FOUR SEASONS TAI CHI CHUAN

The first 35 postures of Wu style large frame hand form

This is a reference guide only and in no way replaces instruction of a qualified teacher. --- Jim Williams


 0. Wu Ji of Tai Chi

Stand comfortably with your feet shoulder width apart, toes are pointed straight ahead, weight on the outer edges of the feet, Knees are slightly bent and they tend to push lightly outwards as opposed to collapsing inwards. The pelvis is tucked/rolled slightly forward so the lower spine is straight. This should not be forced but rolled as far forward as the ball joints will allow. The shoulders are loose and relaxed, not raised up. Hands hang loosely at the sides. The chest relaxed and not thrown out. The head is held up as if suspended by a string. Follow Tai Chi principles in the classics.


1. Raise Hands

  From "Wu Ji" raise hands to shoulder height starting with the elbow and not using the shoulder. Do not lock elbows. Arms should be rounded. Both arms then slowly lower to your sides palms facing down as you lean the body to your right. The raising and lowering arms should feel like a wave. At this point all weight will be on the right leg. Visualize a line through the top of your head and the left heal of the foot.

 

2. Play Guitar
 


From "lean the body to your right" release tension in your right hip joint and rotate to the direction of the left front diagonal or corner(45 degrees). Put heal of left foot out without weight and lift left arm up. Palm facing up at shoulder height. Right palm facing down. Press right palm through left palm to right front diagonal and shift weight to left leg in left Bo stance.


3. Grasp the Bird's Tail


From "Play Guitar" turn on left heel clockwise as far as possible. Turn to face right side and sit on left leg. Adjust right leg till comfortable. Right toe up in "seven stars" stance. Turn right hand up to face the sky. Touch left palm to right wrist pulse point. Move right hand from right front corner to right rear corner ending in right leg "Bo" stance. Come back and sit on left leg. Turn right hand over at elbow to point to right front corner. Thrust out while shifting to right leg.

 

4. Single Whip

Square feet shoulder width apart facing front , right palm makes " cranes beak". Left palm crosses body and pushes out to left front corner. Follow left palm with your eyes. Center balance "horse stance".


5. Lean to Left

Lean to left through top of your head. Left palm rises, palm facing up. Right palm lowers facing down. All weight on left leg.


 6. Raise Hand and Step up


 From "Lean to Left" swing right hand up from elbow. Left palm touches right wrist. Then place right foot forward with no weight. Shift forward to right leg in "Bo" stance and press right wrist with left palm. Step up and raise right hand, lower left hand.

 

 

7. White Crane Spreads Its Wings


 
 From "Step Up" Look left and step into "Bo" stance facing left while sweeping left arm up. Return to "Hug the Tree" stance.

 


 
   8. Brush Knee Right Hand and Twist Step


From "Hug the Tree" Look left and step into "Bo" stance facing left. As you step into "Bo" with left foot substantial rotate hips as you push right palm out. Align right index finger with left big toe and knee. Left palm presses down around left knee. Shift back to right leg substantial in "Seven Stars" stance to "Embracing the Moon" posture left side.

 


9. Brush Knee Left Hand and Twist Step


From "Embrace the Moon" posture left side, step into "Bo" stance right foot substantial. As you step into "Bo" rotate hips as you push left palm out. Align left index finger with right big toe and knee. Right palm presses down around left knee. Shift back to left leg substantial in "Seven Stars" stance to "Embracing the Moon" posture right side.

 

 

10. Brush Knee Right Hand and Twist Step

From "Embrace the Moon" posture right side, look left and step into "Bo" stance facing left. As you step into "Bo" with left foot substantial. Rotate hips as you push right palm out. Align right index finger with left big toe and knee. Left palm presses down around left knee.

 

 

11. Hand Strums the Lute

 

From "Brush Knee Right Hand and Twist Step" posture, step up with right leg and shift weight. Step out with the left heel with no weight into "seven stars" posture. Left palm raises facing the sky. Right palm lowers facing the ground.

 

 

12. Throw the Lute

 

 

From "Hand Strums the Lute" posture, turn right palm over face up and move left palm over right face down. Twist upper body to left front corner while turning left palm over. While stepping into left foot "Bo" stance move both palms in a counter clockwise circle and step up with right leg. Step into left "Bo" stance a second time while moving both palms in a counter clockwise half circle then turn palms vertical.

 

 

13. Parry and Punch

 

From left "Bo" stance with palms vertical make a fist with the right hand. Shift back to right leg substantial in "Seven Stars" stance letting the waist rotate clockwise and the right fist lower. The right arm must stay completely relaxed but holding the fist. Eyes follow the right arm looking over the right shoulder. Circle the right fist around the hip to push out into left "Bo" stance.

 

 

14. Apparently Self Close up

 

From left "Bo" stance bring left palm face up under right elbow and wipe right forearm. Open both palms like holding a book at shoulder height and then lower both palms to the sides of the waist while shifting back on right leg in "Seven Stares" stance. Circle the palms out and up to push forward at shoulder height while shifting into left "Bo" stance. Form a triangle with index fingers and thumbs.

 

 

15. Bring Tiger back to the Mountain

 

After the push in "Apparently Self Close up" drop both hand down over the left knee. Rotate the left foot on the heal to face the left front corner. Let the hips rotate with the turning of the foot and open the palms face up. Turn your head and look at the right palm and turn out the right foot to face the right front corner. Shift weight to right leg while lifting palms up to shoulder height, right palm moving to right front corner and left palm to left front corner.

 

 

16. Cross Hands

 

Bring feet together facing the front right corner. Hands circle in and cross at the wrists, palms facing inward, at shoulder height Make fists of both palms. At the wrist lower both hands towards the solar plexus stopping about two inches in front of the solar plexus.

 

 

17. Brush Knee and Twist Step Oblique

 

From "Cross Hands" Look left and step into "Bo" stance facing the left front corner. As you step into "Bo" with left foot substantial, rotate hips as you push right palm out. Align right palm with your solar plexus. Left palm presses down around left knee.

 

 

18. Turn Body, Brush Knee and Twist Step Oblique

 

Next rotate on left substantial foot and rotate hips clockwise to the right. Bring your left hand around to about a foot in front of the solar plexus. The right hand cupping the left forearm. Move the right foot to the right to prepare for a brush knee to the right rear corner and shift into brush knee oblique right foot substantial.

 

 

19. Grasp the Bird's Tail Oblique

 

 

From "brush knee oblique right foot substantial" bring the right hand under the left elbow. Wipe the left forearm until the right palm extends past the left palm finger tips. This forms the "Grasp the Bird's Tail" posture facing the right rear corner. Shift weight back on the left leg in "Seven Stars" stance and turn right foot to the right side. Turn right hand over at elbow to point to right side. Thrust out while shifting to right leg.

 

 

20. Single Whip Oblique

 

 

Square up to face the right front corner in a "horse stance" a with hips facing same. Left palm facing the front and right palm facing the right side.

 

 

21. Fist under Elbow

 

From "Single Whip Oblique" turn the left foot out pointing to the left side. Left palm swings to the left side on a horizontal plane . Weight shifts to left leg substantial. Continuing the right palm opens and swings towards to the left side as left palm rotates to your back. Weight shifts back to right leg in "Seven Stars" stance facing left side. Scoop the left palm, with palm facing up, over the top of the right elbow until it is in front of left shoulder. Right fist slides under left elbow as you shift forward to "Bo" stance with left foot substantial.

 

 

22. - 26. Step back and Repulse Monkey

 

From "Fist under Elbow" shift back to right leg substantial in "Seven Stars" stance to "Embracing the Moon" posture left side. Without shifting weight step back into "Bo" stance putting left heal down first, rotate hips as you push left palm out. Repeat sequence to right side. There are 5 repetitions of "Repulse Monkey" ending on the left side.

 

 

27. Slanted Flying

 

 

From "Repulse Monkey" on the left side turn the right foot toward the front and come up on the ball of the left foot as you turn to the front. Both hands open out facing up. Step out with the left foot dropping the left hand and raising the right hand. Both hands move in vertical counter clockwise motion. Left palm will brush the inside of the right elbow. Lean left and shift to "Lean to Left" posture. Lean to left through top of your head. Left palm rises, palm facing up. Right palm lowers facing down. All weight on left leg. Hands vertical counter clockwise motion ending in "Lean to Left" posture.

 

 

28. Raise Hand and Step Up

 



 From "Lean to Left" swing right hand up from elbow. Left palm touches right wrist. Then place right foot forward with no weight. Shift forward to right leg in "Bo" stance and press right wrist with left palm. Step up and raise right hand, lower left hand.

 

 

29. White Crane Spreads Its Wings


 
 From "Step Up" Look left and step into "Bo" stance facing left while sweeping left arm up. Return to "Hug the Tree" stance.

 


 
30. Brush Knee Right Hand and Twist Step


From "Hug the Tree" Look left and step into "Bo" stance facing left. As you step into "Bo" with left foot substantial rotate hips as you push right palm out. Align right index finger with left big toe and knee. Left palm presses down around left knee.

 

 

31. Needle at the Bottom of the Sea

 

From "Brush Knee Right Hand" Look left and sweep both palms back to left side. Weight shifts back to right leg in "Cat" stance. As weight shifts the left arm comes forward while right palm comes to on guard at heart level. Next the right palm goes forward through the cup of the first finger and thumb of the left hand. Right palm points down and you drop the body downward on the right leg. Step forward with the left leg raising into a " Bo" stance while also raising the right palm to shoulder height.

 

 

32. Fan Through the Back

 

From "Needle at the Bottom of the Sea" swivel on both feet to face the front left corner. Turn right hand facing outward then turn hips to face the right front corner pulling the right hand through left palm. You should now be in a "Horse" stance. Right palm should end up an inch in front of your forehead. Next let the right palm rotate out until both palms are at shoulder height to each side. Make both palms into fists. Let both arms come down slowly so that your fist meet at the bottom of the ark. Left fist circles around the right wrist while transitioning into "Bo" stance right foot substantial facing the right side. Left palm pushes out.

 

 

33. Step back, Parry and Punch

 

From " Fan Through the Back" shift weight back on the left leg in "Seven Stars" stance bringing both arms back towards the solar plexus, left palm over right. Then push palms out to the right front corner crossing the body while the right foot goes back placing the heel down first. Weight stays on the left leg and there should be no weight on the right foot as in all "Bo" stances. Next turn palms vertical and make a fist with the right hand. Lower the right fist to your side while shifting back to the right leg in "Seven Stars" stance. Turn your head and look over your right shoulder. Rotate the fist around the pelvic bone and thrust out crossing the body to the right front corner while shifting to a "Bo" stance left leg substantial.

 

 

34. Step up and Grasp the Bird's Tail

 


From "Step back, Parry and Punch" move the right leg forward to "seven stars" stance left leg substantial. Adjust right leg till comfortable. Turn right hand up to face the sky. Touch left palm to right wrist pulse point. Move right hand from right front corner to right rear corner ending in right leg "Bo" stance. Come back and sit on left leg. Turn right hand over at elbow to point to right front corner. Thrust out while shifting to right leg.

 

35. Single Whip

Square feet shoulder width apart facing front , right palm makes " cranes beak". Left palm crosses body and pushes out to left front corner. Follow left palm with your eyes. Center balance "horse stance".