Liang Zhenpu
Encyclopedia
Liang Zhenpu (1863–1932) was a Chinese martial artist.
He was born in Beihaojia Village in Ji County in Hebei
province on May 20, 1863 during the Qing Dynasty
under the rule of Emperor Tongzhi, and died on August 13 at the age of 69 due to illness. He trained in Tan Tui
and Biaozhang during his early childhood. At the age of 13, he moved to Beijing
to apprentice at his father's second hand clothing store. At this time he had the nickname "Second Hand Clothing Liang." It was during this period in 1877 that he became a direct disciple of Baguazhang
creator Dong Haichuan
. He studied with Dong for about five years and was well liked by all of Dong's students. He had the fortune of not only learning from Dong Haichuan
but also from Dong's other students including Cheng Tinghua
, Yin Fu
, Shi Jidong, and Liu Fengchun.
In Ji County he defeated the four "Batian" gangs. On April 20 in the 25th year of Emperor Guangxu (1899), he saw that there were many injustices being committed by local criminals and single handedly fought over 200 gangsters, killing and wounding over 70. He was subsequently imprisoned. When the Eight-Nation Alliance
army invaded Beijing
to crush the Boxer Rebellion
his prison was heavily damaged and he managed to escape.
Since he had little martial arts training before meeting Dong, his Baguazhang
was arguably the purest, with little influence from other styles. One example of this is the fact that his Baguazhang
forms are the most circular in nature among the Baguazhang
variants. Every one of his sets are taught in a circle, unlike versions from earlier students (for example, Yin Style Baguazhang
) which have many linear segments.
Liang Zhen Pu style Baguazhang
is known to include the following elements:
1. Wei Gong Ba Zhang (Fighting When Surrounded Eight Palm)
2. Lao Ba Zhang (Old Eight Palm)
3. Single Movement Practice
4. 64 Movement Linked Circle Walking
5. 64 Movement Straight Line Form
6. Bagua Chin Na (Grappling)
7. Yin and Yang Throwing Techniques
8. Two Man Sparring Forms
9. Long and Short Weapons
a.Bagua Big Broadsword
b.Chicken-Headed Hooks
c. Deer Horn Knives
d.Bagua Straight Sword
e.Kun Lun Fan
f.Yin Yang Pen Brush
g.Steel "Yo-Yo" Meteors
h.Wind and Fire Wheels
10. Dian Xue (Pressure Point Fighting)
One of Liang's most famous students was Li Ziming
(1902–1993) who eventually became head of the Beijing
Baguazhang
Research Association and spread Liang's style around the world. Liang Zhenpu is the only student of Dong Haichuan
to be buried next to his tomb.
He was born in Beihaojia Village in Ji County in Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
province on May 20, 1863 during the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
under the rule of Emperor Tongzhi, and died on August 13 at the age of 69 due to illness. He trained in Tan Tui
Tán Tui
Tán Tuǐ is a famous Northern wushu routine and has several versions due to its incorporation into various styles. For this reason the name can be translated to mean "spring" or "springing leg" or "pond" or "lake leg"....
and Biaozhang during his early childhood. At the age of 13, he moved to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
to apprentice at his father's second hand clothing store. At this time he had the nickname "Second Hand Clothing Liang." It was during this period in 1877 that he became a direct disciple of Baguazhang
Baguazhang
Bāguàzhǎng is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice...
creator Dong Haichuan
Dong Haichuan
Dong Haichuan was born on the 13th of October 1797 in Zhu village, Ju Jia Wu Township, Wen'an County, Hebei Province, China and died on the 25th of October 1882 in Beijing. He is regarded as a skillful martial artist and is widely credited to be the founder of Baguazhang...
. He studied with Dong for about five years and was well liked by all of Dong's students. He had the fortune of not only learning from Dong Haichuan
Dong Haichuan
Dong Haichuan was born on the 13th of October 1797 in Zhu village, Ju Jia Wu Township, Wen'an County, Hebei Province, China and died on the 25th of October 1882 in Beijing. He is regarded as a skillful martial artist and is widely credited to be the founder of Baguazhang...
but also from Dong's other students including Cheng Tinghua
Cheng Tinghua
Cheng Tinghua was a renowned master of Chinese Neijia martial art Bagua Zhang.-Biography:Born in the Cheng family village, Shen County, Hebei , he was the third of four brothers....
, Yin Fu
Yin Fu
Yin Fu was a Baguazhang disciple of Dong Haichuan responsible for the creation of the Yin Style Baguazhang.Yin Fu was Dong's earliest disciple in Prince Duan's palace...
, Shi Jidong, and Liu Fengchun.
In Ji County he defeated the four "Batian" gangs. On April 20 in the 25th year of Emperor Guangxu (1899), he saw that there were many injustices being committed by local criminals and single handedly fought over 200 gangsters, killing and wounding over 70. He was subsequently imprisoned. When the Eight-Nation Alliance
Eight-Nation Alliance
The Eight-Nation Alliance was an alliance of Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States whose military forces intervened in China to suppress the anti-foreign Boxers and relieve the siege of the diplomatic legations in Beijing .- Events :The...
army invaded Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
to crush the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
his prison was heavily damaged and he managed to escape.
Since he had little martial arts training before meeting Dong, his Baguazhang
Baguazhang
Bāguàzhǎng is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice...
was arguably the purest, with little influence from other styles. One example of this is the fact that his Baguazhang
Baguazhang
Bāguàzhǎng is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice...
forms are the most circular in nature among the Baguazhang
Baguazhang
Bāguàzhǎng is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice...
variants. Every one of his sets are taught in a circle, unlike versions from earlier students (for example, Yin Style Baguazhang
Yin Style Baguazhang
Yin Style Baguazhang is a style of Baguazhang.-Substyles:Yin Style has many substyles, some of the lineages of which are given below:*Dong Haichuan**Yin Fu***Yin Yuzhang****Wang Fu***Ma Gui****Wang Peisheng****Liu Wanchuan***Li Yongqing...
) which have many linear segments.
Liang Zhen Pu style Baguazhang
Baguazhang
Bāguàzhǎng is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice...
is known to include the following elements:
1. Wei Gong Ba Zhang (Fighting When Surrounded Eight Palm)
2. Lao Ba Zhang (Old Eight Palm)
3. Single Movement Practice
4. 64 Movement Linked Circle Walking
5. 64 Movement Straight Line Form
6. Bagua Chin Na (Grappling)
7. Yin and Yang Throwing Techniques
8. Two Man Sparring Forms
9. Long and Short Weapons
a.Bagua Big Broadsword
b.Chicken-Headed Hooks
c. Deer Horn Knives
d.Bagua Straight Sword
e.Kun Lun Fan
f.Yin Yang Pen Brush
g.Steel "Yo-Yo" Meteors
h.Wind and Fire Wheels
10. Dian Xue (Pressure Point Fighting)
One of Liang's most famous students was Li Ziming
Li Ziming
Li Ziming was a martial arts expert and 3rd generation descendant of Baguazhang creator Dong Haichuan, under the lineage of Liang Zhenpu - progenitor of Liang Style Baguazhang.- Life and work :...
(1902–1993) who eventually became head of the Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
Baguazhang
Baguazhang
Bāguàzhǎng is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice...
Research Association and spread Liang's style around the world. Liang Zhenpu is the only student of Dong Haichuan
Dong Haichuan
Dong Haichuan was born on the 13th of October 1797 in Zhu village, Ju Jia Wu Township, Wen'an County, Hebei Province, China and died on the 25th of October 1882 in Beijing. He is regarded as a skillful martial artist and is widely credited to be the founder of Baguazhang...
to be buried next to his tomb.