Interview with Sifu H. Won Gim

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Yousef: What is Tai Chi Chuan?

Sifu Gim: In order to realize what Tai Chi Chuan is, you first have to perceive it historically. In the middle of the 19th century Ching dynasty, Yang Lu-Chan was crowned as a champion fighter "Under the Heaven, No enemy." In other words, he fought and defeated all his opponents and was bestowed upon him a glorious famed title and an abundant wealth. How did you defeated all his opponents? He defeated all his opponents easily because he has an unusual power that no other possessed at that time. His power was 10 times, 20 times...50 times stronger than all of his opponents. Compared to Yang Lu-Chan's power, all the other martial artists' power was like child's. This enormous power was the secret to his success. Once he became famous, many people expressed desires to learn this mysterious powerful martial art called Tai Chi Chuan. It is this power that many came seeking to Yang Lu-Chan, and hopefully, to become as powerful as the "Invincible" one. Therefore, the key to understand Tai Chi Chuan is this mysterious power.

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Neil: How is Tai Chi Chuan a martial art?

SG:  Historically, starting from the mid 19th century (during Ching Dynasty) to the early 20th century, Tai Chi Chuan enjoyed an immense reputation as a highly refined martial art, which was kindly monopolized by the Yang family members. Though Yang family had 10 of thousands of students throughout China, not many enjoyed the kind of reputation that Yang family members did. 

Why didn't the students enjoy the same reputation? The answer is simple. Yang family simply did not teach any of their students the secrets of Tai Chi Chuan, and the secret being the internal power (often referred to as a natural tenacious strength.)

To be an effective martial art, Tai Chi Chuan has to have this internal power . Without it, whatever one is doing that seems to resemble Tai Chi Chuan is merely a slow motion, calisthenic exercise, that is good for one's health and nothing more, which one sees quite frequently in many parks throughout China and elsewhere. 

It is this internal power that overwhelms the opponents: the tenacious strength that makes a Tai Chi Chuan practitioner 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 times stronger that one's opponent.  Thus, it is this power (tenacious strength) to which we, Classical Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan practitioners, dedicate ourselves. Once an individual perceives this principle in the rigorous training methods, he will understood how and why Tai Chi Chuan is a highly effective martial art.

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Yousef: What is this mysterious power of Tai Chi Chuan?

SG: To understand the mysterious power, this unimaginable tenacious strength, you have understand the body by fine-tuning it first. The process of fine-tuning begins with the centering of the body. It is this principle of centering that you become one with earth. It is called "Ding" that you realize in "Wu Chi" posture, before the beginning of the Tai Chi Chuan form.

Once Tai Chi Chuan form has begun, the principle of "Ding" is applied in the movements by the alignment of the foot, the knee, the pelvis, the spine, the shoulders, and the head.

The principles of the centering and the alignment of the body naturally provide the balance of the body, and when the principle of the balance is achieved, then the body easily understands the principle of relaxation. Thus, to achieve a greater level of fine-tuning of the body, you must endeavor to understand these 4 principles: centering, alignment, balance, and relaxation. Once these four principles are accurately applied, then the cultivation of 'Chi' is greatly enhanced. If you didn't already know, and unfortunately all of the practitioners outside of our system don't have any clue, 'Chi' is a kind of a fuel for developing this mysterious  power. 

For lack of analogy, I will compare 'Chi' to the crude oil. Put the crude oil into your finely tuned Ferrari and see what happens: nothing! In fact, this ignorant procedure will ruin the engine completely. But, put the highly refined and high octane petroleum into the Ferrari...Viola! Perceive the power and enjoy the exhilarating ride, perhaps accompanied by a heart-thumping music.   

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Jan: When did you start Tai Chi Chuan, and what was your impression of it?

SG: I started Tai Chi Chuan in the spring of 1982, in Boston's Chinatown.  Up until then, I was basically focused on weight training and hitting the heavy bag, and self-taught some kicks, which didn't amount to much. As for Tai Chi Chuan, until that fateful day that I walked into my Sifu's club, I didn't have a clue what it was. In fact, I've never heard of its name before; and, on top of that, I never seen anyone doing it before anywhere.  If it wasn't for my Chinese friend who decided to stop by Gin Soon Tai Chi Club, after we had lunch, I would not have embarked on this journey

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Yousef: How has Tai Chi impacted your life?

SG: During my 35+ years of accompanying my Sifu, I can definitely say that I have acquired a critical taste for a fine Hong Kong/Cantonese cuisine...

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Calvin: What is the most mind-boggling experience did you have?

SG: The most mind-boggling? There are so many... For me, I guess the most revealing experience, scientifically, was when we did an experiment at Brussels University with Prof. Guy Cheron, who is the head of the neuroscience department. 

Without knowing what we would discover, we set up to do some power push/strike hand, with wires and cables attached to everywhere on our bodies, looking rather silly in our shorts...thus, proceeded with my mind that was pretty much fogged out on jet-lag. Got ready and struck...once initiated in my mind, that the powerful energy traveled through my arms and tossed my UK student, Duncan, in 40 milliseconds...this was an astounding speed! Even Prof. Guy was at lost with words to explain what took place...a "blip" in the EEG data printout, but what was it? Incidentally, in the past, he has worked with the NASA astronauts, Belgian Olympic athletes, and other world-class performers.   

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Jan: Is Tai Chi Chuan a form of Taoism?

SG: Yes. Tai Chi Chuan is a physical interpretation of the classical Taoist philosophies of Wu Chi, Yin/Yang, Pa Qua, the Five Elements, the Six Harmonies, Tao Te Ching, and the other lesser known philosophies.

In order to attain the knowledge and the skill of Tai Chi Chuan, it is absolutely critical that you understand these physical interpretations and how they apply to the principle of Centering, Alignment, Balance, and Relaxation.

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Jan: How is power development in Tai Chi Chuan different from muscular strength development?

SG: I remember quite well what it was like pushing on my Sifu's shoulder.  I thought I was strong, having been played a middle linebacker in football (American style) for 5 year: 4 years in high school and 1 year in college, having lifted weights all those years...then some afterwards. In fact, I was the strongest player in my high school team, in my senior year, and I played with a whole lot of tenacious ferocity, being probably the only Asian playing the game, during 1971~75, exception of my brothers who were following my footsteps. In college, as a middle linebacker who was only 5'10" and weighted 200lbs (90kg), I had to do a whole lot of weight-lifting to gain strength, to keep up with the linemen who were bigger and stronger than I was. However, no matter how much I lifted and because we were basically on the same body and strength-conditioning training, I could never become stronger than those folks. In the field, however, I made up the difference by being explosive and tried to hit them twice as hard; I did all could to install fear in them that I was going to hurt them with clean hits. In all, I must lifted weights for 19 years, from 1971 until 1990, minus a few years while I was learning Tai Chi Chuan. The most extreme weight lifting period came, when I tried to substitute power push hand with weight lifting, during my 18 months of absence, while I was in Corea, still thinking that the muscular strength was what I needed to correctly do the power push hand. I came back from Corea, with the muscles ripped to the max. Then, the disillusionment slammed me like a bitch...it was harsh to realize that those conditioned muscles were useless against my Sifu's soft muscles. With his effortlessness and gentle smile, he tossed me like a rag doll..."holy molly, how can this be possible" rang through my thoughts.

With his unique teaching methods, he quietly told me that the big and hard muscles were useless in Tai Chi Chuan. The shock of truth rippled through my ignorant and immature mind which totally lacked the accurate perception of Tai Chi Chuan, like a raging river, destroying all of misconceptions. Almost in a panic mode, I quickly went on a warp-speed to undo everything that I had done to myself. The overly developed muscles and its strength were not the answer to the power development in Tai Chi Chuan.

The muscular strength is no match for the internal, tenacious strength and internal power energy of Tai Chi Chuan.  I have personally made both of these journeys, and believe me, you do not want to lift weights, or do the push-ups, or the pull-ups, or any other muscular strengthen exercises, for they are detrimental to the attainment of the understanding of the knowledge and the skill of Tai Chi Chuan.    

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