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| Q: What is the meaning of the "Centre Line"? |
| In discussing theories of Ving Tsun martial arts, there is invariably mention of well known phrases such as "Tse Ng (子午) to define the center", "front facing positioning using Tse Ng, sideway positioning using the shoulder line as Tse Ng", as well as other phrases some known and some unknown in origin. Such phrases are prevalent among practitioners of our style and general Ving Tsun researchers alike in recent years, where they all touch on the term, "Tse Ng". The application of this term, however, has a lot to do with the meaning of the Centre Line. |
| In order to understand the meaning of the Centre Line in martial arts, one must begin with looking into the term, Tse Ng, where clues of the two terms' relationships and contrasts can be found. The use of Tse Ng has been among martial arts for a long time and it was not a creation of Ving Tsun. An example is an eighteen word poem on theory found in an excerpt of Kuen King (拳經 , the Book of Martial Arts) by an unknown author, which says, "… that which is Straight Comes from Tse Ng; Angular at the Back and Straight in the front." One can find the root of the application of Tse Ng in historical developments of martial arts. Most traditional Chinese martial arts that survive to this day came from the maturing period among civilians in the Ming and Ching Dynasties (明代, 清代). The interaction of civilian and military martial arts greatly affected martial arts in terms of not only technique but also culture. The culture of orientation is a notable example. In ancient China, from at least the Yan Shang Dynasty (殷商朝代) (B.C. 1751), there was already use of "Gan Chi" (干支) to record the year and the month. And from no later than in the Late Warring States Period (戰國末期) (circa B.C. 403 – 256) had the theory of Ng Heng (五行, the Five Elements) already become popular. The beginning of the Hang Dynasty (漢代初期) saw a maturing period for a self-contained system with theories and applications using Yin and Yang (陰陽), Ng Heng, Gan Chi, and Kwa Cheung (卦象, future-telling). This system was applied to physical interpretations in those times, overarching the fields of philosophy, astronomy, technology, craftsmanship, as well as religion among civilians. It is not uncommon to still find its presence today, however, although it has seen various modifications under changing circumstances. Such is a versatile system connecting most physical applications, a product of the long history of the Chinese culture. |
| Records have shown that back in the Han Dynasty there was already frequent use of the twelve Dei Chi (地支) to denote directions. Tse (子) represents the north, for instance, and Ng (午) the south. The second chapter of Kai Kau Sun Shu (紀效新書) written by Tsek Kai Kwong (戚繼光) in the Ming Dynasty recorded the following: "Second chapter regarding Command: … to where one's face points is called the front, flags in red are used, the south is thus identified … the spirit being Chu Tsuk (朱雀), gua (卦) being Lei (離). Behind where one's face points is called the back, flags in black are used, the north is thus identified … the spirit being Yuen Mo (元武), gua (卦) being Hum (坎)." This is an example of the principles of orientation employed in the military at the time, and these principles have found their ways into martial arts at various points in time. In martial arts' terms, some practitioners call the front-facing direction Ng and the back-facing direction Tse. In traditional literature, Tse is the north and Ng is the south – see the Encyclopedia of Chinese Martial Art Applications (中國武術實用大全) written by Hong Wuo Mo (康戈武). It is therefore clear that the terms and meanings in defining orientation have been identical between ancient military and modern day martial arts. |
| When applied to Ving Tsun combat principles, such methods are particularly significant. The south, or Ng, is identified as the direction where one sees the enemy or objects in the background. The north, or Tse, is identified as the direction to where one's back points. The Centre Line is therefore defined as the straight line which runs along both Ng and Tse, which also contains the perpendicular line drawn from the apex of an isosceles triangle formed by two arms and the shoulder line (Note 1). This is the line that describes the shortest distance from one's own body to the target enemy's body, where one uses both arms to attack in turn while fully facing the target. There is a further concept in the application of the Centre Line, which I urge Ving Tsun practitioners to contemplate, that goes beyond a rigid interpretation of the principle as only a line between two points. In order to achieve Ving Tsun's highly effective "intercept and attack in one move" and "every strike hits the target", one must treat the Centre Line between two points, as a plane between a point and a line, thus a three dimensional space where contact is made. A good principle is often good in its conciseness, while specific applications of it are not always apparent. One should put some serious thoughts and practice to this application. |
| There is another meaning in the relationship between Tse Ng and the Centre Line. It is also due to the influence of the Chinese culture. Martial artists have for centuries looked for ways to replenish energy consumed and to elevate energy levels. In the Ming and Ching Dynasties' martial arts development, the views of the Tao philosophy (道家) and the Tao religion (道教) such as "Follow Heaven and Earth (法天地)" (Note 2) and "Harmony of Heaven and Man (天人相應)" (Note 3) were put to the test and generally accepted as the answer. The way was to cultivate and augment one's Essence (精), Qi (氣) and Spirit (神), through some methods of induction (導引術) or meditation in a sitting posture (打坐), in order to improve one's physique, and replenish and raise one's energy levels. Naturally, technical terms in this Tao's practice of training Noi Dan (內丹) have been absorbed over time by martial arts. A ready example is the theory of Tao's training of Noi Dan: "Dan Tin (丹田) is located under the navel of a human. It is represented by water in Ng Heng (五行), characterized by Yam (陰), and denoted by Tse (子) of Dei Chi (地支). When one inhales, the air is led to Dan Tin, and this air is Yam essence. When the air is warmed by the fire within the body, it rises to Nai Yuen Kung (泥丸宮) located just under the top of the head, which is represented by fire in Ng Hang, characterized by Yeung (陽), and denoted by Ng (午). This is the process of extracting from Essence to create Qi. The two points, Dan Tin's Tse and Nai Yuen Kung's Ng, form a straight line or an axis bisecting a human body's left and right sides. When discussing a body's rotation and balance, therefore, it is this line running from top to bottom, that the phrase, "Tse Ng to define the center", refers to. |
Note 1: "Isosceles triangle" – is the triangle formed by the shoulder width as the base, and two arms as the sides intercepting at the apex.
Note 2: "Follow Heaven and Earth (法天地)" – is a view in Tao philosophy of ancient China. It says that men should learn from the nature. The word, Follow (法), means to emulate or to learn from.
Note 3: "Harmony of Heaven and Man (天人相應)" – is an extension of "Heaven and Man be One (天人合一)" in Tao philosophy of ancient China. It stresses that if the man well applies the nature's way, he shall receive the richness in it and have what is consumed or lost replenished. See chapter 25 of Lao Tse (老子), "Man follows Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows Tao, Tao follows the Nature. (人法地，地法天，天法道，道法自然)"
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Author: Cliff Au-Yeung Kim Man
Last Revised: March 15, 2008
Last Revised: 27/05/2008
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