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Basic Ruler-Wand: 'Tai Chi' Chih

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Wordage and principles, training: 'Tai Chi' Ruler-wand, stick
 
Topic:  Universal Exercise 'Tai Chi' Ruler, 先天 氣功 太極尺 功
 
Disambiguous :
Tai chi Tu,  太極圖  diagram of cosmological scheme, Yin-Yang symbol
Ba kua Tu  八卦圖 patterns, eight divinatory trigrams, Book of Changes 易經
Tai chi chih,   太極尺 =ruler
Tai chi bang,  太極棒 =stick-wand
Tai chi qiu   太极球 =ball
Tú,  圖  diagram; chart, map, picture, chart, to attempt, to pursue   CL: 張
Zhāng,  張   to open up, to spread, sheet of paper, classifier for flat objects
Chě, 尺   a character used to represent a musical note in gong che notation,
工尺譜 , 工尺谱
Chǐ,  尺   a Chinese foot, one-third of a meter, a ruler, a tape-measure, one of
the three acupoints for measuring pulse in Chinese medicine; CL: 支, 把
Chi, 氣  qì= chi, an effect of field motion- resulting in a flowing force.
Bàng,  棒   stick, club, cudgel, smart, capable, strong, wonderful, classifier
for legs of a relay race
Qiú  球  ,  ball, sphere, globe
Hùn yuán,  混元  time immemorial, origin of the universe, the world
Hùn yuán Gung,  混元功 Spiraling exercise: Hun Yuan gong
Hun yuán Qiú,  混元球  'original' primordial ball
Tiě qiú,  鐵球 kung fu balls
Chán sī jìng,  纏  絲 勁 'Silk' winding, innate energy 
References :
http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=1031
http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=太極圖+
Language References:
 

Introduction:
The exercise that has come down to modern times generally described as LiuHe-Ba-fa is itself a composite of earlier forms and principles. The simple formed, now called 'tai-chi- Ruler would be a better teaching tool; an mostly devoid of martial intent.
The naming of 'tai-chi' Ruler and the descriptions and forms for it appear to model the concepts and symbolism of  姿勢  zī-shì, posture, position of 築基  zhu ji ...seeking of the foundations of LHBF of which the Nanjing-66 series is an obvious composite. The iconic 'swimming fish' diagram used would date it as being after Song Dynasty Neo-confucian philosopher Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130-1200) also known as  朱子   Zhū zi,  Master Zhu,
 

Msr,. Chao Chung-tao
chao_tai_chi_ruler.jpg
Publication: Tai Chi 'ruler' exercise

History :
Chen Tuan [Xi-Yi-] has manifold exercises and publications linked to him, the majority are a high-jacking of his fame and prestige to authenicate themselves.
A repeated mythic history is that Chen Tuan 'taught' the founder -first emperor of the Song Dynasty Chao Kuang-yin 趙匡胤 (927-976), [reigned from 960CE.]  General Chao [Zhao] led a military revolt  陳橋兵變   Chénqiáo-bīngbiàn, and was proficient in earlier martial arts: tong-bei, shao-lin, and is credited with the creation of his own chang-chuan 長拳 'long-reach' boxing [Tai Zu's Chang 
Quan 太祖长拳 ] which became part of the later Chen Village boxing, 陳家溝拳.
 

From court taoist Chen Tuan to emperor Chao the lineage makes the claim that it was thereafter passed down as a Chao [Zhao] family hierloom and to its
publication by Chao Chung-tao  趙忠道(1843-1962) as 'tai chi' ruler. Msr. Chao had students which has resulting in branches of the exercise.
References :
 

Comment:
A simple, but valid question, is 'then why was it not called Chen Tuan of Bo village health exercise'? Or that it was king TaiZu's chi-gong?  Or as Taoist Chen and Great Ancestor's gong?
As often as the taichi-ruler series of exercises is credited to Chen Tuan [Xi-yi] none of the names for the exercise suggests that it came from or was linked to Chen; the choice of verbs and modifiers does differ from the usual wordage of current 'tai chi' named exercises, and if it did develop during the later Qing Dynasty, it would still be incorrectly named as the ruler-standards of 'tai-chi' patterns. It then become apparent that its history and principles have been adjusted to compare with 1800's codified 'tai-chi' exercise. The supposed connection with taoist Chen Xi-yi and Emperor Chao, has led to some authors to name their documents as 'the Legacy of the Sleeping Immortal' or as the 'Imperial Chi-Gong Health Exercise.'  Both are misleading.

Spatial Pattarns, Circling and Seeking..Rising and lowering:
Using the unverifialbe lineage and its distribution as a narrative of discussion, there are two main branches with a bifucation of one leading to a third.
 
1> Chao Chong-tao: Chao family Ruler Standard, the 'imperial' lineage to commoner release. This is simple in form, standing at a natural, but stable level, without martial intent, and a characteristic rocking by shifting the weight forward and backward pumping the calf muscles. The Chao family styling, is a stand-a-lone exercise, it is not for, nor derived from a 'tai-chi' family style.
2> Feng Chi-chiang: which although similarly named, deviates from the Chao- standard simplicity, it varies in standing heights and arm reaching, and lacks rocking. Feng's mentors included Chen Fa-ke [1887-1957] and Hu Yah-chen [1879-1973]; in essence a transfer of 'silk-reeling' of Chen Village Boxing, The Feng styling is more as a chi-gong from and/ or for a 'tai-chi' series.
3> Mixed, Eceletic:  Although branching of the Chao and Feng types do exist, 
it would be easier to say... originators who did it 'as they like it.' and those who addend without much knowledge or concern to mutability. The majority of 'ruler' methods are ad hoc.

Circles within Circles: basic and fishing
circles-1.jpg

Circles within Circles:
circles-2.jpg
Front to Back and Side to Side.

Lifting Up and Pushing Down: Body and Hands
circles_up-down.jpg

'Tai Chi' Ruler Map
map-circles-alpha-labled.jpg
Principle Relations Graphed

CHART Diagram Far Right:
>B1 
    jing,   quiet, still, motionless; gentle
平靜 píngjìng,  tranquil, undisturbed, serene
靜坐 jìngzuò,  to sit quietly, to meditate
靜心 jìngxīn, meditation, calm
靜恬 jìngtián,  quiet, peaceful (of a mind)
樹欲 靜而 風不 止    shùyù jìng'ér fēngbù zhǐ
lit. the trees long for peace but the wind will never cease (idiom)
fig. the world changes, whether you want it or not
風平浪靜    fēngpíng-làngjìng
lit. breeze is still, waves are quiet (idiom);
tranquil environment, all is quiet, a dead calm (at sea)

>B2  靜動   jing dong,  quiet, still, motionless, gentle -motion
動     dong,      to move
推動   tuīdòng,    to push forward,, to promote, to actuate
轉動   zhuàndòng,  to rotate about an axis,  to revolve. to turn, to move in a circle, to gyrate
運動   yùndòng    to move, to exercise, sports, exercise, motion, movement
靜坐不動  jìngzuò bùdòng,    to sit still and do nothing, to sit tight

>B3   柔則  róu zé, supple-yielding imitate and follow
柔   róu,   soft, flexible, supple, yielding
柔和 róuhé. gentel, soft
柔道 róudào, judo-sport
柔術  róushù, jujusu, contortion

    zé,   conjunction used to express contrast with a previous sentence or clause, standard, norm, rule. to imitate, to follow, principle, classifier for written items
法則    fǎzé,   law, rule, code
原則   yuánzé,   principle, doctrine
守則   shǒuzé,   rules, regulations

CHART Diagram Center:
>A0
 no identity markers [Comment: this unidentified circle would be representative of wu-chi leading to a bindary relation tai-chi; of before wu-chi.
>A1    十二 柔 shí'èr  róu,  12- soft, gentle, pliant activities
http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?cdqchi=柔

>A2    八 則   bā zé,  Eight  supple-yielding imitate-follow
八   bā , number eight, symbolic of eight
則   zé   conjunction used to express contrast with a previous sentence or clause,
standard, norm, rule. to imitate, to follow, then, principle, classifier for written items

>A3  站樁法  zhàn zhuāng fǎ,  standing [as] post methods
站   zhàn,  station, to stand, to halt, to stop. branch of a company or organization
樁   zhuāng,  stump, stake, pile, classifier for items
法    fǎ,    law, method, way, Buddhist teaching

CHART Identities  [Far right to left]:
1>
   太極尺  tai chi chih,   'Tai chi' Ruler,
尺子  chih sz, ruler, rule
2>  平手 捕魚  Ping-shou mu-yu,   Horizontal Fishing,
平手   píngshǒu. a draw, a tie [in sports]
捕魚   bǔyú, to catch a fish
3>  反手 捕魚, Fan-shou mu-yu,    Swirling Fishing
反手   fǎnshǒu,  to turn a hand over. to put one's hand behind one's back.
fig. easily done
反  fǎn  contrary, in reverse, inside-out or upside-down, to reverse, to return, to opposite
返   fǎn  to return to
反擊  fǎnjī  to strike back, to beat back, to counterattack
反身  fǎnshēn,  to turn around
反動  fǎndòng, reactionary-motion
摶    tuán  to roll up into a ball with one's hands, spiral, circle, variant of 團|团
旋   xuan, to loop, circle, revolve
挒  liè, Spiral, split
4>  合拳  hé quán,  unified fist-boxing,  unified-harmoious puglism
合  hé,  to join, to fit together, to make equal,
合一  héyī,  to unite as one
掌   zhǎng, chang, palm of the hand, palming
手掌  shǒuzhǎng, shou-chang, plam of hand, palm
合掌  hézhǎng, ho-chang, to clasp hand, to put one's palms together
統   tǒng, dong,  to gather,to unite, to unify, whole;  govern, command, control; unite a series, interconnected system.
5>  連還 進推 步 Lian-Huan Jin [Chin] tui bu, serial Advance, withdrawal posture,
連  lián, to link, to join, to connect, continuously, in succession
還   huán  to return, to pay back
進   jìn, to advance, to come into; 進行 jìnxíng, to advance, in progress, to do
推   tuī  push, expel, push forward
進退  jìntuì, to advance or retreat, knowing when to come/ and to leave
步    bu, step, pace, stance
 

6> 木球   mu qiu [chiu],  Wood ball, Liu qiú, ball playing.
木   mù, wood, tree, wooden.
球   qiú, ball, sphere, globe.
打球   dǎqiú,  to play ball, to play with a ball.
7>  石球    shih qiu [chiu],   Stone ball.
石  shí,  rock, stone, stone inscription, one of the eight ancient musical instruments 八音.
球  qiú,  a ball, shere, globe.
8>  手棍    shǒu gùn,   lu,  Hand rod, pole
棍   gùn,    stick, rod, bar, wand, bastinade, stave.
棍子  gùnzi,   stick, rod.
杆   gān,   pole.
9>  吊棍     diào gùn,  suspend-hang, stick-rod, pole
掛杆   tiao lu, hanging rod.
吊  diào,  hang, suspend, lift up, revoke, hang a person, withdraw.
扳  bān, to pull, to draw out, to turn.
10>  靠板 kào bǎn  [pan].
靠   kào,  to lean against or on, to stand by the side of, to come near to, to depend on, to trust.
板  bǎn   board, plank, plate, shutter, table tennis bat.
11>  掤手  bīng shǒu   Go up hands, to pull something, upward hand 向上手
掤/崩  bīng,bēng,  Up, ward off.
掤   bīng  arrow quiver 'to pull on something'.
手   shǒu  hand.
12>  按手  àn shǒu,  Go down hands.
按手下去 downward hand 向下手
按  àn,  Down, press down, to control, to restrain, to keep one's hand on
to press, to push, to leave aside or shelve, to control, to restrain, to keep one's hand on, to check or refer to, according to in the light of, to make a comment.
按摩   ànmó   massage, to massage.
按捺   ànnà,   to restain, to control.
手   shǒu,  hand.
Reference:
http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=1&wdqb=石球+
 

References:

Further details and data is collected within my publication.