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BAGUAZHANG - Origins and features of Bagua Taijiquan 20/04/2020, 16)15

Origins and features of Bagua Taijiquan

Based on articles by Qiao Hongru and Chen Lixin; translated from Chinese and edited by
Jarek Szymanski, photos: J.Szymanski; © J.Szymanski 1999

Bagua Taijiquan has been taught by Guo Zhushan, the third generation master of Baguazhang, and become
popular in Jinan (capital of North China Shandong Province) and Tianjin areas. Although transmitted within
Bagua tradition, the style belongs to Taijiquan.

TRANSMISSION

Bagua Taijiquan comes from Yang Family Boxing; first Yang Luchan passed it to Xia Guoxun, Xia taught Liu
Dekuan (nicknamed "Liu Big Spear"), Liu taught Cheng Haiting (Cheng Tinghua's oldest son), who passed it to
Guo Zhushan (disciple of Cheng Tinghua and Li Cunyi) and Jiang Xinshan. It is said that Xia Guoxun was Yang
Luchan's son-in-law so he must have received true transmission; Xia and Liu Dekuan were sworn brothers; Liu,
Cheng Tinghua and Li Cunyi were also sworn brothers through Jinlan ceremony. Because of these close relations
Bagua Taijiquan is said to relatively well preserve the original appearance of taijiquan. Since Guo Zhushan and
Cheng Haiting were kungfu brothers and very skilful Bagua practitioners, they put some Bagua movements,
kicks, etc. into Taijiquan, so that the flavour has changed. Since Cheng Haiting passed away early, Bagua
Taijiquan that is known nowadays has been researched and developed by Guo Zhushan, who then passed it to
Zhang Wanying, Jing Dewai, Qiao Hongru and others.

Guo Zhushan was born in Tianjin in 1901. His father, Guo Tiancheng, had a machine factory there, was very
wealthy and was often inviting famous martial artists to stay at his mansion. Masters like Li Cunyi, Liu Dekuan,
Zhang Zhankui, Li Kuiyuan and other were frequent guests. One of them, famous Bagua master, Cheng Haiting
(also called Cheng Youlong) spent over ten years at Guo's house and was treating Guo Zhushan like his own
brother.
On this rare photo - Cheng Haiting (Cheng
Youlong), Cheng Tinghua's oldest son

Guo became Li Cunyi's official disciple at the age of eight and

started to practice Xingyiquan first. Li Cunyi even took young
Guo as his adopted son. However later, because of serious illness
of legs, Guo took up Bagua Taijiquan Neigong (Internal Practice)
under Cheng Haiting. Cheng taught him in the name of his father,
Cheng Tinghua, so Guo Zhushan has been considered Cheng

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Tinghua's disciple. Practice of Bagua Taijiquan had miraculous

effect on Guo, who at the beginning was able to exercise only in
bed, and then, when his health improved, while sitting and
standing, until he recover completely.

Later famous Wudang Sword master, Li Jinglin, asked Guo to

teach Bagua Taijiquan to Li's sons and daughters.

In 1931 Guo moved to Jinan in Shandong Province and lived there until 1966, when Guo Zhushan, student
he moved back to Tianjin. He passed away in 1968. of Cheng Haiting, in
practice
The name "Bagua Taijiquan" was decided in 1958. Qiao Hongru who originally
studied Yang style Taijiquan, while learning the routine passed by Guo, realized that Baguazhang
this Taijiquan has many Baguazhang features and as such differs from typical
Taijiquan branches. Qiao suggested to change the name of the routine into Bagua
Taijiquan, e.g. Taijiquan practiced within the style of Baguazhang, or Taijiquan that
has Baguazhang features. Qiao's teacher, Guo Zhushan, agreed and since then the
style has been called Bagua Taijiquan.

BAGUA TAIJIQUAN SYSTEM

Bagua Taijiquan is a part of Bagua Taiji Boxing, which contains specific practice
methods, empty hand routines, straight sword, pushing hands, etc. Bagua Taiji
Gong is a set of eight exercises (it has been designated as universal practice
method in Shandong Province by Qigong Scientific Research Association of
Shandong Province); Bagua Taijiquan routines include simplified set (24
movements), Bagua Taijiquan in 128 movements and Kun Bagua Taijiquan in 118
movements; Bagua Taijijian (sword) in 54 movements; fixed and moving step
Tuishou (pushing hands), San Shou (Free Fighting).

BAGUA TAIJIQUAN HAS 88 DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS

Analyzing the traditional 128-movements routine, one can notice that it actually has
88 different postures (other are repetitions), e.g. almost 70% of all movements,
while for popular Taijiquan styles the proportion is only about 50%. This is also one
of Bagua Taijiquan features. Out of these 88 movements, a half have names
different from popular Taiji styles, while the others are practiced differently.

ASSIMILATION OF CERTAIN BAGUA MOVEMENTS AND PRACTICE

METHODS

Main difference between Bagua Taijiquan and popular Taijiquan lies in the influence
Cheng style Baguazhang had on the former. Many movements are based on Bagua
techniques, footwork, spiral movements of hands, kicks in their majority come from
Bagua. Since these movements are designed to stretch tendons, Bagua Taijiquan
can also "stimulate the circulation of the blood and cause the muscles and joints to
relax".

STRESSING SINGLE MOVEMENT PRACTICE

Bagua Taijiquan puts strong emphasis on single movements practice, which is the
key for mastering the whole system.
Bagua Taijiquan
1. Single movements practice without partner - movements like Da Lan Que Wei

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(Big Grasp the Bird's Tail), Yun Shou (Wave Hands like Clouds), Da Bai He
Liang Chi (Big White Crane Spreads its Wings), Teng Kong Ao Bu (Jump and
Twist Step), Yan Zi Xi Shui (Swallow Plays in Water), San Yan Zhou (Three
Hidden Elbows) etc. can be practiced in a row on both sides, similar to Five
Elements Fists of Xingyiquan. In this way the movements are better
"absorbed", understood and practitioner's level is increased. For example Big
White Crane Spreads its Wings is composed of the following movements:
Zhan Chi (Spreading Wings), Jiang Chi (Lowering Wings), Sheng Chi (Rising
Wings), Dou Chi (Shaking Wings) and Liang Chi (Showing Wings); first four
can be practiced on both sides. These movements are very effective in free
fighting. Grasp the Bird's Tail in the routine has only two variations, Middle
and Small, while in the single practice Peng (Warding) is divided into Big,
Small and Middle, with fixed or moving steps. Ji (Press) includes pressing
with wrist, elbow and shoulder. The sequence of Peng (Ward), Ji (Press), Lü
(Roll back) and An (Push) is exactly the same as in Tuishou (Pushing Hands)
exercises, while in popular Taijiquan the sequence is Peng, Lü, Ji and An.

2. Single movements practice with partner - is a good fundament for Pushing

Hands practice; it includes Huang Ying Luo Jia (Oriole Lands on Rack) (Da Lü
- Big Ward), Yun Kai Shou (Wave and Open Hands like Clouds), Ye Ma Fen
Zong (High Pat on Horse). Usually Da Lü practice exists in all Taijiquan styles,
while practice with partner of Yun Kai Shou and Ye Ma Fen Zong can be found
only in Bagua Taijiquan.

3. Short sequences practice - four movements (Wan Gong She Yan - Bend Bow
and Shoot Wild Goose, Zai Chui - Falling Fist, Gai Ma Chui - Horse Covering
Fist, Wo Hu Ting Feng - Lying Tiger Listens to Wind) are often practiced as a
sequence; most of the movements in the routine are done only on one side;
practice in a sequence allows to master certain techniques on both sides.

REQUIREMENTS FOR BAGUA TAIJIQUAN PRACTICE

1. Breath naturally and relax - breathing should be natural through nose, tongue
should touch upper palate; after a basic skill is acquired, breathing should be
co-ordinated with Rising and Falling, Opening and Closing; first relax
shoulders/hips, then elbows/knees, then hands/feet;

2. Move Qi with Mind and body with Qi - Mind is responsible for Intent,
movements should be directed by Intent, movements should direct Qi.
Movement of Intent and Qi is guided by eyesight. The usage of eyesight can
be divided into directed at objects and reversed. The former is used to look at
a certain part of the body during practice; the latter can be directed at
Dantian, meridians, etc. Correct combination of eyesight, Intent and
movements is the key to correct practice of Bagua Taijiquan;

3. Movement and Stillness existing together, Round and Alive, in coordination - in all movements of Bagua
Taijiquan, in Rising and Falling, Contracting and Expanding, movement Forward and Backward, Upward
and Downward, there is Stillness in Movement and Movement in Stillness. Body has to be well co-
ordinated according to Liu He (Six Combinations), arms and legs are like bows, all movements are round
and soft;

Qiao Hongru performing Bagua Taijiquan during

First International Baguazhang Conference in
4. Stretching tendons and moving fingers, joints are Beijing, 1993
strung together - the tips of the body (fingers, toes)
shall move first in order to stretch tendons, then other
joints are affected one after another; in case of arms,
fingers move first, then they lead wrist, wrist leads

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elbow, elbow leads shoulder; this kind of movement

has four advantages: first, all joints are affected and in
this way all are exercised; second, because all joints
are affected, ones one moves, all other move too; once
one does not move, all others do not move either;
third, since fingers/toes are traditionally considered to
be tips of tendons, then moving fingers/toes promotes
tendon stretching; fourth, since arms/legs move first,
and only then body is affected and follows, this is in
conformity with Taijiquan classics; the root is in feet,
(power) is delivered through legs, spreads to both
arms, takes shape in both hands. If one practices this
boxing for long time, s/he will naturally have skill in
her/his hands;

5. There is Rising and Falling in movements, Opening and Closing, Expanding and Contracting - all
movements of Bagua Taijiquan have Rising and Falling, Opening and Closing, Expanding and Contracting;
Rising and opening, Falling and Closing are usually combined together, while Expanding and Contracting
are hidden within Rising and Falling, Opening and Closing; while Rising, the power should move to the top
of the head along neck, shoulders should relax, all joints should rise as if carrying a load on a shoulder;
while Falling, belly should relax and Qi sink, toes should grasp the ground, all joints relax and fall down;
while Opening whole body should expand, while Closing - relax and contract; Rising and Falling, Opening
and Closing is one of Bagua Taijiquan features;

6. Advancing and Retreating, Empty and Solid clearly distributed - Empty and Solid clearly distributed is a
common requirement for all Taiji styles, however Bagua Taijiquan has its own way of changing between
Empty and Solid; for example, in Gong Bu (bow and arrow stance), front shank moves first and affects
front thigh, and then torso moves, which drives rear thigh and rear shank; in Gong Bu original movement
is in front and all joints are driven forward, this is called "Stepping forward and not backward"; if Gong Bu
changes into Xu Bu (Empty Step) by sitting down, then the order of movements is reversed - first rear leg
bends and rear shank relaxes, then afects rear thigh, torso, front thigh and front shank, so that center of
gravity shifts from front leg onto rear one; this is called "Stepping backward and not forward". This
method exercises legs and teaches power transmission; this is of course practice method, while in
application one should look for Zheng Jin (Complete Power of Whole Body).

End of "Origins and Features of Bagua Taijiquan"; © J.Szymanski 1999

Following VCDs on Bagua Taijiquan are available through this website:

Taiji Gong (Basic

First Routine Second Routine Third Routine
Methods)

Fourth Routine Pushing Hands and Free Fighting Routines Demonstrations

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