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(Waysun Liao)

“In the long form, Ward Off, Rollback, Press, Push, Roll-pull, Split, Elbow and Lean Forward (shoulder) are called The Forms of the Eight Diagram (Pakua), the movement encompassing the eight directions.  In stance, moving forward, backward to the right side, to the left side, and staying in the centre are called The Five-Style Steps.  Ward-off, Rollback, Press, and Push are called The Four Cardinal Directions.  Roll-pull, Split, Elbow, and Lean Forward (shoulder) forms are called The Four Diagonals.   Forward, backward, to the left side, to the right side, and centre are called Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth, respectively (the five elements).  When combined, these forms are called The Thirteen Original Styles of Tai Chi.

The Tai Chi form originated as the thirteen postures of meditation.  These are the eight postures, or directions – The Ward-Off, Roll-back, Press and Push forms – Peng, Lu, Ji, An – comprising the four cardinal directions, and the Roll-pull, Split, Elbow and Lean Forward (shoulder) forms – Ts’ai, Lieh, Chou, K’oa – comprising the four diagonal directions – in combination with the five different ways to manoeuvre the eight meditative postures: forward (Chin – Metal); backward (T’ui – Wood); to the left side (Ku – Water); to the right side (P’an – Fire); and staying still in the centre (Ting – Earth).

Through observation, the ancient Chinese defined the nature of human life according to five categories: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth.  Metal represents hardness and penetration; as you move forward you act with the character of metal.  Wood represents flexibility combined with strength; it is yielding and growing.  When you move backward, your action has the character of wood.  Fire and water act in opposite directions, but both are characterised by aggressiveness and pliability.   They are yielding, piercing, uncertain, and powerful. When you move to the right or left side, you embody these attributes.  Earth represents stability, immobility, motherhood, the centre, the calmness of the origin.   When you remain in the centre, you adopt the nature of earth.