WUJI

 by Phillip Starr

At the beginning of a Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, or Baguazhang form, there is a time when the practitioner stands still, seemingly doing nothing. This is actually a posture known as “Wuji.” I consider it to be one of the most critical, if not THE most important posture of the set. Just what it and what does the word mean?

Wuji (無極)"limitless; infinite" is a compound of “wu”, which means "without; not have; there is not; nothing, nothingness" and “ji”, which translates as "ridgepole; roof ridge; highest/utmost point; extreme; earth's pole; reach the end; attain; exhaust". In analogy with the figurative meanings of English “pole", Chinese “ji” can mean "; geographic pole, direction" (e.g., four corners of the earth; the ends of the earth).

According to Taoist philosophy, wuji is what existed prior to the creation of yin and yang (negative and positive polarities, respectively). It gave birth to yin and yang (maybe this is referring to the “big bang”) and consequently, the 10,000 things (in old Chinese language, the term “10,000” refers to a number that is limitless).

But what does this have to do with practicing a martial discipline? In the beginning of each set the mind is to be calmed and the body must relax (the correct Chinese term is “song”). Tension is consciously released and allowed to (figuratively) pour out the soles of the feet and into the ground, This sets the tone for the remainder of the form, which is why I place such importance on it.

At this point, with the mind calmed, the breath dropped into the lower abdomen (dantien), and the body properly relaxed (remember, it is “song” as opposed to being what I call “damp rag” relaxed), there is (great) potential. And that's how I see Wuji; it contains POTENTIAL, which is something that cannot be weighed, measured, or held in the hand. And this potential gives birth to yin and yang (which also can't be seen or measured because they are not “things”; they are abstract constructs). Any unnecessary tension – mental or physical – will block much or all of the potential contained within the posture. Relax and let the form begin itself...