New Theory on the Eight Methods

I was recently looking through some old notes and came across Master Chen Zhonghua’s  “New Theory on the Eight Methods.” It is also known as the eight techniques. I thought this might be of interest due to the recent discussion of the Eight Methods mentioned in Rion’s notes from the Cannon Fist workshop.

The conventional interpretation of the Eight Methods is as follows:

Peng = to ward off

Lu = to divert, to pull

Ji = to press

An = to push down

Cai = to pluck

Lie = to split

Zhou = to strike with the elbow

Kao = to bump

Master Chen’s New Theory on the Eight Methods (circa March, 2003):

Peng = to enlarge, to expand

Lu = to lengthen towards self.

Ji = to lengthen towards opponent, to make heavy (sink) and squeeze out space

An = to push to cause separation and disengagement

Cai = to break in the opponent’s end. (three ends: opponent, middle, self);  to uproot through pulling with acceleration, creating a variation of speed in the opponent’s body (based on Lu)

Lie = to break in the middle (based on Lu)

Zhou = to twist so that two directions are simultaneously engaged

Kao = hitting with a large area of the body

*Peng is the basis for the other seven methods and is also the most difficult one to master. Taiji is the “Art of Peng.”