THE ROLE OF FORM

 

Masters Wu Chien Chuan, Wabu Young, Stephen Hwa with Sihing Jim Roach

"When you have something that works well, why complicate it?"

The study of Kata cuts across all martial arts, and Classical Wu Style Tai Chi is no exception.  In Tai Chi, of course, the term Form is most often used instead of Kata.  Prof. Geoff Lane of the Danzan Ryu JuJitsu system in Chico, California has written an article entitled "Back to Basics."

In the article, Lane pays tribute to Grandmaster Young Wabu's devotion and adherence to fundamental principles.  I include the excerpt here:

"Another martial artist I was very fortunate to meet with a similar quality was Linyi Maslin's father: 

Master Wabu Young, a Tai Chi master.  He studied in Hong Kong under Master Wu Chien Chuan in the 30's after he came to Hong Kong from Shanghai to escape the Japanese.  He spent his whole life perfecting one kata.  Doing it square, round, regular, and mirror image; fast and slow; large and small...the basics...doing the same Tai Chi form for 70 years.  

He passed away in 2004 (correction: note that Grand Master Young Wabu passed away on April 18, 2005, at the age of 101 in Rochester, NY), dying a "typical Zen Master's death (but that's another story), exuding power and grace to the end.  The basics served him well.  When you have something that works well, why complicate it?"

 Professor Geoff Lane teaches jujitsu at the Nibukikan in Chico, California.  Grand Master Young Wabu's daughter Lin-Yi Maslin also teaches Jujitsu and Wu Style Tai Chi at the Nibukikan in Chico, California.

You are exactly right. While Kata is the standard term in Japanese martial arts like Karate, Form (or Taolu in Chinese) is the preferred term in kung fu and tai chi. 

Despite the different names, both serve the same fundamental purpose: they are choreographed sequences of movements designed to preserve, practice, and transmit the core defensive and offensive techniques of the art. 

The Role of Form in Classical Wu Style Tai Chi:

In Classical Wu Style Tai Chi—which traces its lineage directly through the Wu style—the Form is unique because of its strict adherence to internal body mechanics.

Internal Discipline: The focus is entirely on Internal Movement (the rotation of the spine and hips) rather than External Movement (just moving the arms and legs).

Self-Defense Blueprint: 

Every slow, deliberate posture in the Form contains hidden applications for striking, joint locks, or throws. 

The "Square" Form: 

Beginners often learn the "Square Form," which breaks movements down into distinct, angular components to master precision, posture, and internal muscle activation.

The "Round" Form: 

Advanced practitioners transition to the "Round Form," where those distinct components fluidly blend, hiding the internal power generation from onlookers. Whether called Kata or Form, these sequences act as a living textbook.

Square Form Voices & Names

Classical Tai Chi Square Form

https://www.classicaltaichi.com/PDF/squareform.pdf

That is a link to names of Classical Tai Chi movements and includes what one student called “…a bemusing number of static written instructions…”.  

The instructions are for Square Form.  A student named Joe Milne compiled the names but realized a voice-over was difficult. So in my own best British voice (I’m kidding) I compiled a British voice-over for the moves, thus giving step by step instructions.

VOICE INSTRUCTIONS SQUARE FORM

 

The list and voice-over are quite lengthy but I hope this helps some albeit with such detail. Oh right,  Master Hwa kidded me and said “…I did not know you were British Jim…”!

“…….if you want to learn internal you have to start the very strict discipline in that square form…..”

Yes Sir! The words “very strict discipline” that define Square Form as a Stepping Stone of groundwork for internal work. Precise, “segmented movements” (to quote Master Hwa) and train the brain to decouple isolated body parts and deliberately sequence movements.

Even that word “precision” is eschewed by many.  Teaching the brain to separate movement from stillness (Yin/Yang)is not a consideration. Yes, “focusing tools” force intense, inward-directed attention.

A student asked: “Why would anyone eschew precision in the square form? The purpose of the square form is to learn the moves precisely so we don’t lose the essence when doing the round form. What would be the use of learning it any way but precisely?”

 

My answer: It really makes one wonder doesn't it? I completely agree with your perspective on that. A lengthy thought would be student’s culture and daily routines are too rushed, aggressive, and obsessed with immediate results.  A succinct thought might be “I ALREADY KNOW HOW TO WALK”. That was yelled to my student Jason during his 1st teaching class after becoming certified. Yelled as the student rushed out of the gymnasium.

Classical Wu Style corrections

Classical Wu Style Tai Chi: corrections to "Fist under elbow, Repulse Monkey (19 and 20)..." and "Closing Tai Chi (108)"

Video link:  Classical Wu Style corrections...  (opens in a new window)


A 2011 Workshop by Stephen Hwa, student of Grandmaster Young Wabu, student of Great Grandmaster Wu Chien Chuan. The subject is on the Classical Wu Style Tai Chi  corrections to the forms of individual students.A good resource for this can be found in the DVD series available at: http://www.classicaltaichi.com .

Student: (regarding postures 19 and 20)  "From there to the square form on that, how far does the hand go up?"
"Is that correct on the square form?"  "Yes"  "But on the round form?"  "I'm sensing that this is...as I am coming back that my arms just follow this"   "Right"  "I don't how far to...(raise the right hand)   The hand has to be raised to face height "face position".

Master Hwa:  "I did not see you do the round form too many times because last few times you just started out"

Student:  (regarding posture 108) "On the last lesson I had trouble with turning around and this movement of the arms and hands"

Master Hwa:  "That part was correct, good" "The ending point, there is an extension here, then you go over and feet are parallel"

Student: "Is there a turn of the foot here where it goes straight?"  "Yes, you turn the foot parallel which is the starting position"

Master Hwa:  "So this move gives a you a practice of what THIS move is"  "I don't think there is any other place that one sees this move"  "You are doing it with feet parallel?"....  "This you do not really exert a lot of power because you are using the tip of the fingers, so any body position you can do this".  "This is not like push, where you better have the right structure, or the fist where you better have the right structure"  "Well the push would be of longer duration?"..."Yes, and you would need force, so I do this and his body is not going to move, you just do this"  "You are not going to need a lot of power, you just have to get the right direction and do it toward soft tissue.  If you do it with power you will break your fingers"  "So that is one place that you practice that"..."So that kind of move is coupled with a positional move of the foot and a stretch, it gives you more potential for any kind of angle?"..."Right".  "So the other hand and side  does not move very much". "So, you have to practice the other side and then in this case it would be the left hand and foot"

Posture 19 – Fist Under Elbow 
As the weight transfers to the left leg, the head turns to look at 
the right hand, the hooked hand opens, palm down and moves to 
low-position 
• 
Right side turns left 90 degree on right heel, aligning both 
thumbs on the center-line of the body, one at face-position and 
the other at low-position 
• 
Left side turns left 90 degrees on left heel 
• 
Right side turns left 90 degrees, right foot moves to the right 
and behind the left foot (Bow Stance), while right hand rises to 
become parallel with the left hand 
• 
Palms rotate to face each other as hands form hollow fists. Left 
fist sits above the right fist 
• 
Weight transfers to right leg as right fist moves under left 
elbow (Left empty step) 
• 
Left fist opens with palm facing up 
• 
Left toes push to the ground 
• 
Weight transfers to left leg causing the upper body to turn 
naturally right. 
• 
Upper body rotates left to face forward 

Posture 20 - Repulse Monkey Left and Right  
Left palm rotates clockwise to face right 
• 
Weight transfers to right leg as right fist opens and moves 
parallel to the left palm, palm facing left 
• 
Right elbow lowers bringing right palm to mid-position 
• 
Right palm rotates to face down as right forearm brings right 
palm to lower left hip 
• 
Left hip lifts left foot 
• 
Left foot moves backward, left palm rotates to the front and 
body movement moves right palm over right knee 

Posture 108 – Closing T’ai Chi 
Both palms rotate to face down, as the arms extend to the sides 
at shoulder level, the right foot turns counterclockwise 45 
degrees on the ball 
• 
The weight is transferred to the right leg 
• 
Arms close to shoulder width as the left foot is drawn right and 
parallel to the left foot at shoulder width 
• 
The body straightens as both arms pull back to a 90 degree bend, 
palms facing front 
• 
The palms & forearms are drawn forward & down to the mid-
position, as if pulled by the wrists 
• 
Pause slightly 
• 
The arms are lowered to the sides with the palms facing down, 
fingers pointing front 
• 
Wrists relax and fingers point down 

Wuji (無極) Positions & Zhan Zhuang (站桩) Applications for Classical Wu Style Taijiquan

The Wuji Form and application of Zhan Zhuang will now be presented. 

Authored by J.B. Milne and Stephen Hwa, Ph.D.

Authored and edited with audio and video presentation by J.E. Roach

Breathing will be done naturally. 

Here is the audio of this written explanation:

Wuji explanation 

Here is the written explanation of Wuji

Zhan Zhuang for Taijiquan Practice. The Wuji Positions allows the practitioner to relax the mind, while, adjusting, aligning, and balancing the body to produce correct postures. Zhan Zhuang Training, on the other hand, strengthens the tendons and ligaments, aids in balancing, teaches the muscles to relax, and identifies weaknesses not noticed while practicing the Form. This is important in helping to identify the proper placement of the heel and weighting of the empty foot. 

The Square Form of Classical Taijiquan, brush knee movement (on both right and left sides) is being used to illustrate how Wuji and  Zhan Zhuang can be applied at those stopping points for each position. Applying these training methods in addition to form practice will help the student in developing strength and proper form. Wuji is defined as nothingness, the beginning before intention and movement. Wuji is discussed in many Taijiquan Books written by both practitioners and masters alike. These writers mainly address Wuji in the Preparation Posture and/or the Closing Posture of the Taiji Form. As such, most readers are left to believe Wuji is only accomplished at the beginning and ending of the Taiji Form. However, this is not so. Wuji is practiced during every posture, that is, every posture begins with Wuji, moves into Taiji, and returns to Wuji.

Zhan Zhuang (standing like a stake, standing like a tree) Training is a way to relax both the nervous and muscular systems simultaneously. This is accomplished by combining exertion and relaxation simultaneously. Breathing is done by inhaling and exhaling gently through the nose while keeping the mouth closed and relaxed. The chest, stomach, and hips are in a relaxed state. Zhan Zhuang helps with the identification of the energy flow in the different positions and trains to keep the localized nerve activity dormant (Forum 6); as well as, strengthening the yin side of the posture for strong rooting and building power (Forum 7). There is no set time limit in Zhan Zhuang Training; however, the seasoned practitioner has been known to hold the positions in excess of twenty minutes. Some have claimed to be able to hold the positions for hours. It is important to remember, that as the tension builds in different parts of the body, to tell yourself to relax. (RELAX, RELAX, RELAX) Start with short time frames and increase the holding time slowly.

Here is the movie:

Wuji movie  "Right side"

Wuji movie "Left side " 

Here is the audio mp3 of the instructions:

Wuji audio instructions "Right side"

Wuji audio instruction   "Left side"

Here are the written instructions for "right side" Wuji:

(Instructions for "left side" Wuji are to be found in "Wuji instruction left side" above)

1) Beginning of Brush Knee Push Step

The right foot is flat on the ground supporting the body weight completely with the right knee bent slightly.

The left leg is straight without any pressure on the knee or left heel, left toes are extended as high as they will go, giving a slight stretch to the back of the leg.

The tailbone is tucked in and the head is stretched up by the neck muscles.

The shoulders are relaxed and the elbows are pointing down.

The palms are facing each other at shoulder width, with the right fingers pointing to the front and the left fingers pointing up.

Notice that a straight line could be drawn between the crown of the head, passing through the ear and knee to the right foot.

2) Transition one

In transition one, the only change to the beginning position is the left arm is held across the body with the palm facing down.

3) Transition two

In transition two, the only change to transition one is the left toes are touching the ground. All the weight is still maintained on the right foot.

4) End of Brush Knee Push Step

In the end posture of Brush Knee Push Step, both feet are flat on the ground with the left leg supporting the body.

The right leg is straight with a stretch between the Achilles Heel and the back of the neck.

The right palm has rotated to face front, thumb in line with the nose, and the left palm has moved across the left thigh.

Notice that a straight line could be drawn between the crown of the head, passing through the ear and knee to the left foot, as well as, between the right ear, right shoulder, and right knee to the right foot.

Classical Taiji Video Instructions for: 8. White Crane Spreads Wings 白鶴亮翅, 9. Brush Knee Push Step Left & Right 4 Times 摟膝拗步左右四度

Many thanks to Joe Milne and Master Hwa for this great information they published in Forum 17...
At the bottom of this Blog is a video with subtitles on how to perform ROUND FORM 8. White Crane Spreads Wings 白鶴亮翅, 9. Brush Knee Push Step Left & Right 4 Times 摟膝拗步左右四度. There are numerous clips here and all are performed in slow motion with overlay written instructions. One should pick an arbitrary direction such as North and start there, with the turning done to the primary and secondary directions such as North West, East, etc.

The following are really written instructions for the Square Form but should give practitioners much in the way of insight to the nuance of the movements.

8. White Crane Spreads Wings 白鶴亮翅
9. Brush Knee Push Step Left & Right 4 Times 摟膝拗步左右四度

Posture 9 – Brush Knee Push Step
White Crane and Brush Knee, Push