103-form Yang family t'ai chi ch'uan, also called the Traditional Form (or, Long Form), is a prescribed sequence of moves used to practice Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan.

T'ai chi forms

The different slow motion solo form training sequences of t'ai chi ch'uan are the best known manifestation of t'ai chi for the general public. In English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

, they are usually called the hand form or just the form; in Mandarin it is usually called ch'üan . They are usually performed slowly and are designed to string together an inventory of important techniques, and to promote relaxation, as well as other foundational principles.

Duration

This sequence of moves, when performed at its prescribed speed, usually takes approximately 25 to 30 minutes to complete.

Differences between schools

The following is an English translation from Chinese of the form list used by the current Yang family teachers. Other Yang style schools may have significantly different enumeration schemes. The moves can also add up to 85, 88, 108, 113 or 150 depending on how they are counted. The book called Yang Shi Taijiquan (Yang style T'ai chi ch'uan), by Fu Zhongwen

Fu Zhongwen

Fu Zhongwen was a respected T'ai chi ch'uan teacher and author from China. From an early age, he had been a disciple of Yang Chengfu, and later a family member as he married Zou Kuei Cheng, the great-granddaughter of Yang Chien Hou....

, breaks the form into 456 discrete movements.

Yang-style 103-Form list of Postures

The 103 postures of the Yang family style of t'ai chi ch'uan are as follows:

	Chinese	English
1.	预 备	Preparation Form
2.	起式	Beginning
3.	拦雀尾	Grasp the Bird's tail
4.	单鞭	Single whip
5.	提手上势	Raise Hands and Step Forward
6.	白鹤凉翅	White Crane Spreads its Wings
7.	左搂膝拗步	Left Brush Knee and Push
8.	手挥琵琶	Hand Strums the Lute
9.	左搂膝拗步	Left Brush Knee and Push
10.	右搂膝拗步	Right Brush Knee and Push
11.	左搂膝拗步	Left Brush Knee and Push
12.	手挥琵琶	Hand Strums the Lute
13.	左搂膝拗步	Left Brush Knee and Push
14.	进步搬拦捶	Step Forward, Parry, Block, and Punch
15.	如封似闭	Apparent Close Up
16.	十字手	Cross Hands
17.	抱虎归山	Embrace the Tiger and Return to Mountain
18.	肘底捶	Fist Under Elbow
19.	左倒撵猴	Step Back and Repulse the Monkey, Left
20.	右倒撵猴	Step Back and Repulse the Monkey, Right
21.	左倒撵猴	Step Back and Repulse the Monkey, Left
22.	斜飞式	Diagonal Flying
23.	提手上势	Raise Hands and Step Forward
24.	白鹤凉翅	White Crane Spreads its Wings
25.	左搂膝拗步	Left Brush Knee and Push
26.	海底针	Needle at Sea Bottom
27.	扇通背	Fan Through the Back
28.	转身撇身捶	Turn Body and Chop with Fist
29.	进步搬拦捶	Step Forward, Parry, Block, and Punch
30.	上步拦雀尾	Step Forward and Grasp the Bird's Tail
31.	单鞭	Single whip
32.	云手	Cloud Hands (1)
33.	云手	Cloud Hands (2)
34.	云手	Cloud Hands (3)
35.	单鞭	Single whip
36.	高探马	High Pat on Horse
37.	右分脚	Right Separation Kick
38.	左分脚	Left Separation Kick
39.	转身左蹬脚	Turn Body and Left Heel Kick
40.	左搂膝拗步	Left Brush Knee and Push
41.	右搂膝拗步	Right Brush Knee and Push
42.	进步栽锤	Step Forward and Punch Down
43.	转身撇身锤	Turn Body and Chop with Fist
44.	进步搬拦锤	Step Forward, Parry, Block, and Punch
45.	右蹬脚	Right Heel Kick
46.	左打虎式	Left Strike Tiger
47.	右打虎式	Right Strike Tiger
48.	回身右蹬脚	Turn Body and Right Heel Kick
49.	双峰灌耳	Twin Fists Strike Opponents Ears
50.	左蹬脚	Left Heel Kick
51.	转身右蹬脚	Turn Body and Right Heel Kick
52.	进步搬拦锤	Step Forward, Parry, Block, and Punch
53.	如封似闭	Apparent Close Up
54.	十字手	Cross Hands
55.	抱虎归山	Embrace the Tiger and Return to Mountain
56.	斜单鞭	Diagonal Single Whip
57.	右野马分鬃	Parting Wild Horse's Mane, Right
58.	左野马分鬃	Parting Wild Horse's Mane, Left
59.	右野马分鬃	Parting Wild Horse's Mane, Right
60.	拦雀尾	Grasp the Bird's tail
61.	单鞭	Single Whip
62.	玉女穿梭	Fair Lady Works at Shuttles
63.	拦雀尾	Grasp the Bird's tail
64.	单鞭	Single Whip
65.	云手	Cloud Hands (1)
66.	云手	Cloud Hands (2)
67.	云手	Cloud Hands (3)
68.	单鞭	Single Whip
69.	下势	Snake Creeps Down
70.	左金鸡独立	Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg, Left
71.	右金鸡独立	Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg, Right
72.	左倒撵猴	Step Back and Repulse the Monkey, Left
73.	右倒撵猴	Step Back and Repulse the Monkey, Right
74.	左倒撵猴	Step Back and Repulse the Monkey, Left
75.	斜飞势	Diagonal Flying
76.	提手上势	Raise Hands and Step Forward
77.	白鹤凉翅	White Crane Spreads its Wings
78.	左搂膝拗步	Left Brush Knee and Push
79.	海底针	Needle at Sea Bottom
80.	扇通背	Fan Through the Back
81.	转身白蛇吐信	Turn Body and White Snake Spits out Tongue
82.	进步搬拦捶	Step Forward, Parry, Block, and Punch
83.	上步拦雀尾	Step Forward and Grasp the Bird's tail
84.	单鞭	Single Whip
85.	云手	Cloud Hands (1)
86.	云手	Cloud Hands (2)
87.	云手	Cloud Hands (3)
88.	单鞭	Single Whip
89.	高探马穿掌	High Pat On Horse with Palm Thrust
90.	十字腿	Cross Kick
91.	进步指裆锤	Step Forward and Punch Groin
92.	上步拦雀尾	Step Forward and Grasp the Bird's tail
93.	单鞭	Single Whip
94.	下势	Snake Creeps Down
95.	上步七星	Step Forward Seven Stars
96.	退步跨虎	Step back and Ride the Tiger
97.	转身摆莲	Turn Body and Swing Over Lotus
98.	弯弓射虎	Bend the Bow and Shoot the Tiger
99.	进步搬拦捶	Step Forward, Parry, Block, and Punch
100.	如封似闭	Apparent Close Up
101.	十字手	Cross Hands
102.	收式	Closing
103.	还原	Return to Normal