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Wudang chuan

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In China, the martial arts are dichotomized into two major groups: Wudang and Shaolin. Wǔdāngquán (or Wudang fist/Wudang boxing) includes only the arts applied with internal power; this typically encompasses Tai chi chuan, Xing-Yi chuan and Bagua zhang1, but must also include Baji chuan and the legendary Wudang Sword. Although it simply distinguishes the skills, theories and applications of the "internal arts" from those of the Shaolin styles, or external arts (hard arts), the name Wudang falsely leads people to believe these arts originated at the so-called Wudang Mountain. The name Wudang comes from a popular Chinese legend which entertains the genesis of Tai chi chuan and Wudang Sword by an immortal, semi-mystic Taoist hermit named Zhang Sanfeng who lived in the monasteries of Wudang Mountain.

Nèijiā is a more broad term used mistakenly in the West as a synonym for the more specific Wǔdāngquán; while Nèijiā encompasses Qiong, Wǔdāngquán does not.


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Contents

History

Qing China

The term "nèijiā" and the distinction between internal and external martial arts first appears in Huang Zongxi's 1669 Epitaph for Wang Zhengnan.2 Stanley Henning proposes that the Epitaph's identification of the internal martial arts with the Taoism indigenous to China and of the external martial arts with the foreign Buddhism of Shaolin—and the Manchu Qing Dynasty to which Huang Zongxi was opposed—was an act of political defiance rather than one of technical classification.3

In 1676 Huang Zongxi's son, Huang Baijia, who learned martial arts from Wang Zhengnan, compiled the earliest extant manual of internal martial arts, the Nèijiā quánfǎ.4

In the late 1800s, Dong Hai Chuan began teaching Bagua Zhang to a very select group of individuals. The highly-notable Xing-Yi stylist Liu De Kuan was among those who learned this special art from Dong. Liu was a very friendly martial artist who had also learned Tai Chi Chuan from Yang Lu-ch'an. Liu's friendly nature and experience with the three "internal" martial arts created an easy forum for discussion and knowledge-sharing between practitioners of the these arts.

In 1894, an alliance was created with Cheng Tinghua taking the lead and representing Bagua Zhang; Li Cun Yi and Liu Wei Xiang represented Xingyiquan; and although Liu De Kuan practiced all three arts, he represented Tai Chi Chuan. The alliance grouped the three arts under the umbrella of "Neijia," and swore brotherhood among its associates and practitioners. 5 Cheng Ting Hua was shot and killed by German soldiers during the Boxer Rebellion (1900), which likely strengthened the alliance.

Republic of China

Around 1912, the third-generation BaGua master Fu Chen Sung was traveling throughout Northern China to meet and learn from the best martial artists when he met Wudang Sword grandmaster Sung Wei-I in Lia Ning Province 6; Fu learned Sung's Wudang Sword and fighting forms Lightning Palm and Rocket Fist. Fu joined General Li Jing Lin's army in 1920, and found that Li was also searching the country for the best martial artists. Evidently, General Li Jin Lin met Sung Wei-Yi in 1922 while garrisoned in Lia Ning Province, and began studying Sung's Wudang Sword techniques. (it is conceivable that Li found Sung by Fu's suggestion) This seems to be the point when the name Wudang became the prevalent moniker for the internal martial arts. General Li's kung fu advisor was the famous Bajiquan master, Li Shuwen. Thus, Wudangquan came to encompass Tai Chi, Bagua, Xingyi, Baji and Wudang Sword.

In 1925, General Zhang Zhi Jiang began to propagate his belief that martial arts should be used to improve the health of the Chinese people. He suggested the creation of a Central Martial Arts Academy (Central Guoshu Institute), and was named Director. General Li Jing Lin was dismissed from his post (due to political infighting) and was named Vice-Chairman to the Academy.

In 1928, Kuomintang generals Zhang Zi Jiang, Fung Zu Ziang and Li Jing Lin organized a national martial arts tournament in Nanjing; they did so to screen the best martial artists in order to begin populating the Central Martial Arts Academy. The generals separated the participants of the tournament into Shaolin and Wudang. Wudang participants were recognized as having "internal" skills. These participants were generally practitioners of T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Xíngyìquán and Bāguàzhǎng. All other participants competed under the classification of Shaolin. One of the winners in the "internal" category was Bāguàzhǎng master Fu Chen Sung.

In the years following the tournament, Li Jin Lin, Fu Chen Sung, Yang Chengfu and Sun Lu-t'ang all became very close friends. They exchanged martial information and techniques as brothers, according to the neijia alliance of 1894.

The two major lineages of Wudang Chuan were passed down from Li Jing Lin. These lineages went to Fu Chen Sung and Yang Kui-Shan.

Fu Chen Sung worked the rest of his life to develop Fu Style Wudang Fist. The basis of the system was to train the mind and body for optimal performance, gradually working the martial aspects into the training. The system included exercises, empty hand and weapons sets in Tai Chi, BaGua, Hsing-Yi—and Fu Chen Sung's signature form, Liang-Yi Chuan. In his lifetime, Fu had many notable students, including General Sun Pao Gung and Lin Chao Zhen. In 2008, there still remain two living students: Liang Qian-Ya in San Francisco and an unknown man in Hong Kong. Fu's oldest son, Fu Wing Fay (Fu Yong Hui), became Fu's prodigal son. Wing Fay grew up among many of the greatest martial artists in the Golden Era of Martial Arts in China. Wing Fay learned well from his father and the other great masters. Wing Fay practiced hard, and began developing Fu Style Wudang Fist even more. Wing Fay had two top students: his son, (Victor) Fu Sheng Long and Bow Sim Mark.

Internal Martial Art Criteria

Sun Lutang identified the following as the criteria that distinguish an internal martial art:

  1. An emphasis on the use of the mind to coordinate the leverage of the relaxed body as opposed to the use of strength.
  2. The internal development, circulation, and expression of qì, the "vital energy" of classical Chinese philosophy.
  3. The application of Taoist dǎoyǐn, qìgōng, and nèigōng (內功) principles of external movement.

Sun Lutang's eponymous style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan fuses principles from all three arts he named as neijia.7 Some Chinese martial arts other than the ones Sun named also teach what are termed internal practices, despite being generally classified as external (e.g. Wing Chun). Some non-Chinese martial arts also claim to be internal. e.g. Aikido, I Liq Chuan, Ip Sun, and Kito Ryu jujutsu. Many martial artists, especially outside of China, disregard the distinction entirely. Some neijia schools refer to their arts as "soft style" martial arts.

Neijia training

Further information: Tao yin

Internal styles focus on awareness of the spirit, mind, qi ("energy") and the use of relaxed (sōng 鬆) leverage rather than muscular tension.8 Pushing hands is a training method commonly used in neijia arts to develop sensitivity and softness.

Much time may nevertheless be spent on basic physical training, such as stance training (zhan zhuang), stretching and strengthening of muscles, as well as on empty hand and weapon forms which can be quite demanding.

Some forms in internal styles are performed slowly, although some include sudden outbursts of explosive movements (fa jin), such as those the Chen style of Taijiquan is famous for teaching earlier than some other styles (e.g. Yang and Wu). The reason for the generally slow pace is to improve coordination and balance by increasing the work load, and to require the student to pay minute attention to their whole body and its weight as they perform a technique. At an advanced level, and in actual fighting, internal styles are performed quickly, but the goal is to learn to involve the entire body in every motion, to stay relaxed, with deep, controlled breathing, and to coordinate the motions of the body and the breathing accurately according to the dictates of the forms while maintaining perfect balance.

Characteristics

The reason for the label "internal," according to most schools, is that there is a focus on the internal aspects earlier in the training, once these internal relationships are apprehended (the theory goes) they are then applied to the external applications of the styles in question.

External style (外家, pinyin: wàijiā; literally "external family") are characterized by fast and explosive movements and a focus on physical strength and agility. External styles include both the traditional styles focusing on application and fighting, as well as the modern styles adapted for competition and exercise. Examples of external styles are Shaolinquan, with its direct explosive attacks and many Wushu forms that have spectacular aerial techniques. External styles begin with a training focus on muscular power, speed and application, and generally integrate their qigong aspects in advanced training, after their desired "hard" physical level has been reached.

Some say that there is no differentiation between the so-called internal and external systems of the Chinese martial arts910, while other well known teachers have expressed differing opinions. For example, the Taijiquan teacher Wu Jianquan:

Those who practice Shaolinquan leap about with strength and force; people not proficient at this kind of training soon lose their breath and are exhausted. Taijiquan is unlike this. Strive for quiescence of body, mind and intention.8

Current practice

Further information: Tai chi chuan

Today, only a few traditional schoolswho? teach internal styles train martially, that is for either self-defense or competition.

Most internal schools teach forms that are practised for health benefits only. Thus, Tai chi chuan in spite of its roots in martial arts has become similar in scope to Qigong, the purely meditative practice based on notions of circulation of qi. With purely a health emphasis, Tai chi classes have become popular in hospitals, clinics, community and senior centers in the last twenty years or so, as baby boomers age and the art's reputation as a low stress training for seniors became better known.1112

Some traditionalistswho? feel that a school not teaching martial aspects somewhere in their syllabus cannot be said to be actually teaching the art itself, that they have accredited themselves prematurely. Some teachers also believe that understanding the core theoretical principles of neijia and the ability to apply them are a necessary gateway to health benefits.13

Neijia in fiction

Main article: Dim Mak

Internal styles have been associated in legend and in much popular fiction with the Taoist monasteries of Wudangshan in central China.14

Neijia are a common theme in Chinese Wuxia novels and films, and are usually represented as originating in Wudang or similar mythologies. Often, genuine internal practices are highly exaggerated to the point of making them seem miraculous, as in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon or Tai Chi Master. Internal concepts have also been a source of comedy, such as in the films Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle.

In the popular anime title: Naruto; there are two characters named "Neji Hyuga & Hinata Hyuga" who practice the "gentle fist" or "Gental Palm" techniques and use the Baguan 8 Trigrams for their techniques; Neji most likely got his name in this fashion

See also

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Tai chi chuan

References

  1. ^ Sun Lu Tang (2000). Xing Yi Quan Xue. Unique Publications. p. 3. ISBN 0-86568-185-6. 
  2. ^ Shahar, Meir (December 2001). "Ming-Period Evidence of Shaolin Martial Practice". Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 61 (2): 359–413. doi:10.2307/3558572. ISSN 00730548. 
  3. ^ Henning, Stanley (Autumn/Winter 1994). "Ignorance, Legend and Taijiquan" (PDF). Journal of the Chenstyle Taijiquan Research Association of Hawaii 2 (3): 1–7. http://seinenkai.com/articles/henning/il&t.pdf. 
  4. ^ Shahar 2001
  5. ^ Lin, Chao Zhen (2010). Fu Zhen Song's Dragon Bagua Zhang. Blue Snake Books. ISBN 978-1-58394-238-3. 
  6. ^ Miller, Dan (1992). "The Pa Kua Chang of Fu Chen-Sung". Pa Kua Chang Journal 2 (6). 
  7. ^ Yip, Li (Faye) (April 1998). Principles and Practice of Sun Style T’ai Chi – T’AI CHI The International Magazine of T’ai Chi Ch’uan Vol. 22 No. 2. Wayfarer Publications. ISSN 0730-1049. 
  8. ^ a b Woolidge, Doug (June 1997). T’AI CHI The International Magazine of T’ai Chi Ch’uan Vol. 21 No. 3. Wayfarer Publications. ISSN 0730-1049. 
  9. ^ Francis, B.K. (1998). Power of Internal Martial Arts: Combat Secrets of Ba Gua, Tai Chi, and Hsing-I. North Atlantic Books.
  10. ^ Wong Kiew Kit (2002). Art of Shaolin Kung Fu: The Secrets of Kung Fu for Self-Defense Health and Enlightenment. Tuttle.
  11. ^ Yip, Y. L. (Autumn 2002). "Pivot – Qi". The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness (Insight Graphics Publishers) 12 (3). ISSN 1056-4004. 
  12. ^ "SGMA 2007 Sports & Fitness Participation Report From the USA Sports Participation Study". SGMA. p. 2. http://www.sgma.com/reports/7_2007-Sports-and-Fitness-Participation-Report. Retrieved 2007-08-18. 
  13. ^ See chapter on Rose Li in Smith, Robert. W. (1999). Martial Musings. Via Media. ISBN 1-893765-00-8. 
  14. ^ Yip, Y. L. (Autumn 2002). Pivot – Qi, The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness Vol. 12 No. 3. Insight Graphics Publishers. ISSN 1056-4004. 

External links

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