Monday Night T'ai Chi Ch'uan

Curriculum for the Study of T'ai Chi Beijing⁽¹⁾ Short Form

Every student starts at the beginner level. Advancement from Beginner to Intermediate, and again from Intermediate to Advanced will be based on consensus between the student and the teacher. To qualify for advancement, the bulleted items at the head of each section must be satisfied.

Be aware that advancement depends on a student's speed of learning and absorption of the subject matter. One eight-week session may be enough for each level, or multiple sessions may be needed. Each student moves at his or her own speed.

1. Beginner:

- Know first eight movements of TCC 24, alone and together.

- Able to recite names of first eight movements.

- Understand Abdominal Breathing.

- Understand Tan Tien, Bai Hui, Mingmen and Laogong on body.

- Follow Hands During Movements with Eyes

a. Commencement.

(TCC & Q, pp. 92-93)

i. Wu-chi, the time before the beginning.

ii. Feet shoulder width, 50-50 weight distribution.

iii. Relax.

iv. Palms begin facing thighs, then face earth when at

shoulder height, then hold ball (left on bottom,

right on top of ball).

b. Part the Wild Horses Mane.

(TCC & Q, pp. 94-95)

i. Step slightly left (3"-6") while stepping forward.

ii. Synchronize waist turn left with raising left hand.

iii. Left hand, nose height; right hand relaxed, but

pointing toward left hand, head erect.

iv. 70%-30% Bow stance.

v. Repeat on right side. Repeat on left side.

c. White Crane Spreads It's Wings.

(TCC & Q, pp. 96-97)

i. Half step forward (right foot), turn waist left.

ii. Raise right hand up, Right palm flashes up toward

the sky.

iii. Lower left hand down, left fingers point North.

iv. Right foot, 99% of weight; Left toe, 1%.

d. Twist Step, Brush Knee.

(TCC & Q, pp. 98-99)

i. Four part movement from White Crane.

(1) Turn left 30 degrees, right palm drops in front

of face, palm facing the face.

(2) Turn right 75 degrees, right palm drops to

relaxed position by right hip, left slaps

across, left to right, to center position.

(3) Right hand circles up to right ear, palm down

and tilted forward; left hand circles down

and forward, palm down and palm edge out.

(4) Step left and forward, turn hips and swing arms

across left and forward.

ii. Left hand brushes left knee, right hand thrusts

forward (without straightening arm).

iii. Eyes follow right hand.

iv. 70%-30% Bow stance.

v. Repeat on right side. Repeat on left side.

e. Play Chinese Guitar.

(TCC & Q, pp. 100-101)

i. Half step forward, right foot & lean forward,

extending right hand.

ii. Sit back on right leg, stretch left arm forward,

right arm forms buddha hand inside left elbow.

iii. 80%-20% Rear stance.

iv. Focus eyes on back of left hand.

f. Repulse Monkey.

(TCC & Q, pp. 102-103)

i. Four part movement:

(1) Turn Waist slightly Right, Drop right hand down

to rest beside, but inches away from, the right

hip. Left hand still forward (12:00). Weight

supported on right leg, 85%.

(2) Raise right hand back to a 4 o'clock placement,

palm facing the sky. Turn left palm up, and

raise the left heel slightly. Look briefly

back at right hand, then forward to left.

(3) Synchronize movement of right hand to the right

side of your head, elevated between ear and

shoulder, and movement of the left foot to a

toe touch behind you. All weight supported by

right foot. Left hand still forward.

(4) Slowly sit back on left leg, shifting weight

slowly while pushing forward with right palm.

Follow right hand forward with eyes.

ii. Repeat on left, right, left sides. Use 8 o'clock

placement on left, in place of 4 o'clock on right.

iii. Remember to synchronize push forward and step back

with opposite hand and foot.

g. Grasp Sparrow's Tail (L & R)

(TCC & Q, pp. 104-109)

i. On the Left-hand side:

(1) Ward Off left

(a) 70% forward, 30% back.

(b) Bow stance.

(c) Eyes on right hand.

(2) Pull Back

(a) Turn waist, drop elbows.

(b) Focus on space between arms.

(3) Press

(a) Turn waist left.

(b) Touch palm to inside of forearm.

(c) Shift forward to 70%/30% posture.

(4) Push

(a) Extricate (right hand moves out under

left arm until hands separate).

(b) Sit back, drawing ball into Tan Tien.

(c) Push from Mingmen, do not extend arms.

ii. Turn left and hold ball

iii. On the Right-hand side (mirror of left side):

(1) Ward Off right

(2) Pull Back

(3) Press

(4) Push

h. Single Whip

(TCC & Q, pp. 110-111)

i. From Push:

(1) Sit back, arms outstretched.

(2) Turn left on left leg.

(3) Pull ball into Tan Tien.

(4) Push both hands up diagonally left, then hook

right hand (five fingers) and point left at

hooked right hand.

ii. Turn waist left, stepping out with left leg as you

turn. Step forward and left. Move left arm around

with waist turn.

iii. Shift forward to 70% forward, 30% back posture.

Left palm pushes forward, right hook stays at

shoulder height. Eyes follow left hand

forward, remain on hand.

2. Intermediate:

- Know first sixteen movements of TCC 24, alone and together.

- Able to recite names of first sixteen movements.

- Know the Four primary movements of T'ai Chi: Ward Off, Pull

Back, Press and Push.

- Understand concept of Yin and Yang.

- Follow movements with eyes.

- Perform first eight movements on opposite side.

a. Wave Arms Like Clouds.

(TCC & Q, pp. 112-113)

i. Shift weight back and right from single whip, Ward

Off right. Don't pick up left foot. Keep knees

flexed.

ii. Raise left hand, palm facing in, lower right, palm

facing left. Turn waist left, allowing hands to

move with the waist turn. Ward Off left. Step left

with right foot.

iii. Raise right hand, palm facing in, lower left, palm

facing right. Turn waist right, allowing hands to

move with the waist turn. Ward Off right again.

iv. Step, Turn, Ward Off left.

v. Step, Turn, Ward Off right.

b. Single Whip (See 1-h above: Start with last Ward Off of

of "Wave Arms").

(TCC & Q, pp. 114-115)

c. High Pat on Horse.

(TCC & Q, pp. 116-117)

i. Shift weight forward, half-step forward with

right foot.

ii. Relax right hand, move right hand forward, past

right ear, over and forward of left hand.

iii. Left palm turns up and draws back with elbow

down.

iv. 95% weight on right (flexed), 5% on left.

d. Separate the Foot (R)

(TCC & Q, pp. 118-119)

i. Turn waist right, placing left hand, palm-up,

inside bend of right arm.

ii. Step forward left, turn forward, crouch and scoop,

bring hands up with wrists crossed and bring knee

up to waist height.

iii. Raise lower leg in toe kick (front kick), at same

as you extend both arms.

iv. Lower lower leg and recross wrists.

e. Club Ears (Wind Blows by Ears).

(TCC & Q, pp. 120-121)

i. Lower knee, and drop crossed hands. Uncross hands

as you slap the backs of your hands across the top

of the right thigh.

ii. Step forward with right leg, circle both arms out

and up, with fingers folding into fists.

f. Separate the Foot (L).

(TCC & Q, pp. 122-123)

i. Sit back on left foot with fists still raised.

ii. Turn body left 180 degrees.

iii. Sit back on right foot with fists still raised.

iv. Circle arms out to sides, down, and then up to

crossed hands, raising knee at same time as hands.

v. Kick slowly with left toe, extending arms at same

time (left hand matching direction of left foot).

g. Snake Creeps Down (L).

(TCC & Q, pp. 124-125)

i. Lower foot from kick, push hands to upper right to

begin Single Whip

ii. Hook right fingers. Instead of performing Single

Whip, step left furthest with left foot.

iii. Use left hand to mimic a snakes head moving down the trunk of a tree, and out along the root (your left

leg).

iv. Push forward into long Single Whip, with left hand

stretched forward (palm out) and right hand hooked

behind.

h. Golden Cock Stands on Leg (L)

(TCC & Q, pp. 124-125)

i.

3. Advanced

- Know all twenty-four movements of TCC 24, alone and

together.

- Able to recite names of all twenty-four movements.

- Know the Eight primary movements of T'ai Chi: First four,

plus pluck, split, elbow-stroke and shoulder-stroke.

- Know the five directions: forward, back, look right, look

left, and central equilibrium.

- Be acquainted with the eight tri-grams, and their placement

around the ba-gua.

- Follow hand movements with eyes.

- Add breathing to movements.

- Perform TCC 24 on opposite side.

a. Snake Creeps Down (R)

(TCC & Q, pp. 124-125)

i. Lower foot from kick, push hands to upper right to

begin Single Whip

ii. Hook right fingers. Instead of performing Single

Whip, step left furthest with left foot.

iii. Use left hand to mimic a snakes head moving down the trunk of a tree, and out along the root (your left

leg).

iv. Push forward into long Single Whip, with left hand

stretched forward (palm out) and right hand hooked

behind.

b. Golden Cock Stands on Leg (L)

(TCC & Q, pp. 124-125)

i. .......

c. Golden Cock Stands on Leg (R)

d. Fair Maiden Works with Shuttles (R & L)

e. Push Needle to Sea Bottom

f. Fan Through Back

g. Deflect Downward, Parry & Punch

h. Apparent Closure

i. Cross Hands

1. A 24 movement form created in 1956 by the National Sports Committee of the Peoples' Republic of China. This form is based on the Yang style. Tai Chi Ch'uan & Qigong, Wolfgang Metzger, Peifang Zhou, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., New York, 1996; ISBN: 0-8069-5957-6; p. 144.