The Art of Forgetfulness

In his book On Tai Chi Chuan T. Y. Pang presents some interesting rules, which he with profound humour claim is to be forgotten...

Anyway, here they are:

• To learn Tai Chi Chuan, you must be sincere. Without sincerity, you will not be able to learn any art.
• To learn Tai Chi Chuan, you must be conscious of yourself both physically and mentally.
• To learn Tai Chi Chuan means to study yourself. You are the subject who is going to learn and it is you as an object which will be studied.
• Tai Chi Chuan as an art cannot be taught but has to be learned.
• You are going to learn a dance which is usually called the Form of Tai Chi Chuan.
• Tai Chi Chuan is more than its Form (or Forms).
• You learn Tai Chi Chuan by practicing the Form. Without doing it every day, no one can master it.
• Tai Chi Chuan can be learned as a physical therapy, a dance, a means to improve one�s health, a self-defense art; it is a living philosophy.
• Tai Chi Chuan is a very creative art, but you must learn to be the creator.
• Tai Chi Chuan teaches you HOW TO LIVE, but it is up to you to live the way you want to live.
• Tai Chi Chuan is not a science, but it may be studied scientifically. However, it should be practiced as an art.