A.S.K.T. - 12 Animals of Xing Yi Quan

She Er Xing (Le tecniche dei 12 animali)

She Er Xing was also used to call Xing Quan, which are Long, Hu, Hou, Ma, Tuo, Ji, Ying, Xong, Tiao, She, Yao, and Yan. They can be translated by Dragon's form, tiger's form, monkey's form, horse's form, crocodile's form, rooster's form, eagle's form, bear's form, Tai's form (Tai is a disappeared bird, which uses it's talons as two fists to attack animals), snake's 's form, sparrow hawk's form, swallow's form. These styles of Xing Yi Quan are based on twelve animals' movements and combating characteristics. Dragon's form, has the form of movements to expand and contract itself, has the ability to attack with talons; tiger form, like the action when tiger leaves it's cave, has the bravery to fling self at it's food; etc, therefore, every form of She Er Xing conforms to it's animal's combating characteristics and special abilities, which can serve to our combating techniques and relate to our combating techniques. Compare She Er Xing to Wu Xing Quan (5 Elements), She Er Xing adds more methods of hands in combating, steps and kicks. If someone is excellent in She Er Xing, it can promote his physical strength; change his mental intention; achieve his objective, which is to keep fitness; specialize more of intention of attacking and defending, which enhances a high level of combating. Later translations are bequeathed of She Er Xing documents from the great master Che Yi Zai, and they introduce every style's training importance.

Dragon

Long Xing - Dragon

Dragon is the soul animal in Chinese traditional legend. It is said: “dragon’s form combating characteristic is based on the movements when the dragon dances with waves in the water”. It is also said: “dragon has the expanded form, method of contracting bones, and ability of attacking objectives with the talons”. Dragon’s form training importance is to advance straightly. There are several strict rules of Shen Fa (Physical harmony), methods of hands, steps and the switches of movements.

The intention of dragon’s form comes from the eyes, strength comes from the attacking talons, and internal air comes from Dan Tian (technical word of Chinese Kung-Fu, which means the center part of body that produces the central internal power). The body has to be very agile when practicing dragon’s form with instant switches of movements, like the invincible dragonflies around the sky with invisible movements. Its combating principle is “Yi Qi Zhi Sheng Jiang”, breathing in the air when rising and descending with breathing out the air

Tiger	*Hu Xing* *- Tiger* Tiger is the king of all the animals, which has the strongest power and bravery and no animal can against. Tiger’s form is based on the fierce tiger leaves it’s cave and fly self at the food. Training importance: get up the body, two palms attacking the combating objective sequentially and left foot and right foot switches advanced sequentially. Tiger’s form combating principle is “Yi Qi Zhi Tun Tu”, which means make the body be straight, contract the chest and belly, breathing the air with “Tun”, attacking and fling self at with breathing out the air which is “Tu”.

Monkey	*Hou Xing* *- Monkey* Monkey, has a clever and smart character. Monkey’s form is based on the monkey’s expand and contract movements and agility of jumping. Training characteristic: attacking and seizing with advance and retreat steps diagonally straightly. Basic steps are stays with tiptoes and small jumping steps. Basic attacking hands’ methods are tricking, seizing, hooking, snatching, stabbing, etc. These movements can express Monkey’s agility and speed. It’s combating principle is “ Yi Qi Lian Shen Suo”, contract back with breathing in air and expand advance with breathing out the air.

Horse	*Ma Xing - Horse* Horse, has the brave and diligent characteristic. Horse’s form is based on intense horse uses its hoofs to attack the opponent, which could destroy the attacking objective with it’s defenseless power. Horse’s form is practiced with two styles, which are “single” and “double”. Single training importance is to attack with a single strong fist sequentially. Double training importance is to attack with two powerful fists, switch the steps either from left to right or the opposite direction, and advance straightly. Its combating principle is “Yi Qi Zhi Tun Tu”. straight up the body, contract the chest and belly with breathing in the air, which is “Tun”; attacking with two fists strongly with breathing out the air, which is “Tu”.

Crocodile	*Tuo Xing - Crocodile* Actually, Crocodile might not be the best translation of Tuo, but it is very hard to describe, perhaps it is a disappeared animal, which might be similar to crocodile. Tuo, a rare animal was also used to called Yang Zi E, which is the Chinese crocodile. Its disposition is very fierce and cruel. It has the ability to stay on the surface of water and has the techniques to swim freely in the river, which are its combating characteristics. Its training importance is that the two hands have to relate to each other, which goes with Taoism principal “Yin Yang”. The two hands separate to other two directions and its step characteristic is that two feet advance diagonally straightly. Crocodile’s combating principle is “Yi Qi Zhi Qu Shen”, which means to breath in the air when bending the body and straighten the body with breathing out the air

Rooster

Ji Xing - Rooster

Rooster always fights each other for getting food. Rooster form’s is based on rooster ‘s ability, which is pecking at food. Training importance: two hands switch each other from positions of upper and lower and cooperate to legs to kick. Basic steps are to advance straightly. Rooster’s form combating principle is “Yi Qi Zhi Shou Zong”, which breathing in the air with the ready movement of combating and attacking with breathing out the air

Aquila

Ying Xing - Aquila & Xiong Xing - Orso

Eagle, a huge fierce bird, whose intention comes from eye and strength comes from talons; bear, a huge strong beast, whose prestige comes from when it gets out from its cave and power comes from it’s huge arms. Practice these two styles of Shi Er Xing, was usually used to be called “the cooperation of eagle and bear”. Eagle has the meaning to get down to hunt food and bear has the meaning to protect the upper attack. Practice these two styles, starts with upper direction with bear’s form and ends with lower direction with eagle’s form.

Orso

Old legend says: “Yin Yang Wei Mu, Qu Fa Wei Quan” (Yin and Yang are the bases of everything, and it’s method is also very important for the combating principles). The cooperation of these two styles, get up with bear’ form; get down with eagle’s form; expand with eagle’s form; contract with bear’s form; attack with eagle’s form; protect with bear’s form; breathing in the air with bear’s form and breathing in the air with eagle’s form, etc. Every technique and principle relates and follows the theory of “Yin, Yang”

Two forms training importance: head carries on with upper direction, eyes looking at the upper direction, two fists follow the upper direction, contract the body and two feet intersect diagonally, as the bear is ready to fight with the eagle; then expand the body with two feet intersect diagonally, eyes looking at the lower direction, all the sinews be forceful and attack the lower direction, as the eagle is attacking the bear. Two styles cooperate to each other, has the follow it’s combating principle “Yi Qi Zhi He”, which means breathing in the air with bear’s form and breathing out the air with eagle’s form.

Tai Bird	*Tai Xing - Tai Bird* (A disappeared fierce bird, smaller than eagle but more agile. It used to be called “fly tiger”) Tai, a disappeared fierce bird, which is smaller than eagle but more agile. It used to be called “fly tiger” in Chinese sayings. It attacks the animal with closed talons as two fists powerfully and stops itself instantly accurately after a strong assault. Its training importance is to separate two arms to the opposite directions, and then attack objective with a lower direction. Basic steps are the front foot moves to either left or right direction and behind foot follows sequentially, the buttock moves to left ad right direction to adjust the balance after the strong attacks. Tai form’s combating principle is “Yi Qi Zhi Ti Song”, which means to attack with breathing in the air and to stop and adjust the balance with breathing out the air.

Snake	*She Xing - Snake* Snake, has the ability to lie protractedly and separate the grass. It can to entwine, coil, spew and gulp; every part of body is agile and can be in using in the necessary conditions. She Xing is based on snake’s ability to gulp the food and separate the grass when it is moving. Its training importance is to repeat the movement sequentially and to advance with the straight diagonal directions. Its combating principle is “Yi Qi Zhi Tun Tu”, which is to gulp with breathing in the air and to spew with breathing out the air.

Sparrow Hawk	*Yao Xing - Sparrow Hawk* Sparrow hawk, a strong and aggressive bird. Yao Xing is based on sparrow hawk enters into forest with agile movements. Training importance: to advance as a straight line, incline and contract the body, as a flying sparrow hawk. Wrap two arms with the sequent follow steps, as a flying sparrow hawk entering into forest; close two arms, as a sparrow hawk contracts itself; steps always follow the changes of movements, as a sparrow hawk turns over the body; attack with fist in the upper direction, as a sparrow hawk flies onto the sky. Sparrow hawk’s form combating principle is “Yi Qi Zhi Kai He”, which means to close with breathing in the air and to open with breathing out the air.

Swallow	*Yan Xing - Swallow* Swallow, a very agile and prompt bird. Yan Xing is based on the swallow’s ability, which can touch the water surface as a stop. Its training importance: contract the body and make it lower, expand and make the body upper as fly onto the sky quickly since the body arrives the lowest point as the sallow touches the water’s surface. Basic steps are to advance straightly. Swallow’s form combating principle is “Yi Qi Lian Qi Fu”, which means to make the body lower with breathing in the air and make the body upper with breathing out the air.