Sap Ji Sau—Left on top or right on top.

[namsiulamkuen]

When performing movements using sap ji sau (crossing hands), is your preference to have the right hand on top or the left hand.

If so, is it dependant upon which of your hands is dominant or does it have other significance, such as, application, energy transter, etc.

I have experienced both ways depending on what form I was taught.

[Nataraya]

Quote: When performing movements using sap ji sau (crossing hands), is your preference to have the right hand on top or the left hand.

I must convince that I tend to do make this skill with my right hand on top, although in some skills it is the other way around. Maybe first a little more about this skill.

Sap Tji Sau, or character Ten Hand, is a modern term for Gam Jin Sau or Golden Scissor Hand. If I am correct the Japanese term is Juji Uke. This skill can be done on three levels, and can be used both as a defensive as well as a direct offensive skill. This technique contains 1000 varieties, from Kum La/ Qin Na skill to a simultaneously defense/ offence variation. I can decide to ‘enter the door’ or ‘to step behind’. A low Cross block could have a complete different variation then a high block against a “Fen Gam Kuen”, A middle block (protecting the middle Tantien) needs a different body action/ posture, then an attack on the lower/ higher gate.

So it is not possible to answer the question because it will take many years to research the meaning of the Golden Scissor hand (Gam Jin Sau).

Quote: If so, is it dependant upon which of your hands is dominant or does it have other significance, such as, application, energy transter, etc.

Energy transfer. Closing and opening are Key concepts in martial arts. As you can imagine, Gam Jin Sau/ Chui is a closing (Hap) and related with Jeung. My excuse for the Cantonese terms. Jeung is the tension as you have before you shoot an arrow. Jeung is the tensing stage, while Chi is the relaxing stage (as in shooting fingers (Biu Tji)

So ‘Hap’walks with ‘Jeung ‘, while opening (Hoi/ Kai) (Can) walk met Chi (relax).

In Tit Sin Kuen we have the three ‘levels’ of Sap Tji Sau, known as:
Protect the lower Tantien” (Yeh Goe Tantien), “Fan Face Bow Stance” (Sien Mien Ji Ng) and “Covering Heaven with both Hands” (Liang Sau Che Tien).

Okay I will give you the poem that comes along with Sien Mien Ji Ng:

Fan Face bow stance golden scissor hand,
Upper middle, lower and left & right,
In combat you have to improvise and make changes,
Even a powerfull enemy will not have a place to go.

Another poem from a different position would loud:

Within the technique is the famous “Golden Scissors hand”,
It cuts and breaks outward bridges into linking,
When you have the upper hand, you change into Double hanging Fists,
Overtaking the opponent by attacking his head.


And so you notice, that every posture have a poem which create a thought, leading to an image and leading to a sensation during performance. The first three stars in the process in searching the Pearl……..

My excuse for the open answer, but I am afraid that a specific answer is NOT possible.

Warm regards,

Evert.

[namsiulamkuen]

Thank you Evert, I shall ponder on what you said.

I think this is quite a common movement in marital arts, probably with a different "Cheng Wu".

Perhaps someone on the forum would like to comment.