Yang Ban Hou’s thesis on the Taiji Circle states that it is easy to retreat from the circle but hard to enter it. The Taiji Circle is short range fighting, at a distance where you can stick to your opponent and use hand, zhou and kao techniques. Entering this circle is when you respond to an opponent’s kick or punch by intercepting, redirecting, adhering, connecting and following. Following means that as the opponent attempts to pull back the kick or punch, you stick to the leg or arm and close the distance into short range.