The Right Path of Yiquan

[Pranaman]

The Right Path of Yiquan by Wang Xiangzhai

 

Here is a pdf of a book by i-chuan's founder.

 

it's only 21 pages long, i suggest reading it.

 

Chapters:

Changing One's Strength with Zhanzhuang

Training the Muscles, the Tendons, and the Bones

Exerting Strength

Training the Qi

Nourishing the Qi

Syncretism of the Five Elements

Six Harmonies

Formulas Put into Verse

The Classical Method of Hand-to-Hand Fighting

Dragon Method

Tiger Method

The Right Path of Yiquan

[growant]

Thanks for that. Does anyone know of any photos, drawings, or detailed descriptions of the hunyuanzhuang stance (described in the book above as the ultimate zhan zhuang stance) or can anyone describe it in detail?

 

thanks-

[.broken.]

Well written article by my teacher's husband. Has a picture of Hun Yuan Zhuang too...

 

http://www.yiquan.org.uk/art-zz.html

 

Yours humbly,

James

[growant]

thanks James. Immediately after practicing that stance, are you supposed to spend an equal amount of time with the other hand/foot forward? (to balance things)

[.broken.]

My pleasure

 

Yes. Balancing both sides is certainly recommended. Practice equal measures of time of both sides.

 

Yours,

James

[Pranaman]

that's your teacher's husband? awesome article, i reread it frequently.

[Spectrum]

Thanks Pranaman. Good find. Invaluable. We always practice both sides stance and hands. Actually teacher always said to practice left first when learning something brand new it will shrink the time it takes for it to stick to your kinesthetic memory. We also balance hemispheres through a simple meditation called Lotus Hands, this is usually performed after chi gung practice.

Edited September 17, 2008 by Spectrum

[Junbao]

Cool topic....I am just getting into Yiquan. The link you posted Pranaman, that is a book that Li Jiong worked on translating. I am learning from his course as I do not know of a teacher near me that teaches Yiquan. If anyone knows of someone in Colorado Springs area I would love to check them out.

 

Thanks for the link broken.

Any tips or links you all could offer to help me get going the right way would be awesome. I have done Tai Chi and Kung Fu for a while, and am just rediscovering the awesomeness of standing meditation, and the free form of Yiquan seems so great.

 

Peace

[.broken.]

that's your teacher's husband? awesome article, i reread it frequently.

 

Indeed. Eva Koskuba is one of my taiji teachers. I learn chen style from her. Here's what their website says about her:

 

Eva has been studying Internal Martial Arts since 1982 and teaching since 1986.

 

Main teachers:

 

* Karel Koskuba (20th generation of Chen style)

* Chen Xiaowang (19th generation of Chen style)

* Du Xianming (student of Chen Zhaokui - 18th generation of Chen style)

* Yao Chengguang (3rd generation of Yiquan)

 

In March 2006 Eva has been accepted as a lineage disciple (20th generation of Chen style) by Master Chen Xiaowang.

 

Truth be told her taiji is amazing and by far the best internal martial artist I've seen, other than Chen Ying Jun (Chen Xiaowang's son)... another of my teachers. Her husband, Karel, is apparently better but I have yet to meet him.

 

I have of late decreased the amount that I practice and I no longer turn up to my regular classes. I am taking a break from taiji as the reason I got into it was for spiritual purposes and these are now my focus. Also, I am in a bit of a constant financial struggle which means I cannot pay to go the seminars...

 

Junbao, there is one book I can point you in the direction of. Perhaps not quite what you are looking for, but a very good book on internal arts and it shows you quite a useful form. The book is called Combat Techniques of Tai Ji, Xing Yi, and Ba Gua: Principles and Practices of Internal Martial Arts by Lu Shengli.

 

Yours humbly,

James

[Eric23]

Thank you James for the link to the wonderful article. I've been struggling finding time to consistently practice zhang zhuang. A good pep talk to motivate me. Been following Dr Chuen's methods.

[yatzhong]

Thanks for that. Does anyone know of any photos, drawings, or detailed descriptions of the hunyuanzhuang stance (described in the book above as the ultimate zhan zhuang stance) or can anyone describe it in detail?

 

thanks-

 

On hunyuan zhuang, there are two schools of thought. One is that hunyuan is a state of being, both physical and mental that one should achieve in order to reach the hiqher levels and benefits from standing. So hunyuan can actually be any posture one decides to stand in given the conditions are correct.

 

The other is that posture in the picture which other schools call the spear and shield posture or mao dun in Chinese.

 

Our school sides with the first one.