Qingcheng martial arts come from the Mount. Qingcheng, which is in the western part of Sichuan province, and is the birthplace of Taoism. Their history is longer than the temples on the Mont. Qingcheng. They are a series of exercise techniques showing the ideas of Taoism. Their influence on Chinese Qigong and medical skills is no less than Buddhism. Because of many reasons, they do not become popular in the world.
The article mainly introduces the effective techniques – Sun’s Hands Techniques. They mainly use their hands, not legs, to control the opponent’s attack. By closely blocking, turning, pulling and punching, the opponent becomes disordered and then, is defeated to lose his attacking ability. The techniques pay more attention to using hand blocking and punching, less to leg kicking, and put great emphasis on the attention, speed and coherence of actions. They are helpful and effective in protecting oneself. The above are the main characteristics of the techniques.
The arts are used in near fighting, especially in unexpected emergencies in our daily lives. They are very effective.
(A) Single Practice
1. Preparing Posture:
Two feet stand together, facing the south. Arms are relaxed beside the body. Eyes front, tongue touching the hard palate, the whole body is relaxed. Minds are calm. Qi moves to the pubic region. [Figure 1].
2. Starting Posture:
Following the Preparing Posture, right foot steps out to the right side, and the upper body turns to the right about 90º. Meanwhile, the body’s gravity center is lowered down, and the legs are bent to be the posture of Mabu pose (like riding a horse). The right palm is pushed out, as high as the waist, the center of the palm facing the up, the part of the hand between the thumb and the Index finger facing the front. The left palm is near the waist and the center of it faces the up. Eyes front.
Key points: Practitioners can do the posture On the way of left or right side. That Is, the starting posture is not fixed on one side, any side of the posture can be used to face the front, and two hands in the pose.
3. Left Hand Punching the Right Upper Side
Step One: Following the above posture. Raise the right arm up slightly and turn the hand anti – clockwise. Then, the edge of the palm faces the front and the part of the hand between the thumb and the Index finger faces up. Meanwhile, the left palm turns to the front and then, to the right coastal region, the center of It facing the ground, the gravity center of the body slightly moves down to the left leg, the right toe slightly touches the ground, and the eyes front. [Figure 3]. Then, left leg pushes the body up to the front and bends the right leg slightly, at the same time, the right palm becomes a fist suddenly and punches out, the part of the hand between the thumb and the Index finger facing up, the fist Is as high as the shoulders. The left palm moves to the Inside of the right elbow to protect the body, the center of it facing the right. Look at the right fist. [Figure 4].
Key points: When practicing, the practitioners should try to get the essence of these actions, and should not pay more attention to postures. When the right palm moves in a curve, it must quickly become a fist and punches out. The left hand changes its position to cooperate the actions of the right one.
Step Two: Following the above actions. Don’t move your legs. Right fist changes to a palm and twists down to the side of the right hip, as high as the coastal region, the center of it facing the ground and fingers pointing at the front. Meanwhile, left palm stretches out and cuts to the left side, as high as the ear, the center of it towards the up, fingers pointing at the left. Look at the right palm [Figure 5]. Don’t stop acting. Left palm backs from the left side of the waist via the front of the belly to fight the side of the body. The left palm pierces to the front of the body’s right side, as high as the chin, and then, quickly turn the palm outside to become a up – standing palm, the center of it facing the front, fingers pointing up. Meanwhile, the right palm becomes a fist and back to the right side of the waist. Look at the left palm [Figure 6]. Go on acting. The left foot moves forward and bends the leg. The right leg pushes body up and becomes straight. Meanwhile, the left palm turns outside and cuts a curve to the point above the left kneel, the center of it facing the ground. The right fist quickly punches out, as high as the shoulder, the part of the hand between the thumb and the index finger facing up. Look at the right fist [Figure 7].
Key Points: The left palm moving from the left to the right must be slight and quick. The three postures must be natural, coherent and fluent.
4. Turning Palms
Step One: Following the above. When the left palm moves to the front of the face, quickly turn left arm outside and let the center of the palm face the right front. Then, move left foot back; bend the left knee, and straighten the body up. The right leg becomes straight and the upper body moves forward slightly, at the same time, the left palm becomes a fist and is pulled back to the front of the left shoulder. The right fist moves a curve from the right side the upper left. Then, bend the right elbow. Look at the front of the body’s right side [Figure 8].
Key Points: The left palm’s moving up and left arm turning inside should be earlier than the foot moving. The right fist should move around the shoulder. The punching strength should concentrate on the point of the index finger’s second joint.
Step Two: Following the above. Upper body turns to the right side about 45º. The right toe touches the ground slightly. The right fist becomes a palm and turns inside and, the right elbow rises up to the front of the left shoulder, the center of the right palm facing the front, fingers pointing to the left. Then, the left fist becomes a palm and turns outside and down, the center of it facing the front and as high as the chest. The right palm moves down the left arm. Look at the right front [Figure 9]. Go on moving. The gravity center moves slightly forward. The right palm turns outside and pierces up. Let the right palm cover the left forearm at the outside place, fingers pointing up. The center of the left palm faces up, and is as high as the shoulders. Look at the left palm [Figure 10].
Key Points: Two arms’ changing and palms’ changing must be quick. These actions must be powerful. The changing of hands is the main effective action.
5. Palms Cutting Down and Fist Punching the Throat
Following the above. The left toe swings to the left side, and the right one moves inside. The right palm rises to the height of forehead, and the left one rises up to face the right palm. Two wrists slightly bend down. Then, lower the gravity center, bend the right leg, at the same time, and cut both palms down quickly with the right one in front of the left one. Look at the front [Figure 11].
Continuously, two toes move to the right side. The right palm suddenly becomes a fist and punches the front, as high as the shoulder. The left palm turns inside and faces the ground. Look at the right fist [Figure 12].
Key Points: The strength of the root points of palms and palms cutting down should be quick and unexpected, and they must be one in front of the other. Punching and cutting are closely linked without any hesitation.
6. Pushing Up and Pressing Down
Following the above. Raise the gravity center slightly up. The left foot makes a half step backward. Both hands rise up to the forehead. Then, lower the gravity center down and let the right toe slightly touch the ground. Two hands quickly press down to the chest front and facing the ground, two thumbs pointing each other closely. Look at the back of the palms [Figure 13]. Go on moving. The left leg suddenly becomes straight pushing body up and forward. Right knee bens down. Meanwhile, two hands turn outside and become fists in front of the face. Then, raise arms and punch fists up to the height of the forehead. Look at the fists [Figure 14].
Key Points: two palms pressing down is like making the Taiji, slightly and gently, but sticky. Two fists rising must be quick and powerful. The strength in these actions should be continuous and fill the explosive energy.
7. Cutting and Punching Out
Following the above. Move the body up and put the weight on the left foot. The left fist becomes a palm and presses down to the front of the left hipbone. The right palm presses down, turns left and its center facing the upper left, as high as the chest. Look at the right palm [Figure 15]. Go on moving. The left palm rises up and pierces to the inside place of the right palm. Then, quickly turn it inside, let its center face the front, and cut it to the left side. Move the right foot forward a half step, bend the leg down. The left leg pushes forward and becomes straight. Meanwhile, the left palm becomes a fist and presses down. The right palm becomes a fist and quickly punches as high as the chin. Look at the right fist [Figure 16].
Key Points: The palm piercing, foot stepping forward and punching out should be accomplished at a stretch. Punching must be like shooting an arrow, quickly and exactly.
8. Kicking the Crotch
Following the above. Body weight lies on the left leg, while the right one is bent. The right palm makes an anti – clock circle with its forearm, then, bend the arm in the front of the right side, the center of it facing the side and as high as the eyebrow. The left fist becomes a palm and pulls back to the inside point of the right elbow. Look at the right front [Figure 17]. Then, the right palm presses down to the coastal region. The left palm pierces forward, as high as the eyes, the center of it facing up. Meanwhile, the left leg pushes up and straight. The body weight is on the left leg. The right foot rises up and kicks out, as high as the crotch. Look at the front [Figure 18].
Key Points: the left leg must be rooted and steady. Kicking must be quick and powerful. The strength concentrates on the left toe. Two hand positions are free.
9. Pulling and Stamping Down
Following the above. The right foot falls to the ground. Two knees are bent. The right palm pierces down and then up to the right side, as high as the shoulder, the center facing the right front. The left palm presses to the right to cooperate with the right one making a circle. Look at two palms [Figure 19]. Then, the body turns to the right about 180º. Rise the left foot up and stamp forward; then, bend the knee. Meanwhile, the right palm becomes a fist and pulls back to the front of the right shoulder while the body turns, the inside of the fist facing the ground. The left palm cuts to the front of the right shoulder, fingers pointing up. Turn your head left and look at the left side [Figure 20].
Key Points: when doing these actions, the practitioners should keep the cooperation of the left and the right, especially the right hand and the left foot; the right foot and the left hand.
Notes: After practicing the above actions, the practitioners can back to the Starting Posture to repeat these actions again. The above actions are about the left side. The right side postures are similar to them but the side is changed. These techniques can be practiced in a small place, and when practicing, practitioners can only imitate the actions and don’t use power. After a long time practicing, the essence can got.
Writer: Liu Suibin; Ling Zhao
