Bagua Zhang Archives

Everything You Need to Know About Ba Gua Zhang

　Baguazhang is distinctive because its philosophy of change is not merely something written beside the martial art—it is built into the training method. Circle walking, palm changes and continuous turning force the practitioner to deal physically with balance, direction and adaptation. 　Its history contains both documented teachers and traditional stories. Its lineages don't all practice the same Eight Palms. Its martial techniques are broader than the name “palm” suggests. And its value today doesn't depend on pretending we still live in Qing-dynasty Beijing. 　Sometimes the old lesson is useful precisely because modern life looks so different. 　Keep your center. Watch what's changing. And when pushing straight ahead stops working, learn how to change the angle.

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November 9, 2024

Bagua Zhang

Advanced Combat Techniques: Understanding Vital Organs and Joints

Picking up from where we left off, we continue to explore the role of the hip joint in technical movements. I will introduce two types of force exertion in the hip joint: thrusting and rotating. Let's use the "Push Thrust" move from boxing as an example to explain the thrusting force. In boxing, the Push Thrust is a basic takedown technique. Unlike the pushing actions in self-defense videos online, the Push Thrust requires the explosion of full-body strength, propelling forward while the hands carry and then thrust forward vigorously. This move is somewhat akin to the Tiger Pounce in Xingyi Quan, resembling the pounce of predators like wolves and tigers during a hunt. Note that once executed, this move is almost impossible to counter. Here, I advise against retreating to absorb the impact and then trying to counter with an over-the-shoulder throw, as that might send you flying even further. Now, let's break down the Push Thrust. First, the front foot steps forward, allowing sufficient space for force generation. Then, the back foot pushes off the ground, driving the whole body forward, and the hip joint thrusts forward, powering the upper body to lean forward and push with the hands. This move can also be combined with the "Catch" technique, grabbing the opponent's shoulders to complete the movement. When ensuring an effective attack that the opponent can't dodge, this move can directly knock down the opponent.

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May 19, 2024

Bagua Zhang / interviews

Inside Interview of Zhuge Jiabao

Mr. Zhuge Jiabao, an early disciple of Mr. Guo Gumin, one of the second-generation leading figures of Liang-style Baguazhang, is highly respected in the Liang-style Baguazhang community for his decades of dedication. One day, while visiting "Wu Soul" magazine, I discussed Mr. Zhuge's situation with the editorial staff, who hoped I could help interview Mr. Zhuge, mainly to understand how the Baguazhang predecessors taught and practiced, and the extent of their skills. I found the topic proposed by "Wu Soul" meaningful for exploring, inheriting, and promoting Chinese traditional martial arts, so I gladly accepted.

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February 19, 2024

Bagua Zhang / Xingyi Quan

Baguazhang Q&A: Grandmasters on Circle Walking, Palms & Principles

　Traditional Baguazhang song formulas attributed to Dong Haichuan repeatedly emphasize that the feet must keep changing and that standing still makes the practitioner vulnerable. Different lineages preserve slightly different wording, but the message is remarkably consistent: Bagua should remain mobile. 　I think this is one reason beginners sometimes misunderstand circle walking. They believe walking is merely the warm-up before learning the “real techniques.” In traditional Bagua, the walking itself is one of the real techniques because it changes how the rest of the body learns to function. 　When I first spent more time around Baguazhang practitioners, I noticed that very experienced people could make the walking look almost boring. There was no dramatic bouncing or athletic display. Yet the feet kept placing the body at useful angles, and the upper body stayed organized while the direction changed underneath it. That kind of boring-looking skill usually takes a long time.

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March 12, 2024

San Da

Bagua Zhang / Other Martial Art

The Spiritual Positioning of Traditional Martial Arts Culture in Sanda Combat

Over the years, the art of bare-handed fighting has been rapidly developing internationally, displaying a vibrant and flourishing trend. Particularly, Western Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Thai Boxing, and Japan's K-1, with their frequent events, powerful attacks, and shocking promotional effects, have swept the world. Similarly, Chinese martial arts Sanda is also being actively developed just like international combat sports. Whether it's domestic "Sanda King Contests" or Chinese Sanda facing off against American professional boxing, Thai professional Muay Thai, or confrontations with French Free Fight and Japanese Karate, for a time, martial arts competitions between China and abroad were frequent, with victories widely celebrated, truly dazzling and overwhelming to the public. However, a calm analysis of the current state of Chinese martial arts Sanda reveals many deficiencies that need to be improved and perfected.

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February 21, 2024

Bagua Zhang / Xingyi Quan

Untold Secret Two Auxiliary Methods for Practicing Baguazhang

Indeed, routines like the Eight Major Palms are core to Baguazhang, but many fail to realize that basic exercises are also an essential part of Baguazhang. Like the foundation of a skyscraper, although basic training is slow to show results and time-consuming, if it is solid, the main structure will be stable. Therefore, practicing basic exercises is necessary. Although it may seem tedious at the beginning, with real dedication, one can deeply understand and appreciate the essence, which changes one's perception and understanding: masters of Baguazhang from older generations all emphasize the cultivation of basic skills.

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February 19, 2024

Bagua Zhang / Xingyi Quan

Understand The Beauty of Eight Trigram Palm

The Beauty of Eight Trigram Palm 1. The Beauty of Eight Trigram Palm: Yin-Yang Harmony and Strength-Softness Aesthetics The so-called strength-softness aesthetics of Eight Trigram Palm refers to the inherent techniques and training postures in Eight Trigram Palm's routines that embody strong, majestic, and powerful movements, akin to the wind rushing through a valley or a hungry tiger emerging from the mountains. These expressions are characterized by robust power, dynamic movements like a dragon, and agile changes reminiscent of an eagle. On the other hand, the softness aesthetics in Eight Trigram Palm encompass graceful and ethereal techniques, where movements flow and dissolve like wisps of smoke or soft silken threads. Throughout the entire set of Eight Trigram Palm routines, the emphasis on the softness aesthetics is evident, showcased through movements that resemble mountains, flowing water, twisting, and circular maneuvers.…

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July 23, 2023

Bagua Zhang

Interview of The renowned master of Choi Lee Fat – Qu Hanquan.

Qu Hanquan, a highly skilled modern martial arts master, was born in Guangzhou in 1917, with ancestral roots in Yunfu. He lost his parents at a young age and began learning Cai Li Fo Quan (Cai Li Fo Fist) and Hong Quan under the tutelage of the martial arts teacher Fang Yushu at the age of 12. With his bright and diligent mind, he excelled in his studies and obtained the authentic teachings of Fang Yushu. He also studied traditional Chinese medicine and traditional bone-setting techniques. In 1932, he opened a martial arts school in his ancestral home left by his father in Guangzhou and invited Chen Yaochi, a third-generation heir of Cai Li Fo Quan, to teach there, embarking on the path of imparting martial arts. In 1937, Qu Hanquan invested in his hometown to establish the "Chengxi Quan Yitang Martial Arts Society," which integrated a martial arts school, a medical clinic, and a charity hall. Apart from teaching martial arts, the society also provided free medical treatment for the local community.

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July 19, 2023