Master Tse’s Wing Chun Notes #35

Pouh Paaih Jeung 抱琶掌

note-35Wing Chun has many kinds of palm strike. We have already talked at Jik Jeung 直掌, Waahng Jeung 橫掌, Dai Jeung 低掌and Waahng Dai Jeung 橫低掌. Now we come to look at the last palm strike, Pouh Paaih Jeung and there are many ways to do this palm strike.

Pouh means holding. Paaih is a Chinese musical instrument called Pipa 琵琶. In Cantonese the pronunciation is Peih Paaih. Jeung means palm. So all together it means, Holding Peih Paah Palm Strike. When we use Pouh Paaih Jeung we use both palms together at the same time. We hold them in line, wrist above wrist with one the fingers of the top hand pointing upwards and the fingers of the lower hand pointing downwards. The hand on top is Jik Jeung and the bottom and is Dai Jeung. When we strike, both hands strike the opponent simultaneously.

So Pouh Paaih Jeung actually Both Palms Strike. Because both palms together like a butterfly, some people also call it Butterfly Palms.

We have learned how powerful one palm strike can be, so using both palms to strike must be even more powerful. The basic Pouh Paaih Jeung is made up of one Jihk Jeung and one Dai Jeung and these are used together to strike the centre of our opponent. The Jihk Jueng hits the chest and the Dai Jeung hits the lower part of body. Both wrists are at middle chest area.

Before we strike with Pouh Paaih Jeung we touch the target lightly with the finger tips keeping our elbows bent and then we use our full power to hit. The power should not only come from our arms, but it should come from our legs and stance. We should step one leg in between our opponents legs beforehand, then it means we are very close to them and our Pouh Paaih Jeung will make them lose balance or damage their internal body.

Michael Tse

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