Cheng Tinghua’s Baguazhang: Divergent and Emergent Expressions of CorePrinciples, Conclusion and Discussion

Part 1: Introduction and Background

Part 2: Comparison of the Old Three Palms - The Core of Cheng-Style Baguazhang

Part 3: Common Expanded Palm Change Principles

Conclusion

After analyzing the common concepts and movements throughout the different schools of Cheng-style Baguazhang, it is difficult to establish a claim that any one set of forms beyond the Lao San Zhang truly derive from from Cheng Tinghua. Indeed, what is clear, is that given the commonality among the schools of the Lao San Zhang, these three palm changes likely did originate from Cheng Tinghua as postulated by Grandmaster Liu Jingru. However, many of the practitioners of these schools make claims of direct lineage, not only from Cheng Tinghua, but from Dong Haichuan. Yet, only two of these masters adhere to a uniform set. Sun Lutang’s lineage dropped one and replaced it with a fireman’s carry, called the Double Embracing Palm. And the Gao and Liu Bin schools replaced even more. Certainly, the concepts of walking in a circle and using one’s open hands to respond to an attacker derive from the old masters. 

If we accept what many martial arts historians state, that Dong Haichuan taught different Baguazhang maneuvers to different students based on the martial arts that they already knew, then mastering Baguazhang is really about incorporating circular walking and quick direction changes with martial arts techniques and applications. We can use the Lao San Zhang as the basis for incorporating various expressions of strikes, kicks, grappling and take-downs. In my opinion, a practitioner has much to gain by stripping away the excess palm change forms of Baguazhang down to its core principles and focusing all his or her training of intention and expression of power there. Then everything becomes Bagua.

What we know for certain about Cheng Tinghua is that he was an accomplished Shuaijiao practitioner. Those who would like to study and master Cheng-style Baguazhang would find great benefit in learning Shaijiao or Sanshou Kuaijiao. But if a teacher of Chinese wrestling is not available, other forms of wrestling, like Judo, Irish wrestling, and even Olympic Freestyle wrestling will inform the Baguazhang training. (However, wrestling styles that exclude below the waist techniques or that concentrate on ground fighting only provide supplementary skills since so much of Cheng-style Baguazhang lends to sweeps, leg-hooking and leg-holding throws.) It would also behoove the practitioner to learn practical grappling techniques, such as Qinna or Ju-jitsu joint locks.

Discussion

Because none of the eight palms sets are alike, it seems foolish to attempt to identify one as the true form taught by Cheng Tinghua or his teacher. Instead, should we not, as practitioners, celebrate this diversity and appreciated it for the creativity of expressing core concepts? Can this diversity, perhaps, give a practitioner the freedom to deeply master the Lao San Zhang of Cheng Tinghua and explore the many possibilities they offer? The expanded concepts, such as the Back Body Palm and the Turn-over Palm can be excellent devices to help direct a practitioner’s concentration on various possibilities.

When I first started to learn Baguazhang, I thought, like many do, that Baguazhang was a uniquely deadly and secret martial art. That the use of the palms allowing for palm strikes followed by grappling was particularly brutal in fighting. I thought that Baguazhang’s illegality in MMA rules was proof of that brutality. But I have come to realize that all fighting is brutal. To exemplify this, one has only to search “street fight” on YouTube or watch a UFC tournament. It is horribly brutal. And few if any of those people beating the blood out of one another use Baguazhang. The truth is fighting is a horrific abomination of human society. But knowing how to defend oneself and escape an attacker is a key skill to maintain for self-defense in such a violent society. Most martial arts can teach that. Baguazhang is not unique in that way.

What makes Baguazhang unique is its concentration on powerful circular walking called “mud dragging” and quick direction changes used to evade and redirect attacks. Indeed, as stated by Wang Xiangzhai, originally it was simply called Zhuanzhang or “Turning Palms.” And according to Liu Jingru and implied by Wang Xiangzhai, it’s only maneuvers originally were the Single and Double Exchange Palm and possibly the Smooth Posture Palm. These maneuvers aren’t themselves techniques or fighting applications. They are the direction changes. Any defensive fighting technique or application can be applied to these three maneuvers, whether it is a kick, punch, take-down or joint-lock or a combination of techniques. Is it this incorporation of fighting combinations mixed with the Old Three Palms that has arrived in modern times as the myriad Baguazhang styles and routines, from Eight Palms forms to complex 64 palms or “Swimming Dragon” routines? I, for one, strongly believe so.

If Baguazhang were still called Zhuanzhang, I wonder if practitioners today would still be focusing on forms and routines or if they would be concentrating their focus on the most important points as they did in the mid- to late-nineteenth century: turning. This is obviously a question of speculation. But it is my opinion that by emphasizing the circular walking and direction changes, one can not only evade and redirect a possible attacker. One can also gain incredible endurance, strength and health.