103-form Yang family tai chi chuan

=T'ai Chi forms=

The different slow motion solo form training sequences of T'ai Chi Ch'uan are the best known manifestation of T'ai Chi for the general public. In English, they are usually called the "hand form" or just the "form"; in Mandarin it is usually called "ch'üan": 拳 (in Wade-Giles romanization: ch'üan², in the pinyin system: quán). They are usually performed slowly by beginners and are designed to promote concentration, condition the body and acquaint students with the inventory of motion techniques for more advanced styles of martial arts training (see pushing hands).

Differences between schools

The following is an English translation from Chinese of the form list used by the current Yang family teachers. Other Yang style schools may have significantly different enumeration schemes.

Yang style form list

The 103 postures of the Yang family style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan are listed as follows:

1. Preparation Form

2. Beginning 3. Grasp the Bird's Tail 4. Single Whip

5. Lift Hands and Step Up

6. White Crane Lifts Wings

7. Left Brush Knee and Step

8. Hand Strums Lute

9. Left Brush Knee and Step 10. Right Brush Knee and Step

11. Left Brush Knee and Step 12. Hand Strums Lute

13. Left Brush Knee and Step

14. Step Forward, Deflect, Parry and Punch 15. As Though Sealed and Closed 16. Cross Hands

17. Embrace Tiger and Return to Mountain

18. Fist under Elbow

19. Right Repel Monkey

20. Left Repel Monkey 21. Right Repel Monkey

22. Diagonal Flying

23. Lift Hands and Step Up

24. White Crane Lifts Wings

25. Left Brush Knee and Step

26. Needle at Sea Bottom

27. Fan through Back 28. Turn Body and Flip Fist Past Body

29. Step forward Deflect Parry and Punch

30. Step Up and Grasp the Bird's Tail

31. Single Whip

32. Cloud Hands (1)

33. Cloud Hands (2) 34. Cloud Hands (3)

35. Single Whip

36. High Pat Horse

37. Right Separate Foot

38. Left Separate Foot

39. Turn Body, Left Heel Kick

40. Left Brush Knee and Step

41. Right Brush Knee and Step

42. Step Up and Punch Down

43. Turn Body and Flip Fist Past Body

44. Step Forward, Deflect, Parry and Punch

45. Right Heel Kick

46. Left Strike Tiger

47. Right Strike Tiger

48. Turn Body, Right Heel Kick

49. Two Peaks Box Ears 50. Left Heel Kick 51. Turn Body, Right Heel Kick

52. Step Forward, Deflect, Parry and Punch

53. As Though Sealed and Closed

54. Cross Hands 55. Embrace Tiger and Return to Mountain

56. Diagonal Single Whip

57. Right Wild Horse Parts Mane

58. Left Wild Horse Parts Mane 59. Right Wild Horse Parts Mane

60. Grasp the Bird's Tail

61. Single Whip

62. Jade Lady Passes through the Shuttle

63. Grasp the Bird's Tail

64. Single Whip 65. Cloud Hands (1) 66. Cloud Hands (2)

67. Cloud Hands (3)

68. Single Whip

69. Low Form

70. Left Golden Cock Stands on One Leg

71. Right Golden Cock Stands on One Leg

72. Right Repel Monkey

73. Left Repel Monkey 74. Right Repel Monkey

75. Diagonal Flying

76. Lift Hands and Step Up

77. White Crane Lifts Wings 78. Left Brush Knee and Step

79. Needle at Sea Bottom

80. Fan through Back

81. Turn Body, White Snake Spits Tongue

82. Step Forward, Deflect, Parry and Punch

83. Step Up and Grasp the Bird's Tail

84. Single Whip

85. Cloud Hands (1)

86. Cloud Hands (2)

87. Cloud Hands (3)

88. Single Whip

89. High Pat Horse with Palm Thrust

90. Cross Kick

91. Step Forward and Punch Groin

92. Step Up and Grasp the Bird's Tail

93. Single Whip

94. Low Form

95. Step Up Seven Stars

96. Step Back and Ride Tiger

97. Turn Body and Swing over Lotus

98. Bend Bow and Shoot Tiger

99. Step Forward, Deflect, Parry and Punch

100. As Though Sealed and Closed

101. Cross Hands

102. Closing

103. Return to Normal

External links

* [http://www.yangfamilytaichi.com/ Yang Family Website]