What is the most widely practiced Tai Chi form in the world? Depending on who you ask, the answer would be The 24-Pattern Form, The Peking Form, The Short Form, or The Simplified Form.
So which is it? Any of the above, really. All of these names refer to the same Tai Chi form developed in 1956 by the Chinese Sports Committee. Sadly, one of the most elegant forms ever invented also has some of the most awkward names ever conceived.
Whatever you call it, this is the most widely practiced form around the world. There are many variations, but most schools follow the same basic steps. My version has 2 extra steps — the Elbow Strike and the Shoulder Strike. This is so that the form contains all of the Original 13 Techniques of Tai Chi Chuan (a subject for a future article).
A Short History of the Short Form
Four Tai Chi masters — Chu Guiting, Cai Longyun, Fu Zhongwen, and Zhang Yu — collaborated to develop this form. The goal was to create a shorter version of the Yang Style 108 Pattern Long Form, one that could be taught easily, practiced by the masses, and performed in a relatively short period of time. Considering that they were effectively forced by the Chinese government to create the form, the masters did a surprisingly good job, not just in terms of reaching the government’s goals, but also in producing an amazing legacy.
It would have been easy for the four masters to create a form that satisfied the government, but was nevertheless missing the essence of Tai Chi. That they didn’t do this is somewhat remarkable considering the longstanding tradition of secrecy among Chinese masters. The final product was a masterpiece. It not only contained powerful techniques for building Qi and internal force, but also all of the footwork, strikes, kicks, throws, and locks that you would need to handle virtually any combat situation. Talk about comprehensive!
The Essence of Tai Chi
The essence is there, but that doesn’t mean everyone can see it. For a Tai Chi master, the secrets are easy to see. For anyone else, they’re virtually impossible. Millions of people all around the world practice this form, but few of them know the secrets. Remember that this form was original designed for the masses, so it should be no surprise that most people don’t know the secrets. I’ll quote a famous Tai Chi master on the subject:
If there are a million people doing Tai Chi in Tiananmen Square, you can be sure that 999,999 aren’t doing a damn thing.
When you know the secrets, this form really comes alive! Personally, I love this form for its combination of simplicity and profundity. Unlike the 108-Pattern Long Form, stuff isn’t repeated over and over. The form acts as a succinct, living encyclopedia of the essence of Tai Chi. If I had to pick one form to teach for the rest of my life, it would be this one.
The List of Traditional Patterns
Traditionally, there are 24 patterns listed for the form, but this is misleading because some of the patterns contain several movements. For example, Grasping Sparrow’s Tail consists of several movements. Personally, I find it more productive to name each individual movement, and that’s exactly how I do it in my school.
It’s also traditional to list patterns only once, leaving repeated patterns unlisted. Once again, this gets confusing for students (and me too!), so I prefer to list the patterns as they appear chronologically in the form, whether they are repeated or not. For some of the patterns, I’ve chosen to use alternate traditional names that are, quite frankly, more poetic.
As I said earlier, two patterns have been added to the form — the Elbow Strike, and the Shoulder Strike — so that it would include all of the original 13 techniques of Tai Chi Chuan (a subject for another blog post). Click below for the complete list of the pattern names as it is practiced in my school.
- Wuji
- Lifting Water
- Carrying the Cosmos
- Wild Horse Separates Mane
- Carrying the Cosmos
- Wild Horse Separates Mane
- Carrying the Cosmos
- Wild Horse Separates Mane
- White Crane Spreads Wings
- Green Dragon Shoots Pearl (Brush Knee Twist Step)
- Green Dragon Shoots Pearl (Brush Knee Twist Step)
- Green Dragon Shoots Pearl (Brush Knee Twist Step)
- Playing the Lute
- Step Back & Repulse Monkey (Reverse Reeling Forearms)
- Step Back & Repulse Monkey (Reverse Reeling Forearms)
- Step Back & Repulse Monkey (Reverse Reeling Forearms)
- Step Back & Repulse Monkey (Reverse Reeling Forearms)
- Carrying the Cosmos
- Immortal Waves Sleeves (Ward Off)
- Double Dragons Play with Pearl (Roll Back)
- Push Boat According to Current (Press)
- Black Bear Sinks Hips
- Open Window Look at Moon (Push)
- Fisherman Throwing His Net
- Single Whip
- Carrying the Cosmos
- Immortal Waves Sleeves (Ward Off)
- Double Dragons Play with Pearl (Roll Back)
- Push Boat According to Current (Press)
- Black Bear Sinks Hips
- Open Window Look at Moon (Push)
- Fisherman Throwing His Net
- Single Whip
- Wave Hands in Clouds
- Wave Hands in Clouds
- Wave Hands in Clouds
- Wave Hands in Clouds
- Single Whip
- White Snake Shoots Venom (High Patting Horse)
- White Horse Presents Hoof (Cross-Hands Thrust Kick)
- Double Bees Drink Pollen
- White Horse Presents Hoof (Cross-Hands Thrust Kick)
- Snake Creeps Down
- Low Single Whip
- Golden Rooster Standing Tall
- Snake Creeps Down
- Low Single Whip
- Golden Rooster Standing Tall
- Jade Girl Threads Shuttle (Fair Lady Works Shuttle)
- Jade Girl Threads Shuttle (Fair Lady Works Shuttle)
- Needle at Sea Bottom
- Elbow Strike
- Shoulder Strike
- Fan Through Back
- Reverse Hanging Golden Lotus (Swinging Fist)
- Punch Below Sleeves
- Like Taming Like Closing (Withdraw and Push)
- Cross Hands
- Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow
- Wuji
Down the road, I’ll be adding more posts on the amazing martial applications of this form. If you think that this form is too flowery for fighting, wait and see!
[UPDATE: June 1, 2013] Here’s another video of me performing the same set, but faster, and with medium power. From the heart, Sifu Anthony
Sifu, you have a real talent for writing with clarity, heart, and humor. I know your book is going to be terrific.
SIFU,
I HAVE BEEN PRACTICING THE TAI CHI SHORT FORM FOR MANY YEARS. YET, WATCHING YOUR VIDEO WITH THE ADDED QUICK FA JING MOVEMENTS OPENED A NEW DOOR FOR MY PRACTICE!!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR AWESOME TEACHING.
CONLEY FALK
I’m glad it was helpful, Conley!
SIFU,
MY PLEASURE.
CONLEY
Thank you Siheng for sharing your insight into the 24 pattern form and how it came about what an interesting story indeed, we are very lucky to have Sifu share with us the true essence of these great arts!
I can’t wait to learn the whole form someday! It looks like such an enjoyable thing to practice!
It’s a wonderful form. If you want to try to learn it on your own, I can help you with it later in Costa Rica. It’s not easy to learn from a video, but it can been done.
Hm, that might be a fun little project to work on until then! 🙂
师傅安东尼！Thank you for this article of yours! You have cleared up so much confusion (kungfusion! 😁) in my head with it!! And I must say, not only in my head but also in my heart…
I have learned this form from a Chinese master and I loved it! Unfortunately, we suddenly skipped to the long form, before I could learn the whole short form… Only the last few movements were missing. I was furious about it. (Since then I had felt some aversion towards the long form😂) Another unfortunate circumstance was that his English and/or Spanish (this was in Catalonia/Spain) wasn’t good enough to allow him proper explanation. I had no idea about the story of the short form. In contrast, I knew much about the sad story of “How Tai Chi Lost Its Mojo” (another brilliant article of yours, also extremely helpful!).
Since then I moved back to Hungary and I still haven’t learned the form.
Now I’m reading a book called “What Is Tai Chi”, written by an American tai chi master. I find it an excellent book, so informative, helped me understand quite many things. I rarely pick up a book on Tai Chi that is not written by an old Chinese master… But he built up my trust during the book. And on the very last page, he writes that he teaches the Peking 24 Form developed by the PRC… (I really didn’t know that it’s the same form I’d been learning…) Booooo… Suddenly I felt like throwing the book to the bin! Like if somebody doesn’t have it clear what the role of the PRC was (is) in the downgrading of the traditional culture (I’m trying to put it in proper words and be objective, although I find it hard…), then I don’t know how to trust their words… He does not have a word about this part of the story. (It’s OK, the book focuses mainly on technical issues.)
But now that I have found this article, I feel HEALED from these doubts! Thank You Thank You Thank You! 🙏🙏🙏
I wish I could learn from you in person😊 Do you ever come to Europe…? I don’t think I can travel nowadays to overseas (given the restrictions applied since the year 2020 on…)
Anyhow, I have found your page and have read this article! I feel protected… 😊🙏
Hope you read this and drop me a few words!
Love, Gratitude and Respect from Hungary!
Nárcisz / 水仙
Ps.: I think I should translate this (and some other) article of yours… Not that I have an own website but surely I could find ways to share it. (Citing your site, of course.) Would you be OK with it? 🙏