Forms Library · CodexLast reviewed Oct 19, 2026

8 Form Tai Chi (Duanwei Level 1)

八式太极拳

Duanwei Level 1 (一段) assessment routine · 10 movements · 1.5–2 min · Free (name says 8)

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Counting · The routine is published as 八式太极拳 ("eight-form"): the name counts its eight core postures. The official sequence runs 起势 + those eight postures + 收势, giving 10 numbered movements. 预备势 is performed before them, is not counted, and is listed without a number.

Derivation · A Duanwei compilation, not a family form: all eight core postures are drawn from the Yang large frame (杨式大架).

Naming · The official publication gives no English rendering of the movement names. The English below are common translations used in English-language Tai Chi teaching, not official names.

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Preparation Posture

预备势

Stand with the feet together, body upright, arms hanging at the sides with the palms facing in, and relax completely.两脚并立，身体自然站直，两臂下垂于体侧，掌心向内，全身放松
Head and neck upright with the crown lightly suspended; the chin slightly tucked; the breath natural.头颈正直、虚领顶劲，下颌微收，呼吸自然

Starting Posture

起势

Step the left foot out to shoulder width, arms hanging naturally.左脚横开与肩同宽，两臂自然下垂
Raise both arms forward to shoulder height, then sink and press the palms down to abdomen level.两臂前举至与肩同高，再屈膝下蹲、两掌下按至腹前
Keep the shoulders sunk and the elbows heavy; the torso stays upright and the weight does not sway.沉肩坠肘，上体中正，按掌时重心平稳不晃

Curl the Arm (Repulse the Monkey)

卷肱势

Turn the waist, turn the palm over and draw the arm back, then push forward and withdraw, alternating sides.转身翻手摆掌，屈臂卷肱，前推后收，左右交替
The waist leads the hands — do not move only the arms.以腰带手，不要只动手不动腰
When stepping back, land the ball of the foot first and then settle it flat, as in cat walking.退步时前脚掌先落地再踏实（猫行步）
On the push, the fingertips align with the nose; on the withdrawal, the hand travels back along an arc to the waist.前推手指尖对鼻尖，后收手走弧线收于腰间

Brush Knee and Twist Step

搂膝拗步

Turn the waist and swing the hand, draw the foot in, then step forward with the forearm bent.转腰摆手收脚，上步屈臂
One hand brushes down past the knee while the other pushes forward from beside the ear.一手从膝前搂过，另一手贴耳侧向前推出
The brushing hand and the push both travel on arcs, and the push completes together with the bow stance.搂手与推掌都走弧线，推掌与弓步到位同步完成
The front knee does not pass the toes; the rear leg straightens without locking.前弓腿膝盖不超过脚尖，后腿自然蹬直不僵硬

Part the Wild Horse's Mane

野马分鬃

Turn and sit back, separate the hands, draw the foot in and hold the ball, then turn, step and part.转身坐腿分手，收脚抱球，转身上步，弓步分靠
The upper hand parts to no higher than the eyebrows; the lower hand presses beside the hip, creating a diagonal stretch.上手分至高不过眉，下手按于胯旁，形成上下对拉
The waist is the axis; the torso does not lean forward or back.以腰为轴带动四肢，上体不可前倾后仰

Cloud Hands

云手

Swing the hand, turn the palm, turn the waist to cloud left, turn the palm over and draw the foot in, then cloud right — repeating three times each way.摆手翻掌，转身左云，翻手收脚，转身右云，反复共三组
The waist drives the turn and the weight moves horizontally; the body does not rise and fall.身体转动以腰为轴，重心水平移动，不可忽高忽低
Both arms trace vertical circles with the waist; the eyes follow the leading hand.两臂随腰运转走立圆，眼神随手移动

Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg

金鸡独立

Sit back, turn the waist and lower the hands, then lift the right knee while one hand rises and the other presses down; repeat on the left.坐腿转腰落手，提右膝独立挑掌，落脚落手，再提左膝
The rising hand, pressing hand and lifted knee move together.一手上挑、一手下按与提膝动作一致
The supporting leg is slightly bent with the toes gripping; the torso stays upright and balanced.支撑腿微屈、脚趾抓地，上体中正保持平衡
The lifting hand rises no higher than the eyebrows.上挑手高不过眉

Heel Kick

蹬脚

Lower the foot and gather the hands, lift the right knee, separate the hands and kick; then repeat on the left.落脚抱手，提右膝抱手，分手蹬脚，再换左腿
The kicking foot hooks its toes back and drives through the heel.蹬出腿脚尖回勾，力达脚跟
The supporting leg bends slightly to absorb the motion; the torso does not lean back.支撑腿微屈缓冲，身体不可后仰
The kick reaches at least waist height, adjusted to individual flexibility.蹬脚高度不低于腰，按个人柔韧度调整

Grasp the Bird's Tail

揽雀尾

Built from the four energies: peng (ward-off), lu (roll-back), ji (press) and an (push), performed once to the right and once to the left.由掤、捋、挤、按四劲组成，右揽、左揽各一组
Peng keeps the arm rounded and full — neither collapsed nor rigid.掤手臂撑圆，劲力饱满不瘪不僵
Lu sits the weight back while the hand shape holds and the waist turns.捋重心后坐，手型不变随腰转
Ji braces the forearm outward with the other hand assisting the combined force.挤前臂外撑，另手辅助合力
An presses both palms forward with the force reaching the heel of the hand.按双掌前按，力达掌根
The four energies flow into one another without a pause.四劲转换连贯，不可停顿

Cross Hands

十字手

Pivot the right foot out and separate the hands in a right bow stance, then close the foot and round the palm in front of the chest.撇右脚右弓步分手，扣右脚左弓步掤掌于胸前
Draw the right foot in to a parallel stance and cross both arms in front of the chest.收右脚成开立步，两手交叉于胸前举抱
The arms form a cross and settle slowly, gathering the breath.两臂交叉成十字形，收合沉降，引气归元

Closing Posture

收势

Turn the palms over and separate the hands, then lower the arms to the sides.翻掌分手，垂臂落手
Bring the left foot in beside the right and return to the starting stance.左脚收回靠拢右脚，并步还原
Relax completely with the breath settled low; attention stays present rather than dropping the moment the form ends.全身放松、气沉丹田，动作结束精神仍保持专注

Tai Chi Wuji · https://www.taichiwuji.com/forms/8-form-duanwei-tai-chi/