Basic Training Method and system for Magui Baguazhang

At the end of the Qing dynasty, Chinese martial arts had reached its peak. Dong HaiChuan
had combined and integrated all the best aspects of each martial art to create a new style of
Chinese martial arts.
This method, now called Bagua, was a reolutionary step in terms of martial arts
deelopment because it is limitless. Because it is primarily circular, this made it different
from any other martial art practiced before. !ach and eery "alm is uni#ue, but they all
relate to the same basic principles of Bagua. A $"alm% is a routine of moements that allow
you to change directions while walking the circle, and also teach aluable martial principles
necessary for fighting. !ery original "alm passed down by Dong HaiChuan represents the
best practices of a particular martial art school from his time, and shows a different aspect
of martial arts.
&n ancient times it was said that if one achieed the aluable $dan tian% they would not
e'change it for a mountain of gold. (ith proper training from a #ualified teacher in )agui
Bagua*hang you can get this treasure. Bagua is truly the most precious thing in the world.
&f you practice Bagua you will doubtlessly agree, and praise the true Tao for its simplicity,
perfection and profundity.
&f you are willing, Bagua can rid your body of weaknesses and disease, it can allow you to
lie a spiritually and physically actie life.
&f you are willing, Bagua can bring you health and happiness for your whole life, and
proide you with a youthful way of life een after the age of +,.
&f you are willing, Bagua can bring you confidence through an actie and healthy lifestyle,
thus giing you a true martial arts spirit. Bagua can change you into a powerful and heroic
human being.
These are -ust a few of many attributes that Bagua can gie you.

Circle-walking
The primary method of training in Bagua is circle walking. Through the circle walking the
whole body is strengthened, health improed and maintained, illnesses can be cured, and
lifespan e'tended. &t is also the way to train the internal power and martial art techni#ues
for self.defense.
There are eight different ways of walking the circle/
0. Dragon walking 1. Bear walking
2. 3ion walking 4. Crab walking
5. !agle walking 6. 7ingle.hook walking
8. 9eaching towards the heaen and earth
walking
+. :in :ang fish walking
!ach way has a special stepping method as well as body position.

The Basic Palms
As preiously mentioned each "alm as well as (alking style represents the best practices
of a particular martial art school, and shows a different principle of Bagua*hang. Below are
the $)other "alms% for each (alking style. They are called $)other "alms% because they
are the cores for all other moements within each (alking style.

Eight Mother Palms of the Dragon
0. 7ingle Changing "alm 1. Double Changing "alm
2. ;ollowing "alm 4. Triple "iercing "alm
5. Dodging Body "alm 6. <rinding Body
8. 9eturning Body "alm +. 7pinning Body "alm


Eight Mother Palms of the Bear
0. 9olling =er the Body "alm 1. 7wimming Body "alm
2. Behind the Body "alm 4. 9eturning Body "alm
5. "ressing Body "alm 6. Crossing Hands "alm
8. Double 7eparating "unch "alm +. 7houlder 7trike "alm



Eight Mother Palms of the Lion
0. 3ion Holds the Ball "alm 1. 3ion 9olls =er Holding the Ball "alm
2. 3ion 9olls the Ball "alm 4. 3ion Catches the Ball "alm
5. 3ion throws the Ball "alm 6. 3ion Throws the Ball "alm in ;ollowing (ay
8. Dancing 3ion "alm +. 3ion 9olls a Big Ball "alm










Eight forceful Situation of the Eagle
0. !agle 9ides the (ind 1. !agle Circles to Change Direction
2. !agle Tilts in the (ind 4. !agle 7pirit <rabs the 9abbit
5. !agle "ierces the Heaens 6. !agle <rabs a ;ish
8. !agle Circles to ;our Directions +. !agle 7oars

Linking amming Eight Mother Palms of the Cra!
0. Body 7eparation 9amming "alm 1. 9eturn Back 9amming "alm
2. 9etreat 9amming "alm 4. 3inking 3eft and 9ight 9amming "alm
5. ;ollowing 9amming "alm 6. ;ront and 9ear 3inking 9amming "alm
8. ;ie !lement 3inking "alm +. 3inked Hard 9amming "alm
Eight mother "ostures of the Single #ook
0. 7ingle Hook Changing "osture 1. Double Hook Changing "osture
2. Cloud (aing Hook Changing
"osture
4. Hook "ulling and 3eading "osture
5. Hook 7licing and 7mashing "osture
6. Hook in <olden Cock and )onkey 7hape
"osture
8. Hook Dotting and 9eaching "osture +. 7ingle Hook Turning in ;our Direction "osture

Eight $igures of the %in-%ang $ish Model
0. Changeoer Design ;igure 1. Double Changeoer Design ;igure
2. 7piraling Design ;igure 4. ;lowing ;igure
5. Cloud (ae ;igure 6. ;olding ;igure
>nfortunately two of the eight palms hae been lost in time.

Eight Postures of the Point to the sky and "lunge into the earth
The eight different moements and postures for this hae not been taught through our grand
master 3iu (anChuan. (e could inent some moements, but honestly we do not want to
add anything that has not been authentically transmitted from 3iu (anChuan to the )a <ui
system.

&ther Bagua outines
&n order to ensure that Bagua became widely spread and practiced, Dong HaiChuan created
different Bagua forms to satisfy those who loe arious forms of martial art. &n order to
make it easier to be practiced as a group like Tai-iQuan, he created four routines, and
named them $Bagua ?hang.% (hat we now call Bagua at this time was called $Bagua
?huan ?hang%, which means the endlessly turning Bagua palms and was all practiced
within the circle.walking.
He created four routines that are uni#ue. >nfortunately, )aster 3iu (anChuan only passed
on the first two forms, the ++ form and the 01+ form. The other two hae been lost.
The ++ routine is based on the dragon form. &t contains many reaching palms @tan*hangA,
piercing palms @chuan*hangA, and following palms @shunshi *hangA. The body turns
continuously, the moements are clear and crisp, the stepping is almost e'clusiely Boubu
and Baibu, and the directions are taken clearly. &t must be done with good stability,
firmness, and an upright body, taking its place naturally between heaen and earth.
The 01+ routine is based on the lion and single hook forms. &t adances and retreats in an
orderly fashion, all moes linking together like a chain. &t is like a dragon soaring and a
tiger leaping, like a myriad of birds on the morning bree*e. &t contains deep feelings and
beauty, and is aesthetically pleasing to watch.
& feel that the two other routines are probably based on the yinyang diagram, the eagle
form, the crab form, and the point to the sky form, which & imagine would be e'traordinary.
)any things may be lost oer the years. &t really makes the hero shed tears oer the lost
skills of the ancientsC
;or real martial artists, practicing the forms is a waste of time and energy, but the four
forms that Dong HaiChuan passed down contain within them an artistic element and some
important philosophical principles and secrets. These are aspects of Bagua that go far
beyond mere martial art and so therefore need to be studied deeply. They are truly a
priceless piece of Chinese cultural heritage.
Although & feel my leel is not up to the preious generationDs standards, & would hate to
see these martial art forms disappear. & will try my best to teach and spread these two forms.
3iu (anChuan also knew the "aochui @cannon.fistA routine, which he taught to his son.in.
law 3i Tao, who in turn taught it to me. & do not though know the e'act lineage of this
routine. Did 3iu learn it from his uncle 3iu Qingfu or :in :u*hang, which means it came
from :in ;u, or did he learn it from )a <uiE Because & am unsure & hae not yet included
this routine as part of the )a <ui systemDs curriculum. This may change as further
information becomes aailable.

Basic Pair Practices
After a basic leel of training has been achieed in circle walking and the basic palms they
can be used in pair practices. (here all the Bagua principles can be applied to martial art
training. 7ome of these principles are/ pushing, lifting, dragging, leading, re-ecting, locking,
swooping, and drilling.
There are + different pair practices/
0A >sing the pair practice to train the changing palms @single changing, double changing,
and following changing palmsA.
1A >sing the pair practice to train drawing and leading palms, practicing drawing and
leading the opponents oncoming force away from the body.
2A >sing the pair practice to train the spearing palms @chuang*hangA.
4A >sing the pair practice to train the pressing down palm @ya*hangA.
5A >sing the pair practice to train the coiling palms.
6A >sing the pair practice to train the shoing palms @*huang*hangA.
8A >sing the pair practice to train the dragging palms @daishouA.
+A >sing the pair practice to train the grabbing and locking palms.
These pair practices are also done with all + )other "alms of the arious styles as well @i.e.
Dragon, Bear, 3ion, etcFA.

Basic Bagua 'ea"ons
Bagua has its own uni#ue weaponry that surpasses the normal leel of ancient weapons.
Before modern weaponry, they represented the highest leel of intelligence in terms of
weaponry deelopment. The methods for using these weapons hae been hidden within the
Bagua palms, which in turn hae been hidden within the circle walking. Through the circle
walking and special instruction the skills for using the weapons can be achieed.
There are four basic types of Bagua weapons, and each weapon is based on an aspect of
Bagua circle walking. These weapons are uni#ue to the Bagua style and can only be trained
through the circle walking. The moements for the weapons are e'actly the same as the
Bagua "alm they relate to.
The four weapons are/
0. The deer horn dagger 1. The Bagua broadsword
2. The Bagua calligraphy brush 4. The seen.star stick