Chansi Jin (Silk Reeling Power)
I dropped by to see George Xu yesterday and he gave me this great list of the seven levels of Chansijin.
- Like a Three-Section Staff.
- Like a Rope.
- Like a Snake.
- The Dantian becomes a perfect ball that rolls in all directions.
- The Outside and Inside move together.
- Sense of space moves the body.
- The mind spirals. (Only the opponent feels the spiral.)
Chansijin is closely associated with Chen Style Taijiquan, but the idea of spiraling the joints is common to most internal martial arts. Chen Style has spun-off its own qigong system called Chansigong (silk reeling work). The metaphor here is the act of transferring a silk cocoon to a spool by pulling just a single filament (strand) of silk out of the cocoon. The filament is gently attached to the spool and then the spool is slowly and continuously turned. Once you have many spools of filament silk, they can be spun together into a very strong thread, which can be made into fabric.
When I studied with Zhang Xuexin he liked to call this same practice “making noodles” which mixed the metaphors of pulling and twisting with the resulting looseness.
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This is pretty fascinating. I’ve never heard any of this. But it’s said that there are many things you’re only going to learn about from a master, and I’ve never spoken directly with a Chen master.
I’m curious about the basic difference between “2″ and “3″.
I’m blown away (but maybe shouldn’t be surprised) that there are 3 levels above #4.
Thanks for posting this!
Of course, these 7 levels are just short hand for the transmitions themselves which must be felt.
#2 is the hydrolic quality of the body, push one arm down and the other arm goes up. The limbs connect together through clear alighnment focused on circulation- a feeling of fullness. Twisted, round, and fluid squishiness.
#3 is much more effective than #2 for power transmission. The twisting is deeper and the spiraling between the different types of jin is seamless, unbroken.
In my opinion the levels above #4 are older technologies, originally associated with trance and sacrefice. However, without the solid training of the first 4, the “higher levels” will shorten your life.
Not a good recommendation for attempting short-cuts to esoteric skills! :-/
But from my own limited understanding, the warning makes sense.
Your informed speculation that the higher (or more advanced, subtle, weird, etc.) levels were developed earlier in history, and the body-skills refinement foundations came later, is very interesting. This is the really cool side of MA study. Besides the form itself, it was the antique-ness of Chen practice that attracted me to want to know more. Thanks for the further explanation!
Some information about the functional connection (from heels to wrist) and the concept of Chansi Jin would make me happy. Also examples how to practice like in Yun Qi Fa, Taiji Bamen, Shen Xin Xie Tiao Fa ….