| dachegchuan
history
Wang Xiangzhai
was a native of Shenxian County, Hebei Province. As
a child he was poor in health and at he age of 14 he began
his lifelong study of the martial arts with Guo Yunseng,
first learning Xingyiquan. After the death of Master
Guo, the 20 year old Wang Xiangzhai decided to travel the
country seeking competent teachers and helpful friends to
help him to perfect his skills. Important among his
encounters was his meeting with Taijiquan master Yang Shaohou
and Bagua master Liu Fengchun. Learning from each
of them proved of great value to his founding of Dachengquan
many years later.
As Mr. Wang rose
to fame in the 1920's as an instructor of martial arts,
he discovered that students paid undue attention to patterns
and postures and neglected the training of the mind
and spirit. Thus, to constantly remind his students
of this misunderstanding, he changed Xingyiquan (form and
mind boxing) to Yiquan (mind boxing). By Yi (will
or mind) he meant that in practicing boxing, every movement
must be guided by a certain idea. When practiced in
this way, the idea of boxing exists in every movement, whether
it be walking, standing, sitting or even lying.
The completely new
form of boxing incorporated the completeness and solidness
of Xingyiquan's mechanism of force, the quintessence of
qigong (breathing skills), Taijiquan's four skills of attacking,
sticking, joining and following as well as its soft style
of exerting force and finally Bagua's leisurely bodywork
and flexible and changeable handwork and stepwork.
In the mid-1940's, the name of Dachengquan or Great Acheivements
Shadow Boxing was adopted.
Dachengquan (Yiquan)
is distinguished for its effective combat skills and its
value for actual combat. The strength spoken of is not that
produced by blood and muscles, but the living strength characterized
by its ready availability achieved by the coordinated contraction
and relaxation of all muscles with the mind in command.
The practice
of Dachengquan also has an important effect on health. Good
health is preserved because the training of the mind and
the body is done simultaneously, and quiet and active skills
reside within the other. This distinguishes it from
some other forms of breathing exercises that stress only
the body or only the mind.
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The Practice of Dachengquan
•
Jijizhuang (Combat Pile-stance)
Jijizhuang is the skill to stand steadily and should be done under the
principle of "motion residing in stillness". Through
this practice the muscles will strengthen and the nerves will receive
nourishment despite the fact that there was no conscious effort to do
so. Strength will develop from within.
• Shi Li (Strength Testing)
Slow movement is better than quick movement, and gentle movement is
better than violent movement. The slighter the movement the greater
the concentration of the mind. The practitioner should be able to feel
that he can't help halting when he wants to move and he can't help moving
when he wants to halt.
• Mocabu (Friction Steps)
The practitioner imagines that his two feet are walking in shallow water,
overcoming resistance. All movements should be steady and flexible,
flowing easy and comfortable.
• Fali (Exerting Force)
In practicing this skill, the force takes root in the feet and is released
through the spinal cord. The strength of the whole body reaches the
finger tips and beyond.
• Trial of Breath
The breath should come up from the dantian (a point about 2 inches below
the umbilicus). In the beginning of practice a sound should be
heard. After a period of training no sound will be heard and that
is when the body is filled with Qi.
• Tuishou (Push-Hands)
One should guard his center (Ren channel in the chest) from attack while
trying to control his opponent's center with his own softened strength
and wait for the chance to exert force against him.
• Actual Maneuvering -- Actual combat practice between two partners.
• In addition, there are 18 attacking methods and 21 single techniques.
Health Maintenance Through Dachengquan Practice
Qigong,
the "art of nourishing life", in its modern meaning embraces
a wide variety of exercises including meditation, calisthenics, deep
breathing, self-massage, etc. The traditional aim of qigong practice
was to achieve a healthy life by nourishing ManÕs essence (Jing),
vital breath (Qi) and spirit (Shen) ? terms broad in scope and difficult
to define. These were achieved by regulating the body through posture,
regulating the respiration and regulating the mind through meditation
and by avoiding emotional disturbances. Proper diet and exercise were
vital keys to good health. Even in modern times, few people would dispute
these ideas, and yet even fewer would apply them to daily qigong practice.
The standing
pole exercises (zhan zhuang) of the Dachengquan system of
martial arts are but one form of qigong. They were adapted
by the founder ofDachengquan, Wang Xiangzhai, for cultivating
health. The more advanced forms are used for combat training.
The standing pole exercises are not complex. There are no
complexities of form, mental activity, forced breathing
or theories of Qi to understand. Thus, these exercises are
completely accessible to anyone regardless of background.
Qigong movements are
guiding movements that induce healing by enticing the blood
and Qi to the place of illness. Qigong exercises must be
gentle by nature in order to relax the muscles and loosen
the joints, thus allowing the free circulation of blood
and Qi throughout the body. If such exercises were too strenuous,
they would cause tension and stiffness thus obstructing
free circulation and resulting in even further exhaustion
and illness.
Standing pole exercises
include standing postures, sitting postures, lying postures,
moving exercises and walking forms. In the static form,
as the outer body remains still, the internal organs settle
and metabolic functions increase. Movement within non-movement
is achieved, providing simultaneous rest and exercise. This
is uniquely important in its use as a method of treating
certain illnesses in which other forms of exercise may be
unsuitable.
The Chinese medical community
has previously conducted investigations into the therapeutic
value of pile stance exercises. (1) The cycle of illness
is explained as follows: When the cerebral cortex becomes
over excited or exhausted, the bodyÕs functioning
suffers as a result to the point of illness. Likewise, illness,
as a malfunctioning of the organs, sends out harmful stimuli
to the cerebral cortex, placing an even further burden upon
it. The aim of standing pole exercises is to break the illness
cycle by providing the cerebral cortex with beneficial stimuli,
thus causing it to relax. Relaxation is achieved through
the manner in which the standing pole exercises are practiced.
One must assume the required body posture and then hold
it for a period of time. The cerebral cortex eventually
finds a soothing and pleasing object of focus in order for
the body to maintain the physical posture. When the object
of focus in not overly stimulating, the very relaxed sensationfelt
by the cerebral cortex leads to muscle relaxation, improved
blood circulation and deeper respiration. The initial aches
and numbness associated with a beginnerÕs practice
will gradually disperse and will be replaced by a warm,
slightly numbing but very comfortable feeling. This feeling
is a most beneficial stimulus to the cerebral cortex and
the longer it lasts the cerebral cortex achieves even deeper
relaxation, concentration and an inhibitory "quiet"
state.
Electroencephalogram
investigations have demonstrated this (quiet) state to be
quite different from sleep or hypnosis. It is characterized
by the appearance of beta wave in the front portions of
both hemispheres, which increases in amplitude and expands
towards the back of the hemispheres as practice progresses
and the inhibitory state deepens. The alpha wave, however,
undergoes little change, though sometimes exhibiting a slight
increase in amplitude, cycle extension and a trend towards
a gradual slowing of rhythm.
Mental activities such
as worry, anger and even thought as well as unnecessary
and excessive tensing of the bodyÕs muscles cause
fatigue and body aches. Tension can especially be felt in
the chest and shoulders and seen in the face. The steady
practice of standing pole exercises extends outside practice
to daily life so that excess tension and thus fatigue are
permanently reduced or eventually eliminated.
It has been observed
that during the standing pole exercises the pulse rate increases
steadily and then eventually levels off. Immediately after
practice the pulse rate does not drop suddenly. This makes
it suitable for practice by those with heart trouble or
the very frail. Breathing is allowed to respond naturally
to the gradually rising needs of the metabolism. Breathing
is not artificially slowed for that would deprive the body
of oxygen . As with other strenuous types of exercise when
oxygen intake cannot keep up with its consumption, as evidenced
by labored breathing, there occurs a harmful build up waste
products in the body such as lactic acid.
With steady practice,
chest muscles eventually relax, allowing for very deep and
perfectly natural breathing. There is an accompanying increase
in lung capacity and with it a beneficial increase in the
permeability of the pulmonary alveolus wall and expansion
of the lungÕs capillaries. Further, greater chest
expansion during inhalation increases pressure in the thorax,
helping to draw blood out from the veins into the heart.
Exhalation releases the pressure, helping the heart to push
out blood. Lastly, there is a beneficial massaging effect
of deep breathing on the internal organs as with each inhalation
the diaphragm sinks and the mediastinum expands and with
each exhalation the diaphragm rises and the mediastinum
contracts.
Relaxation of the abdomen
allows the abdominal organs to settle, while the movement
of abdominal respiration coupled with pressure changes in
the thorax creates a massaging motion on them. Investigations
have shown that such a massaging action on the liver causes
an increase in choleresis, aiding digestion, prevents stasis
of the bile system and expands the blood capillaries in
the liver. Such massage also helps to prevent stasis in
the stomach and intestinal system, working against the development
of ulcers, gastroenterits, constipation and other abdominal
disorders.
In summary, the standing
pole exercises are a viable and effective method of self-treatment.
As a non-strenuous but thorough mental and physical exercise
they can be practiced by even the very frail, combating
illness and strengthening the body without the side effects
of other forms of treatment.
(1) "My Experience and Understanding of Mr. Wang
XiangzhaiÕs Standing Pole Therapy," by Dr. He
Jingping, published in Zhongyi Xueshu Cankao Zhiliao (Reference
Material of Chinese Medicine), Vol. 7, and "Standing
Pole" by Dr. Yu Yongnian, Knowledge Press, 1982. Also,
A Collection of "Qi-gong" Therapeutic Methods
(PeopleÕs Health Publishing House, 1981-84).
The source of this article is Traditional Chinese Therapeutic
ExercisesÑStandingPole, by Wang Xuanjie and J.P.C.
Moffet, Foreign Languages Press, Beijing, 1994.
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Xingyi
History
Like many Chinese martial arts,
the exact origin of Xingyiquan is uncertain. A reliable
genealogy of Xingyiquan can be traced to the 18th century
to Ma Xueli of Henan Province and Dai Longbang of Shanxi
Province. Legend, however, credits the invention of Xingyiquan
to the renowned Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) general Yue Fei.
This is inferred from a passage within an ancient Chinese
text called the Preface to Six Harmonies Boxing written
in 1750. According to the Preface, Yue Fei created Xingyiquan
for his officers, mimicking the fighting patterns of the
spear. Yang et al. argues that aspects of Xingyiquan (particularly
the animal styles), are identifiable as far back as the
Liang Dynasty (502-557 AD) at the Shaolin Temple (2003,
11). Yue Fei, therefore did not strictly invent Xingyiquan
but synthesised and perfected existing Shaolin principles
into his own style of gongfu which he popularised during
his military service. Nonetheless, Yue Fei is usually identified
as the creator because of his considerable understanding
of the art (as shown in his published work The Ten Theses
of Xingyiquan) and his legendary status as a Chinese war
hero. After Yue Fei's death, the art was lost for half a
millennium. Then, during the cusp of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
in Shaanxi Province's Zhongnan Mountains, Yue Fei's boxing
manual was discovered by Ji Longfeng (also known as Ji Jike)
of neighbouring Shanxi Province. Like the Preface, the Ji
Clan Chronicles (pinyin: Ji Shi Jiapu) describes Xingyiquan
as a martial art based on the combat principles of the spear.
The Chronicles, however, attributes
this stylistic influence to Ji himself, who was known as
the "Divine Spear" for his extraordinary skill with the
weapon. The master who taught Xingyiquan to Ma Xue Li is
conventionally identified as Ji Longfeng himself. However,
the traditions of the Ma family itself say only that Xueli
learned from a wandering master whose name is unknown. Ji
Longfeng referred to his art as Liu He, The Six Harmonies.
The Preface identifies Cao Ji Wu as a student of Ji Longfeng
and the master who taught Xingyiquan to Dai Longbang. However,
other sources identify Dai's teacher variously as Li Zheng
or Niu Xixian. Xingyiquan remained fairly obscure until
Li Luoneng (also known as Li Nengran) learned the art from
the Dai family in the 19th century. It was Li Luoneng and
his successorsăwhich include Guo Yunshen, Li Cunyi, Zhang
Zhaodong, Sun Lutang, and Shang Yunxiangăwho would popularise
Xingyiquan across Northern China. [edit]
Characteristics and Principles
Xingyiquan features aggressive
shocking attacks and direct footwork. The linear nature
of Xingyiquan hints at both the military origins and the
influence of spear technique alluded to in its mythology.Despite
its hard, angular appearance, cultivating "soft" internal
strength or qi is essential to achieving power in Xingyiquan.
The goal of the Xingyiquan fighter is to reach the opponent
quickly and drive powerfully through them in a single burst
ă the analogy with spear fighting is useful here. This is
achieved by coordinating one's body as a single unit and
the intense focusing of one's qi. Efficiency and economy
of movement are the qualities of a Xingyiquan fighter and
its direct fighting philosophy advocates simultaneous attack
and defense. There are few kicks, and techniques are prized
for their deadliness rather than aesthetic value. Xingyiqun
favours a high stance called literally "three bodies power,"
referring to how the stance holds the head, torso and feet
along the same vertical plane. A common saying of Xingyiquan
is that "the hands do not leave the heart and the elbows
do not leave the ribs." |
Bagua
Ba Gua Zhang is one of the three
major internal Chinese martial arts, the other two being
Xingyiquan and Taijiquan.Ba Gua Zhang literally means "eight
trigram palm," referring to the trigrams of the Yijing,
one of the canons of Taoism. In some styles of Baguazhang
these diagrams can refer to eight animals, upon which movements
in those fighting systems are based. The practice of circle
walking is bagua's characteristic method of stance and movement
training. Practitioners walk around the edge of a circle
in a low stance, facing the center and periodically changing
direction as they execute forms. The internal aspects of
bagua are very similar to those of xingyi and tai chi. Bagua
contains an extremely wide variety of techniques, including
various strikes, low kicks, joint techniques, throws, and
distinctively circular footwork. The creation of Ba Gua
Zhang, as a formalised martial art, is attributed to Dong
Haichuan in the early 19th century, who apparently learned
from Daoist, and possibly Buddhist, masters in the mountains
of rural China. There is evidence to suggest a synthesis
of several pre-existing martial arts taught and practiced
in the region he lived in, combined with Taoist circle walking.
Dong Haichuan taught for many years in Beijing, eventually
earning patronage by the Imperial court. Famous disciples
of Dong to become teachers were Yin Fu, Cheng Tinghua ,
Song Changrong, Liu Fengchun and Ma Weiqi. |
