day 6: 4th palm change and application

concepts:

• chi-kung (qi-gong) level 1
• shaving

forms:

• 4th palm change

today began with a slightly different warm-up. John was practicing jian shu (Chinese straight sword) when i arrived, and after my morning stretch routine he took over leading the class (all 4 of us). we began simply enough with the stances. but after we did them, he then asked if we wanted to had do Ba Gua chi-kung level 1. this was a bit of a break from tantui, but i figured a good learning experience since i don't know anything about chi-kung but consider it one of the things i want to learn.

chi-kung (level 1)

chi-kung (qi-gong) is the field of Chinese medicine devoted to developing chi. there's quite a bit to it in terms of nurturing it, manipulating it, strengthening it, and applying it. for martial arts, each internal system appears to have its own method of chi-kung. Ba Gua has its own unique method of chi-kung. based on the term "level 1" i got the impression that there are multiple levels. how many i don't know.

ba gua chi-kung level 1 is basically a progression of 9 sets of movements, with each set representing one of the 8 trigrams featured on the 8-sided bagua symbol, plus 1 set of exercises corresponding to the center of the bagua symbol. while the bagua symbol has meanings in Taoist astrology and Chinese medicine, for martial arts (and bagua in particular) it connotes a series of meanings related to combat and chi flow.

for level 1, the 8 sets are performed facing the 8 directions of the compass (John began with us facing northwest, then proceeding clockwise to north, northeast, east, etc. until we finished with west). for each compass point, John named (with Ching-Tzsieh's and Lee's help) the corresponding animal, element, and body part. for each point, John then led us through the respective movement, which apparently is meant to develop chi in the matching body part. we moved in progression through all 8 compass directions, and then finished by standing in a circle.

it appeared that everybody else (John, Ching-Tszieh, and Lee) had trouble themselves remembering the parts of the 9 sets. of course, they all did better than me, since i was having enough difficulty just trying to follow the exercises. after we finished, Ching-Tszieh pulled out a sheet of paper with the ba gua trigrams to check to see if we had gotten everything right. i took the opportunity to write down some notes. based on what she had, this is what i managed to find:

1. NW, element: yang metal (heaven), animal: lion, organs: head, lungs
2. N, element: water, animal: snake, organs: liver, kidney, inner ear
3. NE, element: yang earth (mountain), animal: bear, organs: hands, spine, small bones
4. E, element: yin wood (thunder), animal: dragon, organs: throat
5. SE, element: yang wood (wind), animal: phoenix, organs: hips, waist, buttocks
6. S, element: fire (sun), animal: hawk (rooster), organs: eyes and heart
7. SW, element: yin earth (earth), animal: unicorn, organs: abdomen and reproductive organs
8. W, element: yin metal (marsh), animal: monkey, organs: mouth
9. center
   

i have to say i don't know if i really felt any chi. i did feel relaxation. i did feel breathing. i did feel physical action. but i don't know if i felt any chi.

i feel a little disappointed.

but maybe it's just because i was focusing on trying to follow along. maybe it's just because i'm a beginner. maybe because i'm still a little uncertain as to the concept of chi itself. maybe i just need some more time, more practice, and more concentration.

it sounds like a broken record, but it's appropriate for so many things for me at this level: this is going to take some time.

4th palm change

Jason and the rest of the class arrived as we finished chi-kung level 1. based on the ribbing they gave John and Art, it sounded like they had overslept and missed their usual attendance at Jason's early morning jian shu class.

Jason started the class off pretty quickly, having everybody review the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd palm changes in methodical order. after watching everyone's technique and correcting their form, he then demonstrated the 4th palm change.

the 4th palm change is not quite as intricate as the 3rd, and doesn't have the same level of rotation and spinning. it does, however, have a number of complex transitions, with change in stances involving 360-degree spins that make it difficult to keep sense of direction. it also has some awkward movement that makes for difficult balance. it begins with a slight arch in the back and reach from the 70-30 stance, followed by a spin into the dragon stance, then a single-leg stand involving upper body action that involves bringing a hand forward along the opposing arm as it is simultaneously being brought back, after which the practitioner steps forward in a series of lunges before finishing.

everybody joked about the awkwardness of the movements. Jason said the initial motion was like Bob's Big Boy. Ching-Tszieh said she felt like a pizza delivery person. the single leg stand proved equally comical. Jason said it helped to imagine that we were trying to shave an arm, with the one hand moving forward to "shave" the hair of the arm that was retreating back.

shaving

assessing the state of mass confusion and awkwardness in the class, Jason had everyone stop and gather around. he told us that it would be easier to understand the 4th palm change if we recognized its combat applications. he then proceeded to demonstrate what the movements were meant to do.

it turns out, although awkward, each action in the 4th palm change has a very clear purpose. the initial step with the back arch and "pizza delivery" reach is actually meant to force you out of the line of an opponent's fist strike and simultaneously reach their face. the subsequent 180 degree turn into the dragon stance is supposed to be the reaching arm pressuring the opponent backwards off-balance from their center line and the off arm then moving into a position to further push the opponent off-balance by the hip or thigh, using the downward movement of the turn for force. the shift to a single leg "shaving arm" action is supposed to be forcing the opponent forward and then swiping their leg. the forward lunges are lunges to the throat.

Jason then added some extensions to the techniques contained within the 4th palm change. he demonstrated techniques, most if centered around variations of the "shaving arm" action designed to force the opponent into a throw, a joint-lock, or some combination of both. after giving everyone a chance to experiment with the techniques, he left to work with the Baji students and let everybody practice on their own.

i have to say, things are dramatically different when you have an expert demonstrating something versus doing those same things on your own. once Jason left, everybody was left scratching their heads as to how the techniques he had showed us actually worked.

i was working with Ching-Tszieh, who was as befuddled as i was. it took us awhile to figure things out. but everybody else appeared to have the same problem.

John and Phunsak were working together, and then joined me and Ching-Tszieh, at which point all of us realized that even though we each thought we'd figured out the techniques, all we had really done was figure out different facets of it, and that the full picture became clear only after we started comparing and discussing what we'd individually learned.

case in point: Ching-Tszieh mentioned she was having trouble with one movement that Jason had emphasized as involving arm catching, "shaving" along the arm in a motion he described as "down and up", and then striking towards the face. John said it helps to twist the arm making contact ("twisting": the perpetual theme of bagua). Ching-Tszieh said she didn't understand how that was supposed to help, but then tried it anyway. To her surprise, the movement became significantly easier and much more natural. She looked at Phunsak and John and said "How is this possible?" Phunsak shrugged. John nodded, and then calmly joked: "See? That's why it's called kung fu. It's mysterious!"

by this time Jason had returned. he was promptly mobbed by students trying to figure out the movements. Jason took a rather extended period of time to answer questions, and then paused to emphasize that some elements of the techniques were crucial, but that there was room within the techniques for variation.

case in point: on the same movement that Ching-Tzsieh had covered, Jason pointed out that the strike didn't have to be to the face, but could also be to the colloidal artery of the neck (which also contains a pressure point that forces the person to turn their head), the jaw, the eyes, or the adam's apple. similarly, the strike forward could be ignored and the technique could be abbreviated in the middle and turned into a joint lock on the elbow, wrist, or fingers.

after some time, Jason called class to close.

i think this time, unlike previous times when it was just me alone, most everyone in the class had some bewilderment and head-scratching as they left for the day.