In Taoist philosophy there is a description of the Three Treasures. This paradigm gives us an example not only of the Taoist view of health and an ideal of life experience, but also of the evolution of the individual in terms of personal and spiritual growth.
The Three Treasures are given the Chinese names of
Shen ,
Chi , and
Ching . These represent three expressions of one's true nature in respect to different aspects of our multi-faceted being. The Shen , said to be located in the Upper Tan T'ien or head, means "spirit", and denotes the higher faculties of mind (both intellectual and intuitive). The Chi, or "breath", is located in the Middle Tan T'ien or heart center, and denotes one's relationship with worldly activities (communication and relationships). The Ching, or "essence", is located in the Lower Tan T'ien or pelvic center, and represents one's basic body center and energetic foundation.
The definition in the Chinese culture of the "superior person" is that individual in which all Three Treasures, or Tan T'iens, are healthy, strong, and in good relationship with each other. In a very real sense it describes a person who is strong and healthy in body, emotions, and mind, all of which contribute to a strength of spirit. One definition of a master in T'ai Chi is "that person who thinks, feels, and does the same thing".
In our T'ai Chi practice the emphasis is placed initially (and possibly for a number of years) in the Lower Tan T'ien because this is understood to be the foundation upon which the other two energetic centers are built. The understanding is that the Ching is the basic fire which needs to be strong and warm. All to often, due to poor diet, poor exercise habits, and wasteful sexuality, this lower fire becomes weak. This is considered in
Traditional Chinese Medicine to be a major contributor to many of the conditions that both men and women experience as they enter mid-life. So the remedy is
to keep this Lower Tan T'ien fire strong through good mental focus, movement practice, and diet.
This in turn begins to have a beneficial affect upon the other two treasures of Chi and Shen . The Taoist approach is very methodical. It is like building a house; first you lay a strong foundation, then build the walls, and finally the roof. The Ching is the foundation, the Chi is the walls, and the Shen is
the roof. Achieving this state of richness in the Three Treasures is what would be considered "mastery" in the Taoist tradition.
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