The movement of the human body is generated by the conversion of empty (xu) and full (shi) states in various symmetrical parts. This conversion is the source of all movement. For example, when walking, the two feet must continuously alternate between empty and full states. At the same time, the parts of the body exerting force, such as the hands and the upper and lower body, must symmetrically coordinate with the conversion of the feet’s empty and full states to maintain overall stability and coordination while moving forward. Without this series of conversions, there can be no movement.
The same action can yield different results depending on how individuals handle the empty and full states. In other words, only with proper handling of these states can movements be flexible, smooth, and effortless; otherwise, they will become stiff and laborious, leading to a lack of control. Therefore, how to manage the empty and full states becomes a crucial aspect of martial arts practice.
In Tai Chi, each movement not only requires a clear distinction between empty and full but also demands that this distinction be appropriately managed. However, even if the postures appear standard and the training has reached a level of dynamic stabilization, it does not necessarily indicate that the handling of empty and full states is correct; the answer remains uncertain.
Some individuals may seem skilled in push hands, making no mistakes, yet they are constantly passive and unsteady. They often blame their leg strength, but the more critical issue lies in the improper handling of empty and full states. Of course, physical strength is an important factor in winning combat, but if the empty and full states are not managed correctly, physical strength cannot be fully utilized. The common phenomenon where physically stronger young adults cannot defeat weaker elderly individuals serves as proof of this.
Empty and full are relative concepts, primarily distinguished by the tension level of the muscles. The term ‘full’ refers to a state of muscle tension, while ’empty’ refers to a relaxed state or a tension level that is less than that of the corresponding full part. Tai Chi stipulates that both tension and relaxation should not reach extreme levels; as stated in the Tai Chi classics, ’empty is not entirely without strength, and full is not entirely rigid.’
Complete relaxation, akin to extreme slackness, results in a loss of agility in movement; complete rigidity leads to joints becoming stiff, making movement feel like a machine lacking lubrication, resulting in significant resistance. Therefore, exceeding certain limits of tension and relaxation not only fails to achieve the differentiation of empty and full in Tai Chi but also becomes a prohibition.
Six Groups of Empty and Full Distribution
In a macro sense, Tai Chi requires a clear distinction between empty and full in at least the following six groups of symmetrical parts: 1. Two feet; 2. Two hands; 3. Right foot and right hand; 4. Left foot and left hand; 5. Chest and abdomen; 6. Front and back.
During movement, the empty and full states of the feet and hands are constantly changing, but regardless of how they change, the principles of the above distribution must not be violated. Specifically, the lower feet must differentiate between empty and full, the upper hands must differentiate between empty and full, the left side must differentiate between empty and full, and the right side must differentiate between empty and full. For instance, if the right hand is full, then the left hand and right foot should be empty, while the left foot is full; conversely, if the left foot is empty, then the right foot and left hand should be full, and the right hand should be empty. This way, with both upper and lower, left and right having empty and full states, it is beneficial for maintaining balance and supporting in all directions.
The empty and full states of the chest and abdomen primarily manifest internally, requiring the internal organs in the abdomen to relax and naturally hang down, creating a state of ‘chest empty and abdomen full,’ referred to in the Tai Chi classics as ‘qi sinking to the dantian.’ The front and back require the front to be empty and the back to be full, which is referred to as ‘containing the chest and lifting the back’ in the classics.
Of course, during movement, the degree of ‘chest empty and abdomen full’ and ‘front empty and back full’ is not constant but must change according to the needs of exertion. However, this change is not the same as the conversion of the empty and full states of the feet and hands; it merely reflects variations in the degree of emptiness and fullness, sometimes greater and sometimes lesser.
During exhalation and exertion, the fullness of the abdomen and back increases, while the emptiness of the chest and front also correspondingly increases. Conversely, during inhalation and accumulation of strength, the opposite occurs; at this time, the chest becomes fuller due to inhalation, while the fullness of the abdomen and back naturally decreases. However, the state of ‘chest empty and abdomen full’ and ‘front empty and back full’ must not transform into ‘chest full and abdomen empty’ and ‘front full and back empty.’
Having an empty chest and a full back is beneficial for maintaining the center of gravity and stabilizing the stance; having an empty front and a full back helps maintain the state of ‘chest empty and abdomen full’ and also aids in utilizing the powerful strength of the back muscles. Simultaneously, due to the empty chest, the movements of the arms gain full freedom.
Embedding Fullness Within Emptiness and Emptiness Within Fullness
Under the macro principle of differentiating empty and full, there is also a requirement for micro differentiation. A skilled practitioner not only distinguishes between empty and full in the feet and hands but also within a single hand, where the forearm and upper arm have their own empty and full states. The joints such as the shoulder (root), elbow (branch), wrist, and fingers (leaves) also have distinctions between their outer (yang) and inner (yin) sides; similarly, within a single foot, the leg, shin, and foot, as well as the hip (root), knee (branch), and toes (leaves) also have distinctions between their front (yang) and back (yin) sides. This applies to both full hands and feet, as well as empty hands and feet, and is true for the trunk in all directions.
The deeper the skill, the finer the micro differentiation of empty and full becomes. When moving, every part of the body is in motion, demonstrating the concept of embedding fullness within emptiness and emptiness within fullness, leading to endless transformations.
As stated in the Tai Chi classics, ’empty and full should be clearly distinguished; there is one empty and one full in every part, and everywhere there is this distinction.’ The Tai Chi diagram is half yin and half yang, forming a complete circle, while the yin half is also half yin and half yang, and the yang half is likewise half yang and half yin. Small yin and yang combine to form large yin and yang, and large yin and yang combine to form the total yin and yang, culminating in Tai Chi. Yin and yang represent empty and full. The state of empty and full in Tai Chi movements is quite analogous to the Tai Chi diagram.
Micro differentiation of empty and full plays a crucial role in the flexibility of movements and the stability of stances during the application of energy and exertion. Those with profound skills invariably exhibit meticulous micro differentiation and clever application.
However, this differentiation and its conversion do not follow the same rules as the macro differentiation of empty and full, as it is always subject to the specific martial application. Especially in combat practice, where situations can change unpredictably, adapting to the rapidly changing micro empty and full states and their conversions is naturally very complex. In reality, this skill can only be understood and refined through continuous practice.
Light, Heavy, Floating, Sinking, and Empty and Full
During movement, the hands and feet are the most active, and their empty and full states significantly affect the outcome of the movement. The Tai Chi classics summarize their empty and full states into twelve categories using the terms light, heavy, floating, and sinking: double light, double heavy, double floating, double sinking, half light half heavy, slightly light slightly heavy, half floating half sinking, slightly floating slightly sinking, half light slightly light, half heavy slightly heavy, half floating slightly floating, and half sinking slightly sinking. Among these, double light, double sinking, and half light half heavy are considered qualified, while the other nine are pathological states.
Light and floating are both empty, but they differ in degree; light is emptiness embedded with fullness, containing micro empty and full states, thus allowing for smooth transitions; floating is excessive emptiness, to the point of being entirely without strength, leading to a lack of grounding. Heavy and sinking are both full, but they also differ in degree; sinking is fullness embedded with emptiness, possessing both rigidity and softness; heavy is excessive fullness, to the point of being entirely rigid, severely losing flexibility. Therefore, qualified emptiness is light, not floating; qualified fullness is sinking, not heavy.
Qualified Empty and Full
Half light half heavy primarily manifests in the differentiation of empty and full in the feet. In a standing human body, weight is borne by the two feet, with the foot bearing most or all of the weight being full, while the other foot is naturally empty. Tai Chi requires that the full foot should not be overly full, and the empty foot should not be overly empty; specifically, the weight distribution between the two feet should be between six to four and eight to two for it to be appropriate. At this time, the full foot can still embody emptiness, and the empty foot can also embody fullness, allowing for grounding and flexible transitions, which is referred to as the half light half heavy state. If the weight distribution between the two feet reaches nine to one or even greater disparity, it will become pathological states of slightly light slightly heavy or slightly floating slightly sinking.
The degree of empty and full is primarily grasped through internal body sensations, but external postures can also be regulated. For instance, the half light half heavy state requires adherence to two points: (1) When stepping into a bow stance, the knee of the front leg should not extend beyond the toes, and the main point of contact should be on the heel, meaning the entire foot is grounded, with the heel being full and the toes being empty; simultaneously, the back leg should not be fully straightened, and the knee joint should retain a certain degree of bend to maintain the potential for exertion, with the point of contact also being on the heel, and the toes being empty. (2) When stepping back into an empty stance, the hip should not retreat into the range of the back foot, and the tailbone should be kept aligned. The front foot is empty, but the knee should not be fully extended, maintaining some support.
Double light and double sinking—during movement, the feet and hands often exhibit equal or slightly differing degrees of empty and full states, as seen in the Tai Chi forms such as the starting posture, cross hands, and horse stance. Additionally, there will inevitably be a moment during the transition between two forms where this occurs. So, is this a pathological state of lacking differentiation? Not necessarily. Because this appearance can represent both double heavy and double floating pathological states, as well as double light and double sinking skilled states.
Double light refers to both feet being empty and both hands also being empty, but it occurs in a state of standing upright and comfortably. The upper body is light and buoyant, while the lower body is grounded and stable, with the middle being empty in the chest and full in the abdomen, resulting in an overall lightness. The two arms are connected at the shoulders, with the hands maintaining their strength and being able to adhere and move freely, while the two feet follow naturally, providing a solid foundation and agility. Thus, it is one of the main skilled states in Tai Chi.
Double sinking, while similar in appearance to double light, differs in that the center of gravity is lowered, resulting in both feet being fully grounded. At this time, the abdomen becomes more solid (referred to in the classics as ‘qi sinking to the dantian’). Since this solidity is formed on the basis of relaxation in the upper body, it embodies emptiness within fullness, and in coordination with both hands being empty, it results in an upper body that is empty and a lower body that is full, with the middle being aligned and agile, which is also referred to in the classics as ‘self-raising emptiness,’ and is another skilled state.
Unqualified Empty and Full
The most common pathological states are double heavy and slightly light slightly heavy or slightly floating slightly sinking. Double heavy refers to both feet being full and both hands also being full, which inevitably affects the middle body, causing it to become solid, resulting in the entire body becoming rigid and losing flexibility in movement. At this point, regardless of which part of the body is touched by an external force, it will be unable to yield, and any movement will affect the entire body, which is a serious pathological state.
Slightly light slightly heavy refers to the situation where the feet are differentiated between empty and full, but the full side is overly full, and the empty side is overly empty, often due to the center of gravity being excessively shifted to one side. At this point, not only will the empty foot lack grounding, but the heavy foot will also be affected during movement, leading to instability.
Having the right hand and right foot both full while the left hand and left foot are both empty, or vice versa, is another manifestation of slightly light slightly heavy, resulting in one side of the body being excessively heavy and the other side excessively light, akin to standing on one leg or using one hand, which is detrimental to maintaining balance.
However, this phenomenon is quite common, as seen in forms such as single whip, fan through the back, and piercing palm, and it is often necessary in combat practice. Therefore, special attention must be paid to ensure that the center of gravity does not shift excessively. The full side must remain grounded without becoming heavy, and while the hands may be full, they should avoid sinking and instead be lifted, keeping the middle body in a state of lightness.
Thus, with both upper and lower being full and the middle being empty, maintaining the principle of ‘guarding emptiness within fullness’ avoids the pathological state of excessive heaviness; simultaneously, the empty side must ensure that both hands and feet are empty but not floating, thus still meeting the requirements of the half light half heavy skilled state.
From the above nine pathological states, it is evident that they all arise from being excessive (the center of gravity excessively shifted to one side), heavy (fullness to the point of rigidity), and floating (emptiness to the point of being entirely without strength). In any case of excessive, heavy, or floating states, it will inevitably lead to a lack of differentiation between empty and full, let alone micro differentiation. Therefore, to master the correct empty and full states, one must always maintain balance and agility, avoiding excessive shifts, excessive heaviness, and excessive lightness.
Of course, these skills are quite intricate, and the difference between skilled and pathological states is often only a matter of millimeters, yet can lead to significant errors. Additionally, the formation of skilled states is closely related to other principles of Tai Chi practice; thus, without a solid foundation in internal skills and extensive practical experience, it is challenging to achieve proficiency.
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