Taiji Spear (太极枪, Tàijí Qiāng): The Graceful Power of Chen-Style Taijiquan

The Taiji Spear (太极枪, Tàijí Qiāng), also known as the “24 Techniques Spear” (二十四枪, Èrshísì Qiāng) or “Pear Blossom Spear” (梨花枪, Líhuā Qiāng), is a long weapon in Chen-style Taijiquan (陈氏太极拳, Chénshì Tàijíquán). Unlike the flowing movements of Taiji sword or the heavy strikes of the broadsword, the spear combines speed, precision, and agility, making it one of the most dynamic weapons in traditional Chinese martial arts.

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Characteristics of the Taiji Spear

The Taiji Spear integrates Chen-style body mechanics (身法, Shēnfǎ) and footwork (步法, Bùfǎ) with spear techniques, emphasizing:

• Core Techniques (基本枪法, Jīběn Qiāngfǎ):
  • Blocking (拦, Lán)
  • Deflecting (拿, Ná)
  • Thrusting (扎, Zhā)
• Supplementary Movements:
  • Twirling (舞花, Wǔhuā)
  • Dotting (点, Diǎn)
  • Flicking (崩, Bēng)
  • Chopping (劈, Pī)
  • Coiling (缠, Chán)

Practicing the Taiji Spear develops explosive power (爆发力, Bàofālì), coordination, and fluidity, making it both a martial skill and an artistic discipline.

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Complete Taiji Spear Movement List

Number	Chinese Name	English Translation	Hanyu Pinyin	Pronunciation
	起势	Starting Position	Qǐshì	🔊 Listen
1	夜叉探海	Yaksha Explores the Sea	Yèchā Tànhǎi	🔊 Listen
2	全舞花	Full Twirling Flower	Quán Wǔhuā	🔊 Listen
3	中平枪	Middle-Level Thrust	Zhōngpíng Qiāng	🔊 Listen
4	急三枪	Three Rapid Thrusts	Jí Sān Qiāng	🔊 Listen
5	上平枪	High-Level Thrust	Shàngpíng Qiāng	🔊 Listen
6	珍珠倒卷帘	Pearl Rolls Up the Curtain	Zhēnzhū Dàojuǎnlián	🔊 Listen
7	下平枪	Low-Level Thrust	Xiàpíng Qiāng	🔊 Listen
8	颠腿橹一枪	Shake Leg and Row One Thrust	Diāntuǐ Lǔ Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
9	青龙献爪	Green Dragon Offers Claw	Qīnglóng Xiàn Zhuǎ	🔊 Listen
10	上步扎一枪	Step Forward and Thrust	Shàngbù Zhā Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
11	扫地	Sweep the Ground	Sǎodì	🔊 Listen
12	刺边拦枪	Thrust Side Blocking Spear	Cì Biān Lán Qiāng	🔊 Listen
13	往前打两枪	Forward Strike Two Thrusts	Wǎng Qián Dǎ Liǎng Qiāng	🔊 Listen
14	黄龙点杆	Yellow Dragon Dots the Pole	Huánglóng Diǎn Gǎn	🔊 Listen
15	撩扎一枪	Rising Slash and Thrust	Liāo Zhā Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
16	半个舞花	Half Twirling Flower	Bàn Gè Wǔhuā	🔊 Listen
17	摇裙拦枪	Shaking Skirt Blocking Spear	Yáo Qún Lán Qiāng	🔊 Listen
18	回头个舞花	Turn Head Single Twirl	Huítóu Gè Wǔhuā	🔊 Listen
19	手按地蛇枪	Hand Press Ground Snake Spear	Shǒu Àn Dì Shé Qiāng	🔊 Listen
20	挑一枪	Lifting Thrust	Tiāo Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
21	扎一枪	Straight Thrust	Zhā Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
22	掩两枪	Cover Two Thrusts	Yǎn Liǎng Qiāng	🔊 Listen
23	左摇旗一扫朝天枪	Left Wave Flag Sweep Skyward Thrust	Zuǒ Yáoqí Yī Sǎo Cháotiān Qiāng	🔊 Listen
24	右摇旗一扫铁牛耕地	Right Wave Flag Sweep Iron Ox Plows Field	Yòu Yáoqí Yī Sǎo Tiěniú Gēngdì	🔊 Listen
25	回头半舞花	Turn Back Half Twirl	Huítóu Bàn Wǔhuā	🔊 Listen
26	下滴水枪	Dripping Water Thrust	Xià Dīshuǐ Qiāng	🔊 Listen
27	掩两枪	Cover Two Thrusts (Repeat)	Yǎn Liǎng Qiāng	🔊 Listen
28	上骑龙枪	Mount Dragon Spear	Shàng Qílóng Qiāng	🔊 Listen
29	往前进拨草寻蛇	Advance Part Grass Seek Snake	Wǎng Qián Jìn Bōcǎo Xúnshé	🔊 Listen
30	往后退白猿托枪	Retreat White Ape Holds Spear	Wǎng Hòu Tuì Báiyuán Tuō Qiāng	🔊 Listen
31	回头扎乌龙入洞	Turn Head Thrust Black Dragon Enters Cave	Huítóu Zhā Wūlóng Rù Dòng	🔊 Listen
32	颠回腿收琵琶式	Shake Back Leg Collect Pipa Posture	Diān Huí Tuǐ Shōu Pípá Shì	🔊 Listen
33	往前打两枪	Forward Strike Two Thrusts (Repeat)	Wǎng Qián Dǎ Liǎng Qiāng	🔊 Listen
34	摇旗扫地	Wave Flag Sweep Ground	Yáoqí Sǎodì	🔊 Listen
35	泰山压卵	Taishan Mountain Crushes Egg	Tàishān Yā Luǎn	🔊 Listen
36	半个舞花	Half Twirling Flower (Repeat)	Bàn Gè Wǔhuā	🔊 Listen
37	寻猫扑鼠	Cat Seeks and Pounces on Mouse	Xún Māo Pū Shǔ	🔊 Listen
38	左扑一枪	Left Pounce One Thrust	Zuǒ Pū Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
39	右扑一枪	Right Pounce One Thrust	Yòu Pū Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
40	翻身回头扎一枪	Turn Over Head Thrust One Spear	Fānshēn Huítóu Zhā Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
41	挑一跟子	Lift One Follow-Up	Tiāo Yī Gēnzi	🔊 Listen
42	单手出枪	Single-Hand Thrust	Dānshǒu Chū Qiāng	🔊 Listen
43	全舞花	Full Twirling Flower (Repeat)	Quán Wǔhuā	🔊 Listen
44	二郎担山	Erlang Carries Mountain	Èrláng Dān Shān	🔊 Listen
45	半个舞花	Half Twirling Flower (Repeat)	Bàn Gè Wǔhuā	🔊 Listen
46	下六分枪	Lower Six-Part Spear	Xià Liù Fēn Qiāng	🔊 Listen
47	回头半个舞花	Turn Head Half Twirl (Repeat)	Huítóu Bàn Gè Wǔhuā	🔊 Listen
48	鹞子扑鹌鹑	Sparrowhawk Pounces on Quail	Yàozi Pū Ānchún	🔊 Listen
49	右扫一枪	Right Sweep One Thrust	Yòu Sǎo Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
50	挑一跟子	Lift One Follow-Up (Repeat)	Tiāo Yī Gēnzi	🔊 Listen
51	扎一枪	Straight Thrust (Repeat)	Zhā Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
52	全舞花	Full Twirling Flower (Repeat)	Quán Wǔhuā	🔊 Listen
53	二郎担山	Erlang Carries Mountain (Repeat)	Èrláng Dān Shān	🔊 Listen
54	半个舞花	Half Twirling Flower (Repeat)	Bàn Gè Wǔhuā	🔊 Listen
55	美女纫针	Fair Lady Threads Needle	Měinǚ Rèn Zhēn	🔊 Listen
56	玉女穿梭	Jade Maiden Shuttles	Yùnǚ Chuānsuō	🔊 Listen
57	刺闯鸿门枪	Thrust Through Hongmen Gate	Cì Chuǎng Hóngmén Qiāng	🔊 Listen
58	回头扫一枪	Turn Head Sweep One Thrust	Huítóu Sǎo Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
59	全舞花	Full Twirling Flower (Repeat)	Quán Wǔhuā	🔊 Listen
60	护膝枪	Knee-Protecting Spear	Hùxī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
61	掩两枪	Cover Two Thrusts (Repeat)	Yǎn Liǎng Qiāng	🔊 Listen
62	苍龙摆尾	Azure Dragon Swings Tail	Cānglóng Bǎiwěi	🔊 Listen
63	往前挡一枪	Forward Block One Thrust	Wǎng Qián Dǎng Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
64	往前再挡一枪	Forward Block Again One Thrust	Wǎng Qián Zài Dǎng Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
65	往左挡一枪	Left Block One Thrust	Wǎng Zuǒ Dǎng Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
66	往右挡一枪	Right Block One Thrust	Wǎng Yòu Dǎng Yī Qiāng	🔊 Listen
67	半个舞花	Half Twirling Flower (Repeat)	Bàn Gè Wǔhuā	🔊 Listen
68	太公钓鱼	Taigong Fishes	Tàigōng Diàoyú	🔊 Listen
69	回马枪	Returning Horse Thrust	Huímǎ Qiāng	🔊 Listen
	收势	Closing Position	Shōushì	🔊 Listen

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Why Practice the Taiji Spear?

1. Improves Coordination – The spear’s length trains whole-body synchronization (整体劲, Zhěngtǐ Jìn).
2. Develops Explosive Power – Thrusting techniques rely on waist-driven force (腰劲, Yāo Jìn).
3. Enhances Footwork – Movements like “Returning Horse Thrust” (回马枪, Huímǎ Qiāng) require deceptive agility.
4. Connects to History – Many techniques derive from ancient battlefield tactics (古代枪法, Gǔdài Qiāngfǎ).

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Proverb & Final Thought

“枪如游龙，棍似猛虎”
(“The spear moves like a swimming dragon; the staff strikes like a fierce tiger.”)

The Taiji Spear is more than a weapon—it’s a moving meditation that blends martial skill, artistry, and tradition.