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Bāguàzhăng
(八卦掌)

Sun Lu-t'ang performing circle-walking
Also known as	Bāguà quăn, Bāguà zhăng, Pakua chang, Pa-kua chang
Hardness	Internal (neijia)
Country of origin	China
Creator	Dong Haichuan 董海川 (attributed)
Olympic sport	No

Part of the series on Chinese martial arts
List of Chinese martial arts
Terms
Kung fu (功夫) Wushu (武術) Qigong (氣功)
Historical places
Shaolin Monastery (少林寺) Wudang Mountains (武當山) Mount Hua (華山) Mount Emei (峨嵋山) Kunlun Mountains (崑崙山)
Historical people
Yue Fei (岳飛) Yim Wing-chun (嚴詠春) Hung Hei-gun (洪熙官) Fong Sai-yuk (方世玉) Dong Haichuan (董海川) Yang Lu-ch'an (楊露禪) Wu Quanyou (吳全佑) Ten Tigers of Canton (廣東十虎) Chen Fake (陳發科) Chan Heung (陳享) Wong Fei-hung (黃飛鴻) Sun Lu-t'ang (孫祿堂) Huo Yuanjia (霍元甲) Yip Man (葉問) Wang Zi-Ping (王子平)
Famous modern actors
Bruce Lee (李小龍) Jackie Chan (成龍) Sammo Hung (洪金寶) Yuen Biao (元彪) Jet Li (李連杰)
Legendary figures
Bodhidharma (菩提達摩) Zhang Sanfeng (張三丰) Eight immortals (八仙) Five Elders (五祖)
Related
Hong Kong action cinema Wushu (sport) Wuxia (武俠)
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Bāguàzhǎng is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice (or neijia gong). Bāguà zhǎng literally means "eight trigram palm," referring to the trigrams of the Yijing (I Ching), one of the canons of Taoism.^[1]

History[link]

The creation of Baguazhang, as a formalised martial art, is attributed to Dong Haichuan (董海川), who is said to have learned from Taoist (and possibly Buddhist) masters in the mountains of rural China during the early 19th century.^[2] There is evidence to suggest a synthesis of several pre-existing martial arts taught and practised in the region in which Dong Haichuan lived, combined with Taoist circle walking. Because of his work as a servant in the Imperial Palace he impressed the emperor with his graceful movements and fighting skill, and became an instructor and a bodyguard to the court.^[3] Dong Haichuan taught for many years in Beijing, eventually earning patronage by the Imperial court.^[4]

Famous disciples of Dong to become teachers were Yin Fu (尹福), Cheng Tinghua (程廷華), Ma Gui (马贵), Song Changrong (宋長榮), Liu Fengchun (劉鳳春), Ma Weiqi (馬維棋), Liu Baozhen(劉寶珍), Liang Zhenpu (梁振蒲) and Liu Dekuan (劉德寛). Although they were all students of the same teacher, their methods of training and expressions of palm techniques differed.^[1] The Cheng and Liu styles are said to specialize in "pushing" the palms, Yin style is known for "threading" the palms, Song's followers practice "Plum Flower" (梅花 Mei Hua) palm technique and Ma style palms are known as "hammers." Some of Dong Haichuan's students, including Cheng Tinghua, participated in the Boxer Rebellion. In general, most bagua exponents today practice either the Yin (尹), Cheng (程), or Liang (梁) styles, although Fan (樊), Shi (史), Liu (劉), Fu (傅), and other styles also exist. (The Liu style is a special case, in that it is rarely practiced alone, but as a complement to other styles). In addition, there are sub-styles of the above methods as well, such as the Sun (孫), Gao (高), and Jiang (姜) styles, which are sub-styles of Cheng method.

Modern styles[link]

• Yin Style: Yin Fu 尹福
• Cheng Style: Cheng Tinghua 程廷華
• Liang Style: Liang Zhenpu 梁振蒲
• Gao Style: Gao Yisheng 高義盛
• Gong Style: Gong Baotian 宫宝田
• Jiang Style: Jiang Rong Qiao 姜容樵
• Liu Style: Liu Baozhen 劉寶珍
• Ma Style: Ma Weiqi 馬維棋
• MaGui Style: Ma Gui 马贵
• Shi Style: Shi Jidong 史計棟
• Fan Style: Fan Zhiyong 范之勇
• Sun Style: Sun Lutang 孫祿堂
• Fu Style: Fu Zhensong 傅振嵩
• Yin Yang Style (Tian Style): Tian Hui 田廻

Common aspects[link]

The practice of circle walking, or "turning the circle", as it is sometimes called, is Baguazhang's characteristic method of stance and movement training. All forms of Baguazhang utilize circle walking prevalently as an integral part of training. Practitioners walk around the edge of the circle in various low stances, facing the center, and periodically change direction as they execute forms.^[5] For a beginner the circle is six to twelve feet in diameter.^[3] Students first learn flexibility and proper body alignment through the basic exercises, then move on to more complex forms and internal power mechanics. Although the internal aspects of Baguazhang are similar to those of Xingyiquan and Taijiquan, they are distinct in nature.

Fu Zhensong with a large bagua saber

Many distinctive styles of weapons are contained within Baguazhang; some use concealment, like the "scholar's pen" or a pair of knives (the most elaborate, which are unique to the style, are the crescent-shaped deer horn knives). Baguazhang is also known for practicing with extremely large weapons, such as the bāguà jian (八卦劍), or bagua sword, and the bāguà dāo (八卦刀), or bagua broadsword. Other, more conventional, weapons are also used, such as the staff (gun), spear (qiang), crutch (guai), hook sword (gou) and the straight, double-edged sword (jian). Baguazhang practitioners are also known for being able to use anything as a weapon using the principles of their art.

Baguazhang contains an extremely wide variety of techniques as well as weapons, including various strikes (with palm, fist, elbow, fingers, etc.), kicks, joint locks, throws, and distinctively evasive circular footwork. As such, Baguazhang is considered neither a purely striking nor a purely grappling martial art. Baguazhang practitioners are known for their ability to "flow" in and out of the way of objects.^{[citation needed]} This is the source of the theory of being able to fight multiple attackers.^{[citation needed]} Baguazhang's evasive nature is also shown by the practice of moving behind an attacker, so that the opponent cannot harm the practitioner.

Although the many branches of Baguazhang are often quite different from each other (some, like Cheng style, specialize in close-in wrestling and joint locks, while others, like some of the Yin styles, specialize in quick, long-range striking), all have circle walking, spiraling methodologies, and certain methods and techniques (piercing palms, crashing palms, etc.) in common.

Baguazhang's movements employ the whole body with smooth coiling and uncoiling actions, utilizing hand techniques, dynamic footwork, and throws. Rapid-fire movements draw energy from the center of the abdomen. The circular stepping pattern also builds up centripetal force, allowing the practitioner to maneuver quickly around an opponent.

In popular culture[link]

• Jet Li's character in The One uses bagua zhang, while the antagonist version of the character uses xingyi quan.
• Airbending in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Avatar: The Legend of Korra is modeled on bagua zhang.^[6]
• Bagua zhang features briefly in the manga History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi.
• The Hyūga clan from Naruto use the Gentle Fist style which is based on bagua. For example, the technique called Eight Trigrams: Sixty Four Palm Strike is derived from bagua zhang terminology.
• Ling Xiaoyu from the Tekken video game series uses bagua zhang.
• Ashrah from Mortal Kombat: Deception and Kitana from Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance use bagua zhang.
• Joscelin Verreuil from Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy series uses a fighting style similar to bagua zhang, which is the fighting style of the Cassiline Brotherhood.
• In Ip Man 2, one of the styles used during the tabletop fight is bagua zhang.
• In the 2010 live-action film Tekken, Jin Kazama says that he is impressed by fellow competitor Christie Monteiro due to her foot placement while practicing bagua zhang.
• In the 2006 movie Jadesoturi (Jade Warrior), in the Pin Yu vs Sintai fight, they used bagua zhang as a sort of courting.
• In the 2000 movie Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon, the police inspector Tsai was duelling with Jade Fox using a pair of deer horn knives, a very typical weapon of the Bagua Zhang system.

See also[link]

• Ba gua—the eight trigrams, used as guiding principles for baguazhang.
• Yi Jing—the Taoist classic examining the movement of the eight trigrams.
• Feng shui—the metaphysical system of interior design based on the bagua.

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Dr. John Painter, "Combat Baguazhang: Nine Dragon System" Vols. 1 & 2
• Robert W. Smith, Chinese Boxing, ISBN 1-55643-085-X
• Bok Nam, Park & Dan Miller, The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang: The Methods of Lu Shui-T'ien As Taught by Park Bok Nam., ISBN 0-86568-173-2
• Shou-Yu, Liang, Baguazhang : Emei Baguazhang Theory and Applications, ISBN 0-940871-30-0
• O'Brien, Jess, Nei Jia Quan: Internal Martial Arts Teachers of Tai Ji Quan, Xing Yi Quan, and Ba Gua Zhang ISBN 1-55643-506-1
• Frantzis, Bruce Kumar, The Power of Internal Martial Arts: Combat Secrets of Ba Gua, Tai Chi, and Hsing-I ISBN 1-55643-253-4
• Mason, Tom and Danko,Dan. The Lost Scrolls:Air. New York: Simon & Schuster,2007
• Lao xie Christopher Lee matsuo 'The heart of bagua8 powers', 'silk reeling palm','kunlun baguazhang 102', 'dragongatesanctuary.com
• Ray Carbullido 'Foundations of baguazhang mastery' 'the sword within the sword'
• Lao Xie Christopher Lee Matsuo 'Interviews with lao xie' conducted by hikaru ono in honolulu, Hawaii

External links[link]

• The Pa Kua Chang Journal
• ChinaFromInside presents Baguazhang
• The History of Yin Style Baguazhang
• Song Changrong style Baguazhang
• Fu Style BaGua Zhang article, published in Inside Kung Fu Magazine
• Emptyflower Discussion Forum for Baguazhang and other internal Neijia Arts

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