Here is a complete list of postures in the traditional form of Yang style Tai Chi Chuan.
Since Taijiquan (太极拳) was first introduced to English speakers as “Tai Chi,” its original Chinese posture names have inspired more than one translation. Some were meant to be literal, others more evocative. The most popular translations are listed here.
Each “posture” consists of one to four distinct movements, sometimes even more.
Various schools use different methods to count the postures. For example, “Separation Kicks” contains a kick to the right, then to the left; some teachers identify this sequence as one posture, while others call it two postures. The same traditional form is thereby enumerated as having 81, 85, 88, 103, or 108 postures.
Counting methods used by Fu Family (“85 form”) and the Yang Family (“103 form”) are both shown in the table below.
Many of these postures are repeated during the form, either on the same side, or the opposite side. The number of unique postures is approximately 40.
Due to the length and complexity of this form, it is usually split into three sections. These sections are delimited by the “Cross Hands” posture.
| Fu # (Yang #) | English Name | Pinyin (中文) |
| 1 | Preparation | Yùbèi (预备) |
| 2 | Beginning | Qǐ shì (起式) |
| 3 | Grasp the Bird’s Tail | Lǎn què wěi (揽雀尾) |
| 4 | Single Whip | Dān biān (单鞭) |
| 5 | Raise Hands and Step Forward | Tí shǒu shàng shì (提手上势) |
| 6 | White Crane Spreads its Wings | Bái hè liàng chì (白鹤亮翅) |
| 7 | Left Brush Knee and Push | Zuǒ lōu xī ǎo bù (左搂膝拗步) |
| 8 | Play the Pipa | Shǒu huī pípá (手挥琵琶) |
| 9 (9-11) | Brush Knee and Push (3 times) | Lōu xī ǎo bù (搂膝拗步) |
| 10 (12) | Play the Pipa | Shǒu huī pípá (手挥琵琶) |
| 11 (13) | Left Brush Knee and Push | Zuǒ lōu xī ǎo bù (左搂膝拗步) |
| 12 (14) | Step Forward, Parry, Block, and Punch | Jìn bù bān lán chuí (进步搬拦捶) |
| 13 (15) | Apparent Closing | Rú fēng shì bì (如封似闭) |
| 14 (16) | Cross Hands | Shí zì shǒu (十字手) |
| Second Section | ||
| 15 (17) | Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain | Bào hǔ guī shān (抱虎归山) |
| 16 (18) | Fist Under Elbow | Zhǒu dǐ chuí (肘底捶) |
| 17 (19-21) | Step Back and Repulse Monkey (3 times) | Dào niǎn hóu (倒撵猴) |
| 18 (22) | Diagonal Flying | Xié fēi shì (斜飞式) |
| 19 (23) | Raise Hands and Step Forward | Tí shǒu shàng shì (提手上势) |
| 20 (24) | White Crane Spreads its Wings | Bái hè liàng chì (白鹤亮翅) |
| 21 (25) | Left Brush Knee and Push | Zuǒ lōu xī ǎo bù (左搂膝拗步) |
| 22 (26) | Needle at Sea Bottom | Hǎi dǐ zhēn (海底针) |
| 23 (27) | Fan Through Back | Shàn tōng bèi (扇通背) |
| 24 (28) | Turn Body, Chop with Fist | Zhuǎn shēn piē shēn chuí (转身撇身捶) |
| 25 (29) | Step Forward, Parry, Block, and Punch | Jìn bù bān lán chuí (进步搬拦捶) |
| 26 (30) | Step Forward, Grasp the Bird’s Tail | Shàng bù lǎn què wěi (上步揽雀尾) |
| 27 (31) | Single Whip | Dān biān (单鞭) |
| 28 (32-34) | Cloud Hands (3 times) | Yún shǒu (云手) |
| 29 (35) | Single Whip | Dān biān (单鞭) |
| 30 (36) | High Pat on Horse | Gāo tàn mǎ (高探马) |
| 31 (37) | Right Separation Kick | Yòu fēn jiǎo (右分脚) |
| 31 (38) | Left Separation Kick | Zuǒ fèn jiǎo (左分脚) |
| 32 (39) | Turn Body and Kick with Heel | Zhuǎn shēn zuǒ dēng jiǎo (转身左蹬脚) |
| 33 (40-41) | Brush Knee and Push (2 times) | Lōu xī ǎo bù (搂膝拗步) |
| 34 (42) | Step Forward and Punch Down | Jìn bù zāi chuí (进步栽锤) |
| 35 (43) | Turn Body, Chop with Fist | Zhuǎn shēn piē shēn chuí (转身撇身锤) |
| 36 (44) | Step Forward, Parry, Block, and Punch | Jìn bù bān lán chuí (进步搬拦锤) |
| 37 (45) | Right Heel Kick | Yòu dēng jiǎo (右蹬脚) |
| 38 (46) | Left Strike Tiger | Zuǒ dǎ hǔ shì (左打虎式) |
| 39 (47) | Right Strike Tiger | Yòu dǎ hǔ shì (右打虎式) |
| 40 (48) | Turn Body, Right Heel Kick | Huí shēn yòu dēng jiǎo (回身右蹬脚) |
| 41 (49) | Twin Fists Strike Ears | Shuāng fēng guàn ěr (双峰灌耳) |
| 42 (50) | Left Heel Kick | Zuǒ dēng jiǎo (左蹬脚) |
| 43 (51) | Turn Body, Right Keel Kick | Zhuǎn shēn yòu dēng jiǎo (转身右蹬脚) |
| 44 (52) | Step Forward, Parry, Block and Punch | Jìn bù bān lán chuí (进步搬拦锤) |
| 45 (53) | Apparent Closing | Rú fēng shì bì (如封似闭) |
| 46 (54) | Cross Hands | Shí zì shǒu (十字手) |
| Third Section | ||
| 47 (55) | Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain | Bào hǔ guī shān (抱虎归山) |
| 48 (56) | Diagonal Single Whip | Xié dān biān (斜单鞭) |
| 49 (57-59) | Part the Wild Horse’s Mane (3 times) | Yě mǎ fēn zōng (野马分鬃) |
| 50 (60) | Grasp the Bird’s Tail | Lǎn què wěi (揽雀尾) |
| 51 (61) | Single Whip | Dān biān (单鞭) |
| 52 (62) | Fair Lady Works at Shuttles | Yù nǚ chuān suō (玉女穿梭) |
| 53 (63) | Grasp the Bird’s Tail | Lǎn què wěi (揽雀尾) |
| 54 (64) | Single Whip | Dān biān (单鞭) |
| 55 (65-67) | Cloud Hands (3 times) | Yún shǒu (云手) |
| 56 (68) | Single Whip | Dān biān (单鞭) |
| 57 (69) | Snake Creeps Down | Xià shì (下势) |
| 58 (70-71) | Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg (2 times) | Jīn jī dú lì (金鸡独立) |
| 59 (72-74) | Step Back and Repulse Monkey (3 times) | Dào niǎn hóu (倒撵猴) |
| 60 (75) | Diagonal Flying | Xié fēi shì (斜飞式) |
| 61 (76) | Raise Hands and Step Forward | Tí shǒu shàng shì (提手上势) |
| 62 (77) | White Crane Spreads its Wings | Bái hè liàng chì (白鹤亮翅) |
| 63 (78) | Left Brush Knee and Push | Zuǒ lōu xī ǎo bù (左搂膝拗步) |
| 64 (79) | Needle at Sea Bottom | Hǎi dǐ zhēn (海底针) |
| 65 (80) | Fan Through Back | Shàn tōng bèi (扇通背) |
| 66 (81) | Turn Body, White Snake Darts Tongue | Zhuǎn shēn bái shé tǔ xìn (转身白蛇吐信) |
| 67 (82) | Step Forward, Parry, Block and Punch | Jìn bù bān lán chuí (进步搬拦捶) |
| 68 (83) | Grasp the Bird’s Tail | Shàng bù lǎn què wěi (上步揽雀尾) |
| 69 (84) | Single Whip | Dān biān (单鞭) |
| 70 (85-87) | Cloud Hands (3 times) | Yún shǒu (云手) |
| 71 (88) | Single Whip | Dān biān (单鞭) |
| 72 (89) | High Pat on Horse, Piercing Palm | Gāo tàn mǎ chuān zhǎng (高探马穿掌) |
| 73 (90) | Cross Kick | Shí zì tuǐ (十字腿) |
| 74 (91) | Step Forward and Punch to Groin | Jìn bù zhǐ dāng chuí (进步指裆锤) |
| 75 (92) | Grasp the Bird’s Tail | Shàng bù lǎn què wěi (上步揽雀尾) |
| 76 (93) | Single Whip | Dān biān (单鞭) |
| 77 (94) | Snake Creeps Down | Xià shì (下势) |
| 78 (95) | Step Forward, Seven Stars | Shàng bù qī xīng (上步七星) |
| 79 (96) | Step Back, Ride the Tiger | Tuì bù kuà hǔ (退步跨虎) |
| 80 (97) | Turn Body, Lotus Kick | Zhuǎn shēn bǎi lián (转身摆莲) |
| 81 (98) | Bend Bow, Shoot Tiger | Wān gōng shè hǔ (弯弓射虎) |
| 82 (99) | Step Forward, Parry, Block, and Punch | Jìn bù bān lán chuí (进步搬拦锤) |
| 83 (100) | Apparent Closing | Rú fēng shì bì (如封似闭) |
| 84 (101) | Cross Hands | Shí zì shǒu (十字手) |
| 85 (102-103) | Closing Posture | Shōu shì, Huán yuán (收式 还原) |
Notes
3. “Grasp the Bird’s Tail” refers to the sequence of Wardoff, Rollback, Press and Push. This posture is also translated as “Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail.”
4. The “whip” in “Single Whip” evokes a long pole or yoke carried across the shoulders and back; not a flexible leather whip.
5. Also translated as “Lift Hands Upward.”
7. “Brush Knee and Push” is more literally translated as “Brush Knee Twist Step.”
8. The “pipa” is a Chinese musical instrument, similar to a guitar or a lute. Also translated as “Hands Strum the Lute”.
12. Also translated as “Advance Step, Deflect, Parry and Punch.”
13. Also translated as “Like Sealing, As If Closing.”
18. Also translated as “Flying Obliquely.”
24. Also translated as “Turn Body and Strike.”
30. Also translated as “High Mounted Scout.” This evokes an infantry scout on horseback, looking down on a battlefield from elevation, using one hand to keep the sun out of his eyes while holding reins with the other.
41. Also translated as “Twin Peaks Strike Ears.”
52. The “shuttle” in “Fair Lady Works at Shuttles” refers to the traditional fabric weaving tool. Also translated as, “Jade Maiden Threads Shuttle.”
57. Also translated as “Squatting Single Whip.”
73. Also translated as “Cross-Shaped Legs.” “Cross” here refers to 十, the Chinese ideogram for the number 10.
79. Also translated as “Retreat Astride Tiger.”
80. Also translated as “Turn Body, Sweep Lotus.”
Tai Chi Demonstration Video
This video shows the Yang form in the forward direction, so that you can face the screen as you practice.
See also: Grasp the Bird’s Tail
Fu Zhongwen Video
Master Fu Zhongwen began learning Yang family Tai Chi when he was just nine years old. Fu worked tirelessly to perfect his teacher’s skills, repeating the form more than ten times each day. Among Yang Chengfu’s disciples, Fu is recognized as a faithful inheritor and peerless exemplar of the art.
Demonstration by Fu Zhongwen’s assistant instructor, Xie Bingcan:
Other Variations
24 Form
Also known as the Simplified Form, or the Beijing Form.
Although the 24 Form uses the same movement names as the traditional Yang style form, many of the positions have been deliberately adjusted from earlier standards.
| # | Posture / Movement |
| 1 | Beginning |
| 2 | Part the Wild Horse’s Mane (3 times) |
| 3 | White Crane Spreads its Wings |
| 4 | Brush Knee and Push (3 times) |
| 5 | Play the Pipa |
| 6 | Step Back and Repulse Monkey (4 times) |
| 7 | Grasp the Bird’s Tail (Left) |
| 8 | Grasp the Bird’s Tail (Right) |
| 9 | Single Whip |
| 10 | Cloud Hands (5 times) |
| 11 | Single Whip |
| 12 | High Pat on Horse |
| 13 | Right Heel Kick |
| 14 | Twin Fists Strike Ears |
| 15 | Left Heel Kick |
| 16 | Snake Creeps Down; Golden Rooster Left |
| 17 | Snake Creeps Down; Golden Rooster Right |
| 18 | Fair Lady Works at Shuttles (2 times) |
| 19 | Needle at Sea Bottom |
| 20 | Fan Through Back |
| 21 | Turn Body; Parry, Block and Punch |
| 22 | Apparent Closing |
| 23 | Cross Hands |
| 24 | Closing |
37 Form
This variation was created and popularized by Cheng Man-ch’ing (郑曼青). Here the number 37 refers to the number of “unique postures” in the form, and does not count the repetitions at all.
60 Form
This variation was created by William C.C. Chen. In his own words, “I modified Professor Cheng’s short form, because during my first decade teaching, I was often asked by my students about the missing parts of the Yang-style long form… compared to versions generally taught, my 60 movements are slightly higher in stance and smaller in step.”
88 Sparring Form
Taiji Sanshou Duida 太極散手對打
This two-person applications form was taught by Tian Zhaolin, and documented by Chen Yanlin.