02/10/2026
It's finally warming up in Michigan, at least a little!
In anticipation of the upcoming Spring season, we like to revisit and review the pushing hands part of our curriculum. In the photo (taken by our own John Ganis in 1991) are two teachers whom we miss dearly: Grandmaster Wú Dàxīn (the son of Wú Gōngzǎo), and the teacher who started pretty much all of our classes in Michigan almost 40 years ago, Sifu Stephen Britt. They are demonstrating Dà Lǜ step pushing hands.
Push Hands Methodology by Grandmaster Wú Gōngzǎo
Tàijí Push Hands involves two partners in an equal situation, engaged in mutual attack and defense. Although the goal is to defeat the opponent, it is not a struggle between enemies. Rather, it is mutual study of the art’s techniques by students of the same teacher, studying and integrating theory and practice with the goal of exhaustively working through the hand and body principles and integrating them with footwork. Furthermore, it thoroughly works advancing, retreating, gazing right, looking left, and fixed stability in the center. Whether rising or falling, floating or sinking, bending or stretching, opening or closing, there is internal power in the gōngfu of stepping circularly.
Push Hands has active and passive roles and is divided accordingly. The active is called "asking", the passive is called "answering". If they "ask" something, I must "listen" and then "answer". The active (participant) must use various offensive methods, the passive (participant) also adopts various methods related to (protecting) their center of gravity. One attack, one defense; one question, one answer. From time to time, offensive and defensive roles will reverse. With intent find them, with internal power ask them, then wait for their answer. Once again, listen to empty and full. In this way, if there is no answer, one will be able to (successfully) attack. If there is an answer, then “listen” to their movement; whether pressing or otherwise, advancing or retreating, and trending events. This is the beginning of the ability to distinguish the partner’s full and empty.
(In) mutual exertions of attack and defense, a level plane of advance and retreat forms the appearance of waves in their ups and downs: (with) three-dimensional rising and falling like a spiral twist motion, rotating up and down, exerting elastic stretching: (these) roundly circular orientations (are) divided as points of a compass on a horizontal circle. (These) relaxed circles allow even circles of three types: a transverse circle that rotates up and down, a vertical circle that rotates forward and backward, and a flat circle that rotates left and right. To add one more, there is a slanting circle that spins (the opponent) dizzyingly and can be applied from any part of (your) body - just like a “nine bend bead”, make the opponent have the feeling that “there is no place for the needle to pe*****te, (or for) splashing water to enter.”
Tàijíquán explains Yīn and Yáng, it talks about handling (others with) a theory of motion and stillness. What is the meaning of Yīn and Yáng, does it give us a handle on stillness and motion? (That) standard is fulfilled by acquiring Pushing Hands experience. When both parties face each other in equal opposition and haven’t moved yet, this is said to be static; Yīn and Yáng are not separated (in motion). When one party plans to move and is ready in a split second to extend, this is called motivation. (This) state of quiescence (is the) image of Tàijí. (With) a single motion, Yīn and Yáng separate. Because of nothing there is something, mutually treated equally; One Reason, Two Breaths, Four Images, Bāguà, all these consequently change and transform. Motion is Yáng, stilless is Yīn. Yáng is attacking, Yīn is defending. When Yáng advances, it extends; when Yīn retreats, it disappears. Yáng uses change to open, and Yīn uses transformation to combine. (Moving) forward and backward, flexing or extending elastically, gazing (right) looking (left), and spinning spirally during change and transformation completes this course of action.
Tàijí Push Hands has Fixed Step Push Hands, and Forward Backward (Moving) Step Push Hands. (There are also) Dà Lǜ and Nine Palace stepping principles, et cetera. My late older brother, (Wú) Gōngyí, in his later years innovated many techniques. Fixed Step Push Hands are called the Four Sides, (and) Forward Backward Step Push Hands are called the Four Corners. Dà Lǜ stepping principles are known as Eight Gates and Five Steps. The Eight Gates are in four cardinal directions and four slanting (corner directions). The Five Steps are three steps up and two steps back. Nine Palace stepping principles follow the same pattern as the Nine Palace Grid customarily used by children to learn calligraphy. Both parties A and B each take four steps forward and four steps back (as the) two people calmly step around a common center. Tàijíquán stepping principles all follow the Five Steps, Bāguà, and Nine Palace principles (as they) change and transform. Others include River (parallel) Stance, “J” Shaped Stance, Eight Character Stance, Sitting (leg) Stance, and Horse Riding Posture.
推手法則 - 吳公藻宗師編著
太極推手是甲乙雙方處於對等地位，進行互攻互守，目的雖在戰胜對方，然非敵我鬥爭，而是同門之間互作技術研究，冀理論實踐相結合，用以鍛鍊手法，身法與腿法。也即是鍛鍊前進，後退，左顧，右盼，中定；一升一降，一浮一沉，一屈 一伸，一開一合與勁走圓圈之功夫。
推手有主動與被動之分。主動謂之 “問” ，被動謂之 “答” 。彼有所 “問” ，我必 “聽” 而後 “答” ，主動者探用各種方法進攻，被動者亦採取各種方法以系重心，一攻一守，一問一答，時而反守為攻，反答為問。以意探之，以勁問之，俟其答覆，再聽虛實，若問而不答，則可進而擊之，若有所答，則須聽其動靜之緩急及進退之方向，始能辨其虛實。
互作攻守之時，平面進退狀如波浪，有起有伏；立體升降則如螺旋轉動，旋上旋下作彈性伸縮；圓圈方位分橫圈，縱圈與平圈三種，橫圈是上下旋轉，縱圈是前後旋轉，平圈是左右旋轉，再加一種斜圈旋轉，用之於周身，就如一顆九曲球，令對方感到針插不進，水潑不入。
太極拳講陰陽，說對待，論動靜。何謂陰陽，對待與動靜？則由推手實踐中體會得來。當其雙方對立而未有任何動作是謂靜態，陰陽未分。挨一方擬有所動而在將展未展之際，謂之動機。靜態象徵太極，一動則陰陽已分。由無而有，互相對待，一理二氣，四象八卦種種變化隨之而生。動者為陽，靜者為陰；陽主攻，陰主守；陽以進為長，陰以退為消；陽以變為開，陰以化為合。進退伸縮，盼顧旋轉盡在變化之中矣。
太極推手有不動步推手，進退步推手。大履捋步步法於九宮步步法等多種，先兄公儀晚年尙創新法甚多。不動步推手謂之四正，進退步推手謂之四隅，大捋步步法又名八門五步。八門者，四正方四斜方，五步者，上三步退兩步。九宮步步法所走方位與兒童學習書法之九宮格同，甲乙雙方各進退四步，二人互踏中央戊己土。太極拳步法均按五行，八卦，九宮步法變化，其他如川字步，丁字步，八字步，弓腿，坐腿、騎馬勢全在其中。
