Cloud Hands

T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong

 

Notes on Yang Style Taijiquan

By
Michael P. Garofalo

May 12, 2005

 

 

Cloud Hands - Yun Shou

Cloud Hands Homepage

 

 

 

 

Index to Notes

 

Comparison of Yang Style Long Hand Form 108 Movements to 85 Movements Versions

On the "Authentic" Yang Style

 

 

 

 

 

Notes and Comments
On Yang Style Taijiquan
By Michael P. Garofalo

 

 


Comparison
of Yang Style Long Hand Form 
108 Movements to 85 Movements Versions

 

Comparison of 108 and 85 Movement Lists
Yang Style T'ai Chi Ch'uan Long Form


108 Movement Yang Style Long Form
Tsung Hwa Jou, "Tao of Tai-Chi Chuan," 1980.
T. T. Liang, S. A. Olsen, "Imagination Becomes Reality," 1992.
Videotapes:  Terence Dunn, Fong Ha, Lu Gui Rong, Wong Doc Fai,
Yu Cheng Hsiang, Ye Xiao Long


85 Movement Yang Style Long Form
Yang Cheng-Fu 1931-1936 Published Versions of the Yang T'ai Chi Ch'uan Long Form
Fu Zhongwen "Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan", 1963, 1999.
Yang Zhenduo.  " Yang Style Taijiquan," 1985.
Zhang Fuxing, "Handbook of T'ai Chi Ch'uan Exercises", 1996

 

Why do some Taijiquan teachers want the number of movements in
the long form to add up to 108?  Speculations:


The word "Upanisad" means "to come and sit down near the sage for a lesson."  There 
are over 200 Upanisads, although the traditional number is 108. 
-   A Source Book in Indian Philosophy, p.38

There are 108 beads in the Buddhist rosary (mala).  


 

Yang Style Taijiquan Long Form
Comparison of 108 Movement to 85 Movement Listings
First Section

Posture
Number
108 Moves

       Name of Move
Posture Number
85 Moves
     
1 Preparation 1
2 Step Out, Opening Move 2
3 Ward-Off Left 3   Part One, Peng Left
4 Grasping the Sparrow's Tail 3   Part One, Peng Right
3   Part Two, Roll-back (Lu)
3   Part Three, Press (Ji)
3   Part Four, Push (An)
5 Single Whip 4
6 Raise Hands, Shoulder Stroke 5
7 White Crane Spreads Its Wings 6
8 Brush Left Knee and Push 7
9 Play the Pi Pa (Lute) 8
10 Brush Left Knee, Push and Twist Step 9   Part One
11 Brush Right Kneen, Push and Twist Step 9   Part Two
12 Brush Left Knee and Push 9   Part Three
13 Play the Pi Pa (Lute) 10
14 Brush Left Knee and Push 11
15 Step Forward, Deflect, Parry and Punch 12
16 Apparent Withdraw then Push 13
17 Cross Hands 14

 

Yang Style Taijiquan Long Form
Comparison of 108 Movement to 85 Movement Listings
Second Section, Part I

Posture
Number
108 Moves

       Name of Move
Posture Number
85 Moves
     
18 Embrace the Tiger, Return to the Mountain 15, Part One, Brush Knee
19 Grasping the Sparrow's Tail 15 Part Two, Roll Back
15 Part Three, Press
15 Part Three, Push
20 Fist Under Elbow 16
21 Step Back, Repulse Monkey - Right 17 Part One
22 Step Back, Repulse Monkey - Left
17 Part Two
23 Step Back, Repulse Monkey - Right 17 Part Three
24 Diagonal Slant Flying 18
25 Raise Hands, Shoulder Stroke 19
26 White Crane Spreads Its Wings 20
27 Brush Left Knee and Push 21
28 Needle at Sea Bottom 22
29 Fan Through the Back 23
30 Turn, Chop with Fist 24
31 Step Forward, Parry and Punch 25
32 Ward-Off Right 26
33 Grasping the Sparrow's Tail 26
34 Single Whip 27
35   Wave Hands Like Clouds 28
36 Single Whip 29
37 High Pat on Horse 30

 

 

Yang Style Taijiquan Long Form
Comparison of 108 Movement to 85 Movement Listings
Second Section, Part II

Posture
Number
108 Moves

       Name of Move
Posture Number
85 Moves
     
38 Kick with Right Toe
39 Kick with Left Toe
40 Turn, Kick with Left Sole
41 Brush Left Knee, Right Hand Push, Twist Step
42 Brush Right Knee, Left Hand Push
43 Step Up, Punch Downward
44 Turn, Chop with Fist
45 Step Forward, Parry, Punch
46 Kick with Right Sole
47 Strike Tiger, Left Side
48 Strike Tiger, Right Side
49 Kick with Right Sole
50 Strike Opponent's Ears with Fists
51 Kick with Left Sole
52 Pivot Around, Kick with Right Sole
53 Step Forward, Deflect, Parry, Punch
54 Apparent Withdraw, Push
55   Cross Hands

 

 

 

 


 

The "Authentic" Yang Style

 

Some argue that the popular version of the Yang style long hand form is a watered down,
inauthentic, easy version of the "true" Yang style of the founder, Yang Lu-Chan (1799-1872).
They argue that Yang Cheng-Fu created the popular version for many reasons, such as: 
he was physically unable perform the more demanding older Yang family forms, he wanted 
to attract more persons to practice the art who were less athletic and not as interested in 
martial applications, he kept the more demanding forms for inner-school disciples, he 
developed a form with longer, more open, and higher stances that matched his physique 
and his more easy going and friendly personality, and he was more creative and experimental 
that his ancestors.  Since no published books, manuscripts, or illustrated manuals exist
to document the forms practiced by his grandfather, it is somewhat difficult to assess these
arguments.  However, whatever the reasons are that led Yang Cheng-Fu to modify previous 
forms, we thank him for his creative efforts, influential teaching, and for creating an elegant, 
challenging, relaxing, and energizing sequence that has become the preeminent Taijiquan 
form practiced all around the world.    

 

"In the life time of Yang Lu-chan there was no photography or video technology. So we can only 
surmise and take from the recorded literature and hear-say and create an image of what his form 
and style was like. In Chen Wei Ming's questions and answers on Taijiquan, he mentions that 
Yang Lu-chan when performing 'snake creeps down' was reputed to be able to pick up a coin 
with his mouth, he was so low that it was like sitting on the floor. He was also accredited with 
being able to use elbow stroke to an opponent's knee. From these records we can gather than 
Yang Lu-chan's form was rather low.  Also, Yang Ban Hou and Yang Shao Hou when they practised 
their style was closer to Chen style. One of the Yang family taught the Wu family so we know the 
Wu style developed from Yang style. How close the many styles are to Yang Lu-chan is difficult 
to ascertain with the material and information made available."
Professor Li Deyin

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Cloud Hands - Yun Shou

Cloud Hands - Yun Shou

 

 

 

Michael P. Garofalo's E-mail

 

 

 

 

Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan Club

Red Bluff, Tehama County, North Sacramento Valley, Northern Central California, U.S.A.
Cities in the area: Oroville, Paradise, Durham, Chico, Hamilton City, Orland, Willows, Corning,
Rancho Tehama, Los Molinos, Tehama, Proberta, Gerber, Manton, Cottonwood,
Anderson, Shasta Lake, Palo Cedro, and Redding, CA, California.

Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan Journal

 

 

© Michael P. Garofalo, 2005, All Rights Reserved

Biography of Michael P. Garofalo

Green Way Research

 

 

Qigong: Links and Bibliography

Zen Poetry

Cuttings: Haiku and Short Poems

Cold Mountain Sages

Meditation

Disclaimer

Fitness for Older Persons

Walking

The Spirit of Gardening

Yoga

Fitness and Well Being

Cloud Hands: T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Chi Kung Website

Subject Index to the Cloud Hands Website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alphabetical Subject Index

 

Cloud Hands Website
   
Taijiquan, Qigong, Taoism, Classics, Weapons: Sword and Staff


Fitness and Well Being Website

      Gardening, Meditation, Walking, Yoga, Strength Training,
      Fitness for Older Persons, Aerobics, Relaxation  


The Spirit of Gardening

   
2,700 Quotes Arranged by 130 Topics, History, Guides,
     Psycho-Spiritual Aspects of Gardening 

 

Green Way Research
   
Online Publishing, Research, Indexing, and Services
     By Michael P. Garofalo
     Red Bluff, California 

 



Web Guides, Bibliographies, Links, Directories, Quotes, Notes

 


Alphabetical Subject Index

 

Above the Fog  -  Zen Poems   

Aging Well   

Alphabetical Subject Index to the Cloud Hands Website   

Ancient Goddesses - Quotations, Poems, Sayings, Prayers, Songs

Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi): Tiger, Bear, Crane, Deer, and Monkey

Arthritis Therapy - Exercise: T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Chi Kung      

Bear, Standing Bear, Level 1 Ranking, Valley Spirit Taijiquan

The Bear: The Five Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi)    

Bibliography - Ch'i Kung

Bibliography - Taijiquan     

Bird - Five Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi)

Blog - Valley Spirit Journal by Michael P. Garofalo     

Book of Changes (I Ching) and Qigong (Dao-yin)

Breathing and Taijiquan     

Breathing and Yoga    

Breathing Practices: Bibliography, Links, Resources, Quotes    

Breathwork

Buddhism and Martial Arts    

Buddhist Ethics

California (Northern) T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong Directory: Instructors, Schools, Information

Charkas (Energy Centers of the Subtle Body)

Chan Ssu Chin - Silk Reeling    

Cheng Man-Ch'ing  (1901-1975)    

Chen Style T'ai Chi Ch'uan     

Ch'i - Breathwork  

Chih - Taiji Ruler

Ch'i or Qi

Ch'i Kung: Bibliography and Links    

Chi Kung for Seniors

Ch'i Kung Instructor: Michael P. Garofalo in Red Bluff, California   

Chinese Massage

Ch'i or Qi and Taijiquan     

Classes, Valley Spirit Taijiquan, Instructional Program

Classics of T'ai Chi Ch'uan     

Cloud Hands: T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Ch'i Kung     

Cloud Hands T'ai Chi Ch'uan Journal     

Concrete and Visual Poetry     

Confucius (K'ung Fu-tzu)  (551 - 479 BCE)    

Contemplation

Crane - Bird - Five Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi)

Crane, Soaring Crane, Intermediate Program, Level 3, Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan   

Cuttings: Short Poems by Michael P. Garofalo  

Cuttings: Above the Fog  

Dance and Taijiquan       

Dao-yin (Qigong, Chi Kung)

Dayan - Wild Goose Qigong

The Deer: The Five Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi)    

Diabetes Therapy - Exercise: Taijiquan and Qigong   

Direction of Movements in Taijiquan and Qigong

Disclaimer of the Cloud Hands Website  

Eight Animals Qigong

Eight Ox Herding Songs -  A Ch'an/Zen Parable

Eight Rivers Qigong

Eight Section Brocade Ch'i Kung       

Eight Silken Treasures Qigong    

Eight Trigrams of the I Ching

Eight Trigrams and Taijiquan          

Eight Ways of Walking Qigong       

Embrace the One - Zhan Zhuang - Standing Like A Tree

Emptiness in Full Bloom    

Entering Tranquility (Ru Jing) Meditation      

Exercise - Diabetes Therapy - Taijiquan and Qigong   

Feedback, Kudos and Reviews for the Cloud Hand's Website     

Fitness and Well Being    

Fitness for Older Persons     

Five Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi): Tiger, Bear, Crane, Deer, and Monkey

Five Precepts of Buddhism     

Five Elements (Wu-Xing) and Taijiquan   

Five Stepping Movements of Taijiquan    

Flexibility and Stretching     

Five Elements (Air, Earth, Fire, Water, Metal)

Flowers

Flowers in the Sky     

Gardening: Quotes, Poems, History, Sayings

Gardening: Quips and Maxims by Michael P. Garofalo

The Four Gates: Grasping the Sparrow's Tail    

Michael P. Garofalo's Biography

Michael P. Garofalo's T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong Practice    

The Goddess - Quotations, Poems, Sayings, Prayers, Songs    

Goose - Bird - Five Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi)  

Goose - Wild Goose Qigong             

Grasping the Sparrow's Tail          

Green Way Research        

Green Way Research - Taijiquan and Qigong       

Green Wizard 

Gu Shen Taijiquan Journal     

Gu Shen (Valley Spirit) Taijiquan Instructional Program

Haiku and Short Poems     

Hatha Yoga

Health and Fitness - T'ai Chi Ch'uan    

Hexagrams and Trigrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes)

Hidden Tiger, Beginning Program, Level 2, Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan   

Hsing Yi Chuan   

I Ching (Book of Changes) and Taijiquan and Qigong

Index to the Cloud Hands Website

Instructional Program, Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan    

Journal - Valley Spirit Journal by Michael P. Garofalo

Kriya Yoga    

Kudos for the Cloud Hands Website

Kundalini (Coiled Serpent) Energy

Kwang Ping Taijiquan of Kuo Lien Ying     

Labyrinths and Mazes   

Learning and Teaching Taijiquan, Qigong and Yoga

Links and Bibliography: Qigong    

Links and Bibliography: Taijiquan       

Long Form 108 Yang Style Taijiquan     

Massage

Master Chang San-Feng  (circa 1350)       

Master Cheng Man-Ch'ing  (1901 - 1975)    

Master Han Shan  (circa 750)    

Master Kuo Lien Ying   (1895-1984)     

Master Sun Lu-Tang  (1861-1932)   

Master Yang Cheng-Fu  (1883-1936)   

Mastery, Self Control, Self Mastery, Choices, Will Power, Strength of Character

Meditation - General

Meditation and Breathing

Meditation and Walking    

Meditation Instructor: Michael P. Garofalo in Red Bluff, California        

Meditation Methods and Techniques  

Meditation Quotations    

Meditation - Standing Like A Tree  

Meditation - Wu Ji - The Edge of Emptiness     

Michael P. Garofalo - Brief Biography        

Michael P. Garofalo - Internal Martial Arts Practice History      

Michael P. Garofalo - Resume     

Michael P. Garofalo -  T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong Practice    

Minding the Breath

Months of the Year: Quotes, Poems, Links     

Movement Direction Instructions for Taijiquan and Qigong Forms

Moving Hands Like Clouds:  T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong    

Northern California T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong Directory: Instructors, Schools, Information

Nature Mysticism   

Nine Movement Temple Ch'i Kung Exercise Set

Oak Tree in the Courtyard    

Old Cloud Hands Website

Older Persons Exercise and Wellness Programs   

Oregon T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong Directory: Instructors, Schools, Information   

Original Cloud Hands URL    

Original Waving Hands Like Clouds URL    

Photography - Valley Spirit Photography Gallery    

Pilates: Links, Bibliography, Resources, Quotes, Notes

Pranayama: Breathing Techniques from Yoga     

Private Instruction by Michael P. Garofalo, Instructional Programs

Pulling Onions: The Quips and Maxims of a Gardener

Push Hands - T'ui Shou   

Qigong: Bibliography and Links    

Qigong - Breathwork

Qigong, Ch'i Kung - Chinese Mind-Body Exercises    

Qigong for Seniors

Qigong Instructor: Michael P. Garofalo in Red Bluff, California        

Qigong-Yoga Exercise Cycle

Qigong Ruler - Taiji Chih

Qigong Walking      

Qi or Ch'i and Taijiquan     

Raja Yoga

Red Bluff, Valley Spirit Taijiquan Instructional Program    

Red Bluff, California, Qigong Classes

Red Bluff, California, Yoga Classes     

Relaxation and Taijiquan     

Resolve, Will. Willpower, Self Control, Self Discipline   

Resume of Michael P. Garofalo

Reviews of the Cloud Hand's Website     

Riding the Ox - A Zen Parable

Ruler - T'ai Chi

Self Control, Self Mastery, Choices, Will Power    

Self-Massage

Senior Citizens Fitness Programs  

Senior Fitness - Red Bluff, CA

Sensing Hands: Push Hands - T'ui Shou   

Shoong, Sung, Song  - Loose, Relaxed, Open, Yielding, Responsive     

Short Form, Yang Style, Beijing Simplified 24

Silk Reeling    

Simplified 24 From, Yang Style       

Soaring Crane, Intermediate Program, Level 3, Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan

Soulful Gardening

Speaking to the Spirit Meditation

The Spirit of Gardening    

Staff Weapons: Jo, Bo, Can, Staff, Spear    

Standing Bear, Level 1 Ranking, Valley Spirit Taijiquan

Standing Like A Tree - Zhan Zhuang

Standing Meditation (Wu Ji)

Sticking Hands - T'ui Shou   

Stork - Bird - Five Animal Frolics

Strength Training    

Stretching and Flexibility

Subject Index to the Cloud Hands Website

Sun Lu-Tang's (1861-1933) Biography   

Sun Lu-Tang (1861-1933): Baguaquan, Hsingyiquan, and Taijiquan Grandmaster

Sun Style Baguaquan     

Sun Style Hsingyiquan   

Sun Style Qigong   

Sun Style Sword

Sun Style Taijiquan     

Swordsmanship and T'ai Chi Ch'uan     

T'ai Ch'i Classics      

Tai Chi for Arthritis

Tai Chi for Diabetes   

Tai Chi for Seniors

T'ai Chi Ch'uan: Bibliography and Links     

T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong Directory: Instructors, Schools, Information, Workshops      
Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Instructor: Michael P. Garofalo in Red Bluff, California      

T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Red Bluff, CA  

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Short Form, Beijing Simplified 24, Yang Style     

T'ai Chi Ch'uan: Links and Bibliography      

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Staff     

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Sword (Jian)     

T'ai Chi Ruler - Chih

Taijiquan: Bibliography and Links      

Taijiquan - Breathwork

Taijiquan Classics      

Taijiquan For Good Health, Fitness and Vitality         

Taijiquan Instructor: Michael P. Garofalo in Red Bluff, California        

Taijiquan Jian (Sword)     

Tantric Yoga

Taoism, Nature Mysticism, Alchemy      

Teaching and Learning Taijiquan, Qigong and Yoga

Temple Qigong - A Nine Movement Exercise Set     

Thirteen Postures: 8 Gates and 5 Steps                  

The 300 Missing Poems of Han Shan      

The Tiger: The Five Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi)    

Tiger, Hidden Tiger, Beginning Program, Level 2, Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan

Tree Qigong - Zhan Zhuang - Standing Like A Tree   

Trees - Quotations, Poems, Lore, Wisdom  

Trees - Lore, Magick, Myths, Magick    

Trigrams and Hexagrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes)

24 From, Yang Style, Standard       

Valley Spirit Fitness and Well Being Website   

Valley Spirit Idea

Valley Spirit Journal by Michael P. Garofalo     

Valley Spirit Labyrinths  

Valley Spirit Photography Gallery    

Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan Club        

Valley Spirit Taijiquan Instructional Program

Valley Spirit Taijiquan and Qigong Journal by Michael P. Garofalo       

Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Qigong, and Yoga    

Valley Spirit - Tao Te Ching

Vancouver, B.C., T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong Directory: Instructors, Schools     

Virtues in the Martial Arts

Vitality, Health and Qigong   

Walking and Labyrinths

Walking and Taijiquan     

Walking - Eight Ways of Walking Qigong       

Walking - General Fitness Exercise

Walking - Quotations     

Washington T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong Directory: Instructors, Schools, Information 

Waving Hands Like Clouds:  T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong    

Wild Goose Qigong

Will Power, Self Control, Self Mastery, Choices, Strength of Character   

Wizards

Wu Ji - Standing Meditation   

Xing Yi Quan   

Yoga Class, TFFC, Red Bluff, CA   

Yang Family Taijiquan Genealogy     

Yand Style Push Hands and Da Lu   

Yang Style Staff

Yang Style Sword    

Yang Style Traditional Taijiquan Long Form 108 Movements     

Yang Style Taijiquan Short Form 24 Movements       

Yin-Yang Sensitivity Training: Sticking Hands - T'ui Shou   

Yoga   

Yoga Class, Red Bluff, CA - Instructor: Michael P. Garofalo

Yoga - Breathwork   

Yoga - Hatha   

Yoga - Kriya     

Yogalates: Links, Bibliography, Resources, Quotes, Notes    

Yoga - Red Bluff, CA

Yoga -Tantric

Yoga-Taiji Index

Zhan Zhuang - Standing Like A Tree

Zen/Chan Buddhist  Poetry       

Zen Buddhist Quotations   

 

 

Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan Club


Red Bluff, Tehama County, North Sacramento Valley, Northern California, U.S.A.
Cities and small towns in the area: Oroville, Paradise, Durham, Chico, Hamilton City,
Corning, Rancho Tehama, Los Molinos, Vina, Tehama, Proberta, Gerber, 
Manton, Cottonwood, Olinda, Cloverdale, Dairyville, Bend, Centerville, Summit City
Anderson, Shasta Lake, Palo Cedro, Igo, Ono, Redding, Shasta, Colusa, Willows,
Richfield, Fall River, Montgomery Creek, Alturas, McCloud, Dunsmuir, Yreka, Happy Camp,
Shingletown, Burney, Mt. Shasta City, Weaverville, Williams, Chester, Orland,
Susanville, Weed, Gridley, Marysville, Yuba City, NorCalifia, CA, California.

 

 

May 3, 2005

 

Green Way Research   

Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan

Cloud Hands: T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Ch'i Kung