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7-step Taijiquan (Tai Chi) Learning Roadmap
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- Category: Taiji (Tai Chi) Training Roadmaps
- Last Updated on Sunday, 16 December 2012 16:24
- Written by Jasmine Bu
7-step learning roadmap for Tai Chi
by Grandmaster Zhu Tian Cai
Here's the grand photo we took off the walls of Grandmaster Zhu Tian Cai's Tai Chi Gallery. It is a graduated process of a student's training curve in Tai Chi, broken up into 7 stages. I would say the first 3 steps are quite intuitive and applies to everyone. From the fourth onwards, it tends to go into freestyle depending on personal motivation, your effort, and the quality of your instructor. This is our teacher's personal training roadmap which differs from that of the other Grandmasters. However, they all concur as far as training progress is described, although the sequential order of the steps may be different.
Together, these seven steps are collectively known as 盘架子(pan jia zi). This cover term itself is subject to many interpretations. I will try and exemplify what this means in your training journey. This is what we have gathered from our discussions with our teachers, from compatriots and from our readings. Essentially, 盘 架 子 means understanding and practising every move to its required perfection. This term also has a bearing on instructors. It is generally frowned upon for a student to hastily learn a routine and deem that as a completed task. Afterwards, the student will then practise on their own without supervision at their own leisure. The quick and dirty method here is to learn a new routine, practise on their own and then get it corrected along the way when they have the opportunity. This is not considered an ideal teaching strategy. Many good teachers are of the view that if a movement (routine) has not been mastered well enough, the next shouldn't be taught. This way of learning is known as 練把式 (lian ba cheng) in martial arts.
That is the traditional view. In our present age, with our hectic lifestyle and the pressures of life, that way of teaching is fading into history.
Let's move on to the training roadmap.
| 1. |
Learning the form (external) |
Beginning stage where every move, every turn, every stance must be followed as closely as you can, just like when you first started writing. At this point, the student need only familiarise themselves with the general direction of arms, footwork and where you should be looking. |
| 2. |
Smoothening the form (external) |
After learning how each movement is done in general, a student must now connect each movement into the next movement so that the routine looks like a smooth flow. This is where the student needs to grasp the meaning of “一气呵成 (yi qi he cheng)” in the instructions and attempt to execute this in their routine. This means that an entire routine must be practised as if it were done using a single, continuous breath. Each movement shouldn't be a separate entity but should merge into the next seamlessly. |
| 3. |
Correcting the form (external) |
The proper requirements for the precise execution of a movement must be understood. This where a student's form gets further refined. The upper body must be properly coordinated with the lower body. How much of the wrist should be turning in relation to your arms, and the curvature of your arms is dictated by your core or dantian. This is usually likened to learning calligraphic strokes for a character in chinese, or likewise, in our handwriting. Only when a student has mastered the strokes, can they express a character in their own particular style. So, when a movement has been mastered, that means, fulfilled all the requirements, the student needs to integrate this perfected movement back into the routine as a continuous whole. |
| 4. |
Adjusting the form (transiting into internal) |
This is the stage where a student begins to break down each movement into its parts and practice each degree of twist and turn. The student must learn how each movement originates from a joint and understand the directional flow of Qi for that movement. The student's focus should now be turned inwards to feel the sensations in the body for each minute turn of a movement, so they can begin to understand the flow of power along the body alignment. |
| 5. |
Establishing the form (internal) |
Once a student is able to understand the lines of connection for each movement and express that in a continuous flow in their routine, we say that their internal form is now linked to the external form. The student's moves are said to be like “行如流水 (xing ru liu shui)”, or like a flowing stream of water, an unbroken flow. And although their power in a move is completed, say, in a punch (劲断, jing duan), their intention keeps their routine connected as a continuous flow (意不断, yi bu duan). At this point, their form has been established (定, ding). |
| 6. |
Drilling down into the details of the form (internal) |
When the student's intentions are clearly driving their external movements naturally, they must learn how the movements can be applied in combat. Previously, as the student has learned how a line of force originates within a movement, now they should learn how each movement can be applied in a variety of techniques. |
| 7. |
Understanding the form (internal) |
Having familiarised themselves with the applications, the students must now understand the historical origins behind each movement and why it is so named. |
Thank you for reading!
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Jasmine
