Black - 5th to 8th dan
	Tai chi chuan syllabus - experienced level

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Qualifying

Students have passed all 4 lower dan black belts. They must attend a minimum of 30 workshops/boot camps/private lessons per calendar year in addition to weekly tuition in class.
If you haven't signed-up for workshops, don't ask to be assessed/graded in class.


Uniform

Students wear:

• Black T-shirt, changshan or wrap-over
• School badge sewn onto the left upper chest and the neijiaquan patch on the right sleeve (suit)
• Black cotton martial arts/karate trousers
• Flat footwear; preferably not training/sports shoes
• Black sash


Experienced belts

5th, 6th, 7th and 8th dan black belts are for more experienced tai chi chuan practice.  
 

When a student is good, becoming better than his fellows, his pride must be destroyed, he must be driven without mercy so that his spirit and skill will not suffer from conceit.

(C W Nicol)

Black (5th dan)

Long Yang form (jing version)
5 elements striking (part 1)
13 methods
Chin na against a knife
Crude fa jing
First hand/second hand
Form applications (section 3)
Freeform grappling
Heavy bag
Improvised weaponry/knife
Jing
Melee:
– yielding/chin na
– yielding/shuai jiao
Mutual arising
Neigong (31-40)
Obvious power (ming jing)
Reverse breathing
San da stage 1: freeform application
San sau (jing)
Shuai jiao against a knife
Silk arms (jing)
Sparing yourself
Spiral body
Travelling
Yielding/knife
Yielding/chin na against a knife
Yielding/countering
Yin

Challenge - improvised weaponry (5 minutes)
Challenge - san sau (jing) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - section 3 form applications (120 mins x 24 weeks)
Challenge - silk arms (jing) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - yielding/countering endurance (10 mins)

Assignment #1 - The Okinawa Program
Assignment #2 - How to Win Friends and Influence People
Assignment #3 - Rapt
Assignment #4 - Free Yourself From Back Pain
Assignment #5 - Sword & Brush
 

Black (6th dan)

Long Yang form (13 methods version)
2-person form (partnered) (regular & mirrored)
5 challenges
5 elements stepping
5 elements striking (part 2)
8 powers striking
Balance, rhythm, timing
Becoming the centre
Being in the back
Cavity press
Chin na in the Long Yang form (section 1)
Fa jing
Long & short jing
Melee:
– yielding/countering
Neigong (41-50)
Projections (section 1)
Reeling silk
San da stage 2: freeform combat
San sau against a knife
San sau (combat)
Shuai jiao in the Long Yang form (section 1)
Silk arms against a knife
Silk arms (combat)
Tools

Challenge - 5 challenges
Challenge - 13 methods form (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - projections (section 1) (30 mins x 12 weeks)
Challenge - san sau (combat) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - sections 1, 2 & 3 form applications (120 mins x 48 weeks)
Challenge - silk arms (combat) (60 mins x 4 weeks)

Assignment #1 - The Book of Tea
Assignment #2 - The Inner Way or The Inner Warrior
Assignment #3 - The Pavement Arena
Assignment #4 - Steal My Art
Assignment #5 - The Tai Chi Journey

Black (7th dan)

Long Yang form (reeling silk version)
5 elements striking (part 3)
Chin na in the Long Yang form (section 2)
Cold jing
Combining chin na, shuai jiao & jing
Dividing the muscle
Entry methods
Hidden power (an jing)
Jing/leverage principles (misplacing the bones)
Large rhythm, small rhythm
Latent movements
Monkey
Projections (section 2)
Rolling
San sau (variations)
Sealing the breath
Shen
Shih (martial advantage)
Shuai jiao: elbow & bump
Shuai jiao: footwork
Shuai jiao in the Long Yang form (section 2)
Shuai jiao: mutual arising
Shuai jiao: throws
Shuai jiao: use of legs
Sung
The way of the bear
The way of the bird
The way of the monkey
The way of the snake
The way of the tiger
Wu nien

Challenge - 10 minute freeform application endurance challenge
Challenge - knife attackers (5 minutes)
Challenge - non-cooperative relay (5 mins)
Challenge - projections (section 2) (30 mins x 12 weeks)
Challenge - reeling silk form (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)

Assignment - interpret a koan

Assignment #1 - Commentaries on Living volume 2
Assignment #2 - Keep it Simple
Assignment #3 - The Power of Internal Martial Arts
Assignment #4 - The Road Less Travelled
Assignment #5 - Tai Chi Secrets of the Ancient Masters

Black (8th dan)

Biomechanics (chin na)
Biomechanics (combat)
Biomechanics (drills)
Biomechanics (Long Yang form - all moves)
Biomechanics (qigong)
Biomechanics (shuai jiao)
Biomechanics (weapons)
Chin na in the Long Yang form (section 3)
Disintegration
Dying ground (expert)
Fa jing (variations)
Flowing chin na applications (misplacing the bones)
Flowing shuai jiao applications
Form in self defence
Projections (section 3)
Shuai jiao in the Long Yang form (section 3)

Challenge - mass attack (5 minutes)
Challenge - projections (section 3) (30 mins x 12 weeks)

Assignment - write a poem

Assignment #1 - The Book of Tea
Assignment #2 - The Inner Way or The Inner Warrior
Assignment #3 - The Pavement Arena
Assignment #4 - Steal My Art
Assignment #5 - The Tai Chi Journey

Reading is not optional

To complete each level, students must answer assignments to prove that they have taken the time to read this website and all of the required texts.
Failure to read the books will impede progress and hinder understanding.


Further reading

• Tai chi & piano lessons
• Understanding fighting
• Unnatural naturalness

More...

school database

Page created 2 March 1995
Last updated 21 May 2015

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