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SEARCHING FOR THE MOST DIFFICULT STANCE
INTRODUCTION- In fact, for beginners all stances are difficult to
perform correctly. For some young
black-belts they would think BUTTERFLY-Stance (Ho-Diep-Tan, No 18),
SNAKE-Stance (Xa-Tan, No 15) and NEGATIVE-Stance (Thai-Am-Tan, No 13) are on
the list of difficult stances while STANDING-Stance (Lap-Tan, No 1) and
HORSE-Stance (Trung-Binh-Tan, No 9) are easier to study. They are not wrong
but later, one day when they reach the high level of our arts they will
discover that new dimensions of the study of stances could change their view.
The key question to this subject is For
What Purpose a Stance Is Considered Difficult? Is it for fighting purpose or for body-and-mind training?
Regarding the fighting purpose, we can
say right away that one of the most difficult stances could be the
FIGHTING-Stance (Chien-Tan) which is not on the list of the 18 basic stances,
and it is difficult to practice because it is moving and changing all the
time following the changing position of the adversary.
Now under the notion of Educational
Martial Art, let’s us explore a stance that seems much less for fighting
purpose and much more as a special posture, the LOTUS-Stance (Lien-Hoa-Tan,
No 11).
DESCRIPTION- For the description of this
special stance please get a careful look at the attached picture. You will
notice that in this Lotus-Stance the feet are joined and the body is
straight. It is very difficult to stay still and stable in this position for
a long moment; try to practice this for five minutes and you will find
yourself how hard this physical challenge could be.
If the Chien-Tan (Fighting-Stance) is
designed for victory above adversary, on the reverse the Lien-Hoa-Tan is
training for victory over oneself. In the
role of teacher you should design several scenarios to train your students
accordingly.
MINDFULNESS- The spirit of Lien-Hoa-Tan could be expressed in
the following motto: high spirit and
solid foundation.
THE LOTUS FLOWER, in this stance, is a
symbol of Stability, Purity and Beauty. We keep this notion in mind and apply
it to whatever we do: thinking, acting, working, caring for our body and
keeping our belongings.
LIFE
PHILOSOPHY- The following poem in
Vietnamese integrates the teaching of G.M Phan Hoang for a young black-belt
who will be later a good teacher.
“LIÊN-HOA-TẤN
Một đóa hoa sen nở dưới trời
Tỏa ngàn hương sắc khắp nơi nơi
Giữa vạn binh đao hồn phẳng lặng
Chân quyền xuống tấn, hết đao binh
Canada, 10 September 2021- Phan Hoang”.
Here is the main idea in the above
Vietnamese poem:
(Spontaneous
rendering in English:
LOTUS
-Stance
A lotus flower under the sky
Suggesting beauty and high spirit
From a peaceful mind amid all kinds of
fighting
To know that true martial art is for
ending all wars.)
g.m Charles Phan Hoang, Canada September 2021
VIETCHI POST Autumn 2021
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