Eight Methods and Five Steps of Taiji Quan
太極拳過去又被稱為太極十三勢，即由八法和五步構成。八法是指：掤、捋、擠、按、採、挒、肘、靠；五步是指：進、退、顧、盼、定。
Taiji Quan was called Taiji Thirteen Postures，which was composed of eight methods and five steps.The eight methods refer to：ward-off，roll-back，pressing，push-down，pull-down，splitting，elbowing，leaning；and five steps refer to：stepping forwards，stepping backwards，glancing fight，glancing left，and fixing in the center.
（一）八法（即八種勁法） Eight Methods（Eight Methods of Force）
1.掤勁 Warding-off Force
掤勁是向上向前之勁。掤勁似圍牆，意禦敵於門外，用於攻防和走化，是太極拳中最主要的勁法，故列八法之首。太極拳處處要有掤意，要求兩臂具有一種圓撐力，這種圓撐力是由內向外的膨脹力，在任何情況下均有一定的彈性。
The warding-off force means the up and forwards force.The warding-off force is like a wall that blocks the enemy out.It is used for defending and neutralizing，which is the main force of Taiji Quan，so as to be listed the first of the eight methods.Taiji Quan has many warding-off forces，which requires that two aims shall have the circular supporting force.The force is the expansion force from the inside to the outside and being elastic under any conditions，which has certain elasticity under any circumstance.
2.捋勁 Roll-back Force
捋勁是根據對方的來勁，進行走化，在太極拳中為化勁。捋時前麵一個手，勁點在近腕部的尺骨處，輕貼在對方的肘部，後麵一個手勁點在掌心或掌背，接觸在對方的腕部處，兩手相距對方一小臂間距離。它可以根據對方外力的變化情況，向自身側麵斜線走化。因勢利導，化開對方之勁，然後可變著進擊。
The roll-back force is to neutralize according to the opponent's force，or neutralizing force in Taiji Quan.In the roll-back force，the force point of the front hand is at the ulna near wrist，putting it at the elbow of the opponent，and the force point of the behind hand is at palm or the back of the hand，putting it at the wrist of the other's.The distance of two hands is that of forearm of the opponent.It can change in accordance with the force of the opponent，neutralize towards the side of the body and neutralize the force to attack.