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The following is an abstract from Tung Ying-chieh’s "Taichichuan Explained." It is translated by Wu Ta-yeh and Wu Ten Shu-hsien.
"To ‘sink ch’i to tantien’ does not mean to press down the air you inhale into the lower abdomen, but just pay a little attention there."
"When you direct your attention downward, the excessive blood in the head will return to the heart for circulating to the limbs. Your head will feel light, your heart, limbs, and small capillaries will get more blood, and your health will improve."
Translators’ Note: In ancient Chinese literatures, ch’i does not mean air. Rather, it is used to designate man’s expansive nature, idealistic impulse.
To sink your "attention" to the lower abdomen instead of forcing down the air you inhaled, you can let your abdomen be more relaxed and pliable for easy twisting of the waist to direct the movements of the whole body.
Tantien is a term borrowed from Taoist alchemy, which means the field of the immortal pill. There is a distinction between upper tantien, middle tantien, and lower tantien, the exact locations of which are not always agreed upon. In Taichichuan, it means the lower abdomen.