Characteristics of
Various Tai Chi Styles
Yang
Style Tai Chi Chuan
Style and Characteristics: The posture is upright and centered, relaxed,
soft, and expansive. The speed is slow, even, and gentle. The Qi (vital energy)
is stable and sinking, the Shen (spirit/mind) is contained internally, and the
movements are smooth, rounded and lively, and continuous.
Chen
Style Tai Chi Chuan
Style and Characteristics: Characterized by coiling and wrapping (Chán
Sī Jìn - silk reeling energy), folding, being relaxed, lively, and
springy/jolting. It features an alternation between fast and slow movements, clear
accumulation and release of power (Fa Jin), integration of hardness and
softness (Gāng Róu Xiāng Jì), and is continuous and uninterrupted, performed in
one continuous flow.
It centers on
pronounced, spiraling, coiling silk-reeling energy. The rhythm is distinct,
with power releases, jumps, and foot stomps, giving it a grand and imposing
momentum.
The palm
shape is a tile-shaped wavy, spiral form, with the root of the thumb joining
toward the little finger and the fingertips bent backward.
Wu
Style Tai Chi Chuan
Style and Characteristics: Features a style that is compact and flexible,
upright and strict, with small and exquisite movements, and delicate, refined
soft neutralization. It uses the "Chuan" character (川) step pattern and possesses the
characteristic of uprightness hidden within a slight incline (obliqueness).
Sun
Style Tai Chi Chuan
Style and Characteristics: The main technical difference from other Tai
Chi styles is in the footwork. It emphasizes advancing and retreating being
mutually supportive, where an advancing step must be followed by a trailing
step (Gēn Bù), and a retreating step must be followed by a withdrawing step
(Chè Bù). The footwork is light, nimble, and quick.
Turns often
connect using the 'open' (kāi) and 'close' (hé) movements, hence it is also
known as 'Open-Close Moving Step Tai Chi' (Kāi Hé Huó Bù Tài Jí Quán).
In addition
to the external characteristics of stability, softness, slowness, and evenness,
and the internal requirements of Tai Chi, the rhythm is such that movement is
slightly faster, and stillness is slightly slower.
Yang-Mi
(Secret Yang) Tai Chi Chuan
Style and Characteristics: Belongs to the Yang
Style Tai Chi lineage. The center of gravity is mostly placed on the back leg.
This allows for practical combat application: it prevents falling from an
opponent's sweep kick (which is more likely if the weight is on the front leg).
Because the weight is on the back leg, the back leg is solid (shí) and the
front leg is empty (xū), allowing the front foot to move flexibly. This enables
one to advance a half-step at any time to enter the opponent's space and
suppress them.
The Yin-Yang
(empty-solid) cooperation and cross-balance of hands and feet are essential to
prevent the loss of balance and the problem of being drawn away by the
opponent's movements (piān chén zé suí) if the hand and foot on the same side
are both solid.
Yi-Jian
Tai Chi Chuan
Style and Characteristics: Belongs to the Yang Style Tai Chi lineage. It
possesses the relaxed, soft, slow, even, and centered characteristics of Yang
Style. The bow stance (gōng bù) requires the knee to extend three inches beyond
the toes to meet the requirement of fully empty and fully solid.
Xiong
Style Tai Chi Chuan
Style and Characteristics: The Tai Chi transmitted by Grandmaster Xiong Yanghe,
comprising 111 forms, is the Old Frame (Lǎo Jià) of the Yang family. The
techniques secretly contain the essence of various traditional martial arts,
Shaolin boxing, and Tai Chi. It is now generally referred to by his disciples
as "Xiong Style Tai Chi" or "Yang Family Old Frame - Xiong Style
Tai Chi."
Optional/Competition
Tai Chi (自選太極拳)
Style and Characteristics: Can incorporate
movements from various martial arts styles, including Yang, Chen, Sun, Wu,
Xingyi, and Bagua. It maintains the Tai Chi characteristics of relaxed
softness, slowness, integration of hardness/softness, and centeredness, but
also includes the unique stylistic features of each family style.
The routine
is performed with musical accompaniment, and the movements and music rhythm
must be coordinated.
Movements of high difficulty are
interspersed throughout the routine performance.
各式拳架特點
楊氏太極拳的風格和特點 :
體態中正，鬆柔、舒展， 速度緩慢、均勻、 柔和，氣沉穩、神內斂、動作圓活連貫
陳氏太極拳的風格和特點 : 纏繞摺疊，鬆活彈抖，快慢相間，蓄發明顯，
剛柔相濟，連綿不斷， 一氣呵成。 以明顯的纏絲環繞，螺旋勁爲核心，節奏鮮明，發力﹑跳躍﹑
震腳，氣勢宏大。 掌型為瓦楞形的螺旋狀，大姆指根合向小指，指尖後仰。
吳式太極拳的風格和特點 : 具有緊湊靈活，端正嚴密，拳勢小巧，柔化細膩，川字步型，斜中寓正的風格特點。
孫式太極拳的風格和特點： 與其他各式太極拳的技術區別，主要就在於步法上，講究進退相隨，進步必跟，退步 必撤，步法輕靈敏捷。轉向時多以『開』、『合』相接，故又稱『開合活步太極拳』。
孫 式太極除了有太極拳的穩、柔、緩、勻的外部特徵與內在要求，節奏上，動則稍快，
靜則稍慢。
楊秘太極拳的風格和特點： 屬於楊氏太極，重心多半置於後腿，如此於實際對陣技擊時，除可避免因重心在前腿，
以致容易遭受對方的掃腳而跌倒，又因重心在後腿，後腳實而前腳虛，前腳即可靈活 移動，故能隨時進半步，入對方門內壓制對手。手腳陰陽虛實的配合，交叉平衡，才 不致因同側手腳均為實，易遭受對方之採動而失去重心，產生偏沈則隨的問題。
易簡太極拳的風格和特點： 屬於楊氏太極，有楊太鬆柔、緩慢、均勻、中正的特點，弓步要求膝蓋超過腳尖三吋，
以達全虛全實的要求。 熊氏太極拳的風格和特點： 熊公養和所傳之太極拳，共111式，為楊家 老架，拳法招式中暗藏有各家傳統武術 少林拳及太極拳精華。現已由其弟子通稱為「熊氏太極拳」或「楊家老架－熊氏太極拳」。
自選太極拳的風格和特點： 可包含楊、 陳、
孫、吳、形意、八卦等各式武術動作，具有太極鬆柔、緩慢、剛柔、 中正的特點， 又有各家太極的獨特風格特色。套路演練中有配樂，動作與配樂節奏
要協調。有難度動作穿插於套路演練中。
