Nan Quan Bei Tui, or Fists in the South, Legs in the North, is an old Chinese martial arts adage. Traditionally the Huang He (黄河), or Yellow River, was considered the demarcation line between the Northern and Southern Schools of Gong Fu. Overall, there is some truth that Southern styles are known more for their…
Relaxing and becoming loose are words often heard while learning Taiji Quan, Xingyi, Bagua, and Liuhe Bafa. Becoming loose is also required in the Shaolin arts, since being loose promotes efficiency which increases speed, and increased speed equals greater power. In Taiji Quan in particular, softness, which is not to be confused with being limp,…
Getting started in a Chinese martial arts program at our school can be guided by the saying from Lao Zi, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This saying by the ancient sage has profound philosophical meanings. The first step is that of expectations. A student must approach training with an…
Anyone interested in Tai Chi classes might be surprised to learn that there are different Tai Chi Chuan styles (also written as Taij Quan and Taijiquan). Although many styles have been developed in modern times, in China there are five major styles of Tai Chi that are widely recognized (“style,” in Pinyin, is Shi 氏)….
Chinese martial arts are steeped in culture and tradition. Honorific titles have profound significance, and they convey politeness, respect, and deference toward seniors and the elderly. Traditionally, in the Wushu Guan, or Kung Fu Kwoon, there are many honorific titles that indicate the hierarchy from the master to the lowest-ranking student. Some of the most…
Pigua Zhang, also written as Pi Kua Chang, is a Northern Chinese martial arts style that originated in Cang Zhou, the famous martial arts region of Hebei Province. The name literally means Split-Deflect Palm but can also be translated as Axe-Hitch Palm. The style is also known as Pigua Quan (Split-Deflect Boxing). The characteristics of Pigua Zhang are wide sweeping, swinging, and chopping…
The Traditional Taiji Quan forms, or routines, are lengthy. Not only do they require considerable time to learn and memorize, but they also need far more time to refine. Since the 1930s, masters saw the need for condensing the forms to make them available to the public. This was achieved by eliminating repetitive movements. Perhaps…
There are two types of Qigong, namely Dong Qigong (Dynamic Qigong) and Jing Qigong (Static Qigong). Each type has a number of methods. A common Static Qigong is Zhan Zhuang Gong, which is translated as Standing Pile Skill. What is Zhan Zhuang Gong? Zhan means to Stand, Zhuang means Pile or Post, and Gong means…
There is saying in China “Ren Lao Xian Lao Tui,” which means that people age first in their legs. Evermore, people lead sedentary lives with prolonged seating and little or no exercise. This is especially true for middle-aged and elderly people. Studies have shown that loss of muscle strength in the legs results in declining…
I recall meeting Grandmaster William C.C. Chen (Chen Chi-Cheng) for the first time more than 40 years ago. In our first meeting he asked that I call him “William.” I was taken aback by such humility, but I have always addressed him as “Master Chen” out of the respect that I have for him. There…
