Xingyiquan
Encyclopedia
Xingyiquan is one of the major "internal
" or Wudang
styles of Chinese martial arts
. The word translates approximately to "Form/Intention Boxing", or "Shape/Will Boxing", and is characterized by aggressive, seemingly linear movements and explosive power. There is no single organizational body governing the teaching of the art, and several variant styles exist.
A practitioner of xingyiquan uses coordinated movements to generate bursts of power intended to overwhelm the opponent, simultaneously attacking and defending. Forms vary from school to school, but include barehanded sequences and versions of the same sequences with a variety of weapons. These sequences are based upon the movements and fighting behavior of a variety of animals. The training methods allow the student to progress through increasing difficulty in form sequences, timing and fighting strategy.
The exact origin of xingyiquan is unknown. The earliest written records of it can be traced to the 18th century to Ma Xueli of Henan Province and Dai Long Bang
of Shanxi Province. Legend, however, credits the creation of xingyiquan to the renowned Song Dynasty
(960-1279 AD) general Yue Fei
.
According to the book Henan Orthodox Xingyi Quan written by Pei Xirong and Li Ying’ang , Xingyi
Master Dai Long Bang
"...wrote the Preface to Six Harmonies Boxing in the 15th reign year of the Qianlong Emperor
[1750]. Inside it says, '...when [Yue Fei] was a child, he received special instructions from Zhou Tong. Extremely skilled in spearfighting, he used the spear to create fist techniques and established a skill called Yi Quan [意拳]. Meticulous and unfathomable, this technique far outstripped ancient ones."
Throughout the Jin
, Yuan
and Ming
Dynasties few individuals had studied this art, one of them being Ji Gong (also known as Ji Longfeng and Ji Jike
) of Shanxi Province. After Yue Fei's death, the art was lost for half a millennium. Then, during the Ming
and Qing Dynasties in Shaanxi Province's Zhongnan Mountains, Yue Fei's boxing manual was discovered by Ji Gong.
argues that aspects of xingyiquan (particularly the animal styles) are identifiable as far back as the Liang Dynasty
at the Shaolin Temple. Yue Fei
, therefore, did not strictly invent xingyiquan, but synthesised and perfected existing Shaolin principles into his own style of gongfu which he popularised during his military service. Because this theory holds that Yue Fei
based his style on existing Shaolin techniques, some consider Bodhidharma
to be the originator of xingyiquan. Nonetheless, according to Yang, Yue Fei
is usually identified as the creator because of his considerable understanding of the art (as shown in the work The Ten Theses of Xingyiquan, credited to Yue) and his cultural status as a Chinese war hero.
Other martial artists and Chinese martial art historians, such as Miller, Cartmell
, and Kennedy, hold that this story is largely legendary; while xingyiquan may well have evolved from military spear techniques, there is no evidence to support that Yue Fei
was involved or that the art dates to the Song dynasty. These authors point out that the works attributed to Yue Fei
's role long postdate his life, some being as recent as the Republican era, and that it was common practice in China to attribute new works to a famous or legendary person, rather than take credit for oneself. One source claims that the author of the "preface" is unknown, since no name is written on the manuscript. Most practitioners just assume it was written by Dai Long Bang
. Some researchers of martial arts
believe that it was actually written in Shanxi
during the final years of the 19th century. In addition, historical memoirs and scholarly research papers only mention Zhou Tong teaching Yue archery and not spear play. Yue historically learned spear play from Chen Guang (陈广), who was hired by the boy’s paternal grandfather, Yao Daweng (姚大翁).
With the late Ming-era and Ji Longfeng, evidence for the art's history grows firmer. Ji Longfeng's contributions to the art are described in the Ji Clan Chronicles (姬氏族谱; pinyin
: Ji Shi Jiapu). Like the Preface, the Chronicles describes Xingyiquan as a martial art based on the combat principles of the spear. The Chronicles, however, attributes this stylistic influence to Ji himself, who was known as the "Divine Spear" (神槍; pinyin
: Shén Qiāng) for his extraordinary skill with the weapon.
The master who taught xingyiquan to Ma Xueli is conventionally identified as Ji Longfeng himself. However, the traditions of the Ma family itself say only that Xueli learned from a wandering master whose name is unknown. Ji Longfeng referred to his art as Liu He, The Six Harmonies, a reference to the most highly developed spear style practiced in the late Ming military.
The Preface identifies Cao Ji Wu as a student of Ji Longfeng and the master who taught xingyiquan to Dai Long bang
.
However, other sources identify Dai's teacher variously as Li Zheng or Niu Xixian.
Xingyiquan remained fairly obscure until Li Luoneng (also known as Li Nengran) learned the art from the Dai family in the 19th century.
It was Li Luoneng and his successors—which include Guo Yunshen, Li Cunyi, Zhang Zhaodong, Sun Lutang, and Shang Yunxiang—who would popularise xingyiquan across Northern China
. Sun Lutang exchanged knowledge with Fu Chen Sung
, who subsequently took this branch of the art to southern China
.
for close quarters combat. This included armed techniques such as bayonet and sabre drills alongside unarmed techniques.
Xingyiquan forms have been adapted to fit the needs of modern practitioners of the competitive sport of Wushu
. The style is relatively rare in competitions because all wushu practitioners must compete in several mandatory events, which make xingyi a secondary priority in wushu circles.
Jargon from other martial arts seems to have entered the xingyiquan vocabulary through cross-training. For example, some schools refer to a training method of "Xingyi Push Hands
" - a term more commonly in use in training taijiquan - which may be called by other schools "Five Elements Fighting"
The recognised founder of baguazhang
, Dong Hai Chuan, was reputed to have fought Guo Yunshen
with neither able to defeat the other - though it is possible that they were training together. It would have been controversial at the time for Dong Hai Chuan to have studied under Guo Yunshen, since Dong was the older of the two. The most neutral viewpoint would be to say that they trained together, which may explain the stylistic similarities between baguazhang
and the xingyiquan monkey. Frantzis
argues that this encounter never took place and that Guo and Dong had little contact with each other. Frantzis argues that a xingyiquan-baguazhang exchange was more likely to have occurred in Tianjin
c. 1900 where xingyi masters Li Cunyi and Zhang Zhaodong, Bagua master Cheng Tinghua, and four other xingyi and bagua teachers lived together (Frantzis, 1998, p. 179).
Sun Lutang states in his autobiography that the legendary fight between Guo Yunshen
and Dong Hai Chuan never happened. The book states that the truth of the matter is that Guo Yunshen actually fought one of his older xingyi brothers and lost. Sun Lutang was a student of both Guo Yunshen and Cheng Tinghua so this stance on the subject seems to be one of the most accurate.
Treating the story of Dong Hai Chuan and Guo Yunshen
as allegory, however, reveals a common training protocol among xingyiquan and baguazhang
practitioners. Often, because baguazhang
requires significantly more time for a practitioner's skill to mature, it is acceptable to learn xingyiquan first or simultaneously. Such a practitioner develops a tactical vocabulary that is more readily apparent than the core baguazhang
movements.
The founder of Yiquan
, Wang Xiangzhai
studied under Guo Yunshen, and similarities in techniques between these arts can be seen. The primary standing postures of Yiquan
trains separately what xingyiquan santishi (三體式) trains simultaneously.
The linear nature of xingyiquan hints at both the military origins and the influence of spear technique alluded to in its mythology.
Despite its hard, angular appearance, cultivating "soft"
internal strength or qi
is essential to achieving power in Xingyiquan.
The goal of the xingyiquan exponent is to reach the opponent quickly and drive powerfully through them in a single burst — the analogy with spear fighting is useful here.
This is achieved by coordinating one's body as a single unit and the intense focusing of one's qi
.
Efficiency and economy of movement are the qualities of a xingyiquan stylist and its direct fighting philosophy advocates simultaneous attack and defense. There are few kicks except for extremely low foot kicks (which avoids the hazards of balance involved with higher kicks) and some mid-level kicks, and techniques are prized for their deadliness rather than aesthetic value.
Xingyiquan favours a high stance called Sāntǐshì (三體式 / 三体式), literally "three bodies power," referring to how the stance holds the head, torso and feet along the same vertical plane.
A common saying of xingyiquan is that "the hands do not leave the heart and the elbows do not leave the ribs."
The use of the Santishi as the main stance and training method originated from Li Luoneng's branch of xingyi. Early branches such as Dai family style do not use Santi as the primary stance nor as a training method.
Also called the "Five Fists" or "Five Phases," the Five Elements are related to Taoist cosmology
although the names do not literally correspond to the cosmological terms.
Xingyiquan practitioners use the five elements as an interpretative framework for reacting and responding to attacks.
This follows the five element theory, a general combat formula which assumes at least three outcomes of a fight; the constructive, the neutral, and the destructive.
Xingyiquan students train to react to and execute specific techniques in such a way that a desirable cycle will form based on the constructive, neutral and destructive interactions of five element theory.
Where to aim, where to hit and with what technique—and how those motions should work defensively—is determined by what point of which cycle they see themselves in.
Each of the elements has variant applications that allow it to be used to defend against all of the elements (including itself), so any set sequences are entirely arbitrary, though the destructive cycle is often taught to beginners as it is easier to visualise and consists of easier applications.
Some schools will teach the five elements before the twelve animals because they are easier and shorter to learn.
It is perhaps unfortunate that the names used for the elements are used as fundamental names for applications of energy or jìn (勁), since it can be confusing to describe the "heng jin contained within pi quan".
The jìn referred to by the five element names are not the only ones, there are many others.
: xíng).
Present in all regional and family styles, these emulate the techniques and tactics of the corresponding animal rather than just their physical movements. Many schools of xingyiquan have only small number of movements for each animal, though some teach extended sequences of movements. Once the individual animal forms are taught, a student is often taught an animal linking form (shi'er xing lianhuan) which connects all the taught animals together in a sequence. Some styles have longer, or multiple forms for individual animals, such Eight Tiger Forms Huxing bashi.
However, the identification of three separate branches is tenuous because of the extensive cross-training that occurred across their lineages. This suggests that the branches did not evolve in isolation, thus diluting any major differences between them.
Schools of the Shanxi
branch have a narrower stance, lighter footwork and tend to be more evasive. Schools of the Hebei
branch emphasise powerful fist and palm strikes, with slightly different evasive footwork. Schools of the Henan
branch are typically the most aggressive of the three .
The Henan
branch is known as the Muslim
branch because it was handed down within the Muslim
community in Luoyang
to which its founder, Ma Xueli, belonged. Henan branch is sometimes referred to by practitioners as Xinyi Liuhe Quan instead of simply xingyiquan. This may be attributed to the fact that the Muslim community of China
was historically a very closed culture in order to protect themselves as a minority, thus retaining the older addition to the name of Xingyi. Liuhe means "Six Harmonies" and refers to the six harmonies of the body (three external harmonies: wrists-ankles, elbows-knees, shoulders-hips; three internal harmonies: xin-yi, yi-qi, qi-li i.e. spirit or "emotional mind" (xin) harmonises with your intention (yi), intention harmonises with your breath and physical momentum (qi), breath and physical momentum harmonise with your physical strength (li) that contribute to correct posture.) This is not to be confused with the separate internal art Liuhebafa.
Both the Shanxi
and Hebei
branches use a twelve animal system with five elements while the Henan
branch uses ten animals. Depending on the lineage, it may or may not use five elements. Due to the historical complexity and vagueness of the lineages, it is uncertain which branch would constitute the "authentic" Xingyiquan.
Common weapons:
Weapon diversity is great, the idea being that an experienced Xingyi fighter would be able to pick up almost any weapon irrespective of its exact length, weight and shape.
romanisation.
Neijia
Nèijiā is a term in Chinese martial arts, grouping those styles that practice nèijìng , usually translated as internal martial arts, occupied with spiritual, mental or qi-related aspects, as opposed to an "external" approach focused on physiological aspects...
" or Wudang
Wudang chuan
In current-day China, the martial arts are generally classified into two major groups: Wudang and Shaolin. The Chinese word wǔdāngquán translates as "Wudang fist" or "Wudang boxing." Whereas Shaolin includes many martial art styles, Wudangquan includes only the arts applied with internal power;...
styles of Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
. The word translates approximately to "Form/Intention Boxing", or "Shape/Will Boxing", and is characterized by aggressive, seemingly linear movements and explosive power. There is no single organizational body governing the teaching of the art, and several variant styles exist.
A practitioner of xingyiquan uses coordinated movements to generate bursts of power intended to overwhelm the opponent, simultaneously attacking and defending. Forms vary from school to school, but include barehanded sequences and versions of the same sequences with a variety of weapons. These sequences are based upon the movements and fighting behavior of a variety of animals. The training methods allow the student to progress through increasing difficulty in form sequences, timing and fighting strategy.
Legend
Dai Long Bang
Dai Longbang was a Chinese master of the internal martial art of Xinyiquan , the precursor of Xingyiquan . He was from Shanxi province. His brother Dai Lin Bang was also a master of Xinyi...
of Shanxi Province. Legend, however, credits the creation of xingyiquan to the renowned Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
(960-1279 AD) general Yue Fei
Yue Fei
Yue Fei , style name Pengju, was a military general of the Southern Song Dynasty. His ancestral home was in Xiaoti, Yonghe Village, Tangyin, Xiangzhou, Henan...
.
According to the book Henan Orthodox Xingyi Quan written by Pei Xirong and Li Ying’ang , Xingyi
Xingyi
Xingyi may refer to:*Xingyiquan, one of the major internal Chinese martial arts*Xingyi, Guizhou, county level city in Guizhou, China...
Master Dai Long Bang
Dai Long Bang
Dai Longbang was a Chinese master of the internal martial art of Xinyiquan , the precursor of Xingyiquan . He was from Shanxi province. His brother Dai Lin Bang was also a master of Xinyi...
"...wrote the Preface to Six Harmonies Boxing in the 15th reign year of the Qianlong Emperor
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1735 to 8 February 1796...
[1750]. Inside it says, '...when [Yue Fei] was a child, he received special instructions from Zhou Tong. Extremely skilled in spearfighting, he used the spear to create fist techniques and established a skill called Yi Quan [意拳]. Meticulous and unfathomable, this technique far outstripped ancient ones."
"于乾隆十五年为“六合拳”作序云：“岳飞当童子时，受业于周侗师，精通枪法，以枪为拳，立法以教将佐，名曰意拳，神妙莫测，盖从古未有之技也。"
Throughout the Jin
Jin Dynasty, 1115–1234
The Jīn Dynasty ; Khitan language: Nik, Niku; ; 1115–1234), also known as the Jurchen Dynasty, was founded by the Wanyan clan of the Jurchens, the ancestors of the Manchus who established the Qing Dynasty some 500 years later...
, Yuan
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
and Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
Dynasties few individuals had studied this art, one of them being Ji Gong (also known as Ji Longfeng and Ji Jike
Ji Jike
Ji Jike was a highly accomplished martial artist from Yongji, Shanxi Province. He was also known as Ji Longfeng . According to accepted theory, he is widely considered to be the originator of the internal martial art of Xingyiquan...
) of Shanxi Province. After Yue Fei's death, the art was lost for half a millennium. Then, during the Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
and Qing Dynasties in Shaanxi Province's Zhongnan Mountains, Yue Fei's boxing manual was discovered by Ji Gong.
History
Yang Jwing-MingJwing-Ming Yang
Jwing-Ming Yang started his martial arts training at the age of fifteen under the Shaolin White Crane Master Cheng, Gin Gsao . In thirteen years of study under Master Cheng, Dr. Yang became an expert in the White Crane style of Chinese martial arts. Dr...
argues that aspects of xingyiquan (particularly the animal styles) are identifiable as far back as the Liang Dynasty
Liang Dynasty
The Liang Dynasty , also known as the Southern Liang Dynasty , was the third of the Southern dynasties in China and was followed by the Chen Dynasty...
at the Shaolin Temple. Yue Fei
Yue Fei
Yue Fei , style name Pengju, was a military general of the Southern Song Dynasty. His ancestral home was in Xiaoti, Yonghe Village, Tangyin, Xiangzhou, Henan...
, therefore, did not strictly invent xingyiquan, but synthesised and perfected existing Shaolin principles into his own style of gongfu which he popularised during his military service. Because this theory holds that Yue Fei
Yue Fei
Yue Fei , style name Pengju, was a military general of the Southern Song Dynasty. His ancestral home was in Xiaoti, Yonghe Village, Tangyin, Xiangzhou, Henan...
based his style on existing Shaolin techniques, some consider Bodhidharma
Bodhidharma
Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th/6th century AD. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Ch'an to China, and regarded as the first Chinese patriarch...
to be the originator of xingyiquan. Nonetheless, according to Yang, Yue Fei
Yue Fei
Yue Fei , style name Pengju, was a military general of the Southern Song Dynasty. His ancestral home was in Xiaoti, Yonghe Village, Tangyin, Xiangzhou, Henan...
is usually identified as the creator because of his considerable understanding of the art (as shown in the work The Ten Theses of Xingyiquan, credited to Yue) and his cultural status as a Chinese war hero.
Other martial artists and Chinese martial art historians, such as Miller, Cartmell
Tim Cartmell
Tim Cartmell is a martial artist best known as an author and translator of martial arts books. Tim is an Eighth Degree Black Belt in Kung-Fu San Soo. Tim is a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...
, and Kennedy, hold that this story is largely legendary; while xingyiquan may well have evolved from military spear techniques, there is no evidence to support that Yue Fei
Yue Fei
Yue Fei , style name Pengju, was a military general of the Southern Song Dynasty. His ancestral home was in Xiaoti, Yonghe Village, Tangyin, Xiangzhou, Henan...
was involved or that the art dates to the Song dynasty. These authors point out that the works attributed to Yue Fei
Yue Fei
Yue Fei , style name Pengju, was a military general of the Southern Song Dynasty. His ancestral home was in Xiaoti, Yonghe Village, Tangyin, Xiangzhou, Henan...
's role long postdate his life, some being as recent as the Republican era, and that it was common practice in China to attribute new works to a famous or legendary person, rather than take credit for oneself. One source claims that the author of the "preface" is unknown, since no name is written on the manuscript. Most practitioners just assume it was written by Dai Long Bang
Dai Long Bang
Dai Longbang was a Chinese master of the internal martial art of Xinyiquan , the precursor of Xingyiquan . He was from Shanxi province. His brother Dai Lin Bang was also a master of Xinyi...
. Some researchers of martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
believe that it was actually written in Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
during the final years of the 19th century. In addition, historical memoirs and scholarly research papers only mention Zhou Tong teaching Yue archery and not spear play. Yue historically learned spear play from Chen Guang (陈广), who was hired by the boy’s paternal grandfather, Yao Daweng (姚大翁).
With the late Ming-era and Ji Longfeng, evidence for the art's history grows firmer. Ji Longfeng's contributions to the art are described in the Ji Clan Chronicles (姬氏族谱; pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Ji Shi Jiapu). Like the Preface, the Chronicles describes Xingyiquan as a martial art based on the combat principles of the spear. The Chronicles, however, attributes this stylistic influence to Ji himself, who was known as the "Divine Spear" (神槍; pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Shén Qiāng) for his extraordinary skill with the weapon.
The master who taught xingyiquan to Ma Xueli is conventionally identified as Ji Longfeng himself. However, the traditions of the Ma family itself say only that Xueli learned from a wandering master whose name is unknown. Ji Longfeng referred to his art as Liu He, The Six Harmonies, a reference to the most highly developed spear style practiced in the late Ming military.
The Preface identifies Cao Ji Wu as a student of Ji Longfeng and the master who taught xingyiquan to Dai Long bang
Dai Long Bang
Dai Longbang was a Chinese master of the internal martial art of Xinyiquan , the precursor of Xingyiquan . He was from Shanxi province. His brother Dai Lin Bang was also a master of Xinyi...
.
However, other sources identify Dai's teacher variously as Li Zheng or Niu Xixian.
Xingyiquan remained fairly obscure until Li Luoneng (also known as Li Nengran) learned the art from the Dai family in the 19th century.
It was Li Luoneng and his successors—which include Guo Yunshen, Li Cunyi, Zhang Zhaodong, Sun Lutang, and Shang Yunxiang—who would popularise xingyiquan across Northern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Sun Lutang exchanged knowledge with Fu Chen Sung
Fu Chen Sung
Fu Chen Sung , or Fu Qiankun was a grandmaster of Wudangquan martial arts. He was best known as one of the famed "Five Northern Tigers," and a third-generation master of Baguazhang who founded Fu Style Baguazhang...
, who subsequently took this branch of the art to southern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Recent history
A condensed version of xingyiquan was taught to Chinese officers at the Military Academy at Nanjing during the Second Sino-Japanese WarSecond Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
for close quarters combat. This included armed techniques such as bayonet and sabre drills alongside unarmed techniques.
Xingyiquan forms have been adapted to fit the needs of modern practitioners of the competitive sport of Wushu
Wushu (sport)
The sport of wushu is both an exhibition and a full-contact sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts. It was created in the People's Republic of China after 1949, in an attempt to nationalize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts...
. The style is relatively rare in competitions because all wushu practitioners must compete in several mandatory events, which make xingyi a secondary priority in wushu circles.
Disputed history
Ancient Chinese texts, the source of xingyiquan knowledge, often contain characters whose meanings are obscure or have disappeared completely from the language. Specialised terms which describe historically-specific concepts (names of ancient weapons for example) are commonly interpreted with regards for their closest, modern linguistic equivalent. The results can be problematic, producing translations which are linguistically correct but inconsistent within a fighting or martial context.Jargon from other martial arts seems to have entered the xingyiquan vocabulary through cross-training. For example, some schools refer to a training method of "Xingyi Push Hands
Pushing hands
Pushing hands, , is a name for two-person training routines practiced in internal Chinese martial arts such as Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, T'ai chi ch'uan , Liuhebafa, Quan Fa, Yiquan.-Overview:...
" - a term more commonly in use in training taijiquan - which may be called by other schools "Five Elements Fighting"
The recognised founder 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...
, Dong Hai Chuan, was reputed to have fought Guo Yunshen
Guo Yunshen
Guo Yunshen was a famous Xingyiquan master. He represented the xingyi martial philosophy of preferring to become highly proficient with only a few techniques rather than to be less proficient with many techniques...
with neither able to defeat the other - though it is possible that they were training together. It would have been controversial at the time for Dong Hai Chuan to have studied under Guo Yunshen, since Dong was the older of the two. The most neutral viewpoint would be to say that they trained together, which may explain the stylistic similarities between 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...
and the xingyiquan monkey. Frantzis
Bruce Kumar Frantzis
Bruce Frantzis PhD, is the first Western lineage holder in the Taoist Water tradition which is directly linked to Lao Tse and the Tao Te Ching...
argues that this encounter never took place and that Guo and Dong had little contact with each other. Frantzis argues that a xingyiquan-baguazhang exchange was more likely to have occurred in Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
c. 1900 where xingyi masters Li Cunyi and Zhang Zhaodong, Bagua master Cheng Tinghua, and four other xingyi and bagua teachers lived together (Frantzis, 1998, p. 179).
Sun Lutang states in his autobiography that the legendary fight between Guo Yunshen
Guo Yunshen
Guo Yunshen was a famous Xingyiquan master. He represented the xingyi martial philosophy of preferring to become highly proficient with only a few techniques rather than to be less proficient with many techniques...
and Dong Hai Chuan never happened. The book states that the truth of the matter is that Guo Yunshen actually fought one of his older xingyi brothers and lost. Sun Lutang was a student of both Guo Yunshen and Cheng Tinghua so this stance on the subject seems to be one of the most accurate.
Treating the story of Dong Hai Chuan and Guo Yunshen
Guo Yunshen
Guo Yunshen was a famous Xingyiquan master. He represented the xingyi martial philosophy of preferring to become highly proficient with only a few techniques rather than to be less proficient with many techniques...
as allegory, however, reveals a common training protocol among xingyiquan and 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...
practitioners. Often, because 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...
requires significantly more time for a practitioner's skill to mature, it is acceptable to learn xingyiquan first or simultaneously. Such a practitioner develops a tactical vocabulary that is more readily apparent than the core 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...
movements.
The founder of Yiquan
Yiquan
Yi quan, also known as dacheng quan, is a martial art system which was founded by the Chinese xingyiquan master, Wang Xiangzhai .- History :...
, Wang Xiangzhai
Wang Xiangzhai
Wang Xiangzhai ) , also known as Nibao, Zhenghe, Yuseng, was a Chinese xingyiquan master, responsible for founding the martial art of Yiquan.-Biography:...
studied under Guo Yunshen, and similarities in techniques between these arts can be seen. The primary standing postures of Yiquan
Yiquan
Yi quan, also known as dacheng quan, is a martial art system which was founded by the Chinese xingyiquan master, Wang Xiangzhai .- History :...
trains separately what xingyiquan santishi (三體式) trains simultaneously.
Characteristics and principles
Xingyiquan features aggressive shocking attacks and direct footwork.The linear nature of xingyiquan hints at both the military origins and the influence of spear technique alluded to in its mythology.
Despite its hard, angular appearance, cultivating "soft"
Hard and soft (martial arts)
In martial arts, the terms hard and soft technique denote how forcefully a defender martial artist counters the force of an attack in armed and unarmed combat...
internal strength or qi
Qi
In traditional Chinese culture, qì is an active principle forming part of any living thing. Qi is frequently translated as life energy, lifeforce, or energy flow. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts...
is essential to achieving power in Xingyiquan.
The goal of the xingyiquan exponent is to reach the opponent quickly and drive powerfully through them in a single burst — the analogy with spear fighting is useful here.
This is achieved by coordinating one's body as a single unit and the intense focusing of one's qi
Qi
In traditional Chinese culture, qì is an active principle forming part of any living thing. Qi is frequently translated as life energy, lifeforce, or energy flow. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts...
.
Efficiency and economy of movement are the qualities of a xingyiquan stylist and its direct fighting philosophy advocates simultaneous attack and defense. There are few kicks except for extremely low foot kicks (which avoids the hazards of balance involved with higher kicks) and some mid-level kicks, and techniques are prized for their deadliness rather than aesthetic value.
Xingyiquan favours a high stance called Sāntǐshì (三體式 / 三体式), literally "three bodies power," referring to how the stance holds the head, torso and feet along the same vertical plane.
A common saying of xingyiquan is that "the hands do not leave the heart and the elbows do not leave the ribs."
The use of the Santishi as the main stance and training method originated from Li Luoneng's branch of xingyi. Early branches such as Dai family style do not use Santi as the primary stance nor as a training method.
Five Element forms
Xingyiquan uses the five classical Chinese elements to metaphorically represent five different states of combat.Also called the "Five Fists" or "Five Phases," the Five Elements are related to Taoist cosmology
Cosmology
Cosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
although the names do not literally correspond to the cosmological terms.
Xingyiquan practitioners use the five elements as an interpretative framework for reacting and responding to attacks.
This follows the five element theory, a general combat formula which assumes at least three outcomes of a fight; the constructive, the neutral, and the destructive.
Xingyiquan students train to react to and execute specific techniques in such a way that a desirable cycle will form based on the constructive, neutral and destructive interactions of five element theory.
Where to aim, where to hit and with what technique—and how those motions should work defensively—is determined by what point of which cycle they see themselves in.
Each of the elements has variant applications that allow it to be used to defend against all of the elements (including itself), so any set sequences are entirely arbitrary, though the destructive cycle is often taught to beginners as it is easier to visualise and consists of easier applications.
Some schools will teach the five elements before the twelve animals because they are easier and shorter to learn.
| Chinese Chinese language The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages... | Pinyin Pinyin Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into... | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chopping | 劈 | Pī | Metal | Like an axe chopping up and over. |
| Drilling | 鑽 | Zuān | Water | Drilling forward horizontally like a geyser. |
| Crushing | 崩 | Bēng | Wood | Arrows constantly exploding forward. |
| Exploding | 炮 | Pào | Fire | Exploding outward like a cannon while blocking. |
| Crossing | 橫 | Héng | Earth | Crossing across the line of attack while turning over. |
It is perhaps unfortunate that the names used for the elements are used as fundamental names for applications of energy or jìn (勁), since it can be confusing to describe the "heng jin contained within pi quan".
The jìn referred to by the five element names are not the only ones, there are many others.
Animal forms
Xingyiquan is based on twelve distinct animal forms (形; pinyinPinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: xíng).
Present in all regional and family styles, these emulate the techniques and tactics of the corresponding animal rather than just their physical movements. Many schools of xingyiquan have only small number of movements for each animal, though some teach extended sequences of movements. Once the individual animal forms are taught, a student is often taught an animal linking form (shi'er xing lianhuan) which connects all the taught animals together in a sequence. Some styles have longer, or multiple forms for individual animals, such Eight Tiger Forms Huxing bashi.
| Chinese Chinese language The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages... | Pinyin Pinyin Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into... | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Bear Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern... |
熊 | Xióng | In Xingyi, "the Bear and Eagle combine," meaning that the Bear and Eagle techniques are often used in conjunction with each other. There is a bird called the "Bear Eagle," which covers the characteristics of both forms. |
| Eagle Eagle Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in... |
鷹 | Yīng | |
| Snake Snake Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales... |
蛇 | Shé | Includes both Constrictor and Viper styles. |
| Tiger Tiger The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts... |
虎 | Hǔ | Features lunging with open-handed clawing attacks mimicking the pounce of a tiger |
| Dragon Chinese dragon Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs... |
龍 | Lóng | The only "mythical" animal taught (except in those family systems where the phoenix Fenghuang Fenghuang are mythological birds of East Asia that reign over all other birds. The males are called Feng and the females Huang. In modern times, however, such a distinction of gender is often no longer made and the Feng and Huang are blurred into a single feminine entity so that the bird can be... is one of the 12 animals). In some lineages it is practiced separately from tiger because they are said to clash. |
| Chicken Chicken The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird... |
鷄 | Jī | Mimics the pecking movement of a chicken. This form also mimics the quick and aggressive combat style of the rooster. |
| Horse Horse The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today... |
馬 | Mǎ | Combination of Metal and a hand movement that mimics the action of a rearing a horse. Performed with tension, however. |
| Swallow Swallow The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding... |
燕 | Yàn | Follows the swift and random movements of the swallow by rotating position and circling the enemy with strong but quick foot movement. May refer to the Purple Swamphen (Rallidae) Coot. |
| Goshawk | 鷂 | Yào | This can mean 'Sparrowhawk,' though the more common word for "Sparrowhawk" used to be Zhān (鸇), which has fallen from use over the years. The Chinese word for "Goshawk" covers both the Goshawk and the Sparrowhawk. Note - in some lineages this animal is translated to mean the Grouse or small pheasant, as well as the phoenix. |
| Monkey Monkey A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys... |
猴 | Hóu | Performed with light, empty movement, simple striking combined with parrying and deception of distance. |
| Chinese Chinese language The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages... | Pinyin Pinyin Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into... | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Crane Crane (bird) Cranes are a family, Gruidae, of large, long-legged and long-necked birds in the order Gruiformes. There are fifteen species of crane in four genera. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back... |
鶴 | Hè | |
| Crocodile Chinese Alligator The Chinese alligator or Alligator Alligator sinensis) is one of two known living species of Alligator, a genus in the family Alligatoridae. The Chinese alligator is native only to China... |
鼍 | Tuó | The animal it is meant to represent is the Yangtze River Yangtze River The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the... alligator. Sometimes referred to as a water-skimming insect, or water lizard. The movements of a yangtze river alligator have been compared to those of a pig crossed with a dragon. |
| Tai Asian Paradise Flycatcher The Asian Paradise-flycatcher is a medium-sized passerine bird native to Asia. Males have elongated central tail feathers, and in some populations a black and rufous plumage while others have white plumage. Females are short-tailed with rufous wings and a black head... |
鳥台 (𩿡) see note |
This is a flycatcher native to Asia Asia Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population... . Due to the rarity of this character it may be translated as ostrich, dove, hawk or even phoenix. The Chinese for this animal is a single character (𩿡), not two (as written); this character is not in the earlier versions of the Unicode standard so not all computers are capable of displaying it.. For further information, check the Unihan database for complete data on this character. |
|
| Turtle Turtle Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield... |
龜 | Guī | Represents the snapping turtle which uses quick head snapping motions to catch fish. Some schools will teach this in combination with Tuó (crocodile), considering them to be the same animal. |
| Ostrich Ostrich The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a... |
鴕 | Tuó | Similar in stepping to Fire and Tiger, with counter-directional circling and double uppercuts. This animal represents the Chinese Ostrich, which some sources speculate could actually be the source of the Chinese Phoenix. |
Branches
Xingyiquan has three main developmental branches:- Shanxi
- Hebei
- Henan
However, the identification of three separate branches is tenuous because of the extensive cross-training that occurred across their lineages. This suggests that the branches did not evolve in isolation, thus diluting any major differences between them.
Schools of the Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
branch have a narrower stance, lighter footwork and tend to be more evasive. Schools of the 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...
branch emphasise powerful fist and palm strikes, with slightly different evasive footwork. Schools of the Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
branch are typically the most aggressive of the three .
The Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
branch is known as the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
branch because it was handed down within the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community in Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
to which its founder, Ma Xueli, belonged. Henan branch is sometimes referred to by practitioners as Xinyi Liuhe Quan instead of simply xingyiquan. This may be attributed to the fact that the Muslim community of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
was historically a very closed culture in order to protect themselves as a minority, thus retaining the older addition to the name of Xingyi. Liuhe means "Six Harmonies" and refers to the six harmonies of the body (three external harmonies: wrists-ankles, elbows-knees, shoulders-hips; three internal harmonies: xin-yi, yi-qi, qi-li i.e. spirit or "emotional mind" (xin) harmonises with your intention (yi), intention harmonises with your breath and physical momentum (qi), breath and physical momentum harmonise with your physical strength (li) that contribute to correct posture.) This is not to be confused with the separate internal art Liuhebafa.
Both the Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
and 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...
branches use a twelve animal system with five elements while the Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
branch uses ten animals. Depending on the lineage, it may or may not use five elements. Due to the historical complexity and vagueness of the lineages, it is uncertain which branch would constitute the "authentic" Xingyiquan.
Weapons
Traditionally xingyiquan was an armed art. Students would train initially with the spear, progressing to shorter weapons and eventually empty-handed fighting. Xingyiquan emphasises a close relationship between the movements of armed/unarmed techniques. This technical overlap aims to produce greater learning efficiency.- SpearQiang (spear)Qiang is the Chinese term for spear. Due to its relative ease of manufacture, the spear in many variations was ubiquitous on the pre-modern Chinese battlefield...
- Straight swordJianThe jian is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. The first Chinese sources that mention the jian date to the 7th century BCE during the Spring and Autumn Period; one of the earliest specimens being the Sword of Goujian.Historical one-handed versions have blades...
- SabreDao (sword)Daois a category of single-edge Chinese swords primarily used for slashing and chopping , often called a broadsword in English translation because some varieties have wide blades. In China, the dao is known as one of the four major weapons, along with the gun , qiang , and the jian , and referred...
- Large SabreZhanmadaoThe zhanmadao was a single-bladed anti-cavalry Chinese sword of the Song Dynasty.- General characteristics :The zhanmadao is a sabre with a single long broad blade, and a long handle suitable for two-handed use....
(used by infantry against mounted opponents) - Long StaffGun (staff)The Chinese word gun refers to a long Chinese staff weapon used in Chinese martial arts. It is known as one of the four major weapons, along with the qiang , dao , and the jian , called in this group "The Grandfather of all Weapons".-Variants:There are various kinds of gun, and they include the...
- Short Staff (at maximum length you could hold between the palms of your hands at each end - techniques with this weapon may have been used with a spear that had been broken)
- Needles (much like a double ended rondelRondel (dagger)A rondel dagger or roundel dagger was a type of stiff-bladed dagger in Europe in the late Middle Ages , used by a variety of people from merchants to knights...
gripped in the centre - on the battlefield this would mostly have been used like its western equivalent to finish a fallen opponent through weak points in the armour) - FuyueHalberdA halberd is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 14th and 15th centuries. Possibly the word halberd comes from the German words Halm , and Barte - in modern-day German, the weapon is called Hellebarde. The halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on...
(halberds of various types) - Chicken-Sabre SickleChicken SicklesChicken sickles are a number of Chinese bladed weapons similar to the Hook sword and the Okinawan Kama. They can be used as a single or double weapon. It is considered the special weapon of the Xinyi Liuhe style.-Chicken-claw:...
. This weapon was supposedly created by Ji Longfeng and became the special weapon of the style. Its alternate name is "Binding Flower Waist Carry".
Weapon diversity is great, the idea being that an experienced Xingyi fighter would be able to pick up almost any weapon irrespective of its exact length, weight and shape.
Famous figures
Since the validity of lineages are often controversial, this list is not intended to represent any lineage. Names are presented in alphabetical order using pinyinPinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
romanisation.
| Name | Chinese Chinese language The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages... | Other names | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bu Xuekuan | 布學寬 | (1876-1971) Disciple of Che Yonghong (a.k.a. Che Yizhai), Director of the Taigu County Guoshuguan. | |
| Cao Jiwu Cao Jiwu Cao Ji Wu , , was a Chinese master of the internal martial art of Xinyi , precursor of Xingyi . According to accepted theory, he is probably the second lineage holder of the art... |
曹繼武 | Reported to have won first place in the Imperial Martial Examinations sometime in the 17th or 18th century. | |
| Chu Guiting Chu Guiting Chu Guiting, 褚桂亭 was born in Danzhou town, Renqiu County, Hebei Province on 26 July 1892. He was a prolific martial artist who studied under the famous local masters, Jiang Yuhe, Yu Bingzhong, and Chen Delu, and went on to influence many different Chinese martial arts schools through his... |
褚桂亭 | Disciple of Li Cunyi. He mastered Xingyi, Bagua and Taiji. | |
| Dai Long Bang Dai Long Bang Dai Longbang was a Chinese master of the internal martial art of Xinyiquan , the precursor of Xingyiquan . He was from Shanxi province. His brother Dai Lin Bang was also a master of Xinyi... |
戴龍邦 | First student of the art from the Dai family. | |
| Fu Chen Sung Fu Chen Sung Fu Chen Sung , or Fu Qiankun was a grandmaster of Wudangquan martial arts. He was best known as one of the famed "Five Northern Tigers," and a third-generation master of Baguazhang who founded Fu Style Baguazhang... |
傅振嵩 | Chief instructor 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... at the Nanjing Central Goushu Institute |
|
| Guo Yunshen Guo Yunshen Guo Yunshen was a famous Xingyiquan master. He represented the xingyi martial philosophy of preferring to become highly proficient with only a few techniques rather than to be less proficient with many techniques... |
郭雲深 | A legendary tale reports him as having been incarcerated for killing a man, and when confined to a prison cell only being able to practice Beng quan. | |
| Hong Yixiang Hung I-Hsiang Hung I-Hsiang or Hong Yixiang was a Taiwanese martial artist who specialized in the internal Chinese styles of xingyiquan, baguazhang and taijiquan.... |
洪懿祥 | Founder of the Tang Shou Tao Tang Shou Tao Tang Shou Tao is a system of Chinese internal martial arts training founded in the 1950s and 1960s by Hung I-Hsiang , a well-known Taiwanese internal martial artist... school in the 1960s |
|
| Ji Longfeng | 姬龍峰 | Ji Jike Ji Jike Ji Jike was a highly accomplished martial artist from Yongji, Shanxi Province. He was also known as Ji Longfeng . According to accepted theory, he is widely considered to be the originator of the internal martial art of Xingyiquan... (姬際可) |
Founder (or rediscoverer depending on how legendary you consider the Yue Fei Yue Fei Yue Fei , style name Pengju, was a military general of the Southern Song Dynasty. His ancestral home was in Xiaoti, Yonghe Village, Tangyin, Xiangzhou, Henan... tale.) |
| Li Luoneng | 李洛能 | Li Nengran (李能然) | Nicknamed "Divine Fist Li"; popularizer of the art. |
| Li Tian Ji | 李天骥 | Li LongFei (李龙飞) | Author of "The Skill of Xingyiquan". Was the first Chairman of the Chinese Wushu Administration under Communist China. Helped to preserve Xingyiquan during the Cultural Revolution. |
| Li Cunyi | 李存义 | Li Kui Yuan (李魁元) | Famous Boxer. Disciple of Liu Qilan and Guo Yunshen |
| Ma Xueli | 馬學禮 | Founder of the Henan or Muslim branch. | |
| Shang Yunxiang | 尚云祥 | Founder of the Shang or "New Style" of the Hebei branch. | |
| Song Shirong | 宋世榮 | Founder of the Song Family Style. | |
| Sun Lutang | 孫祿堂 | Sun Fuquan (孫福全) | Author of several books on internal arts, also known for developing Sun style taijiquan. Disciple of Guo Yunshen and Li Cunyi. |
| Wu Chaoxiang Wu Chaoxiang Wu chaoxiang or Wu Chao-hsiang , , was a Chinese master of the Nei Jia styles of Xingyiquan, Baguazhang, Taijiquan and the Wai Jia of Shaolinquan... |
武朝相 | (1917-2000) Disciple of Bu Xuekuan, introduced the Che style of Xingyiquan to Brazil. | |
| Zhang Baoyang | 张宝杨 | Disciple of Wang Jiwu and Zhang Xiangzhai. Founder and honorary president of the Beijing Xingyi Research Association. Author of the book "Xing Yi Nei Gong", written with grandmaster Wang Jin Yu. Still has a few highly skilled disciples in Beijing. | |
| Zhang Junfeng Chang Chun-Feng Chang Chun-Feng, or Zhang Junfeng was a well-known Chinese martial artist who specialized in the internal styles of baguazhang, xingyiquan and taijiquan.... |
張俊峰 | Founded a major school in Taiwan in the 1950s. | |
| Zhang Zhaodong | 張兆東 | Zhang Zhankui (張占魁) | Famous Boxer. Disciple of Liu Qilan. Founder of the Xingyi-Bagua-Palm system. |
Lineage Chart
The following chart demonstrates the historical connections between most known lineages of Xing Yi Quan, and related martial arts. An attempt was made to include as many notable teachers as possible, but due to the obvious constraints of space, not all could have been included. Please take note that among the teachers listed within the last 1-2 generations on the charts, not all of them are considered the "official" disciples of their respective teachers.Important texts
A variety of texts have survived throughout the years, often called "Classics", "Songs" or "Theories".- Classic of Unification
- Classic of Fighting
- Classic of Stepping
- Classic of Six Harmonies
See also
- NeijiaNeijiaNèijiā is a term in Chinese martial arts, grouping those styles that practice nèijìng , usually translated as internal martial arts, occupied with spiritual, mental or qi-related aspects, as opposed to an "external" approach focused on physiological aspects...
- Taijiquan
- BaguazhangBaguazhangBāguàzhǎng 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...
- Liuhebafa
- Neijin
- Wudangquan
- Zhou Tong (archer)
External links
- Xinyi Liuhe Quan - the secret art of Chinese Muslims: Part One - Brief History
- Xingyi
- XinYi LiuHe Quan video demonstrated by Master Wu QiuTing