Xingyiquan
From Karate, Kungfu, Wrestling, Mixed Fighting Information Source
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Xing Yi Quan, also known as Hsing I Chuan, is one of the oldest internal styles of the Chinese martial arts. Xingyiquan is commonly referred to as "Form and Mind" or "Form and Will Boxing." The name illustrates the strong emphasis placed on the motion of the body being subordinate to conscious control. This art features a wide array of forms and styles based on Chinese Cosmology. These forms are a set of fighting postures and movements that regulate the way fighters execute their techniques and react to their opponents. Xingyiquan is one of the constituent styles of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do.
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History
Techniques
Xingyiquan features aggressive attacks and simple, direct footwork. The linear nature of Xingyiquan is derived from the fact that it was developed as a purely military art with no concern for aesthetics. In spite of its hard, angular appearance, cultivating internal strength or qi is essential for generating power in Xingyiquan. Students are taught to make contact with the opponent rapidly and punch "through" him with a single explosive burst. This is done by coordinating one's body as a single attacking force and intense focusing of one's qi.
Efficiency, directness, and economy of movement are the qualities of a Xingyiquan fighter, using attack and defense simultaneously. There are few kicks, all kept below the waist. Xingyiquan favors high, wide stances. A popular proverb among Xingyiquan fighters is that "the hands do not leave the heart and the elbows do not leave the ribs" (except when actually throwing hand strikes, of course).
Styles
The three main styles of Xingyiquan are Shanxi, Hebei, and Henan. The three branches are rather similar because of the extensive cross-training among their students, thus minimizing any major differences. In general, schools of the Shanxi branch use a narrower stance and light, evasive footwork. Schools of the Hebei branch emphasize powerful punches and palm-strikes, with slightly different evasive footwork. Schools of the Henan branch are typically the most aggressive of the three, thus taking Xingyiquan to its most offensive extreme.
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