2. Tai Chi Opening Posture Sequences – 6 Movements

2. Tai Chi Opening Posture Sequences – 6 Movements

Wu Ji Generates Tai Chi

The body and mind are relaxed, internal energy is full, and Qi and blood are harmonized. From this state, Yin and Yang begin to differentiate—the dynamic and static forces, the mother of Yin and Yang. This movement is both a static practice (Jing Gong) and an internal practice (Nei Gong), contributing to health cultivation. The hands move with the utmost lightness and softness, issuing force without the opponent’s awareness. Mastering this opening posture lays the foundation for deep Tai Chi skills.

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1. Standing Still, Clearing the Mind, and Regulating Breath

• Inhale deeply, allowing the breath to sink into the Dantian (lower abdomen).
• The head should feel lifted, with the back naturally rounded.
• Eyes look straight ahead.
• Engage the perineum (Huiyin point) by slightly lifting it, tuck in the abdomen, and lightly rest the toes on the ground.
• Hands naturally float up as the shoulders sink and the back muscles and fascia gradually release, as if invisible lines are drawing them upward. The hands should feel filled with internal energy, positioned about 15 cm from the body at a 20-degree angle.
• The Lao Gong (center of the palms) should feel as if holding two rotating energy balls.
• (Note: The hands extend forward infinitely, relaxing the shoulder tendons. With inhalation, the hands expand, creating a structure where Qi integrates naturally, causing the hands to float up.)

2. Continue Inhaling as the Arms Gently Float Up

• The arms slowly lift forward rather than upward, as if being sent away to a distant place, buoyed by an air balloon.
• The scapulae (shoulder blades) gently open and drop, continuing to pull the arms and hands upward.
• The wrists remain relaxed, and the fingers naturally hang down as if connecting to the ground. The upper side of the wrists opens as the hands reach shoulder height, maintaining a shoulder-width distance.

3. Wrists Remain Relaxed, Elbows Droop Naturally

• The wrists maintain their original spatial position, not retracting.
• The elbows relax downward. Exhale while sending energy to the fingertips, leading the palms and fingertips to rise slightly, forming a relaxed, natural palm shape known as "Beautiful Lady’s Hands" at shoulder height.
• Fingers point forward, palms face downward.

4. Continuing to Relax the Elbows, Drawing the Wrists Towards the Shoulders

• The wrists relax again, bending gradually at a 90-degree angle as if drawing energy inward.
• (Movement 4 corresponds to an inhalation, with Qi absorbed through the fingertips.)

5. Dropping the Elbows, Relaxing the Wrists

• The elbows sink, leading the wrists to follow.
• Simultaneously, the shoulders relax, while the fingertips remain in their original spatial position. The elbows continue to drop until the upper arms form a 20-degree angle, creating a Tai Chi Palm shape again.

6. The Lower Arms Float Down, Forming a Parachute-like Descent

• The elbows remain in their original spatial position in front of the torso at a 20-degree angle.
• The wrists and palms descend diagonally forward until they reach a 160-degree angle from the body.
• The movement should feel like a parachute catching the wind, descending with air resistance, similar to swimming motions on land.
• (Movements 5 and 6 correspond to an exhalation.)
• During this phase, sequential relaxation from head to toes occurs, releasing tension in:
  • Crown, face, neck, shoulders, chest, back, abdomen
  • Hips, thighs, knees, lower legs, ankles, feet
  • Finally, sinking into the Yongquan point (Bubbling Spring, sole of the foot).
• Simultaneously, perform a circulation of the Microcosmic Orbit (Small Heavenly Circulation):
  • Inhale as Qi rises from the Huiyin (perineum) through the Dantian, along the spine, reaching the Jade Pillow (Yu Zhen) and Baihui (crown).
  • The Qi then moves across the Queqiao (Magpie Bridge) into the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel), descending back to the Dantian—completing a cycle.

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Key Concepts

1. Dropping the Back Supports Energy Rising

• Releasing the back allows Qi to rise smoothly up the spine without obstruction.
• Tension in the back creates blockages, hindering energy circulation.

2. Lifting the Hands Without Local Tension

• The hands rise not by force but through the expansion of Qi and fascia and the corresponding dropping of tha back fascia.
• Similar to a balloon filling with air, the entire structure expands, and the hands lift effortlessly.

3. Breath and Movement Coordination

• During inhalation, Qi naturally rises up the spine (督脈), causing slight expansion, which helps lift the arms.
• During exhalation, Qi moves down the front (任脈), relaxing and sinking the shoulders, elbows, and hands.

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Practical Application in Tai Chi (起勢 - Beginning Posture)

• Inhale: Relax the back and let the hands float up, as if pushed by an internal expansion.
• Exhale: Allow the back to settle, the arms to naturally descend, and energy to sink downward.
• The physical dropping of the back muscles (releasing tension) actually enables Qi to rise smoothly. The contradiction is only apparent—when done correctly, they complement each other.

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Theories, Fascia, Breathing, and Combat Skills

Theories

• This opening posture embodies the principle of Yin-Yang differentiation, setting the foundation for Tai Chi movements.
• It integrates internal energy cultivation (Nei Gong) and Qi circulation to prepare the body for Tai Chi practice.

Fascia & Structural Alignment

• Gradual relaxation of each body part allows fascia to loosen, improving energy flow.
• Proper structural alignment enables efficient force transmission.

Breathing

• The breath guides the movement—
  • Inhalation expands the body, filling the limbs with energy.
  • Exhalation releases tension downward.

Combat Application

• This movement trains whole-body relaxation, rooting, and sensitivity—essential for issuing force (Fa Jin) without resistance.
• The hands move lightly yet powerfully, developing the subtle skill of issuing energy (Fa Jin) without external tension.

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(Note: When breathing speeds up, movements 1–4 correspond to inhalation, while 5–6 correspond to exhalation.)