Excerpts from:
Tai Chi Ch'uan - For Health And Self-Defense [Philosophy and Practice]
By T.T. Liang

 

Preface:

"At first I take up T'ai Chi Ch'uan as a hobby,
Gradually I became addicted to it,
Finally I can no longer get rid of it.
I must keep on practicing for my whole life—
it is the only way to preserve health.
The more I practice, the more I want to learn
from teachers and books.
The more I learn, the less I feel I know.
The theory and philosophy of T'ai Chi Ch'uan is so profound and abstruse!
I must continue studying forever and ever...
It is the only way to improve and better myself."

                                                                                                     —T.T. Liang

My Personal View:

"...ten theorems fo my daily guiding principles so I will know how to deal with people and myself:

1. Nobody can be perfect. Take what is good and discard what is bad.
2. If I believe entirely in books, it is better not to read books. If I rely entirely on teachers, better not have teachers.
3. To remove a mountain is easy, but to change a man's temperament is more difficult.
4. If there is anything wrong with me, I do not blame others, I only blame myself.
5. If I want to live longer I must learn T'ai Chi and accomplish it both physically and mentally. To accomplish it mentally is much more difficult.
6. I must learn how to yield, to be tactful, not to be aggressive, to lose (small loss, small gain, great loss, great gain), not to take advantage of others; to give (the more one gives the more one will have).
7. Life begins at seventy. Everything is beautiful! Health is a matter of utmost importance and all of the rest is secondary. Now I must find out how to enjoy excellent health in my whole life and discover the way to immortality.
8. Make one thousand friends, but don't make one enemy.
9. One must practice what one preaches. Otherwise, it is empty talk or a bounced check.
10. To conceal the faults of others and praise their good points is the best policy.

                                                                                                     —T.T. Liang