Tai Chi Treatise Meditation Bead by Zhang Sanfeng

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The text describes the Long Fist technique in Taiji Quan. The movements of Long Fist are compared to a long river and a big ocean, symbolizing unending energy. Eight specific hand movements ("Péng", "Lǚ", "Jǐ", "Àn", "Cǎi", "Liè", "Zhǒu", and "Kǎo") are associated with eight trigrams (Ba Gua), corresponding to the five elements, and reflecting qualities like progression, regression, attention leftward, attention rightward, equilibrium, among others. These movements correspond to fundamental principles: 1. The Creative, The Receptive, The Abysmal, and Clinging - These four square trigrams ("four square as-it-were") are connected with Ward-off, Roll Back, Squeeze, Push respectively. 2. The Penetrating, The Arousing, The Joyous, and Keeping Still - Associated with Pluck, Split, Elbow Strike, Shoulder Strike. There's an added layer of meaning when looking at advance, retreat, look to the left, gaze rightward, which equate to the five elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth. Combining these hand movements gives rise to thirteen powers that, when put together, represent a system. This description is tied to Zhang Sanfeng, the founder of Wudang Taiji Quan and Yang Lu-Chan's notes (1799-1872).