157065515-Xing-Yi-Nei-Gong

Xing Yi Nei Gong Xing Yi Health Maintenance and Internal Strength Development

compiled and edited by Dan Miller and Tim Cartmell

Xing Yi Nei Gong

Xing Yi Health Maintenance and Internal Strength Development

compiled and edited by Dan Miller and Tim Cartmell High View Publications, Pacific Grove, CA

Xing Yi Net Gong Xing Yi Health Maintenance and Internal Strength Development

Copyright © 1994 Dan Miller and Tim Cartmell I S B N 1-883175-04-6 All R i g h t s R e s e r v e d Published by High View Publications P.O. Box 51967 Pacific Grove, CA 9 3 9 5 0

Printed in the United States of America

Disclaimer T h e author, translator, and publisher of t h e book a r e not responsible f o r a n y i n j u r y w h i c h m a y r e s u l t f r o m following t h e i n s t r u c t i o n s c o n t a i n e d herein. Before e m b a r k i n g on a n y of the physical activities described in this book, t h e r e a d e r s h o u l d c o n s u l t h i s o r h e r p h y s i c i a n f o r a d v i c e r e g a r d i n g t h e i r individual suitability for performing such activity.

Table of Contents Acknowledgments Dedication Preface Translator's Preface Forward

Chapter 1

- W a n g |i Wu a n d t h e L i n e a g e of his X i n g Yi Q u a n

W a n g j i Wu's Xing Yi Quan Students Wang Ji Wu's Principles of Living Chapter 2 •

Liu He X i n Yi Q u a n W r i t t e n T r a n s m i s s i o n s

Introduction Dai Long Bang's Forward Essential Knowledge for Martial Arts Practice San Ti Shi (Trinity Posture) T h e hive Element Fists The Mutual Creation and Destruction of the Five Elements T h e Twelve Forms T h e Earth Dragon C a n o n Three Fists, Three Clubs Xing Yi Sword Important Points of Body, Form, and Martial Practice Body, Stepping, and Hand Methods Internal Training (Net Gang) Combat C h a p t e r 3 - X i n g Yi Q u a n S t a n d i n g Practice Introduction Basic Concepts Postures and Images Images from the Xing Yi Classics Practicing San 71 Shi

1 26 30 33 34 36 36 39 40 42 43 43 44 44 45 SO S3 55 57 58 63 68 73 76

C h a p t e r 4 - X i n g Yi Health a n d Body S t r e n g t h e n i n g Exercises: An Introduction

87

An Introduction by W a n g l.ian Yi A Brief Introduction to the Sixteen Health Exercises

88 99

Chapter 5

•

W a n g Ji W u ' s Body Strengthening a n d Health M a i n t e n a n c e Exercises

Editor's Introduction Exercise O n e : Uniting the Original Qi Exercise Two; T h e Jade Dragon Weaves Around the Body Exercise Three: Opening and Closing Soothes the Meridians Exercise Four: Ju Que and Xuan Wu Divide the North and South Exercise Five: Uphold the Heavens and Firm the Root Exercise Six: Empty t h e Eoot and Lift a Single Hand Exercise Seven: Concentrate the Spirit and (laze at the Heel The Golden Cock Eats Rice Exercise Eight: Ape Arms Enliven the Blood • Exercise Nine: Raising the Back Seven Times Exercise Ten: Both Fists Strike the Back Exercise Eleven: Rotating the Waist Strengthens the Kidneys Exercise Twelve: Moving the Hips to the Left and Right Exercise Thirteen: Pressing the Knees Regulates the Meridians Exercise Fourteen: Rubbing the Knees and Stretching the Body Exercise Fifteen: Yin Opens and Yfln^Closes Exercise Sixteen: The Heels Kick Back Supplemental Exercise: The Crawling Tiger Song of the Sixteen Health Exercises Afterward Xing Yi Exercises Performed Lying On a Bed C h a p t e r 6 - X i n g Yi Five E l e m e n t S p e a r

107 108 110 11S 119 124 128 1.34 138 144 148 152 156 160 164 168 172 176 179 181 182 18.3 185

Introduction Splitting Spear Drilling Spear Smashing Spear Pounding Spear Crossing Spear

186 187 189 192 194 196

About t h e Translator About the Editor

199 200

f the dan tian is lacking, the qi will not be sufficient. With insufficient qi, power will be inadequate. The five elements and the twelve forms will be empty. In this state, in defense one will be as a city surrounded by a dry moat, in attack, one will be like a strong soldier with a weak horse. One must practice diligently everyday. Sitting in meditation trying to become immortal will not cultivate the dan tian.

/

- from Dai Long Bang's Written Transmissions of Xin Yi Liu He Quan

Acknowledgements First a n d f o r e m o s t w e w o u l d like t o a c k n o w l e d g e M r . Z h a n g B a o Y a n g a n d Mr. W a n g J i n Yu for their w i l l i n g n e s s to share this i n f o r m a t i o n w i t h t h e English s p e a k i n g w o r l d . A d d i t i o n a l l y I w o u l d like t o t h a n k t h e t r a n s l a t o r s w h o h e l p e d to translate interviews with Z h a n g Bao Yang and W a n g Jin Yu w h e n T i m C a r t m e l l w a s n o t a v a i l a b l e . T h e s e i n d i v i d u a l s a r e : Bill T u c k e r , H u a n g G u o Q i , a n d X u Y u H o n g . T h e i r skill i n t r a n s l a t i o n a n d p a t i e n c e d u r i n g t h e l o n g h o u r s of interviews is greatly appreciated. W e w o u l d a l s o like t o t h a n k V i n c e B l a c k f o r p r o o f r e a d i n g a n d p r o v i d i n g a forward t o this b o o k , N a n c y Miller for her p a t i e n c e a n d proofreading, a n d T i m ' s wife Gu Feng M c i for her h e l p in translating t h e written material.

Dedication

Wangji Wu (1891 - 1991)

This book is dedicated to the m e m o r y of Xing Yi Quan Master W a n g Jt Wu. His l i f e l o n g d e d i c a t i o n t o t h e m a r t i a l a n d h e a l i n g arts a n d willingness to share these arts o p e n l y w i t h others should serve as an inspiration a n d e x a m p l e for future generations.

Preface T h e m a t e r i a l i n t h i s b o o k i s a c u l m i n a t i o n o f n e a r l y 1 0 0 years o f e x p e r i e n c e i n t h e art o r X i n g Y i Q u a n b y M a s t e r W a n g J i W u (JL.*8 over 40 years of e x p e r i e n c e for each of W a n g ' s students, Z h a n g Bao Yang "f t§), W a n g Jin Yu * ) . ) , a n d H e Y u Q i (fT^'Hc), a n d o v e r t w o years o f c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e t w e e n W a n g ' s students, myself and T i m Cartmell. This material is straightforward, p r a c t i c a l , easy t o l e a r n , a n d t i m e t e s t e d . T i m C a r t m e l l a n d 1 first m e t Z h a n g B a o Y a n g o n t h e s i x t h o f O c t o b e r , 1 9 9 2 , i n B e i j i n g , C h i n a . W e w e r e a t t h e h o m e o f X i e Pei Q i (HfflH£), a well k n o w n B a G u a practitioner in Beijing. X i e had k n o w n we were c o m i n g and had invited s o m e o f h i s m a r t i a l arts f r i e n d s f o r t h e o c c a s i o n . D u r i n g o u r s t a y a t X i e ' s h o m e t h e f o c u s o f a t t e n t i o n w a s X i e Pei Q i a n d h i s B a G u a , h o w e v e r , I c o u l d n o t h e l p but notice a distinguished looking elder g e n t l e m a n sitting quietly in the corner observing the interview. Just before we were about to leave I asked to be i n t r o d u c e d to t h e g e n t l e m a n a n d found o u t he was X i n g Yi Q u a n Master Z h a n g Bao Yang, President of the Beijing Xing Yi Q u a n Association. Z h a n g gave me his n a m e c a r d a n d I a s k e d i f w e c o u l d visit w i t h h i m i n a f e w d a y s . Z h a n g a g r e e d and we arranged to m e e t h i m at his h o m e on the eighth of October. W h e n T i m a n d I arrived a t Z h a n g ' s h o m e , t w o o f h i s X i n g Y i b r o t h e r s , H e Y u Q i a n d Pan Z h i Y u a n (iijfeSS). w e r e t h e r e w i t h h i m . I a s k e d Z h a n g a n d h i s classmates about their X i n g Yi and they brought out s o m e photographs of their teacher, W a n g Ji W u , and s o m e written material they had c o m p i l e d over t h e y e a r s . T h e o l d p h o t o g r a p h s f a s c i n a t e d m e , e s p e c i a l l y a series o f p h o t o s s h o w i n g W a n g J i W u p e r f o r m i n g a set o f e x e r c i s e s . I a s k e d a b o u t t h e p h o t o g r a p h s a n d Z h a n g e x p l a i n e d t h a t t h e s e w e r e a set o f s i x t e e n h e a l t h a n d b o d y s t r e n g t h e n i n g e x e r c i s e s t h a t his t e a c h e r h a d s t u d i e d o v e r h i s l i f e t i m e o f X i n g Y i Q u a n p r a c t i c e a n d e x p e r i e n c e w i t h C h i n e s e m e d i c i n e . His t e a c h e r h a d s y s t e m a t i z e d t h e set and taught t h e m to each of his Xing Yi Q u a n students as foundational training f o r X i n g Yi. Z h a n g a s k e d i f I w o u l d like t o s e e t h e set a n d a l l o w e d m e t o f i l m h i m p r a c t i c i n g all o f t h e e x e r c i s e s . I w a s v e r y i m p r e s s e d w i t h t h e s i m p l i c i t y o f t h e e x e r c i s e s a n d t h e t h o r o u g h n e s s o f t h e e x e r c i s e set. Z h a n g Bao Y a n g a n d his classmates were very o p e n a n d g e n e r o u s during our first m e e t i n g . Z h a n g n o t o n l y s h o w e d u s t h e s i x t e e n h e a l i n g e x e r c i s e s a n d several o f t h e i r X i n g Y i Q u a n f o r m s , b u t h e a l l o w e d m e t o c o p y all o f t h e p h o t o g r a p h s he had collected of his teacher and o t h e r X i n g Yi Q u a n masters d u r i n g h i s 4 0 years o f s t u d y i n g t h e a r t . T i m a n d 1 w e r e s o i m p r e s s e d w i t h Z h a n g a n d h i s k n o w l e d g e o f X i n g Y i Q u a n t h a t o n O c t o b e r 1 1 t h w e w e n t b a c k t o visit h i m to c o n d u c t a m o r e in-depth interview. During this interview we gathered m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t W a n g J i W u a n d his X i n g Y i ( J u a n . As impressed as Tim and I were about Zhang Bao Yang's knowledge of X i n g Y i , w e w e r e b o t h e q u a l l y i m p r e s s e d w i t h his p e r s o n a l i t y a n d c h a r a c t e r . T i m c o m m e n t e d m a n y times about t h e clarity o f Z h a n g ' s s p o k e n word a n d his ability t o e x p r e s s h i m s e l f v e r b a l l y . T i m said t h a t i t w a s o b v i o u s t h a t Z h a n g w a s a m a n viii

o f h i g h e d u c a t i o n . Z h a n g ' s h o m e a n d his p e r s o n a l a p p e a r a n c e w e r e v e r y n e a t a n d tidy, h e w a s a l w a y s e n e r g e t i c , h a d a v e r y p o s i t i v e a t t i t u d e , w i l l i n g l y a n s w e r e d a n y o f o u r q u e s t i o n s , a n d n e v e r h a d a b a d thing, t o say a b o u t a n y o n e else o r a n y o t h e r X i n g Y i s y s t e m . W h i l e m a n y A m e r i c a n s h a v e a s o m e w h a t r o m a n t i c v i e w o f t h e " s c h o l a r l y b o x e r " a n d t h u s t h i n k t h a t t h e s e are c o m m o n q u a l i t i e s f o u n d i n all o f t h e o l d b o x i n g m a s t e r s , t h e fact i s t h a t Z h a n g B a o Y a n g i s a rare i n d i v i d u a l i n t h e b o x i n g w o r l d i n m a i n l a n d C h i n a . I left C h i n a a t t h e e n d o f O c t o b e r , h o w e v e r , T i m s t a y e d I n t h e m a i n l a n d f o r several m o r e w e e k s b e f o r e r e t u r n i n g t o T a i w a n . D u r i n g his t r a v e l s T i m r a n a c r o s s a b o o k c a l l e d Shen (Jong {Jfttf) w h i c h w a s w r i t t e n by W a n g J i W u ' s s o n , W a n g I.ian Y i j£ H j . O n e of t h e chapters contained the sixteen exercises which Zhang Bao Yang had shown us in Beijing. I began thinking about p u b l i s h i n g a b o o k w h i c h c o n t a i n e d t h i s e x e r c i s e set a n d s o I a s k e d T i m t o t r a n s l a t e w h a t w a s w r i t t e n i n W a n g Lian Y i ' s b o o k . I r e t u r n e d t o B e i j i n g i n April 1 9 9 3 a n d a g a i n visited w i t h Z h a n g B a o Y a n g o n several o c c a s i o n s . 1 t o l d Z h a n g of my i n t e r e s t in p u b l i s h i n g a b o o k of his teacher's exercises a n d b e t h o u g h t that it would be a g o o d idea. During this trip Z h a n g w e n t t h r o u g h e a c h o f t h e s i x t e e n e x e r c i s e s i n great d e t a i l w h i l e Bill T u c k e r t r a n s l a t e d a n d I t o o k n o t e s . W h e n I r e t u r n e d h o m e I c o m p i l e d all o f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n a n d p h o t o g r a p h s t h a t I had received from Z h a n g Bao Yang with t h e i n f o r m a t i o n T i m h a d t r a n s l a t e d f r o m W a n g L i a n Yi's b o o k t o f o r m t h e first r o u g h draft o f t h i s b o o k . I n S e p t e m b e r 1 9 9 3 , 1 r e t u r n e d t o B e i j i n g a n d s h o w e d t h e first r o u g h d r a f t o f t h e b o o k to Z h a n g . I f o u n d out that he a n d his classmates h a d also been busy p r e p a r i n g m a t e r i a l for t h e b o o k . T h e y p r e s e n t e d m e w i t h r e v i s e d c o p i e s o f t h e w r i t t e n m a t e r i a l t h e y h a d g i v e n m e d u r i n g m y first visit a n d a l s o g a v e m e a v e r y detailed written description of each of the exercises. Z h a n g Bao Yang and W a n g J i n Yu were not particularly f o n d of the way W a n g Ji W u ' s son h a d presented t h e material in his b o o k . They felt t h a t h i s p r e s e n t a t i o n w a s t o o e s o t e r i c a n d i n v o l v e d t o o m u c h o f t h e l a n g u a g e o f C h i n e s e m e d i c i n e . Z h a n g a n d W a n g felt t h a t t h e e x e r c i s e s s h o u l d b e e x p l a i n e d i n a v e r y s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d , useful m a n n e r a n d s o t h e y w a n t e d m e t o u s e t h e i r e x p l a n a t i o n s o f t h e e x e r c i s e s . Y o u will f i n d t h a t I h a v e p r e s e n t e d b o t h W a n g l.ian Yi's m a t e r i a l a n d Z h a n g B a o Y a n g a n d W a n g J i n Yu's material in this b o o k . After r e t u r n i n g t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , I s e n t t h e n e w m a t e r i a l t o T i m C a r t m e l l to translate. T h e n e w m a t e r i a l i n c l u d e d t h e X i n g Y i Written Transmissions, Explanations of the sixteen exercises, and historical information pertaining to W a n g Ji Wu and W a n g Fu Yuan. Additionally, the biographies of W a n g ' s students were included. B e t w e e n N o v e m b e r 1 9 9 3 a n d M a r c h 1 9 9 4 , 1 p u t t o g e t h e r all o f t h e t r a n s l a t e d i n f o r m a t i o n , wrote a biography of W a n g Ji W u ' s X i n g Yi lineage, added s o m e material T i m h a d written about Xing Yi's s t a n d i n g practice, a n d printed a s e c o n d r o u g h draft o f t h e b o o k . I n April 1 9 9 4 , T i m C a r t m e l l a n d i w e n t b a c k t o visit Z h a n g B a o Y a n g a n d W a n g J i n Y u a n d s h o w e d t h e m t h e s e c o n d d r a f t . Z h a n g and W a n g were b o t h pleased with t h e w a y t h e b o o k was s h a p i n g u p . D u r i n g these m e e t i n g s , we asked s o m e m o r e detailed q u e s t i o n s about t h e e x e r c i s e s , t h e w r i t t e n t r a n s m i s s i o n s , a n d X i n g Yi's s t a n d i n g p r a c t i c e . Z h a n g B a o Y a n g a l s o p o s e d f o r all o f t h e p h o t o g r a p h s p r e s e n t e d i n t h e s e c t i o n s o n t h e sixteen exercises a n d t h e standing practice. Additionally, Zhang gave us a video

t a p e h e h a d p r e p a r e d w h i c h c o n t a i n e d all o f t h e s o l o f o r m s , t w o - p e r s o n sets, w e a p o n s forms and supplemental exercises from their X i n g Yi system. Included o n t h i s t a p e w a s a l s o a p o w e r t r a i n i n g set w h e r e b y Z h a n g p e r f o r m e d X i n g Yi's five e l e m e n t s w i t h a l o n g s p e a r . S i n c e 1 w a n t e d t h i s b o o k t o r e p r e s e n t all o f t h e s u p p l e m e n t a l h e a l t h a n d strength building exercises that a X i n g Yi practitioner might practice in c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e s t a n d a r d X i n g Y i f o r m s a n d t w o - p e r s o n sets, 1 d e c i d e d t o a d d a c h a p t e r o n t h e p o w e r t r a i n i n g e x e r c i s e s w i t h t h e l o n g s p e a r . After o u r t r i p t o B e i j i n g i n April, I i n c o r p o r a t e d t h e n e w m a t e r i a l w i t h t h e draft v e r s i o n o f t h e b o o k a n d t h e result i s w h a t y o u n o w h o l d i n y o u r h a n d s . T h e e x e r c i s e s p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s b o o k are s i m p l e a n d f u n c t i o n a l . T h e r e i s n o t a n y t h i n g " e s o t e r i c " o r " m y s t i c a l " a b o u t t h e m . Like t h e art o f X i n g Y i itself, t h e s e e x e r c i s e s a r e d i r e c t , p r a c t i c a l , a n d t h e y p r o d u c e results i f p r a c t i c e d d i l i g e n t l y . In the Spring of 1 9 9 3 , V i n c e Black, T i m Cartmell, a n d I were interviewing a X i n g Y i master i n T a i w a n . W e h a d b e e n asking q u e s t i o n s o f this g e n t l e m a n for a c o u p l e o f h o u r s a n d a s t h e i n t e r v i e w c a m e t o a c l o s e V i n c e said, " B e f o r e w e e n d this interview, are t h e r e a n y words of advice t h a t y o u can give us regarding t h e p r a c t i c e o f X i n g Y i . " T h e g e n t l e m a n t h o u g h t f o r a m i n u t e a n d t h e n said, " Y o u c a n n o t b e t o o s m a r t a n d p r a c t i c e X i n g Yi. A t t a i n m e n t o f X i n g Y i skill r e q u i r e s r e p e t i t i o n o f t h e s a m e t h i n g t h o u s a n d s o f t i m e s . I f y o u t h i n k t o o m u c h y o u will n o t be c o n t e n t with repeating the same m o v e m e n t s so m a n y times. Practice hard, keep it simple, a n d d o n ' t be t o o s m a r t ! " T h i s is t h e same as t h e X i n g Yi Q u a n adage to "practice t h e plain without e m b e l l i s h m e n t , practice simple m o v e m e n t s until t h e y are highly r e f i n e d . " T h e s a m e a d v i c e a p p l i e s t o t h e m a t e r i a l p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s b o o k . For b e s t results, t h e s t a n d i n g p r a c t i c e a n d h e a l t h e x e r c i s e s s h o u l d b e p r a c t i c e d e v e r y d a y b e f o r e a n d a f t e r f o r m s p r a c t i c e . D o n o t t r y t o read t o o m u c h i n t o t h e e x e r c i s e s , k e e p t h e m s i m p l e a n d p r a c t i c e e v e r y d a y a n d t h e g o o d results will n a t u r a l l y follow. We h o p e that you enjoy this book. Dan Miller Summer 1994 Pacific Grove, CA

Translator's Preface by Tim Cartmell T h e r e h a v e b e e n m a n y b o o k s o n X i n g Y i Q u a n f o r m s b u t v e r y little w r i t t e n o n t r a i n i n g t h e b a s i c s a n d s u p p l e m e n t a r y t r a i n i n g . All m a r t i a l arts i n c l u d e b o t h f o r m s t r a i n i n g (quart too) as w e l l as s u p p l e m e n t a r y p o w e r t r a i n i n g (Han gong). T h e r e i s a f a m o u s q u o t e i n t h e C h i n e s e m a r t i a l arts w o r l d w h i c h s t a t e s , " I f o n e p r a c t i c e s m a r t i a l f o r m s w i t h o u t a l s o t r a i n i n g f o r p o w e r , i n t h e e n d o n e will h a v e achieved nothing." I t i s o u r h o p e t h a t t h i s b o o k will b e u s e f u l t o t h o s e p r a c t i t i o n e r s o f X i n g Y i Q u a n ( o r a n y o t h e r m a r t i a l art) w h o are l o o k i n g f o r traditional m e t h o d s of p o w e r training to s u p p l e m e n t their art. It s h o u l d be noted that in addition to the potential increase in martial power that these e x e r c i s e s a f f o r d t h e y are a l s o e x c e l l e n t h e a l t h b u i l d i n g m e t h o d s i n t h e i r o w n right. W h y i s i t t h a t t h e C h i n e s e a u t h o r s o f b o o k s o n X i n g Y i Q u a n are w i l l i n g t o write extensively on the practice of b o x i n g forms, but supplementary power t r a i n i n g i s u s u a l l y m e n t i o n e d i n p a s s i n g , i f a t a l l ? T h e a n s w e r lies i n t h e fact t h a t b o x i n g f o r m s are useless u n l e s s t h e p r a c t i t i o n e r h a s t h e k n o w l e d g e o f h o w t h e y are applied a n d t h e power to apply t h e m . As simple a n d basic as some of t h e s u p p l e m e n t a r y exercises m a y seem, they were generally kept "secret." T h e t r a d i t i o n a l c o n c e p t o f m a r t i a l i n s t r u c t i o n w a s t o drill a s t u d e n t i n f o r m s u n t i l t h e t e a c h e r w a s c o n v i n c e d o f his s i n c e r i t y a n d m o t i v e s b e f o r e t h e m e t h o d s o f power training and application were revealed. And these m e t h o d s were usually c o n c e a l e d from t h e general public. Although in t h e m o d e r n world such ideas m a y s e e m a bit a r c h a i c , k e e p i n g i n s u c h i n f o r m a t i o n s e c r e t i s still c o m m o n a m o n g m a n y teachers. Dan Miller a n d I were fortunate e n o u g h to m e e t Z h a n g Bao Yang by c h a n c e . He h a d at o n e time been the head of the Beijing X i n g Yi Quan Association and n o w serves a s a n a d v i s o r . Z h a n g w a s o n e o f t h e t o p s t u d e n t s o f W a n g J i W u , w h o in t u r n was o n e of t h e great X i n g Yi Q u a n masters of this c e n t u r y . Z h a n g B a o Y a n g i s o n e o f t h o s e rare i n d i v i d u a l s w h o p u t s t h e p r o m o t i o n o f h i s art a b o v e his o w n personal gain. He m e t w i t h D a n a n d I several t i m e s a n d was c o m p l e t e l y o p e n i n s h a r i n g h i s k n o w l e d g e w i t h u s . H e t a u g h t u s t h e set o f s i x t e e n e x e r c i s e s f o r h e a l t h w h i c h his t e a c h e r h a d s t a n d a r d i z e d a n d w h i c h f o r m e d t h e n u c l e u s o f t h e i r b a s i c t r a i n i n g . A l t h o u g h t h e m e t h o d i s r e f e r r e d t o a s a set o f h e a l t h b u i l d i n g e x e r c i s e s , t h e s e m o v e m e n t s are a l s o t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f p o w e r t r a i n i n g . In Xi An 1 c a m e u p o n a c o p y of a b o o k written by a n o t h e r of W a n g Ji W u ' s s t u d e n t s (his s o n W a n g l.ian Yi) w h i c h i n c l u d e d t h e s i x t e e n h e a l t h e x e r c i s e s a n d from w h i c h s o m e of t h e i n f o r m a t i o n in this b o o k is taken. But t h e a b o v e m e n t i o n e d w o r k left o u t m a n y o f t h e f i n e r p o i n t s w h i c h Z h a n g B a o Y a n g later i n c l u d e d . A n o t h e r o f W a n g j i W u ' s students, W a n g J i n Y u was also most helpful i n c l a r i f y i n g t h e f i n e r p o i n t s o f t r a i n i n g . T h e last t i m e w e v i s i t e d Z h a n g , h e a l s o s h o w e d us advanced m e t h o d s of power training with a long spear which should p r o v e t o b e m o s t useful t o a d v a n c e d p r a c t i t i o n e r s o f t h e a r t . I n a d d i t i o n , t h e r e

is a rather extensive section on the benefits and practice of stance keeping, a n o t h e r pillar o f X i n g Y i Q u a n b a s i c t r a i n i n g . I t h i n k t h i s b o o k i s a n i m p o r t a n t first s t e p i n p r e s e n t i n g t h e " o t h e r s i d e " o f X i n g Y i Q u a n t r a i n i n g a n d I h o p e y o u will f i n d t h e i n f o r m a t i o n i n c l u d e d h e r e u s e f u l t o y o u r o w n t r a i n i n g . Tim Cartmell Summer 1994 Taipei, Taiwan

Ml

Foreword by Vince Black

It is a privilege to write t h e forward to such an i m p o r t a n t piece of work on t h i s lesser k n o w n a s p e c t o f t r a d i t i o n a l p h y s i c a l c u l t u r e m e t h o d s . T h i s b o o k v e r y n e a r l y s t a n d s a l o n e i n its o r i g i n a l i t y a s a c o n t r i b u t i o n f r o m a m o s t s e n i o r m a s t e r (and his students) of a traditional school of internal pugilism. This u n i q u e p o s i t i o n i s s h a r e d b y few o t h e r s , p e r h a p s o n l y S u n L u T a n g a n d W a n g Z i P i n g , d u e t o t h e f a c t t h a t few b o x e r s a t t a i n s u c h h i g h level skills a n d k n o w l e d g e i n b o t h m a r t i a l arts a n d t r a d i t i o n a l C h i n e s e m e d i c i n e , a s w e l l a s p o s s e s s i n g t h e l i t e r a r y skill o f w r i t i n g , e a c h o f w h i c h r e q u i r e s y e a r s o f s t u d y . F u r t h e r m o r e , a c q u i r i n g e x p e r t i s e i n t h e s e v a r i e d skills w h i l e t r y i n g t o s u r v i v e t h e t u m u l t u o u s h i s t o r i c a l p e r i o d o f t h e last c e n t u r y i n C h i n a w a s a m o n u m e n t a l a c h i e v e m e n t i n a n d o f itself. T h e fact t h a t w e o n l y n o w h a v e i t all c o n s o l i d a t e d i n b o o k f o r m is a n o t i o n that requires m o r e t h a n a passing t h o u g h t to appreciate. W a n g Ji Wu a n d his students, in two g e n e r a t i o n s s p a n n i n g o n e h u n d r e d years, steadfastly p e r s e v e r e d i n t h e i r p u r s u i t o f a life o f p h y s i c a l c u l t u r e a n d m e d i c i n e t h r o u g h f a m i n e s , wars, m i l i t a r y o c c u p a t i o n s , a n d p o l i t i c a l a n d s o c i a l r e v o l u t i o n s , n o n e o f w h i c h a l l o w s easily t h e u n i n t e r r u p t e d p u r s u i t o f t h e s e a r t s . I n s p i t e o f t h e d i s c o r d a n d c o n s t a n t d i s r u p t i o n i n t h e i r lives, t h e s e i n v e t e r a t e b o x e r s c o n t i n u e d t o p r a c t i c e t h e i r arts a n d t h i s b o o k i s t e s t i m o n y n o t o n l y t o t h e i r p e r s o n a l a c h i e v e m e n t but to their willingness to share this knowledge o p e n l y with us. W a n g J i W u lived t o 1 0 0 y e a r s o f age r e m a i n i n g r e m a r k a b l y spry t o v e r y l a t e i n l i f e . T h i s i m p r e s s i v e s t r e t c h o f t i m e a l l o w e d h i s w o r l d v i e w t o e n r i c h itself several g e n e r a t i o n s longer t h a n most people; t i m e t o refine a n d focus o n t h e p o i n t s t h a t r e a l l y m a t t e r . His l e g a c y w a s t h e n c a r r i e d o n h y h i s s t u d e n t s Z h a n g B a o Y a n g , W a n g J i n Yu, H e Y u Q i , W a n g L i a n Yi, a n d o t h e r s w h o h a v e r e m a i n e d c l o s e a n d c o n t i n u e t o f o l l o w his e x a m p l e . Mr. Zhang Bao Yang and his associates have worked together to produce this work in m e m o r y of their teacher a n d f o r t h e b e n e f i t o f all t h o s e w h o v a l u e t h e t r a d i t i o n a l m e t h o d s o f p h y s i c a l c u l t i v a t i o n o f b o d y , m i n d , a n d spirit. I n m y o w n p u r s u i t o f X i n g Y i Q u a n , s p a n n i n g t h e last t w e n t y years, I h a v e researched m a n y different expressions of X i n g Yi from various sources. W h i l e e a c h o n e m a y h a v e t h e i r o w n s t y l i s t i c d i f f e r e n c e , t h e y all s h a r e t h e s a m e e s s e n t i a l p r i n c i p l e s o f t h e art i n v a r y i n g d e g r e e s o f e m p h a s i s , f o r m y p e r s o n a l n e e d I have selected several senior masters of X i n g Yi f r o m w h o m I draw to d e v e l o p m y p e r s o n a l a r t . M y first " t r u e t e a c h e r " i n X i n g Y i w a s Hsu H o n g C h i of Taipei, T a i w a n w h o s e s y s t e m 1 studied for ten years until his passing. T h e o t h e r s f r o m w h o m I g l e a n e d v a l u a b l e i n s i g h t s a n d m e t h o d s are all m e n w h o h a v e f o r t y t o f i f t y y e a r s e x p e r i e n c e i n X i n g Y i a n d all o f t h e s e m e n , w i t h o u t e x c e p t i o n , h a v e h i g h regard f o r t h e i r c o m p l e m e n t a r y o r a d j u n c t i v e e x e r c i s e s . W h i l e m a n y of t h e exercises were t h e same or similar versions, s o m e would be distinctly u n i q u e to that master a n d clearly reflective of his favorite personal

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t e c h n i q u e s , o r a t least h i s o w n c h a r a c t e r a n d p e r s o n a l n a t u r e . S u p p l e m e n t a r y e x e r c i s e s are o f t e n v i e w e d a s o p t i o n a l o r n o n e s s e n t i a l . T h i s i s c e r t a i n l y a s h o r t s i g h t e d i f n o t i n c o r r e c t a t t i t u d e . For t h e last t e n y e a r s , I h a v e t r a v e l e d all o v e r t h e U . S . a n d C a n a d a t e a c h i n g X i n g Y i Q u a n f o r t h e N o r t h American T a n g S h o u T a o Association. In these efforts, working with study g r o u p s o f i n t e r n a l b o x e r s I h a v e c o m e t o rely w h o l e h e a r t e d l y o n o u r m u l t i layered system of s u p p l e m e n t a r y exercises to supplant t h e need of an ever present teacher which is almost never possible. On m a n y occasions, I have had to respond to observers, m o r e familiar with t h e generic martial expressions of X i n g Yi proper, w h o would question the relationship of these exercises as t h e y were unable to c o n n e c t t h e m specifically to t h e m o r e well-known X i n g Yi p o s t u r i n g . T h e p e r c e p t u a l p r o b l e m results f r o m t h e a b s t r a c t n a t u r e o f X i n g Y i d e v e l o p m e n t in general and t h e t e n d e n c y of h u m a n nature to a t t e m p t to relate seemingly familiar c o m p o n e n t s from o n e school of t h o u g h t to a n o t h e r a n d t h e r e b y s h o r t c h a n g e t h e m o r e s u b l i m e a t t r i b u t e s o f t h e o t h e r s c h o o l . H.L. M e n c k e n clearly grasped t h e p r o b l e m w h e n he said, " T h e critic, to interpret his a r t i s t , e v e n u n d e r s t a n d h i s a r t i s t , m u s t b e a b l e t o get i n t o t h e m i n d o f h i s a r t i s t , h e m u s t feel a n d c o m p r e h e n d t h e vast p r e s s u r e o f t h e c r e a t i v e p e r s o n . " U p o n t h o r o u g h e x a m i n a t i o n , Xing Yi Nei Gong o f f e r s t h e r e a d e r m a n y different perspectives from w h i c h to view t h e m o r e p r o f o u n d d e v e l o p m e n t a l aspects of X i n g Yi training for b o t h t h e martial artists a n d for t h o s e interested i n m e r e l y m a i n t a i n i n g t h e i r o p t i m u m h e a l t h far i n t o t h e t w i l i g h t o f t h e i r y e a r s . T y p i c a l o f X i n g Y i m e t h o d s , W a n g J i W u ' s e x e r c i s e s are a r c h e t y p i c a l l y s i m p l e i n d e s i g n yet s u b t l y p r o f o u n d i n e f f e c t . T h i s i s q u i n t e s s e n t i a l X i n g Y i . I f t h e fruit i s a n y i n d i c a t i o n o f t h e q u a l i t y o f t h e tree, t h e n M r . Z h a n g B a o Y a n g i s p r o o f p o s i t i v e o f t h e e f f i c a c y o f W a n g J i W u ' s m e t h o d s . I first m e t M r . Z h a n g B a o Y a n g several y e a r s a g o a t his h o m e i n B e i j i n g . W e w e r e w a i t i n g i n h i s r e c e i v i n g r o o m a t h i s h o m e w h e n h e arrived just b e f o r e 1 1 : 0 0 p m . I w a s i m m e d i a t e l y impressed with the casual and easy m a n n e r with w h i c h he m o v e d a b o u t t h e r o o m o f f e r i n g u s tea a n d f o o d . T w e n t y m i n u t e s e a r l i e r w e a l s o h a d t o c l i m b t h e t e n f l o o r s o f stairs t o his a p a r t m e n t a n d i t s e e m e d m o r e t a x i n g o n u s t h a n o n t h i s m a n i n his s e v e n t i e s . S h o r t l y a f t e r h i s arrival f r o m a l o n g w o r k day he received a couple from a n e i g h b o r i n g a p a r t m e n t . It seemed t h e w o m a n had t h r o w n her back out a n d , nearly doubled over in pain, c a m e to Mr. Z h a n g f o r e m e r g e n c y t r e a t m e n t . H e g r a c i o u s l y a n d e n e r g e t i c a l l y i n v i t e d h e r t o lie d o w n o n a m a k e s h i f t t a b l e a n d p r o c e e d e d t o g e n t l y w o r k o n h e r . His m e t h o d s w e r e s i m p l e a n d few a n d h e p e r f o r m e d t h e m e f f o r t l e s s l y . Within twenty m i n u t e s s h e w a s u p a n d s m i l i n g , t h a n k i n g h i m r e p e a t e d l y . H e s a w t h e m off, w a l k i n g t h e m d o w n t h e h a l l part w a y h o m e , t y p i c a l o f C h i n e s e e t i q u e t t e , t h e n r e t u r n e d t o d i s c u s s his Q i Gong. H e i m m e d i a t e l y t o o k e v e r y o p p o r t u n i t y a n d m a d e every effort to see t h a t we clearly u n d e r s t o o d he was n o t m a k i n g a n y extraordinary claims about his Qi methods. He didn't approve of flim flam and abstruse m e t h o d s of inexplicable p h e n o m e n a . He regarded this kind of i n f a t u a t i o n w i t h t h e bizarre a s u n h e a l t h y a n d p o s s i b l y d i s h o n e s t . O n c e w e w e r e a b l e t o assure h i m w e w e r e n o t i n t e r e s t e d i n t h o s e t y p e s o f p e r f o r m a n c e , h e o p e n l y a n d g e n e r o u s l y s h a r e d all t h a t w e w e r e a b l e t o a d d r e s s i n t h e t i m e w e h a d . I n s u b s e q u e n t visits a n d o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o v i e w h i s a b i l i t i e s b o t h t e a c h i n g a n d p e r f o r m i n g h i s X i n g Y i Nei G o n g , X i n g Y i Q u a n , a n d t r a d i t i o n a l m e d i c i n e skills, it was clear that he is a true representative of t h e highest expression of C h i n e s e xiv

physical culture. N o r i s h e t h e l o n e b a s t i o n o f W a n g J i W u ' s t e a c h i n g s , for s e v e r a l o f h i s c l o s e a s s o c i a t e s i n his k u n g f u f a m i l y a r e e q u a l l y r e f i n e d i n t h e i r c o m p r e h e n s i o n of t h e arts of X i n g Yi a n d traditional C h i n e s e m e d i c i n e as well as their o w n personal character. Xing Yi Nri Gong is n o t h i n g s h o r t of a n o t h e r m i l e s t o n e in t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of internal b o x i n g in t h e English speaking world. It is in fact providing that very e l e m e n t , so conspicuously missing in m o s t X i n g Yi programs, that is a specific focus on health m a i n t e n a n c e a n d internal strength development through specific yet n o n - m a r t i a l exercises. S o m e o f t h e f o r m s are p e r f o r m e d w i t h objective simplicity that can be viewed as a further abstraction of t h e slightly m o r e s u b j e c t i v e m a r t i a l g e s t u r i n g t h a t lies a t t h e h e a r t o f t h e s y s t e m , w h i c h f o r m s t h e r o o t o f c e r t a i n m a r t i a l s t r a t a g e m s . O t h e r f o r m s a r e less i n v o l v e d i n active m o v e m e n t s a n d m o r e usefully regarded as static posturing in m i m i c r y of n a t u r a l e l e m e n t s , t h e r e b y c a p t u r i n g t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l e s s e n c e t h a t lies a t t h e heart of the natural power cultivated in the process. It is this multi-dimensional approach to exploring and developing the essence of our nature that I find Xing Yi a m o s t f a s c i n a t i n g art f o r m . This routine of W a n g j i W u ' s has been developed, handed down, and further developed, organized a n d expounded upon by generations of Xing Yi practitioners o f t h e h i g h e s t o r d e r w h o s e s o l e m o t i v a t i o n w a s a l i f e l o n g l o v e f o r t h e art o f X i n g Yi a n d w h o s e h o p e a n d purpose was t h e preservation a n d proliferation of this m a g n i f i c e n t a r t . A s a m e t h o d t h a t t a r g e t s ever h i g h e r l e v e l s o f a c h i e v e m e n t , e a c h exercise is built on a foundation developed by t h e previous exercise. Bearing this in m i n d , o n e will progress m o r e quickly a n d with m o r e c o m p l e t e results. This is n o t to dwell intellectually on these p o i n t s but to simply a p p r e c i a t e t h e i r m u t u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p . T o b e a b l e t o see t h e t h o u s a n d i n t h e o n e , a n d t h e o n e i n t h e t h o u s a n d , o n e first h a s t o m a n i f e s t t h e p r i n c i p l e . For t h e purpose of providing a deeper a n d broader view of t h e relationship b e t w e e n these exercises a n d t h e X i n g Yi system, several chapters have b e e n added to offer m o r e linkage between t h e supplemental training and the martial aspects of t h e art. M r . Miller's a n d M r . C a r t m e l l ' s discussion of the basic c o n c e p t s a n d structured analysis of t h e basic son h' posture of X i n g Yi Q u a n offers m a n y departure points from which to e x a m i n e t h e various aspects of the basic essentials entailed in the X i n g Yi foundation and m a n a g e s to do so in a direct " j u s t t h e f a c t s " m a n n e r . A r e a d i n g t h a t a n y a s p i r i n g p r a c t i t i o n e r will f i n d u s e f u l . T h e h i s t o r i c a l b a c k g r o u n d i n f o r m a t i o n , a l o n g w i t h t h e m a n y rare p h o t o g r a p h s , a n d t h e material on t h e X i n g Yi spear is an added b o n u s for t h o s e practitioners w h o seek further personal research material. We owe a debt of thanks to Mr. Zhang Bao Yang, Mr. W a n g Jin Yu, Mr. He Y u Q i , M r . W a n g L i a n Y i , a n d all t h e i r b r e t h r e n w h o s h a r e d i n t h i s c o n t r i b u t i o n t o all f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s o f X i n g Y i p r a c t i t i o n e r s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d . F o r t u n a t e we are to have b e e n able to, t h r o u g h t h e m , reach deeply i n t o t h e past history o f o u r art a n d c o m e t o k n o w t h e i r t e a c h e r M r . W a n g j i W u . Vince Black Summer 1994 T u c s o n , Arizona

xv

Chapter 1

Wang Ji Wu and the lineage of his

Xing Yi Quan

Xing Yi Quan Master W a n g Ji Wu (1891-1991)

Xing Yi

Nei

Gong

Wang Ji Wu and the lineage of his Xing Yi Quan by Dan Miller Wangji Wu £ 0 , w h o w a s a l s o k n o w n a s W a n g Z h o n g G a o ( i $ * |jj), w a s a n a t i v e of S h a n x i Province, Yu Ci C o u n t y , D o n g S h a n Village. He was b o r n in 1891. His g r a n d f a t h e r w a s a f a m o u s C h i n e s e d o c t o r a n d w a s c o n s i d e r e d incorruptible. Likewise, W a n g ' s father was charitable a n d enthusiastically acted for t h e g o o d o f t h e c o m m u n i t y . I n his y o u t h , W a n g j i W u studied i n t h e village s c h o o l a n d was a gifted s t u d e n t . He h a d a natural love of martial arts a n d studied what he c o u l d with t h e martial artists of his village. He was a student by d a y a n d t h e w a t c h m a n o f a g o u r d p a t c h a t n i g h t , w h i c h left p l e n t y o f t i m e for m a r t i a l arts practice while at work. During a lifetime of study, W a n g b e c a m e an expert of m a r t i a l arts ( i n c l u d i n g f / i ' ^ o n , ? - < £ ) a n d C h i n e s e M e d i c i n e ( i n c l u d i n g o s t e o p a t h y ) . B e c a u s e o f h i s d e e p u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f b o t h t h e m a r t i a l a n d m e d i c a l arts, h i s level o f a t t a i n m e n t i n b o t h w a s v e r y h i g h . H e led a s t a b l e life, p l a c i n g j u s t i c e a b o v e material gains, and took pleasure in helping others. Because of this, he was m u c h respected a n d a d m i r e d by h is f r i e n d s a n d f a m i l y . J

W a n g j i Wu's Xing Yi lineage At sixteen years of age, W a n g J i W u m o v e d t o t h e c i t y o f Tai Yuan in Shanxi Province to apprentice in business. Here, w h e n h e w a s e i g h t e e n years o f age, h e w a s i n t r o d u c e d t o W a n g Fu Yuan ( i f a ? t ) . - A t t h a t t i m e Tai G u h a d t h e n i c k n a m e o f " g o l d " Tai Gu because there were a lot of rich people living there. T h e streets o f T a i G u were narrow a n d t h e r e was n o t e n o u g h r o o m for t w o carts t o pass e a c h o t h e r i n t h e a l l e y s . T h e r e w a s a rule t h a t i f t w o c a r t s m e t o n a street, t h e p e r s o n o f h i g h e r s o c i a l s t a n d i n g g o t t o g o first. O n e d a y C h e w a s t a k i n g h i s e m p l o y e r t h r o u g h a n alley. T h e y were almost t o t h e e n d o f t h e alley w h e n t h e w e a l t h i e s t m a n i n t h e c o u n t y a p p r o a c h e d w i t h h i s c a r t . C h e s a i d , " C a n y o u just b a c k u p a few f e e t a n d let m e g o t h r o u g h . " C h e ' s e m p l o y e r w h a c k e d C h e w i t h a stick a n d then got out a n d apologized to t h e o t h e r m a n because C h e h a d n o t f o l l o w e d t h e p r o p e r e t i q u e t t e . C h e w a s s h o c k e d a t t h e u n f a i r n e s s o f i t all a n d w a n t e d to practice t h e martial arts with even stronger resolve. O n e d a y C h e w a s a t h o m e w i t h h i s b o s s . His b o s s ' n e p h e w c a m e o v e r a n d s a w t h a t C h e w a s v e r y s t r o n g . His n e p h e w ' s n a m e w a s W u H o n g P u M) and was a Shaolin student o f a m o n k n a m e W a n g C h a n g D o n g ( i & C h e was smart a n d saw t h e o p p o r t u n i t y to practice martial arts a n d asked Wu H o n g Pu if he would teach h i m . Wu accepted C h e as a student. C h e practiced with Wu H o n g Pu f o r five y e a r s . W u H o n g P u r e c o g n i z e d t h a t C h e Y i Z h a i h a d a lot o f p o t e n t i a l a n d t o o k h i m t o h i s t e a c h e r . C h e b e g a n p r a c t i c i n g w i t h W a n g C h a n g D o n g a n d h i s skill

10

Lineage i m p r o v e d greatly. O n e day his boss, Wu Bo Nian, told C h e Yi Zhai t h a t if he c o u l d b e c o m e v e r y skilled a t m a r t i a l arts, h e c o u l d b e his b o d y g u a r d a n d t a k e c a r e o f his house. Wu Bo Nian h a p p e n e d to have a friend n a m e d M c n g and t h e M e n g f a m i l y told h i m t h a t t h e y h a d a really g o o d martial artist w h o t a u g h t t h e e m p l o y e e s o f their bodyguard service. T h e y suggested t o W u that C h e could c o m e learn f r o m h i m . T h e t e a c h e r o f their b o d y g u a r d service h a p p e n e d t o b e Xing Yi Quan master Li Neng Ran. W h e n L i N e n g R a n saw h o w h a r d C h e p r a c t i c e d , h e a g r e e d t o t e a c h h i m . T h e Wu family brought Li to their house and hired h i m to teach C h e Yi Zhai. Li often h a d t o g o o u t t o w o r k a s a b o d y g u a r d a n d e s c o r t c o n v o y s , h o w e v e r , h e was b a c k i n Tai G u five o r six t i m e s a y e a r b e t w e e n t r i p s . W h e n e v e r h e w a s i n T a i G u , h e taught C h e . Because Li wasn't t h e r e a lot, C h e also w e n t back to his old S h a o l i n t e a c h e r to learn m o r e . W h e n Li heard a b o u t this, he was n o t angry. He was touched by Che's enthusiasm. Because C h e was so enthusiastic, Li took him to m e e t Dai L o n g B a n g ' s n e p h e w D a i W e n X i o n g i n S h a n x i P r o v i n c e , Q i c o u n t y . Dai h a d a l s o b e e n a b o d y g u a r d , b u t w a s n o w r e t i r e d . C h e w e n t t o s t u d y w i t h Dai every c h a n c e h e got. Dai W e n X i o n g was already q u i t e old b y t h e n a n d didn't a c c e p t n e w s t u d e n t s , b u t L i L o u N e n g , w h o w a s o n e o f h i s best s t u d e n t s , t a l k e d h i m i n t o accepting C h e . Dai's h o m e was 2 0 miles from w h e r e C h e lived a n d C h e walked there almost everyday to practice. Dai W e n X i o n g o f t e n s a i d , o f m y s y s t e m I h a v e t w o i n h e r i t o r s , L i N e n g Ran a n d C h e Y i Z h a i . H e t a u g h t e v e r y t h i n g t o C h e . H e t a u g h t C h e t h a t m a r t i a l arts were to protect yourself a n d others a n d o n e should always be very selective in a c c e p t i n g students. Before Dai W e n X i o n g died at t h e age of 9 6 , he gave C h e his m a n u a l o f X i n g Y i m a r t i a l arts. B e c a u s e C h e s t u d i e d w i t h L i a n d D a i , h e s t u d i e d t h e w h o l e b r e a d t h o f t h e X i n g Y i art a n d c a m e t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e p u r e e s s e n c e . H e b e c a m e a f a m o u s m a r t i a l artist, b u t h e n e v e r b u l l i e d p e o p l e . W h e n p e o p l e c a m e to challenge him, he did not hurt t h e m . He would entice t h e m into e m p t i n e s s a n d use their o w n force against t h e m . A r o u n d t h e turn of t h e c e n t u r y t h e C h i n e s e people were very weak. A corrupt g o v e r n m e n t , foreign invasion, o p i u m addiction, a n d years of bad harvest h a d b e a t e n t h e m d o w n . C h e felt like h e w a n t e d t o h e l p s t r e n g t h e n t h e c o u n t r y a n d the reputation of the Chinese people. In 1888 in the Japanese concession in Tianjin, a sword contest was held. T h e J a p a n e s e representative h a d already beaten several f a m o u s s w o r d s m e n f r o m Tianjin and Beijing. He was a very g o o d s w o r d s m a n , but was also overly arrogant. He loved to m a k e wild c l a i m s a b o u t how g o o d h e was i n front o f t h e C h i n e s e . C h e heard a b o u t t h e c h a l l e n g e a n d traveled to Tianjin. He got there in t h e m o r n i n g , went directly to t h e contest place and jumped up on the platform. S o m e people in the audience recognized him a n d word q u i c k l y spread t h a t t h e f a m o u s X i n g Yi m a s t e r C h e Yi Zhai was there. T h e crowd began clapping wildly. T h e Japanese swordsman noticed from t h e w a y C h e j u m p e d o n t h e stage t h a t h e w a s skilled a n d s o h e s t e p p e d u p p r o u d l y , t r y i n g t o h i d e h i s fear. T h e J a p a n e s e m a n s a i d , " Y o u m u s t n o t b e afraid of death if you have c o m e to challenge m e . " T h e t w o m e n s q u a r e d o f f w i t h s w o r d s a n d t h e J a p a n e s e m a n a t t a c k e d first. C h e a l l o w e d t h e J a p a n e s e m a r t i a l artist t o b a c k h i m t o t h e e d g e o f t h e p l a t f o r m and t h e n C h e suddenly whirled a r o u n d a n d was b e h i n d his o p p o n e n t . T h e J a p a n e s e m a n was n o w o n t h e edge o f t h e stage. C h e poked h i m w i t h h i s sword on t h e shoulder a n d his o p p o n e n t was teetering on t h e edge. Instead of p u s h i n g

11

Xing

Yi

Nei

Gong

Li Fu Zhen

Song Tie Lin

h i m o f f o r s t a b b i n g h i m , C h e just b a c k e d u p a n d said, " A - h a . " C h e t h e n s t a r t e d m a k i n g b l i n d i n g l y fast m o v e m e n t s w i t h h i s s w o r d a n d c u t h i s o p p o n e n t ' s w r i s t . T h e J a p a n e s e o p p o n e n t lost h i s s w o r d a n d a c k n o w l e d g e d d e f e a t . After t h a t f i g h t , C h e b e c a m e f a m o u s all o v e r C h i n a . The g o v e r n m e n t a w a r d e d h i m t h e h i g h e s t level o f m a r t i a l skill, r e c o g n i z i n g h i m for his a c h i e v e m e n t . In 1 9 0 0 , during t h e Boxer Rebellion, t h e " b o x e r s " started their revolt in Tai G u a n d a s k e d C h e t o t e a c h t h e m m a r t i a l arts. O n J u l y 3 1 , 1 9 0 0 t h e y a t t a c k e d a n A m e r i c a n c h u r c h . C h e w a s t o o l d t o go, h u t h e s e n t t w o o f h i s s t u d e n t s , M e n g X i n g D e ( j t -ft and W a n g Feng X i a n g (JL a n d t h e y w e r e t h e first t o g o i n . T h e y k i l l e d a g r o u p o f A m e r i c a n m i s s i o n a r i e s a n d felt i t w a s a g r e a t h o n o r f o r C h i n a . Later, a f t e r t h e b o x e r s lost t h e w a r , t h e f a m o u s X i n g Y i i n s t r u c t o r L i C u n Y i ( + - § • & ) . h o h a d f o u g h t i n t h e r e b e l l i o n a n d k i l l e d m a n y f o r e i g n e r s , fled Beijing because t h e foreigners were after h i m . He w e n t to Tai Gu a n d C h e Yi Zhai h e l p e d h i d e h i m , C h e also sent his s t u d e n t Li Fu / h e n f|_ j g ) to stay w i t h l.i f o r p r o t e c t i o n . T h e f o r e i g n e r s h a d put a p r i c e o n Li's h e a d , s o m a n y c o r r u p t C h i n e s e m a r t i a l a r t i s t s w e r e a f t e r h i m . L i F u Z h e n w e n t a n d k i l l e d t h e m all. L i F u Z h e n w a s a s e r v a n t a t W u R o N i a n ' s h o m e a n d w a s C h e Y i Z h a i ' s first s t u d e n t . w

During Li C u n Yi's stay in Tai Gu he also spent m o r e t h a n 20 days practicing X i n g Yi in Song Shi Rong's courtyard with Song's y o u n g student and n e p h e w S o n g T i e L i n . L a t e r S o n g T i e L i n (^stUH) said t h a t h e a n d Li c o m p a r e d five e l e m e n t s , t w e l v e a n i m a l s a n d p r a c t i c e d Mi Shen Pao t o g e t h e r . S o n g T i e L i n d i e d i n 1 9 7 S at t h e a g e o f 9 4 . I n 1 8 5 6 , X i n g Y i Q u a n c a m e t o Tai G u w i t h L i L o u N e n g . L i L o u N e n g ' s first X i n g Yi disciple was C h e Yi Zhai, t h e s e c o n d was He Y o n g Hong ( n i c k n a m e d

12

Lineage

Zhang Zhao Dong

Li Cun Yi

" d i v i n e l e g s " ) , n e x t w a s L i G u a n g X i a n g , S o n g Shi R o n g a n d h i s b r o t h e r S o n g Shi D e . T h e s e w e r e h i s five f a m o u s s t u d e n t s i n Tai G u w h o l a t e r b e c a m e k n o w n a s t h e " f i v e stars m e e t i n g i n Tai G u . " T h e s e five s t u d e n t s l a t e r g o t t o g e t h e r w i t h C h e Y i Zhai a n d c a l l e d t h e i r s t y l e t h e C h e f a m i l y X i n g Y i Q u a n . T h e last t i m e t h a t L i L o u N e n g w e n t t o Tai G u h e w a s 7 9 years o l d a n d c o u l d still p e r f o r m t h e Ai Shen Poo f o r m w i t h C h e Yi Z h a i . As t h e y w e r e p r a c t i c i n g , Li t i o t i c e d t h a t C h e h a d c h a n g e d s o m e t h i n g s . L i w a s s u r p r i s e d . C h e said, " F o r g i v e me for c h a n g i n g your f o r m . " Li told C h e t h a t he had c h a n g e d it for t h e better. Guo

Yun

Shen

(J|5

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G u o Y u n S h e n h a d s t u d i e d X i n g Y i Q u a n w i t h L i N e n g Ran i n S h e n C o u n t y , Hebei P r o v i n c e . G u o loved to fight w h e n he was y o u n g . W h e n h e first a p p r o a c h e d Li N e n g Ran w a n t i n g to learn X i n g Yi Q u a n , Li w o u l d n o t teach h i m because G u o was of such a violent nature. Li told G u o t h a t unless he could c h a n g e his c h a r a c t e r , h e w o u l d n e v e r t e a c h h i m m a r t i a l arts. G u o g o t a j o b a s a s e r v a n t n e a r Li's h o m e a n d w o u l d s e c r e t l y w a t c h L i a n d h i s s t u d e n t s p r a c t i c e X i n g Yi. G u o p r a c t i c e d Hengifitan I s m a s h i n g fist) o n h i s o w n f o r t h r e e y e a r s . O n e d a y L i N e n g Ran saw G u o p r a c t i c i n g beng quart a n d n o t i c e d t h a t G u o w a s v e r y g o o d a t i t a l r e a d y . L i realized t h a t G u o w a s s i n c e r e a b o u t l e a r n i n g X i n g Y i Quan so he then agreed to teach h i m . After G u o h a d s t u d i e d w i t h Li for a few years he g o t a j o b as a b o u n t y h u n t e r . T h e l a w o f t h e d a y said t h a t a b o u n t y h u n t e r w a s a l l o w e d t o c a t c h c r i m i n a l s a n d b r i n g t h e m in, h o w e v e r , t h e c r i m i n a l s h a d t o b e b r o u g h t i n a l i v e . O n o n e o c c a s i o n , G u o was h u n t i n g a b a n d i t w h o was terrorizing travelers along a V.i

Xing

Yi

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Geng Ji Shan

Peng Ying Xi

f r e q u e n t l y traveled road. G uo found t h e bandit he was pursuing while t h e b a n d i t was engaged in a fight w i t h a local escort service. G u o j o i n e d t h e battle a n d captured t h e bandit, however, after he had captured h i m , t h e bandit pulled out a c o n c e a l e d w e a p o n a n d t r i e d t o kill G u o . G u o h i t t h e m a n a n d killed h i m . Recognizing that he had d o n e wrong, G u o turned himself in to the authorities. T h e p e n a l t y for s u c h a c r i m e was death, h o w e v e r , t h e local magistrate's advisors b e g g e d h i m t o c o n s i d e r n o t e x e c u t i n g G u o b e c a u s e h e w a s a rare t a l e n t i n t h e m a r t i a l arts. I n s t e a d o f e x e c u t i o n , t h e m a g i s t r a t e s e n t e n c e d G u o t o t h r e e years in prison. W h i l e in prison G u o was m a n a c l e d , h o w e v e r , he c o n t i n u e d to practice his X i n g Y i Q u a n . W h e n h e c a m e o u t o f p r i s o n h i s skill w a s h i g h e r t h a n w h e n he had entered. W h i l e i n p r i s o n , G u o h a d d e v e l o p e d w h a t b e c a m e k n o w n a s ban b u bengquan - h a l f s t e p s m a s h i n g fist) a n d b e c a m e s o f a m o u s for t h e p o w e r h e d e v e l o p e d w i t h t h i s s p e c i a l p u n c h t h a t p e o p l e said t h a t his " h a l f s t e p s m a s h i n g fist c o u l d b e a t all u n d e r h e a v e n . " A f t e r b e i n g r e l e a s e d f r o m p r i s o n , G u o w e n t t o visit t h e e s c o r t s e r v i c e d o i n g b u s i n e s s i n t h e a r e a w h e r e t h e b a n d i t h e h a d k i l l e d h a d o p e r a t e d . H e tnid t h e m t h a t e v e r s i n c e h e h a d killed t h e b a n d i t , t h e r o a d w a s clear a n d their j o b h a d b e c o m e easy. He told t h e escort service t h a t t h e y o w e d h i m m o n e y b e c a u s e o f t h e w o r k h e had d o n e for t h e m . Because o f his martial arts skill, t h e y d i d n o t w a n t t o q u a r r e l w i t h h i m s o t h e y g a v e h i m s o m e m o n e y . However, G u o would periodically c o m e b a c k for m o r e m o n e y a n d t h e escort s e r v i c e g o t t i r e d o f it. I n s t e a d o f c o n f r o n t i n g G u o d i r e c t l y , t h e y s e n t a l e t t e r t o Guo's teacher Li Neng Ran. L i N e n g Ran c a l l e d G u o b a c k h o m e a n d t o l d h i m t h a t h e s h o u l d n ' t b o t h e r t h e

14

Lineage e s c o r t s e r v i c e a n y m o r e . Li a l s o said, " P l u s , your gong fu is n o t n e a r l y as g o o d as y o u t h i n k i t is. Y o u r skill d o e s n o t c o m e c l o s e t o t h a t o f y o u r o l d e r b r o t h e r C h e Y i Z h a i . " I n t e l l i n g G u o t h i s , L i w a n t e d t o t e a c h h i m t w o l e s s o n s . T h e first w a s that he should n o t be so arrogant because no matter h o w good s o m e o n e gets, there is always s o m e o n e better. T h e s e c o n d reason was to try a n d bring h i m b a c k : o c o m p l e t e h i s X i n g Y i t r a i n i n g . After G u o l e a r n e d t h e five fists o f X i n g Y i , h e did n o t w a n t t o s t u d y a n y t h i n g e l s e . H e w a s s o g o o d a t a p p l y i n g t h e five fists t h a t h e n e v e r lost a f i g h t , t h e r e f o r e , h e c o n c l u d e d t h a t h e d i d n o t n e e d t o l e a r n a n y t h i n g else. Li h a d e n c o u r a g e d G u o to study X i n g Yi Q u a n ' s s u b s e q u e n t f o r m s a n d t w o - p e r s o n s e t s a f t e r h e h a d l e a r n e d t h e five fists, b u t G u o t h o u g h t i t w a s a b o t h e r a n d left L i b e f o r e h i s X i n g Y i t r a i n i n g w a s c o m p l e t e . L ' p o n h e a r i n g t h a t his t e a c h e r t h o u g h t t h a t C h e Y i Z h a i ' s skill w a s b e t t e r t h a n his, G u o b e c a m e angry and went to Shanxi Province to find C h e Yi Zhai a n d c h a l l e n g e h i m . W h e n G u o arrived a t Che's h o m e , C h e was h a p p y t o see h i m a n d said "Little b r o t h e r , I a m g l a d y o u h a v e c o m e t o v i s i t ! Let's h a v e s o m e t h i n g t o e a t . " G u o said, " N o , I c a m e h e r e t o f i g h t . " C h e tried t o t a l k G u o o u t o f f i g h t i n g , but G u o p e r s i s t e d a n d t h u s C h e w a s left w i t h o u t a c h o i c e . G u o t r i e d t o u s e his f a m o u s beng quan o v e r a n d o v e r . C h e kept b a c k i n g a w a y f r o m G u n ' s strikes a n d t h e n q u i c k l y t u r n e d t o t h e side a s G u o s t r u c k a g a i n a n d e x e c u t e d p i quan - splitting fist). C h e held t h e strike, s t o p p i n g i n c h e s f r o m G u o ' s h e a d . Realizing : h a t C h e h a d g o t t h e b e s t o f h i m , G u o s t o p p e d a n d said, " I t i s just a s o u r t e a c h e r h a s said, y o u a r e b e t t e r t h e n I . " F o l l o w i n g t h i s i n c i d e n t G u o n e v e r b o t h e r e d t h e e s c o r t c o m p a n y a g a i n a n d h e w e n t b a c k t o L i N e n g R a n i n o r d e r t o c o m p l e t e his Xing Yi Quan training. Liu Qi Lan Liu Q i Lan w a s f r o m S h e n C o u n t y i n H e b e i P r o v i n c e , a v e r y f a m o u s a r e a f o r m a r t i a l arts. S h e n C o u n t y i s i n s o u t h - c e n t r a l H e b e i n e a r t h e c a p i t a l c i t y o f S h i Jia Zhuang. There are m a n y frequently traveled roads that run through this c o u n t y a n d t h u s large n u m b e r s o f " m a r t i a l arts b a n d i t s " i n h a b i t e d t h e a r e a a n d robbed travelers. In addition to t h e bandits, there were also martial artists w h o ran p r o t e c t i o n s e r v i c e s . T h e s e m a r t i a l a r t i s t s w e r e h i r e d t o e s c o r t t r a v e l e r s a n d p r o t e c t t h e m a g a i n s t t h e b a n d i t s . N e e d l e s s t o say, t h e m a r t i a l a r t i s t s i n t h i s a r e a Of H e b e i w e r e h i g h l y s k i l l e d . Liu Qi L a n ' s X i n g Yi Q u a n t e a c h e r , Li N e n g R a n , his X i n g Y i b r o t h e r , G u o Y u n S h e n , a n d f o u r o f Liu Q i L a n ' s f a m o u s s t u d e n t s , I.i C u n Yi, Z h a n g Z h a o D o n g < * G e n g J i S h a n ( £ . H %•)• a n d W a n g F u Y u a n

s-iStK,) weie

all f r o m S h e n C o u n t y . A d d i t i o n a l ly, t h e f a m o u s s e c o n d g e n e r a t B a G u a Z h a n g (/\ ) instructor C h e n g T i n g Hua H i 4 . • ) was also f r o m S h e n County a n d Sun Lu Tang j£) s t u d i e d h i s X i n g Y i Q u a n w i t h G u o Y u n S h e n in this area of Hebei. G u o Y u n S h e n ' s other f a m o u s s t u d e n t W a n g X i a n g Zhai i * r - i £ ) , t h e o r i g i n a t o r of Yi Quan £ . ) a n d Da Cheng Quan iK,#0 w a s a l s o a native of S h e n C o u n t y . Z h a n g Z h a o D o n g m e t Liu Q i Lan w h e n h e w a s still a t e e n a g e r . Z h a n g a n d a g r o u p o f h i s m a r t i a l arts f r i e n d s h a d all h e a r d o f t h e f a m o u s X i n g Y i m a n Liu Q i Lan a n d w a n t e d t o m e e t h i m . T h e g r o u p g o t t o g e t h e r a n d w e n t t o visit Liu t o ask i f t h e y c o u l d s t u d y h i s a r t . I n a d d i t i o n t o Z h a n g Z h a o D o n g , L i C u n Yi, a n d G e n g j i Shan were also a m o n g the group. Most of these practitioners were in their t w e n t i e s . Z h a n g w a s t h e y o u n g e s t a n d t h u s h e w a s k n o w n a s " l i t t l e b r o t h e r . " Liu

16

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a g r e e d t o t e a c h t h e m a n d t h u s t h e y w o u l d all f r e q u e n t l y travel f r o m t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e h o m e v i l l a g e s t o s t u d y w i t h Liu Q i L a n . Li Qi Lan had m a n y f a m o u s students, in addition to W a n g Fu Yuan, Zhang Z h a o D o n g , L i C u n Yi, G e n g J i S h a n , Z h o u M i n g T a i ( # V \ a n d Liu D e K u a n ( f i l f t j t ) , h e a l s o t a u g h t t h e well k n o w n R a G u a m e n C h e n g D i a n H u a a n d Liu F e n g C h u n (f'J 4 . ) . A d d i t i o n a l l y , Liu h a d t h r e e s o n s t h a t s t u d i e d X i n g Yi, Liu D i a n C h e n $ t j £ - a l s o k n o w n a s Liu W e n H u a - f j X -¥•). Liu R o n g T a n g (#'.#•_!:> a n d Liu J i n T a n g (tH^t). Liu Q i L a n ' s s e c o n d s o n , Liu D i a n C h e n , w a s very g o o d at X i n g Yi Q u a n a n d Dragon Form Sword. He was similar to his father i n c h a r a c t e r a n d s t u d i e d w i t h his f a t h e r f o r m a n y y e a r s . H e w a s p o w e r f u l a n d his t e c h n i q u e w a s g o o d . Liu D i a n C h e n w r o t e a b o o k t i t l e d Xing Yi Quart's Secret Skills.

Zhang Xiang Zhai

;f-jt ^ ) - T h e I r o n L o h a n

O n e o f Liu D i a n C h e n ' s t o p s t u d e n t s , Z h a n g X i a n g Z h a i { a l s o k n o w n a s Z h a n g C h a n g Fa - lk-fk%fr), w a s v e r y f a m o u s in H e b e i f o r h i s f i g h t i n g a b i l i t y (see p h o t o g r a p h o n p a g e 4 ) . Z h a n g h a d b e g u n h i s m a r t i a l arts t r a i n i n g s t u d y i n g B a G u a Zhang in his teens with the famous Ba Gua instructor C h e n g Ting Hua in Beijing. Zhang had m o v e d to Beijing from bis h o m e in Zhu Shiu Ying, Hebei Province, w h e n he was y o u n g and got a j o b a p p r e n t i c i n g with a m a n w h o carved C h i n e s e characters. He lived at his boss' h o m e a n d would h a v e to wake up very early, g o t o p r a c t i c e B a G u a , a n d t h e n r e t u r n h o m e b e f o r e h i s b o s s k n e w h e w a s gone. After Z h a n g h a d b e e n w i t h C h e n g for t h r e e y e a r s h e r e t u r n e d h o m e t o a t t e n d a festival and ran i n t o an old friend. T h e t w o friends discovered t h a t t h e y had b o t h b e e n s t u d y i n g m a r t i a l arts, s o t h e y d e c i d e d t o h a v e a c o n t e s t . S i n c e Z h a n g ' s friend was a wrestler, t h e y decided to h a v e a wrestling m a t c h . W h e n t h e t w o friends fought, Zhang was beaten badly. Angry that his friend had won, Zhang said, " I will r e t u r n i n t e n years a n d w e will f i g h t a g a i n ! " Z h a n g t h e n w e n t t o s t u d y X i n g Y i Q u a n w i t h Liu Q i L a n ' s s o n , Liu D i a n C h e n . Z h a n g practiced X i n g Yi very hard a n d after three years of practice he m e t his old friend o n c e again. This time the t w o squared off to fight and Zhang i m m e d i a t e l y hit his o p p o n e n t i n t h e h e a d w i t h X i n g Yi's " s p l i t t i n g fist" a n d knocked him out. W h e n Z h a n g ' s friend c a m e t o h e said, " Y o u d i d n ' t use w r e s t l i n g , t h a t w a s X i n g Y i ! " Z h a n g r e p l i e d , "It d o e s n ' t m a t t e r w h a t I u s e a s l o n g as I w i n ! " Angered, t h e wrestler stood up a n d c a m e at Zhang. Zhang sidestepped t h e a t t a c k a n d t h e n d a r t e d in, p i c k e d u p t h e w r e s t l e r a n d s l a m m e d h i m o n t h e g r o u n d . After t h i s i n c i d e n t p e o p l e b e g a n t o c a l l h i m t h e " I r o n L o h a n . " Later, Z h a n g worked as a bodyguard a n d martial arts instructor a n d m a d e a reputation for h i m s e l f as a ferocious fighter. On o n e occasion the famous w a r l o r d g e n e r a l Z h a n g Z u o Lin (JM1= wanted to hire Zhang to teach martial arts t o h i s t r o o p s . H e i n v i t e d Z h a n g t o his h o m e a n d a s k e d h i m t o d e m o n s t r a t e hisgongfU. Z h a n g d e m o n s t r a t e d a s w o r d f o r m , h o w e v e r , w h e n h e w a s d o n e t h e o b s e r v e r s d i d n o t a p p e a r v e r y i m p r e s s e d . Z h a n g Z u o L i n's w i f e said, " I h a v e h e a r d t h a t w h e n p r a c t i c i n g t h e s w o r d , m a r t i a l arts m a s t e r s c a n h a v e w a t e r t h r o w n a t t h e m a n d will n o t get w e t b e c a u s e t h e s w o r d m o v e s s o fast. C a n y o u d e m o n s t r a t e t h i s ? " Z h a n g r e p l i e d , " T h i s i s n o t p o s s i b l e . Y o u h a v e read t o o m a n y m a r t i a l arts f a i r y t a l e s . " S h e a p p e a r e d d i s a p p o i n t e d . Z h a n g said, " Y o u h a v e s e e n m y skill, i f

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Lineage you do n o t t h i n k I am good, send me away." Z h a n g Zuo Lin b o u g h t Z h a n g a r o o m at a n e a r b y I n n for t h e night a n d asked him to return the n e x t day. T h e general then called t o g e t h e r s o m e of his troops w h o were k n o w n to be good fighters. He planned to have Z h a n g fight these m e n i n o r d e r t o really test Z h a n g ' s m a r t i a l a r t s a b i l i t y . T h e n e x t d a y Z h a n g r e t u r n e d . W h e n t h e troops saw w h o i t was t h e y were supposed t o fight, n o n e w a n t e d t o fight h i m . The g e n e r a l t h e n u n d e r s t o o d h o w g o o d a r e p u t a t i o n Z h a n g h a d a m o n g martial artists. Z h a n g X i a n g Zhai died during the Cultural Revolution at the age of 9 6 . W a n g j i W u ' s X i n g Y i Q u a n t e a c h e r W a n g F u Y u a n ( j £ _ jffi W a n g Fu Yuan ( 1 8 4 8 - 1 9 1 3 ) was n i c k n a m e d " I r o n A r m " W a n g a n d was k n o w n a s a g r e a t X i n g Y i Q u a n m a s t e r . W a n g w a s s e n i o r t o his c l a s s m a t e s L i C u n Yi, G e n g J i S h a n , Liu D e K u a n , a n d Z h a n g Z h a o D o n g ( a l s o k n o w n a s Z h a n g Z h a n Kui) u n d e r Liu Q i L a n . W a n g F u Y u a n w a s f r o m Liu Q i L a n ' s h o m e v i l l a g e i n S h e n C o u n t y , H e b e i P r o v i n c e , a n d s t u d i e d w i t h Liu Q i Lan f o r n e a r l y 2 5 y e a r s . H e s t u d i e d X i n g Y i w i t h Liu Q i Lan f r o m t h e t i m e h e w a s 1 3 u n t i l h e w a s 3 7 a n d h e never married, W h e n W a n g F u Y u a n w a s t h i r t e e n years o l d ( 1 8 6 1 ) , h e w a s s e n t t o w o r k a s a n a t t e n d a n t i n Liu Q i L a n ' s h o m e n e a r i n S h e n C o u n t y . Liu Q i Lan s a w t h a t t h e b o y was intelligent a n d h o n e s t and after a period of t i m e a c c e p t e d h i m as a formal s t u d e n t . W a n g F u Y u a n b e c a m e t h e first " i n n e r d o o r " s t u d e n t o f Liu Q i L a n . After s t u d y i n g w i t h Liu Q i Lan for m a n y y e a r s , W a n g F u Y u a n b e c a m e a n officer in t h e military a n d on o n e occasion was called u p o n to face a g a n g of b a n d i t s i n S h e n C o u n t y . D u r i n g t h e f i g h t , W a n g F u Y u a n killed t h e g a n g l e a d e r . F r o m t h a t t i m e f o r w a r d , t h e g a n g v o w e d t o get r e v e n g e a n d t h r e a t e n e d W a n g ' s life. I n o r d e r t o a v o i d h a v i n g t o c o n s t a n t l y l o o k o v e r his s h o u l d e r , W a n g left t o w n a n d w e n t t o live i n T a i G u , S h a n x i P r o v i n c e . W h e n h e a r r i v e d i n S h a n x i P r o v i n c e h e s t u d i e d f o r a s h o r t t i m e w i t h his X i n g Y i b o x i n g " u n c l e " C h e Y i Z h a i . C h e h a d b e e n a c l a s s m a t e o f Liu Q i L a n ' s u n d e r I.i N e n g R a n . W a n g F u Y u a n ' s p o w e r a n d skill w e r e v e r y g r e a t . H e w o n t h e praise o f m a n y o f t h e s e n i o r m a s t e r s o f t h e d a y . O n c e w h e n g u e s t s h a d c o m e t o visit, C h e Y i Z h a i o r d e r e d W a n g t o d e m o n s t r a t e . W a n g p e r f o r m e d t h e set Pan Gen* ($2 He s t a r t e d o f f very s l o w l y a n d g r a d u a l l y i n c r e a s e d t h e p a c e u n t i l his q u e u e w a s standing straight out b e h i n d h i m because o f t h e speed o f his m o v e m e n t . O n e o f C l i e Y i Z h a i ' s t o p s t u d e n t s , L i F u Z h e n , w a s o n t h e side w a t c h i n g a n d e x c l a i m e d his a d m i r a t i o n . D u r i n g t h e t i m e h e lived i n Tai G u , W a n g F u Y u a n c o n t i n u e d t o t r a i n d a i l y . I l e h e a r d t h a t t h e S u f a m i l y o f N a n M i i n Y u C i w e r e l o o k i n g t o h i r e a m a r t i a l artist as the head of household security. W i t h C h e Yi Zhai's r e c o m m e n d a t i o n , W a n g got t h e j o b . T h e S u f a m i l y w a s v e r y w e a l t h y , b e i n g t h e o w n e r s o f several p r o f i t a b l e p a w n b r o k e r a g e s . W h i l e W a n g F u Y u a n lived i n N a n M i , h e s t a y e d i n

'i'miCen is a Xing Yi Quan exercise similar to BaGua's circle walking practice, however, the circle is very small. It is a three-step turning exercise where every step changes direction while the hands arc held in a static position, t h e three step practice is trained M that t h e student can learn how to quickly evade an attack, open up the opponent, and then strike. The Earth Dragon ('.anon, which is presented iti the section of this book on XiiiH Yi's Written Transmissions, pertains to the Pan Gen exercise. 17

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the back of o n e of the pawn shops. O n o n e o c c a s i o n , W a n g w e n t t o Y u C i c i t y t o see h i s r e l a t i v e s . T h e d i s t a n c e f r o m N a n Mi to Yu Ci is a b o u t t e n // (just o v e r t h r e e m i l e s ) . W a n g set o u t at d u s k a n d w h e n h e arrived a t Y u C i C i t y t h e g a t e h a d a l r e a d y b e e n c l o s e d . T o g a i n e n t r a n c e i n t o t h e c i t y W a n g u s e d his " l i g h t n e s s s k i l l " a n d a s c e n d e d t h e w a l l . A f t e r h e h a d f i n i s h e d h i s b u s i n e s s , h e set o u t f o r h o m e . N e a r i n g h i s v i l l a g e , i t w a s a l r e a d y n e a r d a y b r e a k . W a n g c a m e u p o n a s m a l l river w h i c h w a s a b o u t t e n m e t e r s a c r o s s . H e was a l w a y s r e l u c t a n t t o d i s p l a y his skill i n f r o n t o f o t h e r s , b u t s i n c e i t w a s e a r l y m o r n i n g a n d n o o n e else w a s a r o u n d , h e d e c i d e d t o j u m p o v e r t h e river. H e b a c k e d a w a y f r o m t h e river a n d t h e n first s p r a n g f o r w a r d a b o u t t e n f e e t . W h e n h i s f o o t t o u c h e d t h e g r o u n d h e s t a m p e d d o w n w i t h h i s right f o o t b e h i n d his left, a n d s p r i n g i n g u p f r o m t h e waist, h e s a i l e d o v e r t h e river t o t h e o t h e r s i d e . U n k n o w n t o W a n g t h e r e w a s a m a n f r o m his v i l l a g e w h o h a d a r i s e n e a r l y a n d w a s s q u a t t i n g i n t h e grass r e l i e v i n g h i m s e l f . • T h i s m a n s a w W a n g use his l i g h t n e s s skill a n d t o l d p e o p l e i n t h e v i l l a g e a b o u t it. Besides practicing himself, W a n g Fu Yuan b e g a n to accept students of his o w n while he was living in N a n Mi. Later he also t a u g h t students in Tai Yuan, that i s w h e r e W a n g j i W u m e t h i m . O v e r a p e r i o d o f t h i r t y years o f t e a c h i n g i n S h a n x i , W a n g F u Y u a n ' s s t u d e n t s s p r e a d o u t all o v e r t h e p r o v i n c e . M a n y o f W a n g ' s students b e c a m e f a m o u s in their own right. T h e f a m o u s "three Pengs," Feng Y i n g Xi (jj u£ g), P e n g T i n g J u a n $ & ft), a n d P e n g Xi T a i j j . JO, t o g e t h e r with Mu Xiu Yi % ) a n d W a n g j i W u (j£. were the top representatives o f W a n g F u Y u a n . W a n g F u Y u a n was i n s t r u m e n t a l i n t h e s p r e a d o f X i n g Y i i n S h a n x i P r o v i n c e . W a n g n e v e r left S h a n x i P r o v i n c e a n d , u n l i k e h i s X i n g Y i b r o t h e r s L i C u n Yi, Z h a n g Z h a o D o n g , G e n g j i S h a n , a n d Z h o u M i n g T a i , W a n g n e v e r b e c a m e f a m o u s . W a n g ' s first c o n c e r n w a s i n t r a i n i n g s u c c e s s o r s o f his art a n d in S h a n x i Province his style has passed d o w n to this day.

M u Xiu Y i ^ l ^ ^ ) M u X i u Y i w a s v e r y f a m o u s i n S h a n x i p r o v i n c e . T h e C h i n e s e sold a b r a n d o f cigarettes called " H H 5 J . « " a n d p u t M u S h u Y i ' s p h o t o o n t h e c o v e r o f t h e cigarette p a c k a g e b e c a u s e h e w a s s o w e l l k n o w n . O r i g i n a l l y h e w a s a b u s i n e s s m a n a n d sold fabric, h o w e v e r , w h e n he was accepted as W a n g Fu Y u a n ' s formal student, he g a v e u p his b u s i n e s s a n d o n l y s t u d i e d X i n g Y i Q u a n . /

I n a m o u n t a i n o u s a r e a o f S h a n x i P r o v i n c e , c a l l e d M i a n S h a n , t h e r e lived a Buddhist M o n k in a t e m p l e w h o s e n a m e was Da You He. He was known to have " I r o n H e a d " skill. H e w o u l d r i n g a large b e l l b y b a n g i n g i t w i t h h i s h e a d t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h i s skill. W h e n h e h e a r d a b o u t M u S h u Y i h e w a n t e d t o c h a l l e n g e M u i n o r d e r t o t e s t his skill. A t t h a t t i m e M u w a s r u n n i n g a v i n e g a r f a c t o r y . T h e Buddhist w e n t to t h e factory to find M u , however, on this o c c a s i o n Mu was n o t t h e r e . T h e m o n k t o l d t h e o t h e r s a t t h e f a c t o r y t o tell M u t h a t h e w o u l d b e s t a y i n g at an Inn outside the south gate. W h e n Mu returned t h e y told h i m about the m o n k t h a t h a d visited. M u sent o n e o f t h e workers t o g o t o where t h e m o n k was staying and invite h i m back. W h e n t h e m o n k a r r i v e d , M u h a d a b i g d i n n e r w a i t i n g f o r h i m . H e said, " W e l c o m e , p l e a s e c o m e i n a n d e a t . " T h e m o n k said, " T h a n k y o u , b u t first I w o u l d like y o u r i n s t r u c t i o n . " W h i c h i s a p o l i t e w a y o f s a y i n g , " L e t ' s f i g h t . " M u said, "As y o u w i s h . W o u l d y o u like t o f i g h t w i t h b a r e h a n d s o r w e a p o n s ? " T h e m o n k said

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Lineage t h a t h e w i s h e d t o fight w i t h l o n g staffs. courtyard to fight.

Mu agreed a n d they w e n t into t h e

T h e t w o f i g h t e r s s q u a r e d o f f a n d a s s o o n a s t h e staffs h i t t h e m o n k t r i e d t o p o k e M u i n t h e s t o m a c h . M u s t e p p e d b a c k w i t h his l e f t f o o t a n d b r o u g h t his s t a f f around to whack the monk on the hand. The monk sawMu's intended move and w i t h d r e w . M u c h a n g e d a n d h i t t h e m o n k o n t h e h e a d w i t h t h e v e r y t i p o f his staff, r e m o v i n g a l a r g e c h u n k o f s k i n f r o m t h e m o n k ' s f o r e h e a d . E v e n t h o u g h t h e m o n k h a d a v e r y h a r d h e a d , h e realized t h a t i f M i l ' s strike h a d o f h i t h i m o n t h e t o p o f t h e h e a d i t w o u l d h a v e killed h i m . M u h a d c o n t r o l l e d h i s s t a f f s o w e l l t h a t i t o n l y r e m o v e d s o m e s k i n . T h e m o n k c o u l d feel M u ' s p o w e r a n d r e c o g n i z e d t h a t h i s level o f skill w a s s u p e r i o r . M u ' s p e o p l e w r a p p e d u p t h e m o n k ' s h e a d a n d t h e y w e n t t o c a t . T h e m o n k said, " A s l o n g a s M a s t e r M u i s a l i v e I will n e v e r a d m i t t h a t 1 k n o w gong fuV W a n g Ji Wu's study of Xing Yi Quan At t h e t i m e W a n g j i Wu met W a n g Fu Yuan he was W a n g ' s y o u n g e s t student. W a n g j i W u s t u d i e d i n t e n s e l y d a y a n d n i g h t f o r o v e r t e n years, t r a i n i n g s o h a r d that " h i s dripping sweat bore a h o l e through the r o c k s . " Eventually W a n g m a s t e r e d t h e h i g h e r l e v e l s o f t h e X i n g Y i Q u a n art, r e c e i v e d t h e i n n e r t e a c h i n g s of his master and developed i m m e n s e martial power. After a p e r i o d o f t i m e t e a c h i n g i n T a i y u a n , W a n g F u Y u a n r e t u r n e d t o Y u C i a n d W a n g j i W u c o n t i n u e d s t u d y i n g w i t h h i s s e n i o r c l a s s m a t e s . After a y e a r o r t w o , W a n g j i W u r e t u r n e d t o h i s h o m e t o w n t o visit r e l a t i v e s . W h i l e i n Y u C i , W a n g visited h i s t e a c h e r a n d a s k e d W a n g F u Y u a n t o c h e c k h i s f o r m . W a n g F u Y u a n t o l d h i m t h a t n o t o n l y h a d h e n o t g r a s p e d t h e c o n c e p t s o f t h e style, b u t

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W a n g Ji Wu (sitting) with a group of students on 2 November, 1974. Zhang B a o Yang is standing directly to Wang's right, Wang J i n Yu is directly to Wang's left a n d He Shuu Qi is to the far right of the photo. 19

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e v e n his f o r m w a s w r o n g . T o r e m e d y t h e s i t u a t i o n , W a n g j i W u q u i t h i s j o b a n d followed W a n g Fu Yuan day and n i g h t practicing X i n g Yi Q u a n . By the t i m e he w a s 2 3 o r 2 4 , W a n g J i W u w a s fast a p p r o a c h i n g m a s t e r y o f t h e b o x i n g art. U n f o r t u n a t e l y , at this t i m e W a n g Fu Yuan was p o i s o n e d to d e a t h by a w r o n g prescription o f m e d i c i n e . W a n g j i W u was h e a r t b r o k e n . H e a n d his classmates took care of W a n g Fu Yuan's funeral arrangements and took his remains back to his p l a c e o f b i r t h i n S h e n C o u n t y , H e b e i P r o v i n c e . After W a n g Fu Yuan died, W a n g j i Wu kept his master's t e a c h i n g in m i n d a n d p r a c t i c e d h a r d e r t h a n e v e r . H e c o n t i n u e d his s t u d y o f X i n g Y i Q u a n w i t h t h e " T h r e e F a m o u s P e n g ' s " o f S h a n x i . T h e s e t h r e e f a m o u s X i n g Y i b o x e r s w h e r e all n a m e d Peng, however, t h e y were n o t from the same i m m e d i a t e family. W a n g s t u d i e d p r i m a r i l y w i t h P e n g Y o n g X i , w h o w a s his o l d e r X i n g Y i b o x i n g " b r o t h e r " under W a n g Fu Yuan. W a n g Fu Yuan had three famous students, W a n g j i Wu, P e n g Y i n g X i , a n d M u X i u Yi. W a n g j i Wu's Bodyguard Service After t h e fall o f t h e Q i n g e m p i r e , d u r i n g t h e early d a y s o f t h e R e p u b l i c , t h e area o f S h a n x i w h e r e W a n g lived w a s c o n t r o l l e d b y a w a r l o r d . W a n g w a s o p p o s e d t o h i s r u l e a n d c o n s e q u e n t l y left t h e P r o v i n c e . W a n g a n d t w o o f h i s m a r t i a l arts brothers, Peng Ying Xi a n d Z h o u Bing Z h e n m o v e d t o Shi J i a Z h u a n g i n H e b e i P r o v i n c e a n d set u p a n e s c o r t a n d b o d y g u a r d s e r v i c e . T h e y c a l l e d t h e b o d y g u a r d s e r v i c e Ren Yi (PT h e s e r v i c e q u i c k l y m a d e a n a m e f o r itself a n d W a n g j i W u b e c a m e k n o w n a s t h e "Ren Y i g e n t l e m a n . " T o g e t h e r w i t h his t e a c h e r ' s X i n g Yi Q u a n c l a s s m a t e Li C u n Yi, w h o a l s o r a n t h e f a m o u s Yi Hie (J^ fc) b o d y g u a r d s e r v i c e i n B a o D i n g , t h e i r X i n g Y i Q u a n skills b e c a m e v e r y w e l l known.

i

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} f

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Wang Ji Wu with students a n d grandstudents on 20 September, 1975. Zhang B a o Yang is sitting second from right, Wang J i n Yu is to Wang J i Wu's left, a n d H e S h o u Q i i s t o W a n g J i n Yu's left.

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Wang Ji Wu with a group of students and grandstudents in B e i j i n g on 20 S e p t e m b e r 1982. Later, d u r i n g t h e " w a r l o r d " p e r i o d i n C h i n a , W a n g w a s " i n v i t e d " t o c o m e a n d w o r k f o r t h e local w a r l o r d a r m y , b u t a f t e r c a r e f u l c o n s i d e r a t i o n h e d e c l i n e d . Since the " i n v i t a t i o n " had o v e r t o n e s of " y o u work for us or we p u t y o u out of b u s i n e s s , " h e h a d n o c h o i c e b u t t o l e a v e t h e b o d y g u a r d b u s i n e s s i n Shi J i a Zhuang. From Shi Jia Z h u a n g W a n g traveled to Tianjin where he went into commercial business. T h e Martial Artist In 1 9 2 2 W a n g j i Wu was visiting Taiyuan a n d w e n t to observe a platform b o x i n g m a t c h . Liu Q i L a n ' s s e c o n d s o n Liu D i a n C h e n ( w h o w a s a c l a s s m a t e o f W a n g F u Y u a n u n d e r Liu Q i L a n ) , a n d m a n y o t h e r o f t h e c i d e r s i n t h e m a r t i a l arts c o m m u n i t y were i n a t t e n d a n c e . O n e o f W a n g j i W u ' s X i n g Y i Q u a n " c o u s i n s " his t e a c h e r ' s X i n g Y i b r o t h e r ' s s t u d e n t ) w a s f i g h t i n g a C h e n S t y l e Tai J i Q u a n master n a m e d Zhu Yuo Jun Zhu was u n d e f e a t e d , h a v i n g beaten sixteen people in platform m a t c h e s . During t h e fight, W a n g started c o a c h i n g his f r i e n d f r o m t h e s i d e l i n e s . T h e C h e n m a s t e r d i d n o t like W a n g c o a c h i n g h i s o p p o n e n t a n d so he shouted, "If you k n o w so m u c h , w h y d o n ' t you c o m e up here and try." Wang jumped up on the platform and immediately knocked Zhu on t h e g r o u n d . Zhu j u m p e d up a n d tried to stab W a n g in t h e eyes with his fingers. W a n g reached out, blocked the jab and grabbed Zhu by the throat, lifting h i m off the ground. Zhu couldn't m o v e and W a n g c o n t i n u e d holding h i m until he was a b o u t t o pass o u t . T h e p o l i c e c a m e u p t o t h e p l a t f o r m y e l l i n g , " L e t h i m g o , y o u a r e t r y i n g t o kill h i m . " W a n g r e l e a s e d h i s g r i p a n d k n o c k e d Z h u t o t h e g r o u n d . H e t u r n e d t o t h e p o l i c e a n d said, " E v e r y t h i n g i s all r i g h t , w e are just h a v i n g a f r i e n d l y m a t c h . N o o n e will g e t h u r t . " T h e n e x t d a y Z h u c a m e t o W a n g ' s r o o m w i t h gifts. T h e t w o d i s c u s s e d m a r t i a l

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W a n g Ji Wu's students a n d g r a n d s t u d e n t s on 17 J u n e 1984. arts a n d b e c a m e g o o d f r i e n d s . T w o years later t h e y m e t a g a i n i n Shi J i a Z h u a n g . Z h u h a d b e c o m e o n e o f t h e c h i e f m a r t i a l arts i n s t r u c t o r s f o r t h e G u o M i n D a n g It - Kuo M i n T a n g ) a r m y . W a n g was carrying s o m e luggage a n d Zhu told t w o soldiers t o carry t h e bags for h i m . W a n g j i W u ' s l o n g t i m e student Z h a n g Bao Y a n g (jfc $ - $ ) , w h o b e g a n s t u d y i n g w i t h W a n g i n 1 9 5 3 , said t h a t h e m e t Z h u Y o u J u n w h e n Z h u c a m e t o v i s i t h i s t e a c h e r i n B e i j i n g i n 1 9 5 4 . H e said t h a t Z h u w a s t h e o n e w h o t o l d h i m t h e s t o r y a b o u t W a n g d e f e a t i n g h i m . Z h a n g said t h a t h i s t e a c h e r d i d n ' t like t o tell s u c h s t o r i e s . I n 1 9 3 3 W a n g j i W u settled i n Beijing where h e was active i n public service, followed Daoist practices a n d studied C h a n B u d d h i s m (Zen). Through an introduction from Peng Ting J u a n , W a n g began studying Daoist m e t h o d s of h e a l t h cultivation u n d e r t h e Daoist master Huo C h e n g G u a n g (:f & ) - During the 1930's, W a n g joined the Hong W a n Zi Association a n d spent m u c h of his t i m e r e s e a r c h i n g h i s m a r t i a l arts, D a o i s t arts, a n d m e d i c i n e . H e w a s s u c c e s s f u l in r e a c h i n g n e w levels of practice a n d it is during this period of t i m e t h a t he created t h e X i n g Yi Q u a n Sixteen Health Exercises w h i c h are presented in this book. T h e Patriot W a n g j i W u ' s s t u d e n t s say t h a t h e w a s n o b l e - m i n d e d , m a g n a n i m o u s , a n d a b o v e p e t t y t h i n g s . W h e n h e first arrived i n B e i j i n g h e w o r k e d f o r a c h a r i t a b l e o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d s p e n t h i s t i m e t r e a t i n g p e o p l e w h o h a d b e e n i n j u r e d duri n g t h e J a p a n e s e W a r . After t h e fall o f T i a n j i n a n d B e i j i n g , W a n g p u t all h i s e f f o r t i n t o h e l p i n g t h o s e i n v o l v e d in t h e J a p a n e s e resistance get out of Beijing in order to a v o i d c a p t u r e . O n e t i m e , a l o c a l m i l i t i a l e a d e r Z h a n g Q i n g Y u ($k$t.-fr)i beaten by the Japanese and he and his m e n were in grave danger. Although W a n g j i W u d i d n o t k n o w Z h a n g Q i n g Y u p e r s o n a l l y , h e r e s p o n d e d t o t h e call w

22

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Lineage f o r h e l p a n d a t g r e a t p e r s o n a l risk h e l p e d Z h a n g e s c a p e f r o m d a n g e r . T h e r e are m a n y e x a m p l e s o f W a n g j i W u ' s selfless s e r v i c e t o h i s c o u n t r y m e n . O n e t i m e s o m e of t h e C h i n e s e U n d e r g r o u n d Resistance fighters were captured in Tianjin a n d were b e i n g held for r a n s o m b y t h e J a p a n e s e . W a n g J i W u organized t h e collection of t h e r a n s o m a n d secured t h e prisoners' release. He was k n o w n widely for his sense of duty and generosity. The Doctor W h i l e in Beijing, W a n g b e c a m e quite well k n o w n as a doctor, especially skilled i n t h e a r e a s o f b o n e s e t t i n g a n d t h e t r e a t m e n t o f e x t e r n a l i n j u r i e s . M a n y p a t i e n t s w h o h a d b e e n p l a g u e d f o r years b y v a r i o u s a i l m e n t s w e r e c u r e d b y W a n g Ji W u . His r e p u t a t i o n s p r e a d a n d W a n g c o n t i n u e d h i s g o o d w o r k w i t h characteristic enthusiasm. In a d d i t i o n to f i g h t i n g skills a n d nei gong {1*5 if]), W a n g a l s o s t u d i e d C h i n e s e m e d i c i n e , b o n e s e t t i n g , a n d t r a u m a t o l o g y . H e later b e c a m e o n e o f t h e f o u r m o s t f a m o u s doctors in Beijing. W h e n e v e r he taught martial arts he always included the medical training and Daoist meditation. W a n g j i W u ' s daughter, son, soni n - l a w , a n d s i s t e r - i n - l a w all b e c a m e s k i l l e d d o c t o r s u n d e r h i s t u t e l a g e . In his later years, besides t e a c h i n g his children a n d grandchildren, W a n g Ji W u t a u g h t m a n y s t u d e n t s C h i n e s e m e d i c i n e . His " i n n e r d o o r " d i s c i p l e s i n c l u d e , W a n g Jin Liang, Z h a n g Bao Yang, He Yi Chi, Li L o n g M e n g , Pan Ji Yuan a n d W e i Y u a n Hui W a n g j i W u w a s r e c o g n i z e d f o r h i s o u t s t a n d i n g a b i l i t i e s a s a d o c t o r . W a n g Feng C h u n ( o n e of the four t o p doctors in Beijing) and C h e n Shu C h i n g (an e x p e r t i n o s t e o p a t h y ) g a v e W a n g j i W u t h e h i g h e s t p r a i s e . W a n g ' s m e d i c a l t r a i n i n g w a s a f a m i l y i n h e r i t a n c e . His g r a n d f a t h e r , W a n g X i n g Kai, w a s a f a m o u s d o c t o r of internal a n d e x t e r n a l m e d i c i n e as well as o s t e o p a t h y . Wang's g r a n d f a t h e r w a s u n c o n c e r n e d w i t h p r o f i t a n d o f t e n t r e a t e d his p a t i e n t s w i t h o u t fee. B e c a u s e W a n g j i W u w a s a m a r t i a l artist, h e s p e c i a l i z e d i n b o n e s e t t i n g . W a n g j i W u w a s a l w a y s v e r y fair i n his t r e a t m e n t o f p a t i e n t s , o f t e n f o r e g o i n g t h e fee i f t h e p a t i e n t w a s u n a b l e t o p a y . O n e o f t h e m o s t v a l u a b l e a m o n g t h e p r e c i o u s f o r m u l a s f o r h e a l t h w h i c h W a n g o f f e r e d w a s a set o f S i x t e e n H e a l t h building exercises. These exercises had been passed d o w n within the X i n g Yi s c h o o l f o r a h u n d r e d y e a r s a n d W a n g put t h e m t o g e t h e r i n a s y s t e m a t i c f a s h i o n . After practicing these exercises s i n c e h e w a s a y o u n g m a n . a t t h e age o f 1 0 0 W a n g Ji Wu m a i n t a i n e d a sharp m i n d , q u i c k reactions, a n d perfect eyesight (he could read a n e w s p a p e r w i t h o u t g l a s s e s ) . W a n g o f t e n t a u g h t t h e s e e x e r c i s e s t o h i s patients in order to speed t h e healing process. W a n g j i Wu died on September 13, 1991 in Beijing at the age of 1 0 0 . Wang Ji Wu's Xing Yi Quan W a n g Ji W u ' s X i n g Yi Q u a n training p r o g r a m is a very c o m p l e t e system for b o t h h e a l t h a n d s e l f - d e f e n s e . T h e s y s t e m i n c l u d e s v a r i o u s k i n d s o f qigong a n d m e d i t a t i o n p r a c t i c e s , n u m e r o u s s o l o f o r m s , t w o - p e r s o n f o r m s , w e a p o n s sets, a n d power training. Additionally, W a n g encouraged his top students to study and practice Chinese Medicine and Bone Setting. W h e n W a n g J i W u t a u g h t X i n g Y i Q u a n t h e first t h i n g h e w o u l d t e a c h h i s s t u d e n t s w a s a set o f s i x t e e n h e a l t h b u i l d i n g a n d b o d y s t r e n g t h e n i n g e x e r c i s e s he had developed based on various d e v e l o p m e n t a l X i n g Yi exercises he had l e a r n e d f r o m h i s t e a c h e r . T h e s e e x e r c i s e s s e r v e d a s a c o n d i t i o n i n g set t o h e l p t h e

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b e g i n n i n g s t u d e n t ' s b o d y a n d m i n d g e t r e a d y for t h e p r a c t i c e o f X i n g Y i a n d t h e n l a t e r s e r v e d a s a w a r m - u p a n d c o o l d o w n for X i n g Y i f o r m s a n d t w o - p e r s o n practice. T h i s set o f e x e r c i s e s w a s a vital part o f W a n g ' s X i n g Y i t r a i n i n g m e t h o d f o r n u m e r o u s r e a s o n s . N o t o n l y d o e s t h e set c o n d i t i o n t h e b o d y b y h e l p i n g t o o p e n up t h e joints, stretch t h e muscles, a n d strengthen t h e t e n d o n s , but it also helps t h e student learn h o w t o c o o r d i n a t e t h e m i n d , b o d y a n d b r e a t h . T h e ability t o totally c o o r d i n a t e t h e m i n d a n d body is o n e of the m a i n goals of X i n g Yi Q u a n p r a c t i c e . T h e " p o w e r " o f X i n g Y i t e c h n i q u e relies o n t h i s a b i l i t y . W a n g j i W u ' s m e t h o d of leaching these basic exercises to beginning students helped t h e m to l e a r n h o w t o i n t e g r a t e t h e m i n d a n d b o d y early i n t h e t r a i n i n g p r o c e s s . C o n t i n u a l practice of these exercises by intermediate and advanced students as a w a r m - u p and c o o l - d o w n facilitated t h e proper mental a n d physical preparation a n d c o n c l u s i o n f o r e a c h p r a c t i c e s e s s i o n a n d t h u s h i s s t u d e n t s w e r e a b l e t o get m o r e out o f e a c h p r a c t i c e . A d d i t i o n a l l y , r e g u l a r p r a c t i c e o f t h e s e e x e r c i s e s h e l p e d t h e students m a i n t a i n o p t i m u m health and thus they were able to avoid injury a n d disease, e n a b l i n g t h e m t o train harder everyday. T h e sixteen health exercises a r e p r e s e n t e d In C h a p t e r s 4 a n d 5 of t h i s b o o k . After s t u d e n t s h a d b e g u n t o d e v e l o p s o m e m i n d / b o d y c o n n e c t i o n , f l e x i b i l i t y , coordination (internal and external) and balance during the execution of the s i x t e e n e x e r c i s e s , W a n g t h e n t a u g h t h i s s t u d e n t s t h e San TiSliHs~Ht standing practice. The length of time each student practiced standing everyday or p r a c t i c e d s t a n d i n g b e f o r e t h e y s t a r t e d t h e five e l e m e n t f o r m s d e p e n d e d o n t h e i r c o n s t i t u t i o n a n d t h e i r i n t e r e s t i n d e v e l o p i n g h i g h level skill. T h o s e w h o h a d a s t r o n g b o d y , p a t i e n c e , a n d w e r e d e t e r m i n e d t o r e a c h a h i g h skill level p r a c t i c e d s t a n d i n g lor a l o n g t i m e . T h e b o d y c o n n e c t i o n , w h o l e b o d y p o w e r , (//development, a n d m i n d / b o d y h a r m o n y t h a t a r c forged d u r i n g l o n g s t a n d i n g s e s s i o n s a r e vital i n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f X i n g Y i i n t e r n a l p o w e r . T h o s e w h o w e r e w e a k o r w h o lost interest i n standing w o u l d n o t b e required t o s t a n d for t o o long. W a n g t a u g h t t w o s t a n d i n g p o s t u r e s t o h i s s t u d e n t s . T h e first p o s t u r e h e c a l l e d " s i n g l e h a n d " San T i a n d t h e s e c o n d p o s t u r e b e c a l l e d " d o u b l e h a n d " 5 . . / i 77. T h e s t a n d i n g p r a c t i c e as taught by W a n g j i Wu is presented in C h a p t e r .T of this b o o k . A f t e r l e a r n i n g t h e San T i Slii s t a n d i n g m e t h o d , W a n g ' s s t u d e n t s l e a r n e d X i n g Y i ' s five e l e m e n t s . W a n g ' s five e l e m e n t s i n c l u d e d Pi Quan C^-^. - S p l i t t i n g Fist I, Zuan Quail { - D r i l l i n g l i s t ) , Beng Quan ( $ # - - S m a s h i n g Fist), Pao Quan - F o u n d i n g Fist I a n d t w o v a r i a t i o n s of Hcng Quan - C r o s s i n g Fist), Shun tin Heng Quan ^jV ^ ^ j L - S m o o t h S t e p C r o s s i n g Fist) a n d Ao Hu Heng Quan ( & ) ^ J S ~ T w i s t i n g S t e p C r o s s i n g Fist). N e x t s t u d e n t s l e a r n e d t w o d i f f e r e n t t w o - p e r s o n f o r m s , Wu Hua Pao - Five F l o w e r P o u n d i n g ) a n d Wu Xing ShengKeQuani& j f ± Five E l e m e n t C r e a t i v e a n d D e s t r u c t i v e Fist). T h e s e f o r m s are d e r i v e d t r o m t h e m o v e m e n t s o f t h e five e l e m e n t s . I n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h s t u d y o f t h e t w o - p e r s o n five e l e m e n t sets, s t u d e n t s a l s o s t u d i e d t w o d i f f e r e n t five e l e m e n t l i n k i n g l o r n t s . O n e is c a l l e d He Yi (£-— U n i t i n g i n t o O n e ) a n d t h e o t h e r c a l l e d jin Tuilian Huart Quan ( i d ig_ i^. C o n t i n u o u s l y Finked A d v a n c i n g and Retreating Fist). Next t h e students were t a u g h t a n o t h e r b a s i c s o l o f o r m c a l l e d ji Xing Si Ra{% ft pj - C h i c k e n Form Four G r a s p i n g ) . T h i s f o r m w a s a n i m p o r t a n t f o u n d a t i o n a l f o r m w h i c h later f o r m s w o u l d build u p o n . A f t e r l e a r n i n g t h i s f o r m t h e s t u d e n t s w o u l d t h e n p r a c t i c e a n o t h e r t w o - p e r s o n set c a l l e d Wu Shou (A - Five H a n d s ) .

Lineage After b u i l d i n g a s o l i d f o u n d a t i o n w i t h t h e a b o v e m e n t i o n e d f o r m s , W a n g ' s s t u d e n t s w o u l d t h e n l e a r n X i n g Yi's t w e l v e a n i m a l f o r m s (Shi Er Xing Quan W a n g ' s t w e l v e a n i m a l sets i n c l u d e d t h e s t a n d a r d t w e l v e a n i m a l f o r m s ( D r a g o n , T i g e r , M o n k e y , H o r s e , S n a k e , C h i c k e n , W a t e r Lizard, S p a r r o w , S w a l l o w , T a i Bird, Eagle, a n d B e a r ) plus t h e f o l l o w i n g a d d i t i o n a l a n i m a l sets: l u m p i n g Dragon, Four Direction M o n k e y , C o m b i n e d Eagle-Bear, a n d Bear S h o u l d e r s . After s t u d y o f t h e t w e l v e a n i m a l s t y l e s , s t u d e n t s w e r e t a u g h t a n o t h e r t w o - p e r s o n f o r m c a l l e d W u XingPaoChui ( i f t - Five E l e m e n t C a n n o n Fist). T h i s f o r m w a s f o l l o w e d by t h e c o m b i n e d s o l o f o r m s Chu Dong Ru Dong ($: Jft - L e a v i n g a n d E n t e r i n g t h e C a v e ) , Shi Er Hong i'.liui ( - f - ^ & S i - T w e l v e Red H a m m e r s ) , Za Shi Chid ( H A M - M i x e d F o r m B e a t i n g ) , Jin Gang Ha Shi (£-m A & - B u d d h a ' s W a r r i o r E i g h t F o r m s ) , Long Xing Ba Shi ( f t , j£ A. A, • D r a g o n S t y l e Light F o r m s ) , Shi Er Lian Quan (-f- — i £ ^ - T w e l v e L i n k e d Fists), a n d o t h e r t w o p e r s o n f o r m s as f o l l o w s : Zhou Too Hium (^ - N i n e L i n k e d S e t ) , a n d An Shen I'ao ( # j | J f c - S t a b l e B o d y P o u n d i n g ) . After s t u d y i n g t h e s o l o a n d t w o - p e r s o n b a r e h a n d f o r m s , s t u d e n t s w e r e t h e n t a u g h t w e a p o n s sets. W a n g ' s s y s t e m i n c l u d e d t w o X i n g Y i s a b e r f o r m s ( C o n t i n u o u s I . i n k i n g S a b e r a n d M e a s u r e d Path S a b e r ) , f o u r X i n g Y i s w o r d f o r m s ( C o n t i n u o u s l y L i n k e d S w o r d , A d v a n c i n g S t e p S w o r d , R e t r e a t i n g S t e p S w o r d , a n d Four G a t e D r a g o n F o r m S w o r d ) , t h r e e X i n g Y i staff f o r m s ( t w o sets o f C o n t i n u o u s l y L i n k e d Staff a n d a T h r e e S e c t i o n Staff f o r m ) , X i n g Y i spear, X i n g Y i n e e d l e s , X i n g Y i d o u b l e - h e a d e d spear, a n d X i n g Y i large s p e a r . T h e large s p e a r w o r k w a s p r a c t i c e i n o r d e r t o d e v e l o p p o w e r i n t h e five e l e m e n t s ( t h i s set i s s h o w n i n C h a p t e r 6 o f t h i s b o o k ) . Each o f t h e five c l e m e n t f o r m s i s p r a c t i c e d w i t h t h e large s p e a r .

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Wangji Wu's Xing Yi Quan Students translated by Tim Cartmell

A Martial Artist and Martial Theorist: Wang Jin Yu by Z h a n g Bao Y a n g a n d He Yu Qi

W a n g J i n Yu ( 1 9 2 2 - ) was b o r n in Hebei Province. He graduated from Beijing University in the 1 9 4 0 ' s where he originally studied Economics. He has researched history and p u b l i s h e d several b o o k s . F r o m 1 9 8 0 t o 1 9 8 9 h e was an assistant professor of a n c i e n t C h i n e s e at the C h u n g W e n Television University. W a n g Jin Yu began studying Xing Yi Quan with Yuan Wei Bin ( & - f # : ^ , ) , a X i n g Yi student o f Z h o u M i n g Tai ( w h o w a s W a n g F u Y u a n ' s c l a s s m a t e u n d e r Liu Q i L a n ) w h i l e i n J u n i o r High S c h o o l . D u r i n g t h e 1 9 5 0 ' s W a n g J i n Y u b e c a m e a student of W a n g j i W u . Unfortunately, d u r i n g t h e 1 9 6 0 ' s , W a n g J i n Y u lost h i s left a r m a n d he was no l o n g e r able to practice X i n g Yi Quan. W a n g j i Wu encouraged W a n g Jin Yu to c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e art b y s t u d y i n g its t h e o r y . I n Wang J i n Yu t h e 1 9 8 0 ' s , W a n g J i n Yu, w i t h t h e h e l p o f his c l a s s m a t e s Z h a n g B a o Y a n g , H e Y u Q i a n d Pan Zhi Y u a n p u t t o g e t h e r t h e first d r a f t of Liu He Xin Yi Quan: The Written Transmissions. At t h e s a m e t i m e , t o g e t h e r w i t h Z h a n g B a o Y a n g , he a n d his s o n , W a n g H u a n S h e n g , p u b l i s h e d Xin Yi Sixteen Exercises for Health w i t h a c o m p a r a t i v e a n a l y s i s o f b o t h C h i n e s e a n d W e s t e r n m e d i c i n e . He a l s o w r o t e A Treatise on San Ti Shi a n d Xin Yi Power Training. W a n g a l s o s t u d i e d Qi Cong w i t h his c l a s s m a t e Hu Y a o Z h e n . In addition to t h e above m e n t i o n e d martial arts books, W a n g J i n Yu has also w r i t t e n a n u m b e r of o t h e r b o o k s i n c l u d i n g An Examination of Ancient Literature, A History of Printing, Chinese Painting Master Li Ku Chan, Can Tu Tong ji, a n d revised t h e Home Encyclopedia of Child Rearing. W a n g w a s a s t a n d i n g m e m b e r o f t h e first a n d s e c o n d X i n g Y i Q u a n R e s e a r c h C o m m i t t e e s , is a m e m b e r of the Beijing City Qi G o n g Research Association, and i s a n i n s t r u c t o r a t t h e B e i j i n g J i X i a n M a r t i a l Arts A c a d e m y . I n 1 9 9 1 h e retired I r o m t h e Beijing X i n g YI Q u a n Research C o m m i t t e e a n d n o w serves as an advisor. He c o n t i n u e s his research of X i n g Yi Q u a n .

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A Famous Practitioner of Xin Yi Liu He Quan: Zhang

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by W a n g Huan Sheng

Z h a n g Bao Y a n g ( 1 9 2 2 - ) was b o r n i n Hebei P r o v i n c e i n t h e c i t y o f X i n g j i . After g r a d u a t i o n from high s c h o o l , Z h a n g m o v e d to Beijing to begin working. During the 1950*5, he began his study o f X i n g Y i Q u a n u n d e r W a n g j i W u . H e followed W a n g day a n d night a n d learned t h e i n n e r t e a c h i n g s o f t h e a r t . P r a c t i c i n g m a r t i a l arts morning and night, Zhang Bao Yang followed t h e advice of his teacher a n d studied with a humble attitude and o p e n mind. Zhang also went to study with t h e f a m o u s Xin C h e n g martial arts m a s t e r Z h a n g C h u a n g Fa I also k n o w n a s Z h a n g X i a n g Z h a i , see p h o t o o n page 4 ) . Z h a n g C h u a n g Fa was a X i n g Yi Q u a n s t u d e n t o f Liu Q i L a n ' s s o n Liu W e n H u a ( a l s o k n o w n a s Liu D i a n C h e n } a n d a B a G u a Z h a n g

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student o f C h e n g Ting Hua. Z h a n g Bao Yang's 7 u R y boxing uncle was Du Ji San, w h o was a student of Bu Xue Kuan, a student of C h e Yi Zhai. Zhang £JL SJ? ±k B a o Y a n g ' s t e a c h e r s w e r e all i m p r e s s e d w i t h h i s spirit a n d e a g e r n e s s t o learn a n d w e r e m o r e t h a n h a p p y t o t e a c h h i m . W h e n the Beijing X i n g Yi Q u a n Research Association was established in 1 9 8 3 , Z h a n g Bao Y a n g was a p p o i n t e d director. Zhang's e n t h u s i a s m and sacrifice in p r o m o t i n g t h e m a r t i a l a r t s h a s w o n h i m t h e praise a n d a d m i r a t i o n o f h i s p e e r s . His n o t o r i e t y h a s a t t r a c t e d c o r r e s p o n d e n c e f r o m m a r t i a l a r t i s t s all o v e r t h e c o u n t y . He was given an advisory position in t h e Ji N a n X i n g Yi Q u a n Research A s s o c i a t i o n , t h e F u k i e n S a n M i n C i t y Y o u t h M a r t i a l Arts T e a m , t h e B e i j i n g S u n S t y l e Tai J i Q u a n A s s o c i a t i o n , a n d i s a c o a c h o f t h e B e i j i n g J i X i a n M a r t i a l Arts A c a d e m y . As X i n g Yi Q u a n is an i n t e r n a l m a r t i a l art, Z h a n g a l s o s t u d i e d Qi Gong with H u Y a o Z h e n i n o r d e r t o d e e p e n his k n o w l e d g e o f i n t e r n a l p o w e r . a

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Zhang Bao Yang is a m a n of m a n y talents. Besides studying o s t e o p a t h y with W a n g j i W u , Z h a n g a l s o s t u d i e d a c u p u n c t u r e w i t h J i a C h u I.ian. I n a d d i t i o n t o his a c h i e v e m e n t s i n m a r t i a l arts, QiGong, a n d m e d i c i n e , Z h a n g t a k e s p l e a s u r e i n treating patients, In order to further research X i n g Yi Q u a n , Z h a n g a n d his classmate W a n g J i n Yu h a v e c o l l a b o r a t e d on o r g a n i z i n g a n d edi t i n g the Xing Yi Written Transmissions a n d h a v e c o a u t h o r c d t h e m a n u s c r i p t The New Written Transmissions of Xin Yi Liu He. I n a d d i t i o n , Z h a n g a n d his j u n i o r c l a s s m a t e , W a n g H u a n S h e n g , h a v e w r i t t e n a h o o k on W a n g j i W u ' s X i n Yi S i x t e e n Exercises for Health. In 1 9 9 1 , Z h a n g resigned as head of t h e X i n g Yi Research Association, but c o n t i n u e s his i n v o l v e m e n t i n a n a d v i s o r y role. H e i s a l s o a m c m h e r o f t h e B e i j i n g C i t y Q i Gang R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t i o n . I n 1 9 8 6 h e b e g a n v o l u n t e e r i n g h i s l i m e a s a m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r at a l o c a l h o s p i t a l . 27

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Zhang Bao Yang has taught m a n y students. Because of his open teaching, his s t u d e n t s i m p r o v e r a p i d l y a n d several o f his s t u d e n t s h a v e b e c o m e t e a c h e r s i n t h e i r o w n r i g h t . S o m e o f his s t u d e n t s h a v e b e g u n t e a c h i n g h i s a r t o v e r s e a s . O n e of his students, Du Fu Kun, has been teaching in Czechoslovakia.

A Practitioner of Xin Yi Liu He Quan: He Yu Qi by Zhang Wu Ben He Yu Qi ( 1 9 3 0 -) was b o r n in Hebei Province in Ding Xing County. After m i d d l e s c h o o l h e w e n t t o w o r k i n b u s i n e s s a n d later i n i n d u s t r y . H e w o r k e d a s a n e n g i n e e r a n d b e c a u s e o f his skill w a s v e r y c r e a t i v e i n t h e field, e v e n t u a l l y r e t i r i n g f r o m the Beijing Scientific Instruments firm. He Yu Qi and my father, Zhang Bao Yang, were both formal students of W a n g j i W u . He Yu Qi became a Xing Yi Quan student of W a n g j i Wu in 1 9 5 2 a n d in the same year also began studying Qi Gon^with Hu Yao Zhen. Because He Yu Qi and my father were neighbors, t h e y often practiced together. At my f a t h e r ' s r e q u e s t , I b e c a m e a student of He Yu Qi. Besides being proficient in osteopathy, He Yu Qi studied a c u p u n c t u r e under Jia C h u Lian. He is p r o f i c i e n t i n t h e m a r t i a l arts, m e d i c i n e , a n d q i gong a n d i s a m e m b e r o f t h e B e i j i n g X i n g Y i Q u a n Research Association a n d t h e Beijing Qi G o n g Research Association. Before retirement, he often treated friends a n d family m e m b e r s a n d n o w works together with my father.

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A Practitioner of Xin Yi Liu He Quan: Wang Huan Sheng by Zhang Wu Ben W a n g Hun S h e n g ( 1 9 5 4 - ) is t h e son of W a n g J i n Yu. He was b o r n in Beijing a n d at seven years of age he was i n t r o d u c e d by his father to W a n g Ji Wu a n d b e c a m e Master W a n g ' s student, studying b o t h martial arts a n d m e d i c i n e . After g r a d u a t i o n f r o m m i d d l e s c h o o l lie w o r k e d f o r a t i m e i n i n d u s t r y . B e c a u s e o f h i s expertise in osteopathy (he learned the essence o f W a n g j i W u ' s skill), b e b e g a n w o r k i n g i n a hospital. W a n g Huan S h e n g was very popular with the patients a n d in order to further his medical knowledge, he entered the Beijing Medical College, graduating in 1 9 8 4 . W a n g c o m b i n e d his knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine with that of m o d e r i i n i e d i c i n e w i t h e x c e l l c n t r e s u l t s . Besides his m e d i c a l p r a c t i c e , h e p r a c t i c e s t h e m a r t i a l arts everyday. He possesses c o n s i d e r a b l e internal power.

"^^^^J^y Wang Huan Sheng ,«

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I n t h e 1 9 8 0 ' s , u n d e r t h e g u i d a n c e of Z h a n g jfc.