Baguàzhang is one of the major "internal" Chinese martial arts. Baguà zhang literally means "eight trigram palm," referring to the trigrams of the I Ching (Yijing), one of the canons of Taoism.
The creation of Baguazhang, as a formalized martial art, is attributed to Dong Haichuan in the early 19th century. He is said to have created it from what he had learned from Taoist, and possibly Buddhist, masters in the mountains of rural China. Evidence suggests Baguazhang is a synthesis of several pre-existing martial arts of rural China combined with Taoist circle walking.
Baguazhang styles include: Yin Style, Shi Style, Cheng Style, Liu Style, Liang Style, Fu Style, Gao Style, Gong Style, Jiang Style and Yin Yang Style. All these styles share the practice of circle walking, or "Turning the Circle". For a beginner traditional training meant walking a circle six to twelve feet in diameter. Practitioners walk around the edge of the circle in various low stances, facing the center, and periodically change direction as they execute forms. Students first learn flexibility and proper body alignment through such exercises, then move on to more complex forms and internal power mechanics. The internal aspects of Baguazhang are similar to, yet distinct from, those of Xingyi and Tai Chi.
Many distinctive styles of weapons are contained within Baguazhang, some use concealment like the "scholar's pen" or a pair of knives (the most elaborate, which are unique to the style, are the crescent-shaped deer horn knives). Baguazhang is also known for practicing with extremely large weapons, such as the B?guàjian or 'Bagua Sword' and B?guàd?o or 'Bagua Broadsword'. Other more conventional weapons are also used like the staff (gun), the spear (qiang), the crutch (guai), the hook sword (gou) and the straight (double-edged) sword. Baguazhang practitioners are also known for being able to use anything as a weapon using the principles of their art.
Baguazhang contains an extremely wide variety of techniques, including various strikes (with palm, fist, elbow, fingers etc), low kicks, joint locking techniques, throws, and distinctively evasive circular footwork. The Baguazhang practitioners are known for their ability to "flow" in and out of the way of objects. This is where the theory of being able to fight multiple attackers came into view.
Strict Baguazhang teaches that if you are to defeat more than one opponent you must first learn to quickly eliminate an opponent with fast and effective joint locks, knockouts, breaks, and other form of physical trauma. Under close examination, Baguazhang can be compared to a form of above ground wrestling. Many of wrestling's philosophies are very similar to Baguazhang's.
Tai chi chuan or Taijiquan is an internal Chinese martial art using hard and soft techniques and represents the fusion of Yin and Yang applied to the human body. Most modern styles of tai chi trace their development to at least one of five traditional schools: Chen Style, Yang Style, Wu/Hao Style, Wu and Sun Style.
Tai chi chuan is generally classified as a soft internal style and its study primarily involves three aspects health, meditation and martial art.
Health: An unhealthy or otherwise uncomfortable person may find it difficult to meditate to a state of calmness or to use tai chi as a martial art. Tai chi's health training therefore concentrates on relieving the physical effects of stress on the body and mind. For those focused on tai chi's martial application, good physical fitness is still an important step towards effective self-defense.
Meditation: The focus and calmness cultivated by the meditative aspect of tai chi is seen as necessary in maintaining optimum health (in the sense of relieving stress and maintaining homeostasis) and in application of the form as a soft style martial art.
Martial art: The ability to use tai chi as a form of self-defense in combat is the test of a student's understanding of the art. Tai chi chuan martially is the study of appropriate changes in response to outside forces; the study of yielding and "sticking" to an incoming attack rather than attempting to meet it with opposing force.
Baji Quan, is a traditional Chinese Marital Arts that features explosive, short range power. It originated in Hebei Province in Northern China, but is also well-known in other places today, especially Taiwan. Also known as "rake fist" due to the fist being held loosely and slightly open when not striking, resembling a rake. The term baji signifies “an extension in all directions" and in this case, it means “including everything" or “the universe." 'Ba' (Chinese for eight) denotes the eight major points of the body: head, shoulders, elbows, hands, buttocks, kua, knees, and feet and 'Ji' (polar) is extended in the eight polar directions. Bajiquan shares roots with another Hebei martial art, Piguazhang. It is said that Wu Zhong, the oldest traceable lineage holder in the Bajiquan lineage, taught both arts together as an integrated fighting system. They split apart, only to be recombined by Li Shuwen in the late 18th to early 19th century. As a testament to the complementary nature of these two styles, there is a Chinese martial arts proverb that goes: "When pigua is added to baji, gods and demons will all be terrified. When baji is added to pigua, heroes will sigh knowing they are no match against it." Bajiquan is characterized by direct, culminating and powerful fast strikes that will render an opponent unable to continue and is used in close combat, giving attention to elbow, knee, shoulder and hip strikes. When blocking an attack or nearing an opponent, Bajiquan techniques emphasize striking major points of vulnerability, the thorax (trunk of the body), the legs and neck. The major purpose of Ba Ji training is to develop ultimate snapping power with each strike and open the opponent's arms forcibly (Qiang Kai Men) and mount attacks at high, mid, and low levels of the body, or San Pan Lian Ji.
Six Major Characteristic Powers:
1. Sinking (Xia Chen or Chen Zhui)
2. Thrusting (Chong)
3. Extending (Cheng)
4. Entangling (Chan)
5. Crossing (Shi Zi)
6. Explosive and short (Cun)
The six big ways of opening the door or Liu Da Kai: is the most important practice of Baji
1. Ding: using the fist, elbow or shoulder to push forward and upward.
2. Bao: putting arms together as if hugging someone. It is usually followed by chop (Pi).
3. Ti: elevating the knee to hit the thigh of the opponent, or elevating the foot to hit the shin of the opponent etc.
4. Dan: using a single move.
5. Kua: using the hip.
6. Chan: entanglement with rotation around the wrist, elbow and shoulder
Stepping and Body Methods:
Footwork in Baji Quan has three special features: Zhen Jiao, Nian Bu and Chuang Bu. These striking techniques relate to ancient Chinese medicine, which states that all parts of the body are connected, either physically or spiritually.
Open Hand Forms and Weapons:
The forms of Baji are divided into Fist (non-weapon) and Weapon forms. There are 20 fist forms, which include 12 Baji Small Structure Fists, Baji Black Tiger Fist, Baji Dan Zhai, Baji Dan Da/Dui Da, Baji Luo Han Gong, and Baji Si Lang Kuan. There are eight weapons forms, including Liu He Da Qiang (spear), Liu He Hua Qiang (spear), Chun Yang Jian (sword), San Yin Dao (sabre), Xing Zhe Bang (staff), Pudao, and Chun Qiu Da Dao (a long two-handed heavy blade, used by Generals sitting on their horses).
Some of Baji's forms:
Black Tiger Fist, Small Frame 4th Road, Single Plucking, Small Frame 5th Road, Small Frame 3rd Road, Small Frame 6th Road, LoHan (Buddha's Disciple) Work, Small Frame 1st Road, Small Frame 2nd Road, Six Big Openings- Liu Da Kai, Pu Dao Plain Knife, Spring Autumn Big Knife, 6 Harmony Big Spear, Single Strike, Railing Hand Partner Set- Fu Shou, Si Lang Kuan, Pure Yang Sword, Raise the Willow Saber, Travelling Staff, Six Harmony Spear.
Qigong, qi gong, chi kung, or chi gung (simplified Chinese: 气功; traditional Chinese: 氣功; pinyin: qìgōng; Wade–Giles: chi gong; literally: "Life Energy Cultivation") is a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for health, spirituality, and martial arts training. With roots in Chinese medicine, philosophy, and martial arts, qigong is traditionally viewed as a practice to cultivate and balance qi (chi) or what has been translated as "life energy".[1]
According to Daoist, Buddhist, and Confucian philosophy, respectively, qigong allows access to higher realms of awareness, awakens one's "true nature", and helps develop human potential.[2]
Qigong practice typically involves moving meditation, coordinating slow flowing movement, deep rhythmic breathing, and calm meditative state of mind. Qigong is now practiced throughout China and worldwide for recreation, exercise and relaxation, preventive medicine and self-healing, alternative medicine, meditation and self-cultivation, and training for martial arts.
Qigong, qi gong, chi kung, or chi gung (simplified Chinese: 气功; traditional Chinese: 氣功; pinyin: qìgōng; Wade–Giles: chi gong; literally: "Life Energy Cultivation") is a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for health, spirituality, and martial arts training. With roots in Chinese medicine, philosophy, and martial arts, qigong is traditionally viewed as a practice to cultivate and balance qi (chi) or what has been translated as "life energy".[1]
According to Daoist, Buddhist, and Confucian philosophy, respectively, qigong allows access to higher realms of awareness, awakens one's "true nature", and helps develop human potential.[2]
Qigong practice typically involves moving meditation, coordinating slow flowing movement, deep rhythmic breathing, and calm meditative state of mind. Qigong is now practiced throughout China and worldwide for recreation, exercise and relaxation, preventive medicine and self-healing, alternative medicine, meditation and self-cultivation, and training for martial arts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong
Master Chen Fusheng, a martial arts teacher of over 50 years writes the philosophy behind BaJi ZhanDao, how he created it.
Inherent in BaJi Zhandao is the concept that is woven throughout Daoist philosophy; namely the vital and integral theory of Yin and Yang. At the same time something can be large and limitless in its size and entirety, like the infinite expanse of the universe itself; simultaneously there can exist side by side, its opposite of such infinitesimal size, like the tiniest of atoms. Baji Zhandao is the combination of Qi (breath or energy), martial arts, health, therapeutic healing arts, aesthetics, and fighting skills, all of which can be applied to a skillful fighter or to produce an accomplished martial artist. Judging from the translation of its name, 'Fighting Dao' is the instrument through which the proponent can gain victory. I have been practicing Ba Ji Quan, Pi Gua Tong Bei, Ba Gua, Tai Chi, Xing Yi and many other kinds of traditional Chinese martial arts for 50 years and my students and apprentices come from 15 different countries around the world.
The great Ba Ji master, Wu Zhong, went to Shao Lin temple to compete in three matches, all of which he subsequently won. Some emperors in the Qing Dynasty learned Ba Ji from Huo Dian Ge, who was then an armed escort in the retinue of Wu Zhong. Many Ba Ji practitioners also served as bodyguards for among others: Sun Yat-Sen, Chiang Kai Shek, Chen Shui Bian, Mao Ze Dong, and Zhou En Lai. Ba Ji’s success in this area is testament to its practicality and martial techniques, which are not flowery or useless moves, but instead a series of deadly weapons. I have won many gold medals in both national and international martial arts contests and in April 1995 was listed in A Compendium of Chinese Martial Artists.
In 2007, I founded Ba Ji Zhandao, which, with the basics of Ba Ji Quan, also incorporates aspects of Tai Chi, Xing Yi, Ba Gua, Tong Bei, Praying Mantis Boxing, Chuo Jiao and Wing Chun and has developed into a new school of martial arts. The internal training aspect, or Qi Gong, was exclusively passed on to me from my teacher, as I was an indoor student. Following years of practice and my own research, I have developed Ba Ji Zhandao, so that the practitioner can attain even more powerful internal strength and more efficient internal breathing, to time in perfect accompaniment with the martial art moves. Other external strength exercises practiced include Tie Sha Zhang (Iron Palm), Huang Long Zhang (Yellow Dragon Palm), and so on.
The theory behind Bajizhandao is the method of energy retention and circulation and the creation of a 'steel jacket' for oneself. The body has 4 main acupuncture points, namely the Bubbling Well in the feet and the Lao Gong in the palms. To initiate the retention and circulation of energy throughout the body; first, using the mind the practitioner must “close off” the 2 Bubbling Well points (Yong Quan) and the 2 Lao Gong points; following which the practitioner can begin to close off the remaining acupuncture points throughout the rest of the body. Although one is closing off these points, this is to close off the points to outside interference or incoming energy/power; one must use the heart and mind to focus the concentration on keeping the inner body’s energy gates open to allow the energy to flow through; doing thus will allow the muscles, tendons, sinews, vessels, organs and energy channels to become stronger and more invigorated, until finally your body will feel like it is made from some kind of indestructible material like a diamond or 'steel jacket', that cannot be penetrated by an opponent’s force, yet will enhance the practitioner’s health and longevity.
People practice Ba Ji Zhandao to promote Chinese Kung Fu and to enhance communication among Kung Fu fans around the world and to continue to develop the art and their own practice. It can build your body, health and strength, dispel disease, plus bring you a long life. We are committed to bringing out the true martial, health and curative functions of martial arts and clearing the misunderstanding caused by 'flowery but useless Kung Fu'. Ba Ji can also cultivate your willpower, intelligence and health, as well as develop a firm and indomitable spirit.
The BaJi Zhandao training regimen includes post training/hitting a wooden post, striking a board and kicking a solid ball to make different parts of your body strong enough to resist blows and defeat your opponent, enhance your blood circulation and make your body more sensitive i.e. Increasing the sensory perception and awareness, in Chinese this is referred to as 'Ting Jing', that is making the body, even the skin, the limbs, the senses and the visual awareness more sensitive, so the practitioner becomes even more aware of what others are doing or even intend to do. Palm chop or hack. Every day you should practice palm chops 1000 times to make your body have the qualities of aliveness, agility and elasticity, plus the coiling, explosive power of a spring, additionally, after training your palm will be able to slice through objects.
Practicing Ba Ji Zhandao’s internal breathing, energy and strength (Qi Gong) training for 2 hours everyday, can soon change the overall functions of your body and integrate it into the martial arts so that every part of the body can be as hard as a diamond and every movement can be deadly. Ba Ji’s Zhandao includes 6 forms, a dagger form, a sparring form, a 2-person sparring exercise, (wrestling and qin na or joint-locking, striking acupoints (Dim Mak) and dislocating the joints) small Ba Ji, large Ba Ji, six big opening, eight big moves, six elbows, broadsword, spear, rapier, cudgel, Tai Chi, Xing Yi, Ba Gua, Pi Gua, Tong Bei, Mantis forms and so on. After some period of diligent practice, successful students will become accomplished martial artists who can deal with a variety of potentially dangerous situations, plus have great skills to fight with and defeat opponents.
Ba Ji Zhandao incorporates Ba Ji, Tai Chi, Xing Yi, Ba Gua, Pi Gua, Chuo Jiao, Tong Bei and Wing Chun. Internal breathing, energy and strength are the essence of martial arts, so the better these qualities and components are, the better the martial artist you will be. Inherent within the core of martial arts are also philosophy, military strategy, psychology, scientific theories, the theory of meridian science, Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. All the aforementioned are essential to Ba Ji Zhandao.
Qigong (or ch'i kung) refers to a wide variety of traditional cultivation practices that involve methods of accumulating, circulating, and working with qi, within the body. Qigong is practiced for health maintenance purposes, as a therapeutic intervention, as a medical profession, a spiritual path and/or component of Chinese martial arts.
The qi in qigong means air in Chinese, and, by extension, life force, dynamic energy or even cosmic breath. Gong means work applied to a discipline or the resultant level of skill, so qigong is thus breath work or energy work.
Qigong is an essential element of Chinese martial arts, traditional Chinese Medicine and Spirituality. The manipulation of this energy has both martial, healing and spiritual applications. In the marital arts qigong training is energy training in order to protect the body and or to develop internal force for combat. For this breath, movement and intent combine to direct qi flow.
The martial application of qigong began with the understanding of qi circulation and acupuncture. This was increased significantly when Da Mo’s Wai Dan exercises were introduced at the Shaolin Temple in 536 A.D. Although Da Mo’s Wai Dan exercises had been conceived for heath purposes the dangers of the time meant that it was not long before the monks discovered that the exercises derived from Da Mo’ Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic could greatly increase the strength and efficiency of the their muscles and also allowed them to direct the qi to resist blows. From then on it was researched and developed to improve martial arts as well as health. The theory was simple with the monks training they where able to use their minds to lead the qi to the muscles so energizing them so that they function more efficiently. If the average person generally uses his muscles at under 40% maximum efficiency with training he should be able to use his intent to lead qi to the muscles more effectively and so increase fighting effectiveness.
It was quickly reasoned that if balanced qi was required for life and well being then disturbing or stopping that flow would cause harm. It was discovered that the acupuncture cavities where ideal targets for pressing, grabbing, kicking or striking techniques. To make these strikes more affective hands, fingers where conditioned and methods for penetration where created.
The distinction between hard and soft qigong in many ways is similar to the distinction between hard and soft martial arts; in both cases the hard style is more external, focusing on external strength and power, whereas the soft style focuses on the flow of energy within the body. Hard qigong focuses on the strengthening of the muscles and tendons, leading 'guardian qi', or wei qi, to the skin to protect the body (as in Iron Shirt training / Shaolin Steel Jacket), and other external manifestations of qi. Although many forms of hard qigong have beneficial effects for the health this style can result in energy dispersion problems i.e. overdeveloped muscles. This is often why there is a progression from Wai Dan Qigong (external) to Nei Dan (internal) hard styles to soft styles and internal styles that move from soft to hard. In this way harmonious qi flow and usage is promoted for martial arts, health, vitality and longevity.
The Benefits of Qigong include:
1. Curing illness and promoting health.
2. Enhancing vitality and developing internal force.
3. Promoting youthfulness and longevity.
4. Expanding the mind and the intellect.
5. Spiritual cultivation.
Tong Bei Quan (literally "Spreading Power from the Back Boxing", as tong means "through," bei means "back" and quan means "fist") is a school of martial arts popular in northern China. Tong Bei Quan's basic precepts are Taoist in nature and many of the training methods in Tong Bei Quan are similar to those of the internal styles. In traditional Tong Bei Quan training, several parts are included: basic training (stance, arm techniques, leg techniques and conditioning), combinations, forms training, two-person free sparring, weapons training, and qigong training.
Originally, Tong Bei may not have referred to a school of boxing but to a way of training power. When the exercises are done, power is generated from the back to pass through the shoulders and then reach the arms. In this way, heavy penetrating blows can be delivered at the arm's length. Tong Bei Quan emphasizes the combination of inner core and outward application.
Qinna or Chin na are seizing and controlling techniques. It is the term used to describe techniques which lock up an opponent. Literally Qinna means catching and locking in Chinese. Qinna techniques can be specialized in. However, they are more likely to be used as an essential part of combat. To that end Qinna is one of the four components of unarmed combat used in Chinese martial arts. These four components are: Kicking (Ti), Striking (Da), Wrestling (Shuai) and Seizing Control (Na).
While techniques along the lines of qinna (chin na) are trained to some degree by most martial arts worldwide, many Chinese martial arts are famous for their specialization in such applications. Styles such as Eagle Claw (Y?ng zhua quán ), which includes 108 different chin na techniques, Praying Mantis (Tánglángquán) the "Tiger Claw" techniques of Hung Gar, & Shuai Jiao are well known examples.
Qinna (Chin na) can generally be categorized as:
1. "Fen Jin" or "Zhua Jin" (dividing the muscle/tendon, grabbing the muscle/tendon). "Fen" means "to divide", "Zhua" is "to grab" and "Jin" means "tendon, muscle, sinew". They refer to techniques which tear apart an opponent's muscles or tendons.
2. "Cuo Gu" (misplacing the bone). "Cuo" means "wrong, disorder" and "Gu" means "bone". Cuo Gu therefore refer to techniques which put bones in wrong positions and is usually applied specifically to joints.
3. "Bi Qi" (sealing the breath). "Bi" means "to close, seal or shut" and "Qi", or more specifically "Kong Qi", meaning "air". "Bi Qi" is the technique of preventing the opponent from inhaling. This differs from mere strangulation in that it may be applied not only to the windpipe directly but also to muscles surrounding the lungs, supposedly to shock the system in to a contraction which impairs breathing.
4. "Dian Mai" or "Dian Xue" (sealing the vein/artery or acupressure cavity). Similar to the Cantonese "Dim Mak", these are the technique of sealing or striking blood vessels and "Qi" points.
Qin or Chin means to seize or trap, na means to lock or break, and while those actions are very often executed in that order (trap then lock), the two actions can also be performed distinctly in training and self defense.
There is quite a bit of overlap between Qinna (Chin na) theory and technique with the branches of traditional Chinese medicine known as Tui na as well as the use of offensive and defensive qigong as an adjunct of Qinna (Chin na) training in some styles. In fact traditional Chinese medicine has been an essential part of the martial arts in China for both healing injuries and understanding the body’s weaknesses and strengths.
As with most styles of Chinese martial arts the origins of Xingyi quan (hsing-i chuan, xing-i, or hsing yi) are shrouded in mystery. This ancient martial art is said to be the oldest of the internal Chinese martial arts and is said to elongate life expectancy and purify the morality of its practitioners, as well as greatly improving their self-defense capabilities.
The creation of the Art is traditionally attributed to the famous general and patriot Yue Fei (1103-1141) of the Sung Dynasty. Being a beloved historical figure and warrior, Yue Fei is credited with the creation of several systems of martial arts. There is, however, no historical evidence to support the claim that he had anything to do with the creation of the art Xing Yi Quan. The style was originally called Xin Yi Liu He Quan [Heart Mind Six Harmonies Boxing]. The Six harmonies refer to the Three Internal Harmonies (the heart or desire harmonizes with the intent; the intent harmonizes with the Qi or vital energy; the Qi harmonizes with the physical strength), and the Three External Harmonies (the shoulders harmonize [coordinate] with the hips; the elbows harmonize with the knees; the hands harmonize with the feet). The practitioner's internal processes harmonize and coordinate the external movement, unifying the person as a whole into the most powerful state possible.
Xingyi is a powerful and direct internal martial art. Xing Yi Quan is commonly referred to as Form and Mind or Form and Will boxing. The name illustrates the strong emphasis placed on the motion of the body being subordinate to conscious control. The form the body takes is an external manifestation of the internal state of mind and is the underlying premise behind Xing Yi Quan as a method of combat.
Xing Yi Quan is divided into two main systems: the Ten Animal and the Five Elements. The Five-Element system is further divided into two main branches, the He Bei and Shan Xi styles.
The Ten Animal style is closest to the original Xin Yi Liu He Quan in form and practice. The movements in the forms are patterned after the spirit of various animals in combat, including the Dragon, Tiger, Monkey, Horse, Chicken, Hawk, Snake, Bear, Eagle and Swallow.
The Five Element based systems have five basic forms: Splitting, Drilling, Crushing Pounding and Crossing; these Five Elements form the foundation of the Art. The basic energies of the Five Elements are then expanded into Twelve Animal forms which include variations of the animal forms found in the Ten Animal styles as well as two additional animals, the Tai (a mythical bird) and the Tuo (a type of water skimming insect). Training in all systems centers on repetitive practice of single movements that are later combined into more complicated linked forms.
The direction of movement in Xing Yi forms is predominately linear. Practitioners walk through the forms coordinating the motions of their entire bodies into one focused now. The hands, feet and torso all arrive together and the nose, lead hand and lead foot are aligned along the same vertical axis (San Jian Xiang Jiao). The arms are held in front of the body and the practitioner lines up his or her centerline with the opponent's centerline. A familiar adage of Xing Yi Quan is that "the hands do not leave the [area of] the heart and the elbows do not leave the ribs." There are few kicks in the style and the techniques are predominately percussive in nature. Great emphasis is 'placed upon the ability to generate power with the whole body and focus it into one pulse which is released in a sudden burst.
The techniques of Xing Yi Quan are characteristically aggressive in nature and the Xin Yi Quan fighter prefers to move into the opponent with a decisive strike at the earliest opportunity. The style prizes economy of motion and the concept of simultaneous attack and defense. As the name implies, the form or shape of the movements is only a physical manifestation of one's internal state [intent]. A fundamental principle underlying all styles of Xing Yi Quan is that the mind controls and leads the movements of the body.
Training in He Nan (Ten Animal) Xin Yi Liu He Quan includes basic movements designed to condition and develop the striking ability of the Seven Stars [the head, shoulders, elbows, hands, hips, knees and feet]. From here, the student will progress to learning the basic animal forms. Basic form practice consists of repeating single movements while walking forward in various straight-line patterns. Later, the single movements are combined into linked forms. The techniques are relatively simple and straightforward and rely on the ability to generate force with almost any part of the body (the Seven Stars). Also included at more advanced levels are weapons forms (including the straight sword, staff and spear).
The Five Element based styles of Xing Yi Quan (Shan Xi and He Bei styles) traditionally begin training with stance keeping, the holding of static postures for prolonged periods of time (Zhan Zhuang). The most fundamental posture is called San Ti(Three bodies)or San Cai (Three Powers referring to heaven, earth and man). It is from this posture that all of the subsequent movements in the style are created, and most teachers place great emphasis upon its practice. After stance training, the student begins to learn the Five Element Fists (Wu Xing Quan). These are the basic movements of the Art and express all the possible combinations of motion which produce martial power (including energy which moves downward upward, forward, outward and inward). After a certain level of proficiency is acquired in the practice of the Five Element Fists, the student goes on to learn the twelve Animal and linked forms. The twelve Animal forms are variations of the energies of the Five Elements expressed through the format of the spirit of animals in combat. There are several two-person combat forms that teach the student the correct methods of attack and defense and the applications of the techniques practiced in the solo forms. Five Element based styles also include weapons training.
Xing Yi Quan is the oldest of the 'internal' martial arts, and the only internal art proven effective on the battlefield. Based on the movements of the spear, the strategies and techniques of Xing Yi Quan are designed to subdue an opponent in the shortest possible amount of time (as prolonged exchanges were not conducive to survival in mass battle situations). The basic fighting strategy of Xing Yi Quan dictates an aggressive "take no prisoners" attitude, with the goal of incapacitating an opponent as quickly as possible. There are no flashy or overly complicated techniques; the art is a study in practical efficiency. The fact that Xing Yi Quan fighters have been among the small percentage of the most elite for the past four hundred years in China lends credibility to the Art's efficacy in training, strategy and application.
In conclusion the aggressive nature of Xing Yi Quan can be summed up in the key words of the style: Brave, Fierce, Sudden, Wicked, Quick, Violent, First and Sharp. The study of its strategies and techniques provides a fascinating view of the mindset of the warriors of old. In the modern world, Xing Yi Quan training, besides conferring excellent health benefits, provides a practical, no-nonsense approach to cultivating the attitudes and physicality necessary for real fighting ability.
