Tai Chi staff techniques are an integral part of Tai Chi, and are a type of martial arts weapon technique that is both offensive and defensive. Its characteristics are smooth and coherent movements, a combination of hardness and softness, and using the mind to lead the qi and the qi to move the body. The following introduces the most basic and important 24 staff techniques.
Twisting method: Use both ends of the stick to draw circles at the same time, that is, at the same moment, one end of the stick draws from the front to the back, and the other end draws from the back to the front. For example, in the second posture “Golden Boy Swinging Circles”, I use the right end of the stick to hit the opponent’s left temple. If the opponent blocks with his left hand and holds the end of the stick that hits his left temple, I will immediately use the Golden Boy Swinging Circle method to attack, twisting the opponent’s left hand joint, and at the same time, my left stick end has hit the opponent’s head, forcing the opponent to squat.
Covering method: Using one end of the stick to hit the opponent’s head from top to bottom is called covering method. For example, in the third posture “White Cloud Covering the Top”, if the opponent stabs my left side with a spear, I will use the left heavy and left empty method to avoid it, and quickly step up to the right and use the right end of the stick to cover and hit down. There is progress in retreat, attack in defense, and it is both transformation and attack, with heavy force and fierce momentum. The two sides confronted each other and neither gave in. When I use the gating method to attack the enemy, I must grasp the meaning of “heavy as Mount Tai and light as clouds”, so that I can have the power to shake the mountain. I must also have a quick and flexible method. When I use the gating method, I must always guard against the opponent’s gating method to hit my head. The second stick in the fifth posture “Five-flowered Sticks” and the fifth posture “Mount Tai Pressing the Top” are also applications of the gating method.
The stick method of using the stick end to block the opponent’s attack (such as a gun or stick) to my side is called the gating method. For example, in the fourth posture “Pushing the Clouds to Look for the Sun”, the opponent uses the oblique chopping force to attack me left and right, and I use the two ends of the stick to rotate up and down and block it in a cycle. When using the gating method, you must have a coherent momentum, be strong and powerful, move like thunder, be as fast as lightning, have sharp eyes and hands, and be calm and not confused. The 27th posture “Pushing the Grass to Find Snakes” is the gating method used in the lower part. The first posture “Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg” is the oblique gating method used in the upper part.
The brushing method is to use the stick end to close to the opponent’s weapon and directly take the opponent’s tiger’s mouth. For example, in the first stroke of the fifth posture “Five Flower Stick”, the opponent stabbed me with a gun, and I quickly used the left end of the stick to brush down against the gun, sliding straight to the base of the opponent’s left hand. The brushing method is also used in the first and fifth postures “Five Elements Stick”.
Lifting method Lifting method is to use the end of the stick to lift up from bottom to top. For example, the third stroke in the fifth posture “Five Flower Stick” is an application of the lifting method.
Smashing method Holding one end of the stick with one hand and hitting down from top to bottom with the other end of the stick is called smashing method. The fifth posture “Five Flower Stick”, the fourth stroke in the first and fifth postures “Five Elements Stick”, and the sitting cross-legged and falling stick smashing in the second and seventh postures “Searching for Snakes in the Grass” are all applications of smashing method.
Swinging method Holding the middle of the stick (or the end of the stick) with one hand and making the stick rotate in a circle is called swinging method. This is a method of protecting oneself and avoiding weapons. For example, in the 19th posture “Left and Right Wheels”, the opponent stabbed my legs with a gun, and I quickly used the swing method to swing left and right, making the stick rotate left and right on my body like a wheel. I folded my arms and waist back and forth, stepped in an arc, and swung my feet left and right, up and down, so that the stick could be turned freely, and the attack was fast and fierce, with overwhelming momentum and whistling wind, just like “shaking a windmill and rotating, with sticks in front, behind, left and right”, leaving the opponent no chance to take advantage. The 8th posture “Oolong Swinging Tail” is also a swing method. For example, the first posture “White Crane Dance”, the 14th posture “White Python Turning Over”, the 21st posture “Sweeping Left and Right”, and the 22nd posture “Tiger Twisting Tail” all have the application of the swing method.
Sweeping method The method of holding one end of the stick, squatting down, and using the stick as a whole to rotate horizontally (or obliquely) is called sweeping method. For example, the 9th posture “Wind Sweeping Plum Blossoms” is to turn around, jump and squat, and the stick rotates and sweeps horizontally with the body. For example, the sixth posture “Dry Tree with Roots”, the 21st posture “Sweeping Left and Right”, and the 36th posture “The Blue Dragon Returns to the Sea” all have sweeping techniques.
Cloud Method The method of rotating the stick over the head with the middle of the two hands (about 1 foot apart) is called cloud method. For example, in the 20th posture “Leopard Jumping over the Stream”, the opponent stabbed at the tip of my right shoulder with a gun, and I violently hit the opponent’s head with the end of the stick in my right hand. The stick should rotate with the body, be agile and vigorous, the body is like a swimming dragon, the posture is like flowing clouds and water, light and heavy, natural, and flexible.
Chopping Method The stick method of striking down from top to bottom with the whole stick is called chopping method. Chopping method is very important in both boxing and long and short weapons. In boxing, there are chopping methods such as straight chopping palm, oblique chopping palm, left and right chopping palm, cross chopping palm, horizontal chopping palm, single chopping palm, double chopping palm, and flipping big chopping palm. As for weapons, whether swords, spears, swords or sticks, they are the same as the chopping method in boxing, except that the weapons are longer than the palms. The chopping method is as agile as a monkey, the force is like firecrackers, and the momentum is like a rainbow. The seventh posture “The Great Peng Spreads Its Wings” and the 10th posture “Chopping the Mountain Stick” are both chopping methods. The 34th posture “Shooting the Goose” is a counter-chopping method, that is, the stick twists from bottom to top and chop the opponent’s face. For example, the 23rd posture “Meteor Chasing the Moon”, the 29th posture “Crossing Points and Chopping Obliquely”, and the 31st posture “Carp Leaping” all have the application of chopping methods.
Shaking Method The stick method of shaking is the method of blocking the crowd, protecting oneself, and breaking through the encirclement. The 12nd posture “Wild Horse Splitting Mane” is the shaking method. The “Wild Horse Splitting Mane” of Tai Chi Stick is similar to the “Wild Horse Splitting Mane” of Tai Chi Boxing. This stick swings left and right, flies up and down, like a dragon emerging from the water, turning the river and the sea upside down; like the undulating waves, each move is connected; advance in a proper way, retreat in a proper way, clean and neat, fast but not chaotic. The first and fourth moves “White Python Turning Over” and the third and fifth moves “Turning and Raising the Flag” are stick techniques that are mainly based on shaking.
Lifting method The method of using the stick end to strike from bottom to top with a swinging force is called the lifting method. For example, in the second and sixth moves “Pointing to the Crotch Lifting the Cock”, I hit the opponent’s head with the covering method. If the opponent uses a weapon (such as a gun) to protect his head horizontally, I will take advantage of the gap in the opponent’s lower body and immediately use the other end of the stick to lift his crotch. This method of covering and lifting from above is a deadly stick method. It should not be used lightly in daily practice, and both sides should not be negligent. The first and third moves “Purple Swallow Looking at the Moon” are also lifting methods. The first and first moves “White Crane Dance” also use the lifting method.
Stroke The Stroke of Tai Chi Stick is similar to the Stroke in Tai Chi Boxing’s Eight Hands. After receiving the opponent’s strength, the opponent is led to the side of the body to make it lose its center of gravity, creating a situation where I follow the opponent’s back, which is convenient for me to attack. The Stroke of Tai Chi Stick is just to use the stick to receive the opponent’s weapon and lead it to the side of the body. For example, in the Stroke of the Stick in the first five postures “Five Elements Stick”, the opponent stabbed my face with a spear. I immediately stepped back to the right and stretched my right hand to the middle of the stick and above the tip of my right shoulder. This is the Stroke method. After gaining the advantage, I can use the Brushing method to counterattack the opponent.
Sticking The Sticking method, as the name suggests, is to stick to the opponent’s weapon with your own stick, and follow the principle of sticking and following the opponent’s movement, so that the opponent cannot escape and defeat the enemy. When using this method, you must be united with your whole body, with one breath, and follow the upper and lower parts. Only then can you use it with ease. The sticking method is used in the 17th posture “Lion Shaking His Head” and the 2nd posture “Golden Boy Shaking Circles”.
Pointing method: Use the end of the stick to suddenly hit the opponent’s vital parts, such as the throat, temple, etc. In this method, the end of the stick is suddenly hit at the opponent and then withdrawn. For example, in the 16th posture “Two-handed Shuttle”, if the opponent stabs my right shoulder tip with a spear, I quickly withdraw my right foot to sit, respond with the oblique stick method, and then click the end of the stick (back handle) held in my right hand forward, rotate the left and right to grind the end of the stick horizontally, and click the opponent’s throat or brain forward. Its posture is like a shuttle, with skillful movements, delicate strength, and rapid changes. For example, the 18th posture “White Ape Picking Fruit”, the 29th posture “Crossing Points and Chopping Obliquely”, and the 32nd posture “Taigong Fishing” all have the application of the point method.
Entanglement method: Entanglement means entangling. Use the end of my stick to entangling the opponent’s equipment so that it cannot escape, and then attack. The entanglement method is often used together with the sticking method. Only when the entanglement and sticking are combined can the magic of following be seen. For example, in the third posture “Fish Jumping Over the Dragon Gate”, the opponent stabs my neck with a spear, and I hang out with a stick. Before the opponent can draw the spear, I immediately wrap the stick around his spear, and then jump to the left and right, and chop the stick towards the opponent. For example, the fifth posture “Five-flowered Stick” and the first and seventh postures “Lion Shaking His Head” both have the application of the entanglement method.
Collapse method The method of using the front holding of the stick as a fulcrum, and pressing the back end of the stick with the back hand to make the front end of the stick suddenly bounce up to hit the enemy is the collapse method. For example, in the second and eighth postures “Spirit Cat Catching Mouse”, the opponent stabs me with a spear, and I use the stick to suddenly bounce the opponent’s hand holding the spear from bottom to top. He must withdraw his hand, and I will take advantage of the situation to enter and hit the opponent’s lower limbs or feet with the stick. Cats are animals that can best judge the situation and wait for the opportunity, accumulating and then launching. The subtlety lies in using the spirit to control the movement with stillness. For example, the collapse method should be included in the 15th posture “Five Elements Stick” and the 18th posture “White Ape Picking Fruit”.
Copying method The method of pushing the back end of the stick forward (or diagonally forward) is the copying method. For example, in the second posture “copying point and diagonally chopping”, I use the end of the stick held in my left hand to hit the opponent’s feet. If the opponent raises his legs and jumps, I will use the end of the stick held in my right hand (i.e. the back handle) to copy the opponent’s leg horizontally.
Supporting method The support method and the frame method are often carried out in parallel. Supporting and frame, frame and support, is a method of holding the stick with both hands to block the opponent’s weapons outward (or upward). For example, in the 24th posture “Mountain Climbing”, the opponent stabbed my leg with a spear, and I used the method of inside welcoming and outside swinging to block it outward. My right leg stepped back with the swing of the stick, raised my left knee, and supported the frame to block the opponent’s spear.
Frame method See “supporting method”.
Hanging method The method of holding the stick in one hand and holding it in reverse with the other hand, and pulling the front end of the stick back violently with the reverse grip hand is called hanging method. For example, in the third posture “The Bird Flying into the Forest”, I use the right stick end to slash the opponent forward diagonally. The opponent quickly withdraws his body and draws his gun to stab my neck. I immediately retract my right foot, move the center of gravity to the left leg to sit, pull the waist to the right, and hang the diagonal stick end to the upper right. For example, the first posture “Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg” and the first five postures “Five Elements Stick” both have the application of hanging method.
Carrying method The method of stepping forward and raising the knee, and using the stick to support the ground to block is called carrying method, also known as stick support method. For example, in the third posture “The Sea-fixing Needle”, if the opponent hits my leg with a weapon (such as a stick or a gun), I quickly withdraw my right leg, step forward with my left leg and raise the knee, and use the stick to support the ground to block. To use this method, you must be as focused as a cat catching a mouse and as agile as a monkey.
23.24. Sealing and Closing Methods All stick methods that use the blade to dodge and chop, and prevent the opponent from getting close to you, are called sealing and closing stick methods. For example, the third position “Dinghai Shenzhen” is a type of closing stick method.