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Interview with Mr. Liu Jingru, Cheng Style Baguazhang expert from Beijing

by Jarek Szymanski

Text&photos - Jarek Szymanski; © J.Szymanski 2001

Mr.Liu Jingru in Pushing and

Grinding Palm posture (also

called Green Dragon Stretches

Claws)

Mr.Liu Jingru was born in 1936 in Gaoyang County in Hebei Province. In
1947 his whole family moved to Beijing where he has been living since
then. In 1957 he started to study Baguazhang and Hebei Xingyiquan from
Luo Xingwu, the disciple of Li Wenbiao (Cheng Tinghua's student) and Hao
Enguang (Li Cunyi's student). Later he also learnt Yin style Baguazhang
from He Zhongqi (Yin Fu's grandson) and Liuhe Tanglangquan (Six
Harmonies Praying Mantis Boxing) from Shan Xiangling (student of Ding
Zicheng) and Baguazhang as well as Luoxuanquan (Spiral Boxing) from
Qiu Zhihe (student of Zhang Zhankui and Wang Xiangzhai). Mr.Liu has
won many Baguazhang championships in traditional martial arts
competitions since 1979. He gave instructions on Baguazhang in China
Central TV programme "Lectures on Baguazhang" in 1997. In 1998 he
released an instructional video tape and video CD on Cheng Style
Baguazhang and in 1999 his book on Bagua was published. Both video
CDs and book are available through this site. Mr.Liu also plans to write
books and publish video tapes on two other arts he learnt - Xingyiquan
and Mantis Boxing.

In October I had to spend few days in Beijing again so I took the opportunity to contact Mr.Liu Jingru and
ask whether he had time to meet and talk about Baguazhang and other martial arts he practiced. Mr.Liu
agreed and we met at the Taoranting Park in the southern part of the city. October is nice and warm in
Beijing so we decided to sit in the outdoor teahouse located in the park, ordered green tea and seeds, and
talked. Below is what Mr.Liu said:

This is not just an ordinary physical strength (Li). Martial artists when they get older can hardly lift heavy
objects, but are still able to push the opponent flying. So-called Jin (often called power) is the strength of
the whole body that was transformed and developed in the process of martial arts practice. It is used for
certain purpose - self-defense and fighting. It is also very closely related to technique, the method of using
power.

Internal martial arts (Neijia) are based on Taoist internal exercises - Taoist Qigong (breathing exercises)
principles are used in martial arts. Martial artist discovered that through Taoist Qigong practice they can
develop very strong waist. If one has strong waist then lower and upper parts of the body will be connected
and power coming from feet can pass to the upper part of the body smoothly. Neijia classics say that "Waist
is the governor". All neijia styles have certain requirements that help to connect body - tongue should touch
upper palate, anus has to be lifted, buttocks smoothed, Qi has to sink into Dantian, waist collapse.

STRENGTH DEVELOPED IN MARTIAL ARTS PRACTICE:

IMPORTANCE OF USING WAIST:

Mr.Liu Jingru in Santi Stance of Xingyiquan

Famous Xingyiquan master, Guo Yunshen, defined a power
development theory that can be used to classify Neijia styles.
According to Guo, one should first develop Obvious Power (Ming
Jin), then proceed to Hidden Power (An Jin) to achieve the
highest level - Neutralizing Power (Hua Jin).

Xingyi practitioners start from Obvious Power, that's why Xingyi
can be succesfully used in fighting already after three years of
practice. Taiji from the very beginning works on highest level
power - Neutralizing Power. Since it is not preceded by Ming Jin
and An Jin stages, it is so difficult to find proficient Taiji

COMPARING NEIJIA STYLES OF TAIJI, BAGUA, XINGYI:

practitioners who have fighting skills. As the saying goes, "Taiji
does not go out for ten years (e.g. only after ten years one is
able to use it in fighting)". If Xingyi can be compared to
elementary school and Taiji to university, then Bagua is high
school.

Bagua starts from Hidden Power, which is neither as hard as Obvious Power of Xingyi nor as soft as
Neutralizing one of Taiji. While walking in a circle, the most basic and important of all Bagua exercises, one
should not be stiff, because then Qi cannot sink down. Besides, this kind of practice would develop a stiff,
physical strength rather then Jin (Power) required in martial arts. One should be relaxed, but not to the
degree as in Taiji - some strength should be used.

Xingyi applies mainly straight lines in fighting - moves and strikes along straight lines. Taiji uses circles and
clever, small power to overcome power of "thousand pounds". The most characteristic feature of Bagua is
that it strikes in movement, while shifting the center of gravity.

Walking along a circle and practicing different footwork methods is the root of Bagua. The true martial skill
does not come from routines, but from single movements practice. One should practice single movements
first, understand and master powers within these movements, know their applications. Only then one can
proceed to routine practice.

There are two main branches of Baguazhang - one developed by Yin Fu and one by Cheng Tinghua. Since Yin
Fu practiced Shaolin-derived boxing prior to his Bagua studies, his palm shape (Niushe Zhang, Ox Tongue
Palm) is very similar to that used in Shaolin. It differs from palm shapes of other Bagua branches where
Tiger's Mouth (space between thumb and forefinger) is round and four fingers separated. This is probably the
original palm shape used by Dong Haichuan, while Yin Fu's was modified by his Shaolin boxing studies. Yin
style walking method hardly applies Kou Bu (Toe-in step) and Bai Bu (Toe-out step) typical to other
branches. Cheng Tinghua's Bagua uses Longzhua Zhang (Dragon Claw Palm) with round Tiger's Mouth and
separated fingers. It uses a lot of Bai Bu, which is related to Cheng's studies of Chinese wrestling (Shuai
Jiao), where this kind of footwork is widely used for throws and sweeps.

BAGUAZHANG POWER:

FIGHTING METHODS OF NEIJIA STYLES:

BAGUAZHANG PRACTICE:

MAIN BRANCHES OF BAGUAZHANG:

The most popular Baguazhang classics known nowadays, e.g. 36
Songs and 48 Methods, that were revealed by Li Ziming of Liang
Zhenpu's line, were not originally from Dong Haichuan. They
were compiled and written by Zeng Xingsan, Yin Fu's Bagua
practitioner.

Originally there were only three techniques to be found in all
Cheng Tinghua's Baguazhang branches - Single Change Palm
(Danhuan Zhang), Double Change Palm (Shuanghuan Zhang)
and Smooth Posture Palm (Shunshi Zhang). They were called
Three Old Palms (Lao San Zhang), and this is what Cheng
passed to all his disciples before his tragic death in 1900.

BAGUAZHANG CLASSICS:

ORIGINAL TECHNIQUES OF CHENG STYLE BAGUAZHANG:

Mr.Liu Jingru in one of kicks from Six

Harmony Praying Mantis (Liuhe

Tanglangquan) style

Only Cheng Tinghua's Bagua has all these three Palms and if they can be found within other branches, this
means these branches exchanged techniques with Cheng's branch exponents. Neither Yin Fu's nor Shi Jidong's
branches have Lao San Zhang.

Prior to 1949 (when People's Republic of China was proclaimed) Cheng style exponents used to practice mainly
these three techniques, but after liberation many started to add other movements and create new techniques
so that now every branch coming from Cheng Tinghua's tradition not only has complete set of eight basic
Palms, but also many other routines. I also compiled some routines (Linked Palms, Lianhuan Zhang, is the
example) for demonstration and competition purposes. Originally there was nothing like Eight Animals Palms
(Ba Xing Zhang) and this is one of typical examples of later inventions not only within Cheng Tinghua's branch
but also others, including Yin Fu's.

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CLICK HERE TO READ EXCERPTS FROM MR.LIU JINGRU'S BOOK "BAGUAZHANG"