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Taught by Yang Cheng-fu, written by Chen Wei-ming, translated by Wu Ta-yeh and Wu Teng Shu-hsien.

Translators’ Note: The wording of Yang Cheng-fu’s 10 essentials, each with two to five Chinese characters, has been widely quoted, often without acknowledgment. When these essentials were first published by Chen, an early student of Yang Cheng-fu, in Chen’s book, "Methods of Taichichuan," 1925, Chen did give explanations of each item. It appears, however, that these interpretations were seldom read or quoted. Most authors just interpret the short phrases according to their own understanding. This is not entirely a bad practice.

While Chen’s interpretations are generally good, most of them are over-simplified, leading to misunderstandings. This translation gives Chen’s words as faithfully as the authors can. Then, in the next issue of T’AI CHI, we will illustrate some of the problems leading to controversies among different authors. These controversies are relevant, because they affect the methods of doing the exercise. The title of this translation is directly from Chen, word-for-word.

1. The head is light, with minimal strength towards the top. Minimal strength towards the top of the head means that the neck is straight and the spirit goes to the top of the head. You must not force it. Otherwise, the neck will become stiff, and the blood and energy cannot circulate wall. There must be lightness and naturalness. Without observing this point, you cannot raise your spirit.

2. Depress the chest and raise the back. To depress the chest is to sink ch’i to the tan t’ien. If the chest is raised, ch’i will be stranded in the chest and you are top heavy, so that the heels of your feet may easily be raised. To raise the back is to adhere ch’i to the back. If you can depress the chest, you can automatically raise the back. If you can raise your back, your strength can be issued from the back and nobody can resist you.

3. Loosen the waist. The waist is to direct the whole body. You must loosen your waist in order that you can have strength at the two legs, with stability at the base. Changes between lightness and firmness is from the twisting of the waist. Therefore, it is said (in the "Song of the Thirteen Motifs"), "the primary drive is from the sides of the waist. Whenever you cannot apply your strength correctly, find faults at the waist and legs."

4. Differentiate between lightness (hsu) and firmness (shi). Among the methods of Taichichuan, the differentiation between lightness and firmness is of the primary importance. If your whole body sits on your right leg, your right leg is firm and your left leg is light. If your whole body sits on your left leg, your left leg is firm (shi), and your right leg is light (hsu). Being able to differentiate between lightness and firmness, you can turn and move lightly and agilely without effort. If these cannot be differentiated, your steps will be stagnant. You cannot stand stably, and can easily be controlled by your opponent.

5. Sink the shoulders and drop the elbows. To sink the shoulders is to loosen the shoulder joints so that the arms sink downward. Without loosening the shoulder joints and sinking down the arms, the two shoulders will be raised, and the raising of the ch’i follows. You cannot apply strength at any part of the body. To drop the elbows means that the elbow joints are loosened so that the elbows have the tendency of dropping downward. If your elbow is hung up, you cannot sink your shoulder and cannot shoot your opponent away very far. Your strength is interrupted just as in the external schools of self-defense.

6. Use the mind, not force. It is said, use your mind, or intent, not force. When you practice Taichichuan, you loosen the whole body so that there is no rigidity at the muscles and tendons to inhibit you. Then, you can move and change lightly and alertly, and twist and turn according to your wish. One may doubt how, without applying force, one’s strength can truly improve. The reason is that there are channels in the body through which energy moves around. These channels must be kept open to allow the energy to pass through. If the whole body is stiff, these channels will be blocked and you cannot move agilely. A touch at any part of your body may move you completely. If you do not use force but your mind and intent, then anywhere the mind reaches, energy reaches. This way, your blood and energy continuously circulate through your whole body without stagnation. Prolonged practice like this will give you the real internal strength. This is why the classic says, "Be extremely pliable in order to be extremely hard and strong."

The arms of Taichichuan experts with skillful kungfu are like iron wrapped in cotton. They are very heavy. People who practice the external martial arts appear to have plenty of force when they apply it. But when they do not apply force, they are light and not firmly rooted. Their force is only external strength which can easily be diverted. This is not advised.

7. Upper and lower body follow each other. This is the meaning of the classic when it says, "rooted at the feet, developed through the legs, directed by the waist, and manifested in the hands and fingers. From the feet to the legs and the waist, there must be integrity." Your hands, waist, and feet move together, and the spirit of your eyes follows at the same time. This means "upper and lower body follow each other." If one part does not move, your body will be in discord.

8. Internal and external integration. The training in Taichichuan is in the spirit. Therefore, the spirit is in command, and the body follows. When you can raise your spirit, your movements will be light and agile. The postures are mainly with firmness and lightness and extension and contraction. The opening and extending apply not only at your arms and legs, but your mind and your intent should also open and extend at the same time. The closing and contracting also apply not only at your arms and legs, but to your mind and intent as well. When your inner mind and your external body can be merged in one, there will be harmony without gap.

9. Continuity without interruption. The strength of the martial artist of the external school is stiff, so that there is starting and ending. Sometimes the strength is continued and sometimes discontinued. During the gap when a person’s first wave of strength is ended but the second wave is not started, he becomes most vulnerable. In Taichichuan, you use your mind and intent, not force. The strength is continued from the beginning to the end without interruption. This is what the classic means when it says, "like water in the great river flowing continuously." It is also the meaning of "applying strength like reeling silk from a cocoon." All these mean continuity.

10. Seek quiescence from movement. In the external martial arts, one exerts his full strength so that after each drilling he feels short of breath. In Taichichuan, you use quiescence to control movement. In movement is implied quiescence. Therefore, in practicing the one-person Taichichuan exercise, the slower, the better. When you move slowly, your breath will be deep and long, your ch’i sinks to the tan t’ien, and you do not feel over-exertion. You should understand and carefully realize this in order to get the real essence.

In the next issue of T’AI CHI, there will be a discussion, "Controversies on 10 Essentials Illustrated."

Wu Ta-yeh teaches in Palo Alto and is a regular contributor to T’AI CHI.