Chin Na
Chin Na or Qinna (Cantonese: kàhm nàh) describes techniques that control or lock an opponent's joints or muscles/tendons so he cannot move, thus neutralizing the opponent's fighting ability. The “technique of catching and locking.”
The recent understanding that grappling is as important as striking has also caused some Chinese martial arts instructors to focus on their chin na techniques, even expanding the system by incorporating or developing new ones. This is one reason why the chin na of one school may differ from that of another. There are over 700 traditional techniques in the White Crane style of Chin Na alone and even more present in other styles. There are also countless techniques being developed/adopted into these styles, depending on the specific school.
It is documented that Chin Gempin went to a Japanese monastary in the 1600s and explained to 3 Samurai that he had seen Chin Na practiced.Upon hearing this, the samurai further researched this art. Once achieving a degree of skill, the samurai founded the Kito-ryu school of Jujutsu.
Techniques
While techniques along the lines of chin na are trained to some degree by most martial arts worldwide, many Chinese martial arts are famous for their specialization in such applications. Styles such as Eagle Claw , which includes 108 different chin na techniques, Praying Mantis (Northern) the "Tiger Claw" techniques of Hung Gar, and shuai jiao are well known examples.
"Fen Jin" or "Zhua Jin" (dividing the muscle/tendon, grabbing the muscle/tendon). Techniques, which tear apart an opponent's muscles or tendons.
"Cuo Gu" (misplacing the bone). Techniques, which put bones in wrong positions and is usually applied specifically to joints.
"Bi Qi" (sealing the breath).The technique of preventing the opponent from inhaling. This differs from mere strangulation in that it may be applied not only to the windpipe directly but also to muscles surrounding the lungs, supposedly to shock the system in to a contraction which impairs breathing.
"Dian Mai" or "Dian Xue" (sealing the vein/artery or acupressure cavity). Similar to the Cantonese dim mak, these are the technique of sealing or striking blood vessels and chi points.
Chin means to seize or trap, na means to lock or break, and while those actions are very often executed in that order (trap then lock), the two actions can also be performed distinctly in training and self defence. Which is to say, a trap isn’t always followed by a lock or break, and a lock or break is not necessarily set up by a trap?
There is quite a bit of overlap between Chin Na theory and technique with the branches of traditional Chinese medicine known as tui na as well as the use of offensive and defensive qigong as an adjunct of chin na training in some styles.