In Part 2 I mentioned the second part of the vertical line configuration as part of the alignment of the vertical line that is also known as the Bell Clapper Line.

This configuration of the vertical line has an interesting skill attached to it. Basically, in order to allow the stone to descend you have to open up a shaft so that the stone can pass through.

If you practice this shaft opening until it feels real, you would have acquired the ability to neutralize a resisting strength by letting it come into you, direct it to the ground, and finally using the strength to rebound off the ground, and returning it to the opponent.

You can choose how fast and how much strength you want to allow to enter by applying the 3 Rollbacks.

If you want to hasten the speed of returning the strength back to the opponent you can use the Mountain Character path that I first mentioned here. Within the process of opening and closing you can make neutralizing and issuing appear to be instantaneous.

The vertical line running from the top of your head to your tailbone enables you to turn easily provided the vertical line is configured properly.

In the Commencement Movement the first part of the vertical line configuration is at the neck. In Grandmaster Wei Shuren’s book on the 22-form it is said that we should touch the back of our neck to the collar.

When you do this your chin will come closer to your neck as if tucking the chin in. As this occurs you will find that the back of your neck moving to the collar (assuming you are wearing something with a collar).

The second part of the vertical line configuration begins as soon as the neck configuration ends. This is when you open up your chest by imagining that there is a stone sitting on top of your chest.

The weight of the stone causes your chest to open up like two doors separating, allowing the stone to descend to your tailbone.

As the stone descends it will pass by your lower back. This is where you fill out your lower back, thus aligning the third part of the vertical line.

A quick way to check if you are doing this properly is by placing your back against a wall to check if there is a gap between your lower back and the wall. If there is then you are committing the error of protruding the buttocks.