Baguazhang Within this family of three hundred or so kungfu styles, bagua, a more recently developed art, is the younger brother. This younger brother has been the lucky beneficiary of fighting expertise developed through the thousand year history of Chinese kungfu. As a martial art, its combat practices are highly sophisticated, including only the highest, genius-level if you will, techniques. -- Adam Hsu Although there are several theories as to the Origins of Ba Gua Zhang, recent and exhaustive research by martial scholars in Mainland China conclude without reasonable doubt that the Art is the creation of a single individual, Dong Hai Chuan. Dong was born in Wen An County, Hebei Province about 1813. Dong practiced local martial arts (which reportedly relied heavily upon the use of open hand palm techniques) from his youth and gained some notoriety as a skilled fighter. At about 40 years of age, Dong left home and traveled southward. At some point during his travels, Dong became a member of the Chuan Zhen (Complete Truth) sect of Taoism. The Taoists of this sect practiced a method of walking in a circle white reciting certain mantras. The practice was designed to quiet the mind and focus the intent as a prelude to enlightenment. Dong later combined the circle walking mechanics with the martial arts he had mastered in his youth to create a new style based on mobility and the ability to apply techniques while in constant motion (heretofore unknown in the history of Chinese martial arts). Dong Hai Chuan originally called his art "Zhuan Zhang" (Turning Palm). In his later years, Dong began to speak of the Art in conjunction with the Eight Trigrams (Ba Gua) theory espoused in the Book of Changes (Yi Jing). When Dong began teaching his Zhuan Zhang in Beijing, he accepted as student only those who were already accomplished practitioners of other martial arts. Dong's teachings were limited to a few "palm changes" executed while walking the circle and his theory and techniques of combat. His students took Dong's forms and theories and combined them with the martial arts they had studied previously. The result is that each of Dong's students ended up with different interpretations of the Ba Gua Zhang art. Most of the various styles of Ba Gua Zhang found today, can be traced back to one of several of Dong Hai Chuan's original students. Among these students, three individuals were responsible for passing on the Art to the greatest number of practitioners. One of Dong's most famous students was a man named Yin Fu. Yin studied with Dong longer than any other and was one of the most respected fighters in the country in his time (he was the personal bodyguard to the Dowager Empress, the highest prestige position of its kind in the entire country). Yin Fu was a master of Luo Han Quan, a Northern Chinese "external" style of boxing, before he began his long apprenticeship with Dong. Another top student of Dong's was Chen Ting Hua, originally a master of Shuai Jiao (Chinese wrestling). Cheng taught a great number of students in his time and variations of his style are many. A third student of Dong's who created his own Ba Gaa Zhang variant was Liang Zhen Pu. Liang was Dong's youngest student and was greatly influenced by Dong's other disciples. Although Ba Gua Zhang is a relatively new form of martial, art, it became famous throughout China during its inventor's lifetime, mainly because of its effectiveness in combat and the high prestige this afforded its practitioners. Reprinted from an article at the Chinese Health Institute. Most Baguazhang techniques originated from other Northern Chinese systems. But its main contribution was its circularity and evasive footwork. Employing the strategy of change, it is a circular style utilizing body turning and twisting movements. The footwork, coupled with the logical body mechanics and ingrained patterns, allows the martial artist to set up and execute techniques while rapidly changing movement, direction and alignment. Thus, the trigram artist learns to be cunning and adaptable. As a bonus, body energy is reserved via the decreased amount of the muscle power needed to defeat opponents. A complete Ba Gua system as taught by a real "traditional wushu" master is very extensive, methodical, and complete. When you incorporate the weighted training, the post training conditioning, Wei Gong training, Nei Gong training, two-man fighting techniques similar to the Tui Shou of Taijiquan, weapon training and the post training, Chi Gong training, a well-conditioned, effective martial artist emerges. It is then easy to see why Tung Hai Chuan, Yin Fu, and Gong Bao Tian (the first 3 generations of Baguazhang masters) were highly sought after for bodyguard service and training in the Emperor's palace. Although Ba Gua Zhang, in general, is often imbued with the intellectualism of the Yi Ching, make no mistake about the physical demands made upon the practitioner. This type of training requires many years of repetitive circle walking as well as internal and external strength. Post training represents only a small portion of the overall training and conditioning of the system. Other schools of Ba Gua emphasize other aspects of training such as throwing and seizing techniques. However, additional uses of the posts could include full body strikes, kicking and grabbing, hooking techniques. The noncircular (linear) forms can be executed within and around the nine circle palace (of posts). Eventually the post training evolves into a free-form execution. Add to all of this the Dian Xue (cavity striking techniques often called the "death" touch) and the result is a master of perhaps the world's most complex yet deadly system of traditional Chinese martial arts. Reprinted from a description at Wu Tang Center For Martial Arts. Read a description and partial curriculum of the Baguazhang taught at our school.

MOTORCYCLES   WU SHU   CAVING   CABIN   SNOWBOARDING   COLORADO   AVIATION   FRIENDS&FAMILY   GUESTBOOK   CONTACT   THE TOOLBOARD   LINKS   HOME jmurray3.us