Taijiquan & Daoyin

May 20, 2012 is the “Day of Full Grain” 小满 (Xiǎo mǎn) . From this day on, barley and wheat begin to ripen. The grains become fuller and fuller every day, but are not completely full yet. On the Day of Full Grain, Chinese people have the tradition of eating wild vegetables 野菜(yě cài) to celebrate. Although Grain Fills means that the harvest will come soon, it is a time when the new crop is still growing and the old one has all been consumed. Have you ever eaten wild vegetables 野菜(yě cài)?

Also see the corresponding Qigong exercise @ http://www.weiqi.nl/daoyin/chenxiyi.htm

It’s April now and spring is back. The weather is getting warmer and warmer and many flowers 花(huā) are blooming. In Chinese, there is a beautiful phrase to describe this view: 春暖花开(chūn nuǎn huā kāi) , can you guess what this idiom means? Yes, it’s really a season of 春暖花开..

In Chinese tradition every year is dedicated to a specific animal. In Chinese horoscope there are twelve animals of this tradition are the rat (Chinese language: 鼠,pinyin: shǔ) ox (牛 – niú), tiger (虎 – hǔ), rabbit ( 兔 – tù), dragon (龙 – lóng), snake (蛇 – shé), horse (马 – mǎ), lamb (羊 – yáng), monkey ( 猴 – hóu), rooster (鸡 – jī), dog ( 狗 – gǒu) and boar (猪 – zhū). Each of these animals is thought in China to bestow certain personality traits on people born in that year. According to the Chinese zodiac, the Dragon is welcomed back in 2012 after the year of the Rabbit.

People born in the year of the Dragon are said to share certain characteristics. Occupying the 5th position in the Chinese Zodiac (Chinese language: 中国生肖, pinyin: Zhōngguó shēngxiào), the Dragon is the mightiest of the signs.The Dragon is regarded as a divine beast.  It is said to be the deliverer of good fortune and a master of authority, earning those who are born in the Dragon year honor and respect. Dragons are the free spirits of the zodiac.  They are known to be extroverted bundles of energy.  They are almost inevitably successful because they exhibit confidence and show fearlessness in the face of adversity. They’re passionate in all they do and they do everything on a grand scale.

The year of the Dragon is traditionally marked by excitement, unpredictability and intensity. However, of all the five dragon years – metal, water, wood, fire, earth – (Chinese language: 金，水，木，火，土，pinyin:  jīn, shuǐ, mù, huǒ, tǔ) this Chinese New Year ushers in the Water Dragon. Chinese Dragon years tend to magnify both success and failures. The year of the Fire Dragon traditionally wreaks the most havoc. So what influence will the water have on the powerful energies of a Dragon year? Like all Dragons, the water dragon is an innovative and fearless leader however the Water dragon is noted for its calm, visionary intelligence and is far more sensitive to others needs. Since the water exerts a calming influence on the dragon’s innate fire, the Water Dragon will act wisely and is much more willing to set aside his ego for the good of all.

Chinese traditions suggest that a child born in the year of the Dragon is a natural leader and the icon of China’s emperors symbolizes power (Chinese language: 权利, pinyin: Quánlì) and wealth (Chinese language: 财富, pinyin: Cáifù). Because it is an especially auspicious year, it’s predicted that China’s birth rate will increase by five percent. That means makers of baby products can expect lucrative business opportunities from the Dragon year baby boom.

Dragons are compatible with the Monkey or Rat and incompatible with the Ox and Goat. Dragons tend to fall in and out of love quickly. Their charisma and charm tend to attract people, whose attention they crave. They are most likely to settle down when they meet  a partner who is strong enough to keep up with the Dragon’s flamboyant and, at times, stubborn sensibilities.

Famous Dragon celebrities include John Lennon (Chinese language: 约翰列侬, pinyin: Yuēhàn liènóng), Al Pacino (Chinese language: 艾尔帕西诺, pinyin: àiěr pàxīnuò) and Matt Dillon (Chinese language: 马特狄龙, pinyin: mǎtè dílóng).

All in all, the 2012 Water Dragon (Chinese language: 水龙, pinyin: Shuǐlóng) year is likely to bestow the Chinese Five Blessings of harmony, virtue, riches, fulfillment and longevity. Which just adds fuel to the Dragons fire that this Dragon year is about breakthrough and not burnouts.

中国结(Zhōng guó jié) Chinese Decorative Knotting

As a means of artistic decoration, the art of knotting 中国结(Zhōng guó jié) is an ancient Chinese handicraft that dates as far back as the Tang Dynasty (CE 618-907). The most commonly used knotting material in China is silk and comes in a variety of bright colors. However, since red being the luckiest color in China being that it symbolizes good luck and a long and prosperous life, it is used the most. Besides being used as a hanging decoration in the home and as an adornment to articles of clothing, examples of Chinese Decorative Knotting range from articles of jewelry (rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces, as well as small pendants that hang on bracelets and necklaces) to actual articles of clothing such as buttons and belts. Do you have any 中国结(Zhōng guó jié)?

Among the various calligraphy tools used in Chinese calligraphy, the writing brush 毛笔 (máo bǐ) is special to China. It represents one of the “four treasures of the study,” the others being paper, ink and ink stone. A brush comprises of two parts: the head and shaft. The head is made of goat, wolf, rat or rabbit hair, which is softer than bamboo, a pencil, quill or ballpoint pen. The shaft is made of bamboo, wood, lacquer and porcelain, as well as some precious materials, including mother-of-pearl inlays, ivory and jade. Without the writing brush, Chinese painting and calligraphy could not have achieved such distinct features, and thus would not have enjoyed such great success around the world.