10/17/2025
Good night. Stretch. Then sleep 💤
形意拳 XINGYIQUAN: FORM AND MIND BOXING.
AN INTERNAL MARTIAL ARTS (NEIJIA)
One of the most prestigious styles of Chinese Martial Arts is the Xingyiquan style ( Xing = Form, body structure; Yi = Intention, mind; Quan = boxing). Catalogued within the Internal school ( Neijia内家), along with Taijiquan and Baguazhang , Xingyi is famous for its strength, its direct and dynamic expression of energy, and its power in martial applications.
HISTORY
Legend attributes the origin of Xingyiquan to General Yue Fei (岳飞1103- 1141), however, historical data points to the famous martial arts master Ji Longfeng (姬龙峰called Ji Jike姬际可¿1602?-¿1683? ), a native of Zhufeng, in Pudong (in present-day Shanxi) as the true creator of the art, as explained in the ancient text Liuhe Quanpu (六合拳普Chronicle of the Boxing of the Six Harmonies). Master Ji Longfeng traveled to the Zhongnan Mountains, an important seat of alchemical Taoism and martial arts, and practiced with the masters and monks who lived there. Ji lamented: "I have protected myself with my spear during times of violence; today we live in times of peace and all weapons have been destroyed. If I find myself unarmed, facing the unexpected, how can I defend myself?"
Finally, in response to his anguish, a secret text was transmitted to him, signed by Yue Wumu (General Yue Fei). From this text, which he read day and night without ceasing, memorizing every word, Ji Longfeng designed the theory of a new style, a fighting method that could also be useful in times of war for soldiers equipped with heavy armor, cumbersome harnesses and weapons, avoiding excessive complexity and difficulty in movements. Master Ji would define the Six Coordinations ( Liu He六合) as the basis of his new style: three external ones ( hand/foot; elbow/knee; hip/shoulder ), and three internal ones ( heart/mind; mind/energy; energy/strength ).
In China, the original Xinyi is known as "Ruthless Boxing" due to the sheer ferocity of its techniques. The original method includes attacks with the hands, feet, elbows, knees, toes, shins, head, etc. The basic idea is to destroy the opponent's defense with an offensive action supported by moving the entire body forward.
In the following centuries, the style spread throughout China, and was divided into three main branches:
- the Xinyi style of Shanxi province, compact, powerful and ruthless
- the Xinyi style of Henan province, practiced mainly by the Hui Muslim minority, strong and direct
- the Xingyi style of Hebei province, elegant, sober and simple, the most widespread of the three.
The main structure of all three branches shares the same core: basic training in the Five Elements fists and the practice of Animal Figure Imitation Boxing (ten animals in Xinyi, twelve in Xingyi). The higher levels of each style differ slightly.
A Xingyi master named Li Luoneng (李落能1807-1888) from Shanxi province, after spending ten years practicing with his master, decided to change the name Xinyiquan (心意拳Heart-mind boxing) to Xingyiquan (形意拳Mind-form boxing), highlighting the importance of training both body and mind simultaneously.
In his home province of Shanxi, Li taught great fighters. In Hebei, his most distinguished student was the fearsome Guo Yunshen (郭云深1827-1902), a figure of mythical stature, possessed of an extremely violent character, who was continually involved in struggles, revenge and battles. Guo never wanted to learn the entire art of Xingyi from his master, and he claimed that if the basic techniques of the Five Elements were mastered perfectly, there was no need to apply anything else in combat. Indeed, this man, extortioner, convict, bodyguard, lived up to his promise, since he only used his feared Bengquan (崩拳, collapsing fist, straight punch corresponding to the wood element) to defeat, seriously injure or kill his adversaries. Imprisoned for killing an opponent during a demonstration, he continued to practice while shackled, making some modifications to the style to make it more closed. Throughout China it was known as " The magical half-step Beng that terrifies all under Heaven ." Guo is credited with a very famous line in the Xingyi: " When you attack with your Xingyi fist, you must see the color red ." Evidently, the red corresponds to the enemy's blood.
COMPOSITION
The practice begins, at its most basic level, with the intensive learning of the starting position, called San-ti shi (三体式Three-point posture, symbolizing the union of Heaven, Humanity and Earth, or the coordination between the upper, middle and lower parts of the body, or the harmonization between the solid, liquid and gaseous elements of the body).
(See the pictures)
This posture, practiced as a static Qigong posture , vertically aligning the index finger of the forward hand, the tip of the nose, and the tip of the forward foot, must be studied until it becomes subconscious. In the classical period, this posture was studied for three years before a single technique was learned. Typically, at this stage, the student will learn other static positions and simple Qigong exercises .
All Xingyi exercises begin and end in this position. San-ti teaches how to maintain a compact posture, with the right angles to create a triangle through which the opponent's attacks can slip and which can become an arrowhead in offensive actions.
The core of the style is Five Element Boxing (五行拳 Wuxing quan ). This phase involves the exhaustive repetition of five basic movements related to the Five Elements of Chinese philosophy and medicine (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water, five energy phases that interact, generating or controlling each other incessantly). These movements are learned one by one, without rushing, developing the correct energy for each one. The Five Elements fists are:
1. Piquan (劈拳) – Chopping with the fist. This is a downward blow similar to an axe blow, usually delivered with either the palm of the hand or the fist. It is used both defensively and offensively. Metal Element : The force generated in the back allows the shoulder blades to massage the lungs, benefiting the respiratory system.
2. Bengquan (崩拳) – Knocking down with the fist. This is basically a vertical punch (the thumb part is upwards) that usually follows a non-straight path, but rather a downward, or sometimes upward, path. Wood Element : The horizontal action of punching allows for an alternate opening and closing of the rib cage, allowing the ribs to massage the liver.
3. Zuanquan (钻拳) – Punching with the fist. This is a spiral punch, a kind of diagonal uppercut that punches as it advances. It is one of the essential techniques of Xingyi. Water Element : The force arises from the back leg and is controlled and projected from the lower back. This action massages and strengthens the kidneys.
4. Paoquan (炮拳) – Cannon Fist. This is a vertical punch combined with a defensive action of the opposite forearm. Fire Element : Raising the defensive arm allows the chest to stretch upwards and the sternum to relieve pressure on the heart, thus toning the cardiovascular system.
5. Hengquan (横拳) – Crossing the fist horizontally. This is both a shorter spiral punch than Zuanquan and a type of forearm parry/deflection. The idea is to cross the opponent's attack. Earth Element : The horizontal movement of the trunk causes the rib cage to gently massage the stomach, spleen, and pancreas, improving the functions of the digestive system.
These movements should be perfected through solo practice ( dan lian ), before moving on to studying them with the help of a partner ( dui lian ) . The pair form of the Five Elements ( Wuxing Pao五行炮" Five Element Cannon ", originally called Wuxing Shengke五行生克" Generation and Control of the Five Elements "), was developed jointly by Song Shirong (1849-1927) and Che Yizhai (1833-1914), with the aim of developing instinctive response in combat. In order to develop a coherent exercise, they turned to the cyclical theory of the Elements, according to which a generative cycle ( wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal, metal generates water and water generates wood ), and a control cycle ( wood breaks earth, earth covers water, water extinguishes fire, fire melts metal and metal cuts wood ), interact with each other to balance the energies of a system, such as in a martial arts match. It should be noted, however, that this theory is useful for training and developing fighting skills, but in free combat this rule should not be applied rigidly.
From the form of the Five Elements chained together, the main works with weapons of the style are configured: stick, saber, sword and spear.
The Five Elements form for partners is first practiced statically, as a method of coordination and power, becoming a very interesting method of linking techniques. The speed and force of the blows are gradually increased, and the main objective is to coordinate movements with the opponent's actions. Later, essentially linear movements are added, which teach how to maintain the correct distance. The objective is now to learn how to enter and exit the opponent's guard, and the blows are aimed at actually reaching the partner, thus increasing the reality of the exercise. This codified chain serves as a basic combat pattern, and practitioners are expected to gradually abandon the rigidity of pre-established techniques and begin to flow and develop free techniques.
Other exercises such as Sanshou Pao (三手炮, Three-Handed Partner Technique) serve as a rotating attack/defense technique, with the objective of increasing combat skills. This exercise can be practiced solo, in pairs from a static stance, and while moving (using more triangular or circular steps) to learn how to move covering different angles and to launch attacks while moving, avoiding remaining too static while the opponent resists and changes the rhythm and target of the attacks. Also incorporated are a series of very simple conditioning exercises called Gongli (功力, Exercising strength), which – also practiced in pairs – develop the mechanics of basic movements and increase the physical strength and power of the practitioners.
The Five Elements Interlocking form ( Lianhuan Quan, Chinese: Lianhuan Quan ) is a shorter, though more elaborate, form that combines the five elemental fists with various movements and kicks. Many students will also learn, at this time, the twelve lines of Tantui (弹腿, Leg Throw) specific to Xingyiquan.
The Twelve Pictographic Styles ( Shi'er xing quan十二形拳) are inspired by the actions of different animals. The names of these animals may vary, but their technique is generally the same for all schools. The list of the 12 animals is as follows:
Dragon, tiger, horse, monkey, crocodile, rooster, hawk, swallow, snake, Tai bird (mythological animal, possibly inspired by the emu), eagle and bear .
It's worth emphasizing here that, when practicing the twelve animal styles, the goal is not to imitate the gestures and attitudes of those animals (such as a monkey scratching itself, a horse shaking its mane, etc.), but rather to sense the animal's attacking spirit (lightness for the swallow, speed for the hawk, elastic power for the tiger, etc.). Therefore, the qualities of each animal should not be confused. These twelve methods are built from the basic fists of the Five Elements, and their design allows for greater versatility and variation.
The most famous forms are short, compact sequence exercises with relatively few movements, such as Bashi chui (八式捶8-figure punches), a short and very powerful form based on four elements (metal, wood, fire and water) and four animals (hawk, horse, swallow and rooster); Zashi chui (杂式捶mixed stance punches), which includes extensive work on elements, animals and multi-directional fighting tactics; Anshen Pao (安身炮Partner form for learning safe positioning) etc.
Another star exercise is the so-called Bazi gong (八字功, 8-word exercise), which contains the eight most important fighting techniques of Xingyi:
zhan (展unfold), jie (截intercept), guo (裹wrap), kua (胯hip), tiao (挑attack upward), ing (顶resist), yun (云cloud) and ling (领guide).
Through the exhaustive study of a few basic movements, combat skills are developed and then allow one to move on to Sanshou or Sanda (散打, free combat). The main strategy of Xingyiquan is to destroy the opponent's guard and body structure, advancing with powerful blows, trying to conquer the enemy's perimeter of action in the first moments. There are few parries or blocks with the arms, which are occupied in launching devastating attacks. Effective defense is achieved through movement, hence the proverbs such as " you attack with your hands, you defend with your feet " or " 70 percent on your feet; 30 percent on your hands ."
The main defensive weapon is a type of "corkscrew" punch that creates an offensive triangle that can pe*****te the opponent's attack. This type of movement is often accompanied by a kick or a forward movement of both feet.
QI GONG - NEI GONG
The Neigong complex (内功internal work) is also studied , which in Xingyi is of great quality, and includes Qigong exercises (internal energy exercises) of great interest. Based on the techniques of Taoist Alchemy ( Nei Dan内丹) and its three stages of transformation, Xingyi's Neigong meticulously analyses work with energy, especially in standing postures. The famous " embracing the tree " postures of modern Qigong come from the traditional heritage of this style. At first, static postures are held in search of proper body alignment through the use of well-defined axes, to which breathing techniques and self-massage are gradually added, the aim of which is to promote good health for the students.
The main idea of Xingyi internal art is that every martial movement is a Qigong for health, and every Qigong exercise is a martial movement.
