Seven Principles in Taiji Daoyin

 

These seven principles should be followed in the Taiji Daoyin practices

 

• Abdominal breathing during action

• Stretching in spiral or circular orbit in most actions

• The body fully relaxed before stretching 

• Close and open chest in turn to match the relaxing and stretching in action

• Exhalation while stretching and inhalation before stretching

• Leading the actions of arms and legs with shoulders and hips connecting with rotations of the spine

• Relaxing the mind and focusing on the “body flow” in the actions

 

太极导引功练习七要领

1 腹式呼吸贯穿始终

2 旋拉： 在多数动作中，沿螺旋或弧线方向拉筋

3 弛张：在拉筋之前身体尽量放松，弛张交替

4 开合：放松时松肩缩胸佝背，牵张拉筋时扩胸挺脊背

5 呼吸：拉筋时呼气，拉筋前放松吸气

6 肩胯带动臂腿运动，脊柱拔伸旋转联动肩胯

7 放松心境， 意念集中于动作的运动方向， 以求达到动作流畅似流水的意境

 

 

 

 

If we summerize the Daoyin movement in one word, that will be "Flow". It is well expressed in Chinese handwriting as shown in the following figure: