Post by Suhana LIM on Oct 17, 2004 0:27:20 GMT -5
Da jia ni men hao
This is another example how people try to rush things and give himself "Grand Master" title. But this time the "Grand Master" got his lesson. I am sure we can learn something from this interesting story.
The following is taken from the book STEAL MY ART - THE LIFE AND TIMES OF T'AI CHI MASTER T.T. LIANG by Stuart Alve Olson North Atlantic Books 2002 ISBN 1- 55643-416-2 pages 158-159
The Grand Master
An American man who called himself a Grand Master of T'ai Chi paid a visit to Liang at his home in St. Cloud. After some polite discussion, the young man asked if he could do a little pushing hands with Liang, who was 82 years old at this time, and the "Grand Master" barely 30.
As he pushed on Liang, who turned his waist and easily repelled the man to the side, the "Grand Master" had to catch himself with his hands, narrowly avoided crashing to the floor. Liang then proceeded to grab the "Grand Master's " right elbow and wrist with both his hands and with one quick push sent the man sprawling more than ten feet backward. Liang giggled and returned to his seat. He politely told the "Grand Master" that he was very good and that there was nothing he could teach him. The young man left feeling he had impressed the old master.
A couple weeks later, one of Liang's students asked him a question about the pushing-hands incident with the "Grand Master." Apparently the "Grand Master" had commented to the student that Liang wasn't very skilled, as he used muscular force to push him.
"Master Liang," the student asked, "when he came to visit and did Push-Hands with you, did you use force instead of internal energy?" Liang broke into loud laughter and nooded his head in agreement. After settling down, he explained to us that he did indeed use force on the young man, claiming with great amusement. "And he could not even neutralize that. How could he hope to neutralize my internal energy?"
"Even though this young man claims to be a Grand Master," he said, "he has the skill of only a beginning student. If I had use any intrinsic energy, he would have been hurt and then he would have sued me. He is an impostor hiding behind the title Grand Master."
"This young man should learning not teaching. All his students are handicapped by their teacher. T'ai Chi is a good method, but without a good teacher it cannot have a good result. If he could promise to come to me for five years, I could teach him something. But he is too fond of authority over others. The little bit of ch'i he has is caught in his head, so he has many illusions of greatness. Anyway, I feel pity for him."
This is another example how people try to rush things and give himself "Grand Master" title. But this time the "Grand Master" got his lesson. I am sure we can learn something from this interesting story.
The following is taken from the book STEAL MY ART - THE LIFE AND TIMES OF T'AI CHI MASTER T.T. LIANG by Stuart Alve Olson North Atlantic Books 2002 ISBN 1- 55643-416-2 pages 158-159
The Grand Master
An American man who called himself a Grand Master of T'ai Chi paid a visit to Liang at his home in St. Cloud. After some polite discussion, the young man asked if he could do a little pushing hands with Liang, who was 82 years old at this time, and the "Grand Master" barely 30.
As he pushed on Liang, who turned his waist and easily repelled the man to the side, the "Grand Master" had to catch himself with his hands, narrowly avoided crashing to the floor. Liang then proceeded to grab the "Grand Master's " right elbow and wrist with both his hands and with one quick push sent the man sprawling more than ten feet backward. Liang giggled and returned to his seat. He politely told the "Grand Master" that he was very good and that there was nothing he could teach him. The young man left feeling he had impressed the old master.
A couple weeks later, one of Liang's students asked him a question about the pushing-hands incident with the "Grand Master." Apparently the "Grand Master" had commented to the student that Liang wasn't very skilled, as he used muscular force to push him.
"Master Liang," the student asked, "when he came to visit and did Push-Hands with you, did you use force instead of internal energy?" Liang broke into loud laughter and nooded his head in agreement. After settling down, he explained to us that he did indeed use force on the young man, claiming with great amusement. "And he could not even neutralize that. How could he hope to neutralize my internal energy?"
"Even though this young man claims to be a Grand Master," he said, "he has the skill of only a beginning student. If I had use any intrinsic energy, he would have been hurt and then he would have sued me. He is an impostor hiding behind the title Grand Master."
"This young man should learning not teaching. All his students are handicapped by their teacher. T'ai Chi is a good method, but without a good teacher it cannot have a good result. If he could promise to come to me for five years, I could teach him something. But he is too fond of authority over others. The little bit of ch'i he has is caught in his head, so he has many illusions of greatness. Anyway, I feel pity for him."