Song (鬆) - The Release

Among the key principles of Taijiquan (太極拳), none is more central and more frequently misunderstood than Song (鬆).

In most modern translations, Song is rendered as “relaxation.” This is misleading. Simple relaxation (fang song, 放鬆) often leads to collapse (tan, 癱) and weakness (ruo, 弱), where structural integrity is lost. True Song is not limpness. It is the active release (釋放, shi fang) of unnecessary tension while maintaining structural integrity (結構, jie gou), continuity of force (勁路, jin lu), and readiness of response (靈活, ling huo).

The Taijiquan Treatise (太極拳論) states:

 “Sink the shoulders and drop the elbows (沉肩墜肘, chen jian zhui zhou), hollow the chest and lift the back (含胸拔背, han xiong ba bei), loosen the waist and settle the kua (鬆腰沉胯, song yao chen kua).”

Each phrase describes a specific application of Song.

At its essence, Song is active release within dynamic alignment—soft yet firm, yielding yet unbroken.