When they created the Taiji movements, the Taoist master  used the image from the I Ching. For example, the move—Wild Horse Parts Its Mane.

THE RECEPTIVE, which composed of six Yin lines, is the symbol of the Tai Yin, Supreme Yin. It is endowed with the quality of both strength and forbearance like a Gray Mare. Wild Horse Parting its Mane  is also have the quality of the expansiveness of the Receptive--the earth and the strength of a Mare.

The Tai Yin points us to the organ of the Lung, Tai Yin meridian. If one analysis the posture of Wild Horse Parts its Mane, the front arm parts forward with the palm facing the sky. In this position, the thumb becomes stretched and extended. This stimulates the  Tai Yin Lung meridian which extends from the lung to the outside edge of the thumb.Lung Meridian--LU.

IN THE FINAL STAGE of the Hexagram, Receptive, the Mare transformed into the Yang aspect of a dragon. It battles with the Creative dragon. When the mythical mare matures, it turns into a dragon. Then the battle of these two Dragons, the Earth and Heaven, is symbolic a the mating dance of two coiling snakes.
" energy rise to the top,

Dragons battle in the field,

their blood flows dark and yellow."
 
 

This battle is the mating between the heaven and earth dragons. From this point on, all creatures are sprung forth. The rest of the 62 hexagrams are their offspring.

A hidden layer of Wild Horse Parts its Mane refers to the I Ching. As one's practice of Wild Horse movement becomes strong, the latent Dragon energy emerges. And the Wild Horse movement turns into Dragon Stroll. This Strolling Dragon is the reason behind Zigzag pattern of footwork. The Zigzag pattern is the serpentine way of a dragon.

My own journey:  I have practiced the Wild Horse move for a long time.  I always have a question on why does the Horse moves in a zigzag motion.  For I have observed both domestic and wild horse, and they do not move in this way.  Only after 15 years of relentless research and digging deep into the marrow of the Taiji form did I come to the above realization.  I have found very assuring confirmation from Dragon style practitioners in China.  After observing their serpentine way of motion, I was overjoyed to see that indeed Taiji Quan originates from the Dragon style.  I think that most ordinary people who did not share the Taiji enthusiasm will not understand why I spent so much energy and money to trace the root of Taiji.  It is only after I come to this realization did my eyes suddenly open to the complete reality of Taoist Alchemical practice.  It is the transformation of one form into a higher form of energy level.

When you deeply feel the latent dragon energy in the move. This is the primal layer of the Dragon Taiji Quan. The original Dragon Taiji Quan still exists in the deep structure of the Yang, Chan, Wu style of Taiji. after careful and diligent practices, one starts to peel back the new covering and come to reveal underneath a masterpiece of the dragon form.

From my own limited experience, I had discovered that the modern Yang style Taiji form is excellent.  With my discovery of the Dragon Taiji Quan, I come to realize that the Taiji form is an interactive self study course which will unlock the secret of Taoist Alchemy, Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Book of Change.

Sat Hon  August of 2001(c)
updated 10/26/2001
 
 

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