Fen Shen Ba Zhou

[mooyingmantis]

This is the quanpu for the first section of Fen Shen Ba Zhou that we use at Mantis Masters Academy in North Canton, Ohio:

為 行 手
Move Hands
左 臂 肩 腆 肘
Left Arm & Shoulder Protruding Elbow
仰 膈 肘
Upward Diaphragm Elbow
右 采 左 压 肘
Right Pluck & Left Pressing Elbow
左 架 右 打
Left Block & Right Strike
左 采 右 扑 肘
Left Pluck, Right Rushing Elbow
左 右 二 臂 肘
Left & Right Two Forearm Elbows
左 右 围 回 臂 肘
Left & Right Encircling Arm Elbows
右 钻 挑 抱 肘
Right Enter, Lift & Embrace Elbow
右 封 左 插 肘
Right Seal, Left Piercing Elbow
左 右 雙 盘 肘
Left & Right Double Coiling Elbows
左 外 右 里 雙 圈 肘
Left Outside Right Inside Double Circle Elbow
右 格 右 栽 肘
Right Fend, Right Falling Elbow
左 偷 捶 右 頓 肘
Left Steal Strike, Right Stamping Elbow
右 补 肘
Right Filling Elbow
雙 封 雙 扑 肘
Double Seal, Double Pouncing Elbows
左 插 掌
Left Piercing Palm
右 打 滾 龙 肘
Right Strike Rolling Dragon Elbow
左 盘 肘
Left Coiling Elbow
右 腆 肘
Right Protruding Elbow
左 右 雙 封 肘
Left & Right Double Seal Elbows
收 勢
Gather Power

[mooyingmantis]

Here is a short demonstration via video of the movement 肩 腆 肘 - jiān tiǎn zhǒu - Shoulder Protruding Elbow performed by a few of my students and myself the first night that I taught them the technique:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMJ0ZoVUWAw

[mooyingmantis]

Here is a quan pu of the first section passed down through the family of Master Liang Xuexiang:

Liang Xue Xiang Quan Pu

為 行 手
wéi xíng shǒu
左 臂 肩
zuǒ bì jiān
腆 肘
tiǎn zhǒu
扭 步 扭 羊 - 肘
niǔ bù niǔ yáng - zhǒu
左 右 二 臂 肘
zuǒ yòu èr bì zhǒu
左 右 围 回 臂 肘
zuǒ yòu wéi huí bì zhǒu
右 攢 挑 抱 肘
yòu cuán tiāo bào zhǒu
左 插 肘
zuǒ chā zhǒu
左 右 二 盘 肘
zuǒ yòu èr pán zhǒu
金 龍 - 口 双 帮 肘
jīn lóng - kǒu shuāng bāng zhǒu

My work is based off of a photocopy of the written text. A - indicates that I was unable to read the character and I did not want to speculate as to what it was. Any constructive help would be appreciated.

[mooyingmantis]

Introduction to the Form

According to tradition, fen shen ba zhou is one of the original forms created by the founder of tanglangquan, Wang Lang. It contains one of the the oldest and the highest skills of Praying Mantis Fist, short striking power. Thus, the form is usually reserved for the most advanced practitioners.

The term 分 身 八 肘 - "fēn shēn bā zhǒu" refers to dividing the body into eight sections of short striking weapons. The short striking weapons are: the head, shoulders, elbows, knees and hips.

The first emphasis of the form is 寸 力 - cùn lì - "inch power". It is an explosive, short striking force that is generated by the whole body.

The second emphasis of the form is the eight keys: 陰 陽 - yīn yáng (passive-active), 虛 實 - xū shí (void-solid/false-real), 剛 柔 - gāng róu (hard-soft) and 進 退 - jìn tuì (advance-retreat).

The "ba" or "eight" has significance in Chinese numerology: the eight keys times the eight trigrams equal the sixty-four methods of short striking.

Ba zhou is typically divided into four sections.

The phrase is pronounced like the English words: fun shun bah joe.

[iunojupiter]

I remember learning Ba Zhou (first one) and going through the applications was like a rough game of hockey. Hip checks, shoulder bumps, the works. Great techniques for the clinch game. Really brings into understanding that the whole body can be used as a "weapon", not just the basics (hands, feet, knees, elbows).
This is one of my favorite forms because it's got a lot of goodies a big guy like me can take advantage of. I have a lot of weight to throw around and use in body strikes. Sometimes my size has it's advantages. :D

Cheers,
Josh

[mooyingmantis]

I remember learning Ba Zhou (first one) and going through the applications was like a rough game of hockey. Hip checks, shoulder bumps, the works. Great techniques for the clinch game. Really brings into understanding that the whole body can be used as a "weapon", not just the basics (hands, feet, knees, elbows).
This is one of my favorite forms because it's got a lot of goodies a big guy like me can take advantage of. I have a lot of weight to throw around and use in body strikes. Sometimes my size has it's advantages. :D

Cheers,
Josh

Josh,
Great analogy!

When teaching Chinese take-downs I break controlling the enemy into four sections: control the head, control the arms, control the legs, and control the body. Kao da is an important part of controlling the enemy's body. And Ba Zhou teaches some great kao da techniques.

Tonight I will begin teaching Fen Shen Ba Zhou to two of my students. :)

[iunojupiter]

Do you implement body conditioning for some of the body striking when you teach ba zhou, or is it a part of your curriculum regardless?

[mooyingmantis]

Do you implement body conditioning for some of the body striking when you teach ba zhou, or is it a part of your curriculum regardless?

Pai da is a part of our normal curriculum. I demonstrate the proper methods in class, but I expect students to pursue the actual training on their own time.

[mooyingmantis]

Last night I saw the Wutan version of the first section of Ba Zhou. I was told it came to us from Li Kunshan. It has several more movements than the Taiji Meihua version and is reminiscent of the Wang Yushan lineage version. It is a very nice version that I hope to learn.

[RAF]

Here is one of the versions we play here at the Wutang Center in Akron, Ohio. Bear in mind that the individual is being filmed so he has slowed everything down--generally he is very much faster:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzMHJgkTja8

I also understand Master Yang has two other versions.

[mooyingmantis]

Here is one of the versions we play here at the Wutang Center in Akron, Ohio. Bear in mind that the individual is being filmed so he has slowed everything down--generally he is very much faster:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzMHJgkTja8

I also understand Master Yang has two other versions.

Robert,
Very cool! Thanks for sharing this!

Here is James Rodgers from the Akron Wutang doing the form at a fast pace:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgu8mpn2-4c

[yu shan]

Nice power by both gentleman.

[mooyingmantis]

I did this slowly as a reference for my students:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeaaBkIn_FM