Pa Kua Journal 5-5
Pa Kua Journal 5-5
Pa Kua Journal 5-5
95
Pa Kua Chang
J O U R N A L
Vol. 5, No. 5
July/August 1995
Editor's
Corner
P a K ua Chang
JOURNAL
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On the Cover
Ba Gua Zhang instructor Sun Xi Kun (1833 1952 ) executes Ba Gua's "single palm change."
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11
1 - Walking
CCW
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12
13
14
15
2 - K'ou Pu
3 - Pai Pu
4 - K'ou Pu
8
5 - Pai Pu
6 - Walking
CW
The opening movements of Jiang Rong Qiao's popular form transition directly into a single palm change
maneuver before the practitioner begins walking the circle
After the practitioner has transitioned into the
basic circle walking posture (or any of the other circle
walking postures such as the eight mother palms) he
or she will begin by walking the circle holding that
posture for a desired number of rotations. When the
practitioner is ready to change directions on the
circle, the single palm change is executed. In our
example, this maneuver begins in photo number 6 with
the execution of a kou (hooking) step (also shown in
footwork illustration number 2 at the bottom of the
previous page). The body begins to rotate around its
center line with the execution of the kou step. The lead
arm begins to come across the front of the body while
maintaining a rounded shape.
From this position, the practitioner continues
to turn the body smoothly around its center line
and executes the bai (swinging) step as shown in
photograph numbers 7 and 8 and footwork illustration
number 3. The lead hand is held at about shoulder
height, the palm facing downward. The bottom hand
remains in the same position it was relative to the
body. When discussing variations of the single palm
change later in this article we will refer to this segment
of the single palm change (as depicted in photos 4
through 8) as "the turn around."
Next the practitioner will begin to step up into
a kou step with the right leg as depicted in photos 9
through 11 and footwork illustration number 4. The
body continues to turn around its center as the lower
hand comes underneath the upper elbow. The upper
hand is still held at about shoulder height with the
palm facing down and the lower hand is held under the
upper elbow with the palm facing up. When discussing
variations of the single palm change later in this
article we will refer to this segment of the single palm
The Principles
In this section we will briefly describe some
of the principles that are being trained during the
execution of this version of the single palm change
in its three phases: the turn around, the winding,
and the unwinding. We will also address a few of the
possible single palm change variations which are based
on those principles.
The Turn Around: The turn around, and its
associated footwork, is perhaps the most important
aspect of the single palm change in terms of training
for fighting mobility. The practitioner who is interested
in training Ba Gua as a fighting art should learn to
execute this turn around movement (the kuo step)
swiftly and fluidly while maintaining stability and
balance. The first kuo step, and the associated
coordination of the upper body motion rotating around
the body's center axis with this step, are the key
principles in this maneuver. The key element in this
move is the swift, fluid, efficient change of direction
while maintaining stability and a continuous connected
strength. If there is a break in the fluidity of motion or
the whole body connection and strength, the movement
will be awkward, clumsy and inefficient.
As one variation, the simple change of direction and
change of palms can be executed directly after the kou
step. If you look at photo number 6 of Luo De Xiu, you
can see that he is in a good position to execute a direct
change of palms and change of direction if he were to
take a straight step with his left leg cutting through
the center of the circle while executing a piercing palm
maneuver to change palms. This technique, which
is similar to the change demonstrated by Park Bok
Nam on page 7, is a very useful move when evading
an opponent's attack and maneuvering to outflank
him.
The bai step and turning of the upper arm which is
executed in photos 7 and 8 of Luo's change develops
the practitioner's ability to coordinate the upper and
lower body and develop a horizontal power which is
manifest from the rotation of the body. In this motion,
the upper and lower body should move in a unified
manner rotating around the practitioner's center. The
The Winding:
The winding up of the body is
demonstrated here by Luo De Xiu in photos 9 through
11. The principle in this portion of the change is in
learning how to once again rotate the body around
it's center while maintaining balance and stability.
In doing this the practitioner is also learning how to
generate horizontal power. The degree of the body
turning, or winding, will vary from one system to the
next and it will even vary within the same system
depending on the experience level of the practitioner or
the focus of the practice.
Several systems of the Cheng style of Ba Gua
train all forms and movements at three levels. The
first level is called "single step" where the motions are
very distinct and more exaggerated. At this level, the
practitioner executes a big kuo step and the winding of
the body will be executed so that the body twists as
far as possible. The illustration of Jiang Rong Qiao's
form on the previous page depicts the tight kou bu and
the maximum twist of the body. The maximum twist is
also shown in photo 13 on page 13 and in photo 9 on
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11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
13
19
10
Conclusion
In terms of learning how to apply Ba Gua in an
actual combat environment, the change of direction is
the most important component of the basic circle walk
practice. It is within the change of direction that the
techniques of Ba Gua are usually applied. The change
of direction in the circle walk practice also trains the Ba
Gua body coordination, full body integration, functional
flexibility, and whole body power. The torso is trained
so that the upper and lower body are in harmony and
Ba Gua's rotational power is developed while executing
the change. The primary movement utilized to change
direction during the basic circle walk practice is the
single palm change.
14
A Study of Wu Ji
Sun Lu Tang
A Study of Tai Ji
What is the Tai Ji Form? It is created from Wu Ji.
It is the mother of Yin and Yang. Turning left makes
Yang. Turning right makes Yin. Turning is the flowing
movement of the One Qi. Tai Ji is the One Qi. The
One Qi is Tai Ji. We use the body to speak of Tai Ji
and we use the function to speak of the One Qi. When
it is Yang then it is Yin. When it is Yin then it is Yang.
When it is up, then it is up. When it is down, then it
is down. Yin, and it is Yang. Yang, and it is Yin. It
is the One Qi moving endlessly. It is without a doubt
alive, opening and closing naturally. In the center
of each a dot is applied. This the dot is instantly a
fist in the middle of turning left and turning right,
opening and closing, moving and stillness. Yin and
Yang, together, pivot about a center. The center is the
base of man's life, the source of transformation. The
dan tian's qi is the foundation of Ba Gua Quan. This
qi is the root of Heaven and Earth. It is the mother
of Yin and Yang. It is Tai Ji. Thus the Liang Yi is
created from this.
A Pictorial Explanation of the Study of Tai Ji
To begin, first hold the waist firmly depressed. The
right foot appears to go straight out to the front. It falls
down and both feet are formed like a parallelogram,
like in the picture. The distance between both feet
depends on a man's stature. In general, the rear foot
moves to the front, without using strength, to arrive
T'ai chi
Liang-I
Yang-I
Yin-I
Szu-Hsiang
T'ai Yang
Shao Yin
Shao Yang
T'ai Yin
Pa Kua
Ch'ien
16
Tui
Li
Chen
Sun
K'an
Ken
K'un
A Study of Liang Yi
A Study of Si Xiang
BACKGROUND
One of the most famous martial artists of all time,
Sun Lu Tang mastered all three of the orthodox internal
martial arts. After gaining expertise in the art of Xing
Yi Quan, Sun was introduced to Cheng Ting Hua, the
renowned student of Ba Gua Zhangs founder, Dong
Hai Chuan. Sun Lu Tang threw himself into Ba Gua
training with characteristic vigor, mastering the art in
three years. Suns forms are a variation of Cheng style
Ba Gua Zhang, and are unique in that they contain the
essence of the art while remaining completely devoid
of extraneous movement.
In contrast to many other styles of martial arts which
emphasize a myriad of forms containing exaggerated
and highly stylized movements, Sun style Ba Gua Zhang
teaches the alignments and methods of generating
momentum precisely as they are to be applied to
combat technique, all contained within ten forms
on the circle. In order for movement patterns (forms
applied as techniques) to be useful in stressful and
unstructured situations (like a fight), they must be
practiced until they are reflexive and natural. The basic
philosophy of Sun style Ba Gua Zhang is to practice
a limited number of practical movements until they
are internalized. These movement patterns will then
naturally manifest as the situation demands, resulting
in technique appropriate to the situation. By practicing
too many or too complicated movements, it becomes
very difficult to internalize the forms until they become
part of the practitioner. And in a real fight, techniques
which require conscious deliberation before action is
taken will always be too slow to be of any practical use.
Sun style Ba Gua Zhang takes the basic whole-body
rotational energy of the Art and branches it out into
all possible variations within the bounds of combat
practicality. And the Nucleus of these variations is the
Single Palm Change.
SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SUN STYLE
SINGLE PALM CHANGE
Being a small man, Sun Lu Tang relied on speed
and skill, and this is reflected in the way he organized
his forms. Sun style Ba Gua Zhang forms are done
with quick and light footwork, rapid turns and a
characteristic coiling/uncoiling method of generating
power. The forms contain much evasive turning and
powerful spinning motions. All of these elements are
contained within the movements of the Single Palm
Change. In fact, the remaining forms may be viewed as
variations of the energies produced in the Single Palm
Change. In contrast to many other variations of the
Sun Lu Tang
Single Palm Change, Suns version utilizes a complete
coiling or wrapping up of the body that stores
energy for the subsequent "uncoiling whip." All turning
is initiated from the waist and hips and the legs are
moved as a single unit (with the knees, ankles and feet
in constant alignment). The Kou (toe in) and Bai (toe
out) steps serve to maintain the lower body alignment
and set the requisite stretch from which the body
turns are initiated. The momentum of the entire
24
10
11
12
13
14
as follows:
1) The opponent lunges in with a right punch to the
face (photos through 3).
2) Tim moves forward, moving off the attack line by
stepping outside and around the blow (photo 4). He
simultaneously raises his arms into the guard position
and deflects the blow along its line of attack (thus
avoiding a collision with the incoming force).
3) Continuing in the basic circle walk pattern, Tim
begins to move in and around to the rear of the
opponent. He simultaneously extends his right palm
into the opponents face (photo 5), striking him and
disturbing his intent.
4) Tim now steps around behind the opponent, toeing
in his left foot (The Green Dragon Pulls In Its Tail) as
his left forearm presses against the opponents lower
back (joining centers with the opponent - photos
6 and 7). Note: the movement of the left arm may
also be expressed as a horizontal elbow strike to the
opponents kidney.
5) Changing the circular momentum into a rotation
around his centerline, Tim transfers the momentum
of the spin through his points of contact into the
opponents body (The Green Dragon Turns Its Head),
causing the opponent to project rearward and fall on
his back (photos 8 through 10).
APPLICATIONS
It is important to realize that the forms of Ba Gua
Zhang do not correspond to single specific techniques.
Each form teaches a particular method of generating
momentum. The energy produced follows a specific
pattern. These patterns or waves of momentum are
often referred to in Chinese as jing. Each of these
various Jings may be applied to any number of actual
fighting techniques. Following are two of the numerous
possible applications of the strategies and energies of
the Single Palm Change. Please note in the following
techniques that the applications follow precisely
the movements and energies of the form. In fact the
techniques, when correctly applied on the opponent,
should require no more effort than the form done
in the air.
Technique Two:
In this technique the strategic principle of crossing
the opponent is illustrated. The energies used are taken
from the final two movements of the form, The Black
Tiger Comes Out Of The Cave and The Green Dragon
Turns Its Body. The angle and body turn of the first
form movement are used to set the opponent up by
crossing his body in preparation for the sweep which
follows. This technique is illustrative of the whole body
power inherent in the motions of the forms. Both arms
or the arms and legs may be employed simultaneously
during one wave of momentum through the body.
The second technique is shown on page 29 as
follows:
1) The opponent grabs Tim with both hands for a front
choke photos 1 through 3).
Technique One:
This technique illustrates the Ba Gua Zhang
combat strategy of circling behind the opponent. The
technique is a throw which involves the energies and
momentum generated from the circle walk into the first
two movements of the form, the Green Dragon Pulls In
Its Tail and the Green Dragon Turns Its Head. The key
to the throw is to circle around the opponent, joining
centers with him and pulling him into your momentum
flow, finally causing him to project backward onto
the ground. It should be noted that the exact same
sequence can be transformed into a striking technique
by simply focusing the power of the movement into
single points of application.
This first technique is shown on the next page
7 - front view
7 - back view
10
9
28
7
below the opponents left arm, catching his stationary
arm and pulling it across the opponents body with a
turn of his waist (photos 6 and 7).
5) Continuing the momentum, Tim pulls the opponents
arm out, crossing the opponents body and unbalancing
him as he simultaneously sweeps the opponents right
foot with his left, throwing the opponent to the ground
(The Green Dragon Turns Its Body).
The reader should note that this is a particularly
hard fall as the twisted body position of the opponent
makes it impossible for him to slap out and break
the fall.
(The author would like to thank Terry Spalding for
acting as the opponent in the techniques).
9
Tim Cartmell, who was featured in the last issue of
the Pa Kua Chang Journal, is one of the top students of
Ba Gua instructor Luo De Xiu of Taipei, Taiwan and has
also studied the Sun style of Ba Gua Zhang in Beijing,
China with Sun Lu Tang's daughter Sun Jian Yun, and
one of Sun Jian Yun's students Liu Yang Long.
Tim Cartmell currently teaches Ba Gua in Westminster,
CA. Those interested in studying with him or asking
questions about his article can write to him or call him
utilizing the address and phone number of the back
page of this Journal.
29
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Please note: The Pa Kua Chang Journal does not validate the authenticity or qualifications of the instructors listed in the Directory. Any
instructor who requests a listing will appear on the list. Ve leave ht tn the rdader tn valhd`td thd hnrtrtbtnr&s `uthenticity on his/her own
32
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