The form or kata of t’ai chi is the first real physical method that
we learn. Once one is well versed in ch’i-kung, (see “POWER T’AI
CHI CH’UAN BOOK ONE” by Erle Montaigue) the form is the
foundation of one’s training. This form is made up of many different
postures all held together by linking movements to make one long
flowing movement which is likened to a great flowing river.
It has been said of t’ai chi, that unlike some of the ‘harder styles’
where what you see is what you get, in t’ai chi we only see 10% of
what is really going down. If we take for instance the posture called
‘push left’ from the Old and New Yang styles, we see a posture that
really doesn’t say much.