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    Ba Ji Quan

          LINEAGES AND BRANCHES

    

 

 

EARLY DESCENDANTS OF BAJIQUAN

Second (2nd) Generation

Wu Rong
(1764-1839), was the daughter of Wu Zhong (he had no sons) and as she was the person likely responsible to assist in teaching (as when Wu Zhong returned he was already over 60), thus although Wu Zhong taught many, she is noted as the key inheritor noted of Bajiquan. Wu Rong had married Dai Yueyi who was a pracitioner of various Changquan based arts, as a result she incorporated some of those techniques into Bajiquan.

Wu Ying (1766-1852), was an extremely bright and capable young man, acquiring much of the Bajiquan skills he became an important figure in Bajiquan as he was responsible for the compilation and systematic recording of the respective practices of Bajiquan into a manuscript. It is said that Wu Zhong in his latter years became very fond of Wu Ying and taught as much as he could to him. The desmination of Bajiquan was also predominantly through Wu Ying to the next generations, he taught many but most notable are his thirteen key disciples which consisted predominantly of family members, these included: Yang Deyuan, Wu Kun (his son), Wu Kai (his nephew), Jiao Wenming, Gao Mingshan (from Luotong village), Li Dazhong (from Luotong village), Zhang Keming (from Luotong village), Wu Lingchun (his grandson), Wu Tongyun (his grandson), Wu Lingyun (his grand nephew), Ding Xiaowu, Wang Changxi and Wang Shitong.

Third (3rd) Generation

Wu Kai (1812-1882) was considered the keeper or standard bearer of the style, yet he had strict standards and was very reserved in teaching the style (essentially all were family) and had only seven key disciples: Wu Baorui (1851~), Wu Linshu, Wu Baoxuan, Liu Qingpan, Zhang Wenhe (1965-1934) and Wu Xiaowu.

Li Dazhong - Bajiquan
Zhang Keming - Bajiquan
 

Li Dazhong
(1810-1874)

Zhang Keming
(1812-1882)
Wu Kai
(1812-1882)

Fourth (4th) Generation

Zhang Jingxing - Bajiquan      

Li Guizhang
(1855-1927)
Son of Li Dazhong

Zhang Jingxing
(1812-1882)
Son of Zhang Keming

Huang Sihai
(1829-1914)
Student of Zhang Keming

Wu Linshu
(~)
Nephew of Wu Kai

Wu Baorui
(~)
Nephew of Wu Kai

BRANCHES

Wu Family Bajiquan

Wu Huiqing (Bajiquan)Wu Huiqing
(1869-1958), was the inheritor of Wu family Bajiquan having studied with his granduncle Wu Kai (nephew of Wu Ying) for a while and then also with his uncle Wu Baorui and Wu Linshu (student of Wu Kai). He studied with his uncles for many years and also had acquired knowledge of other styles which he incorporated such as Piguaquan and the Jiu Gong Chun Yang Sword. He also was known for his Tie Sha Zhang (Iron Palm). He was both capable and well educated having ensured that his students understood both the practice and the theories of Bajiquan. During his life he taught many but also was the Keeper of the family and boxing records, which he revised and added many further boxing theories to. In Mengcun he is a key propagator of the art and the most significant teacher of his generation.

Wu Xiufeng - BajiquanWu Xiufeng (1908-1976), was the eldest son of Wu Huiqing and suffered from deafness in his childhood. As a result he was more determined and dedicated in his practice of Bajiquan, he acquired excellent skills and became a capable fighter. In 1929 he roamed around the country including Shandong where Han Huachen and Zuo Shuangchen invited him to teach in Zaozhuang city, then even reaching the southern areas of Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Guangdong. In Jiangxi province he was for a short time the head coach of the Hong Jun (Red Guards - this was in the early stages of their formation). In 1933 he setup the "Tianjin Building a nation Martial Arts Society" in Tianjin where he started to accept and teach students. He learnt from others and took in the good points of other schools, thus It was during this time that he also developed Bajiquan even further creating many sets and theories. Some routines like the Xiaojia (Small Frame) were enhanced to up to 12 sub routines, the 24 Lianshou (24 Linked hands), Shier Pao Xing (12 embraces) and Fushou Duida (Combined set) are examples of his developments.

Li Family Bajiquan

Li Shuwen (Bajiquan)Li Shuwen (1864-1934), was from Nanliang village (some references also suggest Changsha in Cang County). As a result of poverty when he was young he was sent to an Opera Group to study. As a result of injuries from the difficult training he returned home where he commenced practicing Bajiquan under the tutelage of Huang Sihai (Student of Zhang Keming). He disliked the opera very much then but the discipline allowed to become an excellent practitioner of Bajiqiuan. He also excelled at the Spear was known as "Spiritual Spear Li". Li Shuwen was an example of the aggressive nature of Bajiquan as in many challenges in his youth he would kill or critically maim opponents. As an example when he was at a banquet where his employer introduced some other martial artists who were being considered for employment and asked to cross hands, he showed the opponent the exact technique that he would use, then at the time of the dual in a matter of seconds and with that single blow the palm struck the opponents head cracking the neck and knocking the eyeballs out of the socket leading to instant death. This resulted in Li Shuwen obtaining a feared reputation but also having many seeking his death in revenge. Towards the end of his life Li Shuwen lived in constant fear and paranoia, then many years later one day on his return from Shandong to Cangzhou he was indeed poisoned to death. He taught many students even though there were also many not willing to train with the rough aggressive Master. Those that did however excelled and became masters in their own right. Some of these include: Huo Diange, Huo Diankui, Xu Lanzhou, Ren Guodong, Zhang Xiangwu, Han Huachen, Liu Hechen, Dou Shilong, Na Yukui, Liu Chendong, Liu Yunqiao and Zu Zhiqing.

Han Family Bajiquan

Han Huiqing - BajiquanHan Huiqing (1887-1937) , was from Luotuan village, Hui nationality studied from a young age with Master Zhang Jingxing. An extremely talented practitioner and representative of Luotuan. He was admired by the local people for his morality, scholarly and martial skills. There were many stories of his feats like a single palm to displace bricks in a wall, smashing slabs of ice or how he could grab a high spinning well pully at an instant ceasing its spin. He practiced continuously even when working on the family farms he would practice Chuang Bu (charging step of Bajiquan). In 1912 at the invitation of Ma Fengtu (his younger training brother) he took a coaching position at the Shenyang Police Academy. Here he continued to expound Baji after his seniors (Li Shuwen and Huo Diange had worked for the same General in Harbin). In 1920's he worked as a guard of a mine in Zaozhuang, he accepted Li Xueyi and Zhao Ronglin as students then. In 1928 they head south (Han and his students) and together with Ma Yingtu fought in the October 1928 National Combat (Leitai) competition. Han defeated over 30 opponents and each time with only a single blow usually maiming them having to be escorted off in stretchers. He became known as the "Invincible General". Ma Yingtu also was similarly unstoppable and as a result of polical issues neither Han or Ma were allowed to continue and they were excluded from the competition. However their performance one the praise of the organizers and thus Han Huiqing was appointed a teacher at the Nanjing Zhongyang Guoshu Association. At the time the famous Wang Ziping and Tong Zhongyi were responsible for Shuaijiao competitions whilst Han Huiqing and Ma Yingtu were responsible for the hand to hand combat competitions. His influence was so that at the time the was also another saying "in the South Han, in the North Li" referring to the superiority of the two masters Han Huiqing and Li Shuwen. Master Han Huiqing passed away from Heart failure in 1937. Many studied with Master Han and became bodyguards thus sometimes the nickname of Bodyguard boxing is given to Bajiquan. Some of his most well known earlier students included Zhao Shude, Li Xueyi, Zhao Ronglin. His other students included Dong Yiqing, Wei Hongen, Dong Huiting, Liu Hanzhou, Shen Zhongshan, Zhang Ziting, Zhang Zhendong, Dong Yiwen, Yao chunfu, Shang Guanting, Han Longquan and his son Han Jiquan. His son Han Jiquan (1909-1994) spread the art further to his daughter Han Zhenge and sons Han Zhenhai, Han Zhenjiang, Han Zhende as well as students from places such as Hebei, Shandong and Fujian province.

Huo Family Bajiquan

Huo Diange - BajiquanHuo Diange (1886-1942), also known as Huo Xiuting, was born in Xiaoji Village, Cang County (today a part of Nanpi County). Since a young age Huo Diange enjoyed martial arts and had practiced Piao Sa Boxing with local teachers. Later at age 17 he became a student under Master Li Shuwen studying Bajiquan and Liuhe (Six Harmonies) Spear. He practiced with diligence for over 12 years and was well favored by the highly demanding teacher Li Shu Wen. After Master Li Shuwen went travelling. Huo Diange then started teaching in Tianjin (Zhong Xin Park) and later he met some influential friends which then influenced him to later joined the army which took him to place like Harbin, Shengyang and Changchun, in each of those places he passed on his Bajiquan leading to many inheritors. In those years he also for some time became Bodyguard of the last emperor of China Pu Yi. In 1924 he moved to Tianjin and taught there. In 1926 he caught up with his teacher Li Shuwen and when training together he understood some new key concepts which he then formulate a new advanced set of 'Ying Shou Quan', which was later to become a standard for Huo Family Bajiquan. As a result of issues with the Japanese in 1927, In 1932 he moved to Chang Chun trying to setup there, then a few years later his friend (a Chuojiao Master Zhou Xinwu - a senior from his official posts) arrived and together with his son Huo Qingyun helped to propagate and develop Huo Family Bajiquan. Students of Huo Diange include: Huo Qingyun, Huo Qingfeng, Huo Qingshan, Jiang Cangyong, Song Bishan, Zhao Bingnan, Yang Bin, Li Baoshan, Liang Zhenqi, Luo Junshan, Mao Hongen, Chu Yixin, Zhou Zonggui, Lei Zhanfeng and Miao Yuchun. Huo Qingyun (1905-1987), was the son of Huo Diange and was instrumental in promoting his fathers Bajiquan and with the help of his father's other students like Chu Yixin and Zhao Bingnan opened schools across North Eastern China (Changchun, Shenyang, Dalian and Harbin) to propagate the Huo Family Bajiquan.

Other branches include:

Ma Family Bajiquan - From the Ma brothers Ma Fengtu (1888-1973) and Ma Yingtu (1898-1956) , they studied many arts including Piguazhang, Chuojiao, Tongbei and Fanzi in addition to Bajiquan. The Bajiquan is derived from their studies with Zhang Jingxing.

Ji Family Bajiquan - This line was commenced by Ji Yunlong (1857-1942) who was from Langkouer village, Cangzhou. Ji Yunlong studied his family taught martial arts (Huaquan/Yanqingquan) in his youth and later became a disciple of Liu Huchen (who had studied with Wang Changxi) studying Bajiquan.

Qiang Family Bajiquan - From Qiang Ruiqing (1861-1947) from Zilaitun village in Mengcun county, studied Bajiquan with Cao Jingtian (who had studied with Wang Changxi) from Chengjialin village and later married Cao's grandaughter Cao Jianying. He became representative of Zilaitun village Bajiquan and was well acquainted with masters of his generation like Wu Huiqing.



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