Hong Taiji

Hong Taiji (28 November 1592 – 21 September 1643), sometimes written as Huang Taiji and also referred to as Abahai in Western literature, was an Emperor of the Qing dynasty. He was responsible for consolidating the empire that his father Nurhaci had founded and laid the groundwork for the conquest of the Ming dynasty, although he died before this was accomplished. He was also responsible for changing the name of his people from Jurchen to Manchu in 1635, as well as that of the dynasty from Later Jin to Qing in 1636. The Qing dynasty lasted until 1912.

Because his father, Nurhaci, did not assume an imperial title while alive, Hong Taiji is sometimes considered to be the first Qing emperor, but because Nurhaci was posthumously awarded the imperial title, Hong Taiji is usually called the second emperor of the Qing.

Names and titles

It is unclear whether "Hong Taiji" was a title or a personal name. Written (Hung Taiji) in Manchu, it was borrowed from the Mongolian title Khong tayiji. That Mongolian term was itself derived from the Chinese huang taizi 皇太子 ("crown prince", "imperial prince"), but in Mongolian it meant, among other things, something like "respected son". Alternatively, historian Pamela Crossley argues that "Hung Taiji" was a title "of Mongolian inspiration" derived from hung, a word that appeared in other Mongolian titles at the time. Early seventeenth-century Chinese and Korean sources rendered his name as "Hong Taiji" (洪太極). The modern Chinese rendering "Huang Taiji" (皇太極), which uses the character huang ("imperial"), misleadingly implies that Hong Taiji once held the title of "imperial prince" or heir apparent, even though his father and predecessor Nurhaci never designated a successor.

Tai chi

Often shortened to t'ai chi, taiji or tai chi in English usage, t'ai chi ch'uan or tàijíquán is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits. Though originally conceived as a martial art, it is also typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: competitive wrestling in the format of pushing hands (tui shou), demonstration competitions, and achieving greater longevity. As a result, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims with differing emphasis. Some training forms of t'ai chi ch'uan are especially known for being practiced with relatively slow movements.

Today, t'ai chi ch'uan has spread worldwide. Most modern styles of t'ai chi ch'uan trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu, Wu (Hao), and Sun. All of the former, in turn, trace their historical origins to Chen Village.

Overview

The term "t'ai chi ch'uan" translates as "supreme ultimate fist", "grand supreme fist", "boundless fist", "supreme ultimate boxing" or "great extremes boxing". The chi in this instance is the Wade–Giles transliteration of the Pinyin jí, and is distinct from qì (ch'i, "life energy"). The concept of the taiji ("supreme ultimate"), in contrast with wuji ("without ultimate"), appears in both Taoist and Confucian Chinese philosophy, where it represents the fusion or mother of yin and yang into a single ultimate, represented by the taijitu symbol . T'ai chi ch'uan theory and practice evolved in agreement with many Chinese philosophical principles, including those of Taoism and Confucianism.

In Love

"In Love" is a song written by Mike Reid and Bruce Dees, and recorded by American country music artist Ronnie Milsap. It was released in June 1986 as the third single from the album Lost in the Fifties Tonight.

Success and reception

"In Love" was Milsap's 44th single to be released, and his 29th No. 1 hit on the Billboard country charts. The song came during the peak of his success as country music singer as it was part of an uninterrupted string of several No. 1 hits to his credit.

The song was also one of several songs written by songwriter Reid which became major hits for Milsap.

Chart positions

References

Hong Junsheng

Hong Junsheng (洪均生), born in 1907,Henan Province (河南省), China, was a Chinese martial arts practitioner, teacher and author. Hong was the longest serving disciple for the Chen-style t'ai chi ch'uan (陈式太极拳) master Chen Fake (陈发科, 1887–1957). Starting in 1930, Hong trained uninterrupted with Chen for fifteen years. In 1956, Hong moved to Jinan (济南), Shandong Province (山东省). There, he practiced and researched the meaning of Chen-style t'ai chi ch'uan. He expressed his own understanding of the ch'uan through his teachings and his writings. His theories and training principles are now known as the Practical Method for Chen-style t'ai chi ch'uan (陈式太极实用拳法). Through the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution, Hong maintained his dedication to the enrichment of his art. In the Era of Restructuring, Hong had trained a new generation of Chen Stylists and wrote several articles to illuminate the mysteries of Chen-style t'ai chi ch'uan. As China opened up to the international community, Hong was rediscovered as an important linkage to this ancient Chinese martial arts tradition. T'ai chi enthusiasts from all over the world would come to train with this remarkable man. Fame and fortune did not change Hong. He remains steadfast to the ideals of the Tao. Near the end of his life, old and in ill health, he would still maintain his daily t'ai chi training schedule and looked forward to doing Push hands with his students. In 1996, aged 90 (according to the Chinese calendar), Hong died. Hong is survived by his family, his dedicated disciples and the lasting legacy of his Practical Method.