The Thirteen Principles

The thirteen principles (十三勢) of tai chi can be broken down into the 5 steps (五步) and 8
types of methods (八法). The five steps indicate the possibilities of directions for
movement: forward, back, left, right, center/stillness (前進、後退、 左顧、右盼、中定)
and can also refer to the five elements. Meanwhile the eight methods refer to eight
different qualities of movement (掤、捋、擠、按、採、挒、肘、靠) associated with the
upper limbs; and can be linked to the eight trigrams (Bagua 八卦).

The material in the scroll can be seen as a type of commentary of ideas behind the thirteen
principles, which can be roughly translated as follows:

如是十三勢 What are the thirteen principles?

十六字心得 [Here are] sixteen words from experience:
平立豎圓 From a plane establish a circle
五行圓轉 Revolve around the five phases
正反扭環 Spiraling between two opposites
公轉自轉 Revolving around self and other

Of particular note are the final four lines, each of which indicates an area that one should
attend to when practicing tai chi chuan.

The first of the 4 lines refers to dimensionality; the importance to establishing an

awareness of not only one dimension e.g., flatness or horizontality (平), but also of the
verticality (立). When one’s intention is extended in all directions, the movement becomes
circular and round (圓). Actually, five of the thirteen principles refer to the five steps,
which indicate different possibilities in movement:. This instruction builds on this to
suggest that instead of thinking only in singular directions / planes, one should think of
movement in multiple dimensions, thus giving movement its roundness.

The second refers to the idea of evolution among the five phases (五行 - wu xing), and the
importance of paying attention to how a quality of movement can evolve from one to
another. Specifically, the five phases of wu xing are named after the five elements, each
with a different quality and directionality. The 圓轉 literally translates as “circle-turn” and
refers to the fact that this evolution is actually a revolution, i.e., the phases can be seen in a
cycle. This is particularly evident in

The third line is the hardest to translate. 正反 can be thought of as two sides, the front and
back of something. While the second line emphasized the transition between different
qualities, this line brings attention to the idea of opposites in a duality. When one does tai
chi one needs to be aware of opposing qualities: yin-yang, hard-soft; light-heavy, give-
take…
More subtly, the choice of the word 正反 has a positive-negative connotation. 正 is often
thought of what is correct, established, upfront; and 反 is that which is in opposition to
that. The verb used, “twist” 扭, also implies more resistance than the previous use of just
“turn” 轉. Strength in tai chi involves being able to apply the awareness of opposing forces
to turn a situation around.

The final line refers to an attention to timing. 公轉 refers to the time it takes for the moon
to cycle around the earth; while 自轉 refers to the time it takes for the moon to turn 360
degrees around itself. Since the moon always maintains the same face towards us, the time
it takes to revolve around the earth is the same time it takes to revolve around itself. This
therefore refers to the importance of coordinating different parts of the body so that there
is a harmony as a totality (c.f other axioms such as 上下雙隨; 手到腳到 – the importance of
coordinating the upper and lower parts of the body). Perhaps more broadly, this also refers
to the importance of coordinating one’s actions or practice in harmony with the external
environment.