Baguazhang’s Brief History

                 
       Baguazhang as a martial art is based on the theory of continuously changing in response to the situation at hand in order to overcome an opponent with skill rather than brute force.

Although there are several theories as to the origins of Baguazhang, recent and exhaustive research by martial scholars in mainland China concludes without reasonable doubt that the art is the creation of one individual, Dong Haichuan (or Dong Haiquan).

Dong Hai Chuan (1812-1882) was born in Wen'an County, Hebei Province about. It said that he left home and traveled southward. He met a Taoist and studied with him. Dong practiced a special martial arts using 10 years. It included the circle walking. Later, Dong combined the circle walking mechanics with the boxing and the ancient metaphysical treatise---Yijing (I-Ching). This is the Baguazhang.

Baguazhang is used the open hand over the closed fist. It also included the skill of catch. The movements are softly, gyrally and quickly. The body moves like snake. Baguazhang is often used to bit the opponent’s legs and feet. You can counter several people.

Bagua means "Eight Trigram". This refers to the eight basic principles described in the ancient metaphysical treatise the Yijing (I-Ching), or "Book of Changes". Bagua is meant to be the physical manifestation of these eight principles.

Baguazhang means “Changing-palm”. Its character is walking circle. It combined the Eight Trigrams (Bagua) theory and martial art. So it’s named Baguazhang.

Baguazhang is an art based on evasive footwork and a kind of "guerilla warfare" strategy applied to personal combat. A Bagua fighter relies on strategy and skill rather than the direct use of force against force or brute strength in overcoming an opponent. The strategy employed is one of constant change in response to the spontaneous and "live" quality of combat.

Baguazhang’s basic movements are single-change palm, double-change palm, same-side conversion palm, backside conversion palm, milling-body palm, spinning-body palm, turning- body palm, overturn-body palm.

Baguazhang’s character is quickly and changeable. The basic is standing pilling and walking.

The body need hollow the chest, pull the head upwards, and sink the waist; sink down the shoulder. when you walking, you just like sit on a litter. The palm forms are dragon style and oxtongue style. The usage includes push, hold in palm, haul, lead, move, block, shut, slip… Every movement is pushed by waist. The waist moves like axes. The training of Baguazhang include three different levels: standing forms, walking forms and changing forms. Standing forms is basic.

Its character is: walking, looking, sitting and rolling. These make the movements quickly and agilely. The Baguazhang’s basic practice are Zhan Zhuang (standing), Tang Ni Bu ( circle walking). The basis of the various styles of Baguazhang is the circle walk practice. The practitioner "walks the circle" holding various postures and executing "palm changes" (short patterns of movement or "forms" which train the body mechanics and methods of generating momentum which form the basis of the styles' fighting techniques).

the central of Baguazhang is bit. It also good for health.