25/01/2026
The Principles of Song (鬆, Sōng) and Chen (沉, Chén) in Tai Chi Chuan（太極拳）
1. The Core Principle: Song (鬆, Sōng) – Structured Relaxation（結構性放鬆）
Song (鬆, Sōng) is the foundation and the highest attainment of Tai Chi Chuan (太極拳, Tài jí quán).
It is not mere muscular relaxation but a state of structured relaxation（結構性放鬆, jiégòu xìng fàngsōng）: loosened connective tissues, unblocked Qi and blood circulation, and a calm, unobstructed mind.
The ideal state is known as True Song
Zhēn Sōng（真鬆） — an organic, integrated relaxation expressed through:
Song Rou（松柔, Sōng róu）: Softness and pliancy
Song Huo（松活, Sōng huó）: Liveliness and responsiveness
Song Jing（松靜, Sōng jìng）: Internal calmness and quietude
True Song stands in complete contrast to:
Song San（松散, Sōng sàn） — slackness, collapse, and loss of structural integrity.
The biggest obstacle to achieving Song is the “intention to seek Song” (求鬆之意, qiú sōng zhī yì):
the more one tries to relax, the tenser one becomes.
Therefore, the prerequisites are:
Mental Stillness（心靜, Xīn jìng）
Non-Action（無為, Wú wéi）
— allowing relaxation to emerge naturally.
Song must arise simultaneously in two dimensions:
Internal Song（內鬆, Nèi sōng）: relaxing intention and mental tension
External Song（外鬆, Wài sōng）: releasing physical tension
The unity of inner and outer Song provides the foundational condition for all Tai Chi techniques.
2. The Inevitable Result: Chen (沉, Chén) – Stable, Agile Sinking（穩而不滯的下沉, Wěn ér bù zhì de xià chén）
Chen（沉, Chén） refers to sinking the Qi and stabilizing the center of gravity.
It is the natural outcome of correct Song practice.
The two are inseparable, known as:
👉 Song Chen Xiang Ji（松沉相濟, Sōng chén xiāng jì）
— Song and Chen mutually support and complement each other.
This relationship appears clearly through common errors:
Song without Chen → Floating
Piao Fu（飄浮, Piāo fú）:
Body becomes light but rootless, easily disrupted.
Chen without Song → Stiffness
Jiang Ying（僵硬, Jiāng yìng）:
Heavy and stable but rigid, lacking liveliness.
A classic misunderstanding is confusing Chen（沉） with Zhong（重）:
Zhong（重, Zhòng）:
Tangible heaviness, sluggishness → leads to
Double Weighting（雙重, Shuāng zhòng）
Chen（沉, Chén）:
Intangible sinking, lively and agile → achieved through
Partial Sinking（偏沉, Piān chén）
In essence:
👉 Chen provides stability; Song provides agility.
Only through their integration can true Tai Chi Jin（太極勁, Tài jí jìn） be produced.
3. The Training Process: The Five Levels of Song Gong (松功, Sōng gōng)
Song Gong（松功） develops progressively from external to internal, coarse to refined, traditionally divided into five stages:
1) Song Kai（松開, Sōng kāi） – Opening and Loosening the Joints
Emphasis on:
Four Major Joints（四大關節, sì dà guānjié）
shoulders (肩, Jiān), hips (胯, Kuà)
Eight Minor Joints（八小關節, bā xiǎo guānjié）
elbows (肘, Zhǒu), wrists (腕, Wàn), knees (膝, Xī), ankles (踝, Huái)
When these are opened, Qi and blood can:
“Flow through every segment”
Jie Jie Guan Chuan（節節貫串, Jié jié guàn chuàn）
— linking the entire body as one unit.
2) Song Rou（松柔, Sōng róu） – Developing Softness
Achieved through:
Song of Intention（心意鬆, Xīn yì sōng）
Song Yuan（松圓, Sōng yuán）: relaxed, circular movements
Spiral force（螺旋, Luó xuán）
This stage cultivates elastic softness:
“Extreme Softness generates Extreme Hardness”
Ji Rou Sheng Ji Gang（極柔生極剛, Jí róu shēng jí gāng）
3) Song Chen（松沉, Sōng chén） – Sinking Qi and Stabilizing the Center
Achieving:
“Light above, heavy below”
Shang Qing Xia Zhong（上輕下重, Shàng qīng xià zhòng）
“Qi sinks to the Dantian”
Qi Chen Dan Tian（氣沉丹田, Qì chén dān tián）
The lower body becomes rooted and stable,
while the upper body remains agile and responsive.
4) Song Dan（松彈, Sōng tán） – Elastic Rebound Force
Generates elastic Jin capable of:
“Touch and release”
Yi Chu Ji Fa（一觸即發, Yī chù jí fā）
This is a lively, adaptive force —
Intelligent Jin（靈性勁, Líng xìng jìn）
5) Song Peng（松掤, Sōng péng） – Highest Level of Peng Jin
The seamless integration of:
Song Rou（松柔）
Song Chen（松沉）
Peng Jin（掤勁, Pēng jìn） — expansive, omnidirectional support
This creates:
“Support in Eight Directions”
Ba Mian Zhi Cheng（八面支撐, Bā miàn zhī chēng）
— stable without rigidity, agile without slackness.
4. Core Training Principles（核心訓練原則, Hé xīn xùn liàn yuán zé）
1) The Three Immovabilities（三不動, Sān bù dòng）
Intent does not move
Yi Bu Dong（意不動, Yì bù dòng）
No forcing movement through crude intention.
Body does not move
Shen Bu Dong（身不動, Shēn bù dòng）
Avoid involuntary swaying, bracing, or tension.
Mind does not move
Xin Bu Dong（心不動, Xīn bù dòng）
Avoid mental agitation.
Movement originates from the transformation of:
Empty–Full（虛實, Xū shí）
Shifting the center of gravity
while maintaining an upright central axis
(中正, Zhōng zhèng).
2) Tai Chi Footwork（太極腳, Tài jí jiǎo） – The Root Lies in the Feet
“All power is issued from the feet.”
Li Cong Jiao Qi（力從腳起, Lì cōng jiǎo qǐ）
Achieve:
👉 Double Lightness（雙輕, Shuāng qīng）
— both feet free of tension and obstruction
(Not Double Empty, but Double Not-Heavy).
This enhances rooting, neutralization, balance, and issuing power.
3) Skill Comes From the Form（拳裡出功, Quán lǐ chū gōng）
True skill is forged through correct form practice: Pan Jia Zi（盤架子, Pán jià zi）
Push-Hands（推手, Tuī shǒu） is merely the testing ground;
the essence lies in form training.
Form practice builds:
- correct structure
- harmonized movement
- proper Jin pathways
Only then can push-hands skills emerge naturally.
