Below video is sourced from Zheng Wuqing Tai Chi.
Tai Chi has ten levels of skill, integrating both internal and external practices, harmonizing movement and stillness. Each level has its own realm and efficacy.
The first to third levels are the entry stages, beginning with softness and flexibility, transforming rigidity into gentleness, and using the body to guide the hands. This requires the various parts of the body to be relaxed and flexible, allowing concentrated energy to flow into the hands. In this stage, practitioners refine their essence into qi, marking the initial stage of foundational practice.
The fourth to sixth levels represent the stage of entering the room. Here, softness accumulates into strength, and qi transforms into action. This stage focuses on refining qi into spirit, marking the intermediate level of practice.
The seventh to eighth levels are the stage of mastery. Here, rigidity returns to softness, and intention transforms action. In this stage, practitioners refine their spirit to a state of emptiness, marking the transition from intermediate to advanced practice.
The ninth to tenth levels represent the pinnacle of achievement. The skills have reached a state of transcendence, where practitioners refine emptiness back to the Dao, achieving a state of profound unity.
Ten Realms of Tai Chi
First Level · One Circle is Tai Chi
This level distinguishes yin and yang from the intertwining of silk threads. The practice focuses on the method of entanglement, while its application is in binding. This level transforms stiffness into gentleness, with a focus on circular movements, where the force of the circle is abundant but the transformative energy is minimal. Practitioners primarily focus on solo movements, understanding the basic principles and requirements of the forms. The body shape, footwork, and hand-eye coordination must adhere to the rules, aiming for expansion and comfort.
Second Level · Up and Down Separate into Two Forms
This level sees yang rising and yin descending, with yang being light and yin being heavy. The practice focuses on the method of waves, while its application is in the approach. This level transforms rigidity into gentleness, shifting from forced circular movements to natural ones, with less force and more transformative energy, gradually gathering internal qi and energizing the dantian. Practitioners connect familiar solo movements into a routine for practice.
Third Level · Advancing and Retreating Present Four Images
This level embodies half yin and half yang, pure yin and pure yang, interacting with each other. The practice focuses on understanding the methods, while its application is in the technique of sticking. This level emphasizes softening the circular movements, avoiding both loss and collision, beginning to understand the energy, and transitioning from large circles to smaller ones, marking a stage before retreating. Internal qi gradually increases, facilitating interaction. The body must transition from relaxed energy to gentle internal strength, with the energy source reflecting in the hands, flowing from the feet through the legs and waist to the fingertips, requiring a complete flow of energy.
Fourth Level · Opening and Closing is Heaven and Earth
This level represents the union of heaven and earth, the merging of yin and yang. The practice focuses on the method of pulling, while its application is in supporting. This level involves the circulation of internal qi, opening the Ren and Du meridians. Practitioners must master the techniques of combat, luring the opponent in and creating openings. This stage begins to develop issuing power and inch power. The strikes are formless yet everywhere contain form, with the practice emphasizing transformation, luring, and retreating, using internal strength to connect with the opponent’s inch power.
Fifth Level · Entering and Exiting Summarizes Kan and Li
This level sees fire descending and water rising, with water and fire boiling. The practice focuses on urging, while its application is in returning. This level sees an increase in internal qi, circulating through the Ren and Du meridians, accumulating softness into strength, marking the initial development from inch power to splitting power. Practitioners release energy, practicing techniques to lure the opponent into their grasp.
Sixth Level · Leading and Falling, Wrongly Shocking Xun
This level involves thunder and wind, with rises and falls. The practice focuses on suppressing and raising, while its application is in stimulating. This level emphasizes close-range transformation, redirecting the opponent’s force to convert it into one’s own, borrowing strength to unleash a fierce cold energy, demonstrating the method of separating flesh. This stage involves the circulation of internal qi through the limbs, with all eight meridians open. Long-term practice is required to reach a state of ‘sudden clarity,’ where energy can be used freely, adapting to circumstances. This marks the end of the ‘entering the door’ stage and the beginning of ‘self-cultivation without effort.’
Seventh Level · Welcoming and Pushing Gen and Dui
This level involves the mouth and ears, allowing for listening and questioning, facilitating mutual communication. The practice focuses on balance, while its application is in the method of emptiness and spirit. This level sees rigidity returning to softness, understanding oneself and the opponent, clearly distinguishing between the real and the false. Internal strength is present but not revealed, ready to be unleashed at a moment’s notice. The entire body is both soft and strong, capable of transformation and issuing power, striking wherever contact is made, with internal qi circulating through the extraordinary meridians, with power increasing daily.
Eighth Level · Back Silk Fastening
This level sees yin and yang clearly separated, with distinct real and false, harmonizing rigidity and softness, entering the state of Wuji and Tai Chi. This level sees internal qi as a complete entity, able to reach any point in the body under the guidance of intention, closing points and issuing energy. During exchanges, there is no display of form or intention; contact leads to strikes, with each point capable of transformation and issuing power, being both soft and strong. The practice emphasizes luring and creating openings, using minimal force to achieve maximum effect, with unpredictable changes.
Ninth Level · Master
This level embodies a complete Tai Chi, having entered a state of transformation. ‘Others do not know me, but I alone know others.’ ‘A feather cannot be added, nor can a fly land.’ During exchanges, the technique is so subtle that the opponent falls without realizing it, even before they perceive any movement.
Tenth Level · Marvelous Hands
This level transcends the ordinary, reaching the peak of achievement, where skills reach a divine level. The path of martial arts is endless, ‘self-cultivation without effort,’ practicing form and intention to nourish the spirit. At this point, one begins to understand that all martial arts ultimately return to one principle.
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