Baji Quan: a tough and powerful martial art

Baji quan, which means eight-limbed open gate, uses powerful close-range attacks and is well known for his devastating elbow strikes. Originally from Hebei province in northern China, it quickly spread to Taiwan and elsewhere.

History

In his childhood, Baji quan was called bazi quan (rake fist), because practitioners held their fists slightly open and loose, and struck down like a rake. It was later changed to baji quan, because the former was considered crude by the locals. The word baji is derived from the classical Chinese word Yijing, which means “extensions from all directions”; and is translated as “the universe”, or “which includes everything”. The earliest known teacher was Wu Zhong, who lived around 1712. Other known teachers include Li Shuwen and Wu Xiufeng. Li Shuwen trained men like Huo Dian Ge, who was the bodyguard of the last emperor of China.

The history of Baji quan can be traced back to Hebei’s martial art, Piguazhang. Stories say that Wu Zhong mastered both Baji quan and Piguazhang, and combined them into an effective martial art. Eventually the two art forms became completely separate, and Li Shuwen did not combine them again until the late 18th century.

Branch offices

Branches that survived into modern times include:

Han Baji family

huo family

・Ji Family

li family

My family

qiang family

Wu family

Wutang Bajiquan

Yin Yang Bajiquan

Each branch has distinctive elements, along with many shared features. Some lineages are only practiced in China, but others have made their way to the Western world.

Fighting style and form

A practitioner is trained to forcibly open an opponent’s arms and mount an offense against middle, upper and lower body levels. It is an effective melee fighting style, because it emphasizes knee, elbow, hip, and shoulder strikes. While blocking, the student is trained to hit the main weak points of the body, such as the neck, legs, and midsection.

The forms are divided into unset and set routines. Twenty fist forms are used, including twelve Baji small frame fists:

Baji Black Tiger Fist

baji dan zhai

Baji Dan Da/Dui Da

Baji Luohan Gong

Baji Si Lang Kuan

The eight forms of weapons are:

Lance, or Liu He Da Qiang

Sword, or Chun Yang Jian

Saber, or San Yin Dao

Staff, or Xing Zhe Bang

・Pudao

A long two-handed blade, or Chun Qiu Da Dao (mainly used by generals)

low power

Baji is a tough martial art that uses fist/arm strikes, elbow strikes, shoulder strikes, and hip checks. All maneuvers use short power, which is developed through long, hard training sessions. He is well known for his quick moves and emphasizes infighting, or going in fast with a charge step unique to baji, also known as zhen jiao. Baji’s effectiveness is his energy release methods (also known as “Jin”), which are explosive. Baji has six types of Jin, eight types of hitting methods, and multiple power usage principles. Most use a one-hit thrust and slam attack at close range. The main characteristic of baji is the momentary acceleration from the waist to the extremity, culminating in a powerful charging step. The training is brutal and focuses on exercising the lower body and strengthening the body for a strong horse stance.

The bottom line

Baji is a hard style martial art used primarily in China; however, Wutang Baji is taught in Western cultures. It’s fast-paced, pushing the traditional stereotype of kung fu speed to its limits, as seen here. There aren’t many teachers in North America, however a quick search online will yield some results. If you are looking for a martial art that is rarely used in the West, uses super fast attacks and grueling training, Baji quan might be for you.

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