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Peng Jin Is Not An "On / Off" Skill. While It Is Easy Not To Have It, Once It Is Understood Its Quality Can

The document discusses the concept of peng jin in tai chi. Peng jin refers to the ability to yield and neutralize incoming forces through a loose yet connected body structure that transfers pressure throughout. Developing peng jin involves improving joint mobility and connection between parts so that pressure on one area causes rotational movement. Quotes from Ma Yueliang further explain that peng jin is both full and empty, hidden yet allowing one to understand another's force, and functions like water in carrying or redirecting force.

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37 views

Peng Jin Is Not An "On / Off" Skill. While It Is Easy Not To Have It, Once It Is Understood Its Quality Can

The document discusses the concept of peng jin in tai chi. Peng jin refers to the ability to yield and neutralize incoming forces through a loose yet connected body structure that transfers pressure throughout. Developing peng jin involves improving joint mobility and connection between parts so that pressure on one area causes rotational movement. Quotes from Ma Yueliang further explain that peng jin is both full and empty, hidden yet allowing one to understand another's force, and functions like water in carrying or redirecting force.

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paramtap4257
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Many form corrections are about regaining peng to various parts of the body, most

commonly the knees and elbows. Typically peng is lost or lessened because the body has
stiffened or not been loosened sufficiently, most commonly the hips and shoulders.

Peng jin is not an on / off skill. While it is easy not to have it, once it is understood its quality can
be improved. Like any form of understanding e.g. learning a new language, it is quite possible not
to understand anything in the beginning.

From inside the body, when peng is present any pressure is transferred to the ground (rooted.)
The stretching process connects the body in such a way that this happens without additional
effort. It could be called a flexible structure inside the body. Consequently when peng is present
the body becomes a little like a solid rubber object. It is not rigid, but loose and flexible where
pressure to any part is easily transferred across its whole structure.
In taijiquan the emphasis of peng is on leading and neutralizing of an incoming force. When peng
jin is present there is the potential for rotation. With loose joints the body becomes mobile and by
stretching it becomes connected. So any pressure on the body causes rotation or motion. Peng is
at the heart of silk reeling as we will see in the last article of this series.
Ma Yueliang comments:
"Peng-jin is full, but not full. It is empty, but not empty. Once full - once empty. The other does not know
me, but I alone know the other. This explains, why peng is a hidden jin-power. Peng is also explained as
the jin-power in the background. It is repeatedly said, that peng is like water. Water can carry a fallen
leave as well as a big ship. In pushhands it doesn't matter if the attacking force is small or big.
Withpeng you can master it. But peng is not only the carrying relationship that a boat has with water, but
it is also a fine and subtle movement. When I receive the force of the other, I use my central equilibrium
(zhongding) as a pivot, to change the direction of the incoming force upwards. In this way I let the other
hang in the air and I can use a smaller force than the opponent: Even if he uses a thousand pounds, it is
easy to let him float."
(Ma, Xu, p. 9)

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