鬆 (sōng), 沉 (chén), 收（合） (shōu/hé), 開 (kāi), and 旋 (xuán)

太極五字訣（The Five Key Words in Tai Chi）

鬆 (sōng), 沉 (chén), 收（合） (shōu/hé), 開 (kāi), and 旋 (xuán)

鬆 (sōng), 沉 (chén), 收（合） (shōu/hé), 開 (kāi), and 旋 (xuán)—are often emphasized as guiding principles in Tai Chi practice. Let’s go through each one briefly and also discuss the concept of 虛實分明 (xū shí fēn míng).

The Five Words in Tai Chi:

1. 鬆 (sōng) – Relaxation: This refers to the idea of letting go of tension in the body and mind. The more relaxed you are, the more you allow energy (Qi) to flow freely. Relaxation is key to opening the joints and maintaining fluid movements.

2. 沉 (chén) – Sinking: This is about rooting your energy and weight down through the legs and into the ground. It represents a grounded feeling, which allows you to maintain stability and better connect with the earth. This also aids in directing energy from the dantian.

3. 收 (shōu) or 合 (hé) – Closing or Gathering: This involves bringing your energy back into the dantian or gathering energy inward. It is associated with contraction and focus. In this sense, it’s also the idea of concentrating energy at the center, especially when shifting weight or completing movements.

4. 開 (kāi) – Opening: This refers to the expansion of energy outward from the dantian, allowing the body to extend, reach, and relax into the movement. It is associated with exhalation and opening of the limbs during Tai Chi movements.

5. 旋 (xuán) – Rotation: This refers to the twisting or rotating of the body, especially around the waist (kua). This rotation allows for the connection of upper and lower body, facilitating fluid movement, and also helps with the generation of power (jin) from the ground up.

Uprightness (正直, zhèngzhí):

When Tai Chi practitioners mention uprightness as the most important principle, they refer to the idea of maintaining proper posture throughout the practice, ensuring that the body remains in balance. The five words are related to this idea of uprightness because they ensure that your body remains grounded, relaxed, and aligned in each movement.

Does the Five Words Include 虛實分明 (xū shí fēn míng)?

You’re absolutely right in pointing out the concept of 虛實 (xū shí), which refers to the distinction between emptiness (xu) and fullness (shí), or the concept of weight shifting in Tai Chi. While this is a crucial aspect of Tai Chi practice, it is not directly stated in the five words. However, the principles of 虛實分明 (clear distinction between empty and full) are inherently embedded in many of the movements that these five words guide.

Here’s why:

• 鬆 (sōng) helps with relaxing the body to differentiate between full (shí) and empty (xū) positions by allowing proper weight shifting. If you are relaxed, you can clearly feel when a part of the body is empty (like a lifted leg) or full (like the supporting leg).

• 沉 (chén) (sinking) and 收/合 (shōu/hé) (closing/gathering) both involve weight transfer and rooting, which directly relates to understanding and managing the balance between empty and full as you shift weight from one side to the other.

• 開 (kāi) (opening) and 旋 (xuán) (rotation) are also related to the idea of creating space and movement, but this also requires understanding the distinction between when parts of the body are full (e.g., when a foot is grounded and bearing weight) and when they are empty (e.g., when the other foot is in the air and lighter).

Should We Add 虛實分明 to the Five Words?

While it’s not explicitly included in the traditional five words you mentioned, 虛實分明 is implicitly part of Tai Chi practice because it is fundamental to Tai Chi principles. So, you don’t necessarily need to add it as a new word. Instead, you can view 虛實分明 as an underlying principle that supports the five words.

• 虛實分明 informs the practice of each of these five principles, ensuring that the body’s weight is properly shifted and energy is appropriately distributed during movement. So, in practice, 虛實分明 works in harmony with the five words to help you feel the distinction between full and empty, making movements more fluid and dynamic.

Here’s the detailed explanation in both Chinese and English, incorporating the five key Tai Chi principles:

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1. 鬆 (Sōng) – Relaxation

「一鬆百鬆，全身都鬆」
When one part relaxes, the whole body relaxes.

Theory:

• 鬆 (sōng) does not mean limp or weak; instead, it refers to releasing unnecessary tension while maintaining structural integrity.
• Tai Chi emphasizes whole-body relaxation, where all joints, fascia, and muscles are freed from tension, allowing Qi (energy) to circulate smoothly.
• Relaxation helps connect the upper and lower body, making movements continuous and unimpeded.

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2. 沉 (Chén) – Sinking

「一沉百沉，全身都同時沉」
When one part sinks, the whole body sinks together.

Theory:

• 沉 (chén) refers to sinking the energy downward, allowing the body's weight to settle into the ground.
• This is closely tied to the sinking of the Qi to the dantian and the relaxation of the kua (胯, hip joints) to achieve a stable stance.
• Without proper sinking, movements will become stiff, and force will be trapped in the upper body, making it difficult to issue power (發勁, fā jìn).

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3. 收 (Shōu) – Gathering (Closing)

「不止收尾閭，是全身合收」
Not only does the tailbone tuck in, but the whole body gathers and closes together.

Theory:

• 收 (shōu) / 合 (hé) means to draw inward, which is the opposite of "opening" (開).
• This gathering is not just about tucking the tailbone (尾閭, wěi lǘ), but involves the whole body contracting toward the dantian.
• The energy focuses internally, storing power like a coiled spring before releasing it.
• In Tai Chi, "收" is often seen in weight shifts, when absorbing force, or transitioning between movements.

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4. 開 (Kāi) – Expansion (Opening)

「胯開，全身關節、筋膜、肌肉都開」
The kua (hip joints) open, and all joints, fascia, and muscles open together.

Theory:

• 開 (kāi) means expansion, outward movement, and releasing force from the dantian outward.
• The kua (胯) must open first; if the kua is blocked, the upper and lower body cannot coordinate.
• When one part opens, all joints, fascia (筋膜), and muscles open together, ensuring smooth Qi circulation.
• The opening is not just in the limbs but also in the chest, back, shoulders, and spine, maintaining elasticity in the entire body.

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5. 旋 (Xuán) – Rotation (Spiraling)

「全身都在旋，脚底旋，全身旋」
The whole body rotates; the feet spiral, and the entire body moves in a circular motion.

Theory:

• 旋 (xuán) refers to spiraling energy that originates from the dantian and transmits through the whole body.
• The feet spiral first, engaging the ground through the yongquan point (湧泉穴).
• Rotation is essential for power generation (螺旋勁, luóxuán jìn) and allows force to be absorbed and redirected smoothly.
• Without proper rotation, movements become linear and rigid, losing Tai Chi’s circular nature.

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Overall Theory & Integration:

These five principles must be present in every Tai Chi movement. They work together, ensuring that the body remains relaxed, rooted, connected, and dynamically balanced.

Additionally, while these principles guide Tai Chi practice, the concept of 虛實分明 (clear differentiation of full and empty) is inherently embedded in them. 鬆 and 沉 help distinguish weight distribution, 收 and 開 balance contraction and expansion, and 旋 allows smooth transitions between movements.

Would you like to further refine any part of this theory? 

Conclusion:

The five words you mentioned—鬆, 沉, 收/合, 開, and 旋—are absolutely correct and serve as essential guides for Tai Chi practice, ensuring relaxation, balance, expansion, and fluidity. 虛實分明 (the distinction between empty and full) is a principle embedded within these concepts, as it helps guide the shifting of weight and energy throughout the form. While it isn't listed as a separate word, it remains a critical component of the practice.

In summary, you don’t need to explicitly add 虛實分明 to the five words, but you can think of it as the foundation that supports the application of the five principles in Tai Chi.