The Structure Ot The Yang Cheng Fu Form.

Why is the form so long?
Why are some techniques repeated so many times?
Why haven’t I opted to teach any of the shorter forms?

The answers are a combination of what I was taught and the results of my own studies.

I was taught that the range of time it should take to do the form can range from 7 to 20 minutes depending on what I was working on that day. An average day for me is around 13 minutes but it varies according to my focus.

Its length is the optimum period for an effective workout and can be combined with neigong to connect the body and for me to become attentive, qigong to wake the energy, intention and channels (jins) and push hands for partner work.

Weaponry also provides background to the techniques and an effective alternative to weight training, studying different distances and varying focus.

Tai Chi is a form of ‘rolling hands’ training with continuous spiralling, making the opponent feel like they trying to hit a spinning ball. The repeated techniques take this idea and the ‘5 steps’ from the 13 strategies so that:

Brush knee is rolling hands stepping forwards.
Repulse monkey is the same stepping backwards.
Waving hands like clouds is rolling hands stepping sideways.
Grasp sparrow’s tail is the same while moving forwards and backwards on the spot.

The other techniques take the same principles with variations, combining one or more of these to step at angles, go higher or lower, and giving different entrances and exits to technique.

I find this form to have the perfect balance and it reinforces what is most important in my foundational training. If it’s shortened it loses its balance of learning and would need to be accompanied by other repetitive basics.

When there were few books, no video or internet, everything had to be passed down through action and direct transmission. Teachers wouldn’t see students so often so information had to be passed down in a ‘treasure chest’ of mnemonics where one technique would be a principle behind many others and the ‘dance of remembrance’ had to carry 3 treasures to be studied:

Health – physical, emotional and mental.
Skill – coordination, balance and mobility.
Application – striking, locking, strangling, choking, throwing, gouging and cavity pressing to stop neurological, blood, air and lymphatic flow.

All of these are locked into that one form.

Finally the concept of Tai Chi is strongly connected to the Asian culture of Taoism and Buddhism and the form is a ritual or moving prayer that connects me to my Tai Chi ancestors through the same rituals they practiced, their pictures on my wall and other artifacts inspire me to keep going through any hard times.