Martial Arts in the World

Grandmaster Liu Yun Chiao

This world famous martial artist started as a weak boy in Cang County, HeBei province, China. Liu Yun Chiao, destined to leave his country and to become an internationally renown Kung Fu instructor, started as a youth in such poor straits that his father hired the service of a Kung Fu instructor just to see if he could be brought back to health. Young Liu's first teacher was named Chang Yao Ting and he taught the boy such unusual styles as Tai Tzu Chang Chuan (The First Emperor of the Sung Dynasty's Long Fist) and Mi Zong (The Lost Track Style). Liu gradually regained his health and showed a marked interest in Kung Fu. So his father hired the services of a very famous master, Li Shu Wen. This master was known as an expert in two styles: BaJi and PiGua, both beatiful and powerful forms of martial arts. The first was based on the energies of the Bear and the Tiger, the latter on the Snake and the Eagle. Li's method was good but torturously difficult. The young Liu spent his first year in nothing but training stances.

Grandmaster Liu Yun Chiao performing BaJi.

Li Shu Wen was already in his sixties when he taught young Liu, who was to become Li's last real disciple. But Liu gained the benefit of all Li's advanced knowledge and theories. Then Liu continued his study to include Six Harmony Praying Mantis (from Ding Zi Cheng) and BaGua Palms (from General Gong Bao Tian).

Liu entered the army and fought against the Japanese invasion starting in 1937 and for eight more years. He then moved to Taiwan and became commander of the airborn troops there along with other military positions. He also became the head training officer for all of Chiang Kai Shek's bodyguards. While thus engaged he taught many students in Taiwan and organzied the association known as Wu Tan which has produced many graduates. Liu Yun Chiao's students include many of great fame such as
Adam Hsu, Su Yu Chang, Tony Yang and Jason Tsou.

Grandmaster Liu Yun Chiao (black) with his mantis teacher on his right.

Bājíquán

Bājíquán (traditional Chinese: 八極拳; pinyin: Bājíquán; literally "eight extremes fist"; Japanese: 八極拳, Hakkyokuken) is a Chinese martial art that features explosive, short range power and is famous for its elbow strikes. It originated in Hebei Province in Northern China, but is also well-known in other places today, especially Taiwan. The style is also called Kai Men Ba Ji Quan 開門八極拳.

Origins

Bajiquan was called Baziquan (巴子拳 or 鈀子拳; "rake fist"), due to the fact that when not striking, the fist is held loosely and slightly open, resembling a rake, and also the art involves many downward strike moves, just like a rake's movement in the field. The name was considered to be rather crude sounding in its native tongue, so it was changed to Bajiquan. The term baji, which comes from the oldest book in China, the I Ching, signifies "an extension of all directions." In this case, it means "including everything" or "the universe." The first recorded teacher was Wu Zhong 吳鍾(1712-1802).

Famous teachers that promoted the style included Wu Xiu Feng 吳秀峰, Li Shu Wen 李書文 (1864-1934), (Cangzhou, Hebei, very skillful with the spear that earned him the nickname "God of Spear Li."). A Peking Opera Wu Shen (Martial Male Character) by training, he was foremost in his Kung Fu basic training. His most famous quote about fighting was, "I do not know what it's like to hit a man twice." Li Shu Wen's students included Huo Dian Ge 霍殿閣 (bodyguard to Pu Yi, the last Emperor of China), Li Chenwu (bodyguard to Mao Zedong), and Liu Yun Qiao 劉雲樵 (secret agent for the nationalist Kuomintang and instructor of the bodyguards of Chiang Kai Shek). Bajiquan has come to be known as "The Bodyguard Style".

Ma Feng Tu 馬鳳圖 and Ma Yin Tu 馬英圖 introduced Ba Ji fist into Nanjing Kuo Shu Guan 南京國術館 (central Chinese Martial Arts Academy). It was required for all students. ajiquan shares roots with another Hebei martial art, Piguazhang. It is said that Wu Zhong, the oldest traceable lineage holder in the Bajiquan lineage, taught both arts together as an integrated fighting system. They split apart, only to be recombined by Li Shuwen in the late 18th to early 19th century. As a testament to the complementary nature of these two styles, there is a Chinese martial arts proverb that goes: "When pigua is added to baji, gods and demons will all be terrified. When baji is added to pigua, heroes will sigh knowing they are no match against it." (八極參劈掛，神鬼都害怕。劈掛參八極，英雄嘆莫及)

Today there are many families or lines of Bajiquan, inculding Han, Huo, Li, Wu and the Wu-Tan branch from master Liu Yunqiao. There are some differences in the Bajiquan training between the lines, but the core is the same. The lineage holder of Wu family Bajiquan in China is Wu Lian Zhi 吳連枝. Through more than 50 years of training, he collected material and records which were passed down from generation to generation.

Features

Tactics and strategy

Ba Ji fist is known to open the opponent's arms forcibly (Qiang Kai Men 强開門) and mount attacks at high, mid, and low levels of the body, or San Pan Lian Ji 三盤連擊. Chinese Kung Fu styles are most useful under specific conditions. Bajiquan is used in close combat, as it pays attention to elbow, knee, shoulder and hip strikes. When blocking an attack or nearing an opponent, Bajiquan techniques emphasize striking major points of vulnerability, namely the thorax (trunk of the body), legs and neck. The six big ways of opening door, or Liu Da Kai 六大開 are:

+ Ding 頂: using the fist, elbow or shoulder to push forward and upward.

+ Bao 抱: putting arms together as if hugging someone. It is usually followed by Pi 劈 (split).

+ Ti 提: elevating the knee to hit the thigh of the opponent, or elevating the foot to hit the shin of the opponent, etc.

+ Dan 單: using a single move.

+ Kua 胯: using the hip.

+ Chan 纏: entanglement with rotation around the wrist, elbow and shoulder

Stepping and body methods

Footwork in Bajiquan has three special features:

+ Zhen Jiao

+ Nian Bu

+ Chuang Bu

These striking techniques are related to ancient Chinese medicine, which states that all parts of the body are connected, either physically or spiritually.

Open hand forms and weapons

The forms of Baji are divided into Fist (non-weapon) and Weapon forms. There are 20 fist forms, which include 12 Baji Small Structure Fists, Baji Black Tiger Fist, Baji Dan Zhai, Baji Dan Da/Dui Da, Baji Luo Han Gong, and Baji Si Lang Kuan. There are eight weapons forms, including Liu He Da Qiang (spear), Liu He Hua Qiang (spear), Chun Yang Jian (sword), San Yin Dao (sabre), Xing Zhe Bang (staff), Pudao, and Chun Qiu Da Dao (a long two-handed heavy blade, used by Generals sitting on their horses).

Power generation and expression methods

The major features of this school of Chinese martial arts include elbow strikes, arm/fist punches, hip checks, and strikes with the shoulder. All techniques are executed with a short power, developed through training; in Chinese martial arts, Baji is famous for its fast movements.

Baji focuses on in-fighting, entering from a longer range with Baji's distinctive charging step (zhen jiao). The essence of Bajiquan lies in jin, or power-issuing methods, particularly fajin (explosive power). The style contains six types of jin, eight different ways to hit and several principles of power usage. Unlike most western forms of martial arts which require swinging motion to create momentum, most of Bajiquan's moves utilize a one-hit push-strike method from very close range.

The bulk of the damage is dealt through the momentary acceleration that travels up from the waist to the limb and further magnified by the charging step known as zhen jiao. The mechanics of jin are developed through many years of practice and Bajiquan is known for its strenuous lower-body training and its emphasis on the horse stance. Its horse stance is higher than that of typical Long Fist styles.

Like other styles, there is also "the arrow-bow stance", "the one-leg stance", "the empty stance" (xūbù 虚步), "the drop stance" (pūbù 仆步), etc. There are eight different hand poses, plus different types of breathing and zhen jiao.

The six Major Characteristic Powers are:

+ Sinking (Xia Chen 下沉 or Chen Zhui 沉墜)

+ Thrusting (Chong 沖)

+ Extending (Cheng 撑)

+ Entangling (Chan 纏)

+ Cross (Shi Zi 十字)

+ Inch (Cun 寸)

Influences

The Baji style focuses on being more direct, culminating in powerful, fast strikes that will render an opponent unable to continue. Even so, there are some styles that are derived from Baji Quan’s main principles or concepts on how to hit your opponent:

+ Bashi (Eight postures)

+ Bashi Gong (Eight movements method)

+ Bashi Chui (Eight striking Forms)

+ Shuang Bashi (Double Eight Postures)

+ Jingang Bashi (Eight postures of the Buddha Guards)

+ Longxing Bashi (Eight postures of the Dragon Style)

Many of these forms are also based or mixed with Luohan Quan, a Shaolin style. The term "Bashi" or "Pashi" may also refer to Baji. But it can also be noted that Bashi is also a term used in the style of Xingyi Quan. Bruce Lee, along with many of his contemporaries, studied styles like Bajiquan. Along with his training of wing chun, Lee incorporated useful moves from other styles, including Bajiquan, .

Bajiquan (Traditional Chinese: 八極拳; pinyin: Bājíquán; literally "eight extremes fist") is a Chinese martial art that features explosive, short range power and is famous for its elbow strikes. It originated in Hebei Province of Northern China, but is also well-known in other places as well today, especially Taiwan.

Bajiquan was originally called Baziquan (巴子拳 or 鈀子拳), or "rake fist", due to the fact that when not striking, the fist is held loosely and slightly open, resembling a rake. However, the name was considered to be rather crude sounding in its native tongue, and so it was changed to Bajiquan reminding the student to develop the eight body parts (head, shoulders, elbows, hips, buttocks, knees, hands and feet).

The essence of Bajiquan lies in "Jìn" (power or power methods). Unlike most western forms of martial arts which require swinging motion to create momentum. Most of Bajiquan's moves utilise a one hit push-strike from a very close distance. The bulk of the damage is dealt through the momentary acceleration that travels up from the waist to the limb and further magnified by the charging step "zhèn jiao". Jìn has many forms and is developed through many levels of training including Bear Walking, Tiger Arms and Eight Stomping Methods in order to attain the highest (most extreme) level of Jin in all eight parts of the body.

Made famous in (by Chinese history standards) recent times by Li Shu Wen (1864-1934), a fighter from Shandong province whose skill with a spear earned him the nickname "God of Spear" Li. His most famous quote about fighting was, "I do not know what it's like to hit a man twice." Certainly a bit of hyperbole, but still speaks for the shocking power Baji training develops. Li Shu Wen's most famous students include Huo Diange (bodyguard to Pu Yi, the last emperor of China), Li Chen Wu (bodyguard to Mao Zedong). Because of this, Bajiquan has come to be known as "The Bodyguard Style."

Baji, which comes from the oldest book in China named I Ching, is an extension of all directions. In this case, in Chinese Baji means including everything or say, universe.

Bajiquan shares roots with another Hebei martial art, Piguazhang. It is said that Wu Zhong, the oldest traceable lineage holder in the Bajiquan lineage, taught both arts together as an integrated fighting system. They then slowly split apart, only to be remarried by Li Shuwen in the late 18th to early 19th century. As a testament to the complementary nature of these two styles, there is a Chinese martial arts proverb that goes: "When pigua is added to baji, gods and demons will all be terrified. When baji is added to pigua, heroes will sigh knowing they are no match against it." (八極參劈掛，神鬼都害怕。劈掛參八極，英雄嘆莫及).

In Chinese Martial Arts, Baji is famous for its very violent and fast movements.