Tai Chi Short Form

Cheng Man-Ching Style

Cheng Man Ching studied the Yang Style Long Form with Yang Cheng-Fu, of the famous Yang Family Cheng was one of Yang Cheng-Fu's most accomplished students, and was given special permission to shorten the form so that he could teach it more rapidly to the Chinese military during World War II. This shortened 37-posture form eliminated many of the repititions that existed in the long form, while maintaining its essence. Cheng Mang -Ching taught it for the rest of his life, continually modifying it in terms of the general shapes of the postures and ultimately transforming it into a form designed primarily for the cultivation of energy and health, differing from its Former form which was designed primarily for martial purposes. Called the Yang Style Short Form during his lifetime, today the form created by Cheng Mang-Ching is called Cheng Man-Ching Tai Chi Short Form, because although his final version of the form roughly follows the Yang Style Long Form, the essense of it is quite different. In spite of the changes Cheng Man-Ching Tai Chi Short Form does not betray its martial roots. Concealed within the postures are the original martial applications. Combining highly-developed softness, sensitivity, and energy as cultivated by Cheng Man-Ching Tai Chi Short Form with the hidden martial applications is what makes this form particularly powerful.

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One should take at least 7 minutes to perform This form for health benefits, The postures of Cheng Man-Ching Tai Chi Short Form are as follows:

1. Preparation - or- wu chi

2. Commencement of Tai Chi Chuan

Grasp Sparrows Tail is a sequence made up of four Moves

5.Rollback (Lan Ch’iao Wei, Lu) defensive postures: essential for the small to overcome the large

6&7, Press (Lan Ch’iao Wei, Chi) and Push (Lan Ch’iao Wei, An)

Press - an opportunity to transmit power through the wrist of the opposite-side hand

Push - The knee and elbow co-ordinate in this posture.

Postures 3 through 7 are collectively known as "Grasping the Sparrow's Tail", which gives the impression of one playing a tugging game with a bird. Your motions should move forward and backward, like waves lapping at the seashore.

8. Single Whip - An excellent posture for chi circulation

9. Raise Hands or Lifting hands

10. Shoulder Stroke - A great inside fighting technique

11. White Crane Cools Wings

12. Brush Knee, Left

13. Play Guitar -

Repeat Brush Knee, Left

14. Step Up and Block

15. Parry and Punch - e

Postures 14 and 15 are collectively called Chin Pu, Pan Nan Ch'ui. Cheng Mang-Ching distinctly indicated there are two postures here.

16. Apparent Close-up - Also called "Withdraw and Push"

17. Cross Hands

Posture 17 marks the end of the first section of the "Short Half." This is because it contains approximately half of the total postures in the form and lacks some of the repetitions we find in the second half

18. Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain

This is followed by Roll Back, Press, Push; then Single Whip in the direction of the corner (or diagonal).

19. Fist Under Elbow -

20. Step Back and Repulse Monkey, Right - Good for loosening hips and improving digestion (front-back foot placement)

21. Step Back and Repulse Monkey, Left - same as above

Follow these with three more repetitions of Repulse Monkey: Right, Left, and Right.

22. Diagonal Flying

23. Wave Hands Like Clouds, Left - Also good for loosening hips and improving digestion (side-to-side foot placement)a great Qigong Exercise

24. Wave Hands Like Clouds, Right

Follow these with three more repetitions of "Cloud Hands": Left, Right, and Left; then go into Single Whip.

25. Squatting Single Whip, Also known as "Snake Creeps Down An excellent posture for increasing flexibility, power and single-weightedness

26. Golden Cock Stands on One Leg, Right - Also known by "Golden Pheasant", this posture teaches balance

27. Golden Cock Stands on One Leg, Left

28. Separation of the Right Foot - Co-ordinates the hands with kicking

29. Separation of the Left Foot

30. Brush Knee and push,, followed by Needles at Sea Bottom

31. Iron Fan

32.Turn Body and Chop

33. Bring Down And Punch.

34. Kick with Heel

35.Brush Right Knee and Push

36.Brush left knee and punch Downward

37.Ward of Right

38. Fair Lady Weaves (Works) Shuttle I- A textbook example of how defense proceeds offense in Tai Chi

39. Fair Lady Weaves (Works) Shuttle II - A different hand position (opposing hand position).

These postures are followed by Fair Lady Weaves Shuttle III & IV, which are all done towards different corners. Together they are called the "Four Corners". The "Four Corners" are followed by "Grasping the Sparrow's Tail" (Ward Off, Left & Right, Roll Back, Press, and Push), Single Whip, and squatting single whip (Snake Creeps Down)

40. Ward Off Left

41.Squatting Single Whip

42. Step Forwardto the Seven Stars & Step Back to Ride Tiger

43. Turn and Sweep Lotus

44. Bend Bow to Shoot Tiger

45. Punch

46. Withdraw and Push and Crossing Hands,

Completion

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