Tai Chi 4th degree grading of Si Jie Anja Weise was held on Saturday 19th of September in front of a gathering of parents, friends and students at the Golden Lion Rowville Tai Chi Academy.
This was an exceptionally demanding grading in its complexity and required strength, stamina and focus, as those who have gone before can certainly attest to. To attain proficiency in this degree one has to be passionate, patient, and be prepared for long arduous training for oneself and with dedicated partners. Si Jie Anja was partnered by Tai Chi Sifu Darlene in her push hands routines and by Lincoln Rigby for her applications.
So here we all were, prepared to be treated to a wonderful display of what hard work and desire to achieve one’s goals can present. All present sat down excitedly and were addressed by Si Gung Charles Tsui-Po who requested that we respect the importance of this tai chi grading, and to please refrain from clapping until the end of the afternoon.
The very first routine was her own choice, the Li style, called The Three Old Pushes. All of Si Jie Anja’s hard work and training came to the fore. Dressed in her colourful silks she moved with grace, strength and perfect control. While watching this first routine, I could clearly see the actions of a Tiger in the way it was performed, within its movement there was Yin (soft) and Yang (hard), combining making for a smooth, faultless routine that had the watching audience and particularly her parents, holding an almost collective breath of astonishment at the beauty of Si Jie’s performance.
With each and every item as Si Jie moved through them, the audience was shown an awesome display of clever and imaginative martial art applications, a seamless display of routines with her effortless high kicks, Si Jie’s specialty, which are the total envy of all the students watching.
Finally at the end of what I am sure was an exhausting but exhilarating three to four hours of this tai chi grading, Si Jie Anja was required to finish, with an open discussion on the various pressure points of interest used for her strikes in the applications against her partner.
Si Gung Charles then stood and after assuring her she had indeed passed and before presenting her with her 4th Degree Certificate, he turned to the audience and passed on his personal admiration for Si Jie Anja’s incredible achievement, of learning to use her weapons, in her right hand, when she is naturally left handed. A skill he said he was glad he hadn’t had to try and attain.
The afternoon ended with Si Jie Anja being swamped with excited friends, family and students thrilled that she had finally achieved her goal. Congratulations Si Jie Anja, it was a privilege to watch a well-deserved tai chi grading at 4th Degree level. The Golden Lion certainly proves once more, it is an Academy of Excellence. Details of the Golden Lion programmes can be found here.
Si Jie Lynne Byrne, Golden Lion Tai Chi Berwick student