China Arts Association

Zhang Style Xingyi is based on the principles of traditional Lie He Quan (6 Harmonies Fist) and Xingyi Quan. Master Zhang searched through all available materials on Lie He Quan and Xingyi Quan and took what he considered to be the most effective techniques for fighting and developing kungfu. While still adhering to the principles of Xingyi and Liu He Quan, he adjusted the movements to bring them more in line with the contemporary developments of Xingyi Quan, while also bringing in flavours from his experience of other forms of Wushu, which include Sanda, Wrestling, Taiji, Bagua, and Shaolin Quan. The end result has created a Xingyi that is now faster, more ferocious, more powerful and more in line with the traditional methods of Xingyi and Lie He Quan practice. Also, realising the weakness of Xingyi as lying in its lack of flexible change, Master Zhang's Xingyi aims to reduce this shortcoming and his movements are designed to be adaptable to any situation.

General Characteristics

The movements are regulated, smooth and rounded and flexible to change. Other movements are hidden in a movement (for example a palm strike might be led by the elbow which is also an elbow strike). The movement is led by the consciousness (Yi) and accompanied by form (Xing), and by following the mind any movement can be used- there are no restrictions.

For example, many practitioners of Xing Yi only know one type of Arrow Fist (Beng Quan); the "same-sided Arrow Fist” (Shun Bu Beng Quan), where the punching fist is on the same side as the advancing leg. However, Zhang style Xingyi has the following Arrow Fists:

1. Non-moving single arrow fist
2. Non-moving linked arrow fist
3. Same-sided single arrow fist
4. Same-sided linked arrow fist
5. Opposite-side Single arrow fist (Punching fist is on the opposite side to the advancing leg).
6. Opposite-side linked arrow fist.
7. Outwards-blocking Arrow fist
8. Inwards-Blocking arrow fist
9. Inwards-Blocking linked arrow fist.
10. Inwards-Blocking linked arrow fist
11. Avoiding-step Arrow fist
12. Avoiding-step linked arrow fist
13. Running arrow fist
14. Walking Arrow Fist
15. Hidden Arrow fist

Why study so many differnt variations of the same fist?

The purpose of the study of so many different Arrow Fists is to ensure that the use of the fist is flexible to change in any situtation. The opponent will be moving and thinking, so the fist must be a live object able to adpat with lightning speed.

Each technique of Zhang style Xing Yi is not independent of other movements, and they can be combined with no limitations. But to really have a full grasp of the techniques, practice of them as to be cyclical, so they are learnt, put aside as other techniques are learnt, then re-leant, put aside again, then re-learnt, and so on. Each time the technique is learnt, a layer is peeled away, gradually moving down towards the core.

Other characteristics of Zhang Style Xing Yi

1. Tight and compact, direct and fast

"The hands do not leave the ribs, and the hands do not leave the heart. When the hands move out they stay close to the body; the movements are compact like twisted rope”.

Zhang Style Xing Yi focuses on power and speed. The movements start with speed, and their range is not over-extended. The principles of Xing Yi state that:"The hands do not leave the ribs, and the hands do not leave the heart. When the hands move out they stay close to the body; the movements are compact like twisted rope". When the two hands extend they are like metal spikes, and when they retract they are like metal hooks, brief and compact in their movement. As the step is made, the hips are closed, the elbows bent and the foot angled, the toes clutching the ground like claws, while the turning of the body is controlled by the waist. The movements are fast and compact, and should be like "a fierce tiger pouncing on a sheep".

2. The posture is ‘sunk' and firm while full of energy

“The step moves like a plough, and contacts the ground as if digging with a hoe".

Zhang style Xing Yi requires that “The step moves like a plough, and contacts the ground as if digging with a hoe". Movements have to follow the principle of Six Harmonies (read on for a description of the meaning of 6 Harmonies), and the stances have to be 'sunk' and firm, with a wide chest and firm stomach, the Qi sunk into the Dantian, with the Qi and power united as one. The body's posture is firmly rooted, and the movements are natural.

The movements slot together, external and outside are united as one, the entire body "as soon as it moves, there is no part that is not connected as the single unit". Form and spirit are one, the posture is full of energy, the power is firm. Movement is a complete unit executed with a spiraling twisting motion, tight and compact, ‘sunk’ and firm, a complete unit full of energy.

3. The body is straight, the stance is solid. Feet and hands move as one

”If the hands arrive at the target, but the feet do not, then the attack will be ineffective. If the hands and feet arrive together, then fighting someone will be as easy as spreading apart tall grass".

Zhang style Xing Yi, during a movement, requires that the body is correctly aligned and the stance is firm. When moving, no part of the body is dead, for example a hand that has just punched and is still extended, reaches forwards to aid the movement of the body forward. When retreating, the body remains straight to maintain balance. The head and buttocks are in line, the body is not leaning to one side, and maintains the same height as it moves (no up and down movement). The hips and shoulders are closed, the top of the body moves and the bottom of the body follows, the bottom of the body moves and the top follows, the feet and hands move together, while the elbows and knees move as one. Traditional Xing Yi theory states that "If the hands arrive at the target, but the feet do not, then the attack will be ineffective. If the hands and feet arrive together, then fighting someone will be as easy as spreading apart tall grass". The feet and hands have to be united as one.

4. Movement as a coordinated unit and with an obvious rhythm

“One limb moves, a hundred parts follow”

Zhang style Xing Yi requires that the whole body is united as one. "One limb moves, a hundred parts follow”. According to the traditional principles, "The three sections move together, and the 3 extremities follow". The coordinated movement of the body is summed as "The 6 Harmonies" in traditional Xing Yi theory, and this basically means that the entire body is working together as a single coordinated unit - compact and precise.

Zhang Style Xing Yi places great importance on the rhythm of movement, the soft and hard combination of power, size, movement and non-movement, rising high and sinking low- all these changes have to be executed with obvious rhythmic moods. Generally speaking, a movement starts fast, followed by a slight pause, and as it moves forward there is a decrease in speed, gathering power, and then the strike is make with as sudden release of speed and power (inch power). In some movements, after the strike has been made, there is another pause. There are no limitations to the rhythm of the movements- but the rhythm must be elegant and obvious.

5. Power and Force are full, Qi and Force are united as one

“Nurture the Internal and develop the External"

The power and force are full: If Qi and force are united, power and force will be full. Therefore, it is fair to say that if power and force are full, then Qi and force will be united. Qi, power and force are closely related and exist due to the presence of each other.

Qi and Force are united: Natural Qi (Yuan Qi) and the Qi brought in from outside the body (Wai Qi), are united with external power. Power has to be encouraged by the Qi (for example the power of a punch should be 'pushed' by the Qi in the Dantian. At the same time, there has to be enough external power for the Qi to be effective. It is not enough to have Qi without power and power without Qi, otherwise an attack will not adhere to the principle that, "Qi is the first wave (as in the lines of an army in attack) and power is the general”. The two work together.

6. Internal and External are united, form and spirit are as one

“The Spirit is in the eyes"

Zhang style Xingyi maintains the principle that form and spirit are united and as are internal and external. You may have Qi, but without form it is impossible to make a movement, whereas, if you have form but no Qi, it is impossible to have any technique. Internal is the technique for the development of the body, and it is used to direct the external movement. The external represents the movement of the external, and therefore every movement of Zhang style Xingyi has to show the unification of form with spirit, power with force, force with Qi and internal and external.

Form and spirit rely on each other for their existence. Spirit is shown by the movement. The traditional principles state that "the spirit is in the eyes". In Zhang style Xingyi, the spirit must be seen to shine from the eyes. The eyes are connected to each movement (for example looking at the palm as it is extended upwards) and the eyes following a movement ensures that spirit and form can be united.

7. Movement and non-movement are juxtaposed, yin and yang exist together

"The mind (Yi) is hidden and controls the form (Xing). To adhere to the 6 harmonies is truly difficult, but if the practitioner wants to know the secret of Xing Yi, the answer lies with the interplay of movement and non-movement”.

According to the traditional principles of Xingyi, "the mind (Yi) is hidden and controls the form (Xing). To adhere to the 6 harmonies is truly difficult, but if the practitioner wants to know the secret of Xingyi, the answer lies with the interplay of movement and non-movement”. The starting and stopping of a movement, attack and defense, advance and retreat etc. all rely on the interplay of movement and non-movement. The two co-exist. Proper understanding of the interplay between the two will contribute to the rhythm of Xingyi, as discussed in point 4 above.

The meaning of yin and yang is extensive, and it can be seen, for example, in the interaction of up and down, front and back, in and out and so on. The whole body, externally and internally, has yin and yang, and the change of every movement lies with yin and yang. Yin is soft and yang is hard, so a punch is yang, but before the punch, the arm is in a state of yin, because it is soft and relaxed. The rhythm of the punch will be slow as the arm moves forwards to punch and fast as it executes sudden inch power in the punch. After the punch, the arm returns to a state of yin, because it relaxes and enters a state of non-movement. These changes of speed will add to the rhythm of the movement.

8. The relationship of hard and soft, relaxed and tense

Zhang style Xing Yi theory follows the principle that within softness lies hardness and within hardness lies softness. With only softness it is not possible to fight, and if there is only hardness movements are not flexible to change. Therefore, there has to be a unity of softness and hardness. Every movement has to be mixture of being relaxed and tense, and it is the interplay of the change from being relaxed to tense that gives form and rhythm to the movements, while ensuring they have flexibility and power.

The movements and forms of Zhang style Xingyi are numerous and wide ranging, including: