In Tai Chi, emptiness and fullness are not defined by external movement, but by yin–yang function within whole-body power. Whole-body power is the foundation, while emptiness and fullness are its expression. Once whole-body power is established, emptiness and fullness become clear: that which bears power is full, and that which expresses power is empty. In the preparatory posture, the arms lifting upward are empty, while the waist and dantian, which root and support the movement, are full. True lifting is not local arm effort, but a connected action through the back and spine, returning to the center. When this is understood, movement becomes rooted, stable, and free from floating or disorder.
