108-form Wu family tai chi chuan

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'uan: 拳 (in Wade-Giles romanization: ch'üan², in the pinyin system: quán). They are performed slowly by beginners and are said to promote concentration, condition the body and acquaint students with the inventory of motion techniques for more advanced styles of martial arts training. There are also solo weapons forms, as well as much shorter and repetitive sequences to train power generation leverages as a form of ch'i kung. The various forms of Wu style pushing hands have their own one person drill routines, as well, which fulfil some of the same functions as the power generation drills.[1]

Contents

Differences between schools

The following list is an English translation from Chinese of the empty hand or fist form list published in Wu Kung-tsao's Wu Family T'ai Chi Ch'uan[1]. Different schools will use different translations. Notably, the family's Shanghai branch has a different enumeration scheme, numbering the same "long form" routine sequence with 89 posture names instead of 108[2]. Almost all of the individual posture names are the same, however.

Wu style form list

The 108 postures of the Wu family style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan are listed below. For each unique form name there is a literal translation, the Hong Kong school's translation and then the Shanghai school's translation in italics where they differ, followed by the original Chinese characters:

1. Begin T'ai Chi Form - The Beginning of T'ai Chi - The Preparation Form 太極起式

2. Raise Hands Above Posture - Raise Hands - Raise Hand and Step Up 提手上勢

3. Hand Plays P'i P'a - Play Guitar - Hand Strums the Lute 手揮琵琶

4. Grasp Bird's Tail 攬雀尾

5. Single Whip 單鞭

6. Slant Flying Posture (also known as Slant Single Whip) - Flying Oblique 斜飛勢 (斜單鞭)

7. Raise Hands Above Posture 提手上勢

8. White Crane Spreads Wings - White Stork Flaps its Wings 白鶴亮翅

9. Brush Knee Push Step Left and Right 4 Times - Brush Knee Twist Step 摟膝拗步左右四度

10. Hand Plays P'i P'a 手揮琵琶

11. Step Forward, Deflect, Parry, Punch - Step Up Diverting and Blocking Fist 進步搬攔捶

12. As If Seemingly Sealed Shut (also known as Push Forward) - As if Closing Up 如封似閉 (進按)

13. Carry Tiger to the Mountain - Tiger and Leopard Spring to the Mountain 抱虎歸山

14. Cross Hands 十字手

15. Slant Brush Knee Push Step 斜摟膝拗步

16. Turn Body Brush Knee Push Step 轉身摟膝拗步

17. Grasp Bird's Tail 攬雀尾

18. Single Whip (also known as Slant Single Whip) 單鞭 (斜單鞭)

19. Fist Under Elbow Punch 肘底看捶

20. Fall to Repulse Monkey Left and Right 3 Times 倒攆猴左右三度

21. Slant Flying Posture 斜飛勢

22. Raise Hands Above Posture 提手上勢

23. White Crane Spreads Wings 白鶴亮翅

24. Brush Knee Push Step 摟膝拗步

25. Sea Bottom Needle - Needle at Sea Bottom - Needle at the Bottom of the Sea 海底針

26. Fan Through Back - Play Arms like a Fan 扇通背

27. Rotate Body Away Body Punch - Strike Fist to Back - Parry and Punch 翻身撇身捶

28. Step Back, Deflect, Parry, Punch - Move Step Diverting and Blocking Punch 退步搬攔捶

29. Step Up Grasp Bird's Tail 上步攬雀尾

30. Single Whip 單鞭

31. Cloud Hands (3 Times) 雲手 (三度)

32. Single Whip 單鞭

33. Left High Pat Horse 左高探馬

34. Right Separate Foot Kick - Right Parting Leg 右分腳

35. Right High Pat Horse 右高探馬

36. Left Separate Foot Kick - Left Parting Leg 左分腳

37. Turn Body Kick with Heel - Turn Body Pedalling Foot 轉身蹬腿

38. Brush Knee Push Step Twice 摟膝拗步二度

39. Step Forward Punch Down 進步栽捶

40. Rotate Body Away Body Punch 翻身撇身捶

41. High Pat Horse 高探馬

42. Right Separate Hands 右分手

43. First Raise Foot Kick 一起腳

44. Step Back Seven Stars 退步七星

45. Step Back Hit Tiger Posture - Retreat Step Beat the Tiger 退步打虎勢

46. Second Raise Foot Kick 二起腳

47. Double Peaks Pierce Ears - Strike the Ears with Double Fists 雙峰貫耳

48. Lean Back Kick with Toe - Open Body and Kick 披身踢腿

49. Turn Body Kick with Heel 轉身蹬腿

50. High Pat Horse 高探馬

51. Step Forward, Deflect, Parry, Punch 進步搬攔捶

52. As If Seemingly Sealed Shut (also known as Push Forward) 如封似閉 (進按)

53. Carry Tiger to the Mountain 抱虎歸山

54. Cross Hands 十字手

55. Slant Brush Knee Push Step 斜摟膝拗步

56. Turn Body Brush Knee Push Step 轉身摟膝拗步

57. Grasp Bird's Tail 攬雀尾

58. Single Whip (also known as Slant Single Whip) 單鞭 (斜單鞭)

59. Hand Plays P'i P'a 手揮琵琶

60. Wild Horse Separate Mane - Parting the Wild Horse's Mane 野馬分鬃

61. Hand Plays P'i P'a 手揮琵琶

62. Wild Horse Separate Mane 3 Times 野馬分鬃三度

63. Hand Plays P'i P'a 手揮琵琶

64. Wild Horse Separate Mane 野馬分鬃

65. Jade Lady Works Shuttles Twice - Jade Girl Works at the Shuttle 玉女穿梭二度

66. Hand Plays P'i P'a 手揮琵琶

67. Wild Horse Separate Mane 野馬分鬃

68. Jade Lady Works Shuttles Twice - Jade Girl Works at the Shuttle 玉女穿梭二度

69. Grasp Bird's Tail 攬雀尾

70. Single Whip 單鞭

71. Cloud Hands (3 Times) 雲手 (三度)

72. Single Whip 單鞭

73. Downward Posture (also known as Snake Creeps Down Posture) 下勢 (蛇身下勢)

74. Left Golden Rooster on One Leg - Golden Cockerel Standing on One Leg 左金雞獨立

75. Right Golden Rooster on One Leg 右金雞獨立

76. Fall to Repulse Monkey Left and Right 3 Times 倒攆猴左右三度

77. Cross Slant Flying Posture 橫斜飛勢

78. Raise Hands Above Posture 提手上勢

79. White Crane Spreads Wings 白鶴亮翅

80. Brush Knee Push Step 摟膝拗步

81. Sea Bottom Needle 海底針

82. Fan Through Back 扇通背

83. Rotate Body Away Body Punch 翻身撇身捶

84. Step Up, Deflect, Parry, Punch 上步搬攔捶

85. Step Up Grasp Bird's Tail 上步攬雀尾

86. Single Whip 單鞭

87. Cloud Hands (3 Times) 雲手 (三度)

88. Single Whip 單鞭

89. High Pat Horse 高探馬

90. Slap Face Palm - Palm Goes to Meet the Face 撲面掌

91. Rotate Body Single Swing Lotus - Turn Body Cross Swing Lotus 翻身單擺蓮

92. Brush Knee Push Step 摟膝拗步

93. Step Up Finger Stop Punch - Pointing to the Crotch Punch 上步指擋捶

94. Step Up Grasp Bird's Tail 上步攬雀尾

95. Single Whip 單鞭

96. Downward Posture (also known as Snake Creeps Down Posture) 下勢 (蛇身下勢 )

97. Step Up Seven Stars 上步七星

98. Step Back Ride Tiger 退步跨虎

99. Turn Body Slap Face Palm - Turn Body Hit Face Palm 轉身撲面掌

100. Rotate Body Double Swing Lotus - Turn Body Double Swing Lotus 翻身雙擺蓮

101. Bend Bow Shoot Tiger - Curve Bow Shoot Tiger 彎弓射虎

102. High Pat Horse 高探馬

103. Slap Face Palm 撲面掌

104. Rotate Body Away Body Punch 翻身撇身捶

105. Step Up High Pat Horse 上步高探馬

106. Step Up Grasp Bird's Tail 上步攬雀尾

107. Single Whip 單鞭

108. Conclusion of T'ai Chi - Closing T'ai Chi 合太極

References

  1. ^ a b Wu, Kung-tsao (1980, 2006). Wu Family T'ai Chi Ch'uan (吳家太極拳). Chien-ch’uan T’ai-chi Ch’uan Association. ISBN 0-9780499-0-X. 
  2. ^ Wu, Ying-hua (1988). Wu Style T'ai Chi Ch'uan – Forms, Concepts and Applications of the Original Style. Shanghai Book Company, Ltd., Hong Kong. 

External links