Tai Chi Chuan – Sword Dueling, A Few Rules
I think the kind of sword dueling game my teacher, Maggie
Newman, advocates may be a specialty item.
I suspect very few in the tai chi sword dueling world plays by her
rules. And her rules are AWESOME!
Let me articulate a few, perhaps borrowing from the
language of others, to indicate the game she advocates.
1. You cannot
leave the sword to make a point. The swords
remain in constant contact.
2. Stick to your
partner’s sword and follow.
3. You must follow
the movement of the two swords in order to make a point. An “opening” is not enough. It must come from within the movement that is
already in motion.
4. No clanking
swords. (This one drives me crazy!)
5. Do not
attack. You never initiate your
point. Only your partner can initiate
your point.
6. Do not speed up
your movement in order to get a point or create a reaction.
7. How do you
create a game where the possibility of getting a point exists? You move towards your partner in order to
take the space. By taking the space,
they need to be sure that they are not in harm’s way. This is not the same as attacking. Another way to take space and create the possibility
of getting a point is to point the tip of your sword at your partner as you
move forward. Note that you cannot leave
their sword as you do this, nor jab at your partner.
8. Two good basic
moves in dueling come from the sword form itself – Falling Petals Left and
Right along with Block and Sweep Left and Right. There is a bit of technique in using these
postures while keeping connected to the partner’s sword while taking the space. The genius here is that the tip is NOT
directly pointing at your partner but falls far to the right and far to the left. What happens next depends on what happens
next!
And this is where the game begins! There are many ways to work within this
context. This straight jacket forces you to be with your partner, not on top of
your partner. These rules prevent erratic movements. In one very real way, you create a game where
you want your partner to go to sleep and not be alert. Then they go too far or miss a change and you
have them within your scope.
Point 3 above is very subtle. It is more than sticking and following your partner’s
sword. It is being with the entirety of
your partner’s body and movement.
There is great flexibility here. You can play a game that
is very fast or a game that is very slow.
Who knew such restrictions could be so satisfying and so much fun!
I include the link to a unique movement that Maggie has
mastered. I attempt to teach you how!
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