Sun style Taijiquan

About Sun style Taijiquan - Sun style Tai Chi Chuan

Sun style Taijiquan It is about energy, central equilibrium, light and agile moves, softness, smoothness, health improvement as well as an illness combating system. It is an internal Martial Art created by Sun Lutang in the 1920′ years for improving health, even though, it is based on self defense applications. 

Sun style Taijiquan can be practiced by everyone. It is the perfect style for Tai Chi lovers who are looking for a style that is less demanding to practice than the Yang or Chen styles, mainly because of its high positions and body balancing forward and backword. It is also perfect for those with weak knees or other health problems such as fibromyalgia, polyarthritis, etc… 

Sun style is known by its unique stepping method and is as well called by the Chinese people the “Following Step Taijiquan” or the “Open Close Taijiquan”. The following step involves back and forward step moves of a light and agile nature. When you step forward, the back foot follows and when you step back the front foot follows as well as the full body weight. The second one Open Close refers to the moves called Open Hands & Close Hands, Kāi shǒu 开手 Hé shǒu 合手 in Chinese where you bring your hands facing each other on the front of your chest to open and close them to restructure the vital energy flow in order to prepare for the next moves.

Sun style Taijiquan forms

Here are a few of Patrizia’s video performances in Sun style with the Sun style 13 form and the 38 form. The 13 steps one is perfect for total beginners to get an idea about the style, same as the 8 form for the Yang style. The 38 form is the official short version of the long form of 87 moves. There is also the 73 competition form created specifically to show the skills of Sun style athletes in international competitions.

Sun style 13 form list of moves names

These moves are some of the most commun moves of the Sun style 97 long form. Copy paste the Chinese signs into Google Translate to get the correct prononciations. 

ChinesePinyinEnglish
1起式Qǐ shìOpening Form
2懒扎衣Lǎn zhā yīLazily tuck in Robes
3开手Kāi shǒuOpen Hands
4合手Hé shǒuClose Hands
5单鞭Dān biānSingle Whip
6云手Yún shǒuWave Hands like Clouds x2
7高探马Gāo tàn mǎHigh pat on horse
8搂膝拗步Lǒu xī ào bùBrush Knee Twist Steps
9手挥琵琶Shǒu huī pí páPlay the Pipa
10白鹤凉翅Bái hè liáng chìWhite Crane spreads it`s Wings
11双撞捶Shuāng zhuàng chuíDouble Punch
12阴阳混一Yīn yáng hùn yīYin Yang Combine into One
13收式Shōu shìClosing Form

A little bit of Sun style History

The Sun style Taijiquan is one of the 5 major Tai Chi styles which are Chen, Yang, Wu, Wu Hao and Sun. The Sun style has been founded by the Great Grand Master Sun Lu Tang in the 1920′ about 90/100 years ago. 

Sun Lutang was captain in the Chinese army and by his high standard connections between bankers, royal family members and others, he became highly respected by his reputation. The Sun style derives mainly from the Xing Yi Quan and also from the Ba Gua Zhang and the Wu Hao Taijiquan style, all 3, Internal Martial Arts.

Sun Lu Tang (1860-1933) named Sun Fuquan 孫福全 by his parents had 4 children. Two of them, his second son Sun Cunzhou 孫存周 (1893–1963) and his daughter Sun Jianyun 孫劍雲 (1913-2003) were teaching Sun style as well as his 3rd disciple Li Yulin 李玉琳  (17th February 1883-1965) who became Sun Lutang’s chief disciple. 

Li Yu Lin was the 2nd generation Grand Master in Sun style as well as 4rth generation Grand Master in Yang style Tai ChiLi Yulin’s son is the actual Grand Master & Professor Li Deyin who continues to teach in China, father of Master Faye Li Yip with who Patrizia learns the Ta Chi teaching techniques.