Taiji and the Metal Ox Year 2021

恭喜发时, 新年快樂 !

Bye-bye, Year of the Metal Rat and hello, Year of the Metal Ox! 

New Year is always a good time to start new things. This year sees Azi School of Taiji begin a new class, and a new style of taiji – Chen Style.

After a full year of restrictions due to Covid-19 we’ve gradually gotten used to doing our taiji classes online. That said, it has its challenges, and persistence – appropriate for Year of the Ox – is going to be key to trying to learn a new style. 

This is true also for anyone starting taiji as a beginner. But especially when learning via Zoom! Never say never, however. A challenge can be a very good thing, particularly now when people are searching for things to keep the mind lively and the body active.

Learning taiji online requires some focus. It is important that we ask questions. Master Liu demonstrates the moves to us at different angles so that we can grasp the intricacies of the movements. Similarly, we practice the moves at different angles to our cameras. That way, he can see where we’re going wrong and make corrections.

In our first Chen Style lesson, we were taught the differences between Zhao Bao and Chen Taiji Styles. For those of us who have already learned Zhao Bao, the two styles can be considered complimentary but quite distinct. It’s going to be a challenge to keep the two styles separate. So, the differences – and the strengths of each – are explained for us by Master Liu.

“Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than master of one”

By learning both styles, we hope to improve our taiji as a whole.

One of the distinct differences we face is the lower, wider stance in Chen Style Taiji. It requires a physical strength and stamina that, for some of us at least, will require extra effort. And aching leg muscles. (Think, it’s Year of the Ox! Time to work hard!) Sometimes it may feel like we’re doing it successfully – but a reality check occurs when we hear Master Liu shouting at us over the internet;

 “Go lower, go much wider!”

Of course it’s not just the stance that’s different. Oxen are the hard workers in the background, intelligent and reliable, but never demanding praise. Let us keep this in mind. We are only at the beginning, there is a lot to learn.