China Arts Association

Power is a term found in all types of Wushu, each having their own independent styles and characteristics of power. Xingyi, known as one of the three major Internal styles, has its own distinct style of power. The execution of Xingyi movements has to be done according to the style’s regulations: the head held erect and pushing upwards, relaxed shoulders, elbows pointed downwards, fists held up, wrists sunk down, the chest empty and the back raised up, the buttocks pulled back and the anus raised etc. Only when the technique follows the regulations, and the entire body attains a high level of coordination, with form, spirit and consciousness united, can the practitioner’s internal Xingyi power be gradually developed.

The Power of Xingyi

So what is the power of Xingyi? By following the regulations of technique, the practitioner is able to collect the qi that is dispersed around the body, and concentrate it together in the dantian, where it mixes with the qi naturally stored there. From an initial state of non-existing to existing, a small amount of qi than grows larger and larger, and it is gradually stored as a permanent source. The cultivation and storing of qi is a gradual process that can only be accomplished by adherence to regulated technique, and time. Therefore, the development of Xingyi internal power comes through hard practice. Xingyi practitioners place a great deal of importance on the nurturing of this power. Xingyi power not only substantiates the performance of Xingyi, it more importantly increases the effectiveness of a technical attack. Without enough power, the attack will not be effective.

While Xingyi practitioners place high value on the practise of internal power; many practitioners of Ba Gua and Tai Ji also practise Xingyi to enrich their power. Over the course of their learning and practise of Xingyi, practitioners combine a complete set of experiences, including the requirements on specific areas of the body and the methods adopted for each stage of development etc., from which they are able to grasp the essence of Xingyi power.

Elder generations, during the course of practise, summed up the development of power as “three stage Kung Fu”: “change bones”, “change tendons” and “wash marrow”. “Change bones,” means the building of foundations through practice, and the strengthening of the body whereby the bones become like metal. “Change tendons” refers to the lengthening of the tendons, enabling the unity of vertical and horizontal power, which can then grow without limitations . “Washing the marrow,” means the dispelling of dirty qi from the body, the body is then clean and empty, so consciousness and qi can then be applied with spherical fluidity. In line with the three stage Kung Fu, there are three different types of power: “Obvious power” , “hidden power” and “twisting power” , and it is only through passing through the “three stage Kung Fu,” that the practitioner can attain a state whereby the power is at their disposal whenever they require it. This state can only be reached by following the requirements and principles of Xingyi, consistently practising hard while focusing on the movement and power. To attain the power you have to be continually searching for it, without straying from the regulations, and with time and hard practice, you will find it.

First, the practitioner has to practise “obvious power”. The correct posture has to be mastered, the bones and tendons strengthened, and only when every part of the body has reached a high level of coordination can the practitioner pass from the development stage of “obvious power” to “hidden power”. Initially, the practitioner must use hard force to develop the power, before they can move to the stage of internally hard and externally soft. Only when the internal power has been developed can the practitioner feel the “power without using force.” Once the practitioner has mastered the internal power and has tuned the balance of soft and hard to a level whereby they can use it at will, “hidden power” changes to “transforming power” automatically. Looking at a set of Xingyi movements, we can examine the process of how the power takes shape (please refer to the the "Sequence of practice for Zhang style Xing Yi" for more information.)

Santishi

We start with the mother stance of Xingyi, the Santishi. When the front hand starts to “drill” upwards, this is known as “raise”. When the fist rises the qi follows it. As the fist and arm moves directly upwards, it is accompanied by breathing in, and the movement enters a state of being closed. Therefore, for breathing in, the anus and the point in front of the anus are retracted, the buttocks are tightened, and the internal qi rises from the outside of the big toe’s “da dun” acupuncture point , up the inside of the leg to the “zhong jie” acupuncture point, where it then enters the lung. From here, the qi passes up to the “wu lou” acupuncture point behind the ear, from where it then moves to the “bai hui” point on the top of the head. At this point, the head must be pushed upwards, to encourage the passage of the qi. Then the link between the qi of the earth and the qi of the sky can be formed, causing the practitioner to shape the unity of heaven, earth and person; three becomes one. When “drilling,” the power is at first rising, with the fist passing over the chest, up to the mouth, where, once it has passed the mouth, it pushes forwards and then twists, and the rising power then becomes horizontal power. At the same time, qi comes out of the lung and rises up through the chest’s “zhong fu ” and “yun men ” to the shoulders, where it then flows down the inside of the arm, and as the hand executes the “chopping fist” , the qi is concentrated in the “shao shang ” acupuncture point of the thumb and the “yang er” acupuncture point of the index finger. At this point the qi situated at the “bai hui” point on top of the head flows down to the nose, then to the throat, passing from the back to the chest where it returns to the dantian. To ensure that the qi smoothly passes though the channels of the body, technical movement has to completely follow regulations, and only then can power be focused as a complete unit.

Pi Quan (Splitting fist) from Santishi

The next section describes the execution of the splitting fist from the santishi stance.

When the left hand is pulled back towards the body, it needs to be complimented by a feeling of grasping something. At the same time, the stance of the body should have an empty chest, retracted stomach, relaxed upper waist, head erect and pushed upwards, so that the stored power in the body is like that of a cat preparing to pounce on a mouse. Once the left hand has reached the area of the dantian, it again goes outwards as a drilling fist. The path of the fist follows an arcing motion, up to the mouth and then outwards. When the left fist reaches the nose, the right foot is prepared to make a step forward, like a sprinter’s back foot in the blocks, or ice skaters propelling themselves with their back feet. As the left fist passes the nose making it arcing motion outwards, the body is preparing to move forwards. At this point the body should have “closed” shoulders and hips, “closed” elbows and knees, and “closed” feet and hands, forming a tight unit. Consciousness has to be focused in the distance so the eyes must be looking forwards with purpose. Only in this way can the power of the left hand and the right foot be released.

When the left fist reaches the top of its path, i.e. the end of its arc extending outwards from the nose, and the right foot is ready to push the body forwards, the right fist quickly drills up to, and along, the inside of the left arm. By twisting and turning the right arm, the drilling right fist becomes a chopping palm, and at the same time the right foot propels the body forwards.

Movement has to be consistently stable. The left arm should now be pushed in alongside the stomach. The power created by the right chopping palm and the propulsion of the body is both a pushing forwards power and a chopping downwards power.

When completing the chopping fist movement, the front foot (i.e. the right foot in this example), slides forwards as it makes contact with the ground and stabilises the stance of the body, with the heel of the foot first making contact with the ground, followed by the sole of the foot. In this way, the front foot acts as a control mechanism for the power, stopping the body from leaning forward and increasing the power of the chopping palm.

The origin of the power of Xingyi comes from the practitioners sticking rigidly to the regulations, and continually practising with perseverance. Through the cultivation of qi and the opening up of the channels of the body, the internal qi and technical movement slowly reach a high level of united coordination. The power does not only rely on the practitioner following the regulations and principles of Xingyi, but also, at the same time, requires the practitioner to have a clear understanding of the alignment of the body’s channels, and only through practising in this way, continually judging the movement based on the principles, can the internal power be found. This will lead to the enrichment of the performance, and applicability in technical attack, enabling form, spirit and consciousness to unite.