Tai chi fist
   
     

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Chinese boxing

Although most people think of Chinese martial or fighting arts as being 'kung fu', the actual term kung fu is fairly recent and only came into more common use in the 1960's.
The popular book Chinese Boxing by Robert Smith refers to kung fu as being 'Chinese boxing' which is what kung fu has historically being called. The word 'boxing' summons images of fists and punching.


Dynamic balancing boxing

Tai chi chuan (tai chi) literally means - "martial art that uses the yin/yang principle in combat".
Tai chi is supreme ultimate (yin/yang) and signifies the process of dynamic balancing. Chuan is fist (combat/martial art/boxing).


Closed hand

The hand in tai chi does not really make a fist - instead, the hand simply closes. The fingers curl naturally inward. The thumb is placed upon the first finger. The hand is firm but not rigid.
This is called a vertical fist or a standing fist.


Not a typical fist

A tai chi fist is totally different from a conventional fist, where the thumb is curled around the first two fingers and the hand is curled very tightly shut.
The 'normal' fist causes tension in the back of the hand and the wrist.


Baby hand

A tai chi fist is softly closed without tension - like a baby's hand. It is as if you were gently holding a stone - the hand is relaxed and there is a slight space in the palm. This space is vital.


Functional

The tai chi fist offers many striking planes:

  1. Heel

  2. Thumb point

  3. Backfist (big knuckle)

  4. Standing/vertical fist (bottom two knuckles)

  5. Horizontal fist (big knuckle)

  6. Tiger fist (big knuckle)

  7. Tiger palm (palm down)

These methods will only work if the hand shape is 'natural' and not distorted/twisted from tension.


Strange methods?

There are no one-knuckle punches or other odd hand positions/punches in tai chi.


Seizing

The tai chi fist facilitates rapid opening and closing of the hand; making it ideal for seizing. Thumb and first finger are used for pinching. Closing the entire hand enables seizing.


Quan

The word 'quan' (or fist) means combat/self defence. The soft nature of the tai chi fist highlights tai chi's approach to combat - yielding to force rather than resisting.
 Tai chi is not an aggressive martial art.


In tai chi we pay attention to ourselves, not the opponent.
When attacked treat your attacker as if he were armed with a piece of paper or a feather duster.
Ask yourself if you are really relaxed.

(Cheng Man Ching)
 

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Page created 18 April 1995
 Last updated 20 June 2023

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