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“The Deer Play is to imitate the shape and movement of a deer hoping to attain long life and pure soul like a deer. The features of a deer are its gentle disposition, swift movement, love to push with horns, and good at running. When it stands it likes to stretch its neck to glance at things afar. The deer also likes looking at left and right and its rear foot. It is also good at moving its tail bones (sacrum). The tail bone is the place where the Jen and Du meridians meet. Thus, during practice, the practitioner not only needs to imitate the attitude of a deer with swift movement and calm spirit, but also need to focus attention on the tail bone. This will guide Qi to the whole body, open meridians, circulate blood, relax tendons and bones, and benefit kidney and strengthen waist. It can also enhance blood circulation in the abdomen. This play is suitable for curing dysfunctional nerves in the internal organs, chronicle infections of the internal organs in the abdomen, fatigue in the waist muscles, nerve pain in the pelvis, deteriorated thigh bones, and the lack of sex drives.”
- Five Animal Frolics

“The Tiger Play is to imitate the shape and movement of a tiger. The features of a tiger are its ferocity, strong body, and good at jumping and scratching. The most important element in the Tiger Play is to imitate the awe inspiring attitude of a tiger. Its spirit is shown in its eyes and its awesomeness comes out of its craws. It gazes with raged eyes and moves like wind. It twists its waist with force, wags head and swings tail, and vibrates its body. In practice the Tiger Play, you need to focus your attention on the “Life Gate” acupoint. The “Life Gate” is where the “Yuan Yang” resides. It is the sea of sperm and blood, the root of “Yuan Qi”, and the tabernacle of water and fire. If you focus your attention on the “Life Gate” during practice, it will benefit your kidney and strengthen your waist, build your bones and produce marrows. It can also open the Jen (conception) and Du (governing) meridians to get rid of wind evils. The Tiger Play is suitable for curing the following diseases: clogged meridians, numbness caused by partially blocked Qi and blood circulation, pain in pelvis nerves, waist and back pain, infected spine, high blood pressure, and infected Du meridain.”
- Five Animal Frolics


& http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAdx-pIu7eA&feature=related

“Awkward looking but clear in mind,
It walks with lightness inside heavy steps,
Gathering Qi at Middle Dantian,
It shakes and rampages with force in the shoulders.”

The bear looks awkward and clumsy, soft as if without bones, its temperament is stable, simple and honest, and it walks with heavy steps. However, flexibility and steadiness are hidden within the heavy steps. Do not mimic the heavy, simple and hones bearing of the bear only, but also try to show the flexibility and steadiness during the exercise. Shaking and rocking are features of the bears movements, so exert forces with the upper arms (including the shoulders, elbows, hands, hips, knees and feet). Conduct Qi to the Middle Dantian, so as to accelerate deep abdominal respiration and form Dantian Qi.
Persistent practice will help strengthen the constitution as well as functions of the spleen and stomach.”
- Jiao Guorui, Qigong Essentials for Health Promotion, 1988, pp. 193-195


pics from http://dojorat.blogspot.com/

“The patriarch of Chinese medicine, Hua Tuo (second century A.D.) was one of the great early qigong masters. His “Five Animal Frolics” imitate the movements of the Crane, Bear, Monkey, Deer, and Tiger and are still practiced today. Hua Tuo said that just as a door hinge will not rust if it is used, so the body will attain health by gently moving and exercising all of the limbs.”
- Kenneth S. Cohen, What is Qigong

“The Crane Frolic develops balance, lightness, and agility. It cools and relaxes the whole body, balances the heart-energy, gently stretches the ligaments, and releases the spine. The Bear Frolic to develops deep-rooted power. It creates greater leg strength, fortifies the bones, and develops energy in the kidneys, which is the body’s fundamental source of vitality. The Monkey Frolic develops suppleness and agility. It helps a person become quick witted, alert, and nimble. The Deer Frolic develops grace and relaxation. It gives a long stretch to the legs and spine, creating an open, expansive movement with very flexible muscles and bones. The Tiger Frolic develops muscular strength. It strengthens the waist, muscles, and kidneys and builds internal power.” – Five Animal Frolics

“Shape-Changing in practice essentially breaks down into two main areas that for the purposes of discussion I’ve decided to call “Out of body” shifting and “Altered State” shifting. The two are related: altered state shapeshifting in particular using some of the methods of consciousness altering employed in out-of-body voyages but they are sufficiently different to enable them to be considered separately.”
- Redvane Fox

http://www.egreenway.com/qigong/animalfrolics.htm

DRAGON strengthens the legs and torso. It reduces Fire in the brain. (Metal, Fire). MONKEY quickens the hands. It pacifies the Spirit.(Water, Earth). TORTOISE improves the balance. It strengthens the Chi of the bones and tendons. ( Earth, Water). COCKEREL quickens the feet. It tones the Spleen and Stomach. (Water, Fire, Metal). SPARROWHAWK stabilizes the center. It exercises the Chi of the Hypogastrium. (Earth, Water). SNAKE improves swift directional change. It “Rubs” the Yin and Yang of the Spine. (Fire, Wood, Earth). PHOENIX strengthens the arms. It tones the Kidneys. (Metal, Water). TIGER strengthens the Spine. It purifies the breathing. (All Five Elements). HORSE teaches expansion power. It tones the Heart. (Fire, Wood). CHICKEN strengthens the feet. It tones the Liver. (Wood, Fire, Earth). EAGLEBEAR strengthens the Shoulders and Hands. It circulates the Breath. (Metal, Water). SWALLOW teaches low basin strength. It improves Mind/Body coordination. (Fire, Water).

- Mike Patteson

At the core of Sun Lu Tang’s Xing Yi Quan system is the 12 animals set. This set consists of 12 lines of movements, each emulating the fighting techniques of the 12 animals that come from heaven and earth. These are the Dragon, Tiger, Monkey, Horse, Water Lizard, Chicken, Sparrow Hawk, Swallow, Snake, Tai Bird, Eagle, and Bear. Regular practice of the 12 animals set benefits the practitioner both externally and internally. Externally, one learns the physical characteristics of each animal-the explosive power of the tiger, or the strength of the bear, for example. Internally, each animal form stimulates the internal energy, or Qi, in a particular and beneficial manner. The remainder of this article describes both the energetic work and the fighting applications of four of the animal forms: the Dragon, Tiger, Eagle, and Bear.”

-  Justin Liu,  Cultivation and Combat: The Fighting Animals of Xing Yi Quan.

Chinese     Pinyin     Element

Splitting         Pi           Metal      Like an axe chopping up and over.
Drilling           Zuan     Water     Drilling forward horizontally like a geyser.
Pounding       Pào        Fire         Exploding outward like a cannon while blocking.
Crossing        Héng     Earth      Crossing across the line of attack while turning over.
Crushing        Beng      Wood     Arrows constantly exploding forward.

-    Xingyiquan – Wikipedia

WU HSING, THE 5 ELEMENTS – From Mike Patterson:
Wu Hsing can be called the Heart and Soul of Hsing I practice. These five seemingly simple actions are loaded with subtleties and require years of practice to perform them with total Mind/Body integration. Over the course of time they will teach the practitioner many things and can be directly related to many aspects of Five Element cosmology of traditional Chinese medicine. Pi Chuan (Metal) teaches the force of Splitting. Its power association is the axe. It corresponds to the Lung and Large Intestine meridians. Tsuan Chuan (Water) teaches the force of Drilling. Its power association is electricity. It corresponds to the Kidney and Urinary Bladder meridians. Peng Chuan (Wood) teaches the force of crushing. Its power association is the arrow. It corres ponds to the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians. Pao Chuan (Fire) teaches the force of Pounding. Its power association is the cannon. It corresponds to the Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium and San Jiao (triple warmer) meridians. Heng Chuan (Earth) teache s the force of Crossing. Its power association is the Bullet. It corresponds to the Spleen and Stomach meridians.

On Pi Chaun – Splitting Fist

Now, to actually perform the physical movements of the splitting fist, let’s start from the san ti and take it from there. From the san ti the right arm begins its wrapping by screwing the fist up and along the center line. The lead hand is drawn back slightly and rotates inward to cover center. The body is relaxed as energy is saved and the center line protected. The screwing fist follows center and drills up and along side the other arm. While all of this was happening the rear leg and hip were simultaneously closing to save energy also. The rear leg comes into the center and saves energy as it protects the groin. The body remains straight and does not lean heavily forward or to either side. This is bear in Pi chuan. The rear leg now leaves center and steps out into the center of the opponent (visualize if only doing the form). The screwing arm now rises, overturns and falls into the target thereby splitting its center. As the rear hand has now become the lead, the lead has now become the rear. You will end up in the san ti posture again. This is the eagle. An outside observer’s perception will end here. I must, however, go into more detail to explain the details of what happened in terms of requirements and structure so that you can appreciate what many would dismiss. As the rear leg goes forward it is in conjunction with the screwing, rising, overturning, and falling of the hand. As the lead had falls to split, power and balance is maintained by the rear hand as it pulls back to maintain tigers embrace and aid in the dragon body. Needless to say, for proper structure, as the lead foot steps and lands quickly one must establish a sound chicken leg and open the inner thigh. Only then can you issue power by establishing the dragon body. The requirements for bear shoulder and tiger embrace must also be fulfilled prior to the issuance of power. If any of these things are missing that I detailed in the first article of this series, then you will be unable to establish a sound structure and therefore be unable to issue internal power. You will be force to rely on physical strength. You will notice as I land and issue power my lead hand goes forward. Be careful not to allow the body to lean forward with the shoulder to make the lead arm go forward. The forward motion of the lead hand is generated by the sinking of the body and the dropping of the lead elbow as the dragon body is put in place. You should read the last sentence again. This is a very common mistake. I know this from personal experience. When you look at the photographs and read the explanation try to focus on the requirements and not so much the actual technical movements. There are several ways to do Pi chuan and the other fists. The important factor to consider is whether or not the movement is in harmony with the requirements. In the previous articles I have gone into very minute detail in terms of how the body should move when executing a particular fist or animal. Here I have purposely spared you from that type of reading and shall let the emphasis rest on the requirements and principles that I have already provided you with in this series of articles. I realize that this forces the reader to think a bit more. I hope that this burden will stimulate your thought processes. I find that that is how I learn the best.

http://www.jimdees.com/articles.html
Metal – Splitting Fist
Water – Drill Fist
Fire – Pounding Fist
Wood – Crushing Fist