Roots

[CrossRanger]

Greetings all. I am new to the forum and have truly enjoyed reading through the various posts: having not had the opportunity elsewhere to converse with other Kung Fu practitioners. I write to you with a heavy heart as my Sifu of two years has recently passed away. He was in his late seventies, in wonderful health and contracted brain cancer.

This said, I am starting now to try and more thoroughly understand the art I have been practicing. I first met the unassuming master in a local junior college teaching Tai Chi. When I found out that he taught Kung Fu at his home on weekends, I jumped at the chance. His method was very traditional…only two or three students that he felt were right for the art.

His teaching style was very traditional as well, choosing to drill the basics and give small insights to the deeper meaning or lineage of certain forms. I have been truly blessed by his teaching, but am now at a loss to understand the general lineage or family style I have been taught.

The little I know, as related by my Sifu, was that his father was trained at the Henan Shaolin Temple. As a young boy, he was taught by his father until the Communist regime took over and he fled to the US.

My hope is that you may be able to shed some light or lend a friendly suggestion to further resources that may aid in my quest. The forms I have learned are listed below: pieces to the puzzle. Thank you in advance for any advice.

• Ba Shi Chuan
• Fu Hsing Chuan (Lian Bu Chuan)
• Kai Chang Chai Jaw
• Shiao Lin Hung Chuan
• Lien Huan Dow (Knife)

[Mantis Fist]

“Move like lightning, hit like thunder, and disappear like clouds.”


Bagua Zhang, also known as Pakua Chang, is one of the primary internal systems of the Chinese Martial Arts. It is best known for its “circle walking” training. Bagua Zhang is also known for its highly evasive footwork, powerful palm strikes, and lightning-fast combinations. The creation of the original or traditional Bagua Zhang is credited to Dong Hai Chuan. He created his new style of Martial Art by combining the circle walking mechanics of a Taoist Sect he joined with the Chinese Kung Fu he had mastered in his youth.

Some of Dong Hai Chuan’s students created their own various styles of Bagua Zhang. The “Eight Great Disciples” of Dong Hai Chuan were Yin Fu, Chen Ting Hua, Ma Gui, Ma Wei Chi, Song Changrong, Liu Dekuan, Liu Fengchu, and Zhang Zhaodong.


Different Styles of Bagua Zhang:

Yin Fu Style
This style of Bagua Zhang includes the practice of Crescent Moon Knives, the Wind and Fire Wheel, the Deer Horn Knives, and the Yin-Yang Brush Pens. Traditional Bagua Zhang forms and transitional forms, a mixture of Shaolin and Bagua, are also taught in this style of Bagua Zhang. Yin Fu, the oldest and longest student of Dong Hai Chuan, is credited to the creation of this style.

Dragon Style
Cheng Ting Hua created this style by combining the Bagua Zhang techniques he learned from Dong Hai Chuan with various Chinese Boxing techniques, specifically Shuai Chiao. This style of Bagua Zhang is known as Dragon Style because of its extensive throwing and joint-locking movements.

Liu Style
Liu Style Bagua Zhang is practiced in a straight line unlike other styles of Bagua Zhang, which are practiced by walking the circle. Liu Dekuan created a new form that included sixty-four fighting techniques from traditional Bagua Zhang practiced in a straight line. He decided to create this form after realizing that most people have difficulty developing fighting skills and internal components while they walk the circle. Today Liu Style is practiced in combination with other Bagua Zhang styles.


Today it is very difficult to name all the different styles of Bagua Zhang. In fact, according to a Bagua Zhang research facility in China, there are over a hundred styles of Bagua Zhang in existence today. Although different styles of Bagua Zhang exist today, their purpose remains the same, for good health and self-defense.

[Mantis Fist]

Qigong, also known as Chi Kung, is one of the most powerful self-healing traditions developed in China. It is the science and practice of qi or chi. The word Qigong breaks into Qi (vitality, energy, life force) and Gong (practice, cultivate, refine), which means to cultivate and refine through practice one’s vitality or life force.

There are various estimates for the number of varieties of Qigong. Some are elaborate and complex, some mysterious and esoteric, and some simple and practical. Various Kung Fu styles include the practice of Qigong in their training.


Types of Qigong Used in Kung Fu:

External Qigong
This is for developing the Qi to make it very dense and resilient. Kung Fu practitioners such as Hung Gar and Shaolin Quan students use the External Qigong in their training to protect the arms and legs from injury. This style of external training is one of the best ways to bring the qi deep into the bone, making it very beneficial for health and healing.


Internal Qigong
Internal Qigong is the development of the inner muscles and organs. The purpose of Internal Qigong training is to relax while not using muscles, this is usually done in a subconscious manner, which can be static, repetitious, or both. Some of the Kung Fu styles that includes Internal Qigong in their training are Taiji Quan and Xingyi Quan.

[Mantis Fist]

Wudang Quan originated from the Wudang Mountain region of the Hubei province in China. Wudang Quan is known for its internal style of fighting. A Wudang Quan practitioner does not force against force, but rather redirects the opponent’s attacks.

Pressure points and weak spots of the human anatomy are the major striking areas of a Wudang Quan fighter. Most hand techniques used are finger strikes, palm strikes, and breaking techniques like Chin Na. Most of the techniques of Wudang Quan are based on short-range fighting tactics.

The straight sword forms of Wudang Quan are considered to be the best of all Chinese Kung Fu styles. It is based on the belief that constant change is the rule of nature and should also be guideline of sword play. Like the Wudang Quan empty-hand forms, the sword forms is well-known for its constant changes in footwork.

The footwork in Wudang Quan is light and agile and the body movement is soft and flexible. Wudang Quan requires peace, quiet, and calmness. It emphasizes more on achieving greater longevity, improving health, and strengthening the body rather than fighting as its primary focus.

[Mantis Fist]

Xing Yi Quan, also known as Hsing I Chuan, is one of the oldest internal styles of Chinese Kung Fu. 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.

According to history, the creator of Xing Yi Quan was Ji Jike from Shanxi province in China. He created Xing Yi Quan known as Shanxi Style during the early 1600s. Today there are three major styles of Xing Yi Quan, Shanxi, Henan, and Hebei.


Xing Yi Quan Styles

Shanxi Style
Shanxi Style is the original style of Xing Yi Quan. It is known for its vigorous and powerful movements and abundant releases of fah jing energy. This style is tight in frame keeping a well guarded movement structure, which is quick and extremely powerful. Today, it is the most rare of the Xing Yi Quan styles.


Hebei Style
Hebei Style uses much larger frames and appears slower in practice in contrast to Shanxi Style. The stances are wider and there is less appearance of fah jing energy in the practice of forms. It’s Five Elements and Twelve Animals forms are much simpler than Shanxi Style. More people practice the Hebei Style of Xing Yi Quan today than any other.


Henan Style
Henan Style is a very simplified style of Xing Yi Quan practiced exclusively by Muslim Chinese community. It has only Ten Animals structure, which are extremely simplistic forms that contains one or two movements. The Five Elements are present only as concept in this style, having no movements or forms representing it at all.


The techniques of Xing Yi Quan are characteristically aggressive in nature. A Xing Yi Quan fighter prefers to move into the opponent with a decisive strike at the earliest opportunity. Xing Yi Quan is a no-nonsense fighting system that is relatively easy to learn, but very difficult and long to master.

[CrossRanger]

Mantis:

Thank you for the very thorough post. That seems a concise list of the styles I have come across in my searching: well thought out and structured. Do any of the forms I mentioned in my original post, to your knowledge, fit into one (or more) of the particular styles you mentioned?

[NorthernShaolin]

Crossranger,

I'm only guessing but it appears that the list you provided are a mixture of sets from different styles. It's the spelling that throws one off. Number one maybe a style, spelled Ba Ji. In number 2, is the spelling lien bo as in continious step? Number four spelling is Shao lin Hung Chuan which is a hand set from another style? And Number 5 translates as Continious or linking Saber?

[Hephaestus]

"Ba Shi Chuan" could also mean, roughly, "Eight Form Fist" which is found in some branches of Xingyi (Hebei Orthodox for one).

"Lian Bu Quan" is a common set within Northern systems, but I've never heard it referred to as "Fu Hsing Chuan".

"Kai Chang Chai Jaw" I can't even begin to guess. "Jaw" might be "Zhua/Zhao" which means Claw (eg, eagle claw, tiger claw). It could also be "Jia" which is sometimes used to mean style or family.

I'm seeing what looks like a cross between Mandarin and Cantonese romanizations here. "Shiao Lin Hung Chuan" is more than likely "Shaolin Hong Quan", but in theory could be from Hung Kuen (or Hung Gar).

"Lien Huan Dow", as NorthernShaolin guessed, is likely linking or continuous saber (Dao), which could be from just about anything without having seen it.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

[CrossRanger]

Dear NorthernShaolin and Hephaestus:

Thanks for the insight. I, too, get the impression that the forms may come from different styles. According to my Sifu, the translation of "Eight form fist" is correct. The only other reference I have found of this form name is in a Xing Yi text that I currently have on order. I am anxious to find out whether the moves match the set I am familiar with.

I have transcribed the form names as they appear on my degree certificate...those which I have tested for. I do recall seeing notes or other material with different Romanizations, but those are now beyond my reach.

BTW: Hephaestus, have you considered starting a thread to discuss your sword-craft? I would be intrigued to hear of your methods and materials.

[ngokfei]

We could give you better insight and advice on the material you know if we knew more about your Sifu (name and Location)

Quite possible his lineage has additional contacts here or in china.

[CrossRanger]

Certainly...I did not want to seem presumptuous.

My Sifu's name was William E. C. Wang and he taught in Southern California for the past 20-30 years. My first degree was issued under the Wang En-Cheng Martial Arts Institute, for which he was president. The degree also shows a permanent membership status in the National Martial Arts Association, Republic of China Hsu Yung Cheng.

Regarding his lineage, as I wrote earlier, Master Wang was trained by his father. I have not seen his father's name written, so my best guess would be Wang Si Peng. Some number of years ago, Master Wang took a trip with one of his students back to China and visited the Shaolin Temple in Henan.

In relating the story, he mentioned the monks he spoke with as recognizing his father's name. They still held it in reverence and did not charge Master Wang for a metal imprint stamp he received there engraved with the Wang En-Cheng logo (used to stamp the degree certificates).

All of this said, I cannot validate the finer points of his story. At the time I began training with him, age and his eventual brain surgery caused some of his memory to become cloudy and inaccurate. I do know that he spent some time in Taiwan, where he purportedly picked up Lien Bu Chuan...a form with a noticeably different feel than those others mentioned.

[r.(shaolin)]

Hi CrossRanger,
Is there a more extensive lists of sets? and do you have the Chinese characters for these?

r.

My hope is that you may be able to shed some light or lend a friendly suggestion to further resources that may aid in my quest. The forms I have learned are listed below: pieces to the puzzle. Thank you in advance for any advice.

* Ba Shi Chuan
* Fu Hsing Chuan (Lian Bu Chuan)
* Kai Chang Chai Jaw
* Shiao Lin Hung Chuan
* Lien Huan Dow (Knife)

[CrossRanger]

r:

Yes...I have attached the "Record of Accomplishment" list that contains six degrees within the system and the Chinese characters they were derived from.

In follow-up to my earlier post, I received the Ba Shi Quan book in the mail today and was disappointed to find that it does not describe the same form that I have learned. The Xing Yi form only shares two or three movements that bear similarity.

[r.(shaolin)]

Your lineage shares a number of names with our lineage.

Here are some quick observations.
-Shaolin Hong Quan - as with most northern Shaolin lineages the "hong" character used means 'vast' - can you tell me a bit about your set? There are two parts to Shaolin Hong Quan: Xiao and Da
- Ji Ben Dong Zuo - is an old term for Shaolin basics
- Zui Ba Xian
- Some sets listed such as San Jie Gun are more generic, in this case it only identifies the weapon.
- "Shaolin Dui Da"- this is a old term used for two person sets.

r.

[CrossRanger]

Thank you for your observations, r.

I'm trying to think of the most unique part of the set, perhaps the beginning will suffice:

• With breath in, palms raise up through center, than down at sides
• Both palms circle through center and are held out to side, assuming a Chuat Sing stance (closest I could find, we also call it a sitting stance)
• Palms scoop up through center, right fist travels up, than hits left open palm, assuming a Kuai Ma stance (half kneeling)
• Circular block leads to right step into right archer stance

I fear it would take more than a thousand words to construct this picture adequately, but if you are familiar with the set I am speaking of, it should crystallize.

You mentioned "our lineage". Would you be willing to elaborate?