The Tai Chi Form

“One hundred and eight moves??” beginning students will often blurt out in surprise when I first tell them the number of postures in the Yang style Tai Chi long-form.

“And how many have I already learned?” they’ll ask nervously.

“Just the first few,” is my usual reply.

“How long does it take to learn the whole thing?” It’s tempting for me to give a quick answer. “Six months to two years, depending on how much you practice and how frequently we get together.”

But while it is natural to have a goal of learning all 108 postures, that is only the start. A more important goal is available from day one: learning how to ‘work the form’ or, more accurately, letting the form work us. Each time we practice, new things are revealed to us about our body and our mind, our limitations and our strengths. And these insights are available whether we know a few moves or the whole form.

Below is a complete list of the 108 postures of the Tai Chi long-form as recorded by my Sifu, James Wing Woo.

•

Tai Chi Long Form (Yang Style)

First Section of Tai Chi Chu’an

1. Right side Carry the Ball posture. Left single Ward Off. Left horizontal circling arm, left Carry the Ball posture.
2. Double handed Ward Off, pull down, press forward, push. Grasping the Bird’s Tail.
3. Single Whip.
4. Lift arms to the corner.
5. White Crane Spreading Its Wings.
6. Windmill the arms.
7. Left brush knee, right push palm.
8. Playing the Fiddle.
9. Left brush knee, right push palm.
10. Right brush knee, left push palm.
11. Left brush knee, right push palm.
12. Playing the Fiddle the second time.
13. Left brush knee, right push palm.
14. Pull down.
15. Step forward hang punch, left palm punch.
16. Close the Door.
17. Open the Window.
18. Cross the arms.

Second Section of Tai Chi Chu’an

19. Swallow Dip.
20. Carry the Tiger Back to the Mountain.
21. Grasping the Bird’s Tail to the corner.
22. Half Single Whip.
23. Spin the body and look for the fist under the elbow.
24. Repulse the Monkey (step back three times).
25. Diagonal flying posture to the corner.
26. Lift arms to the corner.
27. White Crane Spreading Its Wings.
28. Windmill the arms.
29. Left brush knee, right push palm.
30. Seek the Needle at the Bottom of the River.
31. Step up fanning through the back.
32. Right hang punch, left push palm.
33. Pull down, twist step, cock st at the waist. Step forward, swipe with the left edge of the palm, vertical punch to the mid section.
34. Left side Pull the Bow and Carry the Ball. Step forward Grasping the Bird’s Tail.
35. Single Whip.
36. Wave the Hands Like Clouds (the right leg moves to the left four times).
37. Single Whip.
38. Pat the High Horse
39. Cross the arms and spread, then make a right instep kick to the corner.
40. Chop with the right arm to the corner, patting the High Horse in place.
41. Cross the arms and spread, then make a left instep kick to the corner.
42. Pivot to the left, cross the arms and spread, left heel push kicks to the side.
43. Flash hand.
44. Left brush knee, right push palm.
45. Right brush knee, left push palm.
46. Left hand wipe down, downward right at punch.
47. White Snake Lashing Its Tongue.
48. Step forward wiping with the left edge of the hand, right vertical punch to mid section.
49. Cross the arms and spread, right heel push kick to the side.
50. Depress the Tiger punch to the left (pull down and Carry the Ball on the left).
51. Depress the Tiger punch to the right.
52. Shift weight back, slap thighs with both hands’ fingertips and deliver dual punches to temples.
53. Cross arms and spread, left heel push kick to the side.
54. Pivot to the right, cross arms and spread, right heel push kicks to the side.
55. Twist step, pat hands to the left, then cock, step forward wipe with a vertical punch.
56. Close the Door.
57. Open the Window.
58. Cross the arms (second time).

Third Section of Tai Chi Chu’an

59. Swallow Dip.
60. Carry the Tiger Back to the Mountain.
61. Grasping the Bird’s Tail to the corner.
62. Front facing Single Whip
63. Spread the Wild Horse’s Mane (three times).
64. Lady Looking in the Mirror (twice).
65. Carry the Ball on the right, then switch to the left.
66. Step forward Grasping the Bird’s Tail.
67. Single Whip.
68. Jade Lady Working the Shuttle (five times).
69. Right Carry the Ball and switch to left.
70. Step forward Grasping the Bird’s Tail.
71. Single Whip.
72. Waving the Hands Like Clouds (six times) the right leg moves left.
73. Single Whip.
74. Snake Creeps Down.
75. Golden Cock Standing on One Leg, left.
76. Flash Weapons.
77. Golden Cock Standing on One Leg, right.
78. Step back Repulsing the Monkey (three times).
79. Diagonal flying posture to the corner.
80. Lift the arms to the corner.
81. White Crane Spreading Its Wings.
82. Windmill the hands.
83. Left brush knee, right push palm.
84. Seek the Needle at the River Bottom.
85. Step up fanning through the back.
86. Step forward hang punch, right palm punch.
87. Twist step, pull then cock, step forward swipe to deliver a vertical punch.
88. Pull the Bow and Carry the Ball. Step forward Grasping the Bird’s Tail.
89. Single Whip.
90. Wave the Hands Like Clouds (move the right leg to the left four times) Single Whip.
91. Pat the High Horse on the toe.
92. Push palm.
93. Cross-body kick.
94. Twist step, pat hands, then cock, step forward swipe with a downward vertical punch.
95. Pull the Bow and Carry the Ball. Step forward Grasping the Bird’s Tail.
96. Single Whip.
97. Snake Creeps Down.
98. Step forward with a Seven Star Block.
99. Step back and Depress the Tiger.
100. Spin the body to the right, Lotus Kick (an outward circling kick, patting hands one at a time).
101. Step back and Pull the Bow to Shoot the Tiger.
102. Open the fist and close it with the thumb down.
103. Shift weight and Pull the Bow to Shoot the Tiger.
104. Flower-like Hands.
105. Twist step, then pat and cock. Wipe and deliver a vertical punch.
106. Close the Door.
107. Open the Window.
108. Cross the arms a final time. Take up.