Three Plates (San Pan)

[SPJ]

San Pan means upper (head/chest), mid (lower chest and abdomen), and lower (legs and feet) regions of the body or Shang; Zhong; Xia.

All schools of Kung Fu have strategy for the San Pan.

How do you train and study them in your MA?

Comments?

Shaolin fists have a lot of leg sweeping (Sou Tui) to attack lower plate (Xia Pan), if the opponent is strong and fast at upper plate.

[SPJ]

In Ba Gua, the training may be done at three levels.

Strategy for lower level (Xia Pan).

San Pan Luo Di (your 3 levels are close to the ground):

1.White snake spreading grass. (Bai Ce Pu Cou)

You may attack the knee or shin with your hands, strike (Kao) with your shoulder or upper arm, uproot and throw the opponent etc.

2. Walking horse kicking off the noose of the rope (Zhou Ma Fo Xie)

3. Sparrow touching the water (Yen Zi Cou Sui)

etc.

What is your MA strategy to attack the lower level?

[SPJ]

In Ba Ji;

San Pan Lian Ji (attack the three levels);

1. Huo Da Ding Zhou.

You Luo with your left hand, you punch the opponent's chest or chin with your right fist and kick his shin with your right foot. And say Wuh. (Huo Da) (Shang and Xia Pan)

You place down your right foot and use the right elbow to strike (Ding Zhou) his chest. (Shang Pan)

2. Yi Da Ding Zhou Zuo You Fan.

Your right foot to trap the opponent's foot, and you are close to the opponent. You use your hands to control the chest or neck. One hand may go to his back; under the armpit; or grab upper arm. You control his upper level with your hands, and/or the mid with your body and lower level with your feet. You may throw or flip the opponent to the left or right (Zuo You Fan)

Ba Ji is coming at you at the 3 levels and keeps coming.

San Pan Lian Ji.

What is your MA strategy to attack the 3 levels at the same time or in a squence?

[Shaolin Master]

San Pan in our family's (Zhou) Chuo Jiao of Gaoyang county, Hebei province is trained concurrently with such coordination between hand and leg (cun tui) at the fundamental level whilst also emphasising the overall strategy in further detail via the methodology of Wutangzi (martial routines) which are taught to emphasize shangpan and longer distances (though this changes with time) through to Wentangzi (scholarly routines) which are more related to Zhongpan. Then further study would develop specific xiapan methodology via the meihualuoditangzi which is comprised of specific lower plane training. This is then culminated by the advanced sets such as Bapantui (which is built around the sanpan concept (or Tian Di Ren (Heaven, Earth and Man) as well.

In terms of strategising, it is about the sensitivity and gong training where by subjected balance of both the opponent and the assailent require consideration. The strategy is of course to develop skills so that there isn't a strategy but rather it just occurs. typically however we would attack the base, as many cannot manage their balance and then use their off balance position to attack any other plane (pan) this would increase the effectiveness of attack at least threefold.

Kind Regards
Wu Chan Long

[Becca]

Stylistically, I cannot say. I have not gotten that far into my current style yet. But as for how I use the San Pan stratagy modle:

If attacking, I generally make a fient to upper body/head coupled with a low to mid kick. step though and attack the head with a close-in power shot (elbow or ridge hand strike, usually), sweep and pull at same time.

If defending, my first reaction is to defend the middle, I can take shots to the head pretty much all day long but not so much in the kidney are. the midline is also my general counter-attack target while on the defensive. If swept, i go strait gor the feet in a role, if it is set up well and I am not in an arm bar. Otherwise, I'll flip on my back and go for the groin/kidney area with a quick set of ground side kicks (this, I have learned, is often found in Panther sets)

[SPJ]

In Tai Ji;

Lead on the high and move or strike at low. (Shang Yin Xia Jin or Ji).

You may guide the opponent's fist and forearm laterally to your rear by Peng first to contact then Lu.

You move your foot to hit his shin or trip the opponent to fall.

You may knee in to pressure his knee.

It is a common method to think about the three levels.

[SPJ]

In Tong Bei;

It is nonstop strike to the left, right, at high, mid and low levels with both hands.

You lead with the right throwing palm (Shuai Zhang) to the face of the opponent.

The opponent would raise one arm to block your right fist.

You turn your right hand around to grab his blocking arm and pull down a little. Your left hand is a throwing palm to hit the face again.

The opponent blocks again. You use your right fist to punch his abdomen (Zhong Pan) since you pull down his left forearm.

The opponent blocks or grabs your right wrist. You use your left palm to strike to the grabbing wrist and move back your right hand. You use your right fist to hit the high again. The opponent blocks again. You use your left fist to hit the abdomen.

Or retract your right fist and hit the abdomen. Your left hand may palm strike at high while you retract your right fist.

On and on and on.

The pulling back hand is Yin. The attacking hand is Yang. They are interchangeable. The Yang Shou may turn into Yin Shou. The Yin Shou may turn into Yang Shou. Left, right, left. high mid low on and on.

:D