英国乔氏太极拳健康俱乐部
Ms. Zhou Juan
周娟
The Eight Foundational Practices of Qiao style Tai Chi Chuan
乔氏太极拳练功八法
Designed, arranged and translated by: Ms. Zhou Juan
设计与编排及翻译：周娟女士
Drawing on 40 years of personal practice and 20 years of teaching experience in the UK, Ms. Zhou Juan has specially designed and compiled this foundational training set for Western beginners of Qiao-style Tai Chi. It incorporates ancient Chinese Daoyin practices — entirely free of any religious connotation — alongside training in core stances (Bow Stance, Empty Stance, Horse Stance) and hand techniques. Particular emphasis is placed on mastering the unique hand form of Qiao-style Tai Chi: the Five‑Petal Palm. This training method is highly valued and widely favoured by practitioners in the West.
乔氏太极拳练功八法，是周娟女士结合自身40年练功心得与在英国20年教学经验，专为初学乔氏太极拳的西方人士设计编排的基础功法。内容既包含中国古代导引术（无任何宗教内涵），同时涵盖弓步、虚步、马步及掌法练习，尤其着重训练乔氏太极拳特有的掌型——五花掌。这套功法深受西方学习者喜爱与推崇。
The movements name 动作名称
1. Swaying Willow in the Wind 风摆杨柳
Preparation: Stand relaxed and calm with feet about two fist-widths apart, gazing straight ahead.
预备姿势：两脚分开约两拳距离，松静站立，目视前方。
Left Form: Turn the right foot outward 45 degrees, step the left foot forward into a Bow Stance. Shift weight forward and backward; at the same time, open all five fingers of both hands into the Five‑Petal Palm. Let the arms swing naturally forward and backward with each weight shift, repeating six times — just like willow branches swaying gently in the breeze.
左式：右脚尖向右转动45度，左脚向前迈出成弓步。身体随之前弓后坐，同时双手五指撑开成五花掌，随身体重心前后移动，双臂自然前后摆动，连续做六次，如杨柳迎风轻摆一般。
Right Form: Repeat the movement in the opposite direction; all actions and principles remain the same as the Left Form.
右式：动作方向相反，动作路线与要领同左式。
2. Embracing the Moon in the Bosom 怀中抱月
Preparation: Stand relaxed and calm, feet shoulder‑width apart, gazing straight ahead.
预备姿势：两脚分开与肩同宽，松静站立，目视前方。
Left Form: Turn your waist to the left. At the same time, open all five fingers of both hands into the Five‑Petal Palm; raise your arms as if cradling a ball of vital energy, gently drawing in the essence of nature. Turn back to face forward, guiding this energy down into the Baihui point at the crown of the head. Lower your palms, visualising the energy flowing from Baihui through the Third Eye to the Danzhong point at the centre of the chest — externally guiding, internally leading. Slowly bend your knees into a squat as you do so. At Danzhong, expand your chest gently once; then press through your heels to straighten your knees slowly, while continuing to lower your hands and guide the energy down into the Dantian. Then perform the Right Form.
左式：向左转腰，同时双手五指撑开成五花掌，双臂高举如捧气似球，缓缓吸纳天地自然之精华。转回正身，将气引入头顶百会穴；双掌下行，意念头顶之气自百会经天目直达膻中（外导内行），同时屈膝缓缓下蹲。行至膻中处，双手顺势扩胸一次；随即双脚蹬地，膝盖缓缓伸直，双手继续下行，引气归入丹田。随后接做右式。
Right Form: Repeat the movement in the opposite direction; the path, mental focus and principles are identical to the Left Form.
右式：动作方向相反，运行路线、意念引导及动作要领与左式完全相同。
Repeat the left and right sequence six times in total.
左右交替，共做六次。
3. The Master Drawing a Picture 大师画图
Preparation: Stand relaxed and calm with feet shoulder‑width apart, gazing straight ahead.
预备姿势：两脚分开与肩同宽，松静站立，目视前方。
Left Form: Open all five fingers of both hands into the Five‑Petal Palm. At the same time, bend your knees and waist to let your arms hang naturally down in front of your knees. Turn your waist left and rotate your arms upward; then turn your waist and arms back to face forward. Repeat 6 times then cup your hands in front of your knees as if holding a ball of energy, slowly lifting them to guide this energy to the Tianmu point between the eyebrows. Press your palms downward while bending your knees into a squat. When your hands reach the Danzhong point at the centre of the chest, gently expand the chest once. Then push through your heels to slowly straighten your knees, while continuing to press your hands down and guide the energy into the Dantian. Then follow with the Right Form.
左式：双手五指撑开成五花掌，同时屈膝弯腰，双臂自然垂至膝前；随即左转腰并翻转双臂上举，再将腰与臂向右转回正身。反复六次，然后双手于膝前捧气似球缓缓上提，将气引至额前天目穴；接着双掌下按、屈膝下蹲，当双掌行至膻中处时，顺势扩胸一次；随后双脚蹬地、膝盖缓缓伸直，双手继续下行，引气归入丹田。再接做右式。
Right Form: Perform the movement in the opposite direction; the path, focus and principles are exactly the same as the Left Form.
右式：动作方向相反，运行路线、要领及原理与左式完全相同。
4. Tiger Stretching Its Claws 老虎蹬爪
Preparation: Stand relaxed and calm with feet shoulder‑width apart, gazing straight ahead.
预备姿势：两脚分开与肩同宽，松静站立，目视前方。
Open all five fingers of both hands into the Five‑Petal Palm, lifting them upward to chest height. Slowly bend your knees into a squat. Then rotate your palms outward and press them down, while pushing firmly through your heels to slowly straighten your legs. Repeat the whole sequence six times.
双手五指撑开成五花掌，向上托举至胸前；同时缓缓屈膝下蹲。接着向外翻转双掌并向下按，同时双脚跟蹬地，膝盖缓缓伸直。整套动作反复做六次。
5. Lion Rolling the Ball 狮子滚球
Preparation: Stand relaxed and calm with feet slightly wider than shoulder‑width apart, gazing straight ahead.
预备姿势：两脚分开略宽于肩，松静站立，目视前方。
Bend your knees into a Horse Stance. At the same time, open all five fingers of both hands into the Five‑Petal Palm, holding them in front of your upper abdomen as if cradling a ball: left palm above, gently pressing down; right palm below, gently lifting up. Turn your waist left, swap the positions of your palms, then turn back to face forward. Turn your waist right, swap the palms again so the right palm is now above pressing down, and the left palm below lifting up; turn back to face forward once more. Repeat this alternating movement for a total of six times.
屈膝下蹲成马步，同时双手五指撑开，形成五花掌，置于上腹前如抱球状，左掌在上，意往下按。右掌在下，意往上托。向左转腰，上下换掌，转身回正。向右转腰，上下换掌，右掌在上，意往下按。左掌在下意往上托。转身回正。如此左右交替转换，共做六次。
6. Push and Pull Left and Right 左右推拉
Preparation: Stand relaxed and calm with feet slightly wider than shoulder‑width apart, gazing straight ahead.
预备姿势：两脚分开略宽于肩，松静站立，目视前方。
Left Form: Bend your knees into a Horse Stance. At the same time, open all five fingers of both hands into the Five‑Petal Palm, palms facing each other at chest height as if cradling a ball. Separate your palms left and right, turn your waist left into a Left Bow Stance facing left, pushing the left palm forward while pulling the right palm back. Turn back to the centre into a Horse Stance, palms facing each other again.
左式：屈膝下蹲成马步，同时双手五指撑开成五花掌，掌心相对置于胸前如抱球状，双掌左右分开，同时左转腰成左弓步，面向左，左掌向前推，右掌向后拉。转身回正成马步，双手掌心相对。
Right Form: Bend your knees into a Horse Stance. At the same time, open all five fingers of both hands into the Five‑Petal Palm, palms facing each other at chest height as if cradling a ball. Separate your palms left and right, turn your waist right into a Right Bow Stance facing right, pushing the right palm forward while pulling the left palm back. Turn back to the centre into a Horse Stance, palms facing each other again.
右式：屈膝下蹲成马步，同时双手五指撑开成五花掌，掌心相对置于胸前如抱球状，双掌左右分开，同时右转腰成右弓步，面向右，右掌向前推，左掌向后拉。转身回正成马步，双手掌心相对。
Repeat the left and right sequence alternately for a total of 6 times.
左右式反复6次。
7. Lift Up and Push Forward 上托前推
Preparation: Stand relaxed and calm with feet about two fist‑widths apart, gazing straight ahead.
预备姿势：两脚分开约两拳距离，松静站立，目视前方。
Left Form: Turn the right foot outward 45 degrees, step the left foot forward into a Bow Stance. At the same time, open all five fingers of both hands into the Five‑Petal Palm, raising both arms: the right hand lifts upward from in front of the forehead, while the left hand pushes forward from the chest. Shift your weight forward and backward repeatedly, performing this movement six times in total.
左式：右脚尖向右转动45度，左脚向前迈出成弓步；同时双手五指撑开成五花掌，双臂抬起——右手自额前向上托举，左手自胸前向前推出。随身体重心前弓后坐，反复做六次。
Right Form: Repeat the movement in the opposite direction; the path, requirements and principles are identical to the Left Form.
右式：动作方向相反，运行路线、要领及原理与左式完全相同。
8. Press Palms and Push Forward 按掌前推
Preparation: Stand relaxed and calm with feet about two fist‑widths apart, gazing straight ahead.
预备姿势：两脚分开约两拳距离，松静站立，目视前方。
Left Form: Turn the right foot outward 45 degrees, step the left foot forward into a Bow Stance. At the same time, open all five fingers of both hands into the Five‑Petal Palm, press them in front of the abdomen and push forward. Shift your weight forward and backward, repeating this pressing and pushing movement six times in total.
左式：右脚尖向右转动45度，左脚向前迈出成弓步；同时双手五指撑开成五花掌，按于腹前并向前推出。随身体重心前弓后坐，反复按推六次。
Right Form: Repeat the movement in the opposite direction; the path, requirements and principles are identical to the Left Form.
右式：动作方向相反，运行路线、要领及原理与左式完全相同。
- – “统一术语”：standardise the terminology
- – 五花掌 = Five‑Petal Palm
- – 百会穴 = Baihui point
- – 天目 = Tianmu point
- – 膻中 = Danzhong point
- – 丹田 = Dantian
- – 马步 = Horse Stance
- – 弓步 = Bow Stance
- – 虚步 = Empty Stance
- – 外导内行 = externally guiding, internally leading