Episode 122 - The Athena

This picture was taken in front of the Parliament Building of Austria at Vienna.

The statue which has a long spear in the left hand is the Athena.

Vienna was the starting point of my 2004 journey.

The old buildings in Vienna are artistic and well maintained. Apart from the Parliament Building, other impressive points of interest include Schonbrunn Palace, Stephandom and the Twin museums. It is easy to travel around the city by trains or by trams.

Episode 121 - The Four Square Forces

The Four Square Forces are interrelated. The "Peng" and the "Lei" form one pair. The "Ji" and the "An" form another pair. You need the "Peng" to do the "Lei", and the "Lei" to do the "Peng". They are "two in one" and which forms "three". This is the "Harmonization of Water and Fire". The same holds true for the "Ji" and the "An".

Each of the Square Forces has its own power generating points. These power generating points are located in such a way that they form an imaginary "cross sign" in the body. Further, "Peng", "Lei", "Ji" and "An" each represent a direction in the I-Ching system, and which 4 directions form a "cross sign". Hence, we have the Four Squares.

Many people (not only the morning exercisers) mistakenly equate the postures in "Grasping the Bird's Tail" with the Four Square Forces.

The saying that "10 out of 10 Taiji practitioners do not know what Peng, Lei, Ji, An actually are" may be an exaggerated statement, but the secret of the Four Square Forces is always jealously guarded and kept away from those outside the door.

"On the Art of Taiji" considers that the abilities to generate the Four Squares (and the Four Corners) Forces are inborn. We lost these abilities because of "civilization".

Episode 120 - Where the deities walk

This photo was taken at the entrance of the Ming Tombs, where the late emperiors of the Ming Dynasty of Ancient China were buried.

The entrance path is guarded by a number of stone craved animals and officials. I do not like to visit the tombs as I consider it very impolite to disturb the peace of the deceased. However, I do like this path as the stone craves and the setting of the place are really attractive.

As you can see, the path is divided into three sections. The outer sections were built for the humans to walk on. The middle section was for the deities. Probably the caskets of the deceased emperiors were carried along this middle section, in order to obtain the blessing of the deities, before resting in their final destination.

Episode 119 - Cool Plants in Hot Weather

The weather is unusually hot this year but, to my surprise, the plants outside are growing well.

The flowers are blossoming and some trees are bearing fruits.

Global warming does not appear to have adversely affected the greens here.

Episode 118 - Turning Yin and Yang Upside Down

The principle of "Turning Yin and Yang Upside Down" involves the harmonizing of two antagonistic forces so that they give rise to a new force.

In the book "On the Art of Taiji", the benefit of this harmonization is explained symbolically: Water and fire are two antagonistic elements, with fire burning up and water wetting down. Putting the fire on the bottom and the water on the top is like turning Yin and Yang upside down. However, it requires special treatment to deal with the new position. The method is to put a bowl in between. The water cannot go down and the fire has a ceiling. We can then have warm water. This is the harmonization of water and fire.

"Turning Yin and Yang Upside Down" is the key to decipher the real meaning of the Eight Forces (The Four Squares and the Four Corners). Each of the Eight Forces is the result of harmonizing two antagonistic power generating points from within the body. These Eight Forces are not to be used separately. They are interrelated and complementing each other in pairs like the Water and the Fire.