Familiarity with the application of techniques in many martial arts is a relativly straightforward affair and one is trained to block if going backward and strike only when going forward. However, right from the start, training in Tai Chi Chuan through Form ("Form MUST come first") builds upon a concept of simultaneous or multiple high and low block and strike and indeed many of these (especially 'grab' or 'break-grip') are applied with the practitioners hands/arms (and sometime legs/feet) positioned back to front or inverse and then 'transferred' to an attacker - thus rendering that attacker as the person then tangled or back to front!

In Tai Chi training 'Form must come first' and it is common procedure to undergo years of training and practice in form with little regard for martial defense application of any these postures which are, anyway , filled with many other facets and 'first things first' fascinations to demand attention. A case in point is the GST sequence which when studied and analyzed presents a categorical list of every necessary self defense or martial application, yet it is quite expected that the practitioner not realize this themselves for several years!

A dedicated practioner of Tai Chi is one who studies and practices the whole of a form without discrimination (if a person knew just one of Shakespeare's Sonnets could you describe that person as an 'expert'?) and those so dedicated will find that the Yang Long Form has many facets with each requiring specific effort and discipline; and ultimately the singular connector between all of these apparently disparate facets is the practitioner.

The I-Ching. The Classic Chinese Oracle of Change

It is (I think) easy to understand that 'the answer' depends upon 'the question'. One provider of answers that is 'connected' to Tai Chi is the I-Ching (the Classic Chinese Oracle of Change) which is utilized by:

1) Having a question and 'meditating upon' or simply thinking about that question for a long time.
2) Randomly (?) selecting small sticks or tossing a coin several times to define a series of broken or unbroken lines (or if you wish - 1's and 0's just like binary (computer) code/language.)
3) The I-Ching or Oracle is then applied to the selection ...
4) and finally (as far as that question is concerned) an answer is given. If the practitioner knows what the question is he/she alone may discern 'the answer' that is given specifically to that individual.

There are only so many combinations of these selected sticks or tosses of a two sided coin therefore only so many answers and it is within the realm of possibilities that the same answer may come up more than once and maybe weeks months or even years apart. Should this be the case the diligent would appreciate that the time between then and now has not 'stood still' and this 'answer' (which often in effect raises another question anyway) should be considered in the context of present (not the future or past) conditions and in full awareness of the reality that gave rise to the question. If the question is not relevant to the person that asks then little or no satisfaction may be found in any answers which which are therefor by design - irrelevant.

Fair Lady at the Shuttles. Hexagram 60: "Articulating"

click here to view the Hexagram

Every posture in the Yang Long Form has a martial application and an associated hexagram which is the pictorial representation of an I-Ching selection - six lines, broken or unbroken [1 or 0] arranged in a particular order. In the case of "Fair Lady at the Shuttles" the hexagram is #60 which has the title of "Articulating" and describes your situation in terms of 'confused relations'. It is further emphasizes that making limits and connections is clear, particularly through speech, and goes on to 'say' that: "To be in accord with time, you are told to articulate!

In the publication before me now (Rudolf Ritsema and Stephen Karcher, Element books ISBN 1-85230-536-3) it goes on to say: " ... separate and distinguish, as well as join different things; express through speech; joint, section, chapter, interval, unit of time, regulation, limits; zodiacal sign; lit.: nodes on bamboo stalks ..." and in an abridged version by S. Karcher Ph.D., Element ISBN 1-86204-134-2 it is surmised that: "By articulating the times and measures, people and things are kept from harm". As further illustration I quote as follows from my master's (Raymond Wood) unpublished collection of Tai Chi Chuan writings:

"The Jade girl works at the shuttles as serving maid to the Taoist Immortals. The [Ancient Taoist] Chinese believed that the world was square and the heavens were held in place by the four legs of a tortoise. Its legs represent the four points of the compass, like the four corners of the earth. This sequence is also connected with the theory of the Five Elements. The four corners of the earth are represented by four mythical animals. South - Red - Bird [Phoenix] - Fire; East - Green - Dragon - Wood; West - White - Tiger - Metal; North - Black - Snake - Water. The earth is in the center. The Fair Lady moves the wooden shuttle with smooth body turns, again and again like a water wheel. There are four turns - the number of seasons in the year. When used in self-defense, one hand blocks and the other hand pushes forward offensively."

I have tried to make it clear here that any understanding of the I-Ching relies upon singular and individual interpretation and actioned only in full consideration of conditions [all things] at that instant and that instant only. Yet even when all of this is done one can expect no more than a word or two of the suggestions ( i.e."articulate") to make any solid sense! But that's the way it is. You ask a question, you are given an answer and 'hints' (visulisations?) as to how be "in accord with time".
As it is so that any action following any I-Ching 'reading' should be considered 'in accord with time', so it is also that any martial application of the posture "Fair Lady" be administered in accordance with that one instant in time and space, and as appropriate to "conditions" that moment. It may be that all that is required against certain attacks is a block and another may require block and push - or poke - or grab - or punch and or kick ... and so on, in accord. The permutations are as infinite as the moments that have passed and as infinite as the moments to follow. Ultimately, when self, desire and aversion are extinguished and we truly 'go with the flow' questions become redundant. In the meantime, we practice ... and we practice Form because "Form Must Come First" and we (stay healthy! and ...) refine our movements relative to time and space; and in this instance: get 'better' at Tai Chi.

Postscript to Hexagram 60
During the preparation of this article an apparent contradiction came to light and it does appear that our own previous major feature "Guide to the Hexagrams" indicates that the 'title' or suggestion relevant to hex 60 is "Limitations" rather than "Articulate". However, after some last minute research I am very pleased to report that in the context of that hexagram "Limitations" and "Articulate" are one in the same - and again this 'confusion' comes about only because of words, personal perception, translation, transliteration and 'attachment' to one thing or another. I shall interfere personally no more with your perception and simply repeat the text form the my same reference and add only one small underline which might just clarify a little!: "It is further emphasizes that making limits and connections is clear, particularly through speech, and goes on to 'say' that: "To be in accord with time, you are told to articulate!" .

Overview of the order of directions in the sequence 'Fair Lady'

Throughout this and other documents in the series "Part Three of the Yang Long Form" I have gone on the assumption that the reader is already accomplished at Tai Chi (and could no doubt teach me a thing or two!) or has interest in some other facet of this broad subject strong enough to allow perseverance to thus far, yet here we are at last and I have no reward for you other than the view trough this/my window. This is probably not all that I have to say on the subject of "Fair Lady" (for instance already!: The 'blur' between she - the Fair Lady and and the mythical weaver of the bridge of silk and clouds by which an orphan child returnes home; and Kuan Yin ... ) but it is time to move on and leave this Fair Lady with you now in your safe hands.

This section ends now with an overview of the order of directions in the sequence of postures known collectively as "Fair Lady Works at the Shuttles". (click here to find the video clips in the moves index)

You should at first be encouraged to note that the sequence is not at all complicated and follows a very logical order:
1) North East. 2) N. West. 3) South West. 4) S. East.
In each of these direction one performs what is best described as a 'double push'. In #1) the left hand is high (face) and the right directly (simply for 'neatness in form') underneath, fingers of each pointed upwards. The arms achieve this position with what is best described as 'whirling arms'. The feet past through 'cat stance' (left empty) on the way to left full and forward (dialog. Northeast).

You are now reminded that the sequence of directions is not complicated! In the part of the sequence the 'gets' one to face the next direction (#2) is complicated and the route is long (270°), and to get there does involve a lot of whirling arms and cat stance and pivot left and right - but the sequence of directions simply occour one after the other into the diagonals anti-clockwise and at the conclusion of each of the four 'double pusshes' the high hand and foward foot is alternated.

Other descriptions appear elsewhere on this site as indeed does a video animation exist already on our Net Guide.
You 'experts' would have realised long ago (and it was touched upon earlier) that the view of me in the Net Guide animation's is from the front; whereas the usual view of a Tai Chi instructor is from the rear.
As scant reward for those with this much perseverance I/we are pleased to provide here a specially shot short of Fair Lady sequence from thus ... the rear!

click here to view the Quicktime movie of the complete Fair Lady at Shuttles from rear (2mb)