Three Treasures
Cheng Man-ch’ing spoke of the ‘Three Treasures’ of Tai Chi, which are head upright, as if suspended from heaven; the bubbling well, the central point in each foot where energy flows from the earth into the body; and the ‘tan tien,’ the energetic center of the body where chi is gathered, nurtured, and then spread through the body.
The first treasure, head upright, is akin to the yoga technique of elongating the spine and reaching through the crown of the head. It is an energetic lengthening that draws the energy of life into the higher centers, it is a willingness to engage in spiritual effort and be wakeful.
The second treasure, the bubbling well, is the transmission of energy from the earth into the body. When a person leans forward on their feet, they are prone towards distraction and excessive activity. When a person leans backwards on their feet, they tend to be overly hesitant, fearful, and shy. The ideal is to stand evenly on the feet, the energy pouring into the bubbling well being balanced so that a person is neither aggressive nor shy - and instead strong, confident, centered, and poised.
The third treasure, the tan tien, is a point two finger widths below the navel and two finger widths in towards the spine. It is the the energetic center, akin to ‘manipura chakra’ of the yoga tradition. Capability, effort, and heat arise from this point in the body. In Tai Chi, it is taught that all movement originates from the tan tien, that is, all life activity comes from the center. This is effective action.
The first treasure, head upright, is akin to the yoga technique of elongating the spine and reaching through the crown of the head. It is an energetic lengthening that draws the energy of life into the higher centers, it is a willingness to engage in spiritual effort and be wakeful.
The second treasure, the bubbling well, is the transmission of energy from the earth into the body. When a person leans forward on their feet, they are prone towards distraction and excessive activity. When a person leans backwards on their feet, they tend to be overly hesitant, fearful, and shy. The ideal is to stand evenly on the feet, the energy pouring into the bubbling well being balanced so that a person is neither aggressive nor shy - and instead strong, confident, centered, and poised.
The third treasure, the tan tien, is a point two finger widths below the navel and two finger widths in towards the spine. It is the the energetic center, akin to ‘manipura chakra’ of the yoga tradition. Capability, effort, and heat arise from this point in the body. In Tai Chi, it is taught that all movement originates from the tan tien, that is, all life activity comes from the center. This is effective action.
