Xingyi Baguazhang - Metal Element

Li Cunyi is one of the most influential Hebei Xingyiquan and Baguazhang practitioners. He learned his Xingyiquan primarily from Liu Qilan but also spent time with Guo Yunshen. He was brothers and long time friends with Zhang Zhaodong and their students often exchanged things. Jiang Rong Qiao also trained with Li Cunyi but was Zhang Zhaodong's disciple. Li's way of performing this fist is the standard for Hebei Xingyiquan.

This variant of Piquan primarily comes from Guo Yunshen lines. I've seen a few slightly different ways to do it from James Carss, Paul Andrews, and Henry Look as well as footage of Han Xingyuan. While Henry Look trained some basics of Xingyiquan with Kuo Lien-ying, his flavor is more representative of Han's who he would train with fairly regularly. He first met Han Xingyuan with his friends here in San Francisco. Henry had a chance to fly to Tokyo as an architect for Benihana. He would stop into Hong Kong whenever he went to Japan to get more material from Han.

Kenny Gong's Xingyiquan lineage is something of a mystery. He learned from a Guomindang general who was on the run from the Communists after World War 2. This gentleman stayed in the Gong family home in Guangdong for some time and taught a very comprehensive and unique style of Xingyiquan called Bei Jiang Xingyiquan or North River Xingyiquan. It's thought to come from Guo Yunshen - I feel there is influence from Zhang Zhaodong by the way the opening is done. I've seen both a Bear and Eagle flavor to this opening as well as Sparrowhawk. It's said grandmaster Gong changed his art in his later years, he seems to have combined the Ba Shi Quan and Zha Shi Chui for some students. The signature Neigong set he developed is called the Double Butterfly set and it has a spontaneous aspect to it.

One of the most important aspects of all Chinese martial arts is Neigong. We present Lion Plays with Ball, Monkey Clambers a Branch, and Tiger Rolls Ball exercises. Lion Plays with Ball is a great exercise for learning how Lifting Palm can change into Covering Palm. Monkey Clambers a Branch is a Xingyiquan exercise that trains the mechanics to reach behind someone's and perhaps, remove an ear. Finally, Tiger Rolls Ball is great for learning how to throw elbows to the side, strike someone in the upper body and sides simultaneously, and how to grab someone by the back of their head in case you want to feed them some extra strikes. There is all kinds of potential in Neigong movement and I often find Neigong more martially applicable than the forms.

Jiang's 1st Palm Change choreography is repeated in the opening of the first 4 palm changes. It's an extremely important concept and the Pre-Heaven pattern goes from Heaven to Lake, then Fire, and finally Thunder have this palm change as the opening. Dong Haichuan taught a number of people differently but Jiang developed the art with much influence from Zhang Zhaodong and his experience with Xingyiquan.

Most of the 2nd Palm Change choreography is repeated in the 4th, 6th, and 8th Palms as well. This is a very important palm and it's repeated quite a bit. One is striking with two hands, the primary targets are near the collarbones (think ears and back of the head) and the sides of the person (think floating ribs). There are a number of throws and plenty of opportunities to throw some kicks in. I've seen both Monkey and Tiger for this palm but I believe you're supposed to combine the qualities of both and it's describing the Clouded Leopard.