YIZONG MARTIAL ARTS

Pre-heaven Palm (xiantian zhang) employs “turning palm” as its leader (head) and “changing palm” as its mother, generating eight ways of overturning the body (Pre-heaven Eight Big Palms) as well as the closing style “Black Dragon Shakes its Tail Palm”.

The Post-heaven Palms are derived from the Sixty four single drills of the Pre-heaven Eight Big Palms” and which can also be linked style drills and are thus named the Post-heaven Sixty Four Entwining Palms.

Post-heaven Palm practice is based on “Hardness”(gang). Within Hardness is softness. Emphasis is in cultivating methodology, force and structure, seeking to achieve its skill from within.
This practice urges the development of power and lengthens the hitting distance. It uses the foot to assist the body and the arm to assist the palm. During practice attend to the Three Extensions; extend awareness, extend power and extend structure.

he twenty-four key demands of the Houtian palms:

1. 眼要明 The eyes should be clear
2. 耳要靈 The ears should be lively
3. 手要快 The hands should be fast
4. 肘要近 The elbows should stick next to the body
5. 腿要彈 The legs should spring
6. 裡要掩 Moving inwards the hand should close and turn
7. 外要撥 Moving outwards the hand should open and twist
8. 上要截 When the hand goes up, it should intercept
9. 下要攔 When the hand moves downward, it should block
10. 領要橫 Ling (leading) One hand will pull across
11. 帶要順 Dai (leading, bringing along) Two hands pull along with the movement
12. 摟要實 Lou (embracing) should be tight
13. 抓要實 Zhua (grabbing) A grab must be solid
14. 頓要擢 Dun (shocking and pulling down) should be done suddenly
15. 托要準 Tuo (Lifting up) must be accurate
16. 掖要連 Ye (clasping) should be connected
17. 擠要黏 Ji (pressing) should stick
18. 刁要爆 Diao (hooking) should be explosive
19. 崩要急 Beng (smashing) should be quick
20. 撞要靠 Zhuang (crashing) should be done close
21. 扳要猛 Ban (pulling against) should be fierce and swift
22. 扣要狠 Kou (hooking) should be merciless
23. 步要清 Footwork and stepping should be distinct
24. 身要活 The body must be lively

The special characteristics practiced in each of the Post-heaven Palms are as follows:

Line 1 – Guiding Principles
Line 2 – Hitting Methods
Line 3 – Clever Methods
Line 4 – Subtle methods
Line 5 – Elbow Methods
Line 6 – Leg Methods
Line 7 – Stepping Methods
Line 8 – Body Methods

After one’s gungfu is well developed, the Post heaven and Pre heaven Palms may unite as one. Upon interception one’s whole body may react with a natural entwining rhythm, one may regulate the interchange of hard and soft, empty and full. Assaults can be hard, fierce and violent or clever, slippery and cunning. Pre-heaven Palms are externally round and internally square while Post-heaven Palms are externally square and internally round.

The first line of Post Heaven Bagua contains all the principles seen in later Post Heaven Palms. Points to remember include: Stepping should be clean, the body should be nimble, energy and power should be sufficient, and hand movements should be clear.

The second line of Post Heaven Bagua emphasizes fighting principles and their application. The techniques should be practiced until they become natural. Hands and eyes must be quick. When striking, the opponent cannot follow.

The third line of Post Heaven Bagua practices internal power, making the entire body sensitive and receptive. Like the grass that sways in the wind, once there is contact, there should be an immediate response. Palms strike with tremendous power, with no wasted movement.

The fourth line of Post Heaven Bagua practices “fajing” (explosive power) and is divided into four hard and four soft movements. These eight movements contain hidden and skillful principles. They look out for chances and change accordingly. Once the mind moves, the hands and feet respond. When eyes and spirit see a chance, the mind is already prepared.

The fifth line of Post Heaven Bagua teaches pressure point attacks and the disruption of sinews. The emphasis is on elbow techniques and rapid and ruthless movement used in close quarter fighting.

The sixth line of Post Heaven Bagua teaches kicking methods. Legs kick on three levels: high, mid-level, low. So the 8 kicks learned in this line become 24.

The seventh line of Post Heaven Bagua teaches sticking and adhering techniques. The main focus lies on stepping methods. One’s hands are ever unpredictable and always changing. Hands and eyes move together; body and feet move as one.

The eighth line of Post Heaven Bagua teaches internal structure and the use of different states of mind. Body-movement should be quick; eyes and hands correspondingly fast. Within the body are changes between yin and yang and modulations between stillness and motion.

Nine Character Formula: