Ba Gua Zhang is fairly modern style based on older boxing methods and includes concepts from Daoism, commonly acknowledged to have been created by Dong Haichuan (1799-1882), who was born in Zhu Jia village of Wen'an County in Hebei Province. Whilst his younger life was not entirely clear it is thought that he had interests in martial arts from a young age practicing styles within his village such as Bafan Quan (obtained from his elder cousin, Dong Xianzhou) and there is also a story that at age twelve he studied Liuhe Quan with a Master Li (some believe it to be Li Guanming). After gaining quite prowess Dong is said to have travelled far and wide seeking out capable masters. Baguazhang was popularised in Beijing whilst Dong Hai Chuan was working in Prince Su mansion during the late Qing dynasty. It became very popular with royalty at this time! It spread throughout Beijing and into Tianjin, He Bei province and eventually across the whole country.
Within the King's palace Dong was able to practice his martial arts and research its techniques greatly. He also would meet other great masters there such as Taijiquan's Yang Luchan (1799-1872), Xingyiquan's Guo Yunshen (1829-1900), Liu Qilan (1819-1889) and Pao Chui expert Song Mailun (1890). Dong worked for the King for over 20 years and during that time he did not teach much and was inaccessible to general students.
After retirement he did teach and had a great number of disciples including Yin Fu, Cheng Tinghua, Song Changrong, Song Yongxiang, Ma Weiqi, Liu Dekuan, Liu Fengchun, Shi Jidong, Wei Ji, Liang Zhenpu, Wang Lide, Li Cunyi, Zhang Zhankui, Geng Chengxin, Zhou Mingtai and others. When Dong taught he leveraged the primary skills of the disciples and enhanced it with Baguazhang, this resulted in a number of variations amongst his disciples so that almost everyone of them started a specific style or branch of Baguazhang.
Cheng Style Baguazhang
The founder of Cheng Style Baguazhang was Cheng Tinghua. He was also known as Yingrong. He was from Cheng Family Village in Shen County, Hebei. He was born in the 28th year of Qing Daoguang (1842). In his youth he practiced Shuaijiao (wresting) and later he went to the capital to fourth disciple to study with Dong Haichuan after being recommended by Yin Fu and Shi Jidong (elder disciples of Dong Hiachuan). After his studies were completed, he opened an eyeglasses shop in Beijing outside the Suiwen Gate. Therefore everyone called him 'Eyeglasses Cheng.
He was recognized widely in the martial community as a person of extraordinary abilities. After Dong Haichuan died, Cheng Tinghua, based on what he learned of the basics of the palm forms, together with his thorough understanding of the principles, created his own routines with his own special features to make Cheng Style Baguazhang. He taught many students causing his style to spread far and wide. In the 26th year of Qing Guangxu (1900), on August 14th, Cheng Tinghua, met with disaster outside the Suiwen Gate, when the 8 Army Alliance troops shot and killed him. He was 52 years old. Famous disciples of Cheng Tinghua were Zhang Zhankui, Cheng Yougong (Cheng Tinghua's nephew), Cheng Youlong (Cheng Tinghua's eldest son), Cheng Youxin (Cheng Tinghua's second son), Feng Junyi, Sun Lutang, Yang Mingshan, Liu Ziyang, Cheng Yousheng (Cheng Dianhua's eldest son), Liu Bin, Zhang Yongde, Li Wenbiao and so on.
Cheng Dianhua, also called Lao Tian, was Cheng Tinghua's fourth younger brother and also a student of Dong Haichuan. After bringing his brother's corpse back home, he did not leave the village. He took Cheng Tinghua's son Cheng Youxin to the ancestral home in Shen county, Hebei province. They brought the Cheng Style Martial Skills back to their native place. Cheng Yousheng, was Cheng Dianhua's fourth son. His students were Sun Zhijun, Zhang Baozhong and others. Cheng Youxin, also nicknamed "Cuo Ye" (short uncle because of his height specailized in the lower basin palm. In his old age he was living in Louzizhuang.
Cheng Style Baguazhang when practiced is like a swimming dragon that doesn't stop, of the clouds flying in the sky or of a flowing water stream. It looks like a ferocious tiger when moving, yet it looks likea mountain when it stops. It is firm but not stagnant, soft but not feeble. There are many techniques like dodge, stretch, advance and retreat, twist, wrap, drill, roll, push, hold, lead, pull, buckle, cut and block, circle over circle.
BAFANG WUSHU - CHENG STYLE BAGUAZHANG PROGRAM
The Baguazhang program of Bafang Wushu is predominantly based on the teachings of M. Sun Zhijun as inherited by M. Ge Chunyan.
FOUNDATION (基本功)
Cheng Style Bagua Lianhuan Zhuan Zhang (八卦连环转掌 Continuous Turning Palms)
Emphasis on foundation hand, leg and body co-ordination. Practice of stepping such as Tangni Bu (Mud Wading Step), Kou & Bai Bu (inward and outward steps). Introduction to the basic palms (推掌、穿掌、削掌、挑掌、劈掌、 探掌、撩掌、撞掌) and their positions.
The Eight Turning Palms (八卦转掌（定式八掌))
The Eight turning palms are also known as the eight fixed plams, these include Lower sinking palm (下沉掌)、, Double suspending palms (双托转掌), joined palms 合抱掌, Seven star palms (七星转掌), Yinyang Palms (阴阳转掌), Outer Opening palm (外开转掌) and Push Palm (推转掌).
INTERMEDIATE
The Eight Great Mother Palm (八卦八大母掌)
The Old Eight Palms (Lao Ba Zhang) of Cheng Style Baguazhang are also called the Eight Big Mother Palms (Ba Da Mu Zhang) which are: Single Change(单换掌), Double Change (双换掌), Flowing Posture( 顺势掌), Behind the Body (背身掌), Turning Body (转身掌), Grinding Body (磨身掌), Overturning Body (翻身掌) and Returning Body 回身掌). With variations to each of the eight mother palms, there are over 126 techniques within this routine. It is considered the most importatnt of the Cheng Style Baguazhang palms.
Linked Mother Palms (八卦连环母掌)
The Bagua Lianhuan Zhang is the practice of the old plams or mother palms as being mutually linked and strung together and the swimming dragon set is its variation. There are sixty four palms therein and it represents a higher level refinement of skills. This is the essence of Baguazhang.
ADVANCED
24 methods, 64 Palm (程式八卦二十四式六十四掌 Cheng Style Sixty Four Palms)
The twenty four methods are often referred to as Zi (Child) since they are the evolution from the Mu (Mother) palms. The techniques therein can be practiced on themselves (single method practice) and also linked up in whichever order one desires. The methods are highly combat effective as this routine focuses on the applications of Baguazhang.
Continuous Linked Palms (八卦连环掌) (八卦连环掌)
The Continuous linked palms were developed by M. Ge Chunyan, M. Li Junfeng in advise and collaboration from Baguazhang experts Liu Jingru, Sun Zhijun, Li Ziming and Sha Guozheng. It is an advanced set that incorporates methods from across the spectrum of Baguazhang and is also highly challenging for practitioners as it emphasizes the advanced coiling and turning features of Baguazhang. There are 64 palms within this Continuous linked palms routine.
There are also weapons in the Cheng Style Baguazhang such as
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Bagua Jian (八卦剑 8 Trigrams Sword)
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Bagua Dao (八卦刀 Bagua Saber)
- Bamian Zhanshen Qiang (八面战身枪 Eight Directions Battle Body Spear)
- Panguan Bi (判官笔 Judge's pen)
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Ziwu Yuanyang Yue (子午鸳鸯钺 Ziwu Deer Horn Knives)
To further the skills in combat there are the Dual/Combat Sets
These are culminated in combat or sparring practice, where Cheng Style Baguazhang specializes in striking, locking and throwing. Whilst much of this is included in the relevant classes, sometimes a special advance class is held specifically for applications and combat practice.
For further information about current scheduled modules visit the Classes section here or contact us accordingly.
