T'ai-Chi San-Shou

Yang Style Tai-Chi's two person form is called San-Shou. San means free and shou means hand. Sometimes called Miscellaneous Combat, Master  T.T.Liang called it the "Two-Person Dance." or just the "dance." Created by Yang Chien-hou, only those in his lineage taught or knew this form.

San-Shou teaches the applications for the Solo Form postures, the Five Elements of Sticking Energy, the Yang's 18 lines for attack, as well as territory and distance.  San-Shou also teaches the three parts of a technique: Hua-Neutralize ,Na-Hold,Da-strike.

Master Liang taught that when the three parts are done separaely you are dancing with your partner, taking turns and not stepping on their feet. When they are combined into one movement, they become a knockout or knockdown. In my classes, we would take one technique and practice it with three separate parts. Then we would combine the defense and control. Finally we would make it all one movement by adding the attack. Liang called this one-step sparring. Making your movement one-step with three parts put together.

Master Liang learned his San-Shou from Masters Hsiung Yan-hou and Shi Diao-mei.  When learning from Mr. Hsiung, Liang had to live in Hsiung's house, meditate daily,sleep on the floor, and eat vegetarian meals because Hsiung was a devout Buddhist.

I will post a version of myself performing the complete version with Master Liang in an upcoming blog. But for now, here are a few examples and versions. Enjoy!

Samhuinn 2015

Amazing ritual at the stone circle in the Cowling Arb at Carleton College. North read this poem-

I am not I.

                   I am this one

walking beside me whom I do not see,

whom at times I manage to visit,

and whom at other times I forget;

who remains calm and silent while I talk,

and forgives, gently, when I hate,

who walks where I am not,

who will remain standing when I die."

 

by Juan Ramon Jimenez

trans by Robert Bly 

The weather and rite were amazing and the cold winds blew when the ancestors were near!

The Cailleach!!!!!

 I am filled with love for my ancestors and my grove-lings!!!!!

A fitting guest blogger for today!

                                                  "Uncle" Archie Hayward 1885-1984

Here is an excerpt from a contribution to an article about the 200th anniversary of Lynnfield, where I grew up and where my line of Hayward's lived for decades. Here is Archie talking about how my Great Grandfather, Alfred, started the family tonic business, that's soda pop for non-New Englanders!
-Ray

My grandfather,Alfred Hayward founded Hayward's Beverages after aquiring formulas from Westford, MA. My father, Lilley B. Hayward, helped solicit buisness for him, and the operation grew to be a very well known business in this area.

My father was a milk dealer and bought his milk in Lynnfield and many surrounding towns. My father's standards of quality and cleanliness, which annoyed some, earned him his successful business. One time a group of Lynnfield farmers were brought to court for a complaint that that area watered down the milk. The case was dismissed when my father Lilley stood up and stated that he had two brooks running through his property and he had no control over how much his cattle drank!!

(Thanks Patty and John!)