Smoky Mountain YSB Study Group Information

SWEEPING PALM

Dr. Xie Peiqi’s comments on the YSB Qian/Lion System Sweeping Palm

Transcribed by Rand Cardwell

Note: This article is provided to YSB students in an effort to promote a greater understanding of the Sweeping Palm of the YSB Lion System. This is a transcription of the YSB Lion System DVD series available through the Association of Traditional Studies. Any errors are my own.                       

Dr. Xie Peiqi: We as humans, regardless of the task we undertake, if we wish to do it well we must respect governing principles. In plain language, the rule of roundness is the circle; the rule of squareness is the square. If you don’t have these governing rules you won’t have circles and squares. If you want the round to be a true circle and the square to be a true square, then you must strive for governing rules. This is also true when we practice bagua.

Bagua also has its rules. The first rule is knowing the eight guiding principles. The first of these principles is upholding. This means that the tip of the tongue is held up to the roof of the mouth, pressing towards the teeth. It means that the essences, qi, and spirit are upheld by Wei point.

The second is upright; we must have the head upright,

Xiao - It is a combination character with the symbol for knife represented on the right. The symbol on the left is a phonetic hint to the pronunciation. Meaning is to cut or pare.

the body upright and the heart upright. All three must be upright.

The third is the three points. What does this mean? When practicing it means the tip of the hand, the tip of the foot and the tip of the nose are all pointed in alignment. When there is alignment then there is uprightness.

The fourth is the four extremities. It means that there is strength contained in the extremity of the tendons, the bones, the blood and the flesh. The tongue is the extremity of the flesh. The teeth are the extremity of the bones. The hair is the extremity of the blood. The nails of the hands and feet are the extremity of the tendons. One must be able to put strength into the four extremities.

The fifth is the five uniques. When moving or practicing the five major joints must be rounded to allow their unique uses. The five joints are the shoulders, elbows, wrist, waist and knees.  

The sixth is the six harmonies. Being in harmony means unified. The eyes and heart are unified. Where you look is where your thought is. Where your thinking is where you are looking. The waist and body are unified. Wherever the body turns the waist must turn there as well. The hands and feet are unified. One can’t put a hand forward without a foot. Nor put a foot forward without a hand. That is the six harmonies.

The seventh is the seven stars and refers to stepping. When turning the circle, seven star stepping is the basis of changing footwork. It also refers to the seven styles of attacking in turning the circle.

• Moving with force
• Turning the back
• Lifting and Holding
• Windmill
• Lying step
• Reversing the body
• Squatting

The eighth is the eight trigrams. This means yin, yang and their eight trigrams. The four yang trigrams are quan, kan, gen, and zhen. The xun, li, kun, and dui trigrams are the four yin trigrams. The Qian trigram represents the Lion systems. The Kan trigram represents the Snake system. The Gen trigram represents the Bear system. The Zhen trigram represents the Dragon system. The Xun trigram represents the Phoenix system. The Li trigram represents the Rooster system. The Kun trigram represents the Unicorn system. the Dui trigram represents the Monkey system.  That is the eight trigrams.

In practicing bagua on the outside we develop tendons, bones, skin, and flesh. On the inside we develop essences, qi, and spirit. In essences, qi, and spirit, the most important to talk about is qi. In order to protect health and maintain the body, one must develop the movement and changes within the functions of qi. The functions of qi in humans are opening, closing, gathering, dispersing, raising, lowering, exiting, and entering. As long as it is an organic entity: animal, mineral, or vegetable, its basic functions and functions it relies on are the functions of qi. The birth and growth of organic entities relies on the functions of qi. These functions are opening qi, closing qi, gathering qi, dispersing qi, raising qi, lowering qi, exiting qi, and entering qi.

The Qian trigram Lion System primarily develops the lungs. Why? The lungs are on top of the body. The top is qian and the top is yang. Bottom and inside are yin. Thus, the lungs are developed as the qian trigram focuses on the top.

With the sweeping strikes, a strike to the outside opens, and an inward strike closes. Sweeping upward raises, sweeping downward lowers. Both hands executing an inward sweeping strikes (forearms coming together) – gathers. Both hands executing an outward sweeping strike disperses. This type of inward strike (arms arching – hands coming together) – enters. This type of outward strike (arms arching outward on level) – exits. Thus, the movements affect the eight functions of qi.

Also, in practicing bagua, particularly yin style, one must seek having strength in eight directions. An upward strike, a downward strike, a forward strike, a backward strike. There is strength in striking upward. There is strength in striking downward. There is strength in forward and strength backward. There is strength to the left. There is strength to the right. There is external strength and there is internal strength. That is the eight directions of strength. Up, down, forward, backward, left, right, external, and internal.

Understanding internal and external development and having skill in all movements are the three governing principles. Each of these governing principles has eight rules. Eight time three is twenty-four. Making twenty-four rules regarding principles.

When practicing, people should studiously pay attention to there guiding principles and research them with a clear heart and spirit. Thus, if there are points you do not understand, they should ask, watch, and listen.

I would like to share with everyone how to apply Qian trigram Lion system sweeping strikes. The first step is called meeting the hand or meeting the hand sweeping strike. After the meeting of the hand sweeping strike, the second step is to listen to the opponent’s force. When you have met the hand and listen to the force, the third step is change. With the change, one must use one to cover two. You use one of your hands to cover both of your opponent’s hands. This leads to the forth step, which is attacking. How the opponent responds to the attack decides the fifth step, which is advanced or retreat. The sixth step is seeking a harmonious and flowing position. The seventh step is to dissolve the opponent’s force, or make use of it to maximize your own. The eighth step is to apply a powerful following or second force. These are the eight steps in changes and applications.

For example, in striking the opponent’s arm, you are listening to his force. Therefore, listening allows you to change effectively. The next sweeping strike is to enter. How the opponent changes to your attack decides whether you advance or retreat, attack or defend. Advancing with a strike is attacking. Retreating while striking is defending. Attacking and defending! The sixth step puts you in a advantageous position, while completely tying up your opponent with your choice or technique. The seventh is dissolving and making use of his force. You receive and redirect the attack to maximize your power. The eighth is applying following force. That is attacking in a manner that even in a non-winning situation you still win. These are the eight methods in applying the attack.

It is also the order to follow for proper use of force. If you do not meet their attack, you cannot listen to their power. If you do not listen to their power, you will not understand their strengths and changes. It is only when you understand the opponent’s strength and skill can you change appropriately. Judging what they have put out and redirecting their force to maximize your force, can you easily reach the fourth step, which is attacking. In reality, these first few steps last only seconds and you will see defeat or victory. If you cannot win, then that leads to the next steps of retreating, choosing an advantageous position, and minimizing their attack. Minimizing means to avoid their powerful blows and only let the light ones land. The eighth step, when there is no other choice, and you attack with a destructive following force. This is the framework of fighting.

I would like to share with everyone the points of strength in the sweeping strikes. This includes the proper places for maximum application. First, is extending the four fingers. The thumb presses into the palm at the lougong point. This helps the four fingers extend. When performing a sweeping strike, the striking area is the lower third of the forearm to maximize power. This is for a palm up sweeping strike. When performing a palm down sweeping strike, the point of strength is the center of the forearm. But, it is very important to relax the shoulder and pull down the elbow. Always relax the shoulder and pull down the elbow. The wrist must also be rounded. The power to strike or dissolve an attack comes from the waist. In that way will you be able to be stable and accurate. This also helps you understand the six-word saying in Yin Style Bagua. Stable, accurate, vicious, cold, crisp, and fast.

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