A look at another Hand of the Wu Bei Zhi:

[shifucrane]

Following on from my post within the Chinese Martial Arts section:

“IRON SAND / CRANE FAN PALM”

Within the White Crane Wuyi art this Hand Form is used more than any other. It is a Signature Characteristic of the style on an internal level. The Wu Bei Zhi states that one area for this attack is the “Fengchi” (Pool of Wind) struck in and downward on the nerve sending the energy down to the way the nerve itself has exited the body following this neural pathway. The strike can also be delivered upward & in towards the skull at a 45 degree angle causing loss of motor function & consciousness by directly attacking the Lesser Occipital Nerve.

Vibrating Palm (not because the palm vibrates on contact, but because of the ripples or vibrations that follow). It has also many other names like exploding palm (aptly named due to energetic release). The Iron Sand Palm uses a special Exploding transference of energetics into the desired target via the palm and with the correct angle of trajectory it can cause a greater amount of effect on the central nervous system.

The Iron Sand Palm uses an exploding kinetic energy transference to cause the desired effect. A strike hit to that of the heart area (Heart Piercing Palm) will cause an expansion resulting in great strain on that organ and valves therein, followed by a quick contraction releasing that strain. But then just like throwing a stone in the middle of a bucket filled with water or better still, striking the outer edge of that bucket so that concentric circles of energy wave-form inwards causing a series of expansions and contractions depending on density of the area as well as the energy of the strike.

This exploding type energetic energy expression, results in a powerful penetrative shock wave. The type of energetic expression will depend on the area struck. For example, if you were to deliver such a strike to a hard area of the human body such as a nerve located on the jaw, will result in a very fast reverberation of the hard area struck causing an energetic wave pattern, a vibratory manifestation that is quicker and shorter to be the expressed.

Striking a softer target such as the abdomen, then a slower longer wave pattern vibration is expressed.

During intense anxiety, your body is flooded with adrenaline/epinephrine. Adrenaline is pure energy, and your body shakes as a result. When the body experiences an internal disruption such as this energetic strike can do to an organ, it will enact this primal fight or flight release and therefore shaking or vibrations continuing.

Quickly splaying or extending the fingers causes the palm to generate an expansive energy upon impact resulting in a shock wave. Much like hitting water in a container causing a strong vibrational ripple effect!

The “Tianzhu” (Heavenly Pillar) point (Greater Occipital Nerve) can also be struck producing a similar response. As can the “Heavenly Window” – Tianchuang which is described as being a “Window of the Sky” as it disrupts the opponents “Shen” or “Spirit” ….. one of the more deadly areas of the Wu Bei Zhi’s dusty pages.

“Yinfeng” known as the “Shielding Wind” or “Wind Screen” area is a major point to be struck with this Hand Form.

Mentioned in the Wu Bei Zhi’s “Diagram of the Bronze Statue” 36 Points are listed. Among those areas is the afore-mentioned “Yinfeng”. Here a secret is revealed ….. the name “Shielding Wind” or “Wind Field” relates to that of the Qi and the protection of same (Life Energy) so an attack here will be fatal.

It effects both the great auricularnerve and branches of the facial nerve. In terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine it is the intersection of the Triple Warmer and Gall Bladder Meridian with The Triple warmer being associated with the Fire Element and the Gall Bladder, the Wood element. Of course these are but a few of the areas that can be struck with this hand form.

Looking at the Hand form as it appears in the Wu Bei Zhi, the Crane Practitioner will note the fingers are depicted as being “pulled” or “held” backwards …extended if you will, allowing the upper and lower palm areas to be extended forward into the strike. This teaches the initiated White Crane Gongfu practitioner that the Palm is “exploded” forward via the stretching or splaying of the fingers.

From the Authors personal copy of the Wu Bei Zhi:

To make a correct palm strike for this effect, you will need to extend the palm only ahead of the fingers as the fingers are left loose and the palm is pulsed forward with fingers trailing.

This concentrates your full energetic action into a smaller area and with a quick release… and will cause the vibrations to travel more efficiently into the intended target/s

Yin Strikes will cause the opponents body to fold in and down while a Yang attack will cause the opponents body to open, lifting the feet off the floor in a less controlled fall and more volatile action. That used in the strike has the fingers splayed and the palm “pads” projected forwards adding kinetic percussive energy into the strike as per the illustration of the Iron Sand Fan Palm as seen within the Wu Bei Zhi!

Look at the hand, it is also a representation of the “Fu Mudra”. Fu is the Tidal hexagram. The Fu Chinese character represents Return, Repeat, Recover & Rebirth. It represents Yang Qi or “New Life Energy”.

My guide, the late Master Ruan Dong detailed some Fujian Crane hands. This hand position is called 'Paizhi', (fingers in a row), or “Flat Palm”

It is also the Zhao Yang Palm seen on the Statue of Fang Qiniang.

[/img]http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m213/zhenlan1961/fang-qiniang_zpsfb64709e.png

Something not widely know to those outside Real White Crane circles is that the statue depicts the fifth of ancient hidden or secret White Crane techniques / concept/ principles known as “Zhao Yang”. 企掌屈肘單昭陽 Translates as “Erect palm, bending elbow, single Zhao Yang” . 上下飛花勁脈暢 means “Up and down flying flowers both jing and meridians have to be smooth”. 吞吐如虹發力罡 equates to “Swallow and spit generate power as smooth as the rainbow”.

In the little known White Crane Classical Writings:

比如十五勢拳譜中所寫： 招 昭 陽。白鶴拳法之五：凡拳起手，只要招 昭 陽，無論他用何勢，可用此勢，大門放過，小門直入 (Bǐrú shíwǔ shì quánpǔ zhōng suǒ xiě zhāo yáng báihèquán fǎ zhī wǔ fán quán qǐ shǒu zhǐyào zhāo yáng wúlùn tā yòng hé shì kě yòng cǐ shì dàmén fàngguò xiǎo mén zhí rù ) translates as “In the fist boxing chart of 15 potentials gesture or signs of White Crane boxing, Zhao Yang is the fifth of White Crane hands. Facing incoming attack, one only needs Zhao Yang” ( Zhao = bright / clear / manifest / to show clearly) (Yang = positive - electric / sun / Yang, opposite) Do not compete force against force, enter straight into the middle of the main door to capture the core & destroy the opponent/attacker”.

One other aspect of this Hand Form is that for the most part the illustrations within the Wu Bei Zhi depict the White Crane Stylist executing such techniques to the front of the opponent.

In striking the front of the opponents body the energetics are stronger using the Palm instead of the Back of the hand. Striking the side of the body one should use the side of the palm and in striking the back of the body one would use the back of the hand.[/img]