How many of us have really met teachers who can truly utilize this principle in push hands?
There seem to be many masters who can throw students around effortlessly, but how often do you see an opponent who is truly committed to pushing a teacher over, only to have their force really brushed aside without strength .
It’s an easy thing to say “si liang bo qian jin” – “4 ounces overcomes 1000 pounds” but to actually achieve it?
I feel Master Dong Bin (you can see him on our website and link to YouTube video footage of him pushing hands) has mastered this principle.
He says that to attain this feeling, first one must feel that they are as fragile as an egg, this way when the opponent comes to push/attack you, you will not try to meet his force, as this will “break” you.
An egg is strong when we don’t crack it or use force against it or push it into a solid object.
If we first think of ourselves as this very fragile thing and not let the opponent grab us or our power, then we are on the way to understanding the classic principle.
But if we insist on meeting the opponent’s force or resisting it, then we are still using force against force, which is not the methodology of Taiji Quan.