The Chen Tai Chi 18 form is a subset of the traditional old frame first routine, Lao Jia Yi Lu [老架一路].
Here is the list of the Chen tai chi 18 form names in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.
|
Number |
Chinese |
Cantonese Jyutping (Yale) |
Mandarin Pinyin |
English |
|
1 |
太極起勢 |
taai3ci4 hei2sai3hei2 sai3 (taai gik héi sai) |
qǐ shì |
Ready Position |
|
2 |
金剛搗錐(碓) |
gam1 gong1 dou2 zeoi1 / deoi3 (gām gōng dóu jēui/deui) |
jīn gāng dǎo duì |
Buddha’s Warrior Pounds Mortar |
|
3 |
懶扎衣 |
laan5 zaat3 ji1 (láahn jaat yī) |
lǎn zhā yī |
Lazy About Tying the Coat |
|
4 |
六封四閉 |
luk6 fung1 sei3 bai3 (luhk fūng sei bai) |
liù fēng sì bì |
Six Sealing and Four Closing |
|
5 |
單鞭 |
daan1 bin1 (dāan bīn) |
dān biān |
Single Whip |
|
6 |
白鶴亮翅 |
baak6 hok6 loeng6 ci3 (baak hok lèuhng chi) |
bái hè liàng chì |
White Crane Spreads Its Wings |
|
7 |
斜行 |
ce4 haang4 (chèh hàahng) |
xié xíng |
Walk Forward Diagonally |
|
8 |
摟膝 |
lau4 sat1 (làuh sāt) |
lōu xī |
Brush Knee |
|
9 |
上三步 |
soeng6 saam1 bou6 (seuhng sām bouh) |
shàng sān bù |
Three Steps Forward |
|
10 |
掩手肱捶 |
jim2 sau2 gung1 ceoi4 (yím sáu gūng chēui) |
yǎn shǒu hōng chuí |
Cover Hands and Strike with Fist |
|
11 |
高探馬 |
gou1 taam3 maa5 (gōu taam máah) |
gāo tàn mǎ |
High Pat on the Horse |
|
12 |
左蹬跟 |
zo2 dang1 gan1 (jó dāng gān) |
zuǒ dēng gēn |
Kick with the Left Heel |
|
13 |
玉女穿梭 |
juk6 neoi5 cyun1 so1 (yuhk néui chyun sō) |
yù nǚ chuān suō |
Jade Girl Works at Shuttles |
|
14 |
雲手 |
wan4 sau2 (wàhn sáu) |
yún shǒu |
Cloud Hands |
|
15 |
轉身雙擺蓮 |
zyun2 san1 soeng1 baai2 lin4 (jyún sān sēung báai lìhn) |
zhuǎn shēn shuāng bǎi lián |
Turn Body with Double Lotus Kick |
|
16 |
當頭炮 |
dong1 tau4 paau3 (dōng tàuh paau) |
dāng tóu pào |
Cannon Fist Over Head |
|
17 |
金剛搗碓 |
gam1 gong1 dou2 deoi3 (gām gōng dóu deui) |
jīn gāng dǎo duì |
Buddha’s Warrior Attendant Pounds Mortar |
|
18 |
收勢 |
sau1 sai3 (sāu sai) |
shōu shì |
Finishing Form |
Notes & Observations
[ Mindset ] I am learning the Chen 18 form and the Yang 24 form, once per week on different days. This happened as a matter of circumstance than by design. Had I followed the usual progression at my school, I would have learned the Yang 24 form first and then moved on to Chen’s 18 form to better appreciate the differences.
