There is myth in the east of a Ware Tiger. If a person is killed by this tiger it is said that it then possesses the soul or spirit of that human and this spirit is not released until it kills and repossess another. Hence the fear is perpetuated.

The only tigers that I have ever seen ‘in the flesh’ so to speak have been those in zoos (good and bad), or in theatre of some sort. … Yet I am still scared stiff of them! All than a tiger need do to appear more frightening than it already does - is to open its mouth.

Ultimately you don’t tell a tiger what to do. You see what it wants to do, and you let it do it wherever it wants to do it. Shape up or ship out.

Cheng Man-ch’ing issued the clear advice for Tai Chi practitioners: "When you have an opponent before you, imagine that you don’t. When you don’t have an opponent before you, Imagine that you do!"

The most awesome adversory that a human is ever likely to encounter is the tiger.Though their existence is real, the adversary of the tiger has no physical presence within the Tai Chi form and so it is visualised. Being never ‘there’, the tiger nature of the tiger should be ever present – in the mind.

	Wrestle Tiger, and Return to Mountain.

This sequence repeats at the start of both parts 2 & 3 of the Yang form (see Netguide)

Martial applications of Wrestle Tiger include blocking a kick coming from behind (internal/softest styles). The left hand then pushes the opponent over – in the direction that he is already going [as illustrated]. Or in the case of the more external or hard styles - grabbing and twisting some part of the opponent.

Block with left hand Push/assist with right

Each time this occurs it follows Cross Hands, the posture that concludes each part of the form – including the last.

So, part one and two end with Cross Hands. Part three also ends with cross hands. Within the form the tiger is wrestled at the beginning of part two and three but the whole form concludes only when the tiger is not wrested but ridden as it is towards the end of part three, just before the equally triumphant sequences of Step Back and Ride Tiger.

Part of the finale of the form is one of the most dynamic of postures:

Sweep Lotus.

The movement that follows requires the storing of energy prior to a 360-degree turn with various options of strike.

This all proceeds the last encounter with the tiger within the form –

Shoot Tiger.

This posture does have the appearance of drawing on a bow and it is often assumed that it is this that is aimed to shoot the tiger. The original martial application is actually a long way from that and far more direct in its ultimate contact.

The right shoulder ‘pulls on’ an oncoming strike. It does not impede it – it assists it.

The left elbow is kept as always down.
The strike is with tai chi punch fist to ‘empty’.

Little if any force or strength is used. The left thigh and hip turns as if side on to a gale. The right hand grasps the power of the wind going in one direction. The other benefits the same gale force imparted in the other direction – downward and inward.

The tiger comes in for some considerable attention within eastern mythology and then by natural extension – within the Tai Chi form.

Of all ‘real’ creatures inhabiting the earth be it in trees, up mountains, in jungle or hidden even amid snow covered wilderness, the most feared of all animals is the tiger. This is not so across the African Continent where the Lion is King but it certainly is so across Asia and the Orient. The tiger (unlike the mythical Dragon) is real and it is really feared by any of us humans that live anywhere near it. It is renowned for its savageness, it has endurance, and it is tenacious and nimble.

Each time the tiger is approached within the Yang form - the practitioner steps diagonally backward, whilst simultaneously turning the body to face in that direction. Various descriptions of various aspects may be found elsewhere within this site and other places. In general the imaginary tiger is wrestled (or grasped at the waist) and returned (the arms swap position) to the mountain.

Whenever the tiger descends the mountain there is threat to us. When the tiger ascends there is threat to the dragon. This can be even more disastrous and we may loose our way entirely!

Most varieties of dragons in the eastern pantheon of myth are more benevolent than the western counterpart that specialises mainly in breathing fire! I say ‘most’ also meaning there are many more types of eastern dragon, and in most cases their assistance is appreciated. I am a water dragon. It is carved images of this dragon that adorn roofs in China – being there as protection from fire. These roofs are also curved. The dragon moves in a curved or coil motion. Evil

spirits may move only in straight lines. This also accounts for the distinctive shape of Japanese footbridges – as seen in Monet’s paintings of the Garden with Lillies.

These paintings are superb examples of the sublime harmony of yin and yang. On one side of Monet’s garden there are tall dark trees that actually covers less surface area than the flora on the otherside – which is wispy reed. Balanced perfectly ‘off-centre’ is the Japanese bride, which is a particular colour….