1. Single whip
2. White crane circles its wings
   1. Drop the right hand to the zhong ding
   2. Raise the left hand to the zhong ding
   3. Draw the fingertips together at the tip of the nose
   4. Open the wings in front of the heart
   5. Follow the hands forward
3. Opening hands
4. Closing hands

2. White crane circles its wings

Alternatively “White crane cools the wings,” or “White crane spreads its wings,” or “Stork circles the wings,” or “Stork shows its wings,” … etc. Rather than pondering the difference between a stork and a crane (and why are the latter always white?) or striving to understand the subtle differences in technique between circling, spreading, showing and cooling, focus on making the arms like the wings of a large bird.

• Fundamentally light with hollow bones and almost no flesh.
• Virtually no ability to twist at the elbow or wrist.
• Long, downward-hanging flight feathers to help maintain orientation (for us this means keeping the elbows and scapula pointing downward).
• Movements that originate and are driven by a highly elastic connection inside the chest (think about having a wishbone).