As quoted on How Taiji Lost Its Quan:

“Hong’s system amalgamated gong and fa. This means the form that is learned can be directly applied in push hands or real fighting situations. Students no longer need to practice Gong for dozens of years in order to extrapolate the fa from these gongs.”
– Chen Zhonghua on “Gong Fa as one” in Hong Junsheng’s Chen Style Taijiquan