The 37 postures of the Cheng Man-Ch’ing short form

1. Preparation

2. Opening

Grasp peacock’s tail:

3. Left ward off

4. Right ward off

5. Roll back

6. Press

7. Push

8. Single whip

9. Lift hands

10. Shoulder strike

11. White crane spreads its wings

12. Brush knee, twist step -left

13. Play the Chinese lute (pipa)

14. Step forward, deflect downward, intercept, punch

15. Apparent close-up (withdraw, push)

16. Cross hands

17. Embrace tiger, return to the mountain

18. Fist under the elbow

19. Step back, repulse monkey -right

20. Step back, repulse monkey -left

21. Diagonal flying

22. Cloud hands -right

23. Cloud hands -left

24. Lower single whip (snake creeps down)

25. Golden rooster stands on one leg -left

26. Golden rooster stands on one leg -right

27. Separate left foot

28. Separate right foot

29. Turn around, kick with heel

30. Brush knee, twist step -right

31. Step forward, lower punch

32. Jade lady weaves with the shuttle -right

33. Jade lady weaves with the shuttle -left

34. Step up to the seven stars (of the Dipper)

35. Retreat to ride the tiger

36. Turn body, sweep lotus kick

37. Bend the bow to shoot the tiger

Sword Form Names

1. Yu bei shi - Preparation

2. Qi shi - Opening

3. Xian ren shi lu - Immortal shows the way

4. San huan tao yue - Circle the moon with three rings

5. Kui xing shi - Big dipper

6. Yan zi chao shui - Swallow swoops over the water

7. You bian lan sao - Block & sweep right

8. You bian lan sao - Block & sweep left

9. Xiao kui xing - Little dipper

10. Huang feng ru dong - Wasp enters the cave

11. Ling mao bu shu - Agile cat catches the mouse

12. Feng huang tai tou - Phoenix lifts it’s head

13. Yan zi ru cao - Swallow returns to the nest

14. Feng huang you zhan - Phoenix opens it’s right wing

15. You xuan feng - Whirlwind to the right

16. Xiao kui xing - Little dipper

17. Zuo xuan feng - Whirlwind to the left

18. Deng yu shi - Waiting for the fish

19. You, zing long xing shi - Parting the grass to seek the snake right and left

20. Huai zhong bao yue - Embracing the moon

21. Su niao tou lin - Birds roosting in the forest

22. Wu long bai wei - Black dragon sways it’s tail

23. Qing long chu shui - Green dragon gets out of the water

24. Zuo shi zi yao tou - Lion shakes it’s head left and right

25. Hu bao tou - Tiger covers it’s head

26. Ye ma tiao jian - Wild horse jumps the ravine

27. Fan shen le ma - Turn around and reign in the horse

28. Zhi nan zhen - Compass needle points south

29. Zou, you ying feng dan chen - Shake off the dust in the wind

30. Shun shui tui zhuo - Current pushes the boat

31. Lui zing gan yue - Comet chases the moon

32. Tian ma fei bao - Heavenly horse traverses the void

33. Tiao lian shi - Lifting up the curtain

34. Zuo, you che lun - Cartwheel left and right

35. Yan zi ru cao - Swallow returns to the nest

36. Yan zi xian ni - Swallow carries pieces of earth in it’s beak

37. Da peng zhan chi - Roc* spreads it’s wings

38. Hai di lao yue - Scoop up the moon from the seabed

39. Huai zhong bao yue - Embracing the moon

40. Ye zha tan hai - Naga** explores the seabed

41. Xi niu wang yue - Rhino watches the moon

42. She yan shi - Hunting the wild goose

43. Qing long xian shua - Green dragon shows it’s claws

44. Feng huang shuang zhan chi - Phoenix opens both it’s wings

45. Zuo, you kua lan - Step over and block up left and right

46. She yan shi - Hunting the wild goose

47. Bai yuan xian guo - White monkey presents the fruit

48. Zuo, you luo hua shi - Scatter flowers right and left

49. Yu nu chuan xuo - Fair lady works at shuttles

50. Bai hu jiao wei - White tiger sways it’s tail

51. Hu bao tou - Tiger covers it’s head

52. Yu tiao long men - Fish jumps over the dragon gate

53. Chao tianyi zhu xiang - An incense for heaven

54. Zuo, you wu long jiao zhu - Black dragon twists aroung the pole left and right

55. Xian ren shi lu - Immortal shows the way

56. Feng sao mei hua - Plum petals swept by the wind

57. Ya hu shi - Presenting the tablet

58. Bao jian hui yuan - Turn sword over and return to the beginning

* Mythical Bird

** Mythical Snake Creature

Long Form Names

1. Preparation
2. Opening
3. Grasp peacock’s tail
(ward off- left and right, roll back, press, push)
4. Single whip
5. Lift hands
6. Shoulder- strike
7. White crane spreads its wings
8. Brush knee, twist step
9. Play the Chinese lute (pipa)
10. Brush knee, twist step - left, right, left
11. Play the Chinese lute (pipa)
12. Brush knee, twist step
13. Step forward, deflect downward, intercept, punch
14. Apparent close- up (Withdraw, push)
15. Cross hands
16. Embrace tiger, return to the mountain
17. Fist under the elbow
18. Step back repulse monkey - left, right, left
19. Diagonal flying posture
20. Lift hands
21. Shoulder- strike
22. White Crane spreads its wings
23. Brush knee, twist step
24. Needle at sea bottom
25. Flash out arms like a fan
26. Turn, sidle, punch (Turn, chop with fist)
27. Fix step, deflect downward, intercept, punch
28. Step up, grasp peacock’s tail
29. Single whip
30. Cloud hands
31. Single whip
32. High pat on horse
33. Separate foot -right, left
34. Turn around, strike with right heel
35. Brush knee, twist step-left, right
36. Step forward, strike with the fist
37. Turn, sidle, punch
38. Fix step, deflect downward, intercept, punch
39. Kick with right heel
40. Sidle to tame the tiger-left, right
41. Kick with right heel
42. Strike opponents ears with both fists
43. Kick with left heel
44. About turn and kick with right heel
45. Step forward, deflect downward, intercept, punch
46. Apparent close up (Withdraw, push)
47. Cross hands
48. Embrace tiger, return to the mountain
49. Skew-step single whip
50. Part the horses mane - right, left, right
51. Grasp peacock’s tail
52. Single whip
53. Jade lady weavs with the shuttle (30°, 4 corners)
54. Grasp peacock’s tail
55. Single whip
56. Cloud hands
57. Single whip
58. Lower single whip (Snake creeps down)
59. Golden rooster stands on one leg - left, right
60. Step back repulse monkey - left, right,left
61. Diagonal flying posture
62. Lift hands
63. Shoulder-strike
64. White crane spreads its wings
65. Brush knee, twist step - left
66. Needle at sea bottom
67. Flash out arms like a fan
68. White snake showing tongue
69. Fix step, deflect downward, intercept, punch
70. Step up, grasp peacocks tail
71. Single whip
72. Cloud hands
73. Single whip
74. High pat on horse
75. Cross palm turning kick
76. Brush knee, punch
77. Step up, grasp peacock’s tail
78. Single whip
79. Lower single whip (Snakes creeps down)
80. Step forward to the seven stars (of the Dipper)
81. Step back to ride the tiger
82. Turn the body, sweep the lotus with the leg
83. Bend the bow to shoot the tiger
84. Step forward, deflect downwards, intercept, punch
85. Apparent close -up (Withdraw, push)
86. Cross the hands
Conclusion