I
n order to understand the skill of rolling and sealing and the role it plays in the combative elements of Yang style Taijiquan, we must first clarify and familiarise ourselves with a few terms — especially rolling, since it is a term used to describe many concepts. Rolling1 This is when a large circle changes to a small circle. We use the spiral from the large circle to the small. An example of rolling is single whip, which can be used to devastating effect in any direction, and where each part — the fingers, knuckles and wrist — articulates turning downward like a wheel. It also develops the skill of understanding how to allow impactive forces to move around the joints instead of through them, thereby avoiding injury — especially to the wrist or hand. Releasing Energy2 This is the converse of rolling where the small circle changes to the large circle and we use the outward spiral of the change. Reeling/Drawing of Silk — Ch'an Ssu Chin3 Reeling silk is a critical component of Yang Taijiquan — especially in the advanced methods. Everything in Taiji is performed in spirals, either in a slow or in an explosive manner akin to the way that silk has to be drawn from a cocoon so as not to break the thread. The correct, or rather full name, of Fa-jing is FaJing Ch'an Ssu Chin — Explosive Energy Silk Reeling, where we throw out explosive energy and then bring it back. This consists of two components: Outward Reeling/Drawing Inward Reeling/Drawing
109
