Taizuquan

Tàizǔquán (太祖拳, eng. Boxing of Tàizǔ or Great-Ancestor Fist) is a style of Chinese martial arts whose name refers to Emperor Tàizǔ of Sòng, the founder of the Sòng dynasty.

There are two distinct variations of Tàizǔquán, the Northern Style: Tàizǔ Zhǎngquán (Eng. Taizu Changquan), and the Southern Style: Nán Tàizǔquán. Tàizǔ Zhǎngquán styles are taught in Guǎngdōng. Nán Tàizǔquán is taught in Táiwān. Both styles are found in Fújiàn.

Traditional Aphorisms[edit]

The essence of the style is to use the enemy's offense as means to control the enemy itself.
The routine moves are rigorous, the footwork is flexible, both firm and supple.
The practitioner is like a cat; shaking like a tiger, walking like a dragon, and moving like lightning.
It requires one courage, two strengths, three exercises, four breaths, five tricks, six changes, seven evils, and eight cruelties.
When attacking, check the situation and observe carefully; rush through the middle opening whenever weak, and step around when encountering a strong front.
The hands are connected with each other, up and down, attacking where there is a gap, and coming back together when there is a leak.
Focus on actual offense and defense. Like the wind, the shock is like electricity, the front hand is led, the back hand chases, and the two hands are exchanged.
The technique is either offensive or defensive, with the style's philosophy indicating that two are interchangeable.

Tàizǔquán Zhǎngquán[edit]

According to Wu Bing and Liu Xiangyun, the Tàizǔ boxing method is the quintessential Shaolin (少林寺; Young Forest Temple) martial art (武艺 ; Wǔyì) of the northern school, and is also called Taiziquan (太子拳).^[1]

Tàizǔquán has been associated with Zhǎngquán since the time of the Ming Dynasty because Ming general Qī Jìguāng (戚繼光) wrote "of the ancient and current families of boxing, the peaceful Taizu had thirty-six figures of Long Boxing".^[2]

Practitioners of this style are found in mainly in Láizhōu, Shāndōng. ^{[citation needed]}

Tàizǔquán Zhǎngquán Routines[edit]

This style of Zhǎngquán has the famous Sānshí'èr shì (三十二势 ; 32 Techniques) mentioned in General Qī Jìguāng's Jìxiào xīnshū (紀效新書; Eng. New Treatise on Military Efficiency).

Tàizǔ Zhǎngquán has 4 routines:

Yīlù xiǎo zhàn quán (一路小战拳); 1st Road, Small Battle Fist
Èrlù tài zhàn quán (二路太战拳); 2nd Road, Great Battle Fist
Sānlù sàn zhàn quán (三路散战拳); 3rd Road, Three Battle Fist
Sìlù hé zhàn quán (四路合战拳); 4th Road, Joined Battle Fist

Tàizǔquán in Cāngzhōu[edit]

During the reign of the Kāngxī Emperor (1654-1722), Tàizǔquán was spread in the Cāngzhōu area of Héběi province.

The bare-hand routines:

Yīlù tàizǔ quán (一路太祖拳) 1st Road, Great-Ancestor Fist
Èrlù tàizǔ quán (二路太祖拳) 2nd Road, Great-Ancestor Fist
Shí tàng bā luóhàn quán (十趟八罗汉拳) 10 lines of 8 Arhats Fist
Liú tuǐ jià (遛腿架) Walking Leg Frame
Liú jiǎo shì (遛脚式) Walking Kick Technique
Bā dǎ, èrshí shì (八打二十式) 8 Strikes of 20 Techniques
Tàizǔ zhǎng quán (太祖长拳) Great Ancestor Long Fist
Xíng bù quán (行步拳) Line Walking Fist
Shí'èr tàng dàntuǐ (十二趟弹腿) 12 Lines of Spring Legs

The routines with long weapons:

Tàizǔ gùn (太祖棍) Great-Ancestor Staff
Sānjié gùn (三节棍) 3-Section Staff
Shàolín gùn (少林棍) Young Forest Staff
Shí'èr lián qiāng (十二连枪) 12 Linked Spear
Méihuā qiāng (梅花枪) Plum Blossom Spear
Sìmén dàdāo (四门大刀) 4 Gate Cleaver
Fāngbiàn chǎn (方便铲) Convenient Shovel
Shuāngshǒu dài (双手带) Two Handed Sash

The routines with short weapons:

Méihuā dāo (梅花刀) Plum Flower Saber
Wàn shèng dāo (万胜刀) 10,000 Victories Saber
Yìngzhàn dāo (应战刀) Answering Battle Saber
Qīnglóng jiàn (青龙剑) Blue Dragon Sword
Èr lǎng jiàn (二朗剑) Two Light Sword
Shuāng yuè (双钺) Double Axe
Méihuā shuānggōu (梅花双钩) Plum Flower Double Hook

The partner routines:

Duìlián (对连) Linked Pair
Duìdǎ tàizǔ gùn (对打太祖棍) Paired Strike Great-Ancestor Staff
Sānjié gùn jìn qiāng (三节棍进枪) 3-Section Staff Entering Spear
Dāndāo jìn qiāng (单刀进枪) Single Saber Entering Spear
Dàdāo jìn qiāng (大刀进枪) Cleaver Entering Spear
Zǐmǔ chuí duìdǎ (子母锤对打) Mother & Son Hammers Paired Strike

Nán Tàizǔquán[edit]

Southern tàizǔquán is particularly common in Taiwan.^{[citation needed]}

The taolu or characteristic forms:

Xiǎo sìmén (小四門) Small 4 Gates
Dà sìmén (大四門) Large 4 Gates
Wǔ bù (五步) 5 Steps
Fēi bāguà (飛八卦) Flying 8 Hexagrams
Luóhàn quán (羅漢拳) Arhat Fist

The forms with weapons:

Tàizǔ gùn (太祖棍) Great-Ancestor Staff
Sìmén dàdāo (四门大刀) 4 Gate Saber
Méihuā dāo (梅花刀) Plum Blossom Saber
Wànshèng dāo (万胜刀) 10,000 Victories Saber
Shuāng dāo (双刀) Double Saber
Méihuā shuānggōu (梅花双钩) Plum Flower Double Hooks
Shí'èr lián qiāng (十二连枪) 12 Linked Spear
Méihuā qiāng (梅花枪) Plum Blossom Spear
Máodùn (矛盾) Spear & Shield
Hǔchā (虎叉) Tiger Fork
Liúxíng chuí (遛行锤) Walking Hammers
Fāngbiàn chǎn (方便铲) Convenient Shovel
Jiujié biān (九节鞭) 9-Section Whip
Shuāngshǒu dài (双手带) Two Handed Sash