Nice topic! IMO the hands of WC can be / are both yin and yang qualities where and when needed, depending on the circumstances and the opponent, the energies involved, tactical distance/range, etc. The hands (and by extension the legs) can be both offensive and defensive. For example, a Bong can be used to momentarily pin, just as easily as it can be used to ram into a rib cage by mobilizing the horse. Water can flow, wear down, crash, etc depending on its state of being. A Tan can be ran into by the opponents attack, or the Tan can go out and meet the attack (attacking the attack) using whipping power, shock power, or combination of both depending on timing, balance, speed, (whatever is required at that time to shut down/annihilate the adversary).
Good conversation (so far).