简介:TaijiquanisamartialartofthehighestorderisculturallyetchedintheChineseheritageandentrenchedinwushupulpfictionandkungfumovies.Thereinliestheenigma.Thegentleslow-motionpracticecannotbemoreremotefromthespeedandpowerofcombat.AndaddingtothemystiqueisthepropositionthatTaijiquan'skungfuprowessisnotdrawnfromthephysicalstrengthofthemusculaturebutfromsome"innerstrength"orNeijin.ThissacredbeliefwasdesecratedwhenafighterthrashedaselfproclaimedTaijiquangrandmasterignominiouslyin10secondsinanopenmatch.Taijiquanwasthenderidedasaboguscombatart.TheincidentshakesthefoundationofTaijiquanandputsintoquestionsmanyofitstoutedclaims,whichchallengesthescientificquestoftheart.ThepaperconfrontstheissuedirectlybystudyingthemanifestationofNeijinintheframeworkofsciencetoprovideascientificbasisfortheart.Ittranscribestheyin-yangmetaphysicsthatregulatesTaijiquantrainingintermsofthealignmentofmuscleactionstobalanceandtounifymomentum,whichdevelopsthecorestrengthofNeijinandtheunderlyinglife-forceQienergy.Fromthisflowsthekungfumarvels,whichlieinthelivelinessandagilityofNeijin'sresponseandintheforceensuingthatisoftherightvectorvalues,allessentialinthefluidityofcombatapplication.ThemartialaspectofTaijiquanprovidesaconcreterepresentationofNeijin,whichgivesanexperientialinsightintothemultifacetedconceptofQi,andinturnapathwaytotheexplorationofQiinphysiologyandthusinQienergymedicine.