Page 25 - Illustrated Chen Taijiquan Routine Ⅱ (Cannon Fist)

IV. Postures of Chen Taijiquan Routine II (Cannon Fist)

Posture 1 Yu Bei Shi (Preparation)

Stand naturally with feet about shoulder-width apart. Relax the whole body
from head to toes. The back is held straight and centered. The baihui (GV20) acu-
point at the top of the head is gently pulled up with the eyes gazing forward (north).
Keep the tip of the tongue softly against the top palate. Close the mouth gently, and
the lips are lightly touching. The chin is pulled in slightly. Relax the jianjing (GB21)
acupoints. The arms are rounded, forming an arc each, leaving the armpits open.
The ten fingers of the slightly cupped palms are on the outer thighs, with the hukou
facing forward. Relax the hip joints and round the crotch, with the inside legs push-
ing slightly back and out and the fronts of the legs having the feeling of closing in,
knees drawn in. Expand the mingmen (GV4) acupoint slightly, and draw slightly
the tailbone in. The huiyin (CV1) acupoint slightly sinks. The feet grip the ground,
with the ankles relaxed, keeping the yongquan (KI1) acupoints insubstantial. The
weight is on the heels. (Figure 1)

Note: Regulate breathing. Employ normal abdominal breathing. That is, when
inhaling, dantian (abdomen) expands, and when exhaling, dantian contracts. Try to
breathe deeply. Remove straying thoughts in stillness.

Posture 2 Jin Gang Dao Dui
(Buddha’s Guardian Pounds Mortar)
1． Slightly relax the right hip joint, and turn the body slightly right, with the
weight more on the left. At the same time, the palms twining reversely sink their
bases with baihui (GV20) gently pulled up.
Without a pause, relax the left hip joint. Sink the left buttock and turn the right
one, with the torso turning left, weight sinking low and more on the right. The legs
are slightly bent. At the same time, the left palm twining directly and the right one
reversely (wrists leading) arc up, left and forward (northwest), with the shoulders
sinking and elbows dropping. The eyes look left and forward. (Figure 2-1)
2． Relax the right hip joint. Sink the right buttock and turn the left one, with the
torso turning right, the weight shifting left. At the same time, the left palm twining
reversely and the right one directly move in a convex curve to the front of the right
chest, facing down, with the fingers pointing down. Throughout this motion, the left
palm gradually goes closer to the right one. The eyes look left and forward. (Figure 2-2)

3． With their bases sinking, the palms press down to the waist level, facing
down, with the fingers pointing forward. At the same time, baihui (GV20) is pulled

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