Tai Chi Chuan Treatise

This is a translation of the last portion of the Tai Chi Chuan Treatise or "Lun" attributed to Chang San Feng, a Sung Dynasty Taoist Priest of the Wu-T’ang Mountain.

The Thirteen Postures of Warding Off (Peng),

Rolling – Back (Lu), Pressing (Ji) Pushing (An),

Pulling (Tsai), Splitting (Li), Elbowing (Chou) and Shouldering (Kao)

are known as the Eight Directions (Bagua)

Advancing, Withdrawing, Looking Left,

Gazing Right, and Central Equilibrium are known

as the Five Elements (Wu Xing)

Peng, Lu, Ji and An are then

Ch’ien (Heaven), K’un (Earth), K’an (Water) and Li (Fire) of the Four Cardinal Directions.

Pulling (Tsai), Splitting (Li), Elbowing (Chou) and Shouldering (Kao) are then

Sun (Wind), Chen (Thunder), T’ui (Lake or Valley), and Ken (Mountain)

of the Four Corners.

Advancing, Retreating, Looking Left, Gazing Right and Central

Equilibrium are then Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth.

Joined together they become

the Thirteen Postures.