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Xingyiquan
From MartialWiki English
| Xíng yì quán | |
| 形意拳 | |
| "Xingyiquan" | |
| Origin |  China, Liang Dynasty
|
| Primary focus | Linear movements; explosive power |
Xingyiquan originates from the Henan province of China. It is a martial art characterised by its linear, almost soft movements, coupled with an explosive power delivered by unorthodox body parts (such as the shoulder) to overwhelm and opponent. Xingyiquan sequences are animal and elemental based with teaching methods varying between schools.
Contents |
[edit] Concept
Xingyiquan features aggressive shocking attacks and direct footwork. The linear nature of Xingyiquan hints at both the military origins and the influence of spear technique alluded to in its mythology. Despite its hard, angular appearance, cultivating "soft" internal strength or qi is essential to achieving power in Xingyiquan.
The goal of the Xingyiquan fighter is to reach the opponent quickly and drive powerfully through them in a single burst — the analogy with spear fighting is useful here. This is achieved by coordinating one's body as a single unit and the intense focusing of one's qi.
[edit] Technique
Efficiency and economy of movement are the qualities of a Xingyiquan fighter and its direct fighting philosophy advocates simultaneous attack and defence. There are few kicks except for extremely low foot kicks (which avoids the hazards of balance involved with higher kicks) and some mid-level kicks, and techniques are prized for their deadliness rather than aesthetic value. Xingyiquan favours a high stance called Sāntǐshì (三體式 / 三体式), literally "three bodies power," referring to how the stance holds the head, torso and feet along the same vertical plane. A common saying of Xingyiquan is that "the hands do not leave the heart and the elbows do not leave the ribs." Another characteristic common to many styles of XingYi is a stance called "Dragon Body". This is a forward stance similar to a bow stance with a straight line from the head to the heel of the back foot and the front foot perpendicular to the ground. This is not so much a separate stance or technique in itself as a principle of movement to provide power to techniques.
[edit] Weapons
[edit] History
According to historical records, the creator of Xingyiquan was Ji Jike (1602-1683) from Village Zuncun in Yongji County in Shanxi Province. A resident of the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty, Ji Jike was also known as Ji Longfeng. On his trip south to the Shaolin Temple and Luoyang in Henan Province and Qiupu in Anhui Province, Ji Jike passed his art on to Zeng Jiwu. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, Xingyi Quan was spread in Henan, Hebei and Shanxi provinces. Ma Xueli, a Luoyang resident in He-nan, Dai Longbang, a resident of Qixian in Shanxi, and Li Luoneng, Dai's disciple from Hebei, all contributed to the dissemination and development of the Chuan. Over centuries, this school of Chuan is now practised in different styles.
[edit] Culture
Xingyiquan has been starting to get some influence in Wushu circles, with some forms being adapted for competition. As with most martial arts in modern times the Internet has contributed to creating online communities of people where techniques can be discussed with others.
[edit] Genealogy
Coming soon.
[edit] Styles
Xingyiquan has three main developmental branches, however the identification of three separate branches is tenuous because of the extensive cross-training that occurred across their lineages. This suggests that the branches did not evolve in isolation, thus diluting any major differences between them.
[edit] Shanxi
Schools of the Shanxi branch have a narrower stance, lighter footwork and tend to be more evasive.
[edit] Hebei
Schools of the Hebei branch emphasise powerful fist and palm strikes, with slightly different evasive footwork.
[edit] Henan
Schools of the Henan branch are typically the most aggressive of the three. The Henan branch is known as the Muslim branch because it was handed down within the Muslim community in Luoyang to which its founder, Ma Xueli, belonged. Henan branch is sometimes referred to by practitioners as Xinyi LiuHe Quan instead of simply Xingyiquan This may be attributed to the fact that the Muslim community of China was historically a very closed culture in order to protect themselves as a minority, thus retaining the older addition to the name of Xingyi. LiuHe means "Six Harmonies" and refers to the six harmonies of the body (hips, feet, knees, elbows etc.) that contribute to correct posture.
[edit] Notable practitioners
- Chu Guiting - One of disciples of Li Cunyi. He mastered Xingyi, Bagua and Taiji.
- Fu Chen Sung - Chief instructor of baguazhang at the Nanjing Central Goushu Institute.
[edit] In fiction
- Wang Jinrei - from the fighting video game series Tekken.
[edit] Get involved
[edit] Links
[edit] Footnotes & references
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