Master Lin A (Nian) Long

A public Taiji teacher based in Taipei, Taiwan.

Many years ago, I visited Master Lin A (Nian) Long and his group with some of my Taiji students from the US, a few of whom were born in Taiwan and acted as translators.

Master Lin graciously demonstrated his 凌空勁 (Volley Jin), using his students to illustrate various points during the demonstration. This skill is commonly referred to as 空勁 (Kong Jin or “Empty Force”) in English, though that translation can be misleading, as it overlooks some of the historical foundations and theoretical basis of the practice.

It is neither truly a “force,” nor is it “empty.”

To understand why, one must examine the theory behind it—something I plan to cover in future posts concerning 凌空勁 (Volley Jin). For those interested in Master Lin A (Nian) Long’s Taiji, here is a link to his website, along with an excerpt written by one of his students.

Master Lin A (Nian) Long’s Taiji

“When Yin and Yang unite in virtue, hardness and softness take form. Thus, we embody the workings of Heaven and Earth and realize the virtues of the divine.”

How It All Began

” After about three months of practice, Master Lin said,
“It’s been a long time since I’ve tested this—I wonder if it still works.”

He took a horse stance, placed his palm just above the Baihui point on the top of my head and prepared to demonstrate. I thought to myself, “I weigh around 60 kg. What could he possibly do to me?”

But in an instant, with just a light upward lift of his palm, both my feet left the ground. I felt as though the skin on my face was being torn apart. It was at that moment I truly understood what Ling Kong Jin (凌空勁, Volley Jin) is. From then on, I became deeply captivated by the vast and profound art of Taiji.