Baguazhang is a boxing of understanding, which emphasizes understanding more with less, and comprehending the creation. It is necessary to know the starting point inside, advance and retreat, stretch and change, and all methods. Look at the enemy and ourselves objectively, and take into account the internal and external forms, relative positions, and surrounding environment of the enemy and ourselves at the same time, so as to adapt to changes. However, we must also have the ability of Xingyi attacking and Taiji trapping the enemy, and practice neutralization. When the qi is neutralized, we can sense accurately and respond to the enemy.
The spirit and qi are unified, and the body and footwork rotate with the qi, like circling a ball, looking at the center of the ball, and breathing through the nostrils is subtle, the finer and longer, and the use of its strength must be integrated and lively throughout the body, as if there is nothing, real and empty, and sticky. This is the magic of Bagua changes. Look at the enemy and ourselves objectively, and take into account the internal and external forms, relative positions, and surrounding environment of the enemy and ourselves at the same time, so as to adapt to changes. We must first make the movements of the hands and arms as round as a wheel, forming a circle, and the circular rotation is flexible and agile, and it conforms to the effect of continuous chain.
The change is as fast as lightning, the footwork is light and agile, the advance and retreat are appropriate, the movement and stillness return to the root, the palms fly up and down, like a dragon playing in the water, erratic. The back palm is placed under the front elbow, the steps are rotated, and the direction changes with each step. It turns in circles like a windmill, making it impossible for the opponent to grasp it. It rotates quickly and can face multiple enemies at a time. When receiving the move and changing the posture, the opponent’s force is changed in direction, or it is transferred back to the opponent flexibly. Practice until the whole body can be transferred, and the force is immediately transferred back to the opponent.
Single change is mainly based on pushing palms, which changes invisibly. The other palm styles have visible changes. Although their shapes are different, the principles are the same. Single change and double change are two techniques. After holding hands, the hands are exchanged in different directions to make the opponent passive. Single change walks to the opponent’s outer gate after changing hands, one hand controls half of the opponent’s body, and one hand is free to attack. Double change makes both hands exchange hands, and attack in the exchange of hands. Double palm change comes from the snake movement of the mind and intention. When Qinglong turns around, he uses his body to lead the opponent away.
Single palm change gathers power like a cannon barrel, training qi and power (internal image); double palm change has horizontal and vertical movements close to the body, training qi and skills (external image); snake-shaped palm is like a knife cone, used for extension and contraction (take its form); the middle flow of the palm is divided and cut, used for flat support (force penetrates ten fingers); the palm method of the upper body of the palm has explosive force when pressed down, and then pressed and turned over, which is about sharp drilling, heavy straight arc and use, mostly yang yang; the palm method of holding the palm close to the body is supported and double forked, close to yang yin; the palm method of turning the body with the palm of the back is close to yang yin; the palm method of the palm of the hand is like threading a needle far away, and the trace is close to yin yin.
The three palms of cutting, embracing and collapsing are designed for the unique footwork and body techniques of Bagua, which can best play the whole power trained in walking and turning. The chopping palm is to move in the middle of the turn without moving, twist the crotch and reverse the hips, and exert force in a horizontal spiral, with the intention of force slanting upwards, and the force comes from the palm blade, like a knife cut; the tuck palm is to compress and exert force while walking downwards, with the intention of force coming out secretly, and the force is hidden in the palm, and it is released when the opportunity arises.
The chopping palm and the tuck palm must be used to find the force, with support from all directions, the shoulders must be heavy, and the hands cannot be used too much. Only by practicing accurately can they be sent and received freely; the collapsed palm is to actually twist the waist towards the opponent’s chest and abdomen while twisting the body, with the intention of force slanting downwards, and the force comes from the root of the palm. Its shape is heavy and neat. When turning the palm, press down with both hands, lift the fingertips, and support the whole body with force, and relax in the heart. Turn without losing force.
The collapsed palm is extremely powerful. When fighting, after the fingertips touch the enemy’s body, suddenly push the ground, turn the waist, shake the body, sink the shoulder, and the palm collapses downward without retracting, and the root of the palm exerts force to hit the enemy. This is a inch-force fighting method. If you press it on the enemy’s chest, you can easily make the opponent spit blood and suffer internal injuries.
The key to this fighting method is to use quick force and to press your own weight on it to increase the force of the attack. You can use a baffle to find this force. When you turn around to practice this force, use a small tree that is slightly thicker than your arm as a target.
When practicing, stop at the end point and pull your hand back after you have hit the target far away. The mind is on the arm that is pulled back, not on the hand that is pulled forward. Use both hands to pull the force to hit the person. You must know how to break the middle section and control the root section when using the yekata. Once the middle section is broken, the door is open; if the root section is controlled, the victory or defeat is determined immediately. The combined use of the old three palms, piercing, yekata, and yekata, is actually to knock down the whole body with one palm touch. The forearm and palm are connected as if they were a knife. Do not sit on the wrist, only the fingertips are lifted. When dodging, you must not collapse the palm to hit it down. In this situation, the human body is absolutely vulnerable.
The key to the piercing palm is to move freely. The steps should be fast, the hands should be accurate, the fingers should be firm, the waist and legs should be strong, the qi should be stable, the heart should be ruthless, and the spirit should be calm and murderous. The most important thing is to practice to the natural state. The attack distance of the piercing palm is longer than the fist, and the lethality is greater than the fist. When the body is relaxed and the intention is not used, mastering the right angle and intention can cause serious internal injuries to people.
If the opponent hits you randomly, approach and pierce his nose and face with the piercing palm. If you don’t want to kill him, just poke him lightly to break his attack intention, and then flip the palm and shake it, and the person will faint and fall. Natural essence is afraid of three piercings. Dong Lao’s wisdom sword and magic needle are extremely spiritual and changeable, and they are specially used to break the top masters of the internal family. The three-piercing palm is like a combo of left and right straight punches, but it is faster, the body movements are more flexible, there are guards (steps) and hidden kicks, the piercing hands and footwork are continuous, and you keep walking behind the opponent’s left and right sides and try to control one hand with both hands. The three-piercing palm basically does not require the unity of the original energy, does not require force, and does not focus on the front and back hands. You only need to keep up with the body movements, basically know the beat, and move quickly.
After the internal strength has been slightly improved, the body movements are basically neat and unified, the eyes and hands can keep up, you can basically protect your own flaws and can see the opponent’s three points at a glance, and you can basically know the beat. The hands and elbows do not leave the hands for the three-piercing palms, and the elbows do not leave the hands. The palms cover the elbows, and the elbows cover the palms. The steps change with the body, and the intention is the palm first. The whole body should be flexible but not floating, and the hands and feet should be heavy but not stiff.
The intention should be long-term and the spirit should be restrained. The muscles are not tight but the tendons and bones are strong. The strength is generated from the shoulders and interchanged front and back. The spiral force is always present, and three out of seven are released to wait for rapid changes. When punching through the palm, the back palm must rub the elbow of the front palm. Although Bagua does not talk about grabbing people, preventing people from grabbing people is also the first priority.
Crab palm is to spread, wipe and hit, and the whole arm hits with great force, which is called straight arm wrist strike. The force of hitting the palm while walking starts from the soles of the feet. The palm hitting the wrist also hits the whole body, which can easily knock down a master, and even the enemy’s wrist and arm bones can be broken at the same time. This force is exerted when the three tips are facing each other.
The wrist striker combines the three forces of horizontal, vertical and vertical to hit, and hits with the whole body. The hand moves forward to touch and break the enemy’s gate. The tip moves forward, the middle sticks and hits, and the body walks. The point touched is the point to hit. Anywhere is hit with the body force. Therefore, the true meaning of wrist strike is to hit the whole body as one. No matter I go forward or the enemy comes to hit, it is always like two cars colliding. The force of hitting people comes from both of us. I hit the weak part of his body with the strong part of my body, and he will fall down as soon as I get close.
Wrist strikes are mostly used to lift up and strike the opponent’s lower jaw or arm, such as the Yin style “wrist strike, knee strike, leaning body palm” passed down by Cao Zhongsheng. Wrist strikes can also be used to strike the opponent’s ribs or armpits from left and right, such as Cheng style’s “turning wrist strike” and “following the trend wrist strike”. Another is to directly push and strike, such as “unrestrained imagination”.
Dong Gongjiang’s practical skills throughout his life are: first, transform and then strike, and the transforming circle must be practiced to a small circle, and once swallowed, it will enter the bottom of the back heel. Second, intercept and strike, when the enemy strikes, I intercept, and also strike at the same time. Liuhe big collision force strike, this requires a very small circle (as if it is not dodging or blocking and hitting directly). Third, dodge and strike, and change the body to strike, whether the enemy comes or not, you will meet it, but it is like a ghost flashing and hitting (hitting means not hitting, water flows quickly), and it can only be done when the internal skills have reached the extreme.
No matter the three methods of the internal family, interception (Xingyi collision, shaking, rubbing), compliance (Taiji stepping and releasing), and evasion (Bagua evasion and wiping), they all have to do with one touch. The advanced ones can make the touch invisible and wipe the whole body of the enemy. Two wiping eyebrows is the fastest way to knock people down without hurting them. In an instant, get close to the enemy’s body, touch and control the enemy’s body into a helpless and powerless state. One or two fingers or palm or forearm lightly touch the forehead and eyebrows. The enemy is like a stake that has lost its roots and cannot move and hide. In an instant, it evades and moves one or two meters behind the back. When the skill is high, the person is knocked down like a floating wood, moving lightly. The enemy’s body and feet cannot move (it is fixed under the enemy’s feet), but the center of gravity instantly flies one or two meters away because of touching the enemy’s eyebrows or between the eyebrows. The center of gravity flies out, and the person falls backwards and flies out. In an instant, three or four meters or more can make the person fall out of his soul. Hit the head with a palm. If the speed is faster than the enemy’s head and moves back, the shock will cause injury.