The Palm Cutting Ways of Dachengquan

Writer: Dong Xuede

Cutting palm is one of the main ways of palm using, which has great effectiveness in actual fighting, and is often used to defeat opponents by surprise. It was derived from Baguazhang, but it has more profound content and effective fighting ways from Dachengquan. In the practice of shen, yi, xing, qi, li, it pays more attention to the following rules: shen comes from yi; li acts with yi; palm acts with li. More practice can improve one¡¯s actual fighting capacity. Cutting palm is famous for its simpleness, effectiveness and swiftness.
The writer ever studied Plum Blossom Zhuang, Baguazhang, and some other martial arts. He is one of the students of Mater Wang Jianmin¡¯s. Although Master Wang is one of the famous martial arts practitioners, he is broad-minded and is very strict with his students. He often told his students that the cutting palm should not be used rashly, which shows the power of cutting palm.
The cutting palm practicing ways include the ways of standing Zhuang, the ways of shen and yi, the ways of body moving, the ways of feet moving and the ways of various fighting.
The ways of standing Zhuang is the basis of Dachangquan. Seniors often said: ¡°Moving is beeter than drilling; standing is better than moving.¡± All ways have the same essence. The ways of standing Zhuang can develop the practitioner¡¯s vigorous power and fearless mettle, with enough long time of practice, the practitioner can have inside actions and inside qi, which will produce very great inside power. When meet the opponent, the inside power can be used to defeat him.
The ways of using shen and yi are also called ¡°the ways of attacking through a crack between door and its frame¡±, which means that the ways can be used to attack a passerby suddenly in front door and fight him out. In the old times, practitioners often practice these ways at an open field or a graveyard at the midnight. Such conditions can make the practitioner feel nervous, become more active, any slight move can cause his instinctive actions. Then, the practitioner will act with his mind and use his all power to fight, which is just like one person will shiver in the very cold weather.
The ways of feet moving mainly consists of opening-closing feet, Bagua feet moving and Hengdang feet. Opening-closing feet is frequently used in Cutting Palm using, and is a secret feet moving way, which is often used to block opponents¡¯ attack and then, move to the back of the opponents. This kind of foot moving, in actual fighting, will have no fix form and perfect position and is constant moving. So the opponent will be in the positive position and have to follow our actions, which is very useful to the practitioner.
Body moving ways are also called ¡°Turtle and Snake Teasing Ways¡±. That is, the practitioner¡¯s arms are like snakes; his body moving is like a urtle swimming. Hands follows the moving of body, and body follows the hands, hands making the left and right circles, body floating up and down to make many postures, such as avoiding, turning, twisting and turning over, and so on, in order to find the best posture to attack.
Changing-attacking palm is one way of the cutting palm using ways, which, according to opponent¡¯s changing to change, using the theories of centrifugal and centripetal force to make forward cutting, backward cutting, upward cutting and downward cutting. It can be used one by one continually or a single one at a time.

The following are the ways of cutting palm using in actual fighting. They are:
1. Blocking and Cutting forward the opponent attacks your head with the left hand. You can move the left foot up to the right front, move the right foot forward to follow the left one, use the left hand to block his left hand, and use the right palm to cut his neck or temple [Figure 1]. Key points: This cutting palm mainly uses the centripetal force to cut the opponent¡¯s neck or temple, where are the weak parts of one¡¯s body. This attack can make the opponent shock or die.
2. Cutting forward and backward. The opponent attacks your head with the left hand. You can block his attack with the left hand, and use the right palm to cut his temple. If he lowers his head to avoid, you can turn over the right palm to cut his neck when he raises his head [Figure 2].
Key points: This action can follow the above one. It¡¯s the main way of using cutting palm. When cutting backward, the practitioner should make the best use of the force of body turning and leg stretching.
3. Catching Hand and Cutting up. The opponent attacks your head with the left fist. You can catch his left hand with the left hand, and spear your right arm through his armpit or upper arm to cut his neck. Try to let him away [Figure 3]. Key points: The spearing and cutting must use the force from the waist. Take any chance to cut his neck and let him away like a kite.
4. Pressing Hand and Cutting. The opponent attacks you with the left hand. You can move your left hand to make a circle toward inside to press his hand down, then, use the opening-closing feet to move forward, using the left foot to the front and move the right foot up to follow the right one. Then, turn to his back and cut his neck or back [Figures 4, 5]. Key points: The key of these actions is that you must close to his body and let him have no chance to attack you.


5. Attacking Ear and Cutting down. The opponents attack you with the right hand. You can use the left hand to press his right hand down, use the right palm to attack his ear. If he blocks your hand with left hand, you should quickly pull the left hand out from under the right arm, move the left foot horizontally, move the right foot up to the back of his right leg, move your body up to approach him and use the right palm to cut him on the left side of his rib region. Try to cut him down [Figure 6, 7].
Key points: These actions must be accomplished at a stretch. Try to use body moving up to make him in the positive position. Your left hand, try to let his hand have no way to move. That is, ¡°Hand meets his hand and let his hand on way to escape¡±.
6. Hooking Elbow and Cutting Neck. The opponent attacks you with the left hand in the way of Bengquan. You can hook his elbow with your left hand, move the left and the right feet up, move body to the back of him, use the right palm to cut his neck [Figure 8].
Key points: When you hook the opponent¡¯s elbow, you should close the chest and turn the waist, take the waist turning to cut him.


7. Twining and Cutting. The opponent attacks you with the left fist. You can twine and block his arm with your palms. Meanwhile, move your body up and step the right foot up, use the left hand to tuck in his chest or rib region, and use the right palm to cut his neck. Try to cut him away [Figure 9, 10].
Key points: When twining his hand, try to pull him back and let his attack useless. If he withdraws, you can take the chance to tuck and cut him.
8. Making circle and Cut forward. You make a circle to punch the opponent¡¯s head with the right hand. He will intercept your right arm with his left palm and try to let you in the positive position. You should this chance to make a circle with your right fist, swing the arm to the left side and then downward, to the right side, upward, try to cut his neck or head [Figure 11, 12].
Key points: this arm swinging can not only prevent his attack but also change the positive position to active position to attack him.



9. Trimming Hand and Cutting backward. When the opponent punches your chest with the left hand, you can use two hands to make shears to trim his right arm. Then, turn the right palm to cut his neck [Figure 13, 14].
Key points: Trimming can make his arm fracture. If your trimming cannot be effective, the cutting can be a remedial measure.
10. Intercepting Arm and Cutting backward. The opponent attacks your chest with the right hand. You can cut your palm to intercept his right hand. Then, turn your right palm up to cut his head or neck [Figure 15, 16].
Key points: your cutting should follow your intercepting. The key point of these actions is the swift moving of feet. When attacking, the body must approach to the opponent¡¯s.



11. Spear Palm and Cutting backward. The opponent attacks you with the left hand. You can spear the right palm to intercept his arm, then, make the opening-closing feet moving to the back of him, and cut his neck from the back with your left palm [Figures 17, 18].
Key points: When making the opening-closing feet moving, turn your body 270? Use the spiral force and centrifugal force to cut his neck.
12. Grab Fist and Cutting Neck. The opponent attacks your right side of your rib regions with the right hand. You should move the right foot to the side way, use the left hand to grab his right fist, turn the right palm to cut his neck, or raise the knee to kick his arm [Figure 19, 20].
Key points: The left hand grabbing must be powerful and try to push his force to the side of your body. Raising knee to kick should be fierce. Your cutting and kicking can make him at a loss. Since the cutting Palm is mainly used to attack the opponent¡¯s neck or rib regions, it is likely to hurt the opponent greatly. When practicing, the practitioners cannot be too careful, in case the dispensable injure occur.



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