Step 19: 斜单鞭 (Diagonal Single Whip)

1. With your two hands relaxed in front of your body, two lower arms horizontal and palms facing the ground, use the 'Yi' or mind intention to transfer more weight onto your left foot, lift up your right toes and using your right heel as fulcrum, turn your whole body in a anti-clockwise direction to face the 'north-east' angle, always initiating the turn from the waist/hip (胯).
2. When your right foot has turned about 90 degrees and the right toes are pointing to the 'north-east' direction and by now, at right angle to the left foot, land the whole right foot down.
3. Using the 'Yi', transfer more weight from the left foot to the right foot and continue turning the body in the same anti-clockwise direction for another 45 degrees.
4. At the pause, again use the 'Yi' to transfer more weight back to the left foot and at the same time, initiating from the waist/hip (胯), reverse and turn the body in a clockwise direction now. Relax your shoulders and as you turn; you will feel the right elbow being pulled in and down. You will also feel as if your right palm is being lifted higher (while it remains facing down). Your left arm will be lowered, rolling your left palm in a circular direction outwards and downwards until the left palm is facing up, exactly below the right palm. It is as if you are holding a balloon now; left palm below and right palm on top with the body facing 'north-east'.
5. Using 'Yi' again, transfer more weight back to the right foot. Feel the left heel being lifted up.
6. Using the left toes as pivot and initiating from the hip (胯), turn the body anti-clockwise, by turning your left heel in a anti-clockwise direction. For the hands - close all five right fingers to touch at the finger tips and at the same time twist the right wrist in a small anti-clockwise manner. All other parts of the right arm remains. The turning of the body will also pull the left arm as if like 'fanning' your left arm upwards and in a anti-clockwise direction, until the lower left arm is vertically upright, left elbow point to the ground, left palm facing inwards and left fingers pointing to the sky.
7. When you stop turning, you should be facing the 'north' direction. With all the weight placed on the right foot, pull your left foot back such that the two heels almost touch each other, then open up and place it such that the left toes are now pointing to the 'north-west'.
8. Sit and using the 'Yi', sink the body equally onto both feet. Maintain both your hands in the same position as before.
9. Transfer more weight to the left foot, then turn your body in an anti-clockwise direction to face the 'north-west' by turning your right toes anti-clockwise (using the right heel as pivot) until they are pointing towards the 'north' and being 45 degrees with your body facing.
10. Check and sink down, tucking in the hip (胯), especially on the left side, check that the body is upright and is facing the 'north-west'.
11. Sink further onto your right leg to invoke the recoil or 'Gong Tui' (躬腿). Feel the 'qi' rising from below the sole of your right foot, stiffening your right calf, through the hip, the back and shoulders and pushing through both your arms and fingers - turning your left palm outwards to face the front and also stretching your right fist outwards a little bit more.

Step 18: 拦雀尾 (Grasp the sparrow's tail) ------------ Step 18a: 棚,挤,按 (Ward off, Press and Push down)

1. Sit back on your left leg, shifting more weight onto it while you straighten your right knee. When you sit back, feel your right elbow bending, flexing your right lower arm up until the right palm is about 1 foot in front of your chest (and facing inwards, as if holding a mirror for you to look into). At the same time, your left arm is being lowered effortlessly, palm facing down. By the time your right palm is in front of your chest, your left fingers should be momentarily pointing at the right wrist, on its continued move down.
2. At this instance, turn your body anti-clockwise towards your left, initiating the turn at the waist, while your left hand continues to be lowered by the left side of your body. Your right palm should remain protecting your chest.
3. Continue sinking more weight on your left leg and the recoil will now cause the waist to turn clockwise instead, towards the right again. Feel your right knee bending as you start to shift some weight onto your right leg. At the same time, feel your left lower arm flexing up in a clockwise manner (with pivot at the elbow joint but no movement of the upper left arm) such that the left palm circles 270 degrees to land on your right lower arm which is folding in towards your body (pivot being at the right elbow joint and the right palm turning to face upwards).
4. At the end of this move, you should be facing right, both knees bent and balanced on both legs (right foot in front, right toes pointing straight to the front, left foot pointing 45% to the left) with the two arms folded in front and touching your chest, meeting at the wrists. The left arm is above the right, left palm facing down and right palm facing up. The two elbows should be pointing to the ground and there should no gap at the wrist area.
5. Sink down and at the same time, relax your shoulder joints. The sinking will invoke the recoil and this 'Gong Tui' (躬腿) effect from the sole of the feet up through the shoulder joints will instead lift up both arms slightly, roll both your folded arms upwards and outwards, keeping the two elbows pointing to the ground, until the left palm is facing outwards, right palm facing inwards and the two palms lightly holding the two arms.
6. Sink more weight on your left leg, bending further at the left knee and straightening your right knee by tucking deeper in at your hip joint (胯) at the right side. At the same time, continue to relax the shoulders, loosen the holding of both palms, tilt the right fingers downwards (at the right wrist) on the outside of the left arm and at the same time, roll the left arm up and outwards to the outside of the right arm. Feel both lower arms opening out with the hinges at both elbow joints until they are parallel to each other and staying horizontal. Both elbows should continue pointing to the ground and both the upper arms are not lifted at all.
7. At the pause, both lower arms should feel extremely heavy, yet soft to the touch, even though they are held horizontally.
8. Next, sink more weight to the front, onto the right leg. But do not be seen as shifting your body forward.
9. At the same time relax the shoulder joints and this will sink both elbows and lift both palms up.
10. Invoke the 'Gong Tui' (躬腿) and the recoil up through the left leg will propel both palms to turn outwards and push out.
11. Sit down, again sinking more weight on the left leg, bend more at the left knee and tuck in deeper your hip joint (胯) at the right side and straightening the right knee.
12. Simultaneously, relax the shoulders, lower both the palms (still facing outwards and down) with the hinge being at the elbows, until both lower arms are horizontal and parallel to each other.

Step 17: 抱虎归山 (Embrace Tiger and Return to Mountain)

1. Sit and sink more weight onto your right leg and feel the left toes lifted.
2. Then turn your body anti-clockwise, turning only your left toes and pivoting on your left heel. Simultaneously, lower and straighten both arms gently as you turn - relax your shoulders, then flex down your elbows, but keep both wrists bent so that at the end of the turn both the middle fingers are touching each other at the tip.
3. At the end of the move, both your hands should be completely lowered, slightly bent at the elbows and wrists with both palms facing up, as if like holding an elongated ball in front of you. While your right foot is flat on the ground, you should still maintain your left heel on the ground and left toes lifted.
4. Continue to keep your left heel on the floor as pivot point, reverse the turning of your body in the clockwise direction by first turning your left toes.
5. As you turn, feel your left elbow bending and lifting your lower left arm up while your right hand is kept in the same position relative to your body and moved as a block with the body.
6. Once you have turned 90 degrees, your left palm would have been raised to your chest level, facing slightly down and right, reflecting onto your right palm.
7. Now place your left toes down, shift your weight subtly onto your left leg and feel your right toes being lifted.
8. Continue turning in the clockwise direction - this time round - with the turning of the right toes and right heel as pivot.
9. Now, keep your left palm as part of the body instead as it continues turning in the clockwise direction. But the right palm moves instead - it should turn anti-clockwise until it is facing the back by the time you have moved another 90 degrees.
10. As you completely sit with all your body weight onto your left leg, pull your right heel back to touch your left heel and then immediately step out at an angle of about 45 degrees to the right. Land on your right heel first before you place down your right toes.
11. Next, shift more weight to your front leg now, i.e. to your right leg to balance your body weight on both legs.
12. Continue to shift more weight onto the right leg. Then lift your left toes and with pivot on the left heel, turn the body clockwise with the left toes until you are facing 45 degrees to the right.
13. Sink back onto your left leg slightly and feel the 'Gong Tui' (躬腿) effect which manifest into a subtle forward push of your left palm and a slight lift of your right hand (palm still facing down).

Step 16: 十字手 (Cross Hands)

1. Continue to sink back onto your right leg and feel your left toes being lifted, leaving your left heel pivoting lightly on the ground.
2. Turn your waist clockwise, turning your left toes clockwise too with pivot on the left heel as you feel your left arm being thrust forward while your right arm is being drawn backwards.
3. Continue turning your body and your left foot until you have turned right 90 degrees. You will feel your left palm turning anti-clockwise at the wrist to face the front. Simultaneously, as your right palm is being drawn back, it also turns anti-clockwise to face outwards too, right in front of your chest.
4. When your left foot has turned 90 degrees to the right, step down the toes lightly and start to shift your body weight onto your left leg while you feel your right heel being lifted. As you sink more onto your left leg, feel your lifted right heel turning inwards in a clockwise direction with pivot on your right toes. At the same time, while your left arm remains stationary, feel your right palm (facing outwards) circling upwards and in a clockwise direction (up, then to the right side and then down) with pivot at the right elbow until both lower arms are somewhat out-stretched, both palms facing the front, as if like lightly pushing a giant ball in front of you.
5. Still balancing very much on the left leg, relax the shoulders and continue to lower both arms while you pull your right foot in so that both feet touch lightly on the inner side of the heels. When the two heels touched, both your arms should be completely lowered and criss-crosses at the wrists area, fingers pointing to the ground, palms facing inwards, right palm on the outer side.
6. Continuing to balance on the left leg, next open and step your right foot to the right, so that both feet are shoulder-width apart and the two in-steps more or less parallel.
7. Next, sink your weight down on both feet and feel the 'Gong Tui' (躬腿) effect lifting both palms upwards and criss-crossing at the wrists until both sets of fingers are pointing upwards (about 45 degrees). At the end of the move, both arms are still criss-crossed at the wrists (now the right is on the outside instead), 8 - 10 inches away in front and protecting your chest. Ensure that both your elbows are all the time pointing down and not sideways.

Step 15: 如封似闭 (Withdraw, Close Up and Push)

1. With your left thumb being the pivot lightly touching the inner portion of your right elbow, rotate your palm outwards such that the 4 left fingers circle outwards until the left palm opens to cradle the right elbow from below. At the same time, feel your right fist lifted up slightly and opens.
2. Relax your shoulders, fold your right lower arm in towards your upper left arm and then spread both lower arms out in front of you until they are parallel to each other, horizontal and both open palms (relaxed and slightly curved) facing each other. At the same time, sink more weight onto your right leg (which is behind) while you straighten the left knee joint by sinking your left hip joint. Do not be seen as if you are shifting backwards or raising your body height, or 'bob' up and down. At the pause, both lower arms should be relaxed and soft to the touch, yet extremely heavy when felt by another person.
3. Next, sink forward as you bend your left knee and feel both your elbows bending in and raising both your palms; as opposed to you deliberately lifting both your palms up. Bear in mind that both the elbow tips point directly downwards and not slanted.
4. Invoke the 'Gong Tui' (躬腿) and the recoil up through the right leg will propel both palms to turn outwards and pushes out.
5. Again, sink down, sinking more weight onto the right leg (which is behind), bending the right knee and tuck in deeper your hip joint (胯) at the left side and straightening the left knee. Simultaneously, relax the shoulders and lower both the palms (still facing outwards and down) with the hinge being at the elbows until both lower arms are horizontal and pointing towards an apex in front.

Step 14: 进步搬拦捶 (Step forward, Deflect Downward, Parry and Punch)

1. Sink and sit back onto the right leg and straighten the left knee.
2. Next, turn the body 15 - 20 degrees to the left (anti-clockwise) by initiating the turn from the waist. As you turn, using the left heel as pivot while turning your left toes, feel your right palm twisting clockwise while your left palm twists in an anti-clockwise manner until both palms are facing each other (Taiji Yingyang in play again). Note that the left palm is twisting besides the left thigh while the right palm will be right in front of your chest, about 30 cm away.
3. Then bend your left knee as you shift your weight forward onto your left leg.
4. Continue shifting more and more weight onto your left leg as you lower your left foot until the whole sole is flat on the ground while you raise your right heel using your right toes as fulcrum. (Notice again the Taiji Yingyang play - firstly right sole flat on ground with left heel on the ground and now left sole flat on the ground and right toes touching the ground). At the same time, feel your right palm being lowered and twisting anti-clockwise slightly until it is facing the ground. You will feel your left palm twisting anti-clockwise too until it is facing skywards (Yingyang once more). Synchronise all these movements such that when your left sole is flat on the ground, your right toes are lightly touching the ground and both your hands are in front of you, fingers pointing at an angle downwards, left palm facing up, right palm facing down.
5. Continue sitting forward onto your left leg until you are completely balanced on it.
6. Next, simultaneously lift both your hands and the right leg forward by bending at the knee. While lifting your right leg, turn your body clockwise at the waist which will lead your right foot to twist clockwise so that when you step forward, you land your right foot such that the toes are pointing to your right. As you turn your body, you should feel both your palms twisting clockwise until your left palm is facing right and your right palm facing upwards. Bear in mind that this action must not be seen as 'bobbing' your whole body up and down. You only lift your right leg by bending the knee and as you land your foot down, you do not straighten up.
7. Once the right foot lands, invoke the 'Gong Tui' (躬腿) from your left leg by lifting your left heel and turning it clockwise, with pivot on the left toes. This will turn your body furthermore in a clockwise manner to face the right. At the same time, feel your left arm stretching forward (with palm still facing the right and at chest level) and your right palm being pulled backwards (palm facing up) and brushing along the right side of your waist.
8. Sit and stabilise on your right leg until you are completely balanced on it.
9. Shift your left leg one step forward and slightly to the left. As you land, continue to shift more weight onto your left leg. Sit and stabilise so that you can turn your right toes anti-clockwise until they are pointing at an angle of 45 degree to the right. While you turn your right toes, feel your right palm turning in towards your body and clench lightly into a fist, thumb on top and clench down outside the folded fingers whereas your left lower arm turns clockwise until your fingers points up, slightly bent at the wrist.
10. Ensure your body is now upright and facing straight to the front (or the original left); left leg in front, left toes pointing to the front and your right leg behind, right toes pointing at a 45 degrees angle to the right.
11. Stabilise and invoke the 'Gong Tui' (躬腿) from your right leg, manifesting into your right fist punching forward and your left palm sliding back along the lower right arm till the right thumb reaches the inner side of the right elbow.

Step 13: 左搂膝拗步 (Brush Left Knee and Pivot Step)

1. While still sitting on the right leg and with only the left heel gently touching the ground in the front, turn the left toes clock-wise. This will cause the hip to turn clock-wise too. In turn, the whole body (except your head) also rotates clockwise and your right arm automatically lowers until your right palm is by the right side of your body. As you turn, you should continue to look to the front. Do not turn with the body.
2. After you have turned about 60 degrees to the right, stop and turn anti-clockwise instead. Again, start by turning your left toes (still continuing to use your left heel as pivot). This should effortlessly turn your waist and body in an anti-clockwise manner to face the front (the original left facing).
3. This turning back will cause the right lower arm to be lifted (the right upper arm remaining still) and circle in an anti-clockwise direction using the right elbow as pivot until the right palm is facing to the front, at chest level, ready to push forward. At the same time, your left hand will be lowered, also drawing a circle and brushing above your left knee and stop just next to and above the left thigh with the left palm facing downwards.
4. Next, lightly lift up your left leg and take half a step diagonally forward and to the left. Land first with the heel, toes pointing straight to the front and then step down with the whole sole.
5. Shift more weight onto your left leg so that you can turn your right toes inwards a little bit (anti-clockwise and using right heel as pivot) until the right foot is pointing 45 degree to the right and front.
6. Sink the hip deep down and invoke the recoil or 'Gong Tui' (躬腿) in your right leg starting with the achilles, feel the 'Qi' running up the hip then the back of the body to the shoulders and then the right elbow and manifested as a push forward of your right palm. Do not push your right palm forward by straightening the right elbow. It comes naturally as a result of the 'Gong Tui' (躬腿) in the right calf.

Step 12: 手挥琵琶 (Hand Strums the 'Pipa')

1. Keep both palms in the same position as before; left palm just above the left knee facing down and right palm at chest level facing the front.
2. Shift your body weight onto the left leg so that you can lift up your right heel, then the whole right foot and pull it forward to gently touch your left heel.
3. Next stretch your right foot half a step back and land on the toes.
4. As you start to shift your body weight backwards onto your right leg, slowly lower your whole right foot. At the same time, lower your right hand onto the side so that the right hand is completely lowered to coincide with the time your right heel touches the ground (your right sole completely flat on the ground).
5. Continue to shift your body weight completely onto your right leg.
6. When your left foot is completely 'weightless', lift it upwards by bending slightly at the knee; raising both hands forward at the same time. Keep your whole body at the same height throughout. Do not be seen as bobbing up your head or lifting the whole body.
7. Then land your left foot on its heel gently, and time both your palms to stop at your chest/tummy level with a final tilt at both wrists upwards so that the fingers point to the front and slightly upwards. The left palm should be slightly higher and further out than the right palm.
8. At this juncture, sink deep at the hip (胯)and continue to emphasize your body weight on the right leg, behind. The pose of your hands is exactly like 'strumming the Pipa' - left palm holding the neck of the 'Pipa' and right fingers strumming.

Step 11: 左搂膝拗步 (Brush Left Knee and Pivot Step)

1. Sink back on the right leg, turn the left heel clockwise using the left toes as pivot. This will lead to turning your waist (and therefore the whole body) clockwise too. As you turn, effortlessly, you will feel your left arm being raised and the lower left arm turned in a clockwise manner until the palm is facing the right. At the same time, the whole of your right arm is lowered, also effortlessly, beginning with your right shoulder loosening, then your right elbow being lowered and then the whole right arm is relaxed onto your right side with the fingers pointing to the ground.
2. While you turn, you should continue to look to the front. Do not turn your head with the body.
3. After turning your body about 60 degrees, stop and turn anti-clockwise instead, again by first turning your left heel (still with pivot on the left toes) followed by the waist and body. This turning back will cause the right lower arm to be lifted (the right upper arm remaining still) and circle in an anti-clockwise direction using the right elbow as pivot until the right palm is facing to the front, at chest level, ready to push forward. At the same time, your left hand will be lowered, also drawing a circle and brushing above your left knee and stop just next to and above the left thigh with the left palm facing downwards.
4. Next, lightly lift up your left leg and take half a step diagonally forward and to the left. Land first with the heel, toes pointing straight to the front and then step down with the whole sole. Shift more weight onto your left leg so that you can turn your right toes anti-clockwise (using right heel as pivot) until the right foot is pointing 45 degree to the right and front.
5. Sink the hip deep down and invoke the recoil or 'Gong Tui' (躬腿) in your right leg starting with the achilles, up the hip then the back of the body to the shoulders and then right elbow and manifested as a push forward of your right palm. Do not push your right palm forward by straightening the right elbow. It should come naturally as a result of the 'Gong Tui' (躬腿).

Step 10: 白鹤凉翅 (White Crane Spreads its Wings)

1. Check that your left thumb is still touching your right shoulder while your right last finger is touching your right thigh.
2. Sink back onto your left leg, allow the left knee to bend further so that it points downwards. Shift more weight back onto your left leg, sit back and sink your hip down so that you can straighten your right knee at the same time. Do it such that it does not appear as if you are shifting your whole body backwards.
3. Balance yourself on your left leg, so that you can lift your right toes and turn them together with your body, anti-clockwise 45 degrees, pivoting on the right heel.
4. As you put down the right toes, shift more weight onto the right leg. Continue to sink onto your right leg and turn your body anti-clockwise while you lift your left heel and turn it anti-clockwise using the left toes as pivot. As you turn, feel the whole right arm rotating anti-clockwise until the right palm is facing inwards and then being raised. As it is being raised, the right elbow also starts to bend. Simultaneously, the left palm folds down onto the right upper arm just below the shoulder, before brushing over the whole of the right arm, and over the right palm. The two palms should cross in front of your chest.
5. Stop when you have turned 90 degrees.
6. Still balancing all your weight on the right leg, reverse and turn your body clockwise and at the same time, lift up your left foot and keep it barely an inch above the ground and keep it in the air and turning together with your whole body.
7. After turning clockwise for about 60 - 75 degrees, stop and reverse the turning of the whole body again, until you have turned a complete 90 degrees to the left (the original left facing). The continued turning of your body should automatically and effortlessly lower your left arm in a sweeping manner, downwards and leftwards across your left knee and stop when it is about 6 inches in front of your left thigh.
8. Simultaneously, you will also feel your right shoulder being lowered, bringing the right elbow down and turning your right palm up in a clockwise direction until the right palm is at your shoulder level, and slightly to the right of your body, as if to stop an opponent's fist coming.
9. Time it precisely to land your left foot lightly on the toes at the end of this move, feeling the 'Gong Tui' (躬腿) effect gracefully manifesting through the spreading of both your palms.

Done gracefully, this step resembles how the white crane spreads its wings.

Step 9 : 右靠 (Lean Forward)

1. With more weight on the left leg, turn your whole body anti-clockwise to face the 'original left'. You will be turning your right toes anti-clockwise with pivot on the right heel. At the same time, lower both your hands slowly down to the sides. Land your right sole completely down. At the pause, both feet should be parallel and pointing to the 'original left'. Using your 'Yi', sink your body down evenly on both legs. Relax your shoulder joints which will lead to both your elbows slightly bent. At this pause, both palms should be facing backwards and fingers pointing to the ground with the feeling of 'Qi' (气) flowing at the finger tips.
2. Again, by using your 'Yi', loosen the shoulders, shift more weight onto the left leg and turn your body clockwise to face the 'original front', turning the right toes clockwise, pivoting on the right heel. This turning will bring about movements of both arms as such: it should raise your left arm up across the chest - starting with upper left arm, and fulcrum being at the left shoulder and continuing with the lower left arm bending up (with fulcrum now at the left elbow) until the left thumb touches your right shoulder joint. At the pause, the left palm should be facing right with the left wrist bent. For the right arm - turn your right palm clockwise very slightly so that it will face your left. At the pause, the right last finger should be touching your right thigh. Remember to curve your right elbow slightly too so as to relax and let the 'Qi' flow.
3. At the end of this move, you should be facing the 'original front', sank deep down at the hip and check that you are completely balancing on your left leg, right toes lifted and right heel barely touching the floor.
4. Stabilise your whole body on the left leg and pull your right foot inwards to tiptoe very lightly on your right toes.
5. Then stretch your right foot far out straight in front of you, landing first using the right heel and then the whole right sole. Shift more weight onto the right leg and advance your whole body forward, with no change of positions of both your palms.
6. Use your 'Yi' to invoke the 'Gong Tui' (躬腿), stiffening your left calf, then feel the 'Qi' flow up the thigh, through the waist, up the back to the shoulders and to the finger tips.