Yang style Taiji straightsword is one of the short weapons found within the art of Taijiquan. The third generation lineage holder, Yang Chengfu, was the person to standardize the 54 Posture Yang style Taiji straightsword. In the second decade of this century, Yang Chengfu brought the Yang family Taiji straightsword to the Central Martial Arts Academy in the city of Nanjing. The Taiji straightsword became a major part of the cirriculum in the academy along with Wudang straightsword, Sancai straightsword, Meihua Straightsword, Eight Immortal straightsword, and many others. The Yang style Taiji straightsword was popularized throughout China through the efforts of Yang Chengfu's disciples. Some of these disciples included Fu Zhongwen in the east, Zhao Bin in the west, Li Yaqian in the south, and Chui Yi Shi in the north.

The training essentials and basic requirements of the straightsword are identical to those of the Taijiquan's open hand routines. The Yang style Taiji straightsword consists of 54 postures and is practiced slightly faster than the open hand routine. The average time for the performance of the straightsword ranges from four to five minutes. During practice of the straightsword, the movements must be light, agile, and stable as well as comfortable, soft, and smooth. Movements must be naturally circular with precise application.

Training Essentials

The training methods of the entire sequence of Taiji straightsword movements originate from the open hand routine; consequently, the training methods of the hands, eyes, body, and stances are also the basic methods for the straightsword. Once a foundation in Taijiquan is firm, then the practice of Taiji straightsword will be much easier to perform. However, this is not to say that those who have not learned Taijiquan's open hand routine cannot learn the straightsword. One only needs to follow the basic principles of the open hand routine to conduct the practice of the straightsword; thereby obtaining the benefits of practice. It must be noted that if this route is taken, it will be slightly more difficult to master the essentials of Taijiquan. The following are some of the essential requirements for the proper practice of the Taiji straightsword:

1. Relax the Entire Body with Tranquillity and Comfort: When practicing the Taiji straightsword, one must first learn to relax the entire body. The body must be natural; the thoughts must be peaceful and calm; and the mind must have spirit. Moreover, the spirit of the eyes must concentrate on the movements of the straightsword. In this way, one will express the unification of the intent and spirit; the intent and the body; and the body and straightsword. The regulation of the postures will be soft, relaxed, and beautiful.

2. Use the Mind to Lead the Movements: When performing each of the movements, one must concentrate the thoughts on the internal and regulate the movements of the limbs on the external. Use the mind to lead the internal energy (qi), use the internal energy to move the body, and use the body to move the straightsword. At the same time, the fighting applications of each movement must also be concentrated in order to utilize the basic sword techniques.

3. Concentrate the Intent to the Top of the Head and Sink the Internal Energy into the Dantian: During practice of the Taiji straightsword, the head must be held upright to lead the intent to the top of the head. There should be no power/strength involved in moving the intent up. Therefore, this is what is called "Xu Ling Ding Jin" or suspend the force by emptying the neck. The breathing pattern should be smooth and natural. The head should be held upright with the chin slightly tucked inward and the spirit held firmly. Likewise, the spine should be telescoped upward. By following this method the crown (Baihui) and the perineum (Huiyin) will be aligned in a vertical position in order to allow the internal energy to sink into the lower dantian located in the lower abdomen. If the crown of the head is not lifted, then the spirit will be in chaos, and if the spine is not straight then the internal energy cannot sink into the dantian.

4. Relax the Shoulders and Sink the Elbows: The shoulders should follow the relaxed nature of the body in order to become relaxed. The shoulders will gradually sink down to become relaxed and agile. The elbow joints should relax in a downward manner to prohibit the rising of the shoulders. This will lead to improved circulation of blood and internal energy to the arms and hands as well as enhance the movement of the straightsword.

5. Relax the Waist and Tuck in the Buttocks: The waist is the controller of the movements within the body. If the waist is not relaxed, then the movements will not be subtle and agile. If the buttocks stick out from the body, it will be very difficult to hold the body upright. Moreover, the upper and lower portions of the body will not be able to regulate in a unified manner. Consequently, the buttocks must tuck inward to allow the waist and body to become upright and the lower part of the body to become rooted and stable. To be more specific in terms of the buttocks, it is the tail bone (Weilu) portion of the spine which needs to be gently turned in. This comes about by the use of the intent and only slight body movement. Over time and with practice, this process will be achieved. By following this way, the movements will become more flowing and turning will be natural in order to achieve upper and lower body coordination.

6. Upper and Lower Body Coordination and Harmonizing the Internal and External: The human body is divided into two sections. The upper body is considered to consist of the head, torso, arms, and hands; the lower body consists of the hips, buttocks, legs, and feet. The upper and lower body must pay particular attention to coordinating the movements in a unified manner. The inside of the body is the intent (Yi) and the external is the body (Shenti). The intent commands the waist, stance, and arms to complete the movements of the straightsword. The coordination of the upper and lower body and the internal and external reveals the essence of Taijiquan as well as the straightsword.

Taiji Straightsword Stance Forms and Methods

Stance form is a very important component which completes each and every movement of the routine. Every movement begins as an opening step which will be directed into the hands and sword as well as the eyes. Whether or not the direction and/or method of the step is correct will directly influence the completion of the stance form. The proper completion of the stance form will also directly influence the overall gracefulness and framework of the postures. From this one can see that the movements are based on the proper completion of the stance form.

The stance forms of Taijiquan and Taiji straightsword are openly expressed in the softness, eveness, smoothness, and slowness of exact motion. Each movement will have a certain stance form which must be correctly completed. This describes the stance method for the completion of stance form. The correctness of the stance method relates to the expression of the application and gracefulness found within the posture. Subsequently, stance methods are one of the important basics for learning Taijiquan and the various weapon routines. The various stance forms of the Taiji straightsword consist of the preparatory stance, drop stance, single-legged stance, empty stance, horse stance, front and side bow stance, and others.

As can be seen, the basic principles of the Taiji straightsword are the same as those of the open hand routine. By remaining extended, soft, even, and natural the movements of Taiji straightsword do not loose the flavor of Taijiquan. Moreover, the various postures often take on the names of the fluctuations of the cosmos, characteristics of ancient legends, and movements of various creatures. This allows the practitioner to become more involved in the movements both mentally and physically.

For the sake of learning and researching the art of the Taiji straightsword, there are two aspects of the straightsword that should be mastered. The first one is the practical application of the straightsword in which the sword is used in actual combat. The other is the artistic and technical aspect of performing the straightsword. In order to actually know these two aspects of the Taiji straightsword, it is important to explore the origin and meaning of each posture. By understanding the background of each posture one will be more capable of expressing the principles and fighting application of the straightsword. If this can be grasped during the practice of the Taiji straightsword, one can develop an artistic form into this traditional martial art. In this way, it will be easier to put into practice the method of "using the intent not external strength" to unite the mind and body into one form.

Taiji Staightsword Posture Techniques

The Taiji straightsword is composed of many different types of sword techniques and combinations. Consequently, one must first clearly understand the proper movements and terminology to allow the mind to have a proper concept toward the various usages of the sword. Whether or not the sword method is performed correctly will directly influence the completion and application of the movement. Some important straightsword techniques include thrusting, sweeping, tilting, fending, flicking, inserting, and pointing. The following are some straightsword techniques found in the traditional 54 posture Yang style Taiji straightsword routine:

1. Thrust Sword: The sword is either held with the blade vertical or horizontal as it is thrust out to the front. The intent is placed on the tip of the sword. When thrusting the sword, the arm and sword should form a straight line. Thrusting of the sword can be divided into straight thrusting, diagonal thrusting, and downward thrusting. An example of thrusting is "Immortal Points the Way".

2. Sweeping Sword: Sweeping of the sword is conducted by moving the sword horizontally across to the left or right. Sweeping should occur below the chest or abdomen. An example of sweeping is "Falling Flower Left and Right".

3. Tilting Sword: The arm is straight and the wrist is sunk to make the tip of the sword move up to a vertical standing position. Tilting requires the energy to reach into the tip of the sword. An example of tilting is "Phoenix Raises its Head".

4. Fending Sword: The sword fends off in an upward crossing motion. The palm of the sword hand either faces in or out depending on the technique. "Black Dragon Coils Around Pillar" is an example of fending.

5. Flicking Sword: This technique uses the strength of the wrist to flick the tip of the sword from below in an arcing upward motion. In most cases the final position of the sword will be vertical to the ground. An example of this technique is "White Tiger Wags its Tail".

6. Inserting Sword: The sword handle moves in an arc from the upper rear to the front of the body in a downward motion. The intent is placed on the base of the sword handle. An example of inserting is "Incense Points Toward to the Heavens".

7. Pointing Sword: The tip of the sword moves from an upright position down to the front in a pointing manner by allowing the wrist to lift up. The arm should be straight with he intent placed on the tip of the sword. An example of this technique is "Celestial Horse Flies through Sky".

Yang Style Taiji Straightsword Posture Names

The following section lists the names of the traditional Yang style Taiji straightsword routine as transmitted to the author by Mei Ying Sheng:

1. Preparatory Stance, 2. Three Cycles Around the Moon, 3. Large Comet Posture, 4. Sparrow Skims the Water, 5. Blocking and Sweeping Left and Right, 6. Small Comet Posture, 7. Sparrow Returns to its Nest, 8. Cat Captures Mouse, 9. Phoenix Raises its Head, 10. Bee Enters the Cave, 11. Cyclone Left and Right, 12. Small Comet Posture, 13. Phoenix Spreads its Wings, 14. Catching Fish Posture, 15. Dragon Walking Posture, 16. Embracing the Moon, 17. Resting Birds Return to Forest, 18, Black Dragon Wags Tail, 19. Yellow Dragon Exits the Water, 20. Wind Wraps Lotus Leaves, 21. Lion Shakes its Head, 22, Tiger Embraces Head, 23, Wild Horse Jumps the Ravine, 24. Return Body to Strap Horse, 25. Advance to Compass Direction, 26. Wind Blows to Destroy Ashes, 27. Pushing Boat Along the Current, 28. Push the Moon with Shooting Star, 29. Celestrial Horse Flies Through Sky, 30. Raise Curtain Posture, 31. Rotating Sword Posture, 32. Sparrow Lies Down on Mud, 33. Large Roc Spreads Wings, 34, Scooping Moon From Bottom of Sea, 35. Embracing the Moon, 36. Na Zha Searches Sea, 37. Water Buffalo Looks at Moon, 38. Shoot the Wild Goose, 39. Green Dragon Shows Claws, 40. Phoenix Spreads Wings, 41. Jump Over the Hurdles Left and Right, 42. Shoot the Wild Goose, 43. White Ape Offers Fruit, 44, Falling Flowers Left and Right, 45, Jade Lady Weaves Shuttle, 46. White Tiger Wags its Tail, 47, Tiger Embraces Head, 48. Fish Jumps over the Dragon Gate, 49. Black Dragon Coils around Pillar, 50. Immortal Points the Way, 51. Insence Points to the Heavens, 52. Wind Sweeps the Plum Flowers, 53. Embracing Tablet Posture, 54. Closing Posture.

Yang style Taiji straightsword has passed through the generations from Yang Luchan, the founder of Yang style Taijiquan, to the practitioners of today. The straightsword is a valuable tool for the development and refinement in the study of Taijiquan. It is an artistically beautiful routine with a rich philosophy found within the movements and names of the postures. There is a proverb in Taijiquan which states that "the open hand routine (Taijiquan) is practice for ten years before leaving the door" and "one should only practice one straightsword (Taijijian) for ten years". This indicates the precision that should go into the study of Taiji. One cannot just learn the form without learning and mastering the theory and philosophy behind this art.
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