The word Yi is part of the Chinese philosophical inheritance and in particular of taoism. Very schematically, the Tao is at the origin of any thing (Master Yao Zong Xun called it " Primitive Chaos "). The Tao is always ready to be put moving. As soon as it is put moving it becomes Taï-Ji which is the beginning of the beginning. Taï-Ji appears, according to two identical methods, Yin and Yang. Yang is the celestial aspect, the mind, the luminous activity, the movement, Yin is the terrestrial aspect, the obscure one and the rest in the movement.

All in the universe is an emanation of the Tao in which Yin and Yang are dependent in an undifferentiated breath that one calls Yuen-chi. In the human being the Yuen-chi is concretized as a gazeous essence which he receives at his birth. The Tao in its obscure demonstration is called Shen (mind which animates : conscience). In its concentration, it is called Jing (vital essence or physical frame of the body, muscles, skin, bone, humours and hormones). In its manifestation of the movement the Tao is called Qi. It is a fluid (gaseous essence) which circulates in the system involving with him blood and the organic liquids.

Jing alone is inert (corpse). It is the base of the existence of the Qi (vital activities), and forms the living matter with him. The presence of the Qi characterizes animated compared to the inanimated one. There are several kinds of Qi : that of the maintenance, which circulates inside the meridian lines, the defender Qi, which is under the skin, that of the bodies and the internal organs, central Qi, etc...

Jing and the Qi function under the instructions of a direct center which is Yi (thought). Yi is a subtle power which represents with Shen the whole of the processes by which the alive beings acquire information on their environment, on the material or emotional level.
In addition to the psychic factors, it is also the regulator of the operation of the whole of the other bodies. The father of Yi is Xin (heart).
As for Aristote in Greece (the universality of this concept is found), the heart is at the origin of the feelings, enthusiasm, generosity.
Even in our civilization, the expression " to have heart " connotes the importance of this body at the philosophical level.

THE YI IN THE PRACTICE OF YI QUAN
The living force is created by a participation of the whole body in the movement and is guided by the thought (Yi).

By the importance of the thought, and the will, you can speak about internal work in order to build a strong body and mental attitude, and this before you can possibly learn how to use the " instinctive force " for self-defense. If you base yourself on the study of the gestures of the body (kicks, fists, etc...) and of the " demonstrative force ", of the parts of the body, you can speak about external work. Yi Quan is thus at the same time internal and external. It quite simply forms part of the inheritance of Wushu.

The practice of Yi Quan under its martial aspect is very intense, very tiring. Without this difficulty of training you would surely direct yourself towards the form of a kind of soft gymnastics. On the other hand it will be necessary to be vigilant with regard to the difference between the practice of Yi Quan as martial art and in the form of competitive sport. During the combat for the life the techniques used are not limited to certain zones of the body and the only claimed aptitudes are : force, speed, suppleness, reflex. Whereas the competitive sport aspect must be considered on the same medical sport level as the athletics or the bicycle, which are very tiring for the cardiopulmonary system.

IT IS THE THOUGHT WHICH GUIDES THE MOVEMENT :

Any movement must be guided by the YI, thought or mental attitude image. This concentration brings relaxation. The relaxation thus obtained dissolves the stiff forces. When one slackens, one releases oneself from any hard force. At the same time, it is necessary to make what confers to our body the true force circulate, that of Qi (KI) : you must appear slackened without really being it. A rubber pipe inside nothing runs, is soft, inert. On the other hand if an abundant water flow circulates in the pipe, this one will not be soft any more, but it will not be either hard or rigid. It is alive. The exercises of YI QUAN make this living force, which exists in everyone at a latent state, emerge. The body is then put to move in a continuous way. All the limbs take part in each movement. The suppleness, the agility are the result of the relaxation. This new energy creates an external litheness which brings the wanted movement, extreme hardness.
The top of the body becomes light, bottom is heavy.
Breathing is controlled.
The agility and easy displacement appear.
Lastly, the emission of the force is explosive.