Well, Shi Zi is much easier for me to believe (for now at least) as a founder or at least a pervayer of an internal art than all the legendary people, at least he is real, is from a definite place and time, etc. Being right between Shanxi and Henan areas, and the home of ancestral people from Hongdong Shanxi, home of tong bei and hong quan long before Shanxi people were forced to relocate to Henan villages.
Hmm, yes, Wudang based internal martial arts, do indeed share their primary attributes in Sword fighting techniques, especially the Double Swords material. And so do the internal aspects of Shanxi area "tong bei" arise out of the double swords techniques.
So, makes sense that Chang Sen Feng's tradition story has roots in sword as well.
Sword us methodology has traditionally been associated with Taoist people.
The 13 Tong Bei Gong from Qianzi (like Taijiquan) consists of:
The 8 gates (Ba Gua), which are Peng, Lu, Ji, An = Four Primary Hands (Ward Off, Roll Back, Press, and Push) / the 4 straight directions (of Kuan, Li, Zhen, and Dui ).
All together = Grasp the Bird’s Tail. 掤, 履, 挤, 按
and Tsai, Lieh, Chou, Kao = the Four Corner Hands (Pull Down, Split, Elbow, and Shoulder) / the 4 diagonal directions (of Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun ).
Also, The 5 elements, (aka the 5 shapes, Wu Xing) are Jin, Tui, Gu, Pan, and Ding = stepping forward, backward, to the left – sideway forward, to the right – sideway backwards, and staying in place.
Elements = Water; Fire; Wood, Metal, and Earth.
The first eight are about Shou fa - hand skills; and the last five are about Bu fa - footwork skills.
So too are the Shaolin 13 Gong, correct?
The Luohan 13 Gong are essentially the same concepts as above, for sure, in the execution of its 13 jings.
Still makes me want to research the relationship between Luohan 13 Gong and Shi Li's 13 Tong Bei Gong.
All the Rou Quan material that came out of Luohan 13 Gong (8 Jings + 5 Xings), 6 Harmony Gong (6 Jings), and Chan Yuan Gong (8 jings) are so much like what became known as Chen/Zhao Bao, Yang, Wu (Yang + Zhao Bao), and Woo Taiji Quan styles that it is uncanny!
There is nothing in these Shaolin nei gongs that is not covered in taijiquan and vice versa.
There must be a reason.