Bagua Zhang (Palm) is a uniquely Daoist martial art, and a core strand of practice in Wudang. Probably based on early ritualistic, shamanic practices, Bagua is entirely founded on walking in circles, while coiling and oscillating the body in sudden and unexpected changes in direction.
Martially, it is considered as guerrilla warfare, focused on vicious attacks to vulnerable parts of the opponent’s body before moving rapidly out of their range. Many common forms of escalation and aggression are based on linear forward and backward movements by those involved. Bagua is a complete paradigm-shift in combat via circles.
However it is the energetic dimension that defines Bagua. 8 Elemental gates are unlocked through the different planes of movement: circle-stepping anti-clockwise and clockwise, plus the torqueing of the key joints of the body (waist, chest, shoulders, elbows and wrists). The practitioner focuses on their palm as the centrifugal point while the background blurs behind their rotating body. Sensations of spiralling energy start to circulate around the body. Bagua is initially a challenging, alien practice to learn, but eventually, with repeated training, becomes an opportunity for a profound altered state of consciousness.
At Daoshu we have the following Bagua syllabus:
1. Basic form from created by Shifu Yuan Li Min from Xuanwu Pai (Bagua stepping and palms - very meditative and a great foundation for Bagua practice)
2. San Feng Pai Longmen Bagua (our lineage's core form - martial, physically demanding and a wide range of techniques including fa-li, xingyi stepping and arrow kicks)
3. Advanced Xuanwu Pai Bagua forms
Xingyi Quan (Heart-Mind Boxing) is in contrast characterised by direct, linear movements (despite being the other main internal system in China, alongside Bagua and Tsiji). At Daoshu we are currently establishing foundational xingyi practice through the San Feng Pai Xingyi 5 Elements drills.
Martially, it is considered as guerrilla warfare, focused on vicious attacks to vulnerable parts of the opponent’s body before moving rapidly out of their range. Many common forms of escalation and aggression are based on linear forward and backward movements by those involved. Bagua is a complete paradigm-shift in combat via circles.
However it is the energetic dimension that defines Bagua. 8 Elemental gates are unlocked through the different planes of movement: circle-stepping anti-clockwise and clockwise, plus the torqueing of the key joints of the body (waist, chest, shoulders, elbows and wrists). The practitioner focuses on their palm as the centrifugal point while the background blurs behind their rotating body. Sensations of spiralling energy start to circulate around the body. Bagua is initially a challenging, alien practice to learn, but eventually, with repeated training, becomes an opportunity for a profound altered state of consciousness.
At Daoshu we have the following Bagua syllabus:
1. Basic form from created by Shifu Yuan Li Min from Xuanwu Pai (Bagua stepping and palms - very meditative and a great foundation for Bagua practice)
2. San Feng Pai Longmen Bagua (our lineage's core form - martial, physically demanding and a wide range of techniques including fa-li, xingyi stepping and arrow kicks)
3. Advanced Xuanwu Pai Bagua forms
Xingyi Quan (Heart-Mind Boxing) is in contrast characterised by direct, linear movements (despite being the other main internal system in China, alongside Bagua and Tsiji). At Daoshu we are currently establishing foundational xingyi practice through the San Feng Pai Xingyi 5 Elements drills.
