49-form Yang family tai chi chuan
The different slow motion solo form training sequences of T'ai Chi Ch'uan are the best known manifestation of T'ai Chi for the general public. In English, they are usually called the hand form or just the form; in Mandarin it is usually called ch'üan: 拳 (in Wade-Giles romanization: ch'üan2, in the pinyin system: quán). They are usually performed slowly by beginners and are designed to promote concentration, condition the body and acquaint students with the inventory of motion techniques for more advanced styles of martial arts training (see pushing hands).
Duration
The Short Form, as this sequence of moves is also referred to in the Yang style T'ai Chi Ch'uan, when performed at its prescribed speed, usually takes approximately 12 minutes to complete. It was designed as a demonstration or competition form. It exhibits all the moves of the Long form, but with fewer repetition of postures and in an abbreviated sequence.
Yang style 49-Form list of Postures
The 49 postures of the Yang family style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan are listed as follows:
1. 预 备 Preparation Form
2. 起 式 Beginning
3. 拦 雀 尾 Grasp the Bird's tail
4. 单 鞭 Single Whip
5. 云 手 Cloud Hands (1, 2, 3)
6. 单 鞭 Single Whip
7. 高 探 马 High Pat on Horse
8. 右 分 脚 Right Separation Kick
9. 左 分 脚 Left Separation Kick
10. 转 身 左 蹬 脚 Turn Body and Left Heel Kick
11. 左搂膝拗步 Left Brush Knee and Push
12. 手 挥 琵 琶 Hand Strums the Lute
13. 高 探 马 穿 掌 High Pat on Horse with Palm Thrust
14. 十 字 腿 Cross Kick
15. 左 打 虎 式 Left Strike Tiger
16. 右 打 虎 式 Right Strike Tiger
17. 回 身 右 蹬 脚 Turn Body and Right Heel Kick
18. 双 峰 灌 耳 Twin Fists Strike Opponents Ears
19. 左 蹬 脚 Left Heel Kick
20. 转 身 撇 身 锤 Turn Body and Chop with Fist
21. 进 步 指 裆 锤 Step Forward and Punch Groin
22. 如 封 似 闭 Apparent Close Up
23. 十 字 手 Cross Hands
24. 抱 虎 归 山 Embrace the Tiger and Return to Mountain
25. 斜 单 鞭 Diagonal Single Whip
26. 肘 底 捶 Fist Under Elbow
27. 左 金 鸡 独 立 Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg, Left
28. 右 金 鸡 独 立 Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg, Right
29. 左 倒 撵 猴 Step Back and Repulse the Monkey, Left
30. 斜 飞 式 Diagonal Flying
31. 提 手 上 势 Raise Hands and Step Forward
32. 白 鹤 凉 翅 White Crane Spreads its Wings
33. 左 搂 膝 拗 步 Left Brush Knee and Push
34. 海 底 针 Needle at Sea Bottom
35. 扇 通 背 Fan Through the Back
36. 转 身 白 蛇 吐 信 Turn Body and White Snake Spits out Tongue
37. 进 步 栽 锤 Step Forward and Punch Down
38. 右 野 马 分 鬃 Parting Wild Horse's Mane, Right
39. 玉 女 穿 梭 Fair Lady Works at Shuttles
40. 拦 雀 尾 Grasp the Bird's tail
41. 单 鞭 Single Whip
42. 下 势 Snake Creeps Down
43. 上 步 七 星 Step Forward Seven Stars
44. 退 步 跨 虎 Step Back and Ride the Tiger
45. 转 身 摆 莲 Turn Body and Swing Over Lotus
46. 弯 弓 射 虎 Bend the Bow and Shoot the Tiger
47. 进 步 搬 拦 捶 Step Forward, Parry Block and Punch
48. 如 封 似 闭 Apparent Close Up
49. 十 字 手 Cross Hands
收 式 Closing
还原 Return to Normal
See Also
- Hand Forms:
- 103-form Yang family tai chi chuan (Long Form)
- 16-form Yang family tai chi chuan (16-Form)
- 13-form Yang family tai chi chuan (13-Form)
- Two-person Pushing Hands
- Weapons Forms:
- 67-Movement Yang family tai chi chuan Sword Form (Sword Form)
- 13-Posture Poem Yang family tai chi chuan Saber Form (Saber Form)