Tai Chi Sword 42 Form

with Peter Chen

The Tai Chi sword standard 42 Form is very much enjoyed by the Tai Chi fans worldwide. The movements of the Tai Chi sword are graceful and steady with ‘Qi’ penetrated into the sword; the connections are smooth and natural. It looks gentle but embedded with firmness, which makes the internal force flow along with the sword to ‘merge the sword and the body into one’.

Mondays 5.30pm – 6.30pm

Uniting Church Hall
Cnr Bendooley St & Boolwey St 
Bowral NSW 2576

Tai Chi Sword 42 Form

The Tai Chi sword standard 42 Form is the most popular Tai Chi Sword form. The movements of the Tai Chi sword are graceful and steady with ‘Qi’ penetrated into the sword; the connections are smooth and natural. It looks gentle but embedded with firmness, which makes the internal force flow along with the sword to ‘merge the sword and the body into one’.

Form 1 – 9  |  10 – 19  |  20 – 29  |  30 – 39  |  40 – 42

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Form 1: Commencing Form

Raise up the arms

Rotate to the right

Catch up step and raise the fingers

Brush and point forward

Key Points:

• Relax the body
• Concentration on Dantian
• Raise arms (floating up naturally)
• Rotate (guided by the waist)

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Form 2: Stand with Feet Together and Point Sword 

Form empty step and cross wrists

Take a step and move the arms down

Take another step and raise up the arms

Stand with feet together, pass the sword to the right hand and point the sword

Key points:

• Importance of using waist as a pivot and doing circle or curve movements to avoid any tension built up.
• Feet together with both heels stay on the ground
• Point sword (look at the tip of the sword, Concentrate Mind on the tip of the sword, energy flow will naturally follow the mind concentration)
• Be award of the energy flow and guide the Energy flow properly. It can make the practice more fun, help you get more benefits, and feel more energetic during and after the practice.

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Form 3: Bow Step and Cut Obliquely (Panda Stretch)

Take a bow step backwards and cut obliquely

Key Points:

• Waist guides the movement as a pivot
• Adjust the feet to make a bow step
• Concentrate mind on the front part of the blade of the sword

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Form 4: Lift Knee and Chop Sword (Heavenly Horse Flying Across the Sky)

Rotate right heel, sword performs a horizontal circle, then a vertical circle and chop, Lift left knee and stand on right leg.

Key Points:

• Waist guides the movements as a pivot
• Horizontal circle and then vertical circle
• Stand on one leg (confident and bend the knee)
• Lift the Left knee, groin area is not open to the opponent so that it is protected

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Form 5: Left Bow Step and Parry Sword

Rotate the sword, take a left bow step and parry the sword

Key Points:

• Sword performs a clock wise circle movement (the circle is close to the body)
• Block the opponent’s weapon away
• Handle of the sword is on Chest level and sword stays on the midline

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Form 6: Left Empty Step and Cut Upward

Rotate the left heel, sword performs a big circle and then cut upwards

Key Points:

• Sword performs an anti clock wise circle (close to the body) and cuts upwards (not too low)

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Form 7: Right Bow Step and Cut Upward (Scooping the Moon From the Bottom of the Sea) 

Sword performs a big circle, take a right bow step and cut the sword upward.

Key Points:

• Another big clock wise circle (close to the body) and cut upward.
• Connect those three circles and show how important it is to do those circle movements and get a smooth flow in the performance.
• Attacking the opponent’s weapon holding hand.

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Form 8: Lift Knee and Hold Sword in Both Hands (Tiger Holding Its Head) 

Pull the sword to the left and then pull it to the right

Stand on left leg and lift the right knee. Hold sword in both hands.

Key Points:

• Pull to the left and then pull to the right to make yourself relaxed, comfortable and ready for the next kick and jump
• Stand on one leg (feel confident and bend the knee)

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Form 9: Kick with Right Heel and Thrust Sword

Pull in and then thrust and kick with the right heel

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Form 10: Jump Step and Thrust Sword (Wild Horse Leaping Over the Creek) 

Take a jump step and thrust sword

Key Points:

• Jump step explanation
• Use the momentum, a chasing and attacking action

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Form 11：Turn Body and Thrust Down (Bees Entering the Caves) 

Rotate right heel, turn body and thrust sword down

Key Points:

• Rotate the right heel as much as you can
• Use momentum to make the turn easy and smooth

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Form 12：Bow Step and Cut Horizontally (Giant Goose Spreading Its Wings) 

Take a bow step and cut sword horizontally

Key Points:

• Cut Horizontally with a smooth and even movement

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Form 13：Bow Step and Tilt Sword (Flying Tiger Flashing Its Wings) 

Pull to the left

And then pull to the right

Hold the sword and then flash the sword up obliquely

Key Points:

• Winding up the spring
• The energy is transferred from the leg, the body to the shoulder, the arm and then the sword. The energy is delivered in a whipping action (to attack opponent’s throat and head area).
• Mention about the feature of Chen style movements: cultivate the energy and deliver the energy with a burst of power.
• The change of the rhythm: as quiet as a mountain, as fast as flash light, and as powerful as a thunderbolt.

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Form 14：Rest Step and Press Sword 

Press sword down, bend knees and form a cross step

Key Points:

• Press down with legs crossed
• Press opponents weapon down

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Form 15：Step Forward and Draw Circles with Sword (Step Forward with Triple Rings)

Raise the body and hold the sword

Step forward and draw 3 circles with sword

Key Points:

• Relax the wrist and loosely hold the sword. Draw the circles naturally and smoothly.
• Steps are agile and stable
• Attack the opponents weapon holding hand.

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Form 16: Lift Knee and Thrust Sword (Birds Returning to the Tree at Dusk)

Sword performs a big circle and thrusts out, stand on right leg and lift the left knee

Key Points:

• Big circle with the waist guiding the movement as usual.
• Bend the right knee as usual
• Lift the Left knee, groin area is not open to the opponent so that it is protected

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Form 17：Empty Step and Intercept with Sword (Dragon Sweeping Its Tail) 

Left foot takes a step backwards, sword sways to the left and then intercept to the right

Key Points:

• Sway in a relaxed manner
• Waist guides the movement
• Defend and block the opponent’s weapons away

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Form 18：Withdraw Sword to Both Side

Hold the sword

Pull and cut to the right

And then pull and cut to the left

Key Points:

• Use waist as a pivot and feel relaxed

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Form 19：Bow Step and Chop Sword (Horse Turning Back) 

Take a cross step and intercept

Then take a bow step and chop sword

Key Points:

• Stable and comfortable
• Doing a big chop with an even and gradual circular movement.

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Form 20：T-Step and Raise Sword

Intercept and then raise sword to defend

Form an empty step

Key Points:

• Another intercept and then raise sword to defend
• T step explanation

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Form 21：Toes Kick and Point Back  

Rotate the left heel

Right foot takes a step and then thrust the sword forward

Put feet together and the sword performs a big circular motion in front of the body

Lift right knee, sword goes up and fingers press down

Kick with right toes and point the sword backwards

Key Points:

• Rotate without moving sword at the very beginning
• Put feet together and the sword performs a big circular movement in front of the body
• Sword goes up and fingers press down along the flat side of the sword, feel like there is sticky glue between the sword fingers and the tip of the sword
• Feel stable and ready then kick and point the sword with eyes look at the tip of sword

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Form 22：Crouch Step and Thrust Sword (Dragon Diving onto the Ground)

Move the sword to the left and then cut horizontally to the right

Form a Crouch step, sword moves to the left, and then moves down, threads out and then thrusts out

Key Points:

• Transition movement: close, then open and cut horizontally
• Diving down and threads the sword then thrust the sword, It is not easy to do the crouch step properly but it can give the body a good stretch
• Make sure the feet are rotated properly so that you can do the whole form smoothly.

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Form 23：Heel Kick and Block Sword (Bear Kick) 

Rotate the heels, stand on right leg, kick with left heel, point with left sword fingers and block the sword

Key Points:

• Rotate the feet to prepare for standing up with right leg and kick with left heel
• Feel confident and bend right knee slightly

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Form 24：Lift Knee and Point Down

Lift left knee and point the sword down

Key Points:

• Point down (eyes look at the tip of the sword, energy injected into the tip of the sword)
• Lift the Left knee, groin area is not open to the opponent so that it is protected

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Form 25：Crouch Step and Sweep Sword (Swallow Skimming Across the Water) 

Thread the sword fingers backwards.

Take a crouch step and sweep the sword

Key Points:

• Thread the sword fingers backwards.
• Evenly and gradually skimming above the floor (no higher than knees). Attacking the opponent’s knees and ankles
• This is not a easy one but it is another good stretch for the body

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Form 26：Bow Step and Intercept on Both Sides (Searching for Snake) 

Take a bow step and intercept to the right

Take another bow step and intercept to the left

Key Points:

• Search for snake, block the opponent’s weapons
• Winding up again (cultivate the energy)

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Form 27：Bow Step and Thrust Sword  

Stomp the right foot and pull the sword to the waist

Take a bow step and thrust sword

Key Points:

• Another Chen style movement
• Deliver the power completely with a big burst.

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Form 28：Wave Sword on Both Sides (Swallow Returning to Nest)

Open the sword and take a step out：

Wave the sword and take a Cover step

Take a bow step, pull and cut the sword to the right

Open the sword and take a step out：

Wave the sword and take a Cover step

Take a bow step, pull and cut the sword to the left

Key Points:

• Cover steps (land the ball of the foot first and then entire foot)
• Pull and cut sword with a Horizontal curve movement
• Agile, stable and relaxed

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Form 29：Bow Step and Chop Sword (Comet Chasing the Moon)

Rotate the sword

Take a bow step and chop the sword

Key Points:

• Big chop with an even and smoothly circular movement
• Feel stable and comfortable

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Form 30：Raise Leg Backward and Block Sword (Phoenix Turning Back)

Cross step and parry the sword

Raise right leg backward and block the sword

Key Points:

• Open- close- open
• Stand on one leg
• Parry the sword and then block the sword
• Do it gracefully and stably

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Form 31：T-Step and Point Sword 

Form a T step and Point the sword

Key Points:

• T step and Point the sword with mind concentration
• Change the rhythm a bit to wind up and ready for the next Chen style movement  

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Form 32：Horse Step and Push Sword (Pushing the Mountain) 

Take a horse step and push the sword

Key Points:

• Another Chen style form
• Horse step
• Sliding step
• Winding up and then delivery the power with a big burst

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Form 33：Stand on One Leg and Raise Sword (Tiger Lifting Sword) 

Take a cross step

Rotate the feet

Sword performs an circular motion and then a sweeping action

Stand on one leg and raise the sword

Key Points:

• Right foot takes a cross step to the back of the left leg
• Rotate the ball of the right foot and the heel of the left foot
• Sword performs an anti clockwise circle and then the sword performs a sweeping action
• Stand on one leg again
• Make sure those movements are stable and clear

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Form 34：Step Forward, Parry and Point Sword (Sounding the Sea)

Take a left step and parry the sword to the left

Take a right step and parry the sword to the right

Take steps forward and point the sword

Key Points:

• Parry is to block the opponent’s weapon away

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Form 35：Cross Step and Tilt Sword

Take a step and cut sword backwards

Cross step and tilt the sword

Key Points:

• Cut backwards with energy focus on the front part of the blade
• Cross step
• Tilt the sword focus on the front part of the blade

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Form 36：Bow Step and Thrust Sword Backwards (Shooting the Tiger)

Take a bow step and thrust sword backwards

Key Points:

• Make sure the hand face to the proper direction
• Sword and right leg are almost on one line
• Gracefully stretched

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Form 37：Turn Body and Thrust Sword

Rotate the left heel and turn the sword

Turn body and thrust the sword

Key Points:

• Rotate the left foot as much as you can
• Rotate and lie down the sword on the web of the right hand
• Turn smoothly and thrust sword

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Form 38：Lift Knee and Lift Sword (Eagle Lifting Its Wings)

Sword performs a circular movement in front of the body

Lift left knee and lift sword

Key Points:

• Stand on one leg
• Lift the Left knee, groin area is not open to the opponent so that it is protected
• Sword and sword fingers pull to the opposite direction, sword fingers pass the flat side of the sword
• Hold the Qi inside

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Form 39：Bagua Steps and Pierce Sword (Bagua Threading Sword)

Take a left step and pierce the sword

Take a sway step, a close step, a sway step and then a close step again

Key Points:

• Sway step and close step (land the heel first)
• Sword Pierces out under the left arm and passes the left ribs
• Step directions explanation
• After piercing out, sword is not moving much when you take the steps

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Form 40：Wave Leg and Block Sword (Lotus Kick)

Wave leg and wave sword

Take a bow step, block the sword and point the fingers to the left

Key Points:

• Opposite movement
• Rotate the body to the right a little bit and then Sway the right leg from right to the left and at the same time rotate the sword anti clockwise (it looks like a piece of lotus leave swaying in the wind)
• Pull the right foot in and then take a step to form a bow step
• Pull the sword with a curve movement and then block the sword
• Fingers point out when Landing the right foot and forming a bow step

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Form 41：Bow Step and Thrust Sword

Take a bow step and thrust the sword

Key Points:

• Take a step stably to form a bow step and thrust the sword. Mind concentrates on the tip of the sword

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Form 42：Closing form

Pull the sword in and pass the sword to the left hand

Drop the sword fingers down and stand up

Put feet together. Feel relaxed and peaceful

Key Points:

• Pull in and collect the Qi back to the body
• Guide the Qi back to Dantian
• Feel the Qi going back and staying home after all of the activities in the previous forms
• Stand up and drop the hand down at the same time
• Feel peaceful and relaxed

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