Hsing Yi Chuan
What is Hsing Yi?
Hsing Yi Chuan ((Form-Mind Boxing) is one of the three main Internal Martial Arts in China, the other two being Tai Chi Chuan and Ba Gua Zhang. Each is a complete system in its own right and yet they share the same principles and, when learned together, complement and support each other.
Master Zhu Guang demonstrating "Trinity Posture" (San Ti)
Hsing Yi Chuan (sometimes written as Hsing I or Xing I or Xing Yi) trains forward, powerful, explosive movements. The system is divided into two aspects: the first consisting of five moves or “fists” called the “five elements”, which relate to Chinese Five Element Theory of the natural world as follows:
Xing Yi (Hsing I) 形意
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Pi Chuan (Metal) 劈拳 (金) overcomes Beng Chuan (Wood) 蹦拳 (木) overcomes Hern Chuan (Earth) 横拳 (土) overcomes Tzuan Chuan (Water) 钻拳 (水) overcomes Pau Chuan (Fire) 炮拳 (火) overcomes Pi Chuan (Metal) 劈拳 (金) |
The FIve Elements
Master Zhu Guang demonstrates the Hsing Yi Dragon
Metal helps to create water, which helps to create wood, which helps to create fire, which helps to create earth, which helps to create metal, therefore Pi leads to Tzuann, which leads to Beng, which leads to Pau, which leads to Hern, which leads to Pi.
The five elements of Hsing Yi form a complete fighting system in their own right but, once they are mastered, some students choose to explore some of the twelve animals of Hsing Yi, selecting two or three which are in keeping with their own physique, temperament and natural way of moving, from Tiger, Horse, Monkey, Water Lizard, Swallow, Thai Bird, Chicken, Snake, Hawk, Bear and Eagle, or they may choose the Dragon, which in some schools, including that of our teacher Master Zhu Guang, is practiced alone and takes many years of hard training to master properly as it includes a very low, coiled posture preceded by three flying kicks in succession without touching the floor.
At Yiheyuan, we also teach Hsing Yi Broadsword and Spear, as taught to us by Master Nigel Sutton.
Hsing Yi training is very demanding, both physically and mentally. The student needs endless patience to stand for long periods in stationary postures, and to repeat the same few movements thousands of times on the way to mastery. In this way, the student gains not only a strong, dynamic body and a powerful fighting system but also potentially gains mastery of his or her own mind.
If you are interested in studying Hsing Yi, we would be happy to discuss forthcoming training opportunities: [email protected]
The five elements of Hsing Yi form a complete fighting system in their own right but, once they are mastered, some students choose to explore some of the twelve animals of Hsing Yi, selecting two or three which are in keeping with their own physique, temperament and natural way of moving, from Tiger, Horse, Monkey, Water Lizard, Swallow, Thai Bird, Chicken, Snake, Hawk, Bear and Eagle, or they may choose the Dragon, which in some schools, including that of our teacher Master Zhu Guang, is practiced alone and takes many years of hard training to master properly as it includes a very low, coiled posture preceded by three flying kicks in succession without touching the floor.
At Yiheyuan, we also teach Hsing Yi Broadsword and Spear, as taught to us by Master Nigel Sutton.
Hsing Yi training is very demanding, both physically and mentally. The student needs endless patience to stand for long periods in stationary postures, and to repeat the same few movements thousands of times on the way to mastery. In this way, the student gains not only a strong, dynamic body and a powerful fighting system but also potentially gains mastery of his or her own mind.
If you are interested in studying Hsing Yi, we would be happy to discuss forthcoming training opportunities: [email protected]
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