The jian, or straight, double-edged Tai Chi sword, is the premier weapon of Tai Chi Ch’uan. With its refined sweeps and cuts, the jian is the weapon of an officer or scholar whereas the dao, or saber/broadsword, is the chopping and hacking instrument of the foot soldier.
Read more about the Yang Style Tai Chi sword in this article by Sifu Harvey Kurland.
The Yang Style Tai Chi Sword 64-Movement Form
This list is a combination of form names taken from the writings of Sifu Kurland as well as from the Tai Chi Sword Handbook by Shi Diaomei, one of the teachers of Grandmaster Tchoung Ta-Tchen.
This list is provided for current students to help remember the moves when practicing at home and is not intended to provide comprehensive instruction.
- Beginning Posture
Wújí Zhuāng 无极桩
Wuji Stance, N - Commence and Raise Sword
Qǐ jiàn shì 起劍式
Taiji Stance, N - Immortal Points the Way
Xiān rén zhǐ lù 仙人指路
Left Bow Stance, W - Three Rings Circle the Moon
Sān huán tào yuè 三環套月
Right Empty Stance, W to Twist Stance, E - Step Forward and Take the Sword AKA Needle to Bottom of the Sea
Bù hé jiàn 步合劍
Right Empty Stance, W - Big Dipper
Dà kuíxīng 大魁星
Balance on Right Leg, W - Swallow Skims the Water
Yàn zi chāo shuǐ 燕子抄水
(strike)
Left Bow Stance, W - Sweeping Blocks—Left and Right
Zuǒ yòu lán sǎo 左右攔掃
(pull and skim)
Right Bow Stance, W (x2) - Little Dipper
Xiǎo kuí xīng 小魁星
(lift)
Left Empty Stance, NW - Wasp Enters the Hive
Huángfēng rù dòng 黃蜂入洞
(pierce)
Left Bow Stance, SE - Agile Cat Catches the Mouse
Líng māo bǔ shǔ 靈猫捕鼠
(press and pierce)
Left Bow Stance, SE - Dragonfly Touches the Water
Qīng tíng diǎn shuǐ 蜻蜓點水
(tap/direct)
Left Empty Stance, SE, to Left Bow Stance, SE - Rhino Watches the Moon (Right and Left)
Xī niú wàng yuè 犀牛望月
(block)
Back Stance, SE, to Back Stance, NW - Swallow Enters the Nest
Yàn zǐ rù cháo 燕子入巢
(pierce)
Left Bow Stance, SW - Phoenix Spreads Wings
Fèng huáng zhǎn chì 鳳凰展翅
(strike)
Right Bow Stance, N - Advancing Right Whirlwind
Yòu xuàn fēng 右旋風
(stir)
Taking steps to NW - Little Dipper
Xiǎo kuí xīng 小魁星
(lift)
Left Empty Stance, NW - Step Back and Embrace the Moon
Huái zhōng bào yuè 懷中抱月
(press, then pierce)
Right Back Stance, NW - Retreating Left Whirlwind
Zuǒ xuàn fēng 左旋風
(stir)
Stepping Backwards, facing NW but moving SE - Fishing Stance
Diào yú shì 釣魚式
(direct)
Right Leg in Air, NW - Part the Grass to Search for Snakes
Bō cǎo xún shé 撥草尋蛇
(strike)
Right Bow Stance, W, to Left Bow Stance, W, to Right Bow Stance, W - Embrace the Moon
Huái zhōng bào yuè 懷中抱月
(press)
Back Stance, W - Roosting Bird Flies Into the Forest
Sù niǎo tóu lín 宿鳥投林
(pierce)
Left Knee Raised, W - Black Dragon Swings its Tail
Wū lóng bǎi wěi 烏龍擺尾
(clear, strike)
Twist Stance, E, to Twist Stance, W - Wind Curls the Lotus Leaves
Fēng juǎn hé yè 風捲荷葉
(pierce)
Left Bow Stance, W - Jade Maiden Weaves the Shuttles
Yù nǚ chuān suō 玉女穿梭
(pierce) - Lion Shakes Head
Shīzi yáo tóu 獅子搖頭
(intercept)
Turn clockwise to E, then step backwards in Bow Stances (left, right, left) - Tiger Holds Its Head
Hǔ bào tóu 虎抱頭
(snap)
Right Heel Kick, E - Mustang Jumps the Stream
Yě mǎ tiào jiàn 野馬跳澗
(pierce)
Jump into Right Bow Stance, E - Rein in the Horse
Fān shēn lè mǎ 翻身勒馬
(Turn and strike to the left)
Right Empty Stance, E, then turn Counter-Clockwise - Step Up and Point the Compass Needle
Zhǐ nán zhēn 指南針
(pierce)
Left Foot Forward, then Right until Feet Together, W - Face the Wind and Brush Off Dust
Yíng fēng dǎn chén 迎風撢塵
(intercept or block)
Right Bow Stance, Left Bow Stance, Right Bow Stance (W), then retreat towards E - Cross Step
Jiāo bù liāo yīn 交步撩陰
(split)
Twist Stance, E - Cut Across Ocean Waves
Zuǒ lán sǎo 左攔掃
(block) - Withdraw the Wrist (Shoot the Goose)
Shùn bù chōu wàn 順步抽腕
(direct) - Point Sword to the Crotch
Zhǐ dāng jiàn 指襠劍
(pierce) - Push the Boat Along the Current
Shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu 順水推舟
(intercept and pierce) - Falling Star Chases the Moon
Liú xīng gǎn yuè 流星趕月
(split to shoulder) - Horse Gallops Across the Heavens
Tiān mǎ xíng kōng 天馬行空
(split) - Rise to Lift the Curtain
Qǐ shēn tiāo lián 起身挑簾
(lift) - Wheel Left and Right
Zuǒ yòu chē lún 左右車輪
(clear and pierce on left; pierce and split or direct on right) - Great Roc Spreads a Wing
Dà péng dān zhǎn chì 大鵬單展翅
(strike) - Scoop the Moon’s Reflection From the Water
Hǎi dǐ lāo yuè 海底撈月
(snap) - Embrace the Moon
Huái zhōng bào yuè 懷中抱月
(press) - Explore the Sea
Tàn hǎi 探海
(pierce) - Rhino Watches the Moon
Xī niú wàng yuè 犀牛望月
(block) - Turn and Shoot the Goose
Zhuǎn shēn shè yàn 轉身射雁
(reeling energy for next move) - Azure Dragon Claw
Qīng lóng tàn zhǎo 青龍探爪
(pierce) - Phoenix Spreads its Wings
Fèng huáng zhǎn chì 鳳凰展翅
(strike) - Left and Right Striding Blocks (like Rhino Gazes at Moon)
Zuǒ yòu kuà lán 左右跨攔
(block; three steps to the left into right empty stance; four steps to the right into left empty stance) - Shoot the Goose (AKA Dragon Nods Head or Needle Points)
Shè yàn shì 射雁式
(direct) - Red Between the Eyebrows (leap and thrust to eye level)
Méi zhōng diǎn chì 眉中點赤
(pierce) - White Ape Offers Fruit
Bái yuán xiàn guǒ 白猿獻果
(strike) - Flowers Fall Left and Right
Zuǒ yòu luò huā 左右落花
(strike) - Jade Maiden Weaves the Shuttles
Yù nǚ chuān suō 玉女穿梭
(pierce) - White Tiger Twitches Tail
Bái hǔ jiǎo wěi 白虎攪尾
(strike, then block) - Tiger Holds its Head
Hǔ bào tóu 虎抱頭
(snap) - Carp Jumps the Dragon Gate
Yú yuè lóng mén 魚躍龍門
(pierce) - Black Dragon Coils Around Pillar
Wū lóng jiǎo zhù 烏龍攪柱
(split or clear, then pierce; left bow stance) - Jade Maiden Weaves the Shuttles
Yù nǚ chuān suō 玉女穿梭
(pierce) - Wind Sweeps the Plum Blossoms
Fēng sǎo méi huā 風掃梅花
(strike) - Step Up and Point Compass Needle
Shàng bù zhǐ nán zhēn 上步指南針
(pierce; step right foot forward first) - Present the Ivory Tablet
Shǒu pěng yá hù 手捧牙笏 - Embrace the Sword and Return
Bào jiàn huán yuán 抱劍還原
This form is also known as the 13 Posture Tai Chi Sword Form, the 13 Energies Sword Form, or the 13 Dynamics Sword Form, based on the 13 basic dynamics of Tai Chi Sword:
13 Straight Sword Dynamics
- Drawing/Pulling
抽 Chōu - Dragging/Carrying/Skimming
帶 Dài - Lifting
提 Tí - Blocking
格 Gé - Striking
擊 Jī - Stabbing/Piercing/Thrusting
刺 Cì - Tapping
點 Diǎn - Flicking/Snapping
掤 Pēng - Chopping/Splitting
劈 Pī - Checking/Intercepting
截 Jié - Stirring
攪 Jiǎo - Pressing
壓 Yā - Clearing
洗 Xǐ