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Wu Xing Quan
- The 5 Elements
Wu Xing Quan is also
called Wu Quan, which are Pi, Beng, Zuan, Pao, and Heng. The old Kung-Fu guide
mentioned that this style of Kung-Fu is composed by five elements, which are
Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Soil. “Wu Xing Sheng Ke”, is the basic of Wu Xing
Quan and the primary combating principle.
Wu Xing Quan, deals inside with five organs which are lung,
liver, kidney, heart, and spleen; outside with five combating movements which
are: Pi, Beng, Zuan, Pao, and Heng. All five organs relate to all five
combating movements, each of them has it’s own important characteristic. They
belong to the most important traditional Kungfu civilization and are easy to
learn but hard to excel in.
Wu Xing Quan refers to combating with intention and metaphors
are used to express their characteristics, for example: axe, arrow, lightning,
canon, and shoot. Every style of Wu Xing Quan has its own combating principle,
and it is formed by the strict movement, and attacking objective. Wu Xing Quan does
confine to neither left part nor right part, length of distance, attacking area
and attack objectives. The experts can change instantly from palms to fists,
from fists to palms, fists and palm change mutually, refine the advanced
physical harmony, coordinate the upper and lower body parts, unify the inner
and outer force and that is the final skillful contrived boundary.
Wu Xing Quan, is the basis of Xing Yi Quan. Beginners have to
learn it with full attention and have to spend lots of energy and time, every
movement has to be practiced year by year with constant sacrifice otherwise
they would never achieve its high combating level.
Wu Xing Quan, all five styles start with left Shan Ti Shi because
it is its most important basic combating movement.
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Pi
Quan
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Pi Quan
Pi
Quan is the Gold element, the head of Wu Xing Quan.
Its movements are like the ones of an axe
whose main characteristic is to chop. This style of Wu Xing Quan is practiced
with the principle “Yi Qi Zhi Qi Luo”, which means start while breathing in and
end while breathing out. The force characteristic of Pi Quan is to keep a full
strong circle; step characteristic is to switch the left foot and the right
foot, and advance with the sequent steps.
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Beng
Quan
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Beng Quan
Beng Quan is the Wood
element.
Its form is like an arrow, which has the meaning to pierce the
opponent. This style of Wu Xing Quan is practiced with the principle “Yi Qi Zhi
Shen Suo”, which means to contract the physical movement when breathing in the
air and expand the physical movement when breathing out the air. The basic
practicing method is to punch with the left and right fist sequentially with
the full combating intention. Left foot in front and the right foot follows
sequentially behind when advancing.
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Zuan
Quan
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Zuan
Quan
Zuan Quan is the Water
element.
Its form has the same characteristics of a lightning like spring water
that turns over and drills. This style of Wu Xing Quan is practiced with the
principle “Yi Qi Zhi Fan Zuan”, which means to turn over the movement while
breathing in and performing drill movement while breathing out . The basis this
training is to move along diagonal straight and circle paths. The basic forms
of hands are change instantly between palms and fists, two fists drill
sequentially and two palms turn over sequentially. The basic movements of steps
are advancing sequentially straight.
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Pao
Quan
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Pao Quan
Pao Quan is the Fire
element.
The force and energy that characterize this form is the one of a
cannon. The meaning is to fire the cannon against which any force is
defenseless. This style of Wu Xing Quan is practiced with the principle “Yi Qi
Zhi Kai He”, which means to open while breathing in and close while breathing
out. It’s combating characteristic is to use one fist for attack and the other
one for defense to conquer the opponent’s attacks. Steps’ characteristic is to
advance with diagonal left and right direction. Balance is strengthened by
instantly changing the weight from one foot to the other. In Chinese this is
said “ Shu Shen Er Qi”.
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Heng
Quan
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Heng Quan
Heng Quan is the Soil
element.
The main characteristic of its form is shooting. The principle is to
shoot uninterruptedly the opponent. This style of Wu Xing Quan is practiced
with the principle “Yi Qi Zhi Fan Heng”, which means to turn over the movement
when breathing in and breathing out with a horizontal movement. The combating
characteristic is to turn out the punch under the elbows with a flat circle.
Steps’ characteristic is to advance with intersecting steps alternating the
left and right side. The sequent Heng Quan is also called as Out Heng Quan,
which is agile in advancing and retreating. Intersecting Heng Quan can also be
called Inner Heng Quan, which has an excellent stability and power.
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