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Jin Tui Lian Huan (進退連環) -
"Advance Retreat Linking" Form
This form has undergone several changes in the
last hundred years and it's possible to see several variations done by
modern practictioners. For instance, in "One Horse, Three
Arrows" (yi ma san jian, 一馬三箭)
some practitioners go into a deep cross legged stance on
the first two bengs, while others only cross on the
retreat. Another interesting variation doesn't use a
crossed stance at all - the first beng (崩) is done as a half
step beng, and
the second beng (on the retreating step) hits just as the rear
heel
roots into the ground, allowing for a very quick third (advancing) beng.
[The original Dai style version of yi ma san jian also has three strikes, but there is no retreating step. The first strike is a cross step (ao bu, 拗步) punch. The second one is another ao bu strike, this time with the other hand as the rear leg pulls in and forward to assume the "squatting monkey" (dun hou, 蹲猴) posture. The final strike is with the (now) lead hand as the rear leg continues to step forward into a "bow stance" (gong bu, 弓步). The first two strikes hit while the body contracts (shu, 束), and the third one strikes on the expand (zhan, 展). Apparently the retreating step strike is a modification by Li Luoneng or Che Yizhai.]
Essential points:
In this form, within advancing, there is retreating and within
retreating, there is advancing. (Within hardness there is
softness, and within softness there is hardness. Hardness and
softness support each other).
In "One Horse, Three Arrows" (yi
ma san jian, 一馬三箭), each strike is
different. In the half step beng, both feet go out
together and
the feet take root. The waist is the commander, the dantian
issues strength, the shoulder presses the elbow, and the elbow presses
the hand. Issuing power comes from this "pressing power" (cui
jing, 催勁).
In the retreating step beng, the shoulder and kua unite; issuing
power comes from the tailbone tucking. In cun bu (寸步) beng, upper and lower limbs move
out together; issuing comes from "inch
power" (cun jing, 寸勁).
"White Crane Shows Wings" and "Pulling Horse Forcefully" combines defending and breaking methods. In "embracing hand" pao (lou shou pao, 摟手炮), there is striking within defending and defending within striking. [Lou shou pao is the opening move of the form that looks somewhat like a groin slap.] This was Che Yizhai's first method of breaking bengquan.
Za Shi Chui (雜勢捶) - "Mixed Posture Pounding" Form