Next
up was a Tessen or Fan workshop
presented by my Tai Chi teacher, Raymond Wood.
He first
explained that the form is actually of Japanese derivation
and not, like Tai Chi, from China. Developed originally by
the Geishas as a defense weapon, the art was then taken up
by Japanese Warlords who used the fan, with the ends of the
thirteen ribs sharpened like razors, as an offensive weapon.
It
is very hard to describe the class that followed. The first
wave of attack from the Fan is that of a noise weapon! Upon
opening it cracks like thunder. These fans are not your average
split bamboo and paper affair. These are about twice the size
of the dainty vanity items normally seen and in place of paper
its main constituent is canvas sail cloth.
The 'Tai Chi workshop' stage of the days
proceedings was concluded by me leading the group through
Part One of The Long Form.
