Primer on the Fundamental Concepts of Tai Chi

What makes Tai Chi interesting? How does it work? I'm going to go through some fundamental concepts that you wouldn't notice if you just watch someone.

If a practitioner doesn't do these, they are just waving their hands around and dancing. Nothing wrong with that. It just isn't Tai Chi!

1. Yi (意) – Intention

You’re moving with purpose. Your mind leads, your body follows. Picture someone in front of you. Stare through them, then beyond them, out to the horizon and further. In Tai Chi, this clear directed mind is sharpened with every movement.

2. Sōng (松) – Relax Within the Structure

You relax without collapsing. The muscles soften, the joints open. Tension leaves but structure stays. In Tai Chi, this release lets movement flow freely.

3. Gēn (根) – Rooting

Your feet grip the ground like tree roots. Weight sinks through the legs into the earth. You’re steady, stable, hard to move. In Tai Chi, rooting gives you balance in every direction.

4. Shēntǐ Héyī (身体合一) – Whole Body Connection

The body moves as one piece. The foot steps, the waist turns, the hand follows. No part acts alone. In Tai Chi, every movement is connected from sole to crown.

5. Péng (掤) – Expansive Energy

Your body feels light yet full, open yet supported. Like a ball filled with air, you have springiness in every direction. In Tai Chi, you’re always expanding and taking up more space, which heightens awareness.

6. Chánsī (缠丝) – Spiralling

The body coils and uncoils. Imagine spirals running through your arms, turning inward or outward. Movement circles through the joints. In Tai Chi, spiralling connects strength from foot to hand.

7. Chén (沉) – Sinking

The weight drops without strain. The hips settle, the knees soften. The more you relax, the more you will sink. You feel heavy below, light above. In Tai Chi, sinking makes you stable.

8. Tíshén (提神) – Spirit Raising

The crown lifts gently as if suspended from above with a string. The eyes are alive, the mind alert. In Tai Chi, this raising keeps you light and ready.

This is a non-exhaustive list. There are more concepts you practise individually, but in Tai Chi you apply them all at once. It can feel overwhelming at first, but over time you do them without thinking, and they carry over into the rest of your life.

Written 14th August 2025