Nowadays, Tai Ji Chuan and Bajiquan are described as "Tai Chi in literature and Eight Extremes in martial arts", but the meaning of this sentence actually refers to the skills of Zhou Wenwang and Zhou Wuwang bring peace and stability to the country, not martial arts.

Anyone who practices Tai Ji Chuan and Bajiquan likes to describe Tai Ji Chuan and Bajiquan with the famous phrase "Tai Chi is the way to secure the world, and Bajiquan is the way to do it". Therefore, this phrase has become a well-known saying for martial arts practitioners. But what this poem really wants to express is not martial arts boxing.

A detailed explanation of the meaning of the poem:

1. The words "Wen" and "Wu" in the poem refer to the first words of ancient Zhou Wenwang and Zhou Wuwang

"Wen has Tai Chi to secure the world, and Wu has eight levels of martial arts", which embodies the words "Wen" and "Wu" and refers to Zhou Wenwang (Ji Chang) and Zhou Wuwang (Ji Fa). The ancients worshipped King Wen and King Wu, reaching the level of prostration, and spoke highly of the policies and means adopted by King Wen and King Wu in governing the country and keeping the country safe, and the makers and implementers of these strategies were Zhou Wenwang and Zhou Wuwang.

2. The words "taiji" and "octupole" in the poem originated from ancient culture.

The words "taiji" and "octupole" appeared more than two thousand years before martial arts, and the word "taiji" was hundreds of years earlier than the word "octupole". Zhou Wenwang's Book of Changes reflects his world outlook with sixty-four hexagrams, and the two hexagrams headed by Gan Kun represent heaven and earth. Taiji here refers to the chaotic undivided one, and this "two instruments" is Yin and Yang. The word "octupole" has appeared frequently since the Western Han Dynasty two thousand years ago. The word "octupole" mainly refers to a vast area at that time.

3. The words "An" and "Ding" in the poem refer to the different means taken by King Wen and King Wu to govern the country respectively.

The words "An" and "Ding" have different meanings and represent the different means taken by the ancients to govern Zhou Wenwang and Zhou Wuwang, or they can be called strategies. King Wen didn't really win the world when he was in office, but only complied with the public opinion by appeasement strategy, which made his princes in the world follow him and laid the foundation for his king Wu to win the world. On the basis of the King of Wen, the King of Wu raised the potential of the princes of the world and decided to destroy the merchants by force.

after the abolition of commerce, Zhou Wuwang enacted laws to safeguard national interests, which laid the foundation for the development of the great cause of the Zhou Dynasty. Mencius said: "King Wen is angry and the people of the world are safe", and the courage of King Wen is to maintain justice. The courage of the king of Wu, who is angry and protects the people of the world, is to uphold justice. Therefore, Wen Wang Anbang, King Wu decides the country.

4. "Tianxia" and "Gankun" in the poem describe a vast area.

The two hexagrams of "Gan" and "Kun" at the beginning of Zhouyi are about heaven and earth. Heaven and Earth are the basic starting points of China's traditional thought. "Dry" is the sky, representing time, so we know the great beginning of heaven and earth. "Earth" is Kun, representing space, so everything can be made. Time is "big" and space is "wide". That is, "too" is great, "its greatness is nothing but its smallness is nothing". "Eight" is wide, "its breadth is boundless, and its proximity is boundless".

the meanings of the words "taiji" and "octupole" are broad meanings. Compared with "tianxia" and "Gankun", the world is Gankun, so it is said that those who do it will win the world.

So, it can be seen that "Tai Chi can secure the world, and Eight Extremes can help the martial arts", but what this poem really wants to express is not the martial arts boxing, but the art of securing the country and the country.

Extended information:

In modern times, it is taken for granted that the phrase "Wen has Tai Chi to secure the world, Wu has Eight Extremes to settle the problem" refers to Tai Ji Chuan and Eight Extremes Boxing, which proves the popularity and long history of Tai Ji Chuan and Eight Extremes Boxing, but these words have no historical basis. Since the emergence of boxing, according to the characteristics of boxing, later generations adopted the words "Taiji" and "Baji", which endowed the two kinds of boxing with profound cultural connotations and added the mystery of Tai Ji Chuan and Baji Boxing.

The original words "Taiji" and "Octupole" are not necessarily related to martial arts, but now it is only symbolic to quote this sentence in martial arts. It just reflects the mentality of practicing "two-pole" boxers who admire Bajiquan and Tai Ji Chuan.