Previous: 99 Taijiquan Poster

Next: Posture 2. Begin Taiji

Chapter 6, Section 3: Taijiquan Illustrated

Posture 1. Preparation Posture [Hun Yuan Post ]

This [posture] is used as the form preparation [yù bèi zīshì]. Stand facing south and relax the entire body, using even and calm breathing, [as in Figure 300]. From this "attention posture", advance the left foot forward by a half step. Follow up by stepping the right foot up until it is parallel with the left foot and separated [from the left foot] by a shoulder's width, ending in a "natural stance".

Keep both feet grounded [i.e., rooted] on the floor, and keep the center of gravity in the middle, between the two feet. Relax both legs, maintaining flexibility [i.e., elasticity not stiffness], with both hip joints [[kuà] parallel and upright [i.e., the hip joints are in a neutral position with the thighs parallel]. Buckle the knees and round between the thighs, with the center of the tailbone upright. Sink the waist energy [jìng] downward to stabilize the lower body. Empty the spirit out through the top of the head. Look forward with the eye gaze level, pressing the tip of the tongue to the upper palate. Breath naturally through the nose. Empty the chest [i.e., neither puffed up nor collapsed inward] and tighten the back, ending with the spinal column in a natural shape. Sink the Qi to the dan-tian and allow both arms to hang down naturally, with both elbows slightly bent. Unfold both hands naturally to end in separated palms, with the tiger's mouth attached to the outside of the thigh at a hair's width away, hardly exerting any pressure at all. The entire stance is calm, while at the same time an upright posture is maintained, as in Figure 1.

[Note: See the Damo Mitchell's article on "Hun Yan".]

Previous: Taijiquan Poster

Next: Posture 2. Begin Taiji