Where does the Taijiquan cannon fist (paochui) come from?
The second form of Chen-style Taijiquan is called "cannon fist". It is a form which was recorded in the early records of the Chen Family which were recovered by the researchers Tang Hao and and Xu Zhen. It has traditionally been part of the curriculum of this style. In the old manuscripts there is a note: "Fifteen fists [and] fifteen cannons, use the heart [xin / centre] in boxing practice."
Nowadays the road has 72 movements, some of which were supplemented by Chen Fake in order to name the postures more clearly. The form is said to have been compiled by Chen Changxing, my teacher's great-great-great-grandfather (I hope I counted correctly :) The counting, some moves and the ingrained methods will like always differ to larger or smaller degrees from lineage to lineage, family to family or frame to frame.
Why do we train this Chen Taijiquan road?
In contrast to the first form of the Chen-style Taijiquan, the second form is less aimed at the structural development of the body and building up expansive force by adhering to the three external connections (外 三合 wai san he) and so on, but it rather focuses on the expression of explosive power (爆发力 baofali) and the development of looseness, liveliness, elasticity and vibration (松 活 弹 抖 song huo tan dou). Central points such as the folding of the chest and waist (胸腰 折叠 xiongyao zhedie) are required to be known to a certain level when we endeavor to learn the second road.
Of course, I don't mean this in an absolute way. Since the second form basically has all the characteristics and principles of the first (and vice versa), the cannon fist could of course be used like the first form to optimise the body structure and to further basic training. It definitely makes sense to practise the second form slowly at times in order to train these characteristics, too. But the main focus of the second form is to train the requirements in a dynamic way, under difficult conditions we could say. It's more about testing the embodiment of those requirements than learning them in the first place.
Because of the general dynamics of the form and the jumps, explosive movements and stomping contained it develops its potential especially with appropriate practice, however, it should never seem rushed and hurried, but should always have a pleasant rhythm.
Excerpt from a taijiquan cannon fist online class:
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A short video from about 2014 showing the specific body method inside the form:
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This is an excerpt from the Chen Taijiquan cannon fist (paochui) form:
Form names of then Chen Taijiquan second road (paochui cannon fist):
1. 预备式 Yu bei shi
Preparation
2. 金刚捣碓 Jingang dao dui
Buddha’s warrior pounds mortar
3. 懒扎衣 Lan zha yi
Lazily tying coat
4. 六封四闭 Liu feng si bi
Six times sealed, four times closed
5. 单鞭 Dan bian
Single whip
6. 搬拦肘 Ban lan zhou
Elbow block
7. 护心捶 Hu xin chui
Protecting heart punch
8. 拗步斜行 Ao bu xie xing
Oblique walking with opposite step
9. 煞腰压肘拳 Sha yao ya zhou quan
Stopping with the waist and pressing down with elbow and fist
10. 井揽直入 Jing lan zhi ru
Seizing the well and entering directly
11. 风扫梅花 Feng sao meihua
The wind sweeps through the plum blossom
12. 金刚捣碓 Jingang dao dui
Buddha’s warrior pounds mortar
13. 庇身捶 （背折靠）Bi shen chui (Bei zhe kao)
Cover the body and strike (the back folds and strikes)
14. 撇身捶 Pie shen chui
Brush off and hit
15. 斩手 Zhan shou
Hitting hand
16. 翻花舞袖 Fan hua wu xiu
Turning the flower around and dancing with sleeves
17. 掩手肱拳 Yan shou gong quan
Cover with your hand and strike with your upper arm (hidden punch)
18. 飞步拗鸾肘 Fei bu ao luan zhou
Flying step and contrary phoenix elbow
19. 运手(前三) Yun shou
Circling hands (front three)
20. 高探马 Gao tanma
Mounted scout
21. 运手(后三) Yun shou
Circling hands (back three)
22. 高探马 Gao tanma
Mounted scout
23. 连珠炮(一) Lian zhu pao
Rapid fire (1)
24. 连珠炮(二) Lian zhu pao
Rapid fire (2)
25. 连珠炮(三) Lian zhu pao
Rapid fire (3)
26. 倒骑麟 Dao qi lin
Turning around and riding the unicorn (qilin)
27. 白蛇吐信(一) Bai she tu xin
The white snake spits out its tongue (1)
28. 白蛇吐信(二) Bai she tu xin
The white snake spits out its tongue (2)
29. 白蛇吐信(三) Bai she tu xin
The white snake spits out its tongue (3)
30. 海底翻花 Hai di fan hua
Turning the flower on the bottom of the sea
31. 掩手肱捶 Yan shou gong chui
Cover with your hand and strike with your upper arm (hidden punch)
32. 转身六合 Zhuan shen liu he
Turning into all six directions
33. 左裹鞭炮(一) Zuo guo bianpao
Wrapping the firecracker left (1)
34. 左裹鞭炮(二) Zuo guo bianpao
Wrapping the firecracker left (2)
35. 右裹鞭炮(一) You guo bianpao
Wrapping the firecracker right (1)
36. 右裹鞭炮(二) You guo bianpao
Wrapping the firecracker right (2)
37. 兽头势 Shou tou shi
Animal head posture
38. 劈架子 Pi jiazi
Splitting the frame
39. 翻花舞袖 Fan hua wu xiu
Turning the flower around and dancing with sleeves
40. 掩手肱捶 Yan shou gong chui
Cover with your hand and strike with your upper arm (hidden punch)
41. 伏虎 Fuhu
Taming the tiger
42. 抹眉红 Mo mei hong
Painting the eyebrows red
43. 右黄龙三搅水 You huang long san jiao shui
The yellow dragon stirs the water three times - right
44. 左黄龙三搅水 Zuo huang long san jiao shui
The yellow dragon stirs the water three times - left
45. 左蹬一根 Zuo deng yi gen
Left heel kick
46. 右蹬一根 You deng yi gen
Right heel kick
47. 海底翻花 Hai di fan hua
Turning the flower on the bottom of the sea
48. 掩手肱捶 Yan shou gong chui
Cover with your hand and strike with your upper arm (hidden punch)
49. 扫堂腿（转胫炮) Sao tang tui (zhuan jing pao)
Sweeping the floor with the leg
50. 掩手肱捶 Yan shou gong chui
Cover with your hand and strike with your upper arm (hidden punch)
51. 左冲 Zuo chong
Advance left (charge)
52. 右冲 You chong
Advance right (charge)
53. 倒插 Dao cha
Turning around and drilling downwards
54. 海底翻花 Haidi fan hua
Turning the flower on the bottom of the sea
55. 掩手肱捶 Yan shou gong chui
Cover with your hand and strike with your upper arm (hidden punch)
56. 夺二肱(一) Duo er gong
Seizing with both arms (1)
57. 夺二肱(二) Duo er gong
Seizing with both arms (2)
58. 连环炮 Lian huan pao
Continuous firing (linking cannons)
59. 玉女穿梭 Yu nü chuan suo
The jade women shuttles back and forth
60. 回头当门炮 Hui tou dang men pao
Turning around and firing at the gate
61. 玉女穿梭 Yu nü chuan suo
The jade women shuttles back and forth
62. 回头当门炮 Hui tou dang pao
Turning around and firing at the gate
63. 撇身捶 Pie shen chui
Brush off and hit
64. 腰鸾肘 Yao luan zhou
Phoenix elbow hitting the waist
65. 拗鸾肘 Ao luan zhou
Contrary phoenix elbow
66. 顺鸾肘 Shun luan zhou
Following phoenix elbow
67. 穿心肘 Chuan xin zhou
Drilling through heart elbow
68. 窝里炮 Wo li pao
Exploding nest
69. 井揽直入 Jing lan zhi ru
Seizing the well and entering directly
70. 风扫梅花 Feng sao meihua
The wind sweeps through the plum blossom
71. 金刚捣碓 Jing gang dao dui
Buddha’s warrior pounds mortar
72. 收势 Shou shi
Finish form