Boxe Bafan Da Escola Yue

BAFAN BOXING
Posted on December 31, 2014by Paul Brennan
BAFAN BOXING OF THE YUE SCHOOL
by Wang Xinwu
[1930]
[translation by Paul Brennan, Dec, 2014]
Portrait of the author
CONTENTS
Authors Preface
One: The Origins of Bafan Boxing
Two: The True Significance of Bafan Boxing
Three: The Special Characteristics of Bafan Boxing
Line 1: Embracing Fists & Fighting Punches
Line 2: Advancing & Retreating with Continuous Techniques
Line 3: Torso-Flung Punch
Line 4: Flower Hidden Under the Leaf
Line 5: Immortal Steers the Boat
Line 6: Emperor Ties up a Pig
Line 7: Double Dragons Play with the Pearl
Line 8: Swinging Elbow, Press & Strike
A Brief Discussion of Bafan Boxing
AUTHORS PREFACE
When I was child, I was frequently ill, so much so that at the age of four I could
not even walk. My parents worried about me and constantly taught me exercise.
Once I was eight, I was instructed in Long Boxing and practiced leaping and
jumping. After a long time, my body gradually strengthened. When I reached
the age of fifteen, I traveled to Jintai, where I learned from Xu Yusheng of
Jingzhao, and the Manchurians Ji Zixiu and Wu Jianquan. While Xu taught me
Taijis thirteen dynamics, I also learned Yue School Bafan Boxing [known
varyingly as Bafanshou, Bafanmen, Bafanquan, etc.] from Liu Enshou of
Hengshui, Hebei.
Developed from Yue School Sanshou, its methods were devised during the
reign of Emperor Guangxu by Big Spear Liu Jingyuan, called Dekuan, who
was a Shaolin exponent. Liu Enshou was the top student of Liu Dekuan. His skill
was refined and deep, and his fame spread quickly. He once said of himself that
he trained in the art for nine years straight without a break. From this we can
see the dedication of the older generation.
I learned from my teachers for nearly five years. My ears still ring with their
instruction as though it was but yesterday. At that time, many of my fellow
students were specializing in Taiji Boxing, fearing that Bafan Boxing would be
too much work. I found that Ji Zixiu was a student of Liu Shijun of Xiong
County [in Hebei]. A fellow student of Liu Dekuan, he was an expert in Sanshou
and Taiji. Xu Yusheng had learned from Liu Dekuan for several years, and
mastered both the internal and external systems. Thus I frequently asked him
for instruction.
With such a well-rounded education, I then understood why this particular
boxing art was created. Chinese martial arts are traditionally divided into the
two schools of internal and external. It is said that the internal school
emphasizes softness whereas the external school emphasizes hardness, that the
internal school discusses energy whereas the external school values technique.
These words seem doubtful to me. Examining the true essence of martial arts,
neither hardness nor softness should be emphasized, and neither technique nor
energy should be neglected. Expertise in hard techniques requires an
understanding of soft energy. Skill in soft energy comes from a knowledge of
hard techniques. Therefore those who have attained a very high level have
indeed taken different paths but reached the same goal.
When the external school is talked of nowadays, what is usually meant is
Shaolin, the Shaolin boxing skills being considered peerless throughout the
world. Alas, its teachers and students have become so dispersed that the legacy
has long been lost. Yet later generations of heroes have ardently committed to it,
such as Liu Dekuan in creating Yue School Bafan Boxing. It is simple and easy to
practice, practical rather than decorative. Through the painstaking study of all
my teachers over many decades, and with the basic concept from Taiji of
hardness and softness complementing each other, it is more than adequate for
the tasks of both fitness and self-defense.
In 1930, I founded the Taiyuan Martial Arts Promotion Society, gathering
Shanxis famous experts to engage in research. My comrades then encouraged
me to both teach this art and to publish a handbook on it, spreading it widely by
way of detailed descriptions so as to keep authentic Shaolin from sinking into
oblivion.
written by Wang Huajie, called Xinwu, of Fenyang, Shanxi, at the Third
Area Army General Headquarters, autumn, 1930
BAFAN BOXING OF THE YUE SCHOOL
ONE: THE ORIGINS OF BAFAN BOXING
Bafan Boxing is descended from Shaolin. When I was a boy, I watched a fellow
villager practicing Zimu Boxing. He said he had learned from Big Spear Liu. I
asked about the source of it, but he was unable to tell me. Its movements and
postures were very unique. When I traveled to Jintai and received instruction
from Liu Enshou, I then understood that Bafan Boxing is in fact Zimu Boxing,
and that it gets its name [ba fan meaning eight turnings] from its endless
changing. It is also called Yue School Continuous Boxing. Tradition has it that
Yue Fei obtained the Sanshou method from the mountain monk Li Quan. It
began with only nine techniques, then all the postures were altered and it
became twenty techniques to be practiced on both sides, and later development
brought it up to three hundred and sixty techniques. It is said to have been
passed down from the founder Damo. Its footwork was called the hooking-leg
twisting-turn method. Later generations called the art Yue School Sanshou.
In the Qing Dynasty, during the reigns of Emperors Tongzhi [1861-1875] and
Guangxu [18751908], there was a Liu Shijun of Xiong County (also called
Xiong County Liu) who obtained the authentic teachings and then instructed
the bodyguards in the Beijing barracks. Liu Jingyuan (called Dekuan, known by
people as Big Spear Liu) learned from him, then took the essence of it and
compiled it into eight lines performed on both sides equally. Once one line is
finished, you then turn around and continue into another, and so its energy is
uninterrupted. By continuously transforming, its ingenuities go unobserved.
And thus I suddenly realized that I simply had not seen the genuineness of what
my fellow villager had been teaching.
In this art, there are also the middle eight lines and the later eight lines
[the material in this particular book being the early eight lines]. Liu Jingyuan
during the Tongzhi era scrutinized and consolidated the basics of his teachers
art, all of which originated from Yue School Sanshou. By beginning with this set
and practicing according to its methods as described, you will thereby already
have all you need to achieve a level of mastery, for it truly values quality rather
than quantity. This Shaolin legacy is in danger of disappearing, and I hope you
will not look down on it as being something that is merely ordinary.
TWO: THE TRUE SIGNIFICANCE OF BAFAN BOXING
A. Regarding it in terms of exercise:
The purpose of exercise is nothing more than to strive for the health of the body,
but if it is performed too fiercely, it will not conform to physiological
functioning, counterproductively resulting in disaster. The postures in the lines
of this set are simple and the movements are performed moderately, helping the
body to develop naturally. Left and right are trained equally without committing
the error of overemphasizing either. It is a profoundly appropriate exercise for
all levels and ages. It is also richly interesting, and so people will not get bored
with it.
After practicing it for a long time, physical power will have been enhanced
without your even being aware of it, changing weakness to strength, as well as
increasing alertness of nerves and sharpness of mind. For instructors, this is
something that is suitable for training both individuals and large groups. Even if
the movements are counted out, this will not have an adverse effect on the
mentality or functionality of their applications. One of the distinguishing
features of this art is that it is an organized martial system.
B. Regarding it in terms of application:
Training in boxing arts is for defending against bullies and ridding the world of
villains.
Therefore the most important thing is to give particular attention to application.
By relying on reckless courage, you will never win, and so you must drill the
techniques and energies in order to use the art to control opponents. Within the
eight lines of this boxing set, there is not a single posture that does not have
technique, nor a single posture that does not have to do with energy. By means
of hardness and softness in advance and retreat, transforming unfathomably,
you can toy with an opponent as though he is a mere object in your hand.
Through calmness and steadiness, and by never using flowery techniques for
showing off to others, you will stand a chance.
As for the methods of application contained within the movements of each
line:
Line 1 has methods of both attack and defense.
Line 2 has the methods of pulling in front and striking.
Line 3 has the methods of pulling to the rear and striking.
Line 4 has the methods of seizing, locking, crowding, and striking.
Line 5 has the methods of tying, grabbing, pushing, and throwing.

Line 6 has the methods of tying, locking, pressing, and throwing.
Line 7 has the methods of cutting, grabbing, tying, and striking.
Line 8 has the methods of swinging elbow, then press & strike.
In sum, the methods of the art are: pulling, striking, seizing, grabbing,
pushing, crushing, stopping, cutting, elbowing, crowding, rolling, pressuring,
tying, locking, pressing, and throwing. Since these techniques comprise
everything you will ever need, what is contained within the art is abundance.
THREE: THE SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BAFAN BOXING
The various martial arts all have their specialties. Taiji Boxing is good at
neutralizing. Xingyi Boxing is good at boldly rushing in. Bagua has it steps,
Tantui its kicks, Long Boxing its agile leaping. They all have their unique
abilities. The specialty of this art is targeting an opponents weak points and
injuring his limbs. It wins by way of palm or fist. Its main methods are tying and
grabbing. I am sure to be in charge of the opponents fate, because by not
opposing him with any resistance, my strategies are guaranteed. When he is
hard, I adapt. When he is soft, I beware. I control his hands above and his steps
below. The movements of each line [except 1 and 3] start with the pulling
hand technique, which is particularly unique, but the rest of the techniques will
be constantly changing as the mind dictates.
LINE 1: EMBRACING FISTS & FIGHTING PUNCHES
Explanation of the name:

The two main actions that blend together the movements of this line are
embracing fists and fighting punches, hence the name.
PREPARATION POSTURE:
A preparation posture is a way of rousing ones spirit before the beginning of a

boxing set. It is similar to standing at attention in gymnastics, which braces
spirit and awareness in readiness for movement. When the various martial arts
begin their movements, they all start with this posture. If the lines in this boxing
set are drilled individually, they must each start with this posture. If the set is
practiced all the way through, this posture will be the beginning of Line 1.
Command: Ready!
Description of the posture:

Your body stands upright, arms hanging down, fingers pointing forward, palms
facing the ground, feet at shoulder width. Your chest is slightly hollowed, your
chin slightly withdrawn, your head pressing upward. Your gaze is forward and
extends beyond thirty paces. Energy sinks to your elixir field. Both feet are fully
touching the ground. Your hands focus energy all the way into the fingertips.
Points for attention:
In this posture, you must gather your spirit and calm your energy. By taking a
moment to stand still, you will then have a sense of alertness and adaptability.
Line 1, Part 1 (movements 1-5):
1. EMBRACING FISTS
Command: Line 1 one!
Description of the movement:

Your left foot steps out sideways to the left and you squat down into a horseriding stance. At the same time, your hands make fists and extend straight
upward in front of you, the centers of the fists facing inward, then sink down
embracing inward, fists at shoulder level, arms bent and pointing upward,
elbows drawn in toward your chest and pointing downward. Your spine is
upright, buttocks tucked in. Your gaze is level. See the drawing:

In this posture, your feet must strive to be flat on the ground and should not be
even slightly unsteady. The posture must be balanced and upright. Send power
from your lower back to your fists. Bend inward and store it, waiting to issue,
preparing to advance and attack.
Application explanation:
Whenever an opponents hand is striking toward my chest or belly, I can always
use this technique to block to either side or also to attack his elbow or wrist
joints. After the slightest touch, I then issue, continuing into an attack, for this
posture is ready to spring out.
2. CROSSED STANCE WITH TWISTING BODY
Command: Two!

Your upper body turns a hundred and eighty degrees to the left, your feet
pivoting to the left so that your legs are crossed with your right knee touching
the back of your left knee. Your feet are making a T shape, left foot fully on the
ground, right foot touching down with the ball of the foot, heel lifted. The
posture of embracing fists has not changed.

When twisting your body, your feet are to have a lifting quality, thus you will
turn nimbly. It is especially necessary to strive to move uniformly, upper body
and lower coordinating with each other. Your feet should be stable on the
ground rather than wobbling, moving with precision every inch of the way. To
then issue in the context of stability, the result once you apply power will not be
the errors of either excess or insufficiency.
If an opponent strikes to my chest with fist or palm, I bring both my arms across
to connect to and press down his incoming arm, or I use both arms to perform a
fierce cutting strike. At the same time, I turn my body to absorb his arm and
press in close to his body. When absorbing his arm, my front hand should
tightly press down on the middle of his upper arm to press his arm close to his
body, making him unable to do anything with it, while my rear hand presses
down on his forearm and prepares to strike, like a bow being drawn to the full
and waiting to shoot.
The techniques in this line all emphasize defense. Lines 2-8 all emphasize
attack. The purpose of twisting my body is to press in closer to his and disrupt
his attacking arm. There are many variations. For instance, if my left hand gets
grabbed by his left hand, I take advantage of the situation by pulling back my
left elbow while twisting my body to the left, using my left wrist to press down
his wrist and using my right fist to strike to his left elbow joint. He is sure to
suffer pain and will pull back. It is the same technique for either side. It can be
considered the same kind of technique as Taiji Boxings PLAY THE LUTE
posture, which has this type of neutralizing energy.
3. CROSSED STANCE WITH FIGHTING PUNCHES
Command: Three!
Continuing from the previous posture, your fists shoot out in unison to the left
and right. Your stance has not changed. Your gaze is to your right hand.

When your hands shoot out to the sides, your lower back straightens, your
whole body has an intention of sinking down, and your whole mind is attentive
to the opponents changes and prepared to deal with them. Of particular note is
the method of making a fist: the four fingers are tight together and curl inward
with all their strength, then the thumb presses down on the fist eye. The tip of
the thumb should not protrude beyond the foreknuckle of the forefinger. Wrist
and fist must make a straight line instead of bending inward or outward. When
punching, the fist eyes are facing upward, which will also be the case for the rest
of postures.
Continuing from the previous posture (Posture 2), after I connect to and press
down, or do a cutting strike to the opponents arm, I seize the opportunity by
using my right fist to strike to his chest or ribs. Whenever an opponents arm
has been pressed down, I can then use fighting punches to strike him.
4. LURING HAND

Command: Four!

Continuing from the previous posture, draw in your right fist toward your chest,
the fist and forearm rotating inward until the fist eye faces to the ground [to the
right]. Your gaze is to the center of the fist. The upper arm is vertical, tight to
your ribs, elbow bent. Your left arm stays as before. Your body is squatting
down.

When drawing in your hand, your body should not lean forward, instead your
spine must be upright. Your left arm should stay at the same height that it was,
shoulder level, and should not droop downward.
The intention of the luring hand is that once I have connected with the
opponents arm, I go along with the forward direction of his force, drawing it in
to dispel it. If I use my right hand to connect to his left arm (my hand being on
top of his arm) and he carries it upward to the right, I send energy to my wrist
and withdraw my right elbow to lure in and press down. Or if he carries me off
to the side, then I use the outside of my wrist to hook his arm, causing his elbow
to lift upward. Once I have dispelled his energy, I will then seize the opportunity
to punch to his ribs. This is all a matter of sticking to the opponent. If there is
not yet contact, then whether his hand strikes to my chest, ribs, or belly, I may
use this posture to do a downward luring block, which is sure to keep his hand
from being able to attack me, or I may simply send energy into my arm and do a
cutting strike.
5. ADVANCE, FIGHTING PUNCH
Command: Five!

In the previous posture, you draw in your right fist, storing in wait to issue. In
this posture, you then immediately advance your right foot and send your right
fist striking out. Your left foot also slightly follows forward. See the drawing:

When your fist shoots out, the actions of hand and foot must be in unison. Be
fierce and direct, moving with nimbleness. There should be a fixed size to your
steps while practicing, thus when you come down into a stance, it will be stable
and steady. Do not get into a habit of constantly wobbling.
In this posture, when my right hand shoots out, it uses the energies of cutting
and rolling as it thrusts out forward. The application for it is almost the same as
in Posture 3. If my right hand then gets grabbed by the opponent, I use the
previous postures luring hand technique to suddenly draw in, wrist rotating
inward, whereupon he automatically lets go, and then I use this posture to strike
forward, wrist rotating outward, fast as lighting. The back and forth of these
actions is so quick, it is usually too subtle for an opponent to see.
Line 1, Part 2 (TWO, two, three, four, five!):
Clarification:
Every line in this set has a certain number of movements. The set should be
practiced as a continuous flow all the way to the end. Strive for continuity rather
than separated movements, which are for the purpose of convenience in the
beginning of the training. The postures of each line are presented individually in
detail, but once they have been practiced to familiarity, then every single
movement is put together into a single flow.
This lines movements amount to five postures, as described above. Once you
have performed the fifth posture, then you will repeat them [on the other side]
starting from Posture 1 EMBRACING FISTS (which is now commanded as
TWO!).
Two! CROSSED STANCE WITH TWISTING BODY to the right
Three! CROSSED STANCE WITH FIGHTING PUNCHES, left hand
forward
Four! left LURING HAND
Five! left ADVANCE, FIGHTING PUNCH
Then continue into THREE, two, three, four, five! And then FOUR, two,
three, four, five!
The size of the practice area and the duration of practice will be determined
by the instructor, but finish the line with an even number, performing the
postures perhaps only twice [once on each side], or four times, or even six times.
The only things that are different [in performing the movements on both sides]
is the left and right of your hands and feet, and the directions [that your body is]
aligned toward.
LINE 2: ADVANCING & RETREATING WITH CONTINUOUS TECHNIQUES

In the movements of this line, the fists go back and forth, one striking during
retreat, then the other striking during advance. The movements are continuous
without pause, hence the name, causing the opponent to defend unsuccessfully
and rendering him incapable of defending. Various martial arts postures are
named with the same idea in mind.
Line 2, Part 1 (Postures 1-4):
1. PULLING HAND

After performing Posture 5 of Line 1 a fourth time your left fist striking out
turn around to the right to perform Line 2, Posture 1 of which is called
PULLING HAND, pulling being the name of its energy. The form of the hand
is neither palm nor fist. It is like grabbing an object and pulling it downward.
When doing this posture, your right foot reaches out, advancing forward several
inches, your left foot follows forward, and you squat down, both legs slightly
bent, the weight shifted to your rear foot. At the same time, your right hand
makes a pulling action, coming out forward from the left side of your chest
and pulling, arm slightly bent, elbow sinking down, while your left hand, as a
palm, is placed in front of your right shoulder, called shoulder-guarding palm,
and is prepared to act. Your gaze follows your right hand to look forward. See
the drawing:

When turning around, imagine there is an opponent behind you, for when you
turn to the rear, the rear becomes the front. Your right foot advances to crowd
the opponent, because it is difficult to strike him if you are too far away. The
movements of your feet, body, and hands should occur in unison. The weight is
on your rear leg. With both legs slightly bent, it is easy to advance or retreat,
convenient for both attack or defense. Your gaze must go along with the
movements of your body, hands, and feet, guiding them. Spirit should be
contained within, dominance expressed outwardly. This technique wins by way
of surprise. Make use of it as an initiating technique, for once it does its job, all
the techniques that may follow from it will also be successful. Treasure it.
Ordinarily when I am attacking an opponent, if I am the first to issue, I will use
this technique, my front hand attacking and my rear hand guarding at my
shoulder, the elbow covering my solar plexus. When my front hand comes out, it
must strike to his face with the elbow hanging down. If he uses his rear hand to
carry upward (both of us with our right hand forward and our left hand behind),
then I pull his forearm downward and back, or pluck at his sleeve, causing him
to lean forward, and I will then use the following technique to strike him.
Or if he uses his front hand to carry upward (his left hand forward while my
right hand is forward or his right hand forward while my left hand is forward),
then I would concentrate on using the plucking energy to pull him in or send my
rear hand forward from guarding at my shoulder to threading out from behind
my elbow to pull on his arm, at the same time withdrawing my front hand to
being the palm guarding at my shoulder, switching it to the defensive role. If he
were to use his rear hand to attack my chest, I would then go along with his
attack by pulling his wrist. I would not bother to start by striking to his head,
but by luring out his hand.
However, when I am pulling him, if my hand is having to reach out far to get
to him, then even if I am pulling his wrist, energy will not be able to gather there
and the result will always be his wrist escaping. If I am insistent upon pulling
him, then I will not strike to his head, but if I lure him into being carried
upward, my pulling will not be stable. But more than that, controlling him
depends on being close to him. The closer I am to him, the greater the chance of
success. When pulling his wrist or forearm, it is always best to be close to him,
and if I strive to do the technique in this way, it will not fail me even once in ten
tries. Surely this verifies the ingenuity of this technique.
2. STEP FORWARD, POUNCING PALM STRIKE TO THE FACE

Command: Two!

Continuing from the previous posture, your left foot takes a step forward, toes
hooking inward, your right foot turning ninety degrees to the right, and you
squat down, making a horse-riding stance, your upper body turned about a
hundred and eighty degrees to the right. At the same time, your left palm
pounces forward from your right shoulder, fingers pointing upward, palm facing
forward, palm at shoulder level. Your gaze is now forward. Your right arm is
slightly bent, elbow close to your ribs, top of the wrist at your solar plexus, still
making a pulling posture.

After stepping forward, both knees cover inward. Both feet should be stable,
touching down fully. For the pouncing palm strike to the face, the pouncing
energy is not a pushing energy. The three parts of the movement body, hands,
and stepping should act in unison. Your shoulders should loosen so the power
from your spine can concentrate into your hands. The posture must sink down.
The pulling and pouncing energies should coordinate with each other above and
below, and flow without interruption. The intention of the pouncing energy is
like pressing a seal into the red ink.
This posture links with the pulling hand technique in application. Having pulled
the opponents right hand, I step my left foot forward to hook his right foot (his
right foot being forward) and use my left palm to do a pouncing strike to his
face. If the strike is toward the eyes, it will produce tears, or if to the nose, there
will be bleeding from his nose. If the strike is to his forehead, it will make his
face turn upward, and crushing downward at that point will then cause him to
fall. This kind of issuing is called rubbing the forehead or wiping the brow,
common terms in Chinese martial arts.
The rubbing energy has to do with tightly pushing on the opponents
forehead as he tries to escape by tilting his head back. It is like drawing a
semicircle from inward to outward as though flopping the hand over in a waving
gesture, following through from the pouncing energy with all five fingers
covering and crushing down on his head, keeping him from escaping.
Pouncing energy emphasizes striking, the combined force of fingers and palm
stamping heavily and quickly. It is often applied as a feint to surprise an
opponent and draw out his other hand, though it is not predetermined to be
either a feint or a real technique. If he is able to defend against it, then it used as
a feint. If he is not able to defend against it, then it used for real.
In this set, the two postures of PULLING HAND and POUNCING PALM
STRIKE TO THE FACE form the fundamental essence of the art, countless
transformations coming from these techniques. Once you have learned them to
perfection, their subtleties cannot be communicated in words.
3. SEIZING THE WRIST, EYEBROW-HEIGHT PUNCH
Command: Three!

Your left hand switches to grabbing and covers downward. The weight shifting
to your right foot, your left toes determinedly touching down, heel lifted, the
foot withdrawing by hooking in about four or five inches. At the same time, your
left grabbing hand withdraws to be in front of your chest while your right hand
switches from pulling to spiraling out from your right shoulder as a fist, striking
forward at eyebrow height, the fist eye facing downward. [Through some error,
the book does not include a drawing for this posture.]

When your left hand switches to grabbing, your right pulling hand goes to the
right with a sinking energy. When your left toes scrape along the ground as the
foot withdraws, your waist slightly twists to the left, your left hand also slightly
withdrawing to the left. Your right hands eyebrow-height punch must issue in
coordination with the movement of the left side of your body.
When I pull the opponents right wrist and do the pouncing palm strike to his
face, if he uses his left hand to do a carrying block, I then send my left hand
down to grab his wrist and cover it downward while my right hand is pulling to
the right, thus causing his elbows to meet. This method is called locking. (In
this moment, his left arm is on top.) My left foot trapping his right heel is
pulling back, hooking him in as my left hand grabs his wrist and leads it
diagonally to the left, causing him to lose his balance, and he is sure to topple to
my forward left. At the same time, I also use my right fist to strike out at
eyebrow level, striking to his face, which is sure to bloody his head.
The key to this technique lies in tangling his hands. But once his hands have
been locked up, how should the rest of the technique be performed, and how is
it to be performed smoothly and without doubt? For that matter, how to lock up
his hands to get the best result when applying it in reality? When doing the
pouncing palm strike to his face, if he pushes down instead of doing a carrying
block, I then use my left hand to go along with his pushing energy and parry
downward, then use my right palm to thrust straight ahead with a strike to his
face. Or I may turn my right palm over (so the palm is facing upward) to prop up
his arm and then pull, or pluck his sleeve and lead him diagonally to the left,
and I can then strike using the eyebrow-height punch.
When using this technique against an opponent, if I have already locked up
his arms and I want him to topple but do not wish to injure his head, then I
would use my left hand to diagonally lead his wrist and send out my right palm
to push on his left shoulder, whereupon he will lean and stumble away. If I use
the striking version, then I may use my right fist to strike to his left ribs, also a
simple technique that will bring victory.
4. ADVANCE, FOUR-LEVEL PUNCH
Command: Four!

After your right fist punches forward at eyebrow level, it then withdraws to be
placed above your head. At the same time, your left foot advances hooking
inward, your right foot following by sliding forward still on the ground, making
a horse-riding stance, while your left fist strikes out forward.

In this posture, when your right fist withdraws, your left fist punches, and when
your left foot advances, your right foot follows. These four parts are to be
coordinated into a single action, issuing as one and arriving at the same time, no
part out of synch with the rest. You especially must send power from your spine,
through your arms, to be concentrated at your fists.
When using the eyebrow-height punch to strike the opponent, if he uses his
right hand to block upward, I then advance with my left foot and use my left
hand, making a fist, to thrust a punch to his chest or ribs. Whenever I am
fighting with an opponent, if he happens to lean his upper body back or carry
my hand upward, I can always use this technique to attack him. But in order to
be able to succeed with it, I must sit down as I thrust forward, and I must act
decisively and with ferocity, by all means avoiding slovenly movement [driving
your boat through the mud], for distractred slowness will lose me my
opportunity.
Line 2, Part 2 (TWO, two, three, four!):
Clarification:
TWO! left PULLING HAND
Two! right STEP FORWARD, right POUNCING PALM STRIKE TO THE
FACE
Three! right SEIZING THE WRIST, left EYEBROW-HEIGHT PUNCH
Four! ADVANCE with your right foot, right FOUR-LEVEL PUNCH
LINE 3: TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH

To fling is to fling aside. The torso-flung punch is a posture of flinging aside
with your body to punch an opponent. In martial arts terminology, flinging
has an intention of turning around and folding up. The movements of this line
are blended together by way of turning one way and then turning around the
other, emphasizing body maneuvering, thus the name.
1. TURN, PROP & STRIKE

After performing Posture 4 of Line 2 a fourth time right four-level punch
your right foot advances to the forward right, your right arm propping up, bent
across at headtop level. At the same time, your left fist lowers from its position
in the previous posture by striking out to the forward right until almost in front
of your knee, your right leg bending forward toward the forward right, your left
leg straightening behind, making a bow and arrow stance. Your gaze follows
your left fist to look forward.

When performing Part 1, go to the forward right and then turn around. When
performing Part 2, you will go to the left rear and then turn around. The rest of
the movements from then on will be the same, switching left and right. In this
posture, the hand propping up and the hand doing the planting punch must
issue in unison. When stepping while turning your body, you should stretch
with your waist to assist the posture. Send power up from your rear leg into your
fists, but do not lift the heel off the ground.
An opponent attacks from my forward right, or left rear [in the case of
performing Part 3 of this line], so I turn my body while propping up with my
front hand and using my rear hand to do a planting punch. Were I to use my left
hand to cover his right wrist and my right hand to strike to his head, if he then
uses his left hand to do a propping block, I would close in on his body, using my
left arm to carry his arm upward and switching to using my right fist to strike to
his ribs or belly.

The application of this posture is roughly the same as Taiji Boxings MAIDEN
WORKS THE SHUTTLE combined with its PLANTING PUNCH. However, the
hand that props up has to be propping up his upper arm for it to be effective. It
is particularly necessary to be near to his body that is the key to it.
2. TURN AROUND, DOUBLE PULLING HANDS
Command: Two!

Continuing from the previous posture, turn around to the left, your right foot
pivoting on the heel about a hundred and twenty degrees. At the same time,
both hands perform the pulling technique as a parabola, going upward with
your body turning, then pulling downward, right hand above, left hand below, to
be placed beside your left knee. Your left toes are touching down, withdrawing
to be about six or seven inches away from your right foot to make a T shape,
your right foot forming the top of the T. The weight is on your right leg. Your
chest is slightly hollowed and your back has an energy of pressing out. Your gaze
is forward.

When you turn your body around to the rear, your front foot becomes your rear
foot and your rear foot becomes your front foot. Once your body has turned and
the roles of your feet have been switched, the emphasis becomes the double
pulling of your hands and the drawing in of your front foot. The double pulling
of your hands must in this case be taking energy past your left knee. (With your
left foot in front, your hands pull to the left, but in Part 2 they will be taking
energy past your right knee.) Avoiding the opponents advance putting pressure
upon your body is the purpose of the withdrawing step, which is likewise the
other foot in Part 2. When performing the technique, each of the movements
should be done quickly but smoothly.
An opponent attacks me from behind, so I turn around and do a double-handed
pull to his arm. He is sure to lean forward, but I must take his energy to the side,
be it left or right, to avoid the pressure of his attack. Furthermore, while he is
behind me, I must observe him attentively early on and wait for his hand to
come out, then I turn around and pull him. I do not wait for his hand to hit me
in order to know he is there, for by then my adapting to him would be ineffective
and I would counterproductively be under his control.
After succeeding with the double pull, if I do not use a downward block to
seal off his possible strikes, then the simplest technique would be to use my
right hand to cover his left arm while I let go with my left hand to lift and strike
to his face as a fist (with left and right reversed in the second posture of Part 2)
or go forward with a raising palm strike to his face.
3. ADVANCE, PROP & STRIKE
Command: Three!

Advance with your left foot, using your right hand to prop up and your left hand
to strike out, both hands making fists, squatting down to make a horse-riding
stance.

When advancing, your rear foot follows forward, making a horse-riding stance.
Your shoulders and hips should be aligned with each other rather than twisting
against each other. Your lower back should be upright. When performing the
posture, use intention to send the power of your whole body into your arms.
When I use both hands to pull the opponent downward, if his arm goes upward
with a carrying block, I then use my right arm to block it upward and use my left
fist to strike forward to his chest. Whenever I apply the pulling technique
(regardless of single-handed or double-handed), if an opponent forcefully
carries upward, I then send my other hand along with his resisting energy,
propping up and striking forward. It works best in a stance of same hand and
foot forward, but it would also be effective in a crossed stance.

4. STEP FORWARD, DRILL & STRIKE
Command: Four!

Step your right foot forward, using your left hand to prop up and your right
hand to strike out, again making a horse-riding stance.

DRILL & STRIKE is mostly the same as PROP & STRIKE with only minor
differences.
It is also known as SPREAD & STRIKE. The hand that props upward does not
need to carry very high, and it slightly spreads aside as you advance. In practical
terms, it is very close to PROP & STRIKE. When propping upward, connect to
the opponents wrist, then use a round energy to neutralize outward, drilling
with your body and charging forward. When performing this posture, the
movements of your hands and feet should be coordinated and quick, without the
slightest hesitation, because in an actual situation you will not be able to
advance if there is the slightest delay. Therefore when practicing, you must
cultivate a habit of fluid speed.
Once I am propping and striking, if the opponent blocks my left hand, I then
neutralize outward. This may appear as carrying, blocking, hooking, or
dragging, but the real intention is to make use of his energy in order to make
him lose his balance, then take advantage of the opportunity and advance.
When I then drill with my body and strike to his chest or belly, the energy of my
hands has to be both calm and alert. Whenever I connect with an opponents
arm, regardless of whether he blocks or parries, I always neutralize it outward
and take advantage of the opportunity by using my other hand to strike forward.
However, I can only succeed when striking by drilling with my body and
advancing with my step, whereas I will be unable to make it work if I simply
reach out in order to strike.
Clarification:
TWO! TURN to the left rear, PROP & STRIKE
Two! TURN AROUND to the right, DOUBLE PULLING HANDS
Three! ADVANCE with your right foot, PROP & STRIKE
Four! left STEP FORWARD, DRILL & STRIKE
LINE 4: FLOWER HIDDEN UNDER THE LEAF

The name for this line comes from Yue School Sanshou. It is a description of the
postures appearance. It is also known as PUNCH UNDER THE ELBOW and
WAIST-DRIVEN PUNCH, which are both very fitting. As its movements are
alternations of empty and full, and there many kinds of transformations, it is
truly an ingenious group of techniques.

1. PULLING HAND

After performing Posture 4 of Line 3 a fourth time your left fist striking out
turn around to the right rear and perform the pulling hand with your right hand,
your left palm guarding at your shoulder, the same as in Posture 1 of Line 2.
Points for attention: same as in Line 2, posture 1.
Application explanation: same as in Line 2, posture 1.
2. STEP FORWARD, COVERING HAND
Command: Two!

Step your left foot forward to make a horse-riding stance, your body turning to
the right, and use your left hand to cover downward until almost on top of your
knee, level with your lower abdomen and your right hand.

Both the pulling hand and covering hand are neither fists nor palms, simply a
matter of the fingers curling inward. In one case there is a pulling energy, in the
other a covering energy. Your right elbow is near your ribs, your left elbow
sinking down. Both knees are covering inward. Your spine should be straight.
Having used my right hand to pull the opponents wrist, I now step my left foot
forward to hook his right foot while using my left hand to cover his right arm,
sitting down heavily. I thereby control half of his body, causing him to lose half
of his power to resist, and then I will attack. Once I trap him, I am continuing to
turn my body to the right, making him still more incapable of resisting.
However, I must go only as far as is suitable and not make the mistake of either
going too far or not far enough.
3. HURLING PALM STRIKE TO THE EAR

Command: Three!

Continuing from the previous posture, your left hand does not shift from its
position of covering, but your right hand hurls across with a palm strike, using
whipping energy.

If your covering hand has no urgency, the opponent will be able to resist it.
When your other hand switches from its pulling to hurl a palm strike to the ear,
your body moves still closer to the opponent. During this hurling action, your
shoulder should be loose, power stored in the palm.
My left hand does not move from covering the opponents arm, but my right
hand hurls across as a palm toward his face, aimed approximately at his temple.
This technique is a feint, yet there appears to be danger within this attack.
4. WAIST-DRIVEN PUNCH

Command: Four!

Your body withdraws to the rear and you slightly draw back your left foot. Your
right hand is withdrawing to be crosswise above your head, palm facing
outward. Then use your left hand to prop up, arm bent until vertical, elbow
sinking down near your ribs, and use your right hand to strike across with a
waist-driven punch until placed below your left elbow, fist eye facing forward
[upward], again stepping out with your left foot. See the drawing:

When your body withdraws and advances, your step draws in and goes out, your
left hand props up, and your right hand strikes. All of these actions must occur
in coordination with each other and never be separate from their intended
application.
When in the previous posture I hurled my palm to attack the left side of the
opponents face, he is sure to use his left hand to do a carrying block, so I go
along with his carrying energy and withdraw my hand after connecting with
him. This is certain to cause his arm to straighten, so I slip my left hand behind
his elbow and prop up to the side. The higher I go with this, the more effective it
will be. I prop up until it is past my head, then use my right fist to strike to his
left ribs. If I have hooked his foot, then the act of propping up and taking him
across, coupled with my body twisting to the left, will make him topple without
my having to strike him.
Or when I hurl out my palm strike, if he does not prop up but instead covers
downward, I then withdraw my right hand, turning the palm to face outward,
and pull his left wrist, then as before I slip my left arm behind his left elbow.
With my left arm folding inward and my right hand pushing outward, his arm
can be broken. These kinds of techniques all have to be assisted by power from
the waist, as in the embracing elbow posture [explained below in Line 6,
Posture 4].
Clarification:
Two! right STEP FORWARD, COVERING HAND
Three! left HURLING PALM STRIKE TO THE EAR
Four! right hand propping up, left WAIST-DRIVEN PUNCH
LINE 5: IMMORTAL STEERS THE BOAT

This focuses on powerfully throwing an opponent. When you issue power, you
must have a stable energy, then your throwing will be precise. When throwing,
the posture is as though your hands are working a rudder, hence the name. Also
called PUSHING A MOUNTAIN, it is the same kind of technique as Taiji

Boxings SEALING SHUT and Xingyi Boxings tiger.
1. PULLING HAND

After performing Posture 4 of Line 4 a fourth time, turn around to the left and
perform the pulling hand with your left hand.
Points for attention: same as before.
Application explanation: same as before.
2. STEP FORWARD, FLINGING PALM STRIKE TO THE FACE
Command: Two!

Stepping your right foot forward, your body turns a hundred and eighty degrees
to the left and your right palm goes forward from your left shoulder with a
reverse palm strike, palm facing inward. Your left hand remains in its posture
from the pulling hand technique, placed crosswise in front of your belly.

This postures movement is the same as the pouncing palm strike to the face in
Line 2, except that in that case the palm was facing outward, whereas in this
case the palm is facing inward and the back of the hand is striking the opponent.
Having used my left hand to pull the opponents left wrist, I now advance with
my right foot to hook his left foot while using my right hand to do a backhanded
strike to his face. This induces him to do a propping block with his right hand
and I will then turn over my hand to pull on his wrist. This technique is a feint
for the purpose of throwing him by way of the two following postures. If I were
instead to use a striking method, the general idea for that was already described
in Line 2.
3. GATHERING HANDS

Command: Three!

Your right hand turns over and gathers in downward, your left hand increasing
its pulling energy to also be gathering in downward, your elbows binding in
toward your ribs. Your upper body slightly bends, the posture squatting down.

When your hands gather downward, you are grabbing an opponents wrists.
Your arms and his are thus making an X shape. Your elbows bind in toward
your ribs as your body bends and squats, thus the whole of your strength will be
sinking down and it will not be easy for the opponent to pull away. Furthermore,
when you store power and then issue, the technique you perform is sure to
succeed. It is called gathering hands, but the meaning is grabbing.
When my hands connect with the opponents, I pull his wrists and gather
downward, my body slightly bending, my elbows nearing my ribs, so that I am

storing power to the fullest. At this moment, he may struggle, but since I am
already prepared to throw him out, his struggling only helps me to issue power.
Whenever I pull downward with both hands, he is sure to lean forward. Once
leaning forward, he will struggle to back off, a natural instinct. If he has the skill
of identifying energy, he would go along with my gathering technique and
advance, and then I would evade with my body while pulling diagonally with a
single hand, causing him to lose his balance, then raise a hand to strike to his
face.
4. MOUNTAIN-PUSHING PALMS
Command: Four!

Advance with your right foot, pushing forward with both hands, your left foot
following forward. See the drawing:

When your hands push, you should concentrate all your strength in your palms.
Advance with your step and stretch your waist to assist the power. However,
once you have pushed out, your elbows should not go past your knees and your
arms should not straighten all the way, and should instead maintain some
quality of storing. When your rear foot follows your front foot forward, it must
move nimbly rather than dragging along the ground, which would be the
opposite of an energy of advancing.
When I apply the gathering hands, if the opponent struggles, I advance while
pushing on his elbows. Having gathered inward, I then push forward. If his
hands are already spreading open, I can then push to his chest to throw him out.
The issuing of power in this technique should be in good order rather than
sloppily carried out, and then it will be effective enough that it cannot be
defended against. The various throwing methods are all variations based on this
technique. You can get the general idea from this one and then extend it to the
rest.
Clarification:
TWO! right PULLING HAND
Two! STEP FORWARD with your left foot, FLINGING PALM STRIKE TO
THE FACE
Three! GATHERING HANDS
Four! advancing with your left foot, MOUNTAIN-PUSHING PALMS
LINE 6: EMPEROR TIES UP A PIG

The name of this line fully describes fierceness and invincibility. The main word
is tie. Tie up the opponent and throw him away. No one can resist against it.
Although the name may be somewhat lacking in elegance, it would not be
convenient to change it, for it expresses so authentically the tying within the
technique. It is the same as the shaking braids technique of Shuaijiao.
1. PULLING HAND

After performing Posture 4 of Line 5 a fourth time, turn around to the right and
perform the pulling hand with your right hand.
2. SIDEWAYS STOPPING PALM
Command: Two!

Continuing from the previous posture, step your left foot forward while
extending your left hand from your right shoulder, going across with a
stopping technique, palm facing inward.

A pouncing palm strike to the face involves striking an opponent with the palm
facing outward. A flinging palm strike to the face involves striking an opponent
with the palm turned to be facing inward. This sideways stopping palm
involves striking across to an opponents face with the forearm, the palm facing
inward, and lures his other hand into blocking. Although these palm techniques
have slightly different names, their function is the same. When sending the
palm out, the most important thing is stability, thus preparing this striking
technique to switch to the pulling technique that follows.
When I send out my palm and my arm goes across with a reverse strike to the
opponents face, it is almost the same as a pouncing palm strike to the face or a
flinging palm strike to the face. If he happens to use his left hand to seize my left
wrist, I slightly step my left foot out to the forward left and use my left hand to
diagonally prop upward, as in the beginning of Line 3, Part 2, in which I then
use my right fist to do a planting punch to the opponents left ribs.
3. TYING HANDS
Command: Three!

Your left palm turns over to face outward, making a seizing posture, and pulls
downward to the left. Your right pulling hand is again using pulling energy as it
goes slightly upward to the right, lifting and twisting.

The intention of this technique is to use one hand to control both of the
opponents hands,
one hand pulling while the other is lifting into place. It is a different energy from
the gathering hands in Line 5 because this technique flows right into the throw
that follows, which simultaneously contains a striking attack. But as to whether

or not any technique can follow from the gathering hands or the tying hands,
this entirely depends on how effectively either of those techniques is carried out,
and in this regard they are the same. The most important thing is that both
hands put forth energy in unison, responding together. By putting value on
exploring the practicality of a technique, we can naturally come to understand
its subtleties.
Having used my right hand to pull the opponents right wrist while doing a
sideways stopping palm to attack his face, he is sure to do a propping block with
his left hand. I promptly turn over my palm to seize his left wrist and pull down,
at the same time lifting [my right hand upward] and twisting, causing his right
arm to get pressed down behind his left elbow. Thus I can deflate the situation
by way of the tying hands technique. At this time, my left hand has seized and
pushed down his [left] wrist, thereby controlling both of his hands by pushing
them closer to his own body, tying him up tightly. If I worry that he will shake
me off, it would be better to apply the technique in the following posture, for the
simplest thing to do would be to let go with my right hand and strike to his left
ribs. Or I could also apply the eyebrow-height punch from Line 2.
4. ROLLING PRESSING HANDS
Command: Four!

Your hands loosen in unison. Your left arm bends into a rolling pressing
technique, and once rolled outward, the palm is facing outward. Your right arm
at first assists the rolling pressing of your left arm, then continues into a forward
push, using throwing energy. Your left foot at the same time advances, right foot
following.

When advancing with the rolling pressing action, your hands must issue in
unison. When performing the tying hands, this energy is stored and waiting to
be issued. Once your step has advanced, your stance becomes stable and heavy,
and the whole of your spirit is focused forward.
If the opponent has been trapped by me in the previous posture, I let go with my
left hand and use my forearm to slide upward along his left forearm until our
elbows are crossed, then I do a rolling press outward, my right hand pushing on
his left arm. Use of gathering energy assists the power of the rolling becoming a
throw, but I have to change from one to the other very rapidly so he is unable to
escape. If I do not let go with my left hand and I use only my right hand to push
on his left arm, he is sure to lean and fall away.
The previous methods of striking forward have often been a matter of
suddenly propping up both of the opponents arms and striking, as in Line 2s

PROP & STRIKE, and is a situation that will also appear in Lines 7 and 8. The
result would be a powerful strike, but not a powerful throw. The version in this
line is a method of throwing and striking applied simultaneously.
Clarification:
Two! step your right foot forward, SIDEWAYS STOPPING PALM
Three! TYING HANDS
Four! right foot advancing, ROLLING PRESSING HANDS
LINE 7: DOUBLE DRAGONS PLAY WITH THE PEARL

This line is so named because of its third posture REACHING FINGERS [a
double-finger poke]. It is also known as HOLDING THE LUTE, which manifests
in the course of the fourth posture EMBRACING ELBOW because its
appearance in that moment is as the name implies. Understand its essentials,
especially cutting, grabbing, tying, and striking. These four terms are
fundamental to this line, cutting in particular, which is used in two of its
postures. This line might seem to be the same thing as Line 4, but is actually
different.
1. PULLING HAND

After performing posture 4 of Line 6 a fourth time, turn around to the left and
perform the pulling hand with your left hand.

2. CUTTING FIST
Command: Two!

Continuing from the previous posture, step your right foot forward, your right
hand making a fist and striking downward to make a line with your left hand,
your hands just over a foot apart. At the same time, your body turns a hundred
and eighty degrees to the left, your knees covering inward as you squat down
into a horse-riding stance. See the drawing:

The step forward in the previous line uses a palm attack, whereas in this line it is
a fist pressing down. Your upper body must give attention to evading on the left,
because when you actually apply this technique, you must defend against the
opponents right hand reaching out and striking at you. However, even if you
have an intention of evading, stay close to his body and do not draw away from
him. Power must be concentrated at your right fist, and when it presses down,
your stance should also be sinking down.
If an opponent uses his left hand to attack me, I then use my left hand to pull his
wrist while advancing my right foot and using my right fist to cut downward
onto his left elbow, the middle of his upper arm, or behind his funny bone.
Whenever I am not yet connecting to an opponents body or my wrist has been
seized, I can use a fist to do a cutting strike to his forearm. But using both fists
in succession, the front fist chopping outward followed by the rear fist cutting
inward, is not quite the same thing.
If a cutting strike to his arm is done when very close to his body, it will be a
chop to his head and then continue downward to reach his arm, making it extra
brutal. If I unsuccessfully use my left hand to pull his left wrist, and his right
hand is already on its way to strike me, I then apply this technique, advancing
and using my right fist to do a cutting strike to his right arm.
3. REACHING FINGERS
Command: Three!

Continuing from the cutting fist technique, your right fist becomes a palm and
covers downward while your left hand reaches out forward with its forefinger
and middle finger extended, hand at about head level. Your right foot is forward
and you are making a bow and arrow stance.

When your right palm covers downward, use sinking energy. When your fingers
reach out, you must send energy to the fingertips. Move it there by way of
intention. Your upper body should be upright, not leaning forward or back, nor
inclining to either side. When your fingers reach out, the intention is to poke the
opponents eyes. You should perform this as if your opponent is your own
height, going neither too high nor too low, which would go against the real
intention [i.e. producing habits of pointing uselessly over an opponents head or
jabbing jarringly at his sternum]. This technique is a feint to lure him in. Catch
him by surprise and then quickly advance upon him. The more forward the
reaching energy goes, the more the covering energy will increase. You should
pay particular attention to this.
After I apply the pulling hand and cutting fist, my right fist becomes a palm and
covers the opponents arm downward while my withdrawn left hand reaches out
its fingers to gouge his eyes. This technique is a feint, yet if I am quick and he is
too slow, this fake technique will become real. If I focus entirely on reaching out
my fingers to poke his eyes, then when I cover his arm downward, there will be
more of a pulling energy, and he is sure to now lean forward. With his body
suddenly leaning forward and unstable, his hand drops back, too busy to attack
me, and so I seize the opportunity to reach out with my fingers to injure his
eyes. I could also use all five fingers to poke together or to rake his face with
what is called an eagles claw. The purpose of this technique is different
depending on whether it is fake or real and should be carefully distinguished.
4. EMBRACING ELBOW, STRIKE STRAIGHT AHEAD
Command: Four!

Your upper body twists to the left, your left hand withdrawing halfway and
becoming a fist placed about three or four inches in front of your chest, your
right arm extending upward to the left, the palm turning over and carrying
upward to the right. You now look as though you are holding a lute. Your right
foot has slightly withdrawn and the weight has shifted to your left foot. Your
upper body then twists to the right to be squared forward, your right arm
carrying outward as your left fist strikes out to the solar plexus, your right foot
slightly advancing, left foot following, and you are again making a bow and
arrow stance. See the drawing:

When your left hand withdraws, your upper body twists to the left and your
right arm carries to the upper left. When your left fist strikes forward, your
upper body twists to the right and your right arm goes outward with a rolling
carrying action, the movements corresponding to each other, linked precisely.
When the hand carries outward, carry upward until the forearm folds in to the
point that the fist is almost at the shoulder and the elbow is at your ribs.
This posture emphasizes cutting. The embracing elbow is for cutting away the
opponents arm. It is the waist-driven punch from Line 4 adjusted in its
function. Half of this posture is the hand carrying outward, cutting away his arm
from behind, and the movement then continues into the punch, striking to his
soft ribs. If my right hand has covered his left arm and he now attacks me with
his right hand, I then use my left hand to block slightly outward, the right side of
my body closing toward his, and withdraw my right hand to slip behind his right
elbow. Sticking to his elbow, I then do a rolling carry to the right, pressing
tightly behind his elbow, while my withdrawn left hand goes forward to attack
his right ribs. In this technique, I use my right hand to do a rolling carry to his
arm, but if I were to instead pluck his sleeve, called twining under, that would
also be very effective.
Clarification:
TWO! right PULLING HAND
Two! step forward, CUTTING FIST
Three! right REACHING FINGERS
Four! EMBRACING ELBOW, STRIKE STRAIGHT AHEAD with your right
fist forward
LINE 8: SWINGING ELBOW, PRESS & STRIKE

This set emphasizes tying and grabbing in order to defeat an opponent,
techniques which require getting close to his body for them to be effective. It
does not value flowery techniques and redundant poses, or striking at him from
far away and hitting him by getting lucky. It discards the superficial and focuses
on the practical. Of all the lines in this set, it is this one that contains the most
tying and grabbing. Its secret to defeating opponents is skill in employing the
elbow. The action of the swinging elbow should be an unpredictable change,
and then the connecting technique of press & strike should especially follow
from it crisply. Hence the name for the line is SWINGING ELBOW, PRESS &
STRIKE.
1. PULLING HAND

After performing Posture 4 of Line 7 a fourth time, turn around to the right and
perform the pulling hand with your right hand.
2. FLINGING PALM STRIKE TO THE FACE
Command: Two!
Step your left foot forward, your left hand going forward from your right
shoulder with a backhanded strike, your body turning a hundred and eighty
degrees, and make a horse-riding stance. See the drawing:

This posture is the same as the pouncing palm strike to the face in Line 2, except
the palm in that case was facing outward, whereas in this case it is facing inward
for the back of the hand to be striking the opponent.
After my right hand pulls the opponents right wrist, I step my left foot forward
and use my left hand to do a backhanded strike to his face.
3. SWINGING ELBOW, PUNCH TO THE CROTCH
Command: Three!

Continuing from the previous posture, your left hand makes a fist, the elbow
sinks to your belly, and your upper body twists to the left. With your elbow
tightly clamping to your ribs, the wrist rotates and swings outward as your right
fist does a punch to the crotch, your stance changing to a bow and arrow stance.
See the drawing:

When your left elbow swings outward, it must be touching your left ribs,
deliberately clamping tightly. Use power from your waist to move your upper
body outward. When your left leg bends forward, the toes and knee should be
closing in on each other.
After I use my left hand to do a flinging palm strike to the opponents face, I
drop my elbow, clamping his right arm, and twist outward, my right hand
becoming a fist and striking to his lower abdomen. Or when my left palm strikes
to his face, if he grabs my wrist and pushes down, I then go along with his
pushing energy by bringing my left arm down to cover his body, using the elbow
to press down his right arm, while withdrawing my right hand, which becomes a
fist and does either a lifting punch or a punch straight to his face.
As soon as I connect with an opponent [in the PULLING HAND posture], if
my right wrist gets seized while he also uses his left hand to attack my head or
chest, I do not need to struggle against it, I simply step forward and use my left
hand to parry and press down his [left] arm instead of doing the flinging palm
strike to the face, then once it has been pressed until almost below chest level, I
use my elbow to obstruct his [right] hand seizing my wrist. With my left elbow
going to the left and my right hand going to the right, spreading apart in unison,
he will either let go or get a broken thumb. (Once my right fist is free, it attacks
his chest. My posture has now performed the swinging elbow aspect of it, but
my right fist happens to be striking to his chest rather than his crotch. This is a
technique of defeating an opponents grab and knocking him down, and we
must not look upon this posture only as a striking method.)
If when my right wrist is grabbed by the opponent and I use my left hand to
strike to his face, my left hand then gets seized so that my arms are crossed, my
left arm on top, right arm under, the method of escaping is to forcefully
withdraw my left hand. This is called asking energy. When he feels this energy,
he surely will also forcefully withdraw. I will then go along with his force,
extending my left arm straight ahead, and take advantage of the situation by
squatting down, storing power at my waist, and suddenly dropping my elbow
and swinging it outward to clamp his right arm, thus freeing my right wrist to be
able to make a fist and strike forward. At this time, even if he is still holding on
to my left wrist, there is no benefit in doing so, for there is nothing he can do
with it. (If both of my wrists are being held by him, but with my right arm on
top, left arm under, it is the same as described above, but with left and right
reversed.)
This technique has still other methods. For instance, if I were to instead use
my right hand to forcefully press against his body with asking energy, he is sure
to counter by forcefully pushing out toward me, so I take advantage of the
situation by advancing my body, moving my right hand downward, staying close
to my chest, as my left arm clamps over it. His right forearm is now clamped
below my chest. It is as though my left forearm is the flap of a pocket and his
right forearm has slipped into it from above. I can now easily pull out my right
wrist, as well as turn over my left hand to cover his left wrist, and my right hand
can strike him at leisure. (You need to understand that the use of the swinging
elbow divides into clamping over and clamping under.)
If my left hand happens to cover an opponents right wrist and he uses his left
hand to seize my right wrist, I can again use asking energy to draw him out,
sending his left hand into being clamped by my right forearm. My right fist then
pulls away and strikes to his left ribs. Once his hand has been clamped, if I make
a fist and pull it away, I might not be able to free it, but if I pull it away first as a
palm, it can slip out.
There are a great many ways to apply this posture, but all of its methods are a
matter of limitlessly adapting. Writing down every scenario would be tiresome
and tedious. The examples above amount to but a hundredth of a percent, and
now that you have the gist of it, you can seek the rest on your own.
4. PRESSING DOWN, PUNCH TO THE SOLAR PLEXUS
Command: Four!

After your right fist strikes out to the crotch in the previous posture, it
withdraws to be placed at your right ribs, your upper body twisting to the right
as you make a horse-riding stance. Your left forearm is blocking downward,
pressing down until in front of your belly, and then its upper arm stays at your
ribs as your right fist does a punch to the solar plexus, returning you to a bow
and arrow stance.

When your left forearm presses down crosswise, it is using power in the same
way as the cutting fist in Line 7, except in that case it is the fist that is pressing,
whereas in this case it is the forearm that is pressing. During this downward
pressing, your left upper arm stays tight against your left ribs and then its
forearm does not move during the punch to the solar plexus.
When applying SWINGING ELBOW, PUNCH TO THE CROTCH, if the
opponent blocks downward with his left hand, I then use my left forearm to
press down on his forearm, wholeheartedly acting to control the situation, while
pulling back my right fist and then thrusting it out to attack his solar plexus. Or
I send my right fist forward lifted upward to strike to his nose or chin. This is
called lifting up because it has the same energy as lifting an object.
5. FIST TO THE FACE
Command: Five!

Your fists cross at the wrists and carry upward above your head, right hand
inside, left hand outside, your front foot slightly withdrawing. Then advance as
your right fist does a strike to the face, the center of the fist facing inward,
striking as a backfist, your left fist staying at head level.

As for the footwork in this posture, withdraw during the carrying upward and
advance during the striking forward it must correspond to the movement. Be
sure not to overly stick out your chest, which would affect your balance. In the
movements of the previous several postures, advancing should contain an
intention of retreating, and carrying upward must contain an intention of
pressing downward. The most important things in practicing this boxing set are
considered to be the energies of opening and closing, and of coming and going,
also that using intention is superior whereas using strength is inferior. It says in
the Book of Changes [hexagram 1] about the solid upper line: The proud
dragon will have regrets. Play with this idea.
While applying PRESSING DOWN, PUNCH TO THE SOLAR PLEXUS, if the
opponent pulls away his hands and forcefully blocks upward, I use my left
forearm to carry horizontally upward with my right hand on top, lifting high so
my arms cross. After carrying upward, my right fist switches to striking to his
face. Whenever I carry an opponents hand up to head level, I can always use
this method to strike him, but I must act very fast to do so or I will be an open
target below, and even if he does not get in with his hands, he could still kick
me, like the three ways in which the snake of Mt. Chang can counterattack.
[Attack its head, its tail responds. Attack its tail, its head responds. Attack its
middle, both head and tail respond together. (Art of War, chapter 11)].
Line 8, Part 2 (TWO, two, three, four, five!):
Clarification:
Two! step forward with your right foot, FLINGING PALM STRIKE TO THE
FACE
Three! right SWINGING ELBOW, left PUNCH TO THE CROTCH
Four! right PRESSING DOWN, left PUNCH TO THE SOLAR PLEXUS
Five! left FIST TO THE FACE
A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF BAFAN BOXING
Now that I have roughly described this boxing art, I should conclude by
summarizing its theory. However, my personality is the type that usually does
not wish to waste words or seek to please the ear with wit. Furthermore, I have
contempt for those who use exaggeration to influence people, or those who treat
the art of keeping fit and defending the self as but a topic of gossip to follow a
meal, or who produce writings that ridicule it, or those who argue over which
style is best, those who compete to see who is the toughest, those who spread
fairy tales to ignorant people, or those who get carried away by presenting the
art in impenetrable language. When I look at what they are doing, I find they are
only seeking after their own notoriety. At the very least, this is plain selfishness,
and at its worst, people are getting downright cheated.
We are in a renaissance era for Chinese martial arts, in which we are working
to rescue them through seeking to rectify their flaws. It is best to cook their
reality and their theory in the same oven, maintaining a down-to-earth attitude
toward them with no esteem for empty words, even when written or spoken
with elegance. Let us then examine for whether a practitioner is capable of
[from Lun Yu, 2.13] doing what he says he is going to do. If he is not, then you
can look upon him as you would a passing cloud. He has only understood a
fraction of what he has learned and has produced his writings based on only
that level of experience.
When we do research into writings about these arts, so flauntingly declared,
the essentials of martial arts reality has hardly even been dreamt of within them.
Why do we care about these kinds of babbling discourses by authors who have
gotten carried away with themselves? I cannot stand such texts, nor do I wish to
learn from them, because they really only take the material as far as what is
already known. The ones who do not presume to believe they have abilities that
they do not yet actually possess wisely write of these arts only in terms of
general ideas, and they strive to understand that which they do not understand
and to be able to do that which they are not able to do. Therefore I hope that my
martial arts comrades will all pay special attention to studying practical
application.
The methods of Yue School Bafan Boxing are simple, obvious, and extremely
convenient to practice. They can be seen as a way of making ones body fit, or
they can be seen as a way of defending oneself against bullies. However, people
who have doubts about its simplicity and ease, finding more pleasure in what is
overly complicated, do not understand that martial arts applications value

precision over profusion. The fewer the techniques, the easier they will be to
apply. The more the techniques, the harder they will be to master. There are
plenty of people in the world who have mastered a single technique or a single
energy, and it is another thing altogether to master countless techniques and
energies. As for these eight lines, they are transforming endlessly anyway. In
mastering them, you will thus be sufficiently equipped for practical purposes.
Seeking for more after that point, you will discover that the more you learn, the
less you know. The lines of this boxing set have already been described in detail.
Now it is time to summarize the theory. Pay attention to these methods of
practicing the skills:
To develop skill, you should pay attention to essential points when practicing
the boxing postures. How should we go about practicing to then possess skill? In
the lines of this boxing set, the pulling hand technique initiates seven [six] of
the lines. It has already been explained that this technique is extremely
important. When practicing, you must have it in mind that you are facing an
opponent. The height and range that your hands come out must be firmly based
in reality. You should be serious about it rather than just playing around with it.
Where your hands and feet arrive, focus your entire spirit, like an eagle
capturing a rabbit, like a cat pouncing on a mouse. The footwork is not a matter
of advancing without retreating. You should be able to shift in any direction to
the front, back, left, right, or center. If an opponent crowds too close to you,
then you must step back, but the size of your step should depend on being able
to take control of his hand with a pull, adapting with instant speed. This is
always so, whether stepping with your left foot or right.
When practicing, have a heightened intention toward adaptation, then the
movements of your feet will be extremely alert. However, while this is true for
the boxing postures and movements, you must not be changing arbitrarily. For
this reason, I have created a drill for applying the pulling hand technique which
conforms to realistic function. After finishing a practice of the boxing postures,
or indeed at any other time, students are to be divided into two groups which
stand facing each other at an appropriate distance. Give the command for group
A to perform pulling and for group B to defend against it. Those in group A
should be determined to pull, those in group B determined to defend. They step
as is natural, advancing or retreating, going to the left or right. However, when
competing with each other thus, they are not allowed to mix in other techniques
or to have thoughts of revenge. This is thus a method of realistically training the
pulling hand technique which can simultaneously train the footwork. With the
groups alternating their roles for three or more months of such training, the
resulting ability to fluently apply techniques and not miss opportunities will
arise remarkably quickly.
The various techniques beyond this are methods of attacking critical areas
and so must not be experimented with recklessly. As for the rest of the practical
applications in the set, the movements are more complicated, but you can work
on them in the same way, and you do not need to be too stubborn about how
they are to be performed. However, when practicing practical applications, you
must first understand their purpose, i.e. the reasoning within such-and-such a
technique. As for the methods contained within each of the lines, be they locking
or grabbing, tying or pressing, they are identical in this regard, for it is only the
striking techniques that are obvious.
The theory behind these principles is to develop the body in order to enhance
innate ability in the context of applying the boxing techniques. After a long time,
the various techniques and energies will all have been achieved naturally,
without any intent and yet intentful, without any technique and yet full of
technique. When practicing methods of attacking opponents, go beyond
attacking according to the techniques and instead respond according to the
opponents attacks, then you will naturally develop the ability to defend against
them. When practicing methods of defending against opponents, go beyond
defending according to defensive techniques, and then you will naturally
develop the ability to sense a gap and attack. Give time to expressing your innate
abilities and they will merge with the techniques and energies in the boxing set,
and with rapid results.
You can thereby become particularly competent at correctly dealing with
opponents. However, if you always give in to the delight of practicing in this
way, you will never give any time to actually practicing the boxing postures. This
is a huge mistake. This boxing set as devised has very rich contents. One who
can come to fully understand it will mature into one with a complete talent.
When we practice applications together, it is only supplemental to practicing the
set, and to intuit countless techniques after having achieved our first one is not
going to happen without it. On the other hand, when we talk of developing
skills, we should go beyond just practicing the postures and engage in
appropriate supplemental training, and with a mind toward realistic
application. Yet the way toward the greatest achievement in the art still lies with
the postures. Practicing the postures of this boxing art can be divided into
roughly two stages:
1. In the beginning, greatly open and extend the postures, emphasizing
calmly expressing power. As a result, blood will circulate better, muscles will
operate more smoothly, and bones will become more solid. By practicing
perseveringly, all illnesses will naturally be eliminated, you will be as strong as a
tiger, your body will have robust health, and you will be able to apply the art.
2. Your postures are to then gradually seek to become compact, storing
internal power, a hardness that is not expressed. Hand, eye, body, and step act
with liveliness and nimbleness. Within the set, there are techniques and
energies. Although there is issuing without shape, the movements are full of
intent. Wherever intention goes, technique and energy follow. In the subtlety of
every movement and stillness, transformations cannot be observed. With an eye
toward ceaseless progress, it will be like the power of Natures operations
[referencing the Book of Changes, hexagram 1: Nature acts with power, and so
a great man ceaselessly improves himself.]. Accumulating progress over the
course of years, you will achieve success in the method.
For those can sincerely develop these skills, Stage 1 will take two years, Stage
2 will take a further three years, and so it will take about five years to complete.
As for supplemental training methods, they can be practiced whenever they suit
you, but must never be overlooked.
Previous generations had a saying: During practice, imagine an opponent
when there isnt one. Therefore when practicing, put yourself into it entirely, so
that wherever your intention goes, it is making the situation genuine. When we
talk of developing martial arts skill, it is not a matter of how many years you
have studied, but of whether or not you can use intention, as well as whether or
not you can correctly judge how to alternate between emptiness and fullness.
When one has practiced the postures for many years but does not understand
how to use intention, this is called blind training. Beyond the fitness of the
body, there would be no skill developed worth speaking of. Thus pay no
attention to counting years, but instead to clearly understanding techniques and
energies. When your hands express with a something that is increasingly
manifesting, then you will be able to reckon the degree of skill you have
developed. I submit that those who have achieved after only a few years have
approached it in this way.
The way to develop skill requires daily progress in order to be heading in the
right direction. What you do not understand today will become clear to you
tomorrow. What you are incapable of this month you will become capable of
next month. When the time you put into it is not sporadic and you do not make
the mistake of taking the wrong path, then the thousand days within three years
will certainly not be felt to be but a few, and yet you will not look upon the level
of skill that you have developed as anything grand.

The sequence and methods of developing the skills in this boxing art have
already been explained, but to make practice and application to conform to each
other requires extra attention. Here is more detailed explanation about fist,
palm, and step:
As for the fists posture, the four fingers tightly curl in, the thumb presses
down on the foreknuckle of the forefinger. Whenever you are walking or sitting
alone, make a fist in this way, gradually tightening it until fully tightened, then
slowly release it, extending the fingers. Put your palms together and rub them
back and forth to liven the muscles, bones, and blood. After a short rest, repeat
this exercise of curling and releasing for as long as you are individually capable,
until finally you are setting aside several hours each day for curling and
releasing.
In the beginning of practicing this method, if you do it for too long at a time,
your fingers will be swollen and aching, and the movements will be awkward,
but by increasing gradually, you will after a long time become accustomed to it
and at last find it comfortable. Even if you pick up an embroidery needle and
use it to write tiny characters, you will find your original degree of dexterity has
not been diminished. When practicing this method, your fist must curl in
evenly, your fingernails must be trimmed frequently, your arms must be
extended and relaxed, and you must not complain easily.
Once you have become accustomed to it, do not neglect other exercises by
giving priority to this one. When practicing the set, you should give extra
attention to the techniques. The fist is used to strike forward to the three targets
of the face, solar plexus, or crotch, or to the three acupoints of Xuan Guan
[between the eyebrows], Zhong Wan [midway between solar plexus and navel],
or the elixir field. They are commonly known as death points, because if they
are struck powerfully, the result will be death.
Punching to the face with a vertical fist uses a colliding energy. The power is
expressed from your waist.
To use the back of the knuckles makes it a backfist. This uses pressing
energy and jolting energy. The power is expressed from your shoulders.
Punching to the solar plexus uses drilling energy, pointing energy, thrusting
energy, and a rolling slicing energy. The power is expressed from your whole
body. Use your body to urge your arm, your arm to urge your fist. Once it issues,
there is nothing to hold it back.
Punching to the crotch uses planting energy and inserting energy. The power
is expressed from your spine.
All of these forward punches value cool-headedness and shun excessiveness.

If you wish to obtain the right timing and position, you should seek for the
answer in your waist and legs as you apply your punches alternating left and
right.
An upward attack to the head with the bottom of the fist hurling across to
either of the temples uses hurling energy and pressing energy. The power is
expressed from your lower back.
A middle attack to the waist or ribs uses pressing energy. The power is
expressed from your upper back.
A middle attack to the forearm uses cutting energy and pressing energy. You
must use your whole body in a downward strike.
Turning to the rear to press down an opponents arm with your fist uses
pressuring energy and gathering energy.
Whenever you attack forward with a thrusting punch, the practical
application of the technique will generally be the same: regardless of the
variations of the posture carrying, blocking, hooking, stopping, etc. the
power through the forearm begins at the foot. Grasping this, you will
understand the same principle in further cases without needing to be nagged
about it.
The posture and use of the palm have already been explained in the pulling
hand technique. Within this boxing set, the energies roughly divide into
pouncing, flinging, hurling, pushing, grabbing, parrying, issuing, carrying,
dragging, and wiping. The postures are different because they are performed in
accordance with different applications. With the lines of the set having been
explained above, you have already seen how the names of the postures fit with
their respective techniques and principles. Practice according to the applications
and you will succeed at it.
Though this sets use of the palm is half of the time emphasizing pouncing,
striking, seizing, grabbing, and the other half emphasizing luring the opponent
and then surprising him, its decisive moments of victory tend to rely on use of
fists. Thus in each of the lines, the palm techniques are feints, and in this way it
is different from other martial arts which focus on winning by use of palms,
though it is not actually biased one way or the other.
As for footwork, this boxing sets applications value precise steps over many
steps, for this art is actually a unique method of close-range fighting. The
footwork of its lines divides into a total of five kinds of steps:
For forward applications, use a [1] twisting step emphasizing hooking
around the opponents leg. While using the pulling hand above, controlling the
opponents stepping below, and thereby attack with a strategy that never misses.
To close in on an opponent so he moves back is to use a [2] charging step
front foot advancing, rear foot following. Induce him to flee, then turn to face
whatever might be behind you.
A [3] withdrawing step starts by making use of retreat as advance, for to go
back is to then go forward.
When doing a [4] sideways step with your left or right foot, the intention is
to crowd the opponent. The closer it is, the more stable it will be, emphasizing
confidence of success.
Squeeze your body into a [5] folding step. This is when you stay in the
center, dealing with an opponent suddenly by adapting with your body. Once
you get into the right position from that point, advance and no one will dare to
get in your way.
These five steps attend to every direction forward, back, left, right, center
while you change endlessly in response to opponents. All of the boxing
techniques are performed using only these five kinds of steps, but to specifically
list each technique as it is used with each step would be tediously long. Within
the five steps, there is also the concept of advancing without retreating, and this
is actually the true meaning of the footwork.
Of particular importance is that you must have a lowering energy when
taking a step, whether it be into a horse-riding stance or bow and arrow stance,
whether it be a charging step or withdrawing step. Whatever the step or stance,
this principle is always the same.
For the methods of fist, palm, or step, this gives the general idea. As for the
use of fingers, wrist, shoulder, forearm, elbow, hip, knee, and foot, they
especially have to be coordinated with each other for each technique to be at its
most effective.
To sum up, give free rein to your natural ability, and when using these boxing
methods, do not use them to limit you, but to help you achieve the highest level.
Its marvels will come from training with awareness. It is my constant hope that
all of my comrades will promote this art until it has spread everywhere.

Boxe Bafan Da Escola Yue

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BAFAN BOXING

Posted on December 31, 2014by Paul Brennan

BAFAN BOXING OF THE YUE SCHOOL

Portrait of the author

One: The Origins of Bafan Boxing

Two: The True Significance of Bafan Boxing

Three: The Special Characteristics of Bafan Boxing

Line 1: Embracing Fists & Fighting Punches

Line 2: Advancing & Retreating with Continuous Techniques

Line 3: Torso-Flung Punch

Line 4: Flower Hidden Under the Leaf

Line 5: Immortal Steers the Boat

Line 6: Emperor Ties up a Pig

Line 7: Double Dragons Play with the Pearl

Line 8: Swinging Elbow, Press & Strike

A Brief Discussion of Bafan Boxing

BAFAN BOXING OF THE YUE SCHOOL

ONE: THE ORIGINS OF BAFAN BOXING

TWO: THE TRUE SIGNIFICANCE OF BAFAN BOXING

A. Regarding it in terms of exercise:

B. Regarding it in terms of application:

Line 5 has the methods of tying, grabbing, pushing, and throwing.

THREE: THE SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BAFAN BOXING

LINE 1: EMBRACING FISTS & FIGHTING PUNCHES

Explanation of the name:

A preparation posture is a way of rousing ones spirit before the beginning of a

Description of the posture:

Points for attention:

Line 1, Part 1 (movements 1-5):

Command: Line 1 one!

Description of the movement:

Points for attention:

2. CROSSED STANCE WITH TWISTING BODY

Description of the movement:

Points for attention:

3. CROSSED STANCE WITH FIGHTING PUNCHES

Description of the movement:

Points for attention:

Description of the movement:

Points for attention:

5. ADVANCE, FIGHTING PUNCH

Description of the movement:

Points for attention:

Line 1, Part 2 (TWO, two, three, four, five!):

LINE 2: ADVANCING & RETREATING WITH CONTINUOUS TECHNIQUES

Explanation of the name:

Line 2, Part 1 (Postures 1-4):

Command: Line 2 one!

Description of the movement:

Points for attention:

2. STEP FORWARD, POUNCING PALM STRIKE TO THE FACE

Description of the movement:

Points for attention:

3. SEIZING THE WRIST, EYEBROW-HEIGHT PUNCH

Description of the movement:

Points for attention:

4. ADVANCE, FOUR-LEVEL PUNCH

Description of the movement:

Points for attention:

Line 2, Part 2 (TWO, two, three, four!):

LINE 3: TORSO-FLUNG PUNCH

Explanation of the name:

Line 3, Part 1 (Postures 1-4):

1. TURN, PROP & STRIKE