The Legacy of the Ch’i
Growing up as an American of my era, the concept of 'ch'i/ qi' was an exotic and completely foreign one, as were the concepts of yin/yang and taiji. Despite much more cultural awareness and the popularity of various Asian arts and disciplines, they still are for the vast majority of us. All I knew of it as a child was from certain t.v. shows and movies, and I vividly remember watching a documentary on China after the 'Bamboo Wall' fell and Pres. Nixon visited China. One of the most amazing parts of the documentary was the filming of an operation- where organs were removed- without the aid of anaethesia! The Chinese doctors had utilized acupuncture needles to block the pain- the patient in fact was awake and alert, he just couldn't feel what they were doing. It felt like watching a report from an alien world, maybe like a 'Star Trek' episode.
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Shortly after this, I began attempting to learn Asian martial arts on my own, with the aid of whatever books I could get my hands on. I had wanted to train since I was a small child, but unfortunately we had no resources to allow me to pursue this interest- it was all my Mom could do to feed us and find clothes for us. Undeterred, I did what I could on my own. At any rate, once again I was exposed to the mysterious and seemingly exotic and alien, 'ch'i/ ki/ qi' from my reading, but honestly though I contemplated what this force might be, I really had no personal connection to it. Same for the concepts of yin and yang, 'taiji'- what were they, REALLY? Hmmmmmm....
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In my early 20's, due to some severe health issues that were manifesting at that time, I resolved to find a teacher and undertake serious martial arts training (I began working full-time at age 16 and had my own money). I knew enough to know that there was more to it than just kicking butt, as Kwai Chang Caine had so wonderfully demonstrated in the classic t.v. show, 'Kung Fu.' I figured I would be able to regain and build my health, practice a discipline to give my life focus and improve myself on all levels- and learn some snazzy kung fu moves, all at once! Yes, I was after the whole ball of wax, regarding what martial arts study and practice can do for us.
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I knew, from reading and intuition, that the most important thing was to find the right teacher. Given what I was looking for, my main goal in the short-term being health, I had decided to try to find a skilled tai chi teacher. Back in those days (the mid 80's) there were literally no tai chi schools in my area, none that advertised anyway. I searched for one year, being very persisitant. One day, quite by accident, I almost crashed my car into my teacher's school ('The White Lotus Kung Fu Center'). How that happened is a story for another day. Although I had some basic knowledge, I did not know enough to understand that tai chi was also 'kung fu,' or I would have already been training there. At any rate, I arranged to visit and all my questions were answered- this seemed to be exactly the school and teacher I had been looking for!
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The tai chi classes were conducted in a temple like atmosphere, the kwoon essentially being regarded as, 'sacred space.' Complete focus was expected, as well as discipline and courtesy. No small talk during classes; in fact, glancing at the clock on the wall was discouraged. We were being invited to enter a timeless realm. Yet there was time allowed for questions, and the Headmaster would also generally say a few words at the end of each class. The main thing, especially as beginners, was we were expected to be sincere and practice daily. That would answer most questions. Me being me, I always came prepared with questions, based upon my reading and contemplations. I was sincerely seeking answers, but also testing my teacher- I was very, very serious in those days; and looked at my training as a life-long committement...if he didn't really know, I was going to find another teacher. After a few months of this- including trying to unnerve and intimidate him by various means, lol, I gave up. This guy was the 'real deal,' there was no messing him up and no unnerving him.
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One day, and this was very early on- in the first week or two of my training- at the end of a class, I asked one of the questions which had been on my mind for many years..."what are yin and yang?"
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My so wise teacher smiled, and thanked me for asking that question. To answer, he told us a story, how he had asked his teacher (the famous grandmaster, Dr. Daniel K. Pai) the same question. Dr. Pai had answered my teacher's question with his own story- how he had asked his grandfather, the one that moved the family from China to Hawaii, the SAME question...young Dr. Pai and his grandfather were standing on the beach near the ocean in beautiful Hawaii, back when it was still very much a 'wild territory.' Statehood for Hawaii didn't happen till 1959....so little Dr. Pai asks his grandfather, 'what are yin and yang grandfather?' (my teacher was re-enacting this scene for us, it was quite a performance, one I will never forget).
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Dr. Pai's grandfather just slowly shook his head, as if he wasn't sure, and replied as he took a long, audible inhalation through his nose- "yin......?" Then he shook his head again like he wasn't sure as he exhaled audibly from his mouth, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "yang....?" And my teacher repeated this several times (he used his hands for effect as well lol, really playing it up), each time saying 'yin' as he inhaled, and 'yang' as he exhaled...and that was it. He smiled and dismissed us, letting the lesson settle and leaving it for us to figure out- or forget.
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For me this was the ideal answer, though at the time I didn't quite get it. But I contemplated it, and practiced it- inhale, yin...exhale, yang...what does it mean...? For close to 30 years now I have explored this, and have come up with many answers...each time I do it brings me back, back to the day I asked this question, and back to the shores of beautiful and exotic Hawaii in my mind- making yin and yang, taiji, come to life...bows to my teacher for this perfect lesson.
