>Hi Drake,......<

'lo, Esteban.

>I agree, that that's the way most people I know have seen it. They've never suggested that one style is superior. The argument was that Xingyi was something that could be taught fast to soldiers so that they could work in formation. Of course, as soon as you get to the linking forms, it's possible to see that there's a whole lot more.<

Agreed. There's quite a bit more in depth training(s) involved in Hsing-I than a majority of folk realize. Granted the basics can be grasped quickly, and trained for use immediately, but the "inner" workings wouldn't become readily apparent for quick usage. That takes time. What you'd have in the beginning is basically an external form of an internal style, but you'd be able to use it very quickly.

> The same applies, imo, for all these arts. Maoshan is right, that if tjq people trained differently, they'd be able to apply it sooner. But, the fact is that many tjq practitioners aren't interested in the martial aspect. And, though it became famous as a combat art, it is not famous now for the same reason.<

True. TCC isn't trained "properly" in these times. Time becomes the relevant factor, and the fact that in today's society the martial aspects in everything are downplayed. What's become relevant to the people of today is
"health". Not realizing that in order to get the full benefit(s) from TCC, or any of the internals is to train to fight. Like your life depended upon training correctly.

>Bagua has always been known as a fighting art -by the people who knew about it.<

It's been known as a fighting art, but it suffers from the same malaise that the other "Sisters" do, and that's either the casual pracitioner, the health oriented practitioner, or the lazy practitioner. In any case it's a sad state of affairs.

>Well, I'd be interested to hear where you'd place liuhebafa in this, in terms of time of training, focus on application, martial intent, and sensitivity.<

I'll put it this way..... Hsing-I's motions are based on a man running, Pa Qua's are based on a man walking, TCC is base on a man standing. LHPF is based on a man's movements. Longer to train, more difficult to fully understand/train from a physical standpoint, very application oriented , a rich fighting art, containing all of the sensitivity training(s) that the "Sisters" have, and more. The progression of training is, I've found, the best. For me.

>Best,
Esteban<

Same to you, Esteban. Feliz Navidad, Buon Natale, Joyeaux Noelle, Merry Christmas to all of you, and yours.