Terms

These are some terms you may come across in studying taijiquan and qigong.

A
An -push/press downward
An Jing – quiet energy

B
Baduanjin – Eight pieces of brocade
Ba Fa – Eight methods of the internal martial style Liu He Ba Fa
Ba Gua (Pa Kua) – Eight trigrams
Ba Gua Zhang – Eight trigrams palm (internal martial art)
Bai hui – Accupuncture point on the crown of the head – Governing Vessel
Bai lian jiao – Outward crescent kick
Ban gong- External exercise
Ban Ma Bu – Half horse stance
Baoluo – Pericardium – one of the twelve primary qi channels
Beng – Expand
Bi Qi – Seal the breath
Boh Jing – Deflecting, bouncing power
Bu – Footwork/stances

C
Cai – Force exerted by quick grab and pull
Ce Jing – Twisting Power
Ce xing bu – Side step
Cha bu – Backward cross step
Chan si gong -Silk reeling
Chang Chuan – Long boxing
Chang San-Feng – Mythical creator of Taijiquan
Che bu – retreat step
Chen – Original style of taijiquan based on creations by Chen Wangting and further developed by following generations
Chen Jing – Sinking Power
Chi or Qi – Vital energy or life force
Chi Kung/Qi Gong – exercises to increase vital energy/Qi done sitting standing, sitting or lying down
Chin Na – Joint control aspect of Chinese martial arts, four aspects, dislocationg the joints, seperating muscle, sealing the breath and cavity press. Joint locking
Chong Qi – To fill the Qi
Chuan – Fist
Ci Jing – Cutting Power
Cun Jing – Inch Power

D
Da Lu – Pushing hands exercise also known as four corners or large rollback
Da Mo – The Bodhidarma
Da Qiao – Building the Bridge – Touching the tongue to the roof of your mouth
Dantian or tan tien – Field of Elixer. Upper (between the eyebrows) middle (solar plexus), and lower (trhee fingers below the navel at the body’s center of gravity)
Dao – Sabre or broadsword
Dao or Tao – The Way
Dao De Jing – Taoist Classic text written by Lao Zi
Dao yin- Concentrated exertion of inner force
Deng Jiao – Heel kick
Dian Xue – Cavity press, striking of acupuncture points, category of Qin Na/Chin Na.
Di Jing – Uprooting Power
Dim Mak – Vital point attacks using acupuncture points
Ding – Central Equalibrium
Ding Bu – Follow step
Dou Jin – Vibrating or shaking the body with great force, used to hit at short distances
Downward Strike – Zai Quan
Du li bu – One leg stance
Duan Jing – Interrupting Power
Du Mai – Governing vessel, one of the major qi pathways, runs from tailbone to spine and up to the roof of the mouth

E
Empty/Full – Basic concept in Taijiquan. Empty is a deficiency while Full is excessive or lots of something. An aspect of Yin/Yang
Er lu- Second routine
External/Internal – Referring to the martial arts. External usually refers to the arts developed at Shaolin and are physical while the internal martial arts are focused on Qi power and relaxed power

F
Fa Jing – To issue explosive power
Fan Hu Xi – Reverse breathing or Taoist breathing
Frame – The size of the movement performed, small tight movements would be small frame
Fu- Major style of internal arts by Fu Zhen Song

G
Gai bu – forward cross step
Gang ru hsiang ji- Hardness and softness in close succession
Gong/Kung – Energy or hard work or effort
Gong Bu – Bow step
Gongfu or Kung Fu – Anything that takes time and energy to learn
Gu – Look Left

H
Hao – style of TaijiQuan, not common, small movements, created by Hao Wei-Zen developed from the small frame of Chen style Taijiquan
He Jing – Close-up Power
Hen – One of two sounds in Taijiquan. On inhale is yin energy, on exhale yin and some yang
Heng Jing – Crossing Power
Hexagram – One of the 64 changes of the I Ching
Hook Hand – Gou
Hsing I/Xing Yi Chuan – Form and intent boxing (internal style) developed by General Yue Fei
Hu lei jia- Thunder style
Hua Jing – Neutralizing Power
Hua Jing – Transforming energy
Hui yin – Perineum
Huo – Fire

I
I Ching – The book of changes or book of divination

J
Jan – Yielding
Ji – An offensive force transmitted by putting two arms together and “pushing”.actually means to squeeze
Ji ben gong fu- General basic exercises
Jian – straight sword
Jin – Power, force or advance, there are many types of jin energy
Jin – Metal
Jin Bu – Step forward
Jing – Internal energy channels
Jing luo- Main and collateral channels where vital energy circulates
Jing-Shen – Spirit of vitality
Jin Zhong Zhao – Golden bell cover, training that allows a person to be struck without injury

K
Kai Jing – Open-up Power
Kai li bu – separated leg stance
Kao – Shoulder Stroke or to lean
Kong Jin – empty force
Kung Fu/Gongfu – hard work or skillful effort

L
Lan – Merging
Lao gung or Laogong- Accupuncture point in the center of the palm
Lao jia- Old frame
Li – Strength, muscular power
Lieh – Split or spiraling force, a screwdriver type of force
Ling – Agility
Ling Gong Jing – Distance Power
Lotus kick – Circular kick in T’aijiquan
Lu – Roll Back and diverting force to side, a sticking energy

M
Mai – Vessels or Qi channels
Mian – Soft
Mianquan – Soft fist, another name for taijiquan Ming Jing – bright energy
Ming men – Accupuncture point at lower back in line with the Dan Tien
Mu – Wood element

N
Na Jing – Controlling Power
Nan Chuan – Southern boxing in China
Nei gong- Internal exercise.
Neijia – internal arts
Neijin – internal power
Ni- outward rotation in Chan su qong
Nian Jiao – Grinding step
Nien – Adhering or sticking to

O
Open/Close – Term in Taijiquan for expanding/contracting, growing/shrinking. Another application of Yin & Yang

P
Pai Jiao – Slapping foot kick
Pan – Look right
Palm – Zhang
Pao Chui – Cannon fist, the second form of Chen T’aijiquan
Peng – Relaxed Connection upward force
Peng – Ward Off
Peng Jing – Pushing Power
Po Jing – Deflecting Power
Postnatal Birth – Energy acquired after birth from the environment
Prenatal Birth – Energy acquired from parents
Pu Bu – Sliding step
Punch – Da Quan
Push Hands – Two person exercise in taijiquan, used to develop sensitivity and move towards self defense application

Q
Qi or Chi- Ennergy
Qi gong- An excercise of breathing and directing qi throughout the body to improve health.
Qi Li – Qi supported muscle power
Qiang – Spear
Qin na- Capturing technique; joint locking.
Qing gong- Lightness exercise
Quan- Fist or martial art.
Quan Zuan- Critical point before turning back to the other direction in twisting energy
Quing – Lightness

R
Ren Mai – Conception vessel
Root – Developing stability in taijiquan by sinking chi to dan tien initially and eventually below the feet and into the earth
Rou – Soft
Rou Shou – Soft hands see San Shou
Ruan Jin – Soft jin

S
San Bao – Three treasures – jing, chi and shen
San Shou – Free hands, fighting in Taijhiquan
San Ti shi- Standing exercise
Shang Bu – Forward step
Shaolin Temple – Monastery in the Henan Province, China noted for martial arts
Shen – spiritual energy
Shi San Shi – The Thirteen Postures
Shui – Water
Shun- Inward rotation in chan ssu gong
Sifu/Shifu – Master teacher
Suei – Magnetic energy
Sun style- Major style created by Sun Lutang (1861-1932)

T
T’ai Chi/Taiji – supreme ultimate
T’ai Chi Ch’uan or Taijiquan – martial art based on yin/yang
T’ai Chi Classics – writings on Taijhiquan, in brief poetry form
with deep meaning
Tai ji bu fa- Taijiquan step exercises
Tai ji chan si jing- Taijiquan twisting force exercises
Tai ji dou jing- Taijiquan shaking force exercises
Tai ji qi xie gong- Taijiquan weapon exercises
Tai ji chan tui shou- Taijiquan push hand.
Taiyang – Extreme yang
Taiyin – Extreme yin
Tie sha zhang- Iron palm
Tao or Dao – The way to self development
Tao Te Ching – Classic writing on the Tao by Lao Zi
Throwing Fist – Pie Quan
Thrusting Fist – Chuan Quan
Ti – Lift
Ti Jiao – Toe kick
Tie Bu Shan – iron shirt qigong, training to allow person to take a blow with no injury
Ting Jing – Listening Energy
Trigram – Arrangement of three parallel broken or unbroken lines representing yin or yang arranged in pairs to form the hexagrams of the I Ching
Tsai/Cai – Pull down energy
Tu – Earth
Tu na- Deep breathing exercise.
Tui – Retreat
Tui Bu – Step back
Tui – Push Out
Tui bu – Back step
Tui Shou – Push hands, exercise in Taijiquan to develop sensitivity and close quarter fighting, purpose to uproot or disrupt opponents balance

U

V

W
Wa Shou – Tile hand, hand position in Taijiquan
Wu (Hao) style (1) – Major style created by Wu Yuxiang (1812-1880)
Wu style (2)- Major style created by Wu Jianquan (1870-1942)
Wai Jin – External power, minimal chi
Wu Chi/Wuji – Nothingness, void before T’aiji and yin/yang
Wu wei – Doing without doing, effortless effort. flow
Wudang – Mountain in China where internal arts are practiced in the Fubel Province
Wushu – Martial techniques

X
Xiao jia- Small frame
Xia Dan Tian – Lower Dan Tian
Xi Bu – Empty step
Xiao Lu – Small rollback
xiae bu – Post stance
Xin – Mind
Xin jia- New frame.
Xin-Yi – Heart mind
Xun jin kou xue- Capturing nerves and pressure points

Y
Yang – Hard, strong, male, active, bright, heaven, side of yin/yang
Yang – Major style created by Yang Luchan (1799-1872)
Yi – Intent or mind
Yi lu- First routine
Yin – Soft weak female passive dark earth side of yin/yang
Ying Jing – Drawing-up Power
You Pan – Look right
Yung Quan – Bubbling well points at the soles of the feet

Z
Zang Lian Jing – Sticking power
Zhan Zhuang – Standing meditation to build Qi
Zhang, San-Feng – Credited with originating Taijiquan duing the Song Dynasty
Zhao fa – Forms and techniques
Zhong Ding – Central equalibrium
Zhong Zheng – centered and straight
Zhou – Forearm and elbow in defense or offense
Zhou Jing – Rubbing Power
Zhuan Jing – Spiral Power
Zhuan Xin – Concentrated mind
Zuo Chan – Sitting meditation
Zuo Jing – Following Power
Zuo Te Jing – Folding Power

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