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Taichichuan is an art implying hardness in softness, or hiding steel in cotton. It is a technique based on principles of physiology and mechanics, with philosophical implications. Learning has to proceed by stages through time. While good instructions are necessary, the most important part is regular daily practice.

Although there are a number of students who learn and practice diligently, with good prospects of success, the common people fall into two traps. Some have the talent and physical ability, and are quick in understanding. But they are satisfied with the initial knowledge, and discontinue the learning without final success. Others do not pay attention to details. They simply imitate the postures and movements without the essence. Their exercise is not up to the measurement, whether at the upper body or lower body, and whether internally or externally. Every posture needs correction, and yet, by the afternoon, they forget the corrections made for them in the morning. There is a saying that learning Taichichuan is easier than correcting the mistakes. This is the result of learning in haste. When these people pass on the wrong knowledge, they are bound to do harm to themselves and to others. In this practice lies the biggest threat to this art.

The learning of Taichichuan begins with the postures. You calm your mind, concentrate, memorize, study, and learn the movements posture by posture in strict accordance to the instructions. You pay attention to the internal and external aspects as well as to your lower and upper body. In the internal aspects, you use your mind rather than force, sink your attention to the lower abdomen, and elevate your spirit to your top. In the external aspects, your whole body is limber, with each joint pliable connected from your feet through your legs to your waist; you sink your shoulders and drop your elbows, etc.

As a beginner, you should start from these few points, study their implications carefully, and apply them to each posture until you can do the movements for that posture correctly and skillfully, before you proceed to learn the next posture. If you gradually learn the whole series this way, there need not be many corrections. The essence may not be changed even after a prolonged period.

In practicing, you loosen all joints and move naturally. You must not hold your breath or tighten your abdomen, and must avoid applying stiff or unnatural strength at the limbs and waist. Most people can talk about these principles. But when they move, turn, kick, or twist, they gasp with shaking bodies. This is the result of holding the breath or applying stiff, artificial strength.

Translators’ Note: This is an abstract of the teaching of Yang Cheng-fu (1883-1936) as written down by Chang Hung-kwei, and published in Fu Chung-wen’s "Yang Style Taichichuan," 1963. While Yang’s other teachings have been widely quoted in Chinese literature, often without acknowledgment, the above passages have escaped notice until his nephew Fu Chung-wen published them. An article on Yang’s Taichichuan will appear in the next issue of T’AI CHI.