Understanding Physical Neutral

Often times, many people misunderstands that being a martial artist, one must be ‘aggressive’, rough, and tough in order to have the upper hand over your opponent. Quite the contrary, here, world renown martial artist, Master Sam Chin explains why you should focus your training on “neutral” instead.

In this video, Master Sam Chin talks about what exactly is “physical neutral” under the Zhong Xin Dao principles. It explains how understanding the neutral on touch helps you connect to your opponent center(s) and built a network that sends you all the information. Only on neutral, you’re open to receiving the most accurate details without the influence of your own judgement.

He also reveals how by being neutral helps you escape from being bound by timing and spacing, so you no longer need to concern about speed and being ‘faster’ than your opponent. There’s no speed faster than “you being already THERE”.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFUZ5qdqwRQ%5B/embedyt%5D

Transcription as follows:

So under the arts of ZXD/ ILC. The principle is on mental neutral and physical neutral.  Mindfulness, right mindfulness is the neutral attention and the physical center starts with one point.  A point is a center point. A center point, how do you classify as a center?  That means a center must have forward, backward, left, right, up down.  That means it’s 6 directions. At least 6 directions then there’ll be 3 dimensions.  So this is the neutral energy and also how to look into the space.   

ZXD is the approach teaching you to hold on neutral.  As Tao said, circle with center, everything adjust and fall in place to the center.  So it’s a bit tricky here. I can explain, Does anyone have beads.

Now, this is a center.  If I try to use this to adjust.  This is one side, this is another side.  I try to do this, to go to the center to adjust, to coordinate to go to the center. The ZXD (approach) is that, I hold the center.  Everything falls in place.  Understand? You see when I hold there, everything will go to there, will align. So in the training. Can we maintain and hold on the point? But you must be careful that the oint is also keep on changing, you must be able to flow to be with the point.  That means all movement will aligning to the point.  So this is one of the approach.  

In our principles, first we talk about circle with the center. Then center to center, then how you link the center. When there’s a link, there’s a tension to hold the link.  So the tension turns into one.  For instance, these 3 things. 3 points. This to this.  If you don’t link, then you drop this.  This will be with this.  Then this will turn into the past.  If I have this, this, this, linked, this turn into one present.  So we are holding onto that neutral.  So when we can hold, how many centers.  It creates a network. When I create a network, like a wireless network, for instance.

If your network is as big as this house, that means you connect there connect there.  If my network is the whole compound, that means my radar is bigger.  Like the table is my radar, your radar is only this.  That means anything inside here, you know.  Outside you don’t know. But outside is under my radar. So that means I know this will be going into your radar, into your space.  That means this is your future, so your future is under my present. So this is about timing and spacing.  If I’m there occupying all the time, I’m there all the time, there’s no more time and space.  So how can you be faster than me?

English Translations of 21-Form’s Chinese Movement Names… with Video!

For anyone interested, here’s my translation of the 21-Form Chinese name literal translations copied out from a Facebook post, so it’s easier to search for in the future. Again, if there are discrepancies to the video clip (http://youtu.be/KfD035mD3U0) from February 2014 Tucson Retreat of Mr. Teng Ruey Chen, the original namer of the movements in Chinese, describing the poetic names, please consider that as the more official version.

1. Commencing Form – Yin Yang Opening and Closing (Commencing Form) 陰陽開閤 Yin Yang Kai He
2. Left & Right Holding Ball – Auspicious Lion Playing with Ball 祥獅戲球 Zuo You Xi Qiu
3. Whirl & Hook – Waving at the Heaven and Wiping the Earth 揮天抹地 Hui Tian Mo Di
4. Pull & Push – Double Hook and Push Palms 雙鉤推掌 Shuang Gou Tui Zhang
5. Drag & Shoulder – Powerfully Uprooting Mountains and Rivers 力拔山河 Li Ba Shan He
6. Brush Knee & Push – Taming the Dragon and Releasing into the Depths 降龍放淵 Xiang Long Fang Yuan
7. Circle & Press – Brushing Off Dust and (Re)turning Body 抹塵還身 Mo Chen Huan Shen
8. Whirl, Turn & Push (Both Hands) – Dissolving Force for Advancing 化勢為進 Hua Shi Wei Jin
9. Turn, Tap, Fend & Push – Turning Body and Forward Push 轉身前擠 Zhuan Shen Qian Ji
10. Turn, Right Palm Strik – Five Thunders Bombarding the Crown 五雷轟頂 Wu Lei Hong Ding
11. Row Backward & Forward – Left and Right (Dragon) Playing with the Phoenix 左右戲鳳 Zuo You Xi Feng
12. Split Hands on Both Sides – Splitting Heaven and Earth Twice 二分天地 Er Fen Tian Di
13. Brush off, Press Down, Elbow Strike & Push – Brush, Press, Chop, Push (Spinning According to the Force) 掃、按、劈、推 (迴旋順勢) Sao, An, Pi, Tui (Hui Xuan Shun Shi)
14. Turning with Holding Ball (Horizontally) – Holding Ball and Turning Body 抱球轉體 Bao Qiu Zhuan Ti
15. Left & Right Kick – Left Right Seize and Kick 左右擒踢 Zuo You Qin Ti
16. Relax, Whirl, Fend and Push (1+3 times) – Chi Piercing and Unifying into One 氣貫合一 Qi Guan He Yi
17. Turn, Brush & Strike (Right & Left) – Returning Palms Encroaching the Palace 回掌逼宮 Zhang Bi Gong
18. Grab & Kick – Feeling for the Clouds and Kicking the Moon 摸雲踢月 Mo Yun Ti Yue
19. Dash Both Hands Push – Unifying Chi to Attack the Heart 合氣攻心 He Qi Gong Xin
20. Both Hands Lift – Raising the Great Cauldron and Returning to Emptiness 捧鼎歸虛 Peng Ding Gui Xu
21. Closing Form – Gathering Chi and Completing Exercise (Closing Form) 納炁圓功(收勢) Na Qi Yuan Gong (Shou Shi)

More detailed explanations for individual obscure items:
#2 – The “Auspicious Lion” can also be the “Lucky Lion”, in Chinese customs, lions are symbols of good fortune and omens.
#7 – Mr. Chen explained “Returning Body” really means after the dust is brushed off, the body is returned to its former pure self, or to neutral.
#11 – Mr. Chen mentioned the character “dragon” doesn’t appear in the Chinese movement name, but it’s implied because dragon is often paired with a phoenix to symbolize male and female or yang and yin, and in here represent the cooperation/coordination of both hands.
#16 – 气贯,”Chi Piercing” is not only through the body trunk, but to every part of the body and extremities.
#20 – We had discussions about the best word to represent “鼎“, and cauldron is chosen over tripod, but it’s mainly the visualization of lifting something wide and heavy that’s most important.

Translated by: Jeffrey Wong

Here is the companion video:

Butterfly Form English Translation from Poetic Chinese Names

Here are the English translations for the Butterfly Form movements from the poetic Chinese names. Each line consists of original English name, Chinese poetic name, Chinese “Pin Yin” phonetic pronunciation, and literal translation. The whole point of this translation is to show the literal meaning of the Chinese names, to provide a contrast with the original English movement names.

1. Commencing Form 陰陽開閤 (Yin Yang Kai He) Yin Yang Opening and Closing
2. Double Hook 擺掌雙鈎 (Bai Zhang Shuang Gou) Wave Palms Double Hook
3. Wipe and Push 妙手勁推 (Miao Shou Jing Tui) Skillful Hands Powerful Push
4. Left & Right Pull 左右震拉 (Zuo You Zhen La) Left and Right Shocking Pull
5. Grab & Hook 擒虎困獅 (Qin Hu Kun Shi) Capture the Tiger and Trap the Lion
6. Split 分天裂地 (Fen Tian Lie Di) Parting the Heaven and Splitting the Earth
7. Trap & Strike 撂手擊中 (Lue Shou Ji Zhong) Trap Hand and Strike the Center
8. Tap, Roll, Punch Up & Down 掄拳反打 (Lun Quan Fan Da) Rolling Punch Reverse Strikes
9. Fend 義臂震掌 (Yi Bi Zhen Zhang) The Righteous Arm Shocking Palm
10. Turn, Double Strike Right & Left 旋天蓋掌 (Xuan Tian Gai Zhang) Spinning Heaven Covering Palm
11. Drag & Throw Left & Right 左右威撼 (Zuo You Wei Han) Left and Right Shock & Awe
12. Grinding Hand 放龍回淵 (Fang Long Hui Yuan) Release the Dragon Back to the Abyss
13. Wave & Push 揮掌攻心 (Hui Zhang Gong Xin) Wave Palm & Attack the Heart
14. Turn, Shoulder & Hip Push Left & Right 迴旋推山 (Hui Xuan Tui Shan) Whirl and Rotate to Push Mountains
15. Threading Hands Right & Left 扭轉乾坤 (Liu Zhuan Qian Kun) Reverse the Rotation of Universe
16. Wipe and Push 划掌合推 (Hua Zhang He Tui) Wipe Palms and Combine Push
17. Project Down, Grab & Kick 震下擒踢 (Zhen Xia Qin Ti) Shock Below, Grab and Kick
18. Forward Double Strike 進逼轟掌 (Jin Bi Hong Zhang) Advance and Bombard with Palms
19. Shovel Left and Right 左右開攻 (Zuo You Kai Gong) Mounting Attacks from Left and Right
20. Fend 義臂震掌 (Yi Bi Zhen Zhang) The Righteous Arm Shocking Palm
21. Closing Form 納炁圓功 (Na Qi Yuan Gong) Collect Energy and Complete Exercise

Thanks to Scott Savitt & Lipyeow Lim for correction suggestions and reviews.

Translated by: Jeffrey Wong

Passing Down of The Art

On August 29, 2009, the founder of I Liq Chuan – Chin Lik Keong, officially announced his eldest son – Chin Fan Siong (Sam F.S. Chin) as the
1st Lineage Successor Holder of I Liq Chuan.

The ceremony was held during the same time as the founder’s annual birthday banquet at Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Everyone in attendance received an autographed copy of the newly published – 2nd edition I Liq Chuan System Guide.

In celebration, the founder also gave an one week intensive workshop.

 

Gatekeeper Ceremony Photos