Using Intention to Guide Qi and Qi to Move the Body
以意導氣，以氣運身
“Use intention to guide qi; use qi to move the body” means that movement begins with conscious intention（意）, not with isolated muscular action.
First, the mind clearly establishes the direction, timing, and purpose of the movement. The breath, internal pressure, posture, and muscular coordination then organize themselves according to that intention. Finally, the entire body moves as one connected unit.
Intention leads; qi follows; the body responds.
意到、氣到、身到。
Here, qi（氣） should not be understood only as breath. In practical training, it also includes breathing, internal pressure, awareness, postural connection, and the coordinated transmission of force throughout the body.
The correct order is:
Intention（意） → internal coordination（氣） → whole-body movement（身） → force expressed through the limbs（手腳）
One should not deliberately force the breath or imagine pushing air into the hands. Breathing remains natural while the intention organizes the movement.
The Large Dantian Energy Circle
丹田大氣圈
The dantian（丹田）, located conceptually in the lower abdomen and pelvic centre, functions as the centre of whole-body movement.
The large dantian circle（丹田大氣圈） refers to the circular movement generated through the coordinated action of:
Lower abdomen（下腹）
Waist（腰）
Kua or hip joints（胯）
Pelvis（骨盆）
Spine（脊柱）
This is not merely a visible rotation of the hips. It is a three-dimensional circular action that may turn horizontally, vertically, diagonally, or spirally.
As the dantian circle rotates, opens, closes, rises, sinks, advances, or retreats, it moves the body’s centre of mass and organizes the force transmitted between the feet and hands.
The dantian is the central wheel; the limbs move as its extensions.
丹田為大輪，四肢為其延伸。
The Small Energy Circles of the Hands and Feet
手腳小氣圈
The hands and feet form smaller circles（小氣圈）that are directed by the larger dantian circle.
The hands may:
Rotate（旋轉）
Draw arcs（走弧）
Open and close（開合）
Coil and uncoil（纏繞、鬆放）
The feet also make small circular adjustments through:
Pivoting（碾腳）
Turning the heels or toes（轉跟、轉尖）
Shifting pressure across the soles（腳底壓力轉移）
Spiralling through the ankles, knees, and kua（踝、膝、胯螺旋相連）
The small circles should not move independently. If the hands circle without support from the centre, the movement becomes an empty arm action（空手）. If the dantian turns but the hands and feet fail to respond, the body loses integration.
The relationship is:
The large circle leads; the small circles follow.
大圈帶小圈。
At the same time, the hands and feet provide feedback to the centre:
The extremities listen; the centre adjusts.
梢節聽勁，丹田調整。
Issuing Force — 發勁
In issuing force（發勁）, the dantian circle gathers and coordinates the entire body before the smaller circles express the force through the hands or feet.
A typical sequence is:
The intention establishes the target and direction（意定方向）.
The feet connect with the ground（腳底接地）.
The legs and kua organize the ground force（腿胯傳力）.
The dantian rotates, compresses, or expands（丹田旋轉、蓄合、開放）.
The spine transmits the movement（脊柱傳導）.
The shoulder and elbow remain relaxed（鬆肩沉肘）.
The hand or foot releases the force at the final moment（勁達手腳）.
Thus, force is not created by the hand alone:
The root is in the feet, the power is generated through the legs, directed by the waist, and expressed in the hands.
其根在腳，發於腿，主宰於腰，形於手指。
The dantian circle may initially be large during training so that the student can feel it clearly. With greater skill, the visible circle becomes smaller, while the internal coordination becomes quicker and more powerful（外形愈小，內勁愈整）.
Neutralizing and Transforming Force — 走化
Zouhua（走化） means to move with, redirect, and dissolve the partner’s incoming force.
Zou（走） means following or moving away from the force without losing contact.
Hua（化） means changing its direction, quality, or effect so that it can no longer reach your centre.
When the partner applies pressure, one should not oppose it directly（不頂）. The dantian large circle changes the position and angle of the body, while the smaller circles of the hands and feet guide the incoming force away.
The procedure is:
Sense the partner’s direction through contact（聽勁）.
Avoid stiff resistance（不頂抗）.
Relax the point being pressed（鬆開接觸點）.
Turn or shift the dantian circle（丹田走圓）.
Adjust the feet and kua（步隨身換）.
Allow the hands to guide rather than pull（以手引化，不以手硬拉）.
Lead the incoming force into emptiness（引進落空）.
The body remains upright and integrated throughout. One should not neutralize merely by bending the waist, withdrawing the chest, or moving the arms independently.
Do Not Let the Partner Catch Your Force
走時不給對方接到自己的勁
This means that while neutralizing, you do not leave a fixed line of force that the partner can grasp, follow, or use against you.
If your arm becomes stiff, your shoulder pushes forward, or your centre continues pressing in one predictable direction, the partner can “catch” your force（接到你的勁）. Once caught, that force becomes a bridge leading directly to your centre.
To avoid this:
Do not maintain rigid pressure at the contact point（不留死力）.
Do not push continuously in one direction（不給直線長勁）.
Do not withdraw suddenly and lose contact（不丟）.
Do not resist and become fixed（不頂）.
Continuously change the angle through the waist and kua（腰胯變角度）.
Keep the contact point light, mobile, and sensitive（接觸點輕靈）.
Let the force circulate rather than become trapped in the arm（勁走圓，不停於手）.
This is the principle of neither disconnecting nor resisting（不丟不頂）.
Your hand remains in contact, but your centre is no longer available along the partner’s line of pressure. The partner can touch your arm but cannot find a stable force path into your body:
There is contact, but there is nothing fixed to catch.
有接觸，無定勁可接。
This does not mean becoming completely soft or collapsing. The body retains Peng structure（掤勁）, but this structure is elastic, mobile, and constantly changing.
The Relationship Between Issuing and Neutralizing
發勁與走化的關係
Issuing and neutralizing are not two completely separate skills. Both are driven by the same dantian circle.
During neutralization（走化）, the large circle receives, redirects, and empties the partner’s force.
During issuing（發勁）, the circle reverses, closes, opens, or changes direction to send integrated force back through the hands or feet.
Therefore:
Neutralization contains the possibility of issuing; issuing emerges from neutralization.
化中有發，發由化生。
The transition should be seamless. There should be no obvious pause between receiving, neutralizing, and issuing:
Listen → follow → neutralize → regain the centre → issue
聽勁 → 隨勁 → 走化 → 得中 → 發勁
The highest goal is for the centre to remain free while the partner’s centre becomes controlled:
I follow the opponent’s force without surrendering my centre;
Use Intention to Guide Qi and Qi to Move the Body
以意導氣，以氣運身
“Use intention to guide qi, and use qi to move the body”（以意導氣，以氣運身） means that movement begins with a clear mental intention（意）, not with isolated muscular effort.
First, the mind determines the direction, timing and quality of the movement. Breathing, internal pressure and whole-body coordination then follow this intention. Finally, the body moves as one connected unit.
It may be understood as:
Intention leads → internal coordination follows → the whole body moves
意先行 → 氣相隨 → 身體動
Here, qi（氣） should not be understood only as breath. In practical training, it also refers to the integrated condition of breathing, awareness, postural support, internal pressure and coordinated movement.
The Dantian as a Large Qi Circle
丹田大氣圈
The lower dantian（下丹田）, located around the lower abdomen and the body’s centre, acts as the main centre of movement.
The waist, abdomen, lower back and kua form a large central circle（丹田大氣圈）. This circle may rotate horizontally, vertically, diagonally, or in a spiral. Its movement coordinates the spine, pelvis and centre of gravity.
The dantian circle is not merely an imaginary circle drawn on the abdomen. It represents the coordinated circular movement of:
The waist and lower back（腰背）
The abdominal centre（腹部核心）
The pelvis and kua（骨盆與胯）
The spine（脊柱）
The shifting centre of gravity（重心轉移）
The centre initiates; the limbs respond:
The dantian moves first, and the four limbs follow.
丹田先動，四肢隨之。
The Hands and Feet as Smaller Qi Circles
手腳小氣圈
The arms, hands, legs and feet form smaller circles（小氣圈） around the body’s central circle.
When the dantian turns, the shoulders and hips are carried by it. The elbows, wrists, knees and ankles then rotate and adjust accordingly. Therefore, the smaller circles of the hands and feet are not independent movements.
The relationship is:
Dantian circle → waist and kua → shoulders and hips → elbows and knees → hands and feet
丹田大圈 → 腰胯 → 肩髖 → 肘膝 → 手腳小圈
The large circle controls the direction and overall momentum. The smaller circles refine the angle, point of contact and final expression of force.
A useful image is:
The dantian is the large wheel; the hands and feet are the smaller wheels connected to it.
丹田如大輪，手腳如與之相連的小輪。
All the wheels turn together, but the central wheel remains the primary driver.
Issuing Force — 發勁
In issuing force（發勁）, intention first identifies the target and direction. The dantian circle then turns, expands, closes, sinks or spirals. This action travels through the connected body and is expressed through a hand, elbow, shoulder, foot or other striking point.
The sequence is:
Intention → dantian → waist and kua → spine → limbs → contact point
意 → 丹田 → 腰胯 → 脊柱 → 四肢 → 勁點
The hand should not issue force before the centre moves. If the hand acts independently, the power becomes local muscular force（局部力）. When the dantian and limbs arrive together, it becomes integrated whole-body power（整勁）.
The essential requirement is:
The large circle initiates; the small circles accelerate and focus the force.
大圈啟動，小圈加速聚勁。
At the final moment, the feet connect to the ground, the legs support, the waist directs and the fingers indicate the line of force:
力起於腳，發於腿，主宰於腰，形於手指。
Neutralizing and Moving Away — 走化
Zouhua（走化） combines two complementary skills:
Zou（走）: following, moving, yielding or changing position.
Hua（化）: transforming and redirecting the incoming force.
When the partner applies pressure, do not oppose it directly. Maintain light awareness at the contact point while allowing the dantian circle to turn and the whole body to adjust.
The central circle changes first; the smaller circles of the arms and legs follow. The partner’s force is then redirected past the body, led into emptiness, or deprived of a stable point to act upon.
Receive the direction without carrying the pressure.
接其方向，不受其力量。
Effective neutralization includes:
Rotating the dantian（轉丹田）
Releasing the waist and kua（鬆腰落胯）
Changing the contact angle（改變接觸角度）
Shifting the centre of gravity（轉移重心）
Turning or stepping with the feet（碾步、走步）
Maintaining upright alignment（立身中正）
The body should move as a connected sphere rather than allowing one part to collapse.
Do Not Let the Partner “Catch” Your Force
走時不給對方接到自己之勁
This means that while yielding or neutralizing, you do not provide the partner with a fixed point, rigid direction or continuous line of force that can be grasped and used against you.
If your arm becomes stiff, your shoulder becomes fixed, or your weight continues to push in one direction, the partner can trace that force back to your centre. This is called allowing the opponent to catch, connect to, or borrow your force（接到你的勁）.
To prevent this:
1. Do not resist at the contact point
接觸點不頂抗
The place being touched should remain alive and adaptable. Do not push directly back against the partner.
2. Do not withdraw suddenly
不突然丟開
Pulling the arm away abruptly breaks contact and may expose your centre. Maintain sensitivity without giving the partner solid pressure. This is neither losing contact nor resisting（不丟不頂）.
3. Continuously change the angle
接觸角度不斷微調
Use small rotations of the forearm, elbow, shoulder, waist and kua. The contact point continually changes, so the partner cannot establish a stable line into your centre.
4. Move the centre before moving the hand
先動丹田，後動手
If only the hand escapes, the shoulder and torso may remain caught. Turn or shift the dantian so the whole structure changes together.
5. Do not reveal a fixed direction
不露固定勁路
Your movement should be circular, spiralling and continuously changing. When the partner follows one direction, that direction is already becoming empty.
6. Keep your centre while emptying the contact point
中定而接點走空
Your own central balance remains stable, but the point the opponent touches becomes empty. This is not a limp collapse. It is an organized removal of resistance.
My centre remains present, but the place you attack is no longer there.
我中仍定，你攻之處已空。
Relationship Between Issuing and Neutralizing
發勁與走化的關係
Issuing and neutralizing are two expressions of the same circular system.
During neutralization（走化）, the large and small circles absorb, redirect and empty the partner’s force.
During issuing（發勁）, the same circles unite and concentrate force toward the partner.
Thus:
In neutralizing, the circles separate and transform; in issuing, the circles unite and arrive together.
化時圈圈轉換，發時圈圈合一。
A good practitioner does not first finish neutralizing and then begin issuing as two disconnected actions. The counterforce is already being prepared within the neutralization:
化中有發，發中有化。
Issuing is contained within neutralization, and adaptability remains within issuing.
In concise terms:
Intention directs the movement; qi integrates the body. The dantian’s large circle leads the smaller circles of the hands and feet. When issuing, all circles unite at one point; when neutralizing, they continuously change so the opponent cannot obtain a fixed connection to your force.
以意導氣，以氣運身；丹田大氣圈帶動手腳小氣圈。發時合於一點，走化時變化不定，使對方無法接住我勁。