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Tongbei-quan. |
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. Tongbei-quan is a quanshu style characterized by the five basic hand movements: shuai ("fling away"), pai ("to clap"), chuan ("to penetrate"), pi ("to chop"), jan("to support"), and the following eight techniques: quan ("to surround"), lang ("to tear off"), jui ("to hold on"), je ("to take away"), syao ("to cut off"), mo ("to rub"), ba (" to pull out"), shan ("a fan"), that serve a base for numerous variations.
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The style has the following requirements: hand movements are to be made in "palm" position, "dot blows" - with a fist, but when the hand returns to the previous position, it again opens in a palm; movements are accompanied by the accentuated "opening" and "closing" *, when a hand movement is on its final stage, a wrist movement have to be made; force is to be used unexpectedly.
Movements are made without pauses. As chest and back muscles are actively involved into breathing process, "twisting" in spine is followed by hip turning. Shoulders are lowered and hands are involved in techniques shuai and pi in turns. Thus positively body can be affected: spine is getting more flexible; coordination is better, you are stronger physically.
"Opening" and "closing" are traditional Chinese terms meaning acupuncture areas function, "energetic reservoirs" and the whole psychosomatic structure. "Opening" implies an energetic substances exit, "closing" - their accumulating and harmonious connecting.
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The main features of tongbei-quan |
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This style is also called biquan. Here are basic principles:
1. "Five palms, eight ways":
"Five palms":
"A thrown palm" is like a missile; "a slamming palm " - lightning; "a penetrating palm" - lyusin; " a hacking palm" - thunder and "a compressed palm " is similar to an arrow. When making a strike a hand should be in a form of fist and only after be unfold.
"Eight ways":
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"A circle" means acting limited by 3 boundaries; "clasp " - "clasp" is in "circle", and "circle" is in "clasp"; "a hook" – a hand is bent as a hook; “a lead " prevents from hands and legs of an opponent; "cutting" means outside - inside making slanting line downwards; "a contact" leads an opponent’s hand withdrawing it upwards from face; "drawing aside" withdraws a moving opponent’s hand; "a fan" attacks an opponent from aside. Making these tricks your breast has to be drawn in, back to be round, shoulders – relaxed and elbows close together.
2. "Fast movements back and forth":
The movements in tongbei-quan style should be fast. There are "empty" and "full", upwards and downwards, forwards and backwards. All the moves should be adroit.
3. "Breathe in and out":
Waist is significant in this style when making movements. Transitions from one position into another are made fast.
4. "Eagle’s eyes, monkey’s spirit":
Sight should be swift and shrill as if a hungry eagle saw a hare.
5. “Widely opened and thoroughly closed”
Joints should be relaxed, arms and legs - completely bent and unbent, hand motions should be free.
6. "The motions follow one another without pauses"
From the very start to the end all the motions have to be made fast and without stopping as if the only movement.
7. "Being apathetic, flexible, with crunch and fast"
Being “apathetic” means you have to be as indifferent as a caught fish ,”flexible” - as a spring, “with crunch” – as if an axe chops dry brushwood and being “fast” – fast as a lightning.
8. "To let out long, to strike far"
It is necessary to throw a hand out forwards as much as possible and to strike from afar.
9. "Eighteen "must"
There is a principle called "eighteen “must” in tongbei-quan ". Stances must be steady; the Qi-energy must be lowered to dan-tyan; strokes must be exact; motions – must have a spirit and transition from one position into another must be fast. Fingers must to be bent, as hooks; back part of a hand - as steel; wrist - as a cotton wool; elbows must be rounded; hands must be as switches; shoulders - as windmills; back - as snail’s; breast - as cave; waist - as snake’s; thighs – as strong as horse; knees - as frozen hen’s; feet - as gimlet and hands - as arrows.
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