by Vincent Chaoling Hwang
translated by Chiping Maria Hwang and assisted by Mark Cheng
March 20, 1997
第一章 基本運動法
Chapter One - "Basic Movement" Training Techniques
These training techniques prepare the body for Tai-Chi training.
Oftentimes, an individual natural posture is incorrect, hunched over or
slouching. It is also common for beginning students to have blockages
or poor flow in their internal energy, or qi (sometimes spelled as chi:氣).
To remedy this, the basic movement" training techniques train the
student's body to correct these external postural problems, building up
muscles in the legs and back to hold the spine in proper alignment. This
kind of external exercise is a precursor to training that is focused on
internal qi development, also known as qi gong or chi kung(氣功).
1. Qi shi (起勢): This is the opening movement of the Tai-Chi
set, sometimes called "Commencement or Opening Form". The way it
is trained in basics is to use a slight rising and falling movement while
moving the arms up and down. When the arms are floating downward,
the intention (yi) behind the movement is "an" or pressing. The rising
motion should be done as if there were a heavy wooden slab placed
on top of the wrists to train the "tai", or lifting, feeling. The knees
straigten during the rising motion, and bend during the pressing
motion. This gives the student practice down-weighting, or lowering
their center of gravity, when they exert force forward.
2. Zhuan yao (轉腰): Translated as "turning the lower back", this
exercise develops the zhuan turning power from the hips and waist.
Traditionally practiced using an incense stick to track time, the feet
should be placed in a level horse stance (ping xing bu) with the knees
bent and the arms placed in front of the body as if embracing a large
barrel. The fingertips of the index, middle and ring fingers should be
touching, or holding the incense stick. The torso then turns from side
to side very slowly while keeping the stance immobile and the shoulders
aligned over the hips. Throughout the course of the exercise, the eyes
should be focused on the fingertips.
3. Rou kua (柔胯): Rou kua is a more common exercise which is
used to develop "loose hips". The stance is a wide horse stance with the
knees bent deeply and hands placed directly above the feet and just
below the shoulders. The idea is to shift from side to side, placing
maximum weight over one foot and then the other, while keeping the
hands motionless and the shoulders relaxed. At the more advanced
levels, the practitioner should be able to raise their body up on their
toes at the extreme left and extreme right positions of the exercise.
4. Rao tui (撓腿): This challenging exercise is used to train the
postural alignment of the spine and lower back, the strength of the back
stance (xu bu), and the looseness of the knee joint. Keeping the hands
on the hips, one sits in a back stance and lifts the front leg off the ground,
with the lower leg circling in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions
in a loose circle. The difficulty comes in keeping the lower leg totally loose
and not muscling the movement into a circle.
第二章 基本練功法
Chapter Two- Basic Skill Building Methods
Most of these exercises revolve around stance/posture training
and opening the channels of internal energy flow. Once the body has been
taught to hold itself externally in the proper framework, a practitioner must
then train the qi to circulate properly throughout the body. These three
exercises work on this premise by coordinating each movement carefully
with proper breathing. Inhalations and exhalations settle into a pattern
meshed with external martial movement (all have applications) to set the
groundwork for harmonizing the mind with the intention, the intention with
qi, and the qi with external force: the three internal harmonies.
1. Ma bu zhan zhuang (馬步站樁): Done from a wider stance than
the Qi shi, this exercise is done from the ma bu, or horse stance, with both
feet parallel and roughly double shoulder width.
Inhalation cycle: The hands rise up with the palms facing downward
limply and the stance rising slightly. The arms float away from the body
until the arms are just below shoulder level.
Exhalation cycle: The arms fall downward with the palms in a press
position with the "an" intention. The stance also sinks down to the ma bu
during the exhalation.
2. Chuan bu zhan zhuang (川步站樁): Done from a 30/70 back
stance, the hands of chuan bu zhan zhuang are the "Hands Strumming the
Lute" or Shou hui pipa. Practitioners should work both sides of the body
equally for this exercise, even though "Hands Strumming the Lute" is done
only with the left side forward in the form.
Inhalation cycle: The hands rise up from the final "Hands Strumming
the Lute" position, allowing the elbows to float out slightly and ending
with the palms facing down. The weight shifts to the back foot and the
support leg straigtens.
Exhalation cycle: The hands pull a punch back down to the hips, and
the weight settles back into the 30/70 back stance.
3. Cai tui (踩腿): Easily the most challenging of the three exercises in
this section, Cai tui translated into English means "pull and kick", describing
the two complimentary actions on each side of the body. As one foot steps up,
it plants at a 45 degree angle, weight balanced over it. The hand on that same
side starts from a push (an) position and pulls (cai) down beside the hip. The
foot on the opposite side kicks downward towards the knee and settles into its
final position at full extension. During the weight shift, the hand on the kicking
side rises into a lifting position (tai) slightly above the head, similar to the top
hand in "white crane spreading wings", coming down into the an position when
the kick reaches its full extension.
Inhalation cycle: Assuming left foot kicks first, shift weight right, raise
left knee, and lift left arm.
Exhalation cycle: Kick down with left foot in jamming kick position,
pull down with right hand, and push forward and down with left hand.
第三章 姿勢要訣
Chapter Three - The Ten Commandments of Tai-Chi Body Structure
1. Xu lin ding jing (虛靈頂勁): Empty the mind of any thought and
raise the neck straight so that the head, neck, and shoulders are in perfect
alignment over one another. This is to calm the mind and strengthen the
proper posture, allowing for greater relaxation over time.
2. Liang yan ping shi (兩眼平視): Both the eyes should look directly
forward focusing on nothing in particular, keeping the head in perfect
alignment by not looking up or down.
3. Wei shou xia e (微收下顎): Drop the chin slightly. This keeps
the head erect without forcing the head to tip back or taking the eyes off
their target. It also opens the qi flow meridian at the base of the skull and
relaxes the neck.
4. Se di shang e (舌抵上顎): Put the whole tongue on the roof of
the mouth. This connects the front of the qi flow meridian down the front of
the body.
5. Han xiong ba bei (含胸拔背): Wrap the upper chest and pull the
spine up straight. This means to totally relax the chest muscles and collapse
the chest cavity slightly. This is done to relax the muscles between the
shoulder blades where tension often accumulates.
6. Chen jian zui zou (沈肩墜肘): Sink the shoulders and drop the
elbows. In accordance with the principle of minimum effort, the elbows
should be dropped down to the lowest possible point in the line of the arm.
This avoids use of muscles in the shoulders that do not need to be used
and also allows for greater "body connectedness".
7. Song yao zuo kua (鬆腰坐胯): The lower back should be loose,
and the hips should be as if sitting. A loose lower back allows for greater
power to be generated from the stance to the hands and upper body, as
well as allowing for greater responsitivity to incoming pressure. Hips in
a sitting position leads into the next commandment.
8. Wei lu zhong zheng (尾閭中正): Tuck the tail bone underneath.
This means to tip the pelvis upward in such a way as to straighten the
lowest part of the spinal curvature, completing the final section of a
perfectly straight spine and back. This also closes the huiyin acupuncture
point between the legs, keeping qi flowing through the whole body.
9. Liang qi wei qu (兩膝微屈): Both knees should be bent slightly.
When the pelvis is tipped forward slightly, the knees will naturally unlock,
bending to the proper depth. This is important for stance training and training
the practitioner to keep a lower center of gravity while moving.
10. Liang jiao ping xing (兩腳平行): Feet should be shoulder
width and in line with the whole body, in other words, parallel. This is
important for alignment of power and leg structure. If the knees bent in
a direction other than towards where the feet were pointed, the ligaments
and tendons throughout the knee and ankle would gradually wear away
and tear.
第四章 動作要領
Chapter Four - The Six Guiding Principles of Movement
1. Yong yi bu yong li (用意不用力): Use intention to move your
body, never muscular force. Good Tai-Chi is never stiff, but always supple,
like the branches of a willow tree. If you feel your limbs growing tired as you
go through your practice, you are more likely than not using too much muscle
to control your movement. The feeling is something akin to floating in the
upper body, while having your lower body rooted to the ground.
2. Qi chen dan tian (氣沈丹田): The breath and internal energy sink
down to the lower abdomen. In this way, the breathing can either take up the
whole chest cavity or recirculate itself in the dan tian as a form of advanced qi
gong, instead of merely breathing from the lungs.
3. Shang xia xiang shui (上下相隨): Make all your movements
continuous and flowing. One move should flow into the next, and the top and
bottom of the body should move together. This is the "body unity concept".
4. Nei wai xiang he (內外相合): Internal energy and external
movement come together. To have raw muscular power without internal
energy is to limit the force one can produce. Having tremendous internal
energy is useless unless it is expressed through the body.
5. Xu shi fen ming (虛實分明): Empty and full must be distinguished
very clearly. This has connotations not just in terms of weight, but also
intention and qi. To put it another way, one must focus their power on specific
parts of their body, depending on the movement, in order to get the greatest
power output and the proper Tai-Chi structure.
6. Xiang lian bu duan (相連不斷): Make the whole movement or set
as one unbroken thing and one continuous flow. This teaches power flow,
which allows the practitioner to flow right through his/her opponent in terms of
self-defense. It also teaches self-timing, which is basically body coordination
that is necessary for external balance and proper qi flow.
第五章 基礎單練法
Chapter Five - Foundation Level Single Technique Practice
Tai-Chi Chuan techniques can be broken down into four major
categories, based on the strategies behind how they use energy. For most
practitioners who practice the form only as an uninteruppted whole and never
learn the movements of the form in terms of individual techniques, the power
in their individual techniques and the applications thereof are usually far
weaker than those of a practitioner who has learned each separate technique
clearly and strongly and has learned to link those techniques together in a fluid
set. This type of training also gives the practitioner the chance to train both
right and left sides of the body with each technique, allowing one to develop
body symmetry.
At higher levels of Tai-Chi training and combat, the form's sequence
becomes exceedingly irrelevant, but the proper flow from one move to the
next, depending on the situation and positioning of one's opponent, and the
issuing of power as jing (manifested qi) are of consummate importance. To this
end, it is a major advantage to Tai-Chi practitioners to properly learn and
practice the individual techniques of their Tai-Chi set. Just as practitioners of
other martial arts from taekwondo and Wing Chun gung-fu to capoeira and
karate all spend countless hours learning the basic techniques of their respective
systems, so must Tai-Chi practitioners lay a proper foundation for their art
inside themselves.
1. The Dan bian Single Whip Category(單鞭系)
The techniques in this category include five major techniques. The
recurrent theme in each of these movements is the idea of a block-and-strike or
receive/redirect-and-attack combination. All of the counterattacks also revolve
around the palm strike. Open handed power is a big part of Tai-Chi fighting,
and each of these movements train that kind of jing. The proper palm strike
starts by placing the fingertips on the target first, then dropping the palm into
the target, dropping the weight behind it. They are:
a. Dan bian - Single Whip [Palm cuts down like a knife]單 鞭
b. Xia shi - Sweep Down (aka. "snake creeps down")下 勢
c. Lou xi you bu - Brush Knee & Twist Step 摟膝拗步
d. Dao nian hou - Slip Back Arm (aka. "repulse monkey")倒攆猴
e. Yu nu chuan shuo - Working at Shuttles (aka. "fair lady works the loom")玉女穿梭
2. The Yun shou (雲手系) Wave Hand Like Moving Clouds Category
Wave Hand Like Moving Clouds is also known as "cloud hands". This
category also has five major techniques, all of which are based on separating or
blocking techniques. Visually, these movements are some of the most aesthetically
pleasing in Tai-Chi and are quite easy to practice, while combatively, these
movements are all defense oriented. They are:
a. Yun shou - Wave Hand Like Moving Clouds雲 手
b. Bai he liang ci - White Crane Spreading Wings白鶴亮翅
c. Ye ma fen zhong - Parting Wild Horse's Mane野馬分鬃
d. Shi zi shou - Cross Hands十字手
e. Lan que wei - Grasp Peacock's Tail攬雀尾
3. The Den tui (蹬腿系) Kick with Heel Category
The techniques in this category all revolve around the basic leg
techniques of the short form. The traditional Yang style long form also includes
the Lotus (inside-out crescent) kick, which is not part of the 34 posture short
form. Practice of kicking techniques is an absolute must for the complete
martial artist, and especially essential for Tai-Chi practitioners who want to do
more than just flap their hands in the air. Leg techniques are an inseparable
part of fighting techniques and must be practiced carefully and thoroughly.
Done with proper stancework, the leg techniques build tremendous strength in
the legs and lower back for balance and power, strengthening the ankles and
knees as well. All the small connective tissues in the legs are built up by
repeated practice, both slow and fast.
It is important to master each technique first in slow motion, then at
fighting speed. Slow motion practice is essential for several reasons, and
not just restricted to leg techniques:
One, it builds up tremendous strength and balance, improving lower
body muscle tone and stability.
Two, the slow motion does not jar the joints but rather relies on body
weight to work the muscles, making it optimum exercise for those who are
training to rehabilitate injuries or simply build better balance and strength.
Three, the slow motion is initially necessary for qi development. As the
body relaxes and the muscles do not tense unnecessarily, the internal energy
begins to circulate more freely throughout the body, improving both blood
circulation and energy levels.
Four, once the body has been taught to move loosely by training in
slow motion, that song or loose feeling translates more readily into power and
speed when moving faster. Just as every athlete knows they can move faster
when they are more relaxed, every good fighter knows they can exert more
power and have greater speed when they keep loose. Besides that, unreleased
tension builds up quite readily in the untrained body, so it is important to
recondition the body to naturally relax after any exertive motion.
The techniques involved in this section are:
a. Den tui - Kick with Heel蹬 腿
b. Ti tui - Side kick踢 腿
c. Fen tui - Separation kick (instep kick)分 腿
d. Jin ji du li - Golden Cock stands on One Leg (knee strike)金雞獨立
4. The Ban lan cui (搬攔揰系)Strike, Parry, & Punch Category
There are only two techniques in this section, and they revolve around
the premise of angular striking with a closed fist. The difference between the
two is in the angulation. The first strike is gravitational and outward, dropping
the opponent down. The second is rising and inward, much like an upward,
twisting hook punch. They are:
a. Cui ji - Diagonal backfist (from the first strike in the Ban lan cui)捶 擊
b. Shuang feng guan er - Strike Opponent's Ears with BothFists雙峰貫耳
In the application of Tai-Chi striking techniques, the fist is not held in
the usual closed fist manner, but rather in what is called the "yi zhi quan" or
one-finger-fist, known to Shaolin stylists as a "phoenix eye fist". This fist
structure places the second largest knuckle of the index finger forward in such
a way as to make it protrude from the fist proper, with the thumb reinforcing it.
第六章 推 手
Chapter Six - Push Hands(推 手): The Sensitivity Exercises of Tai-Chi
1. Dan Shou Li Yuan (單手立圓推手)
2. Dan Shou Ping Yuan (單手平圓推手)
3. Shuang Shou Li Yuan (雙手立圓推手)
第七章 簡易太極拳
起勢 Opening Form
左野馬分鬃 Parting Wild Horse's Mane-Left
右野馬分鬃 Parting Wild Horse's Mane-Right
左野馬分鬃 Parting Wild Horse's Mane-Left
白鶴亮翅 White Crane Spreading Wings
左摟膝拗步 Bruch Knee & Twist Step-Left
右摟膝拗步 Bruch Knee & Twist Step-Right
左摟膝拗步 Bruch Knee & Twist Step-Left
手揮琵琶 Hands Strumming the Lute
右倒攆猴 Slip Back Arm-Right
左倒攆猴 Slip Back Arm-Left
右倒攆猴 Slip Back Arm-Right
左倒攆猴 SliP Back Arm-Left
左攬雀尾 Grasp Peacock's Tail-Left
右攬雀尾 GrasP Peacock's TaiI-Right
單鞭 Single Whip
雲手之一 Wave Hand Like Moving Clouds-1
雲手之二 Wave Hand Like Moving Clouds-2
雲手之三 Wave Hand Like Moving Clouds-3
單鞭 Single Whip
高探馬 High Pat on Horse
右蹬腳 Kick with Right Heel
雙峰貫耳 Strike Opponent's Ears with Both Fists
左蹬腳 Kick with Left Heel
左下勢獨立 SweeP Down & Golden Cock on Leg-Left
右下勢獨立 Sweep Down & Golden Cock on Leg-Right
右玉女穿梭 Working at Shuttles-Right
左玉女穿梭 Working at Shuttles-Left
海底針 Needl at Sea Bottom
閃通背 Flash Out Arms
轉身搬攔捶 Turn, Parry & Punch
如封似閉 Apparent Close-Up
十字手 Cross Hands
合太極 Closing From
Return
八段錦