A BREIF ACCOUNT OF YANG BAN-HOU

THE LONG LANCE ART OF YANG LU-CHAN

by Wu Meng-xia
A BREIF ACCOUNT OF ZHANG RONG-JIAO
A BREIF ACCOUNT OF SHA GUO-ZHEN
INTRODUCTION TO THE WRITINGS OF WU MENG-XIA
by Sha Guo-zhen
ORIGINAL SKILL OF TAIJI BOXING
by Wu Meng-xia

A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF YANG BAN-HOU

Yang Ban-hou, also named Yang Wu-di, was born in 1837, as the second son of the famed
founder of the Yang family Taiji, Yang Lu-chan.

Ban-hou was an aggressive child who studied martial practices with great enthusiasm.
His temper aggravated at an early age, by whippings from his father, interfered with his
Taiji practice. He also received strict punishment after having run away from home many
times, further exacerbating Ban-hous growing temper.

As the years passed he grew into a young man with two distinct skills: 1) His Taiji ability
in combat was among the best in the Yang clan, and his temper was so quick that he
scared challengers. Ban-hou had a rather colorful life as a bodyguard and teacher to the
royal Manchu court. As he was Chinese and not Manchu, he did not want to teach the
Manchu any of the Yang family boxing secrets. He therefore simplified movements and
made them soft, lacking issuance of jin (fa-jin). This style was later termed as Peiping
(Beijing) style Taiji.

Ban-hous temper was said to be as great as his Taiji boxing skills. For this reason he had
but a few students, though all became famous for outstanding Taiji abilities. He
demanded excellence, and his students were said to be highly disciplined in attaining
excellence in stretching, fajin, and precision in movement. In 1890 (at the age of 53),
Ban-hou passed away, leaving a legacy of the hardships one must overcome to become a
Taiji master. He left behind a son, Yang Jou-peng, who taught only small groups of
students the methods left behind by his father. Today, we can still find direct lineage
students in China of both Yang Ban-hou and Jou-ping.

THE LONG LANCE ART OF YANG LU-CHAN

by Wu Meng-xia

Wu Meng xia

During the 1930s and 1940s, numerous booklets and short documentaries sponsored by
boxing associations, primarily in Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai, were privately
published. In Beijing, Square Handkerchief Alley housed many eating stalls, printing
press operations and boxing associations. One such booklet entitled, The Long Lance
Art of Yang Lu-chan was authored by Wu Meng-xia. It is a story that was told to Wu
about his grand teacher by a student of Yang Ban-hou. A copy of this booklet was held by
Master Sha Guo-zhen, who read the story to his students. Sha had met Wu at national
gatherings of Taiji and Bagua and regarded him as a person of rare knowledge, passed
onto him by the Yangs in Taiji and his Bagua by Han Mu-xia and Gao Yi-sheng, among
others. Below is a translation of what Sha Guo-zhens had read to students in his classes
in the 1980s.

The first Yang family member to have learned the unique art of Taiji in the Chen village

was Yang Lu-chan. When others spoke of him they commented that he was unwearying
in practice, kind to all those who met him, and possessed a stout-heartedness in facing life
and its challenges. For many years teacher Yang worked for the Chen family and studied
their remarkable art and while living there, led a life of hardship and meagerness. He
worked from before sunrise until the sun lowered. In summers his skin was dark from the
toil of outside house repairs, farming duties and tending to general livestock. Indoors he
was also a servant who dealt with the cleaning of vegetables, cooking rice in large pots,
serving food, and was given certain duties in the Chen clan businesses, in their village
and nearby townships.

As a servant Yang had a small room to sleep within. Inside he had a small bed, a little
table for his rice bowl and drinking cup, and a dirt floor. It was a dirt floor that sunk deep
into the earth, as it was worn away from him secretly practicing the Chen family boxing
art every night. Though he partook of only servant food, he nevertheless maintained his
physical stamina. In winters, teacher Yang had no hearth for fire. His warmth came from
within. Though his life as a poor servant was difficult he never detoured from training. As
the seasons changed so did his skill in Chen family boxing. After many years, teacher
Yang departed the Chen village to return home to impart his knowledge to others. His art
was firstly known as Guangping Chuan because of its locale in Guangping. Though
teacher Yang Lu-chan was often penniless, he would always find a way to give money to
friends who desperately needed funds for family support. One day his friend asked to
borrow one hundred dollars that would be returned to teacher Yang within one year. This
was quite a large sum of money but teacher Yang had saved nearly this amount for an
emergency. He told his friend that he would lend him the money only after he completed

one minor feat. The feat was to hold a long pole with both hands, run and vault atop a
nearby roof. Upon landing on the roof he must remain stable and upright. His friend
reluctantly agreed. Teacher Yangs friend ran after much hesitation, vaulted and
plummeted onto the wooden planks of the roof. He instantly became pale and was so
filled with fear that he became as stiff as a piece of wood, unable to move even slightly.
The crowd that had gathered made this man even more nervous. It was at that point that
teacher Yang took a long pole in both hands, equal to more than three times his own
height, and placed the other end on his friends stomach. He then miraculously lifted him
from the roof onto the ground. Teacher Yangs effortlessness and stalwart skill of
adhering and yielding astonished onlookers by this feat alone. This no doubt was
verification that teacher Yang was adept in qing gong (the ability to make ones self or
another lighter in weight). After several minutes, the man was still partially in shock and
teacher Yang could not help but to laugh. Yang explained that he was merely jesting with
his friend and gladly gave him the one hundred dollars. His friend thereby came out of his
shock and cheerfully accepted the money. This story was told not to boast of teacher
Yangs skill in long lance (pole), but rather to comment upon his jovial character, which
he nurtured and held fast to, even while poverty befell him. Though teacher Yang was a
demanding teacher he was a true teacher of an authentic art. Kindness and cheerfulness
must never be robbed from ones breast. Teacher Yangs example remains as an example
for us to follow.

A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF ZHANG RONG-JIAO

Jiang Rong-qiao

Zhang Rong-jiao (Jiang Rong-qiao) was born in 1890. He became a top student of two of
Chinas most famous boxing masters, Zhang Zhao-dong and Li Cun-yi. Though Jiang
claimed that Zhang Zhao-dong taught him the majority of movements and training
methods of his Bagua and Xingyi practice, it was in fact, Li that influenced him most
deeply in regard to the Neijia principles of Xing-yi. Both Zhang and Lis teachings honed
Zhang into one of the nations top teachers and experts in sanda (free fighting) and
weapons. It should also be noted that Li Cun-yi was a teacher of the famed Sun Lutang.

In 1955, Jiang suffered an accident that injured his optical nerve. This damage became
progressively worse and could not be stopped by any medical treatment offered at that
time. When Jiang, finally lost his site, his adopted daughter, Zou Shou-xian, helped him
conduct classes and write the well known book Baguazhang Practice Methods.
Students of Baguazhang in China continue to admire Jiang for writing this book, because
it was the first Bagua text published for the public following the 1949 Nationalist and

Communist war. Such a publication took courage from Jiang, in that Maoist at that time
denounced such texts and boxing masters. Through the years Jiang lectured and taught at
numerous institutions of higher learning so that Bagua and Xingyi would retain notoriety
as national treasures. Jiangs blindness did not detour his personal excellence in
performing boxing. In fact, he was known for walking a circle more perfect that those
with sight. Sadly in 1974, at the age of 84, Jiang passed away. His following of students
is among the most concentrated numbers in China to this day. Perhaps his most famous
student was the late Sha Guo-zhen; who promoted Jiangs teachings to there fullest.

A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF SHA GUO-ZHEN

Sha Guo zhen and Li Zi ming

Born in 1904 in eastern Shantung province, China, Sha became an enthusiastic devotee of
Chinese boxing arts. Even at a young age he had studied a variety of Shaolin arts that
encompass both empty hand fighting arts and weaponry. His early studies of Liuhe
Chiang (Six Harmony Spear) formed Sha's continued love for spear practice throughout
his life. In Bagua, Shas ability in spear and sword were equaled only to the famed Li
Ziming. In 1920, Sha began learning Baguazhang from Wang Chechen. Wang was a
student of Dung Haichuans student Wang Lide. From Wang he learned Lion style Bagua
which was patterned after a lion roaring, clawing, stalking his prey, and opening its
massive mouth to devour its capture. Wang Chechen also taught Sha a sword art that
Wang Lide learned from Dung. This sword art was named Baxian Jian (8 immortal
Sword) and was supposedly taught to Dung by a Daoist monk who learned a circular
boxing style near the Wudang mountainous region. In addition to Sword, Sha taught
numerous weapons contained in Bagua and Xingyi arsenals. From 1933-39, Sha moved

to Tianjin where he continued to teach, research and study Bagua. He had made friends
with practitioners in the Cheng Tinghua branch in that city and acquired deep knowledge
of Bagua in these styles. Sha often took the train to Beijing during those years and learned
many of Sun Lutangs Bagua and Xingyi methods. He learned many Xingyi spear
routines taught to him by a senior student of Sun who ran a body guard company service
for dignitaries. In later years he only taught the Bagua and Xingyi he learned in Tianjin
and Beijing if specifically requested, preferring to teach the Lion style method from
Wang. In 1926 or 27, Sha became a disciple of the renowned master of Bagua, Xingyi
and Taiji, Jiang Rongjiao (1890-1971) Sha specialized in these areas and additionally
learned Mitsung (Micung) boxing and weaponry. He continued to deepen his studies with
Jiang for decades, often traveling hundreds of miles to meet his teacher every few
months. .Jiang was also trained by the most famous swordsman of China, during the last
century, Li Qing-lin. Jiang helped to widely disseminate Cheng Tinghua style Bagua, as
well as Bagua spear and sword arts. Sha often spoke about Jiang as a father figure and
master-scholar whom he patterned the majority of his Bagua and Xingyi .

INTRODUCTION TO THE WRITINGS OF WU MENG-XIA

by Sha Guo-zhen
China - 1988

Wu Meng-xia was an adroit practitioner of original Yang family Taiji boxing. He not
only studied with the Yang family for many years but also made several trips to teacher
Yang Lu-chans home in Guangping to study with other family members and students of
the late grand-teacher. Wu furthermore studied in the Chen village on several occasions
so that he could further understand the original methods taught to Yang Lu-chan and how
these teachings varied among the Yang family teachers. Wu was therefore a researcher
and scholar who endeavored to preserve the path of our fore bearers in boxing arts.

Sha Guo-zhen
Heilongjiang, China, 1988

Below are the writings of teacher Wu Meng-xia and his understanding of Chen family
Taiji and the "Cloud Hands" posture. This information is based upon part of Chen Pingshans book (also known as Chen Xin) published in the early 1920s, teachings imparted
to Wu while in the Chen village and teachings from the Yang family. Certainly this is a
treasure to repeatedly reference.

Notation: Wu Meng-xias writings are, at times, somewhat obscure. Throughout his

writings he maintained the original information taught to him but helps the reader by
further explanation contained in [brackets]

ORIGINAL SKILL OF TAIJI BOXING

by Wu Meng-xia

Practicing boxing resides in the opening posture. As soon as there is rising [hands or the
body], there is the birth of posture. As in Upward Single Whip when an adversary
approaches from the right side you must initially use your hand to guide it [the
adversarys striking hand]. This guidance by the right hand means you must quickly and
first unload its responsibility {burden} onto the right shoulder. To unload onto the right
shoulder means that you must first lead upward using the left hand. The hand commands
the jing. As the left hand leads upwards the left shoulder relaxes and drops downwardly.
The chest moves forward slightly and gathers together to xi xiong {inhale the breath
while drawing the chest inwardly}.

Move downwardly to the jing of the crotch. The left foot becomes full while the right
foot becomes empty. The shenfa [body method] and shoufa [hand method] move as one
[together]. Following this you must first move the right hand to naturally attain the

process of the technique. Upon attaining the posture, [the true pulse shall arrive. Without
an adversary present the hands move emptily [the hands move empty, that is, not having
grasped an adversary]. You should feel that the successive attainment of the process of
the technique [posture] [the mechanism of movement] is ongoing. That is, once your
hands move you must sense the successive continuation of achieving the posture. The
process of arriving at the technique [posture] and once the posture has been attained the
sensation of nimbleness should be sensed. Therefore, I say every posture is complete
within itself [is all-together and all within the initial rising action]. With the connecting of
the bones one must liken this to the joints of bamboo. Why is it that other postures drop
downwardly while this posture tends to float upwardly? To understand this you must very
astutely study this concept and process of arriving at the technique [posture]. And,
everything [within the body] is in an instant dropping completely, so you must
contemplate this before you can achieve [reach] it [the process of movement] without
lacking anything. To drop completely from Upward Cloud Hands is called Lower Cloud
Hands. When the spirit and qi are full this posture [Cloud Hands]) seems as if it could
stop and yet, the process of movement of the lower posture has already moved. Though it,
[the process] wants to halt, yet it does not attain halting. So, its wanting to halt is in itself
the process of halting. It is also named the Arising of the Lower Posture (Raising the
Lower Posture). As for not halting the process of movement, the spirit is as if it has not
been. Not halted, and yet halted. As for that which has halted, only a single line in the
lower posture is to arise. Those in Taiji will understand this concept.

Furthermore, the right forearm is naturally straight, not bent as most assume [an apparent
mistake to be avoided, though most do not]. The posture must not be straightened further.

Therefore, as the left hand leads upwards the right shoulder relinquishes its burden. The
right hand naturally by means of pulling inwardly [leading inwardly], leads the jing
[which leads inwardly] while the arms collect [by means of pulling inwardly (leading
inwardly) the jing]. Therefore, that which is not bent cannot be straightened. Alas, that
which is not straight cannot be bent. These are natural principles and common
knowledge. The difficulty is completely in the practice and application of silk cacoon-ing
jing. Leading the jing progressively inward and outward, although the left hand rises
[leads] upwardly while the right hand leads progressively and gathers inwardly, is the
difficulty. The process of movement is also complete within the chest, which faces
forward and gathers [links] all together. The jing of the waist moves downwardly while
the jing of the crotch [groin area] maintains roundness and openness. The left-foot can
now step fully; the right foot raises insubstantially, and the backside of the upper body
feels as if it is nimble [alive].

Those who study these teachings to progress in skill should reflect upon these methods.
Cloud Hands, here, is an example of how to attain skill through the process of movement
and cacoon-ing of jing common to all postures and movements. Each posture and
movement has its neijing (internal jing). That [the neijing] of the Cloud Hands action is
as follows. The qi of the dantian is found at 1.5 fen (inches) below the navel. Fen and
parts are interchanged, yet are separate in meaning. As the dantian becomes full the qi can
reach everywhere. Upwardly and downwardly must not be inverted. The xinqi (heart qi)
guides [leads and raises] the dantian 6 parts to the heart. That is, as soon as the hearts qi
draws upwardly it raises the dantian 6 parts to arrive at the heart. Again, one part and two

puffs (2 inhalations and 2 exhalations [the two puffs are exhalations] move the qi into
position. Now, three fen (parts) move upward to the right shoulder. All is from within the
shoulder bone and penetrates (transverses) to the left and right fingers. The shoulder bone
is that which adheres to the white pillar [spinal column] that which is shenzhu [Body
Column] (GV-12] . When it is within the bone it is called the Zhongqi (Central Qi). It
forms within the sinew and skin [flesh] and is named Chansijin (Silk Caccoon-ing Jin).
The additional four parts each contain two breaths. Hence, two parts move to the left
buttocks, while 2 parts move to the right buttocks.

To explain and clarify the neijin of Cloud Hands is important. So, I offer this further
clarification of the section above. Fen related to the dantian is measurement of 1.5 fen
below the navel. However fen also refers to the term parts. That is, the dantian is
divided into ten parts: 6 parts rise upward to the heart, when it divides from the heart- 3
parts to the right shoulder, 3 parts to the left shoulder. And, 2 parts descend to the left
buttock and 2 parts to the right buttock. Parts refer to the qi contained in the dantian. The
concept of parts and the separation of parts is a rare treasure seldom discussed and
seldom known. In each posture the concept of fen and parts is applied. In Cloud Hands,
for example, you are at the very edge of moving, yet have not begun moving this action.
This is still the preparation of Cloud Hands. Chen village speaks of 60% qi upward; 40%
qi in the lower region. This 60:40 does not concern weight distribution of which the Yang
family speaks. Such difference must be realized.

To continue from 4 parts separated and divided equally to the right and left buttocks.
Everything [qi and process] is within the bones and thereby penetrates to the toes. The

heel [the area on the backside of the foot] first drops [touches] upon the ground, while the
front of the palm of the foot must feel nimble and alive. When the toes touch the ground
they touch downward as if upon a dot [a single point]. You must use gongli (strength),
but nimbly. This is not brutish force that most will use. When they, [the toes, heel, palm
of the foot] must move, then they shall move. The toes, the shin [bone] and the calf all
must use this refined measurement of gongli.

The left and right cloud hands all move it [qi] by means of correct direction of flow.
Firstly, move upwards (guide upwardly) the left hand. Second, lower (drop) the right
hand. Then, the right hand from the lower right collects (gathers) to the front of the chest.
The left hand from above moves backward twisting a half turn. As the right hand [coming
from the chest] moves upwardly and turns toward the rightward direction, the left hand
moves downwardly and collects (gathers) to the chests front. The left and right hands do
not halt. As one [hand] goes, the other comes. The left and right continually circle (orbit)
and pass from one to the other. Likened to the movement of the sun and the moon. As the
sun goes [sets/lowers] the moon comes [rises/ascends]. As the moon goes [sets/ lowers]
the sun comes [rises/ascends]. Hence, one hand only manages half of the body. The left
hand moves to the left, the left foot in accordance with the left hand (steps) to the left, the
left foot in accordance with the left hand [steps] to the left. The left steps slightly larger
(than a normal step), purely using a horizontal movement forwardly. That is to say,
advance forward by using a purely horizontal movement. Large, whether hand or foot
action, does not attain largeness of the rotating (pivoting) of the right hand by hand
movement alone. Large means slightly larger than a normal stepping action or hand
movement.

Large stepping [elongated] is only different than that of foot walking (stepping). The right
hand moves toward the right; the right foot also (from the left) steps to the right. We have
now changed directions in cloud hands.

The body moves (advances) to the left along the lateral (horizontally). The right footsteps
(though not small in portion) gradually availing itself of moving [advancing] forwards.
[Meaning: move left bit by bit] Therefore, rightward stepping must comply [be
respectful] to leftward stepping. [Meaning: literally one foot must yield to the other; one
is lesser, and one is greater] The small [of stepping or of hand gestures] does not attain
(reach) smallness. [Meaning: Small is not compressed; large is not expansive].

Cloud hands has no fixed number (repetitions) Because of the land nowadays we must
halt at one point. [Meaning: Land is now sectioned off and we must limit the number of
movements in a single direction] Generally one would not surpass a distance of stepping
to the left or right beyond 3 or 4 steps.