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Pa Kua Chang

Vol. 5, No. 2

J O U R N A L

$3.9

IN THIS ISSUE:

Fu Zhen Song's student

Lin Chao Zhen

Ba Gua Qi Gong

The Essential Rules of

Qi Gong Practice

by Xie Pei Qi

Jan/Feb 1995

Fu Zhen Song'sBa Gua in

San Francisco

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Pa Kua ChangJ O U R N A L

About the Pa Kua Chang Journal

The Pa Kua Chang Journalis published sixtimes a year. Each issue features an interview

with, or article by, one or more Ba Gua Zhanginstructor(s) from mainland China, Taiwan, the

United States, and/or Canada. The interviewswill report on each instructor's background,current program, training methods and teachingphilosophy. By utilizing this format, the intentionis to give students an opportunity to get to knowprospective teachers and to let teachers possiblygain insights and ideas from learning about theactivities of their colleagues.

Chinese names and terms will be romanizedusing the pinyin system of romanization except

when an instructor prefers his name romanizeddifferently. The title of the Journal appearsin the Wade Giles system of romanization asit was the system we started with and we keptthe original title. Whenever possible, Chinesecharacters will be listed in parentheses followingthe rst appearance of Chinese terms and namesin each article.

The ideas and opinions expressed in thisjournal are those of the instructors be inginterviewed and not necessarily the views of thepublisher or editor.

We solicit comments and/or suggestions. All Rights Reserved, High View Publications.

The authors and publisher of this Journalare not responsible for any injury which mayresult from following the instructions containedherein. Before embarking on any of thephysical activities described in this Journal, thereader should consult his or her physician foradvice regarding their individual suitability forperforming such activity.

Published bi-monthly by High View Publications,

P.O. Box 51967, Pacic Grove, CA 93950Phone: (408) 655-2990Fax: (408) 655-4984Editor: Dan MillerISSN: 1065-2264

On the Cover

Ba Gua Zhang instructor Fu Zhen Song (1872-1953),who popularized Ba Gua in Southern China, poseswith his Broadsword, circa 1933.

Ba Gua Qi Gong

In this issue I begin a three part series article on thpractice of qi gongin Ba Gua Zhang. This article is baseon my personal experiences during over ten years practice, information I have obtained during interviewwith Ba Gua Zhang instructors in Taiwan and mainlanChina, and advice and guidance from my teacherPark Bok Nam and Vince Black. The information oChinese medicine which appears in this article wobtained through interviews with Vince Black and Micha

Roland. Vince Black began his initial training in the art Tui Na and bone manipulation starting in 1974 undthe guidance of Hsu Hong Chi of Taipei, Taiwan. He hbeen a licensed acupuncturist in the United States sincgraduating from the California Acupuncture College San Diego in 1986 and was the owner/director of thNorth Park Health Center in San Diego from 1987-199He has studied at the China Shanghai InternationAcupuncture Training Centre and interned at Yue Yanhospital in Shanghai as well as various other hospitain mainland China. His training also includes advancstudies in CranioSacral Therapy and Visceral Manipulatio

at the Upledger Institute. He has served as the HeaInstructor of the Tui Na Department at the AmericaInstitute of Oriental Medicine in San Diego where htaught Tui Na, Qi Gong therapeutics, and Taijiquan. Hhas studied and taught various martial arts for over 2years, including Xing Yi Quan, Ba Gua Zhang, Tai Ji Quaand Liu He Ba Fa Quan. Michael Roland is a licensed acupuncturist in the staof California, holds a Master's Degree in Chinese Medicinfrom the Five Branches Institute in Santa Cruz, CA anhas earned the title of diplomate in acupuncture (licenseby the NCCA). Michael is a student of both Ba GuZhang and Xing Yi Quan. Michael owns and operates a

acupuncture clinic in Pacic Grove, CA and continues heducation through apprenticeships with Vince Black,specialist in musculoskeletal problems, and Professor Shao Hua, a specialist in women's medicine.

I wish to thank both Michael and Vince for their inpto this series of articles.

Editor's Corner

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Lin Chao Zhen ( ) is one of the lastsurviving Ba Gua instructors of his generation

and lineage. Lin was born in 1912 in Hong Kong.At the age of 14, he returned with his family toCanton, China. Their family lived in downtownCanton. As fate would have it, a short distancefrom where they lived, Ba Gua Zhang instructorFu Zhen Song ( ) taught Ba Gua and theinternal arts of Northern China. Fu Zhen Song was one of the most well-knowngong fuinstructors in Chinese history. Fu ZhenSong was thirty years senior to Lin Chao Zhen.Fu, who was from Northern China, was known to

the Southern Chinese as one of the "Five TigersFrom The North*." In 1928, Fu, along with fourother northern gong fu ( ) instructors, wassent to Southern China by the Central Martial

Arts Academy ( ) in Nanjing. They wereinvited to Southern China to develop martial artsand share their knowledge of northern martialarts with the provinces in the south. There

were many establ ished martial arts schoolsin Southern China already and legitimacy inthose days had to be established with a st.Many encounters and introductions turnedimmediately into contests of skill. In these

contests, Fu Zhen Song and his fellow instructorsfrom the North often inicted enough injury tosend the appropriate message. For example,

when a rival Tai Ji instructor asked to pushhands with Fu Zhen Song, Fu opened up theinstructor's defenses and gave him a shove in thechest with sufcient strength to cause internalinjury. Fortunately for the other instructor, he

was also skilled in Chinese medicine, so he wasable to treat himself after the encounter. Aftersharing their knowledge for several years, someof Fu's fellow instructors eventually returned toNorthern China. Fu, however, chose to remainas an instructor in the South. When Fu rst arrived in Southern China, he was ingreat demand as an instructor. Fu Zhen Song receivedinvitations from over twenty different sites to teachBa Gua. One of the sites where Fu taught was the

athletic club in downtown Canton near Lin Chao Zhenhome. One day, Lin's brother brought a pamplet him describing the Ba Gua classes at the club. Lrecalls that the price of the lessons was very low athat time and that the classes were very popular. LChao Zhen began studying at this club when he waseventeen years old. In Lin's rst few years of study, he learned thFu style linear Ba Gua forms, called Pao Quan (), the four-direction combat spear, and the whirlwin

broadsword. Pao Quan is an elegant northern forused for developing solid basic techniques anstancework. The spear was one of Fu Zhen Song

Fu Zhen Song's Direct Disciple,Lin Chao Zhen, Teaching in San Francisco

By Robert Chen

Lin Chao Zhen (left) with his teacher, Fu Zhen Song(center) and his teacher's son, Fu Yong Hui (right), in

Guang Zhou, China, March 1950

*Although the names of the "ve tigers" will sometimesvary depending on the source (many people like to claim thattheir teacher or teacher's teacher was one of the famous "vetigers"), the ve martial artists that the Central Academy sentSouth were probably Fu Zhen Song, Ku Ju Chang, Wang ShaoZhou, Wan Lai Sheng, and Li Xien Wu. Fu Zhen Song was theonly one who stayed in Canton after the Central Martial Arts

Academy and its provincial schools were closed.

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favorite weapons and Fu was famous for his speartechnique. The whirlwind broadsword contains thesmooth body spins that are the trademark of Fu styleBa Gua. Lin also trained in some of the fundamentaltechniques of circle walking. In Fu style Ba Gua, the

practitioners train with the traditional "mud-steppingwalk" where the entire foot travels parallel to theground and lands at with each step. To develop theplacement of the stepping foot, Lin was required toexecute each step as a front kick, with the toes pointedforward. After the kicking foot was extended, it would

be placed at on he ground, with the toe and heellanding simultaneously. Each successive step would

be executed in the same manner as the practitionerwalked in a circle. This exercise developedfa jing(- explosive force) in each step. The mud walking stepalso developed a moving "root," so that the practitioner

would be "rooted," or stable, even when he was inmotion. At the athletic club, a martial arts curriculum wasoffered that enabled students to study from a numberof different instructors. During his early years oftraining at the club, Lin took advantage of the othercourses offered there. From Fu's fellow instructor,

Wang Shao Zhou ( ), Lin learned Cha Quan(), another famous long-st style from the north. WangShao Zhou was one of the youngest members of theFive Tigers. Lin also learned a Shaolin form from FuZhen Song's nephew, Ren Sheng Kui ( ). After the rst year at the club, Lin gravitated towards

Fu Zhen Song and was invited by Fu to study with hprivate group of students. They practiced at a locatioin central Canton, which when literally translate

would be called "Children's Park." Children's Park walso close to Lin's home and the athletic club. Thgroup practiced in the early morning hours at the par

when admission to the park was free. They called theschool Wu Dang Jing Yu Club. During the years when Lin Chao Zhen trained wit

Fu Zhen Song at the park, he learned the Sun StyTai Ji Quan ( ) form, which Fu learned frohis friend Sun Lu Tang ( ); Yang Ba Gua (); the ying dragon straight sword; the rst half of thDragon Ba Gua form; Ba Gua push hands; and Lian

Yi ( ). He also learned four sets of Tou Tang Quan), which resembles the Liang Yi form. Yang B

Gua was usually the rst circular Ba Gua form that FZhen Song taught. It is more expressive and athletthan the Yin Ba Gua form, which is usually taughlater. The Dragon Ba Gua form contains the moadvanced Ba Gua movements of Fu style Ba Gurequiring the practitioner not only to walk the circl

but to move in all directions in a constant flow coiling, twisting, revolving, and exploding techniqueLiang Yi is a synthesis of the techniques of Tai and Ba Gua. Lin said that it was not uncommon for Fu ZheSong to simply teach one-half of a form initially, anthen wait for a year or even several years to teac

Lin Chao Zhen performing Fu Style Ba Gua Zhang

in San Francisco

Fu Zhen Song's disciple, Lin Chao Zhen

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the second half of the form. By teaching this way,Fu could test the character and perseverance of hisdisciples. When Lin Chao Zhen was 20 years old, he performedat different Universities and sports centers with FuZhen Song. In 1937, when Lin was 26 years old, Fuaccepted him as a formal disciple. Lin went through thetraditional ceremony. On that day, Fu bestowed uponLin the name, Xiang Long ( ), or "Flying Dragon."

Becoming Fu's disciple was significant because inChina, prominent instructors who openly taught atmartial arts institutes often had hundreds of studentsin their lifetime. The number of students, however,

who they accepted as formal disciples were few. Thosewho were accepted as disciples almost invariably had tofollow their instructors for years, having demonstratednot only their ability in martial arts, but their patience,character, perseverance and martial virtue. Those who

were accepted as formal disciples were privileged tolearn the complete system, being treated almost as amember of the instructor's family. Many instructorsstopped charging their students tuition at the point

that they became disciples because of the closeness ofthe relationship. When Lin was accepted as a disciple,he had trained with Fu Zhen Song for 9 years.

No one was forced to hold basicstances for hours. Fu Zhen Song

believed that the practical applications

in Ba Gua are based on movement.

One of Fu Zhen Song's other disciples, General

Sun Bao Gang ( ), authored a book in which heestimated that Fu Zhen Song taught ten thousandstudents. Fu, however, had only a handful of formaldisciples. The Wu Dang Academy, after extensiveresearch many years ago, published an article on Fu'sdisciples. They listed Fu Yong Hui ( - Fu ZhenSong's eldest son), Liang Ri Chu ( ), Ma Ri Qing (

), Huang Hong ( ), Chai Rong Ji ( ), SunBao Gang ( ), and Lin Chao Zhen ( ). When Lin became a disciple, Fu Zhen Song wasliving on Tung Goh Boulevard, where there was a

memorial park that sometimes served as a trainingarea. Fu also had an apartment with a yard wherea small group of Fu's students practiced privately.During this time frame, he learned Yin Ba Gua andnished Dragon Ba Gua. He also continued in hisstudy of Liang Yi and Fu Style Tai Ji. Fu Style Tai Jihas elements of Ba Gua within the Tai Ji. In 1938, at the Fifth Sun Yat Sen University AthleticGames, there was a day of special celebration. FuZhen Song performed at the event. One of the formsthat was showcased was the Ba Gua push hands formthat Fu had developed. He considered this form one ofthe treasures of Ba Gua and had developed this form

after years of research. Lin Chao Zhen was selecteto be Fu Zhen Song's demonstration partner for thform. Although the push hands form appears quisimple on the surface, its techniques are actualquite deep. Its hand movements are prearranged

but the practitioners have tremendous exibility the direction, distance, and pace that they take itheir footwork. The hand techniques include Ba Guacharacteristic palm strikes and precision strikes t

vital areas. Angles are also extremely important performing and understanding Ba Gua push hands. Fu Zhen Song's teaching was interrupted when th

Japanese invaded Canton during the Second WorWar. The invasion caused the members of the grou

to disperse. Lin Chao Zhen left for another state. I

Lin Chao Zhen poses in Ba Gua's characteristic"guard stance"

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fact, Lin, who by training was a civil engineer, oftentraveled on joint projects with the U.S. Armed Forcesand assisted them in designing and building roads.Fu Zhen Song, on the other hand, took his family and

went to northern Canton, to a place called Qu Jiang.Qu Jiang was near the countryside and the mountains.In this area, people could still live in relative peacedespite the war. In 1941, Lin Chao Zhen met up with Fu Zhen Songin Qu Jiang. The Japanese Army was nearby, but hadnot yet arrived. Fu had been traveling alone becauseof the war. His family was in the area, but a saferdistance away. Lin was also traveling by himself. Afterthey met, they stayed together in a hotel, where Lin

was able to have extensive discussions with his teacherfor four days on the ner points of Dragon Ba Gua.During these discussions, Lin used pencil and paperto write down the details of the form's movements.Lin learned as much as he could from his instructor

before they were both forced to go their separateways again. After World War II, when the Japanese Army left,people began to return to Canton. Fu Zhen Song

also returned to Canton. He arrived before his sonand family, who joined him later. Unfortunately, Fu'slife after World War II was much more difcult. Withpeople struggling just to survive, studying martialarts was considered a luxury, which not many peoplecould afford. Lin Chao Zhen recalls that Fu Zhen Song livedon But Gung Lane when he rst returned to Canton.His home had little furnishings, a hard bed, simplefurniture. Things improved for Fu when his familymoved back to Canton and his son, Fu Yong Hui, wasable to assist the family.

Ba Gua Zheng Zong ( ) was the last set

that Lin learned from Fu Zhen Song. Lin learned thform after the war had ended. It is much simplthan the Dragon Ba Gua form, but contains severimportant martial techniques not found in the otheforms. Since this was the last set that Lin learnefrom Fu, he remembers his instructor fondly whenevehe practices it. Lin recalls that when Fu was older, th

war and his hard life after the war had begun to taka toll on him. Whenever Fu performed his Dragon BGua, however, he was able to draw from his internastrength and he was transformed into a man who wathe embodiment of a dragon. There was quite a contrast between the life thaFu Zhen Song had before the war and the life he waforced to live after the war. When Fu rst came froBeijing to Canton, he was famous and had scores students. Fu even had a car, a British-made Austthat held four people, which his son would often drivIt was rare for anyone in China to own a car during thtime period. The car symbolized the prestige that Fenjoyed as a martial arts instructor. Fu practiced hart until his passing at the age of 81. When Lin trained with his instructor, he usual

would arrive at the class before sunrise. Fu's closstudents would all train for a few hours before thehad to be at their regular jobs. Some books havsaid that Fu was a pleasant man with a good tempeLin's recollection was that deep down inside, Fu haa good heart, but that he had a terrible temper an

was extremely proud. For example, in Canton, there were often martiarts demonstrations. Fu had a rule that he always hato be the rst performer. If the organizer of an evenever made the mistake of scheduling Fu in-betweeother performers, Fu would simple leave. Lin recaltimes when Fu would suddenly say that he was leavin

Fu Zhen Song (in the center, to the left of the woman wearing the white gown) poses in 1934 with his

good friend Yang Cheng Fu (center, wearing glasses). Also in this photo is Yang's famous studentFu Zhong Wen (to Yang's right) and Fu Zhen Song's son, Fu Yong Hui, (to Fu Zhong Wen's right).

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and ordered all his students to leave with him. Linlater discovered that Fu was offended because he

was not listed rst on the program. When Fu left, hedid not bother to explain anything to the organizerof the event. Fu was also very stern towards his students.Students could never sit while their instructor wasperforming or demonstrating a move. He wouldstare down any student who was not standing. Also,

whenever Fu Zhen Song and his school were asked toperform, the students were expected to carry all the

weapons and equipment. Fu Zhen Song never carriedanything. Ironically, as an instructor, Fu was usuallyeasier on his public students. Many times, he wouldoffer some encouragement or positive reinforcement

with the public class students while they were strugglingwith their forms. With his formal disciples, however,he was very stern and demanding. If a disciple wasasked to demonstrate a move in front of the class,the slightest mistake might prompt Fu to chide thedisciple, "Do you call that gong fu?"

In the tradition of the old instructors, Fu was

constantly pushing his formal disciples to correcttheir movements, to strive for perfection. Fu wouldnot settle for anything less from those he expected tocarry on his style. For example, when Lin Chao Zhenpracticed the Yang Ba Gua form, which contains eightdifferent palm changes, Fu would have the studentspractice together. They would do a full twenty circles

before changing directions on any of the palm changes.This meant that to complete this rst form, the studentswould have to complete 320 circles. No one was forced,however, to hold basic stances for hours. Fu ZhenSong believed that the practical applications in BaGua are based on movement. Fu felt that stationary

practice simply made students tight. The core of thebasic training was in the forms. Fu Zhen Song reliedon the linear Ba Gua form, Pao Quan, and Tou TangQuan to develop the stances, the stance shifting, basicstriking and kicking skills. In another revealing incident, Fu Zhen Song wasintroduced to a well-known praying mantis instructorat a public event. There had been a rivalry developing

between the two instructors before their meeting, andit was clear that Fu Zhen Song was not happy aboutmeeting a rival instructor. When the two of them met,they each held out their hands. Instead of shaking eachother's hands, they engaged in a contest of strength.

Fu Zhen Song broke the praying mantis instructor'shand before releasing him. They never spoke witheach other after that event. Lin Chao Zhen met thepraying mantis instructor's son many years ago, andin an effort to reconcile the differences between the twoschools, Lin and the praying mantis instructor's sonexchanged sets from their respective styles. In some old pictures of Fu Zhen Song, he is shownholding a stone ball of approximately 12 inches indiameter. Fu said this ball was for Tai Ji training. Insome of his performances, however, Fu would throwthe stone ball into the air and let it strike his body.None of Fu's students attempted this feat. Whenever

any students dared to ask if they could learn the aof training with the stone ball, Fu's response was aabrupt "what for?" As far as Lin is aware, no one evlearned how Fu trained with the stone ball or exacthow he developed the ability to withstand the blow fromthe ball striking his body. Fu never showed any of thtraining techniques to his disciples. Fu Zhen Song was married to Han Kun Ru (Fu's father-in-law was also a famous gong fu mastein Northern China. Lin never saw Mrs. Fu perform hegong fu, but he remembers occasions when he practicethe spear with her for fun. Lin noticed immediatethat her spear technique was very powerful. Fromthose encounters, Lin is certain that she was alshighly skilled in martial arts. Fu had four children. The oldest was a daughter, F

Jun Xiu ( ). Fu Yong Hui ( ) was the seconoldest child. He was the only one to professionalteach martial arts. The third child was a son, F

Yong Xiang ( ). Lin remembers that Fu YonXiang had perfect Ba Gua form when he was younUnfortunately, he stopped practicing completely whe

he grew older. Fu's youngest child was Fu Wen Xiu), another daughter. She is the only survivinchild from Fu's family. She is still living in Canton.

Fu Zhen Song practiced with his stone ball, but

would not teach his students how to use it

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Fu's two daughters had also learned Ba Gua from theirfather and their sword technique was excellent. Theynever opened their own schools, however. Fu Jun Xiuused to help her brother, Fu Yong Hui, teach at hisschool. Fu Jun Xiu's husband was a famous Xing

Yi instructor. Lin had asked Fu Jun Xiu's husbandyears ago whether she could teach him some of herhusband's Xing Yi, but she said she never learned Xing

Yi from her husband. Lin Chao Zhen studied engineering in China andas an engineer, had opportunities to travel throughoutthe country. During his travels, he met many martial

arts teachers. He exchanged information with fellowmartial arts instructors of Southern Fist, Cha Quan,Shaolin, and Praying Mantis. His exchanges with theseinstructors and his own research and training helpedhim develop a deeper understanding of his own BaGua. Throughout his life, Lin did not allow the politicalturmoil in China or life's hardships to deter him fromthe practice of martial arts. Lin's objective was tocapture the spirit of his teacher within the movements.Lin made this his goal because he felt that it was theonly way that he could do justice to his instructor's artand to honor his instructor.

The Hong Kong Ba Gua Academy invited Lin ChaZhen to perform the Dragon Ba Gua form in 1980. Thperformance was rendered at the inaugural meetinof the Hong Kong Wu Shu Association. Some oinstructors who had seen Fu Zhen Song give one his dazzling performances of Dragon Ba Gua were abto immediately recognize the spirit of Fu Zhen Son

when decades later, they had an opportunity to seLin perform the set. For Lin, this was the highecompliment that he could receive - to have fello

instructors say that he reminded them of Fu ZheSong. When Lin retired from engineering, he lived in thcity of Chao Ching, approximately 100 kilometers froCanton. During his martial career, Lin has taughundreds of students. He was the founder of thChao Ching Martial Arts Association and served as ichairman. In 1983, Lin participated in the governmensponsored, Sixth State Athletic Games in Canton. Hperformance of Dragon Ba Gua earned him the gomedal in the long form category. He received a bronmedal for performing Fu style Tai Ji. That sam

year, he was voted on of China's Most Outstandin

Martial Arts Coaches. In May 1991, Lin authored anpublished a book entitled, "Ba Gua Zhang, DragoForm." In 1991, Lin immigrated to the United Statand has taught over a hundred students in America. Lin Chao Zhen believes that Gong Fu is ainternational language. He teaches students of mandifferent backgrounds and nationalities. Even thoughe may not speak the language of all of his students, hnds that they can communicate through movemenLin's desire has been to perpetuate his art, and he committed to passing on his knowledge to as manpeople as possible. He continues to practice his a

daily, including the whirlwind style Dragon Ba Guform, which practitioners a fraction of Lin's age struggjust to complete. Although Lin trained many of his disciples in Chinin the traditional fashion, he has modied some of hteaching methods to facilitate learning in AmericSince his desire is to promote the art of Fu Zhen Sonin America, and hopefully, to pass on his completknowledge of the art to students in America, he teacheat an accelerated pace, giving the student as much athey can handle. At this stage of Lin's life, he feels thtime is precious and he wants to transmit as mucinformation as he can to his students. Accordingly, h

has allowed his students to have access to the DragoBa Gua form and has worked diligently to develop thetechnique. In many ways, Lin is much more open thahis instructor, but he feels that the changes in teachinmethodology are necessary to ensure the art's survivin our modern culture.

Opposite Page: Fu Zhen Song poses in four posturefrom his Yin Ba Gua form, in 1947. These photograph

were taken for a book Fu was preparing to publish oYin Ba Gua. Fu died before the book was publishehowever, Lin Chao Zhen has the original manuscrip

and photographs.

Lin Chao Zhen with the Ba Gua broadsword, 1994

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Fu Style Ba Gua:An Interview with Lin Chao Zhen

by Michael Barrett

Editor's Note: I rst met Lin Chao Zhen whilevisiting San Francisco in November, 1993, with Luo DeXiu and Tim Cartmell. Lin's student, Michael Barrett,had arranged the meeting and Lin's son, Lin Wei Ran,came along to translate for his father. Lin had broughtsome written material that he had published in Chinaand several photographs he had copied for me. Healso gave me a copy of a video tape his son had madeof him demonstrating some of his Ba Gua. I found Linto be a very energetic, personable man. Although he

was advanced in years, his energy and spirit, especiallywhen discussing Ba Gua with Luo De Xiu, indicatedthat he was still very much full of life and eager toteach Ba Gua.

Several months after I had met Lin Chao Zhen,his student Robert Chen sent me the excellent article

which appears on page 3 of this issue. Later, Linson sent me the photographs of Fu Zhen Song whicappear on the cover and on the previous page. After

began working on this issue of the Journal, I realizethat although Robert had done a great job with tharticle, perhaps our readers would like to know morabout Lin's teaching methods and his thoughts on BGua practice. I typed out a list of questions and sethem to Michael Barrett so that he could use them iconducting the following interview.

Please explain what is taught in the completFu style Ba Gua system, i.e., fundamental skiltraining which are separate from forms, all of th

various forms training, weapons training, ghtinsets, qi gong, etc. In what order do students progrethrough the material described above?

There are different levels to Fu style Ba Gua. At thbasic level the student starts with walking the circlHe or she will practice this for 2 or 3 months and wialso learn single straight line forms. The forms taugat this level are the Tou Tang Quan, Pao Quan (leoparstyle) and Lian Huan Quan ( - Linking Ring Form

These are all straight line forms and belong to thBasic Level. These forms train body strength, exibiliand power issuing.

At the next level the student learns the Ba Guopen hand forms. We have four Ba Gua forms in ousystem, they are: Yang Ba Gua, Yin Ba Gua, ZhenZong Ba Gua, and Dragon Form Ba Gua. Weapontraining also takes place after the Basic Level iconjunction with the Ba Gua forms training.

Did Fu Zhen Song emphasize fundamental skiltraining (exercises designed to develop exibilityoverall body strength, balance, coordination, etcbefore teaching students any of the Ba Gua forms

The basic level straight line forms and the circulBa Gua forms give exibility, body strength, balancand coordination through the continuous movemenof the set. The sets are alive and so should be youpractice of them. Fu stressed body alignment an

basic stances. Each student must perform movemencorrectly before being given another move. If studen

were lazy, he would not teach them. Walking thcircle 30-40 times before changing directions wastressed.

Lin Chao Zhen, 1988, in Zhao Qing, China

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What different components of Ba Gua are trainedin the Liang Yi, Yin Ba Gua, Yang Ba Gua, ZhengZong Ba Gua, and Dragon Style Ba Gua. In otherwords, what is unique about each form and whatskills does the student gain by studying them.

Yang Ba Gua is powerful and has a lot of kicking.This form is good for young people. Yin Ba Gua issofter with more relaxed movements and is good forolder people. Zheng Zong Ba Gua is a combination

of Yin and Yang Ba Gua and is circular, but has morecomplex movements linked together. Movements arepracticed equally on the left and right. Dragon Ba Guais the top form of the style. The movements are non-stop, owing with maximum twisting and coiling power.It is the pinnacle or goal of the Fu style. Liang Yi is a combination set of Ba Gua and Tai

Ji. Fu made this form as a synthesis for the twosystems. Liang Yi has the movements of Tai Ji withthe footwork of Ba Gua. It is done slower than Ba Gua

but faster than Tai Ji.

How does the student train to developfa jing, orstriking power in Fu style Ba Gua?

Fa Jing is trained in the forms at various placesmaking the forms fast and slow and hard and soft andmaking the student aware of the transitions withoutstopping between fast and slow and hard and soft.Sandbags and exercises where the student strikeshimself at key points help with the body conditioning.

Did Fu emphasize ghting training? If so, what

methods did he use to teach students how to learnto ght with Ba Gua? Were there separate drills,exercises, or practice sets one would practice inorder to learn striking skills, kicking, sweeping,and trapping with the legs, throwing skills, and qinna (seizing and locking) skills?

Yun Song Kua was Fu's nephew and practicedghting a lot with Fu. Two person forms, two personpush hands which trained "touch and feeling" and skillssuch as "you move I move, you don't move, I don't move"

where practiced. Also, two person Tou Tang Quan andQin Na ( ) techniques were all used.

What are some of the most important principlesFu Zhen Song emphasized when teaching Ba Gua?

Fu stressed seriousness above all else. Hecontinually said, "Do it again, do it again." He alsostressed soft to get in and hard power to hit.

What is unique about Fu style Ba Gua? Whatsets it apart from other styles? What are its maincharacteristics?

Fu had very fast footwork, he changed directiovery fast and never stopped. Body, leg, and waist wealways all unied. He spun on his heels to changdirection or angles of attack very quickly. The spinninquality helps you to keep your balance while movin

His tornado palm also uses spinning power combinewith whole body waist power to strike an opponenwhile you spin to his rear. The stepping movemenare similar to Cheng Ting Hua's, but Fu uses more ovthe head and behind the back twisting or spirallinhand movements.

What components of physical movement skildid training with various weapons provide? Iother words, were there skills one developed itraining with the different weapons that aided thpractice and execution of the open hand form

and ghting sets?

In Fu style Ba Gua, the broadsword is practicerst. It is a "yang" weapon and the sets develop powekicking and jumping abilities. The double edgestraight sword is practiced next. It is a "yin" weapoand develops sensitivity and nesse. It has smallmovements. The spear is practiced next. It combinthe two qualities of yin and yang and trains thextension of power or qi from the practitioner tthe tip of the spear. It is said to be a "four-sided

weapon and it controls all directions with exibiliand "snap" power.

Lin Chao Zhen in San Francisco, 1993

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What plans do you have as far as teaching here ithe United States? Are you going to be teachinseminars, producing video tapes, publishinbooks?

Next February I will be giving a workshop in SaFrancisco. It will be a day long class, 10 a.m. to 5 p.mSaturday, February 4th. I will teach the circle walkinpractice in the morning and the Dragon Ba Gua form

the afternoon with its applications to ghting. I want to introduce the complete system from thbasic level to the real Ba Gua. I have four video tapavailable containing weapons, straight line formcircular forms, and performance of the Dragon Ba Guform. These tapes will be discounted to attendees the workshop mentioned above.

I am also completing my second book on Fu styBa Gua.

Those who may be interested in attending thworkshop mentioned above should call (415) 921-697and speak with Lin Chao Zhen's son Lin Wei Ra

Those interested in contacting Lin Chao Zhen can dso by writing to the address listed on the back pagof this Journal.

Lin Chao Zhen in San Francisco, 1993

Lin Chao Zhen demonstrating Fu Style Ba Gua atthe Westmoor High School gym in Daly City, CA

June, 29, 1992

What do you know about Fu Zhen Songs teacherJia Feng Ming (also called Jia Qi Shan)? Whoelse did Fu study Ba Gua with? Cheng Ting Hua?Ma Gui?

In addition to studying with Jia Feng Ming ( ),Fu also studied with Ma Gui ( ) and he was friends

with Sun Lu Tang ( ) and Yang Cheng Fu () and they shared knowledge.

Did Fu invent the Yin Ba Gua, Yang Ba Gua, andDragon Ba Gua, or are these things he learned fromhis teachers?

The Dragon form and Liang Yi were made up after

Fu studied Tai Ji with Song Wei Yi ( ). Fu learnedYin and Yang Ba Gua from other teachers.

Did Fu Zhen Song have a brother (Fu Zhen Tai) thatstudied Ba Gua?

Fu Zhen Tai ( ) was Fu's younger brother. Healso assisted in teaching class. Fu Zhen Tai was verytall and strong. His gong fuskills were excellent. Healso was a Chinese Doctor and herbalist. He spent two

years teaching as Fu Zhen Song's assistant, then wentback to Henan (Fu's home Province). He taught thereuntil he died around 1942.

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Because almost every traditional medical, martial,religious, physical, and, in many cases, scholarlydisciplines in China have a tradition of qi gong ( )practice, it is very difcult to strictly dene the "howsand whys" of qi gongwithout putting it in the context of

the discipline in which it is practiced. Each discipline,and each of the various schools within those disciplines,practice qi gongwith different goals in mind and thus eachhas a different criteria and method for practice. Thereare literally hundreds of qi gongmethods in China, eachtraditional method having its own fairly unique systematicapproach to practice. Additionally, terms such as neigong( ) and nei dan( ) are also used frequently todescribe exercises and methods which some might alsocall qi gong and vice-versa. Thus qi gongmethods canreally only be defined within the discipline they areto be practiced and in the context of each individual'spersonal practice.

While most martial arts schools will have their owndenitions for terms such as qi gongand nei gongand willprobably have separate training methods which they placeunder these categories of practice, each school's denitiontends to be slightly different. While some schools mightcall one thing qi gong, another school might call that samething nei gong. Also, some schools will call all of theirinternal practices qi gongwhile others will call all of theirinternal practices nei gong. Some people will say that"traditionally" all internal practices were called nei gongand that qi gongis a fairly modern term. However, thereare others who will say the exact opposite. In this articleI will not argue semantics, nor will I provide my own view

about how the terms qi gong and nei gong are denedor how their methods might differ. For the purpose ofthis article, it will sufce to say that, in most cases, thepractices which are grouped under these terms are sosimilar that the terms can be used synonymously. Inthis article, we will group all "internal" practices involvingthe coordination of breath, mind, and body under the"umbrella" of the term qi gong. "Gong" literally means "effort" or "work," "merit" or"achievement," and "usefulness" or "effectiveness." Ifwe choose our denition of qi gong to be "qi work" or"qi achievement," we can see that almost every form of

physical, mental, or breath exercise could possibly finto this category since everything we do involves tuse of our qi1. In this article I will focus on a small slof the qi gongspectrum of exercises and techniques that I will only be discussing methods which are typica

taught as Ba Gua Zhang Qi Gong training. Howeveven these methods vary from school to school becaumany instructors have added qi gong training to thBa Gua programs which they have borrowed froother martial arts styles and other internal disciplin(religious, medical, etc.)

Since Ba Gua Zhang is an internal martial art, somof the goals of qi gongpractice as it relates to Ba Gudevelopment would be a balanced, full, smooth, strondistribution of energy in the body, a harmonization the mind, breath, and body motion, and a renementall internal processes (physical, mental, and spirituaThe results of the practice should be a strong, interna

healthy body, efcient and effective use of the body martial arts application, the ability to issue a great deof martial power through very subtle body motions, aa heightened state of awareness and sensitivity to oninternal body and external environment. Ba Gua Qi Gomethods are designed with these goals in mind.

The History of Ba Gua Qi GongIt would be difcult to say for sure whether or n

Dong Hai Chuan ( ) taught qi gongmethods to hstudents which were separate from the circle walkipractices of Ba Gua Zhang. There is evidence whipoints to Dong's involvement with the Quan Zhen (

sect of Daoism and thus we might conclude that he wtaught the various qi gong methods practiced by thsect (which included circle walking - see Pa Kua Cha

Journal, Vol 4, No. 6, page 3). However, the only reidentiable trail that I have been able to uncover whitraces qi gongpracticed by modern practitioners direcback to these particular Daoist roots was a mentiof Long Men Qi Gong ( ) by Zhang Jun Feng

). The Quan Zhensect of Daoism was part of tLong MenSchool of Daoism. During an interview wiZhang Jun Feng's wife in Taiwan, she told me that hhusband called his sitting qi gongpractice Long MQi Gong. Zhang had learned this method of qi go

from one of Yin Fu's ( ) students (see Pa Kua ChaJournal, Vol 3, No. 4, page 3). There are several stories about Dong Hai Chuteaching various methods of sitting and standing qi goto his students. Most of these stories say that Donreserved the practice of special qi gongmethods whiwere separate from the Ba Gua circle walking practifor his closest students. Yin Fu style Ba Gua Zhapractitioner Xie Pei Qi ( ), of Beijing (see Pa KChang Journal, Vol 4., No. 1, page 16), says that DoHai Chuan taught Yin Fu both Daoist and Buddhqi gong methods which Dong had learned in varioplaces while traveling around China. Xie says th

1) In this article I will not try to dene "qi" in the context ofqi gongpractice. I believe that each individual practitionershould try to identify with his or her own "denition" of qithrough the practice of martial arts or qi gong rather thanlisten to someone else's description. My personal favoriteidea about "what qiis" came from Steve Rhodes, the publisherof Qi Magazine, in his premier issue. Steve wrote, "I havealways wanted to publish a six-inch thick book on what Ithink "Qi" is. I would leave all the pages blank and a briefparagraph in the beginning would instruct readers to llin the information as they discovered it within themselves,because this is the only place it exists." Later Steve alsowrites, "It is virtually impossible to translate "Qi" withoutputting it in some type of context, and even then it changesdepending on how each of us look at it."

Ba Gua Zhang Qi Gong Methods - Part I

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only a few students who were taught all of Dong's qigongmethods, Yin Fu, Ma Gui ( ), and Fan Zhi Yong( ). However, since Xie was a student of Yin Fu'sstudent Men Bao Zhen ( ), Fan Zi Yong's daughter,and Ma Gui, it is possible he is either "propping himselfup" or that he would not know about any other lineage'spractice of qi gong. However, it is known that manyof the Ba Gua descendants of both Yin Fu and Ma Guiemphasize qi gong practice in their Ba Gua training.While many of today's instructors of Ba Gua Zhang

teach various qi gongmethods, it would be very difcultto say whether these methods were originally part ofBa Gua Zhang as taught by Dong Hai Quan, or wereadded later.

Having discussed Ba Gua Zhang Qi Gong with variousinstructors in the United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong,and mainland China, I nd that there are generally twoschools of thought. One school believes that the BaGua practitioner will not practice any qi gongexerciseswhich are separate or supplemental to the linear andcircular forms, exercises, and practice sets of Ba GuaZhang. This view point certainly has merit. After all,Ba Gua is an internal martial art and thus everything

a practitioner does in Ba Gua should harmonize thebody, mind, and breath and promote the development ofinternal strength. For this group, the majority of whatmay be considered qi gongtraining is executed duringthe circle walk practice. In Pa Kua Chang Journal,Vol. 4, No. 6, we discussed some of the circle walkingmethods utilized for qi gongpurposes.

Many of the older generation Ba Gua Zhanginstructors that I have interviewed in mainland Chinaand Taiwan say that all of the qi gongand nei gong inBa Gua is contained in the circle walk practice. Theydo not advocate the practice of separate standing orsitting qi gongmethods. They say it is not necessary.

If the circle walk and directional changes on the circleare practiced correctly, starting with simple methodsand gradually progressing to more complex methods,the student will not need any supplemental qi gongpractice. The other school of thought believes in the practiceof exercises and meditations which serve to supplementthe standard Ba Gua circle walking practice and formexecution. While most of these practitioners wouldagree that the circle walk practice can and will containall of the elements of qi gongtraining, they also believethat beginning practitioners need to practice componentparts of the training separately before they try to

integrate these parts into the circle walk training.In these schools, qi gong, meditation and breathingexercises are performed separately from the circle walkpractice until the student becomes very comfortable withthe circle walk method. Concentration, visualization,and breathing methods are integrated into the circlewalk practice in stages. This is a more gradual step-by-step approach and also certainly has merit. Onecannot say that one approach is right and the otherapproach is wrong, they are just different ways toapproach the same goal. Before concluding this short section on the historyof Ba Gua Qi Gong, I should mention that practitioners

may run across methods of qi gong practice that acalled "Ba Gua Qi Gong" but do not have any connectiowith Dong Hai Chuan's martial art of Ba Gua Zhang, those who have practiced and taught it. The term "BGua" or "Eight Trigram," and its associated philosophbeing deeply imbedded in Chinese society, has been useby many as a label for various religious sects, secrsocieties, martial arts methods, meditation practiceand qi gong. Most of these groups, methods, or practicdo not have a relation to Dong Hai Chuan's art of Ba Gu

Zhang other than the fact that they share a commoname and might share a common philosophical basIf an instructor teaches a method he calls "Ba Gua QGong" but he or she does not practice the art of Ba GuZhang, their qi gongmethod is probably not relateto Ba Gua Zhang.

Because the principles of internal martial arpractice and qi gongare so similar, in the remainder this article when I speak of qi gong, the term will alsapply to any of the various Ba Gua Zhang practicesuch as the circle walk, which are used in many Ba Guschools to provide those results which others obtaifrom separate supplemental qi gongtraining.

The Energy Assimilation, Production, anDistribution Process Before discussing the theory and practice ofgong, it may help to rst take a quick look at how thbody gathers, metabolizes, and distributes energSince Chinese medical theory formed the foundation traditional qi gongpractice, we will look at the energprocess from the perspective of Chinese medicine. Ocourse, we will only give a general overview here athis topic alone could be the subject of an entire booThose who would like to explore this topic in more dep

should refer to a text on Chinese medicine or talk withqualied Chinese medicine practitioner.2The energy assimilation process in the body star

with the combination of four "raw materials." These arthe food we eat, the liquid we drink, the air we breathand our original essence (also called prenatal essenckidney yang jing ( ), yuan qi ( ), or "fire of thming men ( )"). The prenatal essence is derived frothe essence of the parents and can be viewed as you"internal battery supply." The energy of the prenatessence combines with the energy of the postnatessence, which is derived from puried food and drinkand acts as a catalyst for the formation of qi in th

body. Of course we all know that raw food and drink rst processed in the stomach and air is rst broughinto the body through the lungs. Once food and drinare brought into the stomach, the stomach begins thprocess of energy renement by sending the "clear qi

- qing qi) to the spleen and the "turbid qi" (

2) Two good references for more complete informatiopertaining to this subject are: Zang Fu: The Organ Systeof Traditional Chinese Medicine, by Jeremy Ross, ChurchhLivingston, 1985, and The Foundations of Chinese MedicinA Comprehensive Text for Acupuncturists and Herbalists, bGiovanni Maciocia, Churchhill Livingston, 1989.

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zhuo qi) to the intestines. The spleen then transformsand transports the "grain qi" ( - gu qi) to the chestwhere it interacts with the clear qiof the air from thelungs to form the "ancestral qi" ( - zong qi, alsoknown as the qi of the chest or the gatheringqi). The"original qi" ( - yuan qi) from the kidneys then

providesacatalyst to form the "true qi" ( - zhen qi).The nutritive qi ( - ying qi), which runs throughthe body's energy meridians, and the protective qi (

- wei qi), which guards the body against externalinvasion of wind, cold, disease, etc. are both derived

from the true qi.In addition to playing an important role in the

formation of qi in the body, the internal organs all havea very big role to play in the formation, storage, andtransportation of other vital substances such as bodyuids (tears, sweat, saliva, milk, nasal, gastric, andgenital secretions), andblood. In Chinese medicine, qiand blood have a very close relationship (traditionally itis said that "qi is the commander of the blood, andtheblood is the mother of qi"). The kidneys, heart, and liverall play a role in the formation, distribution, and storageof blood in the body.

While the above explanation is extremely brief, the

bottom line here is that raw materials are brought intothe body, processed and rened by the internal organslocated in the torso, and distributed throughout the restof the body in the form of usable energy. Each of theinternal organs has a role to play in the process andthe function of the system as a whole is most efcientwhen the individual systems (organs)3 are operatingin balance and harmony with each other. Ensuringthat this process is operating without disharmonyor dysfunction should be the first stage in qi gongtraining.

Mutual DependenceOne more important concept to understand befo

discussing qi gong practice is the idea of mutuadependence of the various systems of the body anthe relationship between the systems of the body anthe world outside the individual body. The traditionChinese model of the universe, both inside and outsidthe body, is based on a concept of energetic relationshipand an energetic continuum. All things in the universand in the human body, interact and mutually suppoone another. Any one thing only has existence anmeaning within the context of the whole. Nothinexists in isolation.

It is important to know that all internal systemof the body have interdependencies and overlappinfunctionalities. There is an internal system of checkand balances, modeled by the ve element theory Chinese medicine, which serves to keep the body ibalance and healthy. In practicing qi gong, this systeof checks and balances must be respected. If there isdeciency or excess in any one part of the body, the reof the body will be affected. The problem with practicinqi gongwhen one part of the body is out of balance that the qi gong practice, if it is not appropriate fothat particular condition, could throw the body evefarther out of balance. This is why individuals who a

3) For those readers with no background in Chinesmedicine, it may be necessary to briey clarify what is meanby "organ." The organs of Chinese medicine are: KidneySpleen, Liver, Heart, Lungs, Pericardium, Bladder, StomacGall Bladder, Small Intestine, Large Intestine, and TripWarmer. To Chinese medicine practitioners, these organs dnot represent a single anatomical entity. These organs aequivalent to an "energetic space" or "sphere of inuence" ana systematic interlinking of functions which dene the orgaThe denition of the organ in Chinese medicine includes bo

its form and function, as well as its energetic state.

LungsAir

Food

Drink

Intestines

StomachOriginal Qi

Nutritive Qi

Protective Qi

True QiQi of Chest

Clear Qi

Turbid Qi

Grain Qi

Spleen

Kidneys

Formation of Qi

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engaging in the practice of qi gongshould be monitoredfrequently by a skilled Chinese medical practitioner orknowledgeable qi gongteacher.

The relationship between the internal body and theexternal environment is also an important considerationin qi gong practice. All good qi gong teachers willtell their students to practice in a quiet place whichis shielded from the wind and cold. There are alsocertain times of the day which are optimum for practice,concerns about the quality of the air in the practice

area, and certain directions one should face duringpractice. Environmental factors and personal habits(poor diet, over working, too much drinking, smoking,too much sex, etc.) all effect the body and the qi. Anyonewho is engaged in qi gong training should be underthe guidance of a skilled instructor who knows howto prescribe a qi gongmethod which is appropriate forthat person's individual constitution and environment.Factors such as current physical condition (internaland external), constitution, occupation, character, age,sex, lifestyle, experience level, physical and mentalaptitude, and diet should be taken into considerationwhen designing an individual qi gongprogram.

An individual who smokes, drinks excessively, usesdrugs, is sexually overactive, has a poor diet, or leadsa stressful lifestyle, and thinks he or she is going to"balance" those unhealthy habits by practicing qi gongcan easily hurt themselves more than help themselves.First, the bad habits should be eliminated and then thebody brought gently back to a healthy state throughthe practice of simple methods under the guidance ofan experienced teacher. Only then should the studentgo forward with the earnest study and practice of qigong.

The Goals of Qi GongPractice

As stated previously, the specic goals of qi gongpractice will vary from one discipline to the next,however, in general, the martial arts practitioner willrst want to promote overall health and well-being byseeking a balanced distribution of energy in the bodyand improving the body's efciency in terms of energymovement and usage.4 This will include methodsaimed at integrating and harmonizing the mind, body,and breath utilizing a safe, gentle, and well-balancedapproach. Balance, efciency, and naturalness arethe key elements to building a body which is stronginternally. If the body's internal systems are notbalanced in terms of energy production, distribution,

and consumption, then the body is not working optimallyand any attempt at utilizing internal energy in a martialarts or healing practice will only cause further imbalanceand can eventually damage the internal systems. Only when the body is working in a balanced,efcient, natural manner should the qi gongpractitionerworry about "energy cultivation," "energy renement,"building a stronger energy reserve, or using internalstrength in martial arts. If a dam has a leak, you don't

ll the reservoir with water until the dam is xed. seems like common sense, however there are manpractitioners who practice "power" qi gongmethods befotheir body is fully balanced and operating efcientlThe power is transmitted through a system which is ninternally connected and internally balanced and thuthis weak structure is shocked and damaged. It woube like overloading an electrical circuit, the body weventually "blow a fuse."

Power qi gong methods should only be practice

after the student has had a great deal of experiencwith much gentler, energy balancing, qi gongmethodThe body must be internally connected and internalba lanced be fo re power training can be in it ia teTraining for power without slowly building up througa systematic series of exercises would be analogous running a marathon without ever having practiced antype of jogging or running exercise prior to the 26 mirun. The body can be severely damaged.

Unfortunately, the damage which is done by thpractice of inappropriate qi gong does not usualmanifest right away. Energetic changes in the bodare subtle and gradual. Unless the practitioner is und

the guidance of an experienced teacher or skilled Chinemedical doctor, the signs of dysfunction can go unnoticeuntil they are blatant enough to be physiologicalconrmed. At this point, the damage is done and wtake a long time to correct. While each particular power qi gongmethod will carits own bag of problems caused by incorrect practi(which includes practice of a method correctly before thbody is ready to practice that method), in general, moinappropriate practice tends to effect the heart rsBecause qiand blood have a very close relationship anbecause the heart is the "palace" of the re elemenwhen the qi or blood is damaged during the practi

of power qi gongmethods, one can expect that damato affect the heart. Because the operation of the heart has a delicaneurological ring system and the need for the blood be of the proper consistency, when internal functionare thrown off from improper qi gong you often havproblems in the heart which are either physiologicalconrmed or become psychological or psychosomatiPhysically, the heart can be damaged in several differeways. Improper repetitive shock to the heart caused bthe practice of power striking methods, including fawhipping motions in the air, the hitting of heavy bags, fa jingtypes of training, which are practiced before th

body is internally connected and internally balanceis the rst way the heart can be physically damageThe next common problem effecting the heart in qi gontraining is inordinate pressure caused by inappropriabreathing methods. Breathing that is held or forcebreathing that is unnatural , or breathing methodexecuted with tension in the body can all place tomuch pressure on the heart. Lastly, stress on the heacaused by the overheating of the qi or blood can alshave a negative effect on the body physically. Practiwhich is executed in a forceful manner with tensiostress, or straining can obviously cause the blood orto overheat. However, even gentle methods practice

4) While there will always be an ebb and ow of energy in thebody and thus there will never be a perfect balance, balancein this sense means that the body is functioning

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with forced intention (overuse of the mind) can causethe blood or qi to overheat and thus place stress onthe heart. Psychological problems resulting from improper qigongcan stem from the fact that the heart "houses theshen ( )." In Chinese medicine, the shen (or "spirit")is related to spiritual wisdom, intuitive insight, creativecapacity, mental awareness, and overall vitality. Thepsychological problems occur due to the physical heartdamage, as discussed above, because when the heart

is damaged in any way, the shen can be affected.Unfortunately, when these problems occur Westernersdo not usually pick up on them or do not relate themto the qi gongpractice. The typical dysfunction of thistype is what is known in Chinese medicine as "shendisturbance." Shen disturbance is characterized by signs suchas anxiety, nervousness, poor judgement, restlessness,sleeplessness and the inability to properly interpret thesuroundings. Many times individuals suffering fromshen disturbance will appear out of touch with theirsurroundings and with others. They will appear"spaced out." Shen disturbance affects the memory,

emotions, and judgement. Lack of wisdom in judgementis a common problem related to shen disturbance.Individuals with this condition will inappropriatelyxate on things.

Even qi gongwhich is practiced correctly can lead toshendisturbance if the practitioner does not participatein a qi gong system which is complete or does notpractice under the guidance of a qualied teacher. Everylevel of qi gongshould be viewed as a systematic processwhich contains a beginning, middle, and end. Eachlevel of practice, or method of practice, has purposeand direction. The practitioner begins with the purposein mind, executes certain exercises or techniques

which facilitate that purpose, and then once results areobtained, the practice is appropriately varied, modied,changed, or concluded. For instance, certain qi gongpractices are designed to open up specific "energycenters," "energy gates," or "energy points" in the body.Opening these centers, gates, or points would be the"purpose" of the training.

While the pracitioner is involved in the training, heor she should be closely monitored by a knowledgableinstructor to insure that there are no "hitches" in theprocess of opening these energy centers, points, orgates. After the practitioner has worked with the qigongmethod and the energy gate, point, or center is

"open," it is time to progress to the next stage of training,whatever that might be for the particular system of qigongthe student is practicing. If the student is not participating in a completemethod of qi gongunder the guidance of a knowledgeableteacher and is not monitored through the process ordoes not know the next step in the training processwhich is supposed to occur after obtaining results fromany given method of practice, problems can begin toarise. Because of the mutual inuences any signicantenergetic movement or opening in the body has on therest of the physical body, mind, spirit, and emotions,there must be a systematic method in any qi gong

training which takes results obtained at each stagof practice and either completes, balances, varies ocontinues the process when each milestone is reacheIf an energy gate, point, or center is opened as a resuof training and the practitioner does not know how owhen the training needs to progress to the next stage, best they will stagnate in their training, at worst they wcreate a disharmonious condition in their body. When a signicant energy event (energy movemenopening, or release) occurs in the body and the studen

is not taught how to advance from that experiencproblems can arise. Unfortunately, these types energy events may feel very nice to the practitionebecause there can be an associated "endorphine rushwhen the energy is released. Students who cling this experience and do not look past it to the nexlevel of experience will stagnate in their training ancan sometimes create a shen disturbance conditioby xating on trying to repeat that one experience every training session. Another common occurance which can accompana signicant energy event in the body is the release stored emotional energy or "body memory." Many time

when our body or mind experiences an injury, be physical or emotional, the "memory" of that event can bstored in the body like an "energetic scar." Signicanenergy movement can release this "memory" and thresult can negatively affect the practitioner's emotionstate. When the student is not under the guidance ofknowledgeable instructor, who knows how to reckognithe signs and symptoms of this emotional release antreat this condition effectively, depression, anxietynervousness, sleeplessness and restlessness caresult.

"Power" qi gongmethods are denitely a part of thmartial arts. If the practitioner wishes to use intern

strength and energy to harm an opponent in combathe practice of methods designed to teach the studenhow to use internal energy and internal strength istriking an opponent are necessary. But, as stateabove, the student should not jump right into practicinthese methods. There should be a gradual, systematidevelopmental process taught by an instructor whknows how to cater to each student's individual needPower qi gongmethods are not practiced until a stronfoundation is built. Secondly, once the student begintraining these methods, it is vital that he or she continuto practice qi gong methods which are designed tbalance and rebuild the body's energy. Many marti

artists and Chinese medicine doctors burn themselveout because they do not balance their practice betweeenergy usage and energy rebuilding and balancinA good internal martial arts teacher with a complemethod will know how to balance a student's practicbetween energy usage and energy rebuilding (yin anyang training methods). In qi gongpractice, as it relates to the martial artthere should be a systematic process of training whicbegins with a program of balancing the body's energstructure, and movement, and then continues witexercises designed to build internal strength whimaintaining that balance. Once these two goals a

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accomplished, the practitioner can then start to learnhow to use that energy for martial purposes and power.However, once the student begins this power training itis vital that he or she continue to balance the trainingwith rebuilding and cultivation methods. The numberone priority is to maintain a strong, healthy, balancedinternal system, not to see how much "power" onecan obtain.

The Qi GongTraining Process

If we trace the lineage of most of the qi gongmethodswhich are practiced today, we will probably nd thatthey were initially practiced and taught in the monasticenvironment of the Buddhist and Daoist temples inChina. In order to better understand the optimumconditions and methods for qi gong practice it wouldbehoove us to look at how qi gongmight have beenpracticed at its place of origin. We all know fromwatching movies and reading books about monasticlife that the rst lesson any young monk is taught ispatience. Patience in practice is essential. Never be intoo much of a hurry. High quality, long lasting resultswill not come overnight. If results are forced to occur

before their time, before the body is ready, there willinevitably be problems.

We can imagine that the novice Buddhist or Daoistmonk would be taught a very complete system of qi gongtraining in a well designed program which systematicallydeveloped the body, mind, and spirit of the individualand that the external environment was one whichoptimally facilitated this process. Qi gong practiced inthe environment of a monastic lifestyle, combined withthe proper diet, meditation, and herbal supplements,provided the individual with a complete and balanceddevelopment. Once the student had practiced simplemethods which were aimed at developing mental and

physical relaxation, a clear mind, and proper posturalalignments, more advanced methods were taught. Themore specic the qi gongpractice became, the morecarefully guarded the lifestyle, diet, herbal supplements,etc. The methods that were taught were prescribedindividually. Each student had a mentor who groomedand handled that student's development according tothat individual's particular needs. This is how solid,long lasting results are obtained. It may seem a bit romantic, especially in our contextof our focus on Ba Gua practice in the modern world,to wonder about the training of monks in temples inChina since the only well known Ba Gua practitioner

who probably spent time learning in a temple wasDong Hai Chuan. However, as we have seen throughour examination of the biographies of the first fewgenerations of Ba Gua instructors in previous issuesof this Journal, most of them began their training ofmartial arts with one teacher in a small village in thecountryside. Thus, while the environment was not assterile as the temple's, it was certainly conducive toproper martial arts and qi gongtraining, and the systemswere taught methodically and completely.

While the practice of qi gongand internal martialarts methods all day in a monastic environment or ina remote village somewhere in the countryside would

be the ideal, it is not a practical option for most of uHowever, the lessons we can learn from those who havpreceded us in this practice are viable today: nd skilled teacher with a complete method who knowhow to develop each student on an individual basimaintain a lifestyle and environment conducive tinternal training and development, and don't be in great hurry to progress.

We will now take a look at the most importan

components of internal martial arts qi gongpractice anhow they might be trained in Ba Gua.

The Mind in Qi GongPractice Attainment of consistent mind/body harmony one of the major goals of martial arts qi gong. Thinternal martial arts classics say that "the mind ( Yi or intention) leads the qi ( ) and the qi leads thstrength ( - li)." This principle tells us that without thcorrect mental intention, the qiand strength will not bfully available. When discussing this principle with hstudents, Ba Gua instructor Park Bok Nam gives a fesimple examples to illustrate this point. Park says th

if someone was engaged in an intense conversation witanother person and unbeknownst to him a third persocame up and put a five pound weight in his handhe would probably drop the weight because his minwas not sending energy to his hand. Because hmental focus was on the person he was engaging conversation, there was no intention in his hand, thuthere was no qi and no strength. However, if that samperson where to see another person ready to placve pounds in his hand, that ve pounds would beasy to hold up because the mind has sent energto the hand. Another example that Park uses to illustrate th

importance of the mind/body connection is to say thaif someone had a perfectly healthy arm and put thaarm in a sling for two weeks, when he tried to use thaarm again, it would be stiff and would not function weat rst. This is because the arm was not being used anthus the mind did not send energy to the arm for thtwo week period. When a part of the body is inactivenergy and blood do circulate to that area, howevebecause it is not being used, the mind only sends minimal amount of blood and energy. The point is thif the mental awareness and intention do not reach aareas of the body, the energy movement throughout thbody will not be optimal.

In the practice of internal martial arts, we not onwant an optimal ow of energy to all parts of the body fthe purpose of maintaining our health, we also want tdevelop an ability to move energy out to our extremitiinstantaneously for use in ghting. This requires ththe neurological and energetic connections be morhighly developed and rened than normal and thus thmind/body connections which work in relation witthese martial movements need to be developed to aeven greater degree. There are generally three areas of concern whediscussing the mind as it relates to qi gongor internmartial arts practice. These are: the overall ment

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state, mental awareness, and mental intention. Themental state should be one of calmness and well-being.The mental awareness should be one of keen observationand sensitivity inside and around the body without themind becoming pensive. The mental intention shouldbe focused, yet simple. During qi gong the mindshould remain as calm and inactive as possible whileremaining focused and aware. Next, we will discussthese three aspects of mental involvement in qi gongin more detail.

Cultivating a Feeling of Well-Being The overall mental state during qi gong practiceshould be one of inner peacefulness, joy, and happiness.A sense of ease and happiness will go a long way inhelping to promote the balanced ow of energy in thebody. A general feeling of happiness and well-being alsohelps the body conserve energy. Feelings of sadness,grief, worry, stress, anxiety, and anger consume energy.Of course, in internal arts practice, everything needsto be in a balanced state and thus even overjoy andover-happiness can consume too much energy. So thefeeling of happiness one cultivates during practice is a

gentle, calm feeling of joy and calmness. This is whymany systems of qi gongstart practice with what hasbecome popularly known as the "inner smile" exercise.Other systems have similar visualization exercisesto promote the feeling of internal well-being at thebeginning of each qi gong session. In Park Bok Nam'ssystem, students practice one of several differentvariations of what Park calls the "happiness" meditationprior to qi gong exercise (these meditations will beexplained in Park's next book, The Fundamentals of PaKua Chang, Volume II, which will be released by HighView Publications later this year).

Along with a sense of happiness, the mind should be

as still as possible during practice. The innate wisdomthe body has in regards to its own health and well-beingis its own best healer and strength builder. A mindwhich is too active can easily interfere with the naturalhealing process in a number of different ways. Generalmental chatter and noise can be an enormous energydrain on the body. Combine mental chatter with worry,stress, or anxiety and the mental energy drain becomesfar worse. Of all the internal body systems, the brainwastes the most energy. If the mind is calm andquiet, energy conservation and rebuilding will reachits optimum.

One need only stay awake all night to know exactly

how an active mind drains the body's energy. Even ifyou lay down in a bed and rest the body, if you do notsleep (rest the mind), the body's energy will feel drainedthe next day. However, if the stories that are told aboutmeditation masters are true, deep meditation is evenbetter at recharging the body's energy than a full night'ssleep. Everyone has heard the stories about meditationmasters who can meditate for a short period of time andfeel as though they have had a full night's sleep. InPark Bok Nam's system of Ba Gua, students are taughta system of meditation which leads to what Park refersto as "empty mind" meditation. Park himself firstexperienced the "empty mind" state after a one year

long training retreat in the mountains of Korea. the mind can be trained to become totally quiet, thnatural energy rebuilding and healing process wibe optimum.

If the mind is calm and quiet, the body will rebuiland heal itself in the most efcient and effective wapossible. This occurs not only because the mindinterference in the body's natural healing process minimized, but also because the body is conserving great deal of energy when the mind is calm. Howeve

obtaining a quiet mind and internally calm body is noeasy, it takes more patience and perseverance thamost practitioners are willing to commit.

In our modern society, where the majority of educatepeople work on computers and talk on phones all dathe major source of energy usage is the brain. At thend of the day an ofce worker will feel just as physicaldrained of energy as a construction worker because the amount of energy the mind can consume. Althougthe muscles of the ofce worker will not be sore, thbody will feel just as tired. In order to rebuild the spenenergy and maintain a healthy body the ofce workeneeds to move the body and relax the mind. This is wh

qi gong, or internal martial arts practice, is ideal for oumodern day world. Unfortunately, many who turn these disciplines for help never learn how to fully relathe mind. Relaxing the mind and learning how to creaan internal feeling of well-being and happiness should bthe rst priority in qi gongpractice. Without the abilito cultivate an internally calm and peaceful environmenthe practitioner will have difficulty reaching deepelevels of attainment in practice.

It is always helpful to precede any qi gongpracticcircle walking or otherwise, with a simple "happinesmeditation of some kind. Cultivating a feeling of welbeing, calming the mind, and forgetting about th

outside world will aid in conserving energy, rebuildinhealth, increasing mental focus, and uniting the minand body.

Mental Intention After the practitioner can obtain a feeling of internwell-being and calm the mind, he or she learns to focuthe mind. The mental focus, or intention, during qi gonpractice should be as simple as possible. If the mentfocus is not simple, the mind is too active and thuit is using too much energy. The best kind of mentvisualization to use in the beginning levels of practice a simple image which brings the mind to the hands. Th

practitioner can imagine the hands are moving througwater, lifting something heavy, pushing somethinpulling something, etc., anything which brings sensation of the hands moving against some sort slight resistance. If the mind feels as though the handare meeting some resistance, the mind will send energy the hands. If energy is sent from the torso to the handwithout the mind interfering with the movement energy between the torso and the hands, it is circulatinnaturally and efciently through the body.

At the beginning levels of practice the hands anbody should be engaged in simple movements so thit will be easier for the mind and body to connect.

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the movements are too complex in the beginning, themind will be unable to maintain complete intention andawareness. Usually, beginning level qi gongmovementsinvolve simple motions which help facilitate a full andbalanced energy ow in the whole body, starting withthe conception (ren mai - ) and governing (du mai-

) meridians. If the motion of the body is simple andthe alignments are correct, the practitioner can easilyand naturally encourage a strong, balanced, connectedow of energy in the ren and du meridians without

the use of strong intention. The mind need only befocused on the hands.

If the mind is trying to guide the energy through theren and du meridians from the torso to the hands alongsome special path or energy route, two problems canoccur. Number one is that the mind is too active. In qigongpractice simplicity is the key element. You wantto minimize mental activity. If the mind is trying toguide the qiall over the body, it is too active and thusit is wasting too much energy and full body awarenesscannot be maintained. The second problem is in tryingto force the qithough pathways it may not be ready to gothrough. A qi gongor internal martial arts practitioner

should never try to force energy to move in the body byutilizing strong mental intention. Progress in qi gongpractice should be gentle and gradual. If you thinkabout your hands, the qi will move to your hands. Ifit is moving to your hands, it is moving from the torso,where it is cultivated and stored, to your hands in themanner which is most appropriate for your individualbody at that given time. Do not interfere with thenatural process by trying to guide the qiwhere it doesnot want to go.

In the practice of qi gong, if the physical movementsare correctly designed to gently coax the energy to movein a balanced manner through all of the body's energy

meridians and collaterals, then one need only thinkabout the hands and feet during practice in order tohave the proper mental intention. While sitting orstanding still and trying to guide energy all around yourbody with your mind can be somewhat effective, it isinefcient and can lead to problems. As I will discusslater in the "body motion in qi gongpractice" sectionof this article, if the body is not involved in qi gongpractice, the practice is not complete. If the mind isoverinvolved in the practice, the results will not be asdeep and complications can easily arise.

There are a number of problems which can arisefrom qi gongexercises which rely too much on mental

visualization. Aside from the problems of forcing qiwhere it is not ready to go and overuse of the brain'senergy as discussed above, specic visualizations canalso lead to problems. Visualizations which run energyalong certain energy meridians can easily lead to energygetting "stuck" in the body if the mind cannot maintainfull concentration while it is leading the energy. Oncea sufficient amount of qi is flowing in body due tothe guidance of a specic mental visualization, if themind becomes distracted, the qi will rise to the head.This condition is known a "rising qi" and can be quiteuncomfortable and may lead to migraine headaches. Other visualizations which call for focusing on

any particular internal organ or energy center cacause problems if sending energy to those areas is nappropriate for the individual's physical conditionThese type of exercises should be prescribed like drugThe same is true of color visualizations and sounmeditations. For example, if a particular individual haliver trouble or his character is such that he easily loshis temper, that person should not meditate on the colred at all. He will only make matters worse.

The use of imagery, visualization, and stron

intention in the practice of qi gongor internal martiarts practice is useful, valid, and appropriate whepracticed correctly. Like anything else, when needethis practice should proceed gradually from very simpto more complex. The more complex should only bpracticed when the body and mind are ready and ausually practiced only for specic results unique an individual's progress. For instance, a visualizatiotechnique may be practiced to help correct a speciphysical problem, energy blockage, or energetimbalance. However, once those specific results aobtained, the practitioner always returns to the simplThe rule of thumb regarding the mind's involvement

qi gongis: simplicity is best.

Mental Awareness Internal and external awareness are key elements martial arts training. In order to expertly execute thsubtle techniques of the internal martial arts in a combsituation the practitioner needs to have cultivated a keeawareness of his own body, its movement, its energand its relationship to the body, movement, and energof an opponent. Sensitivity, awareness, and "listeninenergy ( - ting jing) are cultivated by forging a stronmind/body connection during martial exercise, formtraining, and qi gongpractice.

Mental intention and mental awareness work togethto provide a full mind/body integration. The use intention can be compared to an outgoing radar signand awareness can be compared to processing threturn signal. The mental energy is sent out to aparts of the body, and then the mind "listens" to wh"signals" are sent back. The eventual goal of practiis to have intention and awareness in all parts of thbody at all times. When a new student rst learns any martial arexercise or form, the mental awareness will be focuseon the gross physical motions of the exercise or formThe mind and body are busy working out the physic

alignments, coordination, timing, and balance necessato execute the motions correctly. Once the studenhas a basic physical understanding of the motions, thawareness should turn to the physical subtleties the movement. The internal connections, alignmentand mechanics are cultivated until these componenbecome natural and efcient.

Once the physical motions, proper alignments, internconnections and efcient, natural body mechanics ain place, the student's awareness can then turn towardthe energetic movement inside and around the body. simple visualization, which is designed to move energto distal points, can be added to the exercise and th

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mind can become aware of how the energy is moving. Isthere a feeling of warmth, buzzing, tingling, heaviness,pulsing, ticking, etc.? Does the energy feel as ifit is collecting, dispersing, moving upward, movingdownward, moving right to left, inside to out, etc.? Oncethe practitioner becomes conscious of the qi feeling andqi movement in the body, he or she tries to cultivatethat feeling and then become aware of new feelings andnew sensations. The more often a feeling is cultivated,the easier it will manifest and the stronger it will

become. Once certain feelings and sensations are cultivated,an experienced teacher will change the training so thatthe student will experience new feelings. For example,when a student has worked with a beginning levelexercise which is designed to bring a full feeling of qitothe hands, the exercise can then be changed or modiedsuch that the intention and movement involves thehands and forearms simultaneously so that a full qifeeling the entire length of the arms can be obtained.Once the student has experienced various sensations ofqiowing and moving throughout the body, he or she willthen be led to cultivate an experiential understanding of

the qioutside and around their body, then subsequentlythey will work to understand the relationship of their qito that of other individuals around them.

After the student experiences the movements andexercises on all of the various levels mentioned above,he or she can then begin to expand the awareness inpartner drills. The student gains an awareness of thespacial relationships, timing, rhythms, and movementsof his or her body in relation to someone else. The bodyand mind become sensitive to a partner's movementsand the student learns how to move efciently andeffectively in relation to the opponent while moving inaccordance with all of the principles of the internal

martial arts. In order to bring any movement through the levels ofawareness as described above, the student must haveenough patience to repeat each movement, or sequenceof movements, hundreds of times. Each repetitionshould be performed with full mental intention andawareness. If the repetitions are performed robotically,with no mind/body interaction, the movements will be"empty." Unfortunately many students do not take anexercise or sequence of movements past the rst stage.Once they "learn" the moves physically, they becomebored and want to learn something new. In qi gongpractice, the same exercise or movement sequences

need to be practiced hundreds of times before thestudent can gain full awareness and understandingof the movements.

While the mind needs to be active and involved ineverybody motion, the mind should never becomepensive. As mentioned previously, the mind should beas still and quiet as possible. The practitioner shouldalways maintain the status of a quiet observer. Ifsomething happens, acknowledge it and then let it pass.Using mental intention and keen awareness one canwork to deepen an experience or strengthen a sensation,however, it is important that the feeling or experience isbe "watched" and nurtured, not pondered. Be aware of

what is happening in and around the body, but do ndwell on any particular experience. Each experience simply a stepping stone to the next experience.

Whenever the student practices there should bsense of wonder and an open mind, but with a dose reality and practicality as applies to martial arts. Whever feelings and sensations the student might obtain practice, he or she should realize that there is alwaysomething more. Always use common sense in practicIf you feel a new sensation, do not get too excited abou

it. Acknowledge it and then continue "listening" fnew, or deeper, sensations.When practicing qi gong, do not limit yourself

knowledge gained from one or two profound experienceToday the internal martial arts are being saturated wit"new age" metaphysics and "healing" techniques whicare being built on the limited experiences of individuawho have touched upon some self-proclaimed "cosmiexperience. Don't base your reality on a few limiteexperiences or overvalue a single experience. There always something more. It is best to view all experienceas rungs on a ladder. Unfortunately, many times, when speaking

mind/body awareness, some instructors and studenlike to leave the real, practical world of martial artand begin to fantasize about phenomenal qipowers anabilities and the attainment of "spiritual enlightenmenthrough martial arts practice. While it is certainpossible to cultivate intuitive understanding and opeup higher levels of consciousness through the practice internal martial arts and qi gong, the nature of the martiarts vehicle is such that the body/mind awarenesshould be integrated fully before the body/mind/spirconnection can be cultivated. Students who expeprofound spiritual experiences to occur before the bodis coordinated, connected and harmonized with th

mind are jumping way ahead of themselves. On one occasion I was attending a class given byBa Gua instructor in Taiwan and a visiting Americaasked about spiritual growth through the practice Ba Gua. The teacher said that when practicing martiarts, the student should not worry about the spirit untthe body is full coordinated and balanced (internaland externally) and the mind can control every action the body. He said if the mind cannot control the bodif the intention (yi) is not in every move, the foundatiofor spiritual growth in martial arts will not be stronFor practice to be complete there should always be systematic gradual process. of development.

In the next installment of this article, we will discusthe involvement of body movement an