Ba Gua Zhang (BGZ)
(Translated as Eight Diagram Palms)
(continued)

History

The Various Styles of Ba Gua Zhang

• Liang Zhen Pu's style can be viewed as a combination of the Yin Fu and Cheng Ting Hua styles. Liang's student, Li Zi Ming, popularized this style.

All styles have a variation of a form known as the Single Palm Change. The Single Palm Change is the most basic form and is the core of the remaining palm changes found in the Art. Besides the Single Palm Change, the other forms include the Double Palm Change and the Eight Palm Changes (also known variously as the Eight Mother Palms or the Old Eight Palms).

(Pictured left:   Single Palm Change)

These forms make up the foundation of the art of Ba Gua Zhang. Ba Gua Zhang movements have a characteristic circular nature with a great deal of body spinning, turning, and rapid changes in direction. Beside the Single, Double and Eight Palm Changes, most but not all styles of Ba Gua Zhang include some variation of the Sixty-Four Palms.

"Circle Walking" Training

The first phase of Ba Gua Zhang training is walking the circle. Research has shown that there are medical benefits that are derived from this exercise. Benefits include the prevention of contracting premature osteoporosis to the avoidance of acquired deformity and chronic diseases in nervous cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive systems.

Of course, the prime functionality of the Ba Gua Zhang Circle Walking exercise is the maneuvering of one's self to the backside of the opponent.

Theories of Ba Gua Zhang Combat

In combat, BGZ is similar to other Chinese Internal Arts where it does not directly attack an oncoming force. The proficient Ba Gua Zhang players would dissolve around the attack; either simultaneously redirecting the attack while closing the position or by 'ignoring' it. The technical distinction is the repositioning of one's self to an advantageous 'doorway', for finishing the opponent instantly.

(Pictured left:   Ba Gua Zhang Player)

Those same expert Ba Gua Zhang players are noted for employing its unpredictable changing movements, feints and dexterous moves, which are combined to misdirect and wear down the opponent. Experts of this boxing system are usually counter fighters. They often do not strike first, rather, they remain composed in the face of vociferous adversaries, conserving their energy and looking for positional openings that would allow a launch of an attack. While the force of the Eight Diagram Palms action is sometimes indescribable, it can be found in other internal martial art systems.

Depending on the combat experience of the teachers, the BGZ student would be trained in the elements of positional mobility and physical agility.

Currently few Ba Gua teachers today teach or even know with detail the principles and exercises of BGZ.

Final Word

You can find materials (books and videos) on the subject of Ba Gua Zhang and other styles of internal martial arts can be found at these four web sites:

• Smiling Tiger Martial Arts http://www.jps.net/stma.html
• C.S. Tang http://go.to/cstang
• Yin Fu style Ba Gua http://www.traditionalstudies.org

One day, when a group of pupils of Master Dong asked him about Ba Gua Zhang, he replied that "Grandmaster said: 'My way uses turning palms to make the root, it uses the fist tools to make the function, study and practice. Skill is created to its utmost. You will have no enemy under heaven. By itself it is good for the body."

Translated and edited by Joseph Crandall from Guang Xia writing on the Records of Selected Dialogues between Dong Hai Chuan and his disciples.