THE TAIJI MANUAL OF XU YUSHENG

TAIJI BOXING POSTURES EXPLAINED

by Xu Yusheng
[1921]
[translation by Paul Brennan, Aug, 2012]

1921, 7th month

Taiji Boxing Postures Explained

[calligraphy by] Fu Zengxiang


[1st] FOREWORD

In ancient wrestling, the idea was to see who was

best, and so they dragged oxen along while steering
pigs around [i.e. struggled moving every which way]
to see which student was bravest. Alas, for those
martial arts, it is hard for us to say whether they were
good or bad, but they were extensively developed and
were popular in their time.
When instruction is systematic, fitting, and proper,
the student will make a truly martial display, and the
divine horse will gain a bridle [i.e. the student will
achieve control over a special power]. Hardness and
softness will conquer each other. Experiment and
play will make use of each other. The muscles and
bones will carry each other. The mental and physical
will seek each other.
Xu Yushengs writing leaves nothing out. Let it be
spread in countless copies and give instruction to the
future. I have expressed here but meager esteem, so
please scrutinize these words, for fear of divine
justice has kept me from exaggerating.
Yuan Xitao

[2nd] FOREWORD

Towering are the splendid towers of Yan and Zhaos

ancient capitals. So too martial valor is to be
respected, for it is bestowed on us as its students. Our
magnificent martial arts are as fresh as they are old.
But many systems have been forgotten, and so we
must seek for them from every neighbor. In the might
of the north, who is the best? Xu Yushengs skill rivals
the horses of the heavens.
The ideal thing to do is unite in association with
each other and rouse our spirits to strive, to study
intensively in the triple aspects of education [i.e.
ethical, intellectual, physical] and let us be common
friends against a common foe. Without strength of
literature, how will these things be spread far? A
single page carried by the wind can delay a cultures
decay. When warriors assemble, these methods will
be passed on. For the sake of strengthening our
nation, please regard this book.
Liu Qian

PREFACE [BY ZHANG YILIN]

I studied the military systems in the Rites of

Zhou and the Maxims for War Ministers to figure out
the average size of each states armies. Each state had
a force of 25,000 soldiers, so a hundred states would
amount to 2,500,000, and if there were 1,800 states,
that would amount to 40,000,000 [45,000,000].
Nowadays, the equivalent amount for the whole
country would be five out of every ten eligible males. I
also studied the History of the Warring States, with
its seven kingdoms of Qi, Qin, Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei,
Chu. Each state had to possess 1,000,000 pieces of
armor, 100,000 weapons, and 10,000 servants. If by
such numbers we arranged the 200,000,000 males
of our entire country as it is at present, then our
nation would have men eligible for service numbering
10,000,000.
During the Russo-Japanese War [1904-1905], in
the battles at Port Arthur [Feb 8-9, 1904], Liaoyang
[Aug 24 Sep 4, 1904], and so on, there was hand-to-
hand fighting, and it has been argued that Japans
victory over Russia came down to their skill in Judo.
(See the Japanese book Human Bullets: Notes of
Actual Combat at Port Arthur [by Lt. Tadayoshi
Sakurai, published 1906].) Judo is one of the martial
arts we have passed down. If it is the case that we are
not concerned with defending ourselves, we do not
need it. But if we do wish to defend ourselves, then
central to it are the three aspects of cultivating virtue,
wisdom, and body, the cultivation of the body being
the most important.
Ever since the unification of China during the Qin
Dynasty, rulers have neglected the martial spirit of
the people, and the ancient days when a person was
both soldier and farmer have gotten ever more
distant. Now our nations people are generally lazy
and dispirited, to the joy of onlooking tyrants. When
we come into contact with the mighty powers to the
east and west, we then respond by shivering as if it is
cold or stiffening as if being hit with a chilling breeze,
and really it is our own fault.
When the Republic was established, those who
comprehended the era we are living in gradually
understood that boxing arts are our national soul. Xu
Yusheng is well-versed in each of these arts, but is
particularly expert in Taiji. When I joined his school,
I became a privileged member [being more literate
than most,] and he often bestowed his wisdom upon
me. One day he showed me something he had
written, an Illustrated Handbook of Taiji Boxing,
and I gave it a careful readthrough. It had a scientific
way of analyzing things, written in a systematic way
and including drawings in sequence.
In the larger scale, Taiji can strengthen our nation
and our race. In the smaller scale, it can prevent
disease and prolong life. I had previously seen Xu
Zhiyis article Boxing Arts in Relation to the Study of
Mechanics, drawing from the principles of leverage,
and explaining Taijis theory of avoiding the
opponent where he is full and attacking him where he
is empty, its skill approaching near to the Way.
Unfortunately Xu Zhiyis writings have only
appeared in Physical Education Quarterlyand have
not been seen in their entirety [His material,
including his mechanics article, was finally compiled
into a book and published in 1927.], but now Xu
Yushengs illustrated explanations have been
compiled into a complete book. Compared to Xu
Zhiyis writings, it is like the wheel of a cart or the
wings of a bird [i.e. is getting around more easily].
For those who are frail, like myself, it can rouse you
from your timidity and brace you up out of your
feebleness. All who study it can be invigorated by it.
Let us take the 400,000,000 men and women of
our nation and leave aside those with a wasteful
lifestyle. Of those who follow this method, one in a
hundred will work at it without giving up, but that
would already be enough to supply ten percent of the
whole army, and these 4,000,000 will none of them
be idle parasites. How could they then be inadequate
at defense? If we inquire of Xu Yushengs opinion of
all this, would he not agree with me?
preface by Zhang Yilin of Wu county, 1st autumn
month, 1921

PREFACE [BY YANG CHANG]


In boxing arts, there are the two schools of internal
and external. The external was founded by Damo and
is called the Shaolin school. The internal was founded
by Zhang Sanfeng and is called the Wudang school.
The elements taught in both do not go beyond
technique and energy. Technique is what is outwardly
revealed. Energy is what is inwardly concealed.
Technique is substance. Energy is flow. Technique is
form. Energy is function. When substance and flow
are both cultivated, and when form and function are
both prepared, then it can be said to be boxing.
The distinction between external and internal
comes down to these two terms: technique and
energy. The external school excels in technique. The
internal school excels in energy. It is similar to the
way the Han Dynasty scholars put importance on the
commentaries to ancient texts but the Song Dynasty
scholars were more concerned with understanding
the ideas within the texts themselves. Although each
group has its distinct method, they should work in
parallel to each other rather than in opposition.
Most people do not scrutinize, thinking that the
external school is all about hardness and the internal
school is all about softness, and they do not
understand that hardness and softness must not be
individually emphasized, and that there should never
be a moment when they are separated. Taijis
thirteen dynamics [i.e. the solo set] was passed
down from Zhang Sanfeng. Since Zhang was a Daoist,
it is therefore said in Taiji Boxing things such as: He
is hard while I am soft this is yielding. My energy is
smooth while his energy is coarse this is sticking.
And also: Once you have ingrained these techniques,
you will gradually come to identify energies, and then
from there you will work your way toward something
miraculous.
Yielding and sticking should both be sought in the
aspect of energy. You must be sensitively aware and
be without obstruction, and then you can say you are
identifying energies. You must respond to
circumstances and do what is natural, and then you
can say you are on your way toward something
miraculous. It is as Laozi said [Daodejing, chapter 1]:
Dwelling with nothingness, you will see mystery.
Dwelling with somethingness, you will see details.
Truly this is no different. When boxing experts
discuss energy and have reached this level, it can be
said they have achieved a way that is great beyond
greatness. But when they explain its meaning, it is so
lofty, and when they discuss its theory, it is in such
detail, and therefore for those who practice it, it is
very hard to predict the day when skill will arrive.
I have seen people who think that in practicing
Taiji Boxing, it is only necessary to identify energies,
who then get ahead of themselves by rushing into
focusing on pushing hands without having given
adequate attention to how they are using their torsos,
hands, and feet [i.e. the aspect of technique]. After
practicing like this for many years, they are just as
weak as when they started, reaching the point that
they cannot even be a match for someone who has
been practicing other boxing arts [i.e. external] for
only a few months. These are all mistakes of thinking
the internal school is all about softness, the result of
not striving to make the postures correct and the
techniques skillful.
Xu Yusheng, my fellow student, has researched
this method for nearly thirty years and is capable and
knowledgeable in both the internal and external
schools, understanding the essentials of each, and so
he is perfect for the task of making such a book to
provide for his comrades. He has explained the
movements, including their applications, and the
pushing hands methods, which is especially valuable.
He went through three drafts to make the final
manuscript, calling it Taiji Boxing Postures
Explained.
 If you can put your heart into what you learn from
it, you will break through and become skillful. The
more you practice the pushing hands, striving to
identify energies, from there it will not be difficult to
get on your way toward something miraculous. Even
if you have no extra time to practice the pushing
hands, practicing the techniques in the solo set
should be sufficient for you to begin to be able to say
you are well-versed in these skills. This is Xu
Yushengs goal. When there is social turmoil or
natural disasters, sensible people often flee to hide in
philosophy. But it is also the case that we hear of
things that wake up our senses, such as: through art
we approach the Way! And this book is a bridge
toward it.
written by Yang Chang of Xiangtan in Beijing, 1st
autumn month, 1921

AUTHORS PREFACE

When I was young, I was frail and often ill, and so I

read all sorts of health books, controlled my diet, and
was careful in my daily habits. I proceeded along such
lines for several years, but had not yet received any
outstanding results. I sought out the books of Hua
Tuos Five Animal Frolics, Damos Tendon Changing
Classic, and the Eight Sections of Brocade, and
practiced according to them. However, in each case
the pictures had no explanations and the essential
concepts were not being imparted. I did my best to
imitate the postures, but the results were sparse, and
so I did not complete the study. After that I engaged
in external styles of boxing arts. I trained in the skills
of attack and defense, worked at jumping all over the
place, and consequently my body became somewhat
robust. But I suffered from the severity of the exercise
and had to take a break due to renewed illness. I
began to understand that it was not a good method.
Finally I got into internal styles of boxing arts,
namely what the world calls the skill of Taiji. In its
contracting and expanding, its bending and
extending, the mind guides the energy. It is simple
and easy to practice. It is soft and sparing of effort.
Before I had practiced it for a full year, all my long-
standing ailments had been alleviated. The results
were enormous. In every movement in the postures
of its solo set, there is a rhythm to follow, a linking up
throughout, like a continuous flow. With the breath
and the movement spurring each other, the energy
and blood, muscles and bones, are lively without
stagnation, and you will deeply achieve the essence of
the ancient limbering arts. The qualities of its
movements hard and soft, advance and retreat,
passive and active, empty and full fully conform to
the taiji principle in the Book of Changes. When
facing an opponent, act according to the situation and
seize opportunity when it appears, striking where
there is a gap, guided by the hollows, and knowing
what areas are too tough to bother with. Indeed it is
like those words from Zhuangzi [chapter 3] where it
talks of the butcher whose skill is near the Way.
 And so I have made this book to share with the
world. Although it does not do justice to the
intentions of the ancients, if you practice well, it will
be possible for you to make your way toward the
Way. You need not look upon this as only a martial
arts text.
written by Xu Longhou [Yusheng] of Guyan at
the Beijing Physical Education Research Society,
autumn, 1921

GENERAL COMMENTS

Each chapter of this book has been previously

published in Physical Education Quarterly. The
intention right from the start was to wait until the
series of articles had added up to a comprehensive
volume of material, and now they have been
compiled for such a publication. Because the process
of editing has been hastened to get it published that
much faster, areas of either repetition or omission are
inevitable. If experts would give me correction, I
would be overjoyed.


This book is divided into two parts: the first part

being concerned with explaining Taiji Boxings
origins and principles, the second part being
concerned with explaining the postures in the solo
set, including drawings, and the various methods of
pushing hands.

This book draws widely from the expertise of others

and is not confined to my own understanding. For the
boxing techniques, I have focused on larger postures
to make it easier for you to see what is going on.

The most important thing in Taiji Boxing is the

linking of movements. In this book, for the sake of
convenience of explanation, each movement within a
posture is divided into its own section of description,
but while you are practicing you should still be
moving from one to another continuously.

In this book, the explanations for the movements in

the postures often make use of current martial arts
terminology mixed into what the founders have
passed down to us, and I hope it conforms well to
their original intention.

In this book, I have selected the Taiji Diagram and

the Change Development Chart as a means of
verifying the place of this boxing art and to supply
you with reference material.

In the course of making this book, Beijing Physical

Education Research Society instructors Ji Zixiu, Yang
Mengxiang [Shaohou], Wu Jianquan, Liu Enshou,
and Liu Caichen all served as consultants, while
society members Guo Zhiyun and Lang Jinchi did the
drawings. [Most of these drawings are obviously
based on photos of Yang Chengfu which were
published later in Chen Weimings 1925 book,
although occasionally the descriptions make a better
fit with postures of Wu Jianquan. The drawings
which are not based on the Yang Chengfu photos are
again sometimes more similar to Wu Jianquans
movements and are also apparently drawn by a
different hand. We can thus see how their work was
divided: one man worked exclusively at drawing from
the Yang Chengfu photos while the other man drew
either from photos of a different source or from an
actual model.] Yang Jizi and Ye Yingtang did the
editing, and Yi Jiansi and Xu Xiaolu did the
proofreading.

(comments by the author)

Portrait of the author


CONTENTS

PART ONE

Chapter One: Introductory Remarks

Chapter Two: The Meaning of Taiji Boxing

Chapter Three: The Origin of the Name Thirteen

Dynamics (Including Maps of the Eight Directions
and Five Steps)

Chapter Four: How Taiji Boxing Conforms with the

Symbols of Change (Including the Taiji Diagram and
the Chart of the Development of Change)

Chapter Five: The Various Schools of Taiji Boxing

Chapter Six: The Taiji Boxing Classic Annotated

PART TWO

Chapter One: The Sequence of the Taiji Boxing Solo

Set with Movement Positioning Chart (Complete with
Explanations)

Chapter Two: Explanations for Each of the Taiji
Boxing Postures
1
PREPARATION POSTURE
2
CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
3
SINGLE WHIP
4
RAISE THE HANDS
5
WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS
6
LEFT & RIGHT BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED
STANCE
7
PLAY THE LUTE
8
ADVANCE, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
9
SEALING SHUT
10
CROSSED HANDS
11
CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK TO ITS
MOUNTAIN
12
CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
13
DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP
14
GUARDING PUNCH UNDER THE ELBOW
15
RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY
16
DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE
17
RAISE THE HANDS
18
WHITE CRANE UNFURLS ITS WINGS
19
WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS
20
BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
21
NEEDLING UNDER THE SEA
22
FAN THROUGH THE BACK
23
TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH
24
WITHDRAWING STEP, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
25
CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
26
SINGLE WHIP
27
CLOUDING HANDS
28
RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE
HORSE LEFT
29
KICK TO THE RIGHT SIDE
30
RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE
HORSE RIGHT
31
KICK TO LEFT SIDE
32
TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK
33
COME DOWN, BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED
STANCE
34
ADVANCE, PLANTING PUNCH
35
TURN AROUND, TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH
36
DOUBLE KICK
37
LEFT & RIGHT FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE
38
DRAPING THE BODY, KICK
39
DOUBLE WINDS THROUGH THE EARS
40
ADVANCE, PRESSING KICK
41
TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK
42
STEP FORWARD, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
43
SEALING SHUT
44
CROSSED HANDS
45
CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK TO ITS
MOUNTAIN
46
DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP
47
WILD HORSE VEERS ITS MANE
48
MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE
49
SINGLE WHIP
50
CLOUDING HANDS
51
LOW POSTURE
52
LEFT & RIGHT GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON
ONE LEG
53
RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY
54
DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE
55
RAISE THE HANDS
56
WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS
57
BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
58
NEEDLING UNDER THE SEA
59
FAN THROUGH THE BACK
60
STEP FORWARD, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
61
STEP FORWARD, CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE
TAIL
62
SINGLE WHIP
63
CLOUDING HANDS
64
RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE HORSE
65
CROSSED-BODY SWINGING LOTUS KICK
66
BRUSH KNEE, PUNCH TO THE CROTCH
67
STEP FORWARD, CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE
TAIL
68
SINGLE WHIP
69
LOW POSTURE
70
STEP FORWARD WITH THE BIG DIPPER and
RETREAT TO SITTING TIGER POSTURE
71
TURN AROUND, SWINGING LOTUS KICK
72
BEND THE BOW, SHOOT THE TIGER
73
CLOSING POSTURE

Chapter Three: Discussion of Taiji Boxings Pushing

Hands Skill

Chapter Four: Explanations of the Eight Techniques

of the Pushing Hands Skill

Chapter Five: Taiji Boxings Practical Function

Pushing Hands

Section 1: TAIJI BOXINGS STANCE

Section 2: SINGLE TOUCHING-HANDS METHOD

Section 3: DOUBLE TOUCHING-HANDS METHOD

Section 4: SINGLE-HAND HORIZONTAL

CIRCLING PUSHING & RUBBING METHOD

Section 5: ROLLBACK & PUSH PUSHING HANDS

METHOD

Section 6: SINGLE-HAND VERTICAL CIRCLING

PUSHING HANDS METHOD

Section 7: ROLLBACK & PRESS PUSHING HANDS

METHOD

Section 8: SINGLE-HAND PRESSING DOWN

PUSHING HANDS METHOD

Section 9: PRESSING DOWN THE WRIST &

PUSHING DOWN THE ELBOW PUSHING HANDS
METHOD

Section 10: PUSHING HANDS METHOD FOR THE

FOUR PRIMARY TECHNIQUES

Section 11: PUSHING HANDS METHOD FOR THE

FOUR SECONDARY TECHNIQUES

Postscript

PART ONE

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTORY REMARKS



In ancient times, there was the map that came out of

the Yellow River, the arrangements of the eight
trigrams, the scroll that appeared from the Luo River,
and the pattern of the nine fields. Confucius used
them to make the Book of Changes. Although
the Book of Changes is fundamentally a discussion of
divination, within it is already a tool for
understanding the principles of all things. But
because the explanations for the symbols did not
have the main points laid out, later generations have
been unable to comprehensively understand them
and each explanation has gone down mistaken paths.
Zhou Dunyi worried about this situation, so he
contemplated the substance of the Way, the
essentials at its root, and wrote the Explanation to
the Taiji Diagram. He made it so that the subtleties
of nature, the methods of society, the variety of
activities, and the inscrutability of spirits all have a
single principle running through them. It can
genuinely be said that he was the originator of a
philosophy.
Our nations boxing arts were the earliest to be
developed, but so far have not yet become an
integrated art. This is because later generations of
students discuss the art but not the theory, and they
look upon it as a skill but do not use it as a tool for
training body and mind. When we look for the source
of the boxing arts, we find they came from the ancient
limbering arts.
Long ago before medicine had been invented, [the
theory was that] people encountered six kinds of
atmospheres [windy, cold, hot, damp, dry, smoky]
which, when the bodys defenses were down,
gathered in the breath and blood to make illness.
Thus those people engaged in bending and extending,
contracting and expanding, using mind to lead
energy, stretched areas of stagnancy to unclog them,
and thus cured themselves of illness. Therefore their
art was known as limbering [dao yin, meaning to
lead and pull, as in stretching].
In those ancient times, Fu Xi assigned Yin Kang to
make a Grand Dance to stretch the body and heal the
peoples illnesses. The Yellow Emperor made his
famous book of medicine, containing massage and
limbering techniques, as well as comprehensive
information on acupuncture and medicinal mixtures,
all the basic principles of nurturing the body and of
using exercise to defeat illness.
It is said in Zhuangzi [chapter 15]: Expel dead air
and take in fresh. Loosen by imitating the walking
motions of bears and stretch by imitating the
extending motions of birds. These ideas are suitable
for breathing exercises. Hua Tuo of the Han Dynasty
[206BC-220AD] continued to spread it by making
the Five Animal Classic (the five being tiger, deer,
ape, bear, bird).
Wu Pu discussed it thus: The human body desires
to be worked, although it is not appropriate to work it
too strenuously. When we move, the energy from our
food is dispersed to circulate through our blood, and
illness then cannot be born, in the same way a door
hinge [that is constantly used] will never rot.
Therefore the ancient immortals engaged in
limbering exercises, drawing in what is essential to
the body, moving every joint, to strive to hinder
aging. I possess an art, which is called the Imitating
of Five Animals. When I feel my body is unwell, I
begin to act like one of the animals, until I feel
comfortable and sweaty, and then, lightened and
efficient, I have an appetite for food. Wu followed its
principles and learned it. Even beyond his ninetieth
year he still had acute hearing and sharp vision.
The Buddhist monks of the Shaolin Temple carried
on his ideas, mixing them together with the various
techniques passed down by Damo, and made the Five
Boxing Styles (dragon, tiger, leopard, snake, crane),
but with particular attention to practical application.
(The five are explained in detail in Secrets of the
Shaolin Boxing Art [published 1915].)
The original intentions of this physical training
have been lost, but since the Song and Yuan
Dynasties many who discussed martial arts followed
in the path of their forefathers. After the temple was
burned, the monks dispersed in all directions. The
clever ones developed strained interpretations, each
holding to their version, branching off into numerous
schools. However, the authentic transmission of
Shaolin consequently fell into oblivion.
In the declining years of the Yuan Dynasty, there
was a retired scholar called Zhang Sanfeng who took
the basic Confucian principle of taiji and mixed it
together with the major principles of the other
schools of thought, putting the five elements and
eight trigrams into his boxing techniques and
footwork, using taijis passive and active, hardness
and softness, movement and stillness, as metaphors
for its function. With these as its main points, it
became known as the internal school, distinct as a
result from the external school.
In the matter of its techniques, Taiji Boxing is
indeed different from the other schools of boxing
arts, moving by way of energy, defeating opponents
purely through the use of emptiness and stillness,
emphasizing spirit as the highest form of cultivation,
resolute of intention and determined of will, to the
enhancement of ones intelligence, which cannot be
said by those who emphasize the body-building of
external styles.
If those who practice external styles learn but
some of its ideas, they will be able to benefit from the
work of others. From this it can be seen that as a
study of the Book of Changes which involves the
Explanation to the Taiji Diagram reveals the
principle that runs through everything, so a training
in boxing arts which involves the Taiji skill will
integrate all the boxing schools.
There are several versions of the Taiji Boxing
Classic that have been passed down to us, but due to
all the retranscribing of the text, with words getting
transposed for other slightly different words, it is
hard to distinguish which version is correct. In 1912, I
asked the scholar Guan Baoqian to analyze the
versions and determine the correct text. Recently my
organization has established a physical education
school, where he gives lessons in his spare time. [I
asked for his help] because I seek to present
the Classic in its original form, and I have
also added commentary to it. As for the postures of
the solo set, I have included drawings and
explanations with which to instruct you. In order
to deal with what is easy before tackling what is hard,
take it one step at a time.

CHAPTER TWO: THE MEANING OF TAIJI

BOXING

Taiji Boxing is a study in abstractions. Modeled upon

the principles within the Book of Changes of passive
and active, movement and stillness, its movements
and postures are simple and natural, with something
being generated from nothing, in other words: Wuji
[no pivot], then Taiji [grand pivot]. Its
movements are round and lively, like a limitless
circle, no one knowing where the end is, and so again
the idea that Taiji comes from Wuji. [As well as no
pivot, Wuji can equally be rendered as no limit.
Although representing nothingness, it seems closer in
concept to infinity than to zero.] Within each posture
and technique, there is a round shape, therefore
explaining the borrowing of the use of the taiji
principle [i.e. the yinyang symbol], serving to supply
the analogies of passive/active, movement/stillness,
hard/soft, advance/retreat, and so on, and is not the
same as the common shamanic superstition that
made use of the term Taiji. Nowadays science is
flourishing and the next generation of students will
be able to use geometry and other studies to explain
its principles rather than divining from the Book of
Changes, so I heartily hope.


CHAPTER THREE: THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME

THIRTEEN DYNAMICS (INCLUDING MAPS OF
THE EIGHT DIRECTIONS AND FIVE STEPS)

The thirteen dynamics are the five elements and eight

trigrams combined. Taiji Boxing uses the four
techniques of ward-off, push, press, and rollback
(corresponding with the four cardinal directions of
, , , and ), the four techniques of pluck, rend,
elbow, and bump (corresponding with the four corner
directions of , , , and ), and the five steps of
forward, back, left, right, and staying put
(corresponding with fire, water, wood, metal, and
soil, known as either the five phases or five elements).
They are applied as expanding [advancing] (Fire
blazes upward,), contracting [retreating] (water
soaks downward,), advancing [contracting] (wood
is flexible yet resilient,), retreating [expanding]
(metal is malleable yet resistant,), and staying put
(and soil goes with planting and harvesting.
[passage from the Book of Documents] This one is
the most important of the five elements,
corresponding with the central position.). These five
correspondences are also depicted in the [second]
map below.


Map of the Eight Directions:



(elbow) (ward-off) (pluck)



(rollback)(press)



(rend)(push)(bump)


Map of the Five Steps:

fire

(advance)

woodsoilmetal

(left) (center) (right)

water

(retreat)

CHAPTER FOUR: HOW TAIJI BOXING

CONFORMS WITH THE SYMBOLS OF CHANGE
(INCLUDING THE TAIJI DIAGRAM AND THE
CHART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHANGE)

The Book of Changes covers everything, yet its terse

theory does not go beyond the Taiji Diagram. The
things Taiji Boxing discusses passive and active,
empty and full, hard and soft, movement and stillness
are all there. However, the world has inherited two
taiji diagrams. One comes from Zhou Lianxi, being in
common tradition the one with the double fish. The
double fish pattern can be seen during the double
touching-hands posture in its qualities of passive and
active, empty and full, expand and contract, advance
and retreat, and can be found endlessly beyond them.
The principles within Zhous diagram are too
profound to be covered in a single chapter, but can be
almost fully experienced by practicing the techniques
of Taiji Boxing. Due to the brief length of this
chapter, it cannot be explained in detail, so here will
be given only a rough analysis of the diagram. This
diagram divides into five layers:
First, there is its round shape (2-dimensionally a
circle, 3-dimensionally a sphere). It is said: Wuji,
then Taiji. When practicing, be calm within,
embracing the primordial oneness. When there is no
scheming thought and there is also no giving
anything way, only emptiness to be seen, this can be
called wuji. From within it comes movement and
stillness, passive and active, hard and soft, advance
and retreat truly it is the source of all things. How
could it not be taiji?
Second, the circle divides into two aspects: passive
and active, or emptiness and fullness, each occupying
a half. And so it is said that from movement the active
is generated and from stillness the passive is
generated. Thus are established the two polarities. By
extension, there are the two trigrams of and
[notice the inverted pattern], and this is like the
boxings hardness hidden within softness, or stillness
maintained within movement, the idea that the two
aspects are the root of each other.
The third level: the five elements are equated with
the five steps. This expresses the idea that with the
active aspect there is change and with the passive
aspect there is merging, as in the case of the active
aspect being rooted in the element of water [which is
passiveness at its peak] and the passive aspect being
rooted in the element of fire [which is activeness at its
peak], akin to wanting to retreat at the end of
advancing and wanting to advance at the end of
retreating. The disposition of wood is to be flexible
yet resilient, and the temperament of metal is to be
malleable yet resistant, and in the boxing exercise
this is akin to bending and extending, opening and
closing, sticking and yielding, absorbing and
pressing. All things are born of earth, which therefore
dwells in the central position [of the five elements],
and so this is akin to your mind. During pushing
hands, the actions of ward-off, rollback, press, and
push generate and overcome each other, but if you
are not mentally engaged in them throughout, they
will be done incorrectly. The Explanation to the
Diagram says: When these five kinds of weather
[cold (corresponding to water), hot (fire), damp
(wood), dry (metal), wind (earth)] occur accordingly,
the four seasons march along as they should. The
five elements each have a different nature and the
four seasons each have a different weather, but none
of these natures and weathers can go beyond their
roles within the passive and active aspects. Passive
and active occupy different positions, movement and
stillness occur at different times, but they cannot
depart from their roles within the taiji.
Fourth and fifth, there is the comparison to people
and to things. We have discussed wuji [i.e. the Zero],
the two [aspects], and the five [elements]. They
gather and take form, affecting each other and then
join to produce all things. The essence of Taiji Boxing
lies in movement and stillness, both merging to fulfill
the [taiji] principle, thereby controlling the center at
the basis of all variations. Once you are responding
according to the opponents changes, no matter how
interlinked his techniques or intricate his methods,
you can deal with everything, since all your variation
is rooted in a single principle. Zhou said: A wise man
is fixed upon being fair and upright, compassionate
and just, is guided most of all by a sense of peace, and
is thereby the best of men. Fairness has to do with
his behavior. Uprightness has to do with his
character. Compassion has to do with his influence.
Justice has to do with his judgments. There is
movement and there is stillness. All who are devoted
to the taiji principle [i.e. the perfect balancing of
complementary opposites] are without flaws, and
therefore there is nothing they do that is not
successful.

ZHOU LIANXIS TAIJI DIAGRAM

taiji / wuji

active movement / passive stillness

fire / water

earth

wood / metal

The way of the ground makes the female quality,

the way of the sky makes the male quality,

[and together] they produce all things.

Shaos Chart of the Development of Change concerns

passive and active, hardness and softness, movement
and stillness. It is somewhat different from Zhous
diagram with its words of With movement, the
active is generated With stillness, the passive is
generated The workings of the sky are based upon
passive and active [or more literally, shade and
sunshine]. The workings of the ground are based
upon softness and hardness [or more connotatively,
yielding and firmness]. Shao observed things and
wrote: When movement begins, the active is
generated. Once movement peaks, the passive is
generated. When stillness begins, softness is
generated. Once stillness peaks, hardness is
generated. Thus it is movement that generates
passive and active, and it is stillness that generates
hardness and softness. Although his line of
reasoning is different, yet his description of
movement and stillness as a machinery producing a
distinction between passive/active and
hardness/softness is of unique worth in the Taiji
boxing art, and you should consider it and grasp its
meaning.

SHAO KANGJIES CHART OF THE DEVELOPMENT
OF CHANGE

the moment between movement and stillness



stillness / movement



softness / hardness / passive / active



great soft / great hard / lesser soft / lesser hard /
lesser passive / lesser active / great passive / great
active

CHAPTER FIVE: THE VARIOUS SCHOOLS OF

TAIJI BOXING

Since Fu Xi first drew the set of eight trigrams, the

concepts of passive and active were understood, and
the taiji principle was already implied within it. He
later assigned Yin Kang to make a Grand Dance to
guide people to become more invigorated. The Yellow
Emperor made his famous book of medicine,
containing massage and limbering techniques, all
based in the taiji principle, to make formless
exercises. Hua Tuo based his work on words
from Zhuangzi [chapter 15]: Expel dead air and take
in fresh. Loosen by imitating the walking motions of
bears and stretch by imitating the extending motions
of birds. He wrote the Five Animals Classic to
instruct Wu Pu, who was already an early advocate of
postural exercises.
There was Xu Xuanping of the Tang Dynasty. (He
was from Jiangnan, Huizhou prefecture, Xi county.
He lived as a hermit at Mt. Chengyang, where he
retired on the south-facing slope and avoided eating
grains. He was seven and a half feet tall. His beard
reached his navel and his hair reached his feet. He
walked like a galloping horse. Xu, a Tang poet, often
carried firewood to sell in the marketplace, chanting
to himself: At dawn I carry firewood to sell. / By
dusk I have spent all my money on wine. / Pardon
me, where do I live? / Through the clouds up the
verdant hillside. Li Bai went to visit Xu but did not
meet him, then carved a poem [about not meeting
him] onto Gazing Immortals Bridge.) Xu taught a
Taiji boxing art he called Thirty-Seven, because it had
only thirty-seven posture names. His method of
instruction was single posture training, making the
student train each posture to perfection and only
then moving on to the next posture. There was no
fixed solo practice set, but once all the postures were
learned, all the postures could be linked up with each
other as an unbroken continuity, thus it was also
called Long Boxing. It secrets are contained in the
Eight Character Song, On Mental Understanding,
On Fully Using the Body, the Sixteen Key Points,
and the Song of Function, all passed down to Song
Yuanqiao.

The Taiji Boxing that Mr. Yu (of Jiangnan, Ningguo

prefecture, Jing county) taught was called Innate
Nature Boxing, and Long Boxing. He learned it from
Li Daozi of the Tang Dynasty (who was from Anqing,
Jiangnan). Li lived in the Wudang Mountains at the
Southern Cliffs Temple. He did not cook his food,
instead snacking on wheat bran several times a day,
and people called him master. Those who were
taught by Mr. Yu that we know of were Yu Qinghui,
Yu Yicheng, Yu Lianzhou, and Yu Daiyan.

The Cheng style Taiji boxing art started with Cheng

Lingxi (He was called Cheng Yuandi. He was from
Hui prefecture, Jiangnan. He protected Xizhou in
Anhui during the Houjing Rebellion [548-552], and
because of all his help was given command over the
region by the Liang emperor. After Cheng died, he
was given the posthumous name of Zhongzhuang
[loyal and mighty].), who received it from Han
Gongyue. It eventually was passed down to Cheng Bi.
(Cheng Bi [in 1193] was a graduate of the court-level
examinations in Shaoxing Prefecture. He was made
Head of Records for Changhua County, as well as
Minister of Personnel, was honored with a degree
from Hanlin Academy, given the title of Marquis of
Xinan prefecture [modern day Huizhou in Anhui], as
well as Scholar of the Hall of Clarity, was an expert in
the theory of the Book of Changes, and author of
the Ming River Collection.) The name was changed to
Small Highest Heaven and had fourteen postures in
total. It includes a list of Five Study Reminders and
the Song of Four Natures Returning to One.

The Taiji Boxing art taught by Yin Liheng was called

the Acquired Nature Method, and he taught it to Hu
Jingzi (of Yangzhou). Hu Jingzi taught it to Zhong
Shu of the Song Dynasty. (Zhong was from Anzhou.
He once traveled to Gusu Tower, where he wrote this
poem on a pillar: Universe eternal, on and on
forever, / you have no mind, so I likewise quiet
mine. / I wander to the ends of the Earth, nobody
paying me any attention, / but when spring breezes
come, I blow my flute for them in taverns.) His
posture count amounted to seventeen, many of which
were elbow techniques. Although its posture names
were different, its method of use was the same as
before.

Zhang Sanfeng, given name Tong, called Junshi, was

from Liaoyang. He was a Confucian scholar from the
end of the Yuan Dynasty, excelling at calligraphy and
painting, versed in poetry and essays. In the first year
of Kublai Khans reign [1260], he was noticed for his
remarkable talent and was appointed as a scholar-
official for Zhongshan. He admired the nature
paintings of Ge Zhichuan, which inspired him to
abandon his official career, and he traveled to Mt.
Baoji, where the mountain has three peaks so proud
and elegant, green and lush, a joy to behold, and from
then he was known as Three Peaks [san feng].
Over the generations, about a dozen sources of
biographical information about Zhang have
accumulated, but none discuss his superb boxing art.
At the beginning of Emperor Hong Wus reign [1368],
he was invited to court, but his way was blocked at
Wudang. That night in a dream, the deity Xuan Wu
gave him the boxing method, and then at dawn he
used it to defeat the bandits. Thereupon his boxing
art was known as the Wudang branch, or the internal
school of boxing.
Internal stylists are of a Confucian mentality, and
are therefore distinct from transcendentalists. Also
because eight techniques and five steps are the key
within this boxing art, it is therefore called Thirteen
Dynamics [or thirteen postures], meaning thirteen
methods. Later generations have misunderstood the
term as indicating postural postures, leading to
confusion.
It was taught to Zhang Songxi and Zhang Cuishan.
Then beginning with Song Yuanqiao and Yu
Lianzhou, and followed by Yu Daiyan, Zhang Songxi,
Zhang Cuishan, Yin Liheng, and Mo Gusheng, these
seven colleagues met each other in Nanjing, then
together went to the Wudang Mountains. They
sought to visit a Master Li, but they did not get to
meet him. However, passing by the Jade Emptiness
Temple, they did meet Zhang Sanfeng. They did
obeisance to him, listened to his wisdom for over a
month, and then went home, constantly returning to
get more lessons. From this it can be seen that all
seven of these men considered Zhang to be their
teacher, but only Zhang Songxi and Zhang Cuishan
taught his art by the name of Thirteen Dynamics.

It is also said that Zhang lived during the reign of

Huizong [1082-1135] of the Song Dynasty. During the
invasion to install the Jin Dynasty [1115-1234], he
killed more than five hundred Jin troops single-
handed. The people of mountainous Shaanxi admired
his valiance, earning him hundreds of followers, and
so he passed down his skill in Shaanxi.
When the Yuan Dynasty began, Wang Zongyue of
Xian obtained the authentic transmission and
became renowned everywhere. He authored the Taiji
Boxing Classic, the Taiji Boxing Treatise,
Understanding How to Practice, the Touching
Hands Song, and the Thirteen Dynamics Song.
Chen Zhoutong of Wenzhou learned it, and
thereupon it spread from Shaanxi all the way to
eastern Zhejiang [i.e. from the mountains to the sea].
More than a hundred years later, there was Zhang
Songxi of Haiyan county, Zhejiang, who became the
most famous within the system (see the Records of
Ningbo Prefecture). His art was then passed on in
Ningbo to Ye Jimei, called Jinquan, who then taught
it to Wang Zhengnan, called Laixian, during the reign
of the Qing Emperor Shunzhi [1644-1661].
Because Zhengnan was bold with people but just,
he had a unique reputation at the end of the Ming
Dynasty. Huang Zongxi puts the greatest importance
on Wang Zhengnan (whose deeds can be found in
the Stories of Knight-Errants). When Wang died,
Huang wrote a memorial inscription for him. Huang
Baijia [Huang Zongxis son] wrote the Boxing
Methods of the Internal School, including Six Path
Long Boxing, Ten Sections of Brocade, and other
instructions. More than a century after Zhengnan, the
next person of note was Gan Fengchi. These are all
exponents of the southern branch.
Of those who passed on the northern branch, it
was taught by Wang Zongyue to Jiang Fa of Henan,
who then taught it to Chen Changxing of the Chen
family village, Huaiqing prefecture, Henan. Chen
always stood straight, impassively, not inclining in
any direction, was as expressionless as a rooster
made of wood, and so people called him Mr. Board.
He had two sons, Gengxin and Jixin.
At that time, Yang Luchan, called Fukui, from
Yongnian county, Guangping prefecture, Hebei,
heard of his fame, and so he with his fellow villager Li
Baikui went to learn from him. When they arrived,
they were the only students who did not have the
surname Chen and they were looked upon as being
very much outsiders, but because there was a close
bond between the two of them, they studied
wholeheartedly, often practicing throughout the night
instead of sleeping. Mr. Board saw that Yang studied
diligently and thereupon taught him all his secrets.
Yang went home and taught the art to his fellow
villagers, and it was commonly known as Soft Boxing
or Neutralization Boxing, because it has the ability of
using evasion to gain control over a strong force.
Then Yang traveled to Beijing and was a guest in
every mansion. Many Qing Dynasty royals, nobles,
and men of rank learned from him, and at that time
he was made martial arts instructor to the Manchu
barracks. He had three sons, the eldest named Qi,
who died young, the second named Yu, called
Banhou, and the third named Jian, called Jianhou,
also called Jinghu, and both Banhou and Jianhou
earned much fame.
I learned from Yang Jianhou for years and know
his familys history. He has three sons, the eldest
named Zhaoxiong, called Mengxiang, the middle one
named Zhaoyuan, who died young, the third named
Zhaoqing, called Chengfu. Banhou had one son,
named Zhaopeng, who is a farmer in his village.
While Yang Luchan served as instructor at the
Manchu barracks, three people who got instruction
from him were Wan Chun, whose power was hard,
Ling Shan, who was good at flinging opponents away,
and Quan You, who was good at neutralizing, and so
it is said that three people each obtained one of his
qualities. When he physically declined, he then told
them all to do obeisance to Banhou as their teacher,
and hence they are said to be Banhous disciples.
Song Shuming, who says he is descended from
Song Yuanqiao, was a regular advisor to Yuan Shikai
during his administration of the government [1912-
1916], is an expert in the theory of the Book of
Changes, and is proficient in the Taiji boxing art,
contributing many innovations. He is casual and
familiar with me, and I have had a constant
association with him from which I have received
unique benefit. Instructors in my organization such
as Ji Zixiu, Wu Jianquan, Liu Enshou, Liu Caichen,
and Jiang Dianchen have also learned much from
him. (Wu Jianquan is Quan Yous son, and it is often
said that he was close friends with Ling Shan.)

CHAPTER SIX: THE TAIJI BOXING CLASSIC

ANNOTATED

Taiji is born of wuji.

Tai means the grand or extreme. Ji means the

central pivot point. Taiji is the ultimate foundation
of everything in existence. Taiji Boxing therefore is
what each boxing system ultimately attains to. To be
born of wuji means that wuji [no pivot] is the
origin [of the grand pivot]. This boxing art
emphasizes refining spirit and uses the wielding of
energy to make the postures, which are natural and
unrestrictive in their shapes. Emptiness is the
foundation, yet it embraces everything, and thus it is
called wuji [also meaning no limit]. However, a
beginner should work on the postures as the initial
training. After a long period of becoming familiar
with them and then identifying energies, you will
naturally have a breakthrough, and you will begin to
have a condition of the miraculous.

It says in Zhou Dunyis Explanation to the Taiji

Diagram: Wuji, then taiji. Zhu Xis commentary to
it says: Natures work is silent and intangible, yet it
is truly the operation of creation, the foundation of all
things. This is why it says there is wuji, then taiji. But
wuji is not beyond taiji, since taiji will return to wuji.
Although in that case, the phrasing of born of wuji
would thus seem to be a poor choice of words.

It is the manifestation of movement and stillness,

and the mother of yin and yang [the passive and
active aspects].

Change in position or the progress of the body in a

certain direction is called movement. Solidly
staying in or preserving its location or orientation is
called stillness. By manifestation is meant the
sign of their occurring. It is similar to the use of
that word in the Classic of the Talisman of the
Abstract, in which it says: The sign of the sky
expressing its destructiveness [is the shifting of the
constellations] [the shifting of the constellations
indicating the change of seasons, the different
seasons bringing different weather, and each change
in weather being destructive to the previous status
quo of weather]. There is no beginning or end to the
cyclings of stillness and movement, passive and
active. Taiji means the pivoting mechanism
between them.
When practicing Taiji Boxing, there is calm within
the mind, an embracing of a primordial state of
oneness. Do not get stuck in either movement or
stillness, but be instead magically unpredictable.
Once there is contact, issue, but do not then freeze
into stillness. When moving, preserve an intention of
stillness, but within the stillness dwells the potential
for more movement. Movement and stillness are
rooted in each other and complement each other
naturally. Herein lies the subtlety of the Taiji Boxing
art.

Everything that comes into existence carries the

passive and contains the active [Daodejing, chapter
42]. They all have taiji. When there is taiji [i.e.
polarity], there is therefore duality. Therefore taiji is
the mother of passive and active. Every technique
and posture in Taiji Boxing contains a circle. When it
moves it is active, and when still it is passive. So it is
with hard and soft, advance and retreat, etc, all
having the same principle of change. Therefore here I
will explain the principle of alternating changes in an
easy way:

The theory in ancient China was that everything

corresponded analogously to passive and active, and
therefore passive and active themselves do not have
fixed roles. This is the case for correspondences of
passive and active in Taiji Boxing
active / passive:
movement / stillness
hands going out / drawing in
advancing / retreating
hardness / softness
issuing / gathering
sticking / yielding
joints extending / bending
spreading apart / closing inward
expanding / shrinking
contracting / expanding
rising / lowering
All of these correspondences, regardless of how one
thing changes into another, are each contained within
a circle. Therefore when movement and stillness
become distinct, passive and active then do not
occupy the same place and taiji is everywhere.

With movement there is division [into the vectors of
the initial force and the diverting force (often called
a thousand pounds and four ounces)]. With
stillness there is merging [into the net force of both].

Movement means change. When there is movement,

there is differentiation of passive and active, and the
two polarities are established. When there is stillness,
there is nothing disturbed and nothing that gives
anything away, though the principle of passive and
active is complete within it.
When practicing the Taiji boxing art, in each of its
postures, movement and stillness alternate with each
other. This boxing arts movements go forward or
back, left or right, up or down, but in all cases there is
passive and active, empty and full, to be abided by.
Therefore it is said that in movement they become
distinguishable. In postures of stillness, although
there is no trace of anything that can be specifically
pointed out, passive and active, empty and full, are all
already within. Therefore it is said that in stillness
they become indistinguishable.
If we break down the exercise, then Taijis active
aspect transforms and its passive aspect merges,
which with an air of physics or mechanics represent
the principles of the dividing force [components of
force] and merging force [resultant/net force]. In
the Taiji boxing art, when I encounter an opponent
and he wants to control me, I then right away [take
his attack] to the side, dividing his power into two
paths [i.e. the components of force], causing his
power to be unable to directly reach my body
(coarsening his energy). This is what is meant by
With movement there is division.
If this induces him to stick to me, I apply lifting
energy [a further vector added upon the sideways
energy], which is a transformation of the active
aspect, and once initiated, a stillness is established
which either causes him to cease his movement or
gets his power to land on nothing. [If the latter (he
has landed on nothing but is still moving),] then once
there is the slightest stillness [i.e. hesitation,
confusion, indecision on his part], I promptly issue,
making use of the merging energy [i.e. taking
advantage of the net force in other words,
capitalizing on the direction he is now unpreparedly
moving in], which is the merging of the passive
aspect.
If the opponent wants to issue upon me, I then
respond by being calm in my mind, watching for the
moment and taking the opportunity when it comes.
While there is stillness, I wait [for the moment to
move at an angle and thereby create components of
force]. Once there is the slightest movement, I
respond [by seeking the stillness within movement of
the merging net force which can be taken advantage
of]. It is like the saying goes: Second to shoot but
first to hit the target.

There is only one Way. In the primal chaos there

were not yet distinctions and the vast opaqueness was
not yet cleared away. If in the beginning there was
neither movement nor stillness, how could there be
passive and active? Therefore use emptiness as the
foundation and you will invariably join with the Way.
The universe is like this, the Taiji is like this, and
when you have practiced Taiji Boxing until it is
extremely refined, it will also be like this. But these
words about the beginning of the universe are being
used to talk about the practicing of the boxing art and
how depth of practice advances you to the Way, and
beginners may suddenly find this difficult to discuss.
The sky and the ground are fixed, and the two
polarities are separated. When there is passive and
active, there is movement and stillness, and thus one
who talks of Taiji must pay attention to the postures.
Taiji Boxings separating and joining, movement and
stillness, accord with passive and active. If there is
movement in a posture, you must seek to open up.
When wielding power, you must understand
emptiness and fullness. When he is hard, neutralize
him. This is called dividing [i.e. creating components
of force]. Once he is soft, defend against him. This is
called merging [i.e. making use of the net force]. The
ground is in a state of stillness seeking movement. It
has an end but no beginning, and we must submit to
it. The sky is in a state of movement seeking stillness.
It has a beginning but no end, and the only thing to
do is return to emptiness.
It is the principle of all things that emptiness
receives and stillness completes. The universe stands
within emptiness and revolves within stillness.
Therefore when the primal chaos opened up, the
whole of the beginning was established. The whole
body truly initiates from wuji, invariably coming from
a state of emptiness and quietude.
Wang Chongyang said: Here I describe the source
of the Way: work first at emptiness and quietude. As
for emptiness, there is nothing it does not welcome.
As for quiet, there is nothing it does not answer.
Looking at it this way when practicing Taiji Boxing, if
emptiness and quietude are taken as your foundation,
then the changing between dividing his force and
merging with it will naturally happen as you please.

Neither going too far nor not far enough, comply

and bend then engage and extend.

Too far means you are going beyond. Not far

enough means you are not arriving. To comply
means to not resist. To engage means to approach.
Going too far or not far enough are both cases of
becoming uncentered. If you become uncentered, you
will be resisting by way of your active aspect or
separating by way of your passive aspect, and you will
be unable to have connection.
Taiji Boxing lies in the situations of bending,
extending, dividing his power, and closing on him. If
when wielding power you go too far, you are making
the errors of crashing in or resisting. If you do not go
far enough, you are making the errors of running
away or collapsing. If you wish to be neither reaching
nor separating, you should comply and bend then
engage and extend.
Adapt to the situation and act accordingly, being
neither stubborn nor egotistical, for it depends on the
power coming from the opponent. Making
centeredness your priority, engage by sticking,
adhering, connecting, and following, staying always
with the opponent. As it says [in the Zhong Yong
(Impartial Constancy), chapter 31 of the Book of
Rites]: A gentleman always stays centered. A
beginner in this boxing art will usually go too far, and
while you begin to identify energies, you will often
fail to go far enough. You should be carefully aware of
this.

He is hard while I am soft this is yielding. My

energy is smooth while his energy is coarse this is
sticking.

By he is of course meant the opponent. Hardness

indicates being strong and forceful. Softness has to do
with smoothness. Yielding has to do with
neutralizing. Using softness and smoothness, change
according to the direction of the opponents force so
it does not restrict you, and thus it is called yielding.
Smoothness is being unrestrained and easy.
Coarseness is being restrained and difficult. Sticking
is seizing control of the opponents power. Upon
encountering the opponents hard power, I smoothly
respond to his momentum and take charge of it,
causing him to lean into range of my control, and
thus it is called sticking.
Taiji Boxing always uses little strength in response
to the opponents great strength. Weak defeating
strong, soft controlling hard this is the gist of it.
However, the conventional opinion is that the small
cannot really match the large, that weakness cannot
really defeat strength, and that it is really difficult for
softness to gain control over hardness. But in talking
of matching, defeating, controlling, there is indeed a
theory behind getting the upper hand: the opponents
power must get to me for it to be effective, but if I
gain control over what he is trying to do, I take
advantage of the moment he begins to apply hard
power, watching for the opportunity and responding
accordingly, arresting his attack and sending him
back to seeking control over his own body.
Therefore even if I am weaker, I always claim
control over the opponents position, and even if he is
stronger, he is always in a position of being
controlled. If it is difficult for him to freely expand,
then even if his power is great, what good would it
be? The statement of Laozi that the teeth wear out
but the tongue goes on very much aligns with the
idea of hard and soft in Taiji Boxing. But if you are
not an ardent student who ponders deeply upon these
things, these words will not help you.

If he moves fast, I quickly respond, and if his

movement is slow, I leisurely follow. However
countless his changes may be, the principle of this
timing is a single constant.

The speed of your movement should be based on the

speed of the opponents. If you want to know his
speed, you must first watch for the pivotal moment
his power moves, then you will be able to respond
appropriately. What is this moment of movement? It
says in Zhou Dunyis Penetrating the Book of
Changes: The pivotal moment is the time before
action has taken shape, between when it is not and
when it is The moment is subtle, and so it is hard to
spot. As difficult to recognize as it is, if you have not
trained deeply it will not be easy to understand. As
long as I catch the timing, it does not matter what the
opponent does, for countless variations are based
upon that single principle, and so I hold to it,
controlling the variations by making them return to
their single basis. I observe the timing and respond to
the situation, neither overdoing nor underdoing.
Holding to that single constant and being ruled by
it, your movement will be pure and natural and be
without the slightest bit of stagnancy. Thus it is said
[Zhuangzi, chapter 12]: Obtain the One and all
things are accomplished.

Once you have engrained these techniques, you will

gradually come to indentify energies, and then from
there you will work your way toward something
miraculous. But unless you practice a lot over a long
time, you will never have a breakthrough.

For Taiji Boxing practitioners, there is a fixed process

of progress. You cannot skip steps and rush ahead.
The subtlety of Taiji Boxing all comes down to using
energy. (This energy has to do with nimbleness and
liveliness, comes from a deeper level of training, and
cannot be explained only in terms of physical
strength.) Although the energy is shapeless, it must
be in accord with the shape of the technique in order
for you to start to be able to manifest it. In Taiji
Boxing, whenever you concentrate power it depends
on being good at moving energy. If you neglect it
when applying techniques, you will end up unable to
understand why they are not working, and you will
feel pathetic, that you have wasted your time, and
that progress is hopeless. Compared to proceeding
step by step and progressing gradually, you will
instead get half the effect for double the effort, the
result of not abiding by the natural sequence.
Confucius discussed education along these lines: if
it is always based in talented instruction, then each
student will benefit from it. Although boxing arts are
a lesser skill, it takes applying it upon opponents to
say you have mastered it, which no one has ever been
able to do quickly, therefore a practitioner of this
boxing art should first imitate the teachers postures.
Once you are doing them correctly, you must seek
to be mindful of linking them with each other. Once
you can do the solo set fluently, you must focus on
each postures function. Once you are familiar with
the techniques, see whether or not you can apply
them properly. Once you have grasped the proper
way to apply them all, see whether or not your power
is empty. Once your power is substantial, you have
truly engrained the techniques.
Then seek to identify energies through pushing
hands. Study the weight and speed of your
opponents movements and the direction his energy
moves toward. After a long time, you will naturally
come to identify a little bit, then a little more, until
you progress to the point that you sense the slightest
thing and everywhere know what it is, and then you
will have grasped what is meant by identifying
energies.
Once you are identifying energies, you will not try
to apply techniques and they will happen by
themselves. You will progress to the point that
without the energy there is no technique and without
the technique there is no energy. Gradually you will
reach the level at which you do not need to apply
techniques, you only need to apply energy. Then
finally you will not try to apply energy and the energy
will happen by itself, for you are wielding power by
way of intention and transposing intention with
energy. There is spirit in your touch and nothing can
stand against it. You have proceeded to the
miraculous. Indeed, without several decades of
ardent practice, how could you attain this?

Forcelessly rouse strength at the headtop.

Forcelessly has also been written as must [making

You must rouse strength at the headtop.], but it
seems appropriate to go along with forcelessly.
Force-lessly is said in opposition to -fully. To do it
forcefully would cause you to be jammed up and
slowed down, making it hard to be skillful. [i.e. You
must rouse strength at the headtop neglects the
point that it should be done without effort, and in fact
due to the imperative nature of must, it would seem
instead to encourage effort. Therefore must can be
dismissed as simply wrong. It was surely not
intended and was most likely the wrong character
transposed for the right one, an easy and common
mistake when characters have identical
pronunciations, a major hazard of the Chinese
language.] Headtop means the top of the head, the
area also called the fontanel. During infancy, the
bones in this area are soft and not yet joined, and it
often trembles along with the breath.
Daoists call it the upper elixir field or the clay
pellet palace. It is the mansion in which the spirit is
stored. When a Buddhist is ordained, he receives
marking there. For Daoists, the upper field is where
spirit is cultivated. The Book of Changes says: He
walks in his courtyand but does not notice his
family. (The courtyand indicates the forehead, but
means the top of the head [the headtop]. Walks
this is the spirit and energy flowing along
[corresponding to rouse / strength]. Does not
notice his family this is the emptiness
[corresponding to effortlessly].) The Yellow
Courtyard Classic says: He wishes to be immortal
and cultivate himself at Kunlun. (This mountains
name is a metaphor for the headtop.) All these
examples show people with the knack for self-
cultivation.
A persons cerebrum controls thought while the
cerebellum controls movement, but the headtop is
really the source from which all things emerge,
controlling all the nerves. [The acupoint at the top of
the head is named (Bai Hui) where all meet.]
It is the governors mansion, and its position is
important as such, for it is a fitting place to
emphasize when engaged in self-cultivation. The Taiji
Boxing practitioner directs body and mind to unite.
Inside and out are simultaneously cultivated, and
spirit and body are simultaneously tempered.
Therefore, when moving energy in the body, you
must move intellect in the brain, penetrating spirit to
the headtop, seeking to make a halo of clear-
mindedness round the head, and thereby refining the
spirit. The head is the whole bodys guide. Guiding
upward, the gaze then spreads outward. When the
headtop is suspended, throughout the body the
skeleton is upright, the muscles behave smoothly,
and whenever there is movement, the whole body
functions as one unit, whether to the left or right,
forward or back, without being impeded by anxieties.

Energy sinks to the elixir field.

The elixir field [Dan Tian] is the name of an

acupoint. The Daoists say there are three elixir fields:
one at the headtop storing spirit, one in the belly
storing energy, and one below the navel storing
essence. This last one is the lower elixir field (three
inches below the navel). Through constant deep
breathing, which causes energy to accumulate at this
point, you will naturally have sufficient energy and
abundant spirit.
The Yellow Courtyard Classic says: When
breathing, take outside air into the elixir field and see
how long you can keep it there. The length of the
ordinary persons breath is short and only goes as
deep as the belly (i.e. meeting the diaphragm [but not
expanding it]) and cannot make it to the elixir field.
This causes the circulation to slow and the lungs to
weaken, inadequately removing impurities from the
abdomen, and hence the blood cannot be lively,
greatly shortening a persons life span. Laozi said
[Daodejing, chapter 5]: The space between sky and
ground is like a bellows. He also said [Daodejing, 3]:
Empty the mind, fill the abdomen. This is along the
lines of [Zhuangzi, chapter 15]: Expel dead air and
take in fresh (expel meaning exhaling bad air from
the abdomen and take in meaning inhaling fresh
air) and [from Daodejing, 16]: Returning to the
root [and thereby] rejuvenating life. (By root is
meant the source, i.e. the vitality in the elixir field [in
the lower abdomen] and what is called the life-gate
in the lower back, and then returning and
rejuvenating meaning the intention is inverted and
aimed at these places.)
Use intention to guide energy to the lower elixir
field where it is refined. After a long time you will
naturally be able to prolong life and prevent disease.
The lower elixir field is the key point of the whole
body for practitioners of boxing arts. By sinking
energy to this area, you will be majestically stable and
it will not be easy to affect you or make you topple.
But sinking the energy is to be done slowly,
somewhere between deliberately and unconsciously,
not like an external stylists sinking by way of effort
and outwardly swelling the abdomen. If you are not
careful, you could end up giving yourself a hernia,
amongst other ailments. Recently Gang Tianhu, a
second-level practitioner of Japanese meditation,
died of diabetes. It is suggested the cause may be in
connection with him being too forceful with his lower
elixir field, a hypothesis which is not unreasonable.

Neither lean nor slant. Suddenly hide and suddenly

appear.

To lean means to lose your balance. To slant

means to deviate from your upright posture. To
hide means to conceal. To appear means to show.
To suddenly hide and suddenly appear means to be
magically unpredictable. Neither lean nor slant has
to do with the bodys posture. Suddenly hide and
suddenly appear has to do with the movement of
spirit and energy. In Taiji, there is emptiness and
clarity, balance and uprightness, meaning that the
posture must be balanced and upright, and that the
movement seems both intended and not intended,
causing the spirit, energy, intention, and power to
course through the whole body. Neither going too far
nor not far enough, suddenly hide and suddenly
appear, making the opponent unable to figure out
what you are doing. When you have practiced until
you are skillful, you will easily come to comprehend
this.
In geometry, between two points there is only a
single straight line. In Taiji Boxing, strength at the
headtop is to be roused above and the center of
balance is to be guarded below, and as long as the
whole body is balanced and upright, these will easily
be the case. But both the rousing above and guarding
below must contain an intention of liveliness and a
quality of being abundantly natural, whereas if you
overdo them and become restrictive, then the spirit
and energy will become sluggish, the posture will
become stiff, the wielding of power will not be able to
be done with effortless nimbleness, and your own
movements will begin to obstruct you. Therefore it is
said: Suddenly hide and suddenly appear.

When there is pressure on the left, the left empties.

When there is pressure on the right, the right
disappears.

This continues the thought from the previous

explanation. I hide and appear inconstantly. If the
opponent feels me applying force on my left side and
wants to add pressure to it to cause me to lose my
balance, I then empty my left side and await his
pressure, guiding his power to land on nothing. If he
feels I am applying force on my right side and that he
can take control of it, I promptly hide it and store it
away, my empty and full switching roles. If you adapt
to the situation and respond accordingly, how can an
opponent ever use his techniques?

When looking up, it is still higher. When looking

down, it is still lower.

Looking up means rising. Looking down means

lowering. If the opponent wants to lift me to make me
go upward, I then continue it even higher, or if he
wants to crush me to make me go downward, I then
continue it even lower. This makes him lose his
balance and turns the tables to subject him to my
control.

When advancing, it is even farther. When

retreating, it is even nearer.

To advance is to go forward. Even farther means to

stretch out. To retreat is to go back. Even nearer
means to close in. When I advance forward, if the
opponent complies with and leads in my power, I
then extend my body and follow him in so that he
cannot evade me. If he takes advantage of the
situation and advances, I quickly lure him in until he
is stretched out, making his power reach its limit so
he cannot do anything with it. If I were to simply
retreat, his power would press in on me and I would
be forced back with no route of escape.
It says in the Book of Changes: The sky acts with
vigor. A gentleman ceaselessly improves himself.
When you see the opponent is about to forcefully
advance, you must not cower. Although Taiji Boxing
prioritizes softness and stillness, it does not seek to
avoid contact. Feign retreat and turn retreat into
advance rather than actually retreating. If I retreat
and the opponent follows me closely, I will be
crowded and made uncomfortable. When he retreats,
I advance and press in to make him more crowded. If
I retreat and his power follows me to attack, I then
bend forward, folding up to obstruct his fingers or
wrist, or twist sideways to push his elbow, making
him crowded and uncomfortable and unable to
advance any farther.

A feather cannot be added and a fly cannot land.

The character for feather [can also mean wing but

here indeed] means feather. To be added is in the
sense of to be put on you. To land means to lower
and touch you. These phrases describe one who has
excellent Taiji skill, perceiving acutely, knowing the
opponent upon the merest contact, putting an end to
the situation when the opponent makes the merest
attempt. Even if his touch is as light as a feather or as
slight as a fly, if he encroaches upon me to the
smallest degree, I am immediately aware of it,
evading his attack but not adding any pressure to him
in the course of doing so. With the natural clear-
mindedness we call spirit, I am aware of his action
and then able to act upon it. [Daodejing, chapter 16:]
Achieve an extreme softness and maintain a sincere
stillness. Be silent and still, sensing and connecting,
and give no warning when you act. If you do not train
to the point of purity, building a supple nimbleness in
your body and developing an abundant power of
touch, you will not be qualified to discuss these
things.

He does not know me, only I know him. A hero is

one who encounters no opposition, and it is through
this kind of method that such a condition is achieved.

When you are empty and still, passive and active

blend together. When you are aware and alert, hard
and soft alternate with each other. Whatever the
opponent does, I know it all. As for what I am doing,
the opponent has a very difficult time knowing any of
it. When an expert of boxing arts encounters no
opposition, it is because of this principle [of knowing
and being unknown]. Sunzi said [Art of War, chapter
4]: Good fighters do not make a show of their skill.
He also said [chapter 3]: Knowing both self and
opponent, you will win every time. But not knowing
the opponent and only knowing yourself, you will
have only a fifty-fifty chance. If the opponent does
not know me but I am able to know him, then I will
meet no opposition.

There are many other schools of boxing arts besides

this one.

This points to other kinds of boxing arts generally.

Although the postures are different between them,

Different schools, different postures.

they generally do not go beyond the strong

bullying the weak and the slow yielding to the fast.

Other kinds of boxing arts emphasize strength and

showing off. They do not seek to identify energies,
and thus the ingenuity of merging timing and
momentum, of applying sensitivity, and of using
stillness to overcome movement of any speed, are
things which are typically not looked into.

The strong beating the weak and the slow

submitting to the fast are both a matter of inherent
natural ability

This points out that both great strength and quick

reflexes are talents one is born with.

and bear no relation to skill that is learned.

They are not abilities that come from learning.

Examine the phrase four ounces moves a thousand

pounds (See the Touching Hands Song [i.e.
Playing Hands Song] where it says: I will tug with
four ounces of force to move his of a thousand
pounds.), which is clearly not a victory obtained
through strength.

When measuring weights on a scale, the pulley

responds to the heavier side, as per the mechanics of
leverage. Taiji Boxings use of a small force to defeat a
large force, or an absence of force to gain control over
a presence of force, is in accordance with science.

Or consider the sight of a septua/octogenarian

repelling a group, which could not come from an
aggressive speed.

In the old days, septuagenarian was commonly

used to indicate a man in his seventies,
octogenarian a man in his eighties. An old man
moves slowly, but in ancient times there were great
generals like Lian Po, who when he was old could still
defeat many. Therefore there is surely more to it than
hands and feet being fast.

Stand like a scale.

If your body is upright and comfortable, neither

leaning nor slanting, the three sections of the spine
will naturally be correctly placed.

Move like a wheel.


If your poise is rounded and dignified, your
movement nimble and without sluggishness, then
your whole body will have a wheel-like quality,
constantly turning without end.

If you drop one side, you can move.

To drop means to go to one side. It is like when

water is being drained by being poured from a bottle.
This causes one side to be empty and therefore you
can draw off the water. If the bottle were overfilled, it
would spill on its own.

If you have equal pressure on both sides, you will be

stuck.

There is the equal pressure between me and the

opponent [i.e. neglecting to drop one side and release
the pressure on that side to draw the opponent off
balance, instead maintaining pressure on both sides
and merely spending effort holding him back], and
there is the equal pressure that has to do only with
myself [i.e. having equal weight on both feet]. Taiji
Boxing is based on naturalness. If you cannot
function with single pressure [i.e. with the weight
more on one foot than the other], what is double
pressure supposed to get you?

We often see one who has practiced hard for many

years yet is unable to perform any neutralizations
and is generally under the opponents control, and
the issue here is that this error of double pressure
has not yet been understood.

Long ago it was said [in the Historical Records,

chapter 68]: Those who rely on virtue flourish.
Those who rely on force perish. It says in the Book
of Changes: The sky acts with vigor. A gentleman
ceaselessly improves himself. Building upon these
words, when you are empty you are sensitive, being
sensitive you move, by moving you change, by
changing you neutralize, and when you neutralize you
do not get stuck. [Sunzi said (Art of War, chapter 6):]
One who is good at dealing with opponents always
controls the opponent and is never controlled by the
opponent. Is not this even more important to know
for one who is under the opponents control?
Although you may have worked to the point of skill, if
you do not understand the error of double pressure, it
is like you have not yet learned anything.

If you want to avoid this error,

(the error of double pressure)

you must understand passive and active.

Pairings of passive and active are rather numerous,

and as it has already been touched upon above, such
a list will not be repeated here.

In sticking there is yielding and in yielding there is

sticking.

When you control the opponents energy, this is

called sticking. When you neutralize the opponents
energy, this is called yielding.

The active does not depart from the passive and the
passive does not depart from the active, for the
passive and active exchange roles. Once you have
this understanding, you will be identifying energies.

Being aware of both the opponents and your own

hardness and softness, emptiness and fullness, then
passive and active mutually wax and wane. When
switching emptiness to fullness [and vice versa]
without misjudging the time to do it, here indeed is
the identifying of energies.

Once you are identifying energies, then the more

you practice, the more efficient your skill will be,

By contrast, if you are not identifying energies, then

despite lots of practice you will have very little
increase in efficiency.

and by absorbing through experience and by

constantly contemplating, gradually you will reach
the point that you can do whatever you want.

Once you are identifying energies, you can constantly

think about them and further understand them by
experiencing them. Experience and contemplation
are your extra teachers.

The basic of basics is to forget about your plans and

simply respond to the opponent.

[Confucius said (Lun Yu, 9.4):] There is no idea, no

imperative, no insistence, no me. Respond according
to situations. Do not get stuck in expectations.

We often make the mistake of ignoring what is right

in front of us in favor of something that has nothing
to do with our immediate circumstances.

When you do not sense the right moment to act and

then end up acting with haste, what your action gets
you is not going to be what you would want.

For such situations it is said: Miss by an inch, lose

by a mile.

Unless you distinguish very minutely, you can easily

go astray.

You must understand all this clearly. That is why it

has been written down for you.

Someone in the past said: Obtain the real stuff and

ardently work at it. If you do not discriminate over
details, then you will simply be wasting your effort.

This essay comprises what Wang Zongyue learned

from Zhang Sanfeng. Its words are simple and
comprehensive. He wanted Taiji Boxings subtle
theory to be explained without anything left out. Of
the many primary texts, start with this one, including
its commentaries. If you come across doubtful areas,
as is bound to happen from time to time, please
pardon.

PART TWO

CHAPTER ONE: THE SEQUENCE OF THE TAIJI

BOXING SOLO SET WITH MOVEMENT
POSITIONING CHART (COMPLETE WITH
EXPLANATIONS)

[1] With north to your [right] and west in front of

you, perform READINESS POSTURE.
[2] Advance with your left foot, turning your torso to
the right, and perform CATCH THE SPARROW BY
THE TAIL.
[3] Step out with your left foot, turning around to the
south, and perform SINGLE WHIP.
[4] Shift your right foot forward and perform RAISE
THE HAND.
[5] Staying where you are, perform WHITE CRANE
SHOWS ITS WINGS.
[6] Step out with your left foot to the south and
perform BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE on
the left side, step forward with your right foot and
perform BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE on
the right side, then step forward again with your left
foot, and perform BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED
STANCE on the left side.
[7] Bring your right foot beside your left foot and
perform PLAY THE LUTE.
[8] Stepping out with your left foot, perform PARRY,
BLOCK, PUNCH.
[9] Staying where you are, perform SEALING SHUT.
[10] Bring your left foot beside your right foot, facing
west, and perform CROSSED HANDS.
[11] Step out with your right foot, turning around
diagonally to your right rear, to the northeast, and
perform CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK
TO ITS MOUNTAIN.
[12] Staying where your are, perform CATCH THE
SPARROW BY THE TAIL.
[13] Turn around to the southwest, stepping out with
your left foot, and perform DIAGONAL SINGLE
WHIP.
[14] Step forward with your right foot, withdraw your
left foot, face south, and perform GUARDING
PUNCH UNDER THE ELBOW.
[15] Withdraw your left leg, extending your left hand
forward, and perform the first movement of
RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY.
Withdraw your right leg, extending your right hand
forward, and perform the second movement of
RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY. Again
withdraw your left leg, extending your left hand
forward, and perform the third movement of
RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY.
[16] Retreat your right foot to the northwest (or
advance your left foot to the southeast) and perform
DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE.
[17] Shift your right foot forward and perform RAISE
THE HAND.
[18&19] Staying where you are, perform WHITE
CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS.
[20] Step out with your left foot, facing south, and
perform BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE on
the left side.
[21] Withdraw your left leg a half step, bend your
[right] leg, and perform NEEDLING UNDER THE
SEA.
[22] Again stepping out with your left foot, perform
FAN THROUGH THE BACK.
[23] Turn around to the right and perform TORSO-
FLUNG PUNCH.
[24] Withdrawing your right foot, perform
WITHDRAWING STEP, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH.
[25] Again step forward with your right foot, and
perform CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL.
[26] Step out with your left foot, turning around to
the south, and perform SINGLE WHIP.
[27] Bring your right foot beside your left foot and
perform the first movement of CLOUDING HANDS,
step out with your left foot and perform the second
movement of CLOUDING HANDS, again bring your
right foot beside your left foot and perform the third
movement of CLOUDING HANDS, then step out with
your left foot and perform SINGLE WHIP.
[28] Withdrawing your left foot a half step, perform
RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE
HORSE LEFT.
[29] Kick with your right foot to perform KICK TO
THE RIGHT SIDE.
[30] Lower your right foot and perform RISING UP
AND REACHING OUT TO THE HORSE RIGHT.
[31] Kick with your left foot to perform KICK TO THE
LEFT SIDE.
[32] Turn around to your left rear, and perform
TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK.
[33] Bring your left foot down and perform BRUSH
KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE on the left side, then
step forward with your right foot and perform
BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE on the right
side.
[34] Again step forward, now with your left foot, and
perform ADVANCE, PLANTING PUNCH.
[35] Turn around to your right rear, and perform
TURN AROUND, TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH.
[36] Lift your left leg and kick with your right leg to
perform DOUBLE KICK.
[37] Lower your right leg, withdraw your left foot,
turn to your left, and perform FIGHTING TIGER
POSTURE on the left side, then withdraw your right
foot, turn to the right, and perform FIGHTING
TIGER POSTURE on the right side.
[38] Staying where you are, perform DRAPING THE
BODY, KICK.
[39] Bring your right foot down in front and perform
DOUBLE WINDS THROUGH THE EARS.
[40] Kick with your left foot to perform ADVANCE,
PRESSING KICK.
[41] Turn around to your right rear, to the east, lower
your left foot, and kick with your right foot to
perform TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK.
[42] Bring your right foot down, step forward with
your left foot, and perform PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH.
[43] Staying where you are, perform SEALING
SHUT.
[44] Bring your left foot beside your right foot and
perform CROSSED HANDS.
[45] Step out with your right foot, turning around
diagonally to your right rear, to the northeast, and
perform CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK
TO ITS MOUNTAIN, then staying where your are,
perform CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL.
[46] Turn around, stepping out with your left foot to
the southwest, and perform DIAGONAL SINGLE
WHIP.
[47] Step forward with your right foot and perform
the first movement of WILD HORSE VEERS ITS
MANE, step forward with your left foot and perform
the second movement of WILD HORSE VEERS ITS
MANE, then again step forward with your right foot
and perform the third movement of WILD HORSE
VEERS ITS MANE.
[48] Step forward with your left foot and perform the
first movement of MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE
to the northwest, turn around to your right rear and
perform the second movement of MAIDEN WORKS
THE SHUTTLE to the southwest, again step forward
with your left foot and perform the third movement
of MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE to the
southeast, turn around to your right rear and perform
the fourth movement of MAIDEN WORKS THE
SHUTTLE to the northeast, then stay where you are
and perform CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL.
[49] Step out with your left foot, turning around to
the south, and perform SINGLE WHIP.
[50] Bring your right foot beside your left foot and
perform the first movement of CLOUDING HANDS,
step out with your left foot and perform the second
movement of CLOUDING HANDS, again bring your
right foot beside your left foot and perform the third
movement of CLOUDING HANDS, then step out with
your left foot and perform SINGLE WHIP.
[51] Staying where you are, perform LOW POSTURE.
[52] Stand your body up, lift your right leg, and
perform GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON ONE LEG
on the right side, then lower your right foot, lift your
left leg, and perform GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS
ON ONE LEG on the left side.
[53] Withdraw your left foot and perform the first
movement of RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE
MONKEY, withdraw your right foot and perform the
second movement of RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY
THE MONKEY, then withdraw your left foot and
perform the third movement of RETREAT, DRIVING
AWAY THE MONKEY.
[54] Retreat your right foot to the northwest (or
advance your left foot to the southeast) and perform
DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE.
[55] Shift your right foot forward and perform RAISE
THE HAND.
[56] Staying where you are, perform WHITE CRANE
SHOWS ITS WINGS.
[57] Step out with your left foot, facing south, and
perform BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE on
the left side.
[58] Withdraw your left leg a half step, bend your
[right] leg, and perform NEEDLING UNDER THE
SEA.
[59] Step out with your left foot and perform FAN
THROUGH THE BACK.
[60] Turn around to your right and perform TORSO-
FLUNG PUNCH, then advancing with your right foot,
perform STEP FORWARD, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH.
[61] Staying where you are, perform CATCH THE
SPARROW BY THE TAIL.
[62] Step out with your left foot, turning around, and
perform SINGLE WHIP.
[63] Bring your right foot beside your left foot and
perform the first movement of CLOUDING HANDS,
step out with your left foot and perform the second
movement of CLOUDING HANDS, bring your right
foot beside your left foot and perform the third
movement of CLOUDING HANDS, then step out with
your left foot and perform SINGLE WHIP.
[64] Withdrawing your left foot a half step, perform
RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE
HORSE LEFT.
[65] Step out with your left foot, threading through
with your left palm, then turn around to your right
rear, and perform CROSSED-BODY SWINGING
LOTUS KICK.
[66] Bring your right foot down and perform BRUSH
KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE on the right side,
then advance with your left foot and perform BRUSH
KNEE, PUNCH TO THE CROTCH.
[67] Step forward with your right foot and perform
CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL.
[68] Step out with your left foot, turning around, and
perform SINGLE WHIP.
[69] Staying where you are, perform LOW POSTURE.
[70] Stand your body up, step forward with your right
foot, and perform STEP FORWARD WITH THE BIG
DIPPER, then retreat your right foot, withdraw your
left foot, and perform RETREAT TO SITTING TIGER
POSTURE.
[71] Turn around to your right rear, step forward with
your left foot, threading through with your left palm,
then again turn around to your right rear, and
perform SPIN AROUND ON THE FOOT, SWINGING
LOTUS KICK.
[72] Lower your right foot to your right and perform
BEND THE BOW, SHOOT THE TIGER.
[73] Step forward with your left foot so your feet are
standing next to each other, both hands hanging
down, and return to READINESS POSTURE.

EXPLANATIONS TO THE TAIJI BOXING SOLO SET

MOVEMENT POSITIONING CHART


1. Generally when practicing martial arts sets, you

should end where you began. So that it is easy here to
see everything in the chart, it is spread out
[vertically], and therefore the beginning and ending
posture cannot occupy the same place [horizontally].

__
|__|
|__|
|__|
2. Often you will continue through several postures
without changing your location. It is difficult to show
this and so they are merely put in order by piling
them up.

__
|__|_
|__|
3. When two postures happen in the same place, but
the movement slightly shifts away, the postures are
given an irregular alignment.

__
|__|
_|_
|__|


4. When movements have a vertical line between

them, it means you are advancing in that direction,
and when it is happening diagonally, the line is
diagonal, but the length of the line has no bearing on
the distance you are advancing.

5. Whether a posture is at an angle or straight, it is

indicated by the angle of the box in the chart.

6. Each posture is written toward the direction it

[your torso] faces, a hint to be given attention to.
[This is displayed only in the Chinese text in the
chart, whereas in the list I have simply used arrows to
indicate which direction your torso is facing.]


7. [In the chart,] a full turn of your body is indicated
by a full circle spiraling inward/outward and a half
turn is indicated by a half circle.

8. For the LEFT & RIGHT KICK TO THE SIDE, the

chart shows the direction your toes are pointing
[rather than the direction your torso is facing].

9. When a box is made of dotted lines, its posture is

indicated in the box below it. Because the space in the
chart is confined, it would be inappropriate to write it
so high [for the sake of the movements that continue
from it], and so it is shifted below.

10. As to the other direction indicators for the whole

chart, the common way is for up to be north and
down to be south, but here it is different [up being
east and down being west]. [As no actual reason for
this is given here, this does not satisfy. It amounts to
saying something along the lines of, What most
people call left, in my book I have decided to call
right. Why not just leave it the common way of up
being north? And since Xu so rarely mentions
compass directions within his actual instructions for
the postures, there seems little purpose in his
bringing it up at all.]
[1] READINESS POSTURE []
[2] CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
[]
[3] SINGLE WHIP []
[4] RAISE THE HAND []
[5] WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS
[]
[6.1] LEFT BRUSH KNEE IN A
CROSSED STANCE []
[6.2] RIGHT BRUSH KNEE IN A
CROSSED STANCE []
[6.3] LEFT BRUSH KNEE IN A
CROSSED STANCE []
[7] PLAY THE LUTE []
[8] PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH []
[9] SEALING SHUT []
[10] CROSSED HANDS []
[11] CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT
BACK TO ITS MOUNTAIN [ ]
[12] CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL [
]
[13] DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP [ ]
[14] GUARDING PUNCH UNDER THE
ELBOW []
[15.1] RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE
MONKEY (1) []
[15.2] RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE
MONKEY (2) []
[15.3] RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE
MONKEY (3) []
[16] DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP [
DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE] [ ]
[17] RAISE THE HAND []
[18&19] WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS
WINGS []
[20] BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED
STANCE []
[21] NEEDLING UNDER THE SEA []
[22] FAN THROUGH THE BACK []
[23] TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH []
[24] PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH []
[25] CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
[]
[26] SINGLE WHIP []
[27.1] CLOUDING HANDS (1) []
[27.2] CLOUDING HANDS (2) []
[27.3] CLOUDING HANDS (3) []
[27.4] SINGLE WHIP []
[28] RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO
THE HORSE LEFT []
[29] KICK TO THE RIGHT SIDE [ ]
[30] RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO
THE HORSE RIGHT []
[31] KICK TO THE LEFT SIDE [ ]
[32] TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK
[]
[33.1] LEFT BRUSH KNEE IN A
CROSSED STANCE []
[33.2] RIGHT BRUSH KNEE IN A
CROSSED STANCE []
[34] ADVANCE, PLANTING PUNCH []
[35] TURN AROUND, TORSO-FLUNG
PUNCH []
[36] DOUBLE KICK [ ]
[37.1] LEFT FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE
[]
[37.2] RIGHT FIGHTING TIGER
POSTURE []
[38] DRAPING THE BODY, KICK []
[39] DOUBLE WINDS THROUGH THE
EARS []
[40] ADVANCE, PRESSING KICK []
[41] TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK
[]
[42] PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH []
[43] SEALING SHUT []
[44] CROSSED HANDS []
[45.1] CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND
IT BACK TO ITS MOUNTAIN [ ]
[45.2] CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
[ ]
[46] DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP [ ]
[47.1] WILD HORSE VEERS ITS MANE
(1) []
[47.2] WILD HORSE VEERS ITS MANE
(2) []
[47.3] WILD HORSE VEERS ITS MANE
(3) []
[48.1] MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE
(1) [ ]
[48.2] MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE
(2) [ ]
[48.3] MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE
(3) [ ]
[48.4] MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE
(4) [ ]
[48.5] CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
[]
[49] SINGLE WHIP []
[50.1] CLOUDING HANDS (1) []
[50.2] CLOUDING HANDS (2) []
[50.3] CLOUDING HANDS (3) []
[50.4] SINGLE WHIP []
[51] LOW POSTURE []
[52.1] RIGHT GOLDEN ROOSTER
STANDS ON ONE LEG []
[52.2] LEFT GOLDEN ROOSTER
STANDS ON ONE LEG []
[53.1] RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE
MONKEY (1) []
[53.2] RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE
MONKEY (2) []
[53.3] RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE
MONKEY (3) []
[54] DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP [
DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE] [ ]
[55] RAISE THE HAND []
[56] WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS
[]
[57] LEFT BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED
STANCE []
[58] NEEDLING UNDER THE SEA []
[59.1] FAN THROUGH THE BACK []
[59.2] TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH []
[60] ADVANCE, PARRY, BLOCK,
PUNCH []
[61] CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
[]
[62] SINGLE WHIP []
[63.1] CLOUDING HANDS (1) []
[63.2] CLOUDING HANDS (2) []
[63.3] CLOUDING HANDS (3) []
[63.4] SINGLE WHIP []
[64] RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO
THE HORSE LEFT []
[65] CROSSED-BODY SWINGING LOTUS
KICK []
[66.1] RIGHT BRUSH KNEE IN A
CROSSED STANCE []
[66.2] PUNCH TO THE CROTCH []
[67] CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL
[]
[68] SINGLE WHIP []
[69] LOW POSTURE []
[70.1] STEP FORWARD WITH THE BIG
DIPPER []
[70.2] RETREAT TO SITTING TIGER
POSTURE []
[71] SPIN AROUND ON THE FOOT,
SWINGING LOTUS KICK []
[72] BEND THE BOW, SHOOT THE TIGER
[]
[73] CLOSING POSTURE []

CHAPTER TWO: EXPLANATIONS FOR EACH OF

THE TAIJI BOXING POSTURES

The Taiji boxing art uses nothingness as its root.

What it trains is nothing more than spirit and energy,
and it is not like the external boxings emphasis on
how it looks. So why care about the postures at all?
Well, what does a persons spirit and energy depend
on? The body, by way of which the spirit is trained.
Use the actions of the mind to move the body. Its
contracting and expanding, bending and extending,
are each as the mind dictates. Make body and mind
merge to become one. By way of opening and closing,
rousing and stimulating, inhaling and exhaling,
advancing and retreating, the energy is tempered. By
way of the sensitivity of the body, the sensitivity of
the muscles, and sensitivity of touch, the spirit is
sharpened. For the sake of training both Taijis form
and function, a practitioner of the Taiji boxing art will
be particular about the postures, and so it seems they
cannot be treated dismissively. Examining the
different schools of Taiji Boxing, they fall into three
categories:
[1] There are those who practice many postures
such as the schools of the Thirty-Seven Postures,
Small Highest Heaven, and so on.
[2] There are those who make use of the symbols
in the Book of Changes such as the schools of
Innate Nature Boxing, Acquired Nature Boxing, and
so on.
[3] There are those with specific techniques of
moving energy and moving the feet such as the
school of the Thirteen Dynamics.
The postures, names, and practice method of each
school are different. Although any of them can be
selected, apart from the school of the Thirteen
Dynamics many use a single posture practice without
a fixed sequence, but I feel that to continue into that
as an accompaniment to Part One of this book would
not yet be very suitable, so I will save it for a future
edition. For now I will begin by presenting the
postures of the Thirteen Dynamics solo set in their
original sequence, with drawings and explanations
for you to consult.
1
PREPARATION POSTURE

Explanation of the name:

Before practicing any boxing set, there must be a
readiness, a rousing of the whole body and a focusing
of the mind, like when your sense of caution is
stimulated, making you more alert. When practicing,
there is also the intention of paying respect to those
observing you, same as standing at attention in
gymnastics. Taiji Boxing uses the mind to move
muscle, and so when practicing, your spirit must be
concentrated, and then you can be efficient.
Therefore within the Taiji Boxing art,
PREPARATION POSTURE is particularly important.

One movement:
1. Get ready.

Explanation for the drawing:

Your body stands upright, your hands hanging down,
wrists beside your hips, palms pushing down, eyes
looking forward, your feet shoulder width apart.

Points for attention:

When practicing, your body should be calm and your
spirit comfortable, energy sinking to your elixir field,
spirit passing through to your headtop. Your whole
body must be nimble and lively without the slightest
effort anywhere.
2
CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL

Explanation of the name:

The idea is that your hands are holding a sparrow by
the tail and following its movement as it flutters up
and down. Another name is CATCH & TEAR OFF
THE TAIL. Imagining the opponents arm is a
sparrows tail, catch it to slow its forward power, then
take advantage of the moment by cutting forward to
throw him away. Both of these explanations work.

There are six movements. When beginning to train,

this posture divides into only the two movements of
catching and cutting. When you are more advanced at
it, then both your hands go from inward to outward
and again from outward to inward, the path of the
movement making a circle. In finer detail, the posture
then divides into the six movements of lift, press,
rollback, push, ward-off, and cut.
1. Step out, lifting your hands.
2. Advance, penetrating with a press.
3. Sit back, rolling back to catch.
4. Advance with your hands pushing.
5. Hang outward, warding off forward.
6. Push forward with cutting hands.

Explanation for the drawings:

1. From the previous posture, your left foot takes a
step forward, heel touching down, while your right
knee bends and your torso squats down, your left
palm goes from beside your hip, inward from
outward in an arc, rotating, extending forward and
upward until in front of your belly, your right hand
pushing down, fingers touching your left forearm to
assist the posture. They gradually lift to chest level as
your left toes come down, and upon touching the
ground, the weight shifts to your left foot.

2. Advancing your right foot to the right, your right

arm bends and does a press outward and forward,
elbow hanging down, thumb at nose level, your right
leg likewise bending forward.
3. Your left leg sits to the rear, your arms embracing
inward as though with the intent of catching
something with a downward rollback.
4. Your hands push forward.
5. Your right hand faces upward and hangs forward
with an intention of warding off.
6. Both hands rotate inward, fingertips drawing an
arc, your right hand rotating until the palm is
downward then pushing forward with a cutting
motion, while your left hand stays by your right
elbow, the hands unevenly placed but pushing
forward in unison.


Points for attention:

When practicing [this posture], the path of your
fingertips must make a double circle, and if your
waist and spine are going along with it to make the
same movement, then it will be nimble. This posture
exercises your torso, abdomen, waist, shoulders, and
back.

Application:
When using the rear hand, if contacting the outward
side [of an opponents arm], then I outwardly hang
[my hand over it] and push forward, and if contacting
to the inward side, then I inwardly catch with a
plucking action and lift up to push forward. When
using the front hand, [if contacting to the outward
side,] then I catch to the outside of his elbow and
push forward, and if contacting to the inward side,
then I outwardly hang over his elbow or wrist and
then push forward.
3
SINGLE WHIP


Explanation of the name:

Single means with one hand. Whip means it is
like you are hitting someone with a whip. When
practicing this as a single posture, you can also
change to using both hands spreading to the sides at
the same time, in which case the posture would be
called DOUBLE WHIP.

Two movements:
1. Hang from your [right] wrist.
2. Extend your [left] arm, sending out your palm.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From the previous posture, your right arm stays
where it is, but your hand hangs down from your
wrist, your fingers gently gathering to make a hook
shape, while your toes subtly turn about ninety
degrees to the forward left.
2. Your left arm bends and the palm traces along your
right arm to the left, passes in front of your chest in a
slight upward arc, then extends to the left, making a
straight line with your right arm, your left wrist
sitting, fingers upward, spread and slightly bent,
forefinger at nose level, elbow slightly bent. At the
same time, your left foot slightly lifts, takes a half step
out to the forward left, toes pointing to the same
direction, the feet parallel on a diagonal, the toes
coming down with the positioning of your hand,
making a bow & arrow stance, causing the weight to
shift to your right [left] foot.

Points for attention:

When your front hand moves forward, your rear hand
must put energy through the arm to assist, and there
is a slight hollowing in order to strike from above to
below. Your feet are to coordinate with each other
and must move in unison. Your shoulders are to be
level with each other, neither one rising up. This
posture exercises your limbs and back.

Application:
An opponent uses his front hand to advance and
strike me, I take advantage of his momentum to draw
his arm in, causing him to slightly lean forward, then
extend my palm to strike his chest with either a
pushing energy or a cutting energy.
4
RAISE THE HANDS

Explanation of the name:

Raising describes the energy. It is like lifting an
object up, hence the name is Raising [up with] the
Hands.

Two movements:
1. Bring your hands together.
2. Raise your hands up.

Explanation for the drawings:

1. From the previous posture, your right foot
advances, creating distance between your feet (It is
like your feet are making a triangle, your right heel at
the vertex.), your arms embracing inward, your right
hand slightly farther forward, palms toward each
other. See first drawing:

But when your right arm embraces inward, there are

two parts: going down from above, and up from
below.
2. Drop your right wrist, then lift it up, passing your
left palm to the inside, until at about nose level. See
second drawing:

Points for attention:

When practicing this posture, you should lift your
headtop, and with your waist and thighs going along
with the expanding and shrinking, with the up and
down, you will then obtain the opportunity and
position. This posture trains the power of expanding
and shrinking.

Application:
An opponent uses his front hand to strike directly to
my face. One response is to make contact with his
arm from above and use my wrist to do a pressing
technique to throw him away, or squat down and
ward off upward to throw him away. Another is to use
my left hand to push down on his wrist while drawing
out my right hand, lifting my wrist to strike his chin
or nose.
5
WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS

Explanation of the name:

In this posture, you spread your arms at an angle,
making a shape like a birds wings, with your arms
extended above and your legs bent below, like a crane
spreading its wings, hence the name. There is the bird
form of Hua Tuos Five Animal Frolics. The fourth
posture in the Brahmanic limbering art is crane
rising and the twelfth posture is phoenix unfurls its
wings. And then there is the Crane Boxing of Fujian.
All of these things are the same idea. When practicing
this posture, it is divided into spreading at an angle
and spreading squarely, or spreading wings (at an
angle) and showing wings (squarely forward),
which can be done as a continuous movement from
one to the other. Drawing 1 is of spreading wings
and drawing 2 is of showing wings.

Two movements:
1. Spread your arms.
2. Raise both hands.

Explanation for the drawings:

1. Spread your arms apart at an angle in the manner
of a wild goose, your left hand going diagonally
downward and brushing outward, your torso turning
halfway to the left, your left foot stepping out
diagonally, toes touching down, your right hand
passing in front of your face, spreading diagonally
upward until to the right side of your head, the back
of the hand outward, palm therefore inward. When
your arms spread open, they must have the same
speed as each other and the weight shifts fully to your
right foot. See first drawing:


2. Withdrawing your left foot, your body stands

upright, your left hand, elbow bending, rising up to
about head level or slightly higher, palm upward. At
the same time, your right hand also turns to face
forward [with the palm also upward], both hands
making the same posture, your head and arms
forming the character for mountain: . See second
drawing:


Points for attention:

When practicing [this posture], you must use energy
from the center of your back to make your arms twist,
and then the opening and closing will be natural. This
posture trains the flexibility of your chest and [upper]
back.

Application:
1. For an opponent to my left side, my left [right]
hand threads through from under his [left] armpit,
lifting and spreading away, while my right [left] hand
strokes away downward [along his left arm], causing
him to lean back.
2. Or I simply spread open to tangle up his hands.
6
LEFT & RIGHT BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED
STANCE

Explanation of the name:

Brushing the knee means brushing downward past
your knee. A crossed stance is a stance name. When
a boxing arts practitioner advances his left foot while
extending his left hand, or advances his right foot
while extending his right hand, that is called a
straight stance. But when it is the reverse, and the
left foot is advanced while the right hand is extended,
or the right foot is advanced while the left hand is
extended, that is called a crossed stance.

Two [three] movements:

1. Staying where you are, brush past your [right]
knee.
2. Step forward, brushing past your [left] knee.
3. Cross your stance with a [right] palm strike.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From the previous posture, squat your torso down,
your left hand staying where it is, your right hand
brushes outward and downward until beside your
right knee.
2. Your left foot takes a step to the left, your left hand
passing your nose and lowering in front of your chest,
then continues outward to the left, brushing past
your left knee until beside your left hip, palm
downward, fingers forward, arm slightly bent, elbow
pointed to the rear. Your torso is now turned to the
left to be squared forward.
3. When your torso turns to the left, your right hand
goes from downward in the rear, turning over and
extending upward, passing beside your right ear, the
palm almost rubbing against it, and then with a
horizontal line forming from the three parts of
shoulder, elbow, and hand, extends straight forward
until at its limit, fingertips lifted, palm expressing
power, legs making a bow & arrow stance. See the
drawing:

[Repeat the posture on the other side and then once

more on this side.]

Points for attention:

When practicing, you must squat your torso down.
The movement of your arms is based on the
movement of your waist. The route of each hand
makes an oval shape. This posture trains the
flexibility of your arms, waist, and knees.

Application:
The opponent strikes at me from below, so I use my
front hand to brush it aside and use my rear hand to
push his chest.
7
PLAY THE LUTE

Explanation of the name:

Both your hands embrace toward each other in the
manner of holding a lute, hence the name. When your
hands play, your fingers seem to give a strum to the
strings.

Two movements:
1. Embrace with your hands.
2. Step together, rubbing outward.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE,
your torso slowly withdraws, causing the weight to
shift fully onto your right leg, making an empty
stance. At the same time, your right hand withdraws
while your left hand goes along your left hip and rises
up, both hands embracing inward, unevenly facing
each other as though holding a ball. Your elbows are
slightly hanging, the forefinger of your front hand is
at about nose level, and your rear hand is in front of
your chest, palm almost facing to the elbow of your
forward arm. See the drawing:

2. Bring your right foot up to stand together with

your left foot behind the heel, both your hands
moving outward with a round shape.

Points for attention:

When moving your hands outward, you must use the
strength of your waist and back.

Application:
The opponent grabs my right wrist, so I withdraw my
right hand toward my chest to neutralize his energy,
then advance my right foot, using my left hand to
push his shoulder down and then forward.
8
ADVANCE, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH

Explanation of the name:

PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH means that you use a parry
to take aside the opponents hand, then a block to
obstruct him, and then a punch to strike him directly.
Southerners use a different character for punch
which directly indicates a fist, whereas the one used
here instead expresses a mace. This is one of the five
punching techniques in Taiji Boxing. When
ADVANCE, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH is performed
retreating, it is called WITHDRAWING STEP,
PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH.

Three movements:
1. Inward parrying hand.
2. Outward blocking hand.
3. Punch forward.


Explanation for the drawings:
1. From the previous posture, use your left hand to
parry inward, your torso going along with it, your
right hand in front of your chest, fingertips up.
2. Your left foot advances a half step to the forward
left, your left hand goes along with it, blocking
outward until by your left ear, the elbow slightly
hanging down aligned with your left hip, fingertips
pointing up. See first drawing:

3. Your right hand grasps into a fist and turns inward,

tigers mouth upward, and punches forward past your
left palm. See second drawing:

(This is parrying and blocking upward. If you parry
and block downward, then you will punch forward
over your left wrist.)

Points for attention:

When practicing [this posture], your waist, back,
shoulders, and hips must all move in unison. When
you parry and punch, you must keep space in your
armpits and loosen your shoulders. When you punch,
you must keep your body upright and use power from
your spine, not leaning forward, for if you lean, you
will only be using power from your waist. This
posture exercises your spine and the nimbleness of
your shoulders and hips.

Application:
The opponent punches to my chest, so I move my
front hand inward to parry it aside. If he wants to
escape outwardly, I then jam him and take the
opportunity to punch him in the chest.
9
SEALING SHUT

Explanation of the name:

SEALING SHUT means to stop the opponents hands,
and is the same as the double push of General Yues
Continuous Boxing and the tiger form of Xingyi
Boxing.

Three movements:
1. Cross your hands.
2. Spread your hands apart.
3. Push forward.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. Your left hand not moving, your torso sits back,
your right leg slightly bending, your right fist arcing
across to the left, and once the wrist has withdrawn to
be above your left wrist, both wrists are crossed to
make an X shape.
2. Then your right fist withdraws, changing from fist
to palm, and both hands spread apart to about
shoulder width.
3. Both hands turn inward and push forward, your
torso inclining forward, the weight shifting to your
left foot, or you can lift your left foot and step it
slightly forward. See the drawing:

Points for attention:

When you withdraw your fist, you must fully sit back
your torso to lead back the fist, not merely bend your
arm. Once your wrists are crossed, they must spread
apart, and once they spread apart, they must push
forward there can be no sluggishness. When you
spread your hands apart, the elbows slightly bend
and hang down near your ribs. They must not spread
away to the sides, or the energy will be scattered.
When pushing forward, your fingers extend forward,
then the palms stick out forcefully.

Application:
If when I apply PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH, the
opponent uses his left hand to push my right fist, I
then turn my right fist inward and withdraw it, while
sending my left hand from below to the outside of my
right fist to block his hand, and once I have cleared
his right hand aside, I push forward.
10
CROSSED HANDS

Explanation of the name:

CROSSED HANDS means your wrists cross each
other to make an X shape, hence the name. Whenever
two postures are linked by a transition that is not
flowing, you can always add the crossed hands as a
way to join them up.

One movement:
1. Make an X shape with your hands.

Explanation for the drawing:

From the previous posture, your left foot turns
inward to the right almost ninety degrees, your body
turning with it to the right, and the distance between
your feet becomes shoulder width. With your left
hand inside, right hand outside, your hands rise in
unison, crossing above your headtop, arms slightly
bent.

Points for attention:
When practicing this posture, it must continue into
the next posture without the slightest pause.
11
CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK TO ITS
MOUNTAIN

Explanation of the name:

CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK TO ITS
MOUNTAIN means that the opponent is in the role of
the tiger and you take hold of him and throw him
away. It is also called EMBRACE THE TIGER AND
PUSH THE MOUNTAIN. When you embrace the
opponent and he wants to escape, take advantage of it
by pushing forward. Both of these explanations are
equally valid. Students often do not pay attention to
this posture, and there are those who transpose the
name onto SEALING SHUT. Since this posture flows
continuously into the next posture, CATCH THE
SPARROW BY THE TAIL, it is very easy to get
confused.


Five movements:
1. Staying where you are, brush past your [left] knee.
2. Stepping forward, brush past your [right] knee.
3. Palm strike with the rear hand.
4. Embrace inward.
5. Push forward.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From the previous posture, your right hand does
not move, your left hand lowers and brushes past
your left knee, your torso squats down, and you turn
around to face diagonally to the right rear.
2. Step out with your right foot and lower your right
hand, brushing downward past your right knee. See
the drawing:


3. Extend your left palm to make the posture of

BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE on the right
side.
4. Your left hand not moving, your right hand extends
to the rear, and using the shoulder as a central pivot
point and the arm as the radius of a circle, goes from
downward to the rear and turns over upward, until
forward, having made a large circle, wrapping around
below. Once the hand and elbow are at shoulder level,
sit back your torso, rolling back to the rear with both
hands, and make the CROSSED HANDS shape.
5. Both hands spread apart and do a level push
forward.

Points for attention:

In this posture, you must use your waist to move your
shoulders and back. The five movements should be
one continuous flow.

Application:
If an opponent uses his left hand to strike me from
behind on my right side, I then send my right hand
downward to brush aside his arm and use my left
palm to strike his face. If his left arm takes advantage
of the momentum by lifting to carry outward, or he
turns to the left and strikes to my head, I then
advance, using my right shoulder to brace under his
armpit, circle my right arm to the rear, and wrap
around his torso. If he wants to escape, I withdraw
my torso, using my right hand to rend his hands
outward, and push forward to his chest.
12
CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL (as before)
13
DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP

Explanation of the name:

Diagonal indicates the direction. The previous
posture took a diagonal direction and the direction of
this posture is dependent on the direction of that
posture, hence the name.

Movements:
Same as in SINGLE WHIP.

Explanation for the drawing:

Same as in SINGLE WHIP.

Points for attention:

The direction is at an angle.

Application:
Same as in SINGLE WHIP.
14
GUARDING PUNCH UNDER THE ELBOW

Explanation of the name:

When your elbow is stood up, [the space] below it is
called under the elbow. By guarding is meant
being protective. It is also called PUNCH UNDER
THE ELBOW. [This is one of the five punching
techniques in Taiji Boxing.]

Three movements:
1. Shift a step, leading with your [right] hand.
2. Withdraw a step, raising your [left] hand.
3. Punch under your [left] elbow.

Explanation for the drawing:

Making a triangular shape in relation to the previous
posture, your left foot is at point A(1), right foot at
point B(1).

Footwork diagram for GUARDING PUNCH UNDER
THE ELBOW:
A(1)
/ \
 A(2) \
/ \
B(1) > B(2)

1. Your left foot staying where it is, your right foot

steps out a half step to the right, shifting to B(2), your
right hand moving along with it.
2. Your left foot withdraws a half step inward, from
A(1) to A(2), heel touching down, toes up. At the
same time, your left hand arcs inward from outward,
passes your hip, and rises until in front of your chest,
palm inward, at about shoulder level.
3. Your left wrist slightly turns outward and props up,
while your right hand makes a fist and is placed
under your left elbow, and your right leg slightly
bends, making an empty stance, the weight shifting
fully to your right foot.


Points for attention:

The path of your right arm makes a horizontal
semicircle while your left arm arcs in a vertical slant.
When punching, your body must go along with it and
slightly shrug forward. At the same time, loosen your
wrist and lengthen your torso. Pay particular
attention to the three unions (i.e. shoulder united
with hip, elbow united with knee, hand united with
foot). This posture trains deep breathing.

Application:
If the opponent uses his right hand to strike, I use my
left hand to grab his right elbow and lead it forward,
turn my wrist over to prop upward, then use my right
hand to strike underneath to his ribs.
15
RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY

Explanation of the name:

RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY means
that when a monkey [i.e. a troublemaker] attacks
forward, first use a hand to draw him in, then strike
forward, one hand withdrawing, the other pushing
down on his headtop. The retreating refers to moving
backward away from pursuit, drawing the opponent
in as he chases, then take advantage of the moment to
make a surprise strike with your hand.

Three movements:
1. Retreat with your left foot, extending your [right]
palm.
2. Retreat with your right foot, extending your [left]
palm.
3. Same as 1.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From the previous posture, your right foot stays
where it is and your left foot retreats a half step
behind you, your while left hand goes from beside
your ear, extending forward to its limit, fingertips up,
palm expressing power, wrist at shoulder level. At the
same time, your right hand lowers until beside your
hip, same as in BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED
STANCE.

2. Your left foot staying where it is, your right foot

retreats a half step behind you, while your right hand
goes from the rear, turns over, goes upward until
beside your ear, and extends forward to its limit,
fingertips up, palm expressing power, wrist at
shoulder level, your left hand lowering until beside
your hip, same as in BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED
STANCE.
3. Same as 1.

Points for attention:

Your knees should be slightly bent. Your feet should
each make a straight line front to back from toe to
heel and should be spread to shoulder width. Your
body must be upright, headtop suspended, and spine
lifted so as to exercise the Ren meridian [which rises
up your back]. This movement should be done an odd
number of times, either three or five [and ending with
your left hand forward].

Application:
If the opponent uses either his fist to strike or foot to
kick, I use my front hand to brush downward and
block it, then use my rear hand to strike to his face.
16
DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE


Explanation of the name:

This posture is like a bird diagonally opening its
wings to fly, hence the name. There is both a left and
a right version of the posture, but when practicing the
posture to the left, the beginner often easily
interrupts the energy, and so it is inferior to the
version on the right side.

Two movements:
1. Meeting wrists.
2. Diagonally flying.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From the practice of the previous posture, wait
until it is again with your right leg in front. Your left
hand is in front and does not move. Your right hand
goes from behind and turns over, drawing a
semicircle forward, lowering under your left wrist.
2. When your right hand has almost reached your left
wrist, your left hand flattens out above your right
wrist so that the palms are facing each other. At the
same time, retreat your right foot and step out a half
step toward the right rear corner. Your right hand
goes diagonally to the right and your left hand goes
diagonally to the left, in the manner of a bird
spreading its wings. Your gaze is toward your right
hand.

Points for attention:

You must use your waist to move your hands and
feet.

Application:
This posture is a technique of surprise. If my right
hand and the opponents left hand are touching each
other, I send my left wrist up to carry his wrist and
send my right hand forward to strike him.
17
RAISE THE HANDS
18
WHITE CRANE UNFURLS ITS WINGS
19
WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS
20
BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE

These four postures are all done as before.

21
NEEDLING UNDER THE SEA

Explanation of the name:

Under the Sea is the name of an acupoint on the
human body. [Hai Di, more commonly known as Hui
Yin (Gathering Place of the Passive), is located just
in front of the anus.] NEEDLING UNDER THE
SEA means your hand has an intent of poking
toward the Under the Sea point. [Going by the
application explanation below, you are not to aim for
this acupoint directly, but instead use it as a mental
target to help you go through the opponent as you
aim your intent at his lower abdomen, his Qi Hai
area, appropriately indicating that to get to his
Under the Sea, you must go through his Sea of
Energy.]

Two movements:
1. Lift your [left] foot, brushing with your [left] hand.
2. Stab the needle to Under the Sea.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. With your left hand brushing your knee, withdraw
your left foot, toes touching down.
2. Your right leg squatting down, sit your torso, your
right arm extending straight down along the inner
side of your left knee, fingertips pointing down. At
the same time, your left hand may either touch your
right forearm or withdraw behind your hip.

Points for attention:

Your spine must be erect and should not bend and
lean forward. When pointing down with your hand,
slightly harbor an intention of poking an acupoint.
When practicing this posture, there should be
flexibility in your spine and knee.

Application:
When the opponent [in the previous posture] used
his right hand to strike me and I then used my left
hand to brush it away to the side while using my right
hand to strike his chest, if at that moment he uses his
left hand to grab my right wrist, I then turn my wrist
over, pointing downward, and issue my energy
forward, making him topple away.
22
FAN THROUGH THE BACK

Explanation of the name:

FAN THROUGH THE BACK means that your spine is
like the hinge of a fan and your arms are like the cloth
of the fan, and it is like a fan spreading open.
Through the back means that you send power from
your spine through your arms.

Two movements:
1. Stand up, bringing your wrists together.
2. Palm through the back.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. Stand up, your hands embracing toward each
other.
2. Your left foot takes a step forward while your left
arm extends forward and your right arm bends,
lifting until the back of the hand covers your
forehead. Your body should now be straight and your
legs are making a horse-riding stance except that
your left foot should be pointing its toes forward.


Points for attention:

When wielding energy, the power in your left palm
must be coordinated with your left ribs in going
forward, and at the same time, the power in your
right arm must go through to your left hand. This
posture trains strength in your spine and upper back.

Application:
If the opponent uses his right hand to strike, I then
use my right hand to slyly lift his wrist and use my
left palm to strike his ribs.
23
TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH

Explanation of the name:

TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH means you fling to the rear
from your waist, causing your torso to fold up, then
advance and strike using your wrist. This is one of the
five punching techniques in Taiji Boxing.

Two movements:
1. Cross your hands below your ribs.
2. Torso-flung punch.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From the previous posture, your body turns
around, your left knee bending, your hands lower and
come together, wrists meeting below your left ribs,
the weight shifting fully onto your left foot.
2. Your left hand staying where it is, your right foot
lifts and takes a half step diagonally to the right rear,
your torso turning to the right, while your right hand,
palm upward, makes a fist, the elbow bending as you
fling from your torso, the elbow lightly against your
right ribs. While the fist comes down from above
until lining up level with the elbow, your left hand
does a palm strike at chest level, fingertips upward,
forefinger at about nose level. Your gaze is forward.
Your stance is a large T stance.


Points for attention:

When turning around, the movement of your hands
and legs must use your waist and spine as a pivot,
then it can be nimble and without sluggishness.

Application:
An opponent from behind me uses one hand to push
down on my wrist and the other to push down on my
elbow. When he is about to hurl me away, I then fling
to the rear from my torso, bending my elbow to seize
control of his arm, taking advantage of the
opportunity to step in, making a fist, and intercepting
his attack with a [palm] strike.
24
WITHDRAWING STEP, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH

Explanation of the name:

PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH has already been explained.
By withdrawing is meant a step shifting to the side
and is not the same as retreating.

Two movements:
1. Inward parrying hand.
2. Punch forward.

Explanation for the drawings:

1. Your left hand parries inward, your left foot staying
where it is, your right foot withdrawing a half step to
the right, your right fist going along with it by
blocking across outward from inward, its path an arc,
the wrist then rotating so the tigers mouth is upward.

2. Your right fist punches forward, same as in
ADVANCE, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH.

Points for attention:

Your wrist should go along with the movement of
your step.

Application:
When contacting the opponents hand, if he forcefully
lifts up, I withdraw a step to the side to neutralize his
energy, then take advantage of the moment to strike
forward to his chest.
25
CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL (as before)
26
SINGLE WHIP (as before)
27
CLOUDING HANDS

Explanation of the name:

CLOUDING HANDS means your hands move like the
swirling of clouds. The movement of the hands to the
left and right is the same as the left & right climbing
hands of Shaolin Boxing. This is the most important
posture within Taiji Boxing.

Three movements:
1. Staying where you are, cloud with your [right]
hand.
2. Shifting your step, cloud with your right [left]
hand.
3. Shifting your step, cloud with your left [right]
hand.

Explanation for the drawings:

1. Your left hand not moving, your right hand lowers
and arcs from the lower right to the left, the path of
its movement as your right arm arcs downward
taking it past both of your knees, then rising from
your navel to the left, until past your headtop and
slowing by your right temple. Your left hand, which
has been waiting until your right hand has moved as
far as your left shoulder, at that moment lowers, palm
inward, then rises from the lower left to the upper
right in an arc, the path of its movement as your left
arm arcs downward taking it past both of your knees,
then rising to the right, slowing by your right ribs. See
first drawing:


2. Continuing from the previous movement, your

right hand lowers, again arcs to the left, until past
your headtop and slowing by your right temple. The
rest is the same as the first movement, except that
when your left hand is by your right ribs, your right
foot coordinates with your right hand by shifting a
half step to the left, and your left hand coordinates
with the lowering of your right hand by going upward
until past your headtop and slowing by your left
temple. See second drawing:


3. Your left hand continues from the previous

movement by lowering, passing your knees, and
rising to the right until beside your right ribs, your
right [left] foot shifting a half step to the left. Your
right hand at the same time goes past your headtop
and slows by your right temple. Each hand clouds
three times. After the last time, again perform the
SINGLE WHIP posture as before.

Points for attention:

The movement of both hands must be of equal speed.
Your step must shift along with your bodys
movement. Your upper body should not sway. Your
eyes follow along with your upper body as your hands
move side to side.

Application:
If an opponent attacks my right shoulder from the
rear, I meet his hand with my right hand, and as I
turn over my palm, I issue power to throw him away.
[If the same situation to the left,] my left hand does
the same. Or if an opponent attacks from the front, I
then move it aside to the right with my right hand,
then take advantage of the moment by advancing and
striking [with my left].
28
RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE
HORSE LEFT

Explanation of the name:

RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE HORSE
means your body is rising up and you are reaching
out forward, in the manner of extending your body
forward to mount a horse, hence the name. RISING
UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE HORSE LEFT
precedes KICK TO THE RIGHT SIDE. RISING UP
AND REACHING OUT TO THE HORSE RIGHT
precedes KICK TO THE LEFT SIDE.

Two movements:
1. Roll back with your [left] hand.
2. Palm strike to the face.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. Withdraw your left foot, toes touching down, your
left hand turning outward and doing a downward
rollback, the hand facing upward, the elbow bending
until placed beside your left ribs. At the same time,
your right hand lowers from the upper right, passes
in front of your face, and touches on top of your left
wrist so the hands are making the CROSSED HANDS
shape, the tigers mouths of both hands facing
upward.
2. With your left palm facing upward, your elbow
slightly withdraws, and with your right palm facing
downward, it extends forward from above your left
palm and expresses power in the center of the palm,
fingertips at nose level.

Points for attention:

When your hand rolls back, the lifting and lowering
of your foot must happen in unison.

Application:
If the opponent uses his left hand to strike forward to
my chest, I then use my right [left] hand to roll back
and twist his wrist, and strike with my [right] hand.
29
KICK TO THE RIGHT SIDE

Explanation of the name:

KICK TO THE SIDE means to use your foot to kick to
the side, be it left or right. This one is to the right
side, but below there is also the left side.

Two movements:
1. Withdraw a step, rolling back with your hands.
2. Kick to the side.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. Withdraw your left foot to the left rear while rolling
back with both hands, or drawing an outward arc and
then embracing inward, making the CROSSED
HANDS shape. At the same time, your right foot
withdraws until to the right side of your left foot,
making an empty stance, toes touching down, storing
power and awaiting the moment to express it.
2. Your hands spread apart, wrists at shoulder level,
while your right leg kicks forward to the right side.


Points for attention:

When withdrawing your foot and rolling back with
your hand, hand and foot must act in unison. When
kicking, your arms are level, your standing leg slightly
bent, and the weight is entirely on the standing leg.

Application:
When I roll back the opponents arm and use my
palm to strike to his face, if he follows my energy and
uses his elbow or arm to resist upward, I then wrap
my hand around under it, from inward spread my
hand outward to cast away his arm, and take
advantage of the moment by kicking forward.
30
RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE
HORSE RIGHT

Explanation of the name:

See RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE
HORSE LEFT

Two movements:
1. Withdraw your foot, bringing your hands together.
2. Palm strike to the face.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. Your right leg withdraws back to where it was, toes
touching down, while your arms from outward lower
to embrace inward and your wrists touch to make the
CROSSED HANDS shape.
2. Same as in RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO
THE HORSE LEFT, movement 2 [but with left and
right reversed].

Points for attention:
Same as in RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO
THE HORSE LEFT.

Application:
Same as in RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO
THE HORSE LEFT [but with left and right
reversed].
31
KICK TO THE LEFT SIDE

Explanation of the name:

Already explained in KICK TO THE RIGHT SIDE.
The hand and foot movements are the same, except
left and right are reversed.
32
TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK

Explanation of the name:

TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK means your body
turns around to the rear, and then you press forward
using your heel.

Two movements:
1. Turn around.
2. Pressing kick.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. Withdraw your left foot, toes touching down, right
foot going along with your torso as it turns to the left,
while your hands come from outward to embrace
inward, the wrists making the CROSSED HANDS
shape, your right leg bent, your body squatting, your
left toes touching down, your eyes looking to the left.
2. Your body lifts up, and spreading your hands away
to the sides, your left foot presses forward to the left,
force expressed with the heel.

Points for attention:

When you turn around, your body must be upright
and not lean forward.

Application:
If an opponent suddenly attacks me from behind, I
then turn around to prevent it, taking advantage of
the moment to press forward with my foot, my hands
spreading away to the left and right to prevent him
from brushing my leg aside.
33
COME DOWN, BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED
STANCE

Explanation of the name:

Come down into BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED
STANCE performed as before. As your left foot steps
down forward, your left hand brushes past your left
knee. The rest is the same as before.
34
ADVANCE, PLANTING PUNCH

Explanation of the name:

ADVANCE, PLANTING PUNCH means you step
forward while your fist strikes down from above as if
to plant something, hence the name. This is one of
the five punching techniques in Taiji Boxing.

Two movements:
1. Step again, brushing past your [right] knee.
2. Step out, brushing past your [left] knee while
performing a planting punch.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. Your [right] foot advances a half step, your left leg
bending, your right hand brushing down until by
your [right] knee, your left hand going from
downward in the rear, lifting to be beside your left
ear, the arm bending forward, the palm inward and
almost coming to a halt.
2. Advance your left foot, your left hand lowering and
brushing forward and outward. At the same time,
your right hand makes a fist, palm inward, and
strikes diagonally downward, your left hand patting
your right wrist to assist the posture. Your left leg is
bent forward and your right leg is slightly bent,
although you can also make a full bow & arrow
stance.


Points for attention:

Your head must not tilt nor dare go past your toes.
The planting punch must be powered from your
spine. When brushing past your left knee, your left
hand should float near your left knee.

Application:
If the opponent uses his fist to strike to my chest, I
then use my left hand to brush it aside while sending
my right hand forward to strike his face. If he then
uses his left hand to grab my wrist, I then turn over
my hand, make a fist, and strike forward to his
abdomen.
35
TURN AROUND, TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH (as before
[but in the opposite direction])
36
DOUBLE KICK

Explanation of the name:

DOUBLE KICK means your feet, left then right, lift
and kick in succession.

Two movements:
1. Roll back with your [left] hand and kick forward.
2. Step down and kick forward.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From TURN AROUND, TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH,
your left hand, the elbow bending, withdraws with
the palm up to be near your left ribs, while your right
hand extends forward (same as in a palm strike to the
face) and your left leg kicks forward (similar to the
snapping kick of Tantui).
2. Your left foot comes down while your hands roll
back from the upper right to the lower left. Right
when your left foot comes down, your right foot lifts
and kicks forward, your arms extending forward,
both palms slapping the back of your right foot.

Points for attention:

The path [of your hands] in the second movement
should make an arc.

Application:
The opponent uses his left fist to punch my chest, so I
send my left hand forward to grab his wrist and strike
his face with my right hand, capitalizing on the
surprise by kicking him with my left leg. If he retreats
or blocks my foot, I then hop to change feet and kick
him once more, now with my right foot.
37
LEFT & RIGHT FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE

Explanation of the name:

In this posture, the energy is fierce in the manner of a
fighting tiger, hence the name.

Two movements:
1. FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE on the left side.
2. FIGHTING TIGER POSTURE on the right side.

Explanation for the drawings:

1. From the previous posture, your left foot diagonally
withdraws a half step to the left rear to make a left
bow & arrow stance, your torso inclining to the left
and facing halfway to the left. Your right foot has
withdrawn a half step, coming down where your left
foot was in the previous posture. At the same time,
your left arm goes from in front of your abdomen,
withdrawing to the left until below your ribs, grasps
into a fist, raising up from outward, and faces up
(tigers mouth to the rear [downward in the
drawing]), turned over beside your left temple, your
right arm also withdrawing to the rear, turning over,
and is placed sideways below your left ribs (tigers
mouth close to your left ribs).

2. Your right foot shifts a half step to the right, and

makes a right bow & arrow stance, your torso
inclining to the right and facing halfway to the left. At
the same time, your fists lower, pass in front of your
lower abdomen, until below your right ribs, left fist
turned over and placed sideways below your right
ribs, right fist raising up from outward, and faces
upward [tigers mouth again facing downward in the
drawing], turned over beside your right temple.

Points for attention:

In the left and right postures, the paths your fists
move along should indicate two circles
that would link with each other in front of your
stomach.

Application:
The opponent uses both hands to grab my arm, so I
withdraw my arm, turning it over upward, then use
my other hand to thread through below my ribs,
replacing his grab of my arm with a strike to his head
[ribs].
38
DRAPING THE BODY, KICK

Explanation of the name:

DRAPING THE BODY, KICK means your body
inclines into a diagonal draping posture, and your
foot lifts and kicks forward.

Three movements:
1. Drape your body, rolling back with your hands.
2. Crossed hands.
3. Spread your hands and kick forward.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From the previous posture, your left foot withdraws
a half step diagonally to the left, and your body sits
back to the left. At the same time, your hands become
palms and go from right to left in a half circle, your
left hand placed to the left of your chest, your right
hand placed in front of your chest, fingertips at about
nose level.
2. Withdraw your right foot until it is to the right side
of your left foot, toes touching down, your left leg
squatting down. At the same time, your right hand
touches under your left wrist, your left hand slightly
extending forward, the palms making the CROSSED
HANDS shape in front of your chest.
3. Your hands spread apart forward and back while
you lift your right foot and kick forward.

Points for attention:

When draping your body, you must use your waist as
a pivot to move your arms. When lifting your foot to
do a pressing kick forward, your left leg should
slightly bend to get the weight to shift onto your left
foot.

Application:
The opponent uses his left hand to strike directly to
my chest, so I drape over my body, using my hands to
roll back his arm, then I strike out with my right hand
propping upward while kicking his chest or ribs with
my right foot.
39
DOUBLE WINDS THROUGH THE EARS

Explanation of the name:

In this posture, both fists come from the sides to
strike the opponents ears as swift as the wind, hence
the name.

Two movements:
1. Step down with your hands manacled.
2. Spread your hands apart and thread them through.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From the previous posture, your right foot comes
down forward about a full steps distance from your
rear foot, your right knee bending forward, while
your arms move inward until in front of your knee,
crossing at the wrists (left wrist on top, tigers mouths
upward).
2. Your torso withdraws and your legs sit back, both
hands (palms up) spreading to the sides, making fists
once beside your hips, then traveling outward, then
forward and upward, until they are at shoulder level,
about four or five inches apart. Your fists are now
turned over, elbows hanging, arms level and bent
inward to make an oval shape.

Points for attention:

The retreating and advancing of your arms must be in
unison with your legs, and be lively and without
sluggishness.

Application:
The opponent punches to my chest, so I use both
hands to block to the sides, and then take advantage
of the moment to advance and strike his ears.
40
ADVANCE, PRESSING KICK

Explanation of the name:

In this posture, you first step forward, then lift your
foot and kick forward, hence the name.

Two movements:
1. Advance, bringing your hands together.
2. Spreading your hands apart, do a pressing kick.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From the previous posture, your right leg
straightens as your left foot advances forward,
coming down in front of your right foot, your torso
squatting, your toes touching down (your torso going
along with your right toes as they shift to the right
ninety degrees), your hands becoming palms [and
coming together to make the CROSSED HANDS
shape].
2. Your right leg straightening, your torso lifts up,
while your left leg lifts and does a pressing kick
forward, your hands spreading away to the sides.

Points for attention:

During the pressing kick, you must stick out the heel
forcefully, your right leg should be slightly bent, and
get the weight to gather fully onto your right foot.

Application:
When I use my left hand to strike the opponent, if he
uses his right hand to prop up my elbow from below,
I then squat my torso to the right, [my hands] going
outward and downward to wrap around his arms, and
lift my left foot to do a pressing kick to his ribs.
41
TURN AROUND, PRESSING KICK
42
STEP FORWARD, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
43
SEALING SHUT
44
CROSSED HANDS
45
CAPTURE THE TIGER AND SEND IT BACK TO ITS
MOUNTAIN
46
DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP

These six postures are all done as before.

47
WILD HORSE VEERS ITS MANE

Explanation of the name:

In this posture, the manner of the movement is like a
wild horse running swiftly, your hands spreading
away like the horses mane draping side to side,
hence the name.

Two movements:
1. Twist your torso, bringing your hands together.
2. Step forward, spreading your hands.

Explanation for the drawings:

1. From DIAGONAL SINGLE WHIP, both your feet
shift to point their toes ninety degrees to the right,
your torso turning to the right and bending in, your
hands embracing inward to make the CROSSED
HANDS shape.
2. Your right foot advances half a step, the knee
bends forward, and the weight shifts to your right
foot. At the same time, your right hand goes to the
forward right and your left hand spreads away to the
left rear, corresponding to each other from a distance,
like a wild goose spreading its wings. This is the
posture on the right side.

The left side version is the same as the right, except
your limbs are reversed left and right.

In the course of practicing the solo set, the

movements of this posture should be done an odd
number of times if the right side is done twice, the
left is done once but while the first one only
advances a half step, the rest each advance a full step.


Points for attention:

As your arms spread apart and come together, it must
be in unison with your waist and hips. The movement
of your whole body must be stretched out and lively.

Application:
An opponent makes a direct attack to my chest, so I
use my rear hand to push down on his wrist while
advancing a step behind his knee and extending my
front arm under his armpit to go diagonally upward
with a carrying strike.
48
MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE

Explanation of the name:

This posture first advances then turns around to the
rear, then again [advances and] turns around to the
rear, traveling toward the four corners in a
continuous maneuver, like the manner of the shuttle
slipping in and out when weaving silk, hence the
name.

Two movements:
1. Twist your torso and bring your hands together.
2. Bend your arm and extend your palm.

Explanation for the drawings:

In this posture, the path of your hands moves to the
four corners for a total of four times, and each time
the movement has two parts. Your body twists or
turns around altogether, the first and third time
twisting, the second and fourth time turning around.
Each time faces a different direction and the
directions are faced in a specific sequence: if
practicing according to the compass directions [in the
movement chart], the first time is to the northwest,
the second to the southwest, third to the southeast,
fourth to northeast.
First time:
1. Repeat the first movement of WILD HORSE
VEERS ITS MANE.
2. Your left foot takes a step out to the forward left,
the knee bends forward, your torso inclines forward,
and your right hand extends forward from below your
left armpit, the force expressed in the palm.

Second time:
1. Your hands come together to embrace in front of
your chest, making the CROSSED HANDS shape, and
your body turns around to the right rear.
2. Your right steps out diagonally [to the forward
right], and your hand movement is the same as in the
first time, but with left and right reversed.


Third time:
Your left foot steps across to the left, your hand
movement the same as in the first time.

Fourth time:
Your body turns around to the right rear, your hand
movement the same as in the second time.


Points for attention:

When turning your body around, your step and waist
movement must be in unison, and although the
direction is diagonal, your body posture should still
be upright and not lean.

Application:
An opponent uses his rear hand to strike me from
behind, so I turn around and use my rear hand to
wrap around his wrist from the side, then advance a
step while using the same arm in an upward ward-off
to his arm and extending my other hand to strike his
chest.
49
SINGLE WHIP
50
CLOUDING HANDS

Both of these postures are done as before.

51
LOW POSTURE

Explanation of the name:

LOW POSTURE means that your body descends,
hence the name.

Two movements:
1. Squat, withdrawing your [left] hand.
2. Stand, extending your [left] arm.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From SINGLE WHIP, bend your right leg and
squat down, extending your left leg so it is almost
lying on the ground (known as half step forked
stance), and sit down on your rear foot, while with
your rear arm not moving (Some bend the rear arm
to make a PLAY THE LUTE posture together with the
front hand.), your forward arm bends and withdraws
until by your right knee (or inner thigh), then the
palm extends forward. When your forward arm
withdraws, the path of your body and hand make the
upper half of a circle.

2. Bending your forward leg, your rear leg

straightens, causing your body to rise up to be
standing, and your left arm extends forward from
above [below], the path of the movement making the
lower half of a circle, and with the previous
movement makes a complete circle (returning you to
the SINGLE WHIP posture).

Points for attention:

When squatting your body, your spine must be
straight and not incline forward. The bending and
extending of your knee and arm must happen in
unison with the lowering and rising of your body.

Application:
If the opponent grasps my arm with both hands, or
makes a forward attack to my body which I cannot
resist, I then use this posture of squatting my body to
avoid it, neutralizing his force and causing him to
land on nothing, and then take advantage of the
situation by striking forward.
52
LEFT & RIGHT GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON
ONE LEG

Explanation of the name:

In this posture, one foot stands on the ground while
the other is lifted, a hand rising up to make a posture
of spreading wings, in the manner of a rooster, hence
the name.

Two movements:
1. Advance and lift your [right] leg, propping up with
your [right] palm.
2. Retreat and lift your [left] leg, propping up with
your [left] palm.

Explanation for the drawings:

1. From the LOW POSTURE, your right hand comes
forward from behind, twisting and lifting up in front
of your chest, past your face, and once it is at headtop
level, the palm is turned outward, the arm curving to
make a semicircle shape and placed beside the right
side of your forehead. At the same time, your right leg
bends at the knee and lifts up until the knee and your
right elbow meet. Your left leg is standing straight,
your left arm hanging down, palm inward, fingers
pointing to the left side of your right foot.


2. Your right foot comes down, your left hand and left
foot lift as in the first movement, your right arm
hanging down, the fingers pointing to the right side of
your left foot.

Points for attention:

In this posture, the movement pivots around your
waist and headtop and the weight is entirely on one
foot. Make it as stable as a mountain and do not
sway. When your hands and feet lift and lower, they
should do so in unison.

Application:
If I use my fist or palm to strike the opponents chest
and he uses his hand to block it, I respond by using
my [other] hand to lift his away, then strike his lower
abdomen with my knee while striking forward with
the same hand.
53
RETREAT, DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY
54
DIAGONAL FLYING POSTURE
55
RAISE THE HANDS
56
WHITE CRANE SHOWS ITS WINGS
57
BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE
58
NEEDLING UNDER THE SEA
59
FAN THROUGH THE BACK
60
STEP FORWARD, PARRY, BLOCK, PUNCH
61
STEP FORWARD, CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE
TAIL
62
SINGLE WHIP
63
CLOUDING HANDS
64
RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE HORSE

All of these postures are done as before.

65
CROSSED-BODY SWINGING LOTUS KICK

Explanation of the name:

In boxing arts, when you extend your front fist while
kicking with your rear leg, it is called a crossed-body
kick (as in the second line of Tantui). When kicking
from the side, it is called a swinging lotus kick. This
posture does both kinds of things, hence the name.

Four movements:
1. Thread through with your [left] hand.
2. Palm strike to the face.
3. Turn around, raising your [left] palm.
4. Swinging kick.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From RISING UP AND REACHING OUT TO THE
HORSE, your left foot advances a half step and your
left hand, palm up, threads out over your right wrist,
while your right arm withdraws, palm down, bending
to be placed below your left armpit.
2. Your left palm turns downward and expresses force
forward.
3. Sitting on your left leg, turn around to your right
rear, slightly relaxing your right leg so you seem to be
in an empty stance, while your left arm goes from the
left of your head, raising up in an arc to placed above
your head, palm forward.


4. Your right foot does a swinging kick from the left to

the right, while your left palm goes from the right to
the left, slapping the top of your right foot, causing
your left arm to hang down, palm downward.

Points for attention:

Once you turn around, you must put all the weight on
your left foot, then you can lift your right foot. The
path your right foot moves along should be a
crosswise arc.

Application:
An opponent attacks me from behind, so I turn
around, using my hand to block it, and take
advantage of the situation by sending out a sideways
kick.
66
BRUSH KNEE, PUNCH TO THE CROTCH

Explanation of the name:

In this posture, after you brush past your knee, take
advantage of the moment to advance and punch the
opponent in the crotch, hence the name. This is one
of the five punching techniques in Taiji Boxing.

Three movements:
1. Bring your foot down and brush past the knee.
2. Advance, brushing past your [left] knee.
3. Punch to his crotch.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From CROSSED-BODY SWINGING LOTUS KICK,
your right foot comes down and your right hand
brushes past your right knee, making the posture of
BRUSH KNEE IN A CROSSED STANCE on the left
[right] side.
2. Your left foot advances a step and your right [left]
hand brushes past your left knee.
3. Inclining your body and bending your knee
forward, your right hand grasps into a fist (tigers
mouth upward) and extends diagonally forward and
downward, while your left hand can either be placed
beside your left knee or touch your right arm to assist
the punch.

Points for attention:

When punching forward, the power must be sent
from your spine, your right shoulder must stretch,
and your right leg should extend straight.

Application:
The opponent attacks my groin with his left hand
then his right foot, which I respond to by blocking
with my hands in succession, and then I take
advantage of the situation by advancing and
punching him in the groin.
67
STEP FORWARD, CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE
TAIL
68
SINGLE WHIP
69
LOW POSTURE

All of these postures are done as before.

70
STEP FORWARD WITH THE BIG DIPPER and
RETREAT TO SITTING TIGER POSTURE

Explanation of the name:

When boxing practitioners roll their arms toward
each other so their fists line up diagonally with each
other, it is called a big dipper posture [i.e. making a
bucket shape resembling the saucepan of the Dipper].
When the arms spread apart, the hands going to the
sides as a hook and a palm, the legs squatting with
one foot standing and one foot lifted, toes touching
down, it is called a sitting tiger posture. These two
postures must be linked when practicing, therefore I
have combined them here.

Two movements:
1. STEP FORWARD WITH THE BIG DIPPER
2. RETREAT TO SITTING TIGER POSTURE

Explanation for the drawings:

1. From LOW POSTURE, your left knee bends
forward and your right foot advances, staying near
your left heel, toes touching down. At the same time,
your left hand grasps into a fist in front of your chest
and your right hand comes forward from behind,
grasping into a fist and going along with the
advancing of your right foot, passing beside your
right hip and striking forward under your left wrist,
crossing with it to make an X shape.


2. Your right foot retreats a half step, the knee bends

into a squat, and your left foot withdraws to be beside
your right foot, toes touching down, making an empty
stance. At the same time, your arms wrap inward,
your right hand going from pulling out from inward
of your left arm and extending to the right side, palm
forward, as your left hand makes a hook which
brushes diagonally to the lower left as your left knee
rises, the fingers making a monkey fist [i.e. a hook
hand], fingertips pointing to the rear [although the
drawing shows a downward palm]. Your shoulders
should be level.


Points for attention:

For STEP FORWARD WITH THE BIG DIPPER, the
weight sits fully on your left foot. For RETREAT TO
SITTING TIGER POSTURE, the weight sits fully on
your right foot.

Application:
1. STEP FORWARD WITH THE BIG DIPPER: If the
opponent punches to my chest, I use my left arm to
prop it up or block it outward, then advance with my
right foot and use my right hand to strike under my
left hand to his chest.
2. RETREAT TO SITTING TIGER POSTURE:
Continuing from the previous application, if the
opponent uses his hand to push [my strike] down or
brushes it aside and kicks forward, I then use my left
hand to brush down his hand or foot, withdrawing
my right hand to then push his chest or shoulder.
71
TURN AROUND, SWINGING LOTUS KICK

Explanation of the name:

Turn around describes movement. To turn around
and do a swinging lotus kick means that you turn
around to store up power, then release it by lifting
your foot and doing a swinging lotus kick (as
explained previously in Posture 65).

Two movements:
1. Turn around, joining your hands.
2. Swinging lotus kick.

Explanation for the drawing:

1, From RIDING THE TIGER, turn your body to the
right rear, step your left foot forward, both hands
joining inward, crossing in front of your chest to
make the CROSSED HANDS shape.
2. Lift your right foot and go from left to right with a
swinging kick, both arms extended forward, the
hands going from right to left, slapping the back of
your right foot,

then gathering in to be placed at both sides [to the

left side] of your waist, your right foot now lowering
to the ground, toes touching down close beside your
left foot.

Points for attention:

When your left foot steps forward, the toes should be
pointed inward so as to make it easier to turn.

Application:
If an opponent attacks from my left side, I evade it by
dodging with my body and stepping forward [back]
with my left foot, drawing him in to be ambushed as I
then turn around and lift my right foot to kick his ribs
from the side.
72
BEND THE BOW, SHOOT THE TIGER

Explanation of the name:

The idea in this posture is of a person on horseback
drawing a bow to shoot, hence the name.

Two movements:
1. Step out, bending your arms.
2. Loosen your arms and extend them forward.

Explanation for the drawing:

1. From the previous posture, your right foot steps to
the forward right, your torso inclines to the forward
right, your arms bend, making fists, and go from the
left side of your waist, passing in front of your navel,
and move to the right until to the right of your waist.
Your arms lift up, your right shoulder and elbow level
with each other, the fist overturned (tigers mouth
downward) near your right cheek, pointing to the
forward left, the posture like holding an arrow. Your
left elbow is bent near your ribs, the hand lifted in
front of your chest. Your gaze is forward and the
posture is like holding a bow.
2. Your fists go toward the lower left, slightly
corkscrewing, aligned with each other as right fist
above and left fist below, your arms extended.

Points for attention:

When both fists strike forward, there must be a
corkscrewing intention.

Application:
If the opponent connects with me to the right and
pushes down my right arm, I go along with the
movement in a semicircle to neutralize his energy,
riding his energy until it has slackened, then strike
forward.
73
CLOSING POSTURE

Explanation of the name:

The intention here is to conclude the solo set by
returning to the original posture, hence the name.
The methods of returning to the original posture vary
among people: some [i.e. Wu style practitioners] do
CATCH THE SPARROW BY THE TAIL, PALM TO
THE FACE, and several more postures to get to the
original posture, while others [i.e. Yang style
practitioners] do the two postures of PARRY, BLOCK,
PUNCH and SEALING SHUT to get there. In either
case it would here be unnecessarily repetitive to
explain the original posture over again.

Two movements:
1. Step together, joining hands.
2. Return to the original posture, standing straight.


Explanation for the drawing:

1. From SHOOT THE TIGER, step your left foot
forward to stand beside your right foot, turning your
body to the right, crossing your hands in front of your
chest.
2. Both hands releasing downward, return to your
original posture, standing straight.

CHAPTER THREE: DISCUSSION OF TAIJI

BOXINGS PUSHING HANDS SKILL

Pushing hands, or touching hands, or nearing

hands, is a feature of many boxing arts, and is used
to train close-body techniques. The secret to the art of
Taiji Boxing is identifying energies, the first step of
which is to make your skin keenly aware. The method
of training this sensitivity lies in two people touching
with each others elbows, wrists, palms, and fingers,
pushing back and forth to rub at the skin. The
measure of sensitivity that comes from your skin
being gently pressed is used to perceive whether the
opponents energy is light or heavy, empty or full, and
in which direction it is going. After a long time, your
sensitivity will be very acute, sticking and yielding
will be assisting each other, and when there is the
slightest movement you will be aware of it, thus you
will be identifying energies. The Taiji Boxing Classic
says: Once you are identifying energies, then the
more you practice, the more efficient your skill will
be.
When practitioners of Taiji Boxing do not practice
pushing hands, it is equal to not practicing at all. And
if you practice pushing hands but are not yet able to
identify energies, then it will be worthless when you
try to apply it. Alas, there are levels to work through.
Upon entering each room [i.e. moving on through
each level], understand there is a door [that leads to
another]. When practicing the pushing hands
techniques, there are things you need to pay attention
to:

The pushing hands techniques divide into single

touching-hands postures and double touching-hands
postures (explained below). Single touching is a
single hand pushing by itself. Double touching is both
hands being used together. This is always a case of
touching outwardly with the fingers (the chest being
inward, the fingers and forearms being outward).
 There is also what is called open & close hands,
in which one partners hands both go inward while
the others go outward, alternating with each other,
going back and forth with double-hand pushes.
In single-hand pushing hands, the rubbing method
is the same as in the nearing hands in the boxing of
Fujian, as well the five element hands (dividing into
techniques for metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, the
five generating and overcoming each other
throughout the movements), and have many uses.
In my youth I learned from Liu Jingyuan, training
in the single-hand pushing hands techniques, gaining
something of the idea. Then I sought out the various
postures in the various schools of Taiji, and bit by bit
I standardized a training method, organizing a
complete regimen of pushing hands techniques to
supplement the original four cardinal and four
corner exercises where each is insufficient. I have
added additional sections to provide you with the
cardinal and corner exercises, but have selected only
the beginning levels of them and have explained them
in brief to make your experience easier.

CHAPTER FOUR: EXPLANATIONS OF THE EIGHT

TECHNIQUES OF THE PUSHING HANDS SKILL


WARD-OFF [peng]
This means to hold up, to carry, or to expand.
It is like when inflating a leather ball and pushing
down on it the further it is pushed down, the more
the expansion is felt, causing the force to be unable to
push all the way down.
From poem 78 of the Book of Poems: His quiver
is spent. According to Du Yu, the word means an
arrow guiver. It is also pronounced bing.
From Zuos Commentary to the Spring & Autumn
Annals, 25th Year of Duke Zhao: [His men took off
their helmets and] sat down holding their quivers.
An annotation explains that the character used in this
passage represents an arrow quiver which can be
used as a drinking vessel as well as a carrier for
arrows and is interchangeable with the same
character that appears in poem 78.
In the Taiji skill, it is the trick when touching
hands of going against the opponents momentum by
carrying him upward and making him unable to
lower himself.
All these things make up ward-off.

ROLLBACK [l]
Although it is pronounced l, the actual character
does not appear in any dictionary, and may be a
mistake for a similar looking character meaning to
extend. From Ban Gus dialogue Replying to a
Guest: In solitude, we extend our thoughts beyond
the whole universe.
Or it can mean to distribute. From Sima
Xiangrus Book of Nature Worship: distributing
without limit.
Or it can mean to disseminate. From On the
Rhapsodizers East of the Yellow River, by Yang
Xiong: extolling the Six Classics from which they
disseminate their odes.
Or it can mean something akin to gallop. From
Thinking Profoundly, by Zhang Heng: The eight
chariots are released and overtake with their
galloping.
 In the Taiji skill, when touching hands, usually
when the opponent does a ward-off or press to me, I
use rollback as a trick to dispel his force, causing it to
gallop away, unable to be regrouped.
All of these things make up rollback.

PRESS [ji]
The Shuowen Jiezi [Chinas earliest dictionary]
says that it means to forcefully remove, or to push
away. It is to send a hand outward with a forward
push to something.
From Zuos Commentary to the Spring & Autumn
Annals, 13th Year of Duke Zhao: A man who is
oblivious to his old age gets pushed into a ditch.
From the Historical Records, Annals of Xiang Yu:
A gap in the Han army made for a push from the
Chu army.
From Zhuangzi, chapter 4: Those rulers [Jie and
Zhou] pushed these virtuous men away [i.e. had
Guan Longfeng and Prince Bigan killed] because they
were more virtuous than themselves.
Generally you may use your hand, shoulder, or
back to press the opponents body and make him
unable to move, and from that point give him a push
to throw him away.
All of these things make up press.

PUSH [an]
The Shuowen Jiezi says this means to go
downward.
The Guangyun [a rhyming dictionary] says this
means to press downward.
From the Rhapsodies of Emperor Jianwen of
Liang: By way of variety and pressing down [i.e.
restraint], elegance runs through it.
The Erya [an ancient thesaurus] lists it as a
synonym of words meaning to suppress.
From the Historical Records, Annals of Zhou:
The king pushed his army [i.e. encouraged] with the
command of: no exit!
Poem 241 of the Book of Poems says: Crush their
armies [with yours], and the word is there explained
[in the accompanying commentary of Zheng Xuan] as
meaning to suppress.
From the History of the Early Han Dynasty,
Annals of Emperor Gao: Both officials and
commoners settled down [the two characters in the
text making a term which is a combination of push
down and stop up] to how it was before, with the
commentary then explaining: Pushing constantly
until the walls were sealed up and there was no
change.
It also means to occupy, as in the Historical
Records, Bio of Bai Qi: The Zhao commander
pacified the people by pushing in with an occupying
force.
It also means to stroke, as in the Historical
Records, Bios of Rulers of the Plains: Mao then
stroked his sword and marched onward into history.
There is also the meaning of massage [to push
down plus to rub equaling massage]. In ancient
times, there were the massage and limbering arts, as
is mentioned in the History of the Early Han
Dynasty, Bibliographical Records: The Yellow
Emperors Qi Bo wrote ten chapters on massage.
 As for the Taiji boxing art, when your opponent
presses forward, use your hands to push down and
suppress his action, making him unable to do what he
wants.
This is push.

PLUCK [cai]
This means to take.
From the Books of Jin: On the mountain is a
fierce tiger, and the plants are not what he picks to
eat.
To select and take is called plucking.
In Taiji Boxing, this is when you pluck to take
control of the opponents force. This taking is like the
movement of energy inward when a practitioner of
silent meditation restrains himself.
The Classic of the Talisman of the Abstract says:
The sign of the sky expressing its destructiveness [is
the shifting of the constellations.] [i.e. The stars
disappear over the horizon as if pulled down.]
Once you understand these explanations, ponder
on them.


REND [lie]
This means to turn or to twist.
From the Writings of Han Yu: A turn of your
hand may overturn the soup.
It also means to coil. It is an intention of
rotation.
In Taiji Boxing, when you use rotational force to
control the opponents body, it is called rending,
including the intention of rending away.

ELBOW [zhou]
This is the name of the bony point in the middle of
your arm where it bends.
When practitioners of boxing arts use this area to
strike opponents, it is called elbowing, making it a
verb rather than a noun.
In Taiji Boxing, there are many methods of
applying elbowing techniques. In this book, it is only
mentioned in the pushing hands section when
relevant, and discussed briefly.


BUMP [kao]
This means to lean on, to lean against, or to
lean upon someone else.
In Taiji Boxing, when you are near with your body
and you use your shoulder or hip to strike the
opponent, it is called bumping, the two methods
being known as shoulder bump and hip strike.

CHAPTER FIVE: TAIJI BOXINGS PRACTICAL

FUNCTION PUSHING HANDS

Section 1: TAIJI BOXINGS STANCE

The Taiji boxing arts stance often uses the river-

character posture [or three-line posture showing
a line for each foot and the line between them].
From a posture of standing straight, your left foot
takes a step out to the forward left, the toes of both
feet are equally forward, and the distance between
your feet to the left and right is shoulder width. Squat
your body down, slightly bending your knees, and
make the weight of your whole body go to your rear
foot. It is somewhat like the T stance, except the front
toes are held upward or placed flat on the ground, so
it is slightly different.
Your upper body should be upright in your waist
and empty in your chest, with energy concentrated at
your lower abdomen. Your head is held straight,
headtop empty and suspended. Your tailbone is
centered and spirit passes through to your headtop.
Your spine is in a bow shape.
Your arms are slightly bent and go forward, raising
until level. Your palms extend forward and your
wrists sit. Your fingertips are slightly bent, are
spread, and are upward, the forefinger of your
forward hand at about nose level, your rear hand at
about chest level. Your palms are unevenly facing
each other and seem to be holding something. Droop
your shoulders and hang your elbows.
 Your shoulders, elbows, and hands are united with
your hips, knees, and feet. Your whole body should be
nimble and without sluggishness. Once each part has
a condition of naturalness (and the posture on the
other side is the same as on this side), then it is right.

Section 2: SINGLE TOUCHING-HANDS METHOD

Two people stand facing each other. Each steps out

forward with the right foot, while the right hand
extends forward from beside the right ribs in an
arcing motion, as in the standing posture above. The
backs of the wrists stick to each other, making a
crossed shape. This is the single touching-hands
posture.

Section 3: DOUBLE TOUCHING-HANDS METHOD

This posture is like the single touching-hands

posture, except that the rear hand also comes forward
to pat the other persons elbow area. Four arms are
touching, making a complete circle. The wrists
touching each other are turned inward so that both
people occupy the area in front of their chests, each
getting half of the circle. It is just like the two fishes
of the taiji symbol. This is the double touching-hands
posture.

Section 4: SINGLE-HAND HORIZONTAL

CIRCLING PUSHING & RUBBING METHOD

Both partners stand facing each other and make the

right-sided single touching-hands posture.
1. As right palm pushes down on Bs right wrist,
pushing forward toward Bs chest.
B bends his right arm, his hand withdrawing toward
his own chest, moving horizontally, retreating and
rubbing, making a semicircle, his wrist passing below
his left shoulder, moving to the right until in front of
his breastbone.
2. Bs torso sits back, elbow hanging down, turns
over his hand drawing in beside his ribs, his wrist
extending outward, peeling aside As wrist, then in
turn pushes down on As wrist.
3. Bs hand then pushes toward As chest as in
movement 1.
4. As hand retreats and rubs as in movement 2,
also making a semicircle. Go back and forth, pushing
and rubbing. Wait until you are skillful at it, then
practice another posture. This is a basic action of the
pushing hands methods.
Doing the exercise on the left or right side is the
same apart from left and right being switched.

Section 5: ROLLBACK & PUSH PUSHING HANDS

METHOD

Both partners stand facing each other and make the

right-sided double touching-hands posture.
1. A with his right palm pushes down on Bs right
wrist and with his left hand pushes down on Bs right
elbow, making the push posture toward the sides of
Bs chest.
2. B bends his right arm, the hand withdrawing
toward his chest, retreating and neutralizing with a
horizontal motion, his left hand is patting behind As
elbow. His right wrist is passing below his left
shoulder as it moves to the right, left hand going
along with it downward to the right, the arm bending,
making a rollback, both elbows hanging down.
3. B with both hands pushes As elbow and wrist
toward As chest to make the push posture, as in
movement 1.
4. A with both hands retreats and rolls back, as in
movement 2.

Section 6: SINGLE-HAND VERTICAL CIRCLING

PUSHING HANDS METHOD


Both partners stand facing each other and make the
right-sided single touching-hands posture.
1. A uses his right palm to cut downward onto Bs
wrist (B going along with As cutting action),
fingertips pointed forward toward Bs belly.
2. B bends his arm, going along with As cutting
energy, neutralizing with a withdrawing arc from
below in a vertical semicircle, lifting past his right
ribs until beside his right ear.
3. Bs right hand continues the previous movement
by making the upper half of the circle, extending his
arm forward, pointing at As forehead.
4. A sits his body back, bending his right arm, his
hand sticking to Bs wrist and going along with his
movement, turning his body to the side to lead
downward, until when beside his ribs he turns it into
a forward push.

Note:
This exercise can train the two postures of RETREAT,
DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY and LOW
POSTURE. If A moves in the manner of RETREAT,
DRIVING AWAY THE MONKEY, B then moves in
the manner of LOW POSTURE.

Section 7: ROLLBACK & PRESS PUSHING HANDS
METHOD

Both partners stand facing each other and make the

[right-sided] double touching-hands posture.
1. A squats his torso, standing up his left forearm,
and rolls back Bs right arm diagonally to the rear.
2. B takes advantage of the moment and extends
his right arm downward, advancing his torso toward
where his elbow is being touched by A to do a bump
forward, and by using his left hand to pat the inside
of his own arm, does a press outward.
3. A leans his torso forward to slow down Bs
power, going across with his left ulna or wrist to
touch the middle of Bs upper arm, causing Bs arm to
get near his own torso, and then using his right hand
to pat the inside of his own forearm, does a press
forward.
4. B softens his torso inward to yield to and
neutralize As power, squats his torso, standing up his
left forearm, and rolls back As right arm diagonally
to the rear, like A in movement 1.
5. A is like B in movement 2.
6. B is like A in movement 3.

Section 8: SINGLE-HAND PRESSING DOWN

PUSHING HANDS METHOD

Both partners stand facing each other and make the

[right-sided] single touching-hands posture.
1. As right hand sticks to Bs right wrist and moves
outward horizontally, correspondingly withdrawing
[as if in response to a forward energy from B], his
hand turns over and presses down on Bs wrist, palm
upward, arm bent, elbow close to his ribs. (The bend
in the arm should make an obtuse angle.)
2. A, continuing from the previous movement of
using his upward-facing palm to press down Bs
wrist, extends his arm forward toward Bs belly.
3. B goes along with the force of As forward push,
turns his hand over in a horizontal motion, bends his
arm, retreating, then waits until the moment A is
almost in front of his belly, and sucks in his torso and
hangs his elbow down, turns his hand the rest of the
way over, and presses down As wrist, like A in
movement 1.
4. B extends his arm forward toward As belly, like
A in movement 2.
This exercise is done the same on the left side.

Section 9: PRESSING DOWN THE WRIST &

PUSHING DOWN THE ELBOW PUSHING HANDS
METHOD

Two people stand opposite each other, making the

[right-sided] double touching-hands posture.
1&2. A presses down on Bs wrist as before, except
that his left hand, fingers pointing down, pushes
down on Bs elbow to assist the power.
3&4. As B retreats, turning over his wrist and
withdrawing, his left palm goes upward to prop up
Bs elbow, which is different from before.

Section 10: PUSHING HANDS METHOD FOR THE

FOUR PRIMARY TECHNIQUES

Pushing hands with the four primary techniques is

when two people are pushing hands using the four
techniques of rollback, press, push, and ward-off,
which are aligned with the four cardinal directions [of
the eight trigrams], and repeat their cycle over and
over again, back and forth between the two people.
To begin, they stand opposite each other and cross
their right hands.
 1. A bends his knees and sits back, bends his arms
so his elbows hang down (making the lute posture),
his hands catching Bs right arm at the elbow and
wrist, and he rolls back inward and diagonally
downward.
2. B takes advantage of the momentum and bends
his right arm horizontally, making a ninety-degree
angle, and presses forward toward As chest with his
wrists connected, then shifts his left hand to touch
the inside of his own forearm and assist the power.
3. Right when B presses with his elbow, A turns his
waist slightly to the left, both hands taking advantage
of the momentum and pushing down on Bs left arm.
4. B then uses his left arm to do a pressing push,
bringing it away [from his right arm] in an upward
arc to ward off and neutralize As pushing force. At
the same time, his right arm also wraps around from
below to prop up As left elbow and assist the
neutralization.
5. Once B wards off and neutralizes As pushing
force, he then takes advantage of the momentum and
rolls back As left arm.
6. A goes along with Bs rollback energy and
presses forward.
7. B goes along with As pressing energy and
pushes down.
 8. A then wards off and neutralizes Bs pushing
power, and then rolls back.
All of this goes round and round without end. This
is the pushing hands method for the four primary
techniques.

Section 11: PUSHING HANDS METHOD FOR THE

FOUR SECONDARY TECHNIQUES

Pushing hands with the four secondary techniques,

also known as Large Rollback, is when two people are
pushing hands using the four techniques of elbow,
bump, pluck, and rend, which are aligned with the
four corner directions [of the eight trigrams], and
repeat their cycle over and over again, back and forth
between the two people. It compensates for the
limitations of the four primary techniques. To begin,
[persons A and B] stand opposite each other along a
north-south line [A facing south, B facing north] and
cross their right hands.
 1. A steps his right foot diagonally to the
northwest, making a stance between a horse-riding
stance and a wide T-stance, with his right arm level
and bent, his right hand touching Bs right wrist, his
left arm bends at the elbow and uses the middle area
of the outer forearm bone to roll back Bs right arm
diagonally to the northwest.
2. B then takes advantage of the momentum and
steps his left foot across forward and to the left,
moving his right foot to step forward between As
legs. At the same time, his right arm extends
downward, his shoulder going along with As rollback
energy, and bumps forward into As chest with his left
hand assisting by touching the inside of his own right
arm. Both people are again facing each other, with B
looking toward the northeast.
3. A uses his left hand to push down on Bs left
wrist and his right hand to push down on Bs left
elbow, plucking down. At the same time, his left foot
goes from the outside of Bs right foot to step between
Bs legs.
4. B goes along with As plucking energy and
withdraws his left leg to the southwest, making a
horse-riding stance, and with his left arm level and
bent, his left hand touches As left wrist, and his right
arm bends at the elbow and uses the middle area of
the forearm bone to rollback As left arm diagonally
to the southwest.
5. A takes advantage of the momentum and steps
his right foot forward, moving his left foot to step
forward between Bs legs. At the same time, his left
arm extends downward, his shoulder going along
with Bs rollback energy, and bumps forward into Bs
chest with his right hand assisting by touching the
inside of his own left arm. Both people are again
facing each other, with A looking toward the
southeast.
6. As left arm wants to lift up. B then goes along
with As lifting energy, his left hand doing a palm
strike toward As face while his right hand pushes on
As left shoulder, diagonally rending downward.
7. A goes along with Bs rending energy and
withdraws his left foot a step to the northeast, his left
hand touching Bs left wrist, his right arm bending at
the elbow, and rolls back Bs left arm to the northeast.
8. B takes advantage of the momentum and steps
forward with his right foot, moving his left foot to
step forward between As legs, his left arm going
along with As rollback energy and using his shoulder
to bump forward into As chest, his right hand
assisting. The direction B is facing is northwest.
9. A uses his right hand to push down on Bs right
wrist and his left hand to push on Bs right elbow,
plucking down. At the same time, his right foot goes
from the outside of Bs left foot to step between Bs
legs.
10. B goes along with As plucking energy and
withdraws his right foot to the southeast, his right
hand touching As right wrist, and with his left arm
bent at the elbow, rolls back As right arm diagonally
to the southeast.
11. A takes advantage of the momentum and steps
forward with his left foot, moving his right foot to
step forward between As legs, his right arm going
along with Bs rollback energy, and uses his shoulder
to bump forward into Bs chest, his left hand
assisting. The direction A is facing is southwest.
12. As right arm wants to lift up. B then goes along
with As lifting energy, his right hand doing a palm
strike toward As face while his left hand pushes on
As right shoulder, diagonally rending downward.
[Movement 1 repeating:] A retreats his right leg,
and with both hands he rolls back Bs right arm at the
wrist and elbow area.
Both people have returned to the posture of
crossing their right hands and this whole sequence
may continue. This is the pushing hands method for
the four secondary techniques.


POSTSCRIPT [BY ZHONG RUIYUAN]

Chinese boxing arts began during the Warring States

period and were carried along through the dynasties
Han, Wei, Tang, Song, etc. They were passed on
through the generations, but always by personal
instruction, and with some things being kept secret,
unrecorded in books. It is known that in the Han
Records [History of the Early Han Dynasty,
Bibliographical Records] there is mentioned records
of [six chapters of] bare-hand fighting and [thirty-
eight chapters of] swordsmanship, but those writings
are long lost.
During the Ming Dynasty, there was Qi Nantangs
[Qi Jiguang] New Book of Effective Methods and
Mao Yuanyis Records of Martial Training Methods,
and there emerged the Sword Classic, Boxing
Postures, Staff Techniques, and Spear Treatise, some
of these texts in detail, others in brief. Later
generations of those who trained in martial arts were
unable to surpass the range of those writings until the
boxing essay of Huang Baijia on the internal school
and the writings of Wu Shu on bare-handed fighting
and the spear, which were detailed and refined.
During the early Qing Dynasty, it was forbidden to
teach or train in martial arts, and therefore it was
done in secret, very rarely appearing in books. What
was preserved was always through simple songs
which were memorized and could not be very detailed
about the theory or techniques, and this situation was
caused because those transmitting it were often not
very well-read.
In the first summer month of 1920, I bumped into
Xu Yusheng on my way somewhere, and he invited
me to come right away to the physical education
school he had established to see Ma Zizhens new
martial arts performance team, but I was already
running late and did not get to see them. I
subsequently associated with Xu and so I got to look
at two pieces of his writing: A Commentary to the
Taiji Boxing Classic and Explanations with
Illustrations. I thereupon began to understand his
motivation for opening a school, as well as its
emphasis on a deep understanding of Taiji Boxing. I
had already known of him for quite a while as a
skilled martial artist, but I did not expect the depth of
his learning.
Taiji Boxing is the way most people refer to the
internal school, and together with Shaolin makes two
distinct schools. Studying the internal school is more
common but most who study it do not complete the
course, and then when its essential principles are left
a secret, later students will be even more unable to
seek guidance. With the publication of this book,
those who admire the internal school will have a way
ahead, for it is a truly unparalleled work. But I have
heard that the work of learning a martial skill never
has an end.
I truly hope that going through Xus stripped-
down postural explanations and studying his
meticulous commentary to the Classic will bring the
internal school to be as equally regarded as Shaolin,
and it is now recorded in a book to provide greater
access to future students. Comparing him to a
complacent teacher who keeps things to himself, he
exhaustively shares the skills of the internal school,
and so it is apparent which one has a more generous
heart. Since Xu and I have a worldly friendship, I will
not presume to praise him, and therefore I have
confined myself to straightforward words in writing
this postscript.
sincerely written by Zhong Lan (Zhong Ruiyuan)