Tai Chi

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Introduction

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(1)Introdction
Tai Chi Chuan is considered to be one of the internal styles of Chinese martial art, and is the most widely practiced martial art in the world today. The term “Tai Chi” refers to the ancient Chinese cosmological concept of the interplay between two opposite yet complementary forces (Yin and Yang) as being the foundation of creation. “Chuan” literally means, “fist” and denotes an unarmed method of combat. Tai Chi Chuan as a martial art is based on the principle of the soft overcoming the hard.

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History

(1) Tai Chi Chuan•(2) Tai Chi Sword•(3) Yin and Yang

(1) Tai Chi Chuan

Tai Chi Chuan is a kind of Chinese martial art. It combines “techniques” (the coordinating action of hands, eyes, body and steps), “breath” (the deep breath in the stomach) and “movement” (the different movement of the limbs) to form the “Chuan”, which is a way to fitness through training the brain, the breath and the body.

The tight combination of brain, breath and body (i.e. consciousness, breathing and action) starts with the mind, then the internal movement and finally the bodily actions. Till the whole body moves internally and externally, the harmony is created. By completing the wholeness and the unity of the inside and outside, the aim of strengthening the body is achieved.

Tai Chi Chuan has a long history in China and it finds many innovations during its long-term practice. Various schools are generated as well, like the Yang, the Chen, the Wu, the Wu/Hao, the Sun, etc. In 1954, the Chinese Sports Committee announced the simplified 24-form Tai Chi Chuan, the 88-form Tai Chi Chuan and the 48-form Tai Chi Chuan. Different schools of Tai Chi Chuan are generally similar in their basic styles and techniques, which preserve the art’s traditional fashion but have the effect of strengthening one’s body. During the practice, the player has to concentrate with smooth breathing, while his action is required to be silent, slow, complete and harmonious. Tai Chi Chuan is not only popular among the masses, it also becomes a significant form of medical sport in China, which attracts close attention from the fields of medicine and sports.

Tai Chi Sword is an outstanding branch in the traditional Chinese swordsmanship. With its long history, it has more than ten schools. It bears the characteristics and fitness values of Tai Chi Chuan as well. The actions of Tai Chi Sword include draw, strike, hang, touch, slice, intervene, etc and these are combined with different steps. It allows solo routines as well as collective routines.

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(3)Yin and Yang

During the eleventh century AD, Chou Tun-yi, a Taoist, studied some of the diagrams used by religious Taoists, as distinct from philosophers, to show in pictorial form how immortality could be achieved. From his studies, Chou produced the diagram which is now equated with Tai Chi. This is called the Supreme Ultimate. Its white side shows the Yang principle and its black side the Yin principle. The small got of the opposite colour signifies that nothing is completely Yang or Yin; there is always a trace of Yin in Yang, and Yang in Yin. The symbol also shows that as one force diminishes the other grows. The symbol is used by Tai Chi students to show how aggressive force is diminished by yielding, and how yielding too has its limits – in any direction – and unless changed will fall to aggressive force.

Applications

(1) Chen style (陳氏)•(2) Yang style (楊家)

(4) Wu style of Wu Chuan-yu and Wu Chien-chuan (吳家)

(1) Chen style (陳氏)

(2) Yang style (楊家)

(3) Wu or Wu/Hao style of Wu Yu-hsiang (武家)

(4) Wu style of Wu Chuan-yu and Wu Chien-chuan (吳家)

(5) Sun style (孫家)

(6) Twenty-four sets Tai Chi

The Chen style (陳氏) is considered to be the senior branch of the five T'ai Chi Chuan family styles and the third in terms of popularity. The Chen style today is known for its low postures and vigorous martial art training. While there are many hundreds of schools teaching Tai Chi Chuan around the world, the family styles are said to go the farthest in maintaining the "old-fashioned" style of teaching that has been normative for Tai Chi Chuan instruction for most of its history. Historically documented from the 1600s, the Chen family originates in Chenjiagou in Wen County, Henan Province. (溫縣陳家溝). Their best known teacher was Chen Changxing (陳長興) (1771-1853). Chen Changxing started teaching the famous Yang Luchan in 1820. Yang went on to found the Yang style Tai Chi Chuan. Chen Changxing is also traditionally associated with a teacher known as Jiang Fa (蔣發), although it is no longer clear if their relationship was a teacher/student one (or even who was senior) or if they were colleagues. Some traditions teach that a disciple of Zhang Sanfeng named Wang Zongyue (王宗嶽) taught the martial art later to be known as T'ai Chi Ch'uan to the Chen family, but this cannot be confirmed. On the other hand, some in the Chen family claim that it was Wang who learned Tai Chi Chuan from them. Chen style has become well recognized internationally in recent years, due mostly to the efforts of Chen Fake (陳發科, 1887-1957), who taught for many years in Beijing. Many direct descendants of the Chen family are still teaching Tai Chi Chuan.

There is a relatively well known variant of the Chen style known as Zhaobao style Tai Chi Chuan - He style (趙堡 - 和式).

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Yang style (楊家) Tai Chi Chuan in its many variations is the most popular and widely practiced style in the world today and the second in terms of seniority among the primary five family styles of Tai Chi.

The Yang family first became involved in the study of Tai Chi in the early 1800s. The founder of the Yang style was Yang Lu-chan (楊露禪), aka Yang Fu-kui (楊福魁, 1799-1872), who studied under Chen Chang-hsing starting in 1820. Yang's subsequent expression of T'ai Chi as a teacher in his own right became known as the Yang style, and directly led to the development of the other three major styles of Tai Chi (see below). Yang Lu-chan (and some would say the art of Tai Chi Chuan in general) came to prominence as a result of his being hired by the Chinese Imperial family to teach Tai Chi to the elite Palace Battalion of the Imperial Guards in 1850, a position he held until his death.

Yang Lu-chan passed his art to:his son Yang Pan-hou (楊班侯, 1837-1890) who was also retained as a martial arts instructor by the Chinese Imperial family, became the teacher of Wu Chuan-yu (Wu Quanyou), a Manchu Banner cavalry officer of the Palace Battalion. Wu Chuan-yu's son, Wu Chen-chuan (Wu Jianquan), also a Banner officer, became known as the co-founder (along with his father) of the Wu style.

His son Yang Chien-hou (Jianhou) (1839-1917), who passed it to his sons, Yang Shao-hou (楊少侯, 1862-1930) and Yang Cheng-fu (楊澄甫, 1883-1936). Yang Cheng-fu removed the vigorous Fa-jing (release of power), energetic jumping, heavy stepping, and other abrupt movements to emphasize Ta Chia (大家 large style). This style has slow, steady, expansive and soft movements suitable for general practitioners. Thus, Yang Cheng-fu is largely responsible for standardizing and popularizing the Yang style Tai Chi widely practiced today. Yang Cheng-fu's descendants are still teaching in many schools associated with their family internationally.

Wu or Wu/Hao style of Wu Yu-hsiang (武家) Tung Ying-chieh (Dong Yingjie), Chen Wei-ming (Chen Weiming), Fu Zhongwen (Fu Chung-wen) and Cheng Man-ching were famous students of Yang Cheng-fu. Tung, Fu and Cheng each taught extensively, founding groups teaching Tai Chi to this day. Cheng Man-ching, perhaps the most famous of the three, significantly shortened and simplified the traditional forms Yang taught him after his teacher's passing, supposedly to make them more accessible to larger numbers of students. Although Cheng's modifications are considered controversial by most other schools and are not recognized by the Yang family, Cheng Man-ching is known as the first to teach Tai Chi Chüan in the West.

There is another relatively well known variant of the Yang style known as Kuang-ping style T'ai Chi Ch'uan （廣平太極 - 揚派）.

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The Wu or Wu/Hao style (武家) of Tai Chi Ch'üan is a separate family style from the more popular Wu style (吳家) of Wu Chien-chüan. Wu/Hao is third among the five Tai Chi families in seniority and fifth in terms of popularity.

Wu/Hao style was founded by Wu Yu-hsiang (武禹襄, 1813-1880), a senior student (along with his two older brothers Wu Cheng-ching and Wu Ju-ching) of Yang Lu-chan. There is a relatively large body of writing attributed to Wu Yu-hsiang on the subject of T'ai Chi theory, writings that are considered influential by other schools not directly associated with Wu/Hao style. Wu Yu-hsiang also studied for a brief time with teachers from the Ch'en family, to whom he was introduced by Yang. His most famous student was his nephew, Li I-yü (李亦畬, 1832-1892), who also authored several important works on Tai Chi. Li I-yü had a younger brother who was also credited as an author of at least one work on the subject of T'ai Chi, Li Chi-hsüan. Li I-yu taught Hao Wei-chen (郝為真, 1842-1920), who taught his son Hao Yüeh-ru (郝月如) who in turn taught his son Hao Shao-ju (郝少如) Wu Yu-hsiang's style of training, so that it is now sometimes known as Wu/Hao or just Hao style T'ai Chi Ch'üan. Hao Wei-chen also taught the famous Sun Lu-tang. Hao Yueh-ru was teaching in the 1920s, a time when Tai Chi Chuan was experiencing a large degree of popularity, and he is known for having smoothed out (in the sense of under-emphasizing jumps and snap kicks, etc.) and standardized the forms he learned from his father in order to more effectively teach large numbers of beginners. Both Yang Cheng-fu and Wu Chien-chuan made similar modifications to their beginning level forms around the same time.

Wu Yu-hsiang's T'ai Chi is a distinctive style with small, subtle movements; highly focused on balance, sensitivity and internal chi development. It is today a rare style, especially compared with the other major styles. While there are direct descendants of Li I-yu and Li Chi-hsuan still teaching in China, there are no longer Hao family members teaching the style.

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The Wu style (吳家) T'ai Chi Ch'üan of Wu Chuan-yu (Quanyou) and Wu Chien-chuan (Jianquan) is the second most popular form of Tai Chi Chuan in the world today, after the Yang style, and fourth in terms of family seniority. This style is often confused in the West with the Wu style (武家) founded by Wu Yu-hsiang. While the names are distinct in pronunciation and the Chinese characters used to write them are completely different, they are often womanized the same way.

Wu Chuan-yu(吳全佑, 1834-1902) started studying Tai Chi Chüan in his capacity as an officer cadet of the Palace Battalion of the Ching dynasty's Imperial Guards under Yang Lu-chan in 1850. He eventually became a disciple of Yang's son, Yang Pan-hou, and was given permission by the Yangs to teach his own students in 1870. Wu Chuan-yu's son, Wu Chien-chüan (吳鑑泉, 1870-1942), and grandchildren: grandsons Wu Kung-yi (吳公儀, 1900-1970) and Wu Kung-tsao (吳公藻, 1902-1983) as well as granddaughter Wu Ying-hua (吳英華, 1906-1996) were well known teachers. Wu Chien-chuan became the most widely known teacher in his family, and is therefore considered the co-founder of the Wu style. He taught large numbers of people and his refinements to the art more clearly distinguish Wu style from Yang style training. Wu Chien-chuan moved his family south from Beijing (where an important school founded by other students of his father, popularly known as the Northern Wu style, exists to this day) to Shanghai in 1928. Wu Kung-yi then moved the family headquarters to Hong Kong in 1948, his younger sister Wu Ying-hua and her husband, Ma Yueh-liang (馬嶽樑, 1901-1999), staying behind to manage the original Shanghai school. Between 1983 and her passing in 1996 Wu Ying-hua was the highest ranked instructor in the Wu family system. Her sons continue teaching and today manage the Shanghai school as well as schools in Europe. Wu Kung-yi's children were also full time Tai Chi teachers: Wu Ta-kuai (吳大揆, 1923-1970) was active in the resistance to the Japanese invasion of China, yet he later taught Tai Chi in Japan after the war. His younger brother, Wu Ta-chi (吳大齊, 1926-1993), supervised the family's Hong Kong and southeast Asian schools for many years and opened the family's first Western school in Toronto, Canada in 1974. Wu Kung-yi's daughter, Wu Yan-hsia (吳雁霞, 1930-2001), was the senior instructor of the Wu family for five years after the passing of Wu Ying-hua, and was known as an expert with the Tai Chi chien (sword).

The Wu style's distinctive hand form, pushing hands and weapons trainings emphasise parallel footwork and horse stance training with the feet relatively closer together than the modern Yang or Chen styles, small circle hand techniques (although large circle techniques are trained as well) and differs from the other Tai Chi family styles martially with Wu style's initial focus on grappling, throws, wrestling and other groundfighting technique; tumbling, jumping, footsweeps, pressure point leverage and joint locks and breaks, which are trained in addition to more conventional T'ai Chi sparring and fencing. Although historically derived from the Yang style, the Wu style has a unique appearance to observers and seems to share some features, especially in the footwork, with Sun style, perhaps due to the long collaboration and friendship between Wu Chien-chuan and Sun Lu-tang (孫祿堂, 1861-1932).

Wu Chien-chuan's descendants continue to teach in Asia, North America and Europe.

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(5) Sun style (孫家)

Sun style (孫家) T'ai Chi Ch'üan was developed by Sun Lu-tang (孫祿堂, 1861-1932), who was considered expert in two other internal martial arts styles: Hsing-i Chuan (Xingyiquan) and Pa Kua Chang (Baguazhang) before he came to study T'ai Chi. He was also considered an accomplished Neo-Confucian and Taoist scholar, especially in the I Ching. Sun learned Wu/Hao style T'ai Chi Chuan from Hao Wei-chen, who was Li I-yu's chief disciple. Sun started studying with Hao relatively late in his life, but his accomplishments in the other two internal arts led him to develop his T'ai Chi abilities to a high standard more quickly than is usual. He subsequently was invited by Yang Shao-hou, Yang Cheng-fu and Wu Chien-chuan to join them on the faculty of the Beijing Physical Education Research Institute where they taught Tai Chi to the public after 1914. Sun taught there alongside the Yang brothers and Wu Chen-chuan until 1928, a seminal period in the development of modern Yang, Wu and Sun T'ai Chi Chuan. Today, Sun style ranks fourth in popularity and fifth in terms of seniority among the five family styles of Tai Chi.

Besides his earlier Hsing-i and Pa Kua training, Sun's experiences with Hao Wei-chen, Yang Shao-hou, Yang Cheng-fu and Wu Chien-chuan influenced the development of what is today recognized as the Sun style of Tai Chi - characterized by small circular movements and high stances with subtle footwork. Sun's son Sun Cunzhou (1893-1963) and daughter, Sun Jianyun (1914-2003) were T'ai Chi Chuan teachers, and Sun Cunzhou's daughter Sun Shurong (b. 1918) still teaches in Beijing.

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(1) Commencing form•(2) Part wild horse mane on both

(5) Hand strums the lute•(6) Step back to drive monkey away

1. Facing 12 o’clock, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward, knees relaxed. Your arms hang by your sides, fingers and thumb in alignment and slightly curved.

2. Breathe in and raise your arms, palms facing down, to shoulder height. Hold your mind in your dantian and imagine the flow of qi into your lungs as you draw in the air.

3. Your shoulders and elbows are soft and your head straight as you breathe out. Press your palms down and bend your knees. Keep your chest sunken and pull in you seat.

4. Continue to lower your hands, palms down, until they are at hip height. Your weight should be equally distributed on both your feet. Keep your knees bent, unless otherwise instructed.

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1. Turn to the right (to 1 o’clock) and shift your weight onto your right hand, palm down, to shoulder height.

2. Move your left hand, right hand, as if you were holding a call in front of you. This is known as the “hold-ball” gesture. Look at your right hand.

3. Lift your left foot and bring it next to your left heel off the floor.

4. Turn your body to the left and step into a left bow stance so your body faces 8 o’clock. When you step, put your left hand up, and to press your right hand down.

5. Shift your weight onto your left (leading) foot. Raise your left hand to eye level, with the palm facing up, and lower your right hand to your hip, with your palm facing down. You are facing 9 o’ clock.

6. Move your weight back onto your right foot. Raise the toes of your left foot and turn them out (left) before putting your foot flat on the floor.

7. Shift your weight onto your left foot, and draw your hands into a hold-ball gesture in front of your left side with your left arm uppermost.

8. Complete the hold-ball gesture. Draw your right foot next to you left foot, with only your right toes on the floor. Look at your left hand.

9. Move your weight back onto your left foot. Turn to the right and step with your right foot to 10:30.

10. Complete the right bow stance, turning your right toes out before putting them down. Raise your right hand to eye level, and press your left hand down by your left hip. Look at your right hand. You are facing 9 o’clock.

11. Shift your weight onto your left foot and sit back, raising the toes of your right foot off the floor and turning them out slightly.

12. Put your right foot down and shift weight onto it. Draw your left foot next to your right foot, and make a hold-ball gesture in front of you on the right side of your body, with your right arm on top. Look at your right hand.

13. The sequence then follows the same steps as the first part of the horse mane.

14. Shift your weight to your right foot, raising your left toes off the floor and sit back. Turn your body to the left and take a left bow step to 8 o’clock.

15. Part the horse’s mane for the third and final time, completing the left bow step to 8 o’clock, with your left hand raised at eye level and your right hand down by yourright hip. Look straight ahead, toward 9 o’clock.

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1. Shift all your weight onto you left foot. Turn to the left and make a hold-ball gesture in front of your left side, with the left hand on top. Look at your left hand.

2. Draw your right foot behind your left foot. Turn slightly to the right and look at your right hand. Sit back onto your right foot.

3. Move your left foot forward and rest on its toes, but without shifting any weight onto it. This is called an “empty stance”. Turn slightly to the left, and raise your right hand forward until it is level with your right temple, palm facing in. your left hand lowers until it stops, palm down, in front of your left hip. Look straight ahead to 9 o’clock.

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1. Remain in the empty stance and turn left to 8 o’clock. Your right hand moves down and your left hand up.

2. Turn to the right, your right hand moving down, palm up, past your face, while your left hand palm down circles up, stopping in front of your right side.

3. Turn to the left, prepare to take a left bow step to 8 o’clock. Draw your right hand left past your right ear.

4. After you turn your body, push your right hand forward at nose level, palm facing out, while your left hand drops and circles around your left knee.

5. Complete the bow stance and stop your left hand beside you left hip, palm down. Look at the fingers of your extended right hand, palm out.

6. Shift your weight to your right foot, bending your right knee. Raise the toes of your left foot and turn them slightly out (left) before placing your foot flat on floor.

7. Bend your left leg. Turn your body to the left and shift your weight onto your left foot.

8. Bring your right foot next to your left foot, resting it on its toes. Move your left hand palm titled up, to shoulder height, while your right hand, as your body turns curves up and down to the left, stopping in front of your left side, palm titled down . look at your left hand.

9. Take a right bow step to 10 o’clock. Draw your left hand past your left ear.

10. After you turn your body, push your left hand forward at nose level, palm facing out, while your right hand drops and circles around your right knee to stop beside your right hip. Look at your left hand to 9 o’clock.

11. Shift your weight to your left foot, banding your left knee. Raise the toes of your right foot and turn them slightly out (right) before placing your foot flat on floor.

12. Bend your right leg. Turn to the right and shift your weight to your right foot. Move your left hand across your face hand across your face and circle your right hand out and back to your ear.

13. Make a left bow stance to 8 o’clock and circle your left hand down and stop by your left hip, palm facing down. Push the right hand until the arm is extended look at the fingers of your right hand, palm facing out. You are facing 9 o’clock at the close of the movement.

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1. Take half a step with your right foot toward your left heel. Turn to the right slightly, and shift your weight onto your right foot.

2. As you turn raise your left hand to nose level, palm facing right, elbow slightly bent. Circle your right hand opposite your left elbow, palm facing left. Raise your left foot.

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Step back to drive monkey away

1. Complete the left empty stance by resting your left foot n its heel, but without shifting any weight onto it. Do not rise or fall as you move into the final position. Look at your left hand. You are facing 9 o’clock.

2. Turn slightly to the right. Lower your right hand, palm facing up, toward your hip in a circular motion.

3. Continue circling your right hand until it reaches shoulder level with your palm facing up and your elbow slightly bent.

4. Bring your right hand toward your right ear, and turn to the left. Push your right hand forward and your left hand down by your waist as you raise your left foot to step back.

5. Place your left foot in position on the floor from toes to heel. Turn your body to the left and shift your weight onto your left foot to make a right empty stance, with your right foot pivoting on its toes until it points forwards. look at your right hand to 9 o’clock.

6. Bring your left hand level with your left ear and turn to the right. Push your left hand forward.

7. As your hands move, raise your right foot and step back as before, this time shifting your weight to the right foot. Look at your left hand to 9 o’clock.

8. Turn slightly to the right. Lower your right hand toward your hip in a circular motion.

9. Continue circling your right hand until it reaches shoulder level with your palm facing up and your elbow slightly bent.

10. Bring your right hand toward your right ear, and turn to the left. Push your right hand forward and the left down by your waist as you step back with your left foot.

11. Place your foot slowly in position, from toes to heel. Turn your body to the left and shift your weight onto your left foot to form an empty step. Look at your right hand to 9 o’clock.

12. Bring your left hand level with your ear and turn to the right. Push your left hand
forward.

13. As your hands move, raise your right foot and step back as before, this tie shifting your weight to the right foot.

14. Bring your left hand level with your arm and turn to the right. Push your left hand forward.

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1. Turn to the right. Move your right hand up and to the side, to shoulder height, palm facing up, while your left hand is palm down. Look at your left hand.

2. Make a hold-ball in front of your right side, with your right hand on top. Shift your weight onto your right foot, draw your left foot, on its toes, next to your right foot. Look at your right hand to 11 o’clock.

3. Turn your body slightly to the left, raise your left foot and step forward.

4. Turn a little more to the left, and complete the left bow stance. Push out your left forearm, palm facing in. Drop your right hand by your right hip, palm down, fingers pointing forward. Look at your left forearm.

5. Sit back shifting you weight onto your right foot. Turn to the left, while stretching your left hand forward, palm down. Bring your right and up, palm down. Bring your right hand up, palm turning upward, until it is below your left forearm.

6. Turn to the right, while drawing your hands in an arc in front of you finishing with your right hand extended to the side at shoulder height, palm in. Shift your weight onto the right foot. Look at your right hand.

7. Turn slightly to the left. Bend your right hand inside your left wrist.

8. Turn a little further to the left. Press both hands forward, with your right palm facing out and your left palm facing in. Keep your left arm rounded. Shift your weight slowly onto your left foot to make a left bow stance. Look at your left wrist (to 9 o’ clock).

9. Turn both palms down as your right hand passes over your left wrist and moves forward and to the right, ending level with your left hand.

10. Open your hands shoulder-width apart, and shift your weight onto your right foor, left toes lifted. Pull back your hands in front of you, palms facing out and slightly down. Look straight ahead (to 9 o’clock).

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1. Lower both your hands to your hands to your waist. Do not lower them in a straight line, but in an S-shaped movement.

2. Shift your weight onto your left foot, making a left bow stance. Push your hands forward and up (but curving up and not in a diagonal line), palms facing forward, until your wrists are at shoulder height. You are at shoulder height. You are facing 9 o’clock.

3. Sit back, shifting your weight onto your right foot, and lift your left toes.

4. Turn to the right and pivot the toes of your left foot in. Move your right arm to the right. Turn the left palm out.

5. Move your right hand past your abdomen, and up to your left ribs, palm up, forming a hold-ball gesture with your left hand on top. Shift your weight back onto your left foot.

6. Place your right foot beside your left foot, with its heel raised. Look at your left hand.

7. Turn to the right (to 3 o’clock). Take a step to the right (4 o’ clock) with your right foot, placing your foot down heel first.

8. Complete the right bow stance, shifting your weight onto your right leg. Push out your right forearm, palm facing in. Drop your left hand by your left hip, palm down, fingers pointing forward. Look at your right forearm (to 3 o’ clock).

9. Turn to the right, stretching your right hand, palm down. Raise your left hand, palm turning up, until it is below your right forearm

10. Turn to the left. Draw your hands in an arc, so your left hand is at shoulder height, palm up, and your right forearm across your chest, palm in. Shift your weight onto your left foot. Look at your left hand.

11. Turn slightly to the right. Bend your left arm and place your left hand inside your right wrist.

12. Turn a little farther to the right. Press both hands forward, with your left palm facing out and your right palm facing in; your right arm is rounded. Shift your weight onto your right bow stance. Look at your right wrist (to 3 o’ clock).

13. Turn both your palms down as your left hand passes over your right wrist and moves forward and to the left, ending level with your right hand.

14. Open your hands shoulder-width apart, palms turning out and down. Sit back onto your left foot, with your right toes raised off the floor.

15. Draw your palms down from chest to waist height.

16. Shift your weight onto your right foot, making a right bow stance. Push your hands forward and up, palms facing forward until your wrists are at shoulder height. You are facing 3 o’clock in the final position.

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1. Sit back and shift your weight onto your left foot and turn in the toes of your right foot.

2. Turn your body to the left. Move your hands left,with your left hand on top,until your left arm is stretched at shoulder height, palm facing out,and your right hand is in front of your left ribs, palm tilted in. Look at your left hand(to 10o’clock).

3. Turn your body to the right, shifting your weight onto your right foot.Draw your left foot on its toes next to your right foot. Make an arc up and round to the right with your right hand until your arm is at shoulder height.

4. With the right palm turned out, bunch your fingertips and turn them down from the wrist to form a ‘hooked hand.’

5. Turn your body to the left, facing 9 o’clock, and take a step forward with your left foot(to 8 o’clock), heel first.

6. your left arm moves left at eye level, the palm turning out as it sweeps across. Step in to a left bow stance. Look at your left hand (to 9 o’clock).

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1. Shift your weight onto your right foot and turn your body to the right, turning the toes of your left foot in. Make an arc with the left hand, past your abdomen and finishing in front of your right shoulder, palm tilted in.

2. At the same time, open your hooked right hand and turn the palm out. Look at your right hand (to 3 o’clock).

3. Turn to the left, shifting your weight onto your left foot. Make and arc past your face with your left hand, turning your left palm out. Look at your left hand.

4. Your right hand makes an arc past your abdomen and then up to your left shoulder, with the palm tilted in.

5. Bring your right foot next to your left foot, so that your feet are in parallel stance, and about 4-8 in.(10-20cm) apart.

6. Turn to the right and shift your weight onto your right foot. Look at your right hand(3 o’clock).

7. Your right hand continues to move right, past your face, palm turned out, while your left hand makes an arc past your abdomen and up to shoulder level, with the palm tilted in. Then take a side step with your left foot. Look at your left hand.

8. Shift your weight onto your tight foot and turn your body to the right, while turning the toes of your left foot in. Make an arc with your left hand.

9. Turn to the left, shifting your weight onto your left foot. Make an arc past your face with your left hand, turning your left palm out.

10. Your right hand makes an arc past your abdomen and then up to your left shoulder, with the palm tilted in.

11. Bring your right foot to the side of your left foot, so that your feet are in parallel stance, about 4-8 in. (10-20cm) apart. Look at your right hand.

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1. Turn to the right. At the same time, move the right hand toward the right side and form a hooked hand at a point slightly above shoulder height, while your left hand makes an arc past your abdomen and up to your right shoulder, with your left palm turned in.

2. Turn your body to the left, facing 9 o’clock, and take a step forward with your left foot, heel touching the floor first,(to 8 o’clock)

3. Slowly rotate your left palm and push your left arm ahead at eye level. Start shifting your weight onto your left foot.

4. Complete the left bow stance. Look at your left hand(to9 o’clock).

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1. Take half a step forward with your right foot and shift your weight onto it. Open your right hook hand and turn both palms up, elbows slightly bent, while you turn slightly to the right, raising the left heel. Look ahead. Turn to the left (to 9 o’clock)

2. Draw your right hand past your right ear and push it forward, palm out, at eye level. Lower your left hand until it comes in front of your left hip, palm up. Bring your left foot forward, forming an empty stance, look at your right hand.

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1. With your weight supported on your right foot, turn to the right(to 10 o’clock), and cross your left hand, palm in, over your right wrist, palm out.

2. Separate your hands, each making a downward circle with the palms tilted down. Raise your left foot to take a step forward(to 8 o’clock)

3. Place your left foot down to make a left bow stance, with your left toes slightly turned out. Look straight ahead. Continue to circle your hands out.

4. Bring your hands up until they cross in front of your chest, with your left hand over your right hand, palms in.

5. Open your arms to the side at shoulder height, with your elbows bent and your palms turning out. Raise your right leg, bent at knee, and kick with your right foot (to 10o’clock). Your right arm is over the right leg. Look at your right hand.

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1. Pull back your right foot but keep your thigh parallel to the floor. Move your left hand up and forward, then down to the side of your right hand in front of your chest, turning both palms up.

2. Both arms, elbows soft, drop to either side of your right knee. Look straight ahead.

3. Put down your right foot, slightly to the right and forward of your left foot(to 10 o’clock).Shift your weight onto your right foot to make a bow step. Drop both hands and clench the fists loosely.

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1. Extend your fists up, as if you were punching someone on both ears, with the knuckles tilted up. The distance between your fists is about 4-8 in. (10- 20cm) Look between your fists.

2. Bend your left leg and sit back. Turn your body to the left, with the toes of your right foot pointing in. Open your hands and move them out and down.

3. Continue to separate your hands, palms facing forward, in a circular movement. Straightening your arms at the elbow, look at your left hand.

4. Shift your weight onto your right foot. Bring your left next to it and rest its toes, and circle your hands downward and to the sides.

5. Continue circling in and forward, until your hands cross in front of your chest, with your right hand over your left hand, both palms facing in .Look ahead.

6. Raise your left foot off the floor and start to separate your hands to the side.

7. Open your arms to the side at shoulder level, elbows slightly bent and palms turning out. Kick with your left heel (to 4 o’clock), and look at your left hand.

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1. Pull back your left foot but keep it raised, with your thigh parallel to the floor.

2. Turn to the right. Make a right hooked hand. Your left palm turns up and makes an arc across your body until it is in front of your right shoulder, tilted in. Look at your right hand.

3. Turn to the left (to 3 o’clock and bend your right knee, stretching your left leg, to the side (to 2 o’clock). Extend your left hand along the inner side of your left leg, palm facing forward. Look at your left hand.

4. When your right leg is bent in a full crouch, turn the toes of your right foot out slightly and straighten your left leg with toes turned in slightly.

5. Using your heel as a pivot, turn the toes of your left foot slightly out so that they come in line with your outstretched leg; turn the toes of your tight foot in, as your right leg straightens and your left leg bends. Your weight is shifted your left foot. Your body turns slightly to the left and then rises in a forward movement (to 3 o’clock). Your left arm continues to extend forward, with the palm facing the right side.

6. Raise your right foot right foot until your right thigh is parallel to the floor.

7. Open your right hand and swing it outside your right leg and then up to the front, until your bent right elbow is just above your right knee, fingers pointing up and palm facing left. Lower your left hand to your hip, palm facing down. Look at your right hand (to 3 o’clock).

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1. Put your right foot down on its toes in front of your left foot, and shift your weight onto it. Turn your body to the left, using the ball of your left toes as a pivot.

2. Raise your left hand to the side to shoulder height and make a left hooked hand.

3. Your right hand, following the body turn, moves in an arc until it comes in front of your left shoulder with the fingers pointing up. Look at your left hand(to 11 o’clock)

4. Bend your left knee. Stretching your right leg to the side(to 4 o’clock).Extend your right hand along your inner right leg, palm facing forward. Look at your right hand.

5. When your left leg is fully bent, turn the toes of your left foot out and straighten your right leg with the toes turned in.

6. Turn the toes of your right foot slightly out,in line with your outstretched leg; turn the toes of your left foot in as your left leg straightens and your right leg bends. Shift your weight onto your right foot. Your body turns slightly to the right and then rise in a forward movement.

7. Continued: arm continues to stretch forward, with the palm facing left, while your left hand drops behind your back, with bunched fingertip pointing backward. Look at your right hand.

8. Begin to raise your left foot until your thigh is parallel to the floor.

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1. Open your left hand and swing it past your left leg and up until your bent elbow is above your left knee, fingers pointing up. Lower your right hand to your hip, palm down. Look at your left hand.

2. Turn to the left (to 1 o’clock). Put your left foot down, toes pointing out. Bend your knees. Make a hold-ball gesture with the left hand on top.

3. Shift your weight to your left foot, and move your right foot, on its toes, next to your left foot. Look at the left forearm.

4. Sit back on your left foot and take a step with your right foot ( to 4 o’clock).

5. Complete the right bow stance.

6. Move your right hand up. Stopping just above your right temple, with your palm titled up. Move your left hand down to the left side, and then push it forward and up to nose level, with palm facing forward. Look at your left hand.

7. Turn slightly to the right, shifting your weight back, with the toes of your right foot turned out. Make a hold-ball gesture with the right hand on top. Look at your right forearm.

8. Shift your weight onto your right foot and place your left foot next to it with the heel raised and the toes on the floor.

9. Turn to the left and take a step to 2 o’clock with the left foot, placing your heel down first.

10. Shift your weight onto your left foot to complete the left bow stance.

11. Move your left hand up, stopping just above your left temple, with the palm titled up. Move your right hand down to the right side, and then push it forward and up to nose level, with the palm facing forward. Look at your right hand.

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1. Take half a step forward with your right foot. Shift your weight onto your right foot as your left foot moves forward to form a left empty stance. Turn your body to the right ( to 4 o’clock).

2. Lower your right hand, then raise it up to the side of your right ear and, with the body turning to 3 o’clock, thrust it down in front of your body, with the palm facing left and the fingers pointing down. Make an arc with your left hand forward and down to the side of your left hip, palm facing down and fingers pointing forward, look down.

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1. Turn slightly to the right. Make a left bow step forward. At the same time, raise your right arm with your elbow bent until your right hand stops just above your right temple.

2. Complete the bow stance. Tilt palm up with the thumb pointing down. Raise your left hand slightly and push it forward at nose level, palm facing forward. Look at your left hand ( to 2 o’clock). The distance between your heels should be about 4 in. (10cm)

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1. Shift your weight onto your right foot, turn to the right, and shift your weight back onto your left foot. Face 6 o’clock. As you turn, circle your right hand toward the right and down. Make a fist and move it to your left side, knuckles up. Raise your left arm above your head, with the palm titled up. Look forward.

2. Turn your body to the right. Thrust your right fist up and forward in front of your chest, knuckles turned down, lower your left hand to the side of your left hip, with the palm turned downward and the fingers pointing forward. At the same time, draw back your right foot and, without stopping or allowing it touch floor, take a step to 10 o’clock with the toes turned out. Look at your right fist.

3. Shift your weight onto your right foot. Move your left hand up and forward from the left side in a circular movement, palm turned slightly down, and pull the right fist in back to the right side of waist, knuckles turned down.

4. Take a step forward with your left foot. Look at your left hand ( to 9 o’clock).

5. Complete the left bow stance and strike forward with your right fist at chest height, with the back of the hand facing the right side,. Pull your left hand back to the side of the right forearm. Look at your right fist (to 9 o’clock).

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1. Stretch your left hand under your right wrist. Open your right fist and turn the palms up, separate your hands until they are shoulder- width apart and pull them back.

2. Sit back onto your right foot, with the toes of your left foot raised. Pull your hands down to your waist.

3. Complete the left bow step and push your palms forward and up to shoulder height, palms facing out. Look between your hands ( to 9 o’clock).

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1. Shift your weight onto your right foot. Turn to the right and pivot on your left toes.

2. Circle your hands to shoulder height , palms forward, elbow slightly bent. Turn your right toes out, and shift your weight onto your right foot. Look at your right hand.

3. Shift your weight to your left foot, and turn your right toes in. Bring the right foot toward your left foot, so that you are standing in shoulder-width stance.

4. Straighten your legs and lower both hands and cross them in front of you. Raise them to your chest, with your wrists at shoulder height, your right hand on the outside, both palms facing in.

5. You are facing o’clock. Separate your hands, keeping them at shoulder height. Look forward. You are now in the starting position of the form.

6. Turn your palms forward and down while lowering both arms gradually to the side of your hips.

7. Keep your entire body relaxed and draw a deep, prolonged breath as you lower your hands. Continue to look straight ahead to 12 o’clock. You may now commence another round of the form.

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Advantages

(1) Health Benefits•(2) Advantages Of Tai Chi

(1) Health Benefits

The health benefits of tai chi are still coming to the surface but it is already known to be an excellent therapy for people suffering from breathing difficulties, stress, low energy levels, stiff joints and mobility problems, as well as for those who are in excellent health and wish to stay that way!

It has been claimed that tai chi, when practiced diligently, will help and even cure certain morbid conditions. Some have reported that the practice of tai chi can produce remissions for organic diseases like tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus, but do not offer any rational explanation as to how this is achieved. Although tai chi would undoubtedly promote health, the more extravagant claims of its therapeutic benefits should be viewed in their correct perspective. These claims should be based upon carefully planned and executed studies and not solely upon the observation of isolated cases.

How would tai chi compare with other forms of exercise? One unique feature is that it promotes mental relaxation. In this it is like yoga and has been described as 'meditation in motion'. In practicing tai chi the exponent never gets heated up over 'missing that damn putt' or losing a game. He is calm and relaxed with all tensions of the day eased away.

Tai chi exercises the cardio-pulmonary system, particularly when it is correctly practiced. A half-hour tai chi workout would be equivalent to the exercise benefit derived from a three-hour game of golf. It is, however, a less intensive exercise than either squash or tennis.

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(2) Advantages Of Tai Chi

One great advantage that tai chi has as an exercise is its convenience. Only ten minutes' exercise is all that is required for a practice session. It certainly beats rearranging schedules to fit in a round of golf or even a jogging session! What is more, tai chi can be practiced in a relatively small area, with no special equipment or companion. Your office, bedroom, lounge, patio, garden - just about any open space 15 meters square can be used for the practice of tai chi. It can, therefore, be practiced in your own home, at practically any time, with minimal expense and by yourself. Most important, you will always feel good, relaxed, refreshed and invigorated after a tai chi session.

As in other exercises, do not practice tai chi when you suffer an acute illness like influenza or diarrhea. It is much better and certainly safer to resume practice after your recovery. Although you do not require any special equipment, you should always use a pair of flat-soled shoes during practice to avoid injury to your soles. A soft, loose, sweat-absorbing shirt and loose, baggy pants will be an asset as they permit free movement. Avoid using skin-tight pants and shirts during practice - these not only hamper blood circulation, they also cause some discomfort. For the same reasons, tight-fitting rings should be taken off before practice.

The beauty of practicing tai chi is that, apart from getting considerable physical exercise, you are learning, quite by accident perhaps, an ancient martial art. Unconsciously you will imbibe its principles and when this occurs, you will inherit some of the values and qualities the Chinese prize highly - patience, perseverance, tolerance, discipline and confidence.

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Websites

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai_chi
http://www.shenwu.com/taichi.htm
http://hk.geocities.com/tsuining_tc/
http://www.chentaichi.info/viewtopic.php?t=1435
http://hk.geocities.com/taichi8118/main.html
http://hk.geocities.com/tsuining_tc/

Books

Chi-gung : harnessing the power of Tai Chi
Tai chi : a practical introduction-------Paul Crompton