For those in Taiji circles who discuss the study of “maintaining the correct posture” there seems to be nothing new but there are those who may view it as a new idea, so why do I bring it up here? As a matter of fact, it is usually referred to as “maintaining a correct physical posture” and “a calm mental state” in Taiji terminology.

“Maintaining a correct physical posture” is considered an extremely crucial principle in Taiji practice. I wish to discuss it from a learning standpoint in order to especially draw practitioners’ attention to it–it is derived from the dual principles of “correctness” in one’s posture and “calmness” in one’s frame of mind. In my book 13 Chapters Explaining the Secrets of Taijiquan, I dedicated a chapter to “correct posture”, but considering that the principle has yet to be delineated, I will try to further clarify its relationship to “calmness”. Lack of “calmness” in one’s mind, spirit and intention poses a hurdle to “correct posture” of one’s body. In my other writing, I endeavor to explain Taiji principles in clear and simple terms so that fellow practitioners with different educational background can understand them, insisting that Taijiquan teaching methods should be easy to understand, easy to practice and  particularly easy to perform. By merely comprehending the principle of “a correct posture”, a practitioner can ensure that he or she will not deviate from the correct direction and sub-directions when doing a solo set, avoiding any major misalignment in posture due to a slight misstep. All in all, the way to “a correct posture” still can be found in the feet.

1. The Eight-directional Lines in Taiji Practice

The single leg is the equilibrium center in Grandmaster Yang Yuting’s pillar shaped Taijiquan. When doing the solo set, either the right or left leg is used to support the entire body weight, with the foot that connects the body’s center of gravity to the ground or the point of central equilibrium, as shown in the Eight Trigrams that illustrate the so-called “Thirteen Postures that is comprised of Eight Gates and Five Steps”.

While practising the form, the leg that takes all of the body weight, either with the entire sole of the foot or only heel touching the ground, is referred to as “the weighted leg”. It should rest on the central equilibrium point, or the point that connects the body’s center of gravity to the ground. The precise location of that contact point on one’s foot is slightly to the rear of the center of the sole. One can measure it by drawing an imaginary line from the earlobe to the crotch area and down to that point. Then, by drawing another imaginary line back up to the bai hui acupuncture point one can reach the “point of Yin” on the top of the skull. When spreading the bodily weight evenly on both legs (“double-weightedness” in Taiji terminology), one positions one’s feet on the two sides of the centre point, approximately a shoulder’s width apart. Except for being “double-weighted” for a longer period of time when doing the second, third and fourth moves of the “Beginning Posture”, one remains “double-weighted” only for a brief moment as a transition movement when performing the “Cloud Hands”, “Fan Through the back”, “Single Whip” and “Diagonal Single Whip” forms then changing one’s stance immediately. It is said that putting all of one’s weight on one leg so that one’s body becomes like a vertical pillar is the major stance in the entire solo form, while the “double-weighted” stance is merely a transitional move. In the following, I am going to pinpoint the precise location of your feet in different stances as shown in the diagram of the eight-directional lines that form a framework to help learners maintain the correct posture.

There are eight lines branching out from the central point where the load-bearing foot is placed that run south, north, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. The south-north axis is called the vertical directional line; the east-west axis is the horizontal directional line; the northeast-southwest and northwest-southeast axes are called oblique directional lines. Various stances can be explained by the position of the feet on these lines. There are broadly eight stances on the horizontal and vertical directional lines.

Putting one’s weight on one or both feet following either a north/south or east/west directional line or along some lesser directional angle can be considered a correct physical posture or a correct stance. Likewise it should be emphasized that the solid weighted hand should be on the same line with the foot or feet that are supporting the entire body weight. Otherwise it is doubtful whether or not the correct physical posture can be maintained since the upper and lower parts of the body are not moving in sync with each other. Irrespective of which move one is doing, the weighted or solid hand must be above the weight-bearing leg on either the main direction or on any acute angle off the perpendicular directions. This is the “correct posture” where the upper and lower parts of the body are moving together, conforming to Taijiquan principles and the theory of Yin and Yang applied to maintaining one’s physical posture. Your forms will not be correct if you fail to observe this principle.

An incorrect Taiji form is the result of incorrect posture, which in turn stems from deviation by the weight-bearing leg from the proper position – the “weighted hand” cannot be off the line where the “weighted” leg is placed. A slight deviation leads to a completely slanted upper body. Failing to maintain a “correct” posture that deviates from the directional line or acute angle when doing a solo set, one cannot punch with full effect and you will simply lose your balance in doing so. The famous martial arts novelist, Mr Louis Cha, has written down a clear understanding of the study of “maintaining the correct posture” in Taijiquan. In the afterword to A Discourse on Taijiquan (edited by Wu Style Taiji Master Wu Gongzao), Mr Cha remarked that “maintaining a calm mental state is the primary principle. The essential point is to keep one’s balance…most importantly, one should not have any mistakes or flaws in every move in one’s set, while maintaining a sense of ease and calmness in one’s mind.” Beginners probably have little knowledge of the inner workings of Taijiquan and thus fail to maintain the proper physical posture. Without the proper posture they cannot ensure that they are facing the correct direction line and corresponding acute angle.

2. There is no slant to an apparent angle in any Taijiquan posture–actually all postures are only straight throughout the entire solo

Serious Taijiquan practitioners (in China) often discuss the meaning of the phrase to the effect that “hidden inside a slanted angle there is a straight angle” in the solo set, which is also mentioned in books about Taiji techniques. Is the “slanted angle” a distinctive feature in the solo set and is it necessary to maintain a “slanted angle” in one’s form? My view is that we do not perform any moves at a “slanted angle” in the form. Nor is there a “slanted angle” inside a “straight angle” in the solo set.

Irrespective of whether your center of gravity is on the left or right foot, your leg is always planted on the central point of the Eight Trigrams (compass directions) that the “Thirteen Postures comprise the Eight Gates (uses of energy) and Five Steps (maneuvres)”, shifting between Yin (emptiness) and Yang (solidity) as one performs the moves of the solo set to fulfill the requirement of “maintaining a correct physical posture” and a “calm mental state”. I came up with a pithy instruction that goes like this: “maintain a straight line from top to bottom and shift between Yin and Yang with your feet”. The position of the weighted leg ought to be perpendicular to the center line of a move. This is how one maintains a “correct physical posture”.

One can check whether one is doing a posture correctly by drawing an imaginary straight line from the back of your solid weighted foot to the baihui acupuncture point at the top of your head. This is the correct physical posture with the prerequisite of a calm mind, spirit and intention. Since “calmness” is of paramount importance, I describe this principle as “maintaining a calm mental state while keeping a correct physical posture”. When doing a solo set, one should examine one’s posture according to the above principle.  There are absolutely no slanted postures in the form. Nor should one perform a move as if it was at an angle within a straight angle. I have introduced a diagram with the Eight-directional Lines in this chapter so that Taijiquan practitioners can have a clearer understanding of what angles and directions are. The load-bearing foot should be at the center of the eight directional lines, from which branch out the south to north vertical axis, the east-west horizontal axis, the northeast-southwest oblique axis and the northwest-southeast oblique axis. For a traditional Taijiquan set, with thirteen postures to over a hundred postures, each move can be broken down into a further number of smaller movements. No matter how one’s feet change position, they are always either on the two vertical axes or on the two oblique axes. If one has not deviated from the eight angles and directions, there is no way that one will be slanted when doing a form. As long as one does not let oneself slanted to an angle, it is impossible for the form to be slanted. Some may wonder “isn’t that one is slanted when performing the move either on the northeast-southwest oblique axis or on the northwest-southeast oblique axis?” If one places one’s feet accurately along the oblique axes, one’s bodily posture is upright. Then one is at the correct angle and facing the right direction.  You must have a correct understanding of the angles and directions when performing the moves. Maintaining a correct posture is the core of Taijiquan. A practitioner definitely should have a good grasp of this principle. I will give more details on the Eight-directional lines in Chapter 22, Angle and Direction When Performing Taijiquan.

3. The Tip of the Nose as the Centre

There are those who may find it strange when hearing about the idea of using the tip of the nose as a focal point when doing Taijiquan. No past masters have ever talked about it. Nor are there any discourses about it in classic Taijiquan treatises. Nevertheless, this does not mean that this alignment does not exist, rather, it is only that practitioners have not understood its significance.

The technique of aligning the three points of the body, i.e. the toe, knee and nose, has been well discussed. Readers, however, may find it difficult to comprehend the rationale behind using the tip of the nose as a focal point due to the fact that no in-depth and detailed explanations have ever been provided. 

Some argue that there are Taiji moves that “look slanted but are straight”. They talk about the slanted move mainly based on the posture Retreating While Driving Away the Monkey. When performing this move, you start from a bow (foward) stance (with the left leg forward as an example), and, as you retreat, you shift your weight to the heel of the left foot, with the toes pointing upwards. The right leg then takes the entire body weight. The right hand, with the palm facing eastward gradually lowers and faces the toes of the left foot that is weightless in an empty stance. As you shift your weight from your left leg in the bow (forward) stance to your right leg to a back stance, the center of gravity shifts from left to right along a horizontal axis. Your posture may seem to be slanted when the right palm faces the left foot (with the toes pointing upwards) on the left horizontal axis. Nevertheless, as your body turns from the east to the northeast, your centre of gravity lands exactly on the northeast oblique axis. At this point, the tip of your nose, the solid right hand and the left foot are all on a straight line. And you are still on a straight angle both in form and posture. 

Each form comprising the 83-form traditional Taijiquan taught by Grandmaster Yang Yuting can be broken down into 326 (Yin/Yang) movements using the tip of the nose as the focal point with the load-bearing foot resting on the point that is the center of gravity.Both the tip of the nose and the point of center of gravity are on the same vertical line, without the slightest deviation. Fellow practitioners who understand how to maintain a correct physical posture will no longer make the mistake of forcing a slanted posture. Your hands are an extension of your arms and your arms join your trunk at your shoulders. By drawing two imaginary lines from the tip of the nose to the two shoulders, you will realize that they form a triangle.

(Add in photo from the UK edition here photo #14?)

One should always maintain a calm mental state while keeping a correct physical posture. Both shoulders should not be slanted with changes in angles and directions as one performs the moves. It is only in this way that the physical posture can be correct. On the contrary, a form that is slanted means that the physical posture is not being maintained correctly – correct physical posture results from a clear understanding of the principle of the above trianglular theory. Otherwise there is no way to keep a correct physical posture. Take two persons in combat as an example. One person pushes the area around the left chest and shoulder of the other person with his or her right hand. The latter turns his or her shoulder to the rear on the left. However, the tip of his or her nose is still facing frontward. It appears that the other person is diverting and neutralizing the attacker’s force. This is going to be a losing battle as the opponent’s posture has already shifted far off the center of gravity. When performing a solo set or engaging in sparring during push hands, you should not let the triangle formed by the tip of your nose and two shoulders move out of place in the slightest – you have to maintain the correct physical posture at all points. Otherwise it will be extremely difficult to tap into Taiji internal power. While maintaining the correct physical posture, it is particularly crucial to keep the triangle with the tip at the weighted hand (an extension of the nose) and the base at the two shoulders. In any moves, there are both Yin (empty) and Yang (solid) weiighted hands. The relationship of the entire solo form to the correct alignment of your physical posture is of paramount importance.

I have dedicated tremendous effort in studying the principle of correct physical posture during years of practising Taijiquan. At times, after completing solo practice, I feel very comfortable with Qi flowing smoothly and my mind maintaining a peaceful state. At other times, I felt that Qi was stuck somewhere and my limbs were not moving in a coordinated manner. Also it seemed that the upper and lower parts of my body were not in sync. Nothing was going smoothly after my practice. Why did I have these feelings? Unable to identify the reasons after many attempts, I asked some fellow practitioners and a large number of them also felt the same way as I did. Early on, I met a practitioner who looked naturally at ease and had an especially bright countenance. After doing a solo set his face looked very red, as if his Qi was also stuck. It was only after I started to look into writings about the Eight-directional lines and observed the way he practiced that I realized he was not moving along the four vertical axes nor the four oblique axes. From this I found out what his problems were and then extended my insights to the crux of my own issue. After I had resolved the problem of the center point of gravity when practicing my set, I felt extremely comfortable after my practice. The upper and lower parts of my body were in sync and my inner Qi and bodily movements in harmony. There are no discussions in taijiquan classics dealing with using the tip of the nose as a focal point. I feel that this is in line with the principle that “taiji is born from the void” with its rationale continually arising, sustaining and developing.

Maintaining the correct posture is also considered advanced especially in applications in push hands or real combat. In sparring, you should always maintain the correct physical posture. To elaborate on the above comments, this means that the equilateral triangle between the nose and the two shoulders should be maintained at all times, which will give you an edge over your opponent. If one can ensure that the weighted hand is placed precisely at the point from where the tip of the nose extends, with the posture correctly maintained, one is definitely going to win. On the contrary, when two persons get into a fighting stance, the one who is slanted in posture has already lost his or her position and is destined to lose.

The leading hand that is weighted and solid contributes in a major way (by being placed in line with the tip of the nose) forming a triangle with the two shoulders, combining taijiquan principles and their application. By maintaining an advantageous distance between the weighted hand and the two shoulders, it is easier to understand what is meant by the weighted hand being an extension from the tip of the nose when performing the solo set. However, when practising push hands, using the weighted hand as an extension from the tip of the nose is not a concept that is easy to grasp. Let me elaborate further: when you perform the solo set, the weighted hand can be placed at the same level as the tip of the nose, but the position of the weighted hand has to change constantly with the movements of the opponent in push hands. It is hard to maintain the distance between the weighted hand and our two shoulders during constant dynamic change in movement. However, the position of the weighted hand, be it high or low, has no bearing on maintaining a correct physical posture in relation to the two points formed by your shoulders. You are in a correct posture as long as you do not move independently or recklessly in reaction to your opponent’s movements.

During the development of Taiji internal power, it is of critical importance to maintain a calm mental state and the correct physical posture, which warrants special attention by the practitioner.