Cloud Hands

In the Tai Chi Chuan movements, the style of practicing Cloud Hands varies greatly. However, all Tai Chi schools refer to Cloud Hands as the "Mother Form," indicating its extraordinary position in the Tai Chi technical system. This article analyzes the typical issues of Cloud Hands to provide some useful insights for fellow practitioners.  1. The Name of Cloud Hands Regarding the origin of the name Cloud Hands, Mr. Hong Junsheng in his book "Practical Method of Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan" suggests that the name "Cloud Hands" comes from its resemblance to clouds. Chinese paintings often depict clouds with spiral shapes to represent their rotation with the wind, and the alternating rotations of the hands in this move are similar to drawing clouds. Additionally, there are very graceful "Cloud Hands" combinations in classic dance movements, which may have inspired the naming of this circular movement in martial arts. Chen Xin once said: Martial arts techniques often use left and right sides, so various routines still retain the prototype of Cloud Hands. In "Illustrated Explanation of Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan," Chen Xin refers to groups of Cloud Hands as "upper, middle, and lower," with slight variations in footwork and hand techniques. In the Cannon Fist form, "single Cloud Hands" appear multiple times. Clearly, Cloud Hands, as a basic technical form of Tai Chi, remains independently present even though it has been integrated into various boxing forms.  2. The Spirit of Cloud Hands In both civil and martial arts, the spirit is of utmost importance. Practitioners must maintain the Tai Chi spirit of neither resisting nor letting go. Guiding the entire body with the spirit and following the rules will lead to a state of "Tai Chi everywhere in the body." Since Cloud Hands is the "Mother Form" of Tai Chi, its spirit embodies the spirit of Tai Chi practice and application. Under normal circumstances, the focus of the spirit is divided into internal and external aspects. Internally, it is the random adjustment of internal force; externally, it is the timely observation with the eyes. "Following the principles of Yi (Change), conforming to the rules of boxing, and governing the entire body" is the true state of the spirit of Cloud Hands.