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

Other Martial Art / Xingyi Quan

Mr. Wei Qinwen’s Biography

Mr. Wei was originally from Funing County, Hebei Province but was born in Shenyang and taught martial arts at the Jilin Institute of Technology until his retirement. His father was a wealthy businessman who ran a restaurant, and Mr. Wei, out of necessity, began apprenticing at the restaurant after finishing elementary school. Despite the daily toil, he continued to self-study diligently, seeking advice from the restaurant's patrons whenever he encountered difficulties. Thanks to his hard work and extraordinary intelligence, he made significant progress in his studies, laying a solid foundation for his future work and teaching. In his youth, Mr. Wei was frail and often ill, but was fortunate to be taken as a nominal disciple by Mr. Li Wenbiao, a renowned third-generation Baguazhang master and president of the Shenyang Martial Arts Association, who taught him Baguazhang.

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April 5, 2024

Other Martial Art / Xingyi Quan

Mr. Guo Gumin’s Biography

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.

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April 3, 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

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

Xingyi Quan

36/24 Song Secrets of Eight Trigram Palm (Baguazhang)

Song One: Basic Posture of Baguazhang Chest hollow, top of the head lifted, waist relaxed and sinking, Twisting steps, bending knees, firmly grasping the ground. Shoulders sink, elbows drop, palms extend forward, Fix your gaze on the tiger's mouth. Song Two: Formation of the Basic Techniques of Baguazhang First the elbows, then the overlapped elbows cover the heart, Palms flip and collapse, advancing with the heel. Heel follows the front elbow, combining power, Front and back palms merge into one spirit. Song Three: Basic Footwork of Baguazhang Step with a bent knee, foot extends straight forward, Resembling the movement of grinding a millstone. Flex the knees, twist the hips, pivot on the foot, The leg remains steady from all three sides. Song Four: Balance of Left and Right Techniques in Baguazhang Single Whip is not exceptional, it's suitable to…

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July 23, 2023

Xingyi Quan

Eight Trigram Palm ( Bagua Zhang)and the Way of Health Preservation

The Impact of Eight Trigram Palm on the Musculoskeletal System Eight Trigram Palm emphasizes the principles of "rolling, drilling, expanding, and wrapping" in its practice. This pertains to the changes in force and posture of the upper limbs during exercises. "Rolling" refers to circular revolving arm movements, "drilling" involves both rotating and advancing spiral arm actions, "expanding" requires outward stretching, and "wrapping" involves inward coiling. All four types of movements require the contraction of the upper limb muscles to generate power. During practice, it is necessary to combine rolling and drilling, generating both inward contracting force and outward expanding force. "Qi Zheng Xiang Sheng" refers to the idea that contradictions give rise to forces. All the power in Eight Trigram Palm emerges from the interaction of the four forces—rolling, drilling, expanding, and wrapping—created through the contradictions of qi (energy)…

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July 23, 2023