Browse the standard Tai Chi routines and find the one that fits: bare-hand forms, weapon sets, competition routines and Duanwei sets. Filter by length, style and standard, then open the movement sequence for the routines that have one.
25 routines · 25 with a movement sequence · filter by length, style, type and standard
Explore forms by length, style, purpose, and learning goal. Every card links to a full guide — pick a starting point and begin.
八式太极拳
The Level-1 assessment routine of the Chinese Wushu Duanwei system: eight core postures from the Yang large frame, framed by an opening and a closing movement, practised as a symmetrical set with a few forward bow steps.
十六式太极拳
The Level-2 assessment routine of the Chinese Wushu Duanwei system: sixteen Yang-style postures in four sections. It extends the 8 Form with parry-and-punch, the shuttles, needle at sea bottom and flash the arms, and adds forward, backward and diagonal stepping — a step up from the 8 Form, and shorter than the 24 Form. It is not part of the 24 Form sequence: the Duanwei sets and the 1956 simplified 24 Form are separate systems, and the comparison is one of length and demand, not of rank.
太极（八法五步）
The standardised entry routine published in 2018: the eight techniques and five stepping directions shared by every Taijiquan family, arranged as sixteen movements in a stationary part and a stepping part. It is a set event item at national competitions and the usual next step after the 24 Form.
二十四式简化太极拳
The most widely practiced Tai Chi routine worldwide. Created in 1956 for public health, balancing Yang-style essence with accessibility.
四十八式太极拳
The second national teaching set (1979), defined officially as the improvement on the simplified form: forty-eight Yang-led movements in six sections, adding Wu and Sun material, four leg techniques and a wider range of stances than the 24 Form. Eight to ten minutes at a steady pace.
四十二式太极拳竞赛套路
The international standard competition routine (created 1988, promoted from 1989): forty-two movements in four sections on a Yang-style basis, drawing Chen, Wu and Sun power mechanics and footwork into one set. Five to six minutes, and a set event at national and international Taijiquan competitions.
十六式太极剑
The duanwei level-two sword set: sixteen short, symmetrical movements between a salute and a closing, taking three to four minutes. The usual first weapon form after the eight- and sixteen-form empty-hand routines, and not to be confused with the Yang family sword or the 1957 thirty-two-form sword.
三十二式太极剑
The national popularization sword form of 1957: thirty-two Yang-style sword techniques in four groups, covering draw, carry, lift, thrust, strike, hook, point, chop, intercept, support, sweep, block and smear. The usual first weapon form after the bare-hand routines.
四十二式太极剑竞赛套路
The national competition sword routine (compiled 1988 for the 1990 Asian Games): forty-two movements in four sections, standardising eighteen sword methods, five stances, three balances and three leg techniques. Three to six minutes with music — the standard set event sword form.
陈式五十六式太极拳（竞赛套路）
The Chen-style competition routine (1989, one of the four style sets): fifty-six movements recombining the soft silk-reeling first road with the springy, releasing second road — explosive fa-jin, low stances and fast transitions, held to a five to six minute competition standard.
杨式四十式太极拳（竞赛套路）
The Yang-style competition routine (1989, one of the four style sets): forty movements built on Yang Chengfu’s standardised frame — large, open and even, with repetition trimmed, symmetry added and a slap-foot and higher kicks worked in. Five to six minutes at competition pace.
吴式四十五式太极拳（竞赛套路）
The Wu-style competition routine (1989, one of the four style sets), built for the first time by combining the southern Wu Jianquan and northern Wang Maozhai branches: forty-five compact, relaxed movements in 川字步 stances with parallel feet, small circles and weight carried on the full leg. Five to six minutes at competition pace.
武式四十六式太极拳（竞赛套路）
The Wu (Yuxiang) competition routine — composed in 1995, later than the 1989 four-style batch: forty-six compact, plain movements in four sections, built on 起承开合 with each hand governing its own half and the hand never passing the toes. The most contained of the style sets.
孙式七十三式太极拳（竞赛套路）
The Sun-style competition routine (1989, the last of the four style sets and the longest): seventy-three movements in six sections, reworked from the traditional 97-form. High frames, light footwork with the rear foot always following, and nine pairs of 开手 / 合手 joining the changes of direction.
陈式老架一路七十四式
The traditional Chen Laojia Yilu — the first road of the old frame (large frame), the foundational 74-movement routine of Chen-style Tai Chi. Soft-led with silk-reeling as its core, 金刚捣碓 four times over, and no state-issued standard text: its authority is the Chen family line and the published teaching editions.
陈式新架一路八十三式
The Chen Xinjia Yilu — the new frame’s first road at 83 movements, built by Chen Fake on the Laojia large frame and fixed by his son Chen Zhaokui. Lower and wider than the old frame, with denser silk-reeling, two 三换掌, and the same four 金刚捣碓. No state-issued standard text exists.
陈式老架二路炮捶四十一式
The Chen Laojia Erlu — the second road of the old frame, “Paochui” or Cannon Fist: forty-one movements of fast, hard, stamped release set against the first road’s softness, with 掩手肱拳 six times. No state-issued standard text; 43 is the mainstream teaching count.
陈式新架二路炮捶七十一式
The Chen Xinjia Erlu — the new frame’s second road, “Paochui”: seventy-one movements of fast, hard release in four sections, built by Chen Fake from the Laojia Erlu and fixed by Chen Zhaokui. The count belongs to this form alone, not to the old-frame second road.
杨式传统八十五式太极拳
The orthodox Yang long form as fixed by Yang Chengfu — eighty-five movements from the 81-posture frame by four adjustments, 揽雀尾 six times, 单鞭 ten, and both 虚腿架 and 实腿架 taught. No state-issued standard text.
陈式小架一路（小圈拳）七十二势
The Chen Xiaojia Yilu — the small frame, “small circle boxing”, created by Chen Youben and fixed at 72 postures with 金刚捣碓 four times and 六封四闭 and 单鞭 seven each. Kept inside the family as a fighting frame; now transmitted from Chenjiagou and Xi’an. No state-issued standard text.
孙式传统九十七式太极拳
The Sun traditional long set — 97 postures of the open-and-close, live-step frame, with thirteen pairs of 开手 and 合手 and the rule that the rear foot always follows. Built by Sun Lutang from Xingyi, Bagua and Taiji. The 73-form is the 1989 competition routine drawn from it.
武式太极拳老架（郝架）九十六式
The Wu (Yuxiang) traditional long frame — the Hao frame, known as the 96-form: 86 independent postures with 懒扎衣 as the mother movement, small high stances, open-and-close, and a “dry old plum branch” restraint. The 46-form is the 1995 competition routine drawn from it.
吴式太极拳传统一百零八式（南派·吴鉴泉一系慢架）
The Wu (Jianquan) southern slow frame — 108 postures of the trunk lineage, with 揽雀尾 eight times and 单鞭 eleven, a strictly vertical torso (斜中寓正), the 川字步 stance and no jumping. Paired with the north branch’s 83-form, which is a different frame, not another count.
北派吴式太极拳传统八十三式
The northern Wu frame — the 83 of the 王茂斋 – 杨禹廷 line, kept in Beijing and Laizhou: 中正安舒, no jumping and no release, point-strike-lock-throw-摔 combined and held inside. 108 is the southern branch, not another count of this.
Not sure where to begin? The 8 Form is the shortest entry point, the 24 Simplified Form is the most widely practised daily routine, and the 85 Traditional Long Form is the deep Yang-style study. Below the directory you will find the detailed comparison, then movement sequences for the routines that have one, plus step-by-step guides for the rest. For a complete, self-paced curriculum with milestone checkpoints, explore our structured programs.
Practising qigong rather than a form? The official qigong sets sit on their own shelf —Qigong Routines →
Want something to print and keep beside you while you practise? That is a different job from this directory —printable Tai Chi reference sheets →
One weapon here is not taiji: theBeginner Broadsword (初级刀)is a changquan routine, taught as a first weapon in the member courses. Its sequence is on that page; it is not part of the taiji curriculum above. For the full picture of the taiji weapon system — sword, sabre, fan, spear and staff — see Tai Chi Weapons.
The table and notes below are the reference layer. Narrow your choice with the directory first, then use this to compare the routines that are still in contention.
Style determines which forms you’ll practice , if you search for “Tai Chi forms,” you are usually trying to answer one of three questions:
This guide answers all three.
Before going into details, here is a structured comparison of the major Tai Chi forms practiced today.
New to internal arts entirely? Qigong for Beginners may be a simpler starting point than Tai Chi forms.
| Form | Style Base | Moves | Duration | Difficulty | Best For | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Form | Yang simplified | 8 | 3–5 min | Very Easy | Absolute beginners | ⭐⭐ |
| 16 Form | Yang simplified | 16 | 5–6 min | Easy | Beginners | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 24 Form | Yang | 24 | 5–8 min | Easy–Moderate | Health & daily practice | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 42 Form | Mixed styles | 42 | 6–8 min | Moderate | Competition | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 48 Form | Mixed traditional | 48 | 8–10 min | Moderate | Intermediate | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 56 Form | Chen style | 56 | 8–10 min | Moderate–Advanced | Competition / Chen competition set | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 85 Form | Traditional Yang | 85 | 20–30 min | Advanced | Deep traditional study | ⭐⭐ |
This table gives you orientation. Now let’s clarify what a “form” actually means.
A Tai Chi form is a structured sequence of movements performed in a fixed order.
It combines:
In Chinese martial arts, this is called a taolu (套路).
If you are new to the broader art of Tai Chi Chuan , you may want to first read our glossary entry here: 👉 Tai Chi Chuan
You can also review the specific definition of a Tai Chi Form here: 👉 Tai Chi form
This confusion is extremely common.
For example:
In English, “form,” “routine,” “set,” and “sequence” are often used interchangeably. On this site, we use form as the primary term for clarity and SEO consistency.
There is no single number.
Forms fall into three broad categories:
These are family-transmitted long routines developed over generations.
Examples:
These preserve:
Historically, forms evolved through masters like Chen Wangting and Yang Luchan.
In 1956, Chinese sports authorities created simplified routines to promote public health.
These include:
They were organized by the Chinese Wushu Association.
Purpose:
Tai Chi also includes weapon routines, such as:
For detailed guides, see:
Weapon forms build on empty-hand principles but add coordination complexity.
The question “how many forms are there in Chen style” is really two questions. One is how many routines a style contains; the other is how many movements sit inside a single routine. The tables below answer the second, which is the one people usually mean.
Every number here links to the sequence itself, so you can check the count against the movement list rather than take it on trust.
| Routine | Movements | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Laojia Yilu (Old Frame, First Road) | 74 | The foundational Chen routine most schools teach first |
| Laojia Erlu Paochui (Old Frame, Second Road) | 41 | Faster and more explosive than the first road |
| Xinjia Yilu (New Frame, First Road) | 83 | Chen Fake’s revised frame |
| Xinjia Erlu Paochui (New Frame, Second Road) | 71 | |
| Xiaojia Yilu (Small Frame, First Road) | 72 | Compact frame, smaller circles |
| Chen Style 56 Competition Form | 56 | Standardised for competition |
| Routine | Movements | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional Yang 85 Form | 85 | The traditional long form taught by Yang Chengfu’s line |
| Yang Style 40 Competition Form | 40 | Standardised for competition |
Two families share the name. They are different lineages, not variants of one routine.
| Routine | Movements | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wu (Quanyou) Style 108 Form | 108 | The long form of Wu Jianquan’s line |
| Wu (Quanyou) Style 83 Form | 83 | |
| Wu (Quanyou) Style 45 Competition Form | 45 | |
| Wu (Yuxiang) Style 96 Form | 96 | Wu Yuxiang’s line — a separate tradition |
| Wu (Yuxiang) Style 46 Competition Form | 46 |
| Routine | Movements | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Style Traditional 97 Form | 97 | |
| Sun Style 73 Competition Form | 73 |
Created from 1956 onward for public health and competition. They borrow from several styles rather than belonging to one lineage.
| Routine | Movements | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Form (Duanwei Level 1) | 8 | Yang, simplified |
| 16 Form (Duanwei Level 2) | 16 | Yang, simplified |
| 24 Form | 24 | Yang, simplified |
| 42 Competition Form | 42 | Mixed styles |
| 48 Form | 48 | Mixed traditional |
This is the set of routines we have been able to verify movement by movement, and it is the set most widely practised and taught outside China. It is not a complete census of every routine in existence.
Each lineage has further routines — variant frames, family-specific sets, regional teaching versions, and forms passed down within a single school. Different lineages also count differently: where one tradition treats a repeated movement as two entries, another may record it once, and a form taught as 85 movements in one line is sometimes listed as 103 in another for that reason. The numbers above describe the specific sequences linked beside them, not a universal standard.
If you are looking for a routine that is not listed here, the absence means we have not yet verified its sequence — not that it does not exist.
The three groups above do not cover every routine in circulation. A fourth group sits outside them: short forms that a teacher, a lineage association or a local programme has organised for a particular teaching, practice or competition context.
The reason this group is easy to miss is that the routines in it look like government simplifications — same short length, same familiar movement vocabulary. What differs is who assembled them and what the assembly was for. A teacher may select movements from the frame they inherited; an association may condense a parent frame for a judged event; a school may reorganise movements around a constraint such as practice space or class length. These are different processes, and the routines that result are not versions of one another.
Three observations follow.
A short form is not necessarily a reduced long form. The Chen teacher Zhu Tiancai’s Four Postures Five Elements (四势五行) is built as four postures cycled in four directions and returning to the start, a structure suited to a confined practice space. It is a designed practice system, not the long frame trimmed to four movements.
The same form name can denote routines that share nothing but the number. “39 Form” is used by at least two unrelated systems. Zhang Yaozhong’s Thirty-Nine Form Taijiquan: Pointing Directly at Jin Intent (三十九式太极拳劲意直指, People’s Sports Publishing House, 2008) is a Yang/Wu-line frame — Grasp Sparrow’s Tail, Part the Wild Horse’s Mane, Jade Lady Works the Shuttles — descending from Wang Peisheng’s teaching. It has no connection to any Chen 39 Form. Matching on the number, or on the English name, is not enough.
Move count does not by itself indicate difficulty, seniority or authenticity. A thirteen-move set and a thirty-eight-move set can come from the same family and sit at a comparable level. What separates them is the compiler and the purpose.
The table below records representative Chen short forms, with the compiler and source frame where the record supports them. It is not a difficulty ranking and not a recommendation list.
| Form | Compiler / association | Source frame | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chen 38 Form | Chen Xiaowang | Recorded as drawn from Laojia Yilu (74) and Xinjia Yilu (83); some sources describe it as based on Laojia Yilu alone | Entry routine of his teaching system; repetition reduced, demanding movements simplified |
| Chen 19 Form | Chen Xiaowang | Described both as drawing on Laojia, Xinjia and Xiaojia, and as adapted from Laojia Yilu | Short entry set; taught as an introductory course at the Chenjiagou school |
| Chen Essentials 18 Form (精要十八式) | Chen Zhenglei | Laojia Yilu | Core movements selected to make a teachable first routine; silk reeling retained as the through-line |
| Chen 13 Form | Chen Zhenglei, published 2003 | Laojia Yilu | Thirteen movements chosen around the eight gates and five directions; issued as a book by People’s Sports Publishing House |
| Chen Laojia Thirteen Postures (老架十三势) | Zhu Tiancai | Laojia Yilu | Accompanied by a separate Xinjia thirteen-posture set in his teaching; not the same routine as either Chen 13 Form above |
| Chen 26 Form | Simplified and compiled by Ren Tianlin (Jiaozuo University) | Not established from the sources consulted | Official event category at the Jiaozuo international competition; also a Jiaozuo secondary-school PE test form |
| Chen 39 Form, mainland | Long taught and promoted by Chen Chun’ai and her association in Chenjiagou | Laojia Yilu | Widely circulated in Chinese-language teaching; the exact compiling authority is not established |
| Chen Laojia Yilu 39 Form, Taiwan | Xie Dongliang, advised by Wu Mucun | Chen Zhenglei’s Laojia Yilu | Condensed for teaching and competition; documented in the Taiwan Chen Style Taijiquan Association’s journal — pending verification against the original |
Two pairs on this table are commonly merged and should not be:
Chen Zhenglei’s Chen 13 Form, Zhu Tiancai’s Laojia Thirteen Postures and Xie Dongliang’s Taiwanese thirteen-posture set are three different routines. The count is the only thing they share.
The mainland and Taiwanese Chen 39 Forms are separate compilations. The Taiwanese set was condensed from Chen Zhenglei’s Laojia Yilu by Xie Dongliang, who trained under Chen Zhenglei and has long brought students to Chenjiagou. The mainland set has been taught and promoted through Chenjiagou teachers and associations. They overlap in movement because both draw on the same parent frame, not because one shortens the other.
None of the routines above is a nationally standardised form. The state sets are the 24, 42, 48 and Chen 56. That distinction is why two teachers can recommend different first routines without either being wrong: each is recommending from within the system they trained in.
For the comparison across all forms rather than the Chen variants, the comparison table above covers length, style base and difficulty for the main routines.
Another useful way to classify forms is by duration:
8 Form 16 Form 24 Form
42 Form 48 Form 56 Form
85 Form Traditional Chen Long Forms
This helps beginners choose realistically based on time availability.
If you practise a long form at home with music, the Tai Chi practice music guide covers how to match a track’s length to the form.
If you’re unsure where to begin, here is a practical progression model:
Before committing to one, watch it end to end — the video library has demonstrations by style and level, and the pace is often what settles the choice.
If you are completely new, you may start here first: 👉 Start with Tai Chi for Beginners
Below are the forms most commonly practiced worldwide, ordered by accessibility and global adoption.
The 8 Form is the most simplified entry-level routine derived from Yang style fundamentals.
It includes:
Best for:
It introduces the body mechanics of Yang-style Taijiquan without overwhelming complexity.
The 16 Form builds upon the 8 Form and introduces:
It maintains accessibility while adding structural coherence.
You can see our full step-by-step breakdown here: 👉 16 Form step-by-step guide
For many learners, this is the ideal “true beginner form.”
The 24 Form is the most widely practiced Tai Chi routine in the world.
Created in 1956 by Chinese sports authorities, it was designed to:
Characteristics:
It retains core Tai Chi principles such as:
For most people interested in long-term daily practice, this is the standard choice. See our step‑by‑step animated guide to the 24 Form .
The 42 Form is a composite competition routine integrating elements from:
It was designed for standardized judging.
Features:
This form is ideal for:
The 48 Form bridges simplified and traditional practice.
Compared to 24 Form, it:
It is suitable for intermediate practitioners who want more technical depth without committing to a 20+ minute long form.
The 56 Form is the standardized Chen-style competition routine.
It preserves:
Unlike the smoother Yang-based 24 Form, the 56 Form reflects the structural DNA of Chen-style Taijiquan.
You can read the full technical explanation here: 👉 Chen 56 form guide
This form is best for:
The 85 Form is the traditional long routine of Yang lineage.
It is significantly longer (20–30 minutes) and emphasizes:
Compared to 24 Form:
This form represents the full classical structure of Yang training.
Now that we’ve examined individual examples, let’s clarify the structural difference.
Examples:
Examples:
Both are legitimate expressions of Tai Chi.
One prioritizes lineage preservation. The other prioritizes dissemination and standardization.
The competition sets are not new styles. Each is a compressed edition of one family’s long frame, made so that judges can compare athletes on a single sequence. That is why a competition set and its traditional set are not interchangeable — and why learning the Yang 40 does not teach you the 85.
| Competition routine | Year | Drawn from | Competition time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chen 56 | 1989 | Chen frame — the first road’s reeling softness, the second road’s release | 5–6 min |
| Yang 40 | 1989 | Traditional Yang frame | 5–6 min |
| Wu 45 | 1989 | Traditional Wu frame | 5–6 min |
| Sun 73 | 1989 | Traditional Sun 97-form | 5–6 min |
| Wu (Yuxiang) 46 | 1995 | Traditional Wu (Yuxiang) frame | 5–6 min |
| 42 Form | 1989 | Combined, all five families | 5–6 min |
The first four and the 42-form were compiled together in 1989. The Wu (Yuxiang) set came later — proposed at the 1993 Yongnian gathering and composed at the end of 1995.
On the times: the 2026 national championship regulations set 5–6 minutes for these routines, but the rules book itself gives a 3–6 minute range and individual events choose within it — regional competitions and mass-participation events often run 3–4. Treat 5–6 as the current championship figure, not a universal one.
All Tai Chi forms—short or long—are built upon a theoretical framework known as the Thirteen Postures.
This includes:
These principles are embedded in every form.
For example:
The posture “Grasp Sparrow’s Tail” in 24 Form contains:
This theoretical structure dates back to classical writings such as the Taijiquan Classic and was historically associated with figures like Chen Wangting.
Future detailed explanation will be expanded in our glossary and dedicated Thirteen Postures article.
Learn the 62-Step Guide to Tai Chi’s 8 Methods & 5 Steps with our visual masterclass.
Yes.
Every posture has:
However, forms train the body method.
Practical application is further developed through:
Forms are the blueprint. Application is the testing ground.
Many beginners assume Tai Chi consists only of memorizing forms.
In reality, forms are one part of a larger training system.
A complete Tai Chi training structure often includes:
Push hands develops:
While forms build:
Forms are the architectural blueprint. Push hands tests the structure under pressure.
Yes—but with strategy.
If you are a beginner:
Focus on one form first. Build structural familiarity. Develop balance and coordination.
Jumping between multiple routines too early can slow progress.
Once your body mechanics stabilize:
For example:
You might practice 24 Form daily and occasionally study 56 Form for Chen mechanics.
There is no strict rule—but depth matters more than quantity.
The word “master” is relative.
You do not need perfection before learning another form.
However, you should:
If your current form still feels unstable, adding another may create confusion.
Progression should feel layered—not fragmented.
This is a common concern.
Standardized routines such as 42 and 56 were created under guidance of the Chinese Wushu Association.
Their purpose was:
While some repetitions were reduced, the core principles of:
remain intact.
Competition forms do not eliminate traditional essence. They compress it.
Although this guide focuses on forms structure, it is important to understand why these routines became globally popular.
Research published in journals such as:
has shown that consistent Tai Chi practice may improve:
Because forms involve continuous weight shifting and controlled movement, they create:
In 2020, Tai Chi was recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
This reflects not only martial value, but cultural and health significance.
After mastering empty-hand forms, many practitioners expand into weapon training.
Examples include:
These routines increase:
You can explore:
Weapon training is optional—but structurally connected to empty-hand principles.
Tai Chi forms are not random choreography.
They are structured training systems that encode:
Whether you choose:
what matters most is consistent practice.
If you are just starting, begin here: 👉 Start with Tai Chi for Beginners
If you want detailed breakdowns of specific routines, explore our dedicated form guides linked throughout this article.
Tai Chi forms are structured systems — not just sequences to memorize.
Whether you choose 8 Form, 24 Form, 56 Form, or the traditional 85 Form, the key is consistency and clarity of purpose.
Choose a form that fits your level and your goals.
Bookmark this guide as your reference — we regularly update it as new forms and detailed breakdowns are added.
Short forms (8, 16, 24) can be memorized in weeks. Long forms (85) may take months to internalize. True refinement continues for years.
A Tai Chi style refers to a lineage or system, such as Chen-style Taijiquan or Yang-style Taijiquan. A Tai Chi form is a specific routine within that style. For example: Yang style is a system. 24 Form and 85 Form are routines derived from Yang style. Think of style as the family tradition, and form as a specific choreography within that tradition.
Not necessarily. Long forms provide depth and repetition. Short forms provide accessibility and daily practicality. The best form is the one you will practice consistently.
Yes. For general health, balance, and coordination, 24 Form is complete. Many practitioners never move beyond it—and still gain lifelong benefit.
You can—but be aware of structural differences. For example: Chen-style Taijiquan emphasizes spiral dynamics and visible explosive energy. Yang-style Taijiquan emphasizes extended frames and smooth continuity. Switching requires body adaptation.
No. Every posture encodes martial application logic rooted in the classical teachings of the Taijiquan Classic. Speed variation exists in traditional systems—especially in Chen forms.
No. Some are government simplifications — the 24 Form of 1956 is the clearest case. Others were organised by a teacher or association from their own family frame for a specific teaching or competition purpose, such as Chen Xiaowang’s 19 and 38 Form, Chen Zhenglei’s Essentials 18, or Zhu Tiancai’s Laojia Thirteen Postures. Others again are designed around a constraint rather than shortened at all. The section above sets out the difference.
Sequence pages list a routine movement by movement; guides explain its history, method and practice. They are different resources and are labelled as such.
For the framework behind the forms, see the Taiji Thirteen Postures reference — the eight gates and five steps.
The Level-1 assessment routine of the Chinese Wushu Duanwei system: eight core postures from the Yang large frame, framed by an opening and a closing movement, practised as a symmetrical set with a few forward bow steps.
View Sequence →The Level-2 assessment routine of the Chinese Wushu Duanwei system: sixteen Yang-style postures in four sections. It extends the 8 Form with parry-and-punch, the shuttles, needle at sea bottom and flash the arms, and adds forward, backward and diagonal stepping — a step up from the 8 Form, and shorter than the 24 Form. It is not part of the 24 Form sequence: the Duanwei sets and the 1956 simplified 24 Form are separate systems, and the comparison is one of length and demand, not of rank.
View Sequence →The standardised entry routine published in 2018: the eight techniques and five stepping directions shared by every Taijiquan family, arranged as sixteen movements in a stationary part and a stepping part. It is a set event item at national competitions and the usual next step after the 24 Form.
View Sequence →The most widely practiced Tai Chi routine worldwide. Created in 1956 for public health, balancing Yang-style essence with accessibility.
View Sequence →The second national teaching set (1979), defined officially as the improvement on the simplified form: forty-eight Yang-led movements in six sections, adding Wu and Sun material, four leg techniques and a wider range of stances than the 24 Form. Eight to ten minutes at a steady pace.
View Sequence →The international standard competition routine (created 1988, promoted from 1989): forty-two movements in four sections on a Yang-style basis, drawing Chen, Wu and Sun power mechanics and footwork into one set. Five to six minutes, and a set event at national and international Taijiquan competitions.
View Sequence →The duanwei level-two sword set: sixteen short, symmetrical movements between a salute and a closing, taking three to four minutes. The usual first weapon form after the eight- and sixteen-form empty-hand routines, and not to be confused with the Yang family sword or the 1957 thirty-two-form sword.
View Sequence →The national popularization sword form of 1957: thirty-two Yang-style sword techniques in four groups, covering draw, carry, lift, thrust, strike, hook, point, chop, intercept, support, sweep, block and smear. The usual first weapon form after the bare-hand routines.
View Sequence →The national competition sword routine (compiled 1988 for the 1990 Asian Games): forty-two movements in four sections, standardising eighteen sword methods, five stances, three balances and three leg techniques. Three to six minutes with music — the standard set event sword form.
View Sequence →The Chen-style competition routine (1989, one of the four style sets): fifty-six movements recombining the soft silk-reeling first road with the springy, releasing second road — explosive fa-jin, low stances and fast transitions, held to a five to six minute competition standard.
View Sequence →The Yang-style competition routine (1989, one of the four style sets): forty movements built on Yang Chengfu’s standardised frame — large, open and even, with repetition trimmed, symmetry added and a slap-foot and higher kicks worked in. Five to six minutes at competition pace.
View Sequence →The Wu-style competition routine (1989, one of the four style sets), built for the first time by combining the southern Wu Jianquan and northern Wang Maozhai branches: forty-five compact, relaxed movements in 川字步 stances with parallel feet, small circles and weight carried on the full leg. Five to six minutes at competition pace.
View Sequence →The Wu (Yuxiang) competition routine — composed in 1995, later than the 1989 four-style batch: forty-six compact, plain movements in four sections, built on 起承开合 with each hand governing its own half and the hand never passing the toes. The most contained of the style sets.
View Sequence →The Sun-style competition routine (1989, the last of the four style sets and the longest): seventy-three movements in six sections, reworked from the traditional 97-form. High frames, light footwork with the rear foot always following, and nine pairs of 开手 / 合手 joining the changes of direction.
View Sequence →The traditional Chen Laojia Yilu — the first road of the old frame (large frame), the foundational 74-movement routine of Chen-style Tai Chi. Soft-led with silk-reeling as its core, 金刚捣碓 four times over, and no state-issued standard text: its authority is the Chen family line and the published teaching editions.
View Sequence →The Chen Xinjia Yilu — the new frame’s first road at 83 movements, built by Chen Fake on the Laojia large frame and fixed by his son Chen Zhaokui. Lower and wider than the old frame, with denser silk-reeling, two 三换掌, and the same four 金刚捣碓. No state-issued standard text exists.
View Sequence →The Chen Laojia Erlu — the second road of the old frame, “Paochui” or Cannon Fist: forty-one movements of fast, hard, stamped release set against the first road’s softness, with 掩手肱拳 six times. No state-issued standard text; 43 is the mainstream teaching count.
View Sequence →The Chen Xinjia Erlu — the new frame’s second road, “Paochui”: seventy-one movements of fast, hard release in four sections, built by Chen Fake from the Laojia Erlu and fixed by Chen Zhaokui. The count belongs to this form alone, not to the old-frame second road.
View Sequence →The orthodox Yang long form as fixed by Yang Chengfu — eighty-five movements from the 81-posture frame by four adjustments, 揽雀尾 six times, 单鞭 ten, and both 虚腿架 and 实腿架 taught. No state-issued standard text.
View Sequence →The Chen Xiaojia Yilu — the small frame, “small circle boxing”, created by Chen Youben and fixed at 72 postures with 金刚捣碓 four times and 六封四闭 and 单鞭 seven each. Kept inside the family as a fighting frame; now transmitted from Chenjiagou and Xi’an. No state-issued standard text.
View Sequence →The Sun traditional long set — 97 postures of the open-and-close, live-step frame, with thirteen pairs of 开手 and 合手 and the rule that the rear foot always follows. Built by Sun Lutang from Xingyi, Bagua and Taiji. The 73-form is the 1989 competition routine drawn from it.
View Sequence →The Wu (Yuxiang) traditional long frame — the Hao frame, known as the 96-form: 86 independent postures with 懒扎衣 as the mother movement, small high stances, open-and-close, and a “dry old plum branch” restraint. The 46-form is the 1995 competition routine drawn from it.
View Sequence →The Wu (Jianquan) southern slow frame — 108 postures of the trunk lineage, with 揽雀尾 eight times and 单鞭 eleven, a strictly vertical torso (斜中寓正), the 川字步 stance and no jumping. Paired with the north branch’s 83-form, which is a different frame, not another count.
View Sequence →The northern Wu frame — the 83 of the 王茂斋 – 杨禹廷 line, kept in Beijing and Laizhou: 中正安舒, no jumping and no release, point-strike-lock-throw-摔 combined and held inside. 108 is the southern branch, not another count of this.
View Sequence →The eight fundamental energies — peng, lu, ji, an and the rest. The technical basis of the Eight Methods & Five Steps routine; not the 8-Form Duanwei routine.
Read Guide →Front and back demonstration with step-by-step teaching for the Duanwei Level 2 16 Form — Yang style, four sections. Not the 2018 《八法五步》 set, which also runs to sixteen forms.
Read Guide →History, postures and practice method for the 24-Form — the teaching guide that sits alongside its sequence page.
Read Guide →Movements, history and practice of the Chen-style 56 competition routine.
Read Guide →The traditional Yang long form, explained with video.
Read Guide →The most widely practised family: its forms, history and how to begin.
Read Guide →How Chen, Yang, Wu and Sun differ, and how the 42 and 48 competition sets draw on them.
Read Guide →Everything you need to know about choosing and practicing Tai Chi forms.
Start with the 8 Form or 24 Form — no equipment needed. Build a foundation that lasts a lifetime.
Each routine has a short recording that runs about 6 to 8 minutes, which is the right length for a daily session, and a full-length recording for learning the sequence through.