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There are several ways that peripheral visual awareness is trained in Taijiquan (太極拳). For example, during push-hands (推手 tui shou) and fighting practice, schools often teach a “soft focus” on the partner or opponent’s chest. Some schools practice keeping their nose vertically above their navel, avoiding turning their heads during solo forms practice, but keeping awareness of the movements of their hands and feet; other schools turn their heads while having their eyes softly follow the direction of their lead hand. Some direct their gaze to the horizon.

In both solo and interactive practices, we want to train to have a “wide-angle” vision such that we have awareness of the whole body, from the hands to the feet.  The “binocular” vision of humans is good for focusing both eyes on an object, enabling accurate depth perception, but sacrifices peripheral awareness. Our eyes are not as wide set as in prey species, like rabbits, where safety requires a wide visual awareness so that predators do not sneak up on them.

While humans are not capable of seeing behind us (rabbits can see almost 360° horizontally), we should be able to have visual awareness of about 180-200° horizontally and 125-135° vertically. About 60-70° of the horizontal visual field does not have binocular vision since only one eye can see those parts of the field. Our field of view narrows considerably when we focus intently on a single object, the so called “tunnel vision.”

A 1996 article by Steve Gallop, O.D. (J. Behavioral Optometry, 7(6):151-155) presents a case for the importance of human peripheral visual awareness, and I will extensively use information from it for this article. He gives the following definition: “Peripheral visual awareness will be considered as the ability to be cognizant of, though not distracted by, a significant amount of space/time volume relative to the particular setting and task at hand.”

More simply, peripheral vision is what we can see “at a glance,” or everything we see that we are not looking at directly. It can be viewed as being like a spider in the center of its web, sensing the entire web without focusing directly on any specific place until something touches the web.

The ability to have a wide field of visual awareness, without becoming distracted, is something that needs practice. We want to avoid tunnel vision or being overly focused on a primary detail. If we are paying too much attention to a partner/opponent’s hands, for example, we may miss knowing when they threaten us with a kick, or noticing when they are preparing to take a step.

Gallop states that “…it is the nature of our culture that emphasis is placed on the small details, not the big picture; on outcome, not process; on stasis, not change. Central/foveal vision is about static details and outcomes. Peripheral vision is about movement and process, and it is involved with detecting and understanding the big picture – the context and changes in our environment. It represents the bulk of what our world demands that we process visually.” This information on peripheral vision fits well with Taijiquan’s emphasis on change and movement.

Central vision and hard focus are more about reaching out for information, whereas peripheral vision and soft focus are more about receiving information, letting information come to us. This receptiveness should be accompanied by alert awareness since we do not want to reach the stage where we lose interest (“zone out”); we should be aware of when we stop letting new information in.

When we practice from-contact interactions in Taijiquan, we lessen the need for vision to be the dominant information gatherer; we now get much of our information from the sense of touch (e.g., mechanoreceptors and proprioceptors) which often becomes primary. This allows us to relax and soften the eyes, and allow our peripheral vision to increase in importance. Rather than focusing on one or two things, soft focus allows us to take in more information.

Gallop states “It is well accepted that 20% of the fibers that make up the optic nerve go directly to the so-called lower (postural) centers in the brain rather than to visual centers, as do the other 80%. However, those 20% represent up to 80% of the area of the retina – the peripheral retina. Apparently a large amount of visual information has little to do with ‘seeing’ per se, but very much to do with being.”

Peripheral vision helps aid balance; those who have tried performing their solo forms while keeping their eyes closed will realize this. While the inner ear’s vestibular system is more critical for our sense of balance, vision does play a part. Peripheral vision is what places us into the context of our surroundings, a sense of orientation and our relationship with gravity, and this may be why balance can be affected when we move with closed eyes, although the inner ear will quickly compensate with practice.

While wide angle awareness may have evolutionary importance in protecting us from danger, modern society has trained many people to limit our visual capabilities. Gallop states: “We are typically taught early in school that we must block out all distractions and concentrate entirely on the task at hand. We quickly learn to narrow our focus to a small volume of space/time in order to carry out our required duties. This type of behavior is not innate and, in fact, requires considerable effort to achieve. Nonetheless, with repetition this becomes an automatic behavior, one that is likely to manifest any time we are engaged in some demanding task…”

As martial artists, we need to practice to overcome this behavior that has become automatic for many of us. We need to practice having a soft focus, a wide angle vision. As an optometrist, Gallop found that “While it is not at all a simple matter to maintain optimal peripheral awareness at all times, it is surprisingly easy to enhance this function enough to make a meaningful difference in overall visual performance.

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I haven’t been training in Chen Old Frame for very long, so when I had the opportunity to train with a Chen Master (Chen Bing) I knew that this would be the opportunity of a lifetime. My taiji instructor, the senior students, and I attended a seminar at Master Ling’s Oriental Martial Arts, in Noblesville, Indiana, on June 2-4. Dr. Zhichao Ling was a gracious host with a beautiful school. He helped to teach the lessons that Master Bing was instructing us on.

The first lesson was on a short 13 form Chen form. With each lesson, from form to push hands, to silk reeling exercises, he instructed us with such a calm, demeanor. “Enjoy breathing” he would tell us, reminding us that breathing is one of the first, and most important lessons. I also learned that breathing was an often neglected lesson. As fellow tai chi practitioners, as well as martial artists, I am certain that many of you have had lessons in appropriate breathing technique. Even though the 13 form isn’t very long, it is still a complex form. My tai chi training group is still working on it. The form work was followed by silk reeling, an art form that helps to refine one’s movements. It was during this time where I felt as if I was moving through water. The deceptively simplistic movement of silk reeling exercises grew to be complex the more we trained in it. Working for hours on tai chi form and silk reeling exercises, tired the arms, which made them heavy. Making the arms “heavy” was an excellent tactic for pushing hands (the training that we did on the last day of the seminar).

The latter portion of the seminar dealt with practical applications and pushing hands. Using silk reeling in pushing hands and seeing how the form work, breathing exercises, and silk reeling translated quite seamlessly into the martial application (fending off opponents, upsetting the balance of those with whom we are training with in pushing hands techniques, etc.) was quite an enlightening learning experience. Of course, my taiji group was quite fascinated with the applications portion of the seminar. We were often seen throwing each other to the ground, and getting back up trying the maneuver again.

For me, I saw this as a different teaching style. The form work was done standing the entire hour, with lots of repetition. Master Chen Bing spoke with a calm, almost hypnotic, voice. The way he drew out the word “Relax”, almost lulled me into a meditative trance. On many occasions, we heard the loud slap of the collective group dropping our hands to our sides, letting them slap along our thighs. And once our arms got heavy, we would work on the form again. Constantly, he referred to having “heavy hands”. It was quite interesting to see him use those “heavy hands” in application. Sinking the body and applying the “heavy hands” could be used as a strike or a throw. Seeing what we learned on day one (form and silk reeling) being used on day two (martial applications and pushing hands) taught me that even the smallest of movements and seemingly innocuous of hand/arm positions, can be very crucial in self-defense techniques.

Since the seminar, I find myself working a lot with the 13 forms and silk reeling. I also find myself using the “heavy hands” techniques that I learned during this seminar to relax and warm up. One of the most important take-aways from any seminar would be to continue to practice. Otherwise, you risk losing the wealth of knowledge that is gained at events such as this.

As with any seminar, the training that one receives at an event such as this can only be effective if the lessons are practiced afterwards. My colleagues and I have used many of the lessons that we have learned in our continued training together. I know that I still train in the Chen 13 form on my own. I also have been helping out with a children’s taiji class where we the young students are learning this form. The silk reeling and pushing hands techniques that we have worked with are still a part of my training and the taiji group that I am a part of.

I have learned a lot from Master Chen Bing and Dr. Zhichao Ling. The session has taught me that there are many different components to the internal martial arts (and taiji in particular). Just like any other martial art, it is important to understand how your body works with the art instead of trying to bend to the art (or vice versa). One just needs to be receptive to the teachings and open to the experience of the training and it will enhance you as a martial artist and even as a person.

Taijiquan (太極拳) strives to train fighting skills that don’t rely on “inherent natural abilities” like strength and speed, as indicated in the classic attributed to Yang Banhou (楊班侯) [translated by Paul Brennan]:

“There are many other schools of martial arts besides this one. Although the postures are different between them, they generally do not go beyond the strong bullying the weak and the slow yielding to the fast. The strong beating the weak and the slow submitting to the fast are both a matter of inherent natural ability and bear no relation to skill that is learned. Examine the phrase ‘four ounces moves a thousand pounds’, which is clearly not a victory obtained through strength. Or consider the sight of an old man repelling a group, which could not come from an aggressive speed.”

The concept of “four ounces moves a thousand pounds” indicates that size differences should not matter for someone skilled in the art of Taijiquan. Zheng Manqing/Cheng Manching (郑曼青) explains this principle using the analogy of leading a cow by using a cord passing through its nose: http://www.rockymountaintaichi.com/zmq-13-13-12

Although we don’t interact with training partners and opponents using body parts analogous to a cow’s sensitive nose, the analogy does emphasize the quality of leading a large or powerful partner/opponent without using much effort. But how do we translate this principle into practice?

What skills do we learn that would allow us to control someone larger and heavier (more massive) than us? Since F=ma (Newton’s second law of motion), it is clear that mass (“m”) does increase force (“F”), as does speed (or acceleration “a”). Even though a larger (or faster) person may generate greater force, how do we minimize the effectiveness or impact of that force when used against our training?

The analogy of leading (牽 qian) the cow requires the rope to connect the person with the nose of the cow. Without that connection, the cow is free to act independently from the person. In order to lead a large force, we need to maintain our connection to that force. One also does not bang into the cow’s nose, nor does one suddenly jerk on the rope; to lead the force of a partner/opponent, one cannot crash into nor separate from them.

We train to control a partner/opponent through contact. This is an important difference from most striking arts. Striking arts often bounce into and out of range, trying to keep a safe distance except when closing to strike. In Taijiquan it is important to stick and adhere, connect and follow (粘黏連隨 zhan nian lian sui) and to avoid crashing against or separating from them (顶匾丢抗 ding bian dui kang).

Ideally, we want to be able to strike, throw, lock, etc. from contact, which can require power to be expressed with very little or no windup and in a very short distance. This power generation is different than is typically seen in striking arts, which commonly use windups and longer distances to generate the acceleration that increases the strike’s power.

Our typical strategy is to gain control of the partner/opponent, through our contact with them, prior to striking them. If their stability is compromised, then it is difficult for them to defend against our attacks, or to counterattack. Furthermore, the power that can be released by an unstable partner/opponent is typically significantly lessened compared to when they are stable.

Striking arts commonly use avoidance, bobbing and weaving, covering, or retreating out of range, sometimes entering a clinch to get inside the opponent’s ideal striking range, etc. Taijiquan includes a different strategy that is closer to the idea of rolling with the punches; but instead of it being merely defensive in intent, we try to use this contact for controlling the partner/opponent and setting up counterattacks.

Rolling with the punches can be like a matador leading a powerful bull off target. One leads the partner/opponent to exert their power where they think a target is, but the “target” being insubstantial, like the matador’s cape. This is referred to as leading into emptiness (空 kong). One can also lead into emptiness by moving offline of the attack, or by guiding (leading) the attack off-target. If an attack fails to impact a target, then it does not matter how big its force is. When missing, their momentum makes them susceptible to counterattacks.

The acceleration used for typical strikes produces momentum, the direction of which is often difficult to change freely, smoothly or quickly. It is the partner/opponent’s momentum that we can train to take advantage of. If they commit energy in a particular direction, then we may be able to use their intent to lead them astray and to set up counterattacks.

When making the partner/opponent’s power miss, it is best to use the minimal amount of force that is sufficient to succeed (i.e, “four ounces” [四兩 si liang]). As Zheng Manqing points out in his article, using too much force when leading (being excessively heavy) often results in the partner/opponent feeling that force, and changing in response. If their change stops their momentum, then it is more difficult to take advantage of their movements.

In order to make a partner/opponent’s technique miss, we need to sense (聽勁 tingjin, listening energy) and understand (懂勁 dongjin) their energy and intent. We can learn more about a partner/opponent when in contact with them than we can just from looking at them. If we remain resilient and avoid stiffening up when we contact them, we can use our mechanoreceptors (sensors that respond to pressure) and proprioceptors (sensors that provide information about joint angle, muscle length, and muscle tension) to sense changes at the point of contact. With training, this information can be understood and used to control the partner/opponent.

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