At mention of Baguazhang, people often think of internal boxing. At the same time, they will also think of Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. These three main internal boxing systems have a common origin. It is like a towering tree. No matter how lush the foliage, all the branches must return to the trunk and the root is always in one place.
Martial society (wulin 武林) has many genres, but they can be broadly divided into internal and external systems. From a geographic standpoint, there are southern and northern schools. Northern boxing is good at leg techniques, and Southern boxing is good at using fists. This is because the northern environment is relatively wide and dry, suitable for the use of legs, while the south's wetter climate, with its many narrow waterways, facilitates the use of fists. This is how the expression “Southern fists Northern legs (南拳北腿)” came about. Theories abound as to the origin of Baguazhang. The most popular is that Wudang teaching started with Taiji, later added Baguazhang and Xingyiquan, and these became Wudang’s three pillars. This theory has a lot of martial arts professors in agreement.
Martial arts professor Mr. Jiang Rongqiao (姜容樵), in his article, "Tai Chi Bagua Research One and Two," published in the 87th Guoshu Weekly (国术周刊) on December 31, 1932, wrote: "Ancestor Black Cave Immortal (Dongxuan zhenren洞玄真人), whose real name is Zhang Quanyi (张全一), also known as Sanfengzi (三丰子).” Zhang Sanfeng fist and sword passed down to Zhang Songxi (张松溪), and then passed down to the following 5 generations: Zhao Taibin (赵太斌), Wang Jiucheng (王九成), Yan Xishen (颜昔圣), Lvshi Niang (吕十娘), and Li Dainian (李大年). Li Dainian passed to Chen Yinchang (陈荫昌), his Daoist name is Alchemy Cloud Wonder (Danyun Youzhe 丹云游者), a hermit in Jiuhua Mountain, Anhui province. Chen is the seventh generation counting from Zhang Songxi. Chen Yinchang passed the art to Wild Crane Taoist (Yehe Daoren 野鹤道人), his name is Bi Yunxia (毕云霞 also called Bi Yuexia 避月侠), and his brother Bi Chenxia (毕澄霞 also called Bi Dangxia 避灯侠). They both are hermits in Jiuhua Mountain. Yehe Daoren Bi Yunxia passed the art down to Song Dehuo aka Song Weiyi (宋德厚又名宋唯一), a hermit in Yiwulu mountain (医巫闾山). Song Weiyi died in the winter of the 14th year of the Republic of China (1925)."
Bi Chenxia (毕澄霞) passed down the art to Dong Haichuan (董海川). From the above records, we can see that this is the early foundation of Wudang Daoist Zhang Sanfeng. Counting from Zhang Songxi, Dong Haichuan and Song Weiyi are the ninth generation. We also can infer that the above generation of descendants are basically Daoist hermits or Daoist laymen. A more definite assertion must await new archaeological discoveries. However, in the predecessors or modern times of the martial arts community there are quite a number of people who believe in the authenticity of the above statement. In any case, it is generally accepted that Dong Haichuan left his hometown Zhujiawu (安县朱家坞), traveled to Jiuhuashan, he had the chance to meet the Cloud Disc Ancestor Bi Chengxia (云盘老祖毕澄霞) and inherited the arts. Later, Dong Haichuan went to Beijing Emperor Su Palace to teach Baguazhang techniques. Bagua soon spread through the areas of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, then expanded all over the place. It is inferred that Baguazhang originated in Daoism. Daoism has an unwritten rule: "Dao won’t pass outside the circle." If Dong Haichuan was not a Daoist, at least he was a Daoist admirer or follower; otherwise, he would not have acquired Daoist teachings. It is inevitable in the creation of Baguazhang that there would be Daoist cultural influences, such that Bagua movements retain the Daoist "turn to heaven (转天尊)" and “walk in a circle” (daoyin 导引术) methods.
Baguazhang originates from Daoist yin and yang, a most ancient Chinese philosophy that appears in the Dao De Jing (道德经) by Laozi, as well as in the traditional Chinese medicine programmatic work, Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic (黄帝内经), and in the Book of Changes (I Ching 易经). Baguazhang movements adapted the rules and regulation of Zhou Yi (周易), but are also inseparable from the theory of yin and yang, which founded its basic fist methods (“moving is the basic, changing is the method (以动为本，以变为法)”). Yin and yang is the unity of interaction with each other's contradictions. The creation of Baguazhang was the same as for Tai Chi and Xingyi boxing. They had the theory first, then created the form. Baguazhang follows the rule of Dao in its martial arts fighting principles: use stillness, restrict motion, avoid front attack, strike obliquely (以动制静，避正击斜). In Dao De Jing, Laozi appraised water as: “the highest good is like that of water (上善若水).” Water benefits all things; it avoids high land but dwells in the lower places. Water is weak, but also strong. Water is surging and unstoppable and has a tough internal force that can penetrate everything, so that water drops can wear down stone. Water itself has no shape.
Baguazhang knows the characteristics of water and stresses not being too hard or too soft. Hardness can control people. Softness also can control people. This is yin and yang – unity of opposites mutually complementary. According to the Book of Changes, one yin and one yang is Dao, the endless cycle is Dao; this is the rule and regulation principle of Baguazhang. Dao is the regulation of changing; it is determined by the changes in yin and yang and its reflection. Baguazhang walking in a circle will change its own moves according to the opponent's changes; often the responsive movement comes later but reaches the target first. Laozi also pointed out to the public about life’s three treasures. The first is gentleness (ci 慈)；the second is frugality (jian 俭)；and the third is shrinking from taking control of others (bu gan wei tianxia xiang不敢为天下先). With that gentleness, we can be bold (yong 勇). With that frugality, we can be liberal (yan 广). And by shrinking from taking control of others, we can become a vessel of the highest honor (cheng qi zhang 成器长).
The emphasis on water benefits all things but does not compete with them. By practicing humility, non-selfishness and tolerance, the world will become more cooperative, with fewer disputes. This rich connotation was first accepted by the ancestors of the Baguazhang. This Daoist philosophy combines with Buddhism’s "Bliss to all beings (pu du zhong sheng 普度众生)," and the Confucian "Cultivate yourself, then manage your family, then govern your country, then bring peace to the world (xiu shen qi jia zhi guo ping tian xia 修身齐家治国平天下)” to gradually form the new philosophy of Wude (martial ethics 武德).
Baguazhang practitioners follow Daoist cultural traditions, with martial arts as a routine daily practice. Daoism is bound to pay more attention to moral character, while regarding "skill" as the lower end of technology. Daoism believes that a person having "skill" but no "wude" would view fighting as the ultimate achievement. A martial artist with evil intention could cause great harm to the world, rather than promoting peace.
Baguazhang practitioners follow the "de" and "art" training side by side. Disciples are chosen with great attention to personal moral character first. In the eyes of the ancestors of Baguazhang, martial arts training is only the means, not the purpose. It’s one of the ways of cultivation. This method can obtain a healthy body and longevity or help the poor and needy. Although the martial arts skills will not always be used, the cultivation is always carried out every moment.
Daoist cultivation is divided into two different methods: internal alchemy (neidan gong 内丹功) and external alchemy (waidan gong 外丹功). External alchemy used lead, sulfur, mercury (cinnabar) and other raw materials to refine into a pill of immortality, taking it to increase the skill of practicing internal strength, and expedite the achievement of immortality. The ancient Daoists in their practice did not forget to use immortal medicine to increase skills. People today encounter disease in their daily life. In addition to exercise to strengthen the physical body, supplemental medicine is indispensable. Training without the help of supplements to restore the body’s balance is not scientific. Medicinal supplements help with the practice and at the same time are in line with the principles of Daoism. When encountering illness, especially when your own energy cannot cure the disease, you need supplemental medicine, which also conforms to the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Inner alchemy involves practicing a quiet mind, breathing, meditation, standing posture and so on. But if only practiced in stillness, it will become a dry energy and lack of vitality. It must be practiced with motion and stillness alternating. Use both refining (dynamic) and stillness (static) to balance the yin and yang. This is the beginning of the practice for health, which gradually develops into a martial art embryonic form. Baguazhang is based on Taiji Bagua diagram with the reference of the five elements. Its movements give the practitioner the greatest degree of psychological and physical adjustment. Bagua training can stimulate the circulation of the blood, cause the muscles and joints to relax, and nourish the effectiveness of the internal organs. Even in Baguazhang’s combat skill training, its principle is never contrary to the health principles. Therefore, Baguazhang, Tai Chi, Xingyi fist and other internal fists are regarded as a health boxing system.
