A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

These are terms often run across in reading about T'ai Chi Ch'uan and may be unfamiliar or used in a manner that is not usually encountered.
Some of the words have several meanings and all are listed

We are adding to this page all the time.

A

• An - push/press downward

• An Jing - quiet energy

B

• Baduanjin - eight pieces of brocade
• Ba Gua (Pa Kua) - eight trigrams
• Ba Gua Zhang - eight trigrams palm (internal art), based on the I Ching
• Bai hui - point at top of the head
• Bi Qi - seal the breath, using a technique for cutting off the opponents breathing, category of Qin Na/Chin Na.
• Boh Jing - deflecting, bouncing power
• Bu - footwork/stances

C

• Cai - pluck/uprooting force

• Ce Jing - Borrowing Power

• Ce Jing - Twisting Power

• Chang Chuan - long boxing

• Chang San-Feng - creator of T'ai Chi Ch'uan

• Chen - style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan, thought by many to be the original style

• Chen Jing - Sinking Power

• Chi or Qi - vital energy

• Chi Kung/Qi Gong - exercises to increase vital energy/Chi , done sitting standing and lying down.

• Chin Na - joint control aspect of Chinese martial arts, four aspects, dislocationg the joints, dividing muscle, sealing the breath and cavity press.

• Chuan - fist

• Ci Jing - Cutting Power

• Chin Na - joint locking martial art

• Cun Jing - Inch Power

D

• Da Lu - pushing hands exercise also known as four corners or large rollback

• Dantien or tan t’ien - commonly a point 3 fingers width below navel where chi is stored and generated, there are actually 3 dantien fields in the brain, lower abodmen and solar plexus. Cinnabar field

• Dao - sabre or broadsword

• Dian Xue - cavity press, striking of acupuncture points, category of Qin Na/Chin Na.

• Di Jing - Uprooting Power

• Dim Mak - vital point attacks using acupuncture points

• Ding - Central Equalibrium

• Ding Jing - Listening Power

• Dou Jin - vibrating or shaking the body with great force, used to hit at short distances.

• Duan Jing - Interrupting Power

• Du Mai - governing vessel, one of the major Chi pathways, runs from tailbone to spine and up to roof of mouth.

E

• Empty/Full - basic concept in T'ai Chi Ch'uan. Empty is a deficiency while Full is excess or lots of something.

• External/Internal - referring to the martial arts. External usually refers to the arts developed at Shaolin and are physical while the internal comes from Wudang and are focused on chi power and relaxed power.

F

• Fa Jing - Exploding Power to issue power

• Frame - the size of the movement performed, small tight movements would be small frame. Often a practitioner changes from large or medium frame to small as they get older.

G

• Gong/Kung - work or effort

• Gong Fu - something that takes energy and time

• Gu - Look Left

H

• Hao - style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan, not common, small movements, created by Hao Wei-Zhen

• He Jing - Close-up Power

• Hen - one of two sounds in T'ai Chi Ch'uan. On inhale is yin energy, on exhale yin and some yang

• Heng Jing - Crossing Power

• Hexagram - one of the 64 changes of the I Ching

• Hsing I/Xing Yi Chuan - form and intent boxing (internal style)

• Hua Jing - Neutralizing Power

• Hua Jing - transforming energy

• Hui yin - perineum

I

• I Ching - the book of changes, book of divination

J

• Jan - yielding

• Ji - press/push forward or squeeze

• Jian - straight sword

• Jin - power, force or advance, there are many types of jin energy

• Jin Bu - step forward

• Jing - internal energy channels

• Jing-Shen - spirit of vitality

• Jin Zhong Zhao - golden bell cover, training that allows a person to be struck without injury

• Jou - elbow

K

• Kai Jing - Open-up Power

• Kao - Shoulder Stroke or to lean

• Ki - see chi

• Kong Jin - empty force

• Kung Fu/Gong Fu - hard work or skillful effort

L

• Lan - merging

• Lao gung - energy point in the center of the palm, can be used to project chi

• Li - strength, muscular power

• Lie - Split or spiraling force

• Ling - agility

• Ling Gong Jing - Distance Power

• Lotus kick - a circular kick in T'ai Chi Ch'uan

• Lu - Roll Back and diverting force to side

M

• Mai - vessels

• Mian Chuan - cotton boxing, another name for T'ai Chi Ch'uan

• Ming Jing - bright energy

• Ming men -

• Mu - wood

N

• Na Jing - Controlling Power

• Nan Chuan - southern boxing in China

• Nejia - internal arts

• Neijin - internal power

• Nien - adhering

O

• Open/Close - term in T'ai Chi Ch'uan for expanding/contracting, growing/shrinking.

P

• Pan - Look right

• Pao Chui - cannon fist,  second form of Chen T'ai Chi Ch'uan

• Peng - Relaxed Connection upward force

• Peng - Ward Off

• Peng Jing - Pushing Power

• Po Jing - Deflecting Power

• Post Birth - energy acquired after birth from the environment

• Pre Birth - energy acquired from parents

• Push Hands - two person exercise in T'ai Chi Ch'uan, used to develop sensitivity and move towards self defense application

Q

• Qi - see Chi

• Qi Li - chi supported muscle power

• Quiang - spear

• Quing - lightness

R

• Ren Mai - conception vessel

• Root - developing stability in T'ai Chi Ch'uan by sinking chi to dantien initially and eventually below the feet and into the earth

• Rou - soft

• Rou Shou - soft hands see San Shou

• Ruan Jin - soft jin

S

• San Bao - three treasures - jing, chi and shen

• San Shi Qi Shi - thirty seven postures, predecessor of T'ai Chi Ch'uan

• San Shou - free hands, fighting in T'ai Chi Ch'uan

• San Ti - standing exercise

• Shen - spiritual energy

• Shui - water

• Sifu/Shifu - teacher

• Suei - magnetic energy

• Sun - style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan developed by Sun Lu-T'ang

T

• T'ai Chi/Taiji - supreme ultimate

• T'ai Chi Ch'uan or Tajiquan - martial art based on yin/yang

• T'ai Chi Classics - writings on T'ai Chi Ch'uan, in brief poetry form with deep meaning

• Tao or Dao - the way to self development

• Tao Te Ching - classic writing on the Tao

• Tie Bu Shan - iron shirt, training to allow person to take a blow with no injury

• Ting Jing - Listening Energy

• Trigram - arrangement of three parallel broken or unbroken lines representing yin or yang arranged in pairs to form the hexagrams of the I Ching.

• Tsai/Cai  - pull down energy

• Tu - earth

• Tui - Retreat

• Tui Bu - step back

• Tui - Push Out

• Tui Shou - push hands, exercise in T'ai Chi Ch'uan to develop sensitivity and close quarter fighting, purpose to uproot or disrupt opponents balance

U

V

W

• Wa Sh0u   - tile hand, hand position in T'ai Chi Ch'uan

• Wu - style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan developed by the Wu family containing more upright postures, smaller movements and an strong emphasis on internal energy

• Wai Jin - external power, minimal chi

• Wu Chi/Wu Ji - nothingness, void before T'ai Chi

• Wushu - martial technique

• Wu wei - doing without doing

• Wudang - mountains in China, origin of T'ai Chi Ch'uan

• Wushu - martial arts

X

• Xiao Jiu Tian - small nine heavens, predecessor of T'ai Chi Ch'uan
• Xiao Lu - small rollback
• Xin - mind
• Xin-Yi - heart mind

Y

• Yang - hard strong male active bright heaven side of yin/yang

• Yang - style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan, most popular and best known

• Yi - intent or mind

• Yin - soft weak female passive dark earth side of yin/yang

• Ying Jing - Drawing-up Power

• You Pan - look right

• Yung ch’uan - bubbling well points at the soles of the feet 

Z

• Zang Lian Jing - sticking power

• Zhan Zhuang - standing meditation

• Zhong Ding - central equalibrium

• Zhong Zheng - centered and straight

• Zhou - forearm and elbow in defense or offense

• Zhou Jing - Rubbing Power

• Zhuan Jing - Spiral Power

• Zhuan Xin - concentrated mind

• Zuo Jing - Following Power

• Zuo Te Jing - Folding Power