- Tai Chi as a Language by Gary Lee © 2024
I recently traveled to China and my cousin asked what’s the difference between a language and a dialect? Without getting too linguistic about the differences, let say a language is usually referenced to a country and within that country’s borders many dialects can be spoken as is the case in China. My cousin’s point is that Cantonese, Shanghai-nese, Fukienese, Hainanese are phonetically different spoken languages within China. Unless 2 people can speak the same dialect, communication practically drops to zero. Hence the People’s Republic of China standardized on Mandarin, so that all Chinese can communicate with each other regardless of the local spoken dialect.
Through my years of training, reading, and comparing different ways of learning Tai Ji (Tai Chi), I have a thought that Tai Ji partner training is like learning a different language.
Learning a language is like learning a Solo Tai Ji Form. You learn the vocabulary. You watch and observe. You practice copying your teacher. You rely on your teacher for correction. The next level in mastering a language is having partners to work with or practicing “Conversation” drills. Learning Tai Ji at the partner practice level is a lot like that too. You need partners to practice with to develop hands-on skills and foot work.
In my observations comparing different training and practices with partners in Tai Ji was de facto learning to speak different dialects of Tai Ji. Every system seemed similar but at the same time different.
The current situation with Tai Ji partner training, in my humble opinion, is the lack of a standardized language or standardized training protocols.This lack of standardized training protocols creates a network of different Yang Style training producing different outcomes & sometimes incompatible partner training skills. You would think that is not possible given the training originally stemmed from a common ancestor, Yang Lu-chan and seemingly all instructors quote the Tai Chi Classics.
Why does the lack of standardize protocols matter?
Just like developing to speak the same language, Tai Ji partner skills can only develop uniformly if people train in the same way, understanding how the exercises are used, working to develop the same skills and skill sets.
My teacher, Master Robert Amacker, taught Tai Ji in such a way, it felt like I was learning a different language relative to other Tai Ji teachers. Robert Amacker taught, demonstrated, and practiced many partner exercises that followed a unique training principle which he described as making a mutual Tai Ji between training partners. [ What is a “mutual Tai Ji?” It is best described in his seminal book The Theoretical Basis of Tai Chi Chuan.
The consequence of training with mutual tai jis as Master Amacker said it himself, “we cannot compare our Tai Ji with other schools because we are not doing the same things.” We are pursuing similar results but not the exact same results. It is as if the language of Tai Ji that we practice & speak is a different dialect when it comes to partner training.
When we practice with others outside of our school’s training protocols, it is like we are speaking different dialects and we cannot “understand” what the other is trying to do or what skills they are trying to develop. I know that is strange to say, and I am not trying to be cryptic like a Tai Ji Classic, but it is true.
For example
A lot of Tai Ji schools teach and practice the partner training of Hand Pushing. A common objective of Hand Pushing is developing a root such that no one can push you to take a step. A desired objective is to stand like a mountain. In many schools this is a desired skill leading to competitive Hand Pushing.
Master Robert Amacker taught Hand Pushing training but as a totally cooperative training practice to develop a series of foundational skills. Amacker taught specific skills that developed foot work & timing. Any element of competition in any partner exercise kills any hope of skills development as he taught Tai Ji. As the Tai Ji Classics say, “movements should be light and agile.” The Tai Ji Classics also say, “Be still like a mountain, move like a great river.” Amacker taught that both conditions have to exist; otherwise, your practice is something different.
As one develops in their particular Tai Ji partner practice, a student will decide if Tai Ji is still something they wish to practice or not. He/she decides if what they do is what they will do for the rest of their lives. If they like what they do, they will not change teachers or pursue different styles or train in other schools. Once people like what they do, they tend to stay in their lane.
When developing a language proficiency, you normally gather with people who speak the same language and understand the same culture.
In Tai Ji partner training, finding a common “language” you like, working a training system you can understand, training with like minded partners, using the same methods, developing the same specific skills is not just a good idea but critically important if your practice is going to progress into producing real skills.
If training partners do not practice “speaking the same language, correctly using the same exercises, correctly producing the same skill sets, then any hope of developing real skill that complies with the Tai Chi Classics will fall short or become hand waving fantasy.
Jumping from school to school is fine in the beginning. Shopping around because you are restless from wanting more is understandable. At some point if Tai Chi training and skill development is your long term goal, you will find and stay with the language with the partner training system you like.
Teachers always hope what they offer will appeal to a broad audience and that students will stay on for the long run. Master Robert Amacker knew within his lifetime that Tai Ji is not for everyone. The partner training that he taught and practiced is absolutely challenging, athletic, and subtle. Many students who came to learn, who showed great interest and promise, eventually dropped out, moved on, or moved back to what they already knew and felt comfortable with. That is to be expected and I fault no one for moving on.
In general if for whatever reason you do not like what you do, practice will always be a drudgery. That is why when people find their lane of exercise and interest, they happily stay put.
For those of you who are new to Tai Ji, we invite you to see if what we do speaks to you, makes sense to you. Give it some time, let your curiosity take a deeper look, and see if it makes you happy to practice.
For those of you who at least find Robert Amacker’s teaching profound, interesting, and desirable, I tip my hat in approval hoping you keep practicing and liking the language that Robert Amacker taught.
Here you can read more about us, our visiting teachers, our hosts, and their schools.
