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Gu Dang means a drum there is full and resounding (due to vibration).

Peng
The entire body is filled with springlike energy.

Songs of the eight postures

by T’an Meng-hsien (as researched by Lee N. Scheele) 

The Four Characters: Support, Lead, Relax, and Release
Support the opponent’s power and borrow his force. This involves agility. Lead the opponents power to the front of your body, then begin to store your force. This involves concentration. I relax my force without bending. This involves stillness. I release my force from the waist and feet. This involves completeness.

The Secret Method of Release by A Study of Taijiquan by Sun Lutang, Translated by Tim Cartmell

This balanced force is always in perfect harmony, having no absolute direction but having the potential to release power explosively in any direction.

Yiquan Rumen by Master Yao ChengRong

If the energy can be stored, it can also be released. One must release the energy in a straight line. When releasing the energy, practice the “straight-energy release” first, followed by the practice of “horizontal energy release,” the so-called “one straight-two horizontal.”

The Quintessence of Wu (Yuxiang) Style Taijiquan by Master Liu Jishun

“when emitting internal strength, be calm and relaxed, concentrated in one direction (Fajin Xu Chenzhe Songzheng, Zhuanzhu Yifang)”

Hook Hand of Yang Style Taijiquan by Mei Ying Sheng

The Force (Jing) is Complete
The force of the entire body is trained into a unified whole. Substantial and insubstantial are clearly differentiated. when issuing force, There must be a root. The force rises from the heel, is controlled by the waist, and manifests in the fingers. It issues from the spine. One must also raise all of one’s spirit. Just as the opponent is about to issue force but has not, my force has already intercepted the opponent’s. I must not issue my force earlier or later. Even if you feel as if you skin is on fire or you are struck by a flood, you most not become the least bit perturbed. Seek the straight in the curved; first store the release; only then can you achieve consistent results. This is called borrowing the opponent’s force to use against him, or using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds.

Li Yi Yu’s Five Character Formula

Exertion of jin-power (fajin)
The meaning of fa is of something coming out. Fajin is therefore the attacking jin-power. During attack softness and a stable centre of gravity is fundamental. As written above, you use attacking power, when the opponent has lost his centre of gravity. The amount of power used and its’ direction is very important. Beside the straight attack there are circular powers from above, below, to the left and right. In the “Song of Striking Hands (Dashouge)“ it is written: “Adhere, connect, stick follow, do not lose contact or resist.“ (Taijiquan-Lilun 1)

About jin-power by Ma Hailong

Jeijin (receiving energy)
According to Huang Sheng-Shyan, the difference between taiji and other martial arts, is that taiji can ultimately develop jeijin (receiving energy), where yielding, neutralizing and discharging, all happen simultaneously. There is hardly any physical movement, and no mental intention at all, everything happens spontaneously and naturally.

The practitioner is in a state of absolute central equilibrium, the posture is totally connected and relaxed with the feet deeply rooted. The mind is calm and as still as a mountain. By being totally connected, connected and relaxed the body become an empty void. When an external force contacts, the body does not resist it, the force just passes through until it hits the ground and rebounds back throwing the opponent. Similar to pile driving during construction work, the deeper the pile is driven into the earth, the higher the hammer rebounds.

Achieving jeijin (receiving energy) indicates attaining shenming (taiji enlightment), at which point (sparring) techniques becomes irrelevant.

Taijiquan Wuwei, Kee-Jin Wee Oct 2003

The time of tensed focusing should be instantaneous. Release your power at the instant of contact accelerating your punch through your target until the cease of contact. Immediately relax and return to your ready stance whether your hit is effective or not. You can deliver an explosive discharge only from a proper mental and physical relaxed/tranquil state. Relaxation and tension are intrinsic opposites that you use appropriately to release your balanced force.

Yiquan Not-So-Straight Straight Punch by Master Yao ChengRong

At the third stage of practice, ‘Fajing’ (expressing energy) is the main objective. According to the expression ‘Rou xing qi, gang luo dian’ when expressing the energy it is very soft until the last moment and then it becomes as hard as iron.

The shoulders should be relaxed and the elbows should be facing downward. When you express energy (fajing) all parts of the body must act together and feel like an iron spring being compressed, then at the very last moment your energy can be released, with the body moving in an opposite / back from the direction that ones energy is being expressed. The whole body should feel as though it is being stretched out as if like (five) bows ready to be fired. One bow is at the legs, one at the waist, one at the shoulders, one at the elbows and one bow at the wrist and hands. At this time the eyes must look far outwards in a forward direction so as if to express the explosive energy very far outwards. “Using your mind to express the energy far outwards will in turn let your energy actually be expressed far outwards”.

Tai Chi Principles by Professor Ji Jian-Cheng – Zhejiang University, China

Old Chinese texts describe this as your Qi moving to your Dan Tian. Focus your entire body during this exhalation stage. The “Yup” sound should be very short and explosive, like a rock suddenly landing in a well, splashing the water upwards. The focused/tensed phase of your power release should terminate instantaneously. “Fill” your abdomen only during the focused/tensed phase. The relaxed-tensed-relaxed exchange sequence of a power release must be extremely fast.

The Use of Sound and Breath Control in Yiquan by Master Yao ChengRong

Sum Siu Po

Fu Zhongwen 

Wang Yongquan

太極拳發勁威力

Other references:
Tai Chi Principles by Professor Ji Jian-Cheng – Zhejiang University, China