Cheng Hsin: Books & Archive

Cheng Hsin T’ai Chi Mini-Set (12 moves on both sides)
Cheng Hsin Body-Being Basics

Degree I T'ui Shou Techniques
I. Standing Falls:
A. Squat rolls
B. Stepping back
C. Side step with slap

II. Rolling Falls:
A. Forward: Kneeling
B. Backward: Kneeling

1. BASIC ROUTINE -- Presenting, Receiving, Reaching Out to Compress *
A. Rollback Variations:
Four Corners *
Leading Rollback
Rolloff Rollback; Roll Off Escape
Inside Rollback
Leaning Rollback
Shoulder Sluff

B. Whole Body Neutralizations
C. Folding In

2. Uprooting (Compression):
A. The Push Uproot *
B. The Press Uproot *

3. Pulling (Stretching):
A. Straight Pull
B. Elbow Pull *

4. Spiraling:
A. Basic Spiral *

Freeplay: Game A, and Pressure-No pressure

[This symbol (*) at the end of a technique means the dynamic form of the technique is also required.]

DEGREE TWO REQUIREMENTS

Cheng Hsin T’ai Chi Set (64 moves)
Pa Sik Po

Degree II T'ui Shou Techniques
II. Rolling Falls:
A. Forward: Standing
B. Backward: Standing

III. Breakfalls:
A. Standing breakfall
B. Rolling breakfall

5. Uprooting:
A. Turn Out Projection*
Follow Up: a. Centrifugal * b. Shoulder Stroke

B. Pull Through
C. Brush Knee Projection *
Follow Up: Bounce

6. Spiraling Techniques:
A. Spiral Down *
B. Roll Down *
C. Pull Down * (includes: Armpit Spiral Down *)
D. Spiral Extension *

7. Pa Kua Techniques:
A. Opening the Door Entrance
B. Revolving Door Entrance
C. Basic Blend
D. Changes

8. Basic Throwing:
Foot Sweeping:
A. Outside Foot Sweep (minor)
B. Inside Foot Sweep

Flipping:
C. Basic Body Throw *

9. Joint Techniques:
A. Inside Wrist Technique *
Follow Up: Corkscrew into the body
Counters: a. Spiral Down (curling in) b. Slapping the Rock (curl out extension)

Freeplay: Game B

DEGREE THREE REQUIREMENTS

Degree III T'ui Shou Techniques
III. Breakfalls: High flip breakfall

10. Spinning Brush Stroke *

11. Horizontal Spiral Down *

12. Pulling Techniques:
A. Brush Knee Pull *
B. Holding the Palm Pull

13. Drop Back Spiral Extension *
Counter: Spiral Down (counter to roll down attempt)

14. Spiraling Techniques:
A. High Pat Spiral Extension * Follow up: Spiral Extension (Reversal)
B. Circular Spiral Extension

15. Kneeling Spiral Down* and Pin

16. Elbow Techniques:
I. Elbow Splitting: A. Raise Hands * B. Body *
II. Elbow Twisting * and Pin
Counters:
a. Elbow Escape -- Snake Creeps Down
b. Horizontal Spiral Down
c. Armwrap Horizontal Sprial Down

17. Pa Kua Techniques:
A. Central Spiral Drop
B. Spinning Spiral Drop

18. Wrist Techniques:
A. Downward Wrist Technique
Counter: "Become the Sword" (and spiral down)

19. Throwing Techniques:
A. The Basic Shoulder Throw *
B. Inside Leg Sweep
C. Rolldown, Inside Wrist, and Armpit Flips

Wu Tsan Ch’un (Misty Body Boxing)
Interactive Skills (Cheng Hsin Skills and Dynamics)
Improved Sets/Body-Being/freeplay (ongoing throughout each degrees hereafter)

20. Sacrifice Throws:
A. Hand Sacrifice Throw
B. Wrap Around Sacrifice Throw
C. Rear Sacrifice Throw

21. Backward Spiral Extension *

22. "Brush Stroke" *
Follow Up: Spinning Brush Stroke (counter to spinning out escape)

23. Wrist Techniques:
A. Outside Wrist Technique
Counters: a. Become the Sword Variation b. Spiral Extension

B. Spiral Upward Wrist Technique
Counters: a. Spinning Brush Stroke b. Spiral Extension

25. Changing Techniques:
A. Circular Press
B. Shifting Push

26. Pa Kua Techniques:
A. Opening Spiral Drop
B. Rotating Spiral Drop
Follow Up: Shoulder Throw (follow up to Spin in)

Throwing Techniques:
27. Leg Lifting Throws:
A. Outside Leg Lift*
B. Inside Leg Lift*
C. Rear Leg Lift*

D. Elbow Splitting Throw*

28. Sweeps:
E. Outside Foot Sweep (major)

29. Body Flip:
F. Dynamic Body Corner Throw
G. Floating Hip Throw (Uki Goshi)

Freeplay: Game C
Sword Set and Sword Play
Improved Sets/Body-Being/freeplay

Pa Kua Techniques:
30. Circular Spiral Drop

Throwing Techniques:
31.Foot Sacrifice Throw

32. The Corner Throw:
A. Kneeling
B. Standing
C. Sacrifice

33. Ushiro Goshi (rear hip throw)

Applications to Various Attacks:

34. Neutralizing Kicks:
A. Spiral Down -- Low
B. Backward Spiral Extension -- Slanting Flying
C. Spinning Spiral Drop
D. Horizontal Spiral Extension

35. Open Attacks/Multi-person Attacks

San Shou
Choy Lin
Basic Ontology

DEGREE SIX REQUIREMENTS
Cheng Hsin T’ui Shou -- Create 10 Techniques
Cheng Hsin Sets
Cheng Hsin Skills

DEGREE SEVEN REQUIREMENTS
Cheng Hsin T’ui Shou -- Create a domain of techniques
Cheng Hsin Huan Sheng

Cheng Hsin Body Being:
Principles of effortlessly effective body state, structure, and movement (relax, center, ground, whole, calm; align with gravity, 3D awareness, drain down, use feeling-attention, etc.)

Perceptive Skills:
Listening (constant perception)
Outreaching (feel and connect with whole body of other)
Sensation Awareness (immediate feeling-experience of the moment)
"Other" Awareness (feel what they see/feel)
Center Intelligence (center all perceptions and response)

Receiving Skills:
Neutralizing
Yielding:
Unconditional Yielding/Melting/Mosquito Pressure
"Sensation" Yielding
Outreaching-Sensation/Yield to Outreaching
Evasion
Absorption

Power:
Effortless Power
Intrinsic Strength/Compression
Intrinsic Strength Practice
Intrinsic Grip
Intrinsic alignment (keep in front)
Projection through compression

Ground Relations:
Balance vs. off balance
Controlled stepping
Stepping vs. Throwing
Uprooting

Interactive Skills: (Huan Sheng*)
Sticking-Yielding
Offering and Taking Away
Advantageous
Following*
Folding-In
Complementing*
Borrowing*
Joining*
Contributing* (adding on; helping out)
Central Joining
Integral Joining -- Connective Energy (one inch moves whole)
Cutting*
Leading*
Sprouting*
Choiceless*
Changing*
Completion/Timelessness*
Inclusion*

Technical Dynamics:
Footwork (four corners, pa sik po, etc.)
Extension
Whirlpool Attraction Energy
Falling
Spiraling
Criss-Crossing/"Gyro"
Sacrifice/Dropping Energy
Pinning
Joint Locking/Twisting
Two-Fold Stepping
Tilting: Side/Rear Corner/Front
Flipping
Leverage: Wrist, Wedges, etc.
Timing: Intent/Impulse/Commitment

Degree One:
Basics of CHBB (See Structure and Principles) -- exposure to all of the body-being material, and trying it on.
CHTS: Introduction to the Basics.
Beginning of Receiving Skills
Introduction to Ground Relations

Degree Two:
Fundamental CHBB -- Begin to have CHBB show up effectively.
CHTS: Cross section of major categories.
Beginning Perceptive Skills
Better Receiving Skills
Introductory Power
Some Ground Relations
Rudimentary Interactive Skills
Introduction to Some Technical Dynamics

Degree Three:
Better CHBB
CHTS: Bulk of the CHTS techniques.
Increased Perceptive Skills
Most Receiving Skills
Competent Power
Good Ground Relations
A few more Interactive Skills
Most Technical Dynamics

Degree Four:
Good CHBB
CHTS: Sensitivity and skill.
All Perceptive Skills
Increased Power
Complete Ground Relations
Most of the Fundamental Interactive Skills (through Cutting)
All Technical Dynamics

Degree Five:
Very Good CHBB
CHTS: All of the techniques and dynamics.
All Receiving Skills
All Powers
Mastered Ground Relations
Better Interactive Skills (through Changing)
Skillful Technical Dynamics

Degree Six:
Excellent CHBB
CHTS: natural mastery.
Honed Power
All Interactive Skills

Degree Seven:
Masterful CHBB
CHTS: States and principles.
Mastery of Huan Sheng skills

T’ai Chi Mini-Set: 12 fundamental T’ai Chi Postures. Set to be done of both sides.

Cheng Hsin Body-Being: All that’s involved to obtain an effortlessly effective body structure, movement, and function.

T'ai Chi Short Form: 64 Postures, the whole Cheng Hsin T’ai Chi set in which the Cheng Hsin Body-Being is practiced and developed.

Pa Sik Po: “Eight Ways Stepping” -- footwork studied in four stepping patterns.

Breakfalls: A falling technique to handle harder falls when a person is thrown straight into the ground without recourse to rolling out, involves a slap.

Game B: Cheng Hsin T’ui Shou freeplay without struggle or resistance, each can yield to any attempted throw or uproot, but cannot use any strength or engage in any struggle to do so. If any strength needs to be used, or any struggle begins for any reason one must allow the technique to be applied, frequently even assisting the opponent in finding it.

Wu Tsan Ch'un: “Misty Body Boxing” -- light “misty” strikes all over and constant; evasion

Effortless Striking: Striking without strength, using intrinsic strength.

T'ai Chi Kim (Sword): Straight double edged sword, application is surgical in nature rather than hacking.

Game C: Cheng Hsin T’ui Shou freeplay where absorption, and absorption-joining is allowed.

San Shou: “Free Hand” -- technically open free play, but actually a two-person set of movements and skills incorporating a complete range of mock-fighting techniques from uproots to kicks, knees, shoulders, joint locks, throws, and pins. In the set, each is neutralized as application is attempted, and the tables are turned.

Basic Ontology: understanding the foundation principles of Cheng Hsin ontology, such as Nothing, Not-knowing, Honesty, Questioning, Concept vs. Experience, Perception, Distinction, Direct Experience, Authenticity, Communication, Intention, Commitment, Self, Being, and Freedom.

T'ui Shou Freeplay: spontaneous play or competition with t’ui shou skills.

Interactive Skills: Skills that involve interactions such as boxing, t’ui shou, swordplay.

Multi-person: Being attacked by more than one person.

Boxing: Using gloves, learning hitting and dodging skills.

Choy Lin: “To Pluck the Right Flower” -- mixing up all techniques and skills (throwing, striking, uprooting, etc.) and doing what is appropriate in the moment.

Free Fighting Skills: All around “boxing” skills, with t’ui shou mixed in as appropriate.

Swordplay: fighting with swords.

Create Techniques: come up with a technique not seen before.

Domain of Techniques: i.e. Uprooting, Spiraling, Pinning, Joint Techniques, etc.

Huan Sheng: “To Appear Everywhere, as Prolific as Thought” Ralston’s highest levels of skill.