Xingyi Fighting - Bridging thru Invitation
This would be the third clip in the series on bridging. To really benefit, the other strategies and methods leading up to this phase would be entirely helpful. Bridging through "offset angle." "through combination," "through cutback," etc. lay foundations for what is seen here in strategy. From my book; "Xingyi - A Means To An End" here is an excerpt from Pg. 223 of the book regarding "bridging through invitation" accompanying a clip with two examples of this concept.
"In the Art of War, Sun Tzu talks about presenting a false front to the enemy in order to lure him/her into your terrain to gain advantage.
The I Ching trigrams that depict both broken and solid lines have also been likened to battle strategy. In this case it would be one broken line in front of two solid lines, equaling apparent weakness hiding true strength.
Suffice it to say that this notion has been around in one form or another for militaristic purposes for a very long time indeed.
Bridging through invitation is a tactic of presenting what appears to be a "too good to pass up" opening to the opponent and when he/she takes the bait, moving adroitly to an advantageous position to seal the outcome in your favor. Such a tactic requires both perfect timing and position in relation to the opponent to be successful. To work, this gambit must appear weak but not so obviously weak to be transparent. Being successful with "bridging by invitation" requires a good performance on the part of the fighter executing this strategy.
For singular combat, this is a tactic that is best employed in the heat of the moment when tensions are already running high. You want to ramp up the opponent's mind and perceptions so that they are in a truly combative mode, thinking to destroy.
You do not want their minds in a place where they are still calm, measured and calculating. Therefore, this type of tactic is not generally something to be done when the fight is just beginning. (Unless of course the opponent is deemed less than worthy, in which case it may still be employed even at the outset)."
"In the Art of War, Sun Tzu talks about presenting a false front to the enemy in order to lure him/her into your terrain to gain advantage.
The I Ching trigrams that depict both broken and solid lines have also been likened to battle strategy. In this case it would be one broken line in front of two solid lines, equaling apparent weakness hiding true strength.
Suffice it to say that this notion has been around in one form or another for militaristic purposes for a very long time indeed.
Bridging through invitation is a tactic of presenting what appears to be a "too good to pass up" opening to the opponent and when he/she takes the bait, moving adroitly to an advantageous position to seal the outcome in your favor. Such a tactic requires both perfect timing and position in relation to the opponent to be successful. To work, this gambit must appear weak but not so obviously weak to be transparent. Being successful with "bridging by invitation" requires a good performance on the part of the fighter executing this strategy.
For singular combat, this is a tactic that is best employed in the heat of the moment when tensions are already running high. You want to ramp up the opponent's mind and perceptions so that they are in a truly combative mode, thinking to destroy.
You do not want their minds in a place where they are still calm, measured and calculating. Therefore, this type of tactic is not generally something to be done when the fight is just beginning. (Unless of course the opponent is deemed less than worthy, in which case it may still be employed even at the outset)."
Mike Patterson