One of my favorite throws, often called the “Snake Throw” in Baguazhang or is found in variation within Xingyiquan’s chicken and sparrow hawk shapes.

Some interesting variations on the palm changes coming from Li Tianji line. Li’s father studied with Sun Lu Tang directly but also with other teachers.

第九章　四象學 CHAPTER NINE: THE FOUR MANIFESTATIONS [i.e. DOUBLE PALM CHANGE] 四象者。兩儀各生一陰陽也。太極生兩儀者。八卦拳之奇耦也。復於兩儀之中。各加一奇一耦。以象太陰太陽少陰少陽而名為四象。四象即本拳之奇耦。各加一陰一陽。而分為金木水火也。在腹內則為心肝肺腎。在拳中則為前後左右。俗稱名為雙換掌也。言四象不及土者。太極即土也。拳中起躦落翻。動而未發謂之横。横者亦土也。因其生生不息謂之土。因其一氣運用謂之太極。太極也。土也。一而已。故不及土。僅言四象者。而土已在其中矣。夫四象旣有陰陽。則八卦相交。彼此相盪。一卦可盪於八卦之上。八卦相盪。更可重為六十四卦。按易一卦六畫。下三畫象天地人三才也。上三畫相盪。因而重之。象天地人三才各有陰陽也。以明拳中各法左旋右轉。皆有陰陽之式也。故左旋象下三畫。頭手足象天地人三才也。右轉象上三畫。因天地人三才各有陰陽也。八卦即四象之陰陽。六十四卦即陰陽配合之生氣。八卦成列。因而重之。則陰陽相交。自可生生無已。豈第六十四卦哉。雖至千卦萬卦。總不出乎六十四卦。六十四卦總是八卦。八卦總是四象。四象總是兩儀。兩儀總是一氣之流行也。紫陽讀參同契云。一自虛無兆質。兩儀因一開根。四象不離二體。八卦互為子孫。六十四卦於此而生。萬象變動於此而出。誠哉斯言。可為此拳之鑒矣。 The four manifestations are born from the dual aspects, which were generated by the grand polarity. Forming the solid lines and broken lines in the eight trigrams [active being represented by a single solid line, passive being represented by a single broken line], the … More Sun Style Baguazhang Double Palm Change