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    13 Basic Movements Tai Chi Chuan

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    schorleworle
    The document discusses the 13 basic movements of Taijiquan, known as shisanshi. It explains that the 13 movements are subdivided into 8 hand techniques (bamen) and 5 steps (wubu). The 8 hand techniques correspond to the 8 compass directions and trigrams, while the 5 steps correspond to the 5 phases. It provides details on each of the hand techniques and steps. The bulk of the document focuses on explaining the first hand technique, called lü, which involves diverting or leading the opponent's force into emptiness. It discusses Chinese texts that describe lü and provides commentary from various Taiji masters emphasizing that lü circularly follows and controls the opponent's power while maintaining one's own center

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    13 Basic Movements Tai Chi Chuan

    Uploaded by

    schorleworle
    515 views3 pages
    The document discusses the 13 basic movements of Taijiquan, known as shisanshi. It explains that the 13 movements are subdivided into 8 hand techniques (bamen) and 5 steps (wubu). The 8 hand techniques correspond to the 8 compass directions and trigrams, while the 5 steps correspond to the 5 phases. It provides details on each of the hand techniques and steps. The bulk of the document focuses on explaining the first hand technique, called lü, which involves diverting or leading the opponent's force into emptiness. It discusses Chinese texts that describe lü and provides commentary from various Taiji masters emphasizing that lü circularly follows and controls the opponent's power while maintaining one's own center

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    13 Basic Movements Tai Chi Chuan

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    The document discusses the 13 basic movements of Taijiquan, known as shisanshi. It explains that the 13 movements are subdivided into 8 hand techniques (bamen) and 5 steps (wubu). The 8 hand techniques correspond to the 8 compass directions and trigrams, while the 5 steps correspond to the 5 phases. It provides details on each of the hand techniques and steps. The bulk of the document focuses on explaining the first hand technique, called lü, which involves diverting or leading the opponent's force into emptiness. It discusses Chinese texts that describe lü and provides commentary from various Taiji masters emphasizing that lü circularly follows and controls the opponent's power while maintaining one's own center

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    515 views3 pages

    13 Basic Movements Tai Chi Chuan

    Uploaded by

    schorleworle
    The document discusses the 13 basic movements of Taijiquan, known as shisanshi. It explains that the 13 movements are subdivided into 8 hand techniques (bamen) and 5 steps (wubu). The 8 hand techniques correspond to the 8 compass directions and trigrams, while the 5 steps correspond to the 5 phases. It provides details on each of the hand techniques and steps. The bulk of the document focuses on explaining the first hand technique, called lü, which involves diverting or leading the opponent's force into emptiness. It discusses Chinese texts that describe lü and provides commentary from various Taiji masters emphasizing that lü circularly follows and controls the opponent's power while maintaining one's own center

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Shisanshi

    The 13 Basic Movements


    of Taijiquan
    Usually, the beginner first learns the slow form of
    Taijiquan. Anyone who at this stage is interested
    in the classic texts of Taijiquan will find time and
    time again the notion of the 13 basic movements.
    So what are these 13 basic movements? In Chinese
    they are called shisanshi.

    The eight hand techniques and


    the five steps (Bamen wubu)

    Shisan is the number 13 and the second shi means


    basic movement. In a direct translation shi is given as posture, position, gesture or, as in
    Sunzi, strategic advantage. When talking about
    Taijiquan it is best to use the word movement
    to express the dynamic character of shi. The 13
    basic movements are subdivided into
    eight hand techniques (bamen,
    literally: eight gates) and five
    steps (wubu). The eight hand
    techniques are allocated
    to the compass points
    respectively to the
    eight trigrams.

    The compass points and the eight hand techniques demonstrate the law of the cyclic change
    between yin and yang, which changes eternally.
    In brief, one has to learn the four sides and the
    four corners. Peng, l, ji and an are the hand techniques of the four sides. Cai, lie, zhou and kao are
    the four hand techniques of the four
    corners. Combining the hand techniques of the four sides and
    the four corners we achieve
    the allocation of the
    gates to the trigrams.

    The five steps are


    allocated to the five
    phases (wuxing). The
    eight directions are
    in China traditionally the four sides
    North, South, East and
    West and the four corners, NE, SE, SW, NW.
    Together, these make up the
    13 basic movements of Taijiquan.
    They are explained in the Explanation of the method of Taijiquan (Taiji fashuo)
    in text 1:
    18

    peng
    l
    ji
    an
    cai
    lie
    zhou
    kao

    Direction

    Eight Gates

    South
    West
    East
    North
    Northwest
    Southeast
    Northeast
    Southwest

    kan
    li
    dui
    zhen
    xun
    qian
    kun
    gen

    The differentiation
    between five steps
    (wubu) is based on
    the idea of the five
    phases (wuxing) and
    supports the eight
    directions. The five
    phases are: jinbu (to
    advance)/fire, tuibu (to
    retreat)/water; zuogu (to
    look left)/wood, youpan
    (to look right)/metal; zhongding (central equilibrium), the
    centre of the directions/earth. Advancing and retreating are the steps of water and
    fire and to look left and right are the steps of metal

    Taijiquan-Lilun Issue 2

    Shisanshi

    and wood. The central equilibrium of the earth is


    the central point of the axis. The eight trigrams
    are hidden in the body, and the feet step the five
    phases. The eight hand techniques and five steps
    make 13. This is how the 13 basic movements are
    created naturally and are called the eight gates
    and the five steps. (Wu, p. 16).
    The 13 movements are the basis of Taijiquan. By
    combining the hand techniques with the different steps, one can achieve a large variety of movements. The execution of the 13 movements is
    discussed in the Explanation of the method of
    Taijiquan (Taiji fashuo) in text 2:
    The method of application of
    the eight hand techniques and five steps
    (Bamen wubu yonggongfa)
    The eight trigrams and the five phases are part of
    mans natural endowment. First one has to understand the meaning of the notion of conscious
    movement (zhijue yundong). Once one has understood it, one has mastered the understanding of
    jin-power (dongjin). Following the understanding
    of jin-power (dongjin) one can achieve enlightenment (shenming). So at the beginning of ones
    studies one has to achieve knowledge about the
    conscious movement (zhijue yundong), which although it is part of our natural endowment, is difficult to grasp. (Wu, pp. 16)
    The meaning and function of the 13 basic movements is again explained in the Song of the 13
    basic movements (Shisanshi gejue) (see this
    issue, p. 7). Because of the importance of the 13
    basic movements for Taijiquan, the next issues
    of Taijiquan-Lilun, beginning with this one, will
    present in detail first the eight hand movements
    and then the five steps. We will begin in this
    issue with the hand technique called l:

    In Issue 1 l was used as an example to demonstrate the difficulty of translating technical

    Taijiquan-Lilun Issue 2

    Taijiquan vocabulary. It was shown that no direct


    translation exists, but that there are only explanations of the quality of l. This is why it is so important to engage with these explanations.
    Ma Jiangbao says that l is the hand technique
    which needs to be learned first. It is the first, because it is meant to introduce the student to one
    of the essential abilities of Taijiquan: In using l
    the power of the other is diverted and neutralised.
    Chinese texts often use for an explanation of l
    the words yin or yindao, which means to lead
    or to guide. This is how it is for example used in
    the Secret song of the eight methods (Bafa mijue) ,
    where one finds about l:
    How to explain the meaning of l?
    To lead the other (yindao)
    and let him come forward.
    Following the others incoming force.
    Light and subtle, without losing
    contact or resisting.
    The power ebbs out naturally (ziran)
    into the emptiness.
    Throw or attack follows naturally (ziran).
    Maintain your own centre.
    This can not be exploited by the other.
    (Wu, p. 102)
    Ma Yueliang explains:
    L is an overt power (mingjin). If the other attacks, this is the moment to familiarise oneself
    through peng with his direction. Then, one leads
    him on without even noticing to continue the
    advance. Thus one can divert the attack to the
    right or to the left. The power and speed of the
    diverting depends on the power and speed of the
    attack. One waits until the others power is waning (shishi), which is when one lets go and starts
    the counter-attack. Mechanically, l works like
    an axis, going either to the right or the left.
    (Ma, Xu, S. 10)
    Ma Jiangbao points to the explanation of l also
    in the Song of striking hands (Dashouge) (see
    Issue 1), where it says: Divert (yin) the attack
    (jin) into emptiness (luokong). In doing so he
    concentrates on the quality of a good l, which
    should give the attacker the feeling of falling into
    an abyss.
    19

    Shisanshi

    Robert Rudniak und Martin Bdicker

    Ma Hailong comments on l: L is the diverting


    (yin) power. It has a circular effect, follows the
    power of motion and retains control. If doing l,
    one has to keep ones centre.
    (Wu, Ma, p. 169)
    L is therefore a technique that leads the attacking power into a circle, so that it misses ones
    body and head into emptiness. It is important to
    note that the diverting is based on a minimum
    of power and ones centre is not in danger. If one
    can achieve this, one can also realise the principle
    20

    of lightness (qing) and one can easily deflect the


    power of a thousand pounds with the use of four
    ounces.

    Ma, Yueliang, Xu, Wen, Wushi Taijiquan Tuishou, Xianggang


    Shanghai Shuju Chuban, Hongkong, 1986.
    Wu, Gongzhao, Wujia Taijiquan, Xianggang Jianquan Taijiquanshi
    Chubanxiaozu, Hongkong, 1981.
    Wu, Yinghua, Ma, Yueliang, Wushi Taijijian, Renmin Tiyu
    Chubanshe, Peking, 2001.

    Taijiquan-Lilun Issue 2

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