Forms Library · CodexLast reviewed Oct 19, 2026

Chen Style 56 Form Competition

陈式五十六式太极拳（竞赛套路）

1989 年国家体委武术研究院、中国武术协会编定 · 56 movements · 5–6 min · Free

Counting · 起势 is movement 1 and 收势 is movement 56, numbered continuously — the same rule as the 42-form bare-hand and the opposite of the 32-form sword and the 48 form. The official book divides the set into four sections; teaching material groups the same order into six.

Derivation · A competition reconstruction rather than a traditional frame: built from the Chen large-frame first road (silk-reeling, soft) and second road (releasing, springy), recombining classic sequences of the old and new frames.

Naming · No official per-movement English names exist; the English below are common translations. Official wording is used where variants circulate: 揽扎衣 (not 懒扎衣), 前趟 (not 前蹚), 闪通背 (not 闪通臂), 双推手 (not 双推掌), 蹬一根 (not 蹬一跟), 翻身二起 (not 翻身二起脚), 顺鸾肘 (not 顺莺肘), 护心捶 (not 护心拳). Movement 17 is 劈架子 and 18 is 翻花舞袖; a widely copied list drops 劈架子 and repeats 海底翻花 in its place.

Section 1 · Movements 1–21

Commencing Posture

起势

Stand with the feet together; open the left foot, heel then toe, to shoulder width; raise both hands slowly to chest height and press them back down.①并脚直立；②开步站立（左脚跟、脚尖依次提起向左开步与肩同宽）；③两手缓提至胸前、松手按归
Body upright, mind calm and body loose; lift and lower lightly, the breath rising on the lift and falling on the press, attention at the dantian.立身中正、心静体松，轻提轻落、呼吸自然（提吸落呼），意守丹田

Right Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounds the Mortar

右金刚捣碓

Turn the waist and swing the hands; turn and roll level to the right; brush-step and push the palm; bow the leg and ward forward; lift the palm in an empty stance; raise the fist and knee, then stomp and smash the fist.①转腰摆手（掤捋）；②转身右平捋；③擦步推掌；④弓腿前掤；⑤虚步撩掌；⑥举拳提膝、震脚砸拳
For the stomp, loosen the hips and sink to store, then use the rebound to stamp down so the force climbs foot, leg, waist, back to the fist. Keep something in reserve — do not take the level swing all the way, or the following opening cannot be made.震脚先松胯下沉蓄劲、借反弹力跺下，劲自脚底经腿、腰、背层层叠加至拳面；曲蓄有余，勿把平摆做尽

Lazily Tying the Robe

揽扎衣

Turn the waist and support the fist; turn and part the palms; lift the foot, brush-step and close the arms; stand in the horse stance with the palm upright.①转腰托拳；②转腰分掌；③提脚擦步合臂；④马步立掌
Close and then close again: after the arms cross, the right hand turns slightly inward to tighten once more before opening to the right, the waist as the axis and the dantian turning within.合中再合——两臂胸前交叉后，右手先向内微旋加紧一合，再向右展开；以腰为轴、丹田内转

Right Six Sealing and Four Closing

右六封四闭

Turn the wrist and rotate the palm; roll back and press forward; hook left and support right; press the palms in the empty stance.①转腕旋掌；②下捋前挤；③左刁右托；④虚步按掌
The roll-back draws the opponent in to nothing; on the press the arms stay rounded with the palms joined, empty and full clearly divided.捋劲引进落空；前挤时两臂撑圆、两掌相合，虚实分明

Left Single Whip

左单鞭

Push left and lift right; lift the foot and brush-step; turn the waist and support the palm; stand in the horse stance with the palm upright.①左推右提；②提脚擦步；③转腰托掌；④马步立掌
The hook wrist stays relaxed with the force reaching the fingertips; the brush-step skims the ground as the weight changes clearly.勾手屈腕放松，劲贯指尖；擦步贴地而出，重心移换清晰

Parry, Block and Punch

搬拦捶

Turn the waist and swing the fist; strike across in the horse stance; turn and turn the fist over; strike across again.①转腰摆拳；②马步横打；③转腰翻拳；④马步横击
Both cross strikes are short and explosive, the swing carried by the waist turning as the hips sink into the horse stance.两次横击均短促爆发；摆拳靠腰轴转动、沉胯坐马

Protect-the-Heart Fist

护心捶

Turn the waist and plant the fist; jump and turn, wheeling the arms; ward and strike in the horse stance.①转腰栽拳；②跳转龙摆（跃转抡劈）；③马步掤打
Land steady from the jump: a stable landing with the stance and hand positions correct is the basis of any score.跳转落地求稳，落地重心稳、步型手型到位是评分基础

White Crane Spreads Its Wings

白鹤亮翅

Brush-step and insert the palms in a cross; part the palms in the empty stance.①擦步插掌（叉掌）；②虚步分掌
Upper and lower pull apart on an open, comfortable arc, and the torso does not lean back.上下对拉，开合舒展，上体不后仰

Oblique Step and Twisted Step

斜行拗步

Turn the waist and circle the arms; stamp and brush-step; draw the palm in, brush the knee and raise the hook; open the arms in the horse stance.①转腰绕臂；②踏脚擦步；③收掌搂膝提勾；④马步展臂
The waist wrings as the arms twine; the hook hand rises to shoulder height and the two arms open against each other.拧腰缠臂，勾手提至与肩平，两臂对开

Lift and Withdraw

提收

Close the foot and join the hands; draw the foot and hands in; lift the knee as the palms push and press.①扣脚合手；②收脚收手；③提膝推按
The knee lift and the press happen together, the standing leg firm, chest hollowed and hips tucked.提膝与推按同时，支撑腿站稳，含胸敛臀

Forward Shuffling Step

前趟

Lower the foot, brush-step and roll back; turn and join the hands; turn the waist and turn the palm over; lift the leg and brush-step; part the palms in the horse stance.①落脚擦步下捋；②转体搭手；③转腰翻掌；④提腿擦步；⑤马步分掌
The brush-step hugs the ground, empty and full are distinct, and the palms open and close with the waist.擦步贴地、虚实分明，两掌开合随腰

Right Concealed Hand and Forearm Punch

右掩手肱捶

Lift the knee and hook the hand in; stomp and brush-step; conceal the hands in the horse stance; punch in the bow stance.①提膝刁收；②震脚擦步；③马步掩手；④弓步冲拳
A releasing action: store in the waist and issue through the face of the fist, quick and crisp, the other hand guarding at the waist.发劲动作——蓄于腰、发于拳面，出拳快脆短促，另手护于腰间

Draping Fist

披身捶

Turn right and cover with the elbow; turn left and cover with the elbow.①右转腰掩肘；②左转腰掩肘
The elbows cover and press alternately, the body leading the elbow, the fist guarding the ribs.两肘交替掩压、以身带肘，拳护于肋

Back-Folding Shoulder Strike

背折靠

Fold and twine the arm; wring the waist and strike with the back in a side bow stance.①折叠缠臂；②拧腰折靠（侧弓步）
The left fist must turn inward, lay its face against the waist and press firmly — all three steps are required — and the strike comes from back and shoulder together, not as a local bump.左拳内旋→拳面贴腰→紧顶腰部，三部曲不可省；靠劲由背、肩整体发出，非局部撞击

Green Dragon Emerges from the Water

青龙出水

Turn and circle the arm; turn the waist and twine the arm; flick in the horse stance; issue the fist in the horse stance.①转体绕臂；②转腰缠臂；③马步撩弹；④马步迸拳
Loose and springy: both the flick and the punch are driven by the waist and hips in a short shake.松活弹抖——撩弹、迸拳均需腰胯带动、短劲抖发

Cutting Hand

斩手

Swing the foot and turn the palm; stomp and cut with the palm.①摆脚翻掌；②震脚切掌
The stomp and the cut land together, the blade of the hand cutting down with the force in the outer edge.震脚与切掌同时，掌缘下切、力达掌外缘

Splitting the Frame

劈架子

Jump-and-turn double chop: the left foot pushes off, the body flips 180 degrees to the right, the feet land one after the other while both palms rise and chop down to the front right.左脚蹬地跳起、身体向右后翻转180°，两脚依次落地，两掌上举后向右前下方双掌抡劈
The turning jump, the two landings and the double chop must agree; land with the knees bent and steady. The common error is instability after the turn — land one foot after the other with the weight to the rear, heels about 10 cm apart and toes angled left and right.翻转跳步、两脚落地与两掌抡劈要协调一致；落地两腿屈膝站稳。易犯跳转后不稳：两脚依次落地、重心偏后腿，两脚跟横向约10厘米、脚尖分别朝左右前

Turning Flowers, Waving Sleeves

翻花舞袖

Both palms close into fists: the left drops in front of the body and circles down and right to the outside of the left knee (about 10 cm away, knuckles out, palm up), while the right circles down, right and up above head height (palm facing left). At the same time the left knee lifts to abdomen height.左拳向下、向右绕立圆置于左膝外侧（距膝约10厘米，拳眼向外、拳心向上）；右拳向下、向右、向上划弧上举稍高于头；同时左腿屈膝上提至膝与腹高
The arm swing and the knee lift must agree and form one closing force, standing steady. The common error is losing that coordination — lift the knee as the fists separate up and down.两臂抡摆与提膝协调一致、上下形成合劲，独立站稳。易犯提膝与上肢不协调：在两拳上下分举的同时提左膝

Left Concealed Hand and Forearm Punch

左掩手肱捶

Stomp and draw the fist in; brush-step and close the arms; conceal the hands in the horse stance; punch in the bow stance.①震脚收拳；②擦步合臂；③马步掩手；④弓步冲拳
As movement 12, mirrored, with the release flowing through.同第12式，左右对称；发劲顺达

Left Six Sealing and Four Closing

左六封四闭

Turn the waist and roll back; turn and press forward; turn into the empty stance, hooking and supporting; press the palms in the empty stance.①转腰下捋；②转腰前挤；③转身虚步刁托；④虚步按掌
Roll-back, press, hook-and-support, then press — four actions in one flow, with the empty stance dividing the weight thirty-seventy.捋、挤、刁托、按四动连贯，虚步重心三七分

Right Single Whip

右单鞭

Push right and lift left; lift the foot and brush-step; turn the waist and support the palm; stand in the horse stance with the palm upright.①右推左提；②提脚擦步；③转腰托掌；④马步立掌
As the left single whip, mirrored.同左单鞭，方向相反

Section 2 · Movements 22–27

Cloud Hands (to the Right)

云手（向右）

Draw the foot in and swing the palm; open the step and push; insert-step and cloud right; open the step and cloud left; turn the waist and swing; twine the arm and strike across.①收脚摆掌；②开步推掌；③插步右云；④开步左云；⑤转腰摆掌；⑥缠臂横击
The waist drives the hands in vertical circles; the insert and open steps are light and the weight travels level.以腰为轴带动两手立圆运转；插步、开步轻灵，重心水平移动

Cloud Hands (to the Left)

云手（向左）

Stomp and swing the fist; open the step and push; insert-step and cloud left; open the step and cloud right.①震脚摆拳；②开步推掌；③插步左云；④开步右云
As the rightward cloud hands, mirrored.同向右云手，方向相反

High Pat on Horse

高探马

Turn and part the hands to join them; part the palms in the horse stance; close the foot, turn and rotate the palm; push in the empty stance.①转身分手合掌；②马步分掌；③扣脚转身旋掌；④虚步推掌
The push and the empty stance arrive together, the reaching palm no higher than the eyes, the torso upright.推掌与虚步同步，探掌高不过眼，上体中正

Right Continuous Cannon Fists

右连珠炮

Turn and roll back and ward; withdraw a step, hooking and supporting; follow-step and push forward — then repeat the withdraw and follow once more.①转身捋掤；②撤步刁托；③跟步前推（连续两次"撤步刁托＋跟步前推"）
Retreating but still advancing, the releases run on like a string of beads; each shot adds one more store to the one before it so the release stays heavy and settled.退中有进、连贯发劲如连珠；前一蓄劲基础上再加一蓄，发劲才稳沉

Left Continuous Cannon Fists

左连珠炮

Withdraw a step and roll back to the left; retreat hooking and supporting; follow-step and push forward, as for the right side.①撤步左捋；②退步刁托；③跟步前推（同右式，方向相反）
As the right continuous cannon fists.同右连珠炮

Flash Through the Back

闪通背

Bend the knee and part the palms; thread the palm in the bow stance; wring the waist and rotate the palm; turn and push and chop.①屈膝分掌；②弓步穿掌；③拧腰旋掌；④转身推劈
The wring, the turn and the chop are all led by the waist, the force reaching the heel of the palm.拧腰、转身、推劈以腰带动，力达掌根

Section 3 · Movements 28–37

Point-to-Groin Punch

指裆捶

Turn and rotate the palm; brush the foot and close the arms; turn and rotate the arm; punch in the bow stance.①转身旋掌；②擦脚合臂；③转身旋臂；④弓步发拳
The punch goes down toward the groin; the waist relaxes and the hips tuck, the force reaching the face of the fist.发拳向下指裆，松腰敛臀、力达拳面

White Ape Presents Fruit

白猿献果

Turn and twine left; turn the waist and twine right; lift the knee and drive the fist upward.①转身左缠；②转腰右缠；③提膝上冲拳
The knee lift and the upward punch happen together, the standing leg steady and the fist travelling the centre line.提膝与冲拳同时，支撑腿稳，拳走中路

Both Hands Push

双推手

Lower the foot and draw the palms in, rotating them; push with both palms in the empty stance.①落脚收掌（旋掌）；②虚步双推
Both palms push together with the force in the heels of the hands, and the empty stance holds steady.双掌同推、力达掌根，虚步稳

Middle Plate

中盘

Turn and rub the palm; turn over and rub again; turn over and rub a third time; turn and thread the palm; circle the arm and rub the palm; raise the hands in the horse stance.①转身挫掌；②翻转挫掌；③翻转挫掌（三换掌）；④转身穿掌；⑤绕臂擦掌；⑥马步提手
The three rubs pass through the body joint by joint, waist leading the arm, round and never stagnant.三次挫掌要节节贯穿，以腰带臂、圆活不滞

Forward Move

前招

Turn the waist and suspend the wrist; swing the palm in the empty stance.①转腰悬腕；②虚步摆掌
The waist carries the arm and the empty stance does not waver.转腰带臂，虚步不晃

Backward Move

后招

Turn the waist and shift the step; swing the palm in the empty stance.①转腰活步；②虚步摆掌
The shift and the swing happen together, answering movement 32 from the other side.活步与摆掌同时，与第32式前后呼应

Right Part the Wild Horse's Mane

右野马分鬃

Turn the body and circle the arm; lift the foot and circle again; thread and press in the horse stance.①转体绕臂；②提脚绕臂；③马步穿靠
An opening: the right hand threads up and forward while the left opens slightly, the two pulling against each other, upper and lower following.右手向右前上穿出、左手微外展，两手对开；上下相随

Left Part the Wild Horse's Mane

左野马分鬃

Turn the waist, lift the foot and circle the arm; thread and press in the horse stance.①转腰提脚绕臂；②马步穿靠
As the right version, mirrored.同右式，方向相反

Sweep Lotus, Drop into Split

摆莲跌叉

Turn and rotate the palm; turn and roll back and press; draw the foot in and swing the palm; stand on one leg and sweep the lotus, slapping the foot; stomp and close the fists; drop into the split and thread the fist.①转身旋掌；②转身捋按；③收脚摆掌；④独立摆脚（摆莲拍脚）；⑤震脚握拳；⑥跌叉步穿拳
The lotus sweep slaps the instep with both palms in turn; on the drop, loosen the hips to cushion so the knee never hits the ground. The weight rises and falls a long way, so protect knee and ankle.摆莲用两掌依次拍击脚面；跌叉落地时松胯缓冲、膝不撞地，全式重心起落大，注意保护膝踝

Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg, Left and Right

左右金鸡独立

Lift the fist in the bow stance; thread the palm standing on one leg; step down and press the palm; brush the foot and swing the palm; draw the foot and palm in; thread the palm again standing on one leg.①弓步举拳；②独立上穿掌；③踏步按掌；④擦脚摆掌；⑤收脚收掌；⑥独立穿掌
The left palm lifting slightly, the right palm pressing down by the left hip, the left knee bending and the right foot stepping down must all arrive together — if one part lags the posture is incomplete.左掌稍抬起、右掌同时下落按于左胯前、左腿屈膝下蹲、右脚下落踏地需同时到位——局部不动即势有缺陷

Section 4 · Movements 38–56

Step Back and Roll the Arms

倒卷肱

Retreat pushing the right palm; retreat pushing the left; retreat pushing the right again.①退步右推掌；②退步左推掌；③退步右推掌
The ball of the foot lands first on each retreat, the push and the step agree, and the waist leads the hands.退步前脚掌先落地，推掌与退步同步，以腰带手

Step Back and Press the Elbow

退步压肘

Turn and rotate the palm; turn the body and swing the palm; retreat and strike across, pressing the elbow.①转身旋掌；②转体摆掌；③退步横击（压肘）
The right foot withdrawing and the two palms pushing and pulling must agree, the release quick and short. At the settle the palms are exactly one forearm apart — the right elbow stays inside the body line and the left palm cuts across.右脚后退与两掌推拉协调一致，快速短促发力；定势时两掌间距恰为一前臂长，右肘尖不超出身体

Brush Foot

擦脚

Turn and roll back right; cover-step into a resting stance stacking the arms; separate the foot and slap the palm.①转身右捋；②盖步（歇步）叠臂；③分脚拍掌（擦脚）
The foot separates and the palm slaps at the same moment, and the leg is not forced high.分脚与拍掌同步，腿不高抬勉强

Kick with One Heel

蹬一根

Turn and stack the wrists; change hands and stack the fists; flick the fist and kick sideways.①转身叠腕；②换手叠拳；③撩拳侧踹
The side kick drives through the heel as the fist flicks, both at once, the standing leg slightly bent and steady.侧踹力达脚跟，撩拳与踹脚同时，支撑腿微屈站稳

Turning Flowers at the Sea Bottom

海底翻花

Draw the foot in, bending the knee and circling the arm; lift the knee and flick the arms over.①收脚屈膝旋臂；②提膝翻抖
On the knee lift the hips and waist shake the force into both arms, closing upper and lower, and the balance holds.提膝时利用腰胯抖动发力、贯于两臂，上下成合劲、独立稳

Strike the Ground with the Fist

击地捶

Lower the foot and swing the fist in a jump-step circle; brush-step circling the fist as the foot lifts and the fist rises; plant the fist in the bow stance.①落脚摆拳（跳步绕拳）；②擦步绕拳（提脚举拳）；③弓步栽拳
The punch plants downward on a diagonal with the force in the face of the fist, the waist relaxed and the hips tucked.栽拳向下斜击、力达拳面，松腰敛臀

Turn Body, Double Jump Kick

翻身二起

Turn and raise the fist; turn and lift the fist; step up and swing the fist; jump and slap the foot in the air.①转身提拳；②转身举拳；③上步摆拳；④腾空拍脚（二起脚）
The jump and the slap must meet; land with the knees cushioning, and at the top of the jump draw the abdomen in to control the body.腾空拍脚——起跳与拍脚相合，落地缓冲；全式最高点注意收腹控身

Double Stomp

双震脚

Part the palms and jump back; bend and crouch pressing the palms; land with a double stomp as the palms press.①分掌后跳；②屈蹲按掌；③落踏（震脚）按掌
After the backward jump both feet stamp down one after the other, knees cushioning, the press and the stomp together.后跳落地后双脚先后震落，屈膝缓冲，按掌与震脚同时

Kick with the Heel

蹬脚

Draw the foot and palms in; kick and support and push.①收脚收掌；②蹬脚架推
The kick drives through the heel with the toes hooked back, and both arms support on a rounded frame.蹬脚力达脚跟、脚尖回勾，架推两臂撑圆

Fair Lady Works at the Shuttles

玉女穿梭

Lower the foot and thread the palm; support and push with an insert-step or jump.①落脚穿掌；②腾插架推
The insert step and the support and push happen together, the waist carrying the arms.插步与架推同时，转腰带臂

Smooth Phoenix Elbow

顺鸾肘

Turn and close the arm with a brush-step; drive the elbow in the horse stance.①转身合臂擦脚；②马步顶肘
The waist carries the elbow with the force at the point of the elbow, the horse stance sunk and stable.顶肘以腰带肘、力达肘尖，马步下沉稳固

Wrapping Firecrackers

裹鞭炮

Turn over with a jump, circling the arms and bringing them together; smash both fists apart in the horse stance.①翻身跳转绕臂交合；②马步分砸拳
Land steady from the turning jump, then smash both fists out to the sides in a short, sharp release.跳转落地稳，双拳左右分砸、短促发力

Dragon on the Ground

雀地龙

Turn the waist and close the arms; thread the fist in the crouch stance.①转腰合臂；②仆步穿拳
The crouch stance spreads flat with the weight sunk, the fist threading close to the leg in a straight line and the knee not turning in.仆步平铺、重心下沉，穿拳贴腿走直线，膝不内扣

Step Up to the Seven Stars

上步七星

Raise the fist in the bow stance; cross the fists in the empty stance; turn the wrists and support the palms; turn the wrists and cross the fists again.①弓腿举拳；②虚步架拳；③翻腕撑掌；④翻腕架拳
The two fists cross in front of the chest as the seven stars, and the empty stance holds firm.两拳交叉架于胸前成"七星"，虚步站稳

Step Back and Ride the Tiger

退步跨虎

Retreat and part the palms; join the palms in a T-step.①退步分掌；②丁步合掌
The withdrawal and the parting happen together, the T-step steady with chest hollowed and hips tucked.退步与分掌同时，丁步稳、含胸敛臀

Turn Body and Sweep Lotus

转身摆莲

Turn and rotate the palm; lift the knee, turn and part the palms; lower the foot and swing the palm; sweep the leg and slap the foot.①转身旋掌；②提膝转身分掌；③落脚摆掌；④摆腿拍脚
A full turn with the leg sweeping in a fan, both palms slapping the instep in turn, landing steadily.转体一周、摆腿呈扇形，两掌依次拍击脚面，落地平稳

Cannon Punch Overhead

当头炮

Lower the foot and push the palm; sit back and draw the fists in; ward and strike in the horse stance.①落脚推掌；②坐腿收拳；③马步掤打
The horse stance sinks as both fists drive forward like a cannon, the release short and sharp.马步下沉、双拳前冲如炮，发劲短促

Left Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounds the Mortar

左金刚捣碓

Rotate the palm and roll back to the left, changing to a level palm roll; ward forward in the bow stance; lift the palm in the empty stance; stomp and smash the fist.①旋掌左捋；②弓步前掤；③虚步撩掌；④震脚砸拳
The mirror of movement 2: the stomp is heavy and settled and the fist and palm meet.与第2式左右对称，震脚沉稳、拳掌相合

Closing Posture

收势

Rise and embrace the palms; lower the foot and stand; bring the feet together to close.①起身抱掌；②落脚并立；③并步还原
Breathe long and settle the breath low; stay upright at the finish rather than relaxing the instant it ends.呼吸深长、气沉丹田，还原后保持中正，不立刻松懈

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