Guo Gumin, originally named Decang, was born on September 20th of the 13th year of the Guangxu Emperor (1887) and passed away on August 25th, 1968. His ancestral home was Guojiazhuang, twenty miles south of Yi County, Hebei Province. In his youth, he left home for Beijing to apprentice at an old clothing business. During his apprenticeship, through an introduction, he met the second-generation master of Baguazhang and founder of Liang style Baguazhang, “Clothing Liang” Liang Gongzhen, and thus began his training in Baguazhang under him.
The rules for apprentices in the old society were extremely strict, and Mr. Guo could only leave to learn Baguazhang from Liang Gong on holidays and days off. Whenever he had the chance, he would spend the whole day at Liang Gong’s, making sure to thoroughly understand and practice what he had learned. He would study each movement, body method, step method, and palm technique intensively for days until he mastered them, before moving on to learn other techniques. He meticulously recorded the teachings, anecdotes, and mnemonics of his predecessors, reviewing and pondering them whenever he could. Due to his dedication, over time, he mastered a unique skill set, particularly adept at the “Lifting Palm,” also known as “Open Hand Thunder.” He could strike opponents from a distance, pinning them against a wall over a foot off the ground for a moment before they fell, a technique called “Hanging Painting.” Almost all his disciples experienced this technique firsthand. His theoretical understanding of Baguazhang was also profound, unmatched by later generations.
Mr. Guo lived a simple and modest life, was kind and gentle, humble and cautious, and elegantly mannered. He was good at uniting people and not only received full transmission from his teacher’s brother, “Big Spear Liu” Liu Dekuan, but also received guidance from other masters such as “Iron Bracelet” Yin Fu, “Glasses Cheng” Cheng Tinghua, “Thief Leg Shi Liu” Shi Jidong. He had close relationships with their disciples, such as Zeng Shisan, Cheng Youlong (son of Cheng Tinghua), Li Wenbiao, Gong Baotian, Fu Delian, and Han Fushun, often exchanging skills with them. He was also friendly with practitioners of Tai Chi, Xingyi, Tongbei, Paochui, and other martial arts communities, never discriminating based on school affiliation.
Zeng Shisan, originally named Jin Yuhui, a Manchu and a successful imperial examination candidate, was a direct disciple of Dong Haichuan. Dong passed on the art of Baguazhang through singing mnemonics, detailing the methods and key points of practice to his disciples. Zeng Shisan, always by Dong’s side, recorded thirty-six songs on practice methods and compiled forty-eight techniques, including the “Seven Star Staff,” which he passed on to Mr. Guo.
Mr. Guo was principled and unyielding despite poverty and never succumbed to force or coercion. When Japanese ronin, during their invasion of China, attempted to coerce or bribe him into teaching them Baguazhang, he firmly refused, demonstrating his patriotism and national integrity.
Through diligent study and practice, deep contemplation, and the cultivation and assistance from the second and third generations of masters, Mr. Guo was able to integrate the essence of various Baguazhang styles, making significant advancements and ultimately mastering the art. He developed a comprehensive and systematic theory of Baguazhang, meticulously documenting it in works such as “Guo’s Baguazhang Manual,” “The Compilation of Baguazhang Techniques,” and other manuscripts, offering clear explanations of the theory and practice methods, providing a structured guide for future practitioners.
In terms of inheritance and dissemination, he passed on thirty-six songs for practice and forty-eight techniques. He taught several routines, including “Single Style Eight Palms,” “Variable Eight Palms,” “Single Practice Eight Forms,” “Paired Practice Eight Forms,” “Sixty-four Forms,” “Seventy-two Moves,” and “Six Major Grasps.” He also taught weapon routines, including saber techniques like “Bagua Linked Chopping Sabers” and “Bagua Victory Saber,” and sword techniques like “Judge’s Demon-Subduing Sword” and “Kunwu Sword,” among others, enriching the martial arts community with his comprehensive mastery and contribution to the art of Baguazhang.
