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An explanation on »Peng« : Written by Knud Erik Andersen © 1998 |
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The first of the many energies in Tai Chi Chuan is : »Peng«. Many practitioners, do not fully comprehend the meaning of Peng Jin (The Peng energy). Many books, especially in English, written on the subject Tai Chi Chuan, are copying the definition Peng from each other. The definition for Peng Jin, used in these books are »Ward Off«, which means to parry and get away. This definition is completely wrong. Peng Jin means inflatable energy. You can see an example of this »inflatable energy«, if You strike a basketball with a baseball bat. Since the ball is filled with air, the bat will bounce back, when it hits the ball. In other word, the bat will not penetrate the ball. Here is an other example of why You have to use Peng Jin, when You are practising Tai Chi Chuan. Imagine a bottle of glass inside a basketball, which is only half-full with air. When the bat hits the ball, the bottle will break. If the ball was filled with air, the bottle wouldn't break. Peng Jin is also called »Tai Chi Jin« or »Nei Gong«. Yet an example to elucidate Peng Jin : Place a ball in a tank filled with water. With Your hand press the ball down under the surface. You can feel Peng Jin in the same moment the ball presses it-self out of the water. The more powerful You press the ball, the more powerful will the ball be pressed out of the water. This is also an explanation to an Tai Chi Chuan proverb, "When a person is skilled in Tai Chi Chuan, You will fall longer backward, the more You push". As mentioned Peng Jin is the first of many energies; and that's why You can see, how important Peng Jin is. It's only when You fully comprehend the meaning of Peng Jin, that You can say, You have taken the first step through the doorway to Tai Chi Chuan. If You stick to the principles from Peng Jin, You can clearly see its necessity, when You are practising the forms, Tui Shou (Push Hands) and San Shou. When a practitioners is good at using Peng Jin, then he has reach a level in his practise which can be characterized with three proverbs: 1. Ji lai ji ying, man lai man ying. Which translated means "What comes quick, You have to react quickly against (act with quickness); what comes slow, You have to react slowly against (act with slowness)". In other words if an opponent strikes quickly against You, You have to react with a lightning speed. This also means, that You can change Your energy without Your opponent knowing it, or if he does, it will be to late for him to do anything. 2. Si xu fai xu, you xu you shi. This means: "As it's possible for You to change Your energy, You can make it "look like" being empty, without actually being so. It's both empty and full". 3. Ren bu zhi wo, wo du zhi ren. "He doesn't know me, but I know him". In other words, "my opponent knows nothing about me, but I know everything about him". Because of this proverb, which explains the principles of Peng Jin, it is said that Peng Jin is half hidden, half visible. The principles of the other energies are more visible. |
Peng Jin is also very important in self-defence. If You move from left to right, forward or backward, You mustn't lose Peng Jin. You can gather Peng Jin in the Tan Tien or in the chest by breathing in, when You are attacking or drawing back. Don't gather to much Peng Jin in the chest, it shall not be full. Nor should You gather to much in the Tan Tien this will result in a lack of flexibility (or speed) in the upper part of the body. If the upper part of the body is filled to much up with Peng Jin, it will result in what's known as, -heavy above; light below-. When You breath out, You push the Peng energy out. When the opponent loses his balance, I use all the qi in my body to push him. When I use all the qi in my body, I do it by combine "Before Birth Qi" and "After Birth Qi". An other example of combining the two qi's, is when hot and cold air meets and forms a spiral, which latter on becomes a tornado. On the other hand, if I breath in at the same time as I push an opponent and he pushes my arms, I can not push him. By pushing my arms up, my opponent has prevented me to combine these two qi's. If I try to use the upper body to push him with, once again it will not be possible. It's the same thing thing with the lower part of the body. These two qi's have to be combined, if I am going to be able to push him. Before I use the Peng energy to push the opponent with, I imagine, where I want to direct the energy. The use of the mind is very important, because "the mind leads the qi". When the qi is pushed out it becomes Peng. Tai Chi Chuan can be compared with the production of steel. In this process, the metal is placed in a fire until all impurities are burned away. When the steel is pure, that's when it's strongest. When Peng Jin is strongest, the the internal organs are strongest, too. When You make spirals or turnings with qi and Peng Jin it will result in greater flexibility. When You practise Tai Chi Chuan You can imagine Yourself as a car. The wheel is made out of steel; round the wheel is the tire. Between them there is air, this is Peng Jin. It's only when You are able to comprehend the principles of Peng Jin, simultaneously understand hardness and softness of the outer and inner part of the body -- theoretically and practically -- then and only then, can You say You understand the principles of Tai Chi Chuan.
©1998 Knud Erik Andersen
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