The Fundamental Principles of

Yang-style Tai Chi

by Chen Longxiang
Translated from the Chinese by Matthew Miller

Mastering the fundamental principles of Tai Chi is the key to training well
and raising ones skill level. These fundamental principles can be
summarized into 16 basic points as follows:

1. Stand centered and upright ( )

When practicing Tai Chi, one must first pay attention to maintaining a
centered and upright stance. Centered and upright means that the body
neither hunches forward nor leans backward. The base of the spine and
the vertebrae maintain a straight line. When practicing the Taiji form, one
must remain centered and upright from beginning to end. In the Tai Chi
classics it is written: the base of the spine must be centered and upright. If
the base of the spine is centered and upright, the center of gravity of ones
stance will be stable. If the center of gravity is not stable, then during
combat it will be easy for an opponent to throw one off balance. In order to
stand centered and upright, one must focus ones attention both internally
and externally. Internally, ones spirit must be inwardly fixed. The spirit
cannot gallop outward (be distracted by external stimuli). The mind must
be stable and quiet. Externally, one must suspend the head and pull up the
back, relax the lower back and settle the kua. In this way, one can naturally
maintain a centered and upright posture.

2. Calm and relaxed ( )

Tai Chi simultaneously trains the spirit, yi and xuling. When practicing Tai
Chi, from the very first movement until the very last you must maintain a
peaceful, easy spirit and a relaxed, natural posture. You must relax to the
point where you are thoroughly relaxed, where relaxation penetrates every
part of your body, where there is not the slightest trace of strain or rigidity,
where your body is emptied of all tension. Throughout the entire form, from
the preparatory stance to the final movement, rid your mind of all distracting
thoughts. Be as calm as still water. Focus the mind. Become wholly
absorbed in the form. Allow the heart to settle. Silence all thoughts and
concerns. This is what is known as When one is still, there is no part
which is not still. Through calmness one can maintain a clear, alert and
keen nervous system, thereby cultivating wisdom and intelligence. In the
Taiji classics it is written: A feather cannot be added/ A fly cannot alight
[that is, the slightest contact, the subtlest resistance is immediately felt
Ed.]/ Others do not know me/ I alone know others. By consistently
practicing Taiji in a stable, relaxed manner, one may, through spontaneous
inspiration, realize this marvelous, spiritual state.

Although Tai Chi demands that the entire body be relaxed, you should be
relaxed but not slack. Furthermore, your movements must be completely
permeated and guided by spirit qi(see No. 9 below). When relaxing, one
must first relax the mind, and then relax the body. The head, neck, upper
back, shoulders, lower back, hips, knees, hands, elbows, wrist, feet every
joint must be completely relaxed and open, thoroughly at ease, without the
slightest trace of rigid force. Profoundly relaxed, profoundly soft. The Taiji
classics write: The one relaxes, a hundred relax/ As soft as if the skeleton
were fractured in a hundred places/ As soft as if one had no bones. When
all the joints are at ease, the qi and blood flow smoothly, the spirit is clear
and the bones comfortable. With time your internal jin will increase.
Ultimately you will be able to transform extreme softness and flexibility into
a strong, firm internal force that is relaxed, settled, soft and elastic. Thus
you will arrive at the highest level of skill in Tai Chi.

3. Xu ling ding jin ( )

Practicing Tai Chi requires xu ling ding jin. Spirit must penetrate the crown
of the head. So-called xu ling ding jin means that the head and face must
be straight, and the bai hui acupoint (at the crown of the head) must gently
push upward, as if a cord were pulling up the crown of the head and
suspending it from above. The lower jaw is slightly tucked in, the tip of the
tongue pressed against the palate. It is as if one were carrying a bowl of
water on the crown of the head without allowing it to spill. This is entirely
accomplished with the spirit and yi. At all times one maintains anawake,
light, subtle ling feeling. One has the quality of raising ones head up to
the blue sky while ones feet tread beneath the ground. But this is entirely
a matter of yi: one must not use force to push the head upward. If one
uses force to push up the head, one will inevitably become stiff, rigid and
inflexible, thus losing the feeling of ling. In practicing Tai Chi, one need
only constantly maintain a feeling of xu ling ding jin, then ones spirit will
spontaneously rise upward, and ones qi and blood will flow freely.

4. Qi Sinks Down to the Dan Tian ( )

In practicing Tai Chi, the emphasis is on xu ling ding jin (see above) while
at the same time qi sinks down to the dan tian. The dan tian (cinnabar
field) is a point 3 cun below the navel. When practicing Tai Chi, one
consciously guides ones breathing, using intention to sink the qi down to
the dan tian. Those who regularly practice Tai Chi use abdominal
breathing, but beginning students of Tai Chi should take care not to
forcefully sink qi down to the dan tian. One must not purposefully stifle
ones breath in order to pump the abdomen like a bellows. It must be
understood that qi sinking down to the dan tian is the natural result of the
whole body relaxing and opening up. The entire body must be relaxed and
open, easy and calm. First relax the mind and then the body. Once both
the mind and body are entirely relaxed, only then will the qi naturally sink
down into the dan tian. The student must always bear this in mind.

5. Relax the shoulders and allow the elbows to hang

( )

Relax the shoulders and allow the elbows to hang is also known as
Relax the shoulders and drop the elbows. Relax the shoulders means
the shoulders relax and sink downward. This is also known as settling the
shoulders. The shoulders must not round forward or shrug upward. When
the shoulders are hunched, ones yi and qi have a tendency to float
upward, inhibiting the free circulation of qi and blood in the body. Allow the
elbows to hang means the elbows hang down with a relaxed, heavy,
sinking quality. When one practices Tai Chi the shoulders must not be
squared and stiff. The arms should be slightly bent, maintaining a natural
curve. The elbows should be relaxed and dropped. One feels a heavy,
sinking force inside the arms. This force feels heavy but at the same time
soft and elastic, rather than stiff. The force is outwardly soft but inwardly
strong, like iron wrapped in cotton. After much practice, this force will
penetrate deep inside the body, and ones power will become unlimited.

6. Slightly concave the chest and pull up the back

( )
When practicing Tai Chi, one must slightly concave the chest and pull up
the back. In Chinese, the expression slightly concave the chest is literally
the chest contains emptiness or simply the chest contains. It means
that the chest is slightly sunken inward in a comfortable, relaxed, natural
manner. Concaving the chest in this way allows the qi to sink to the dan
tian. The chest must not be pushed out. Pushing out the chest and
squaring the shoulders military-style obstructs the smooth flow of breath.
But, at the same time, you must not purposefully draw in the chest and
round the shoulders. Purposefully drawing in the chest so that one
becomes hunchbacked will narrow the chest cavity thus preventing the
diaphragm from descending, obstructing breathing and inhibiting blood flow
to the heart. Such a posture will negatively influence both ones Tai Chi
form and ones health. Slightly concaving the chest is very important in Tai
Chi combat where it is an indispensable method of defense by which one
contains an opponents attack (transforms it into emptiness).

Pulling up the back means that the back is stretched upward. In order to
do this, one must gently push up the crown of the head (see xu ling ding
jin above). In the Tai Chi classics it is written the coccyx should be
centered and upright, so that spirit can penetrate the crown of the head; the
entire body must be light as if suspended from above by a cord attached to
the crown of the head. If the crown of the head is held as though
suspended from above, then the back will naturally be pulled up. Thus,
ones posture will be full of power and grandeur. Pulling up the back also
allows the qi to stick to ones back and collect in ones bones. During push
hands, one will be able to discharge power from the spine and throw the
opponent far.

7. Interior and Exterior are United ( )

Practicing Tai Chi it is necessary that the upper and lower are
coordinated, and that the interior and exterior are united. The interior
means using yi to move qi. The exterior refers to ones posture and
movements, and their changes from insubstantial to substantial. Together,
interior and exterior represent the unity of spirit and form. The two are
inseparable: every movement and every posture must be must be
integrated with ones spirit and yi. For example, one has the intention (yi)
of withdrawing, thus ones movements bend and collect; one has the
intention of releasing (jin), thus ones movements extend and expand. This
is true of the breath as well, which rhythmically rises and falls. The bodys
movements flow with the opening and closing of the breath; the inhalations
and exhalations of the breath flow with the opening and closing of the
bodys movements. In this way, interior and exterior are united and
internal jin grows day by day.

8. Upper and the Lower Are Coordinated ( )

When practicing Tai Chi, every movement requires that the upper and
lower are coordinated. In the Tai Chi classics it is written When one
moves, there is no part which does not move/ When one is still, there is no
part which is not still. Every movement must use the lower back as its
axis. The lower back leads the entire body. Under no circumstances can
there be localized, independent movements which are not initiated and
propelled by the lower back. Nor should ones hands move before ones
feet. Every movement must be rooted in the feet, sent forth from the legs,
governed by the lower back and expressed through the fingers. From the
feet to the legs to the lower back, at all times every movement must be a
single qi (a single wave of energy Ed.). When the spine of the lower back
commands, the hands and feet follow. The eyes and spirit follow, the upper
and lower are linked together, thus forming an integral whole.

9. Use Intention Not Force ( )

When practicing Tai Chi, one must be light, relaxed and natural,
using yi (intention) rather than force. In this way, one can nurture a posture
of xu ling which resonates with spirit. In Tai Chiit is important to use yi to
execute ones movements. The emphasis is on consciousness. The
execution of every movement must be permeated with a guiding
consciousness. The classics write the leadership of the yi and qi comes
from the allegiance of the bones and flesh. That is to say, the yi is the
leader, and there can be no awkward, clumsy force [which results from
bones and flesh moving in a thoughtless, inattentive manner]. While
practicing Tai Chi, the entire body relaxes and opens up. All tension
unconsciously held in the muscles and joints is released, so one is without
a trace of force. The limbs and skeleton are so soft, it is as if one had no
bones. Hence every joint can be pervaded by the guidance of yi.
Wherever the mind goes, the qi goes as well. Strength is born
of yi. Jin spontaneously arises. One does not use awkward, thoughtless
force. Only in this way can true internal jin grow daily. Achieving extreme
softness and extreme strength, one becomes all-conquering.

10. Step like a cat ( )

The footwork in Tai Chi is light and nimble, firm and steady. One must raise
the foot in a relaxed, heavy but soft manner and plant it evenly and solidly.
One must step like a cat, lightly rising and lightly falling, without making a
sound. For this reason, footwork training is extremely important. For
example, when the foot rises and takes a step forward, first the rear leg
and kua must relax sending the stepping foot forward. The kua sends the
foot forward; the foot does not pull the kua forward. The heel lightly
touches the ground, then the foot plants itself solidly. The lower back
relaxes, the kua sinks and the center of gravity gradually shifts forward. As
the back leg prepares to step forward, first it relaxes and softens. The back
foot rises very slowly, and steps forward very lightly. This is known as
stepping as if one were on the edge of a precipice, or as if one were
walking on thin ice. The upper body must remain centered. One must
maintain a constant height: up and down movements must not be too
large. With daily practice of this footwork, ones stride will lengthen. Ones
legs will have a relaxed, elastic jin, thus ones step will become light and
nimble, firm and steady, like a cat.

11. Wield jin as if reeling raw silk from a cocoon

( )

When practicing the form, one must seek to attain the wei or quality of Tai
Chi. One must do the form with great solemnity, dignity and depth. The
movements must be sinking and heavy, but without being stiff and
sluggish. They must be light and nimble, but without being superficial and
floating. The movements must be meticulous, steady and even, as if one
were reeling raw silk from a cocoon. In order to achieve this quality, it is
necessary for the entire body to be relaxed, both arms heavy and hanging
down, the yi leading every movement. One must meticulously pay
attention to and experience ones movements. Jin is wielded in a smooth,
fine manner, as if one were reeling raw silk from a cocoon. Ones step is
as light and nimble as a cats. Practicing thusly, ones Tai Chi naturally
acquires a rich, mellow flavor, a special quality that is endlessly pleasing.

12. Linked together without interruption ( )

When performing a round of Tai Chi, ones movements are continuous and
unbroken, like drifting clouds and flowing water, like the reeling of raw silk,
like the great Yangzi River surging and surging ceaselessly. The mind
moves the qi; the qi moves the body. At the end of each movement,
the jin appears to cut off, but in fact does not cut off. There are no pauses,
just as a wave does not hold still at its peak or trough, although it may
appear to do so. Advancing and retreating must overlap; going forward and
returning must change into each other, moving in cycles, linked together
without interruption. The blood and qi circulate naturally, hence ones
inner qi grows in abundance.

13. Breathe naturally ( )

When practicing Tai Chi, ones breathing must be deep and long, smooth
and even. One should breathe naturally and not try to purposefully
coordinate the breathing with ones movements. Master Li Yaxuan once
said The art of breathing in Tai Chi is mainly about sinking qi to the dan
tian (see . Breathe internally from the dan tian in order to harmonize the
breathing with the continuous movements of the body. Uninterrupted
internal dan tian breathing can also stir the continuous exchange of qi in
external breathing, and make the breathing deep and long, smooth and
even. Internal and external breathing are deeply attached to each other,
like glue or lacquer. At the same time, we must not pay too much attention
to our breathing. Rather we must allow it to flow in and out naturally.
When one exhales, ones posture opens and releases ; when one inhales,
ones posture closes and collects. When an opening or closing movement
reaches its limit, or when one movement changes into another, it is even
more important that there is correspondence with the beginning or ending
of a breath. For example, when the body moves from a closed posture to
open one, the qi immediately changes from inhalation to exhalation. When
the opening movement reaches its limit, this corresponds with the end of an
exhalation, and possibly the beginning of an inhalation. When the body
moves from an open posture to closed one, the qi immediately changes
from exhalation to inhalation. When the closing movement reaches its limit,
this corresponds with the end of an inhalation, and possibly the beginning
of an exhalation. But some movements are the opposite, inhalation
corresponding to opening, and exhalation corresponding to closing. Also,
within the span of one opening movement, perhaps there is more than a
single exhalation. Perhaps one must add an inhalation (that is, the opening
movement begins with exhalation and ends with inhalation) or add an
exhalation (that is, the opening movement has an inhalation in the middle
between two exhalations). In the same way, within the span of one closing
movement, perhaps there is more than a single inhalation. Perhaps one
must add another exhalation or inhalation.

In sum, the movements are unbroken, the breathing is unbroken, the

movements and breathing correspond to each other and are inseparably
linked. If one tries to rigidly and mechanically match one movement to an
inhalation and another movement to an exhalation, this is not the Tai Chi art
of moving qi. Master Li also said: I do not advocate coordinating the
breathing (to the movements), but rather I advocate natural breathing.
When ones Taiji practice becomes natural, ones breathing will
spontaneously coordinate (with ones movements). Always remember, the
coordination of breathing will come naturally. If one pays particular
attention to coordinating the breathing, the opposite will come true and
ones breathing will be uncoordinated. Furthermore, one can become ill
from practicing in this manner. While it is true that Tai Chiis a form
of Qigong, nevertheless Tai Chiis all about flowing qi, nourishing qi,
natural qi. It is not about exerted qi, bottled-up qi (as in holding ones
breath), stagnant qi, unnatural qi. A bowl of water spilled on the ground will
spontaneously flow to the lowest point. There is no need to advocate the
water flowing to any particular place. Tai Chiis Qigong, but more
importantly it is a natural gong (art). If one advocates or holds a view that
water should flow to such and such a place, this is tremendously
unnatural. These comments are succinct and to-the-point. The natural
coordination of movement and breathing in Tai Chi is in harmony with
human physiology. Through this type of natural breathing, ones qi sinks to
the dan tian, thus ones movements become light and ling, sinking and
stable, relaxed, soft and natural.

14. Steady and composed ( )

When practicing Tai Chi, not only must the body be relaxed, and the mind
quiet and the breathing be natural, but is even more important that one be
cool-headed. Ones mind and qi must not be flighty, impatient and
agitated. Ones face must be filled with Tai Chi intention (yi). One must
have a solemn and dignified spirit. With great stability and calm, great
composure and steadiness, one performs a round of Tai Chi. If distracting
thoughts grow thickly in the mind, if the mind and intention are agitated and
confused, one will not be able to practice a stable and calm gongfu.

15. Movements are light and ling ( )

When practicing Tai Chi, one must use yi (intention) rather than
force. Ones spirit must penetrate the crown of the head. Qi must sink to
the dan tian. Above, there is a qishi of xuling. In the middle, there are silk-
reeling movements. Below, there are smooth, stable cat-like steps.
Centered and upright, without leaning. Relaxed, soft, smooth and vigorous,
ones movements are naturally light and ling. Empty and solid are clearly
distinguished.

16. Movements are harmonious and slow ( )

Tai Chiuses stillness to control movement. Although the movements in Tai

Chi appear nearly static, the purpose of this type of movement is to train
the spirit, to train the yi and to train xuling. Thus all the movements of the
Tai Chi form must all be slowly performed with stability, calm, ease,
lightness and softness. It is best that the speed be slow, slow to the point
where the breathing is deep and long and the qi sinks to the dan tian.
When practicing, ones speed must be even, neither fast nor slow. One
step at a time, one carefully inquires and searches for correctness. If the
beginning student adheres to these principles, carefully trying to figure
them out, patiently uncovering their meaning, and if he or she has a Tai
Chiinstructor of authentic lineage from whom he or she can receive oral
transmission and demonstration, then he or she can obtain the true
essence of Tai Chi.
Excerpts from the Tai Chi Book

No Effort
Only those activities that are easy and pleasant will become part of a
persons habitual life Actions that are hard to carry out, for which a man
must force himself to overcome his inner opposition will never become part
of his normal daily life.

-- Moshe Feldenkrais

"What is the best form of exercise? The one that you will do."

In the studio where I teach Tai Chi in Lynchburg, Virginia, there is a large
calligraphy scroll that was a gift presented to me by my teacher Chen
Longxiang when I left China. It has only two large Chinese characters on

it: Wu Wei ( ). This is a famous Chinese expression that literally

means No Effort. Wu Wei does not mean that one takes no action, but
rather that ones actions have no trace of straining, pushing, forcing, or
imposing. It refers to the ability to adapt to conditions and change
according to circumstances without forceful insistence or striving.

From the outset, it is important to understand that, in Tai Chi practice, very
little progress will be made through pushing and straining. Everything
described in this book should be done in the most relaxed manner
possible. Striving and struggling will not yield results in Tai Chi. I find that
this is one of the most difficult concepts for Americans to grasp. We are a
nation of active do-ers who have an unconscious belief in No pain, no
gain. Such an attitude is one of several negative habits that will have to be
gradually shed during the process of mastering Tai Chi.

From the beginning, one should view Tai Chi as a pleasant experience. If
one understands and applies this principle, it becomes relatively easy to
develop a lifelong habit of Tai Chi practice. Studies have shown that if
ones motivation for exercise is purely negative or goal-oriented (e.g. to
lose weight, to build muscle) it is more difficult to persist than if one is
motivated by the sheer enjoyment of the process. There is a steep learning
curve in Tai Chi, but it should be fun at every step of the way. So please do
not strain or push as you practice.
First, you should have a proper mental attitude toward practice. What is
this attitude? Tell yourself that the time you spend everyday in practice is
the most enjoyable and comfortable and pleasant of times. Since we dont
spend that much time each day in practice, the time we do spend is
precious... Do you feel practice is an obligation or a duty, or is it enjoyable?
If you dont find enjoyment in practice, it will be hard to continue When
you practice, think of it as a time without worries. Every other time there
are difficulties to think about. Its like lifting burdens off your body and
mind. It should be a relief. During practice you let everything else go.

-- Sheng Yan , Chinese Zen (Chan) Master

(although these comments were originally about sitting meditation practice,
they apply equally well to Tai Chi)

"Why doesn't anyone ever try softer?"

-- Lily Tomlin

Excerpts from the Tai Chi Book

Breathing Lessons
Correct breathing is the foundation of all Tai Chi practice. Why is this so?
Nearly every meditative tradition in the world has identified an intimate
connection between the mind and the breath. Changes in the mind and the
breath reflect each other like mirrors. If someone is emotionally upset, one
of the first things that happens is that their breathing becomes shallow and
uneven. Conversely, if the breath is calm, deep and even, the mind reflects
these qualities as well. If you want to get hold of the mind, where do you
begin? Where is the mind? The mind is nowhere. It is immaterial and
elusive. However, the breath gives a tangible, readily-available handle for
beginning to train the mind.

In Tai Chi we use abdominal breathing. This is also known as

diaphragmatic breathing. The diaphragm is the large dome-shaped muscle
at the base of the rib-cage whose rising and falling is the major pump for
the activity of breathing. Abdominal breathing means that the abdomen is
completely relaxed during breathing so that the diaphragm can freely
descend. This slightly increases the pressure in the abdomen during
inhalation, causing it to bulge out slightly. During exhalation, the abdomen
sinks back down.

The movement of the diaphragm accounts for 75 percent of the force

involved in breathing. The other 25 percent is provided by the intercostals
muscles (small muscles between the ribs which move the rib cage like a
bellows) and the neck muscles (which help to lift the ribcage). If one uses
shallow, chest breathing, the body is only breathing at of its capacity.
This affects the amount of energy that the body is receiving. Studies have
found that hypertensive patients, as well as people with phobias and
depression tend to be chest breathers. Simply learning to habitually breath
with the abdomen can help to alleviate these problems.

The Chinese also refer to the abdomen as the second heart. This is
because two of the largest blood vessels in the body (the aorta and the
vena cava) pass through the diaphragm into the abdomen. During deep
abdominal breathing, the pressure inside the abdomen rhythmically
increases and decreases. This creates a pumping action which can assist
the heart, reducing its workload.

The Chinese also describe abdominal breathing as bottle breathing.

When a liquid pours into a bottle, it fills the bottle from the bottom up. In
the same way, we should feel the breath pouring in through the nose and
filling the body form the bottom (the lower abdomen) up.

There are several simple exercises that can help you learn abdominal
breathing. Once this breathing becomes habitual, you will use it in your Tai
Chi practice (and your everyday) naturally and without any conscious
effort. Ultimately, the breathing in Tai Chi should be natural and unforced.
Besides occasionally checking to make sure that the abdomen is relaxed
and gently rising and falling with the breath, one should not focus too much
on the breath during Tai Chi practice. Trying to control the breath usually
only results in increased tension and stress.

Exercise One: Pure Awareness of Breath

Lie on your back. This position allows all of the postural muscles of
the body to release so that there is less tension on the breathing
mechanism.
Close your eyes, take a deep breath, exhale and relax.

Feel your forehead relax. Feel your eyes and all the muscles of your
eyes relax. As your eyes relax, feel your gaze become gentler and
more receptive, less intense, grasping, hard, judgmental.
Now with this non-judgmental awareness, become aware of your
breath. As you are breathing, what parts of your body can you feel
moving? What is happening with your chest and ribs? Belly?
Shoulders?
Place one hand on your chest and another on your belly. Feel how
the hands rise and fall with your breath.

Exercise Two: Stretching the Diaphragm

Most people are familiar with the idea of stretching the muscles of,
say, the calves or the hamstrings. However, it rarely occurs to
athletes to stretch the breathing muscle before practice. The following
exercises help to isolate the movement of the diaphragm in order to
both stretch and strengthen it, helping it to work more easily to
control the breathing.
Lie on your back and draw up your knees so that the feet are resting
flat on the floor. Move knees together and apart several times until
effortless position found
Place one hand on the lower abdomen (below the navel) and another
on the chest
Inhale, hold the breath, compress chest, directing pressure
downward in the direction of the anal ring. Lower abdomen becomes
round like ball and the hand over the abdomen rises. Pay attention
to expanding equally in all directions, including backward, toward the
floor.
Still holding the breath, suck in the belly and feel the chest puff up as
the pressure is directed upward. The hand on the abdomen rises.
 Continue this movement back and forth while holding breath. The
hands should move alternately up and down like a see saw.
It may be difficult to grasp the rhythm of this movement. DO it slowly,
step by step in the beginning and then gradually increase the speed
as the movement becomes more fluid. You are learning to isolate the
movement of your diaphragm.
Repeat fast several times.
Now do the seesaw , with normal breathing without holding the
breath. Notice that the movement of the chest and abdomen can be
independent of your inhalation and exhalation.
Turn on stomach, stretch arms overhead, stretch out legs. Repeat the
preceding exercises, this time using the pressure of the floor as a
substitute for your hands
Observe whether chest and belly touch ground in the middle
Do the same movement but in a diagonal direction: press the left side
of the chest toward the floor, and then the right side of the abdomen.
Try in middle again. Reverse, and push out chest on right, belly on
left. Try in middle again.
Turn over and sit with the feet together, soles touching. Put your right
hand on left ribs, the left hand hugging the back. Lower the head and
do the seesaw movement again. Notice how hugging yourself in this
way pushes the pressure back toward the upper back. Feel the
upper back expanding and deflating as you seesaw.
Lie down on your back again and rest.

Exercise Three: Abdominal Breathing

Lie on your back and draw up the knees so that the feet are resting
flat on the floor.
Place one hand on the lower abdomen (below the navel) and another
on the chest. Breath in such a way that the hand on the chest does
not rise, but the one on the belly does.
You can also practice this by placing heavy book on the lower
abdomen and leaving the arms extended by the sides. Watch the
book rise and fall as you breathe.

Exercise Four: Bottle Breathing

 Continuing from the previous exercise, now breathe as low in the
belly as possible.
On inhalation, feel the breath filling the bottom of the abdomen first,
causing the perineum to bulge out first, then the lower belly, then the
navel. (NOTE: the perineum is the area between the anus and the
genitals. It is the lowest point of the abdomen)

Exercise Five: Contracting at the End of the Exhalation

During abdominal/bottle breathing, the muscles of the abdomen
should be completely relaxed. It is important not to use force to
push out or suck in the belly. The gentle rising and falling of the
abdomen comes from softening the muscles, not pumping them. This
allows the diaphragm to descend and naturally expand the relaxed
abdomen. The following exercise can help to create a feeling of
relaxed, effortless expansion of the abdomen during breathing. They
are based on the principle of post-isometric relaxation, which says
that a muscle relaxes more easily if it is tightened first for a few
seconds and then released.
Begin bottle breathing as described in the previous exercise.

At the end of the next exhalation, gently contract the abdomen,

pulling the belly closer to the spine, and pull up on the perineum.
Feel yourself squeezing the last bit of air out of the abdomen.
Release the contraction and completely relax the abdomen. Allow
the inhalation to just flood in.
At the end of the inhalation, allow the belly to naturally deflate without
any effort. Then, at the very end of the exhalation, once again pull in
the abdomen and perineum.
Imagine the upper body like an eyedropper. The bulb of the
eyedropper is the abdomen and the glass tube extends up the throat
to the nose. At the end of the exhalation, gently squeeze the bulb,
then release it as you inhale and allow the breath to fill the vacuum
with no effort on your part.
Rest and breathe normally.

Excerpts from the Tai Chi Book

Standing Post Exercises
Zhan Zhuang ( )
Standing Post exercises are the architectural foundation for all Qigong and
Tai Chi positions. They are powerful and deceptively simple. The ancient
Chinese discovered that by standing and relaxing for an extended period of
time with the body aligned in specific ways, they could open up the energy
channels in the body and increase the circulation of qi.
In the beginning, one should start out doing 2-5 minutes of standing each
morning and work up to 20-30 minutes. Start with the most basic posture
(Wuji, see below) and add onto it.

Basic Position:
(Wuji Stance)
This is the basic Qigong position.
Wuji means without polarity. It
refers to the Chinese concept of the
world before creation, before
separation into yin and yang
(left/right, night/day, up/down,
empty/full). In Qigong and Tai Chi it
means the root posture from which
all others extend. It is a basic,
centered standing position without
any shifting of weight left or right,
forward or backward, up or down.

The following components of the Wuji stance apply to most of the Zhan
Zhuang postures:

Feet: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, keeping the entire
foot evenly spread out over the floor with nine points in contact with
the ground (heel, outside of foot, 2 balls of the foot and 5 toes).
Equalize the weight-bearing on three points: 1) the ball of the big
toes; 2) the ball of the last two toes; 3) the middle of the heel. Be
sure that you are not shifted toward the toes nor the heel, neither
toward the inside nor outside. Toes are pointed forward, as close to
parallel as is comfortable.
Arms: Drop the shoulders and elbows. Allow the arms to hang
loosely by the sides.
Fingers: Relax the fingers and allow them to curve gently and
remain slightly separated. Feel gravity pull the fingers down toward
the ground, extending the arm, until you the pull feel in your spine.
 Head: Imagine your whole body as if it were being pulled up from a
string attached to the crown of the head. The string should be
directly in line with the tips of the ears. Feel yourself sinking down,
relaxing as you hang from the string like a puppet.
Nose and mouth: Breathe calmly and naturally, using abdominal
breathing. Inhale and exhale gently though your nose only. Your
mouth should be closed, but the jaw should be relaxed with a slight
gap between the teeth. If saliva forms, swallow it.
Eyes: Look forward. Allow your gaze to soften and become aware
of your peripheral vision. Do not focus on any particular object.
Allow your consciousness to globally diffuse over the field of your
body and environment, but without becoming foggy. Stay alert but
relaxed.
Chin: Tuck in the chin slightly so that your head is not craning
forward. Feel the back of the neck at the base of the skull open. As
the curve of the neck flattens slightly, feel the crown of the head push
slightly higher.
Chest: When you begin the stance, take a deep breath, fill the chest,
then exhale completely and quietly through your mouth and allow
your chest to sink down toward the belly, but without slumping the
spine: maintain this relaxed position of the chest while you breathe
normally from the abdomen.
Knees: Soften the knees, allowing them to bend very slightly, just
enough to feel a springy, soft quality in them. Gently push the knees
apart, as if there were a balloon between the thighs inflating slightly.
Be careful not to shift your weight to the outside of the feet. Keep the
balls of the big toes firmly planted. Feel how the slight separation of
the knees helps link the legs together as a unit. It also opens the
hips in the front and causes the pelvis to slightly tuck under in the
back. You can confirm this sensation of stability by briefly doing the
opposite -- make yourself knock-kneed and stick out the butt. then
gently pusht he knees apart and allow the butt the tuck under slightly.
Notice how much more rooted that position feels. The legs should
feel as if they were screwing down into the ground, like two giant
screws.
Lower back/hips/pelvis: Relax the lower back without sticking out
the belly or the buttocks. Allow the lower back to flatten slightly
(tucking the pelvis under), but without sticking the belly out. Feel the
tucking of the pelvis subtly elongating the spine. Do not bend
forward. Imagine you are simply resting your pelvis on the edge of a
 high stool. Alternately, imagine as if you had a large dinosaur tail.
Feel it settling onto the ground, pulling the lower spine downward.
Spine: Feel the tailbone sinking down, pulling the lower spine down
toward the ground. At the same time, feel the crown of the head
being pulled up, pulling the spine up toward the sky. Feel the entire
spine elongating and opening in both directions simultaneously. You
may also imagine the spine extending through the tailbone deep into
the earth, and continuing through the crown of the head high into the
sky.
Mind: See Eyes.
Duration: Stand quietly, allowing your whole system to calm down.
In the beginning, you should start with 2-5 minutes and gradually
build up.

Adjusting your position:

Suspended like a puppet: Feel your whole frame suspended from
the crown of the head, as if your shoulders were a coat hanger and
the body hanging down like a garment.
Line of suspension: The line from which you are suspended
passes through the midpoint between the tips of the ears, and
through the Dan Tian, a point roughly 3 inches below your navel and
one-third inside your body.
Rooting: From below your kneecaps, imagine yourself extending
roots downward like a tree. Feel as if the feet were dissolving and
seeping into the earth, like popsicles in warm water.

Whole Body Breathing

Whole Body Breathing (Quan Shen Hu Xi) is an excellent exercise for
feeling qi and connecting the movements of the whole body, centered on
the breath.

Whole Body Breathing, Exercise One: Raising the Arms

Slightly
Stand in the basic Wuji stance (see above). Allow the whole system
to settle down for a minute. Breathe into the lower abdomen. Allow
your gaze to soften and become aware of your peripheral vision.
Allow your attention to diffuse and spread over the entire body, not
 focusing too much on any one particular part. Keep every part of the
body simultaneously within the field of your peripheral awareness.
Feel the arms hanging heavy from the shoulders, like two leaden
chains. Feel gravity pulling the fingers down toward the ground.
Allow the hands and arm to grow heavier until you can feel the pull all
the way up the arm to the neck.
Slowly and heavily raise the arms a few inches from the body. Hold
for a moment. Feel the arms heavy and relaxed. Allow the shoulders
to sink down a bit more. Feel the fingers draping toward the floor.
Slowly lower the arms back down to the sides.
As you inhale, again raise the arms a few inches from the body.
Exhale, and sink the arms back to the side. Feel the whole body
expanding slightly with each in-breath and sinking down with the out-
breath. Repeat 4x.
Now, allow the movements to become even smaller, so that someone
standing nearby might not even notice the subtle movement of your
arms as you inhale and exhale. Allow the arms to naturally and ever
so slightly expand as you inhale and sink down as you exhale, almost
with no effort on your part. Feel the whole body soft and inflating like
a balloon as you inhale, and shrinking down as you exhale.
Feel yourself not so much breathing as being breathed.
Sink the arms back down to sides. Rest for a moment and notice
how the body feels.

Whole Body Breathing, Exercise Two: Holding the

balloon
Stand in the basic Wuji stance (see above).
Begin by practicing the preceding exercise (Whole Body Breathing,
Exercise One) several times until the arms feel heavy, relaxed and
energized.
Raise the hands in front of the abdomen with the palms facing, as if
holding a balloon. Allow the hands and fingers to soften and mold to
curved surface of the balloon, using just enough pressure to prevent
the balloon form slipping away. Feel the arms heavy and relaxed, the
shoulders and elbows sinking down.
As you inhale, feel the balloon expanding, pushing the hands apart.
At the same time, straighten the knees to rise up.
 Exhale and allow the whole body to shrink back down into the
starting position. Continue for several breath cycles. Imagine
yourself playing a qi accordion. Feel the whole body expanding as
you inhale, and sinking down as you exhale.
Now, allow the movements to become even smaller. Allow the body
to naturally and ever so slightly expand as you inhale and sink down
as you exhale, almost with no effort on your part. Feel the whole
body soft and inflating like a balloon as you inhale, and shrinking
down as you exhale.
Feel yourself not so much breathing as being breathed.
Now cease all movement. Imagine yourself continuing to do the
exercise, but without actually performing the movements.
Sink the arms back down to sides. Rest for a moment and notice
how the body feels.

Whole Body Breathing, Exercise Three: Raising the

hands overhead
This is another variation on the Whole Body Breathing. It can be
used as a substitute for the preceding exercise (Exercise Two)
Stand in the basic Wuji stance (see above).
Begin by practicing Exercise One (see above) several times until the
arms feel heavy, relaxed and energized.
As you inhale raise your arms in front and continue to raise them until
the palms facing forward overhead. Keep the arms relaxed and try
not to stretch.
Exhale and lower your arms from the shoulders down to the sides.
Breathe with the whole body. As you inhale, draw the energy from
the feet all the way up to the fingertips. Feel the whole body inflating
with breath. Then exhale and allow the whole body to relax and sink
down.
Do 3x, then do 3x in the other direction (inhale as you raise the arms
to the sides and exhale as you lower them in front).
Sink the arms back down to sides. Rest for a moment and notice
how the body feels.

Advanced Standing Post Exercises

Standing Post, Second Position: Abdomen Level

Preliminary: First stand in Wuji position for a

minute and allow your whole system to settle
down.
Arms heavy: Slowly raise the arms a few
inches away from the body. Hold for a
moment. Feel the arms very heavy and
relaxed. Allow the shoulders to sink down a bit
more. Feel gravity pulling on the tips of the
fingers, which drape down toward the floor with
a natural, relaxed curve. Feel the pull of
gravity extend from the fingers all the way up
into the spine.
Embracing a big belly: Slowly round the
arms around to the front, hands at belly level,
palms facing the abdomen. The fingers should
be relaxed and draping down, as if resting on a
great big belly. The fingertips point toward the
opposite knee. The arms are held slightly
away from the body, creating a space roughly
the size of a fist under the armpits.

Arms suspended by a strap: Imagine the

arms as if suspended by an invisible strap
wrapped behind the neck. Completely relax
the arms and allow the strap to hold them up.
Standing Post, Third Position: Chest Level
Embrace a ball: Slowly raise and wrap the
arms around as if embracing a sphere in front
of the chest. The palms are facing the neck or
shoulders. The elbows are hanging down, as
if suspended between the shoulders and the
wrists, slightly lower than both.
Balloons: Imagine that you are holding a
large beach ball between your hands, forearm
and chest. You are gently keeping it in place
without tension. Your elbows are resting on
two large balloons that float on the surface of a
pond. Your upper arms rest on two small
balloons in the armpits. Your thighs and knees
gently embrace another balloon. Your bottom
is resting on the edge of a huge balloon

Rooting and rising: From the navel

downward, feel yourself sinking and rooting
into the ground. From the navel upward, feel
an upward pull through the crown of the head
making you taller, growing upward like a tree.

Adjust your position:

Practice using a wall to align yourself. When you feel you can
hold the position, step away from the wall and apply the same
principles.
Distance from the wall: close enough so that spine can flatten
against wall without feeling like you are leaning back. Should be able
to remove the wall suddenly and not have to adjust yourself.
Shoulders: Move shoulder blades firmly back to the wall so that the
whole area of each shoulder blade is in firm contact with the wall.
Now round the shoulders forward, feeling the shoulder blades move
away from the wall, until just the spine and, if possible, the area
between the medial borders of the scapulae remain on the wall
Knees: imagine that you are straightening the joint without actually
straightening it
Compression: Imagine someone pushing very lightly on the top of
you head. Maintain a very relaxed ground connection from foot to
top of the head and straighten up into the imaginary pushers hand.
 Thus move with the whole body and not think of straightening the
legs or moving from the center
Rising against pressure: Slightly flex knees and rise against
imaginary pressure on crown of head; Moving up, sense whether
one leg has more weight than the other (may cause subtle strain at
the hips)
Self-traction: Feel pull at base of skull and sacrum elongating spine.
Practice self-traction: standing with pelvis slightly rotated and head
suspended. Feel the spine lengthen. This may help with back
problems
Screwing in/Locking the knees: Concentrate on the knees. Feel
as though they are simultaneously being pushed in and out. Then
push the knees slightly outward. Feel a spiraling effect from the
knees to the ground as if your legs were screws being screwed down
into the earth.
Find center: From the ankles, tilt the body forward, shifting weight to
the balls of the feet, then back, shifting weight to the heel, then
center; gently press thighs backward and sacrum forward to center.
Relax in posture: relax the knees and lower back to let the tailbone
drop rather than deliberately tucking in; feel the buttocks and feet
relax as well. To root is to surrender yourself to the pull of gravity
while maintaining a structural skeletal alignment which supports the
body in an upright posture.
Sink the Dan Tian: relax the abdomen and allow a heavy feeling, a
sinking feeling, to drop the body through the supporting foot and into
the ground. With each exhalation, feel the abdomen relax and sink
down even more
Connect head to feet: extend the spine by holding the head suspended until you
feel it in the feet
Standing Post, Fourth
Position: Eye level
This position is optional in
beginning practice. It helps to
increase strength, endurance,
stability in the shoulder girdle.
From the previous position,
raise the hands up to eye level
and turn the palms out. The
forearms should form an
inverted v-shape. Imagine the
palms and forearms resting
near the top of a large sphere
in front of the body. The palms
should be face obliquely
toward the opposite corners of
the room. Keep the shoulders
and elbows relaxed and
hanging down.
Standing Post, Fifth Position
Slowly lower the hands down
to waist level.
Palms down, arms held slightly
away from the body. Elbows
and shoulders relaxed.

Imagine the palms as if resting

on two balloons floating on the
surface of a stream. Use just
enough pressure to prevent
the balloons from floating
downstream. Imagine the legs
sinking down into the stream
bed as you stand facing the
oncoming current.

Standing Post, Sixth Position

Place the backs of the hands over the lower back
Slowly shift the weight forward onto the balls of the feet, then back
toward the heels. Feel as if you were massaging the bottoms of your
feet with the ground as your roll the weight back and forth. Now shift
the weight from side to side, swaying the body like a tree, and
allowing the weight of the body to give the feet a deep tissue
massage against the ground. Finally circle the weight from the front
of the feet to the side, the heel, the other side and back to the front.
Do this several times, describing a circle in the air with the crown of
the head. Then repeat in the other direction.
Lower the arms down to the sides, straighten the legs and rest for a
moment with the eyes closed. Notice how the body feels. Notice any
feelings of tingling, numbness, pain or any other sensations in the
body.
This is a variation on the previous ground connection exercise. This
time, we add the element of shifting the weight from foot the foot.
First do the previous exercise for a few cycles. After youve
compressed down and bent the knees, shift all of your weight onto
the left foot. The right leg should be completely empty and free to
float in the air, or keep the toe on the ground for balance. Feel the
pressure build up through the left leg to the crown.
Then slowly, against resistance, push yourself back up to standing
position. Shift back and forth from left to right several times. Do not
 allow yourself to float up. Keep a constant sense of pressure at the
crown of the head.
In the beginning, just slight bending of the weighted knee is fine. The
bent knee should not go past the toes. The leg, knee, and hip areas
should comfortably transmit the ground strength to the body: feel as
if you are balancing a bean-bag on your head and be aware of the
path from the weighted leg, through the hip joint, up the sacrum and
spine to the top of the head. Maintain the beanbag with this constant
ground connection.
Exhale as you go down.
Inhale as you rise
You can also use either a chair or hanging rope as a stabilizing aid.
Stop. Imagine yourself doing the movement. Feel muscles contract
isometrically as if they were just beginning the movement or as if
something were blocking the movement, resisting it, but dont actually
move.
Now perform the movement again.
Return to center and rest for a moment. Feel how much more rooted
and settled the whole body feels.

Ground Connection Through the Hands

In the previous exercises, it was relatively easy (with a bit of practice) to
feel a vertical ground connection between the ground and the crown of the
head. However, outside of soccer practice, one rarely strikes an object with
the crown of the head. More often, force is applied through the hands and
feet. This poses difficulties since most people hold a lot of tension in their
neck and shoulders. It will be necessary to gradual release that tension
before you can effectively transmit force from the ground. The following
exercise helps to feel a connection from the hand through the arm,
shoulder, spine, hip, leg and foot into the ground.

Stand facing a wall with the toes only an inch from the wall.
Raise both palms and put them on the wall in front of the chest as if
to push it
Push against the wall and feel the ground connection from the hands
down to the feet
 Now move away from the wall, put one foot toward and the other
back. Try to push the wall again and notice the much stronger ground
connection. Relax around this ground path. Feel how little muscle
exertion is necessary to maintain it.
Lift the front foot off the ground and feel the line of force from the
hands into the rear foot.
Lift a hand off the wall. With only one hand on the wall, rotate the
body along the axis of the ground path
Keep the shoulder pushed forward (serratus anterior abducting
scapula) to connect shoulder blade to the back
Keep your lower back relaxed
Feel and build a curved path from where they are pushing your arm,
through your back, and down your rear leg
Try to relax around this ground path as much as possible; the knees
and waist should be able to wiggle easily while you are still feeling
the ground-path
In Tai Chi, movement originates from the ground, is manipulated by
the powerful torso, and is expressed through the hand. Almost zero
force is used. The mind directs the ground force, the extended
connection, the weight of the hand, the exhalation of qi through the
hand. To train with force is a mistake which only leads to li
external, muscular force.
The head suspended from the crown sets up a mild tension/traction
along the entire spine which helps unite the body and gives you a
grip with which to manipulate the force
When you do the opening of Tai Chi, you connect your body fully with
earth strength and the very tenuous whole-body connection.
Movement should be driven by ground connection and the ribbon of
ground strength should never be broken. If you maintain the ribbon
of ground strength constantly, manipulating real or imagined things
with ground strength, your movements can only become correct.
One leg is a feed for the ground strength until the feed naturally
changes to the other foot. In the classics, the leg with the ground
force feed is called substantial.
The important thing in all forms is learning to manipulate the ground
force with such facility that it becomes part of your movements in all
direction
Connecting the Hand to the Spine

This exercise helps to strengthen the sensation of

having all of your arm movements coming from the
spine, which is a basic principle of Tai Chi. The arms
should never move independently; they should
always be carried by the movement of the spine, just
as the spokes of a wheel are carried by the rotation
of the axle.

Stand with the feet shoulder-width apart, crown of the head as if

pulled up, knees slightly bent, pelvis gently tucked under.
Raise the right arm across the front of the torso with the palm facing
away from you at a 45 degree angle, toward the left corner of the
room.
Place the back of the left hand over the curve of the lower back.
Keep the hips facing forward. Push the palm toward the left corner,
taking up all the slack in the arm until you feel a slight stretch from
the palm down the arm, through the shoulder blade and into the
spine.
Now, if you wanted to push the arm any further, you would have to
twist from the hips, rotating the trunk so that the right side of the
pelvis thrusts forward. Do this four times, being sure to keep all of
the slack taken up in the arm so that all of the thrust comes from the
lower back and not the arm. There should be no flexion or extension
of the arm; it is being carried back and forth by the rotation of the
trunk.
Do this 4 times on one side then the other, alternating back and forth
several times.

Stationary Drills from the Tai Chi Form

(N.B. these drills refer to isolated postures from the Tai Chi form which are
described in greater detail later in this book)
Cloud hands

Perform the Cloud Hands movement from the Tai Chi form several times
while standing in place, without moving footwork. See the description of
this movement later in this book.

Grasp Sparrows Tail

Perform the peng/l/ji/an (ward off/deflect/press/push) from the Tai Chi

form. Do this several times while standing in place with rooted feet.
Alternately, just do peng and l (ward off/deflect) repeatedly. See the
description of this movement later in this book.

Playing Pipa
Holding the Playing Pipa stance from the Tai Chi form helps to build
strength in the legs. Begin with just 30 seconds and work up to several
minutes. Keep the front foot relaxed and do not bear any weight on it. See
the description of this movement later in this book.

Excerpts from the Tai Chi Book

Selections from
Master Li Yaxuans Tai Chi Notebooks
Edited by Chen Longxiang
Translated from the Chinese by Matthew Miller

TRANSLATORS NOTE:
Master Li Yaxuan recorded these informal notes in his notebooks. After his
death, his daughter Li Mindi and his son-in-law and student, Chen
Longxiang, collected and edited the notes. They published them in their
first book, Yang Shi Tai Ji Quan Fa Jing Jie (Essential Explanations of Yang
Style Tai Chi Method). Master Lis notes are intended for both beginning
and advanced students of Tai Chi. The following is a selection of excerpts.
For an explanation of Chinese terms, please see the glossary at the end of
the book.

1. On Practice
Before beginning, first quiet the brain. Let go of all distracting thoughts,
relax the body and mind, and release all tension. Only in this way can you
recover that spontaneous and stable calm which is humanitys natural state
prior to being disturbed by external things. This stable calm is every
persons in-born source of inspiration. Once you are stable and calm, then
you can begin to practice the form. But while moving, you should still
remain stable and calm. You should not allow this calm stability of body
and mind to dissipate just because you have begun to move. This is
important to keep in mind.

The human body is endowed with a natural tendency toward healthy

function. The reason not everyone is healthy is because not everyone
exercises their body in order to cultivate this innate health function.
Furthermore, people have become troubled by external things. This has
destroyed their spontaneous health function. Thus, not everyone is
healthy. If you want to achieve health, you must first relax the body and
mind. You must quiet the brain in order to recover the spontaneous nature
of the body and mind. After recovering this spontaneity, you will naturally
regain your innate health function. You should not just blindly exercise the
external form (the body). Similarly, you also should not merely cultivate the
interior (the mind) through meditating and nourishing the spirit in the
fashion of Buddhist and Taoist monks. You must give equal weight to
movement and stillness. You must cultivate both the exterior and the
interior equally. Only then can you recover your innate health function.

When practicing Tai Chi, it is most important to relax your stance, to

stabilize and calm the mind, to cultivate the power of the brain, to awaken
wisdom, to deepen and lengthen the breathing, to allow the qi to sink to
the dan tian. Every time you practice you must remember these principles.
In the course of time you will make the body healthy and heal illness.
During practice, if your movements are sloppy and undisciplined,
your qi and mind will float upward. Thus the body will not receive the
profound benefits of Taiji. In practicing Tai Chi, allowing the qi to sink to
the dan tian is very important. But how does one go about allowing
the qi to sink to the dan tian? First one must relax the mind, and then relax
the body. After both the mind and body are relaxed, the mind and qi can
spontaneously sink down to the dan tian. One must not use rigid force to
push the qi down to the dan tian. If one uses rigid force to push
the qi down, this will make the entire body uncomfortable and may even
cause illness. This is a very important point that all students must bear in
mind. In addition, you should also pay attention to daily cultivation and
mastery of your spirit as a supplement to your gongfu practice.

When practicing, first relax the entire body, especially the arms. The arms
should be like two ropes fastened to the shoulders, without the slightest bit
of tension or strain. Before beginning, you should wait for a few moments
until the body and mind are stable and calm. Only then should you begin to
move. When beginning to move, use a tiny bit of intention to gently raise
the arms. The leverage force of the lower back initiates the movement,
pulling the arms and setting them in motion. Steadily and calmly begin to
move, and throughout the entire form, the four limbs should never move of
their own accord (without the force of the lower back leading and bringing
them in tow). Whenever I see someone practicing Tai Chi without
understanding this point, his or her entire body is awkward, uncoordinated
and floating. The different parts of their body move independently in a
fragmentary, disorganized fashion, without being rooted in the lower back.
They consider this to be Tai Chi, but this is a grave error. Practicing in this
manner, even after a long time, they will not be able to achieve the flavor
(wei) of Tai Chi. This is regrettable.

When practicing Tai Chi, one must carefully and attentively learn through
experience, seeking to grasp the essential points of the form. After
grasping the essential points, practice constantly and, in less than a few a
months, both arms will feel relaxed and heavy, and both shoulders will ache
slightly. This is natural. Afterwards, quan yi will reach the arms. If one has
a competent teacher to give guidance, then one can gradually, bit by bit
begin to realize the principles of Tai Chi. The ling jue feeling of flexibility
and agility in ones body will also gradually grow stronger. This will not only
have an obvious effect in terms of exercising the body, but also, in terms of
fighting application, ones movements will be skillful. This all comes from
practicing on the foundation of relaxation and softness. Ones practice
should not be undisciplined and superficial.

When first beginning to study Tai Chi, it is difficult to experience the flavor
of Tai Chi. But if one is patient and persevering, carefully learning through
practice, then after a period of time one will feel great delight. Then one
can practice a hundred times without growing weary. The more one
studies, the richer the flavor becomes. The more one experiences it, the
more interesting it becomes, even to the point where it becomes an
addiction, something one keeps for a lifetime. Thus one will attain life-long
health without consciously striving for it.

In order to improve your form, you must ceaselessly reflect on its

principles. Every time you practice, you must ask yourself: How do I
attain xuling qishi? How do I attain a state of relaxation, softness, sinking-
down and stability? How do I attain a continuous, unbroken flavor? How
do I use mind instead of force? How do I consistently maintain a centered
and upright stance? How can my whole body become light and agile with
my head as if suspended from above? How can I achieve jin that
penetrates deeply? How can I express relaxed and calm jin? How can I
send out my yi? How do I use nerve movement? How do I arrive
undetected, retreat unperceived, attack without my opponents
awareness? If you practice in this manner, you will make much progress.

You must continually ask yourself: when moving, how should I be

thinking? What should my posture be? How can I have shenqi? How can
I take action such that "nothing is done yet nothing is left undone
[see wuwei in glossary]," thus achieving a qishi which embraces the 10,000
things? This is very crucial. If I act in order to achieve some goal, then
there will be a fixed opinion in my mind beforehand. In this way, Im in
danger of being attentive to this while forgetting that, getting hung up on
one thing while neglecting 10,000. Thus I can easily be seduced by the
showy forceof exterior gongfu, relying on the various tricks and stratagems
of the hard martial arts. It is necessary to understand this.

When practicing, you must be steady, calm, peaceful and at ease. The
spirit must be composed and self-possessed. Listen and look inwardly in
order to establish the union of body and mind. This is the proper attitude
for practicing Tai Chi. If it is otherwise, although one outwardly appears to
be practicing Tai Chi, in truth of fact, one is not.

The art of Tai Chi is none other than movement and stillness, opening and
closing. But everything must be done on a foundation of steady calm; there
should be no agitation, excitement, rashness or recklessness. Although
one is still, there is movement hidden in stillness. Although one is moving,
there is stillness preserved in movement. Movement and stillness: the two
are rooted in each other. This is the principle of Tai Chi.
In terms of exercising the body, everything depends on long, deep
breathing. The qi and blood circulate smoothly and without obstruction, the
brain is peaceful and carefree, the mind and spirit are steady and calm. In
terms of fighting application, everything depends on a qishi of emptiness:
sticking and following. When I follow and stick to my opponent, Ive already
entered into his or her body. All opportunities are spontaneously delivered
into my hands. Then, the moment my spirit and qi make a move, I have
already struck like an electric shock.

When practicing Tai Chi, you must move with your spirit, change position
with your qi, lead with your lower back, attack with your yi. Interior and
exterior unified, mind and body integrated, shen qi permeating and linking
together the whole body, the upper and lower body coordinated. In the
course of time, you will cultivate an exceptional ling jue. Using this ling
jue in push hands, you will sense the jin of your opponent. Already
knowing the jin of your opponent, there will be no possibility of error.
Flowing with his jin, following its direction, attending and sticking, you will
spontaneously discover the weak points in his body. Seizing the
opportunity to attack, you will never miss.

Train the body in order to secure the jing, train the jing in order to transform
it into qi, train the qi in order to transform it into spirit, train the spirit in order
to return to emptiness. These are the four stages of Tai Chi gongfu. The
student should scrupulously comprehend these stages through personal
experience. Only in this way can one train to a level of excellence.

Spontaneous inspiration (lingji) is our bodys most precious treasure. We

rely upon this in dealing with all matters and circumstances, not just in
practicing Taiji or push hands. But spontaneous inspiration comes from the
neurons of the brain, so Tai Chi gongfu first and foremost must be practiced
on a foundation of stable calm, in order to nourish the central nervous
system. True stability and calm spontaneously arise after the heart and
spirit are quiet and collected; this is not the forced, superficial calm that
comes from simply restraining ones movements. If one is merely forcing
the body not to move, then one will appear stable and calm on the surface,
but one's heart one will not be calm. In this case, one is not truly calm --
not at all. This false calm cannot nourish the central nervous system, and
cannot produce a special ling gan (inspiration). This concept is important
to understand.

When practicing Tai Chi, during the preparatory stance (yubei shi), you
must steady and quiet the heart and body. Only after you are truly calm
and stable should you begin to move. You must especially take care that
while moving you continue to maintain this steady calm. You should not
allow this calm, stable attitude to dissipate. This is the most important
point. Always keep it in mind.

When moving, use the mind to move qi, use qi to move the body, use the
spine of the lower back to lead your movements and bring the four limbs in
tow. Continuous, soft, relaxed and sinking-down, like drifting clouds and
flowing water, like the reeling of raw silk from a cocoon. Constant and
unceasing, like the incessant surging of a great river.

As for breathing, it must be long and deep. Allow your breath to follow the
rhythm of your unhurried movements. Allow your unhurried movements to
open and close with the rhythm of your breath. The breathing must be
natural and unforced; this is correct practice. If one is stable, calm,
peaceful and easeful, then one can cultivate the spirit. With long, deep
breathing one can nourish the qi. In the course of time, the spirit and qi will
naturally grow strong and substantial, and the health of the body will also
improve. In Tai Chi, softness refers to all parts of the body being evenly
balanced, integrated, harmonized and coordinated. This softness is
necessary in all aspects of Tai Chi, both for health and fighting application.
Tai Chi is not about being able to raise the legs exceptionally high, or bend
the waist to a great degree. This type of excessive flexibility
lacks linggan and is inappropriate to the bodys natural physiology. These
unnatural movements are merely nice to look at, but in terms of fighting
application are worthless.

In Tai Chi, to have a few soft movements is not enough. Within these
movements, one must achieve a balanced, calm and steady mental state,
and a majestic, dignified qishi (posture). One must practice for a long time
and, after building a solid foundation, receive the direct guidance of a
teacher. Through your teachers analogies, demonstrations, descriptions
and example, one can slowly come to realize this qishi. It is not something
that can be conveyed in a couple words or described with pen and ink.
This type of impressive, awe-inspiring qishi and calm mental state arises
from deep within the body and spirit; it is not something simply put on for
show. Only someone who has received the teachings of a true Tai Chi
master and who has achieved a certain level of gongfu themselves can
distinguish this qishi. Superficial, undisciplined practitioners of Tai Chi
cannot recognize it. If they did see it, they might even think it was incorrect
and criticize it, saying that it was too slow, or that the stance was too wide,
or that it was superstitious or deliberately mystifying. Anyone who has not
researched a branch of knowledge may make incorrect comments.

Practicing hard jin (strength) is inferior to practicing gentle jin. Practicing

gentle jin is inferior to practicing relaxed softness. Practicing relaxed
softness is inferior to practicing gentle ling (spirit). Practicing gentle ling is
inferior to practicing emptiness. The qishi of emptiness is the highest level
of Tai Chi gongfu. The principal way of practicing it is to use the mind to
move the qi, and use the qi to move the body, thus yi permeates the
fingers. After days and months of practice, jin will spontaneously move
through the body unimpeded. Yi will be able to reach the hands. The four
limbs are the outer branches: they must move freely. The kua is like the
chassis of a car: it must be centered and upright. One's mind sends a
command to the spine of the lower back; in turn, the spine of the lower
back initiates movement and brings the four limbs in tow. The spirit
and qi must be coordinated, the upper body and lower body must follow
each other to form a single qi, otherwise it is not Tai Chi gongfu.

A relaxed, soft, sinking, stable posture, like a ship with a weighty load,
heavily and steadily rolling on a river: heavy, yet at the same time, soft and
flexible.

Every movement is governed by the yi and brought in tow by the qi, no

matter if one is extending or flexing, opening or closing, collecting or
releasing, advancing or retreating, absorbing or sending out, containing or
dispersing -- all are initiated by the traction of yi and qi. All are lead by the
spine of the lower back. This is the difference between Tai Chi and other
martial arts. For example, when executing an opening (as opposed to
closing) movement, it is not only the four limbs which open, but rather the
mind, yi, chest and spine must open first. When executing a closing
movement, it is not only the four limbs which close, but rather the mind, yi,
chest and spine must close first. All movements must begin inside and
express outward, thus it is called neigong (inner skill).

Achieving coordination of the upper and lower body is the first step in
training. Achieving light ling and continuous softness, this is the middle
stage of training. Achieving emptiness, this is the last stage of study.
Light ling is still material, but emptiness is immaterial, thus there is nothing
which does not obey ones minds desire. One can reach a state of great
profundity and excellence.
In the fighting application of Tai Chi, the seemingly miraculous changes and
effects of empty qishi are limitless. If one meets with a hard, forceful
attack, one can cause the attacker to chase winds and grasp at shadows.
If one meets with a soft attack, one can transform it into insubstantiality,
cause the attacker to be unable to get a foothold and unable to touch one's
center of gravity.

During the Qing Dynasty, under the reign of the emperor Xian Feng (1851
1861), some people referred to Tai Chi as Spirit Fist. I believe that this
name is appropriate. The word "spirit" (shen) in "Spirit Fist" does not refer
to gods and spirits (shen guai) but rather to nerves (shen jing, literally spirit
channels.) The name Spirit Fist is appropriate because, first of all, in
practicing gongfu one uses yi, spirit and qi rather than using force.
Secondly, when faced with an opponent, ones movements do not
exclusively or primarily depend on the extension and contraction of
muscles, but rather on subtle movement within these spirit channels.
Ones changes and applications are artful and marvelous, and contain an
immeasurable element. Hence, this gongfu was called Spirit Fist.

Every time you practice Tai Chi, you must carefully and meticulously
experience the refined, subtle mystery within the gongfu. This refined,
subtle mystery is within the inner heart of thought, not the outer gestures.
Thus, in practicing Tai Chi, it is not enough to rely on repetitive exercise;
you must use the power of spontaneous realization (wu). To use the power
of realization, you must be slow and unhurried, stable and calm. If you are
not slow, unhurried, stable and calm, realization will not come. If realization
does not come, you will not be able to discover the flavor of Tai Chi.
Students must pay particular attention to this.

When Master Yang Chengfu sent out jin during push hands, the opponent
needed only to glance at the Masters eyes and his heart would be filled
with fright. Within an instant, there was a feeling that this was a matter of
life and death. This comes from the unity of body and spirit: to be able,
within a moments breadth, to concentrate the force of the entire body and
send it out. To be able to suddenly attack, in the interval before a
thunderclap can arrive at the ear, not giving someone time to resist,
rendering them unable to resist. By always practicing gongfu with stability,
calmness, and unhurried slowness, by ceaselessly collecting and
storing jing, qi and spirit, this miraculous coordination of all parts, both inner
and outer, can work wonders.

If you practice Tai Chi quickly, not only will you be unable to collect the spirit
and nourish the qi, but it will also be difficult to coordinate all parts of the
body, both inner and outer. Hence the jin you send out will not be strong
and substantial and your qishi will not be startling.
The entire body relaxed and open, the upper and lower integrated: these
are necessary conditions of Tai Chi. In my experience, I have found that
only if the entire body is relaxed and open can the qi spontaneously
descend. Then, after a period of practice, inner jin will be spontaneously
produced, and the legs will become heavy and stable. This inner jin will not
be spontaneously produced if the movements are not integrated; or if they
are integrated but not relaxed; or if only the shoulders are relaxed but not
the lower back, abdomen, kua and upper back; or if the elbow, wrist and
fingers are not relaxed; or if, after practicing, the palms do not feel swollen
and distended. All of this is because one has not received instruction from
a genuine teacher. If not, inner jin will never be produced, and the longer
one practices, the further one will stray from Tai Chi.

Tai Chi gongfu has a philosophy behind it that merits intensive study.
Some people who practice martial arts do not know how to carefully and
intensively research gongfu, so they are unable to make great strides in
terms of quality. They just invent a few tricks, work a few stratagems, and
strive for an outwardly attractive form. Their entire body sways and waves,
making much ado about nothing. Cocky and proud as peacocks, they
imagine that the gentleness, softness and "effortlessness" spoken of in Tai
Chi are none other than this showy display. The fact is, they do not know
that Tai Chi has a philosophy and that one must receive the teaching of a
master in order to understand it. After practicing incorrectly for years, their
push hands is a jumble of confused resisting and indiscriminate striking,
blind turns and unspontaneous mechanical movements, without any flavor
at all. No wonder they say that Tai Chi must be studied for ten years before
the student can "leave the gate" (of the teacher's house).

Consider Master Yang Luchan, who, when he was teaching Tai Chi in
Beijing, was called "Yang Without (Worthy) Adversaries." Or Master Yang
Banhou who sparred with a famous martial artist Mr. Liu. These examples
all demonstrate that Tai Chi can be excellently applied in combat, and that
one must indeed study ten years before "leaving the gate." Why is it said
"One must study Tai Chi for ten years before leaving the gate"? Because
there are many who have not received the guidance of a true Tai Chi
teacher, yet who have a foundation in other forms of martial arts. They
think that they can leaf through this book and add Tai Chi to their
repertoire. This is presumptuous and arrogant, "making a cart behind
closed doors" (shutting oneself from the outside world and acting blindly),
and difficult to accomplish successfully. The fault does not lie with Tai Chi
itself, but rather with the student who fails to choose a teacher carefully.

When practicing Tai Chi, the spirit qi is collected inward and stored in the
bones. The spirit qi of xuling spreads out and fills the whole body. It is light
when lightness is needed, heavy when heaviness is needed. When light, it
is as if there was nothing there. When heavy, it is as grounded and settled
as Mount Tai. This is known as the miraculous application of xuling.
But xuling must begin from a solid place; lightness and swiftness must start
with stability and sinking down. Through long hours of practice, one can
begin to acquire true lightness, swiftness and xuling. If a beginner tries to
explain "lightness and swiftness," the result will inevitably be utter
confusion. If a novice tries to speak of xuling, the result will inevitably be
shallow and useless. Therefore, "one must study Tai Chi for ten years
before leaving the gate." Moreover, even if one were to study for ten years,
but fail to receive the teachings of a true master, one could spend an entire
lifetime without leaving the gate.

Tai Chi is the gongfu of "not doing but leaving nothing undone (wu wei wu
bu wei)." In attacking, it is incomparably empty and miraculous. It
encompasses ten thousand manifestations (every possible variation). No
matter how the opponent comes at me, I have this xuling qi. I can freely
adapt to changing circumstances. There is no moment when I am not
exactly in the right place. You should not concentrate on learning individual
tricks and moves, or else you will invariably "pay attention to one thing
while neglecting 10,000." If you attain the one, the ten thousand will
follow. If you want to use individual tricks and moves, even if you have a
thousand or even ten thousand such moves, you will always be limited.
Thus a wise person does not seek them.

Spirit intention held within in order to store calm and nourish the mind and
body. The way of jin begins with collecting and storing. In everything you
do, you must not forget to remain relaxed and calm. Only then can
inspiration and wisdom grow.

Always keep in mind that "unsheathed swords and drawn bows" and
gnashing teeth and glaring eyes are states of tension. Do not mistakenly
think that if one is not tense during martial arts practice one will not be
effective when a (combat) situation arises. Do you not know that practicing
Tai Chi should be the art of storing spirit and nourishing qi, to the point
where spirit and qi are full and substantial and spontaneously effective
when a situation arises? If one practices with "sword unsheathed and bow
drawn," making an outward display of one's spirit qi, the spirit qi will be
expended. How can it then one day be full and substantial? In application,
how can one's movements achieve surprise?

Above, there is the spirit of xuling. In the middle, there is the jin of the
lower spine. Below, there is the qi of the dantian. These three are united.
The interior and exterior are integrated. Hence one's every move is
appropriate. Nevertheless, all of this must be sought in spontaneity.
Nothing should be sought partially, in isolation. If you focus on sinking
the qi, then the qi will stagnate. If you focus on lifting the spirit, then the
spirit will become awkward. This is not the great way and art of
spontaneous nature.

Xu ling ding jin means that after the posture is centered and upright, stable
and comfortable, the qi of xuling naturally rises upward. It does not mean
pushing the crown of the head upward with rigid force. If one pushes
upward with rigid force, then one will be erect and stiff without xuling, which
is the greatest taboo in Tai Chi.

A practitioner of Tai Chi gongfu on the one hand practices under the
guidance of his teacher, and on the other hand goes to the writings of the
three great Tai Chi teachers and Master Wang Zongyue for inspiration. In
practicing, one should not dabble in the theories of external martial arts;
otherwise one will be led astray. Tai Chi cannot be practiced
simultaneously with external martial arts. If so, then one will make vain
efforts. Tai Chi is a relaxed, supple jin, emitted without a sound. Although
the one who is struck has no outward bruise or wound, the jin has already
penetrated the interior of the body. As for the tense, hard jin (of external
martial arts), it creates a slight sound when emitted. Although the one who
is struck has an outward bruise or wound, the interior of the body has not
been penetrated.

There are those who claim that Tai Chi cannot be applied in combat if it is
not mixed with other martial arts. It is clear that such persons have not
received the teachings of Tai Chi and do not understand the principle of
Taiji.

In the practice of Tai Chi, the most important skillis clearing and settling the
mind. But the art of clearing and settling must begin with quietness. Only
after achieving absolute quiet can the muddy waters of the mind settle and
become clear. Once the mind is settled, only then can liang zhi (intuitive
knowledge) arise. Following intuitive knowledge, one can become aware.
This and only this awareness is accurate awareness.
The reason for clearing and settling the mind is so that one may recover a
state of a mind without thought, a state of body without action, a mind and
body of wuwei. After wuwei, one's heart nature becomes bright; after one's
heart nature becomes bright, perception arises naturally and
spontaneously. This is what the Confucians referred to as liang
zhi (intuitive, innate knowledge of right and wrong, good and evil). Liang
zhi is discovered only after achieving absolute quiet; it is not found in the
ceaseless chatter of thoughts and ideas. A mind rigid with thoughts is like a
wall without a door: to go in or out one must break one's way through. It is
also like a ground overgrown with brambles: there is no path to walk and
one must beat one's way through. Training in this way, it is inevitable that
the more one practices the further one strays from Tai Chi. The student
must know this.
Nourishing emptiness and cultivating wisdom, ones realize the dao of Tai
Chi. Using this dao for self-defense, one can protect oneself against insults
and attacks. Using this dao in managing one's affairs, one can clearly
distinguish right and wrong. Using this dao to nourish the body, one can
live a long life.
Gongfu is none other than the training of three things: spirit, qi and body.
Of these, training the spirit is the most important. Training the qi comes
second, and training the body is only the first step. What is spirit? The
entire body has a qishi of xuling, one's movements are unfathomable, one's
changes are light and swift. Spirit does not involve gnashing teeth and
glaring eyes. What is qi? The breathing is deep and steady. Qi does not
consist in blue veins and sinews popping out, forced breathing. What is
action? Stable, quiet, calm and easy, the movements are light and swift.
Action does not consist in striking dowels (hitting sand bags, beating over
the whole body, nor is it hitting the arms against each other, pinching the
fingers, pounding the belly and other techniques for numbing the nerves.
Training the spirit is not separate from training the qi and training the body,
nevertheless such training primarily focuses on the spirit. Training
the qi also involves spirit and body, but the spiritual emphasis is less.
Training the body also involves qi and spirit, but it knows nothing of the
magical effects of the spirit.

Five errors to be avoided in the practice of Tai Chi

1) Careless selection of a teacher. Straying onto erroneous paths.

Allowing mistakes to become habits such that, even if one day one comes
upon the true tradition, it is difficult to correct one's errors.
2) Not having firm faith in one's teacher. Not practicing what the teacher
instructs. Trying to be clever and having scattered thinking. Following
different trains of thought to the point where one's mind is chaotic and
hidden problems emerge in great numbers, sometimes concealed,
sometimes obvious. This problem is the most difficult to correct.

3) Having bad personal habits such as smoking, gambling, and sexual

overindulgence. Thus, the body's three treasures of jing, qi, shen are
dissipated, the body becomes burned out, and the mind is befuddled and
unable to awaken to the beauty of the dao.
4) Having previously practiced the hard forms of external martial arts,
such as holding the breath and exerting force, gnashing the teeth and
glaring with the eyes, inflating the abdomen like a bellows, striking all over
one's body. In this way, the body's most precious nervous system is beaten
to death so that one is numb, without a trace of inspiration and unable to
practice Tai Chi gongfu
.
5) Without having entered deeply into the art, one leaves one's teacher
too early, trying to impress others with one's skill, and ending up being
seduced by external forms of martial arts, thus going astray and being
unable to rectify one's way.

Through any of the above errors, one will be unable to realize the true path.

Excerpts from the Tai Chi Book

Li Yaxuans 43 Movement
Yang Style Tai Chi Form
By Chen Longxiang
Translated from the Chinese by Matthew Miller
1. Preparatory Stance
2. Opening
3. Peng Hand and Step Forward
4. Grasp Sparrow's Tail
5. Single Whip Palm
6. Clouds Hands (Right)
7. Clouds Hands (Left)
8. Clouds Hands (Right)
9. Single Whip Palm
10. Draw back, Downward Posture
11.Golden Cock Stands on One Leg (Right)
12. Golden Cock Stands on One Leg (Left)
13. Step Backward and Repulse Monkey (Right)
14. Step Back, Repulse Monkey (Left)
15. Step Back, Repulse Monkey (Right)
16. Diagonal Flying
17. Raise Hands and Step Forward
18. White Crane Spreads Its Wings
19. Brush Knee, Twist Step (Right)
20. Hands Playing the Pipa
21. Brush Knee, Twist Step (Right)
22. Brush Knee, Twist Step (Left)
23. Brush Knee, Twist Step (Right)
24. Needle at the Bottom of the Sea
25. Fan Through Arm
26. Turn and Strike with Back of Fist
27. Withdraw Step, Deflect, Parry, Punch
28. Part the Wild Horse's Mane (Right)
 29. Part the Wild Horse's Mane (Left)
30. Turn, Jade Woman Works the Shuttles (Left)
31. Jade Woman Works the Shuttles (Right)
32. Separation of Feet (Right)
33. Hit the Tiger (Left)
34. Hit the Tiger (Right)
35. Turn and Kick with Sole of Foot (Right)
36. Strike Ears with Both Fists
37. Drape Body, Kick with Sole of Foot (Left)
38. Bend Bow Shoot Tiger
39. Turn, Sweep Lotus Feet
40. Withdraw Step, Deflect, Parry, Punch
41. Apparent Closure
42. Cross Hands
43. Closure

Sample Movement:

Figs 19 & 20

6. Clouds Hands (Right)

Movement:
a. The left foot pivots on the heel, turning the toes in. The body sinks into
horse stance, then the weight shifts entirely to the left leg. The right foot
retracts to the left and settles down next to the left foot to form a parallel
stance (legs together, both feet planted firmly on the ground, without raising
the heels); the toes of the right foot touch the ground first followed by the
heel. Both knees are bent. At the same time, the hooked right hand
opens and lowers. Coordinated with the retraction of the right foot, the right
hand, passing in front of the body, moves in an arc to arrive in front of the
left chest. The upper body, embracing emptiness, turns to the right with the
lower back as its axis. Carried by the twisting of the lower back, the right
hand moves across to the right like a cloud, no higher than the level of the
nose. The right arm is rounded and embracing empty space, the elbow
slightly bent. The right palm is facing the body. At the same time, the left
hand moves down in an arc to arrive in front of the right hip, passing in front
of the abdomen. The left palm is facing inward with the fingers pointing
downward. The eyes follow the movement and are looking in the direction
of the right hand. (See Fig. 19)

Application:

The right hand passes to the right like a cloud, neutralizing the force of the
opponents attack toward my chest. My left hand follows the movement,
protecting my abdomen and groin. The left hand can also hook the hand or
foot of the opponent as he strikes at my lower body.

Important Points:
When doing cloud hands, you must pay attention to feeling the head as if
suspended from above, relaxing the shoulders, the posture embracing
emptiness, the two arms being carried by the lower back without moving
independently.

7. Clouds Hands (Left)

Movement:
a. The weight gradually shifts to the right leg. The left leg steps
horizontally to the left. First the toe touches the ground, then the heel roots
firmly, forming a horse stance. The upper body, embracing emptiness,
twists to the left along the axis of the lower back. At the same time, the left
hand is carried by the rotating of the lower back and rises from below to
above, passing in front of the face and moves like a cloud to the left. The
left elbow is bent, as if embracing a sphere, the palm facing inward. The
right hand descends in an arc to the left, passing in front of the hips, the
palm facing inward, fingers pointing downward. The eyes follow the
movement and are looking in the direction of the right hand. (See Fig. 20)

Application:
Here the left hand protects the chest and face and the right hand protects
the abdomen and groin. Shifting to the left, the opponents attacking force
is neutralized.