As highlighted in the history section the lineages of Yingmen Quan differ significantly in terms of origins and the stylistic content. Yet additionally through time have absorbed methods from each other. Often the two key branches Feng Jia and Kong Jia are emphasized, however there are many. Here we will introduce some of the key branches.
Ying Men Quan (Ying Men)
Ying Men Quan traces its origins to the Yue Jia Quan (Yue Family) as passed by the sons and descendants of Yue Fei. The art is practiced predominantly in the north of Jiangxi (Jiujiang, Ruichang) which neighbours Huangmei and Wuxue across in Hubei Province. Deng Zilong was said to be a famous practitioner of this style and it is the first line to apply the term Ying Men Quan. In fact in some records Deng Zilong was said to have combined Zimenquan and Yingmenquan but retained the practice the hard way (the Yingmen approach). It was in the Qing dynasty that Master Zhao Zhenji (1822-1903) taught the art in in southern areas of De An, Xin Jian and Nan Chang. Therare many practitioners including Hu Yunlong, Wang Qinghui, Wan Chalin, Li Meisheng, Du Ping, Zhong Xiqiao and Zhong Shanshui.
Master Mao Yimin is descendant from the headcoach of the national arts school in Nanchang and was renowned as a top class martial artist. Since he studied both Zimenquan and Yingmenquan he style at times was known as Yingzimen, and others followed suit as the annual gatherings in Nanchange of Masters from all over the province enhanced the development of the styles.
Yue Jia Quan (Ying Men)
The Yue Family Ying Men Quan is actually the last fist method to be called Yingmenquan and in fact up until the 1940's when gatherings heightened and the distinguishment between Ruan Men (i.e. Soft Method referring to Zimenquan) and the others was made it was always simply called Yue Jia Quan. Additionally there are two lineages (one from Wuxue and the other from Huangmei).
The practice method is the closest to that of Hubei Wuxue and contains similar content where as other styles have since differed. Yue Jinming (1906-1982) and his disciples Tang Yunyue in Ruichang county and Xu Tangshan in Jiujiang county.
Other lineages include practioners such as Xu Jianxin, Hu Songlin, Li Jianmin and Ye Chunyi.
Yi He Quan (Ying Men)
The Zhang Family Ying Men Quan style was founded during the Qing dynasty by Master Zhang Shilong (1825 - 1891) who brought the boxing methods from Guangdong to Jiangxi. Master Zhang was a member of the rebellious society (White Lotus/Yi He Tuan) and latter travelled to Jiangxi where he lived out the remainder of his life. He started a martial arts school in Yue Zhou (nowadays known as Yichun City).
Liu Faming (1876 - 1961) was from Xinyu county in Jiangxi and joined the Yue zhou school, since Master Liu was versed in the basic rudiments of Famenquan he excelled quickly and became the chief coach of the school. In his youth he continued the school but later due to social upheaval stopped teaching. Master Hong Bangma (1902-1992) later became a disciple of Master Liu and became the 3rd generation Master of Zhang Family Ying Men Quan. He taught many students who continue to practice and teach the art in the Yichun City areas until today.
Liu Feiyi (1922 - 1989) had taught many in Yichun and they later started a school called the Yichun Feilong Martial Arts Institute. Ms Guo Fang, is since 1992 the head of the Institute in Yichun.
Other Ying Men Quan
The Ma Family Ying Men Quan traces its origin to Ma Xingchao (est. 1624-1718), also known as Ma Jiulong, originally from Jiangxiwho was said to have studied martial arts in in Fujian and then returned to Jiangxi after the Qing era, where and his descendants then practiced boxing. Practitioners include Jiang Liangu and Li Huashan. Other branches such as Feng and Yang family Ying Men Quan will be subsequently updated in future.
Ping Xiang Nan Quan
On the Western part of Jiangxi, close to the Hunan border, Pingxiang was known for practicing many different types of Boxing methods. The Long Men, Cang Men and Wu Ya Men groups. Unfortunately nowadays because of conservative approaches to their dissemination and the cultural revolution activities, most have died out as systems, and our investigations in Pingxiang and neighbouring areas found that old master hands can practice a set or two from the system but mostly has been unfortunately died out. These styles are now also considered subsets of Ying Men Quan and the boxing in Pingxiang has adopted the Ying Men Quan (mostly the Feng and Zhang family versions) and some of the methods from neighbouring Hunan, whilst retaining some of the old Long Men and Wu Ya Men boxing sets in their styles.
Introduction of Other Yue Jia Quan
Henan Yue Jia Quan
Lu Yunqing (30th generation) was a famous boxing expert from Henan province (Xin Xiang City) and was said to have practiced a martial art that was left to some of the village soldiers that Yue Fei had been training during his time in Xin Xiang. It has now reached up to 33rd Generation (Lu Yunqing's grandson), Lu Quanzhen.
Lu Yunqing taught Lu Yongping (Yang Gang Village), Zhang Jiceng (Feng Quan District), Liang Pandong (Feng Quan District), Zhang Jingzhi (Xin Xiang City), Zhang Delu (Jie Fang Qiao), Lu Yongji ( Yang Gang Vllage, born 1920 now over 90), Zhang Anyi (Xin Xiang City).
