【宋志堅 宗師太極拳12要8法則（三）】

 【宋志堅 宗師太極拳12要8法則（三）】Song Zhi Jian Grandmaster’s Tai Chi 12 Essentials and 8 Principles (Part 3)]

The structure and sequence of 易簡太極拳 (Yi Jian Tai Chi) forms are designed according to the 12要 (12 Essentials) and 8法則 (8 Principles), encompassing 37 fundamental movements. These movements are arranged based on their primary and secondary importance, distributed or repeated within the 拳勢 (Tai Chi form movements), progressing from simple to complex in alignment with physiological training needs. Tai Chi techniques emphasize adapting naturally to subdue an opponent. While each 招勢 (movement) has offensive and defensive functions, they are not meant to be rigidly applied as attack-and-defense techniques. Instead, mastery and integration of the form should lead to spontaneous 身手應變 (natural reactions of body and hands), where 攻 (attack) and 守 (defense) are unified within a single 勢 (form).

During 初練 (initial practice), the focus is on 形勢正確 (correct postures); prolonged practice transitions to 棄形求意 (letting go of form to focus on intent), and finally to 捨形意而求神斂 (discarding form and intent to achieve spiritual refinement).

The 8 Principles of 太極拳 (Tai Chi):

1. 步法大小與身手高度有定則 (Step length and hand height must follow specific rules):

Step length that is too small (步法過小) compromises stability, making it difficult to withstand strong impacts without 內勁 (internal power). Conversely, step length that is too large (步法過大) makes it hard to distinguish 虛實 (emptiness and fullness), leading to reliance on 拙力 (clumsy force), which deviates from Tai Chi principles.

Standard 步法 (step positioning): The distance between the front heel and the rear toe (前腳跟和後腳尖) should be one 腳長度 (foot-length) laterally and two foot-lengths longitudinally. To 坐實 (root) the front foot, the rear foot should lightly touch the ground, with the 尾閭 (tailbone) aligned with the rear heel.

2. 左顧右盼 (Look left and right):

When practicing, the tip of the nose (鼻尖) should align with the centerline of the chest (胸中線), and the head (頭部) should turn with the torso (身軀) rather than independently. This coordinated movement is called 左顧 (look left) or 右盼 (look right). Overemphasis on turning the head disrupts the coordination of shoulders (肩) and chest (胸).

3. 尾閭正中神貫頂 (Align the tailbone to center and connect the spirit to the crown):

The 尾閭 (tailbone) must be centered and slightly tucked to align with the 頭頂 (crown of the head) and 腳踵 (heel). This alignment allows 中氣 (central energy) to naturally flow to the crown (貫頂), facilitating agility and connecting with the 丹田 (lower dantian). 內力 (internal energy) transmission requires a tucked pelvis to unify upper and lower body movements.

4. 手隨身動，步隨身換 (Hands move with the body, steps follow the body):

As 鄭曼青公 (Zheng Manqing) taught, "太極不動手，動手非太極 (Tai Chi does not move the hands independently; moving the hands alone is not Tai Chi)." The hands (手) must follow the body (身), not act independently. For example, when the body moves forward, the hands follow; when the body rotates, the hands rotate. This principle develops the foundation for transmitting 內力 (internal energy) through hands and feet.

5. 美人掌 (Beautiful palm):

During Tai Chi practice, the wrist and palm (腕掌) must remain straight and relaxed. Fingers (指) should be extended but not rigid. 鄭曼青公 (Zheng Manqing) referred to this as 美人掌 (beautiful palm), symbolizing a perfect hand shape with no visible tendons or bones, serving as the foundation for developing 聽勁 (listening energy).

6. 沉須中直，浮沉脊轉 (Sink with central alignment, float and rotate the spine):

Relaxation allows movements like 沈降 (sinking) to occur naturally. When the hands move downward (手勢下降), relaxation combined with gravity enables natural sinking. To rise, the hands should feel light as a feather, guided by intention (意識). Rotating the spine (脊旋浮升) ensures smooth lifting without force, supporting techniques like 左掤 (left ward-off) and 單鞭 (single whip).

7. 連接圓通使勢成一貫 (Seamless connection for continuity):

Movements must connect seamlessly, transforming sharp angles into arcs (圓弧). This ensures a continuous flow (連綿一勢) by maintaining momentum through intentional guidance (意識導引).

8. 左右相隨，上下相應 (Left and right follow, upper and lower correspond):

The left and right hands (左右兩手) must coordinate, with one leading and the other following (一主一從). The feet (腳) and hands (手) must align, ensuring 上下相應 (upper and lower correspondence). The 太極拳經 (Tai Chi classics) states: "上下前後左右皆然 (All directions—up, down, front, back, left, right—must correspond)." This refers to harmonious interaction between the hands and feet, clear distinction between 虛實 (emptiness and fullness), and balanced movement dynamics.

These principles integrate alignment, natural movement, and unity of mind and body (身心合一), embodying the essence of Tai Chi.

【宋志堅 宗師太極拳12要8法則（三）】

易簡太極拳架各招勢的順序與結構，皆以12要8法則而設計，其中內含三十七個基本動作，而所有招勢均依拳法適用之重要與次要順序，分散或重複銜接於拳勢中，並由易到難之順序與適應教學練功之生理進度而排列，太極拳技藝，以自然應變制敵為主，雖然每一招勢動作皆具攻守作用，卻並非以手法及身法之攻守，套用於制敵方法上，應是全憑熟練貫通後自然產生身手之應變，使攻與守完成於一勢之間。故初練注重形勢正確，久練則棄形求意，最後捨形意而求神斂。

太極拳8法則如下：

(1)步法大小與身手高度有定則：

步法過小，底盤難以穩固，未具內勁以前，難禦強力衝擊，過大難分虛實，內力不能集中，必賴拙力施為，便已失去拳法原理原則，這是超越太極拳範圍。步大身低，步小身高，是相對的。標準的步法，兩腳跟左右相距一肩寬，前後相距本人兩腳長度，亦即前腳跟橫線與後腳尖橫線相距本人一腳之長度。坐實前腳，則後腳虛踏平實，要求尾閭對腳踵，前膝必超過腳尖。坐實後腳，必以尾閭對準腳踵，前腳虛踏平實。

(2)左顧右盼：

練習太極拳必使鼻尖正對胸中線，頭部不可單獨左右轉動，身軀轉向頭亦隨之而轉，此即謂之左顧，右轉亦然，則稱右盼，倘注重頭轉者，則肩胸反不轉了，並未達成轉向的效果。早前人稱陳長興為牌位先生，就是說他練功表現，這對內力培養很有關係，不可忽視。

(3)尾閭正中神貫頂：

尾閭正中必收臀為法，使尾閭上對頭頂，下對腳踵，上下垂直一線，此時兩眼視線平正，自然中氣貫頂而有感覺，此亦太極拳特性之一，在實用上便利走化靈活，並與氣沉丹田有相輔相成的密切關係。又內力集中傳送，必須收臀方可上下連成一貫。

(4)手隨身動，步隨身換：

鄭曼青公教人，「太極不動手，動手非太極」，即指兩手必隨身動，不可單獨行動，否則即失「整體運動」之準則，不是太極拳的運動意義了。身體前進手可隨身帶動而前進，身體轉動，帶動兩手亦旋轉，身體不動，兩手亦隨之而靜止。進步時必須腳隨身勢而趨，退亦隨勢而退，這是培養手腳傳送內力之基礎。

(5)美人掌：

拳掌運動時皆要求腕掌背面平直而不著力，掌指伸展亦然，並以掌背五指基節不突不窪而鬆持為準。鄭曼青公稱此為「美人掌」，是指手形完美不露筋骨之象徵，是即培養兩手聽勁之基礎，不可忽視。

(6)沉須中直，浮沉脊轉：

此為拳法求鬆的八個基本自然運動之一；手勢下降時，利用肩胸關節鬆弛與地心吸力的作用，自然下墜，全鬆則循重量快速下墜，半鬆則依全鬆減半稍緩墜落，如鬆四分之一則減速慢慢沈降，這是符合太極拳動作速度的保持，故簡稱「鬆持」，若在身體下蹲式的沈降，必依身體重心所在一腳垂直沈降，即以尾閭中正垂直於腳跟而下，不若手臂一端之接於肩際，他端必依弧形線路沈落腿旁為止。當手上升時，應作意識的浮升，因意識中的手輕如羽則可飄浮，此時尚須配合腰脊旋轉，使手臂循圓弧線路隨肩帶起，直到腕掌稍高於肩頸為止，凡雙臂平舉適合於伸腰帶動輕靈浮升，凡左右上掤與單鞭上按皆適用於腰脊旋轉弧升，避免兩臂抬舉之用力，稱之為脊旋浮升。凡下蹲身體之升起，適用腰胯向左或向右或向後搖擺上升，可減腰腿用力。

(7)連接圓通使勢成一貫：

練拳之時勢與勢間，或動作與動作間須圓通連接，連者化轉角為圓弧也，凡動作手勢直行路線接轉橫形路線如前掤、左屢、右擠間之接轉是須將直角化為圓弧，即為一貫通達之慣性延續。又如按屢二式之往返折回路線亦然。如此訓練的拳勢，即成整套拳法連綿一勢貫通。拳勢一貫之圓通，全靠意識導引之功能，必以快慢一致，動向順勢為原則，上勢將終下勢已續，前動之尾融合後動之頭，換步應在前後兩動相續之前，不可影響姿勢連貫中發生斷續現象。

(8)左右相隨，上下相應：

左右兩手在拳勢動作中必須一主一從相伴相隨而動，養成兩手合作的習慣，以利克敵制用時之靈活應變，腳手也須左右交叉相應，上下相隨，使得整體勁路可以隨心所欲而收放自然。此節拳經所說的「上下前後左右皆然，凡此皆是意，不在外面，有上即有下，有前則有後，有左則有右，」上下指手足氣勢相貫，前後指兩腳虛實分清，左右指兩手動靜相濟。