray with the evening drum, wake with the morning bell for thought and to be born anew. This is the entirety of the principle. Come, give me your hands!”

Extending his hands, Wang Chao allowed for sis Chen to grab all ten of his fingers.

A strange thing happened as when Tang Zichen grabbed onto Wang Chao’s fingers, he instantaneously became like a marionette and unconsciously began to shake. The tremors grew bigger and bigger, but when Tang Zichen let go, they gradually receded away from his body. Soon afterwards, Wang Chao was left standing with his entire bones all slightly shaking still after the resonance of the Tiger’s Thunder from Tang Zichen.

It had taken an hour before Tang Zichen had let go of Wang Chao’s hands. After the tremors had taken control of his entire body, he was left without any strength.

“I’ve ruined the experience for him, but there isn’t much time. I have to go back soon, so this method will have to do. Otherwise, there won’t be enough time to teach him everything.” Tang Zichen thought.

“Xuuu!” Wang Chao let out a long breath, “Sis Chen, how come when you pressed against my hands, I suddenly felt that I couldn’t control my body?”

“This is a skill of the upper layers of Taichi. When both hands are pushed together, then you can clearly sense the joints of every bone and instantly break down the center of gravity so that you’ll lose your standing. The bones within a person’s body can be similar to a lever, when the head is pressed against, it will stand up. When one’s skill is high enough, then when you press against someone’s hand, then they will feel dizzy and instantly jump. Not only does this not use my strength, but it takes away from your own. This is the principle of a high return from little effort.”

After Tang Zichen had spoke, she grabbed at Wang Chao whose legs immediately bent down before involuntarily leapt onto the garden grounds.

“How did I jump all of a sudden!” Wang Chao crawled up as he dusted himself up in some dejection at his involuntary control.

“That was just an experiment and a small explanation so that you could feel the sensation of what the Tiger’s Thunder feels like. Your bone, muscles and tendons are still unaffected and you still cannot use the Tiger’s Thunder. What I just did was the Taichi’s way of pushing hands which allows for one to understand the human body and to understand what the other side is capable of.”

“Come, I shall teach you what you need one step at a time!” Tang Zichen spoke. “First will be Bagua!”