22
BEND and you will be whole.
Curl and you will be straight.
Keep empty and you will be filled.
Grow old and you will be renewed.
Curl and you will be straight.
Keep empty and you will be filled.
Grow old and you will be renewed.
Have little and you will gain.
Have much and you will be confused.
Have much and you will be confused.
Therefore, the Sage embraces the One,
And becomes a Pattern to all under Heaven.
He does not make a show of himself,
Hence he shines;
Does not justify himself,
Hence he becomes known;
Does not boast of his ability,
Hence he gets his credit;
Does not brandish his success,
Hence he endures;
Does not compete with anyone,
Hence no one can compete with him.
Indeed, the ancient saying: "Bend and you will remain
whole" is no idle word.
Nay, if you have really attained wholeness, everything
will flock to you.
And becomes a Pattern to all under Heaven.
He does not make a show of himself,
Hence he shines;
Does not justify himself,
Hence he becomes known;
Does not boast of his ability,
Hence he gets his credit;
Does not brandish his success,
Hence he endures;
Does not compete with anyone,
Hence no one can compete with him.
Indeed, the ancient saying: "Bend and you will remain
whole" is no idle word.
Nay, if you have really attained wholeness, everything
will flock to you.
Translated by John C. H. Wu
Interpretation by Bill Bernsen
HOLLOW
Tai Chi Chuan
Is the level bubble
Of the yin/yang
Note that the bubble
Is hollow inside
This makes
The void
Most important part
Of the bubble
Yin thinks
Of being Yang
Vice versa
The process
Of thinking
Is the energy
Think
Opponent away
The farther
I go
Stronger
The roots must be
This poem
Can be applied
To Tai Chi Kung
First be able
To bend
Proper alignment
Is a must
Bending is also
Bowing/humble
Humble is a must
Humble is what
Connects to others
Once connected
Adjust to others
Be hollow
To hear
Others intent
Find the fulcrum
Embrace the pivot
Have Tai Chi Chuan
I am gaining new ideas
Each day
I believe the reason
Is that I know
When to stop
Easily
Up rooted if
Not compacted
Enough
Display hollow
Disguise solid
It looks/feels
Like a bendable
Green twig
On a tree
If stiff
It will break
Disconnect
From the tree
Is a break
Start out
As a seed
Then grow
As an idea grows
The deeper
It goes
Into the earth (gravity, art)
The further
It goes outward
The closer it gets
To the root
The less it shows
Its flexibility
But it is flexible
The Bow
Kow Tow
Get all from Masters
Bow
Kow tows
To the straight
Be a bellows
Exhaust old air
Get new
Keep adding
To old air
Become hyper
The one
Is having
Heaven/earth
Inside
To find the one
Be hollow
Humbly bend
Express
With bow/arrow
How can I shoot
An arrow
With no bow
Find the bow
Find the string
Find the arrow
Bring them all together
Bend the bow
Shot the arrow
Fa Jing
Bend
Like a bow
Have Jing
Open fill
With new ideas
Return to the past
Repeat it
In the present
Return
To the future
With wisdom
Be a fulcrum
Be sensitive
Bend
To be whole
Twist
To be straight
Hollow
To be filled
Nurture
To be improved
Bow = whole
Bow = straight
Drained = renew
Name
Of my book
Bow to bow
Chinese; Chu tse Chu
Chu; bow, bend curve, humble
Tse; to, then
Ch’uan
Whole
Perfect
Bend knees/elbows
Use entire body
In applications
Curl sternum
Be like a cat
Hollow intent
Fill apprehension
Wisdom
Leads back
To youth
Gain greatly
With fewer forms
More forms
More confusion
If worthiness
Is attained
Everything will congregate
Become a magnet
For the art
Bent bow
Is always trying
To straighten
It is in its nature
Bows want
To straighten
Hollow wants
To solid
New wants
Small loss
Small gain
Great loss
Great gain
Be whole
Before bend
Be straight
To curl
Humbly fill
Before hollow
It makes
Hollow space
Greater
Be wise
Be renewed
Reach far
Be rooted deep
Shoulder song
Shoulder to shoulder
Elastic band
Pull to right
Hold to left
Hold right
Pull left
Circle clavicle
Around and around
Opens heart
Let the Masters in
Elasticity will abound
Masters will perform
With me
To the end
Need little
Gain
Fewer students
More energy
Have lots
Be confused
Less energy
Too much
Information
Lack
Of ward off
Align
Be whole
Able to bend
Not break
Bow
Be one (humble)
Straighten
Have Jing
A bow
No intent
To receive
Hands must
Be hollow
Bow/arrow
Find my fulcrum
Bow
Merge with lineage
Hollow
Lineage will fill me
With energy
Continue
Tai Chi Chuan
Practice
Renew
Having few
Receive abundant
Having too much
Become confused
I waited 10 years to learn Knife
20 years sword
25 years 2nd knife
35 years stix
35 years Kai He style
All the above
With love
Relax/reach
Touch the ends
Of the universe
This is evoking
Anchored end
Inside me
Elasticity abound
Rotate
Be well rounded
Be hollow
Be receptive
Wisdom will not
Allow old problems
To circle
Into my life again
Tai Chi Chuan
Masters
Uses his mind
To lift
Spirit
Be a bow
Hollow string
Fill string
Fa Jing
From string
Exhausted
Results
Renewed
Circle of Jing/chi
Fulcrum fundamentals
Hollow
Be whole
Be worthy
Attain
Wholeness
Yield/weigh
Stay a fulcrum
Reach
Tai Chi Chuan
Worthy
Will come
Hollow
Be filled with
Masters spirit
Hollow
To enlarge heart
Open be filled
Bend like a bow
Straighten after bowing
Jing/Chi will appear
Aim arrow/gesture
With mind’s eye
Yield/relax
Receive Masters
Also new idea/feeling
Must first
Find the Tao
Thru
Tai Chi Chuan
Transformed
Is to be transformed
Invest in lost
Always possess
Something more
When I decide it
Than when I have it
In mind
To have
Copious forms
Is to be confused
Too many
Corrections
Negates
Concentration
Master
Can be describe
As a tongue
Very sensitive/strong/elastic/alert
Do not vie
With anyone
Hence no one can
Compete with me
When I think
About being bent
I am referring it to
Being straight
Keep
Open/hollow
Know (filled)
When to be closed
Achieve fullness
Students
Will accumulate
The moment
The force
Of the opponent touches
My skin and hair
My mind is already
Penetrating his bones
Embrace
Slow set
Become the pattern
To all
In the school
Bow
Be complete
Bending implies
Opening
Like a bow
The front
Of the bow
Its molecules open
Back of the bow
Molecules gather
(Close) compact
Understand the above
Before bringing it out
To the tips of the bow
Ultimately to
The middle
Of the string
The string
Represents
The opponent
As it is pulls back
The molecules close
In front
Open in back
Press on opponent
Opening front
Closing in back which
Causes opponent
To close in front
Open in back
Keep hollow
To be full
Considerably
Leads
To confusion
To remain
One Jing/Chi
Vortex the waist
To become
A bow
Hollow
Vortexing joints
Hollow gesture
Sacrifice
On its own
For the center
While bending
The mind knows
What straight
Feels like
Hollow
Is space
For new ideas
Don’t display self = illuminated
Don’t justify = distinguished
Don’t boast = recognized
Don’t claim credit = advance
Don’t contend = no one can contend
After finding
The needle
At the bottom of the sea
I will survive
By yielding
No intent
Be filled
By the Tao
The intent
Is the Masters
Negate that
Which others made me
Then I can become anew
Child again
Child of the Masters
I cannot argue
My way out
Of my past
Listen to self-first
Then listen
To others
Keeping all
I receive
I will
Be confused
Have not
Don’t hold
Have everything
Know self
Others who are on
The same path
Will join
One idea
Or thought
At a time
Concentrate
On the moment
Not past or future
But now
Becomes the past/future
Embrace (hug)
The idea/thought
Cover it
Hold it
It seems like it has taken over
But if hollow
What does it have
To hold on too
So it exists
Listen to it
But don’t let
It merge with me
I merge with it
Easier to let it go that way
Letting things go!
By hollowing
Do not have anything
To hold on too
After I completed
Entire book
Tao Te Ching
With one word
For each poem
Go to a second word
For each poem
Find the pivot point
The mind/spirit
Is at one end
Of the level
The body
At the other end
The level bubble
Tells all
In the universe
When there is
Perfect balance
Tai Chi Chuan
Is being the bubble
YU PE SHIH
Pay attention
To everything
Have single-mindedness
Dui Lian
Opponent is pulling
Or pushing me
Deeper into gesture
If straight
Learn to twist
By always thinking
About twisting
Eventually twisted
Then recall
What it was like
To be straight (child)
Mind always remembers
What it is like
Bend bone
To use
Whole bone
Half-done
Becomes complete
Twisted straight
Void full
Worn out Fresh
To use whole body
Bend bones
Stretch sinews
Think ideas
Once understood
How to bend one bone
Can bend any bone
Eventually all the bones
At one
Ultimate
Bend the students/opponent’s
Bones
Don’t break
Tai Chi Chuan
Is passive
The only way
To learn
Tai Chi Chuan
Is to teach it
Because
Student is a passive
Tai Chi Chuan
Is passive
First have control
Of the bending/curling/twisting
To hollow
Stretch
Open first
Attain oneness
Ideas will
Congregate
Real Tai Chi Chuan
Can only be achieved by
Returning
To slow set
I should not content
With others
If they what
To study
With other teachers
Wholeness = connection
To Masters
Masters say hook
I will hold
Don’s use the square
Against square
Use the circle to
Negate the conflict
Using the circle
Is the bow
Hollow self
Masters will fill
Me with insight
Yielding means
Control of intent
Not letting others
Get control of
My center of gravity
Stay whole
Means the merging
Of spirit/gravity
This shows strength
The two come together
In the eyes
Look at
Master/student/opponent
Eyes are looking
At the spirit
Body feels under
Their center of gravity
There must be
Cooperation
Between spirit/gravity
It is Tai Chi Chuan
The worthy
Student clasps
The idea
Becomes
An array to all
Don’t show off
Demos
Don’t vindicate self
Don’t vaunt
Don’t brandishes
Success
Don’t compete
In push hands
If it is true
For the Tao
It is true
For the Masters
I am worthy/connected
String
The body bow
To be whole
I must feel/act
Like Grandmaster Tung Ying-chieh
When he traveled
To southern China
I will
I am worthy
Find straight
Plumb pole
From head to tail
Allow it to bend
Allow illness
To be renewed
To be mended
Don’t justify self
Don’t claim credit
Don’t contend
Stay whole
Become elastic
In intent
Can pull it back
Not be pulling
Off Balance
If anyone asked
What Tai Chi Chuan
Does for me
Tell them to read #22
Of the Tao Te Ching
That is body bow
Bows to Masters
And receives
Like the string
Is being pulled open
Allow to receive
And will give
Current condition
Bend body bow
Will lead
To being bold
Be elastic
Be alive
Demonstration
Without ego
Listen
With fulcrum/Tai Chi
Physically/spiritually
The wider
The base
Of the fulcrum
The more load
Family/friends/foes
Can be tolerated
The base is Slow Set
Bow to bow!
When pulling
A bow string
The bow is pulling open
With top down and bottom up
At same time
To down and bottom up
Tai Chi Chuan is being
Aware of both at same time
Like a fulcrum
Aware of the balancing
Note; bone bending is the same
Practice Slow Set
I will advance
Perform weapons
I will be confused
Don’t compete
With fame
To be perfect
Return to Slow Set
Thru my inaction
Others will act
Bow connect
Spirit and gravity
Masters and China
Alert waist
The fulcrum
Each joint
Is a leaf spring
Bearing the weight
Of the art
Elasticity = epiphany
A Tai Chi camp
Discover
The waist
Commands
The gestures
Tai Chi Chuan
Is elasticity
Oneness with
Spirit/gravity
Masters/China
Hollow
Unhealthy
Habits
Body bow
Controlled
At waist
By Masters
Be a tree
Shy as shade
Wary as wind
Hollow
To remain
Whole
Each gesture
Has a fulcrum
Stop/look/listen
For yours/others
Yield
Hollow
Hold heart
To be renewed
Bow to bow!
Hollow
To be hallowed
Be a spring hinge
To open/close
With a thought
Hollow
Hands
To hear
Bow to bow
The heart
Is the handle
Of the body bow
Find
Fulcrum
Find
Equilibrium
Find
Tai Chi Chuan
Inhale
With heart
To exhale
Epiphanies
Endure
Epiphanies
Bow to bow
Body is a bow
Connect
Masters and China
The string
Is immortally
Be a coil spring
To respond
So1ng ka1i
To be enlightened
Press
On spirit
To be spirited
Grandmaster’s
Concealed
Technique
The body bows
Humbly
Wait
Worthy
Will arrive
Easier
With elastic
Effort
Hollow
To echo
Whole
Connect
Masters/spirit
To
China/gravity
To be
Whole
Advancing
Reaching/stretching
To Masters/spirit
Makes elastic
Body/being
At same time
Retreating
Sinking/rooting
To China/gravity
Makes Tai Chi
Body/being
Heart feels
Head heeds
Coil torso
Root foundation
Waist chooses
When to spring
Gesture
Be a tree
Branch out
Root deep
Tolerating
Wind/worries
Use body
Joints/sinews
As levers
To move
1000 ideas
Tai Chi fulcrum
Is in between
Yin/yang
Past/future
Master/China
Me/you
Heart
Fulcrum
Decides
Dedication
Direction
Reclusive
Slow Set
Reveals
Tai Chi secrets
Of past
For future
String
Spirit/gravity
Bow to bow
Aim to arrow
Heartfelt hit
Righteousness
Is essential
To encounters
Seeking fame
Will lead
To misfortune
Imagine
Body as a bow
Where spirit/gravity
Meet/bend at will
The handle being
Tan tien/waist
Aim/cock/shoot
Next application
Like a tree
Yield
In wind
Yield to know
Insight of
Intent
Advance by
Being
Anonymous
Tai Chi Chuan
Gesture
Spiritually
Reaching
Into future
Physically
Rooted in
The past
Slow Set
Advancing
Anticipate retreating
Retreating
Reflect advancing
Be elastic
Be eternal
Bow to bow
Make body
A bow
Kowtow
Gestures
Become bold
A passive
Retreating
Gesture
Poise in stillness
The lull creates
New application
Then advances
Slow Set
Balance
Spirited
Gesture
Use heart
As a fulcrum
Supported by
Gravity
Tai Chi gestures
Must be elastic
To endure
Change with change
Tai Chi Chuan
Like a bow/arrow
Advancing
Aiming/cocking
Retreating
Shooting/recoiling
Then aim next
Target
Slow set
Reaching with spirit
Rooting with gravity
Hollow of intent
Fill with apprehension
Practice to
Be renewed
Return to
Spirit
Tai Chi gesture
Three dimensions
Past/present/future
Leads to
Four dimensional
Application
Slow Set
Seek fulcrum
Between intent
And apprehension
Gestures become
Applications
Slow Set
Seek
Surreptitious
Sinew
Between
Yin/yang
Spring theory
Between
Spirit and gravity
Exist a
Vortex/spring
Opening/closing
Creating
Gestures
Tai Chi Chuan
Gestures
Orbit
Heart for
Trajectory
To be true
Secret to
Tai Chi gesture’s
Function is
Due to percussion
From previous
Gesture
Slow Set
Practice
Bending
Like a
Tree in
Wind
Greater
Wind
Deeper
Roots
Push Hands
Application
Ward off with
Root/alignment
Rollback with
Follow/control
Press with
Bone bending
Push with
Fa Jing
Slow Set
Application
Like a
Coil spring
Compress to
Prosecute