Xingyiquan's

 

Wu Xing

 

  Five phases or “elemental fists” of Pi (metal) generating Zuan (water); Zuan producing Beng (wood); Beng bearing Bao (fire); Bao begetting Heng (earth); and Heng moving into Pi all transcend form and function in multiple applications.  Perceiving how these five elements, likewise, allow you to counter your opponent as in tui shou – push hands, is essential for discerning how your internal motion moderates your external form.  You must remain at rest, quieting your internal energy in the process of harmonizing the Liu He or six major joints of hips/shoulders, elbows/knees, wrists/ankles.  Then, sink your qi to your lower dan tian and move in every transition through your center equilibrium stance – the balance point beneath your perineum that is found somewhere behind your front heel and the middle of your front inner thigh.     

 

  Use offensive form as defense, and defensive forms as offence.  For instance, although hern and tsuan are used to clear the way for further strikes, they can be used directly as an attack when there is no obstacle.  In any case, most applications feels like whole body perpetuation of ji or “pressing” as found in taijiquan.  Be relentless in it’s explosive rapid repetition.  Don’t float up and down.

 

Your pressing xingyi (hsing-i) fist is like your bagua (pa kua) or taijiquan (tai chi chuan) palm, but it is also unique in the way that you line up the tip of your nose with your hands and with your feet.  This is Sun Lu-tang’s classical dragon body attitude applied to xingyiquan (hsing-i chuan), and it is described by Master Liang Shou-yu this way:  

 

 

1) Ding means your head presses upward along with your tongue. 

2) Tyi means your tailbone, but also includes your hui yin point (perineum), is tucked and lifted up.  It is considered one of the “tricky gates” that can control kan (water) and li (fire) or water converting to fire and fire converting to water for your yin/yang adjustments. 

3) Kow means arch or pluck up your back and hollow your chest and keep the backs of your hands and the soles of your feet arched for grabbing.  (Liang and Ming, 1997.)