Glossary

This short glossary is thus organized:

• the usual writing in the west;
  • the traditional chinese characters for the term, and the simplified chinese characters for the same term;
  • the Pinyin writing for the term;
  • the Wade-Giles writing for the term;
  • the translation and a short explanation.

• chansijin
  • 纏絲勁 or 缠丝劲
  • Pinyin: chánsījìn
  • W-G: ch’an² ssu¹ chin⁴
  • Silk reeling. Qigong exercise in Chen family taijiquan (tai chi chuan) training.

• dantian
  • 丹田
  • Pinyin: dāntián
  • W-G: tan¹ t’ien²
  • Cinnabar field, or elixir field. Location in the body where the qi or vital breath gathers.

• fajin
  • 發勁 or 发劲
  • Pinyin: fājìn
  • W-G: fa¹ chin⁴
  • To issue power. Refers to the explosive moves in Chen style taijiquan (tai chi chuan).

• fangsong
  • 放鬆 or 放松
  • Pinyin: fàngsōng
  • W-G: fang³ sung¹
  • Release and relax. In taijiquan (tai chi chuan) it has the meaning of internally opening a joint.

• gongfu, kung fu
  • 功夫
  • Pinyin: gōngfu
  • W-G: kung¹ fu¹
  • Literally means merit acquired by effort. Used to denote a high skill in an art. Became a sinonym for any chinese martial art.

• huiyin
  • 會陰 or 会阴
  • Pinyin: huìyīn
  • W-G: hui⁴ yin¹
  • Meeting of the yin. Acupuncture point in the lowest area of the trunk.

• jin
  • 勁 or 劲
  • Pinyin: jìn
  • W-G: chin⁴
  • Strength. The radicals in the character also convey the idea of flow. Contrast with 力.

• laojia
  • 老架 or 耂架
  • Pinyin: lǎojià
  • W-G: lao³ chia⁴
  • Old form: the best known set of forms in Chen style taijiquan (tai chi chuan), made up by two forms. Usually refers only to the first of these two forms.

• neigong, nei kung
  • 內功 or 内功
  • Pinyin: nèigōng
  • W-G: nei⁴ kung¹
  • Internal exercise. Refers to a kind of exercise which was probably influenced by Daoist gymnastics, and has a goal of transforming the body.

• neijia
  • 內家 or 内家
  • Pinyin: nèijiā
  • W-G: nei⁴ chia¹
  • Martial art style that appeared and disappeared in the XVII century in China. From the start of the XX century, mainly due to a marketing move by Sun Lutang, the term began to be used to refer to a group of chinese martial styles which employ neigong and qigong (chi kung) exercises, and have some common broad principles.

• pengjin
  • 掤勁 or 掤劲
  • Pinyin: péngjìn
  • W-G: p’eng² chin⁴
  • The flexible, resilient and powerful structure acquired by the body through taijiquan (tai chi chuan) practice.

• qi, chi
  • 氣 or 气
  • Pinyin: qì
  • W-G: ch’i⁴
  • Vital strength or breath.

• qigong, chi kung
  • 氣功 or 气功
  • Pinyin: qìgōng
  • W-G: ch’i⁴ kung¹
  • Exercises for cultivating the qi.

• quan, chuan
  • 拳
  • Pinyin: quán
  • W-G: ch’uan²
  • Fist. Also used to refer to an empty-hand fighting system, or to one form (set of movements) in such a system.

• taiji, taichi
  • 太極 ou 太极
  • Pinyin: tàijí
  • W-G: t’ai⁴ chi²
  • The yin-yang duality which springs spontaneously from wuji, the union of yin and yang, supreme axis.

• taijiquan, tai chi chuan
  • 太極拳 or 太极拳
  • Pinyin: tàijíquán
  • W-G: t’ai⁴ chi² ch’uan²
  • Ultimate Boxing: chinese martial art created by Chen Wangting in the XVII century.

• tuishou
  • 推手
  • Pinyin: tuīshǒu
  • W-G: t’ui¹ shou³
  • Pushing hands. Partner exercise in taijiquan (tai chi chuan).

• wuji
  • 無極 or 无极
  • Pinyin: wújí
  • W-G: wu² chi²
  • The original creative void.

• wushu
  • 武術 or 武术
  • Pinyin: wǔshù
  • W-G: wu³ shu⁴
  • Martial art. See also 武術.

• yang
  • 陽 or 阳
  • Pinyin: yáng
  • W-G: yang²
  • Male principle, or the characteristics of movement, heat and light.

• yi
  • 意
  • Pinyin: yì
  • W-G: i⁴
  • Consciousness, thought.

• yin
  • 陰 or 阴
  • Pinyin: yīn
  • W-G: yin¹
  • Female principle, or the characteristics of inertia, cold and darkness.

• zhanzhuang
  • 站樁 or 站桩
  • Pinyin: zhànzhuāng
  • W-G: chan⁴ chuang¹
  • Standing post, a neigong practice in taijiquan (tai chi chuan).