The Tai Chi San Shou form is a choreographed two-person sparring set. This traditional training method is common across many styles of Kung Fu and reveals the martial arts applications of Tai Chi Ch’uan. It is first learned solo, then later practiced with a partner, starting slowly to focus on subtleties before progressing to a faster pace.
Mastering the Tai Chi San Shou form deepens one’s understanding of Tai Chi Chuan and its techniques. Grandmaster Tchoung Ta Tchen learned this form from Hsiung Yang Ho AKA Xiong Yanghe, a renown martial artist in Taiwan, and taught it to Sifu Harvey Kurland, who then taught it to Instructor Stephen Bay.
The San Shou form is divided into two parts, Side A and Side B, which are known respectively as Section 7 and Section 8 in our system.
Tchoung Ta Tchen on Tai Chi San Shou*
“The form is the alphabet. Pushing hands and San Shou is learning to read and write. The ability to read and write is what makes the alphabet useful.”
Grandmaster Tchoung Ta Tchen
In other words, to truly grasp the Tai Chi Ch’uan empty hand forms, one must study pushing hands and San Shou, as understanding these applications is crucial for correct teaching. Learning the Tai Chi San Shou form allows for a deeper comprehension of the art.
Chen Yanlin on Tai Chi San Shou**
The San Shou sparring set is a crucial practice, compensating for the limitations of pushing hands and Da Lu (large rollback). It is especially valuable if you struggle with staying connected to your opponent’s hands or with techniques like sticking, warding off, or neutralizing. Unlike other martial arts, Tai Chi San Shou emphasizes principles such as sticking, adhering, connecting, and following, responding to the opponent without pre-planned actions, neutralizing and issuing internal power, and moving continuously without interruption.
Mastery of pushing hands and Da Lu should precede the study of the sparring set’s practical applications. Neglecting this would be akin to leaving a monument unfinished. Tai Chi sparring includes both solo and paired practice. Solo practice involves numerous methods using various body parts to strike, which should be taught by a qualified teacher. Paired practice integrates the thirteen dynamics from the solo set, creating a seamless and subtly transformative two-person sparring set.
Familiarizing yourself with every posture in the sparring set, and being able to apply them, enhances the precision and elegance of your solo set. This increases interest and benefits both mind and body. Improved skills in pushing hands and large rollback will enable you to effectively counter attacks from any direction, bringing the full essence of Tai Chi Ch’uan to fruition.
* from Sifu Harvey Kurland’s article
** from Paul Brennan’s translation