The Twelve Principles of Taijiquan

The Twelve Principles of Taijiquan
By Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang

1. Heart and spirit void and quiet from start to end.
   
2. Center equilibrium.
   
3. Use mind to move qi. The heart is the commander.
   
4. Start with sink and drop.
   
5. Search for soft and smooth.
   
6. Inside/outside and upper/lower should work together.
   
7. The transition of yin/yang will help you find hard/soft.
   
8. The silk reeling force should be present through the body.
   
9. Search for open/close by folding the chest and stomach.
   
10. Concentrate on dantian to improve neigong (internal force).
    
11. Keep your heart calm, mind quiet, and practice slowly (stillness in movement). The form is a moving standing pole (huo zhuang).
    
12. You will be successful if you know both how to practice and how to nurture yourself (yang sheng).