Yang Cheng Fu's Ten principles

Yang Cheng Fu was the grandson of Yang Lu Chan, who learned Tai Chi from the Chen family. Up till the time of Yang Cheng Fu, Tai Chi was usually only taught secretly and rarely to anyone other than a direct family member. However, Yang Cheng Fu eventually came to believe that Tai Chi was so important to the health and well being of the people that he decided to openly teach anyone who came to him. As time passed, Yang Cheng Fu developed forms that emphasized the health developing aspects of Tai Chi and made the art more accessible to a broader range of people.

Yang Cheng Fu died in 1936, but during the course of his life he taught many thousands of students. Some of his students became renowned Tai Chi teachers in their own right and many left mainland China, bringing Yang's style of Tai Chi with them to the wider world. As a consequence, Yang style Tai Chi is the most widely practiced form of Tai Chi in the world. Here are the key principles of Tai Chi practice that Yang Cheng Fu taught. Mindful application of these principles to each movement of the form should be the core aim of your practice.

1. Keep your head erect
2. Keep your chest inward and let your Chi (energy) stick to the back (spine).
3. Relax your waist
4. Distinguish substantial and insubstantial stances
5. Sink your shoulders and elbows
6. Use the "Yi" (mind) instead of force
7. Harmonize (coordinate) the upper and lower parts of the body
8. Coordinate the internal and external parts
9. Continuous and flowing movements
10. Tranquility and peace in movements

To these ten I will add one more. Have fun!