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d, e, f, g, h - Turn the body to the right with kou-bu and bai-bu;
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a b
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i - Turn the body to back with left bai-bu; j, k, l, m, n - Turn the body to the left and pull the left palm with kou-bu and bai-bu; o - Piercing the right palm; p - Turn the body to the right; and q - back to circle with the left posture circle walking.
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(2) Skill Explanation
Ren Zai Nei Zhang Zai Wai - Body on the Inside and Palm on the Outside is a special skill in Yin style Ba Gua Zhang. In Bagua circling walking, the palm usually is on the inside of the circle and the body is on the outside, that means if one walks the circle in a
clockwise direction, his (left) palms should point toward the inside of the circle, so that relatively speaking, the lead palm is on the inside of the circle and the body is on the outside of the palm, or the palm moves in a small circle which is inside the larger circle
drawn by the body.
But in this palm change, the situation is reversed. This change makes the body move in a small circle which is on the inside of the larger circle drawn by the palm. In the first sixty-two changes, it is as if one is on the outside circling an opponent; in Palm Change
No. 63, one is now on the inside, forcing the opponent to circle around you.
The main idea of this palm change is to consider that one’s study of the regular palm change skills has been completed through mastery of the preceding sixty- two palm change skills where one changes the direction of circle walking to end all of the preceding skills. Yet here, there is no explicit skill, implicitly including all skills performed perfectly. That means when you walk in this smaller, inside circle, you should imagine you can do everything.
(3) Yijing Principle in Yin Style Bagua Zhang Skill
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Hexagram Description:
This is the sixty-third hexagram of all sixty-four hexagrams. It is called Ji Ji. The first Ji means already, the original meaning of the second Ji is to cross a river. So that Ji Ji means to have already crossed a river, to have done something perfectly, achieved success, or completed some important task.
In this hexagram, every odd position (1, 3, 5) of Yao is Yang Yao, and every even position (2, 4, 6) of Yao is Yin Yao. So that means everything is perfectly right and fits in right way. So, when change reaches this level, everything is perfect, or completely finished, like success. But a perfect situation may become rigid; completion may lose the opportunity to continue to change and grow; success may lead ironically to inactivity and dejection.
So in Yi Jing study, this hexagram description emphasizes that when success is achieved, everything looks perfect and complete, but a great danger is hidden within. A danger that when a process has developed to the limit, it may reverse itself or deteriorate. So, one
should remember how difficult it is to keep success. When one reaches this level of apparent completion, one must continue to work harder and keep going in the right way in order to continue to progress to the next higher level.
In Yin style Ba Gua Zhang practice, by the time one learns this palm change, one has learned many skills and apparently already know everything and can finish your study. From the standpoint of physical skills alone, it may appear as if one’s study is complete.
At this time, it is easy to think one’s skill is already perfected and it is easy to become self-satisfied and complacent. This is a dangerous and seductive feeling against which one must guard. So, one should keep practicing hard to find a new practice way to take your practice to a higher level.
Trigram Description:
The top (or outside) trigram is Kan - Water that symbolizes the movement. According to Bagua principles, the attribute of this trigram shows that the movement of this palm change skill should be soft including hard inside, that means the movement should be soft, smooth, and relaxed, but internal force should be hard and powerful so the opponent cannot come in.
The bottom (or inside) trigram is --also-- Li - Fire that is symbolizes the mind. According to Bagua principles, the attribute of this trigram shows that the mental attitude of this palm change skill should be fired up. One should be excited and active, focusing on continually changing.
Yao Description:
(9, 1) Upon success, one should be more careful. Think of all possible results. Try to stop a bad situation, which may happen, before it really happens.
(6, 2) Upon success, one should be moderate. Perhaps one may lose something, but the overall result will be more perfect.
(9, 3) When a morally corrupt person arises, never let him grow up to be strong.
(6, 4) Upon success, one should never be self-satisfied and also never fearful and anxious. Take precautions always.
(9, 5) Upon success, one should never be self-satisfied, but must keep the beginning impulse and excitement and continue to work hard as a way to retain achievement already achieved and to keep going ahead.
(6, 6) Never let success lead one astray. Success may blind and mis-direct. It is easy to charge forward carelessly and fall into danger.
All meanings of Yao should be applied to Body on the Inside, Palms on the Outside application practice.
(4) The Song of The Palm Change
There is a poem (usually called a song, it is a common way to make people easily remember something) that gives the main idea of this palm change skill. It is:
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Water - Fire is Ji Ji that symbolizes turn body back and go away.
Movement should be smooth and following, Mind should be active and exciting, and seek changing methods.
Body is on the inside and Palm is on the outside, which offers a new idea.
Upon success, find a way for further change to progress to a higher level.
The main idea of the palm change from this song is that the Body on Inside, Palms on Outside Palm Change is that once one proceeds along a certain path and achieves success, one should continue to seek a new direction for growth. The new idea will bring you go to next level of your practice.
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Application of Body on the Inside and Palm on the Outside
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Figure a - o show Straight Wrist, Cloud Palm, and Random Posture Change: a - Start from the right posture circle walking; b, c, d - Turn the body to the right and forward piercing palm with step forward; e, f - Turn the body back and forward piercing palm; g, h, i, j, k, l - Turn the body to the left and Speeding Through the Forest Palm; m, n - Turn the body back and Follow Situation Along Palm; and o - back to circle with the left posture circle walking.
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c d e
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i j k
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l m n o
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(2) Skill Explanation
Zhi Wan Yun Zhang Luan Huan Shi - Straight Wrist, Cloud Palm, Random Posture Change is the last palm change in the Yin style Ba Gua Zhang Sixty-Four Palm Changes. The main idea of this skill is Random Posture Change that means do anything you want. One can choose any skills from all sixty-three palm changes and practice them according to one’s feeling. There is no order or rule to restrict one’s practice.
When one begins to practice this final palm change, it is presumed that one already performs the preceding sixty-three palm changes competently. Do not think it is good enough that one can perform every single skill well, one’s training is only complete on a preliminary level.
For advanced study, one needs to learn how to practice and apply each of these skills actively and flexibly, figuring out all possible variations of these skills, and using them in a very natural way. Then one’s practice can rise to a higher level and the initiation of a new cycle.
To illustrate this methodology, three illustrative palm changes from section one are selected as examples. They are Forward Piercing Palm, Follow Situation Along Palm, and Speeding Through the Forest Palm. At this stage of practice, the movements of these palm change postures are not simply repeated and should be done with a lot of variation. At the same time the internal feeling should be widely varied as well. From improvising, you should understand the true meaning of Random Posture Change.
(3) Yijing Principle in Yin Style Bagua Zhang Skill
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Hexagram Description:
The last hexagram of all sixty-four hexagrams is called Wei Ji. In this context, Wei means not already or has not yet happened, the original meaning of Ji is to cross a river. So that Wei Ji describes having not yet crossed the river, and signifies something not finally done remaining unfinished or incomplete, and that ultimate success has yet to be attained.
In this hexagram, every odd position (1, 3, 5) of Yao is Yin Yao, and every even position (2, 4, 6) of Yao is Yang Yao. Consequently, everything is unstable and out of joint. It is a new starting point, and any change is not yet complete. So, the situation requires further change and development. On the other hand, although all Yao are in wrong positions, Yin and Yang still match each other and are corresponding. Therefore, the new beginning is hopeful. The attribute of Li fire is rising and the attribute of Kan water is descending. One must understand these principles and find the way of natural changing development.
So in Yi Jing study, when a process reaches this point, it means that after Ji Ji completion and success, although the situation has the potential to deteriorate, a new cycle will generate from this point for the ongoing development and changing of the universe is neverending. Completion and success on one level merely heralds a new beginning of the next level. Completion is the end of incompletion; incompletion is the beginning of completion. A new beginning does not simply repeat the old cycle; but initializes development on a higher level. The changing development of the universe is limitless.
The palm change "Straight Wrist, Cloud Palm, Random Posture Change" follows this principle as its main idea. In this palm change, three postures are selected from the previous sixty-three skills and practiced in various ways. For example, the new beginning of the next level of practice should be more lively, flexible and varied. It is not just according to the order of all postures; one can pick up any posture randomly and practice different combinations. So the practice does not just simply repeat the postures mechanically(, like we list in Movement descriptuion). One should understand and master the main idea of each skill. Building on basic skill and principles, one should develop variation and new expression of the underlying idea, to permit one to apply particular tactics in a very lively way. At this stage, there is no rule for how to change or combine, just follow your mind and feeling, do whatever you want. This method will raise your practice to a higher level. So it is said: the changing, evolving development of skills should never end. It is the most important principle of Ba Gua Zhang.
Trigram Description:
The top (or outside) trigram is Li (- fire) that symbolizes the movement. The attribute of this trigram shows that the movement skill of this palm change should be including softness (Yin) in hardness (Yang). Usually when people practice martial arts, they find it easy to understand hardness in their movement, but not softness. So in the next level of practice after learning the basic choreography, the most important training to learn how to include softness in hardness and serves as the starting point of the next level of movement practice. As an example, the first palm change selected is pure Yang, Forward Piecing Fist, here referred to as Straight Wrist. One should understand this movement practice idea from variation practice of Palm Change No. 1.
The bottom (or inside trigram) is Kan (- water) that symbolizes the mind. The attribution of this trigram shows that the mind of this palm change should include hardness (Yang) in softness (Yin). That means to learn how to withdraw your Shen and Yi. Do not show out all internal components, focus the mind inside and only reveal innocuousness outside. It is the starting point of the new level internal practice. Usually when people practice martial arts, it is easy to show off their Shen and Yi outside but not really concentrate these qualities inside. As an example, the sixth palm change in the first section - Follow Situation Along Palm, which can be also called Cloud Palm and includes Yin in Yang, is selected. One should understand this internal practice idea from variation practice of Palm Change No. 6.
Speeding Through the Forest Palm practice should include both above ideas. So it will be more useful for understanding this level of practice.
Yao Description:
(6, 1) To be successful, one should be careful up to the last second. Just do what is necessary to succeed, never do too much.
(9, 2) To be successful, should understand the importance of self-control up to the last second.
(6, 3) To be successful, should always consider that any negative thing may happen up to the last second and plan carefully. Understand that to take a chance drastically may be beneficial.
(9, 4) To be successful, one must insist and continue to work hard up to the last second.
(6, 5) To be successful, one should be wise, sensible, neutralize, honest and trust, and modest up to the last second. Encourage everyone to unite and work well together to get success.
(9, 6) There are many reasons to make a success; but no one can successfully oppose the universal laws. So one must understand to be successful is not the most important thing. To work hard and do one’s best is most important.
All meanings of Yao should be applied to Grinding Palm application practice.
(4) The Song of The Palm Change
There is a song that gives the main idea of this palm change skill. It is:
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Fire - Water is Wei Ji that symbolizes Random Posture Change.
Hard - soft and soft - hard generate each other and never end.
A thousand skills have been practiced well in order to truly understand the principles.
When one’s changing and developing are without limit, one can do whatever one wants.
The main idea of the palm change from this song is that Random Posture Change does not mean one’s training is complete. Higher level practice should grow out of the previous understanding. Hardness and softness combine in changing and developing, generated continually and without limit. From practice of skills, one begins to understand principles. Then one can do whatever one wants.
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Application of Straight Wrist, Cloud Palm, and Random Posture Change
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Part 1, 2, 3
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Yin Cheng Gong Fa Association North American Headquarters
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=======================================================================================
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Copyright © 2000 YCGF_NAH. All rights reserved.
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