13 式 Liè (挒)
This is another excellent question. Liè (挒) is probably the least understood of the Eight Gates (八法). Many people think it is simply "split apart," but according to Tai Chi theory, Liè is not pulling the hands apart—it is creating two opposing spiral forces (對拉螺旋勁) generated by the whole body.
1. What is Liè (挒)?
Liè is often translated as:
- Split (挒)
- Separate (分)
- Divide (分勁)
But the essential idea is:
Two forces moving in different directions while remaining connected through the body (兩勁相反，整體相連).
The power comes from the waist (腰) and kua (胯), not from the arms.
2. Starting from "Holding the Ball" (抱球)
Suppose:
- Right hand up (右手上)
- Left hand down (左手下)
When performing Liè:
Right hand (upper hand)
The right forearm spirals:
- Slightly downward (微下)
- Slightly outward (微外)
- Backward toward your center (向後)
It does not lift independently.
Left hand (lower hand)
The left forearm spirals:
- Slightly upward (微上)
- Slightly outward (微外)
- Forward (前)
Again, it is carried by the body.
The two hands create opposite directions, but the torso remains one connected unit.
3. The feeling
Imagine twisting a wet towel (擰毛巾).
One hand seems to go one way, the other another way.
However, the power comes from your trunk, not from your wrists.
This is why Liè is sometimes called spiral energy (螺旋勁).
4. Best angles
There are no fixed angles in the classics, but from biomechanics and traditional structure:
Elbow angle (Forearm–Upper arm)
Approximately 100°–120°
Never completely straight.
Never tightly folded.
Upper arm–Torso
Approximately 20°–40°
The elbows remain connected to the ribs without being squeezed.
Distance between the hands
Neither too close nor too far.
Many teachers use roughly one shoulder width as a reference, adjusting according to body size and application.
5. The most common mistake
Many practitioners perform Liè like this:
❌ Right arm pulls up.
❌ Left arm pulls down.
This uses shoulder and arm muscles (局部力).
True Liè is different.
The body rotates, the kua separate slightly, and the hands are simply carried by the spiral generated from the center.
6. Classical explanation
The Tai Chi Classics describe Liè through principles rather than choreography.
The movement should embody:
- One movement, the whole body moves (一動無有不動).
- Internal and external unite (內外相合).
- The waist governs (腰為主宰).
These principles are more important than the exact path of the hands.
Based on theory
From our many discussions, the concept of "maintaining the original body position (原位)" fits Liè especially well.
Instead of thinking:
"The right hand goes up and the left hand goes down."
Think: "The torso creates two opposite vectors (身體形成兩個相反的力向), while the arms preserve their relationship to the torso."
In other words, the body splits; the arms do not.
That is why high-level Liè looks effortless. The hands appear to separate, but the actual force comes from the rotation of the waist (腰轉), the opening and closing of the kua (胯開合), and the spiral connection through the spine and shoulders (脊柱與肩帶的螺旋連結).
This interpretation is also the most consistent with modern biomechanics: the largest muscles of the legs, hips, and trunk generate the torque, while the arms function mainly as connected transmitters rather than independent sources of force.
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