Tai Chi is now recognized by people from all over the world. As a healthy sport, it has become an increasingly popular sport. The 24 Form Tai Chi, also known as simplified Tai Chi, was organized by the State Sports Commission of China (now the General Administration of Sport of China) in 1956 to draw on the essence of Yang’s Tai Chi and compile it. For friends who have no basics at all, it is easier to practice the 24 form Tai Chi.
One opinion is that although it only has 24 movements, compared with the traditional Tai Chi routine, its content is more refined, the movements are more standardized, and it can fully reflect the sports characteristics of Tai Chi.
Another opinion is tit-for-tat: due to the popularity and popularity of Tai Chi, the disadvantages brought by the performances and competitions introduced cannot be ignored. For example, the 24 form Tai Chi has been arbitrarily evolved into Tai Chi exercises and Tai Chi dances, and boxing has become a show performance, which is also contrary to the essence of Tai Chi. Practitioners need to correct it more.
24 Form Tai Chi boxing manual
- Starting position;
- Wild horses parting their manes left and right;
- White crane spreading its wings;
- Left and right hugging knees and twisting steps;
- Waving the pipa with hands;
- Left and right reverse rolls of arms;
- Left embracing the tail of a pheasant;
- Right embracing the tail of a pheasant;
- Single whip;
- Cloud hand;
- Single whip;
- High exploring horse;
- Right kick;
- Double peaks piercing the ears;
- Turn around and kick the left foot;
- Left lower position independent;
- Right lower position independent;
- Left and right jade girls shuttle;
- Seabed needle;
- Flash through the arms;
- Turn around and move to block and punch;
- As if sealed and closed;
- Cross hand;
- Closing position.
Ten essentials of 24 Form Tai Chi boxing
- Empty and spiritual top strength
Top strength means that the head is upright and the spirit is penetrating the top. Do not use force, as this will cause stiffness in the neck and blood circulation. You must have a sense of emptiness and naturalness. If you do not have the sense of emptiness and strength, you will not be able to raise your spirit.
- Holding the chest and pulling the back
Holding the chest means that the chest is slightly inward, so that the qi sinks into the dantian. Avoid sticking out the chest, as it will cause the qi to crowd around the chest, making the upper part heavy and the lower part light, and the heels will easily float. Pulling the back means that the qi sticks to the back. If you can hold the chest, you can naturally pull the back; if you can pull the back, the power will be emitted from the spine and you will be invincible.
- Loosening the waist
The waist is the master of the body. If you can relax the waist, then the two feet will be strong, the lower body will be stable, and the changes of emptiness and reality are all caused by the rotation of the waist. Therefore, it is said that “the source of life and intention is in the waist gap.” If you cannot exert force, you must seek it from the waist and legs.
- Distinguishing between emptiness and reality
The first principle of Tai Chi is to distinguish between emptiness and reality. If the whole body sits on the right leg, the right leg is solid and the left leg is empty; if the whole body sits on the left leg, the left leg is solid and the right leg is empty. If you can distinguish between the empty and the solid, then you can move lightly and effortlessly; if you can’t distinguish between them, then you will be heavy and sluggish, unstable and easily affected by others.
- Drop shoulders and elbows
Sinking shoulders means that the shoulders are relaxed and drooping; if they cannot be relaxed and drooping, the shoulders are raised, and the qi will also rise with them, and the whole body will be powerless. Drop elbows means that the elbows are relaxed and drooping. If the elbows are suspended, the shoulders cannot sink, and people cannot be released far away, which is close to the breaking strength of externalists.
- Use intention without force
The Tai Chi theory says that this is all about using intention without force. When practicing Tai Chi, relax the whole body and do not use any clumsy strength to stay between the tendons, bones and blood vessels, so as to restrain yourself. Then you can change lightly and flexibly and turn freely. Some people may wonder how you can increase strength without using force? The human body has meridians, like the blood in the earth. If the ditches are not blocked, water can flow; if the meridians are not blocked, qi can flow. If the whole body is stiff, the meridians are full of qi and blood, and the movement is not smooth. If you pull a hair, the whole body will move. If you don’t use force but use your mind, the qi will go wherever the mind goes. If the qi and blood flow, they will be transported every day, circulate throughout the body, and never stop. If you practice for a long time, you will get real internal strength, which is what Tai Chi theory says, “extremely soft, then you can be extremely hard.” People who are proficient in Tai Chi have arms like cotton wrapped in iron, and they are very heavy. Those who practice external boxing appear powerful when they use force, but very light when they don’t. It can be seen that their strength is the superficial strength of external strength. The strength of external family is the easiest to arouse, so it is not worth mentioning.
- The upper and lower follow each other
The upper and lower follow each other, as stated in the Tai Chi Theory: “Its roots are in the feet, it starts from the legs, it is dominated by the waist, and it is shaped by the fingers. From the feet to the legs to the waist, it must be a complete and unified movement.” When the hands, waist, and feet move, the eyes also move with them. Only in this way can it be said that the upper and lower follow each other. If one does not move, it will be scattered.
- The inside and outside are in harmony
Tai Chi is practiced in the spirit, so it is said that “the spirit is the commander and the body is the servant.” If the spirit can be lifted, the movements will be naturally light and agile, and the posture is nothing more than opening and closing. The so-called opening is not only the opening of the hands and feet, but also the opening of the mind; the so-called closing is not only the closing of the hands and feet, but also the closing of the mind. If the inside and outside can be combined into one, then there will be no gap.
- Continuous connection
The strength of external boxing is the acquired clumsy strength, so there is a beginning and an end, a continuation and a break. The old strength has been exhausted and the new strength has not yet been born. At this time, it is most likely to be restrained by others. Tai Chi uses intention without force, from beginning to end, continuously, over and over again, in an endless cycle. The boxing theory says “like the Yangtze River, it flows endlessly”. It is also said: the use of strength is like drawing a thread. All of them mean that it is connected with one breath.
- Seek stillness in movement
External boxing is based on jumping and jumping, which uses up all the strength, so after practicing, everyone is out of breath. Tai Chi controls movement with stillness, and it is still still even when moving. Therefore, the slower you practice the posture, the better. Slower means deeper breathing, and the qi sinks into the dantian, so there is no disadvantage of blood rushing. Students can understand its meaning if they experience it carefully.