Forms Library · CodexLast reviewed Oct 19, 2026

42-Form Taijiquan Competition

四十二式太极拳竞赛套路

1988 年国家体委武术研究院、中国武术协会编定 · 42 movements · 5–6 min · Free

A sequence reference within Tai Chi Chuan (太極拳 · Taijiquan) — the movement names, their order, and a printable sheet.

PDF and print — the reference sheet is a four-page A4 file; print the page itself if you would rather have the full notes.

Counting · The official text says 全套动作包括起、收势共 42 个动作: 起势 is movement 1 and 收势 is movement 42, numbered continuously with nothing outside the count. This is the opposite of the 32-form sword and the 48 form, where the opening and closing movements sit outside the numbering. Bracketed figures in some names are repetition counts, not form numbers.

Derivation · Not a family form: an all-styles competition routine built on a Yang-style basis with the power mechanics and footwork of Chen, Wu and Sun. The official description does not name Wu (Yuxiang); the "five families" reading comes from the anthology it was published in, not from this routine.

Naming · No official per-movement English names have been published; the English below are the common competition renderings. Movement 16 is printed 右左蹬脚 in the official table of contents and 左右蹬脚 circulates as a variant. Bracketed figures in a name are repetition counts, not form numbers.

Section 1 · Movements 1–10

Commencing Posture

起势

Open the left foot; raise both hands level in front; bend the knees and press down.①左脚开步；②两手前平举；③屈膝下按
Shoulders sunk and elbows heavy, weight steady, the breath settling low as the palms press.沉肩坠肘，重心平稳，按掌时气沉丹田

Grasp the Bird's Tail (Right)

右揽雀尾

Hold the ball and draw the foot in; turn and step up; ward off in the bow stance; sit back and roll back; turn and join the hands to press; sit back drawing in; push in the bow stance.①抱球收脚；②转身上步；③弓步掤；④后坐下捋；⑤转腰搭手前挤；⑥后坐引手；⑦弓步前按
Ward-off rounds, roll-back travels an arc, press joins both hands, push reaches the heels of the palms; the four link together and the front knee stays behind the toes.掤撑圆、捋走弧、挤合力、按达掌根，四劲连贯，弓步膝不超脚尖

Single Whip (Left)

左单鞭

Turn the waist carrying the hand; draw the foot in and form the hook; turn and step up; push in the bow stance.①转腰带手；②收脚勾手；③转身上步；④弓步推掌
The hook wrist stays relaxed with the hook pointing down; the push settles the wrist, and the bow stance faces the direction of the push.勾手腕部放松、勾尖向下，推掌坐腕，弓步方向与推掌一致

Raise Hands

提手

Turn the waist and swing the hands; follow-step and sit back; close and raise the hands in the empty stance.①转腰摆手；②跟步坐腿；③虚步合手提手
The empty stance divides the weight thirty-seventy; the arms close on a rounded arc with shoulders sunk and chest hollowed.虚步重心三七分，两臂合抱成弧形，沉肩含胸

White Crane Spreads Its Wings

白鹤亮翅

Follow-step and hold the hands; sit back and part them; lift the palms in the empty stance.①跟步抱手；②坐腿分手；③虚步亮掌
The upper hand wards above the brow while the lower plucks and presses by the hip, creating a diagonal stretch with the torso upright.上手掤于额前上方、下手采按胯旁，形成对拉，上体中正

Brush Knee and Twist Step

搂膝拗步（二）

Swing the hand and draw the foot in; bend the arm and step up; brush the knee and push in the bow stance. Once each side.①摆手收脚；②屈臂上步；③弓步搂手推掌。左右各1次
The brushing hand passes the knee on an arc, the push completes with the bow stance, and the waist leads the arm.搂手过膝走弧线，推掌与弓步同步，以腰带臂

Deflect the Body and Punch

撇身捶

Turn the body, close the fist and draw it to the waist; throw the fist across.①转体握拳收腰；②撇拳出击
The back of the fist supplies the force in a horizontal throw at temple height, with the left palm guarding the inside of the right elbow.拳背发力横撇，高与太阳穴齐，左掌护于右肘内侧

Roll Back and Press

捋挤势（二）

Join the hands and sit back; press forward in the bow stance. Once each side.①搭手后坐；②弓步前挤。左右各1次
The roll-back turns the waist with the hands following, round and unbroken; the press keeps both arms rounded with the force whole.捋势腰转手随、圆连不断；挤时两臂撑圆、劲整

Step Up, Parry, Block and Punch

进步搬拦捶

Parry the fist downward; step up and block with the palm; punch in the bow stance.①搬拳下压；②上步拦掌；③弓步冲捶
Parry, block and punch run as one action; the punch sinks the shoulders and reaches the face of the fist.搬、拦、捶一气呵成，冲拳沉肩坠肘、力达拳面

Apparent Close-Up

如封似闭

Close the hands in a cross and draw them back; sit back and part the palms; press in the bow stance.①十字封手回收；②坐腿分掌；③弓步前按
The palms part in front of the chest on the way back; the press reaches the heels of the hands and the weight moves evenly.回收时两掌在胸前分开，按达掌根，重心前后移动平稳

Section 2 · Movements 11–18

Opening and Closing Hands

开合手

The hands open and close in front of the chest, opening on the in-breath and closing on the out-breath.两手在胸前做开合（开吸合呼）
Shoulders sunk and elbows heavy, palms facing each other, attention held between them — a Sun-style hand method.沉肩坠肘、两掌相对，意念贯注于两掌之间——孙式开合手法

Single Whip (Right)

右单鞭

Open the right foot sideways with a slight turn; both palms separate to the sides like a single whip.①右脚横开体微转；②两掌侧分如一条鞭
Shoulders sunk, tiger mouths facing, the side bow stance rounded through the hips.沉肩坠肘，虎口相对，侧弓步裆圆

Fist Under Elbow

肘底捶

Close the foot, cover the palm and hold the ball; step out, follow with the foot and swing the palm; split in the empty stance.①扣脚掩掌抱球；②迈步跟脚摆掌；③虚步劈掌
The fist rests under the elbow; nose tip, elbow and toe align.拳收肘下，三尖（鼻尖、肘尖、脚尖）相照

Turn the Body and Push the Palm

转身推掌（二）

Withdraw a step and grind the foot to turn; brush, press and raise the palm; step up, follow and push. Once each side.①撤步碾脚转体；②搂按举掌；③上步跟步推掌。左右各1次
The waist leads the turn, the T-step stays steady, and the push follows the direction of the turn.转身以腰带身，丁步稳，推掌随转体方向

Fair Lady Works at Shuttles

玉女穿梭（二）

Join the hands in front of the chest after rolling back; follow-step, turn and smear the palm level; support and push in the bow stance. Once each side.①捋后搭手于胸前；②跟步转体平摆掌；③弓步上架前推掌。左右各1次
The upper body takes the Wu-style level circular change, the legs take the Sun-style step-and-follow, settling into a bow stance with one arm supporting and one pushing.上肢取吴式平圆转换手法，下肢取孙式上步跟步，定势为弓步架推掌

Kick with Right and Left Heel

右左蹬脚

Turn and thread the palm as both arms open; cross and hold the hands; part the hands and kick. Right, then left.①转体穿掌两臂展；②交叉抱手；③分手蹬脚。右、左各1次
Stand firm before lifting the leg; the kick drives through the heel with the toes hooked back and the standing leg slightly bent.先立稳再提腿，蹬脚力达脚跟、脚尖回勾，支撑腿微屈
Printed 右左蹬脚 in the official contents; 左右蹬脚 circulates as a variant.官方目录作「右左蹬脚」，「左右蹬脚」为通行异写

Hidden Hand Forearm Punch

掩手肱捶

Cover both palms in front of the face; open the step, stack the palms and spread them; rotate out and form the fist; strike in the bow stance.①两掌掩合于面前；②开步叠掌外分展；③外旋合拳；④弓步前打拳
A Chen-style releasing action: gather and then release with a crisp snap, the fist driving past a guarding hand.陈式发劲动作，蓄而后发、劲力抖放，护腹出拳

Part the Wild Horse's Mane

野马分鬃（二）

Turn and rotate the arm to split sideways; turn the palm and support above the knee; step up and thread and press in the bow stance. Once each side.①转身旋臂横挒；②翻掌托于膝上方；③上步弓腿前穿靠。左右各1次
Upper and lower pull apart, the upper hand no higher than the brow and the lower pressing by the hip, the torso upright.上下对拉，上手高不过眉，下手按于胯旁，上体不歪斜

Section 3 · Movements 19–29

Cloud Hands

云手（三）

The hands circle alternately as the feet step sideways. Three rounds.两手交替环形运转，侧行移步。共3次
The waist is the axis and the arms trace vertical circles; the sideways steps are light with the weight travelling level and the eyes following the upper hand.以腰为轴带动两臂立圆运转，侧行轻灵，重心水平移动，眼神随上手

Stand on One Leg, Hit the Tiger

独立打虎

Withdraw a step and turn the palm to thread forward; swing both palms left and close the fists; lift the knee and support the fists in the tiger-strike posture.①撤步翻掌向前穿；②双掌左摆握拳；③提膝架拳打虎式
The knee lifts high and the fists support at brow height, the body held upright and steady.提膝高抬、架拳于额前，身正稳立

Separate Right Foot

右分脚

Both palms stack in front of the chest; the right leg flicks out and the arms open.两掌叠抱胸前，右腿摆踢、两臂分展
The standing leg bends slightly and the force reaches the toes.单腿支撑微屈，劲力达脚尖

Twin Peaks Strike the Ears

双峰贯耳

Bend the leg and gather the palms above the knee; lower the foot, step up and part the palms; strike with both fists in the bow stance.①屈腿收掌于膝上；②落脚上步分掌；③弓步双拳贯耳
Both fists drive diagonally up with the tiger mouths facing, no higher than the ears, aiming at the temples.两拳斜向上、虎口相对，高不过耳，力贯双拳取太阳穴

Separate Left Foot

左分脚

As for the right separation, mirrored.动作同右分脚，方向相反
The same requirements apply.同右分脚

Turn the Body and Slap Foot

转身拍脚

Close the step and lower the foot as the body turns; cross the palms in front of the chest; kick the right foot straight and slap the instep with the right palm.①扣步落脚随势转；②两掌交叉抱胸前；③右脚绷平上踢、右掌拍击脚面
The turn and the slap happen together, the leg straight and the palm slapping the instep.转体与拍脚同步，腿绷直，掌面拍击脚背

Step Up and Plant the Punch

进步栽捶

Lower the foot and turn the body, turning the right palm over; step up brushing the knee; plant the right fist down and forward in the bow stance.①落脚转体右掌翻；②进步搂手；③弓步前下栽打出右拳
The punch plants on a downward diagonal; the waist relaxes and the hips tuck, the force reaching the fist.栽捶向下斜栽，松腰敛臀，力达拳面

Diagonal Flying

斜飞势

Sit back and turn left parting both palms; cross and hold the arms; step the right foot out into a side bow stance and open the arms diagonally.①后坐左转两掌分；②两臂交叉抱；③右脚上成侧弓步、斜展双臂
The side bow stance opens out and the arms spread on the diagonal like a bird in flight — the Wu-style flavour of this movement.侧弓步舒展，两臂斜展如鸟飞，含吴式斜飞特点

Single Whip, Push Down

单鞭下势

Shift the weight onto the left leg and bow; raise the left hook to the side with a bent wrist; bend the knee into a crouch stance and thread the right palm along the leg.①重心偏移左腿弓；②左勾侧举屈腕；③屈膝仆步成下势、右掌顺腿前穿
The crouch stance spreads flat with the weight sunk, the palm threading close to the leg and the knee not turning inward.仆步平铺、重心下沉，穿掌贴腿，膝不内扣

Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg

金鸡独立（二）

Straighten the left leg and bow the right; lower the hook and raise the palm as the knee lifts. Once each side.①左腿蹬直右腿弓；②落勾挑掌提膝。左右各1次
The knee lifts with the palm on the same side, the standing leg slightly bent and steady; both sides are the same.提膝上挑同侧掌，支撑腿微屈站稳，左右式相同

Step Back and Thread the Palm

退步穿掌

Withdraw a step and bow the leg, drawing back; the right palm presses down and the left threads forward.①撤步弓腿后闪；②右掌下按、左掌前穿
The withdrawal and the thread happen together; the horizontal palm guards the chest and the threading palm seeks the throat.撤步与穿掌同时，横掌护胸、穿掌取喉

Section 4 · Movements 30–42

Empty Stance, Press the Palm

虚步压掌

Turn the left foot in and turn the body right, raising the left palm; lift, turn and settle into a right empty stance pressing the palm across above the knee.①左脚内扣体右转、左掌上举；②提转落成右虚步，横压按掌于膝前
The empty stance sinks, the shoulder relaxes as the palm presses, and the weight sits on the rear leg.虚步下沉，压掌松肩，重心在后腿

Stand on One Leg, Support the Palm

独立托掌

Stand on the left leg with the right knee lifted, the right palm turning over to support and the left bracing at the side.左腿独立右膝提，右掌翻转向托、左掌体侧横撑
The body stands tall yet relaxed, the supporting palm facing up, and there is no leaning back.身正似松，托掌手心向上，独立不后仰

Horse Stance Shoulder Strike

马步靠

Lower the right foot and turn the body right, rolling back and swinging the palm; step the left foot forward into a half horse stance with the left arm pressing in and rotating.①下落右脚体右转、右捋摆掌；②左前上成半马步、左臂挤靠内旋
The stance sinks and the shoulder and hip drive forward as one body.马步下沉，以肩胯整体贴靠

Turn the Body, Great Roll-Back

转身大捋

Sit back carrying the palm and turn it up; circle the right foot up as the body turns left; the right palm supports to the side and lifts the left; withdraw a step and roll back level through one turn.①后坐带掌上翻；②绕上右脚体左转；③右掌侧托提左掌；④撤步平捋一周
A key rotating movement: the roll-back travels a wide arc with both arms following the waist and the weight shifting to the side.旋转性重点动作，走大弧，两臂随腰，重心侧移

Resting Stance, Catch and Punch

歇步擒打

Shift the weight right and turn the body, propping the right elbow up and threading the right fist; turn back, cover-step and sink into a crouch; the left fist strikes up over the back of the right.①重心右移体右转、右肘上撑右拳穿；②回身盖步下屈蹲；③左拳背上打右拳
The resting stance crosses and seats both legs firmly; the catch and the strike are distinct in order.歇步两腿交叉盘实，擒打先后分明

Thread the Palm, Push Down

穿掌下势

Draw the foot in and raise the palm, swinging it right; step the left foot out and turn the body right; sink fully onto the right leg into a crouch stance and thread both palms along the leg.①收脚提掌向右摆；②左脚侧出体右转；③右腿全蹲成仆步、两掌顺腿前穿
The crouch stance spreads flat and sinks; the palms thread close to the leg in a straight line.仆步平铺下沉，穿掌贴腿走直线

Step Up, Seven Stars

上步七星

Shift the weight forward and bow the left leg, the left palm lifting forward to shoulder height; step the right foot up into an empty stance and cross both fists.①重心前移左腿弓、左掌前挑与肩平；②右腿前上成虚步、两拳叉架成七星
The two fists cross in front of the chest as the "seven stars", and the empty stance holds firm.两拳交叉架于胸前成"七星"，虚步站稳

Step Back and Ride the Tiger

退步跨虎

Withdraw a step and support the palm as the body turns right; draw the foot in riding the tiger in one continuous round; stand firm on the left leg with the right palm and left hook opposing.①撤步撑掌体右转；②收脚挎虎连贯圆活；③左腿前举立稳、右掌左勾
The standing leg holds steady and the left hook and right palm pull against each other.平衡腿稳，左勾手与右掌形成对拉

Turn the Body and Sweep the Lotus

转身摆莲

Close the foot and turn, the palms passing level; smear with open palms; turn left through the body and sweep the right leg as the palms slap the instep in turn.①扣脚转体掌平摆；②空掌平抹；③左转身体、右摆脚，两掌依次拍击脚面
A key rotating movement: one full turn, the leg sweeping in a fan with both palms slapping, landing steadily.旋转性重点动作，转体一周，摆腿如扇形拍脚，落地平稳

Bend the Bow and Shoot the Tiger

弯弓射虎

Roll back and bend down bowing the right leg, the weight moving forward as if drawing a bow; the right hand lifts and the left brushes as the body turns; the left fist drives forward.①捋掌屈落右腿弓、重心前移似挽弓；②右提左拂随转体；③左拳前冲
The two fists sit one forward and one back like a drawn bow; the waist supplies the power and the eyes follow the front fist.两拳一前一后如开弓，转腰发力、目视前拳

Grasp the Bird's Tail (Left)

左揽雀尾

Draw the foot in and hold the ball; step out and part the hands with the arms rounded; roll back, join the hands and press; sit back and push forward.①收脚抱球；②迈步分掌臂捧圆；③捋掌搭手前挤；④后坐按推掌向前
The mirror of the right version: all four energies complete and evenly weighted.与右揽雀尾左右对称，四劲完整匀称

Cross Hands

十字手

Shift the upper body right and close the foot, turning, both palms parting as if carrying a pole; embrace in front of the chest to form the cross; draw the foot in and stand upright.①上体右移扣脚转、两掌外分似挑担；②合抱胸前成十字手；③收脚直立
The arms cross and round out, the weight centred, the breath settling low.两臂交叉撑圆，重心居中，气沉丹田

Closing Posture

收势

Turn the palms and press forward at shoulder width; lower them slowly beside the legs; draw the left foot in beside the right.①翻掌前撑同肩宽；②徐徐下落于腿外边；③左脚收至右脚旁并立
Breathe long and slow; stay upright at the finish rather than relaxing the instant it ends.呼吸深长，还原后保持中正，不立刻松懈

Tai Chi Wuji · https://www.taichiwuji.com/forms/42-form-competition-tai-chi/