In the book, Chronicles of TAO: The Secret Life of a Taoist Master, Deng Ming-Dao writes about his master, Kwan Saihung, and his life growing up in China and eventually moving to the United States. The book is a semi-historical novel, and it’s not always clear which parts are fantasy and which parts are actual events–but in any case there are many truths to be gleaned from the book.

In particular, I like the author’s description of Tai Chi, in which he writes:

• Other styles had features that were outwardly apparent….Taiji, however, could only be appreciated by the person doing it. So much of its qualities lay within the mysterious arrangement of its movements, the slowness that encouraged healthy circulation, the deep breathing that became automatic when the postures were done correctly. What was hidden in Taiji was the secret that only the practitioners knew: Energy could be circulated in a special way if one took the trouble to keep certain alignments of the body.
• These alignments were a straight back, rounded shoulders, pelvis tilted upward, head straight, feet firmly planted, and body relaxed. This simple set of concordances set the gates of the body open; and if one had not clogged the pathways of the body by poor diet or indiscreet living, the energy would spontaneously move on its own. The first thought in the first posture set it into motion. Throughout the rest of the movements, it would flow on its own. No ordinary person could see this on the outside, but inside, the practitioner could feel the movement and enjoy the sensation of life force itself. By relaxing and letting go, he gained everything. He loved feeling the movement deep beneath his skin.
• Here in the process of Taiji was the sensation of life itself. It was not just blood flow. It was not just the simple tingling of nerves. It was the unmistakable feeling that a force was flowing like a tide throughout the body. Not only did this force leave one feeling fresh, alert, and renewed, but it also responded to consciousness.
• The quality that made him a living human being was not simple energy like electricity from a socket. It was something more subtle, more complex. It would respond to his thoughts, and it could be disrupted by his thoughts. That was why there was meditation. The more focused one’s thinking was, the more one could direct and learn from the forces within.
• When the energy flowed, the channels were purified, the organs were regulated, and the subtle channels of the nervous system were cleansed. Consciousness had set the universe in motion. The motion in Taiji did the opposite. It could affect the consciousness of the individual. Both sides of the body were moving, the eyes were following the hands, the spine was continuously being rotated and stimulated, and it was inevitable that both sides of the brain would be opened at the same time. All of this happened through the gentle movements of a set of more than one hundred postures. (435-437)

This description really rings true for me. With an internal martial art such as Tai Chi, there’s a lot that happens underneath the surface, a lot that is not apparent to an untrained observer. With external martial arts and other forms of exercise/movement, it’s clear how muscular development etc. comes into play. But the power in Tai Chi doesn’t depend on having well-conditioned muscles. The awareness and manipulation of internal energy flow is crucial.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it, not only for nuggets such as the description above, but also for the thrilling adventures that Kwan Saihung experienced as portrayed in the text.