Emerging in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Xingyiquan was founded by Ji Jike (1602–1680), born in Puzhou (today’s Yongji), Shanxi. It was believed Jike studied for 10 years at the Shaolin Temple in Henan during his early years, and he was especially skilled at spearing techniques. Later, he changed the spear into a fist, taking on the meaning of “mind being the initiation, and form being the destination,” and thus creating Xingyiquan, which is characterized by strength and swiftness.
Years later, three schools gradually derived from Xingyiquan, with increasingly rich contents. The Shanxi school with Dai Longbang (1713–1802) as its representative, made an addendum of Wuxingquan, or Fist of the Five Elements; the Hebei school had Li Luoneng (1803–1888) as its representative. Li, born in Shenxian, Hebei province, was mainly engaged in business, and his master was Dai Wenxiong (1769–1861), the younger son of Dai Longbang. With a 10-year apprenticeship, he was known as “Shenquan Li.” Li created Santi style, and he taught it to many disciples when he returned to his native Hebei, thus establishing the Hebei school. The third school was the Henan school with Ma Xueli (1714–1790), Dai Longbang’s fellow apprentice. Ma was born in Luoyang, a Hui ethnic, most of whose disciples were Hui people. In the early years of the Republic of China, the two schools of Xingyiquan in Hebei and Henan were spread to Sichuan, Anhui, and Shanghai, and then far overseas. The Shanxi school, however, was not widespread, and the final formation of Xingyiquan occurred in the late Qing Dynasty.
Xingyiquan is basically a pictographic style, whose main movements copy the predation and self-defense actions of some animals. Therefore, it is called “shape-like and mind-mimic” resembling those of a dragon, tiger, monkey, horse, alligator, chicken, snipe, swallow, snake, eagles, and bear. The movements of the Shanxi school are mainly based on 12 animals while the Hebei school focuses on 10 animals. In the actual fighting, both the Shanxi and Hebei schools use fists and palms frequently, but the Henan school pays more attention to the functions of the elbows, knees, shoulders and thighs.
Xingyiquan is powerful, with concise and practical actions while it uniformly focuses on short-term attack.
Xingyiquan also belongs to the Taoism boxing school and focuses on internal strength training. In the face of enemies, it is required to mobilize the body’s greatest potential to attack enemies with sudden strength, punching with full strength and penetration, often imposing harm on the internal organs of the enemies.
In the 1920s, Wang Xiangzhai (1885–1963, disciple of Guo Yunshen), born in Shenxian county, Hebei, discarded shapes and secured meanings on the basis of Xingyiquan, creating Yiquan (once called Dachengquan, or boxing of great success). The emergence of Yiquan marks a revolution in Chinese martial arts. Wang Xiangzhai boldly gave up all routines and repaired the tactics of traditional martial arts. Returning to original purity and simplicity, he gave back the primary priority needed to pile strength. Yiquan has no routines or positions. It emphasizes on response as the situation requires. Wang once fought with foreign master-hands on several occasions, only to defeat the rivals with one movement.
Xingyiquan is characterized by simple actions in conformity with actual fighting and the trend of developed martial arts. It therefore spread rapidly. In addition, the heritors of the Xingyiquan family in past generations were less conservative and were also committed to theoretical research. Like the Taijiquan family, it displays potential cultural advantages by showing great vitality.
Baguaquan Family
Baguaquan is Baguazhang (Baguan means the Eight Diagrams in ancient Chinese culture), spread by Dong Haichuan in Beijing in the late Qing Dynasty. Dong Haichuan, born in Wen’an, Hebei, was skilled in Luohan boxing (belonging to the Shaolin boxing) in his early years. Later, he roamed around and met a Taoist in the mountains of Anhui, where he was taught Baguazhang, which promoted his techniques. When he reached his middle ages, Dong settled in Beijing and taught nearly 1,000 disciples. They benefited from Dong, and a variety of schools quickly evolved. They included: Yin’s Baguazhang spread by Yin Fu (1840–1909). Yin Fu was a professional master of martial arts; Cheng’s Baguazhang spread by Cheng Tinghua (1848–1900). Cheng Tinghua ran a glasses shop in Beijing known as “Glasses Cheng” when the EightPower Allied Forces invaded China, he was shot dead by the German army; Song’s Baguazhang 1 was spread by Song Changrong; and Song’s Baguazhang 2 was spread by Song Yongxiang; Liang’s Baguazhang was spread by Liang Zhenpu (1863–1934), who formally acknowledged Dong Haichuan as his master at the age of 14.
When Baguazhang spread to the second generation, it had evolved into five branches: Yin, Cheng, Song (two branches), and Liang. Therefore, in the late Qing Dynasty and early period of the Republic of China, the Baguaquan family took shape initially with Beijing as the center.
In the first year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, Guo Yunshen (1855–1932), renowned master of Xingyiquan, came to Beijing out of admiration, negotiating with Dong Haichuan on the integration of Xingyiquan with Baguazhang. Later, Zhang Zhankui (1864–1948) followed Dong Haichuan to learn Baguazhang, and followed Liu Qilan to learn Xingyiquan of the Hebei school, and gradually combined both schools into one, creating Xingyi Baguazhang. At present, it is still spread in Sichuan and Shanghai.
Baguazhang used palms instead of fists, with steps in the form of circle, which broke the traditional fist positions and steps in straight line, opening a new arena for Chinese Wushu. Its step positions focus on lifting, trampling, swaying, knocking, rotating around and maintaining continuity.
