Yiquan
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| Yiquan | |||||||||
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| Chinese: | 意拳 | ||||||||
| Literal meaning: | "Mind Boxing" | ||||||||
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| dacheng quan | |||||||||
| Chinese: | 大成拳 | ||||||||
| Literal meaning: | "Great Achievement Boxing" | ||||||||
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Yi quan , also known as dacheng quan, is a martial art system which was founded by the Chinese xingyiquan master, Wang Xiangzhai (王薌齋).
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[edit] History
Having learned xingyiquan with Guo Yun Shen in his childhood,[citation needed] Wang Xiangzhai travelled China, meeting and comparing skills with masters of various styles of kung fu.[citation needed] In the mid-1920s, he came to the conclusion that xingyiquan was often taught wrong,[citation needed] with too much emphasis on 'outer form', neglecting the essence of true martial power.[citation needed] He worked to return to what he felt was the true essence of the art using a different name, without the 'xing' (meaning form), and began teaching and practicing accordingly.
[edit] The style
Yiquan is essentially formless, containing no fixed sets of fighting movements or techniques. Instead, focus is put on developing ones natural movement and fighting abilities through a system of training methods and concepts, working to improve the perception of one's body, its movement, and of force. Another thing that sets yiquan apart from other eastern martial arts, is that traditional concepts, like qi, meridians, dan tien etc. eventually were discarded to make place for new explanations and ideas rooted in Western science, medicine and psychology. Much of this came about due to one of Wang Xiangzhai's key philosophies, which was that yiquan was a science of martial arts[citation needed], and that there always would be room for improvement. If new methods or explanations are found that help produce better results faster, they should be adopted.
Yiquan seems to have been influenced by various other arts that Wang was exposed to, include Fujian hèquán and bāguàzhǎng,[citation needed].
[edit] Overview
The actual training in yiquan can generally be divided into:
- Zhan zhuang (站樁) - Motionless postures, where emphasis is put on relaxation, working to improve perception of the body and on developing Hunyuan Li, or "all round force". Zhan zhuang can also be divided into two different types of postures; health postures and combat postures.
- Shi li (試力) - Slow moving exercises, trying to bring the sensations developed through zhan zhuang into movements.
- Moca bu (摩擦步) - Shi li for the legs.
- Fa li (發力) - Exercises that teach the use of explosive force.
- Shi Sheng (試声) - Breathing exercises, including shouting ("testing sound")
- Tui shou (推手) - (Pushing hands) Shi li with a partner.
- San shou (散手) - Free fighting practice. (Also known as San Da)
- Duan shou (斷手) - Fighting techniques, including strikes and kicks.
[edit] Schools
Two of the foremost teachers of modern yiquan are Yao Chengguang (姚承光) and Yao Chengrong (姚承榮), twin sons of Yao Zongxun (姚宗勛), whom Wang Xiangzhai appointed to be his successor. Others include Cui Ruibin of Beijing and students of the late Wang Xuanjie. Schools include the Han xing Yuan(韓星垣) School, the Li Jian Yu (李見宇) School and Han xing qiao (韓星橋)School.
International links:
