Chuanzhang can be called 'spearing palm', or 'threading palm' in English. It has the feeling of a bird threading its way through the branches of a tree to land near the trunk - the bird does not slow down to aim, it just goes. You must consider that you are threading along or through something, not just going through the air at the target, when doing chuanzhang. Also, you must think of threading through something, not going up to something and stopping.
It, along with tanzhang, is the main technique for quick and agile attack. Chuanzhang is the lightest attack of the system, and the most basic fighting skill. When Dong Haichuan first taught, new students did chuanzhang, circle-walking, and the single palm change for three years. With this training they could fight before they knew other techniques, simply doing chuanzhang directly to the eyes or throat. This technique does not compete against an opponent, it just gets to the point efficiently. It relies on quick stepping - 'when the body moves the chance is there'.
The hand doing the chuanzhang has the thumb tucked in across to the root of the little finger. The arm is fully extended and can be rotated palm up, palm down, or thumb knuckle up. The arm is straight so that you don't have to use force in the arm, it is connected to the body. The arms are connected, like a snake's head and tail. When one moves the other moves. The rear hand is hidden under the leading elbow, ready to go forward with the next chuanzhang. The hand comes back naturally as the following hand goes out, you don't need to pull it back. Although the stance looks like a santi stance, the feeling is a mabu, and the hand aligns with the front leg, not down the midline. The shoulder extends but they body remains quite square.
It is often used in conjunction with tanzhang. Chuanzhang can go in any direction, and has at least eight 'official' variations.
Eagle way of doing chuanzhang
Lion way of doing chuanzhang
Power release drills
