The Hidden History of the Chinese Internal Martial Arts

[Sal Canzonieri]

The Hidden History of the Chinese Internal Martial Arts

Exploring the Mysterious Connections between Long Fist Boxing and the Origins and Roots of Bagua, Taiji, Xingyi, and More

By Salvatore Canzonieri



TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF THE CHINESE INTERNAL MARTIAL ARTS EXPLORING THE MYSTERIOUS CONNECTIONS BETWEEN LONG FIST BOXING AND THE ORIGINS AND ROOTS OF BAGUA, TAIJI, XINGYI, AND MORE 1

PREFACE 5
METHODOLOGY USED FOR INFORMATION GATHERING 5
INTRODUCTION 8
INTERNAL EXERCISES: NEIGONG PRACTICE AND THE CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS 8

SECTION 1 – THE MYSTERY OF BAGUA ZHANG’S ORIGINS AND ROOTS IN LONG FIST 16
1A. INTRODUCTION 16
1B. BAGUA ZHANG BACKGROUND 16
1C. DONG HAICHUAN’S CONNECTION TO BA FAN QUAN AND SHAOLIN QUAN 18
Ba Fan Quan Background Information 19
1D. CONNECTION BETWEEN BAGUA ZHANG AND BA FAN SHOU 22
1E. BA FAN QUAN / CHUOJIAO > GENERAL ZHAO CANYI CONNECTION 24
Chuojiao Background 26
1F. BAGUA ZHANG CONNECTION TO CHUOJIAO 29
1G. BAGUA ZHANG’S CONNECTION TO SHAOLIN LUOHAN QUAN 31
1H. BAGUA QUAN BACKGROUND 34
1I. MEIHUA ZHUANG SYSTEM CONNECTION 35
General Zhao Canyi and the original Feng Keshan 40
1J. DONG HAICHUAN’S CIRCLE WALKING CONNECTION 40
1K. YINYANG BAGUA ZHANG CONNECTION 41
Dong Haichuan’s Connection to Yinyang Bagua Zhang 44
1M. LATER DEVELOPMENT OF BAGUA ZHANG IN BEIJING 47
1N. SHUAI JIAO CONNECTION 48
SUMMARY 48

SECTION 2 – THE MYSTERY OF XIN YI LIUHE / XINGYI QUAN ORIGINS AND ROOTS IN LONG FIST 50
2A. INTRODUCTION 50
Xinyi Liuhe Quan and Xingyi Quan Background 50
Ancient Martial Arts Connection 51
2B. YUE SHI BA FAN SHOU CONNECTION 52
Origin of the Ba Fan Shou set 53
2C. YING ZHUA - EAGLE CLAW STYLE CONNECTION 55
Liuhe Men Background 56
2D. GENERAL YUE FEI CONNECTION 58
Yuejia Quan Background 60
2E. BA FAN MEN/ YUEJIA QUAN/ XINYI-XINGYI QUAN CONNECTION 61
2F. BA FAN QUAN, CHUOJIAO, XINYI LIUHE/XINGYI QUAN, AND BAGUA ZHANG CONNECTION 63
2G. JI LONGFENG’S CREATION OF XINYI QUAN 66
2H. JI LONGFENG’S CONNECTION TO SHAOLIN AND QIANZAI TEMPLES 66
2I. TONGBEI QUAN CONNECTION 67
2J. TAOIST 13 POSTURES CONNECTION 69
2K. LIUHE SPEAR CONNECTION 70
Ji Longfeng Develops Liuhe Quan from Spear Techniques 72
2L. HENAN LIUHE XINYI QUAN DEVELOPMENT 73
Luoyang Connection 74
2M. HUA QUAN 18 LOUHAN HANDS CONNECTION 75
2N. TONGBEI AND HEBEI XINGYI QUAN CONNECTION 76
2O. SHUAI JIAO CONNECTION 76
SUMMARY 78

SECTION 3 – MYSTERY OF TAI JI QUAN’S ORIGINS AND ROOTS IN LONG FIST 80
3A. INTRODUCTION 80
3B. TAIJI QUAN THEORY AND XINYI LIUHE QUAN MANUALS CONNECTION 81
3C. TAOIST ORIGIN OF THE 13 POSTURES 84
3D. TAIJI QUAN AND GENERAL QI JIGUANG 85
3E. CHEN TAIJI QUAN AND SHAOLIN QUAN CONNECTION 88
3F. TAIJI QUAN AND SHAOLIN STAFF CONNECTION 97
3G. SHAOLIN AND GENERAL QI’S BOOK CONNECTION 98
3H. TAIJI QUAN AND TONGBEI QUAN / 13 POSTURES CONNECTION 102
3I. CHEN WANGTING’S ORIGINAL TAIJI CONNECTION 105
3J. CHANGES TO THE ORIGINAL CHEN TAIJI 107
3K. WANG ZONGYUE AND JIANG FA CONTROVERSY 108
3L. WHO WAS MING ERA JIANG’S AND QING ERA JIANG FA’S TEACHER? 111
3M. YANG LUCHAN CONNECTION 115
SUMMARY 131

SECTION 4 – THE MYSTERY OF TONGBEI QUAN’S ROOTS AND ORIGINS IN LONG FIST 132
4A. INTRODUCTION 132
4B. TONGBI / TONGBEI QUAN BACKGROUND 132
4C. TONGBEI QUAN MAIN TECHNIQUES 134
4D. LEGENDARY BAI YUAN ORIGIN OF TONGBI QUAN 136
4E. ORIGIN OF OTHER TONGBI QUAN STYLES 137
4F. TONGBEI QUAN HISTORY 139
4G. OTHER STYLES KNOWN AS TONGBI OR TONGBEI QUAN 144
4H. HONG QUAN INFLUENCE ON TONGBI QUAN DEVELOPMENT 145
Hong Quan Background 145
Vast Boxing – Da Hong Quan 147
Wensheng Quan Background 148
Folk Hong Quan Development 149
Taoist Martial Arts Influence on Southern Song Military Arts 152
Hakka Influence on Southern Song Dynasty 153
Red Turban’s Hong Quan influence 154
Da Hong Quan Connection 155
Shaanxi Red Hong Quan Background 156
Wudang Hong Quan Background 159
Other Hong Quan Styles 160
Shaolin Hong Quan Background 160
Other Shaolin Derived Hong Quan Styles 162
Unrelated Hong Quan Styles 162
Denfeng Area Shaolin Lao Hong Quan of Zhao Kuangyin 163
Muslim Chinese Martial Arts Connection 165
4I. TAIZU CHANG QUAN INFLUENCE ON TONGBI QUAN DEVELOPMENT 167
Origin of Shaolin Song Taizu Chang Quan 168
Other Taizu Quan Styles 172
Non-Related Taizu Quan Styles 175
4J. SHAOLIN WU QUAN INFLUENCE ON TONGBI QUAN DEVELOPMENT 176
Shaolin Staff Fighting Connection 184
4K. TAOIST 13 POSTURES INFLUENCE ON TONGBEI QUAN DEVELOPMENT 185
Taoist Sword Fighting Connection 187
SUMMARY 192

SECTION 5 – THE MYSTERY OF SHAOLIN LONG FIST ORIGINS AND ROOTS 193
INTRODUCTION 193
5A. BODHIDHARMA (DAMO) DID NOT CREATE SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS 193
5B. SHAOLIN TEMPLE AND ITS MARTIAL MONKS BACKGROUND 195
5C. SHAOLIN AND TAOIST INTERACTION 198
5D. VAJRA WARRIORS – JINGANG CONNECTION 199
5E. SHUAI JIAO CONNECTION 201
5F. DESTRUCTION OF SHAOLIN MONASTERY DURING YUAN DYNASTY 201
5G. SHAOLIN REVIVAL IN MING DYNASTY – DA HONG QUAN, WU QUAN, AND LUOHAN QUAN 202
5H. SHAOLIN QUAN EXTENDS BEYOND THE MONASTERY 204
5I. SHAOLIN LUOHAN QUAN BACKGROUND 205
5J. SHAOLIN AND OUTSIDE MARTIAL ARTS CONNECTION 207
5K. SHAOLIN AND MIZONG QUAN CONNECTION 209
5L. DESTRUCTION OF SHAOLIN AREAS IN 1640 AND 1735 211
5M. SHAOLIN MARTIAL MONK AND ANTI-QING REBEL EXODUS IN 1735 213
5N. SHAOLIN KANJIA QUAN 214
Gan Fengshi Hua Quan 216
Shaolin Fohan Quan Background 217
Shaolin and Ming Zhu Family Connection 219
5O. TANG LANG QUAN CONNECTION 222
SUMMARY 226

SECTION 6 – THE MYSTERY OF SHAOLIN NEIGONG AND INTERNAL MARTIAL ARTS ORIGINS AND ROOTS 227
INTRODUCTION 227
6A. SHAOLIN XINYI QUAN AND XINYI BA CONNECTION 227
Shaolin Xinyi Quan 228
Shaolin Xinyi Ba 229
4B. SHAOLIN APE-MONKEY BOXING CONNECTION 231
6C. SHAOLIN NEIGONG CONNECTION 232
Shaolin Yi Jin Jing 235
6D. SHAOLIN ROU GONG AND ROU QUAN CONNECTION 236
The Liuhe Gong set 242
The Chan Yuan Gong set 243
The Luohan 13 Gong set 245
Shaolin Rou Quan sets 247
Shaolin Material Related to the Internal Martial Arts 248

SECTION 7. THE ORIGIN AND ROOTS OF SHUAI JIAO, THE ORIGINAL CHINESE MARTIAL ART 250
7A. INTRODUCTION 250
7B. SHUAI JIAO BACKGROUND 250
7C. SHUAI JIAO CONCEPTS AND SKILLS 251
7D. SHUAI JIAO INTERNAL MARTIAL ART CONNECTION 253
SUMMARY 253
SECTION 8. CONCLUSION 254
BIBLIOGRAPHY 259

[Fei Li]

When do you publish?
:)

[Sal Canzonieri]

When do you publish?
:)

Don't know, right now Dr. Kenneth Fish is reading it and editing the text.
Then I have to add all the graphics and do the layouts of the page.

I haven't decided if I want to self publish or go to a known publisher.

[RenDaHai]

AWESOME

I HAVE to get that book.

[mickey]

Greetings Sal,

Talk about ambitious!!!

I want to buy it already. Keep us updated. It looks it will encourage much discussion.

Congratulations


mickey

[karateguy]

Its going to a great read.. very interesting.. I hope you will post when its available

[taai gihk yahn]

you got my nickel;

in re: to publisher - perhaps the same folks that did Brian Kennedy's latest book? isn't he on this forum as well?

maybe try Shambala? they did my teacher's book, they are reputable;

just some ideas - I hope this sees print, it clarifies some important things...

[bawang]

hay man i hope u can sell it on amazon, i never buy martial arts books but ill buy one to support your work

[r.(shaolin)]

The Hidden History of the Chinese Internal Martial Arts

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1G. BAGUA ZHANG’S CONNECTION TO SHAOLIN LUOHAN QUAN 31


Sal, I love to hear a bit about this.
r.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Sal, I love to hear a bit about this.
r.

Well, in that section I go into detail on how there are various Luohan sets that overlap with much of the bagua seen in both Yin Fu and Cheng styles.
I talk about the 18 Luohan Hands sets, what overlaps. I talk about other sets from Shaolin luohan too. About stepping patterns, and how the unique animal postures used in Bagua (for instance, bear and unicorn) are only found in the Shaolin 18 Luohan Hands sets. All the animals found in bagua are also in this Luohan set, and not found in any other Shaolin sets. I also discuss the overlapping postures, techniques, movements, names for things, hand and arm movements, kicks, stepping, etc that are in common. There is quiet a lot of overlap. Plus, there is evidence of the early founders of bagua (and many of the later practitioners) have a Shaolin Luohan background in their youth.

Then, in a later chapter I discuss that there is the Luohan 18 Hands that is practiced in Luoyang (a two man set) that was brought there from Shandong, which was once part of Hua Quan style.
But that set is more like Xing Yi Five Elements.

[Sal Canzonieri]

hay man i hope u can sell it on amazon, i never buy martial arts books but ill buy one to support your work

Amazon might publish it, they said they are interested.

This isn't your typical martial art book, this is a like a detective line of reasoning, spelling out a case step by step, you'll like it, it is very educational, you will learn the history of how one style developed into another over time, from on area to another.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Well, in that section I go into detail on how there are various Luohan sets that overlap with much of the bagua seen in both Yin Fu and Cheng styles.
I talk about the 18 Luohan Hands sets, what overlaps. I talk about other sets from Shaolin luohan too. About stepping patterns, and how the unique animal postures used in Bagua (for instance, bear and unicorn) are only found in the Shaolin 18 Luohan Hands sets. All the animals found in bagua are also in this Luohan set, and not found in any other Shaolin sets. I also discuss the overlapping postures, techniques, movements, names for things, hand and arm movements, kicks, stepping, etc that are in common. There is quiet a lot of overlap. Plus, there is evidence of the early founders of bagua (and many of the later practitioners) have a Shaolin Luohan background in their youth.

Then, in a later chapter I discuss that there is the Luohan 18 Hands that is practiced in Luoyang (a two man set) that was brought there from Shandong, which was once part of Hua Quan style.
But that set is more like Xing Yi Five Elements.

When Gong Bao Zhai's senior student, He Jin Han, was asked if there was a Lohan Shaolin influence in Yin Fu's Ba Gua, he relied, "Lohan Shaolin is in Ba Gua."

[r.(shaolin)]

When Gong Bao Zhai's senior student, He Jin Han, was asked if there was a Lohan Shaolin influence in Yin Fu's Ba Gua, he relied, "Lohan Shaolin is in Ba Gua."

Hi Sal,
A friend directed me to a site called "rum soaked fist" to a discussion you had with a
teacher called Dr. Yan on the Connection Between YY BGZ, BGZ and XYLHQ.
It well take me a week to read that thing:-))))
Is his basic point that there was no martial arts at Shaolin before the late Ming?
I gather the basis of his research is, like a lot of what's come out of China, "village/folk manuals."

On Dr. Yan's web site he states that his conclusion is that there is a connection between Yinyang Baguazhang and Xingyi. If I'm reading his articles on Bagua correctly, he is suggesting that Dong's Bagua was based on an older style called 'yinyang Bagua".

I found that interesting because in my tradition of Shaolin we have a number of Bagua sets and one is called Bagua Xingyi (八卦形義)
r.

ps
One of Dr. Yan's teachers was Shifu Ji JinShan. This person became an instructor at the Henan Shaolin Association in Shanghai sometime in the 30's I believe. My teacher left there shortly before Ji came there. However when Ji JinShan was in New York the late 80's he came by to see my teacher. It is possible that Ji JinShan was the same generation as my Grandmaster and Granduncle. because of the 'Shan 山' generational name.

[uki]

if it is so hidden how do you know it?? regardless, it's nice to know people such as yourself are freely bringing hidden things to light. :)

[SergeTk]

does your tai ji history in anyway mentions tai ji connection to shaolin art of wu ji quan......... ???

[uki]

the way of the standing and silent fist...

[mawali]

Sal,

It seems like a daunting job?
Can I have your permission to send you a few items to help with publishing choices? I am only providing sources to detemine the degree of control you want to or should have in the process.

[uki]

because my ego depends on the amount of lip indentures i have on my a$$cheeks...

so is there a difference between writing numerous articles for kung fu magazine and being a "master"?

[GeneChing]

Otherwise I'd be the Supreme Great Grand-Ultimate Kneel-down-and-lick-my-boots master. And you've met me face-to-facial tat and know, I'm no master. I don't even play ring around the rod with the boyos. ;)

Only a few masters are good scholars. Only a few scholars are good masters. There are some, but there's no implicit relationship between the two. What's more, there's no discredit to be one and not the other.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Hi Sal,
A friend directed me to a site called "rum soaked fist" to a discussion you had with a
teacher called Dr. Yan on the Connection Between YY BGZ, BGZ and XYLHQ.
It well take me a week to read that thing:-))))
Is his basic point that there was no martial arts at Shaolin before the late Ming?
I gather the basis of his research is, like a lot of what's come out of China, "village/folk manuals."

On Dr. Yan's web site he states that his conclusion is that there is a connection between Yinyang Baguazhang and Xingyi. If I'm reading his articles on Bagua correctly, he is suggesting that Dong's Bagua was based on an older style called 'yinyang Bagua".

I found that interesting because in my tradition of Shaolin we have a number of Bagua sets and one is called Bagua Xingyi (八卦形義)
r.

ps
One of Dr. Yan's teachers was Shifu Ji JinShan. This person became an instructor at the Henan Shaolin Association in Shanghai sometime in the 30's I believe. My teacher left there shortly before Ji came there. However when Ji JinShan was in New York the late 80's he came by to see my teacher. It is possible that Ji JinShan was the same generation as my Grandmaster and Granduncle. because of the 'Shan 山' generational name.

ha, have fun reading that. Dr. Yan is pretty abrasive, even if he is right about his research, he turns people off and they don't listen to what he has to say.
I've turned off my 'offensive' meter and just care about what his research is showing. Most of the time he has verified things I have already researched on my own the past 20-30 years and other times I did my own research on some points he made and he turns out to be right.
The problem is that he tends to be "blinded" to anything that he comes across that doesn't fit his ideas. Instead, for me, these are the best points, i have learned more from checking out what he didn't want to look into.
All in all it is fun read.
I requested some material from him that would prove a point of mine and he never gives it to me.

That's interesting about Ji jinshan. Cool that he connects to your lineage!

[Sal Canzonieri]

does your tai ji history in anyway mentions tai ji connection to shaolin art of wu ji quan......... ???

Wu Ji, what are the characters for this?

[Sal Canzonieri]

if it is so hidden how do you know it?? regardless, it's nice to know people such as yourself are freely bringing hidden things to light. :)

Hidden because people don't look for it.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Sal,

It seems like a daunting job?
Can I have your permission to send you a few items to help with publishing choices? I am only providing sources to detemine the degree of control you want to or should have in the process.

yes, of course, please do, thanks!

[Sal Canzonieri]

because my ego depends on the amount of lip indentures i have on my a$$cheeks...

so is there a difference between writing numerous articles for kung fu magazine and being a "master"?

I would hope so, in that someone that masters something, from martial arts to drawing to being an auto mechanic to whatever, should have many years of experience and skill development and should know not only how to do something but why it is done that way.

[SergeTk]

Wu Ji, what are the characters for this?

You can find reference to the characters here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wujiquan

[r.(shaolin)]

ha, have fun reading that. Dr. Yan is pretty abrasive, even if he is right about his research, he turns people off and they don't listen to what he has to say.
I've turned off my 'offensive' meter and just care about what his research is showing. Most of the time he has verified things I have already researched on my own the past 20-30 years and other times I did my own research on some points he made and he turns out to be right.
The problem is that he tends to be "blinded" to anything that he comes across that doesn't fit his ideas. Instead, for me, these are the best points, i have learned more from checking out what he didn't want to look into.
All in all it is fun read.
I requested some material from him that would prove a point of mine and he never gives it to me.

That's interesting about Ji jinshan. Cool that he connects to your lineage!

I believe that Ji Jinshan 紀晉山 left the Henan Shaolin Association 河南少林會 in Shanghai sometime around 1934. This was around the time my teacher left Shanghai for Hong Kong. However when Ji Jinshan came to New York (I think in 1988) they meet and recognized each other. Jian Jin Shan蕑金山 was my teacher's Shifu and was one of the senior instructors at the Henan Shaolin Association. Song Yi Shan (宋益山) was Shifu Jian's senior Shaolin brother (same 'Shan' generation) who was living in in Hong Kong during the 30's and 40's. I am speculating that Ji Jinshan (紀晉山), Jian Jin Shan (蕑金山) and Song Yi Shan (宋益山) had the same teachers because all three were connected to the Henan Shaolin Association 河南少林會 and because of the '山' character in their names.

What interested me also was Dr. Yan's discussion of squeeze horse training.
(see: http://www.tai-chi.co.nz/EnglishArticleText4.html)
The two basic horse stance training (Yin Yang, literally 'male' and 'female') and is a basic exercise all beginning Shaolin students first practice. Horse stance and the Squeeze Horse stance. In both these horse standing exercises the hands are are held in jingang hezhang 金刚合掌 seal.
r.

[Scott R. Brown]

if it is so hidden how do you know it?? regardless, it's nice to know people such as yourself are freely bringing hidden things to light. :)

It's only hidden from you.....everyone else is well aware of it. YOU are the only one left out of the loop, for reasons we have all agreed you are not to ever be told!

I am sorry...you know I would like to tell you, but it is all part of a secret martial arts conspiracy against you!

Perhaps if you weren't a red-headed, martial arts, mason, juggler and well known to be a loki....but even then....I don't know!!:p

[Sal Canzonieri]

I believe that Ji Jinshan 紀晉山 started teaching at Henan Shaolin Association 河南少林會 in Shanghai sometime around 1934. This was around the time my teacher left Shanghai for Hong Kong. However when Ji Jinshan came to New York (I think in 1988) they meet and recognized each other. Jian Jin Shan蕑金山 was my teacher's Shifu and was one of the senior instructors at the Henan Shaolin Association. Song Yi Shan (宋益山) was Shifu Jian's senior Shaolin brother (same 'Shan' generation) who was living in in Hong Kong during the 30's and 40's. I am speculating that Ji Jinshan (紀晉山), Jian Jin Shan (蕑金山) and Song Yi Shan (宋益山) had the same teachers because all three were connected to the Henan Shaolin Association 河南少林會 and because of the '山' character in their names.

What interested me also was Dr. Yan's discussion of squeeze horse training.
(see: http://www.tai-chi.co.nz/EnglishArticleText4.html)
The two basic horse stance training (Yin Yang, literally 'male' and 'female') and is a basic exercise all beginning Shaolin students first practice. Horse stance and the Squeeze Horse stance. In both these horse standing exercises the hands are are held in either a veneration/respect mudra or in pushing hands position.
r.

yes, but Dr. Yan would never admit that the origin of the posture might have come from Shaolin first.

[Scott R. Brown]

What is the "squeeze" horse stance please?

[Sal Canzonieri]

how can there be misaligned concepts? You have to read it to find out.

Well, if you want to read it and help contribute to the book, I would be happy for your input and will credit you.

[David Jamieson]

nothing is hidden, only senses are closed.

If you want the fruit from the tree, you merely need to pick it.
Ask the orchard tender first though. :)