I found an interesting free local Tai Chi class taught by a Taiwanese gentleman in his seventies. I think he’s very good. He teaches the curriculum that begins with 8 forms, and then 16 forms, before proceeding to 24. I’ve already gotten some great corrections from him. It’s a rigorous class.

Since I know 24 pretty well, learning 8 and 16 is just a matter of learning the sequences. There’s plenty of good video. The person demo-ing 8 in the video pictured above is Amin Wu.

This form (8) is also called 10-forms (counting qishi and shou shi). Here Faye Yip demonstrates:

Li Deyin’s daughter, Faye Li Yip, demonstrates 10-forms (which is the same as 8-forms)

The eight forms are:

1. Dao Juan Gong (R/L) [Repulse Monkeys]
2. Lou Xi Au Bu (R/L)  [Brush Knee Push]
3. Ye Ma Fen Zong  (L/R) [Part the Wild Horse’s Mane]
4. Yun Shou (L/R) [Cloud Hands]
5. Jin Ji Du Li (R/L) [Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg]
6. Deng Jiao (R/L) [Heel Kick]
7. Lan Que Wei (R/L) [Grasp the Bird’s Tail]
8. Shi Zi Shou [Cross Hands]

Notes: Dao Juan Gong is performed in place. Both Lou Xi Au Bu and Ye Ma Fen Zong have a 180-degree turn. Yun Shou is one step left, one step right.

Gao Jiamin also demonstrates 8 forms: video.

*Dao Juan Gong is more accurately translated as whirling (or overturning) forearms. Repulse Monkeys would be Dao Nian Hou, which is the name used in the old form. That said, a lot of people call this Repulse Monkeys. Avoid confusion; use the Chinese!

The person demonstrating 16 forms is Gao Jiamin

The sixteen forms are:

1. Qishi
2. Ye Ma Fen Zong (L/R) [Part the Wild Horse’s Mane]
3. Bai He Liang Chi [White Crane Spreads Wings]
4. Lou Xi Au Bu (R/L) [Brush Knee Push]
5. Jin Bu Ban Lan Chui [Step Forward Block Parry Punch]
6. Ru Feng Si Bi [Apparent Closing**]
7. Dan Bian  [Single Whip]
8. Shou Hui Pipa [Play the Lute]
9. Dao Juan Gong (L/R) [Repulse Monkeys–See above*]
10. Yu Nu Chuan Suo (L/R) [Fair Lady Works Shuttle]
11. Hai Di Zhen [Needle at Sea Bottom]
12. Shan Tong Bi [Flash the Arms]
13. Yun Shou [Cloud Hands]
14. Lan que wei (R/L) [Grasp the Bird’s Tail]
15. Shizi Shou [Cross Hands]
16. Shou Shi

I used this video to get the sequence of 16. Bai He Liang Chi, Hai Di Zhen, and Shan Tong Bi are both on the left, opposite of 24, which feels pretty strange. This, by the way, is a pipa, a Chinese lute:

Here is a printable (PDF) list of the movements of these two forms: 8-16-forms

**AKA Withdraw and Push, an accurate description but not an accurate translation.