董海川 Dong Haichuan

Dong Haichuan (1804-1882) Originally from Jingnan, Wenan county. The founder of Bagua Neigong and Baguazhang. He was extremely passionate about martial arts from a young age. At 12 he became a disciple under an instructor named Li from Cang county in Hebei and from him studied "6 Harmonies Skills". In 6 years he successfully completed his training. He often made visits to various famous teachers. He searched though many famous areas, Wu, Yue, Ba, Shu and others.* Upon entering Jiangxi, deep in the mountains he happened to bump into 2 Monks, one Buddhist and Daoist. Each of them 70 years old. He became their disciple and under their guidance deeply researched "He Tu", "Luo Shu", "Yi Jing", "Yi Zhuan", "Former Heavan Bagua", "Post Heavan Bagua", "Pre and Post Heavan Harmonized in One Form Bagua Diagrams", "Damoniyuan Greater Vehicle Secrets"**, and other ancient philisophical texts and ancient practices. He worked on developing himself through both the Daoist and Buddhist paths. He delved very deeply into both. After his successfull completion of these studies, his teachers sent him down from the mountain to create a school of inner and outer cultivation in Baguazhang gongfu. The reputation he established sent shockwaves through the teaching community of the capital and through greater Jiangnanbei. He had 10 primary students and countless lesser pupils.***--from Xie Peiqi's Yin Style Bagua books.

* These are ancient place names for regions mostly around Zhejiang and in Sichuan. I can't say precisely on some of them because the regions they indicate has changed in some cases over the dynasties.
** This entire list is names of various sutras and religious texts. I have translated where I could but some of the names make no particular sense without the context and at leat one of them the "Damoniyuan Greater Vehicle Secrets", in Chinese is clearly just a Chinese transliteration of an Indian term. So I have just left the pinyin in these cases.
*** - Translation by Omar Belove.

 

 

尹福Yin Fu

Yin Fu (1841-1911) was a highly skilled martial artist known for his Snake Tongue striking style. He was also a wholesaler of baked goods and sold bread to Prince Su's palace where Dong lived, he knew of Dong Haichuan's skill and would ask the guards everyday if he could meet him. Yin Fu persistently asked everyday until a new guard, who knew Yin Fu because of his martial skills, passed the word along to Dong Haichuan. Finally Yin Fu was allowed into the palace to see him. Dong was sitting at a table drinking tea when Yin fu walked up and said he'd like to study with him. (Which in Chinese is a polite way to challenge someone to a fight.) Dong Haichuan at first refused, knowing that Yin Fu was no match for him but with persuasion from the Prince who had been watching, he eventually agreed. Dong told Yin to attack him and that he'd be countering with a Unicorn strike. Yin shot out a snake tongue strike for Dong's face, Dong still sitting down countered and then and poked out Yin Fu's two front teeth. So as not to lose face Yin Fu swallowed his own teeth. (This is said to be the reason why he always had a large mustache.) Yin recognizing that he had been thoroughly beaten asked Dong if he could be his student. Dong refused but the prince had liked Yin Fu's character and insisted that Dong take him on as his student.

Yin Fu became Dong Haichuan's first student and learned Dong Haichuan's system of Bagua Zhang as well as learning Dong's style of Lohan Fist. They spent roughly six years in the palace practicing everyday, then the Prince asked Dong to take Yin Fu with him to the north to collect taxes where it was in Dong's best interests to have and to teach Yin Fu.

In Beijing Yin Fu became well known and the Bagua that he taught became known as Yin Style Bagua. He became a bodyguard for the wealthy and powerful as well as teaching in the Imperial Palace. After a time Yin Fu's wife passed away and he chose to marry again which was taboo in society at the time. Dong Haichuan being an upstanding member of the palace was forced to break all ties with Yin Fu. Dong Haichuan started taking on new students but knew he wouldn't have the time to teach one person the whole system, so he taught everyone a different aspect of the bagua system in the hopes that they would get together after his death and teach each other what they knew, but their rivalries shattered Dong Haichuan's hopes and he decided to reconcile with Yin Fu. After Dong Haichaun passed away Yin Fu continued teaching but he stuck with tradition by keeping Bagua very secretive and had very few students, one of which was Men Baozhen.

门 宝 珍 Men Baozhen

Men Baozhen (1873-1958) was an aristocrat from a Manchurian family. He was a very bright and skilled martial artist. He knew of Yin Fu's fame and being a large man standing at 6'6", he thought that he could beat Yin, so he politely asked Yin if he could study with him. Men attacked Yin who countered with a shocking strike, ending Men's ambitions. Men acknowledged Yin's unbelievable skill by bringing him gifts, food, and drink everyday until Yin eventually accepted Men as an inner door student. Men started out learning the Lion system, and became known as the 'big chop, big hack, and big stomp'. He was famous for his chopping strikes and said that three chopping strikes are the hardest to defend against. Men Baozhen spent as much time learning the healing and philosophical sides of Bagua as he did the martial side. Although he was not Yin Fu's oldest student, he was chosen to inherit the complete system of Yin Style Bagua. Men Baozhen studied and took care of Yin Fu into his old age, and was there for him when he passed away. Men continued the tradition and only passed on Yin style Bagua to one man, Dr. Xie Peiqi.

解佩歧
Xie Peiqi

Xie Peiqi (1920-2003) as a young boy was always interested in the martial arts. His father taught him their family style called Tan Tuei (Springing Legs). Everyday Xie would wake up at four in the morning to practice by himself, and would occasionally run into Men Baozhen who lived next door to Xie. He knew of Men's skill but Men would always ignore him, until one day when Men stopped to watch Xie practicing, he was nervous but kept on doing what he was doing. Men said, "You are very good and you practice hard." Xie was ecstatic from getting a compliment from Men Baozhen. Then Men said "Although you could do that your whole life and you still wouldn't be any good" Xie's heart dropped but then Men said, "Tomorrow morning you should get up earlier and come over to my house."

Xie was so excited he could not sleep that night. He was already waking up at four in the morning so he decided to get up earlier and thought two in the morning would be sufficient. That night happened to be one of the worst rainstorms he had ever seen, and a large drainage ditch ran between Xie and Men's homes. He decided to wade across the nearly waist deep water and when he got to Men's he was completely soaked. A friend of Men Baozhen let him inside, he saw Men sitting down casually drinking some tea. Men didn't even acknowledge Xie's presence, so being only 13 years old and not knowing what to do he started practicing what he knew. A few minutes went by when Men looked up and started screaming, "What are you doing, are you crazy your getting water all over my floor!" Xie, scared immediately ran into the back yard and standing in the pouring rain started to practice out there. He was out side for a while practicing the Tan Tuei that he knew when Men finally came to the door and said "What are you stupid, you'll get sick practicing out in the cold." Xie just stood there having no idea what to do. "Come inside and we'll get you something dry to wear." From that day on Xie would wake up early and watch Men Baozhen teaching his other students, and afterwards he would clean Men's courtyard, polishing all the iron and statues, cleaning up leaves and pruning plants. For two years Men Baozhen never said anything until one day he asked him, "Oh, are you the one who's been doing this?" Xie wanted to say: Of course, who do you thinks been doing it! But decided it was best to not say anything. Men then said, "How about tomorrow I show you something."

Dr. Xie practiced Bagua Zhang everyday up until his unfortunate passing away on October 10th, 2003 at the age of 83. There are many stories about Dr. Xie's life and with time and collaboration I hope we can share and document them. Before his passing Dr. Xie had been working to train the new inheritor of Yin Style Bagua , He Jinbao, in all of its martial systems.

贺 进 宝
He Jinbao

He Jinbao (1955) first began studying martial arts with an older neighbor who taught him Xi Yangquan; he didn't ask a lot of questions so he knows little about the roots of that art. He studied with him for many years until his teacher admitted that he had surpassed his own abilities in the art and said, "That although they could beat most of the Longfist (changquan) people, they had no way of beating the Bagua people." On October 12, 1971 Jinbao was introduced to Dr. Xie. He Jinbao became Dr. Xie's student and later was fortunate enough to also be the student of Xie Peiqi's chosen lineage inheritor Liu Fang. Liu took Jinbao in, which allowed him to study Bagua eight hours a day. Unfortunately Liu Fang died in an accident and Jinbao lost a father figure and Dr. Xie lost one of the system's inheritors. The other being [Wang Li-Hai] who had also died at a young age. (The dates and particulars about these deaths I do not know, and I'd hate to speculate more.) These tragedies would lead to Dr. Xie's decision to break tradition and begin openly teaching the art to foreigners in 1995.

Dr. Xie and He Jinbao have been to the US and Europe numerous times since '95 as well as hosting seminars in Beijing. Although Jinbao was not Dr. Xie's oldest student he is his most diligent and was chosen to Inherit the complete system of Yin Style Bagua. Jinbao now continues a new tradition by openly teaching Bagua Zhang.

Ma Gui (1853-1940) was a student of Yin Fu. He was very short and among friends he was nicknamed "Thunder rolling on the ground". In the bagua community he was called "Wood Ma(Mu Ma)". He was officially Yin Fu's student, but Yin allowed him to study directly under Dong Haichuan. Dong upon meeting Ma Gui said, "You are too short to do Bagua, I will have to make up an Animal just for you. Since you look like a crab, I will you teach you the Crab 蟹 (xiè) System." Ma Gui was a ruthless fighter and didn't have many formal students because few could put up with his abuse. Men Baozhen was Ma Gui's martial brother and he sent Dr. Xie to learn from Ma gui. Since Dr. Xie wasn't officially Ma Gui's student he didn't have to suffer the rigorous abuse and was able to learn the Crab System and the Hammerfist ( wrist striking ) techniques from him.

[Dr.Xie taught us the Crab system method of turning the circle and one of it's three-move palm changes and the applications. The turning method is similar to the Rooster's. Both of the hands are in front of the chest at an equal height, palms facing down in the lion ox-tongue palm, fingertips pointing towards the opposite fingertips with a fist width between them. The hands will be turning towards the center of the circle. The strikes are basically entering with the elbows and then doing double-handed extending strikes (from the Phoenix system) and then reversing direction and entering back into the opponent with the elbow followed by two more extending strikes.]

Wen Peiting was a [ martial brother of Men Baozhen ] who only studied the medical side of Yin style Bagua. It was through him that Dr. Xie gained most of his medical knowledge of Bagua.

 

Wang Shu-chin was born in 1904 as the sixth son in a family of farmers living in a village about 32 km from Tianjin in northern China. His older brothers were content to farm, but Wang wanted to be part of a bigger world. So, with his parents' permission, he left home when he was 14 years old and traveled to Tianjin seeking fame and fortune. There he found work as an apprentice in an international trading company.

By the time of his arrival in Tianjin, Wang was already, as his student Wang Fu-lai puts it, "a man of impressive size and unusual physical strength." He was also very interested in martial arts and religion and began to search for martial arts instruction. By chance one day, a senior student of the famous martial arts master Zhang Zhao-dong came to the business where Wang worked. This chance meeting led to the then 18-year-old Wang studying under Zhang.

Under Zhang's instruction, Wang learned the two arts for which he would later become famous: pa kua chang and hsing yi ch'uan. Pa kua chang means "eight diagram palms" and refers to the eight core diagrams which make up the I-Ching (Book of Changes), one of the most important books of classical Chinese philosophy.

The practice of pa kua chang consists of moving around in a circle while performing eight different martial arts techniques which use the palms to strike an opponent. Each of these eight techniques corresponds to one of the eight fundamental diagrams in the I-Ching. Maneuvering around to the side or back of the opponent, a practitioner strikes using one of the eight techniques. The art also emphasizes throwing the opponent -- much like in judo -- as well as various arm locks.

Wang could perform pa kua chang with dizzying speed, rapidly turning back and forth around the circle. Despite his size, he was able to move with incredible speed and agility, which he attributed to his study of the art form. **

[From EmptyFlower forum archives]
It seems that the two main representations of Zhang Zhaodong’s bagua in Europe and the US are those taught by Jiang Rongqiao and Wang Shujin. I have only seen Jiang’s form once and know little about his basic training, emphasis etc so can’t really comment –maybe that’s your area? The main components taught in Wang’s bagua (as taught by my teacher I should add since there slight differences between the different disciples) are:

1. Standing post (zhanzhuang)

2. Single movement practice (danlian) alone and with partner and stretching/strengthening exercises

3. Circle walking with static upper body postures

4. Fixed step linking palms - eight palms changes aimed to train the eight basic energies/powers/techniques (tui, tuo, dai, ling, ban ,kou, pi,jin) [push, lift, carry, lead, move, capture, chop, enter.]

5. The flowing dragon rambling body palm (long xing you shen zhang) which is fluid step, faster, continuous and so forth – it follows the principle of‘…one gives rise to two, two to three, three to the ten thousand things…’ (yi sheng er er sheng san san sheng wanwu –) idea found in the Dao Dejing in that it goes from very simple to very complex, adding complexity in each change.

6. Bagua ‘push hands’

7. Application, including fixed but heavy emphasis on free sparring and fighting

8. Weapons (double sword and staff)

Let me begin by saying that my impression of Master Wang’s teaching is that he was very direct and taught by application and fighting. Forms, for instance, were merely a way of developing certain powers, fluidity and qi in preparation for fighting. Wang Shujin used very few techniques when fighting and those he used were direct and extremely powerful.He was also left handed which surprised many of his opponents as left handedness is most often ‘corrected’ in China in youth as it is considered outside the norm. Even if many fighters develop both sides in their practice, most have a strong side and a weak side, the strong side being the right.Wang’s most powerful side was his left. His forms reflected his philosophy of simplicity and basics and are, compared to other bagua forms, very simple and sometimes bland in external appearance .They are, however, also very powerful and practical. Students were taught by asking how to fight/defend themselves against such and such an attack and by fighting other schools of martial arts in free fighting tournaments. Wang encourage exploration of the basic principles of fighting and was not a big proponent of fixed two-person sets.

Wang taught all three internal arts to students, beginning with Taiji, then xingyi and finally bagua. In this sense he followed Dong Haichuan’s method of teaching bagua only to those who already had martial arts skills, and also his own teacher’s progression from xingyi to bagua. I’ve seen some films of Wang’s bagua application and it certainly had a xingyi flavour to it. It was direct and without superfluous movements. This was not only a result of his training but also his physical size which made direct techniques and applications more natural to him than more twisting, coiling and evasive etc.

I won’t go into the taiji and xingyi here but rather concentrate on bagua and the basics as taught by wang. Please keep in mind, though, that taiji and xingyi were taught first before bagua and thus may be considered kind of a basis for wang’s bagua teaching, or at least a foundation all students who studied his bagua had.

Wang’s bagua system starts students from stillness in zhan zhuang postures, first double weighted and later 60/40 weighted. These are aimed at building roots, relaxation, calm and qi. The second component, and one of the most important ones in terms of power and martial application I think, is the practice of single movements. These consist of palm, fist and leg exercises aimed at developing gong li, or power. They are practiced first standing in 60/40 posture and then with moving steps on a straight line. For example, left piercing palm (chuan zhang) will be practiced 60 repetitions on the left and 60 reps on the right. There is an assortment of these exercises such as piercing, slapping, shaking and the five elements of xingyi and so forth. Especially in the beginning, I used to feel my arms were about to fall off and my legs were like cooked spaghetti (not al dente!). These exercises also build coordination and unity of the upper and lower body. We call it jiu gong gui yi which means nine palaces return to one point, meaning the body acts as one unit and all power is concentrated in any given technique, point. The mental aspect of this training is very important. Wang delivered tremendously painful and dangerous strikes and my teacher is the same. I was once hit by him so badly I felt all my internal organs had been crushed. It wasn’t serious though and after sitting down for a while, everything was fine but I did think I needed to be rushed to hospital. My teacher did not use full force in any way and I hope he never does. Anyway, jiu gong gui yi is an important part of Wang’s practice and all the single movements are aimed at developing that kind of coordinated, unified power for application. There are also single movements for kicking, mainly low outer or inner kicks, the most common being at the end of Wang’s single palm change with the first bai step. Again, Wang’s physique did not encourage anything higher but kicking knees and shins is the most effective anyway and it doesn’t affect your balance or defense either!

What is important to remember with the single movements is that they are not used in isolation but rather combined in numerous ways. Thus, the basics are extremely simple and straight-forward and also very thoroughly built in to the practitioner. The real challenge is combining them creatively and effectively in practice! Nevertheless, the foundation for that level is established through the zhanzhuang and danlian.

Which brings us to the circle walking. Again, Wang emphasised a natural gate rather than toe first like many practioners do. We practice the circle walking in a circle, in an eight crossing through the middle of the circle, and through the nine palaces of the Luoshu. The eight is important in terms of application as it allows for extremely fast deflection and circling to the outside of the opponent. Wang’s circle walking is done from heel to toe,with the inner foot’s toes at an angle inward (bai) and the outer foot toes also slightly inward (kou). It’s a very natural, relaxed gate and, in my opinion, the most useful in sparring. I feel that the more natural it is the more likely you are to use it in practice. We practice walking at a middle level most of the time although when practicing the rambling body palm it is often done with a high, mobile posture in order to allow lightning fast changes and movement.

The linking form, as I mentioned earlier, is designed to develop certain energies. The single palm change contains in itself four of them: tui tuo dai ling and is therefore, as we know , the basis for all other bagua application. But the value of the single palm change really goes beyond that. It helps develop two important bagua fighting principles: evasion and palm change (meaning palm change in relation to an opponents attack – that is getting either inside or outside an opponent’s ‘doors’ by quickly switching palms ). Wang’s single palm change is extremely practical and therefore is less coiling than some other systems. It basically consists of three stages: 1) covering (kou) which can be seen in the crouching tiger posture, 2) the beginning of the palm change which consists of forward movement and tui +tuo and 3) the actual change of palms. This change can be more properly seen in the rambling body palm. In the linking palms it is more static and difficult to see. ***

 

[from an article by Marnix Wells (PhD - SOAS) -- from http://www.apittman.com/index.html?Articles/8wangchen.htm~content ]

... [Accounts of the origins of Ba gua itself, and of Wang Shujin's distinctive style of it, are contradictory. Dong Haichuan (1796-1880) is universally credited as the founder of current Ba gua lineages, but these are far from uniform. Sun Lutang, who combined it with taiji quan and Xingyi (Hsing I), was the first to publish a book on the subject. Sun Lutang and Wu Tunan indicate that Dong was expert at Lohan Boxing, a Shaolin form which he first taught at Prince Su's palace. Xiang Kairan actually states that Dong came from the Shaolin Temple. It is possible that Dong was also influenced by the Ba-pan 'Eight Circling' boxing of Anhui. However, evidence of earlier styles using the name 'ba-gua', the eight trigrams used to mark compass points, does not prove a connection with Dong Haichuan's art. The style practiced in Taizhong by both Wang Shujin and Chen Panling is not a style I have seen outside Taiwan, though both studied with famous masters in Hebei.

Wang's preface to his 1978 book 'Ba gua Connected Palms', which he inscribed for me, relates anecdotes of Dong Haichuan, reputed founder of Ba gua zhang. Here is my synopsis of Wang's own narrative. Dong is said by some to have been born in (Hebei) Wen'an county and by others in Tongzhou. Becoming addicted when young to gambling, Dong ran away to Peking (Beijing) and then roamed south, reaching Mt Émei, holy mountain of Sichuan (bordering Tibet). There he met two Daoists Gujizi and Shang Daoyuan who taught him Ba gua circling and corrected his posture, telling Dong to circle a tree until the tree began to chase him, inviting him to help himself to rice from a store and water from the stream. After seven years hard practice, he had worn a path three foot deep, and suddenly felt the tree start to lean towards him. He reported this to his teachers who were delighted and taught him eight words on revolving, telling him to circle two trees [n.b. to practice the 'dragon swimming' double circle] as before. After two years, the trees chased him. For two years more they taught him palm law changes and weapons. Finally, he was told to go home, and compete at all martial arenas along the way. Since Dong always won, the reputation of Ba guazhang began to spread among the 'rivers and lakes' (jianghu), meaning the social underworld and martial arts circles.

On reaching home, Dong found his parents were already dead. At Peking, Dong by day roamed Heaven's Bridge market, by night sleeping in Heaven's Altar Park, where the emperor performed annual sacrifices. One day the martial instructor, from Prince Beile [n.b. Beile is just a Manchu title for 'Lord']'s palace, Hou Zhenyuan, nicknamed 'Shaker of East City' came to the Altar. Seeing Dong's rough dress but ruddy face and bright eyes, Hou spoke with him, and challenged him to a duel on a 6 by 8 foot mat. Dong expelled Hou from the mat three times in succession. Hou then introduced Dong to work in Beile's palace, where Dong became martial instructor to the Prince. As Dong's fame spread challengers came from far and wide but were always defeated. Thieves stole objects from the palace, leaving notes for Dong to come and win them back. This continued for ten years. Eventually Dong, after implication in a case, was punished by castration, becoming known to all as 'Dong Old Eunuch'. He chose, as successor to his art, Yanjing Cheng, 'Spectacles Cheng' [Cheng Tinghua d. 1900], who used to prepare glasses prescriptions for the palace. Dong died at ninety. Disciples erected his tomb stone outside the city's West Gate. [n.b. After the 'Cultural Revolution', Dong's tomb was rebuilt in the Western Hills, where it remains an object of pilgrimage.] [[ edit--Xie Peiqi has published his charcoal rubbings of the original tomb before it was moved.]]

Wang's preface describes his youthful progress of study, under three famous teachers, and his career of teaching in Taiwan and Japan. Again, in what follows, I reproduce Wang's exact written testimony, confining my own comments strictly within brackets. In 1923, age 18, Wang entered the school of famed Zhang Zhaodong (Zhang Zhankui 1860-1940, third generation student of Dong Haichuan) to study Ba gua and Xingyi (Hsing I). [cf. Smith: Masters and Methods p75: "Wang replied that he had studied under Chang from 1929 to 1938.”] From 1924 to 1925, Wang concentratedly studied hunyuanzhuang 'All-round Stance', a style of zhanzhuang 'post-standing' meditation, under 'teacher junior-uncle' Wang Xianzhai (presumably Wang Xiangzhai 1890-1963, founder of Dacheng quan (Yiquan or I Chuan), who put standing before forms. Sawai Kenichi in Tokyo used it to develop Taikiken.). From 1929 to 1930, Wang studied under 'teacher senior-uncle' Xiao Haibo, aged over 90, who had trained on Mt Luojia, fifty li from Mt Émei in Sichuan. [n.b. Wang told me that Xiao Haibo used to walk the circle while holding iron balls.]

Finally, Wang remarks, without further explanation: "I had originally studied a Si-lian quan 'Four Connections boxing' form, whose hands and movements identical to Chen taiji." After coming to Taiwan, in 1951 Wang chanced to meet Chen Junfeng [i.e. Chen Panling] in Taizhong (where the provincial government was first based). Comparing notes, they experimented to create a 'Chen style' of taiji quan.

[n.b. Wang Shujin acknowledged to me that Chen Panling had taught him taiji quan and the 24 walking-stick; but claimed in return he had taught Xingyi (Hsing I) and Ba gua to Chen Panling. Wang appears to equate 'Chen style' from the 'Chen Village', (Henan) Chen Jiagou, with Chen Panling's own composite brand of taiji quan. Authentic Chen style taiji quan was virtually unknown in Taiwan then, and it is unlikely that Wang knew much about it. Robert Smith (Martial Musings 1999 p255) relates how even Rose Lee, who grew up under a famous master in Peking, told how she, while fleeing from Japanese c.1940, had observed Henan villagers practicing taiji quan, but seemed unaware of Chenjiagou's very existence. Indeed, Chenjiagou was not opened up to the world before the late 1980s. In 1983, when a Shaolin Temple visit still required a police permit, I was denied access there. My first trip to Chenjiagou, several years later, took eight hours on mud roads from Zhengzhou!]

Wang then explains the meaning of his name Shujin, literally 'tree gold', by 'establish metal':

To establish virtue and the Way's righteousness is Reason's Teaching (lijiao); Metal and stone covenants record my vow.

['Reason's Teaching' is also the name of a sect.] Wang became a vegetarian and practiced meditation and Buddhism, practicing boxing in leisure time after business. In the summer of 1948, Wang passing through Shanghai, Wang escaped from Qin i.e. the communists, by coming to Taiwan, where he first established the Chengming Guoshuguan 'Sincerity Bright National Skills Academy', teaching Xingyi (Hsing I), Ba gua and later also taiji quan. Altogether he had several hundred students from all over Taiwan, of whom some regrettably gave up. In the autumn of 1959, Wang traveled to Japan where an old friend Wu Botang introduced him to Toyama Izumi, president of Nippon Jodo Association [n.b. spiritual art of stick-fighting], where Wang was invited to be instructor of taiji quan, also teaching Xingyi (Hsing I) and Ba gua, for eight years. In 1963 at the invitation of the Gojuryu Karate Association's Tokyo Chuoku karate dojo, Wang took a disciple [i.e. Zhang Yizhong] from Taiwan as assistant teacher, and taught for two years. In 1966, Wang made his third trip to Japan, to teach for two years at Tokyo Minatoku's Korinji temple. By 1976, Wang had made altogether 8 trips to Japan, teaching over 1200 students, including overseas Chinese, Japanese and other nationals visiting Japan, of whom there were karate, judo and aikido students, some of over ten years' experience. Wang reckoned his student total, including Taiwan, at over 1800 students. Wang concludes that, of the three 'internal arts', taiji quan symbolizes the virtue of humanity [n.b. I extrapolate this word, which appears to have been inadvertently omitted]; Xingyi (Hsing I): courage; and Ba gua: wisdom.

Wang's 'Ba gua Connective Palms' system consists of 8 part movements, as follows:

Single Change Palm
Double Change Palm
Kite Flies to Heaven
Yellow Dragon Turns Body
White Snake Spits Out
Great Roc Spreads Wings
White Ape Presents Peaches
Whirlwind Palms.

Wang used to say that the form is fixed by tradition, but its variations are infinite. In other words, once the basic system is mastered, it is up to each individual by his own experience to adapt and interpret it, while retaining the essential structure. Wang lists eight key-words that encompass the energies involved. Presumably they are intended to correspond to the eight words supposedly taught to Dong Haichuan by the two Daoists on Mt Émei. Wang links them individually to the eight trigrams and also to the eight movements. Yet the connection seems far-fetched and unconvincing to me. Wang did not speak of these matters when teaching. The eight words, which I find may be better understood in pairs, are: tuituo dailing, bankòu pijin. I translate them as: push-raise, carry-lead, shift-hook, chop-advance. [[insert-- In yin style they would be translated as push, lift, carry, lead, move, capture, chop, enter.]] In this way, I would interpret them as: deflect, draw in, pin down, and counter attack, analogous to the four phases of taiji quan pushing hands: ward-off, pull-back, squeeze and press.

Bibliography:
Wang Shujin; Wang Fulai, Wang Kangmin ed.: Ba gua Lianhuan zhang, 'Ba gua Connective palms', private, Taizhong, 1978. ] ...

[The following is from --http://trinity.psnw.com/~dlmurray/classic.html]

Shi's 36 Stanzas

Joseph Crandall sent these over a period of time to the Bagua List. The following is a forward by him and some additional information from Jarek Szymanski sent to the Bagua List.

Forward: This is something I translated a long time ago and just dug out of my files. To redo the mandarin would be too much work at this point. If you are really interested I might scan the characters and send them out as a jpeg.
The lineage of Shi Jitong Bagua has a 36 Stanza poem and a 48 Stanza poem similar to the ones promulgated by the Liang and Cheng lineages.
These stanza come to us courtesy of Di Zhaolong, the current (I think) authority on this style. Shi Ji Tong was a nephew of Dong Haichuan.

-Joseph Crandall

Shi Jidong (not Shi Jitong) was Dong's adopted daughter's husband. Actually Shi arranged that his wife became Dong's adopted daughter so that she could take good care of the old master. Dong spent last years of his life in Shi's house in Beijing (Shi was one of the wealthiest disciples and owner of Yihe Timber Mill).

-Jarek Szymanski
Shanghai, China

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Epilogue: This song has 36 stanzas. Bagua's true significance is contained herein. Memorize and try to understand them and practice hard. Skill and hard work will not fail the conscientious person. Practice hard and practice harder. Over a long period of time, its value is lasting. You will become stronger and never stop gaining skills. Raise the martial spirit to be cheerful and healthy.

-Joseph Crandall

 

1. The head is held up. The chin is tucked in. The body is held straight. Depress the waist. Swell the belly. The steps are empty and full. Sink the shoulders. Hang the elbows. Reach with the front arm. Turn the wrist. Straighten the palm. Pull back the index finger.

2. One arm pushes out straight. One arm is bent. The eyes gaze at the tiger's mouth of the straight arm. The straight arm pushes and seizes. The bent arm pulls the bowstring. This is like using a bow to shoot a big vulture.

3. The tiger's mouth is curved. The palm is hollow. Pull back the fingers. Straighten the palm. The fingers are held upwards. Push and seize. Pull the bow. Defend the chest and lungs. The practice of bent knee stepping trains the leg skills.

4. Bend the knees and bow the legs. The steps are like walking in mud. In walking the circle, the outside foot turns inwards and the inside foot moves straight. Turn the waist. Depress the waist. Raise up the anus. The form is like pushing a grindstone round and round.

5. Turn the waist. Turn the neck. Depress the waist. Swell the belly. The foot grips the ground. The knees bend and the legs bow. The body follows the steps and the turning hands follow the body's movements. Weave together inhaling and exhaling and then transform them to chewing up and spitting out the enemy.

6. In walking, the palm and body should not lean to the sides. Do not lean forwards or backwards. Turn the waist and tighten the lower abdomen to connect the limbs. In stepping, the steps sink and the body has the appearance of being even and steady.

7. Moment is practiced on the left and right sides, Reciprocating without breaks or stopping. Aim for being stable and full. Become level and true. The spirit can tranform and grow from immature to mature.

8. In the piercing palm, the hand goes out under the elbow. Avoid the full and draw near the empty to achieve skill. The foot treads the center gate and searches out the way. The corner become the sides, enter and flow with the person's movements.

9. The hand method of the piercing palm must be remembered well. The rear hand pierces out and the front hand retracts. They must be mutually coordinated and complement each other. Mobility and agility display your talent.

10. In walking the circle, persue three levels in your stepping practice. First practice the upper level frame, which is high. The middle level bends the knees and the posture gradually squats. The lower level stresses getting the thighs level with the knees.

11. The tongue sticks to the upper palate. Inhale and exhale through the nose. The qi sinks to the dantian like being guided. Movement must be coordinated with the breathing. They complement each other and create agility.

12: Skill and talent smoothly follow the waist and leg movement; The stepping method transforms the walking with many turns; Upper and lower coordinate and become one thing; Mobility and agility must be harmonized.

13: The toe-in stepping form makes a triangle. The toe and kneecap are aligned. The toe-out stepping form makes an eight character shape (/ \). The toe and the heel meet together.

14. In the Upper Step (shang bu), the rear foot steps past the front foot. In the Advance Step (jin bu), the front foot moves to the front. In the Withdraw Step (che bu), the front foot steps past the rear foot. In the Retreat Step (tui), the rear foot moves to the rear.

15. Esteem virtue, do not esteem strength. Esteem wisdom, do not esteem courage. If you esteem strength and esteem courage; Sooner or later it must fall into the void.

16. The body is like a swimming dragon, a wild goose leaping into the air. It is like a tiger strikes, a turtle swims, a snake's movement. Vary the postures continuously without stopping. Move to the corners and sides, advance and retreat, talk and laugh in the center.

17. This palm is mysterious in walking the circle. The stepping method causes victory, the foot is strong and skilled. Toe-out, toe-in, arcing and turning, people cannot fathom it. Look to the front and now to the rear. Leave no fixed trail.

18. The foot treads the central gate and searches out the way. The hands follow the enemy's condition and flow in the opposite direction; Rise and do not fall, occupy the center; The enemy's preparations are in vain and he finds it diffucult to defend himself.

Here is another. This one is a toughie, a bit esoteric. I took some time going over it again and changing some of my original work, but I can't guarentee total accuracy on this one.

19. The outgoing hand must be one, it must not be two. The idea of many overcoming the few must be followed. If you can understand, you can get this central idea. Superiority is commonly had in grasping the center.

20. The outgoing hand techniques follow the man. To seal the enemy requires a lot of skill. The triangle pattern steps are very subtle. The hands in the cross shape form are beneficial to attack

21. The out-going hand flows with the enemy's intention. Rise to defend, attack to the left and right. If the enemy retreats, your front foot advances. If the enemy advances, your rear foot moves.

22. When the enemy advances, I move to evade his attack. I give up my position and cause him to fall into emptiness. I turn back and with one strike invariably cut to his center. To defeat the center and take the victory requires skill.

Here is #23. I must confess that it does not make much sense to me. My confusion revolves around the interplay between two characters zheng (true, upright, correct) and qi (wonderful, suprise). I have seen these two characters used together before and the best that I could guess based on the context was a sense of coming and going. However in this poetry the meaning is much more difficult for me to grasp. If anyone has a clue I'd appreciate some enlightenment.

23. The enemy is true, I am true suprise; The enemy is suprise, I am suprise true. A soft body pulls the rudder. Flowing water drives a light boat.

24. A strike comes to my right and my left responds. A strike comes to my front and my back responds. I coordinate my response with my breathing. If I do this others find it difficult to respond to me.

25. Close and roll, defend to the left and right. Turning back the head in retreat turns into an advance. If pressed close, move farther away. Commit to a strong body form.

26. The flicking palm conceals the body as you advance. Use the hooking palm as you retreat and then advance. Attack the enemy's front side as you advance. The flick and hook, up and down, aid and support each other.

27. An arm stretched out from the side of the body reveals an empty space. The chest exposed to open air induces people to attack. Draw out the enemy to take the advantage and advance. Bind, mix, seal, insert, and strive to master the movement.

28. With the overturning body palm method, defense becomes the attack. Overturn, roll, arc and turn to follow the man's motion. Submit to the objective, ignore the subjective. Pierce, grip, hang, and float, agile functions.

29. The Baguazhang method is not a blocking frame. I wish to choose flowing from my center. The outgoinh hand must choose the way to approach. I issue later but arrive first cannot be successfully defended against.

30. Touch and stick, continuously follow, don't loose the lead. Don't block, don't frame, flow with the enemy's nature. Yeild the position and strive for mastery of motion. Moving supports motion, moving supports stillness

31. The man is hard, I am soft and completely rely on walking; Bring about the condition to deprive him of the first hand; Turning and entering I flow to the man's back; Soft turns to hard and sticking becomes issuing.

32. When hardness is presented first then softness must be concealed inside. When softness is presented first it must be coordinated with hardness. Hardness conceals softness in its center, softness contains hardness. Hardness and softness are transformed in the stepping.

33. The eyes are linked to the hands which are linked to the waist which is linked to the legs. When the whole body is harmonized and coordinated, then when you issue stength it is whole. Regardless of whether your movements are straight or curved, the walking must be stable. When you get the power and get the posture, then you will be able to control the enemy.

34. When jing and shen are connected with qi, the posture will be filled. You will then be calm and composed, not terrified. The eyes detecting the enemy's emotion is the first point. The brain is the master and takes charge of the movement.

35. For the hands to attack the enemy, the waist and legs must be quick. Advance and retreat completely rely on the feet. Understand that walking be transformed by turning has many meanings. The true significance of Bagua is contained within this.

36. Bagua's true significance is not a mystery. Go smoothly, understand transformation, and walk the circle many times. Don't block, don't frame, don't lose the lead. Sacrifice your own interests for the sake of flowing with the enemy's emotion.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Shi Style Baguazhang
Oral Traditions:
The 48 Skill Methods

Forward: Here are some more goodies from Shi Style Baguazhang. Please bear in mind that I am probably not the best qualified to translate this stuff, but no one else seems to want to do it. Chinese characters often have more than one meaning. In choosing the best meaning I must rely on my own experience with the art and with fighting. Someone else might have another interpretation based on their experience. The martial arts has its own jargon, characters will be used in a martial context that will never show up in a common dictionary. Unless one is privy to the martial meaning of the character, the sentence ends up making no sense. Unfortunately I make mistakes in this area, so you will have to bear with me. Because of the varying ways in which Chinese texts can be interpreted it makes sense to read as many translations as possible in order to sort through the chaff and pick out what pearls may be within. I would encourage anyone with alternate translations to publish and compare with what I submit so that we may all grow in knowledge in the arts.

-Joseph Crandall

1. Shen Fa -- The Body Method:

The body is like a swimming dragon, a wild goose soaring in the air. Zigzagging, curved and straight, it moves like a snake. Overturn, roll, revolve and turn are dominated by the waist. Move to the corners and side-to-side, advance and retreat, talking and laughing in the center.

2. Mu Ce - Range Estimation:

To resist the enemy when you cross hands, you must first estimate the range. If there is no movement, gaze at the man's shoulder. Calmly and carefully examine his posture. Seek out the way to go. Reconnoitre and reflect. Only the eyes look forward.

3. Yanming - Sharp Eyes:

The heart's emotions are reflected in the eyes like a mirror. See the situation create the emotion, then the posture responds. If you are very fearful and the mind is confused, your eyes will not follow. The hands will be occupied, the feet confused, and you will lose your cleverness

4. Xianxing - In Advance:

The eyes first seek out the enemy's condition. The four sides and eight directions need to be observed clearly. Allow your movement to change irregularly many times. What enters my eye, I instantly understand.

5. Shen Shi - Careful Posture:

The eyes watch the four directions, form and posture are understood. The ears hear in eight directions, movement and stillness are known. The feet tread the eight trigrams, walk the complete circle. Look ahead and behind, capture the enemy's emotion.

6. Bu Fa - Stepping Method:

If you wish to move the extremities, the root must move first. Quick hands are inferior to agile stepping. Turning, moving, entering, yeilding only require half a step. The outer boundary is peaceful, the whole form changes.

7. Ta Zong Men - Tread the Center Gate:

Stride forward like a tiger and with the aspect of a hero. Advance and retreat, look around, look for the enemy's trace. The feet tread the center gate and interlink with the enemy's path. The enemy has to defend against strikes to the center.

8. Xie Chu Cheng Ru - Diagonal Leaving, Straight Entering:

With footsteps firm and stable, seek adroit movement. By advancing, retreating, turning, and shifting, seek out the enemy's path. Walking follows the triangle. The toes grip the ground. Diagonal leaving, straight entering, is wonderful and unlimited.

9. Xu Jin - Continuous Advancing:

Develop an offensive posture, the enemy can not move back. Continue advancing with strikes that are difficult to evade. Step and advance the body, then step to the front. The hands, feet, and body must be one and arrive together.

10. Lian Zhui - Continuous Chasing:

I advance. If the enemy retreats, I must follow. One step or two steps, I am continuously stepping to follow. Closely press the enemy so there is no way for him to flee. Continuously advance, victory comes in one step.

11. Xu shi - Empty and Full:

For agile movement in the legs, empty and full need to be understood If you relax the rules then you will be double weighted and sluggish. With changing movements and turning movements the empty foot is agile. With the weight in the full foot, steadiness is preserved.

12. Jin-tui - Advance and Retreat:

The enemy retreats, I advance with my front foot first. The enemy advances, I retreat by moving with my rear foot. The stepping method of advancing and retreating must be agile, Turning, changing, and transforming in accordance with the enemy's emotion

13. Zhang Fa - Palm Method:

In attack and defence, both palms must be lively. The rear palm goes out and the front palm returns. The tiger's mouth and ox's tongue work together: "Follow the curve to arrive at the straight", understand the body's peril.

14. Gong Fang Xiang Ji - Mutual Attack and Defence:

In mutual attack and defence you must remember firmness. My hand goes out, and defends against the man's strike. Advance to attack, defend and ward-off, turn and transform quickly. When you can attack and be successful in defence, your skill starts to become high.

15. Gong Fang Huying - Attack and Defence Working Together:

The hands, going out and blocking, have to work together. Issuing is not correct and yet it is not presumptuous to issue. The postures of attack and defence change many times. Issuing is not the main thing. You must defend against the opponent's issuing.

16. Zhao Fa - Technique Method:

The front arm reaches straight, forming the tiger's mouth. The rear arm hides the ox tongue. Swallowing and spitting, opening and closing, flow with the enemy's emotion. Work together with change, close the enemy's posture.

17. Fa Jing - Issuing Energy:

Store up energy till plentiful, like a bent bow. Issue energy like an arrow, swiftly away from the bowstring. With a single purpose, in one direction, strength issues from the back. Have a sunk appearance, be relaxed completely, qi ought to be first.

18. Yin Shi Li Dao - Adroitly Guiding Action According to Circumstances:

If he is high, strike him low. If he is low, strike him high. With a fat man, strike at him from either corner. If you meet someone long and thin, press toward the inside. The old man cannot move to block.

19. Jie Zhao - Make Contact and Gesture:

The enemy man comes gesturing. Don't block or frame him. Flow with his incoming posture only once. Moving or still, quick or slow, you must close and slap. Follow curve, move toward the straight, multiply his defects.

20. Jie Na - Explaining Seizing:

Qin Na must use a double hand motion. Both hands seize, oneself is empty. No matter what, Qin Na flows with his motion. Pierce the nose or jab the eyeballs and the enemy's posture relaxes.

21. Jie Na - Explaining Seizing:

He seizes me and the flowing posture moves. The flowing posture moves and the seized posture is empty. Even if his Qin Na is very adroit, My movement follows the man and the seize has no skill.

22. Bu Zhong Qin Na - Do Not Stress Seizing:

The Bagua palm method does not stress seizing. If both your hands, seize you suffer a setback. You are only seizing the man and it is not like striking. Depress and bend the man over, many changes are not advisable.

23. Feng Bi - Seal and Close:

The issuing hand flows and follows the enemy's intention to move. To seal and close the enemy I need a lot of skill. If I can seal firmly the posture of the enemy, Victory employs having my hand in the center.

24. Feng Bi - Seal and Close:

Perhaps he has weapons in both hands and is quick like the wind. With one coming and one going, he displays remarkable skill. Close his left hand then his right hand is not used. Both hands coming at the same time is emptyness.

25. Huan Zhao - Returning Techniques:

Sealing and closing strongly is a technique for 'defending the body'. Vigorously seal the man's techniques and do a technique in return. Stick continuously, following and leading the enemy's techniques. Be neither too close nor too far, flow with the enemy's techniques.

26. Yi Gao Yi Zhao - High Skill of One Move:

The strong are victorious over the weak, and their strength shows off their ability. The quick strike the slow, and their skill is in their speed. In these cases the High Skill of One Move is very much needed. Bind their hands and bind their feet to control them.

27. Rangkai Gong Shi - Defend by Getting Out of the Way:

If the other party has the strength of 1000 pounds, issue quickly. If his incoming posture is as violent as a mountain slide, Get out of the way and attack, take advantage of his gaps. Be decisive and mobile, swiftly do a technique in return.

28. Xie Shan - Diagonal Dodging:

The enemy comes in straight and quick like an arrow. First issue to control the his brave and fierce posture. Only meet this emotion, it is not appropriate to retreat. Diagonally moving, dodge and yeild like a spirit.

29. Bu Lan Bu Jia - Don't Block, Don't Frame:

Even when the enemy's posture is ruthless, you have no fear. He strikes at you and you defend against him. Toe out on the diagonal, the way is close. Don't block, don't frame, only once.

30. You Di - Lead the Enemy:

When the enemy doesn't attack, I use motion to draw him out. When his attack comes, I walk to the empty space. I do not rely on hand methods, I rely on stepping methods. Enticed to advance, he falls into air and is subject to my control.

31. Hua Jie - Transformation Understood:

Vertical can understand horizontal, horizontal understands vertical. When a split comes from an oblique angle, I split him. When a leg comes, if the leg is understood, you understand and then attack. The hands and legs go out and steps turn many times.

32. Yuan Xing Hua Jie - Circular Transformation Understood:

He surrounds me and I surround him. With circular turning and walking he can only attack air. Surround, surround one posture, the trail is not fixed. Completely rely on the stepping method and powerful walking.

33. Xie Zheng Huan Hua - Diagonal and True Transformed:

There is straightness within diagonal and diagonalness within straight. The diagonal/true transformation truly is wonderful. When you meet a strong enemy, a strong attack is demanded. Hide suprises within suprises, and the enemy falls into a trap.

34. Zhi Ren - Control the Man:

To control a man, one ought to pierce up towards his eyes. If both eyes suffer damage, then the enemy will be in a bind. The importance of the damage suffered, though small in degree, is not understood. A poke in the eyes is a victory of 1,000 techniques.

35. Dong Jie - Movement Understood:

Use stillness to control motion, leisurely await the work. Use motion to control stillness, rely on skill. The man doesn't know me, but I know the man. Meet strength with wisdom, seek the weak with flaunting techniques.

36. Kai He - Open and CLose:

If you desire to close, the correct form is to open first. Observe that open defends, and closed can know the power. Open is in the center of closed and closed is in the center of open. They can meet at the origin and instantly know minutia.

37. Qu Shou You Zhun - The Outgoing Hand Is the Standard:

It does not matter if he has 1,000 techniques and quickness in 1,000 things; If he is not able to be centered, his effort are in vain. Not stopping is important and not sending out hand. The outgoing hand must instantly be in the enemy's center.

38. Shulian: Skilled/practiced/proficient:

Attack and defend, advance and retreat, because the postures are different. 100 refinements make steel, bitter practice makes you complete. First aim towards being firm and solid, seek to be level and straight. Spiritual wonder is transformed, skill is created in the center.

39. Lingmin - Sensitive/keen/agile/acute:

If the mind is sensitive, its tranformations are inexhaustable. If the eyes are sharp, they can make out the enemy's emotion. If the stepping is agile, the mechanical power is adaptable. If the hand is keen, controlling the enemy is the standard.

40. Tu Na - Giving and Receiving:

Inhaling and exhaling, giving and receiving, are controlled from the nose. First it flows throught the Du Mai. Then continues to the Ren Mai to complete the cycle. Qi moves through the body, the will directs its motion.

41. Lizheng Zhudong - Work Hard for the Initiative:

When fighting, you must be able to endure the enemy's atttack. First seek to be invincible, then return the attack. If the posture and surroundings are inferior, toe out and escape. The center having moved, strive for the initiative.

42. Ceshen - On Ones Side:

In the Snake Form Palm, the posture the body overturns to the side. The body must have a twisting movement to use the Snake Form. Both arms go out straight to protect the skull. Expanding and contracting, turning sideways, Snake Spits out its Tongue.

43. Niu Yao - Twist the Waist:

When the enemy attacks, I stick to his body. My hands and feet return to defend and transform him. Turning and revolving, left and right, the waist twists and turns. Take a turn for the better and be out of danger; defeat demands victory.

44. Dang Ji Ji Fa - Prompt Issuing:

The mind takes charge of life, the eyes gaze. The hands and feet coordinate for carefull attack and defence. Search for the man's gaps, strive for motion. Issue promptly, don't hesitate.

45. Bi Shi Ji Xu - Avoid the Enemy's Strength, Strike at his Weakness:

When the enemy punches at your face, Take the lower way and instantly open up. Take him by suprise, unprepared for the attack. Avoid his strength and attack his weak points, victory comes.

46. Ji Ting - Avoid Stopping:

The chaotic original one qi walks heaven's limits. Walking, but not walking too far, the feet change and transform. Bagua's functional movement consists of the walking movements. Standing fixed when convenient becomes fallen flowers.

47. Luo Kong Bu Wen - Fall into Emptyness No Disorder:

Stepping must be lively and the gestures must be accurate. Then, to use 'Falling into Emptiness', the mind must not be disorderly. Curves interlink with curves and are never used up. When there are circles within circles, transformation is created.

48. Li Yi Wei Xian - Ceremony and Righteousness take Precedence:

Esteem virtue, esteem ceremony, don't esteem strength. Esteem wisdom, esteem righteousness, don't esteem bravery. Esteem strength, esteem bravery, strength is the core of strength. When your skill is high, then with one touch, your enemy falls into emptiness.

Assisting Song:

In Martial Arts, techniques come from theory. If the theory is substantial, then skill can advance. They supplement each other and both can rise high. Constantly improve, have no fixed bounderies. The Inner Gate leads the way, the teacher transmits the instruction. First, toward the firm and stable, seek the level and true. The martial sea has roads, diligently use the boat. Spiritual wonder is transformed and practice is halfway complete.

[The following article is from The Smiling Tiger archived site
-- http://users2.ev1.net/~stma/bagua1.htm ]

Shi(3) Jidong is not Shi(1) Jidong
By Shi(3) Naijian, Ji county, Hebei

From Zhonghua Wushu, volume 149, Dec. 1996

In 1987, Fujian Scientific Fighting Arts Publishers put out a book by Lin Sui titled Orthodox Baguazhang. In this book it was stated that: “Dong Haichuan had ten famous students. One of them was Han Fushun. Mr. Han Fushun (also called Han Liu) was of the Cheng NanPeng village in Ji County, Hebei. He was a simple and upright man. When he was young, he wanted to study Baguazhang. He asked Shi(1) Jidong and Shi (3) Liqing to be his teachers in Baguazhang. When Dong Haichuan met him, he saw that Mr. Han was simple and honest, and grasped that his nature was truly gentle. He put much importance on weapons. This caused Dong to accepted him as a student.”

This part of the text and what is really true do not match. I am Shi (3) Jidong’s direct descendent. My ancestor Shi (3) Jidong was Dong Gong Haichuan’s third inner door disciple. He was also Dong Gong’s adopted son-in-law. When Dong Gong began to get old, he taught his art in people’s homes. My ancestor took advantage of this. He welcomed Dong Gong into his home and provided for him. At that time, as was common among men and women who did not have relatives, Shi asked Dong Gong to adopt his wife. In this way, as a relative, they could naturally look after and attend to Dong Gong. He would live with them and they would supply his clothes, food, and expenses, and when he died make his tomb.

Han Fushun was not a literate man. He worked as a blacksmith for my family when they set up the Yi He Lumberyard in Beijing. He was sincere and honest, diligent and conscientious. Also because of his concern for his fellow villagers, therefore he also wanted to teach his Bagua Martial Arts. As Dong Gong lived with my family, he was able to point out faults to Mr. Han. In the old society, teachers and students were bound by certain rules. To become a formal student, one must kneel in reverence to the teacher. This was reserved for talented people that the teacher wanted to keep close. The writing on Dong Gong’s tomb gives the complete list of his students. It does not have Han Fushun’s name. Probably Mr. Wu Junshan and Mr. Lin Sui have not seen the writing on the tomb.

Also in WuLin, volume 4, 1993, Hao Xinlian say’s, “Wu style Baguazhang, geneology is this: the famous Baguazhang practitioner Wu Junshan was the top student of Shi(1) Jidong, who was Dong Haichuan’s adopted son-in-law.” So here we have Mr. Dong Haichuan’s adopted son-in-law Shi (3) Jidong’s name is changed to make Shi(1) Jidong. Now we have this matter of “duplicate records”. In order to clear up this matter so that the error is not propagated, I especially make this declaration to straighten history to its correct appearance. I hope that Wu Style Baguazhang practitioners and Mr. Hao Xinlian understand and make allowances for this.

Shi (3) Jidong was styled Zhenbang. He was commonly called Liu. His name in the arts was Shi (3) Liqing. He was from Cheng Si Shao Zhai village, Ji County, Hebei Province. He was born in 1837 and died in 1909.

Shi (3) – history
Shi (1) – execute, carry out

 

Other Sources