Yang Style Taijiquan (13 Powers)

Translated and interpreted by Sam Masich ()

I. Taijiquan Thirteen Powers III. Yang Chengfus 13 Important Points3

1. Sink the shoulders and drop the elbows
Eight Gates Energies 2. Contain the chest and raise the back
3. Sink qi to dantian.4
1. Ward-off 1 png 4. Empty the neck to lead energy to the head-top.5
2. Roll-back2 l 5. Loosen the yao and kua.
6. Distinguish empty and full
3. Press j
7. Coordinate upper and lower body
4. Push n 8. Use yi not li
5. Pluck ci 9. Harmonize nei and wai
10. Unify yi and qi
6. Rend li 11. Seek stillness in movement
7. Elbow zhu 12. Unify movement and stillness
13. Evenly unite postures
8. Lean ko
Five-phases of Stance
9. Advance-step jn b
10. Retreat-step tu b
11. Left-side Gaze zu g
12. Right-side Look yu pn
13. Central Settle zhng dng
II. 13 Families of the 37 Essential Forms

1. Peng Family png ji

2. L Family l ji
3. An Family n ji
4. Single Whip Family dn bin ji
5. Lift Hands Family t shu ji
6. White Crane Family bi h ji
7. Advance-step Hit Family jn b chu ji
8. Cross Hands Family shz shu ji
9. Kick Family jio ji
10. Turn Body Family zhun shn ji
11. Hit Tiger Family d h ji
12. White Snake Family bi sh ji
13. Seven Star Family q xng ji
1 The commonly used translation,Ward-off is a somewhat inadequate interpretation of the Chinese word png (). This
spelling shape for peng was created specifically for taijiquan and is not typically found in Chinese dictionaries. When, on
rare occasions it is found, it is usually displayed without definition. The Shuwn Jiz (), the Han Dynasty
Chinese dictionary (the first to deal with the etymology of characters) defines this character as the cover of an arrow
quiver where it is pronounced bng. The character bears similarity to another png () which means canopy,shack or
shed, and the two are pronounced identically. Both variations imply warding-off as a protection against threatening
elements. Peng as used in taijiquan also relates to other words pronounced the same way or similarly, with meanings
such as expand and swell (png ) and tent or sail (png ). The notion of peng as a rounded, arcing hand shape is
related to the words early origins in naming a fabulous, mythical bird the png () sometimes translated as roc (the
Persian mythology equivalent). This connotes winglike, embracing or carrying with both arms (png ). Peng is also an
onomatopoeic word (the meaning of the word being like its sound). The words bump, bang or bonk are examples of
onomatopoeia in English and in fact, in Chinese words bump (png ) and bang (png ) correlate, as does the word
for the sound of the heart beating (png ). Other cognates include: bng () the sound of thumping and banging; and,
most descriptively, png ( also pronounced bng, bng or png) describing a bow stretched to the full. Peng in
Taijiquan equates all of these linguistic influences and provides a good example of how taijiquan terminology employs
word play to convey what is otherwise ineffable. These subtleties are often impossible to convey in English in a single
word. Each of these ways of looking at the word enhance the notion of some sort of structure that naturally billows
outward from its place of rest. Although warding off is one possible effect of peng, this is somewhat like translating the
word wind as blow or buffet. The translation ward-off has been in service for about fifty years. The difficulty in finding
anything better may ensure that the common translation remains.

2 L () is a taiji term used exclusively in taijiquan and not found in any Chinese dictionaries. It is comprised of the
radical handand the character l (one of the 64 hexagrams of the Yijing ), translated as treading or following,
implying cautious procedure. Found within treading is f (), the hexagram known as Return with the additional
meanings turn-over, recover and avenge. Another l () with very similar pronunciation means to stroke (as one
would a beard) also to draw or smooth out with the fingers. Notice the great similarities between this characterand
another taijiquan character, ci () pluck or pull-down, the first of the four-corner energies which derives from l.
Because) is not to be found in electronic Chinese dictionaries and since the days of manual typesetting are for the most
part over, often substitutes for the original character in modern taijiquan publications [() is a picture of a claw ()
above the character inch ()]. Another loosely homonymic and possibly relevant word is l (), meaning roll. L can
be thought of as: the hand which cautiously draws back; or, return by stroking or, rolling back. Note: In pinyin
romanization the umlauted in l changes the usual oo sound of u (chew) to a quick ooie sound something like the
French word oui.

3These thirteen points appear in the introduction to Yang Chengfus () 1934 book The Essence and Applications of
Taijiquan.
4 q chn dntin ()
5 x lng dng jn () emptiness led to the top energy.