Principles

In combat one of the key features of Zhaobao Taijiquan which has lead to the style being also known as 'Sanheyi' - 3 combine into one, is the fact that the ractice of forms is the same as of ush hands which in turn are the same as in combat! Thus all elements are one, a key rinci le that is in ancient Taiji classics but few styles actually dis lay such a feature! In Zhaobao Taijiquan this is a core requirement and feature! Zhao "ao holds true to the classics of Taijiquan, its mo#ements are continuous and unbroken, there are circles within lines and structure with formlessness, the centre must be balanced and the mo#ements must coordinate with the energy in a harmonious yet dynamic way! In terms of sequence many of the elements e$ternally share some similarity with %hen style, but in actual ractice em hasis and a lication there many are the as ects that make them different! The rinci les of Zhaobao are its essence which differentiates from the %hen style cousin, &ethods for the training of internal circulation cycles '(i culti#ation) are com letely followed within Zhao "ao style! The are many structural guidelines that sti ulate the method of ostures and mo#ements which are all either ensure the health and strength of the body or to align for the most efficient and effecti#e flow of energy and ower for e$ecution! Such rules, as an e$am le the alignmnt of the si$ coordinates including the knee to the ankle, allow the re#ention of damage and joints, whilst in other Taijiquan methods like *ang style such factors are not considered! +dditionally these guidelines allow for the centre to always maintain e$cellent le#el of balance and central coordination! ,hen beginning to study the Zhao "ao style, one has to -an .antian '/otate the .antian energy centre)! 0ach osition ractices the im ro#ement of the 1em ty circles1! Inside the state of e#erything are three u rights, four alignments, si$ coincidences and eight ursuits! .uring the four alignments the centre of gra#ity of the body cannot be lifted! The internal flow of each mo#ement is going to the end of four oints2 The teeth are the ends of the bones, lingua is at the end of the muscles, the nails are the ends of the sinews, the hair and the ore are at the end of (i! 3ne of the most im ortant characteristics of the style is called "eisikou ' )! The rinci le of this conce t is based on the Taiji diagram of 4ai Zhide 3f the em tiness '1k5ng1) without oles 'lacking) or fundamental chaos, one goes to the olari6ation 'to ha#e), from there to the s routing of the connected o osite cur#es in the form and to the e$treme olari6ation 'formation of yin-yang) which can be seen on the diagram 4ai Zhide! "eisikou is a skill, that actually always has to be resent art of Zhao "ao, from the beginning of the first mo#ement and finally to the last one! This is also relates back into the 78 Trigramns of the "ook of changes 'Zhouyi)! ,ithout its assimilation and de#elo ment it is im ossible to enter the dee er as ects of Zhaobao Taijquan!

Keys to Practice

Quan Yuan '%ircles) - ,ithin each osture there are circles that ha#e to be successfully ractised! ,hether it is mo#ement of the hands or body or footwork each has correlating circles to ractice! -rom a large osture the circles are often ob#ious then with that there many smaller circles! Therefore when racticing one should focus on ensuring the recise and fluid forms of the circles that are found within each mo#ement! San Zheng '3 Straights) - Straight head, straight body, roll with ankle straight! It is necessary to kee the head u right and the trunk of the body as with the leg 'tibia and fibula '), er endicular with the ground, that is, that the knee and the ankle must be under the same straight line! Si Xun '8 +lignments) - 4eg, foot, hand and body, all go in the same direction! This means that the leg, ro erly aligned knee and ankles, the hand, ro erly aligned elbow and wrist, and the body, all aim towards the same direction, when e$ecuting a mo#ement! Liu He '7 9armonies) - The hand corres onds with the foot, the elbow with the knee, the shoulder with the hi , the heart with the mind, the 1energy1 'qi ') with force, the sinews with the bones! :un Sui ';ursuits) - The eight small joints 'two elbows, two hands, two knees and two feet), ursue the four great ones 'two shoulders and both sides of the hi s) Bu Bu Ting '<ot 3mit, <ot Sto ing) - If the left hand mo#es and the right does not, that is to omit! If the osition is not yet finished, but the hand or the foot already has arri#ed at their aim, this is called to sto ! Bu Liu Shui '<ot -lowing like water) - &o#ement and calm follow one another! 0ach osture should not flow onto each so that there is no clarity, thus must not flow as water!

Frames

of

Practice

The ractice of Zhaobao Taijiquan is often at the basic le#el racticed in three fundamental frames! %entral -rame, 4arge -rame and Small -rame! The &iddle frame is the basic standard it ensures the accuracy of mo#ement and the most structured a roach! The large frame de#elo s the =ongfu of the body, it is a challenging and e$tremely hysical frame! The small frame is then the more natural here large circles become small and transitions become as if walking, nimble and continuous! The use of frames in Zhaobao is to de#elo an understanding of each and then thereafter the ractitioners e#ol#es into their own nature, their own frameless style of Taijiquan! Some styles of Zhabao Taijiquan ractice or s eciali6e in a certain frame, often that of the teacher or founder's reference! 9owe#er irres ecti#e of frames the mo#ements are in essence the same in sequence!

-urther to the fundamental frames Zhaobao also has other forms of ractice to suit the indi#idual or as ractice methods to achie#e a dee er understanding of the art, these include =ongfujia, 9uleijia, Zoujia, %he 4uen >ia, <eigong &an >ia and others! There are also additional sequences2 + short set of fast bo$ing '37 and ?8 strikes) and an e$tension of kicks '>iu :iang "u 4uodi - @ sounds not touching the ground) to the main form, these are rarely shown until the ractitioner reaches an adequate le#el of roficiency!

Tuishou

(Push

han s!

Practice

Taiji 9and ;ushing is one of the most useful means for the realisation of internal ower! "y the ractice of ;ush hands one may gain the momentum of indomitable s irit, a solid fisting frame with the feet laced firmly on the ground! + body osture that can withstand an attack from eight directions and most im ortantly a really su erb skill to know oneself and the o onent! To know oneself and the o onent is the skill known as Ting >ing or to 'understand the o eration of force e$ecuted by an o onent!' 9owe#er this skill as such will ne#er be easily acquired until the ractitioner begins to throw himself into the e$ercise of ;ush 9ands 1 Zhaobao ush hands has a few salient features, such as there is no stationary ush hand ractice traditionally 'some ha#e added recently), this is along the same lines of 'Sanheyi' and as a result Zhaobao Taijquan ractices mo#ing ush hands straight away constantly refining along the way! Two key elements of ush hands ractice include "u tan bu qian '<ot eager not deficient) and Sanjie Zhi >intui 'The three arts know how to enter and retreat)!

"# Keys of Tai$i%uan

Taijiquan irres ecti#e of style has at its core the conce t of A methods and B directions which total C3 key focuses! These are "eng 'ward offD"um out), 4u 'leadD ull back), >i'Squee6e ress), +n' ush ress), %ai ' luck), 4ie 's lit), Zhou 'elbow), Eao 'lean shoulder), >in 'enter), Tui'retreat), =u'take careDleft), ;an '+s ireDright) and .ing'Set in centreDequilibrium)! These keys ha#e substanital de th and requires much ractice and reflection to com rehend and a ly successfully!

The &outines practice of Tai$i%uan

Taiji (igongD.an Shi 'Single ;osture) 0$ercises Tajiquan CFA /outine

The 'eapons practice of Tai$i%uan

Sword Staff

"roadsword S ear 4ong 9andled +$e .ouble "roadsword S ring +utumn 4ong 9andled .ao

Zhao(ao ")* &outine outline

1. yu bei shi: (wu ji) preparatory posture 2. tai ji qi shi: Taiji rising posture. 3. lan que wei: Support the tail of the peacock. . jin gang !ao chui: The "u!!hist #uar! strikes $ortar. %. fan &hang lan &ha yi: 'o up an! tie the coat with a rotating pal$. (. liu feng si bi: Si) seale! an! four closing. *. ling luo ji: an 'irect abo+e, !irect !own, push an! sink. -. !an bian: Single .hip. /. jin gang !ao chui: The "u!!hist #uar! strikes $ortar. 10. bai he liang &hi: The white stalk e)ten!s its wings. 11. lou qi )ie )in: "rush the knee an! incline! step. 12. kai he shou: there a$ shou 1pen an! close the han!s. 13. shou hui pipa: 2lay the 3hinese 4ute 1 . lou qi ao bu: "rush the knee an! in+erte! step. 1%. shi&i shou: 3rosse! 5an!s. 1(. lou qi )ie )in: "rush the knee an! incline! step. 1*. kai he shou: 1pen an! close the han!s. 1-. shou hui pipa: 2lay the 3hinese lute 1/. lou qi ao bu: "rush the knee an! in+erte! step. 20. shi&i shou: 3rosse! 5an!s. 21. ye )ia &hang: 2al$ un!er the ar$pits. 22. shu shou jie !ai: 1pen tie! han!s. 23. fu hu shi: Sub!ue the tiger. 2 . qin n:a 3atch an! block the joint. 2%. jin bu &ai: chui 6u$p to the front an! to strike !ownwar!s. 2(. &hou !i kan chui: 7 ga+e kan chui 8ist un!er the elbow. 2*. !ao juan hou: "ack away to repel the $onkey. 2-. bai he liang &hi: The .hite 3rane e)ten!s its wings. 2/. lou qi )ie )in: "rush The knee an! incline! step. 30. &uo )uan tu &huan: 4eft an! right turn. 31. hai !i &hen: 9ee!le at the botto$ of the sea 32. shan tong bei: 8an that crosses the back. 33. ling liu jian an: upwar!s 3lutch, !ownwar!s, push an! sink. 3 . !an bian: Single .hip.

3%. yun shou: 5an!s like clou!s. 3(. gao tan $a: #uess the horses height 3*. ce shen shang bu: Tilt the bo!y an! a!+ance step 3-. you pai jiao: Tap the right foot. 3/. ce shen shang bu: Tilt the bo!y an! a!+ance step 0. &uo pai jiao: Tap the left foot. 1. shang feng guan er: 5an!s cross the ears like the win!. 2. )uan jiao !eng gen: 5ook the foot an! kick. 3. san bu chui: The blow of the three steps. . qin long tan hai: The green !ragon tests the sea. %. huang long &huan shen: The yellow !ragon turns its bo!y. (. ba wang jing jiu: The e$peror $akes a toast. *. er qi pai jiao: Two hops an! plant a kick -. hou gou jiao: 5ook the foot backwar!s. /. fen $en &huang: 1pen the !oor an! pause position %0. shuang shou peng )i: The han!s raise the knee. %1. )i que !eng &hi: The $agpie steps on a branch. %2. yao &i fan shen: The sparrow hawk returns. %3. you ke )i: Strike the right knee. % . &uo ke )i: Strike the left knee. %%. yan shou chui: 3o+er the han! an! strike. %(. &uo you wo lan &hou: #rasp an! intercept with the elbow, left an! right. %*. sao tang shou: 5an!s that sweep the crotch. %-. guo tou chan nao: 8ree the sei&e! hea! %/. ling luo ji an: #rasp upwar!s, !ownwar!s, push an! sink. (0. !an bian: Single .hip. (1. qian &hao: 'efen! yourself fro$ ahea!. (2. hou &hao: 'efen! yourself fro$ behin!. (3. lei $a shi: 2ull the bri!les of the horse. ( . ye $a fen &ong: The wil! horse $o+es it:s $ain (%. !an pai jiao: ;erely swing the foot ((. shuang &heng jiao: Shake both feet. (*. bai she tu )in: The white serpent shows its tongue. (-. yu n< chuan suo: The ja!e girl sen!s the loo$ shuttle. (/. ling luo ji an: #rasp upwar!s, !ownwar!s, push an! sink. *0. !an bian: Single .hip. *1. yun shou: 5an!s like clou!s. *2. chuan )in &hen: 4ike a nee!le that crosses the heart. *3. er lang !an shan )ia shi: The great sly =r 4ang carries the $ountains. * . sao tang shou: 4eg sweep. *%. jin ji !u li: The gol!en rooster supporte! on one leg.

*(. &huan shen jin ji !u li: Twist the bo!y an! the gol!en rooster supports itself on one leg. **. shuang &heng jiao: Shake both feet. *-. !ao juan hou: "ack away to repel the $onkey. */. bai he liang &hi: The white crane e)ten!s its wings. -0. lou qi )ie )in: "rush the knee an! incline! step. -1. &uo )uan you &huan: 4eft an! right turn. -2. hai !i &hen hai: 7 ga+e &hen 9ee!le at the botto$ of the sea -3. shan tong bei: 8an that crosses the back. - . ling luo ji an: 'irect abo+e, !irect !own, push an! sink. -%. !an bian: Single .hip. -(. yun shou: 5an!s like clou!s. -*. gao tan $a: #uess the horses height --. kou bu shi &i shou: >otate the foot an! cross han!s inwar!s -/. !an pai jiao: ;erely swing the foot /0. &hi !ang chui: 2oint at the crotch an! strike. /1. jin gang !ao chui: The "u!!hist #uar! strikes $ortar. /2. lan &ha yi: 'o up an! tie the coat /3. you pu !i jin: 7 ga+e jin Ten!er the broca!e on the groun!, right. / . qi )ing )ia shi: The se+en stars an! position !ownwar!s. /%. wan ci )ing: >oll up an! stab. /(. hui tou tan hua: Turn the hea! to guess the flower. /*. &hi !ang chui: 2oint at the crotch an! strike. /-. huang long jiao: shui The yellow !ragon wa!es in the water. //. ling luo ji an: 'irect abo+e, !irect !own, push an! sink. 100. !an bian: Single .hip. 101. &uo pu !i jin: Sprea! the broca!e on the groun!, left. 102. qi )ing )ia shi: The se+en stars an! lower your posture. 103. jin ci )ing: =nter an! stab 10 . tui bu kua hu: "ack away an! ri!e the tiger 10%. &huan shen shuang pai lian: >otate the bo!y an! prepare the lotus 10(. !ang tou pao: "o$bar! the hea!. 10*. shang jin gang: ?!+ance an! the "u!!hist sol!ier strikes $ortar. 10-. Tai ji huan yuan shi: Tai@3hi returns to its origin.