Taijiquan and Taiji-Qigong Level I (White Sash)

Requirements and Fundamental Principles of Instruction

Taijiquan and Qigong Principles: 

The student will learn to understand and implement the first two of Yang Cheng Fu’s Ten Essentials of Taijiquan.    

1. The head is gently lifted to straighten the posture and the gaze is level.[1]
2. Hold in (sink) the chest and pull up (round) the back. 

Fundamentals of Taijiquan Postures and Movement:  First Stripe

   Five Basic Stances and Rooting

1. Wuji (no extremities)
2. Front or Bow Stance (Gung Bu)
3. Back Stance (Si Lui Bu)
4. Empty or Cat Stance (Xu Bu)
5. Golden Rooster Stance.

Implementation:  Rooting – push vs. peng, Single Sensing Hands pattern #1, standing meditation.

   Four Basic Hand Forms

1. Curved Open Hand
2. Sunken or Settled Wrist
3. Upright Fist
4. Crane’s Beak

   Know Three of the Eight Basic Taijiquan Patterns

1. Peng (Ward Off) 
2. Lu (Roll Back)
3. An (Seal Down and Push)

 Implementation:   Peng and Lu vs. Punch and Grab, Peng vs. Squeeze in elbow seal, Peng vs. Bear Hug, Single Sensing Hands pattern #1.

   Taijiquan Walking: 

1. First Step
2. Forward Walk
3. Ninety degree turns, right and left
4. One hundred eighty degree turns, right and left
5. Continuous steps

Taijiquan Bare-Hand Sequence Section I – part 1 (Second Stripe)

1. Opening
2. Ward Off Left
3. Ward Off Right
4. Roll Back
5. Press
6. Push
7. Single Whip

Taijiquan Bare-Hand Sequence Section I – part 2 (Third Stripe)

8. Lift Hands
9. White Crane Spreads Wings
10. Block Brush Knee
11. Play Guitar
12. Block Brush Knee Series
13. Play Guitar
14. Deflect Downward, Parry, Step and Punch
15. Apparent Close-Up
16. Cross Hands
17. Complete Section I

 Qigong and Internal Taijiquan Concepts and Exercises (Fourth Stripe)

1. What is Qi
2. What is Yin and Yang:  Implementation -- Single Sensing Hands pattern #1
3. Real Lower Dan Tian
4. Back to Childhood Breathing
5. Embrace the Moon on the Chest

 Formal Testing for White Sash (Optional):  Students who wish to challenge themselves or wish to pursue the formal programs of study in Taijiquan or Taiji-Qigong, which lead to certification as a Black Sash or instructor will undergo a formal test of their ability to explain and execute the information and exercises described above.  In addition, these students will be required to perform the first section of the long sequence and to call out the commands for the movements as they perform them.  There is a forty-dollar fee for testing and certification.  Students will be eligible to test when they have earned all four stripes and have permission of the head instructor.

The stripe system in an informal means of tracking and verifying student progress.  There is no fee for stripe checks and awards. 

Requirements and Fundamental Principles of Instruction

Taijiquan Principles:  The student will learn to understand and implement three more of Yang Cheng Fu’s Ten Essentials of Taijiquan.    

3. Relax the waist.  Use the waist as the axis of movement. 
4. Separate full and empty.
5. Sink the shoulders, drop the elbows, settle the wrists, and let the fingers extend naturally.

 Fundamentals of Taijiquan Postures and Movement:  First Stripe

   Stance and Rooting Training

1. Wuji (no extremities) 5 minutes
2. Embrace the Moon on the Chest 3 minutes per side without break
3. Golden Rooster Stance (1 minute each leg)
4. Yongquan Breathing (rooting mode)
5. Taijiquan  Kicks posture  Implementation – stick and kick exercises

    Know Five of the Eight Basic Taijiquan Patterns

1. Peng (Ward Off)
2. Lu (Roll Back)
3. Ji (Press or Squeeze) 
4. An   (Seal Down or Push) Implementation -- Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail applications.
5. Lieh (Split)* Implementation -- Play Guitar application.

Warm-ups

1. Be able to perform the All-Season Qigong for Spine and Chest with commands.

Taijiquan Applications:  Second Stripe

1. Explain and slowly execute the basic application of the each of the following Taijiquan movements:  Opening, Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail, White Crane, Lift Hands, Play Guitar, and Block Brush Knee movements. 
2. Be able to explain and execute techniques 1-4 of single pushing hands.
3. Be able to explain and execute the Yin-Yang Silk Reeling solo exercise.

Be able to explain and execute five basic techniques of Taijiquan short weapons:

1. Jie (intercept incoming thrust, moving it to either side or upward.  Can also be used as an attack to the weapon hand, but you must also step aside.).
2. Jie, Fen, Zhan (follow Jie with separate and horizontal slice or chop).
3. Zou Pan Tuo Dao, Fen, Duo (Left around the head, separate, chop vertically down).
4. You Pan Tuo Dao, Kan (Right around the head, slice or chop slantingly down at 45 degree angle.
5. Mo, Zhan (Smear horizontal circular block followed by a horizontal slice or chop).

Taijiquan-Based Self Defense (Third Stripe)

1. Achieve the reaction, “when my opponent moves forward, I move backward.”
2. Be able to use Yin-Yang symbol large circle to escape from a wrist grab.
3. Be able to use Yin-Yang symbol large circle to block a slow speed punch or grab.
4. Be able to use Apparent Close-Up to escape from an elbow or forearm grab.
5. Be able to use the Child Worships the Buddha Qin Na technique to counter a grab of shirt or blouse.

 Taijiquan Sequence Section II – part 1:  Fourth Stripe

1. Carry Tiger to the Mountain
2. Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail
3. Transition to Fist Under Elbow
4. Fist Under Elbow
5. Step Back and Repel the Monkey
6. Diagonal Flying
7. Lift Hands
8. White Crane Spreads Wings
9. Block Brush Knee
10. Look for Needle at Sea Bottom
11. Fan Through the Back
12. Turn and Chop Opponent
13. Deflect Downward, Parry, Step and Punch
14. Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail
15. Wave Hands Like Clouds

 Know the following Qigong and Taijiquan Concepts

1. Qin Na
2. Four Gates Breathing
3. Zhan Zhang
4. Reverse Abdominal Breathing
5. Open Door

Requirements and Fundamental Principles of Instruction

Taijiquan Principles:

The student will learn to understand and implement all ten of Yang Chengfu’s Ten Essentials of Taijiquan. 

Fundamentals of Taijiquan Postures and Movement:  First Stripe

   Stance and Rooting Training

1. Wuji (no extremities) 10 minutes*
2. Embrace the Moon on the Chest* 5 minutes per side without break
3. Golden Rooster Stance (1 ½ minutes each leg)
4. Four Gates Breathing

   Know All Eight of the Eight Basic Taijiquan Patterns

Taijiquan Applications:  Second Stripe

Be able to explain and slowly execute the basic application of the each movement of Section I and Section II part 1of the Taijiquan sequence. 

Be able to explain and execute techniques 1-4 of double pushing hands.

Be able to explain and execute the Yin-Yang Silk Reeling exercise with a partner, stationary.

Achieve greater speed and facility in executing the five basic techniques of Taijiquan short weapons from Level II. 

Be able to explain and execute five more basic techniques of Taijiquan short weapons.  TBD.

1. Shuai (Slicing all the way across the body in a full downward arc, practice singly, then in continuous figure eight.)
2. Liao (Slicing upward across the body, like a reverse figure eight Shuai).
3. Yun, Zhan (Cloud block circling upward, horizontal slice or chop, free hand can support wrist or blade during Zhan).
4. Jie, Tuo (Block to side, then circle and slice upward attacking the wrist).
5. Jie, Tui (Block to side, then push forward with hand on back of blade or shaft)

Achieve speed and facility in executing the block-brush knee drill and the white crane spreads wings vs. push drill; the application of Block Brush Knee in the “Feudal Lord Pushes the Caldron” Qin Na technique; and the application of Deflect Downward and Wave Hands in the “Large Elbow Wrap” Qin Na technique.

Taijiquan-Based Self Defense (Third Stripe)

Achieve the reaction, increase the distance, intercept, and redirect, when opponent punches or grabs with moderate speed high or low, left or right.  Be able to follow up with “Small Elbow Wrap” and “Large Roll Back” Qin Na techniques.

Be able to execute slowly the “Small Elbow Wrap” Qin Na technique against an elbow or forearm (ward off) to the chest.

Be able to execute slowly the “Wild Chicken Breaks Its Wing” Qin Na technique against a same side grab of your shoulder.

Be able to execute the “Forgive Me for Not Going With You” technique against a forearm grab.

Achieve increased speed and facility with the Self Defense techniques from Level II.

Taijiquan Sequence Section II – part 2; Section III – part 1:  Fourth Stripe

            Section II – part 2

1. High Pat on Horse
2. Left Separation Kick
3. Right Separation Kick
4. Turn and Kick Opponent
5. Block Brush Knee Right
6. Block Brush Knee Left
7. Step Up and Punch Downward
8. Turn and Chop Opponent
9. Deflect Downward, Parry, Step and Punch
10. Kick with Right Foot
11. Strike Tiger Left
12. Strike Tiger Right
13. Turn and Kick with Right Foot
14. Box Opponent’s Ears
15. Kick with Left Foot 
16. Turn and Kick with Right Foot
17. Parry, Step and Punch
18. Apparent Close-Up
19. Cross Hands

         Section III – part 1

1. Carry Tiger to the Mountain
2. Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail
3. Diagonal Single Whip
4. Part the Wild Horse’s Mane
5. Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail
6. Fair Lady Works the Shuttle
7. Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail
8. Wave Hands Like Clouds.

Know the following Internal Taijiquan and Qigong Concepts

1. Grand Circulation
2. Five Gates Breathing
3. Fa Jin
4. Skin and Marrow Breathing