Xing Yi Nei Gong

Xing Yi Health Maintenance and Internal Strength Development

Copyright © 1994 Dan Miller and Tim Cartmell

ISBN 1-883175-04-6
All Rights Reserved

Publi sh ed by High View Publication s

P.O. Box 51967
Pacific Grove. CA 93950

P rinted in the United States of America

Disc laimer
The author, translator. and publishe r of the book are not responsible
for any injury which may result from following the instructions contained
herein.

Before embarking on any of the phys ical activities descri bed in this
book, the reader sh ould consult his or her physician for advice regarding
their individual suitability for performing such activity.
 Table of Contents
Admowlcdgment s ,;
Dedication vii
Prl'face ,;
Translator's Prdace xiii
r:orward

Chapter 1 - Wa ngJi Wu and the Lineage of his Xing Vi Quan

WangJi \\"U'5 Xing Yi Quan Students 26

W;m g Ji \V1I'~ Principles of Living 30

Ch a p'e< 2 - Uu He X;n Y; Quan Wdtten Transrn; ss;on s 33

Introduction 34
Dai Long I~ang' s Forward :i6
Essentia l KnowledJ.:c for Marllal Arts Practi ce 36
S(III Ti 51,; (Trinity Posture) :t9
The Fiv(' Element Fists 40
Th(' Mutual Creation and Destruction of the five El emen ts 42
The Twelve I:orms 43
The Earth Dragon Canon ·U
TilTet' Fi sts, Three Clubs 44
Xing Vi Sword 44
Important Points of Body. Form , and Martial Pract ice 45
I~ody, Stepping. and Hand Methods 50
Internal Training (Nt'i Gill/X) 53
Combat 55

Chapter 3 - Xing Yi Quan Standing Jlracticl' ~7

Introduction S8
"",Ic Con"""
Postures and Images
63
68
Images frnm the Xing Vi Classics 73
I'Tal1 ic ing Sail Ti Sill 76

C hapte r 4 - Xing Vi Hea lth and Bod y Strengthening

Exercises: An Introdu ctio n 87

An Introduction by Wang !.ian Vi HK

A Brief InlrotlUl..1 ion \0 the Sixteen J Icalth Exercises 99

'"
Chapter 5 . Wan g Ji Wu 's Body Strengthening a nd
Health Maintenance Exercises 107

Editor's Introductio n lOA

Exercise One: Uniting til(' Origin<l) Qi ) \0
Exercisc Two: The jatle Dragon Weaves Around the Body liS
Exercise T h r~: Opening ami Closing Sooth('s the Meridians 119
Exercise Four: Ju Que and Xuan Wu Divide the North and South 124
Exercise Fi ve: Uphold the Heavens and Firm the Root 128
Exercise Six : Empty the Foot and Lift a Single Hand 134
E.:'(crcise Seven: Con centrate the Spirit and (;aze at the Ht'eI 138
Th(' Golden Cock Eats Rice
Exercise Eight: Ape Arms Enliven the BI(x)lj 144
Exercise Nine: Raising the Hack Seven Tim('s 14M
Exercise Ten: Bo th Fists Strike the Bark 152
ExerCise Ele\'c n: Ro tating the Wa ist St rengthens the Kidneys ISo
Exercise Twdve: Moving the Hips to the Left and Right 160
Exercise Th irteen: Pressing the Knees Regulates the Meridians 164
Exercise Fo urteen : Rubbing the Knees and Stretchin g the Body 16~
Exercise Fifteen : Yill Opens and YallS Closes 172
Exercise Sixteen: The Heels Kick Back 176
Supplemental Exercise: The Crawling Tigl'r 179
Song of the Sixteen lit'a lth E.wrdses 181
Afterward 182
Xing Vi Excn~ se~ Perro r m~d Lying On a Bed 1R3

Chapter 6 . Xing Yi Five Elemen t Spear 185

Introduction I ~fi
Splitting Spear 187
Drilling Spear 1~9
Smashing Spear 192
Pounding Spear 19 4
Crossing Spear 196

About the Translato r 199

About the Editor 200

iv
I f the dan tian is lacking, the qi will not be
sufficient. With insufficient qi, power will be
inadequate. The five elements and the twelve forms
will be empty. In this state, in defense one will be as
a city surrounded by a dry moat, in attack, one will
be like a strong soldier with a weak horse. One must
practice diligently everyday. Sitting in meditation
trying to become immortal will not cultivate the dan
tian.

. from Dai Long Bang's

Written Transmissions of
Xin Yi Liu He Quan

v
 Acknowledgements
First and foremost we would like to acknowledge Mr. Zhang Bao Yang and
Mr. Wang]in Vu for their willingness to share this information with the English
speaking world. Additionally I would like to thank the translato rs who helped
to translat e interviews with Zhang Bao Yang and Wang Jin Yu when Tim
Cartmell was not available. These individuals are: Bill Tucker, Huang Guo Qi,
and Xli Yu Hong. Their skill in translatio n and patience during the long hours
o f interviews is greatl y appreciated.
We would also like to thank Vince Black for proofreading and providing a
forward to this book, Na ncy Miller for her patience and proofreading, and Tim 's
wife Gu Feng Mei for her help in translating th e written material.
 Dedication

Wang Ji Wu (1891 - 1991)

..£#.~ j\
T his book is dedicated to t he memory of
Xing Yi Quan Master WangJi Wu.
Hi s lifelong dedicatio n to the martial and
healing arts a nd wi llingness to shiue
these arts open ly w ith oth ers shou ld
serve as an inspiration a nd example for
futu re generations.
 Preface
The material in this book ie; a clIimin.ltion of nea rly 100 years of experience
in the art of Xing Yi Quan by Mastcf Wa ng Ji Wu (.I..~ 1<.), over -10 years of
ex peri ence for each of Wang's students, Zhang Bao Ya ng (~k t 't%), WangJin Yu
(.I.i- ifl), and I-I e Yu Qi (M""+... .t), and over two yea rs of collahoration betwecn
Wang's student .. , myself and Tim Cartmell. This material is 'it raightforwa rcl,
practical, easy to learn, and time tested.
Tim C':artmell and I fir st mel Zhang Bao Yang Oil the s ixt h of Oclobl'f. 1992,
in Beijing, China . Wc wcrc a l the home of Xic Pei Qi (",.{" r,$.), a well known Ba
Glia practitioner in Beijing. Xic had known we were comi ng and had invitl'u
some of h i ~ martial arts fri c nd~ for the oCGtsiun. During our sla y al Xic's hom e
the focus of attention was Xi~ I'ei Qi and h is Ha Gua, however, I could not help
but not ice a distinguished l ook in~ elder gentleman sitting qui~tly in the corner
ohserving the interview. Just before we were about to 1~<I \' l' [ asked to be
introduced to the gentleman and found out Ill' was Xing Vi Quan ~'I aster Zhang
Bao Yall";, Pre-;idcnt of the Beijing Xing Yi Quan Association. Zhang gave me his
name ca rd Jlld I asked if we C'O uhJ visit with him in a few days. Zhang agreed
amI we arranged to meet him at his home on the eighth of U(tob~r.
When Tim and I arrived at Zhan g's home. two of h ie; Xing Yi brothers, He Vu
Qi and Pan Zhi Yuan (;'Lt ilf.), wcre there with him. I ac;ked Zhang and hh
classmate!l ahout their Xing Vi and they brought ou t some photographs of thei r
teacher, Wang Ji Wu, and some written material they had compiled ove r the
years. The old photographs faSCi nated m e, cc;pccial ly a series of photoc; c;howing
Wang Ji Wu performing a sci o f exerdses. I a~ked abou t the pholOwaphe; and
Zh,mg explained that these were a set of sixtt.'el1 health and hody strengthening
exercises th at hie; teacher had ,tudied over his lifetime of Xing Vi Quan practice
and experience with Chinese medicine. lli s teache r h,ld ~yst ema ti7.ed the set
and taught them to each of his Xing Yi Quan ~ tud cn t s as foundational training
for Xing Vi. Zhan,.; asked if I would like to sec the "et and allowed me to film him
practicing all of the exerchl:'!I. I was very ilTlprt'~St'tI with the !lilllJllil ity (If thl'
cxe rcises a nd the thoroughness of the exc rcise ~ct.
Zhang Bao Yang and his cla ssmates were very open and ,.;cnetou<; during o u r
first meeting. Zhang not o nl y showed u!> the ~ ixleen healing t',xt'H.'ises and
several of their Xing Vi Quan forms, but he allowed !lIe 10 l'Opy all of the
photographs he had collected o f his teacher a nd o the r Xing Vi Quail masters
during hi s 40 ycar" of e;ludying the art. Tim and I were so impres<;cd with Zhang
and hi s knowledge of Xing Vi Quan that 011 October 11th we went back to visit
him to co nduct a more in-depth interview. During this intervi ew Wl' gathered
more information about WangJi Wu and his Xing Vi Quan.
As impressed as Tim and I W(,Te ahout Zhang Bao Yang's knowledge of Xing
Yi, we were both equally impressed with his pere;onality a nd l"haracter. Tim
commented many times anout theciarityofZhang' ~c;poken word and his ability
to t'xpres<; himscl f verbally. Tim e;aid that it was obvious that Zhang was a man

viii
o f high education. Zll<Ing 's home and his per!loonal appearance wert' very neat
and tidy, he was alway!lo ene rgetic, had a ve ry pmitive attitude, willingly
an<;wered any of ollr questiom, and never hJd a bad thing to .~ay about anyone
cI~e aT a n y other Xing Vi system . While many ,\mericam have a so rnewhClt
romanli( vicw of the "sc-holar]y boxer" and thus think that th e~e a fe common
qualiti('s foulld in all of the old boxing ma~tcr~ , the fac t is that Zhang Bao Yang
is a wrt' individual in the box ing world in mainland Chi na.
Iidt China at Ihe end of Octoher, howt'vcr, Tim stayed in the Ilwinland for
<;(,yeral morc wceks befort' Tl'turn ing to Taiwan. During his travels Tim ran
across a book called Shell GU/lg (#:r}J) which was written by Wang Ji \'\ 'lI'S sun,
Wang UJII Yi tI.. l! ~). One of the chapter~ con tained til l" sixteen exercises
which Zhang Rao Yang had ,>hown us in Beijing. I began Ihinking about
publishing a hook which contained thi<; exercise set amI so I a.. ked Tim to
tramlate Whilt was written in Wang Lian Yi'~ hook. .
I returned to Beijing in Apri l 1993 .tnd agai n visited with Zhang Bao Yang on
several occasio ns. I told Zhang o f m y interest in publishing a book of hi <;
teacher', C'x('Tcisesa nd he thoughtlhat it would hea good idea. Uuring thi!lo trip
Lha nx wen! thro ugh e'll"h of thc sixtee n ext'H:hes in great detail whilc Bill
Tuc ker \T<.IO\latcd and 1took notc!>. When I returned home I compiled all oftht'
infonnat ion and photograpll!> th,l! I had received from Zhang Bao Yang with the
informa tion Tim had translated from Wang !.ian Vi's book to form the first
rough draft of t his boo\...
In Septemher 1993, 1 returned to Reijing and sho\wd the first rough d ra ft of
the book to Zhang. r found ou t that he and his classmates had also heen busy
preparin).; material for the book. They l)fc<;C'nt ('d me with revised copies of the
wri tten materiill they had givt'n me during my fir~t visit and aho gave me a vcry
detailed written description of each of til€' ex€'n;ht'!Io. Zhang Hao Yang and Wang
Jin Yu were not particulilrly fond of Ih(" way WangJi Wu's <;on had pres€'nted the
material in hi~ book. They felt that his presentiltion was too esoteri c and
involvcd tt)t) lIluch of the languaxc I)f C.hinese rlledicine. Zhang and Wang ft'lt
thai I he e.xl'n.:hes should be explained in a very ~t raightforward, usefu l manner
tlnd so they wanted 1l1l' to u .~c their explilnatiom of the exe rcises. You will find
that I have presented both Wang Lian Yi 's 1ll,lterial and Zha ng ijao Yang and
WangJin Yll '~ material in th h book.
After returning to the Uni ted Sta tes, I '>ent the new material to Tim Ca rtmell
to Iran ~lale . Thl;.' new material includt'd the Xing Yi Wrille'll TrmnlllissiollS,
Exp l anation~ of t he sixtee n exercises. and historical information perta in ing to
Wang)i \o\'U and 'Nang Fu Yuan. Additionally, the biographies of Wang'!>
studen ts were included.
Lletween NOVl'mber 1993 and March 1994, I put together all ohhe translated
information, wrote a hiography ot Wang)i Wu'~ Xing Yi lineage, added some
material Tim had written about Xi ng Vi 's !Iot.:tI1di ng pract ict', and printt.-'d a
!Ioecond rough draft of the book. In April 1994, Tim Cartmell and I went b,u.:k to
visit Zhan).; Bao Yang and Wang Jin Yu and showed them the ~ccond draft.
Zhang and Wang were both plt'ased \<"itll tht' way the book wa,> shaping up .
During Iht'se 1lI1"eting!>, we a~ked sam€' more detailed questiom about thc
exercbe!>, the w ritten transmb!>ions, and Xing Yi 's st'lIldin~ practice. Zha ng Hao
Yang also pO\l.:d for all of thl' photographs presented in the ~ections o n the
~ixteen ext.'n:bt'!Io and the standing practi(c. Additionally, Zhang gave us a video
tape he had pre pared which contained all of the solo form s. two-person sets,
weapons form s and supplemental exercises from their Xing Yi system. In cluded
on thi s ta pe was also a powe r tra ining set whereby Zhang performed Xing Vi 's
five elements with a long spear .
Since I wanted this book to represent all of the suppleme ntal healt h and
strength building exe rcises that a Xi ng Yi practitioner might practice in
con junction with th e standard Xing Yi forms and two-person sets, I decided to
add a chapter on th e power tra ining exercises wit h the long spear. Aft er ollr trip
to Beijing in April , I inco rporated the new material with th e draft version o f the
book and the result is what you now ho ld in you r hands.
The exercises presented in this book are simple and fun ctional. There is not
anything "esoteric" or "mystica l" abou t them. Like th e art o f Xing Vi itself, these
exercises arc direct, pract ica l, and they produce res u lt~ if prac ticed diligently.
Tn the Spring of 1993, Vince Bl ack. Tim Ca rtmell, and I wE' re interviewing a
Xing Yi master in Taiwan . We had been asking questio ns of thi s gent leman fo r
a couple of hours and as th e interview came to a d ose Vince said, "Before we end
this interv iew, are there any word s of advice that you can give us regarding th e
practice of Xi ng Yi." The ge ntleman thought for a minute and then said. "You
ca nnot be too smart and practice Xing Vi. Att ai nmen t of Xing Vi ski ll requires
repet it ion of the same thing thousands of times. If you th ink too much you will
not be content with repeating the sa me movements so many times. Practice
hard, kcl'p it simple, and don 't be too smart!" Th is is the same as the Xing Vi
Quan adage to " practice the plain Without embellishment, practi ce simp le
movement s lIntilthey are h ig hly refined. "
The same advice applies to the material present ed in this book. For best
results, the standing practice and healt h exercises should be practiced everyday
before and after forms pract ice. Do not try to (ead too much into the exercises,
keep them simple and practice everyday and the good results will na turall y
follow . We hope that YOll enjoy this b ook.

Dan Miller
Su mmer 1994
PaCifi c Grove. CA

,
 Translator's Preface
by Tim Cartmell

There have been many books o n Xing Vi Quan form s but very littl e written
o n training the basics and supplementary tra ining. Al l martial arts include both
forms training ('lila" tao) as well as suppleme ntary power trai ning (Jiall ,,?otlg) .
There is a famous quote in the Ch inese m a rtial arts world which states, "If one
practi ces martia l form s without also training for powe r, in the end o ne will have
achieved nothing. " It is OUf hop<' that this book wHl be usefu l to those
p ractitioners of Xing Vi Q uan (or any o ther martial art) who arc looking for
traditional methods of power training to supplement thei r art. It should be
no ted th at in add it ion to th e potential increase in martial power that th ese
exercises afford they are also excellent h ealth buildin~ methods in their own
right.
Why is it that the Chinese authors of books on Xi ng Yi Quan are willing ( 0
write extensively on th e p ractice of boxing fo rms, hut s llppl ~ m e nt ary power
tra ining is usually mentioned in passing. if at all? The answer lies in the fa ct that
boxing forms are useless unless the practitioner has the knowledge o f how they
arc applied and the power to apply them. As simple and basic as some of the
su pple men tary exercises may seem, they were ge nerally kept "secret." Th e
traditional concept of martial instruction was to drill a student in forms until
the teacher was con vinced of hi s sincerity a nd motives before the methods of
power training and application were revealed. And these methods were usually
co ncea led from the general public. Although in the modern world such ideas
ma y seem a hit archaic. keeping in such Info rmation secret is sti ll common
among many teachers.
Dan Miller and I were fortunate enough to meet Zhang Bao Yang by chance.
He had at o ne time been the hea d of the Beijing Xing Yi Quan Association and
now serves asan advisor. Zhang was one of th e top studen ts o fWan gJi Wu , who
in turn was o ne of th e great Xing Yi Quan masters of this ce ntu ry. Zhang Baa
Vang is one of those rare indi viduals who puts the promotion of his art above
hi s o wn personal gain . He met with Dan and I several times and was com pletely
open in sharing his knowledge wit h us. He taught us the set of sixteen exe rcises
for health which his teacher had sta ndardi zed a nd which formed the nucleus of
their basic training. Al tho ugh the method is refe rred to as a set of health
building exercises, th ese movements are also the foundation of power training.
In Xi An I came upon a copy o f a book written b y anot her of Wang Ji Wu 's
stude nts (hisson Wang Lian Yi) which included the sixtcen health exercises and
from which so me of the information in this book is taken. But the above
mentioned work left o ut many of the finer points which Zha ng Baa Yang later
included. Another o f Wang Ji Wu 's students, WangJ in Yu was also most helpful
in clari fyi ng the finer points o f training. The last time we visited Zhang. he also
showed us advanced methods o f power training with a long spea r which shou ld
prove to be most useful to advanced practitioners of the a rt. In addi tio n , there
is a rather extensive section on the benefits and practice of stance kt'cping,
another pillar of Xing Vi Quan basic training . I think this book is a n important
first step in presenting th e "other side" of Xi ng Vi Quan training and I ho pe yo u
will find the inform ation included he re useful to your m'm training.

Tim Cartmt'IJ
Summer 1994
Taipei , Taiwan

xii
 Foreword
by Vince Black

It is a privilege to writ e the fo rward to such a n important piece of work on

this lesser known aspect of traditio nal physical culture methods. Thi s book very
nearly stands alo ne in its o rigi nality as a contributio n from a most sen ior maste r
(and hi s stude nts) of a traditiona l school o f internal pugilism. This unique
position is ~ har ed by few others, perhaps o nly Sun Lu Tang and Wang Zi Ping,
due to the fact that few boxe rs attain such hi gh level skills and kn owledge in
both ma rtial arts and traditional Chinese medic ine, as well as possessing th e
literary skill of writi ng, each of which requires yea rs of stud y. Furthermore,
acquiring e,xpertise in these varied skills whil e trying to survive the tumultuous
historical period of the last ce ntury in China was a monumental achievement
in a nd of itse lf. The fact that we only now have it all consolidated in book form
isa notion th at req uires mo re than a passing thought to apprecia te. WangJi Wu
a nd his students, in two genera tions spanning one hund red years, steadfastly
persevered in thei r pursuit of a life of physical cu lture and medici ne thro ugh
famines, wars, mililary occupatio ns, and political and social revolutions, none
of which allows easil y the u n interrupted pursuit of these arts. In spite of the
d iscord and consta nt disruption in thei r lives, these in veterate boxers continued
to practice their arts a nd th is book is testimo ny no t only to thei r personal
achievement but to thei r willingness to share this knowledge openly with us.
WangJ i Wulived to 100 yea rs of age remaining rema rkably spry to very lat e
in life. Thi s impressive stretch of time allowed h is world view to enrich itself
several generatio ns longer than most peo ple; time to refin e and focus on the
poin ts that really matte r. His legacy was th en ca rried on by h is students Zhang
Rao Yang, Wa ngJin Yu , He Yu Qi, Wang Lian Vi, and others wh o have remained
d ose and con tinue to fo llow his example. Mr. Zhang Sao Vang and h is
associates have worked together to produce thi s work in memory of their teacher
a nd for th l' benefit of all those who val ue the traditional meth ods of physica l
cu lt iva tion of body, mind , and spirit .
In m y own pursuit of Xing Yi Qua n, spanning the last twenty yea rs, [ have
research ed many differe nt ex pressions of Xing Vi from various sources. While
each one may have th ei r own styli st ic difference. they a ll share the sa me
essential pri nciples o f the art in varyi ng degrees of empha sis. for m y personal
need I have selected several senior masters of Xi ng Vi from whom I draw to
develo p my personal art. My first "true teacher" in Xi ng Vi was Hsu Hong Ch i
of Ta ipei, Taiwan wh ose syste m I studied for te n years until his passi ng. Th e
others from whom I gleaned va llJable inSights a nd methods arc all men wh o
have for ty to fifty years experience in Xing VI a nd all of these men, without
exceptio n, have h igh regard for thei r co mple me ntary or ad junctive exercises.
Whi le ma ny o f the exe rcises were the same o r si milar versions, some would be
disti nctly unique to that master and cl ea rly refieclive of his favorite perso nal

Xlll
techniques, or at least his own cha racter and personal nature.
Supplementary exercises are oft en viewed as o pti onal or no nessential. This
is certainly a short sighted if not incorrect attitude. For th e lasllen yeiHS,1 have
traveled all over the U.S. and Canada teach ing Xing Vi Quan for the North
American Tang Shou Tao Association. In these efforts, working \.... ith study
groups of in ternal boxers I have come to rely who lehearted ly on our multi-
layered system of supplemtmtary exe rcises to supplant th e need of an ever
present teacher which is almost never possible. On many occasions, I have had
to respond to obse rvers, more fami liar with Ihe generic martial expressions of
Xing Vi proper, who would quest ion I he relations hip of these exercises as they
were unable to connect th em specifically to the more well -known Xing Vi
posturing. The perceptual problem results from the abstract nature of Xing Vi
developmen t in general and the tendency of hu man nature to attempt to relate
seemingly fam iliar components from o ne school of though t to another and
thereby short cha nge the more sublime attributes of th e other school. H.L
Mencken clea rl y grasped the problem when he sa id, "The criti C, to interpret hi s
artist, even understand his artist, must be able to get into the mind of h is arti st,
he mu st feel and comprehend the vast pressu re of the creiltive person ."
Upon thorough examination, Xi"S Yi Nd C;ollg offers the reader many
different perspectives from wh ich to view the more profound developmental
aspects of Xing Vi training fo r both the martial artists and for those interested
in merely maintaining their optimum health far into the twilight o f their yea rs .
Typical of Xing Vi methods, WangJi Wu's exercises are archetypically si mpl e in
design yet subtly profound in effect. Th is is quintesse ntial Xi ng Vi.
If th e fruit is any indication of the qUillity of the tree, then Me. Zhang Bao
Vang is proof positive of the efficacy of Wa ng Ji Wu 's methods. I fi rst met Mr.
Zhang Bao Vang seve ral years ago at his home in Beijing. We were wa iting in
his receiving roo m at his home when he arrived just before 11 :00 pm. I was
im mediately impressed with the casual and easy manner wit h which he moved
abollt the room offering us tea and food . Twenty minutes earlier we also ilad
to climb the ten flours of stairs to h is apartment and it seemed mo re taxing on
LI S than on thi s man in his seven ties. Shortly after his ilrriva l fro m a lo ng work
da y he received a couple from a neighboring apartment . It see med the woman
had thrown her back out and , nearly doubled over in pain, camc to Mr. Zhang
for emergency treatment. He graciously and energetically invited her to lie
down on a makeshift table and proceeded to gently work o n her. His methods
were si mpl e and few and he performed them effort leSSly. With in twenty
minutes she was lip and smiling, thanking him repeatedly. He sa w them off,
walking them down the hall part way home, typica l of Chincse etiquette, th en
returned to discuss his Qi Gong. He immediatcly took every opportu nity and
made every effort to see that we clearly understood he was not making any
extraordinary claims about his Qi methods. He didn't approve of flim flam and
abstruse mNhods of inexplicable pheno men a. He rega rded thi s kind o f
infatu.ttion with the bizarre as unhealthy and possibly dishonest. Once we we re
able to assure him we were not interested in those types of performan ce, he
openly and generously shared all that we were able toaddress in the time we had.
In subseque nt visits and opportuniti es to view his abilities both teaching and
performing his Xing Vi Nei Gong, Xing Vi Quan, and traditional medicine skills,
it was clear that he is a tru e representati ve of the highest expression of Chin ese

xiv
physical cultu re. Nor is he the lo ne basti on of Wang Ji Wu's teachings, for
several of his clost' associates in his kung tu family are equally refined in th eir
comprehension of the arts of Xing Yi and traditional Chinese medicin e as well
as their own personal character.
XillS Yi Nei GO/l.\: is nothing short of another mil estone in the deve lopment
of internal boxing in the English spea king world . It is in fa ct providi ng that very
element, so conspicuously missing in most Xing Vi programs, that is a specific
focus o n hea lth maintenance and internal strength development through
specific yet non-martial exe rcises. Some of th e form s are perfo rmed with
objecti ve simplicity that can be viewed as a furth er abstraction of the slightly
more subjective martial gestu ring that lies at the heart of the system, which
form s the root of certain martial stratagems. Other forms are less involved in
active move me nts and mo re usefully regarded as static postu ring in mimicry of
natural eleme nts, thereby ca pturing the psychological essence that li es at the
hea rt of the n atural power cult ivated in the process. It is this multi -d imensional
approach to ex plo ring and developing the essence of o ur nature that I find Xing
Yi a most faSCi nating art form .
This routine of Wang]i Wu 's has been deve loped, handed down, and further
developed, organ ized and expounded upon by generations of Xing Vi practitioners
of the highest order whose sole moti vation was a lifelo ng love for the art of Xing
Vi and whose hope and purpose was the preservation and pro liferation of thiS
magnifice nt art. As a method that targets ever higher levels of achievement ,
each exercise is built on a foundatio n developed by the previous exercise.
Bearing this in mind, o ne will progress more quickly and with more complete
results. Th is is not to dwell intellectually on these points but to simply
appreciate their mutual relatio nship . To be able to see the thousa nd in the one,
and the one in the thousa nd , one first has to man ifest the principle.
For the purpose of providing a deeper and broader view of the relationship
between these exercises and the Xing Yi system, several chapt ers have been
added to offer mo re linkage between the supplemental training and the martial
aspect s of the art. Mr. Miller's and Mr. Cartm ell 's discussion of the basic
concepts and structured analysis of the basic S{l/I ti posture of Xing Yi Quan offers
many depa rture points from whi ch to exa mine the va rious aspects of the basic
essentia ls entail ed in the Xi ng Yi foundation and manages to do so in a direct
" just the facts" manner. A reading that any aspiring practitioner will find useful.
The histo rical background in form ation, along with the man y rare photographs,
and th e mat eria l on the Xing Yi spear is an added bo nus for those practiti oners
who see k further personal research material.
We owe a debt o f thanks to Mr. Zhang Baa Yang, Mr. WangJi n Yu , Mr. He
Vu Qi, Mr. Wang Lian Yi, and all their brethren who shared in this contribution
to all future generations of Xi ng Yi practitio ners around the world . Fortunate
we are to have been able to, through them, reach deeply int o the past history
of our art and come to know th eir teacher Mr. WangJi Wu.

Vi nce Black
Su mmer 1994
Tucson, Arizona

xv
xvi
 Chapte r 1

WangJiWu
and the lineage of his
XingYi Quan

Xing Vi Quan Master Wang Ji Wu 0891· 1991)

Xing Yi Nei GOllg

Wang Ii Wu and the lineage

of his Xing Yi Quan
by Da n Mille r

Wang)i Wu L1. Jt 1'(), who was also known as Wang Zhong Gao (..1. it ).t) , wa~
a native of Shanxi Provi nce, Yu Ci Cou nty, Do ng Shan Village. He wa .. born in
1891. Hi s gra ndfather was a famous Chinese doctor and was cons idered
incorruptible. Likewise, Wang's fath er was charitable and en thusiastkilily acted
for the goudof the commu nit y. In his youth, Wa ng )i Wu studied in the village
school and was a gifted student . He had a natural love of martial arts and studi ed
what he could with the martial artists o f h is vil lage. He was a stude nt by day and
the watchman of a gou rd patch at night, which left plenty of time for martial arts
practiCt.' while at work. During a lifetime of stud y, Wang became an expert of
mart ial arts (i ncllldingqigollg -1l 'IJ) and Ch inese Medi ci ne (incl ud ing osteopathy).
Because of his deep understanding of both th e mart ial and medical ,Irb, his leve l
of attainment in both was very high. He led a stable life, placing justke abov€'
material gains, an d took pl easure
in helping others. Because o f
this, he was much respected and
admired hy his friends and family.

WangJi Wu 's Xing Yi li neage

At sixteen yea rs of age. Wang
Ji Wli moved to the city o f Tai
Yuan in Sha nx i Provi nce to
apprentice in business. Here,
when he was eighteen yea rs of
age, he was introduced to Wang
Fu Yuan (I..lfrx..), a top student
of tile famed Xing Yi Quan master
Liu Qi Lan (JHM).
Xing Yi Quan (H;:t.<f.) was
created at the e nd o f the Ming
Dynasty by Ji Long feng (if ft Ii..
- also known as Ji Ji Ke - -;u P.f.~)
of Shanxi Province. In succeeding
gener ati o n s the art spr ead
throughout ShanX i, Hebt'i, and
Henan provinces and
subsequently to the rest of the
world . Wang Ji Wu's Xi ng Yi
Qua n lineage is well known to A young Wa ng Ji Wu

2
 Lineage
Ji Ji Ke ~~ F!* "f
(Ji Long Feng) .jcf F£ J.i:l WangJi WU'S
I
Cao Ji Wu U6 ~ 3.>
XingYi Quan
Lineage
" .<'" "'-
Dai Long Bang f1.. fi ./~
S un LuTang

Guo Yun She D

til 1; if-
Li Kui Yuan
.'H i ;(.
J 11'. #.1'

Wang Xiang Zhui

SongShi De
ljljlfi.
;!Z'\!t"lt
Song Hu Chen
Song Shi Rong ;f:Jt ~
-{
;if: -t!!-.f.- Song Tie Lin
;!Z~.fA

Li Neng Ran
Li Ta i He

Liu Qi Lan
Li Cun Vi
4-4<1.
Ge na' Ji Shan
AA.~~
- t - Wang Fu Yuan
j Mu Xiu Vi
t~ 1~ ~
Wang Ji Wu
( Li Lou Neng)
"J -t I.iI l iii, ;iG .l...~ ,;\
HU,
* 't
Zhang Zhao Dong Peng Yi ng Xi
(4 i~~U
ik, !l*- H
Ba i Xi Yuan Lill Dian Ch en - Zhang Xia ng Zhai
Iolfu[{] lH!t~ ik# fi.
Zhou Ming Tai - Yuan We i Bin
j.!j 'A {;. it it M.
HeYong Heng Liu De Kuan
11' ,i< j;;.
Li Guang Xia ng
M e ngXing D e
1;.~lt
Wang Fe ng Xiang
Che Yi Zhai lJam
;f!. ~~ if Li Fu Zhen
-t- {t i~
Bu Xue KuaD
;/ji1l":t
Note: This lineage listing is by no mean s all inclusive. The names liste d here
nrc o nly those me ntioned e lsewhere in this book.

3
 Wang Ji Wu <le ft. - age 63 ) s its wi t h two o f his Xing Vi Quan fri e nds,
Mn Yu Tang (cente r - age 82) lind Zhang Xiang Zhui (nickn ame d the
" Iron Lohan" - age 80), This picture was take n in 1954. Wang Ji Wu
live d to be 100 y ear s old. Ma Yu Tang died a t 87, and
Zha ng Xi a ng Zhai live d to be 96,

those who are fiuniliar with the history of Xing Yi Quan. He was a seve n th
generation inllt~ritur of th e '> tyle of Xing Yi Quan wh ic h originated wit h Ji Ji Ke
(also known asJi Long reng), Ji Ji Ke passed his art to Cao Ji Wu who passed it
to Uai Long Rang, who in turn passed it to Li Neng Ran (also know n as I.i l.ou
Nellg). U Neng Ran taught Ull Qi Lan, who taught WangJi Wu's teacher, Wang
r:u Yuan. T hu~ WangJi Wu was of the seventh generation of Ji Ji Ke 's Xing Vi
Quan (see detailed lineage chart 0 11 the previous page).

Oai St y le Xin g Vi Q ua n (Ii. ~;tt3 -t ~)

T,~ o(\'tkvf X ifl o 1'1 Qudll w I'lL'dl Wdng if ,.~'1I (augot ana' praCtlCed'lS Known
as the Dai style of Xing Vi Quan (originally ca lled /.ill HI' Xi,I \'i QI/(II/--;?-: 1;- .-!;~ ~)
became it descendl'd from Cao Ji Wu's 'itude llt , lJai Long Rang.
Dai Long Bang was born in tile' beginning of Qing d y na~t y in Shanxi l'rovim.:c,
Qi Cou nt y. 111 '\ family had two SOIlS. He had an older brother named Dai Ling
Hang (it Ii ..Jlt). They hoth had liked practicing martial arts since they we re
young. As small boys, the two hrotht'r~ pract iced milll icing fighting movements
wit h sticks and other object'i they found and enjoyed practici ng kkki ng,
~t rctchi n g, lifting weights, and throwing sand bags. B}' the time Dai Long Ba ng
was in his teens hi~ arms were very ~trong. One day in the vilJilge a mill~tone fell
,JI1d no o ne could move it. Dai approached the stOI1l', squatted down, picked it
-r' ,m d put it ba ck were it bt'longed, Soon Dal became fillllOUS for h i ~ strength .
.... 1;'\ c<ll l('d him " two dunkey" Dai becau~e he wa'i so strong.

)111: year in th e 'iummer it rain ed co nI inll oll~ly for over ten days and the street
 Lineage
ou t in front of their shop became like a ri ve r. Someo ne was del ivering goods in
a wago n a nd tlH! wlwels of the wagon got caught in the mud. rou ror five workers
cou ldn't move the wagon out of the mud . Oai said, "Let me try. " With o ne
brea th aod a shove he pushed the wagon out of the mud . The people wiltching
sta rted ca lli ng h im "·;trong man " Da!.
Aftt'f Da! lifted the wagon, he heard a laugh ing voice behind him sayi ng, "Ha,
you arc rcally a Slrong man !" He turn ed <around and saw <Ill old man st anding
there. Oai felt that the OHm had a special look ahout him. Dili said, " I can tell
by you r accent you are frolll Qi Coun ty. However, I don 't th in k I ha vec"e r seen
you hefore." Dai a~ked h im who he was a nd the man sa id that his naille was Cao
Ji \\Ill. He had been tra veling for years and was now on his way home. D"i invited
him in for a rcst.
As Dai a nd Cao were walking th rough the courtya rd , th ey passed hy a tree.
Can aclro as if he wa~ tr ipped b)' a tree root and looked as if he wa~ ).;oi ng to fal l
forwa rd . Dai ).;rilbbcd Cao a round the waist in an a ttempt 10 pu ll him up hefore
he fe ll to the ground. No matte r how hard he- tried, Oai could not pull him up.
It wa .. iI !> if Cao had roots in the ground. Cao finally stood up, la ughed a nd sa id.
"Ha, ~ t ro n g man , where is your s tren~th now?" Da i knew that Cao wa~ a llIan
of uncommon ~kill and bowed before h im to a'ik to be<'olllt' hb studen t.
The next day Cao said he wa'i leaving to go hack to the (()un try~ide. Dai
begged him to stay. Cao agreed to 'itay for a few days. Dai fed him well and d id
everyt hing fo r him . Ca~. en joying this arrangement an d in no hurry to get
home, stayed with Dai for three month s. Everyday Oai asked if C.ao would te,l(h
him a nd Cao refused.
Dal a nd Cat) .. Iept in the ~ilmc room a nd one night Oai woke lip and di~covered
Cao was gone. The next few nights Dai pretended he wa~as l eep and each night
he ~ilW Cao sneaking ou t as soon as he thought D,li had fall en aslee p. Dili
prete nded to fall asleep again the next night a nd after Can had left, he went out
to see what Cao wa~ doi ng. When Cao reached the wall around the court ya rd
in front of Oa i's home he easily leapt ove r it. The wall was high so Oai had to
climb hb way over. Cao wellt out intoa clearing and began to practice hi s martial
"rl S. Ilis movement was fa st, il(t.:uratc a nd vicioll~. Dai wa s so irnpressl'd t ha t h e
coul d not cont,lin him~elf as he cried ou t in a mazemen t. Cao turned around and
seeing Dai ~aid, "I <tm old now and can' t move so well , pleil~edo not laugh at me
fo r doing martial a rt s th i'i wa)'.
They went back to havt:'tt:'<I. Cao said th at ~ince Dai had ~f'l? n him, he wou ld n 't
hi de the truth from him an ymore. He said "I was a inner door studellt ofJi Ji Ke
for ten years." Cao revea led that in th e scholarl y ex am ~ he had reached th e first
level and in the martial exa minations he had placed second . The Emperor gave
h im tht:' position as the c hief cons table of thl' coun t)' in Shanxi a nd then later
he bt:came the governor. He retained hi s puhlic poSition for over ten yea rs but
hecame tired or th e co rru pt ion. After resigning h is pOSit io n, hE' IIdt and tra veled
a round the coun try to met't people.
Cao found Oili to he very sinccre and trustworthy. He had stayed at Da i's
hOll1e for three m o nth ~ withollt accept ing him as a disciple in o rder to test h is
ch aracter. During thi s time, he saw that Dai wa~ honest and upright. Dai aga in
knelt and a~kcd to he accepted as a student a nd this time Cao agreed.
After agreei ll ~ to accl'pt Dai as a studen t, Cao told Oa i ahout his ow n teacher.
At the end o f the Ming Dynasty there wa~ a man fro m Yong)i Cou nty. Shanxi

5
Xing Yi Nei Gong
Provin ce. He was a Ill an o f grea t abilit-y named Ji Ji Ke. He wa s also known as
Ji Long Fe ng. He took th e imperial exams, passed the test with high marks and
became an official in Shaanxi. He was upright and honest and spoke the truth .
Because of hi s ho nesty, he upset some of hi s corrupt superiors and they forced
h im out of offi ce. After leaving office he then traveled around China.
On o ne occasion Ji wa s in Xi An visiting a fri end , It was getting dark and
start ed to rain so he ra il into a Jin g Wu temple. It was an old and dilapidated
place. He saw a statue of Yue Fei (.§;- 11l.) in th e temple and realized it was a temple
ded icat ed to the memory of Vue rei. Ji looked closely at th e statue and noticed
that it was crac ked . He could see somethin g insi de the crack and so he took his
sword and chipped away around the crack. Inside he fo und a manu script called
Yll e Fei's Six H an/lOlly X iII Yi Boxillg Mallllal. He was ve ry happy because everyone
knew about Yue Fei's family of martial arts but between ~ h e tim e Yue Fei was al ive
and Ji Ji Kc's time, the art had been lost. He fo llowed the manual and practiced
hard . He later went back to his home in Shanxi province. He copied the book
onto nice paper to preserve it. Ji later met and accept ed Cao )i Wu as 11i s di sc ip l e. ~
Dai Long Bang asked Cao what was special about Xing Vi . Cao said that it was
also called Lill He XiII Yi Quail (Six Harm ony Xi n Yi Bo xing) . There are twel ve
forllls and twelve styles, three turn ings and three returnings, methods of
attacking and methods of defending. All of these methods are together in o ne
body. The move ment s are very ag ile and adroit and can change ve ry qu ickly.
Eve n if you are walking in pit ch black night and there is a slight breeze, you will
react and turn with the breeze.
Dai became very excited and wanted to start learning immediately, Cao fe lt
Oa i's shoulders and said, "Although your shoulders are like steel and your dall
timl is hard, th ere is noth ing inside," He continued, "You ha ve the hard shell of
a strong man , but no int ernal substance. " Oal re plied, "1don 't understand what
you mean ." Caosa id, "Th e marti al art s you have pract iced in the past have been
practiced in correctl y. Because you have li ft ed heavy wei ghts, your body is very
hard and tight. With this ty pe of body, th ere is no way you can practi ce Xing Yi."
Oai Long Bang got n ervous and said, "Does th is mean th at I have ruined myself
and can not ever practice Xing Yi." Cao said that it was not too late and taught
Dai exercises sllch as th e ti ger step, ho w to squallike a mo nkey, and Sail Ti S/li
(tri nity standing posture), in o rder to o pen up h is body in side and culti vate h is
qi.
After a few days, Cao felt that Da i was praCtiCing the movement s correctly and
said "I am leavi ng you now. Practice t hese movements seriously for a year and
th en I will come back and see how you've done, I will then judge wh ether o r not
you are ready to lea rn Xi ng Yi. " A yea r later, Dai went o ut to pract ice one day
and saw an o ld man on th e ground on h is hands and knees. He went out to help
the old man get up . He couldn 't li ft the man 's body, but could lift h is arm . The
man turned around and Dai saw th at it wa s Cae Ji Wu. Cao said , "I see you have
been practici ng, you ca ll now li ft up m y arm . I think you are now read y to start
learn ing Xing Vi."

• The true origin of 1i 1i Ke·s Xing Yi Quan i ~ unkl1 own_ T h i ~ story about him finding Vue Fei· s manual
i5 the popular ve rsion of Xing Yi Quan's ori gin. howeve r. it cannot be ve rified. Some versio ns of th is
~tory suy he found Vue r ei 's manual in a cave. other~ ~ay it was given to him by a stra nger and the story
ahrlve says he round it in a temple. Others SHY th ut 1i 1i Ke urigin:ued Xing Yi himself based on th e
movements of the speur. The tru th will never be known.

6
 This pic ture was take n in the late Qing Dy nnsty whe n Guo Yun S h e n we nt to Taigu, S h anxi Province t o visit Ch e Vi Zhai.
Th e two ind.ividuals seated in the m iddle nre Ch e Yi Zhai (left) and Guo Yun S h e n (right). Th e r est ofthe people in the photograph t--
are C h e Vi Zhai's s tude nts. The t wo individuals practic ing in front are Li Fu Zhen (left) nn d "~nn Yong Qing (ri ght). S·
The people sta nding in the bac k (from leW lire : Snn G u a n g S hi Fu, Guo Yu S han, Wang Fe ng Xiang. Liu Jinn (sta nding in the 2
~
midd le) , Wa ng Zhi C ui, Me ng Li an S h e ng, a nd Wu Jie ~
 Can taught Dai some new exercises and then left again to allow him time to
pranice on hi~ own. This went on for eight years. Cao !!>howed up ilt Dai's home,
taught him ~ome new ('xerci~e~ and form s, slayed long enough loensure that Dai
was performing the exercbe~ mrre<.:tly ilnd then left for one year. One day, after
eight year~, Cao caine ba<.:k with ~ome ropes made of cow tendons and tied them
around Dai's waist. Dai lai d on the ground and Can~aid,'" am going tograb the
rope and lift you off the ground . The last time YOli lifted me, il is now my turn
to lift you ." Cao lifted and tIlE' rope broke. CaO said, "This rope broke not because
you don 't hi.IVC.I,'O/lg (/I or beca use r am 100 weak. It is thallhe rope is too weak
fo r both of us. \Vc arc now even."
Dai jumped up and s,lio, "How could r ever begin to compare myse lf to my
master. " Cao said, "For a good student. I can tell thl!Ill 'on e' and they can figure
out ' two: You arc now at the leve l w!Je re I tell you 'one' and you <.:an count to
ten on your own. You a rc the inheritorof mystyle." Cab I hen g<w(' Dai his ~word.
He said, "You ca n never he complacent. If yOll practi ce ont>day YOll gain ollE'liay.
IfYOlllllisso lle day, tlll'll yOll l o()~ete n days. Remember, alway., bediscriminating
in whom you teach ."
The next morning Dai wokI.' up and Cao was gone. He wait ed for him to re turn
for ten year~and th en went sC'a rching for him, but Cao was never found. Dai latl.'r
found out that Cao went to Jung Nan mountain , Ilear Xian, to cuitiv'ltl.' himself
and he died thl'H:. Dai Long Bang became the inheritor of t he style and practiced
dili gen tly. He came up with new th i ng~ from the old things. Xing Yi Quan
ent ered a new phase of develo pment with him, !!>o lit' b t:onsilit'red to be the
founlil'r of this style and it is now ca lled " Dai Fam ily Xing Yi Quan. " Oai Long
Bang was one of the mmt respected historic-a I figu res in mart ial arts i II Chi na, lu'
lived to be 90 years ol d . Dai's mo~t famou~ <;tudents were his son, Dai W('nJull,
h i~ nephew, Dai Wen Xiong, and Li Nt'ng Ra n. The Writt£'ll Tmmmiss;om wh ich
appear in Chapter 2 of th is book ' . . 'c re h anded UOI'ln from Dai I.ong Ilangand his
stude n t I.i Neng Ran.

I.i Nell g Ran <4 1le. ~)

Tile majority of the Northern '\lyle Xi ng Vi Quan that is practiced ilroll nd the
world today can be traced directly to Dai Long Bang's student, Li Ne ng Ran (also
known a<; I.i Lou Neng). Li Neng Itan was from Shell County in Heuei Provincc.
\Nh en he was .17 he went \0 Shanxi , Qi County and studied Xing Yi from Dai
Lo ng B.mgand later with Dai's nephew Dai Wen Xiong (it xlli. ). Hestudied for
yea rs arid beGlllll' VCTY good at Xing Yi a nd then taught martial arts to
b odyguard~. Li wa~ employed hy the owne r of a bodyguard service in Tai Gu ,
Shanxi Provill(c for a number of years and began teaching Xing Yl Quan in Tai
Cu. His first Xing Yi Quan disciple was Che Yi Zhai.
Since l.i :.Jeng I{an worked fo r a bodygu.ml s~ rvice, he frequentl y traveled a nd
taught ... Iuclent s in various parts of Shanxi ancl J lebei. Later, he moved back to
his home in She n County, Hehei Province and taught stude nts t here. Two of hi s
most fam ous students, Liu Qi Lan and Guo YU!i Shen were from Shell County.
1.i Neng I{anllad several !!>tudcnb who became vcry well known for their Xing Yi
Quan. Among them we re Che Vi Iha i, Guo Yun Shen, Uu Qi Lan, Bai Xi Yua n,
Song Shi Hong, SongShi Dl' and his son , Li Tai He. U's ~tudent.~ who did the most
to propaga tt> Ilis art Wt'rt' Che Vi Zhai, Song Shi Rong, Liu Qi Lan and Guo Yun
Shen. l.iu Qj Lan and Guo Yun Shell t.mght U N ~l1g Ran's Xin~ Yi in Shell

8
 Linea!!!!
Cou nt y, Hehei Provin ce, C h e Yi
Zha i and Song Shi Rong taught in
Shanxi Province,
Li Nen,g Ran could possibly be
called the " fi.tlhe r" of till' Northern
styles of XingY i Quan, Li is known
for refining and adding to what I lai
Long Bi.Ulg had taught him, li is
credited wit h d('veloping mall y of
thl' two-per~on fo rms, ~uch as IVI/
Xi"S SlIell,l( Ke eli. it ±~) and Ai
SlIe'lI 1'(/0 . qt, ~ ~), no w p racti ced
by Xi ng Vi practitio ners in northern
C hina , SOUle ~ay that he worked
alit these two-per ..on sets with his
to p stude nt Chl' Vi 7.hai.
Li Nl'ng I{an i~ a lso thought to
have changed some of the animal
~Iyles am.! added n e w a lle s,
Addi t ionally. it is thuught that Li
ca llle up with the principl e .. of
kec pitlg the elbow!'! elm£' 10 I Il l: rib ..
and keeping the fi sts in front o f the
heart , Hi s idea wa~ that Ihl'
C hc Yi Zha i (le ft ) with Guo Yun Sh e n pr;:tctitioner should ust: the body
in Tai C u. S b a nxi . and step .. in ~triking mo re than
llsi ng th(' e.\tt:mion o f th e anm a, in Ihe old style of Xing Vi.
Li NC'ng Ri.1O c reat t:'d man y nl'\\' ideas i.lI1d fo rms to add to tilt: art h e le'!TIlcd
fro m hi .. teaelle r, He was a great il lnovator .Intl i .. responsihle for coming lip w ith
many of the fllllliarne ntal princil-'Jcs of Xing Vi Quan practicC',

Ciw Y; Zha ; (if!- ~t ~)

C he Vi Zhai. also !...nown as Clll: Yong Ho ng (.. ik 1: ), was tht' second c hild
in hi s famil y and peo ple cal led him "C h e numhe r two," HI! was bo rn in 1833 in
Tai (..iu Cit y, Shanxi Provi n ce, Tao Yuan Hao Village, When h e wa" young hi"
la mil )' was very poor. From tlte time he was a small boy h e fo llowed his fath e r
10 do nl'lIllJall abo r. WIH; n h e wa .. Il'll h l' was sent lOa rich falllily's ranch 10 work
as a s he pherd ,
C hI;' wa .. of tell beaten <tnd c ursed at by h is e mploye r. 0111.' time h e h),t a fcma le
'heep and the fa mil y beat him with'l stick, Illi.l dc hi s father pay for the shccp <tnd
then fired him . Only a ft er his fath e r begged fo r hi .. job wa~ he acceptt'tI hac k.

' Ai Slim /"10. or "dose botly JlOundill/o: ," is also com monly I-.IIO\,·n as All SII1'II l'dO
I -~ ~ If!.) or "slahk body pounding," X in~ Vi practit 11l1l{' r S from Sh,lIIxi I'ro"i Ill'l' ~a y that
the ori).:inalnarnt' of this form \\'asAi Sl len 1'110, however, s il1u:~ many Xing Vi mC'n wcn;,
LlIiterate, somcwhere along the line the name Wd\ mistaken ly changed , While most
pract i I ioners ill Hl'bei Proviml' now call this form till Sllt'II/"UI many of thc practitioller,
LIl Shan ,xi Province still Ldlt it Ai SIII'II/'ao. Si nce thiS form was originally d{'\'C'lopctl to
pral1ice clo",:-in fighting '1ralegic, ,Ii )11C'11 /'''1I h thC' namc th;lt mal-.es mOTe sellse,

9
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Che Yi Zhai Song Shi Rong

However, this in cident left an impre<;sion on him ahoui bulli es and l1e vowed 10
study martial arts.
Everyday Che would carry it young calf in his ilrms while he exercised in order
to make himself st ronger. One day he was wrestling with a cow and threw it. His
empl oye r saw him alld took a switch to beat him. Che gra bbed the sw itch and
snapped it in half, Ihre\'" it on Ih e grou nd and quit his job. He then went to
another wealth y family in Ta i Gu and got a job driving an ox ca rt. His employer's
name was Wu Bo Nian (1(;fiJ 4-). At that lime Tai Gu had the nickname of "gold"
Tai Gli berause there were a lot of rir h pt'ople living there.
The streets ofTai (Ju Wefe narrow and thert' was not enough room for two carts
to pass each other in the alleys. There wa s a rule t hat if two carts met o n a street,
the person of hi ght'f social standing got to go first. One day Che was taking hi s
employer through an alley. They were almost to the end of th e alley when th e
wealthiest man in th e cou nty a pproached with his ra rt . e he said , "Ca n you just
back up a few feet and let me go th rough. " Che 's employe r whacked Che with
a stick and then got ou t and apologized to the other Illall because Che had no t
followed the proper eti quette. Che was shocked at the unfai rness of it all and
wanted to practice the martial art s with even stronge r resolve.
One day Che was at home wit h his boss. His boss' nephew came over illld saw
that Chc was very st rong. His ne phew's name was Wu Hong Pu (1( ~ 001) and
was a Shaolin st udent of a monk nallle Wang Chang Dong (..f.. £ t.). Che was
smart and saw the opportu n ity to practice martial art s and asked Wu Hong Pu
if he would teach him . Wu accepled Che as a stude nt. Chc practiced with Wu
Hong I'll for five years.
Wu Ho ng Pu recognized that Ch e Yi Zil ai had a lot of potential an d took him
to hi s teacher. Che began practic ing wit h Wang Cha ng Dong and hi s skill

10
 Lineage
improved grcatly. One day his boss, Wu Bo Nian, told Chc Vi Zhai that if he could
become very skilled at martial art'S, he cou ld he his bodygua rd and take care of
his house . Wu Bo Nian happened to have a friend named Men g and th e Meng
family told him that they had a really good martial artist who taught the
employecs of their bodyguard service. Th ey suggcsted to Wu that Che could
cO llle learn from him . The teacher of their bodyguard service happened to be
Xing Vi Quan master Li Ne ng Ran .
When Li Neng Ra n saw how hard Che practiccd, he agrecd to teach h im. The
Wu family brought U to their house and hired him to teach Chc Vi Zhai. Li often
had to go out to work as a bodyguard and escort convoys, however, he was back
in Tai Gu five or six times a year between tri ps. Whenever he was in Ta i Gu, he
taught Che. Because Li wasn't there a lot, Che also went hack to h is old Shaolin
teachcr to learn more. When Li heard about this, he was not angry. He was
touched by Che's en thusiasm. Because Che was so enthuSiastic, Li took him to
meet Dai Lo ng Bang's nephcw Dai Wen Xiong in Shanxi I)rovince, Qi county.
Dai had also been a bodygua rd, but was now retired. Che went to study with Dai
every ch ancc he got. Dai Wen Xiong was already qui te o ld by th en and didn 't
acccpt new students, but Li Lou Neng, who was one of hi s best students, talked
him into accept ing Che. Dai's home was 20 miles fro m where ehe lived and Che
walked there alm ost everyday to practice.
Dai Wen Xiong often sa id, o f my system I have two inheritors, Li Nc ng Ran
and e he Vi Zhai . He taught ewrything to ehe. He taught Che that martial arts
were to protect yourself and others and one should always be very se lective in
acce pting student s. Before Dai Wen Xiong died at the age of 96, he gave ehe his
ma nual of Xing Vi martial arts. Bl'Cause Che studied with Li and Dai, he studied
the whole bread th of the Xing Vi art and ca me to u nderstand the pure essence.
He became a famous martial artist , but he never bullied people. When people
came to challenge him , he did no t hurt them. Hc would ent ice them int o
emptiness and use t he ir own force against them.
Around thc turn of the century the Ch inese peoplc we re very weak. A corrupt
government, foreign invasion, opium addiction , and yea rs of bad harvest had
beaten them down . Che felt like he want ed to hel pstrengthcn the country and
the reputation of the Ch inese people. In 1888 in the Japanese concession in
TiOl njin, a sword con test was held . The Japanese reprcsentatiw had already
beaten severa l fam ous swordsmen from Tian jin and Beiji ng. He was a very good
swordsma n, but was also overly arrogant. He loved to make wild claims about
how good he was in front of the Chinese. Che heard about the challenge and
traveled to Tianjin . He got t hcre in the morning, went directly to the co ntest
place and jumped up on the platform. Some people in the audience recognized
him and word quick ly spread that the famous Xing Vi master Che Vi Zhai was
there. The crowd began clapping wildly. TheJapanese swordsman noticed from
the way Che jumped on the stage that he was skilled and so he stepped up
proudly, trying to hide h is fear. The Japanese man said, "You must not he afraid
of death if YOll have come to ch allenge me."
The two me n squa red off with swords and the Japanese man attacked. first.
e he allowed the Japanese martial art ist to back him to the edge of the plat fo rm
an d thcn Che suddenly whirled around and was behind hi s opponent. The
Japanese ma n was nowon theedgeofthe stage. Che poked him with h is sword
on the shoulder and h is opponent was teeteri ng on the edge. Instead of pu shing

11
Xi 1If! Yi Nei Conf!

Li Fu Zhen Song Tie Lin

him off or stabbing him , Che just backed up and said, "A- ha. "
Che then started making blindingly fast movements with hi~ sword and (:lIt
his opponent's wri<;\. The japanese opponent lost his sword and acknowledged
defeat. After that fight , Che beGlllll' fam ous all over China. The government
awa rded him the highest level or martial skill, recognizinghill1 for his achievement.
In 1900, during the Ho.xe r Rebellion. t ile "boxers" started their revolt in Tai
Gu and asked Cile to teach them martial art~. On July .11, 1900 they attacked an
America n church. Che was to old to go, hut he sent two of hb students, Meng
Xing De (.1. ~ it) .lIld Wang Feng Xiang (.£JiJ.. 1m and they were the first to go
in. They killed a g roupor American missionaries and felt it \....asa grea t honor for
C.h ina. l.atf'T, aftPrthe hoxer<; l o~ t the war, the famous Xing Yi instructor Li Cu n
Yi (-'t~.fl- ~ ), who had fought in the rebellion and killed many fore igners, ned
Heip ng because the foreigner s were after hil11. He went to Tai Gu and Che Yi Zhai
helped hide him. Che also sent his student Li ru Zhen (4- 1( ~ii) to stay with Jj
fo r protection. The foreigners had put a price on Li 's head, so many corrupt
C hin ese martial artists were after him. Li Fu Zhen wen l and killed them all. Li
Fu Zhcn wa.~ a servant at Wu 130 Nian's home and was Chc Yi Zhai's first student.
Durin~ Li Cun Vi 's stay in Tai Gu h e also spent more than 20 days practicing
Xing Yi in Song Shi Rung's cOllTtyard with Song's young student and nephew
Song Tie Lin. Later Song Tie Un ( ;f:fJ\.~ ) said that he and U compa red five
elemen ts, twelve animals and practiced Ai Sltel1 Pa() together. Song Tie Lin died
in 19 75 at the age of 9-1.
In 1856, Xing Yi Quan came to Tai Gu with Li Lou Nen).:. Li LOll Neng's first
Xing Yi disciple was Che Yi Zhai , the second was He Yong ll ong (nicknamed

12
 Li /If'age

Zhang Zhao Dong Li Cun Yi

"divine legs"), next was Li Guang Xiang, Song Shi Rong a nd h is brothe r Song Sh i
De. These were hi:, five fa molls studen ts in Tai (;u who later became kn own as
the "fivestar<;meeting in Tai Gu." T h ese fi vc studen ts later got togcth er wi th C he
Yi Zhai a nd called th eir style the Che fa mil y Xing Vi Quan.
The last time that Li Loti Neng went to Tai (;1I he was 79 yea rs o ld and could
'itill pe rform the Ai SI/ell rau form wit h Che Vi Zh,ti. As they were practicing, Li
noti ced that C: he hitt! changed some thin g:,. U was surpri sed. Clll' ~ aid , "Fo rgive
me fo r cha nging your form ." Li told Che that 11(' had cha nged it fo r the better.

Guo Yun Shell (~ 'iff )*-)

(;uo Ylin Shen 11,ld studied Xing Vi Quan with Li i"\e ng Ra n in Shen c.oll nty,
Ilebcl Province. Guo loved to fight whell he was young. When he fir st
approached Li Ne ng Ran wanting tu learn Xi ng Vi Quan, Li woul d not teach him
because Guo IVa'i of such a violent nat ure, Li told Guo thilt unless he could
cha nge his charactl'r, he would never teadl him martial art~. (; uo got;'1 joll as
a serVimt nca r Li 's home and would secretl), wat ch Li and his students practice
.x i liS Vi. (; 1I0 practiced HellS '1"all (.t1 '" - ~mashi IlHfbt ) on h is own for th ree years,
One day Li Ne n ~ Ran saw Guo pra(' t icin~ bellS (/11(111 ilnd noticed that Guo was
q:ry good ilt it alread}'. I.i realiLed that Guo wa~ <;ince re ,Ibout learnin~ Xing Vi
Qua n so he th en agreed to teach him.
Afte r Guo had 'itud ied wi th I.i fo r tI few years he ~ot a job a ~ a hou nty hunter.
The law of the day ~il id that a bount}' huntt:.'r was allowed to catch cri min als and
bring them in, however, the crimina ls had to be brough t in alive. On ont:.'
occa<;ion, Guo was huntin g a bandit wllo was !erroriL.ing travelers alon g a
Xi ng Yi Nei Gong

GengJi Shan P e ngYingXi

frequen tl y traveled road. Guo fou nd the bandit he was pursuing while the bandit
wa~ tngaged in a fight with a local escort service. Guo joined th e battl e and
captured the bandit, however, after he had captured h im, the bandit pull ed out
a concealed weapon and tri ed to kill Guo. Guo hit the man and killed him .
Recog nizing that he had done wrong, Guo turn ed him sel f in to the auth oriti es.
The penalty for such a cri me was death, however, the local magi strate's advi sors
begged him to com idcr not executing Guo because hl' was a rare talent in th e
martial arts. Instead of executio n, the magist rate sentenced Guo to three years
in prison. Whi le in pri~on Guo was manacl ed, however, he continued to prilctice
his Xing Vi Quan. When he came out of prison his skill was hi ghe r than when
he had entered.
Wh ile in prhun , Guo had developed what became known as bat/1m b('1lS qll CIII
(.:r- ~ iJlj $. - half stcp s ma ~hi n g fist ) and became so famou s for the power he
deve loped wi t I} thi s speci al punch that peoplc said that h is "half step smash ing
fist cou ld bea t all under heaven ." After being released from priso n, Guo \...·e nt to
vi.. it the esco rt service doing business in the area where the bandit he had kill ed
hild operated. He told them that ever since he had killed the bandi t, the road was
clear and their joh had Ix'come cas)'. He told the escort service that they owed
h im money bt.'"Came of the work he had don e fo r them. Hecause of h is martial
art.... kill , th ey did not want 10 quarre l with h im so they gave him some mo ney.
However, Guo would periodiGllIy com e back for more money and the esco rt
servicl' got tired of it. Inc;tcad of co nfron ti ng Guo directly, they sent a il'tt er to
Cuo' .. teacher Li Neng Ran .
I.i Ne ng Ran Gtll ed Guo b,t(k ho me and told h im that he shouldn 't both er th e

14
 Lineage
escort se rvice any more. Li abo said, " Plus, your gOllS (11 is nOI nearly
as good as
vou think it is. Your skill does not come close to that of your older
brot he r Che
Yi Zhai." In telling Guo this, Li wanted to teach him two lesso ns.
The fir st was
that he shou ld not be so arroga n t becaus e no matter how good someo
ne gets,
there is always someo ne better . The second reason was to try and bring
h im back
to com plete hi s Xi ng Yi trai n ing. Afte r G uo learn ed the five fists o
f Xing Vi, he
did not want to st udy anyth ing else. He \\'a5S0 good at a pplyi ng th e
five fists that
h(' never lost a fi ght, the refore, he conclu ded that he did not need
to learn
an yt hing else. Li had encour aged Guo to study Xing Yi Quan 's subseq
uen t form s
and two-pe rson sets after he had learned the five fi sts, but Guo th ough
t it was a
bother an d left Li before his Xing VI tra ining was compl ete.
L' pon hearin g that h is teache r though t that Che Vi Zhai 's skill was belter
than
hIS, {juo beca me angry a nd went to Shanxi Provin ce to find Che
Vi Zilai and
challenge hilll. When Guoa rri ved at Che's home, Che was happy to
sec him and
sai d "Uttl e broth er, I a m glad you have corn e to visit ! Let's have someth
i ng to
ea t. ·' Guo said, "No, I ca me here to fight ." Che tried to talk Guo out
offigh ting,
but Guo persisted and thus Che was left withou t a choice . Guo tried
to use hi s
[amom IJellS qlUlII ove r and ove r. ehe kept backin g away from Guo's
st ri kes and
hen quickl y turn ed to the side as Guo struck again a nd execut ed pi
ql/(m ( ~ ...
. splitti ng fi st). Che h el d the strike, sto pping inches from Guo's head.
Realizing
:hat Che had got th e best o f him, Guo sto pped and sa id , " It is just as
our teache r
has sa id, you are better then I. " Follow ing th is incide nt Guo never
bothered the
~o rt compa ny again and he went back to Li
Neng Ran in o rder to complete his
\ ing VI Quan train ing.

liu Q; Lan (J~ -.t lJi )

Liu Qi Lan was from Shen Count y in Hebei Provin ce, a very famou
s area for
martial arts. Shell Count y is in south- central Hebei nca r the capita
l city o f Sh i
Jia Zhua ng. There arc many freque ntly trave led roads that run
throug h this
county and thus large numbe rs of "marti a l a rt s bandit s" inhabi ted
the a rea and
robbed travelers. In additio n to th e bandits, there werE' a lso martia
l arti sts who
ra n protec tion services. These martial artists were hired to escort travele
rs and
protec t the m agains t the bandit s. Need le!s to say, the mart ial arti sts
in th is area
,f Hetx> i were highly skilled . Liu Qi Lan's Xi ng Yi Quan teache r,
Li Nellg Ran ,
hiS Xi ng Vi brothe r, Guo Yun Shen, and fourof Li u Qi Lan 's fam ous
studen ts, U
Cun Vi. Zha ng Zhao Dong (ij:.lt t.), GengJ i Shan (M..lt -f. ), and Wang
J:u Yuan
.!.lll j(.) were all fro m Shen Count y. Additio nally, the famo us second
gene ratio n
Sa Gua Zhang (i\.:tJ. 'f ) instruc tor Cheng Ting Hua Hl .6!..) was
al so from Shen
Count y and Su n Lu Tang (.tt. ~ 1:") studied his Xing Yi Quan with Guo
Yun Shen
In th is area of HebeL Guo Yun Shen's other
famou s studen t Wang Xiang Zhai
1. lifo "), the origina tor o f Yi Q Uail (-;t "") and Da Chellg Quail (::k
Ii( '*') was also
a native o f Shen Count y.
Zha ng Zhao Do ng met Liu Qi Lan when he was still a teenag er. Zhang
and
a group of his martial arts friends had all heard of th e famou s Xing
Vi man Li u
Qi La n a nd wan ted to meet him . The group got togeth er and
went to visit Liu
to ask if they cou ld stud y hi s art. In additio n to Zhang Zhao
Dong, Li Cu n Vi, and
GengJi Shan were also among the group. Most of these practit ioners
were in the ir
n ,enties . Zha ng was th e you ngest and thus he was known as "little broth
er." Liu

15
Xing Yi Ne i Gvng
agreed to teach them and thu s they would all frequently travel from th eir
respective home villages to study wit h Liu Qi Lan.
Li Qi Lan had man }' famous student s, in addition to Wang Fli Yuan. Zha ng
Zhao Dong, Li Cun Vi, GengJi Shan. Zhotl Ming Tai (J1lBJI :i..), and !.iu De Kua n
(JH.t ·t), he a lso taught the well kn own Ba Glia men C.heng Dian Hu a (:fyl.t'- l
and Liu Feng Chun (I'J JIJ.. ,ff..). Additionally, Liu had three sons that studi ed Xing
Vi , Liu Dian Chen l"JI.t~ - also known as Liu We n !-Iua - "J ~ .f), !.iu Rong Tang
*
("J 'i") and Liujin Tang ("J i$ .r-). Liu Qi Lan's secolld son, Litl Uian Chen, was
very good <It Xing Vi Quan and Dragon Form Sword. He was sim ilar to hi s fath er
in character and studied with his father for man y yea rs. He was powe rful and h h
technique was good. I.iu Dian Che n wrote a book titled XillS l'i Qru/ll's Secret
Skills.

Zha ng Xia ng Zil ai (5£c. ~f$) - The Iro n Lo ha n

One of Lill Uian Chen's top stude nts, Zhang XiangZhai (abo known as Zhang
Chang Fa " ~-/k.*), was very fam o us in Hebei fur his fighting abi lit y (see
photograph on page 4). Zhang had begun his martial arts training studying Ba
Gua Zhang in his teens wit h the fam o us Ba Gua inst ructor Che ng Ting Hua in
Beijing. Zhang had moved to Beijing from his home in Zhu Shill Ying, Hehei
Province, when he was young and got a job a pprenticing with a man whu ca rved
Chinese characters. He lived at his boss' home and wou ld ha ve to wake up ve ry
early, go to practice Ba fiua. and th en return home befo re hi s boss knew he wa,>
gone.
After Zhang had been with Che ng fo r three years he ret urn ed ho me to attend
a festival and rail into an old fri end . The t\ ....o fri ends discovered that they had
bot h been studying martial arts, <;0 they decided to have a contest. Si nce Zha ng's
fri end was a wrestler, th ey decided to have a wrestling match. When the two
fri ends fought, Zhang was beaten badl y. Angry that his friend had won , Zhang
said, "J wil! return in ten years and we will fip,ht again!" Zhang then went to study
Xi ng Vi Quan with Liu Qi Lan 's son , Liu Dian C hen.
Zhang prartired Xing Yi very hard and after three years of practice he Illet hi s
old friend once again. This time the two squared off to fight and Zhang
immed iat ely hit his oppone nt in the head with Xing Vi's "splitting fist " and
knocked him out. When Zhan g's friend ca me to he said , "You didn 't use
wrestling, th,lt was X i n~ Yi!" Zhang re pli ed. "11 does n' \mattcr wha t lust' as long
as I win! " Angered. the wre<;tler stood up and caml! at Zhang. Zhang sidestepped
the attack and th en darted in , picked up th e wrestler and slam med him on the
ground. Afte r this incident peo ple began to call him the " Iro n Lohan."
Later, Zh<lI1g Workel1 as a bod yguard and martial a rt s instructor and made a
reputation for himself as a ferocious fighter. On o ne occasion the famous
warlord general Zhang Zuo !.in (ij;; 1"f: tn wanted to hire Zh;:mg to teach martial
art s to hi s troops. He invited Zhang to h i'> home and asked him to demonstrate
hiSS-Oil,!.' {il . Zhang demonstrated tI ~word form , ho wever, when he was done the
observers did not appear very impressed. Zhang Zuo Lin 's wi fe sa id, "I have heard
that when practicing the sword, martial art s ma~l e rs can have water thrown at
them and \.... ill not get wet hecause the sword move~ so fast. Can you demo nstrate
this? " Zhan g replied, "Thi s is not possible. YOLI have read too many mart ial arts
fairy tales." She <Ippeared disappointed. Zhang said, " Yo u have see n my skill , if

16
 Lilleage
you do not think I am good, sl'nd me away,"
Zha ng Zuo Lin bought Zhang a room at a nearhy Inn for the n ight and asked
hi m to return the next day . The general th ell ca lled toge t he r som e o f hi s t roop~
who were known to be good fi ghters. HI.' planned to have Zhang fight the'ie me n
in order to really test lhang'<; martial art<; ahility. Tht' n ext day Zhang returned.
When t he troop'i 'iaw who it was they were 'iupposed to fight , none wan ted to
fig ht him . The ge neral then und Nstood how good a reputation Zhang had
amon g martial arlbts. Zh ang Xia ng l hai d ied tluring the Cultura l Revolution al
the age of 96.

Wans ) i Wu 's Xin g Yi Q ua n tl'ac h e r W a ng Fu Yua n CE. i£,,;1G}

Wang Fu Yuan ( 1848·1 YU) was nicknamed " Iron Arm Wa ng and was /I

known a~ a great Xing Vi Quan mil ~ter. Wallg wilsscnio r to. h b classmates Li Cun
Yi, GengJ i Shan, l.ill De Kuan, and lhang Zhao Don g (also known a~ Zha ng Zhan
Kui) Undl'r Uu Qi La n . Wang Fu Yuan wa'i from Liu Qi Lan 's horne village in Sheri
Cuu nt y, Heuci Provin ce, and 'itlld ied wit h !.iu Qi La n for nearly 25 yea r'i. li e
st udit'd Xing Vi with Liu Qi La n from the lime he wa~ lJ until he \\Ia~ 37 and he
never married.
W hen \Vang fu Yuan was thirtecn years ol d ( 186 1), he wa., .,ent to work a., an
atle nd~lI1t in Lill Qi Lan'., hOllle ilear in She n Count y. !.ill Qi Lan saw that t he
boy was intelligen t and hune.,t a nd atter a period of time acceptt'd him a.,a formal
st mkn !. Wallg Fu Yuan becanlt' the first " inner door" studen t of Liu Qi La n .
After s t lldyin~ with l. ill Qi Lan fo r many yea r'i, Wang Fu Yuan becaml' an
o ffi('er in th e militilfY and on one occ a ~ion wa::. Gllled upon to face a gang of
ban dits in Shell County. During the fight , Wa ng Fu Yuan killed the gang le'lller.
hom that tim e forward , the gang vowed to gel revenge and threatened Wang's
life. In order In avoi d havi n g to con stantl y look ove r h is sh o ulder, Wa n g left
town and we n t to livE' in Tai Gu, Sh anxi Provi n ce. When h e arrived in Sh anxi
Province h E' studied for a short tim e with hi s Xing Vi boxing "u ncle C h e Yi Zh ai.
C lle had hE'etl a c.:!assmat t> of Liu Qi Lan 's under U Ne ng Rim.
Wa ng Fu Yuan's power and skill were very gre'lt. He won the p rai'ie o f many
of the .,e n ior masters of tile day. O nce w hen guests had come to " isit, C h e Vi Zilai
o rdered Wang to demomtrate. Wang performed the 'iet Pml (jell· (~i tt) . He
~ tJrt e d o ff vcry slowly and grad ually illl'Teascd the pace until his queue wa~
, tand ing straigh t out IJE>hind him becausl' of the spt'ed of his mO"E'IIH:'nt. One
o f C ht' Yi Zh ai's top ~t ud elll', I.i Fu Zhen, wason the ~ide watching amI exclaimed
hh admi ration .
During the tim e he lived in Tai (ju, Wa n g Fu Yuan continued to train daily.
lie hea rd that th e Su farnilyofNan Mi in Yu Ci were looking to h ire a martial arti st
as the head of hou,ehold ~ec ur ity. With Che Vi Zhai's recomme ndation, Wang
I;ot the jo b. Th e Su famil)' wa, very wealthy, heing the o wn ers of several
profitab le pawn brokl'rage'i. Whilt' Wang Fu Yuan lived in Nan ~'I i, he stayed in

' PrIIl (~!'11 is a Xing Yi Quan exercise ... imila r to Ba (iua" circle walkin~ IHa{·ticc. hm...·('vt'r,
the- li rcle is vl:'r)' ... mall. It is a thr('{'·stcp turning exercise where {'wry step changes
duel!ion while tilt' hands arc lH'hJ in ;1 static pOSition. rho;> three ... tt')l practice is traint'<1
'>0 tllut the student ("an le.1rn how to qUi('kly e,'ad ... an '1IIack. o pen up tht' o p ponent, ,Ind
thl:'11 strike. Tht' fanil DmSlI1I e,mOI/. which j ... presen ted in the ~el'tion of til;... book on
\ml{ ),i 's Writtt'll t ransmh,ions, pertaim It) the 1'1111 Ct'" e:<t'rcise.

17
Xing Yi Nei Gong
Ihe back of one of the pawn shops.
On one occasion, Wang went to Yu Ci city 10 see his relatives. The distan ce
from Nan Mi 10 Yu Ci is aboullen Ii (jusl over three miles). Wangsel out at dusk
and when he arrived al Vu Ci City the gate had already been closed. To gain
entrance into the city Wang used his "lightness skill " and asce nded the willi .
After he had finished his busi ness, he set out for home. Nearing h is village, it was
a lready near daybreak. Wang came upo n a small river which was about len
meters across. He was always reluclant to display his skill in front of others, but
since it was ea rly morning and no one else wa<; around, he decided to jump over
the river. He backed away from the riv~r and then fi rst sprang forward about ten
feet. When his foot touched the g round he ::,titnlp(.'d down with h is rig ht foot
hchind his left, and springing up from the waist, he sailed over the river tn the
other side. Un known to Wang Ihe re was a man from his village who had arisen
early and was squatting in the grass relieving him seU.· This man saw Wang use
his ligh tness skill and told people in the village about it.
Besides practicing himself, Wang Fu Yuan began to accept students of h is own
while he was living in Na n Mi . La ter he also ta ugh t ~tu d ents in Ta i Yuan , that
is where Wang)i Wu met h im . Over a period of thirty years of teaching in ShanXi ,
Wang ~u Yuan\ ::,tudellts spread out all over the province. Many of Wang's
students became famou s in their own right. The famous " three Pengs," Pcng
Ying Xi (~; '* ~ ), PengTingJuan UJ:Jt ~) , and Peng Xi Tai (1;.a- :k.), together
with Mu Xiu Yi (;fl .,.,g,) a nd Wang)i Wu <.1.. .1f1 ~) were the top representatives
of Wang Fu Yuan . Wang f'u Yuan was instrume ntal in the spread of Xing Vi in
Shanxi Province. Wang never left Shanxi Province and, unlike his Xi ng Vi
brothers Li Cun Yi , Zhang Zhao Do ng, GengJi Shan , and Zhou Mi ng Tai , Wan g
never became famous. Wang's first concern was in training successors of h is art
and in Shanxi ProvincE' h is style has passed down to th is day.

Mu Xiu Yi ~ 11} B.7 )

Mu Xiu Yi was very fam ous in Shanxi province. The Ch inese sold a brand of
cigarettes called .. WIISIIIl" and put Mu Shu Yi 's pholoon thecoverofthe cigarette
package because he was so well known. Original ly he was a businessman and sold
fabric, however, whe n he was accepted as Wang Fu Yuan 's formal student , he
gave up hi s business and o nly studi ed Xing Yi Quan.
In a mountainous area of Shanxi Province, ca lled Mian Shan, there lived a
Budd hist Mo nk in a temple whose name was Oa Vou He. He was known to have
" Iron Head" skill. He would ri ng a large bell by ba nging it with his head to
demonst rate this skill. Whe n he hea rd about Mu Shu Yi he wanted to challenge
Mu in order to tt'st h is ::,kil l. At that time Mu was running a vinegar fa ctory. The
Buddh ist we nt to the factory to find Mu, however, on this occasion Mu was not
there. The monk to ld the o thers at the factory to tell Mu that he would be staying
at an In n outside the south gate. When Mu returned they told him about the
monk that had visited. Mu se nt o ne of the worke rs to go to where the monk was
stayi ng and invite him back.
When the monk arrived, Mu had a big dinne r waiting for him . He said,
"Welcome, pl ease come in and eat. " The monk said, "Than k you, but fi rst I would
like your in struct ion ." Which is a poli te way of saying, " Let's fight. " Mu said , As
/I

you wish . Would you like to fi gh t wi th bare hands o r weapons"!" The monk said

18
 l..ineage
that he wished to fight with long sta ffs. Mu agreed illld Ihey wellt into Ihe
cou rtyard 10 fight.
The two fighters squa red off ilOd as soon ilS the 'itaffs hit the mon k tried to
poke Mu in the sto mach. Mustepped back wi th his left foot and broughl hisst'lff
a rou nd to whack the monk on the himd. The monk 'iaw Mu's intended mO\'eillld
withdrew. Mu changed and h it the monk on the head wilh the very tip of his
staff, remo ving a large chunk of skin from the monk's forehead. Even though the
mo nk had a very ha rd head, he realized thilt if Mu's st ri ke had o f hit him on the
top of the head it would have killed him. Mu had controlled hi~ staff 'iO well that
it o nl y removed SOllie ~k i n. The mo nk could feel Mu''i power and recognized tll;'l!
his leve l of skill was supe rior. MlI '~ people wrapped up the monk's head and they
went to cat. Th e monk said, A... long as Master Mu is alive 1 will never admit tha i
.J

I kl1 o\\' gOllg {il!"

Wang Ji Wu 's stud y of Xin g Vi Qmm

At the time Wang )i Wu met Wang Fu Yuan h{' was Wang''i you n ge~1 student.
W;.mg)i Wu studied intensel y day and night for over ten years, training 'iO hard
that " his dripping sweat bore a hole throug h the rocks." Eventually Wang
maste red the highe r levels of th~ Xing Vi QUiln a rt , received the inner teaching~
of his master and developed im mense martial power.
Afte r a period of time tcaching in Tai)'uan, Wang Fu Yuan re turned 10 Vu Ci
and Wang)i Wu con tinued !>tud)'ing with his 'icnior (liI~!>male'i. After a year o r
two, Wa ng) i Wu retu rn ed to hi'i hometown to visit relative'i. While in Vu c:i,
Wang visited h is teacher and askl'd Wang Fu Yuan to check hb form. Wa ng Fu
Yua n told him th al not only had he not grasped llil' mllcep t ~ of the st),le, hut

Wa ng J i Wu (sitting) with a group o f stud e n ts o n 2 Nove mber. 1974.

Zhan g Bao Ya n g is s tunding directly to Wang's right , Wan g J in Yu is:
directly to Wang's le ft n nd He S h ou Q i is t o t he far righ t o f th e photo.

19
Xing Yi Ne.i GOllg
t.'ven his form wa<; wrong. 1'0 reillt.'d y tilt.' ~itllation, WangJi Wu qui t his job and
followed Wa ng Fu Yuan day and night pril(:til"in~ Xi ng Yi Qua n. Ry the time he
was 23 o r 2-1 , Wim~ Ji WtI wa<; fa st approaching 1Il<I ~tt' r y of th e boxing a rt.
Unfortunately, at tlth tilll!.' Wang Fu Yuan wa<; poisoned to death by a wrong
prescription of lIlt'uicin!.'. Wa ng Ji W u was hearlbroken . He and hh c1a~~mate!l
look ca re of Wa ng Fu Yua Il'~ fUIll'ral arrangCl1lc n 1<; a nd loo k hi s remai ns bar k to
hi~ pliKe of birth in She n COlillty. Hebei Provim:c.
After Wa ng Fu Yua n died, Wang Ji Wu kept hh ma!lter's teaching in mind and
practiced harul' r than ever. He continued his study of Xi n~ Yi Quan with Ih e
"Three Famous Pl'n~ '~" of Shanxi. These t h Tet> fam o us Xing Yi buxt'rs where "II
named Pellg, however, they Wt.'Tt.' nut fro m the <;ame imm ed iate famil y. Wang
studied primaril y with Peng Yong Xi. who wa~ hi~ older Xi ng Yi boxing "bro thC'T"
unut'r Wang Fu Yuan. Wang Fli Yuan had thret.' f.unom ~tlldt'nt s, Wa ngJi 'lNu.
Prng Yi nS Xi, anu ~11I Xill Vi.

Wang] i Wu 's 1J0 d yguard Servkl'

Aftl'r t he f<lll of the Qing cmpirt', Liuri ng th e ca rl y da y~ of t he Republic, t he area
of Shanxi where Wan g li ved wa~ cUlltrulkd by a warlord. Wang wa" oppmed \ 0
hi s rul e imu cumeq llcntly le ft the Province. Wang and two of his martial art ..
bruth~r!l , Pcng Ying Xi and ZI10U Hin g Zhe l1 (J!I *-~') , 1ll0VCU to Shi Jia Zhuang
in ll ebei ProvilKl' and ~t..'t lip an c<;cort and bodyguard servin". They ca l1t.'d tilt.>
bodyguard service Rm ri ({.:. Jl ). The S<'Tvic(' qui ckly made a name for itse lf alld
Wang Ji \\Iu became I..no\\'11 a ~ thl' " Rt'II Yi gentl ema n." Together with his
teacher'<; Xing Yi Quan classma te Li Cun Yi , who abo ran the fa rn om Yi Ile( A, :fu)
b(}dy~lIard <;('Tvice in l~a o LJillg, th ~ ir Xing Vi Qua n <;kill<; heca me very well
kn own .

Wang Ji Wu with students and brrandstudcnts on 20 Septembea" 1975.

Zhang Bao Yang is s itting second from right. Wang Jin Yu is to Wang
Ji Wu 's left, a nd He Shou Qi is to Wa ng Jin Yu's left.

20
 U llm ge

Wang Ji \Yu with a group of stude nts and b.....andstude nts

in Be ijing o n 20 S e pte mber 1982.

La ter. during the "wa rlord·' period in China , Wang was " invited " to (O llll;' and
"'('Irl\ fo r the IUCiIi warlo rd army, hut after careful con sideration he declined .
"":nu~ the "in vitatio n " had overtones of "you work for us o r we put yo u out of
husi llt:s'i, " he hild no choi ce but to leiwe the hodyguard bu siness in Shi Jia
Zhudng. From Sili Jia Zhuan g Wang traveled to Tianjin where he went into
wnt mercial husiness.

The Ma rtial Arti st

In 1922 Wang Ji Wu was visiting Taiyuan and we nt to observe a platform
ho \ing match . Liu Qi Lan 's second son Liu Dian Chell (who \vas a cla<;sma le of
\ ' ·ang Fu Yuan under Liu Qi Lan). and lllallY othcr ofth c elde r<; in the martial arts
( 'm munity wen.' in att endance. One of WangJi Wu 's Xing Vi Quan "cousins"
hb tcacher's X i n~ Vi brother'<; <;tudent) wa<; fi ghting a C hen Style Tai Ji Quan
ma~ t e r nallled Zhu Vuo JUIl (*-*11). Zhu was undefeat ed, hav i l1~ beaten
m. leel1 people in platform matches. During the fig ht, Wang slarted coaching h is
men d from the sidelines . Th e Chell master did not like Wang coac.: hing his
oppone nt and \0 he shouted . " If you know so much . ,·... h), uon ·t }'ou come up here
and Ir}'. " Wang jUOlp<>d lip o n th e platform and immediately knoc ked Zhu on
th~ ground. Zhu jumped up and tried to stall Wang in the eyl's with hi~ fingers.
\" ang reached out, blocked the jab and gr<lhhcd Zllu by the throat, lirting him
,tf the ground . Zllu couldn't move and Wang continued holding him until he
ha~ abo ut to pas.:; out. The polin' came up to the platform yelling, " Let l1im go,
\·ou a re trying to kill him ." Wang relea'icd his grip and knocked l hu to the
~ro u nd . He turned to the poli e£' and said , "Everything is all right , we arc just
ha \"L n~ a friendly match . No one wi\! get hurt. "
The next day Zhu came to Wang's room with gifts. The two di scussed martial

21
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Wang Ji Wu's students and grandstude nts o n 17 June 1984.

arts and bet.:'lme good frie nds. Two years lat er they met again in Sh ijia Zhuang.
Zhu had become- one- of the- chief ma rtial arts instrut.:tors for the Guo Min Dang
(~ ~1' - Kuo Min Tang) army. Wang was carrying some luggage and Zh u told
two soldiers to carry the bags for him. WangJi Wu's longtime student Zhang Bao
Yang (*-. t ~), who began studying with Wang in 1953, said that he met Zhu You
jun when Zhu came to visit his teacher in Beijing in 1954. He sa id that Zhu was
the one who told him the story about Wang defeating h im. Zhang said that his
teacher didn't like to tell such stories.
In 1933 Wangji Wu settled in Beijing where he was active in public service,
followed Daoist practices and studied Chan Huddhislll (Ze n). Through a n
introduction from Peng Ting juan, Wang began studyi ng Daoist methods of
health cultivation under the Daois! master Huo Cheng Guang (:( fi\. Jl ). During
the 19]0'5, Wang joined the liang Wan Zi Association and spe nt much of h is
time researching his mart ial arts, Daoist arts, and medicine. He was successful
in reaching new levels of practicc and it is during this period of time tha t he
created the Xing Vi Quan Sixteen Health Exercises which are presented in th is
hook.

The Patriot
W,mg Ji Wu's students say that he was noble-minded, magnanimous, and
above petty thing~. When he first arrived in Beiiing he worked fo r a cha ritable
organization and spent his time treating people who had heen injured duri ng the
Japanese War. After the fall ofTianjin and Beijill~, Wang put all his effort into
helpin~ those involved in the Japanese resistance get out of Beijing in orde r to
avoid capture. Olle time, a local m ilitia leader Zhang Qing Yu Gk Jf: -t-), was
twa ten by the japanese and he and his mcn were in grave danger. Although
Wangji Wu did not know Zhang Qing Yu personally, he responded to the call

22
 Lineage
for help and at great personal ri sk helped Zhang escape from danger. There are
many examples of WangJi Wu 's selfless service to his countrymen. One time
some of th t:' Chinese Underground Resistance fighters were captured in Tianjin
and were being held for ransom by the Japanese. Wang Ji Wu organized th e
coll ection of the ransom and secured the prisoners' release. He was known
widely for his sense of duty and generosity.

The lJoctor
While in Beijing. Wang became quite well known as a doctor, especially
skilled in the areas of bo ne setting and the treatment of external injuries. Many
patienb who had been plagued fo r years by various ailments were cured by Wang
Ji Wu. His reputatiun spread and Wang conti nut.-d his good work with
cha racteristi c enthusiasm.
In addition to fighting skills and IIri gOllg (v\1..tIJ). Wang aho .. tudied Ch inese
medicine, bone setting, and traumatology. He lat er became one of the four most
famous doctors in Beijing. Whenever he taught martial arts he always included
the medical training and Daoist meditation. Wang Ji Wu's daug hter, son, sun-
in-law, and sister-in-law all becamt' skilled doctors under his tutelage.
In his later years, besides teaching his children and grandchildren. WangJi
Wu taught many st ud enb Chinese medicine. His "inner doo r" di ..ciples include.
Wa ngJin Liang. Zhang !iao Yang. He Yi Ch i. Li Long Meng, PanJi Yuan and Wei
Yuan Hui. WangJi Wu was recognized for his outstanding abilitie~ as a doctor.
Wang Feng C:hun (one of the fou r top doctors in Beijing) and Chen Shu Ch ing
(,Ill expert in osteopathy) gave Wang Ji Wu the highest praise. Wang's medica l
tra ining was a family inheritance. Hisgrandfather, Wang Xing Kai, was a famous
dcx·tor o f internal and external medicine as well as osteopathy. Wang'e;
grandfather was unconcerned with profit and ofte n treated h is pati t'nts without
fee. Because WangJi Wu was a martial artist, he specialized in bone se tting.
WangJi Wu was always very fair in his trea tment of patients, often foregoing
the fee if the patient was unable to pay. One of the most valuable among the
prc<.:ious formula s for health which Wang offered was it set of Sixteen Health
building exercise~. The..e exercises had been passed down within the Xing Yi
school for a hundred years and Wang put them together in a systemati c fas hion .
After practicing thest' exe rcises si nce he was a young man , at the 'lgeuf 100 Wang
Ji Wu mailltdined a sharp mind, quick reactions, and perfect eyes ight (he could
read a newspaper without glasses). Wang often taught these exercises to hi ..
patients in order to speed th e healing process. WangJi Wu died o n September
13, 1991 in Beijing at the age of 100.

Wan g Ji Wu 's Xing Vi Qua n

Wa ng Ji Wu's Xi ng Yi Quan trai ning program is a very complete system for
both health and self-ddense. The system includes variou!> kinds of qi ,,{Otis and
meditation practices. numerous solo form s. two-person forms , weapons sets, and
power training . Addit ionally, Wa ng encouraged h is top students to study ami
practice Chinese Medicint' and Bone Setting.
When WilngJi Wu taught Xing Yi Quan th (> first thing he would teach his
.. tUtit'lits was a set of sixteen health huilding and body strengthening exe rcises
hl' had developed based on v,lCiuus developmental Xing Yi exerci ..es he !lad
lea rned from h is tl"a rher. These exercises served as a condi t ioning !>l't to help the

23
Xing Yi Nel OOf/1J

beginnin~ ~tudent ' .. hody and mind ~et ready for t he practi<:e of Xing Vi and Ihen
later served as a warm-up and cool down fo r Xing Yi form~ and two-person
practice.
Thi s ~et of exerci ses wa~ iI vital pari of Wang '~ Xing Vi training method for
numerous reasons . Not only docs the set condition the body by h e lpin~ to open
lip the joint .. , .. tretch the llIu ~de .. , and strengthen the tendom, hut it also helps
the studcnt ICilrn how to coon.Jillatc the mind , body and brea th . The ,Ibili!y to
totall y coordinate th e mind and body is one of the main go,lh of Xing Vi Quan
practice. The " powe r" of Xing Vi techniqu e rdi es o n this abilit y. Willlg]i Wu '~
method of teaching th l'~c ba .. ic exercise~ to bl'~inning ~ t uden t s helped them to
[earn how to integrate the mind and body early in th e training proce~~ .
Continual practice o f these exe rci<.e~ hy intermediate and advanc:cd students as
a warm-up a nd cool-down facilitated the proper men tal and ph y~ i<:al preparation
ami conclusion for each practicc sessio n and tl1m hi .. students were able to get
more out of each practice. Additionally, regu lar practice of til esc exerci ses helped
th e ~tude nt .. maintain optimum hea1l11 and tllU ~ they were ahle 10 avoi d injury
(I nd d h e;I't', en(l bli ng them to trai n harder everyday. The ,i xl ('('n hr a It 11 exe r ci!>e~

a re prese nted in Chaplen oJ Mid 5 o f thi s book.

After students had hegun 10 develop some mind/ body CQII!ll'ction, flexib ilit y,
coordiniltion (i nt ernal and exte rn;l1 ) and hala nce during the executio n of the
sixteen exercise~, \Vang then taught his: studcnt~ the Sail Ti Sl!i (.=.. tt ",) ~tandi ng
practic:e. The length of time each "Iude nl pr,H.'ti ced .. tanding e\'eryday o r
pml:tic:ed standing before they !'>tarted the five elelllent form'> de pend ed 0 11 their
constitution and their interl"st in developing high I('vel skill . Those who had a
strong body, patiellce, ,1/1<1 were determined to reach a high skilllcve l practiced
standi ng for a long time. Th e bodycOIlIII:'l1ioll, whole t:xx1y power, qi dc\'c1opmen t,
and mind/hody harmon y that arc forged during lo ng .. tanding sessions are vital
in thedcvclo pll1elll o f Xing Vi internal power. Those who were weak or who lost
interest in ~tanding would not be required losland for too lo ng . W.1ng tauf:ht two
standin g p(l~tlln"s to hi s Sill dent ... The first posture h~ called "'ingle hand" Sail
Ti and the St;'wnd pmture Iw callt.'d "douhle hand" Srlll Ti. The ~ tanding practice
ilS taught hy Wang]i Wu is presented in C hapter J o f this OOoJ...
After learning the Sail Ti Sid ~tanding lIIethod, Wang's stude nt s learned Xing
Vi 's five elemen ts. \ Vang''> five t'ie me n Is included Pi Qmm (~1;;f,. - Spl itti ng Fist),
Zuall Q//all \~ ~ - Vrilling HSI). Ill',,:>: Quail (,;; .. - S lllil ~ h ing Fi '\t), flt/o Q //(/I/ (:l@.,f>.
- Pounding Fi'>t) and two variati ons of /-Iellg QIf(III (~.,.. - Crm,illg Fi'\t), 51/1111 HII
I-JellS Quail (~tfi 5-~'" - Smooth Step C rOSS in).: Fi~t) and Ao nil HellS QII(///
( ~~ ~~;f. . I'wi!>lillg Stl'P C r o'>~ ing Fi st) . Nex t studenls learned two different
t\\'o-()cr~un forms , 1\'1/ HI/a Pao (A. .... ~ - Fi ve Flower Pound ing) a nd \V" X i"S
Slu:IIS Kt' Q UI/II Cli. ft i. JL ;f.. . Fi vt' tlclIlent Creat ive a nd n est ructivt' Fist ). These
form,> an,'" dt'riwd lrom the movcmentS of the five cle ment s.
IlIlo njunctio n with '> tudy of the two-person five eleme nl ~f'I '>, <,l!ldenb ;:!l~o
<;tudiC'c1 two different five element linking 10TlII!>. One b callrd He Yi ({;;' - -
Uniling illto One) and 111(' nth('T cal led /ill TI/; /.Iall 111/(/1/ QI/(/ /I (.i1!. i!ilJJ."--
C:n n linu o u ~ l y Linked ALlviJ ncin g and Retreating FiSt). Next til e stude nt .. WPrI"
taught another hasic sulu 10Tln 1:<III l'd /; Xillg ~i Ra ((4 If; eJ 4!. - Chicke n Form Four
(jraspin~) . I'll b lorm wa,> an impo rtant fou ndatio nal form whICh late r fonm
would huild upon . Aft er learning this fo rm th e Siude nb \\ouILl thell prarlic'f'
another two-person set call1:"tI \V" Slwll (ft. -f- - Fivp Ha/l d~) .

24
 Lineage
MIN building a solid foundation with Ihe above mentioned forms, Wa ng '~
~tude llt s would then learn Xing Vi 's twelve ani mal forms (SlIi F.r Xillg QI/(III -
+ =-1t; .f;.). Wang's lweIVI.' animal sets includeu the ~tandard Iwelve .m imal
fO rlm (Dragon, Tiger, Monkey, Il orse, Snake, Ch icken, Water LiL<m\ , Sparrow,
Swa llow, Tai Bird, Eagle, and Rea r) plus the foll owi ng add itional animal sets:
lu mping Dragon, Four Direction ~'I onkey, Com hi ned Eagle-Bear, and Bear
Shoulders. After stud)' of th e twelve animal sty l e~, stude nts were taught another
two-person form called 1\'11 X illg l'ao(Jl1Ii (li fi ~st - Five Eleme nt Cannon Fist ).
Thi s fo rm was followed by the comhined solo form s 0111 DOllS RII f)ollg (:!:;R A.. iR
- Leaving and Entering th e Cave). 511i Er HOIIS elllli (+;:..;:;..~ - Twelve Red
I-Jamme rs), Z(I 511i e /lll; (O-#... Ii - Mixed Form Beating), lifl Gallg B(/ SlIi (i:' Jtj i\. t\.
- HlJdtlha '~ Warrior Eight Form~ ), l.olIS Xitlg 8a Slii cn.;If} i\.. 'j\ . Dragon Style
I:.ight Forms), 511i Er Uall Quail (+ =- i.t . - Tweh'e I.inked f.iSb), and othe r two-
person forms as fo llow~: ZluJ/i Tao HII(IH Vt. t;. J• • Nine Linked Set), and All SIIeII
1'(/0 (~~ t.e.. - Stable Body Pounding).
Afte r ~tut!ying the solo and two-person bare h,lI1d formo;, .;;Iuden ts were tfll'1l
tau~ht weapomsels. Wallg'::. ::.y::.tem incl uded t\\'O Xing Vi sabe r forms (Continuous
Li nkingSaber and Measured Path Saber), four Xi ng Vi sworu forms (Continuously
Linked Sword , Advancing Stcp Sword, Retreating Step Sword, and Four Gale
Dragon Form Sword), three Xi ng Vi staff forms (two sets of Continuously Linked
\taff itnd a Three Section Staff form ), Xing Vi spear, Xing Vi needles, Xi ng Vi
double-headed "pear, illlt! Xing Vi large spea r. The large "pear work was practice
in order to develop power in the five clement" (thi s set is shown in Chapter 60f
this book) . 1-'....1ch of the five e le ment forms is practicrd with the Iilrgl' spear.
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Wang Ji Wu's Xing Yi Quan Students

translated by Tim Cartmell

A Ma rti a l Artist and Martia l Theorist: Wan g Jin Yu

by Zhang Bao Yang a nd He Yu Q i

Wang Jin Yu (1922 - ) was born in Hebei

Province. He g raduated from Beijing University
in the 1940's where he o riginally studied
Economics. He has researched history and
published severa l books. From 1980 to 1989 he
was an assistant professor of ancient Chinese at
the Chu ng Wen Television Un iversity.
Wang)in Yu began studying Xing Vi Quan
with Yuan Wei Bin L:.t. it"t.it), a Xing Yi student
of Zhou Ming Tai (who was Wang Fu Yua n's
classmate under Liu Qj Lan) while in Junior
High School. During the 1950's Wang Jin Yu
becameastudent ofWangJ i Wu . Unfortunately,
during the 1960's. WangJ in Yu lost his left arm
and h e was no longer able to pmctiu.' Xing YI
Quan . Wang]i Wu encouraged Wangjin Yu to
contribute to the art by studying its theory. In
the 1980's, Wa ng Jin Yu, with the help of his
WangJ;nYu
classmates Zha ng Bao Yang, He Yu Qi and Pan
Zhi Yuan put together the fi rst draft of Lill He
£i;:-f,f]
X if/ Yi Qlltlll: The Written Trallsmissions. At the same time, together with Zhang
Bao Yang. he and his son , Wang Huan Sheng, published X i" Yi Sixteen Exercises
for Health with a comparative analysis of both Chinese and Western medicine.
Heal so wroteA Trl'atiseoll Sail TiSIIi and Xi" Yi POl'lerTraiT/iT/g. Wang also studied
Qi GOIIS with his classmate Hu Yao Zht'n .
In addition to the abaVI:' mentioned martial arts books, Wa ng Jin Yu has also
written a n umber of other books including An Examination of Ancient Literature,
A Histury uf Prit1tlll<~, Chinese Painting Master Li KII Cilall, Gatl Til TOt1.~ Ii, and
revised the Home EllcycIopedifl ofClIUd Rearing.
Wang was a standing member of the first and second Xing YI Quan Research
Committe~~, is a member of the Reljlng City Qi Gong Research Association, and
is an instrurtorat the Keijilll(Ji Xian Martial Arts Academy. In 199 1 he retired
hum the Beijing Xi ng YI Qua n Research Committee and nowservesasan advisor.
He conthHl es his research of Xing Yi Quan.

26
 I~ineage

A Famous Practiti o ner of Xin Vi Liu He Quan :

Zha ng Ba o Yan g
by Wang Huan Sh eng

Zha ng Bao Yang (1922 - ) was born in Hebci

Province in the city o f Xingji. After graduation
fro m high school, Zhang moved to Beijing to
begin working. Du ring the 1950's, he began his
study of Xing YI Quan under Wang)i Wu . HI.'
fo llowed Wang day and night and learned the
inner teachings of the art. Practicing mar tial arts
morning and night, Zhang Baa Yang fo llowed
the advice of hi s teacher and studied with a
hu mble attitude and open mind.
Zha ng also wen t to study with the famou s Xin
Cheng mart ial arts master Zhang Chuang Fa
(also known as Zhang Xiang Zlla!, see photo on
page 4). Zhang Chuang Fa was a Xing Vi Quan
studen t of Uu Qi Lan's son Uu Wen Hua (also
known as Uu Dian Chen) and a Sa Gua Zhang
student of Cheng Ting Hua. Zhang Bao Yang's
boxing u ncle was Du Ji San, who was a student of
Zhang Bao Yang
Bu Xue Kuan, a student of Cile VI Zhai. Zhang
Bao Yang's teachers were all impressed with his
~ )!~
spirit a nd eagerness to learn and were more than happy to leach him .
When the Beijing Xing Vi Quan Research Association was established in 1983,
Zha ng Bao Yang was appointed director. Zhang's enthusia~m and sacrifice in
p romoting the martial arts has won him the praise and admiration of his peeTS.
His noto riety has attracted correspondence from martial artists all o ver th e
county. He was given an advisory position In theJi Nan Xing Vi Quan Research
ASSOCia tion , th e Fukie n San Min City Youth Martial Arts Team , tht' Beijing Sun
Style Tai Ji Quan Association, and is a coach of the HeijingJi Xian Martial Arts
Academy. As Xing Yi Quan is an internal martial art , Zhang also studied Qi GOllg
with Hu Vao Zhen in order to deepen hiS knowledge of internal power.
Zha ng Bao Yang is a lIlan of many talents. Besides studying osteopathy with
Wa ng Ji Wu, Zhang also studied acupun cture withJia Chu !.ian. In addition to
his ,lchievements in martial arL'i, Qi GOIIS, and medi cine, Zhang takes pleasure in
trea ting patients.
In o rder to furt he r resea rch Xing Yi Quan, Zhang and hb classmat e Wang]ln
Yu havecollahorated on o rganiZing and editing the Xing Yi Wrinl'1l Transmissions
and havp coauthored the manuscript Tile Nell' Wrilll'11 TransmissiOlls ofX ill )' j till
He. In addition, Zhang and his juninrclasslllatc, Wang Huan Sheng, have written
a book on WangJi Wu 's Xin Vi Sixteen Exercises for Health .
In 1991 , Zhang rc!.l~ned as head of the Xing Vi Resean.:11 Association , but
con i 111 lies iii!. involvement in an advisory role. He bahu a member of the Deijillg
City Qi Gong Research AssocialiOII . In 19Rn he began volunteering h is lime il ) a
medical practitio ner at iI local hmpital.

27
Xillg Yi lYe; Collg
Zhang Bao Yang has taughllllany stud ents. Hecallse of his open teaching, his
studmt s improve rapidl y and several of his students have become teachers in
their own right. Some of his students have begun teachi ng his art overseas. One
of his stude nt s, Du fu KUI1, ha'i been teaching in Czechosl ovakia .

A Practitioner of Xin Vi tiu He Quan : He Yu Qi

by Zhang Wu Be n

He VlI Qi ( 1930 - ) was born in Hebej Provin ce

in Ding Xing County. After middle school he
went to work in business and later in industry. li e
worked it~ an engineer a nd because of his skill was
very creative in the field , even tually retiring from
the Beijing Scientific Instruments firm.
He Vu Qi a nd Illy father , Zhang Bao Yang, were
both formal students o f Wang Ji Wu. He Yu Qi
becamea Xing Vi Quan stude nt of WangJi Wli in
1952 and in the sa me year also began studying Qi
GOlIgwith Hu YaoZhcn. Because He Yu Qi and my
father were neighbors, th ey often prilcticed
together. At my father 's request, I became a
student of He VU Qi.
Besides being proficient in usteopathy, He Yu
Qi studied acupuncture under Jia Chu Lian . He is
p roficient in the martial arts, medicine, and qi
gOllg and is a member of the Reiji ng Xing Yi Quan He YuQi
Research J\ssociiltion and the Beijing Q i Gong
Itesearch Association. Before ret irem en I, he o ft e n
1"]" ~J.~
Ireated friends and family members ilnd now
works together with my father,

28
 Lineage

A Practitioner of Xin Vi Liu He Quan: Wang Huan Sheng

by Zh ang Wu Ben

Wa ng Hun She ng ( 1954 . ) is the son of

Wang Jin Yu . He was born in Beijing and at
'Icven years o f age he was introduced by h is
fa ther to Wang Ji Wu and beca me Master
Wa ng'sstudent , stud ying both martial arts and
medidne. After graduat io n from middle school
he worked for a time in industry. Becauseofhi s
expertise in o!l1eopathy (h e lea rned the- essen ce
o f Wang Ji Wu's skill), he began wo rking in a
hospital. Wang Huan Sh eng was very popular
with th e patien ts and in o rder to furt h er his
medical knowledge, h e entered Ihe Beijing
Medical College, graduating in 1984.
Wang co mhined hi s knowledge of
traditional Ch inese medicine with that of
modern medicine with excellent results. Besides
his medi cal pr'l(."tice, he practices the martial
arts everyday . He possesses considerahl e Wang Huan Sheng
in l':-rn,ti puwer. .1.;Z. ,j.i:..
In the t 980's, under the guidance of Zhang .£ ~ 1Jf--
Bao Yang, He Sholl Qi and hi s fath e r, Wang Jin
Yu, Wang Huan Sheng completed a manuscript of WangJi WII 'S XiII Vi Sixteell
Hf'a /tl, Exercisf's. He combined his knowled ge of traditio n al and modern
metl idne, martial arts, and qi gOllg resulting in a new perspective which wa'l well
received by the populace and contrihuted 10 Ih ei r h ea tllt . In 19S6, Wang moved
to Iiong Ko n ~ a nd often I rave ls back a nd forth to Reiiing. Wang J-iuan Sheng h as
iJu ilt a fine re putation .

29
Xing Yi Nei Gong

In his own words, at th e age of 100, Wang Ji Wu describes

his principles of li vi ng a healthy life:
The heart is ca lm, quiet as still wate r
My own history is from the e nd of th e Qing Dynasty, through the period of
th e Republic to the Peopl e's Republi c, a.Lready a hundred years. My life has seen
its share of ups and downs, times of poverty and hardship, ho nor and dishonor,
the changes of the seasons, all of which have left a deep impression on mc. After
the founding of the People's Republic, my life became stable, but with Ihe
Cultural Revolution, d isaster once agai n uvcrmn the country and I was forced out
of business. All of th eSt.' events served as a means o f culti vating my spirit, and
afforded me the opportunity to practice the "~o ng fu " o f li vi ng in the world.
OIlC mu st always maintain it Lalm heart eve n when Influenced by the seven
emotions; joy, an~er, hllppin e!:>!:>, worry, sadness, fear , and surprise. The heart
rnu!:>t remain a'i ca llll i.I!:> !:> tiil water. never all ow in~ any pe rsona l desires to stir up
a ripple of dio;turbance . My thoughts are pure, in spirit I !:>cck to fo rget myself and
tmnscend the common affair'i of Ihe workl , keeping my life simple and my
desires few. With a clear heart, I do not contend with others o r make delllillllh
upon Ihf' world, but rath er 'ieek to contribute what I can ror the be nefit of all ,
aidillg those In need and protecting those in danger .
Without desi re o ne is strong, without desire one Is quiet, without desire o ne
may return to thai whil'h i::. natural , With out desire o ne return s 10 Ihe o riginal

30
 Lineage
state. With a heart like still water, from the ex treme stillness will spring act ion,
from the void comes that which is alive, yin and ),allg are in harmony and th e qi
fl ows unimpeded . With a heart like still water the qi is sufficient and the spirit
fu ll. When the qi Is surficient and the spi rit full , the organs fu nction normally,
the blood is nourished, the meridia ns, nerves, digestion and circulation are all
heal thy and the metabolism stimulated . Wh en the fact ors wh ich prevent aging
are all strong, o ne ma y preven t il lness and live a long and health y li fe.
Hum ans are wholistic beings wh ich arc possessed o f a certain vitality. Th e
sp irit and fl esh are inseparable and fo rm a complicated enti ty. The human
vi tality supports, influences and is responsive to the person as a whole, while the
spirit is the leader and contro ller, the "comm ander·in-chief" of the bei ng as a
who le. Under certain circumstances, it can be said that the spi ri t "pulls at one
hai r and the whole body follows" or at the slightest sti rri ng of the spirit th e wh ole
being responds, and each moveme nt of the spirit has a real effect on the
ind ivid ual. Therefore, I put special emphasis o n the spi rit as the leader, ever
strengthening my resolve to cultivate th e spirit, maintain calmness of th e heart
and become as pure as li ght without a speck of dust. This is akin to the mean ing
of a Song Dynasty poet who wrole "to understand the highest virtue," applied
10 the prescnt time. Better yet, th is culti vatio n o f th e spirit and hea rt will
improve the ph ysical constitution of the people, protect thei r health, and
co ntribute to a lo ng and healthy life.

Live a n enthusiastic life, serve the public good .

I have traveled th e long road of life, experiend ng hardship, difficulty and I
know the sentiment of man is often as th in as paper. I have seen corruptiOn and
those whose on ly concern is rea lizi ng th ei r own desires. Because of Ihls, I ha ve
strived even harder to live a practical life, willing to sacrifice even mo re for the
good of the people. After th e founding of the Republic, I spent my tim e working
in the streets as a doctor, treating an yone who came 10 me for help with
wholehearted enl husiasm. When o ne fi nds ha ppiness in serving others, o ne will
be full of the spirit of life, seeing thi ngs as they are with a calm hea rt . Thus, one
m ay reach the state where the spirit is preserved within , the body is h ealt hy and
t he spi rit ful l, the intellect wi se, decisions made adroitly and reactio ns made
spo nlan<.'O usly. Consequently, the life en ergy will be strengt hem'd and increased
while promoting the health and longevity of the body.

31
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Wang Ji Wu with his student He Yu eli

32
 Chapter 2

Liu He Xin Yi Quan

(Xing Yi Quan)
Written Transmissions

Wang Ji Wu with nis stu d ent Zhang Bao Yang

33
Xi ng Yi Nei Gong

Liu He Xin Yi Quan

(Xing Yi Quan)
Written Transmissions
compiled by Wang Jin Yu and Zhang Bao Yang
assisted by He Yu Qi and Pan Zhi Yuan
reviewed by Wang Ji Wu
translated by Tim Cartmell

Introduction
by Wang Jin Yu

The Xing Vi Quan, Liu He XiII Yi Qllml Writtell Trallsm;ss;ollS have never been
published . These writings have been passed down and copied by pract itioners
and th ose interested in the marti al a rt s, and used fo r reference purposes.
Th rough il s long period of being hand copied not onl y haveseveral discrepancies
In the characters developed but also some o f the meanings of the original text
have been altered . Therefore, it is impossible to avoid diffe rent interpretatio ns
and explanations of the text. It is not clear what the original outline of the
transmi ssions were rea lly like.
"A given culture is influenced by the state of politics and economics of the
soc iety of which it is a part ." The Xing Vi Quan transmissions we re written
duri ng China's feudal period . It is obvio u.s th at ancient feudal political rul e was
corrupt, this certain ly had It's influence. Today, under socialist rule, in order to
"pro mot e ph ysical education and increase the health of the people, " we should
act in accordance with the saying, "in regards to ancient culture, we should not
re ject il out of hand, and should also no t accept it blindly, but should judge and
adopt what is useful. " Also, "eliminate the dregs of feudalism and absorb that
wh ich is the essence of democracy." We must separate the corrupt practices o f
feudali sm from those excellent things useful to the people'scu lture and democracy
and the revolutionary cause.

1) In order to get as close as possible to the meanings of the original text, the
commonly seen t e rlll ~ have ocen compared and chosen from several hand
copied versions of the original text. At thiS poi nt in ti me this vcrsion contains
what is helleved to be the most accu rat ~ rendition.

2) Martial arts are a fo rm o f ph ysical ed ucation, the movem ents should confo rm
to established rules o f physio logy. However, after a lo ng period o f being stripped
away under a class structured rule, the art is ri fe with Ihl? drcgs of feudalistic

34
 Written Transmissions
society. Because in a class structured society, "all culture, literature and art all
belong to a certain class, and all follow a certain political policy. Therefore, in
H

regards to the "dregs of feudalism," we have already recognized the exten t of

their influence in order to delete them.

3) This volume is a result of continuous hand copied versions passed down.

Therefore, the order of the contents and the length of the sections have been very
difficult to keep in the original order without omission s. There are more than a
few places where parts of the co ntext are missing, or the content is confused and
thus it is very difficult to say which was the correct order of presentation of the
material. Because of this, in preparing this copy, we have temporarily omitted
some of the sections, we have taken the information and included it in other
sect ions, for example the sections on "body method " and "step method" are not
placed in their original order. This docs not necessarily 'm ean that information
included in one section is not also included in other sections, if information was
relative to the section at hand, it may have also been included therein . When
information is again presented In a different co ntext, with different information ,
it shou ld be viewed differently than before in relation to the new context in
which it appears.
Although some info rmation repeats, the reason is to give as complete an
explanation as possible of the concept in question. Of course, although the body
can be divided into sections for instructional purposes, it is in reality a Singu lar
entity. Bear in mind that although the text talks about the body in different and
sepa rate sect ions for clarity of instnlCtion, the various sections are all related and
must be considered together in actua l practice. For example, there are sepa rate
sections for internal and external training, but in rea lity the two are not separate
and un related. The text has a passage which reads: "If one wants to obtain the
highest level of skill, one must strengthen the (Iall timi, if one wishes to
strengthe n the dem tilm, one must first practice techn ique." This is a good
exa mple o f the mutu al relationship between int ernal and external training.

4) In o rganizing this text we have attempted to eliminate the superfluous and

present the text without omitting its essence, it must be viewed as an imperfect
attempt as our literary standards and level of martial experience are limited. We
have pcrhapschosen wrong characters, etc. There Illay be other mistakes and we
Invite all of our comrades who have a love and interest in the martial arts to offer
thei r constructive criticism that we ma y improve together, in order to produce
mat erial that conforms to the science of exercise physiology.

5) Finally, this copy has underJ.:orH.! lI\any revi .. inns, and thlsolltllne is the result.
I hope to makE' revisions of Its Inadequades as soon as possible.

Wan~Jin Yu
Re-ijing, China
New Year's Day L982

F.dltur's Nole: Wang Jln Yu and Zhang Bao YanR made a final revision to this text in
September. 1991.
Xi ng Yi Nei Gong

Dai Long Bang's Foreword

The vital poin tsof Xin Yi Quan include: Yin Yang, Five Elements, stilln ess and
motion, rising and falling, advancing and retreating, substantial and insubstantial,
hard and soft. It s profund ity relies on the six harmonies:

I) the hands harmo ni ze with the feet ,

2) the shoulders harmonize with the hips,
3) the elbows harm onize with the knees,
4) the heart harmonizes with the intent,
5) the intent harmoni zes with the qi,
6) the qi harmo nizes with the power.

If one improves day by day, gains compl ete knowll"{!ge, is brave In all
circumstances, obtains an undemanding of the principles, and un ites with its
esse nce, one will be able to come and go naturall y, may Ix' weak or strong, will
be able to ad vance o r retreat, can be so ft o r hard .

Dai Lo ng Bang, 1750 A.D.

W i,en tile internal and external are IInited, tl1is is tile Six DirectioNs.
Wh en tile Six HamlOnies are mastered, this is the Six Ferocities.

Essential Knowledge For the Practice of Martial Arts

1) Solo an d I'artll t'r Practice: For those practicing martial arts, eight y percent
of the time is spent in solo practice, twenty percent of the lime is spen t with
oth ers. Therefore, it is said, "The time strengthen ing the body is long, the time
defeating oppone nts is sho rt. "

2) Dail y Practi cE': One must practice every day, barring ill ness, witho ut break .

3) Humility: One must not o;how o rr o r bull y others.

4) Qua lil y Y t!'~w. Quantity: In practice, quality is mo re important tl ldll

quantity . To defeat a !oingie opponent this Is the correct method, to dpfpa t many
OPPOIIl' llb, this Is still the correct method , In compari o;on, Ilwone wllo 1-JT<.ll1ices
ton great a variety will beco me panicketl antlli h tra u ~ ht , If o nf'clllt's not train the
body with a realislic fouliliatio n, in cmnha l tlw rl:" wl\l be no marure technique
to fa ll back on, O Tlt' will havp Il Pith er a well trailleti body nor a solid techn ique,
 Written Transmbmions
5) Perseverance: There a re those who talk about principles for a great length of
time, they say martial arts are full of secrets. When you ask them they don't
answe r, or they answer incompletely. How can this be! There are those who are
eas ily satisfied, or invite disaster by underestimating the art, or like to bully
others. There are those who have no perseverance, who study a little and think
they know it ali , they arc quite sat isfied with themselves and rare ly practice, Ihey
think they are a great success, until they have to use the art and find themselves
useless. This is not the fault of the teacher but rather the student who has gone
about learning in the wrong way. If these types teach studen ts the students are
lost and the art dege nerates generation by generation. Where are the secrets!

6) Important points for practice:

a) Before practice: The stomach should be neither too full or too empty, the
m ind should not be preoccupied with o t her affairs, do not practice when angry.
When hungry one has no energy, too full and the stomach will be injured.
Extra neous thoughts ha rm the brain. Anger harms the spirit .

b) Duri ng practice: Do not fool around. Do not spit. Do not be disrespectful .

If one is not serious in practice the spirit is dispersed, spitt ing inflames the throat,
disrespect weakens the practice.

c) After practice: Do not cat or drink, do not relieve yourself, do not lay down .
Food and d rink will not digest well, eliminatio n causes 'Ii to scatter, laying down
ca uses th e qi to rise causing discomfort.

7) The Th ree Harm s: Those who practice martial arts must avoid the three
h<lTllls. If one is not familiar with the three harms, practice will injure the body.
What is meant by the three harms? The three ha rms are:

1) Inappropriate usc o f strength,

2) Forcing the breath,
::\) Sticking out the chest and pulling up the belly.

If one USI!S strl!ngth inappropriately. the qi will not flow smooth ly th rough
the limbs and frame , the meridians will be obstructed, the entire body will be
restricted, the hands and feet will not be agile, the body will be bogged down by
stagnant qi, wherever the qi stag nates illness will result . If one forces the breath,
onE.' will become stiff and easy to break, with the chest full of air the lungs will
be squeezed and will suffer harm. If one slicks out tllcdlc\1 and .. uck .. in th£'bclly,
the 'Ii will move the wrong direction and will rise, It will not return to the dati
han .

8) Seeking Instructio n : In o rder to study martial arts, one mllst be diligent in

two areas. First, n ne must b£' willing to travel great distances in order to study
wi l h I hose of Iligher ability and sincerely request Instmctlon . One must also be
diligent In speech, humbling the self and asking for guidance.

~7
Xing Yi Nei. Gong
9) Force and Self-satisfa ctio n: In practicing the martial arts there are two things
which must be avoided, the first is reliance upon force, the second is self-
satisfact io n.

10) Start Practice Slow ly: Begin practice by moving softly, gen tly and slowly
in o rder to soothe and open the connective tissue and bones, this guides the qi
and power and leads it correct ly. After a period of practice, it is good to use more
fo rce and speed in order to Increase the internal power for practical application .

11) Sequenceof Practice: At the beginning of practice stand in Scm Ti SlIi (trinity
standing posture). afterwards practice forms.

12) Stages of Training: After beginn ing fonnal practice, one must follow the
rules of training, if so, in three years the basic training will be complete. In the
intermediate stages of training, practice single forms repeatedly, use the form to
express the int ent. After a long period o f practice one will be able to change
spontaneously with the circumstances. After six years one will complete this
level of trilining. In advanced stages of tra ining, both the internal and extern al
gOllg fu will be completed, your body will become as hard as steel, your gOllS fU
wUl be of a high level. Therefo re, the correct seq uence of training follows these
three steps:

Method Principl e GOIIK FII

t . Obvious Energy Change Esse nce to Qi Changes Bones

2. Hidden Energy Change Qi to Spirit Changes Tendons
3. Change Energy Change Spirit to Void Changes Marrow

38
 Written Transmissions

San Ti Shi (..:::.. fl: j\ - Trinity Posture)

Th e three "bodies" (Sall Ti or trinity) in martial arts refer to the head, hands,
and feet. San Ti is fu rther di vided into three sections as follows:

Root Mid-section Tenn inus

Waist (clan tia ll) Spine (heart) Head (Ni Wan Po int)
Hips Knees Feet
Shoulders El bows Hands

Th e root, middle, and terminus is also known in Xing Yi Quan as the " three
jo int.~. "
All prarticc start s with San Ti standing . Arter walking through the forms,
one must follow the correct sequence of training and must not o mit steps. All
subseque nt movement is founded in Sat! T i Shi. Th is posture is the gate of the
Way, it is th e root and ce ntral nul'ieus of th e art of Xing Vi Quan .

\Vang Ji Wu Sta nds in Salt 1'1' Shi

39
Xing Yi Nei Gong

The Five Element Fists

1i.1i :f..
I) Pi Quail (Splitting Fist) 11.:f;..
Rising Fo rm - The two fists hug and move out from the center of the body in
front of th e mouth, the front hand resists upward at th e level of the hea rt, the
rear hand foll ows closely behind, the hvo elbows hug in close to the ribs at the
height of the heart, the qi foll ows the body and sin ks to the dan rial/.
Lowering I:o rm - The h ands and feet come down together with Ihe rear fool
follow ing, the four fillgt'r~ arc separated and the "tiger's mouth" is round, the
front h and is at the level of the heart, the rear hand is henealh the ribs, the frunt
hitnd , (front) foot and nose are on a straight line.

2 ) ZWIII Q"<III (Dri lIing Fist) ~.:if;..

Risi n g Form - The drilling fist resists upward at th e height of the heart , th e
rea r hand is h idden beneath the ribs, th e hVO elbows hug the ribs, the foot rises,
the eyes follow the hand, advance a step and lower the foot in cont in uous steps.
lowering Form - Wh en changing the fi sts, the elbows are hidden beneath,
whe n th e hands and feet lower togeth er the qi will flow smoothly. Theeyc of the
front fist face s upward, the rea r fist is hidden under the heart, the front hand, foot
and nose are 0 11 a straight line.

3) Bellg Quail (Smashing Fist) M.:if;..

Moving Away Fo rm - Whe n the fi st moves o ut the th ree points must ue un
a line (hand, foot and nos<,), the eye of the fist points upward at the level of the
heart, Ihe rear hand is it ya llg fist and is hidden beneath the ribs, the fro n t foot
points straight ahead and the rea r foot is toed-oul (the charac ler "eighl" (.1\ .. )
Sh:p).
Turning the Body Fo rm - Turn Ihebody and raise the fist so it moves out from
the height of the eyebrow, the body stand s up siraight and the foot is lifted, th('
hand and foot are lowered toget her into a scissor step, the front foot is turned o ut
obliq uely and the rear foot po ints straight ahead, the qi follows the body motio n
and enters the dall tial/.

4 ) l'ao QJ/a ll (Po unding Fist) ~.:if;..

Rising Form - The two elbows closely fo llow Ihe foot as it rbe~ , the fi sb are
tight and raise the hands, the frunt hand is obl ique and the rea r hand is straight,
thl" fis ts are al the height of the na vel. the bod y fa ces straigh t.

40
 Written Transmissions
Lowe rin g fo rm · The hands and feet are lowered together with the three
POints o n a line, the body is anglcd, the feet move straight ahead, the eye of the
fist face s upward at the height of the hea rt , the front hand drills upward and
presses against the eyebrow, the eye of it's fist fa ces downward, this is the proper
form.

5) HeIIg Qua" (C rossing Fist) ;f;t ~

Rising Form - The front hand is a yallS fist and the rear hand is a yill fist. The
rea r hand moves out from under the ribs, when changing the hands and moving
[he hand out, the fool rises, 10Wt'f the body and IwiSI and the qi will flow
smoothl y.
Ch angin g Fo rm - The <--hanging fo rm of Hell,'{ Quail uses th e "character ten "
<+ ) step, the body moves obliquely the n the step is correct , the fea r fi st turns
over to become a yall,'? fist and the three points are in a lin e, the nose and foot
fo llow closely.

Pi QJltIll is likt' an axe and helo ngs to metal. 8('11S Qllall is like an arrow and
belongs to wood, ZUatl Qllall is like lightning and belo ngs to wa ter, /'ao Quan is
like it canno n and belongs to fire, lIellS QJI(m moves up and down like a spring
and belo ngs to earth .

.±..
EOMh

1i.11
The five Elements
(Wu Xing)

41
Xing Yi Nei Gong

The Mutual Creation and Destruction

of the Five Elements

Creat ion
Metal creates water so Pi Qllatl may change to ZIIlIll QUatl , water creates wood
so ZlIall Quail may change to Beug Quail, wood creates fi re, so Bens Qllatl may
change to Pao Qllan, fire creates ea rth, so Pao QlIall may change to Htmg Qllall ,

Destruction
Metal overcomes wood so Pi QlIall breaks Bellg QlUlIl, wood overcomes earth
so Hens Quail breaks Heng Qllan , ea rth overcomes wate r so Hellg Qllall breaks ZlI(m
QlI(m, fire overcomes metal so Prw QlUm breaks Pi QlIa ll,

Zuanguan
1)<.
Water

Pi Quan Hengguan

~
Mda.1
.±..
Earth

42
 Written Transmissions

The Twel ve Form s

Dragon , Tiger, Monkey, Ho rse, Alligat or, Ch icken, Eagle, Bear, Tai Bird,
Snake,
Chicken Hawk, Swallo w
The Dragon is able to fold up its bones, the Tiger is brave enoug h to
poun ce
upon it s prey, the Monkey is able to roam freely over mount ains, the Ho
rse is able
to kick wi th its hooves, the Alligator is able to move on the surface of
water with
agility, the Chicke n is fearles s as it pecks, the Eagle is expert at b'Taspin
g, the Bear
has great streng th at raising up vertically, the Tai Bird is able to hold
its tail
straigh t up, the Snake is able to slither throug h the grass, the Chicke
n Hawk is
able to weave throug h the forest, the Swallow has the agility to b rush
the surface
of Ihe water. .

Twis ting Root - The Earth Drag on Cano n

The words of the Earth Dragon Catlotl are useful in attacki ng on the
ground .
Practice wit h the whole body, one will becom e strong and alert. That
which is
extend ed may becom e curved , Ihat which is station ary may move. Curved
, it is
like a crouch ing liger, it ascend s like a soa ri ng dragon . It moves
and SlOpS
withou t leaving a trace, its extend ing and straigh ten ing are hidden .
When the
body comes erect it is like iron , its metho d is concea led like the
d ragon.
Overtu rning violen tly like a lige r or pa nt her, turnin g rapidly like an eagle.
Going
down is sepa rated into front, back, left and right , the gates may change
, there Is
no set metho d. When attacki ng tothe fro nt use the hands, it is the same
for the
second and third gates. When attacking to the rear use the feet , the knees follow
in attack. If the distanc e is great then pursue, if the distanc e is small,
go out and
connec t . When the hips are on the ground, lay on the side and curl
the body.
Falling backwa rd is like sitting , it is like leanin g back against a tail . High
an d low
fo llow the intent , as do far and near and level or uprigh t.

Ed itor's Note: The Eart h Dragon Canon (Di LOllg fillg - :k!!.it~ ) applies
to the
I:!xerclSI:! known in Xing Vi Quan as Pall Cell (tl ~J. - Twisting Root).
Pall Cell is a
Xing VI Quan exercise simila r 10 Ba Gua's circle walking practice, howev
er, the
ci rcl e Is very sma ll. It is a three step turnin g exercise where every slep
changl?S
direction while Ihl' hands are held in a stall c position. The three step
practk e Is
trained so that the studen t can learn IIOw to quickly evade an allal:k, open
up the
oppon ent, and then stri ke. The term " gates used in Ihe tl'xt above
H
refers to the
c.: hangln g directions.

43
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Three Fists, Three Clubs

"When the three fists mld the three clubs are mastered, they become
the three poisons."
Three Fists
Zliall QUail ('l" - Drilli ng fist ), GllO QlIan(.... - Wrapping Fist), /ian Quail
(JI.. - Treading Fist). ZlUm QlltIIl is like lightning, Guo QUail is like a tiger
treading, I;rlll QUail is like a galloping horse, performed co ntinuously with o ne
breath.

Three Clubs
Pell,'? Club, Pew Club (~~fi.. - Po unding Club), F(III Bci Club Vi.. 11' ~tt -
Overturning Back Club). PeIIgClub is violent, rao Clu b moves like the wind, Fall
Sci Club is fast as an arrow, the truth is found within.

Fists and Clubs

The three fis ts and three clubs are no t commonly found, th e correct method
is to keep a complete and tight defense, if o ne practices until one comes to t he
spirit of the thing, then one will become a first ra te martial art isl.

Xing Yi Sword
Advance Six Step Sword
Raising the hand, poin t to heaven imd row the earth , brush the body and
pierce the h eart sword, split to the rear one stroke, from here reverse d irections,
lift the wrist sword, down to Ihe earth tumbling body sword, landing dragon
shape sword, swi ng left sword, advance one step split one stroke, turn the body
and chop one stro ke, central lifting sword, the hlack dragon tests the ocean
sword, swi ng left sword, turn the body advance one step chop U ll~ struk~,
obliquely brush left stance sword , scoop the wrist embrace the moon sword, turn
right eight trigrams sword, hrush th e hody pierce the heart sword, halt step
intercept the wrist sword, lift the wrist sword, down to the earth tumbling brush
sword.

Retreat Six Step Sword

Rai sing the hand, point 10 heaven and row the earth, brush tile body and
pierce the Ilt:!ilrt ~won.l , split to the rear one stro ke, lift the wri st sword, down to
th e earth tumbling brush sword, landing dragon shape sword, advance step
chicken hawk overturns its body sword, step back and reverse directions,
brus hing sword, step back chop down swurd, chop down destroy the form swo rd,
turn thl' body and chop the head <iword, Ihe llsurper lifls Ihe Iripod sword.

44
 Written Transmissions

Important Points of Body, Form, and

Martial Practice
There are a collection of term s or phrases which are often seen in martial arts
transmissions, for example the "Elght Vital Poin ts," or the "Fou rt een Point
St riking Method, " and so on. These term s were used to summarize the
knowledge gained through practice by those who came before. Because these
terms were not crea ted by a si ngle man i n a single time, some repetition occurs.
Below we present a list o f Ihe common ly seen term s with examples. This should
help those who arc training in Xi ng Vi Quan, enabling them to utilize the
experience of our predecesso rs. This will Spt:'l>d improvement.
Of course, fo r the creato rs o f the term s and ph rases· used in the written
transm issions o r Xing Vi Quan they refe rred to first hand experience, for us the
knowledge is second hand . Because of this, besides trying to understand the
mean ing of the written words, one must use even more effort in trying to
understand the teachings in actual training, add in g toone'sown knowledge and
experience. This is because true knowledge is only trained th rough practical
ex perience. If one leaves pra ctica l ex peri ence, all that is left Is empt y talk.

Teclll1iques come Ollt like a pOUI/cillg dragoll. Li{t tile ha"d like a"
eax le graspinx, llie fornl maintains tile characteristics of chicke" leg,
dragon body, bear sholllders, tiger Iwldillg head. Quick as lUI old cll icken,
it moves throllgh (onns like a locllst, its rising fo rms are like shollideri//g
a yoke (it is also written, "move like n crawling bllg, rise like li{tillX a
yoke").
The Eigh t Vital Points
Wa nting to obtain the ultimate technique, o ne must start with self training.
The met hod of tra in ing contai n s both co llecti ng together and moving. Fo r those
who practice martial arts, the Eight Vital Points are of first importance. The Eight
Vital Polntsare the mothcrofXing Vi Quan. Internally, practice theqi, ex ternally
practice the form s and movemen ts. It dot::. not mailer if its the Five Eleme nts,
the Twelve An ima ls, the changes of substantia l and insubstantial, rise, drill, fall,
or overturn, all of the~ follow the Eight Vital Poinl'i. The Eight Vital Points are
as follow s:

1) the insides 1111151 be lifted ,

2) the three hearts must unite,
3) the t hree Intents must fo llow one ",uther,
4) the n ve Elements m ust flow smoothly,
5) the four terminu:. must move together,
6) the heart must he at ease,
l) the lhree J..lOints must be o n a line,
X) Ihe eyes must focus on a single point.

15
Xing Yi Nei Gong
Edito r's Note: The "insides must be lifted " refers to the lifting of the anus,
pressing of the tongue o n the roof of the mouth, and the lifting of the crown of
the head. When the "insides are lifted " an "i nsubsta ntial energy rises to the top."
The "three hearts" are the Bni Hili (1i'" - GV-20, "one hundred convergences")
poi nt at the crown ofthe head, the LnoGOlIg (of 't · PC-B, "palace of laborn ) po int s
in the heart of the palms, and the Yong QUUlI ()aj "- - K·l , the "gushing spring")
poi nt s in the heart of th e sales of the feet. In "uniting the three heart s" the
practitio ne r has an image of these three points being drawn in toward the ce nter
of the body.
The "three intents" are the Qi ( ~. vital fo rce), Li en ·strength), and the Yi
(i; . int ention).
The "Five Elements" are eart h, metal, water, wood, imd fire. Here the Boxing
C(IIIOfi is referrin g to five internal and five external eleme nt s in the body. The
inte rn al five clemen ts a rc: the hea rt, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. The
external fi ve elements are I he tongue, eyes, mouth , nose, and ears.
The "four terminus" a rc as follows: The tongue is th e terminus of Ihe fl esh,
the teeth are the terminus o f the bones, the fin gers and toes are the terminus of
the co nn ective tissue, the pores of the who le body are the terminus of the blood
vessels.
The "three points " are the nose, h ont hand, and front foot.

Twelve Important Points

1) the legs practice steps as stabl e as a mounta in ,
2) th e knees creel and curve, a nd stra igh ten like a pillar,
:I) Ihe Golch and hips inside and oul scrape logelher,
4) the chest and hack have a balance of hard and soft
5) the front side of the fo rehead knocks the ene my,
6) the three gates erecl the shoulders and mJtu..' re to the back,
7) thp two gates oblilJul'iy and venlcally use the elbows,
8) I-'i~rl:c the bones and break the opponent,
9) stroke down on the bones to break the o ppo ne nt downward,
10) brush inward 1'0 ta ke lilt' opponent 's inside,
11 ) obstrut't the outside to take the opponent's outSide,
12) provoke and attack from ahove, below, inside and outside.

Seven Key Points

1) sin k the waist,
2) relax the sh{)lIld~r~,
~) depress the chl')t ,
4) press,
5) lift ,
G) moving across or smoothly must bl' dea rl y understood,
7) risi ng, Lirillin g, and overturning must be clea rly separated.

46
 Written Transmissions
To "sink the waist," the coccyx must be relaxed and slightly lifted, th e yang
qi will ascend toward heaven, this regulates the DII me ridian ('I- u,). Whe n
" relaxin g the shoulders," they feel as if they are being pulled back. To "depress
the chest " is to open the chest so the breath nows smoothly and the yin qi
descends. This regulates the Ren me ridian (~~) . "Pressing" means the to ngue
presses the roof of the mouth and the hands press outward. "Lifting" means the
anus is lifted in ward. "Moving across" Is to rise and " movi ng smoot hly" is to
lower. To rise is to drill, to lower is to ove rturn . Risi ng is drilling and lowering
is overturning. Rising is oblique and lowering is smooth . Press upward with the
head and then d rill, retract the head and overturn , raise the hands then drill ,
lower the hands th en overturn . Lift the foot then drill, lower the foot the n
ove rturn . Raise the waist then drill, lowe r the waist th en overturn.
When raising obliquely the oblique is not seen , when lowering smoot hly, the
smooth is flot seen . Rising is goin g out, lowering is striking. Rising is also
striking, loweri ng is also striking. Risea nd fa ll as rolling waves, this is how to rise
and lower. No matter what, when rising, drilling, falling or overturning, the
elbows ncver leave the ribs, th e hands never leave the hea rt . This is the vital point
of Xing Yi Quan. Those who understand have the essence of Xi ng YI Quan . The
stude nts should consider this carefully.

Defi.ning Terms
"Pressing the shoulders" is like practici ng the steps, urge the rear as if erecti ng
the waist, round the crotch to support the hips, lift the c hest as if back-bending.
The "shoulders" refe rs 10 the power of the "shoulde r well point ," sink down to
the YOlIg Qllall (K-l ). "Urging th e rear" refers to squeezing the buttocks together
as much as possible. The crotch feels as if it is pressing across both inwardly and
outwardly with maximum effo rt . "Lifting the chest " refe rs to lifting the chest as
if resisting a force from the fro nt . Relax the shoulders as If you are putting forth
strength. Both sides of the back bon e press fo rcefull y together, the energy
originates from benea th the navel , from the internal organs revolving outward
to the head and then return s. When using the power of the shoulder well point,
soft en the inte nt and relax, the re will be no obstruction.
Horizontal and vertica l energies must be clearly differentiated . Horizo ntal
energy is aided by the vertical, vertical energy Is used hori zontally. Vertica l
energy is from the shoulde rs to the bottoms of the feel. The horizontal energy
is in the two arms. From the crotch to the bottoms of th e feet, from the knees
to the rear, they are described through legwork.
Th e powe r of the dati riall rises up th e hack and continues around to t he chest ,
it flows to the stomach, it fills Ih(> o rgans, It solidifies the rihs, II rushcs up to the
lOp of the brain,
"Uniting" refers to uniting the entire body as one. " F.recting" refers to the
vertical , horizontal, oblique, and reeling.
To stamp now n is like stampins; on a poisonous bug. When poun ci ng it b like
a tigf"r JJOuncing on its prey. "Wra pping" is like wrapping sonlt'thin~ up ".() no
pa rt is exposed. "Co mfor tablc" refere; to allowing the power to he co mfortable
and open . To sever mea ns tu ~hakc something unl"il it breaks.
"To stamp" meam that the foot has to slamp liown with finality without

47
Xing Yi Net Gong
further motion . When pouncing one must use the power of the whole body and
the two arms. When wrapping the two arms leave no trace of anything st ill
uncovered . "Comfortable" means the both the inside and outside use power.
When the foot sto mps it should sound like thunder. "To sever" means that when
the two hands go out and enter they should lise shaking power.

Xing Vi Quan Practice

When beginning practice, one should practice softly, slowly and gentl y. This
will relax and open the connective tissue and bones, it will guide and direct the
qi am.l power. Continuing wit h practice, one sh ould use hard power and speed,
this will develop int ernal power for practical application. Tilt! lewl of refim'ment
is different for the above two methods of training. Fitst one uses crude power,
this is appropriate for beginning study . Later the power is refi ned, Ihis is suitable
fo r those with long time in training. This method uses fast motion practi ced in
interva ls.
Xi ng Vi Quan has Illany single forms, these are to be practiced regularly. After
<I long period of practi ce o ne will break through without limH. When practicing
Xing Vi Quan th e timewj ll pass, ten years will not develop th e ultimate skill. Un
the surface it will appear that th e later practice is no t as fruitful as the earlier
practice. Practicing a long tim e is not as productive as practicing a little. With
ma luri ty, the change will come, the internal power will be full , the external
power will pull back in. Without many yea rs o f practice o ne will never reach this
level.

Eight Character Secret

Chop (Pi QI/(I/J) , In tercept (ZUI1I1 Ql/{lII), Wrap (I-Ieng Quail). SIride (Bellg QIUI1J),
Uplift (ficm QI/(J/l), Resist (PCIO Qucm), W'l ve (Alligator Form ), Lead (Snake Form).

Sixtee n Point Practi ce Method

(also known as Tramping/ Drilling Method)
1) Inch: Inch refers to thc stcp.
2) Tramp: Tramp means to go outwa rd.
3) Drill: Drill is to advance.
4) Recei ve: Receive is to bind, the upper am.! lower botlies arc bound as one.
5) Come: Th is is to scissor, the legs move with a scissor step.
6) Unite: This refers to the internal and external six harmonies.
7) Quick: This means to be (vicious) like poison.
R) Sq uarE>: This means to be straight. If looked at tWill the trUlIt the pusture
appears stanted, if ..een from th e side it appears straight .
9) Passing: The rea r hand rubs the fingers movi ng outward.
10) Lower leg: The place that initiates the mo tio n o f th e fo ur ex tremit ies. Th e
gun hits its mark. Muving, the intent never hreaks.

48
 Written Transmissions
11) Rise and Fall: To rise is to go out. To lower is to st rike. To rise is to strike,
to lower is also to strike, rise and lower as the overturning of waves, this is rise
and fall .
l Z) Advance and Retreat : Advance with low steps, retreat with high steps. If one
does not understand advancing and retreating, practice is a waste of time.
13) Yin Yang: What is Yin Yang? Look at yill , it contains ya rlg. Look at ya llg, it
contai ns yill. In boxing, yirl and yallg mutually unite. They m ust be together.
14) Five Elements: The internal five elements must move, the external five
elements must follow.
15) Movement and Stillness: Sti1lness is the original body, movement is the use.
With sti llness its use is not revealed, with movement the re is left not trace. When
movement and stillness are about to issue but have not yet issued, this is
movement and stillness.
16) Substantial and insubstantial : The substantial is theesscnce, the insubstantial
is the spi rit. When there is both essence and spi rit , then there is substantial and
Insubstantial .

The Four Terminus

The tongue is the term inus of the flesh, the teeth are the term inus of the
bones, the fingers and toes are the te rminus of the connective tissue, the pores
of the whole body are the terminus of the blood vessels.

The Interna l and Externa l Five Elem en ts

The internal five elements are: the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. The
external five elements are the tongue, eyes, mouth, nose, and ears. The internal
and external five elements are connected as follows: h eart connects with the
tongue, liver with the eyes, spleen with the mouth, lungs with the nose, and
kidneys with the ea rs. In the boxing, the interna l five elements must move, the
external fi ve clements must follow .

The Fourtee n Points Striking Method

The head is the fi rst fist , the shoulders (right and left) are fists, the hips (right
and left ) are fists, the elbows (right and left) are fists, the hands (right and left)
are fists , the feet (right and left) are fists, thewhole body Is a fist , all together th ere
are fourteen fists.

The Three Knowi ngs

Clearly know the hands, d early know the eyes, clearly know the teacher.

49
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Body, Stepping, and Hand Methods

Body Method
In the study of martial arts the body method is the key and the way to
profound skill . What is the body method? Vertical and ho rizon tal, h igh and low,
advancing and retreating, overturning and an gling. Vert ica l refers to adva ncing
from any di rectio n. Horizo ntal refers to wrapping up power, open ing and
closing without obstruction. High means the body is lifted, it also means to
increase one's reach . Low means to bend down, the fo rm looks as if one is ready
to catch and seize som ething. When appropriate to retreat, then retrea t, guide
the qi and return withdrawing and waiting for an opportu nity. Tu rn the body
and gua rd the rear, the rea r is also the front. Pay at,tention to the left and right
Sides, then the sides will b€ safe. It is as if cl osed off and yet not closed off. Test
the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent, move following your own plan,
now vertically, now slow down the qi. Change according to the circumstance,
one must n ot try one techn ique for all sit uations. Suddenly high then sudden ly
low, able to change at any time, one must not stubbornly insist on on ly o ne
method.
Sometimes it is app ropriate to ret reat, then while retreating entice h is
advance. Advan ci ng insures retreat. A successful retreat relies on the ability to
fe-advance. When turning th e body to guard the rear, the rea r should not feel
as if it is behind. When guarding to the left and right, the side should not feel
as if they are the sides, In all things, the eyes are the key poi nt, they send
information to the heart, the importance is grasped and the whole hody reacts.
If the hody advan ces, eve n if Ihe limbs are not guided they will move. If the body
moves back, the entire frame will retrea t as if on its OWI1. The body method may
be seen but not expla ined . Th e practitio ners of martial art s should pa y heed.
Close up the body an d rise, lengthen the body and lower. Rise like the wind,
lower like an arrow. Being struck, it is too late to blame being too slow. Rise like
an arrow, lower like the wind, follow the wind ilnd chase the moon without
relaxi ng.

In regards to body method, one must not lean forward or backwa rd, one must
not till to the righ t or twist to the left. Move straight forward and lower straight
forwa rd.
When far , step close, adva nce knee to kn ee, stand up and use vertica l power.
Whcn the heart stirs the whole body moves, the five elements are a ll focused
tnto on e, be brave and succeed .
With the two words "rise" and "fall " the body is leve l. The word th<lt "covers
the world " (most impo rtant ) is a ccntered body. The body is like a lImwn bow,
the fist Is like an arrow.

Before the draxoHarises there is first thunder~ tile wind blows the great
tree and the branches sway.
The be:;l mellwd j:; Lo move first, tile proper tecJmique is the halld'i and
teet arrivillg together.

!iO
 Written Transmissiotls
The internal is lifted , the exte rna l fo llows, rising is ho rizon tal, loweri ng is
smooth, strike from afar, the qi urges the motion, the fist is likl:' a can non , like
a dragon folding its body, when encountl:'ring an enemy it is like fi re burning h is
body, rise and fall with th e body level, enter straight into the center.
Able to advance at the appropri ate time, one will not have to worry about
survival, able to be ahead o ne breath , o ne will not fall behind .
When ri sing hori zontal ly the horizontal is not seen , when lowering smoothly
the smoothness is not see n, when low look h igh , when high look low. Rise and
lower move with the heart , savi ng one at the point o f death , dealing death at the
point of Victory.
The shou lders push th e elbows, the elbows pu sh the hands, the waist pushes
the hips, the hips push the knees, the knees push the feet.

Step Method

Whe n moving the body, the step is of fir st importance. The step is the root
of th e body, it is th e ce ntral axis of motion . Since the whole body is used in an
encounter with an e nemy, the person who wishes to be un beatable must rely on
foo twork. When advanCing, retrea ting, turn ing or angling, the changes are in
the handwork, but it is th e footwork that allows the h ands to adapt and change
10 the advantageous positio n . Advanci ng, ret rea tin g, turning o r angl ing,
without the steps how can one have a chance? Lowering, risi ng, ex tending or
co nt racting, without foo twork how can o ne execut e profound cha nges? The
saying is that th e eyes arc key and the hea rt d('c ides the reaction, in all changes
and turns of the body, in reaction to all t ypes o f affront , it must be that footwork
is the leader. In additio n, the steps must not be forced. Movement must spring
fro m an empty heart , as if dancing without conscious effort, th e body desires to
move and the steps tllrn to all sides. The hands arc about to move, the steps also
urge them in motion. With out timing it so It is so, wi thout makin g it go it goe~ ,
thiS is what is referred to as th e upper wishes to muve and the lower fo llows.
The steps are divided int o fu rwa rd and back, al so fixed steps, also no n-fixed
steps arc also footwork , like advanCing forward, foll owin g backwa rd , forw"ard
and backward proceed from a fix ed step. If YOll take a fOTw,m1 step as if to th e
rear, and a rear step as if to the fro nt , then a forward step could he an adva nce
to the rea r, fo rwa rd and backward steps natu rally do n ot follow any sct pattern
Ith ere Is no set direct ion so fo rward and rear aTt" relative terms). For the
practitio ners of the ma rtial arts, th ose w ho do not put body and foot work first
In importance will not besuccessful in defeating enemies. Th is must not be taken
lightly.
Come with a scissor step, th e legs move in a sc issor motio n. Move the steps
by inches. Com e this way. Go thi s way. Advance with low steps, retrea t with
high steps, if o ne does not understand advancing and retreating they are wasting
thei r time studying mart ial arts. It is impo rt ant to have the correct sequence o f
movcment , dodging, or lea ping abollt the feet follow. Usi ng the feet to strike the
Intent to stomp never m isses, the feel ing complete ly relics on the snapping of the
rear foot. Keep fee ling in the rea r foo t, and advance attacking with a stomping
strike that shows no mercy. If the hand s arc ra ised without the feet rising it is
also a waste of time, if the feet are raised but the hands are not raised it is again

51
Xing Yi Nei Gong
a waste of time. If sepa rated by a space of ten feet. the steps must be fas t, two
heads turning, the most important is th e inch step. The whole body is capable
of st riking. With footwork the entire body will be (as h ard to strike) as air. Step
straigh t in between the opponent's legs, drill in th rough his crotch. The legs have
the ahility to travel at a great speed.
The front leg relics on the back leg, the rear leg steps down next to the ankle,
the rear leg relies on th e front leg, the ankle is raised in sequence.
[n rega rds to step methods there arc inch steps, fast steps, and sto mpin g steps,
none must be omitted . In regards t o legwork. there is lifting and drilling,
lowering and overt urning, not drilling nor overturning. The most important is
the inch step.
The feet are seve nty percent and the hands arc thirty percent.
The leg steps into the opponent's cen ter and steals his position. Even the most
expert fighter witl find it hard to defend.

Hand Meth o d
The hands arc able to push aside and turn.
If the hands are raised but the feel are not raised. it is a waste of tim e. If the
fee t are lifted but the hands are not, it is again a waste of time. Never move th e
hands fo r no reason. Dodging to the left and right , protecting both sides. Raise
th e hands like a steel file. lower the hands like a hook. The eyes mll st have a
poisonous look, the hands must he wicked.
The elbows do not leave the ribs, the hands do not leave th e heart. The hands
enter and exit openings and the bod y follows close hehind . Wai t untit the
o pponent's intent lags, then attack. The shoulders push the elbows, the elbows
push th e hands.

Raise the hands like a steel file, lower the hands

like a hook. The eyes must have a poisonous
look, the hands must be wicked.

52
 Written Transmission8

Internal Training (Nei Gong)

The people of the world do not know what the internal power of Xi ng Vi Quan
is. They try to guess from looking at the form , or suppose that we use much effort
from the heart, or suppose it issome movement in the belly, these types of th ings
have no effect, this is takjng the false for the true.
In the martial way, it 's form is the structure of its movements, its formlessness
is its power. Therefore, the structure of the forms uses the power from within .
Ifnne has no POWN, then the form and st ru cture is useless. Therefore, power (qi
Ii) is the root of the structure . If YO ll want sufficient power, th e 'Ii must be full,
therefore, qi is the root o f strength.
Those who practice martial arts must put the Eight Vital Points first. The Eight
Vi tal Points arc the mother of Xing Vi Quan. Internally, train the qi, exte rnally
practice the art of the movements . No matter if you're practicing the five
elements or the twelve forms, or changing between substantial and insubstantial ,
or using rise, drill, fall, and overturn , o ne must never leave the Eight Vital Po ints.
If onl! wishes to practice to a refined level, one must strengthen the da/I tian.
If one wishes to stre ngthen the dall tiafl, first practice technique. Developing
both the dan tiall and technique together is the key to obtaining results. What
is the d(lIIliall? It is the root of the origi nal yllng 'Ii, it is the place where qi and
strength reside.
If the dall tim/ is lacking, the qi will not be sufficient. With insufficient qi,
power will be inadequate. The five clemen ts and the twelve forms will be empty.
In this state, in defense one will be as a city surrounded by a dry moat, in attack,
one will be like a strong soldier with a weak horse. One must practice diligently
everyday. Sitting in meditation trying to become immortal will not cultivate Ihe
dan [iall .
When using internal power, the power must follow the correct route. If one
does not understand the proper routes of power and forces power out , there will
be harm. The front of the body is the Rell meridian , the back of the body is the
DII merid ian, the qi follows flowing through . The Rt'll and DII originate at the
Cllell,,{ liang (CV·24. sauce receptacle) point, it moves straight down in front of
th e Yill point. The DII meridian starts at the coccyx pOint, it runs st raight up the
back, it passes through the YII Zhen (BL·9· jade pillow) pOint , the Ni Wall (GV.
20· mud ball palace) pOint, goes down past the Yill TaliS point (the space between
the eyebrows), and stops at the Zhollg (central) point. The two ling points issue
energy cyclically. The shoulders have tile shoulder well pOints, at the center of
the shoulder. The CII; point refers to thE' Q// Chi (L1· 11 - pool at the bend) point
at the middle of the elbow. These are the places of the body which issue power.
Through the myriad of changes, all are rooted in these, jf the depth of this is
grasped , o ne will sigh in amazement.
Qi ascends from the Glli Wei (GV.I -tu rtle tail), cultivate th e spirit in th e datI
!iall. The coccyx is the extre me point. Use force to turn it upward, the trueqi will
naturally ascen d. The qi descends to the ocean, first focus the heavenly heart.
The cente r of the belly is the sea of ifi. The center of the forehead is the heavenly
heart. It s form shines outside. An inch or two below the navel is the d(lll tiew
point. One sholiid diligently practice conserving the original spi ri t here.
One must be clear about the merid ians, then look at the forms. The forms are
patterns all beginners must study. If one does not understand them , there is no

53
Xing Yi Nei Gong
use talking about the meridians.
The head is centered then rises, th e shoulders level the n are free. [f the chest
sticks ou t there will be obstructi on. Ce nt er the head and press up the crown, the
coun te na nce will be strong a nd the sp iri t full. The shoulde rs are alive a nd the
back straight and leveL With the chest out, the body wan ts to withdraw inward.
This is the true crux. The feet are solid and stable, the crotch is solid and held
in, the rihs are open and extended, when the feet move the knees use Ix)wer, the
front rill contracts, the ribs ope n, the tru e qi is regulated a nd even, the energy
relaxes a nd tightens. When issuing qi the ca rs hear no sou nd. The ellt>rgy must
first be relaxed and th en tighten, move it slowly.
First inhale then ex hal e, moving in ami out. First li ft, then [ower, once
ascending once descending. The dall timl is imide, it is the place the qi returns
to. In halt: inward, ex ha le outward, never make a sound. While lifting inha le,
keep the thought that the rE'al qi is ascending to the nown of th e head. When
lowering, the real qi descend s. While lowering, feel as if the qi of the whole body
is infinit esimally small , it fa ll s into the dal/ ril11/ . A hibernating d ragon or a
sleeping tiger, late nt and w ncea led . Contract the a nus at the lower end, raise to
the Y II LU ll (jade tower). then past t he pubic bone. Allow the qi to flow wit hou t
obstru(tion. 00 not stop it at a nyone pOint, the qi moves from the th roat to the
lungs and heart . Even though the lli gathers in the dlll/tilll/, keep the thought that
it is in a low place. Rising, it has its route o f ascen sio n . The ribs are lifted together.
Going down there is a route of desce nding. The qi ri ses along the ribs, open the
sutures of th e bone as much as possible, lift them upwa rd, one will naturally
obtain the key. Descending must start from the mouth , th e n it e nt ers the fro nt
heart , th is is th e true rout e.
Breat he smoot hly and evenly, once inhaling once ex hali ng, breathe through
the nose. Then the qi wil l soon become stable. Proceed to in hal e o ne breath. As
you inhalE' imagine that the real qi is moving ou t from the YU",~ Quail (K· I •
gush ing spring) pOi nt, ascends along the ribs, moves to the front of th e chest,
then it moves to the back of th e cars, proceeding it ascends to the Ni Wall point.
When the qi descends imagi ne that it moves from the Ni Wml poi nt to the Yi"
Ta llg pOint , from the rill TaliS poin t to the nose, from the nose to the throat , from
th e throat fo llowing the spine and penetrates the front heart, from the front
heart it si nks to the dml tiall.
The eyes look a t the nose, the nose is lined up wit h th e navel. Moving from
point to point o ne should keepstil l, pull open the twen ty·six linked locks, a point
of light will hang at the eyebrows.
Squeeze the anus tightly up and inward , the coccyx is raised folding up the
bones, the feeling rt.'turns to the dtlll riall . Going fo rward it is also the Que Qiao
route, at twelvE' it descends to the pool , lock up the monkey of the heart, co ntrol
the horse of the intent, build the fo undation in the bottom o f the sea of the dlU/
(i(1I1 , one will fee l joy without limit. Return to the source and pursue the self
knowledge of the original heart, after a long period o f pract ice o lle will have a
body as hard (IS steel. the hundred il lnesses will disappear ,m d one will beco me
as a child.

54
 Written Tran smissions

Combat
The key is the eyes, they send information to th e heart. Th ei r importance is
grasped and the whole body reacts.
First stabilize the heart , the face smiles, the eyebrows look happy and the lips
do not move. Th e heart is the General , the eyes are the vanguard, the legs are the
war horses, the hands are the spears and swords, the heart, liver, splee n, lungs,
and kidneys are the ba rracks and sentinels. The body is like a military
encam pment , the pores of the body are likea thousand soldiers and ten thousand
horses. The body withdraws like an exploding cannon.
The sound of "Ha " is like issuing orders. Striking with th e hand is like lighting
a fuse , knocking men down with ollt a smile.
The body is like a drawn bow, the fist is Iikea poison arrow, Without a thought
it cannot be stopped.
The best method is to move first , when the hands and feet arrive together, that
is the true method . The intcrnal is lifted, theexternal follows, ri si ng hori zontally,
lowering is smooth, strike from a distance, the qi urges (the move ment ), the fist
is like a ca nnon , like a dragon folding its body, when you mcet an enemy it is like
fire burni ng his body.
If you are able to advance on th e moment, you wlll not be on the defensive,
be a breath ahead and not a breath behind .
When martial artists fight, cover the five elements, th e three risings are not
seen , the three advances are not seen, it is all right if they are seen , it is also all
right if they are not seen, move into the center, then it is hardest to change.
When fighting with others, it is important to understand the "Three Firsts:" the
eyes are first , the hands arc first , and the feet are first .
Whe n fighting wit h the brave do not think, he who thinks will fi nd it hard
to take inch steps.
Every part of the body may strike, when the feet ki ck, the whole body is empty.
When far away from the oppone nt do not kick, the kick will not reach . When
there is space do not strike, when there is space do not attack.
First strike the oppone nt 's defenses then strike him . The whole body is able
to defend . When striking, your own body should beablctoadapt to ci rcumstances
at any time. When putting the hand s out do not miss, dodging right and left ,
defend both sides.
When meeting an opponent , if you h ope to be victori ous, th e four terminus
must arrive together. If th e hands raise and the feet do not it is a waste of time.
If the feet rise and the hands do not, it is also a waste of time.
If yOll run into many opponents, swing three times and spin twice.
If the opponent's posture is good, do not attack . If the opponent is far away,
do not attack. Know the near and know the far, know when power is early and
when it is mature, know the wide and know the narrow. The upper and lower
follow one another, if the heart stirs but the body does not move it is a waste of
time, if the body moves but th e heart does not it is also a wast e of time.
Striking people is like taking a wa lk, loo k at people as if they are straw, attack
like the wind, rise and fall as a drilling arrow. Wait for a moment of lapse th en
attack, when the opponen t's attention lags, move on him .

55
Xing Yi Nei Gong

56
 Chapter 3

Xing Yi Quan
Standing Practice

57
Xing Yi Nei Gong

XingYi Quan
Standing Practice

Introduction
by Ti m Cartm ell

NOII·actioll is the real actioll. Dlle humlred acts are lIot as good as olle l1Iome"r of
silellct'. Olle IlIImlred movements are IIot as good (IS OIU' m{)mellf of standing still. Big
movement is 1I0t (IS good as small movement. Small movemellr is not as good as ti~
movement.
- Wang Xiang Zhai

Author's Note: Following is an explanation of the benefits of stance keeping

and important points of practice. The information is my interpretation of stance
keeping based on my background and experiences. My ideas, images. concepts
and translati ons represent onlyoneof many possible theories and interpretations.

Move ment in Sti II ness ~

rjJ .h ..-H' ~~
T ;r.... 7-/ J

The internal martial arts have as a basic tenant the principles known as
"stillness in movement and movement in still ness." This concept is relat ed to
the popular ),;,,1),(1118 concept of duality. The basis of all movement li es in
Sl illll~::'::'. which is the natural state before motion begins. If one cannot
distinguish between absolute stillness and motion, there can never be true
coordination. This is becausepart(s) of t he body will always be moving either too
little or too mUCh, thereby decreasing the effiCiency of motion. Begi nning
motion from true still ness allows one to control the motio n to a very fine degree.
One is strongest when the mind and body are unified and work in a coordinated
fa shion. This is only possible when there Is calm. Obviously. it Is much easter
to pract ice and cult ivate mind/body unity in stillness than it is du ring the
performance of complicated movements. From this st illness is born efficient
movement . The reason this is so is because with stillness and ca lmness come the
most vital clemen t to martial effiCiency (and motion efficiency in genera l), and
that is "t rue balance. " With out true balance there can never be complete release
of unnecessary tension and true relaxation.
A body even sligh tly out of balance demands continuous adjustment and an
extra expenditure of energy just to keep fro m falling down . This causes undue

58
 Standing Practice
tension and stress and effectively prevent5 optimal perfo rmance. Movement
begun from th is unhalan ced state can never be completely effici ent. Stillness in
motion and motion in stilln ess mean when there is movement there is total,
efficient, coordinated movement ; when motio n stops, it stops completely and
returns to absolute stilln ess. Tra ining of this type eventually allows the
practitioner to mobilize 100 percent or his or her power and to focus it whe re it
is ne<>dcd. A~ with the acquisition of any other skill , o ne should naturally
proceed from the easy to th e difficult . Idea lly. th e training would be devoid of
an y superfluous movement and every action and minute spent would bring one
closer to one's goals. The most efficient type of training whi ch will enable th e
practitioner to develop a stron g foundation , and many of the vi tal attributes
necessary for martial efficiency, is standing still.

Stance Keeping )iJ; ~

The foundation of the int ernal martial arts (and many exte rn al martial arts as
well) is the practice of "stance keeping" or zl /(III Lllllallg. In the Xing Yi Quan
system . ~tance keeping is the very core of tra ining and devel ops many of the
qualities essential to the development of mart ial ability. Over year'i of living,
people acquire bad habits o f body use and lose the o riginal mind/body unity and
suppleness and spontanei ty that was their natural state. If one begins to train
complicated patterns of movement before correcti ng bad habit s, th ese inefficient
habits of motion are carried over into the newl y acquired 1ll0VenHmt ::.kills and
are furth er rei nforced . Trying to fun cti o n with inefficient post ure or motion can
be compared todrivinga car with the emergency brake o n . If you arc dri vi ng your
car with the emergency brake on, the way to increase performance is not to put
a bigger engine in the car, it is to release the brake. Only when the ca r is running
as efficiently as it should in the first place docs it make sense to "soup up" the
engine. Therefore, it is much more effiCie nt to fi rst inhibit and release bad habits
and then , huilding on this foundation , train to increase power and ability.
Stance keeping does both at once. It inhibits and eliminates poor habit s of body
use while increasin~ balance, ~ tre ngth and sensi tivi ty.
The root of efficient movement is stilln ess. Therefore, a lo~ical place tn hegin
training is simply standing still. Stan ding still, o ne may reduce th e number of
variables to be dealt with to the bare minimum . Tht' mind may natural ly quiet
and fU(:us itself o n Ih e feeling of co rrect posture ami true balan ce. The fir st goal
of standing is to return to th e stilte of " not-doing " anything, thereby inh ibiting
previo usl)' acquired bad habits and allowing the neuromuscu lar system to
register the fee ling of natural balance unti l it once agai n beco mes the pfl'<iominant
state. Any movement initiated from th is state of tme balance will naturally have
power.
Every teacher will tell you that the most impo rtant part of training is to build
a good fOlllldiltion, but man y are not exactl y clear what a good foundation is.
The definition I offer is that a good foundation is mind/bod y unity with an
absence of poor habits of body use which allows o ne to fully utilize inherent
strengths.

59
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Interna ll'ower r:Jg <j.j]

Although many teachers of internal arts like to talk about internal power and
qi (~) as something fanta stic and mysteri()us (especially in the west), this is
almost in va riably a result of misunderstanding (on th e part of the teacher) or
outright deceit (because it is good fo r business). We, as physical beings, are
subject to the laws of ph y!:>lcs; mass, energy, and gravity. Our bodies are
constructed a ce rtain way, our minds produce real ene rgy and we arc all under
the innue nce of graVity, all the time. The internal martial arts (actually. any uf
the higher level martial arts) scek to work with our natural strengths. to utilize
our intcrnal (mental) energies most efficiently and to pfOduce the most effective
movement relati ve to our environment (gravity anti uutside fo rces). The result
is internal power. "Internal " refers to working wit h our inherent and inborn
strength s under th e guidance of th e mind. Once again. mental di rect ion is the
key, one's ilctions and reaction !:> are in harm ony with natural laws and inborn
strength s, rather than random, inappropriate external reactions to sti muli .
J have heard teachers of the internal arts talk about using qi instead of muscle
force, and that no strength need be used as one'!:> power comes from amassed qi.
This sou nds ve ry profound and wonde rful , but a moments renection makes
obvious the fact that without using musclE." force and strength we would be
unable to get up off the noo r. The point is this, the ex ternally ohservable result
of movement is always a r('sult of muscle moveme nt in the hody, the key to
internal power is I/Ow the body is moved.
Man y mistaken idea!:> about inte rnal power came about because with mind/
body unity, correct relaxation and mental dircction , a tremendous amount of
power is released in an almost completely effort less manner. That is, the per!:>on
issuing the internal power feels as if he or she is using hardl y any strength at all.
The resuit s ofte n appear almost magical. The key li es in ililowing (not forc ing)
the body to use its inherent st rengths in a coordinated manner. It is more a
process of not-dOi ng than of usi ng effort, and such powe r must be di rected by the
mind.
In ~uml ll ;lry. internal power Is only mysteriOUS when misunlief\tood. It is the
result of relaxing completely so the body's natural . intrinsic st reng th ~ ca n be
fully brough t in to play (such things a!:> ml.'chanical advantage. the natural
elasticity of the tissues, body mass, the stretch reflex, etc.) The whole process is
under menIal direction. The mind doesn't "control" as much as "inh ibit "
inco rrect processes or tensi on so the body can function n"turally. Finally, at
higher level s of training. the vast reservoir of subconscious power may be
brought under conscious control. It shou ld be noted that the sa me mental and
ph ysical state that produces internal power is also conducive to good hea lth , a~
one seeks to release stress and relax the body and mind whil e allowing the body
to fun ction optimally.

60
 Standing Practice

Who le Bod y Power ~ fJ,j}

One of the sp~ci al characte ri stics of the internal arts is their training and use
of so-call ed "w hol e body pow~ r ." This refers to coordinating the body in order
to produce a maxinwm amoun t of power, much more power than could be
generated with a sectio n of the body (an arm or leg) al one. This type o f power
is manifest in all movement , although in d ifferent ways. Whole body power is
ha ..ed o n relaxation a nd balance which allows the body to be uSed in a
coordinated, na tural way. The standing practice is esse ntia l for releasing bad
habits and developing the essentials necessary for this type of power. Through
standing practice we learn to relax and let our weight si nk ~hrough the earth in
a non contentious alignment wit h gravity . We also lea rn how to become "still "
and let the body's natural power work for us.
Tru e re laxat iun and letting th e body weight si nk in alignment with gravity is
c ~ ..e ntial to producing wh ole hody power. Any su perfluous tcnsion or moti on
I.eeps t he body tissue at the plilCC o f tensio n from co ntracting and expanding as
1\ should natu rally a nd without co n scio u~ effort (wh iCh amounts to a blockage
which prevents one frorn using the power of the whole body). All the tissue of
the body, as well as the frame of the body, have the ability to cont raCi and
e \pa lld , a natural elasticity and "sp ring iness. " When the whole body is relaxed
ii nd aligned with graVity (true balance) thi s springin ess o f the bod y is capable of
producing tre mendous power with very Iittlc cffort. All that is reqUired is to ler
the body move and react as it was meant too Any forcin g or tension only serves
to reduce power. He re i~ a si mple illustration. A fall ing raindrop isn't "doing"
an ything, but it sti ll hits the ground wit h considerable force. T he rai ndrop ison ly
totally giving in to ~ ravity and the refo re it strikes the ground with as much force
a ~ it i.. ca pabl e of wit hout effort or ten sion . No amount of extra motion of the
\\Oate r molecules within the raindrop itself will cause it to h it the ground a ny
harde r. To the raind rop it sel f, eve n as it falls under the pull of gravity, it is still
i<,tillness in motion). Therefore, the two most important points in developing
whole body power arc relaxat io n and alignment with gravity.
The above is an example of using the body mass in accordance with th e
principles of relaxation and alignment with gravity_ What seems to be relaxed
and passive actuall y prod uces the mos t power as the re is co nformity to natu ral
pri nciple!>. Again, it Is th l' non-do ing and no n.effort that produce the most
effic ient results.
In Xing Yi ,aft ... T basic stilnding practice we proceed to si mple movements (fi ve
clement fisls) which develop the abi lity to issue whole bod y power in an efficient,
easy manner which uses no brute force whatsoever. Finally, an added advantage
!.. that this type of power begin s from stilln ess, Is issued completel)' and then
returns to stiIlness (ready to be issued aga in immediately). There is no time lost
ill "wi nd ing up " o r "cocking" a blow and no overco mm itment which caUSes loss
of bala nce o r vu lnerability. Whole body power ca n be a pplied to any type of
~I ri kl' , kick, lock, throw and even to ground fighting.

61
Xing Yi Ne i Gong

Stand ing Meditation if- =¥f

Finall y, stance keeping is a fo rm o f standing meditati on . Th e benefit s to
martial art s and health in general are numerous. We are seeking a mind /body
unity, a kind of wholeness of being. Conflict in the mind precludes m ind/body
un ity. As si mple as it sounds, while standing one is taught to "j ust stand ." Th ere
is no right or wrong, on ly an image of focus to whi ch the body natura lly
confo rms. The image it self serves as a focal point of mental activity whi ch serves
to calm the m ind . There is only an attendant "feeling" and acknowledgment
th ereof. There is none of the nonsense about "not thinking an ything " o r
"empt yin g the mind. " The mind is focu sed . Trying to "stop th ought s" will only
prod un' confl ict and stress. While stand ing, o ne onl y observes oneself impartially
with att ention to how it fee ls, there is no conflict, the mind and body are unified
and th e brain waves settle down (not st op) into a calm state. It is in this stateof
Gllm and stilln ess that perceptio n is clear, reaction is spontan eously effi cient ami
o ne literally "rests" and "exercises " at the same time. Th is type of standing
practice yields all the benefit s of meditation while allhe same time reinforcing
mind /body unit y and cultivating th e body's natural power.

62
 Standing Pra.ctice

Basic Concepts
by Tim Cartmell

Relaxation ~

The Ch inese word .~ollg is usual ly translated in English as "relax ." This
definit ion is incomplete and oft en leads to misunderstand ing and consequently
incorrL"<.1: posture and movement. TIle concept of sOllg requires furth er explanatio n.
If you tense up the mu scles in your arm as much as possible, you have created
th e state the Chinese call yingor "hard ." Hyou let your arm hand limp and ignore
it co mpletel y the Chin ese say it is nUll! (soft in the sense o f slack). If you leave
the mu sc l e~ in your arm relaxed, but put your mind in your arm by using an
image, such as you r arm being pumped full of air, or that your arm is a hose with
water rushing out of your fingertips (with out actually te nSing the muscles) so
that your arm is now supple, springy, and alive, thi s is the state of sot/g. It is a
balanced sta te which is neither slack nor tense.
SOllg is a state of rela xation which includes the Yi or mind (i ntentio n).
Although th e hody is relaxed, it is "charged " with the real power of the mind.
Thi s m ind/body unity is one's original and strongest state . ThIs concept of
relaxation appli es to the mind as well (a lthough when appJie<l to the mind the
Chinese usuall y refer to the desi red state as ji llS meaning quiet or a calm
awareness). The mind is relaxed in the sense that there should be no connict
betwee n what nne is doing and what one thinks one "shou ld " be doing. During
prin.:ti ce, we seek to let goof any conflicts and pay attention to what we are feeling
at the tim e. Remcmhe r, th ere is no right o r wrong in practice, only an image or
feelin~ that our body conforms to, as much as it is able, without stress or force.
It should be noted that jllst as true physical relaxation is the stat e free of excess
tensio n yet not slack, true mental relaxatio n Ui/l:':) i.. the state free of any connict
yet no t "d ull" in the sense o f daydreaming o r "e mptying" the mind until one
become.. ~onU' kind of inert zombie . As mind and body arc In reality one entity
to begin with, the state of one has a profound innuence on the state of the ot her.
In fa ct, when one is suug o ne is also jillg and vice-versa. When one is lost, so is
the other.
The other major be nefit or true relaxatio n is that o nce it becomes the natural
slate there will be "stillness in movement and movem ent in stillness." This
mean s that in stillness o ne is not slack and dull but rather contained within that
stillness is an active energy (movement in stillness). While moving one
mainta ins the feeling of calm a nd relaxation so o nly the proper amoun t of e ne rgy
and powe r are used in the appropriate way (stillness in movement) . Movement
born of stillness and relaxation is most effi cient and allows the use of int ernal
power.
Finally, it could be said that sung o r tru e relaxati on is the key co ncept in Xing
Vi 's basicstanding practice. True relaxation allows true halance, it is the state free
of bad habi ts of body use, making full use of all one's inh erent strengthS while
in the stat e of mind/body unity.

63
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Si nking )t
This concept is actuall y inseparable from the concept of relaxatio n. "To sink"
means to relax the body and allow the tissues of the body to return to their
intended place. All matter naturally moves (sinks) to the lowest possible point
under gravity's Infl uence. The va rious tissues of our body are no exception.
" Holding up" parts of our body only serves to waste energy, reduce mechanica l
efficien cy and cut power. The on ly way we can fully utilize our natural , inborn
strengths (th e elasticity of the tissues, reflex reaction, mass, etc.) is if we are
relaxed and "sunk" meaning aligned with gravity. Many of the images taught
in practi ce h,lve relaxation and sinking as their primary purpose.
We all enjoyed effortless poi se and natural mind/body coordination as sma ll
children. Over the yea rs we accumulate bad habits of body use and alignment;
we began to separate our minds and bodies to the detriment of both. The first
step in training is to inhibit and release these habits in order to effect a return to
the mind/body unity, relaxation, poise and natural power we once possessed.
Much of the early training in Xi ng Vi Quan , especially the standing practice,
is designed to reinstate true relaxation as the natu ral state. One stands
comfortably relaxed while directing the mind with specific images which serve
to inhibit and eliminate bad habits until one's original state of true relaxatio n
and mind/body unity once again becomes the natural condition. With true
relaxation and si nking, one will feel both "heavy" (rooted stably to the ground)
and "li ght " (with agile ease of movement) at the same time. In this state, one is
balan ced and powerful while motion seems almost without effort.

Alignment and Structure !!f!-.j.~

'" I[-¥t-
The postures and movements of Xing YI Quan are all designed to rea lign the
body into positions of natural power. This involves lining up the frame so there
is "space" in th e join ts and the soft tissue (muscles and fascia) are gently
stretched. The result is an ove rall t!lasticily or "springiness" in the entire body
wh ich is the source of whol e bod y power and unitary motion . When this type
of body slate is directed by the mind, one ca n make full use o f one's "internal
power." This internal, whole hody power mea ns to use the natural strengths o f
the body issuing e nergy in a " pulse" which is developed throughout , and
supported by, the whole body. This type of power feels almost effortless as it is
effected by "fulfilling the requi rem ents " (setting up th e conditions) for interna l,
whol e body power and then letting the body issue the power "by itself. " Once
again , nothing can be forced but rather the alignments and movemenls are
mentally directed. Forcing and tensing only serve to detract from the power
generated.
The basic stance keeping practices of Xing Vi Quan are the primary tool for
traini ng correct body alignments in positions of power (positions usefu l in
martial e ncounter). The human body is capable of withstanding and generating
a tremendous amount of force. Thi s ability goes far beyond what we normally

64
 Standing Practice

think of as ordinary mu scle strength (alt hough it comes from the muscles, bones
and connective tissue). The key to utilizing thi s natural "internal " power is to
put the body into the correct alignment and then let the body functi on on its
own . In fact, we use this type of power all the time in athletics as well as daily
lire. The goal of train ing is to develop and refine this ability and bring it under
conscious control.

Usc the Mind a nd Not Brute St rength ffl ~ ~ Jf] 7:J

As stated above, we are lookin g for a state of relaxed awareness in which the
whole body is supple, elastic, and alive. Th e only way to achieve this state is to
use the mental to direct the physical. Not using force refers to what the Chinese
cali/liD Li, wh ich ca n be translat ed as " brute fo rce" (it literally means "clumsy
power"). Brute force is stre ngth inappropriate to the sit uati on, generated by too
ten se or too slack muscles Without mind/body unity. Th e way to avoid using
brute force is to direct all movements with mental images wh ich allow one to
maintain th e desired States of relaxation and mind/body unity and fully utili ze
the body's inhe rent st rength until such move ment becomes the natural state.
On the other hand, usi ng the mind and not force does not mean we are limp
and weak. Strength is used (if no st rength were ust!d we would be unable to move
at all) and force is applied , but it is genera ted by a relaxed and balanced body, and
the strength used is exact ly appropriate to the situatio n at hand. The primary
difference between the expert and the novice is that the expert applies strength
and force appropriately while the novice applies st rength inappropriately. The
inappropriate application of fo rce is the very definition of "cl um sy." Use of
"c lumsy force " is addressed in the first o f the "three harms" in the Xing Vi Quan
written transmissions, "inappropriate use of strengt h ."
It is important to remembe r that combat techniques arc useless until they are
a condition ed refl ex and even reflexive tech n iques never reach their fu ll
potential for powe r and effectiveness until they are applied from a sta te of
relaxation, mind/body unity and true balance.

FeelinK Comforta b le and Pleasan t it ~

Releasi ng tens ion and stress and relaxation lead to an overall feeling of
comfort . The postures, movements, and images of Xi ng Vi Quan produce a ca lm
and pleasant state that is both conducive to health and increases martial power.
Although standing is surprisingly taxing exercise (mu!'ides wi ll ache!), it is always
practiced completely without mental coercio n in the relaxed state. Many of the
images will cause fee lings of wa rmth , sudden release of tension in various parts
of the body and a peaceful state of mind.
Exercise which puts undue stress on the body will ultimate ly begin to tear the
body down . Sports and physica l tra ining which repeatedly overstress the sa me
pa rts of th e bod y make us succeptible to injury. All exercise is a form of st ress
wh ich the body adapts to over time, th is is the way th e physical condition is

65
Xing Yi Nei Gong

improved and strengthened by exercise. But there is a world of difference

between appropriate exe rcise which develops the whole person and mind less
repetition of movements without mind/body unit)' which Illay prove Illore
detrimental than benefiCial.

Culti vati on of li fe Forct' 1'!r

- M-
!:.:r..
Although the postures and movements of Xing Vi Quan ma y vary from one
style to another. they all mnform to natural prinCiples (including the laws of
physics. body mechanics, mental and ph ysical energy flow. etc.) and feel good.
The mind and body are never forced and should never strain. Health is built up
as the foundation of martial power. The Xing Yi Qu.an masters often said that
the exerci!le must be wei sliellg, or protective of life (in common !lpeech wei slleng
mea ns "san itary"). The broadE'f meaning of this concept is that all physical and
menta l training should cultivate the life force and build healt h. The Xing Vi
maste rs viewed extreme form s of training and conditioning which increased
martial.,kill or power at the expense of one's general health, or which damaged
the integrity of th e body tissue as fooli sh and ultimately counterproductive.
Training which involves fo rced breathing, conditioning the body by striking it
wit h hard objects, and overtraining one part of the body to be used as a "weapon"
often resulb in loss of health and function which eve ntually detract from. rather
than add to martial efficacy.
In contrast, lht' methods of Xing Vi Quan emphasize that all trai n ing for
ma rtial power and ability mu st at the same time cultivate Ihe life fo rce and build
health. The rationale h simple; people made weak from sickness or unbalanced
traini ng do not hav!.' the strength o r energy to fight. This point is soobvious that
it seems almost ridiculous to point it out, yet many people engage in t raining
that, while bu ilding limited st rength in o ne area, detracts from thei r overall
health and ultimately robs them of their vitality and the ability to fight at all.
The postures and moven1t.>nts of Xing Vi Quan all promote health and
.,trengthcll th e body as the basis of martial power. Another benefit to healt h is
that stance keeping is a form of "tanding meditati on. The mind is calmed and
focused and unified with the body. Th issllppresses sympathetic nervous activity
(which is active during excited, nervous "fight o r flight" activity) and elicits the
"ta le Iht, Chinese ca ll m ;i/lg (en te ri ng stillness) and h know in the West as the
"relaxation re'iponse ." The body is eXl' rched as the mind rests. One may never
have causE' to U!lC his o r her martial skills "for real" in an en tire lifetime, but each
person must live with their state of health every single day. It only makes sense
10 practice a system which enhances hath health and martial ability. The
practice of Xing Yi Quail serves to increasc both at thc same time.
Although no type of training is a pan,.u.:e3 for all ills or will turn us in to
supermen or supc rwonu."ll, if the method of trainin g we choose 10 devote a pilrt
of our live" to is not designed 10 cultivate our life force , build aUf health. and give
liS the Vitality for all our pursui l!l.lIIartial or olhenvise, it is most probably a waste
of our timc.

66
 Standing Practice

Min d/ Body U n ity }f .-.::,; 15' -

Our minds and bod ies are originally one. Although they appear separate on
the surface, they belo ng to the same continuum o f e ne rgy which ma kes up the
whole of o ur being. The almost unbelievahle strength of babies is a product of
th is original unity o f mind and body. All of t he previo usl y menti o ned concepts
(rela xatio n, sinking, correct hody alignment . etc.) are tools we use to aid us in ou r
return to this state . It could even be said that mind /lxxly unity is the pri mary
goal of basic trai n ing as it is the fo undation upo n which subsequent power and
skill is built .
With mind/body unity the body is capable of fun ct ion ing free of bad habits
and wi ll have full use of natural , inborn strength : With a return to this state
comes true balance . One is balanced internally (mind a nd body in balance with
the energy systems open) a nd externally (in relatio n to the enviro nmen t,
meaning gravity a nd pressures co mi ng from o ut side the bod y). With this
foundation , an y type of ph ysical skill is lea rned free of restricti ve bad habits
which det ract from powe r and effi ciency . Strength is built up where it is naturall y
required. Tn additi o n, any type of training undertaken in the stat e of mind/body
unity is naturally wei slleng (protective of life), building the body and cultivati ng
the li fe force as specific skills a rc learned .
Altho ugh the immediate goals of training are good health in general and
martial arts skill in particul ar, the ultimate goal of training sho uld be a com plete
and permanent return to the natural , unified mind /body state of be ing. Then
one will be "practi cing" 24 ho urs a day and life will he e nhanced thro ugh a
greater awaren ess of se lf and a more compl ete focus of the un ified life forc('. And
the starting point and foundation of such training in the art of Xing Vi Quan is
stan ce keeping.

67
Xing Yi Nei Oong

Postures and Images

by Tim Cartm e ll

Images

Our goab in practicing sta nce keeping arc mind/body unity and a return to
a natural balanced pmture. In addition, we want to tra in the mu scles and
neuromuscular system in pmitions o f power. that is, positiom which will later
be meful in martial encounter!'> and which allow full use of our inborn strengths.
Since we nlU" t never force anything but rather release and let the hody return to
its strongest state, holding awkwiml posture'i coerced by the will with force will
olllysucceed in tearing down the body, reinforcing bad habits and t:a usi ng stress.
The basil' 5(111 Ti standing posture of Xing VI Quan i" erect and natural. with
the arlllS held in gentle c.:urves. RJ\hcr than holding it posture by force or having
to constantly monitor for countless details, this ::,tanding meth od uses menta lly
clirec..1ed images which automatically line up the body, relea::,e stress and bring
about m ind/body unit y in a state of dynamic relaxation . for exam ple, the
in st wc..1or could give elaborate instmctions detailing every angle, arc, .lIul cu rve
th e body should a~sumc while holding a po!'>ture, however, the st ress of trying
to remember so man y details will be enough to negate allthc be nefit s of practice.
Onc thing that makes Xing Vi'" Sail Ti standing practicc so valuahle is that it
has the most ingeniOUS and co mplete 'iet of mental imilges of any martia l system.
All of till' image" have been (a refully designed and progressively categorized 10
immediately bring about the desirt"d .. tiltt.·~ of mind/bod)' unity, true balance.
st ress reiciI)l' ilnd cond ition the neuromuscular "yslem to fully utilize one's
inborn power in the most efficient manner. Thl' image" arc 'iimple and effec."tivt'
and the practitioner will he 3111(' 10 unitt' mind and body and coordinate
mOVl'm ent fmmthe sta rt. (Thl' traditional images used in Xi n~ Vi Quan practice
are outlined stilrting on page 73 in the section titled " Images from the Xing Vi
Classics.")

Postures

111 IlIi.\ \('((iol1 / will disCl/ss SOllie illlfJ(}r"ttllll puil/!S (or (l1I,Jostl/reo!> and lII(lI'emelllS

The Head :
The position of the head is the key to the illignmenl of the whole body. The
head i'i at one e nd of our anatomy (the top) with the feet at the other. In o rder
to relieve temion, elongate the hody, and crea te th e proper tone in the body
tissue. we IllU"t gently lengt he n o r "stretch" th e hody from one end to the othe r.
C:orreet tone in thl' body ti""uC' means correct posture with an overa ll elasticity
or "springiness" which crea tes proper spact~ for ou r Internal organs and systems
while selling up the cond itions for the liSt:' of internill power and the full
utiliLation of OUf inherent strengths. If you want to stretc h something, there
Illust l>c an antagon ist ie pull at both en ds. (; ravit)' takes care of pulling our feet

68
 Standing Practice
downwards. what we must do is allow our head to be "pulled" upwards (meaning
away from our fcct. not necessarily straight up). So the position of our head is
most im portant in determining the state of our whole body. When standin g, the
head is gen lly lifted upwa rds (with the mind, not force) allowing the entire body
to release excess tension and align itself properly with gra vity.

The Feet :
The body weigh t is evenly d istributed between both feet. Let the weight settle
on the ent ire surface of the sales of the feet (try to avoid putting the weight too
far forward toward the halls of the feet or too far back towa rd the heels, also be
careful not to roll the feet inward o r outward). Make sure the feet are relaxed and
take a moment to "feel " the ground. (This is the "double weighted" variation of
the Slm Ti postu re. If you stand with a 70/30 weight distribution , thedistri bution
of weight on the feet is the sam~, the only difference being the center of gravity
is shifted towards the rear.)

The Kn ees:
The knees are slightly bent and face the samedireclio n as the toes. The knees
must never collapse inward or bow outward. In genera l, we will stand up
naturally. with a very slight bend at the knees. Later. if you choose to squa t more
deeply, remcmber the knees should never pass the vertical line which pas:::.es
through the tips of the toes.

Thl' Wili s! and Hips:

The hips are held level. Relax the torso and try to feel as if it is "full" on all
sides (thi:::. means do not arch the back or collapse the chest). The kiln (ju ncture
at the front of the waist where the thigh joins the tOrso) is Sligh tly inserted
inward. Let tltl' buttocks relax and sink as if you afe "feeling downward" with
you r rear. The waist and hips form thecenter of the body and join the upper with
the lower. This area is k{'y t(1 who le body powe r and effleient mo vement. When
stunding correctly, the whole pelvic area and waist shou ld feel comfo rtable and
frce (almost as if it i.. "floal ing").

The Spine:
The spine is relaxed and allowed to elongate. This means there b; no effort of
the muscl e.. to hold the spine or torso in any forced po'iilio n . With thc lihing
of the head and si nking of the body. the spine will be elongated into its natural
position ,mti the stress between the vertebra is released. While so me methods
advocate "straightening " the spine by pulling the coccyx down and unde r, in
order to reduce the curve in the lower back, this position is tense. tiring. and
unnatural. Thespine is not su pposed to be perfectly straight, it has natural curves
fo r a re .. :::.on . We don 't want to use force to pull the spine stra ight , rather. we
release ten sio n in the back and tor .. o and allow the spine to elongate naturally.
This al1ow~ the spine to have a natural "springiness" which renders it capable of
gene rating tremendous powe r.

The Stomach:
The mu ~dc ... of the stomach and wa ist are completely relaxed. With the lihing
of the head ami elongation of the spine the abdominal muscl es will be gently

69
Xing Yi Nei Gong
stretched and held in the proper state of tonus. Although the stomach muscles
arc completely relaxed, because we are standing in dynamiC, correct posture, the
muscles will not sag or cause a "pot belly" effect as the posture serves to gently
stretch the abdominal wall . Your stomach and waist muscles are exerciscd even
as you stand still.

The Ch est:
The chest is rclaxed, widenl-'d and very slightly depressed inward. One shou ld
neither pull back the shou lders and stick out the chest nor slump the shou lders
ami let the chest collapse. The chest should feel open, wide, and relaxed in a
natural positio n.

Th e Shou lders:
The shoulders arc level and relaxed. They arc neither pulled back nor
hunched fo rward . One should feci as if the shoulders arc poised. and balanced
at the top of the torso. It is very important not to lift the shoulders at an y time
duri ng the practice.

Th e Arms and Hands:

The arms and hands are completely relaxed and always held in gent le curves.
The elbows are neither bent too much nor rigidly straightened (the Chinese say
the arms "appear straight but are not straight "). The pa lms arc curved and made
"deep. " The backs of the hands are sp read and the entire hand is open and full ,
allowing the mind and energy to flow from the fingers unimpeded. The fingers
arc gen tly spread and rounded, neither tense nor slack. The arms and hands
should fee l relaxed, somewhat heavy, full , sensitive and gentle. When holding
the arms up, the weight should settle along the bottom (ulna side) of the arm
wit h the elbows "hanging."

The Neck:
The neck is stra igh t (but not tense) with a gent le lift at the back of th e neck.

The Chin :
The ch in is very slig htl y tucked down and in.

Tht'Tecth :
The teeth are closed together without force (no slack jaws or gri nll ing teeth).

Th e Eyes:
The eyes are levd and look straight ahead. One may look slightly upward as
if seei ng far int o the distance (as if viewing a vast landscape from the top of a tall
mountain). Sometimes the eyes will be gently closed.

n1(~ Ears:
The ea rs "listen inside" to tilt> "soumis" of the body .

The Face:
Relax the facial muscles, relax also the muscles around the sides of the head
and the scalp. Make su re you are not wrinkling the forehead (frowning) by

70
 Standing Practice
relaxing the space between the eyebrows. It helps to smile a little.

The Tongue:
The tongue is relaxed and slightly curved, touching th e roof of the mouth.

The Breath:
Relax and breathe in and o ut through the nose. As you sta nd and relax, you
may find you are breathin g slower and more deeply. This is good. You can
consciously relax you r ch est and abdomen to facili tate deep breathing but on ly
"watch" yourself breathe, don't try to fo rce or control the breath. When you
correct the postu re and relax, your body will naturally breathe in the most
beneficial manner. Our bodies knew how to breathe best long before we were
ever awa re th at we were breath ing at all and will do so again if we Jel them.

The above points generally apply to all postures and movements of Xing Vi
Qua n. They serve as a kind of objective view of the observable mechanics of
posture and al ignment. These poi nts can be used as a "checklist" for alignment
or as a co mparati ve reference when analyzing o ne's own posture objectively (as
in a film or photograph) o r when checking the posture of another.

71
Xing Yi Nei Gong
Possible Sensations

It wo uld be very difficult, if not impossibl e, to pay attention to all of the

previousl y mentioned deta ils in pra ctice (even while sta nding still). Besides, the
fact that dividing the body up into so many parts wou ld detract from the overall
Ufeeling" of balance and mind/body unity we are trying to achieve. What is
needed is a method that inhibit s previously acquired bad habit s while align ing
the body and bringing about mind/body unity "all at o nce" without stress or
tension . Th e images from th e Xing Yi class ics which appear in th e next section
provide such a method and tic the practice together into a unifi ed who le.
Each of the postures and movements in Xing Yi Quan are designed to culti vate
and train the mind/body unity and power fo r various t)'pes of ii''.'~s or energies
basic to martial technique. The types of en ergies trained in the 5(1/1 Ti posture of
Xing Yi include many of the basic powers used in the application of the art and
thus th is posture form s a founda tion for furth er study. Ana lysis of the energies
cultivated in the 5(/11 Ti posture reveals that there is an antagoni stic energy, one
of which ca n be considered o ffensive, wh ile at th e same time there is also a
defen Sive energy, 'i0 the posture simultaneously tra ins power for attack and
defense in the sa me plane.

Possibl e Sensations:
During practice, especial ly in the early stages, you may experience so me of th e
followi ng phe no me na. These are perfectly natural reactions and feelings and
there is no need to worry. Just relax and pers i ~t wi th practice and in time you will
co me to fel'! very comfort able as YOli sta nd, Despite the fact you are n't movin~,
stan ce keeping is real exercise. You may ex perience mild to fo rceful shaking in
your limbs. Thi ::. i::. due toa release of nervous tension o r fati gue and will pass after
a short period o f practice . You may feel hea l, cold , tingli ng, o r numbness,
especia ll y in your hand s. These sensations are also the result of th e nervou s
system readjusting and balancing itself and will soo n pass.
You ma y also expl'rience sore ness and aching in the muscles. The shoulders
arc particularly prone to ache. This is natural (just like so reness from any other
form o f exe rci se) and will pass as you become stronger . If your muscles bt'gin to
ache as you ~ tand , try to relax and use the images to "take the pressure off." It
may also he helpful 10 lower the arms and gently shake ou t the limbs and then
return to the posture. [f th e achi ng is intense or you feel very fat igued, sto p
practice for th e day and res t (these is no rush, power and ski ll are cultivated, they
can not he forced ). Eventually, when you stand you will feel very comfortable
and calm, as if you are floati ng in warm wat er.

72
 Standing Practice

Images from the Xing Yi Classics

by Tim Cartmell

ThE:' classical literature of Xing Yi boxing offers a wealth of images and

pral.1ical instructions which are designed to aid th e practitioner in aligning hi s
or h er hody with th e proper balance and focus o f intent. The inst ru cti ons range
fro m alignmen ts in relation to anatomical landmarks 10 colorful images. Below
I have included the translations o f some of the mOTe re]('vent passages wit h bri ef
explanations.

The Six Harmonies: (Liu He - ~-@'-)

I) the hands harmonize with the feet ,

2) the shoulders harmo nize with the hips,
3 ) th e elbo ws harm onize with th e knees,
4) th e heart harmoni ze~ with th e intent,
5) the intent harmonizes with the qi,
6) the qi harm onizes with the power.

The fir~t three are refe rred to as the "Three External Coordinations" while the
remai ning three aTe refcrR't.l to as the "Three Internal C:oo rdinations. " The
move me nt s of Xing Yi Quan are as natural as walking. We all maintain the Three
EX IL'rna l Coordinations during the m otions of normal wa lki ng and this degree
of naturalness should he maintained during the practice uf martial forms. Thi s
type- of natural motion is what our bodies are "designed " fo r, and consequently
build ing a martial system arou nd muvem ents wh ich make use of and work in
harmony wi th our innate strengths will be in herently Ill ore powerful than
fo rLi nx our bodies to perform "unnatural " movements (like fitting a square peg
in a round hole.)
The Three Internal Coordinations arc descriptions of th l:' ~ tatc in which there
;.s no separatio n between desire, will and action . The train ed indi vidual is fa ster
than th e untrained individual because he or she has reflexive patterns of
move me nt tr'lined into the neuro· mu scular system. The trained fighter has a
desi re to strike and the intent immediately mobili zes the pre-trained respunse,
the nerves fire in the cond itioned pattern and the body moves. The untrained
pe rson has the desire to strike and then must think about the detail s of the
motion and make conscious decisions a~ the unfamiliar moti on is made. In order
to move as quickly and effici e ntl y as possible th e interval of time- between the
JeSlre to move (heart) , the actual speci fic mental directions to move (I ntent), the
n~ uro- mu sc lilar reactions to th e impulse of the intent (qi ) and the actual motio n
tst.'lf (power) must be 3" .. hort as possible.

73
Xing Yi Nei Gong

The Eight Words (8a Zi - i\. :f:):

The eight words provide the practitioner with images used in align ing the
body and using strength naturally. Each of the eight words has three important
points. Theeight words areas follows : Press, Close, Round, Sensitive. Hold, Sink,
Curve, and Extend. Each word has three places of application on the body as
foll ows:

The Three Pressings (San Ding - -=-

-rJi): The head presses upwa rd, the palms
press outward and the tongue presses against th e roof of the mouth .

The Three Closings (San Kou . ;... ~ o): The shouldefs fee l as if they will close
together, the back of the hands and feet fe el as if th ey are closing together and
the teeth close together.

The Three Roundings (San Yuan - ;-. [1]): The back is round, the chest is round ,
and the Ti ger's Mouth (space between the thumb and index finger ) is round.

The Three Sensitivities (San Min - ;..~): The hea rt is sensitive, the eyes are
sensitive, and the hands are sensitive.

The Three Holdings (San Baa - 3..4e.): Hold the dati tiatl, hold theqi of the hea rt ,
hold the ribs.

The Three Sin kings (San Chui - 3.. .jt): The qi "inks, the shoulders si nk and the
elbows sink.

The Three Curves (San Qu - ;... db): The arms are curved, the knees are curved,
and the wrists are curved.

The Three Extensions (San Ting - E.. :bt): The neck is extended (lengthened),
the spine is extened and the kn ees are extended .

(Note: For details please refer to the important points for postures at the
beginning of this sect io n.)

The Five Bows (Wu Gong - Ji. iJ ):

The two arms, two legs, and spi ne are imagi ned to be bows. The arms and legs
are slightly curved (like a drawn bow) with the intent of extendi ng (as if to release
an arrow). A ki nesthetic sense of this image fills the body with a kind of "elastic"
power which is neither rigid nor slack. Thespine is exte nded and the head presses
upward but there is a slight feeling of a drawn curve because the shoulders and
arm s are exte nded forward.

74
 Standing Practice

Th e Fo ur Levels (Si Ping - 1!9 -'f- ):

The lOp of the head, the two eyes, the shou lders, and the hips aTe all held "level,"
meani ng parall el to the ground. These alignments are relatively simple to
understand and feel , and along with the pressing up o f the head go a long way
towards aligning the whole body.

Stickin g o ut the chest, pulling in t he sto m ac h, fo rcing th e

breath, and using brute fo rce will ha rm th e bod y.
These arE.' some of the most common mistakes of beginners. To avoid these
mistakes the chest is held normally without pushing it out o r letti ng it collapse
inward . The sto mach mllst be relaxed so that the breathing is not restricted and
the waist is rela xed and able to move freely. fo rci ng the breath refers to holding
the air in du ring physica l exertion. Finally, brute force refers to the extra tensio n
caused by a body out of alignme nt o r using o ne part of the body without the
support of the whole.

Three Po ints o n a Line (Sa n J ia n Yao Zh ao - :3- k -l- ~~):

The tip of the nose, the tip of the front hand and the tip of the front foot are
all 0 11 the Same ve rtic!c plane. This passage is re lated to the Three Externa l
Coordinations of the Six Harmonies. When this alignment is correct , one
automatically has the Th ree External Coordinations.

Th e Fists d o n ot Leave th e Heart, th e Arm s (Elbows) d o no t Leave

th e Ribs:
Once again, this passage is rela ted to the Th ree E'.xterna l Coo rd inations. The
hands do not move very far fro m the ce nterline of the body before the body
heg ins 10 turn . The elbows do not lift upaway from the ribs (sink th e elbows) nor
are the arms ex tended too far to the front.

fin ally, the pOSition and shape or the various parts of the body art' compared
to anima ls. These images aTe related to the eight words and say the sam e th ing
in a strongly imaginitive way. The animal /body connections are as fo llows:

Ch icken Leg Oi Tui - A !It)

Dragon Bod y (Long Sh en - ~L Jt)
Eagle Claw (Ying Zhao - .t JfJ
Bea r Sho ul ers (X io ng Ba ng - 1!~ $ )
Tige r's Head Embrace (Hu Bao Tou - 1t)1!. jji)

75
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Practicing San Ti Shi

Wang Ji Wu's Method
by Dan Miller and Tim Cartmell

The nox;IIS C(lIIOII states:

"The three bodies (S(I/I Ti) in martial arts refer to the head, hands. and feet. 51111
Ti is furthe r divid ed into three sections as follows :

Root Mid-sect io n Te rminus

Waist (d(ln ti(lll ) Spi ne (heart) Head (/\Ii Wall Point)

Hips Knees Feet
Shoulders FJbows Hands

All Xing Yi Quan practice starts with 5(111 Ti standin g. Mter walking th roug h
the form s, one must follow the correct scg uence of training and must not o mit
steps. All subsequent movement is found ed in SIIII '1'; 511i. This posture is the gate
of the Way, it is the root and cent ral nucleus of the art of Xing Yi Quan ."

"1 most every systelll of Xing Yi Quan in Northern China has the practi ce o f
standing silently in 5(111 Ti SI,; at its foundation . While one wil l find slight
vari;:ltiom in the exact body positi ons and alignments from one style to the next ,
all standing practice adheres to certain principles. In September of 1 99~ and
April of 199-1 , we di snl ~se d Wan~Ji WU'C;.~{l/I Ti c;tanding practice with twoof hi s
top students, Zhang BOlO Yang and WilngJin Yu. In thi s section we will discuss
the general principl es as wel l as the specific details of the standing practice in this
system of Xing Yi QUOIn .
Wang Ji Wu taught his studen ts two versions of the 5(111 Ti posture. om,' he
call ed "single hand " S(III Ti and the other "douhle hand " S(m Ti (see photos the
Ilext page). In the Shanxi style of Xing Vi Quan , the "single hand" Sail Ti postu re
is typicall y assumed as a beginning tran sition into the form movemcnt~ and th e
"double hand " Sail Ti posture ic; assumed whe n ending the forms. In our
di scussio ns, Zhang Bao Vang and WangJin Yu said that in practicing the 5 (111 Ti
standing posture, the student "train s to keep his or her cen ter." By knowing how
to always "keep his cent er" the student will alway~ he .. t(lblc and have good
ba lancl' while being vcry agile ,1t the same timt'. In addition to developing an
awareness of one's center, strengthening the legs, and developing a strong root,
th e alignments o f this posture also develop internal energy and integrate the
whol e hody.

76
 Stol/ding Practice

"Single Hand" Sa.n Ti Shi "Double Hand" San Ti Shi

Z hall ~ a nd Wang said that th e most im porta n t fundalT\l!n tai principles to
remc mber whcn practicing S11/1 Ti ~tanding a re outlined in the Boxi"x elII/O" in
the "S ix Hi'lrrnon ies" and "Eight Vital Point s." These principl es art' as follows:

Eight Vit<t l Po ints:

I ) the insides must be lift ed,

2) the three hea rt s Jl1U~t unite,
3) lhe three i ll tt:'1lt~ muSt fo llow one another,
.t) the Five Eh;'llIents mllst fl ow smoothl y,
S) th e fou r terminus mu~ t move togl'thl'r,
6) th e heart mll st be at case,
7) the three point s mu st be on a line,
8) the eyes mU~l focus on a .. ingle point.

Six Harm o ni l's: -f:: %

I ) the hands ha rmo ni zc wi lh the fect,
2) the shoulders harm oni ze wit h the hips,
3) the elhow .. h armoni ze with the k n ee~,
4 ) the heart harmonizes with the inte nt ,
S) th (' int ent harmoni zeS with the 'Ii,
6) th e 'Ii harmonizes wi th the power.
77
Xing Yi Nei Gong

WangJi Wu 's San Ti Standing Postures

Posture One: "Single Hand " San Ti Slri

Beginning Posture: The Sa" Ti standing practice begins with the practitioner
sta nding in a re laxed natural posture as shown in pho tograph #1 on the next
page. Stand up naturally, the heels together, the toes pointing outward at a 60
degree angle (60 degree angle between them). The whole body is relaxed and
comfo rta ble, do no t sta nd stiffl y. The eyes look straight ahead, close the mouth ,
th e to ngue touches the roof of th e mouth , breat he naturally, imagin e the breath
moves in and out of the d(1II (i(ll/, co ncen trate the spirit and quiet the qi. The two
arm s aTCrelaxed, ha nds at the sides. The hea rt is as quiet as still water. The crown
of the head gently presses upward . Now you are prepared fo r movement .

Tra nsition Posture: Fro m the beginni ng stance th e weight sh ifts to th e right leg,
the knees bend slightl y, and the left leg raises up off the ground slightly into a
"ch ic ke n" stance. The ha nds move up to a positio n in front of the h eart with t he
righ t h and resting o n to p of the left hand, the fingers of both hands pointing
st raight ahead (see photograph #2). The body remains re laxed. Ensure that the
sho uldt:'TS Tt:'main relaxed and the elbows are dro pped down when th e hands are
brought up.

The "Single Hand " San Ti Posture: Fro m the transi tional posture of photograph
#2, the right leg sta ys in place while the left leg steps o ut a nd the weight settles
at SO/SO. At th e sa me time, the left hand pu shes fonvard and extend s o ut in front
of the heart while the right hand pulls back, the root of the thumb rests against
the na ve l (see photograph #]). The hips tu rn 4S degrees with the front hip be ing
forward. A deta il ed descri ptio n of thi s postu re is given below.

The Head:
The head is gently lifted upwards and tilted slightly forward. The fo rward tilt
is facilitated hy the eye~ looking at th e Jill kOIl (L1 -4) o r "t iger's mo uth " (a po int
nea r whe re the thumh and index fin ger meet) of th e forward hand . While the
head in gencwi is gently lifted upward, the bai IlIIi point at t he crown of the head
has a feeling of being gently sucked in ward . Whi le many standing methods cal l
fo r one to lift up at thi s pOin t, WangJi Wu 's method ca lls for the head to be gently
lifted up, the neck gen tly st retched in back while the ch in is gently tucked in and
the ba i Ilili point to have a fee ling of being sucked inward.

Th e Feet;
The we ight of the body is even ly distributed in both legs (SO/ 50 weighted).
Wh il e many methods of Sail Ti st an ding call for th e we ight di st ribut io n to be 70/
30 or 60/ 40 (especially in the Hebei styles of Xing Vi), th e SO/50 weight
distribution is typical of the Xing Yi in Shanxi Province. Zhang Baa Yang
explain s tha llh ey emphasize the SO/ SO weighted stance in their syste m because
one can be mo re agi le in both directions (forward and backward). He states that
thL' 70/30 o r 60/40 stance is mo re "act ive fo rwa rd" while in the SO/SO stance t he

78
 StafldinR Pract ice

Photo #1 Photo #2

Photo #3

79
Xing Yi Nei Gong
practitioner is ready to move in eithe r directio n. Thei r method of Xing Yi utilizes
quick, short, strong steps which are best launched from the SO/50 stance. Healso
says that standi ng with th is weight distribution develops a strong ce ntral
equ ilibrium and a deep root. It is easier to develop an awareness of your ce nter
from th is posture.
The toes have a feeling of grasping the ground. The heels feel as if they want
to move outward (away from your center) and the toes feel as if they want to
move inward (towards your cen ter). The YO"S qllatl (K-l ) or "bubbling weU "
points in the hearts of both feet have the feeling of being pulled upwa rd. The
fo rwa rd foot points fo rward while th e rear foot angles outward at 45 degrees. The
back leg has a fee ling of being ready to move as if wanting to spring th e body
forward .

Th e Kn ees:
The knees are slightly bent and face the same direction as the toes. Th e knees
must neve r col lapse inward or bow outward. In general, stand up natural ly, with
a very slight bend at the kn ees. The forwar d knee is positioned such that the
forwa rd shin is approxi mately perpendicula r to the ground.

The Waist and Hips:

The body is divided into three sect ions; from the top of the head to the hips
is one section , from the hips to the knees is the second section and from the knees
to th e feet is th e third sect io n. The waist is the area that joins the upper and lower
body. Th e wai st must be relaxed with the 'Ii and breath su nk into the dan timl
so that a movement fro m the center moves th e whole body in a coordi nated
fashion. Thi s is a key to whole body power.

Th e Chest :
The chest must neve r be stuck out and is held slight ly depressed. As the
shoulders are pulled fo rward th e chest will have the appea rance of "emptying"
into the dan (ian. Thi s fa cilitates the alignment of the shoulders and hips.

Th e Sh ou lders:
The shoulde rs are level and relaxed . They are never pulled back nor hun ch ed
fo rward. One should feel as if the sho ulders are poised and balanced at the top
of the torso . It i .~ very important not to lift the shoulders at any time during the
practice. In acco rdance with the "si x h arm onics" the shouldl'rs are aligned with
the h ips . However, as o ne will notice from the photos of Zhang Baa Yang o n the
next page, th is alignme nt is not exactly vertical. Becau se of the SO/ 50 weighted
stan ce, the weight of the bod y fal ls in-bet wee n the legs. The shoulders are kept
forward of the hips, and the spi ne is straight. This alignment facilitates a direct
line from the back heel to the hips, alo ng the spine, to the shoulders and then
up th rough the top o f the head. Photograph #4 on the next page clearly
illustrates this alignment . !fyou were to draw a line from Zhang Bao Yang's head
to h is back heel, you would notice that the spine will be parallel to this line and
the alig nm ent of the hips and shoulders are also pa rallel to thi s line. This
alignm ent is characteri stic of Shan xi style Xi ng Vi.

80
 Standing Practice

Pho to #5
The Arm s and Hands:
In accordance with the requi rements o f the "th ree curves," the arms and
hands arc and always held in gentle cu rves. They are relaxed, however, there is
in ten tion al l thewayo\lt to the finger tips. Th is means that the hands are relaxed ,
but th ey ,H I:' not sl ack. The elbows arc neither hent too much nor rigidl y
stra ightened (the r.hinese say th~ arms "appear straight bu t are not straight,
appea rhe nl but .In.: not bent "). The wrists arc relaxed and held in a line with the
fo rea rms, curved slightly outward and u pwa rd. The pa lms are curved and made
"dee p" or "hollow" at the lao gOllg (PC-S) point in th e cen ter of the palm.
The backs o f th e hand s arc spread and the finger.'! arc spread apart like an
eagle's talon. The fingers are gently spread and rounded, neith er te nse no r slack.
The three out side fingers of eadl hand arc curved slightly as if o ne is prepari ng
to gra'ip something. Th is builds "digging powe r." The "tiger's mou th " is
rounded as the thumb is st retched away from the index finger. Beg inning
~ tud(' nt s should o n ly curve the fingers slightl y, lI~ure adva nced students can
cu rve the fingers to a greate r degree (as show n in photog raph #3 on p;:lge 79). If
a begi nner bt'nds the fin ge rs as much as Wang Ji Wu has his bent in the
photograph, the fingers will tend to be limp as the beginning student has not yet
developed the proper inte ntion or power in the hands. The beginner should
bend til t' fingers as Zh ang Bao Yang demonstrates in the two photo::. 'Ibove.
Th e elbows mu st always hang and feel as if they arc "sinking." The weigh t o f
the shou lders prcs~e~ the elbows. In turn , th e heaviness of the elbows is mentally
tra mfcrrro to the hands.
The forw'ard palm maintai ns the feeling of push ing forward while th e rea r
palm feels as if it is pushing downward and tht' rear elbow is pulling backward.
At the sa me t irn e t he two palm hearts have the feeling as if they are being sucked
inward .

81
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Th e Neck:
The neck is st raight (but not te nse) wit h a gentle lift at the back of the neck.

Th e Chin :
The chin is very slightly tu cked down and in.

The Teeth :
The teeth arc closed together without force. Th is is one of the "Three
Closi ngs."

The Eyes:
The eyes arE" leve l and look st raight ahead at the "tiger's mouth." This allows
you to focus o n what you are doing and puts your head in the correct position .

Th e Tongue:
The tongue is relaxed and slightly curved, touching the roof of the mouth.

The Breath:
Relax and breathe in and out through the nose. As you stand and relax, you
may find you afe breathing slower and more deeply. Try to feel your breath
si nking into your lower abdomen , into th e dati f;(11/ art~<I . Breathing sho uld be
s1O\\', smooth , con tinuous, even and deep. Breathing into the dOli thill will help
yOll relax your chest.

82
 Standing Practice

Posture Two: " Double Hand " Scm Ti Sl-ri

As stated previou sly, in the Shanxi style of Xing Vi Quan the "double hand"
ti posture h typica ll y assumed during th e end ing :,equence of a form wh il e
Stil i
tile "singl e hand" .mll ti is preformed as parto! the ope ning sequence of a form.
This is not only a characte risticofWang)u Wu's Xing Vi , other styles from Shanx i
Province, .. uch as theSongShi Rong style, also end their form sequence.. with thh
post ure.
When practici ng these po:-.tures in isolatioll from the form" ill other words,
as part of "sta nding practice" by itself, the practitioner can transition stra ight
fro m the " .. ingle hand " standing Ix>stun: to the "double hand" standing posture
as indicated in the seric .. of photograph s start ing below and con ti nuing onto the
nex t page.
From the "'ingle hand" .will ti the practi tioner will shift the weight forward
and allow both hands to sepa rate out to the :,ides as shown in photo 1#2 below .
From this pOS it ion t he hands move upward and the weight begim to .. hift back
to the rea r leg. Then the practitioner will d raw the hands back in along thecentt;'r
line of the hody and draw the front foot inward as all of the hody weight is shifted
to the back lega .. shown in photo #3 below. From this pmition, the front leg :,tcps
out as in the "single hand posture " wh ile both hands press downward as ~hown
ill phot os 4 and 5 on the next page. Not ice that both palms are facing downward
and the kni fe edge ('anal! fingt! r 'iide) of the fo rward hand is facing forward. The
rea r hand is placed in fro nt of the daH tial l as in the "si ngle hand " pmture. All
other body alignment requirements remain as outl ined in the last ~t!l.:ti on.
When exa min ing photographs 4 and S not ice the roundness of the forward
arm . TIll' arm should be held in a gentle curve from thE.' :,mall finger all tht! way
up to th e middle of the back. In this pu:,ture the practitioner is developing a
combination 01 "ward-off" energy and pressing down energy in the forward arm.
Exa mining the photograph of Wa ng)i WlI on pil&e 77, you will notice that
he is not pressing downward witll the fo rward hand, but i.. allowing the forward
hand fin ger:, to point downward. This is a more advilllced posture. Prcs .. ing

Photo #1 Photo #2 Photo #3

X i.ng Yi N ei Gong

Photo #4 Photo #5

Photo 1#6 Ph oto 1#7 Photo 1#8

84
 Standing Practice
down with the palm as Zhang Bao Yang is doing in the photos on the oppos ite
page helps to extend the intention to the palm and fingers. If the beginn ing
student holds his hand as Wang Ji Wu does in the photograph on page 77 , the
fingers will tend to be limp as the beginning student has not yet developed the
proper intention or power in the hands. The beginner should hold the hand as
Zha ng Baa Yang demonstrates in the two photos on th e previous page.
To conclude th e standing practice the practitioner will close as shown in the
photographs on the bottom of the previous page. First both hands separa te out
to the sides as shown in photo #6. Next the hands ra ise up above the head as
show n in photo #7, and then the practitioner comes to a resting position as
shown in photo #8. The practitioner should stand in this relaxed position for
severa l m inutes, breathing naturally and relaxing the entire body.

85
XinR Yi Nei Gnng

R6
 Chapter 4

Xing Yi Health and Body

Strengthening Exercises:
An Introduction

Wang Ji Wu with the Xing Vi "Needl es"

87
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Xing Yi Health Exercises

An Introductio n by Wang Lian Yi'
Tmnslated by Tim Cartmell

Tile Fiw EtemelJu, YilJ (llld Ya ns, imide (lnd olltsid(', intent, qi,
power, hartl (11/(1soft, (onn (Iml spirit, leclmique, ill lemal power, ( a/se
m ul rm/, tile origin al yallS qi, a/J ullited illto 011(,.

- Wang Fu Yuan

The way o f health involves exercise, nutritio n and personal hygiene, all o f
which enabl e the indi vidual to e njoy both a health yhody and spirit. In addition ,
we must also address th e issues of preventing and curing disease and the method
of extending life.
There are two major inn uences on the len gth of life. One is the harmful effects
of disease and injury, the other is the natural process of aging. If we wish to be
healthy, we mu st appl y the principl e o f "active use to preve nt decay." This
involves physica l training, internal cu lti vation and the practice of thc Xi ng Yi
Quan health exercises. Fo ll owing the above method will enabl eone to strengthen
thei r life energy, preve nt illness, delay the agi ng process and extend Ufe.
Wang)i Wu is a famou s con tempo rary master of Xing Yi Quan, and Is already
over one hundrt.'d years o ld . He has benefi ted greiltly from his practices of
culti vating the pre-birth qi and Xing Yi arts. The master be lieves in teachi ng by
example, and has tau~ht th e complete h ealth art to the public. Master Wang has
drawn o n his vast knowledge of the internal martial arts, Chinese Medicine,
secret teach ings, personal experience and o ne hundred years of train ing to put
togeth er a system of health exercises . Thi s meth od is the essence of Master
Wang's knowledge. The movements are easy to learn , and arc suitable fo r young
and old alike. I'eopleofbot h sexes, the healthy and th ose with physica l problems
or illness may all practice wi th great benefi l. The Xing Yi heal th exercises arc the
vcry method Master Wang him self practices o n a daily basis. This book incl udes
ex tensive explanations and illustratio n to present the exercises so they may be
easily lear ned . Many of the concept s presented here have been withhe ld from
the gen era l public as precious sec rets.
In addition to thoroughl y ex pla ini ng these co ncepts, Master Wang has
included many of his own di scoveries gleaned from a lifetime of dedicated
pract ice. The pract icality of the exercises i nth is book have been proven ove r time
and th is method is truly a treasure of the Chinese people. Ufe is movement.
Actually, Ihe o ldest medical treatise in the world , th e Yellow Emperor's Book o(
I"tefl/ul M edicille states, "wi th moveme nt there is no decay." Why is this so?
The basic pr ocesst'~ of life are in m etabolic assi milatio n and breakdown .
Assi milatio n involves proc.:cssi ng nutrient s taken in from outside the body and

• Wang Uan VI , Wang Ji Wu 's son , wroh:' thi s material in 1991 while WangJi Wu wa~
st ill alive. Thh material was published in Wang Lian Vi\ book Slim (;(mg in 1992

88
 Health Exercise Introduction
making them into substances th e hody can lI Sl '. These substances become part
of til e body and are stored as energy. Metilbolic breakdown involves taking
organ ic matter inside the body and breaking it down, thereby releasi ng energy.
The processes of assimilation and breakdown involves taking organic matter
inside th e body and breaking it down, thereby releasi ng energy. The processes
of assimilation and breakdown are mutually suppo rti ve and occur wit hout end.
When the building process of assimilati on is greater than the tearing dow n o f the
body thro ugh metabolic breakdown, the n the body increases its strength. When
breakdown is predominate the o ppm ite holds true, th e body becomes weaker.
Although physical exerci se causes metabolic breakdown to produce energy, it
stimulates increased assimilation and adaptation to th e effort of exe rcise, which
in turn strengthe ns the body. Th is is the meaning of "life is movement ," the
various life support systems of the body are stimulated t1~rough exercise.

Health and Trai ning

The muscles of the human body are made up of bundles o f muscle fiber which
arE' ca pable of contraction. With in the muscles arE' many nerve>;, blood vessels
and glands. As people grow o lder, the st rength of thei r muscles slowly deteriorates.
With regular exercise one may Increase th e size, elastici ty and strength of
muscles, improve Circu lation , stimulate th e metabo li sm, and improve one'~
speed , endurance, agility, and coordination . Wit h advanced age, one very o ft t'n
experiences calcification of the joints, and weaken ing of the muscles and
collnt.'t:tive tissue. With regular exercise, the tenacity of the joi nt s may be
increased allowing th e joints more ela"Uc strength and freedom of move ment ,
thereby preventin g arthrit is and stiffening of the joinb.
The elderly also often experience a loss of elastici ty in the wa lls of tht' blood
vessels, someti mes ca usi ng a Imsof erticit'ncy in the pumping actio n of th l' hea rt .
Regular ph y~ica l exercise can help prevent this drop in effi ciency by keeping the
heart mu scle strong, increasing the number of capillaries and th e stroke volume
of the heart. These h('n('fits of exercise result in a strong heart which in turn is
respomibl e for efficient circulation throughout the entire body with a lower
resting pul se rate. The heart wil l increase in weight and wi ll ha ve mo re
endurance whil,:h will e nabl e the Ind ividual to handle more stress am.!
responSibility. Al l of the above benefits add up to protection agil inst many of the
prohlemsof old age, SllCh as arteriosclerosis, high hlood pressure ami man y o f th e
other problems that plague those of advanced yea rs.
As far as respiration is concerned, consistent exe rci se promotes deep and full
breathing. Theslowl'r and deeper th e hreat h, the fewe rhreat hs taken per minute.
This type of breathing all ows the respiratory system time to rest. When the
respiratory capahilit y is good, the individual is full of vi tality and th e aging
process is sluwed.
Regular exercise also aids digestion , st im ulati ng peri stal sis and secre tion of
di gesti ve nuids. food i'\ hroken duwn and assimilated more quickly. In add ition,
exercise increases the dl'pth of respiration which in turn l.·ause" a greater degree
of moti on in the diaphragm. Th i~ di a phragmatic motion helps to massage th e
int ernal organs, in cluding the stomach and int estines which also aids in
digestio n . Bel.·ausc o f these real1"io ns, ex ercise can help cure stumach and

89
Xing Yi Nei Gong
intestinal problems. prolapo;io; and constipation .
During exercise th~ circulati on of the wholc body is increa sed which stimulates
metabolism and can strengthen th e liver and spleen. During exercise, the
muscles and jo int s relax and contract in rhythm. Th is type of rh yth mic motion
provides a very beneficial stimu lation to the brain. The favo rable reaction of the
brain serves to condition th e nervous system , improve its reaction time, reflex
speed. preventing fatigue and st rengthening resistance.
Exerci se is also ca pable of improving the functions of the kidneys. increasing
t he kidncy'~abi1 ity to el im inate the waste prod ucts of metabolism and absorption
of water ilnd necessary substances. The skin also benefits from exe rcise as
circulat ion is increased. metabolic processes are st imulat ed, the sensitivity of th e
skin improves and the amount of resistance to the external environmen t
increases. In additio n to the ahove benefits, exercise also improves the level of
functioning of the va rious glands and stimulates the prOduction of new blood in
the bone marrow.
Therefore. if one wishes to en ioy good health and a long life, fit in both body
an d spirit. then it is necessary to havea regular progra m of ph ysica l training. The
value of such exercise hao; bee n substantiat ed by doctors, physi ologists, those
involved in culti vation of the body, martial artists and hi story itsel f. A famous
Frell<..' h physician in the eightecnth century o nce said , "Exercise can take the
place o f lllcll icine, but all th e medicine in th e world ca nnot take the place of
exercisc. "
The contemporary hundred year old master of Xing Vi Quan, Wang Ji Wu
says, "Xing Vi Quail, th e health exercises of Xing Vi Quan , and the pre-birth
method of cultivat ion ha ve been the treasures that have given me a lifeti me of
benefits in good health . I have practiced them fo r nearly one hundred years, and
the time has passed as quickly as a day. [have never taken a break from training
and my d iligence has paid off in a healthy body and spiri t, a clea r and quick mind
and wisdom. My life is proof o f the effectivene ss of the method. supe rior to any
med ic in e or drug, as the "medi cin e" involved in this method of self cultivatio n
is fou nd within onese lf and strengthen s one from the very root of one's bei ng."
At one hund red years of age Master Wa ng's statc of health is as follows: The
functi ons of h is heart and lungs are normal. his hlood pressure is normal, his
digestion is excellent, hh mind is perfectly clear, his eyesight is good, his heart
is at peace and he always maint ains an optimistic attitude. The ahovE> facts arE."
ample proof that the practice of Xing Yi Quan, the health exerci ses and the pre-
bi rth method of culti va tion arE." an extremely effective system for promoting
hea lt h and long life. Th is systcm may serve as a ha ~e for th e cultivat ion of a long,
prosperous and healthy life.
The prill'tice of int ernal ma rtial arts provides tremendou!> henefit s to the
nervou~ ~yo;tel1l, glands, intl'rna i o rgan<;, o;keletal system . meridians and ioi n ts
while genl'rilil y strmgthe ning . ba lanCing and lo ning o ne's entire physical self.
The effects of exercio;e in the area of rel-'ovcry from illness are often more
prono un ced t ha ll t ile illge ~tion of drugs. Regular exercise is th e bestlneth od of
st ren gthening one's phyS ical make-up, improving th e hody's functions.
stimulating metabolism, Immi ng a long hea lthy life and actively preventing
harm from ilffel1ing one's mind and sp irit. It isa great pit y that so many people
still are unfamilia r with the Illan y benefits of exercise and consequently are
content to remain a~ thcy arc. Thi s is a great detriment to soc iety as a whole.

90
 Health Exercise } 'ltroduct;o1l

The Dangers of Insufficient Exe rcise

Because the lifestyle- of a greatlll,my people negle-cts regular cxerc i ~e, ill health
is ofte n the di rect or indirect result. Althou~h the idea of insufficient exercise as
a "d isease" is a new concept in Ihe medical field, it h however a very real and
serious problem. I'hysical prohlcm~ caused eitl le r<.i irectlyor indirectly from lack
of exercise usua ll y develop slowly over a long period of time and go unnoticed.
When Ih e prohlem start s to cause obvious physical Sy lllpl o m ~ il h often too late
to effect a cure. Preven tion is the most effective method of dealing with th ese
ty!X's o f illness. Regular exercise will strengthen the hody and make it healthy,
preve nting disease from the inside.
Why does insufficient exercise lead to physica l -problems'! The va rious
systems and organs in the body all have a certain amount of rese rve energy over
and above the amoullt typically needed for normal fun ction ing. Thi s reservccan
be compared to th e backup power reserved for emergency use in machine'\. For
example, a person may surv ive with onl)' one kidney, and a small po rt ion of the
liver is enough to perform the liver's enti re fu nctio n . The heart 100 ha s a great
deal of rese rve ca pacity. For example, a young per~on can go Ihrough daily life
using only (ifty percent of the total capacity o f their heart . The prohlems start
when the person does not get enough exercise, or the exerci'\e the)' do gct is
illSufficit!nt to maintain their rese rves of energy. The energy the body normally
holds in reserve is slowly red uced because of lack of use. As far as the individual
i!:l concerncu, he or she feels no rmal and the results of medi cal examination arc
also no rmal. The danger of having no ex tT<! H~~erves of energy fo r bodily
functions o nl)' becomes apparent when the individual exe rts effort heyond the
minimum . For example, the individual rnay climb ~ta ir ~ or run a few ~teps to
cat ch a bus, suddenly noticing shortness of breath or a racing heart. Abili ty 10
adjust toex trClll es in tem pera ture and res istance to al l types uf dbease is lowered.
Finally, when the body's energy rese rves are entirely gone, medical examinatiom
will often uncoverproblem~ that could have been prt'ventcd and often trea tment
at thi ~ ~Iage is too late.
Modern medicin e no longer looks at the ab~ence of obviuus disea~e as the
definition of health. Other fac tors, such a ... t he . . tat e and functional capabilities
of t he orgam allli physical endurance are taken into accou nt wlwll decidin~ on
the state of an individual's healtll.
Because change occu rs!:lo rapid ly in both nature and society in ollr mod ern
world, people of today haw to cope with threat s to thd r health that were
nonexistent in the past. For insta nce, t h(' development of labor '\Jv ing devices,
autolllubile~ , television, indust ri alization, and inc reased competition in th e
work placE' havE' all contributed to increasing the ~tress of life while reducing the
oppo rtunit y fo r exercise. Particularly hanlltul are the di~astrOliS result s of
insufficient exercise, and this problem deserVE's special attention.

91
Xing Yi N~i Gong

Ph ysical Labor is Not a Substitute fo r

Systematic Physical Exercise
Here I would like to remind those who still have not made regu lar exercise a
pa rt of their lives, for whatever reason, that the whol e issue of maintainin g
physical fitness goes beyond the individual 's person al health and also influences
one's family and society as a whole. Everyone should try to participat e in an
exercise program to enhance thei r quality of health and life.
There are also those individuals who feel that because their occupation
involves some sort of physical labor they do not need to engage in a systematic
physical fitness program. This is an erroneous assumption . While it is true that
physical labor provid es some beneficial exercise, the prpblem is thai the exercise
is usually limited to certain muscles or functions, while the rest o f the body
receives little or no benefit. Thi s is especially true in teday's era of specialized
labor. The result o f specialization is the repeated performance of the same
mot ion ove r an extended pe riod of time, often resulting in overwork and iniury
to the overused part of the body. A good example is wom en involved in weav ing
textiles. As they are forced to stand all day in a stationary position , they often
experience pain in the legs and waist, varicose veins and prolapses. Those
engaged in heavy physical labor, such as the loading and unloading of cargoalso
have problems with pain in the legs and waist and arthritis. Miners often have
problems with thei r iointsand lungs. Itcan be seen from the above exa mples that
there are great differences between th e results of labor and a program of
systema tic exercise. Systematic exe rcise provides Illotion for all of the joints and
muscles and stimu lates the nervous system in a benefiCial way, promotin g a
pleasan t calmness while reducing fatigue. Therefore, indi viduals shoul d choose
a program of regu lar exercise according to their physical condition and needs
and begin the process of building a healthy body and spirit.
When reviewing the methods of beneficial exercise, qi gOllg has taken its place
along si de martial arts and sports in recent years and must not be overlooked. Q;
gOllg has attracted the attention of great numbers of people and has had a
profound influence on the lives of many. In the areas of improving the people's
physical constitution, protecting health , curing illness and extending life. th e
results of qi gOIlS practice have been especially pronoun ced.
The h istory of qi gUllS is very long and its sources varied. Buddhists, Da oists,
ConfUCian ists, Chinese medical practitioners, martial artists, and th e art s of Xing
Yi Quan , Tai Ji Quan, Ba Gua Zhang and Shao Un Quan all have their own
theo ries, methods of practice and special characteristi cs. Each of these methods
conta in deep and seemingly mysterious pra<'1:ices at higher levels of training.
In China during the end of the decade of the 1950's and the heginning of the
1960's, the practice of 'Ii gtJ",~ for health , curing disease and prolonging life had
already gained acceptance. After two decades of development and promotion hy
the government , qi go"S has greatly inueased in popularity and its practice has
become widespread, most notably in the areas of treating chronic ill ness,
increasing resistance to disease, raising the level of heal th and strengthening the
body. By now people enthusiastically welcome the opportunity to practice qi
gOIl,,? At the same time, the types of qigo/lg and methods of training have "grown

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 Health Exercise Introduction

as bamboo after the spring rain," with ever increasing popu larity.
Mast er Wang)i Wu has prolonged h is years past hi s one hundredth birthday
and has bene fited greatly from the practice of pre-bi rth qigollg ,md the artof Xing
Vi Quan. Based on his life long expe rience, mastery of the principles and method
of Xing Yi Quan and personal insights and breakthroughs, Master Wang ha s
taken intu consideration th e requ irements of the prevention and cu ring o f
disease, health and life extension and has developed a method o f simple exercise
su itabl e fo r th ose of any age or sex , as well as the weak and infirm. Master Wang
offers his ~ys t em of physical cultivati o n to all people in the hopes that it wil l
improve the health and quality of life of those whu pradice.
Master Wang)i Wu combined the elements of Buddhist pre-birth methods of
cu lti vation with th e Xing Vi Quan syslem of internal cultivation and his own
precious experience to form a unique syste m of exercises which , although deep
in prin cipl e, are easy to practi ce. The method uliHzes natural , ahdominal
respirat io n to strengthen the pre-birth original yang qi. The resuit is a method
which opens the pathways of blood and energy, inneases internal puwer, rids
one of disease and improves the health.
It h important to maint<lin a cheerful and optimistic state of mind , releasi ng
any concept s Ihal are not conducive to good health , as well as controlling the
"seven emotion s and six desires." One should keep a quiet and happy heart ,
allowin g the body to remain in its normal state. Thi s will allow one to ha ve a
heart as calm as still water, comfortabll', and concentrated so that the heart and
spirit unite as one. The breath should be natural and smooth with the tongue
pressing against the roof of the mouth, Ihe lips gently dosed, the eyes looking
"inward" and the ears listen ing to the self, the hea rt and breath are coordinated
and the intent is o n the d (1II tim/.
From the extreme of stillness, motion is horn. When the hea rt is quiet and
the hody relaxed, one will come to a sta te of "emptiness" in which the self is
forgotten. In this state, the original pre-birth yang qi will fill the body and
circulate freely of its own accord . tn this state o f qu iet relaxation , one should
practice the Xing Yi exercises for health. The moveme nts should be performed
smoolhly and rhythmically while adh eri ng to the instructi o ns. Then one witl
natura lly rece ive th e benefi ts of a long and health y life.

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Xing Yi Nt!; Gong

Xing Vi Quan boxer s in Shanxi Province, May 31,1960

Wang Ji Wu was not the only example of Xing: Vi Quan's tremendous health
henefit.:>. Pi ctured above are a group of Xing Vi Quan practitioners in Shanxi
Province in 1960. Song Til! Lin (firs t row, second from left), a student and nephew
of Song ~hi Rong, lived to be 94 years olt! . Btl Xue Kuan (first row third fro m le n ),
11 studentofChe Yi Zhai.lived to oc 96 years old . Li Gui Chang (lastrow, far right)
is currently 82 years IIld find lives in Taiyuan , Shanxi Pruvince. Li sti ll practiccs
Xing- Yi quan c, rery day.

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 Health Exercise ["troduction

WangJi Wu's son, Wang Lian Vi, writes

about his father's health maintenance
and body strengthening program
Translated by Tim Cartmell
In the cultivation of life, both movemen t and stillness are eq ually importan t.
Master Wang)i Wu's understa nding of Xi ng Yi Quan is very profound, especially
in the area of in ternal cultivation . His experie nce is unique. In the practice of
Xing Yi Quan's internal exercises, Master Wang has reached the level where the
skill has become one wit h h is very self, and his internal power is tremendous. He
has come to the state in which "boxing is not-boXing." Of his accomplish ments
in Xing Yi Quan, the most noteworthy is the set of sixteen health exercises which
he compi led fro m his pe rsonal experi ence. These exercises are the crystallization
of the best of t he Master's knowledge. If the exercises are practiced d iligent ly, one
may elimi nate illness, improve the health and extend one's life. Master Wang
e ncouraged the public to study these exercises, as his wish was to contribute to
the health and welfare of aIL Such is the hope of the master, and the people's
benefit has been great.
Regarding the art of Xing Yi Qua n , it is not only the practice of for m bu t also
possesses a ve ry advanced theory of combat. The fight ing techniques are h ighly
refined and flow through changes wit hout end. In addition, the art includes a
profound method of internal cultivation wh ich is re latively unknown. In the
past, th is system of internal exercise was taught on ly to advanced studen ts of the
style, .lnU on ly aftert hey had reached a very h igh level in the art. The art of Xing
Vi Quan includes met hods of both internal ilnd external cultivation, and
movement and stillness are seen as equally important . It can be said of the art
that the so·called "external" moveme nts are based on the foundat ion of internal
cu ltivation. With the intern al and external in coo rdinat io n the form and spirit
may un ite, with the fo rm as the "body" and the spiri t as the "use." [n the art of
Xi ng Yi Quan the so called external practice should have as its goal the
strengthen ing of the internal, with the accumulation of internal power as the
goa\. Therefore, Master Wa ng places equal importance on bot h interna l and
external practice and when cultivated in (h is man ner the pristine ra llgqi and th e
d(m linn nourishes the whole body. The qi will be full and the meridians clear,
the blood and qisufficient, the body health y and the spirit full, resulting in a long
and happy life.
Master Wang followed the Dao, wors hiped the gods and sat in meditation. He
practiced the method of cultivating the life force , which proceeds th rough the
practice of boxing, o r inte rn al exercise (qi gOl/g) in th ree stages, namely ch anging
essence to qi, changing qi to spirit and changing spirit to the void. Th rough this
process the st rength acquired after birth is replaced by the original, pre-birth
strength and the goal of strengthening the life fo rce is realized, reSUlting in a
healthy body and long life.
Master Wang put eve n more effort into cu lt ivati ng the original nature. This
is achieved through worshiping the gods and meditating at a very high level. It
isat th is stage the spirit is cha nged to the void. The Th ree Treasures acquired after
one is born are the essence, qi and the spirit. The Three Treasures of one's pre-

95
Xing Yi Nei GOllg
birth original nature are o rigi nal qi (post-birth qi is equivalent to air), spirit, and
une's nature. Since the changing of the spirit inl O void I:!> so important, Master
Wang placed special emphasis on thisgotlg (II. With the changing of 'ipirit to void
the original. pre-birth qi fills the body, causing one's intelligen ce to rise to a
h igher state, the mind becomes pure an d wisdom is the result. Jf one wis hes to
see further ahead, one must climb toa higher place. So It is with the cultivation
oflheoriginal nature; o ne must cultivate theself continuously over a long period
of time, eventually returning to one's original self. Th e cultivation process can
be compared to t he refining of steel a hundred times over which in the end is
capable of repelling evil for a thousand miles.
Master Wang made usc of Xing Yi boxing and the method of cultivating the
original essence to open up his internal energy systems, allowing the prc-birth,
original )'{I/IS qi to now unimpeded. Th is original. pre-birt h yallg qi acculllulates
in and fill s the dall tiall, strengthening I he root of one'slife, preventing disease,
pr~se rving health and extending life. One often hears the sayi ng: "It is preferable
to supplement one's health with food than with medicine, but strengthening
on e's health by strengtilening the spi ri t is best of alL " The principle here is the
e'i'it'll ce of Master Wang's method .
One should become adept at cultivating the o riginal, pre-bi rth ,'cmg qi,
thereby preventing invasion by any harmful agents. This origina l pre-birth yang
qi is cultivat ed t hrough the practice of Xing Vi Quan and q; gOIlS (the pre-birth
method of cult ivation). The '1; then becomes full and is stored in the dall fiall .
The Xing Yi Quail classics state: "Cu ltivation of thedall fitlll is the treasureof long
life, ten thousand catties of gold can never really be possessed hy man. " Of
course, in the cult ivat ion of the dall atlll, one must have the correct method ,
pr'Kliee diligen tl y without a brcak, "as if ten yeilfS passes as a single day," This
is the formula for success. Practice and cultivation Cilnnol be separated. One
must pral"!!ce sincerely and cultivatc oneself with a focused heart, o nly then will
the treasure of li fe be prese rved . External practice and internal cultivation arc of
eq ual importance, even to the extent that oftentimes the internal cultivation is
the key to success. One must neve r forget internal cultivation and only focus on
the external prarticc.
It should be pointed out that external practice .md int ernal cultivation are
act ually two sides of the same coin. They arc deve loped together and are
mutually supportive of the other's growth. The meanil1K of being adept at
cultivation is self evident, it rcfer'i to valuing the opportunity to do what is
appropriate in a parti cular Situation , putting all one's heart into this cultivation
in o rder to develop th e 'ie lf.
First, one must realize that internal cultivation is a treasure of life. Although
this forms the ve ry fiber of one's being, still in order to be made manifest one
must accumulate over time. This cultivation of the sel f cannot be achieved in a
short ti me, but rather requires a lifetim e o f attentive effort. If one for~e t s oneself
and indulges in that which is harmful , o nce the damage ie; done, no amount of
mo ney will be able to repair it, moreover, there will be harm to one's health and
longevity, great caution is advised. When culti va ting the self, hesides creating
t he co ndit ions an d environment necessary, one must always see k to proteClthe
original pre-birth ymlgqi, i n s urin~ its continued developm ent, living a life of few
desires, t1eveloping a very deep and powerful internal energy to the utmost
degree. At the same time, one must also gua rd against the invasion by any

96
 Heal th Exercise Inlroduction
harmful influences from the outside.
If olle remains relatively free of the passions of the se nses. ha rmful ou tside
influences wi ll not he able to affect the self. According to Buddhist thought. the
"six senses" which must remain free of desire are the eyes, ea rs, nose, to ngue,
body, and mind. One must guard against allowing pernicious influences
entering through these sense o rgans by always maintaining a high level of pure
thought. Harmful effects are invariably brought about fi rst through the intellect
creati ng a thought which later becomes the focus of contemplation . finall y
resulting in the tho ught becoming actualized in reality. This is the sequence of
events which harms the original, pre-birthynllg qi. As this harm has very serious
conseq uences, o ne must never treat thi s type of sit uation lightly, as to do so is
to invit e disaster.
One should avoid overindulgence or impulsiveness with regard to the seven
emoti ons: joy, anger, happiness, worry, sadness, feilt'or surprise. The reason is
an excess of any of these emotions influences the tranquility of the heart, causes
adverse reactions in the internal o rgans, impedes ci rculation, promotes illness
and is harmful to the o riginal, pre-bi rth 'Ii.
The essence. qi, and spirit are the very roots of life. An excess of sexuill activity
is harmful to the original pre-birth qi. Sex ual excess also GllIse~ a tleplt'ti on of the
essence and 'Ii, w h ich in turn is harmful to theria" tiall. One must ~'Uard against
th is excess at all costs. in order to prevent disease and pro lo ng life.
One mu st guard against the ha rmful influences of the four seasons: coldness,
dampness. humidity, excessive heat, and dryness. The harmful effects of the
weather can lead to infection by disease which is ex tremely harmful to the
original pre-birth 'Ii.
One should make efforts to direct one's thOll,l.;hts tow,lTd ope ning new
channels of useful energy while restricting the waste of menta l resources. One
~holild alwil y~ ~triVt' toward strt' llgtht'ning the original pre-birth 'Ii and its
conservation . The goal is to eliminate all areas which are harmful to or a dmin
on one's energy resources. This is the meth od of beneficial cultivatio n.
There should be orde r in everyday life and restriLtions on food and drink.
On ly when one's life is orderly and stable is one able to persevere in consistent
trai ning. One should guard against disorder in one'sschedule. Books, newspapers
and magazines shou ld be read on a regular basis.
Uefore arising in the morning and before .. leering at night tlll:n: b a ~d uf
exercises that will promote health . One sh ould take a "dry bath. " The method
is to rub the dnll timl, perineum , YOIIg qllml points (on th e soles of the feet ). and
the hack of the neck*. Upon arising one should rota te the waist, lift the legs and
then exercise o r practice the elements of Xing Yi Quan. Following thi s method
will increase one's internal stre ngth .
Food and drink should be si mpl e and plain. The protein intake must be
adequate but the bulk of food should be low calorie/high nutrition. One shou ld
cal foods like fish, vegetables and lentils. Pay attention tocleanliness in choosin g
and preparing food. Stay away from foods that are sweet, oily or too strong.
Never overeat. In winter, it is good to eat some mutton , eggs soaked in Shaoxing
wine or sweet rice wine a nd ginseng chicken sou p. One should eat m any, small
meals a day. Food should be <-'hewed th orough ly and swallowed slowly .

• SC'e Xing Vi Exercises Performed I.ying nn 1I Bed on page 183

97
Xin# Yi Nei Gong
Foll owing the above advice will aid in digestion and assimila tion. Again, one
must never overeat or overd ri nk. On e must not smoke.
Keep the surrounding en viro nment clean , fee of pollutants and as quiet as
possible. The rooms of the house should be clean, airy, su nny, warm but not too
hot. It is good to grow plenty o f plants in the house and kee p fresh ai r fl owing.
Clothes should be kept clean, changed o ften and dried in the su n.

Some examples of individuals whom have practiced th is system of health

exercise and the results o f their pract ice are listed below:
Wang Xi u is an assist ant professo r at the Beijing Normal University. He is
eighty yea rs old. Mr. Wang studied the Xi ng Vi six teen exercise set o f health
building exercises with Master Wang Ji Wu, pral:1icing daily, all year round
wi thout interruptio n. At eighty Wang Xiu en joys good health, with none of the
health problems comm only associat ed with old age, slich as high bloOll pressure,
heart disease or problems with th e interna l o rgans. Hi seyesight, hea ring, menial
facultie!> and memory are all normal. Mr. Wang's digestion is exce ll ent, his
appetite good and he is energetic and full of spirit.

Ma Chun Vun is an eighty five year old reti red official. Mr. Ma has paid
attenti on to cultivating his heal th by leading an orderly life, maintaining a
positi ve altitude and remai ning active. He practices the pre-birth method of
cult iva tion with pronounced results. He is in excellent health , his eyesight and
hearing arc very good, he is full of spirit, and he reads and writes every day. Mr.
Ma meditates twice a day, quieting his mind and CUl tiva tin g hi sorigi nai pre-birth
Ifi. After each Session of meditation he fccl .. comfortable and fu ll of energy. If
Mr. Ma feels uncomfortable, or any part of his hOOy is in pain, he u s~s his til1lt'
in meditation to circulate hi s origi nal pre-birth qi to the area and expe riences
immed iate relief. He feel s the bendits of meditation to be very pronounced and
is eve n more re..o lute in his daily pract ice. Ma Chun Yun fE.'€ ls that his practice
of mltivating the health through meditation is rea ll y a treasure of life.

Liu Dc Tai is a ninety yea r old retired government official. After reti remen t
Mr. Lill kept active with daily walks. l.a ter, it was his good fortu ne to learn the
Xing Vi sixteen exe rcise~ for health from Master Wimg Ji Wu. Mr. Liu practiced
the exe rcise~ uil igently, but fou nd them somewhat difficult at li mes. He
jX'r!>istcd and after a period of training begilll to feel much stronger . Mr. Liu now
walks with a .. t rOllgstepand is full of vigor. Mr. Liu practices the Xi ng Vi exe rd se~
for a half hour every morning, fullowed by a walk. In the evelli ng he practices
th e exercises again. In daily life he pays attentio n to preparing for the weather,
eating correctly and taking care of any minor illnesses that may arise. If he ever
feels under the weather, he notices after practicing hi s exercises he will sweat
lightly and th e discomfort disappears. lie ra rely needs to take medicine . Mr. Liu
helieves in maintaining a poSitive and happ)' out look on life, and is ca reful not
to let his emotions have too great an influence on h im . He recommends the Xing
Vi exe rcises as they are easy to study, can be practi ced at the individual's pace and
when matched with breathing are especiall)' be neficial to th e elderly. Oth er
advantages of th is system are that it requires no preparatio n and very little space
to practice, while the henefits arc outsta nd ing. For Ull De Tai , the Xing Vi
exe rcises have become an indispensable part of life.

98
 Health Exercise Introduction

A Brief Introduction to the

Xing Yi Sixteen
Health Exercises
by Wang Huan Sh eng
edited and revised by Zhang BaD Yang,
Wang Jin Yu, and He Yu Qi
tra nslated by Tim Cartmell

The Sixtee n Health Exercises (hereafter referred to as the Sixteen Exercises)

we re originally called the Xin Vi Liu He Sixteen Movements Internal· External
Training (Xi n Vi Uu He is also called Xin Vi Quan, Uu He Quan and is presently
called Xing Vi Quan and is so named fo r the remainder of this article). They wen:
developed out of a lo ng pe riod of training in the Xing Vi Quan met hod . Below
is a brief descripti on of th eir o rigins, special points, effects, and method o f
performance.

Origins
Xing Vi Quan is one of the three orthodox internal ma rtial arts (together with
TaiJi Quan and Sa Gua Zhang). Xing Vi Quan spec iali zes in "ga llS" or hard power.
The Xi llg Yi Qua" C(///011 of Roxing (hereafter referred to as the Roxillg CaIlOIl) in
refere nc-etothe seq uence of trai ning sta tes: "Thost' who begin to stud y must first
sta nd in the Scm Ti Shi posture, and afterwards practice moving forms." Sail Ti
Shi is the stance keeping exercise o f Xing Vi Quan. The moving forms refers to
the Five Elements. These are the basic moveme nts of th e art. No matter if one
practices the Sail Ti posture or the forms, all must conform to the proper form and
method of power unique to Xi ng Vi Quan , these include: chicken leg, dragon
hody, bear shou lders, tiger holding head, and the internal and externa l six
harmonies. The S{III Ti posture and the five elemen ts are IwO side.<; of the 'Wille
coi n . Scm Ti is the ~ti ll version of the five elemen ts, til e five element forms arc
the dyna mic ve rsion of the S{III Ti posture. Together they form the foundation
of the art of Xing Vi Quan . Whether standing in Stili Ti SlI i or practicing tilt' five
clements, one must always co nce ntrate the spirit <IUd qi, be relaxed and natural,
and never use brute force. From the point of view of the various parts of the body
and o rgans, if o ne does not co nce ntrate the spiri t o ne will have it high level of
nervous tension . Beca use of this, if one docs not take time to perform the
necessary preliminary movements which calm the body and prepare it for
training, it will be easy to suffe r harm. In addition , in ancient times, many
practitioners of the martial arts trained no t on ly for health, but also in order to
reach a high level of refin ed ma rtial skill. They often expended a great amou nt
of time in inte nse ph ysica l traini ng. For this ty pe of training, proper preparatory
exercises were even more important. The BoxillS CtHlU" , in refe rence to the
correct method and seque nce o f trainillg states: "Begin by moving softly, ge ntly

99
Xing Yi Nei Gong
and slowly in order to soot he and open the connective tissue and bones, this
guides the qi and power and leads it correctly. Afte r a period o f practice, it is good
to use more force and speed in order to increase the internal power for practi cal
application ." It is apparent from this passage that the Boxers of previous
ge nerations were familiar with the correct sequence of train ing. The above
mentioned sequence o f train ing is in complete accordance with the rules of
physical education. Therefore, in the long run correct training is founded on
correct performance of basic prepa ratory movemen ts. Still, many instructors
would neglect the preparatory movements. To remedy this situation , Master
Wang Ji Wu buil t on the foundation of the teachings o f his teacher, Wa ng Fu
Yuan , and compiled the basic exe rcises into a set method.
This set of exercises can be pract iced alone as a system of h ealth building, or
they can be used as a preparatory warm up and post exercise cool down. In
addition, these exercises can be used for osteopathic rehabilitati on. Several
decades of practice have proven their efficacy in the above mentioned areas.

Special Points
1) These movements are ba sed on the basic requirements fo r Xing Yi power
tra ining. Everyone knows that Xing Yi requires one to "hold the chest and
st retch the back," "sink the shoulde rs and drop the elbows," and not to "stick out
the chest and lift the stomach." In performance of the Sixteen Exercises these
basic prin Ci ples apply throughout. In the fi rst exercises "Circling the Arms in
r:ront of the Ches t," the second exercise "The Jade Dragon Weaves Around the
Body," and the third exe rcise "Opening and Closi ng Soothes the Meridians"
while standing in a horse stance, it is apparent that the chest is held and the back
is stretched, etc. But evell in the fifteenth exercise "Yill Opens and Yal/gCloses,"
wh ich is a breathing exercise, the same pri nciples sti ll apply.

2) These exe rcises not only address the external form , they also pay attenti on to
the development of internal power. The two types of training should unite as
one. In accordance with the requirement that one should first open the
con nective tissue and relax the body, some ofthe movements are to bedonewith
th e greatf'st range of motion possible. The purpose is to open and soothe the
joints by moving them through thei r full range of motion. Although most of t he
movements of the five elements and twelve forms do not require movement
through a fu ll range of motion, still the ex tra flexibility acquired th rough the
Sixteen Exercises will add to the body's power. Therefore, Xing Vi Quan places
grea t importance 011 these movements.
Just as the boxing forms of Xi ng Yi are practiced in single movement forms,
so too ,lfe the movements of the Sixteen Exercises. Why shou ld move ments be
performed singly and repetitively? The Boxillg CatlOlI states "X ing Yi Quan has
many single fo rm s, they shou ld be often practiced thi s way. After a long period
of training one will break through and t here will be no limit to the depth of skill. "
It also states: "In defeating others, quality (of technique) is preferable to the
amount. In defeating a si ngle opponen t thi s is the method, in defea tin g man y
opponent's this is still the method." The principle of "a few things highly
refi ned" was incorporated into martial training. This principle is the same as the

100
 Health Exercise Introdu ction
Xi ng Vi Quan adage to "practice the plain without embellishment, practicing
simple movements until they are highly refin ed."
In addition to si mple physical movements, Xing Vi Quan places importance
on internal training. The Boxing CanOIl states: "In the martial way, that with a
form is the exte rnal posture, that without a form is the qi/ power. That wh ich
makes the posture move is the qilpower." It is also stated : "If one wishes to
practice to the highest level of skill, one must strengthen the dall tiflll, if one
wishes to strengthe n the dllll tillll, one must first practice technique." Why must
one strengthen the dall tiall? The Roxillg Ca ll1lOl1 co ntinu es: "W ithout
stre ngthening thedall timl , the qiwill not be full, if th eqi is not fu ll, the strength
will be insuffit.:icnt and the five fists and twelve forms will be empty movements."
So, in order to stre ngthen the dall timl why mmt we fir st practice technique?
Most people believe that if the body suffers no harm it will naturally live to an
old age, the /Jox illg CallOIl says, "but in the end one· wil l not be able to use th e
power of the tlml timl unless one practices technique." One must practice both
the internal and the exte rnal in order to have the "in ternal and ex ternal unite
as one, bringing about the unity of the six harmonics."
The Sixteen Exert.:ises also puts great emphasis on the unity of the internal and
external and the unit y of movement and stillness. One mu st seek stillness in
movement. Stillness dwells in its unity with motion and the "unification of the
internal and ex ternaL" From the point of view o f health , these exe rcises
stimulate and regulate the various physiological syste ms of the body. This
wnforms with the rule of life, which is "move ment. " From here there isa balance
of yill and rallg, the meridians will be open and the q; wil l be culti vated. If one
wishes to acquire these benefits, then there mu st be a balance of st illness and
movement and not an excess in either diredion. Th is is the special point o f Xing
Yi Quan and also the Sixteen Exercises.

::J) This section will discuss Ih eSixteen Exercises and their basis in "practical usc."
Everyone is familiar with Xing Yi Quan's practical use, often referring to "vertical
and horizo ntal, advanCing and retreating, rising and falling, and rise, drill, fail,
and overt urn." All of these are interre lated. In practical application, these are
uni ted into one body. Here we will not go into detailed expla nation. However,
we need to be familia r with the basic spi rit of these things as they are included
in all movemen t of the Sixteen Exercises . For example, in exercise six "Empty the
Foot and Lift it Single Hand," the lifting of the si ngle hand movement also
includes th e "lift ing" and "drilling" components of th e boxing skill. In exercise
nine "Rai sing the Back Seven Times," tIle two palms h anging incl udes the energy
o f "tiger pou ncing" and "falling and overturning. " Exercise twelve "Moving the
Hips to the Left and Right," includes the intention of the "brush the water fo rm"
of the Swallow Form. It also includes "rising, falling, advancing and retreating."

4) Th is sec tion will discLlss Ihe "system" o f the movements in the Sixteen
Exercises in relation to exercising the whole body. Although the Sixteen
Exercises are composed of si ngle movements, they are all interrelated. From the
point of view of the whole body, the exerci ses work from th e top of the body
downward. The eXercises begin with the arms and head, working down the body
to the lower ex tremit ies. The first four exercises work primarily the upper body,
the fift h through seventh exercises work the trunk and waist, and from exe rcise

101
Xing Yi Nei Gong
eight on, the lower body is exercised. The enti re body is exercised in th is set and
the instructions arc simple to foll ow. All the various systems of the body are
exercised, making thi s set a complete training for the whole body.

5) The exercises of the Sixteen Exercises set are both adaptable and flexible. As
previously stated, th e Sixtcen J:.xercises can be pra cticed singly, as health
building exercise, they can also be performed as a warm up for strenuous activity
and as a regulating cool down after activity. They can also be used to build the
foundatio n fo r martial power. Because of thiS, these exe rcises are extremely
adaptable and versatile. TIley ca n be successfully perform ed by those of differen t
age groups, both sexes, those with differen t goa ls in mimi and also by those of
va rying physica l co nditi on .
The elderly and infirm ca n pract ice the movement s accord ing to their
abi lities. For exa mple, take the horse ri d ing posture in the fi rst exercise, one may
squat higher o r lower depending o n physica l ability. The elderly and infirm may
bend their knees only slightly while the youn g and strong or those practici ng for
the ma rtial art s ca n squat as low as possible. As another example, in exercise fi ve
"The Two Hands Hold Up the I-leavens." during the forward be nding movement
those with h igh blood pressu re or begin ners can bend over slightly. Al so, the
number of repetit ions can be limited. In addition , it is not necessary to perform
all sixteen exerciscs in one exercise pe riod . One may choose several and practice
on ly those.
When performing the Sixtee n Exercises, th e basic requirements inclu de not
using brute strength and being natural and relaxed. This is especially suited to
the elderl y and infirm. Does thi s mean that the resultsof practice are not as good
fo r the strong? Quite the opposite. Let's lookat the basic requirements for health
and strength . We all know that "life is motion," th is is a basic principle. If a
person exe rcises on a regula r basis he or she will have a strong life force, healthy
constitution, and will be full o f spirit. The boxi ng masters of old recognized this
principle. In the Boxi"g Calion it is stated : "If onc wis hes to strenbrthen the body,
any type o f martial train ing will suffice." The reason is no matter the style of
boxing chose n, they are all based on mowment. Movement is an in tri nsic
quality of life. Dail y exercise equals a healthy body. Besides thi s, freque nt
exercise also naturally results in an increase in power and an increase in the
elastici tyofthe body. One may also im provc the quality ofthc exercise, the range
of moti on of the body and the number of repetitions performed. Especial ly since
one is required to exercise without using brute fo rce (not using force does not
mean the body has no conslructiveslress during exe rciscs, but ratherthe amount
o f stress is under conscious control and is always appropriate to the individua l's
physica l condit ion). This type of exerdse Improves the physical condition and
is suitable for those of all levels of fitness.

6) The Sixtee n Exercises do not requi re any type of eqUipment. All thai is
necessary is a small, level space. Th eexercises are silent and will not disturb those
around . One may practice indoors, outdoors, or in a small space like a balcony.
This sy::.tem is conven ient , economic and very effective.

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 Health Exercise Introdu ction

Benefits of Practice

The Sixteen Exercises have evolved through over ninety years of practical
experience and have been regularly practiced by many students. The resu lts have
been the weak beco ming strong and many di seases have been cured. These
exercises have proven beneficial in treating various chronic diseases, including:
high blood pressure, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and neurasthenia. The exercises
have also proved helpful in curing injuries involving soft tissue and problems
involving the mobility of the joints, such as inflammation and back problems.
Theseexercises arc an excellent method of building the health and strengthenin g
the body after injury or illness.

Method of Practice
In discussing the method of practicing the Sixteen Exercises, let's first discuss
the old rules passed down from our predecessors. Next we will go over the actual
method of training in detail. During exercise, one should follow the basic
principles for salubrious exercise.

1) Perseverance: These exercises will increase the health and change o ne 's
constitution, but results do not come overn ight. After a few days of practice one
cannot hope to see great changes. What is called for , rather, is consistent exe rcise
over a long period of time. From the point of view of physiology, it takes time
for changes to occu r in the va riOli Ssystems and organs of the body, especially in
regards to the central nervous system and the ability of the brain to adapt to the
stress of exercise. In addition, in learn ing any skill, it takes a period of time during
which the new movement patterns must be repeated before the body assimilates
the motion. A period of repetitive practice is required fo r the central nervous
system to have a concrete memory of the sequence of movement. The refore,
practice should be consistent and regu lar. Even if the movement skills are
acquired, if one neglects the exercises for a period o f time the skills will be lost.
These principles apply to all movement skills and the Sixteen Exercises are not
the.: cxc..:cptlon.
If one wishes to see resu lts, the exercises must be practiced consistently and
continuously. Th e Boxing Canon states: "In the practice of martial arts, o ne
shou ld be humbl e, if o ne stops after a little training or practices on and off, o ne
wi ll never reach a high level of skill ." It also states: "If one has no perseverance,
studies a little and thinks they understand much, feels satisfied with their level
of skill , studies sporadically, o r thinks th ey are an expert, one will find in
application they are useless, this is not the fault of the teacher but of the student ."
These passages are an accurate description of the result o f sporadic training.

2) Th e p roper sequence of training: When studying anything, one proceeds

from th e si mple to the complex and from th e easy to the difficult. Martial
tra ining is no exception. One should especially take heed in regards to the
amount of exe rcise taken. The ability of the body to endure increasingly greater

103
Xing Yi Nei Gong
levels of stress in exercise increases gradually. During the practice of the Sixteen
f..>.:e rclses, one must gradually build upon one's current level of fit ness by
increasing the amoun t of exercise the body ca n accom modate. Exercising with in
one's level o f fitness whil e gradually increasi ng the difficulty will steadil y
improve the phys ical condit ion. This builds the founda tion for complica ted and
difficult exercise. These principles are in accordance with th e physioJoglcallaws
of exercise and established met hods of scientific trai n ing. To exercise in
opposit ion to these principles will not on ly be ineffectual but also may be
harmful.

3) Complete development: The Chi nese medical point o f view of the body as
a "whol istic entity" is scientific in nature. The development, or lack thereof, of
any part of the body has an effect on all other part s. Underdevelopment in o ne
area will interfere with the development of aU other parts. Therefore, exercise
should be co mposed o f variolls move ments. This is conducive to the overall
develo pment of the whole body. With even developmen t of the who le body
comes the potential for a high level of ski ll and fitne ss. Th e Six teen Exercises pay
special attention to th is poin t. For example, exercise twelve "Moving the Hi ps
to the Left and Right," in which you squat on o ne leg to the left and right and
exerci se thirteen and fourtee n areall interrelated. The range of motion of various
exercises all have a mutual effect on the other.

4) As a warm up o r cool down : When practicing martial arts, before stand ing
in th e 5(111 Ti Posture and walking th rough the fo rm s one should first warm up.
After training o ne should cool down and regulate the body. Aft er exercise it is
advisahle to perform va ri ous cool down moveme nt s which regUlate o r "work
out " any tension that may haveaccu muiated during training. Th ese movements
shou ld relax the whole body. Cool down exercises also prevent any adverse
r('acti ons from suddenly stopping intense exercise.

Important Points For Practice

I) The form and spirit must be relaxed : The Emperor's Classic of t"temal
Medici"e states: "W hen the emotions are empty and weak, th en the 'Ii flows,
whe n the spirit is held within, disease wi ll no t come." The term "weak emotions"
refers to having a relaxed and natu ral spirit. One must mainta in a relaxed
composure. We arc all familiar wit h the great innuence the emot io ns have o n
th e health, we do not need to go in to it here. Having a relaxed body means to
avoid usi ng brute strength . The body and spirit are both natural and relaxE."d. The
two may then unite asont'. Thi s will lead to an increase in int ernal power, as well
as health . This state is the begin ning of the healing process. Relaxed does no t
mean slack. It means to remain natu ral in the midst of exert ion , nevE'f straining.
Th is relaxed state will release both accumu lated me ntal and physica l fatigu e.
After a period of tra ining, o ne will have a radiant spiri t and powerful movements.

2) The breathing mat ch es the movements naturally: The principle is to inhal e

when doing stretching and ope ning movements. Like exercise n ine "Raise the
Back Seve n Times," or exercise fifteen "Yi n Ope ns and Yang Closes," when

104
 Health Exercise Int roduction
ra isi ng up or opening the hand outward one should inhale deeply. When
performing cl osing movements, th en exha le. Like exercise fi ve "The Two Hands
Uphold the Heavens," or exercise ten "The Two Fi sts Strike the Back," or exerci se
Thirteen "The White Crane Rotates its Knees," when bend ing forward , returning
the hands or squatting down, one exh ales. When there are moves whi ch involve
both stretching and contracting si multaneously, the rule is to breathe naturall y
and never force or hold the breath .

3) Maintain good li ving habits: Exercise aids in promoting hea lth . But if on e
has poo r living habits in general, o ne wil l still be unable to rea lize the goa I of good
health . Everyone knows this to be true. For those who practice the Six teen
Exercises, wh ether fo r the prevention of disease or to cure an existing ail ment ,
withou t a regulated lifestyle, a sens ible diet and an appropri ate amount o f
exercise, one wi ll be unable to improve hea lth . A sensible lifestyle and proper
exe rcise however, will allow one the benefits thei r heart desi res.

4) Ot her poin ts:

a) Pract icing in an area with fresh and Circulating air is ideal. One should
avoid drafts, especia lly when perspiring.

b) Before practi ce it is advisable to empty the bladder and bowels. During

exercise, the internal organs receive a high degree o f stimulation. Going to the
rest roo m before practice one may avoid any discomfort during train ing. In
addition, the movements of the organs will not be obstructed . Xing Vi Quan
places grea t importance on the exercise of the int ernal organs. The HoxillS Calion
states: "The five organs must fun ction smoothl y." Th e five organs arc the heart ,
liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.

c) Before practice one should not be too hungry no r too full. If onc is too
hungry, there will be a lack of energy, if one is too full the stomach may be
in jured.

d) Always mai ntain a calm heart, n ever ta lk or joke during training, in o rder
to prevent scattering the spi ri t.

e) After practice, do no t immediately eat or drink, nor li e down, in order tu

avoid d isturbing the digestio n and flow of qi.

During Practice is a Teacher'S Guidance Necessary?

Finally, let's di scuss whethcr or not it is necessa ry to have a teach er, and if th e
student can accurately learn the Sixteen Exercises alone. The answer to these
questi ons cannot be generalized. We must analyze the questio ns according to
the appli cabl e principles. The Boxillg Callot! has this to say: "For th ose practicing
the martial arts, eighty percentofthetime isspent trainin g alone, twenty percent
with another. It takes a long peri od of time to strengthen the se lf and a sho rt
amount of time to defeat an opponent. " [t is also stated: "When co nsidering

105
Xing Yi Nei Gong
strengthening the body, it is not important which style of martial arts is chosen ,
all wiU serve thi s purpose." Here the principle is clearly stated, the first goa l of
martial art s is to strengthen the body and any method of martial arts training is
acceptable. The reason is that all martial arts involve "movement," and
movement is the root of life.
Movement is an essential quality of life. The only consideration is whether
or not the movements conform to correct posture and are systematic. When
choosi ng a method of exercise, o ne should consider personal training goals and
on e's own physical condition. If the goal is a healthy body, relaxed and
comfortable exercise which avoids the use of brute strength is all that is required .
If one perseveres in practice, benefits naturally accrue. If one wants to train not
on ly for health but also for martial ability, then besides adhering to the principles
of relaxed exercises which avoid brute strength, one must also pay close attention
to pe rforming the movements in strict form. For those o nly interested in health,
fo ll owing the written directions is sufficient. But for those who wish to train for
martial ability, it is best to practice under a teacher's guidance. Always remember
this: as long as one practices in a relaxed manner without using brute strength
the exercises will naturally conform to the correct principles of movement. Here
o ne must examine the se lf. Many people have the same kind of feeling after
practicing the exercises, that is, they feel comfortable and relaxed as if tlley had
just taken a bath . This is evidence that the practice is correct and that the
principles are being correctly followed.

106
 Chapter 5

Wang Ji Wu's
Body Strengthening and
Health Maintenance
Exercises .

107
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Editor's Introduction
by Dan Miller

The materi al in thi s chapter is a combinat ion of written material taken from
Wang Lian Vi's bookSllell Gong and mate rial provided by Zhang Bao Yang, Wang
Jin Vu, He Vu Qi , and Wang Huan Sheng. The presen tat io n of each exercise
follows the sa me for mat; there is an in troduction, followed by practical
information on how to perform the exercise, followed by a "song" explaini ng the
exercise. The introd uction and the "song" were written by Wang Uan Vi in his
Shen Gong book. The praclical information about how to practice the exercise
was provided by Zhang and the others mentioned above.
You will find that the information provided by Zhang's group is very direct
ami practkal while the information by Wa ng Uan Yi is at times uses terminology
from Ch inese medicine. We provide both of these explanittions as we fee l it will
hel p the reader bettef understand the full depth of the exercises . You will notice
that many of the exercises have two titles, Ihe firsllitle listed is Wang Lian Vi 's
title, the second title is that used by Zhang Bao Yang's group.

At first glance this exercise set may appea r to be very similar to any other qi
gOllg or lIei gOllg set of exercises one may have encou ntered wh ile studying the
internal martial arts. However, WangJi Wll'S genius in putt ing th is particular set
of exe rcises together is in the set IS completeness as an int ernal development
system. Th is set of exercises was not put together haphazardly. There is a
completeness and wholeness in its design and at the same time this set of
exe rcises is simple, practical, easy to learn , and easy to execute.
Any internal development exercise set shou ld consist of exercises which serve
to integrate the body, mind, and breath whil e strengt hen ing the body
ene rgetica ll y, viscerally, and physically in a natural and balanced manner.
EllergeticalJy, the set should contain exercises which are designed to calm the
mind and body so that e nergy sinks to the d,," tillli. In addition , the movements
shou ld distribute tha t energy in a full and balanced fashion throughout the body
through gentle coaxing. The movement of energy should not he forced through
the use of strong intention or muscular tension. The mind is calm and the
physical movement gently urges the movement of the qi. As Wang Lian Vi states
in hi s in trod uct io n to exercise numbe r four, "WangJi Wu felt that t he beginner
should not try and force the qi to flow through strong intention. His advice was
to practice the exercises wi th a relaxed m ind and til e intention focused on the
dml tillll. After the qi has gathered in the dall tiall, it will fi nd its own way in the
"Sm all Heaven lyCycle" through the gentlemaxingof th e physical movements. "
Theenergy movement exercises in Wang Ji Wu 's set are designed to move energy
to all distal points of the body in a natural, bala nced, and safe manner.
Another important compo nent in any complete internal development system
is visce ral manipu lation, or simpl y stated, motion designed to move each of the
viscera l organs to a small degree so that the organs arc gently massaged and thus
there is less chance for fluid stagnat io n . In the last chapter Wang Lian Vi st ated

108
 Health Exercises
"life is movemenL " Everyone knows that if any part of the body remain s
stationery for an extended period of time, it ~comes stiff. If muscles, tendons,
and ligame nts are not moved through their full range o f mot io n o na regu larhasis
the individua l will start to loose that fu ll range o f natural, unrestricted motion.
A well designed set of exercises will he devised so that all of the body's joints,
muscl es, tendons, and ligaments are moved through their full range of motion
during the exercise set. Wang's set does this, but additionally some of this set's
exercises work to gently move and manipulate the internal orga ns so that the
organs fun ctio n prope rly and all of the systems of the body wh ich pump fluid s
are stimulated . When bodily fluid s such as lymph , bile, blood, etc. are allowed
to stagnate anywhere in the body, problems will arise. In order to preven t
stagnation , the body needs to bend, move, and stretch so that no small "pools"
o f fluids are allowed to collect and become stagnant. Wa ng Ji Wu's set of
exercises is expertly designed to work all of the viscera so that th e orga n energy
is stimulated and the bodily flUids are encouraged to move freely.
In terms of physical developm ent , this set o f exercises not on ly gently
stretches the muscles, joi n ts, liga men ts, and te ndons to keep them opera ting
optimally through the ir full range of motion, it also helps to build th e type o f
whole body, coord inated strength which is functional in the int erna l martial
arts.

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Xing Yi Nei Gong

Exercise One: Un iting the Original Qi

(Circling the Arms in Front of the Chest)

Introduction: Th e stat e o f an individual 's health can be said to be dete rmined

by several factors, including heredity, external fa ctors (food , weath er, etc.), o ne's
state of me ntal health, the e nvironment, o ne's attitude toward life, etc. Under
further analysis, such influences as environmental fact ors and internal fa ctors,
such as the emotion, combine to form complex patterns of influence on one's
health . But from the point of view of medicine, physiology, cultivation of the
health and the Xi ng Vi Qua n method of exercise, the state of o ne's qi is the
primary consideration.
According to (C hi nese) medical scie nce, the basic theories of Yill/Ycmg and the
Five Elemen ts hold that in the natural world , physical forms must interact with
qi in order to create; movement and stillness mllst follow one another if the
things of creation are to develop, and the state of personal health is dete rmined
by the cond ition of the qi and
blood. "Qi is the leader of the
blood, blood is the mother of qi."
When th e q i and blood are
"sufficient " the body is healthy.
Accord ing to the theory o f Xing Yi
Quan 's Interna l and exte rnal
m e th ods of cultivatio n and
training, the original "pre-birth "
yallg qi is the very root of that
whi ch pr o tec t s th e h ea lth .
Th e refore, in p reserving and
building health the cultivation of
'Ii, strengthening of the dall tiall
and refining the essence until it
tran s fo rm s into qi are mo st
important.
The main purpose of thi s first
exe rcise lies in regulating the
breath , culti vating t he qi, and
hreathing with the datI tilm as th e
root of the breath , thu s allowing
the original qi to circulate freely
throughoutthewholebody. When
the 'Ii is sufficient the spirit is full ,
and one may prevent illness, cure
disease, improve and strengthen
the physical const itution , raise the
level of healt h and extend the life.
Prepar atory P osture

110
 Health Exercises
Preparato ry Posture: Stand up naturall y, the heels together, the toes point
outward at a 60 degree angle (see photo 1- 1). The whole body is relaxed and
co mfortabl e, do not stand stiffly, the eyes look straight ahead, close the mouth ,
the tongu e touches the roof o f the mouth, breathe naturally, imagine the breath
moves in and o ut of the dall tial/, concent rate th e spirit and quiet the qi. Now
you are prepared for movement.

Method of Practice:

I. Open the legs, the feet poin t straight ahead and are pa rallel, the feet arc
shoulder width apart , slightl y bend the knees. This is usually ca lled "sq uatti ng
in the ho rse riding stance" but here the purpose and emphasis is differen t. You
must hold the chest natura ll y, stretch the back (lengthen the spin e) and ge ntl y
lift th e anus. See photo 1-2 .
2. Lift the hands to the front with the palms faci ng ou twa rd (photo 1-3).
3. Move the hands to the left side (ph oto 1-4). Move very slowly. Co ntinue,
moving the hands down in front of the bod y, the palms will naturally face inward
as the hands move down (photo l oS). Continue moving the hands towa rd Ihe
right side (photo 1-6). Return the hands to the starting posi tion (photo )- 7).
Continue movi ng the hands to the left, downward, to the right and then bat:k
up (photos 1-3 through 1-7). Continue making circles with th e arms in front of
the body.

,.
4. After co mpleting a number of repetitions, reverse the di rection of th e circle
and repeat for Ihe same number of repetit ions (photos I-R through I-II ).

Number of Re petitions: One should

perform th e exe rcise according to one's
~.
physical conditio n. Those who are weak
or ill, or who ha ve just begun to exe rcise,
can practice fewer repetitio ns. The strong I IJ ~ •
•
,
,

can practice more repetit ions. As th e I

•
ph ysical conditio n improves, one may I
Increase the number of repetitio ns from
II
i'l
~igh t to <;ix tee n to thirty two or eve n more

- I
if one deSi res.
•• I
Impo rtant Po in ts:

1. The arms must not be stiff as if using

strength , and must not be bent too much .
Bend the arms at a natural angle.
2. The finge rs arc slightl y spread apart and
'----, •

the palms are rounded.

3. Relax the shoulders.
4 . Breathe naturally. At the top of th e
ci rcle, hegin to exhal e, at the bottom begin
to inha le.
5. While rnoving, asan aid in concentrating
the spirit , one may silen tly count the

III
Xing Yi Nei GO"8
number of repetitions.
6. Move slowly. Imagine that your hands aTe moving through water.

Th e Range of Moti on a nd Effects:

The main purpose of thi s exerci se is to cond ition the shou lders. The muscles
of th e arms are also exercised. Thi s exercise is structured around contracting th e
upper arm inward then extending it outward, the arm s are twisted in and out.
These motions provide a co mplex movement which involves the trapezius
muscle, latissi m us muscle, the pectorals, the biceps, the triceps, and the muscles
of the forea rms. Therefore. this exercise can be used in conjunction with medical
treatment as an aid in curing problems with the sho ulders, arms, and back.
For martial arts this exercise is very good for develo ping the jinx (trained
strength) required whe n deflecting to the side or blocking in a downward or
upwa rd motion.

Photo 1·1 Photo 1-2 Photo 1·3

Photo 1·4 Photo 1·5 Photo 1-6

112
 Health Ex(!rcises

Photo 1·7 Photo 1·8 Photo 1·9

j'

Photo 1·10 Photo 1·11 Photo 1· 12

Photo l·l a

113
Xing Yi Nei GOllg

T he "Song" of Uniti ng th e Ori ginal Qi:

The body stands naturally erect , the two arms are relaxed, hands at the sides.
Concentrate the spir it and quiet the qi, close out int erfering thoughts as much
as poss ible .
The heart is as sti ll as water; heaven and earth ex ist togeth er.
The eyes look straight ahead, the limbs and body are relaxed .
The mouth is closed, the tongue touches the roof of the mouth .
The (Ii and breath fill the arteries, Circulating to and from the "sea of qi."

The feet are opened paralie l, in the ho rse riding postu re.
The entire sales of the feet grip the ground, the "b~bb lin g springs point " is
co ntracted inward.
The knees are bent, the energy of the waist moves downward.
The palms are placed o n the tops of the thighs, th e finge rs are st retched and
ope ned.

Relax the shoulde rs and empty the chest, press the head upward and straighten
the back of the neck.
The intent is kept in the dati ri(lll, the breath is delicate, inhale ge ntly.
Ex hale smooth ly. delicately, even, slow, and long.
Press up the sky and stand erect o n the ea rth, one qi complete and natural.

The two arms ex tend fo rward, moving from th e shou lders.

Bend the elbows and lift the palms, bend them at a nat ural angle.
From the left to th e right, make a circle in front of th e body.
Moving in conti nuous circles, ci rclin g around in a tu rn ing mot ion .
At the top of the circle, begin to exh ale, at the bott om begin to inhale.
The e nergy comes fro m the dall riall, from the shoulder to the elbows.
The elbows push the palms and hand s, the power reaches the four extremities.

From right to teft , make a circle in front of the body.

Moving in continuous ci rcles, circling around in a turning motion .
At th e top of the ci rcle, begin to ex ha le, al the botto m, begin to inhal e.
focus on the th ree heart centers, the center of the palm s, the center of the feet,
and th e center of the body.
Relax ing all of the joints, the power reaches th e four ex tremities.

The qi and brea th move in and ou t, the dati riml expa nd s and contracts.
The qi follows the movemen ts of the palms, the palms move and the qi goes.
The spi ri t and form unite as o ne, the intent first leads, it moves th rough a
complete cycle and then returns, in cycles without end.
The qi is full and the spirit concentrated, when the spirit is concentrated the hea rt
is at peace, th e fire and water arc united, the kidneys are strengthened and the
skill is refined.

114
 Health Exercises

Exercise Tw o: T h e Jad e Drago n Weaves

Around the Body
(Pulling Hori zonta lly Right and Left)

Int rodu ction : In this eXl.'rci\e the two palms move as if they arc in the clouds.
The palms arc hel d about five inches apa rt , the )'allg hand ove rturns and the yill
hand s llpport~. The jade d ragon suddenly appea rs, hi~ body swimming through
space, theqi and power fo ll ow one anoth er, the heart wit h the inten t, the intent
with the qi and theqi with the power, thl'~l' arc the three internal condit io ns. Use
the inrent to lead the qi, thl' IIi to move the power and the power to move the
hands and fect. The 'Ii fol lows the mo\' e lll e nt ~ of the external fo rm , the fo rm goes
and the qi moveo;, the form and qi arc 'ic miti ve to onc another, the ten t housa nd
things are created. ViII and l 'ang arc unit ed, the fivc clement s must follow
smoot hl y, the extreme o f "til l ness co nta im the intent to move, movement and
stillness unit e as one, the qi is stored in the ill/II tiall , from there it may be issued
externally.

115
Xing Yi Nei Gong
Pre pa ra to ry I}osturt:': The hor'le rid ing sta nce. See photos 2- 1 and 2-2.

Method o f Practi ce:

I . Bend th e elbows a nd ex tend the arms to the left side (photo 2-3).
2. The left hand is at the heigh t of the lefl armpit , the left palm faces upward .
3. The right pa lm is in front of thl' chest , wi th the palm fa cing downwa rd .
4. Slightly round the palm s <I~ ifthl' hands arc grabbing so mething (like a la rgl'
rope). The d istancc be twee n the ha nd s is about fourOT five inches, pul l th e hands
to tht:' right, level with the grou nd (photo 2-4).
S. As the right hand passe'i the righ t armpit , turn the palm to fa ce upwa rd, the
lert pal m si multa neously turns to facC' palm down . The right hand passes the
right armpit and the left hand is in front of the chest (photo 2-5). Continue,
pulling the hands back across in front of the chest toward the left (photos 2-6 and
2-7),
6. Continue th eexe rci'ic hy pull ing the hands ba ck ami forth in fron t o f tile chest
(photos 2-3 through 2-8).

Numher o f Repetitio ns: Start with eight repetiti ons hack a nd for i h. Increase the
number to si xteen and ('v('ntua lly to thirty-six or more.

Impo rt a nt Point s:

I . When pul ling th e hands ho ri l.Ontally left and righ t, ex tend and bend the arms
naturally, do n ot stiffen the arms. In addition , imagine you arc actually pulling
somethi ng from left to ri gh t.
2. As YOll arc pu lli ng, the hips will naturally turn a little to aid in the motion ,
but do no t swi ng tht:' hips in te ntionally.
3. The shoulders remain relaxed.

The Range of Mo ti on a nd Effects: Th is movemen t is also primarily an exe rcise

of the shou lder~. The arms move, o ne rota ting outwa rd while tht:' other twists
inward , the range uf motion Is somewha t greate r than that of exercise o ne.

Photo 2·1 Pho to 2-2 Photo 2-3

116
 Health Exercise.'!

Photo 2·4 Photo 2·5 Photo 2·6

l I

Photo 2·' Photo 2·8 Photo 2·9

Photo 2·10

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Xing Yi Nei Gong

The 1f50ng" o f the Jade Dragon Weaves Around the Body:

The body stands up straight, the hands are hanging beside the body.
Calm the heart and quiet the qi, no thoughts, no cares.
Look straight ahead, the spirit is held within.
Close the mou th , the tongue tOllches the roof of the mouth .
Regulate the breathing, in and out from the dall tim l.

The feet are opened parallel, a bit wider th an the sh oulders.

Stand in the horse rid ing posture, be nd the knees.
The energy of the two knees is as if they are moving towards each other without
actually movi ng, the two fect fee l as if they are twisting in ward.
The qi sinks to the daTI tian, the perineum is gent ly lift ed.

Relax the shou lders and empty the chest, press th e head up and stra ighte n the
back of the neck.
Press up toward the sky and sta nd erect on the earth, oneqicomplcteand natural.
The inten t is kept in the dml tiall , the inten t leads the qi.

The left arm extends out straight to the left fron t, at the height of the chest.
The pal m of the left hand faces upward, relax the shoulders and sink the elbows.
The right arm also extends out to the left, to the right of the left arm .
The distance between the left and right pa lm s is about 4-5 inches, the right palm
faces the ground .
One ha nd faces up and the other faces down, one should imagine one is stroking
so met hing, the energy is the same as "cloud hands."
Move from the left to the right, the energy of the hands coordi nate and th e hands
move through a level plane, to the right side.
The elbows arE' naturally bent, the sho ulders are relaxed and opened.

After the hands have move to the right front, the right hand turns palm up, the
left hand h lrns palm down, the left pa lm is to the left o f the right palm.
The palms arc about 4-5 inches apa rt.
The hands move from the right to the left th rough a level plane, moving to the
left si tl ~.
The hands move to the left and right, in cycles without end.

Yi /l and Yang are united, the qi moves to the c/l/II fiCin, th e shoulders are relaxed
and the elbows sink, the palms feel as if they are pulling a thousand pounds, the
wai st ;'lOd hips, the hands and feet , the intent and th e qi are all connected, the
internal organs are solid and the li fe is pro longed .

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 Health Exercises

Exercise Three: Opening and Closing

Soothes the Meridians
(Circling th e Arms to the Front and Back)

Introd uctio n: The joint), mcrldiam and ske letal frame serve the fun ctions o f
allowing the body mobilit y. Practicing the Xing Vi Quan l:,xercisE's for health will
kee p these various systems in excellent condition , preventing aging and loss of
mobilit y while promoti ng cellul ar metabolism which preserves the capabilities
of youth ; supple mu'iclc", quick reactiollS, and great vita lity for life.

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Xi ng Yi Ne.i Gong

Prepara tory I'm ture : The h o r ~e ri ding stanc.:e. Sec pl1 o tos 3· 1 a nd ]·2.

Method of Practice:

1. Tile right palm presses against the left a rmpit. The four fin gers a rc under the
armpit, the thumb is o utside again :.tthe fro nt of the \h o ulder. The pa lm presses
agai m t the ce ntl!f of the left ( he!lt mu ~cle (photo 3·3).
2. The left hand makes a fist, the shoulder h relaxed, the elbo w is comfo rtably
exte nded (pho to 3·3).
3. Th e left fist mo ves from h angi ng straight down and begins to lift up loward
the fro nt (photo 3- -t ), it continues ci rcling o ver the to p and do wn to wards the
rear, making a comr le t£' 360 degree revolut ion (pho tos 3-5 thro ugh 3· 7). After
making a certa i n num ber of repNit io n !), reve r<;e t he d irectio n of t he ci rcle (photos
3-8 th rough 3- 10).
4 . Chilllge arms and repeat ci rclin g the righ t a rm in th e fo rward and reve rse
direcli oTl\ (ph o tos 3- 11 through 3-20).

Numbe r of nepetitions: Make the !lame num be r o f repetit ion<; wi th each arm
in nolh d irectiom. O ne may start wit h eigh t repetitio m and ~lowl y increase the
number o ver lime.

Importimt Points:

I . Th e sho ulders I11mt no t be rigid

2. Bend the a rms a natural amo unt.
3. 1)0 no t use po wer.
4 . Imagine there is some resistance around the wri sts and hand!l.

The Range of Motion and EffccL'i : Thi s exercise is a comhi natio n of oc' ndi ng
and straighten ing the arms as we ll as m oving the arlllS in a circula r mo tio n . A!I
the range of mo ti o n of the shoulder is g reat in thi s exercise, it is a good exe rcise
fo r thost' who ha vE' SI iff shoulders.

Photo 3·2 Photo 3-3

120
 Health Exercises

Photo 3·4 Photo 3·5 Photo 3 ·6

Photo 3·7 Photo 3·8 Photo a·9

Photo 3· )0 Photo 3·11 Photo :3·12

121
Xi ng Yi Nei Gong

Photo 3-14 Photo 3-15

Photo a-16 Photo 3-17 Photo 3-18

Photo 3-19 Photo 3-20 Photo 3-21

122
 Health Exercises

Th e IISo ng" of Opening a nd Closing Soothes the Meridians:

The body stands naturally erect, the hand beside th e body.
Concentrate the spirit and quiet the qi, the heart is ca lm as still water.
ClosE' ou t interferi ng tho ughts as much as possible, the sp irit is held wit hin.
The eyes look straight ahead, the body is relaxed.
Close the mouth , the tongue touches the roof o f the mouth .
The qi and breath fill the arteries, cir<."U lating to and from the dan rian.

The fee t are openl'<i parallel , slightly wider than shoulder wid th.
Adopt the horse riding posture, the entire soles of t he feet grip the ground .
Be nd both knees, the "bubbling spri ng poi nt " is cOJlt~al1ed inwa rd .
The palms are on the tops of the thigh s, the fi ngers open and extend.

Relax the shoulders and empt y the chest, press the head up and straigh ten the
back of the neck.
The intent is kept in the dati timl, inhale de licately.
Ex hale smoothly, the breath fin e, eve n , slow and long.
Press up towa rd the sky and stand erect on the ea rth, o ne qi complete and natural .

Place the right palm o n th e top of the left ribs, the hand and elbow arc pressed
fi rml y against the front of th e chest.
The left hand makes a fist, with the sho ulder joint as the ax is begi n moving the
left arm in compl ete revolutio ns.
From the bottom to the front , from the front 10 the rear, swi ng the arm freely in
a drde .

Pl ace tile left palm on top of the right ribs, the hand and elbow are pressed firmly
against the fro nt of the chest.
The right hand makes a fist, with the shoulder joint as the axis, begin moving the
right arm in complete revolutions.
From the bott om to the front , from th e front to the rea r, swin g the arm freely in
a circle .
Relax the shou lder and case the elbow, the movement matches the ci rculation
o f qi and breath .

This movement can help open and stimulate the meridians, exercise the
joints, increase the Circulatio n, aid digestio n, ope n the stomac h, increase the
pe rista lsis of the intesti nes, increase the abso rption of nutrients, increase the
resistance to di sease, brea kdown and eli mination of wastes and increase the
overall healt h of the body.

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Xing Yi Nei Gong

Exercise Four: Ju Que and Xuan Wu

Divide the North and South
(Clapping the Palms Above and Below)

Intro duction : Traditional C.hinese Metlicine, Xing Yi Quan, pre-birth methods

of cul tivation and practical experience all 1101<.1 the following to betruc: The state
of an indiv i du <I I'~ health is directly inOuen c{'d by tht' fullness or lack o f original
pre-birth YUIIS rJi, and the condition of th e 'Ii and blood. If the {Ii ami blood arc
in good condit ion then the body is healthy. Of lItmo~t importance is the sta te
of the original pre-birth rUlls q;; if it is " fulL " strong and circulates fTl..'Cly
throug hout the body then th e health of the b<x1y is positively effected.
Thi s exercbe i<; particularly helpfu l
in <;t irnu lating the flow of qi through
the meridians, t'~pccia ll y in the R""
and f)1I meridians. If theq; c ircu lat ion
in the Rell and VII meridians is strong,
the "S mall Ileave nly Cych.~" i<; ope n
a nd there arc great benefib to heal th ,
includi ng i ncreil~cd metabolic activity,
in c reased resistance to disease ,
illl"rea sed powe rs of recovery fro m
illness and leading to a long and
healt h y li fe.
Wh ile qi circulation in the Rt'll and
DII meridia n s h II vital part of
lIlaintaining health, Wang Ji Wu felt
th at thl' bq!;in nc r should not try and
force the qi to now througll <:; t ro ng
inten tion. His advice was to practice
the exe rcises with a relaxed mind and
the intention focmed o n the Ilrlll timl.
Afte r the qi ha<; gal h t:' red in the rltlll
tiflll , il will find its own way in the
"Sma ll Heaven ly Cycle" through the
ge ntl e coaxing of th e ph yska l
lIlovements.

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 Health Exercises

Preparato ry Pos tur~: Stand naturall y, the feet a re together (photo 4·1).

Method of Practi ce:

I . Th e two arms hang hy the sides. Lift th e ha nds forward a nd up to a height

just above the top o f the head a nd clap th~ two palms toge ther. Inha le deeply
as you execute th is move (sec photos 4· 1 through 4·3).
2. Continuing, the two a rms swing down to th e rea r a nd clap the hands behind
the back. Clap the handsas high as possihle IX'h ind the back. f.xh 'lle. Set.' photos
4-4 and 4-5 .
3. Continue clapping the hands above and behind.

Nu mhe r of Hepet it ions: Start by clapping above and behind sixteen times,
increasing as one's phy .. ical condition improves.

Impo rtant Points:

1. It is very important to keep the shoulde rs re laxed. Let th~ breath match the
move ment na tura lly.
2. The arms are nat urally st raight , one must nnt hold th(' arm s rigid.

The Ran ge of Motion and Effects: Thi sexercise in volves a grea t range o r motio n
to th e fro nt and rear. This exercise, al o ng wi th exercises o ne, two, <lI1d three can
be t.."u ll:.idcrcd together a .. a set of exe rcises primaril y for the shoulders. Th os/..'
with problems of the shou lders, back and hand .. may lise lhese eXl'rt.:i:.l':' iI ~
trea tment.

125
Xing Yi Nei Go"g

Photo 4·1 Photo 4·2 Ph oto 4·3

Photo 4-4 Photo 4·50 Photo 4·5b

(side view)

Photo 4·6

126
 HeaLth E.wrcises

Th e "Song" o fJ u Que and Xua n Wu Di vide t he Nort h a nd South

Stand erect, with the hands hanging at the sides.
Calm the heart and quiet the qi, close out interfering thoughts as much as
possible.
The eyes look straight ahead, the spirit is held within.
Close the mouth, the tongue touches the top of the mouth.
Regu late the qi and breath, moving in and out of the dall tiall .

The feet are comfo rtabl y held together.

Adopt a naturally erect posture, slig htl y bend the kn ees.
The energy of the knees feels as if they are gently pulled together, the fee t close
inward.
The qi si nks to the dall tiall , th e perineum is gent ly pulled upward.

Relax the shoulders and empty the chest, press the head up an d st raight en the
back of the neck.
Press up toward the sky and stand erect on the earth, one qi complete and natural.
Th e inte nt is on the t/W/ticlll, the intent guides the qi.

The two arms move forward and up.

The two palms clap together over the head.
At this time, relax the shoulders, the arms are parallel, breathe in deeply_

Sw ing both hands down from above to the front and then b,K"k to the rear,
clapping the palms together behind the back.
AI th is time relax the shoulders and shock with the arms, exhale completely.
Repeat as many tim es as comfortable.

127
Xing Yi Nei GOllg

Exercise Five: Uphold the Heavens

and Firm the Root
(The Two Hands Uphold the Heavens)
Introducti on: According to the thcori esof Chinese Il1lttlicine, Ihe int ernal body
includes the six ),ill o rgans and six ,.al/gorgan .. including the t riple warme r. The
triple warmer i~ not a single o rgan but rath er a complex o f interactio m regard ing
accu mulati on and dispcr.<i ion o f meta boliGllly genera ted heat and bod y fluids via
tilt' thoracic cavit )', abdominal Glvity, and pelvic or lower abdominal cavity. The
triple warmer has no connete organ and thereforl'cannot he observed during an
auIOpS)', but ca n o nl )' be known by ohserving its fUllc;tion i n the livin g body.
In Ihe medical trea tise UII QII ~'iIlS "" l'i SheilS /-/11('; I';l'/I it is written, "The upper
warmer is like fog, the midd le warmer is like foam , th e lower wa rm er is like a
ditch ." In Ihe M e(lical Rccipe~ (or fi,e Ill/en/(If Orgam . it ..ays. "The classics ~ay th e
upper warmer is liklt fog , th er(' the sp irit of harmonr of origi nal qi s tea m~ forth;
the middl e warmer is like foam, th is is tl, ece nt er for thedigeslion and absorption
o f food : till' lower warm er is like a ditch . it is the route fo r the removal of waste
product s." From the above it can be seen thai Ihe upper Wilrml'r functions to
di ..semi nate the protl'Ctive qi, t he middle warmer func t ions in absorb in~ nutrient .. ,
nurtur ing the blood and .. uppJ ri ng tht' enti re body wi lh the nutrients it needs,
il m i th e lower wa rmer functio ns in absorbing liquids an d excreting min t;> ami
feces.

128
 Health Exerc:iSf!~

This exercise involves lifting the hands and bending the waist. This will
improve the digestive and absorptive function s of the triple warmer, especi <llly
the d igestive capabiliti es of the stomach and intestines and the ability of th e
bladder to rid the body of wastes. The ability to digest and absorb food, as well
<IS eliminate waSh' products can all be improved. Thi~ in turn will strengthen the
physical consti tution and promote health and a long life.

Pre parato ry Pos ture: Stand naturally, the feet together (photo Sol).

Met hod of Practice: This exercise is practiced in two part~.

Part One
1. Interl ace the fingers in front of the body, the palm<; face down (photo S-2).
2. Lift the palms up along the front of the hody, at the ~amc time, turn the hands
to fa<.:e palms up. Extend the arm~ until the hand~ are straight up ove r the top
of the head (photo S':j).
3. Lean the upper body backward as far as possible, then continue by lean ing to
th e left a nd right, the hands initiat e the motion and guide th e body to \can left
and right. Lean hack, left and right th ree times each way (photos 5-4 through
5-6).
4. Now bend ovc r forward and let thl' hands IlIOVC dowlI to the front. The palms
touch the ground in front of the feet (photo 5-7).
S. The feet are together with the knees straight, continu ing, slightly turn the
wa ist to the- left and press the palms down in front of thE' left fOOl , now turn the-
waist to tht.' right and prt.'ss th e palms down in front of the right foot (the finge rs
are interlaced throughout). Sec photos S-R through S-I O.
6. Stand up and again lift the palms up and straighten the arms with the palms
over the top uf the he'ltl. Repeilt ~tt'p~ 1 - 5 tllTee ur four tilTle~ (phutus 5-2
through 5-10).

Pa rt Two
1. Bend the arms with the palms facing in with tht.' hancl~ held in front of the
foreh ead. At the ~,Iln e timc, tilkl' a step forward with tht! left foot and bcnd the
leg while st raightening the right leg into a left bow and arrow stance (photo S-
II ).
2. Turn the body to the le ft and look to the rear, look ba ck and down at the right
/u.:'d , ilt the Sill17e time the handscail help the lJO(/Y tu-i.'lt to the left (Vhuto 5-12).
3. Turn back to the front and withdraw the left leg, step out with the right foot
into a right bow a nd arrow stance, turn the waist to the right and look back and
down to the left heel (photos S- n through S-17).
4 . Repeat part IwO of this e-xercise twice to the- left and right.

Number of Repetitioll!li: The number of repetitium suggested <IOUVC is the

minilllum amount. One may increase the number as one is ab le. ·I·hose who are
weak or infirm may lessen the number of repetition s.

Im po rtant Poi n ts:

1. When standing in the bow and arrow stance, the rear heel must not leave the

129
Xing Yi Nci Gong
gro und, the foot sh ould be nat.
2. Sin ce thi s exerci se places com para ti vely greater a mount of stress on the whole
body, one shou ld be especiall y ca reful not to use fo rce. In the begin ning, if one
is unabl e to perform th e exercise as described, do not try to fo rce the movements,
compe tency will come with t im e.
3. The breath ing should be natural.

Th e Range of Mo ti on a nd Effects: The first pa rt o f the exercise, the forward a nd

backward bending, will stretch out the back a nd abdom inal muscl es. As the arm s
lead th e body to stretch side to side, the wa ist and sto mach a re strengthened . Not
on ly are the muscles of the abdomen a nd wa ist strengthe ned , the internal o rga ns
a rc also exercised, including th e kidneys a nd major blood vessels in th e
abdomi nal ca Vity .
Part two of the exe rcise stretches and contracts th e intercostal muscles a nd
exe rcises the lumbar regio n.

Phot.o 5·1 Photo 5·2 Photo 5·3

Photo 5-4 Photo 5·5 Photo 5·6a

130
 Hell ilh Exerl.:i.'ws

Photo 5·Gb (side vi e w ) Photo 5·7 Photo 5·8

Photo 5·9 Photo 5·10 Pho to 5·11

Photo 5·12 Photo 5·1 3 Photo 5·14

131
Xing Yi Ne; GOflg

Photo 5·15 Photo 5·16 Photo 5·17

Photo 5·18 Photo 5·19 Photo 5·20

132
 Health Exercises

The IIS o ng" of Uphold the Heavens and Firm the Root:
Stand erect with the hands h anging at th e sides.
Calm thc heart and quiet the qi, close out interfering thoughts as much as
possible.
The eyes look .straight ahead, the spirit is held within,
The mouth is closed, the tongue to uches the roof o f the mouth.
Rl'gulat c the qi and breath, mov ing in and out of the dall tiall .

Interlace thc fingers, place the hands in fro nt of the lower stomach.
The palm s fa ce dow nward , the energy of the arms hangs down.
Turn the palms to face upward, raise the arms and l!ft th em as if holding up the
sky.

The power comes fro m th e shoulders and arms, relax the shoulders and lean thc
waist back.
Return to pressing stra ight up to th e sky, now lean the body to the left side.
Lean the body alternately to the right and left three tim es .
Breathe out slowly, breathe in smoothly.
(note: This movement stimulates the stomach by providing even pressure all
around and strength ens the upper warmer.)

Bend at the waist and straighten the arms, slowl y bend forward to the ground.
The hands are still interlocked, press the palms to til e ground in front of the feet.
Turn the bod y to the left, touch till' ground outside the left foot.
Turn the body to the righI , touch the ground outside the right foot.
Continue the exercise as long as comfortable.
(note: Thi s movement stimulat es the bladder by providing even pressure all
around and strength ens the lower warmer.)

Extend the left foot fo rward, move it out a step.

Th e fro nt leg is bent , the rear leg is straightened.
TIll' Il<lnds <lTe interlocked, raise the hands above the head.
The palm s face upward , twist the body to the left.
Look b<l<:k at the right foot , th e po ..\'er comes fro m the inner thighs.

Extend the right foot forward , move it out a step.

The front leg is be nt , the rear leg is straightened.
The hands arc interlocked, raise the hands above the head.
The palms fa ce upward, twist the body to the right.
Loo k back at the left foot, the power comes from the inner thighs.
(note: Th is movement stimulates the middle of the abdo men and central part
of th e body by provid ing even pressure all around and strengthening the middle
warmeL)

133
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Exercise Six: Empty the Foot and Lift a Single Hand

Balancing )' i" and Yang, regula ting the Five El ement s, rl'fining the essence
intol/i, qi into spi ri t and spirit into the void are .. ntraditi onal theories of Chi nese
med ic ine, and Xi ng Yi Quan inte rnal c ultivation practices, and are supported by
practica l experience. Practicing th is set o f exercises ca n increase one's internal
power, cultivate the body, increase vi tali ty, slow the aging process, cure disease
and extend life. Practicing these movements with int ent can balance the internal
syste ms, aid the fu nctions of thcorgan s, strengthcn th e muscles and sharpen the
senses. Thc transformation of the essen ce into qi builds lip the "protective 'Ii"
wh ich surrounds the body and wards off illness. The iI1ternal ci rculatory systems
are regulated, the individual cells are enlivened, the blood is nourished and the
qi will he full. The nervous system is stre ngthened, the stomach and intestines
are strengthened and digest io n is improved . Th e liver and spleen arc be nefited
and the production of blood i.. increased. The entire skeletal system receives
hcnefit.
Thisexercise can be said to be a marvelous method of culti vating the body and
improving the health. Those who wish to strengthen the body must look here!
The hest medicine in the world is inside your own body, all that is lacking is the
practice and refineme nt to make use of it. No matter the reason one has no t ta ken
adva ntage of th e healing power of the body before, whether it be ignoran ce of
the corret"! method, laz.iness, disbelief o r Insufficien t motivation, now that the
method is known, all that is nt'edcd is to put the method into practice in order
to huild health, (UTe d iseasE' and prolo ng li fe.

134
 Health Exercises

Preparatory I'osture: Stand naturally, the feet are together (photo 6· 1).

Method of Practi ce:

1. Slightly bend th e left knee, the left foot is nat o n the ground. Shif!theentire
weight of the body onto the left foot.
2. Lift the hccl o f the right foot off the ground. The ball of the right (ootlightly
touches the ground .
3. At the same time, bend the elbows and lift the hands until the palms are in
front orthe chest, the left hand is against th e body, palm facing down, the right
palm is outsid e the left palm facing palm up (ph oto 6-2).
4 . The left hand presses downward past the left side o f the stomal·h and hip, at
the same time, the right hand pushes upward past the forehead . Do no t
completely ex tend the arms (photos 6-3 and 6-4).
5. Co ntinuing, put the right foot down flat , shift th e weight to the right foot and
lift the left heel with the left toes lightly touching the grou nd .
6. At th e sa me time. the right hand presses downward, turn the palm to fa ce
down . move the hand alo ng the body, the left palm turns palm up and moves
up outside the right palm, the left palm lifts up ;:IS the right palm presses down
(photos 6·5 through 6-8).
7. Repeat with o ne palm pressing up as the other presses down.

Number o( Re petitions: Practice eight times to the right and left to start,
gradually increaSing to six teen repetitio ns.

Importa nt Po int s:

l. When pmhing one hand up and th e other down, inhale. When changing,
exhale. One ma y also just breathe naturall y.
2. Imagine some resistance when pushing the palms but use no ex ternal force.

The Range of Motion and

Effects: The upward and
downward pr essi ng
mot}onJ o! the p..11mJ and
the lifting of the heel flex
and extend the muscles and
joints o f the hands, wrists,
and feet . Shifting theweight
from (oot to foot also helps
improve balance. The
actions of the hands stretch
the Illllscles at the si des o f
the bocly ami the movement
is also beneficia l to the
peristalsis and digestion.
Photo 6·1 Photo 6·2

135
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Photo 6-3 Photo 6-4 Photo G-5

Photo G-6 Photo 6-7 Photo 6 -8

Photo 6-9 P h oto 6-10 Photo 6- 1 t

136
 Health Exercises

The "Song" o f Empty th e Foot and Lift a Single Ha nd

Stand naturally, til e arms hang by the si des.

Concentrate the spirit and quiet the (Ii, the heart is ca lm as st ill water.
Close out interferi ng thoughts a~ much as p()s~ibk, the spirit h held with in .
The eyes look straight a head, the body is relaxed.
Close the mouth, the to ngue touc hes the roof of the mouth.
The qi ilnd breath fill the arteries, moving in a nd ou t of the d{/II U(1II.
Move the weight to the left foot , empty the right foot, the ball of the right foo t
li~htly touches the ground.
Heguiate th e qi and breath, th e intent cncomp a sse~ th ~ enti re univef'\e.
A'\ from ancient times, heaven a nd man are o ne.
The botIy is agile, reach as if for the sky.
The left arm belld~ a t the elbow, the ldt hand is held palm opell.
Move the ha nd up pa~t the sto mach, the hand stops above the che'\\.
The ce nter of the palm turns inward, fill the palm wit h qi.
Move the right hand in the ~a1lle manner, moving to the right side of the body .
Con tinuing, turn the palm, swi ng the right pal m up as the left palm is lowered .
The left han d b at th e left side, the pa lm fa cing downward.
The qi movE'S into th e palm, tile inte nt is as if pressing down the earth .
The right arm be nd s at the elbow, th e right ha nd is h eh.l in a pa lm.
The palm face" inward , the qi fi lls the palm .
The left pal m is moved to the ldl "ide.
Continuing, turn tlw pa lm owr, lift It up past the chest.
'rhe hand mo ves up to the height of the lOp of tile Ilead , the palm f,lces upward.
The qi fill s the palm, the intent is as if lifting up the sky.
The weight is moved to the right fOOl, the left foot is empty, the ba ll of the fool
lil;htly tOllche~ the ground.
Ih.·gulilte the fJi a nti brea th, the intent e n co mpa ~~cs the entire unive rse.
As from ancient tim e~, heaven a nd lIlan are one, the bod)' i.'\ agile, reitd l <I~ if to
touch the "ky.
The right arlll bend~ at the e lbow, the right lwnd i .~ held ill a p,tlm.
Move tilt' hand u p past the slo ma..:h, the hand stops above the chest.
The cen ter of the palm turns inward, fill the pal m with qi.
Move the left hand in the ~ame manner, moving to the left side of the bod)'.
CorHinuing, turn the pal m, swing the left palm up as the rig ht pa lm is lowered .
The right palm is al the righ t side, th e palm faci ng downwa rd.
The qi moves into the pillm, the intent is as if pressing down the eart h .
The left arm bends at the elhow, the left hand is held in a palm.
The palm fiH:es inward, the qi fills the palm .
The right palm is moved to the left side.
Con tinuing, turning the palm over, lift it lip pa~t the chest.
The hand moves up to the height of the top of the head, the palm faces upward.
Tilt: qi fills tht' palm , the intent i~ iI~ if lifti ng lip the ~ky.

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Xing Yi Nei Gong

Exercise Seven (Part One): Concentrate the Spirit

and Gaze at the Heel
(Lean, Tilt, Look Right and Gaze Left)

Introducti on : Com:~n trat e the spirit to quiet the hea rt, the heart is quiet and
without interfering thought, wHhout worry. This is the state o f WI/ Ji (. ti) the
original void. All is united into one, dim and ind istinct, returning to the grea t
void, tranquil and fl owi ng end lessly, the large and small h eaven ly cycles fl ow
naturally, strengthe ning the kidneys and the esse nce, nourishing the core o f th e
body, benefiting the brain and nerves, fire and water ~re balanced, the route of
the da" tia" is open . The internal and extern al arc cultivated together,
movemen t and stil lness fo llow one anoth er, the intent moves and fo rm foll ows,
the form relics on the cha nges of the int ent , be dili gent in cultivation and
practice, return to that which is natural, the hea rt is qu iet and the intent is true,
it is like polishing gold or filing steel into a need le, study dili gen tly with a qui~t
mind . Once the method Is realized, one will en joy long life, with boundless
happiness.

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 Health Exercises

Exercise Seven (Part Two):

Th e Golden Cock Eats Rice
Introduction : Accord ing to the traditi ona l theories of Chinese Med ici ne,
bes ides the "precious" organs, the body also has a network of meridians which
run throughout the enti re body. Altogether there arc twelve main me ridia ns
which aTe connected to the internal o rgans and are divided into twelve systems.
Six of the meridians arc "yang" and are located along the lateral surface of the
bod y. Six of the meridians are "rill " and are located on the medial surface of the
body. Because the twelve me rid ians are connected 10 and nourish the important
internal organs, th eir conditi on is most important to th e hea lth of the body.
The goal of health exe rcises and in ternal cultivatio n is to cau\e the origi nal
pre-birt h ya llS qi to flow free ly through the merid iam. The qi leads the blootl,
toget her they nourish all the organs and prevent disease, and increase one's
vi tal ity. The cavi ties that lie al ong the meridians are important junctures in the
fl ow of energy. The sta te of these cavities plays a ~ignificant role in th e
preve ntio n of d isease. The practice of the Xing Yi exe rcise\ for healt h can
st imulate the flow of the original pre-birth yallg qi th rough the meridians,
helping to remove any obstru ctiOns in Ihe caviti es thereby greiltly improving the
health . The benefits of th is exercise include comfortably ex tending the spine
and nerves which run to and fro m the brain , as we ll as ope ning the importan t
cavities which lie along the spine, inc-reasing the fl ow of energy in the RCfI and
0 11 meridians, increasing the life energy,
relieving faligue and ca lming the spirit
wh ile be nefiting th e hrain .

139
Xing Yi Nei Gong
Preparatory Posture: Stand naturally, the feet are together (photo 7. 1).

Method of Practice: This exercise is divided into two parts.

Part One: Con centrate the Spirit and Gaze itt the Heel
1. The eyes look straight ahead, slowly turn the head to the left , looking back as
far as possib le, as if looking over the left shoulder at the heels (photo 7·2).
2. Repeat the movement turning the head to the right (photos 7·3 and 7-4).
3. Re peat turning the head left and right and looking back at the heels (photos
7·1 through 7·4).

Pitrt Two: The Golden Cock Eats Rice

1. Lean the head back as far as possihle and look up (photo 7·6).
2. Look down as far as possible (photo 7·7).
3. Repea t lean ing the head back then ben ding the head forward.

Number of Repetitions: Repeat according to your physical condition . Those

with high blood pressure, or who become dizzy, can start with just a few
repetitions and graduall y increase the number.

Important I)oints:

1. During the exercise, one should remain as quiet an d concentrated as possible.

Move slowly to avoid becoming dizzy.
2. When tilting the head forward the chin touches the chest .
3. Breathe natu rally.

The Range of Motion and Effects: This is pri marily an exercise for the head and
neck. The act ions of thi s exercise work the mus(les of the head alld the cervical
vertebrae, the circulation to the head is. increased. The movements help relieve
mental fatigue and relieve tension in the ce ntral nervollssystem, while improving
its fu nction. In addition, since the eyes look back as far as possible, the muscles
arou nd the eyes are strength en ed. The exercise is beneficial for those with
problems in the head, neck or central nervous system. The muscles of the neck
and cervical vertebrae remain health y and the exercise wi ll also help restore
balance to th ose with high blood pressure or hardening of the arteries.

140
 H ealth EXf'rcises

Photo 7-1 Photo 7·2 Photo 7-:l

Photo 7-4 Photo 7-5 Photo 7-6

Ph oto 7-7 Photo 7-8

141
Xing Yi Nei Gong

The "Song" of Concentrate the Spirit and Gaze at the Heel

Stand erect, the hands hang at the sides.
The heart is calm as still water, there is not the slightest disturbance.
The eyes look slr'light ahead, the spirit is held within .
The mOlJth is closed, the to ngue touches the roof of the mouth.
Regu late the qi and brea th, moving in and out from th e dan riml.

Turn the head and neck to the left, slowly and gently.
(laze at the heels, the intent moves fi rst.
Concentrate the spirit on the backwa rd gaze, focus o n the heels.
The intent and qi move together. thcenergy wi ll flow through the Rm meridian.

)' ;/1 and Yallg arc united , the energy fl ows through the heaven ly cycles.
Slowly and gentl y, the intent and qi move in an uninterrupted flow.
The head returns to th e Cl'n tral posit ion, the qi is contai ned o n th e dan rial/ .

Turn the head and neck to the righ t, slowly and ge ntly.
Gaze at the heels, tile intent moves first.
Concentra te the ~pirit on the backward gaze, fOl'US on the heels.
The intent and qi move together, the energy will flow through the Ret! meridian .
The energy flows through the heavenly cycles.

The movement is soft and gentle, repeat as many times as is comfortabl e.

The qi and b reath fl ow comfort ably, this exercise prevents d izziness.

112
 Health Exercises

Th e "Song " of The Gold en Cock Eats Rice

Stand erect, the hand s han g at th e sides.
The heart is ca lm as still wat er, witho ut the slightest distmb anc{'.
The eyes look straigh t ah ead, th e spirit is held within .
Close th e mout h, the to ngu e touches th e roof of the mouth .
Regulate the qi and breath , movin g in and out o f the dan rial/.

The head is held up with the neck stra ight , relax th e should ers and
empty th e
chest.
The feet grip the ground , the "bu bbling spring" poin t withdr aws upward
.
Sink tht qi to the rim/lim l, the perine um is contracted upwa rd .
Move the crown o f the head backward, th e chin moves upwar d .
Slowly inhal e, breath e into the "sea of qi."

Return the head to the upright positio n, procee d slowl y.

The heart is ca lm and the qi smooth, you must not hold the breath
.
The eyes look fo rwa rd, relaxed , qu iet and natura l.

The head is held up with the neck straigh t, relax the should ers and
empty the
chest.
Sink the 'Ii to the ria" tiall , the pe rineum is gent ly contra cted upwar
d.
Move the crown of the head forwar d, the " jade pill ow" (a po int at the
base of th e
sku ll) moves upward .
Slowly ex hale, the air leaves th e "sea o f 'Ii."

143
Xing Yi Nei ConI{

Exercise Eight: Ape Anns Enliven the Blood

(Rubbing the Palms)
Introduction : The Chi nese medical treatise Hm billS I'i(/II states, "The merid ia ns
aTe the pathwilYs of 'Ii ilnd hlood, they manage rill and Yllllg, nourish the tendons
and bones and benefit the jninh." The meaning of this is Ihe internal organs,
bones and joints are nuurhhed by the flow of qi and blood. A balanced flow of
qi and blood also benefits the connective tissue, bones and !lkin. The ba lances
of the body aTe all dependent upon this flow. If there ,1Tf~ no obstructions to the
normal f10wnf qi and blood throughout the entire b~dy, all parts of th e body will
be nourished and will function normally. The body is thcll able to ward off
harmful influences and maintain its health.
In the LiIlS Qu: Tlleory o(ReSII/(lIillS 1/1" MeridiallS there is a discussion of the
"liver storing blood." Thi s refers to the livt.'r'!I ability to store and regulate the
amounl ofhlood it contains. The various diseases of the blood are caused by the
"inability of the liver to store blood."
The purpose of thi~ exercise is to open the meridians, including the Twelve
Main MeridiallS and the Eight Extra Meridiam, allowing the energy to fl ow
uni mpeded. The blood ve!l~eh tuo ,lTe opened <md the circulation is strong. Wit h
th e qi and blood circulati ng normally. all thE' various organs and syste ms of the
budy ret:e ive the nutrients needed for optimal heal th a nd prevention of disease.

144
 Health Exerci~es

Pre pa ratory I}ostur~: Sta nd naturally, the fcct afe togeth er (pho to 8- 1).

Meth od of Practi ce:

I . Bend the knees slightl y, shift the weigh t to th(' right foot, lift the left h eel and
lightl y touch th e ground with the ball of the left foo t.
2. Bent! the l('ft elbow, lift the left hand until it i'i level wit h and in fro nt o f th e
left side of the fore head.
:'l. Put thefinge rsofthe right hand togeth er, rub th l! left palm in an up and down
mo tio n with the right fingers (photo 8-2).
4. Turn the heat! and look to th e righ t, a~ if looking at the right he('1.
5. After rubbing the left palm a number of tim es, put the left foot down , shift the
we ight to the left foot, hend the knecslig htl y and touch the hall o r tile right foot
lightly 0 11 the ground. !.if! the right palm ami ruh wit h the left finge rs (photos
8-3 and H--I).
6. Repeat to the left a nd right.

umber o f Re petiti o ns: Perform twice 0 11 the righ t and left sides. Huu the palm
until it b warm.

Impo rta nt Po in ts:

I . The sho ul ders mmt be relaxed , th e arms mu st not be ri gid.

The na nge of Mo t ion a nd Effec ts: This exe fcise will in crease the e ndurance of
the arm s and fin ge r'i. It is especia ll y ben eficial to thme who have injured their
ha nd:. or fingers. Rubbi ng the palm stimulates the Lau GOllg point (in the ce nter
o f tilt> pa1m ). Th h is beneficial to those suffering from " heat " in the int ernal
organ:., ext reme thirst, na sal probl e ms, inability to focus the att ention a nd
stroke.

145
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Photo 8·1 Photo 8·2 Photo 8·3

Photo 8-4 Photo 8·5

146
 Health Exercise,'Ij

The "Song" o f Ape Arms Enlive n th e Blood

Stand erect, the hand ~ hang down hy the sid es.
The heart is calm as sti ll water, wi thout the ~Ii g htest disturbance.
The eyes look straight a head , th e spirit is held within.
Close the mouth, the tongue touches the roof o f the mouth,
Regulate the qi and breath , moving in and out of th c d{w tielll,

E.mpty th e left foot , the ball of the left foot ligh tly touches the ground.
The weight of the body is on the right foot.
The intent is on the elOII tia" , the pe rin eulli is ~ently lifted up.

Bend the Jeft elbow, lift it past the sto mach to the height of the chest.
Uft the left palm, plal"c it beside the left side o f the heal!.
The center of the pa lm is at the heigh t of tile forehead, as if you a rc holding lip
the sky.

Benli th e right elbow sligh tly, lift the right pa lm.

Lift it to the height o f the head, plal"e the righ t fingertip!> again st th e left pillm.
The right finge rs rub tlH: left palm , rub with an up a nd down Illotion .
Turn the head to th e right, look at the right heel.

E.mpty th e right foot, th e ball of th e right foot lightl y touches th e ground .

The weight of the body is on the left foot.
The intent i'i on the (/(1/1 tiall, the perineum j'i lih ed upward .

Bend the right elhow, lift it past th e sto ma ch to th e height of the chest.
Lift the left palm , place it besid e the left side of the head.
Thc cente r of the palm is at the height of the fo rehcad, as if you arl' holding up
the sky.

Bend the left elbow slightly, li ft the left palm.

Uft it to Ihe ht'ight o f the head, place the right finge rtips against the right palm.
The left fin gers rub the right palm, rub with an up a nd down IllUtiUll.
Turn the head to the left , look at th e left hee l.

Repeat as long as comfortabl e.

147
Xing Yi Nf'i GQnR

Exe rcise Nine: Ra ising the Bac k Seven Times

Introduction : When olle b ,Ible to lead the breath, the original pre-birth )'allS
qi can cn~ure that the nourbhing qi f1ow~ freely through the meridians, the blood
circulation will be complete and each part of the body will receive I he no urishme nt
it needs. The o rgans willillen function normally, the body will be hea lthy an d
di~l."ase will h iwe no place to take hold. At the sam e tim e, wile n breathing
co rrectly o ne may also fill the dall tiall which strengthens the inte rna l organs.
Thi s exercise will stre ngthen the fundion of Ihe lungs, improve respiration,
vital Cilpilt"ity and stimulate metabolic activity. Practicing rh)'thmic breathing
also improves the function of the heart , strengthens the blood vessels, and
in creases the heart '~ power of endurance whkh promotes heal th and a long,
healthy life.

148
 Health Exercises

Preparatory Posture: Stand naturally, the feet arc together (photo 9.1).

Method of Practice:

1. Lift the hands up in front to the height of the head, the palms face outwa rd .
2. At the same time, raise upon the toes, the legs arc together and the knees a re
straight. The e ntire weight of the body is on th e balls ofl he feet. Inhale deeply.
Sec photos 9·2 a nd 9-3.
3. Lower the heels as the two arm s d rop stra ight down in fro nt of the body, bend
the knees and slightly squat (d ropping the body weight and the arms swiftly as
the heels a re lowered), exhale thought the mouth \\'ith th e "HA" sound (phOlO
9 ·4).
4. Imm ediately rai se up on th e toes aga in a nd swing the arm s up above the head
(phntm 9-S and 9-6).
S. Repeat steps 1·4 .

Numher of Repetiti on s: Start with seven repet itions, work lip the number o f
repe titio ns as you are able.

Impo rta n t Po in ts:

1. Th e whole body is relaxed . Mat ch the breath wit h tile movement. In ha lewhcn
raiSing up on the toes and exhale when lowering th e heels. Remember to exhale
through the mouth with an audible " HA " sound.
2. Pe rform the exercise slow ly.

Th e Ra ngeofM otio n a nd Effects: Thisexercise stretches the musdesof ti1e four

extn.:mities, with the matched breathing there is a slight shock when the: heels
drop, which is good for th e internal organs. Theexercise is related to exe rcise five
and has a simila r effect. In addition, sin ce the entire weight of the body is
supported by the balls of th e feet, th e halance is improved.

149
Xing Yi Nei Con}.!

Photo 9· 1 Photo 9·2 P hoto 9 ·3

Photo 9·4 Photo 9·5 Photo 9·6

Photo 9·7 Photo 9·8

150
 Health Exercises

The IISong" of Raising the Back Seven Times:

Stand erect, the hand s hang at the sides.
The heart is calm as still as water, without the sl ight est interfe rence.
The eyes look straight ahead, the spirit is held wi th in.
Close th e mouth, the tongue touches the roof of the mouth.
Regu late the qi and breath , moving in and out of the dall liall .

The qi si nks to the dall timl, the perin eum is gently lifted upward .
Lift the hands together, slowly raise them up ove r the head.
The two palms fa ce the frollt.
At the sa me time raise up on the balls of the feet , the h{.'Cls raise upoffthe gro und .
Inhal e det'ply, the poin t of powe r is in the feet, itrmS, wa i ~t and hip .

The two a rillS fon:efully swing down .

The hc(']s lower to the ground , exha]\! with a "ha" sound.
All of the stale air in the lungs is exha led wit h the "ha " sou nd .
Th is clea ns the lun g~ and benefits Ihe brain, strcn~th ens the heart and improves
the li ver.

Remember in your heart,

Repeal the exe rcise, seven ti mes is ideal.
All illness and di~ea ~e will di sappear.

lSI
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Exercise Ten: Both Fists Strike the Back

Introducti on: The Rt'11meridian runs along the front of the body and regulates
the "ill , it is the "sea" of the yill meridiam. The VII meridi an rum alo ng the hack
and control s the yllll.'?, it is the "sea" of the )'tillS merid ians. When the Rell and
Du meridians are united and the qi and breath now fred y in co ntinuous C}'cles,
th en the body will be strong and full of vita lity. When the energy Oows
u nim peded th roug h the DII meridian , th e ),(I1IS qi of the kidney will rise to the
"we ll o f th e Shou lders" and will now downwa rd to the hee ls. The kidney qi wi ll
be full , the spi rit pu re and m ncentrated, the waist and legs will be st rong, the
internal o rgans wi ll beat ease. Wit h co ntinued practiceofthi s exercise the result s
will become obvious.

152
 Health E X(!r(; jseN

Prepa ra tory Posture: Sta nd in the h orse rid ing stance (photo 10-2).

Me th od of I'ract ice:

1. Close th e hand s int o loo::.c fi sts, be nd th ee lbo wsa nd sw ing the hands upward .
Use the "tiger's e}'e" (the radial side o f t he flst ) to strike downward o n thl! to ps
o f the trapezius muscles.
2. At the same time, push out the sto mach ilnd leil n back (photos 1O-3 1l1rougll
10.,).
3. The fi sts fall back to thei r starti ng positio n ha nging by the sides (photos \0-
6 and \0-7).
4. Repeat steps 1-1.

Number of Hepctitio n s: Sixtee n repetit ions is average, one may wo rk up to

twe nty four or more.

Important Poin ts :

1. When striking the back a nd pushi ng out the stomach, in ha le. When returning
to the upright positio n and d roppin g the fiSIS, ex hale.
2. Aft er compl eting exercise nine, one may rcsl a brief period before beginn ing
e:"erdse ten . Exercise n ine is a bit Illore stressful a nd on£" should allow th e body
lim£" to calm down and become q uiet before going o n to exe rcise len , in order
to avo id loss of breat h.

The Ra nge of Motion and Effects: Thi s exercise co nd itio ns the muscl es of the
slomal'll amI wa ist. Whe n pu shin g o ut the stomach the abdomi nal muscl es ,He
stretched, th is influ ences th e inlern a 1o rga ns. Thl' light tapping on the tra pezius
muscles is beneficia l tn th ose who ha ve inj ured thei r neck, shoulders, or back.

153
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Photo 10-1 Photo 10-2 Photo 10-3

Photo 10-4 Photo 10-5 Photo 10-6

Photo 10-7 Photo to-8 Photo 10-9

154
 Health Exercises

The "So ng" of Bo th Fists Strike th e Back:

Stand up naturall y, the hands hang beside the body.

Concentrate the spirit and quiet the qi, close out interfering thought s as much
as possi bl e.
The heart is calm as still w;'lte r, the heaven and earth exist together.
The eyes look straight ahead , the limbs and body arc relaxed.
Close the mouth , th e tongue tOllches the rouf o f th e mout h .
The 'Ii and bluod fill the art eries, moving to and frum the "~ca of 'Ii."

The feet are opened parall el in the horse ridi ng posture.

The entire 'iDles o f the feet grip the ground, the "bubbling springs" points arc
contracted upward .
The knees arc bent , th e ene rgy of the waist moves downward .
The palms are placed on the tops of the thighs, the finger!> afC stretched and
opened.

Relax the shoulders and empt y the chest, press the head upward and straighten
the back o f the neck.
The intent is kept in the dlltl tillll, the breath is delkate, in hale gently.
Exhale smoothl y, deJi<:ately, even, slow, and long.
Press up the sky and stand creel on Ihe earth , o ne qi complete and natural.
The shoulders and elbows relaxed , close the fi sts tightl y.

The shoulders "urge " the elbows, t he elbows " urge " the hands.
Wave the two fi st~, swing them upward.
Swing them above tile head , th en down the back.
The fi sts strike th e "well of the shoulders" th e chest and waist lean back.
The qi and breath move in and out, regulating the movement .

Re~at in th is man ner, striking the "well of the ~ h oul d e rs."

Continue as long a .. is co mfortable.

155
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Exercise Eleven: Rotating the Waist

Strengthens th e Kidneys

Introducti on: According to th e theo ries of traditio nal Chines~ medicine, the
tUlH.1:iom of the kidneY:!I include th e removal of wastes and uric acid, and al.~o
reproductio n. In the SII XillS-' f.illg tall Mi Dia/l Lilli it is writt en, "The kidney is
an organ which gives strength , it makes o ne cleve r. " The mcanin gof "g iving o ne
strength" reft!r' to energy and vitality, whil e "making one cleve r" refers to having
a sharp mind . Although the brain is responsihle for thought , the cerehral fluid
b produced by the kidneys, therefore the health of the kidneys is closely related
to one ' ~ mental powers.
The kidneys are related to the clement wat er. The ancienL~ helieved water is
)'ill , hnwt!vl' r, )'i/l is contained wit hin )'allg. this means that theTt' is fir €:' in the
mid st of water. Because of thiS, the two kidneys are divided into the water kidney
and the fire kidney, the left kidney is water and th e right kidney is associated with
the millS 111('11 point and i~ fire. The tunctionsof the two kidneys arel:oordinated ,
when th ey function together in harmon y the body is ahl e to maintain a state o f
great vitality. Therefore, the health o f
th e kidneys is very important to th e
ove rall health of the body. Practicing
the Xing Vi health exe rcises, especiall y
this exerCise, ca n greatly improve the
strength and fun ction of the kidneys
resulting in increased vitalit y, good
hea lth In generaJ, a sharp mind and the
en ergy to succeed in life.

156
 Health Exercises

Preparat ory " osture: Sta nd in thl' hor~c riding sta nce (photo 11-2).

Method of Practi ce:

1. Put th e handson the sidesof the waist, the thumbs are forward under the fro nt
of th e lower ribs and th e four fingers <Ire on each side o f thc back nca r the lumbar
region (photo 11 -3).
2. Turn the wai st in a circle firs t to the left, then tu th e front , then to the right ,
then to the rear (making a clockwise circk ). See phutos 11-3 through 11 -7.
3. After a num her of repetiti ons, reverse the directio n of the ci rcle ami repeilt
(photos II -H through 11-11 ).
4. Repeat steps "1 -3.

Number o f Repetitio ns: Start wit ll l'ig ll t or sixtee n repet itions and gradually
increase the numhe r.

Impo rtant Poin ts:

I. The move ment should be light and _~ l()w.

2. The size of the circle ca n viHy according to onl"s ph ysical condi tion.
3. The feet remain nat on the ground throughout the movement. Only the h ips
a nd waist shou ld move.
4. Do not let th e head rotate or swing, try to keep the head rel atively still.
S. The ha nds should fi rm ly hold th e wai st. Th is helps protect the waistlllllscies
a nd also he lps one perform the exerci se.
6 . Breath e naturally .

The Range of Motion and Effects: Thi s exercise moves the wa ist, hips, kn ees,
a nd wrists through un common angles of motion. The waist is the cen tra! axis
of the body's motion, th e muscles of the wa ist a nd abdomen as well as th e
kidn eys will be stimulated by th is exerci se. The movement is beneficia! for those
with pain in the waist.

Photo 11-1 Photo 11-2 Photo 11-3

157
X ing Yi N4!; Gong

Photo 11-4 Photo 11-5 Photo 11 -6

Photo 11-7 Photo 11-8 Photo 11-9

Photo 11-10 Photo 11 -11 Photo 11-12

158
 Health Exercises

The "Song" of Rotating th e Waist StTengthens th e Kidneys

The body stands naturall y erect, the hands hang at the sides.
Co ncen trate the spirit and quiet the qi, close out interferin g thoug hts as much
as possibl e.
The heart is cal m as still wa ter, heaven and ea rth exist together.
The eyes look strai ght ahead, the limbs and body relax.
Close the mouth, the tonboue touche s th e roof of the mouth .
Th e qi and breath fill the arteries, moving in and out of the "sea of 'Ii."

The feel o pen out pa rallel, adopt th e horse riding posture.

The entire soleS Oflhc ft'et grip the ground, the bubbling well point is contra(.1ed
upward.
The knees afe be nt, the energy of the wa ist moves downward.

The hands a rc held palms ope n, place the palm s be h ind the back.
Put the palm s on th e lower back on eLlch side of the spin e, the t ips of the fingers
should be tOlKhing.
The qi si nks to th e dan tim /, the (J i and breath are na tural.
Lean back, the stomach moves fo rwa rd, move the waist in a ci rcle.
Rotate from th e front to the left, from th e left to the rear.
From th e reLlr to the ri ght, from the right bLlek to the fro nt.
Repeil! ilS long as is comfortable .

I.ean back, the sto mach moves forwa rd , move the wa ist in a circle.
Rotate from the front to th e right , fr om th e right to the rear,
from the f(~,lT to the left, from the left back to the front.
Repeat a ~ long a~ h comfortable.

159
Xing Yi N ei GOllg

Exerci se Twelve: Moving the Hips

to the Left a nd Right
Introd uction: The frame, torso, waht and h ips afe in volved in the overall
motion capabil ities of the body, these areas must not be neg lected during
exercise. From the point of view of physiolob'Y. and the structure of the body,
the frame, torso, waist and hi ps include many impo rt ant meridians, organs and
vita l areas of circulat io n . Th e importan ce of these areas should be co nsidered
when execu ti ng exercises to stre ngt h en the ove rall functio ns of the body.
AftN practici ng th e Xing Vi exercises for health, o ot' will sirengtht'n the very
root of the se lf, making the body healt hy, t he qi ful1 , the li mbs agi le, the waist
and legs strong, the lowe r body stable, move ments ad roit, the steps light . the
back straight and the body light and agil e.

160
 Health Exercises

Preparato ry Posture: Spread the legs to double shoulder width apart, the feet
are parallel.

Meth od of Practice:

I. The upper body leans forward , the hands grasp the ankles.
2. Squat down o n the left leg, the left knee presses agai nst the chest, the left foot
remains flat on the ground. The right leg is stretched straigh t. Now th e waist,
back and hips are all turn to\\'iHd the right side. The eyes look toward th e right
(ph oto 12-1).
3. Relax the shoulders, si nk the elbows, the palms reach toward til", right foot
,mu alternately reach forward and pull back (photos 12-1 through 12-4).
4. Repeat , squ atting down on the right leg (photos 12-5 th rough 12-8 ).
5. Hepeat the exercise twice on each side.

Number o f Re peti t io ns: If one has sufficient endu rance, more repetitions may
bc pcrformed if desired.

Important ()oints:

1. Breathe naturally.
2. For beginners or those who arc unable. if one cannot perform the exerci se as
described, do not force it. Over time o ne wi ll eventual ly be ahle to do the exercise
completely.
3. The exercise is to be done slowly, wit h stability and in a quiet manner.
Sq uatting for longer peri ods will relax the tendons and increase nexibili ty, this
is preferable to adding repetitions.

Th e Ra nge o f Motion a nd Effects: In th is exercise the upper part of the leg

rotates outward to a great degree . The weight of the body is borne by the hip. At
the same time, the knees, waist and ank les are also conditioned. Wit h th e
pushin g and pulling motions o f the hands, the whole body is exercised.

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Xillg Yi Nei Gong

Photo 12·1

Photo 12·5

Photo 12·8

162
 Health Exercises

The "Song" o f Moving th e Hips to the Left a nd Right:

Sta nd up naturally, the hands ha ng by the sides.
Concentrate the spirit and quiet the qi, close out interfering thought s as much
as possible.
The heart is ca lm as still watN, heaven and eart h ex ist together.
The eyes look straight ahead, the limbs and body relax .
Close th e mouth , the to ngue touches the roof of the mouth.
The qi and hlood fill the arteries, movi ng in and out of the ""ea of qi."

Th e feet <lfe opened parallel, the feet arc opened co mfo rtably, !lligh tly wider than
shoulder width.
The entire soles of th e feet grip the grou nd, the "hubbling spri ng point " ()'Im:.:
(Im1/l) is con tracted upw'lfd .
The ankJc!I arc hent, relax the hip ~ .

Squat down on the left leg. the buttocks sit o n th e left heel.
The kn ee touches the chest , the torso femai ns erect.
The right leg is pulled stra igh t a nd is level with the ground, the entire sole of the
right foot remains on the grou nd .
The ankles are bent, the eyes look at the right foot.

The left hand gm bs th c top of the left foot, the ri gh t hand grabs the top of the
right fool.
The head, neck, waist, and shoulde rs twist to th e right.
Si nk the elbows and relax the shoulders, the palms pu'\h toward the right side.
The qi and breath move in and out , follow what is natural.

Squa t dow n o n th e righ t leg, t he buttocks sit on the right heel.

The knee to uches the chest, the torso remai ns erect.
The left leg is pulled straight and is level with the ground , the entire so le of the
left foot remain s on the grou n d.
ThfO ankle!l arc hent , the eyes look at the left foot.

The right h.md grahs the top o f the right foot, th e left hand grabs th e top of the
left foot.
The head , neck. waist , and sho ulders twist to the left.

163
XinE Yi Nei Gong

Exercise Thirteen: Pressing on the Knees

Regulates the Meridians
(The White Crane Rota tes its Knees)
Introduction : Tile meridians, ligaments, a nd tendons co nnect and con trol th e
skel eta l !>ystcm, waist, legs, ,Irms and hands. The me ridians and con nective
tissue, when healthy, maintain a c('rtain degree of fleXibility, ela sticity, and
tenaci ty. They allow the body to move with agili ty and the body is in a fin e state
of health . With re~ular exercise, the limbs and body will be strengthened, the
fun ctions of the internal organs improved, the original pre-birth ya llg qi wil l be
cultiva ted and the e ntire bod}' will benefit. In this s tat ~ the spirit will be strong,
the body health y a nd free of dheilsc and one wi ll li ve a prosPNouS life.

164
 Health Exercise."!
Pre pa rato ry Pos ture: Stand naturally with the feet together (photo 13- 1).

Meth od o f Practice: This exercise is perfo rmed in two parts.

P" rt On e
). Lea n th e upper botly forwa rd, the hands are pla ced o n the knees (photo 13-
2).
2. Bend the knees and rotate the knees to the left in a counter clockwise circle
(pho tos 13-3 through 13-6).
:·t After a number of repetitions, reve rs€' the directio n of the circle. Per form the
sa me number of revolutio ns clockwise (pho tos 13-6 th rough 13·10).

Pa rt Two
t . Return to posi tion number one described above (pho to 13· 10).
2. Sq uat straight dow n until the heels press aga inst the buttocks and the knees
prc!<.s against the c he ~ 1 (photo 13· 11).
3. Stand up and repeat step 2 for a !lumberof repetit ioll:-' (photOS 13· 10 through
13-12).

Number o f Repet iti ons: Start wit h eight repetition s and gradually increase the
number.

Importa nt Po ints:

1. Breathe natu rally.

2. The knet.! is one of the most comp le x join ts in the body, its range of motion
is small , try to rotate the knees through the greatest range of mot ion possible,
however, do not fo rce the move ment in part one. Be careful not to allow the
knees to ex tend laterally beyo nd a comfortable range of mot ion .

Th e Ra nge of Moti on and Effects: The main purpose of th is exercise is to

~t r(' ngthen the knee joint. At th e sa me ti me, the fee t and ankles as well as the
s llpportin~ mu scles of the legs are also cond it ioned.

Photo 13-1

165
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Photo 13-4 Photo 13-5 Photo 13-6

Photo 13-7 Photo 13-8 Photo 13-9

Photo 13-10 Photo 13-11 Photo 13-12

166
 Health Exercises

The IISong" of Pressing on the Knees Regulates th e Meridians:

Stand naturally crect, the hands hang beside the body.
Concentrate the spirit, close out interfering thoughts as much as possible.
The heart is calm as still water, heaven and earth exist together.
The eyes look straight ahead , the limbs and body relax.
Close the mouth, the tongue touches the roof of the mouth .
The qi and blood fil l the arteries, moving in and ou t of the "sea of qi."

The enti re sales of the feet grip the ground, the "bubbling springs " poi nts are
contracted upward.
Be nd the knees forward , to about a 90 degree angle . .
The hands arc placed on the knees, the hands tightly grip the knees.

The hands help support the knees, the knees make revolutions.
From the front to the left, from the left to the rear.
From the rear to the right , from the right back to th e front.
The fect remain nat on the ground, they must not raise up.
Continue making circles as long as is comfortable.

167
Xing Yi Nei GOllg

Exercise Fourteen: Strengthening the Meridians by

Rubbing the Knees and Stretching th e Bod y
Introdu cti o n : Transforming the essence into qi, the qi into spirit and the spirit
into the void a rc the three important steps of th e art of Xi ng Vi Quan. It can be
stated that these steps are the method of improvi ng the health , strengthening
the bod y, slow ing the effects of agi ng and extend ing life. Qnl'e ont! has reac hed
th e level of transforming the spirit into the void, the pre-birth q; will become
refined to the highest degree, nlling the bod)' with energy and stre ngthening the
brain.
In the Lin QII: Hai LIlli Pie" it is written , "The brain is the sea of ma rrow, when
,I
there is a surp lus of marrow the body is full of e nergy, if there is dldicicncy of
marrow, there will be ringing in I he ears, the leg~ will ache, o ne will be dizzy, th e
eyes ight will not be clear and o ne will be unable to sleep soundl y." TheSII W('//:
lie lillg Wei 1.,.11 states, "The marrow fills the bones. " In the Wei LIm it is also
written , "When the bones are 'dry' the marrow will be insuffiCient, the bones will
wither. " The..e passages refer to the fact that the brain is responsible for the
movement of the body and the clarity of sight. The marrow nourishes the bones.
Therefore, the kidneys, brain, essenl'e, marrow, hones and connective tissue all
have a reCiproca l effel't on one another a nd are Illutually supportive oft he o ther's
growth. Strengthening the meridians hy rubbing the knees and stret ching the
body is an exerci ..e of the Xing Yi hea lt h exercise set which stimulates and
strength ens the meridians, hones, a nd marrow. Additionallyit aids the Inovemcnt
capabilities of Ihe limbs, ~trcng th e n s the kidneys, benefits the brain, increascs
the production of esscnce and marrow, balances the yin and yang of the body,
irnprove~ the functions of the internal organs, slows the aging process and
extends life.

168
 Health Exercises

Prepa rato ry Postu re: Sta nd naturally (photo 14-\ )

Met hod of Praclice:

1. Raic;c the left kg and place the heel on a low slool (if one dOes not have accesS
to a stool o r simila r object, o ne may extend the leg straight oul in fru nt and place
the heel on the ground with the toes pointing up and the right leg slightly benl ).
2. The palms are placed one on top of the other o n the left knee. Rub the kncc
in clockwise ci rcles for a number of repetitio ns th en reverse tilC di rection (photo
14-2),
J . Reach and grab Ihe toes of the left foot with the handc; and Ie-an the upper lxx.Iy
over, Iry to touch the chi ll to the left heel (pholo 14-3). Repeal several times.
4. Cross the arlllsa nd grab the opposi le elbow with ihe hamh . Bend forward and
try to touch the loesof the left foot alternat ely with each ellJow (pholos 14-4 and
14-5). Repea t c;evera l times.
fi. Swi tch legs and repeat steps 1 - 5 (phot os 14-6 th rough 14-9).

Numher of Re petitio ns: Hepeal with each leg two times.

Important I)oinl s:

1. Try 10 rub and movc the kneecap as much as poc;sible.

2. Breathe naturally.
3. Beginners and those whose physical condi tion i ~ not good ma y not be able
to perform the exercise as described, Slowly try to increase the range of motion
over time. Do not try 10 force the stretch as it may calise in jury.
4 . When ~t rctchlng forward and pressi ng Ihe leg, move slowly, stably, and
smoothly, one may hold the st retch for a period of time.

The Rangeof Motio n and Effec l~: The main purpose of this exe rcise is to st retch
the l ev.~. The leg pressing exercise is an important method of increasing Ihe
flexibility and elasticity of the lex!>. This skill is a cornmon requirement of all
martial arb. Those who practice calisthenic t'xercises, dancer~ and opera
performers, all use the leg press. The leg press exercise includes pressing to the
frollt and to the side. Xillg Vi Quan uses the fronl press variation. This exe rcise
increases the elasticity o f the leg while at the sa me lime wnditions tht' wai st,
back, knees, and the muscles along the sides of Ih e torso.

169
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Photo 14·1

Photo 14·4 Photo 14·5 Photo 14·6

Photo 14·7 Photo 14·8 Photo 14·9

170
 Health Exercises

T he "Song" of Strengthening the Meridians by Rubbin g th e

Knees and Stretching the Bod y
Stand naturally erect, th e hands hang by the sides.
Concentrate the spi rit and quiet the qi, close out interfering thoughts as much
as possible.
The heart is calm as sti ll water, heaven and earth exist together.
The eyes look straight ahead, the limbs and body relax .
Close the mouth, the tongue touches the roof of the mouth.
The qi and hlood fill the arteries, moving in and out of the "sea o f qi."

The left leg ex tend s a step to the fro nt.

The heclls on the grou nd, the toes point upward.
The hands press on the kneE" gently, rub the knee from left to right.

Lean the body forward, thc power is in the hip::..

Stretch the wa ist as if the head wants to touch the toes.
Twist the body, hcnd the left elbow and touch the toes with till' left elbow.
Twist the hady, bend the right elhow and touch the toes with right elhow.
Repeat as long as comfortabl e.

The right leg exte nds a step to the front.

The heel is on till' ground, the toes point upward.
The hands press the knee gently, rub the knee from left to right.

Lean th e body forward, the power is in the hips.

St retch the waist as if the head wants to touch the toes.
Twi st the body, bend the left elbow and touch the toes with the left elbow.
Twist th e body, bend the right elbow and touc h the toes with right elbow.
Repeat as long as comfort able.

171
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Exercise Fifteen: Yin Opens and Yang Closes

Introduction : When rill and YOIIg are balanced in th e body, th e internal organs
will all function harmoniously, the "five clements" wi ll change appropriately
and all syste ms will fUll ction normally, This €'xen.:ise regulates the breilth,
th erehy stimulating and st rengthening th e heart, improving the functions of th E'
gall hladder and sto mach, improving digesti on and the absorpt ion of nutrients,
benefiti ng the intern"l organs, improving the overall health, cultiva ting th e
spirit , increaSing energy and extending life,

172
 Heolth Exercises

Pre pa ra to ry Postu re: Sta nd naturally with the fee t together (photo I S- I ).

Meth od of Prac tice:

I. Lift the ha nds up in fro nt of the body until they arc at the hei ghl of the
sho ulde rs. The a rm s are st raight wi th the palms fa cing downward (photo 15-2).
2. The arms move o utwa rd to the left and right u ntil they arc straight out to the
sides of the hody in a stra ight lin e. As the arms reach the st rilight ou l posi tion,
the palm s turn OVe r to fa ce up (photos 15-3 a nd IS-4).
3. Con tinuing, close the ha nds together again in frunt of th e body. turning the
hands to fa ce palm d own as they move in towards each other (photos 15-5
through \ 5-7).
4. Repeat th e exercist'. open ing lind closin g the arin~ .

Number of ]{ept!liti o ll s: Rep!:!'lt th e mov\:!lllcnl six teen times.

Impo rtant Points:

1. In hale as th e hand s u pen, ex hale as the hands (:lose.

2. The moveme nt should he slow and genllc.
3. Be careful n ut to Sl ick out the chest.

The Kange of Motion a nd Effects : This is primarily a breilthing exercise. The

muscles of the chest, the intercostal muscles and the ulaph ragm ilrt: all condihoncd.
The slow and gentle movemcnt coupled with th e smooth and sta hl e brea th ing
a lsu serves as a regu latory exerc ise which balances th e body. The effect~ o f thb
exerci se arc especially appa rent if pcrfo rnl(."<.:1 a ft er th e "crawling tiger" exercise
(see the supplemen ta ry eXt'n:isc ~ectio n ).

173
Xillg Yi Nei Gong

Photo 15·1 Photo 15·2 Photo 15·3

Photo 15·4 Photo 15·5

Photo 15·7 Photo 15·8

174
 Health Exercises

The "So ng" o f Yin Open s and Yang Closes

Stand naturally creel, the arms hang at the ~idcs.
Concentrate the spirit , quiet the qi, close out in tNferi ng thoughts as much as
possible.
The heart i ~ calm as stili water, heaven and ea rth exist together.
The eyes look st ra ight ahead, the limbs and body ,Ire re laxed.
Close the mouth , the tongue touches the roof of the mouth.
The qi and blood fill the arteries, moving in a nd out o f th c "sea of qi."

The two arms are slowly raised to the fron t.

They come to the height of the shou lders, the palms facE' downward.
Move the arms out to the left and righ t keepi ng the lll pa rallel with thE' ground.
The ,lTm s move out until they arc in a straigh t line to the .. ides.
Slowly inha le as the a rms move outward.

Turn the palms to f,lCe palm lip,

Move th em in together to the I.'e nter.
The hands move until they arc together in fron t o f the hody, !l lowly exhale.
Repeat as long as comfortable.

\75
Xing Yi Nei GunK

Exercise Sixteen: The Heels Kick Backward

At the conclusion of any exercise sci, the body shou ld genlly be brough t to
a calm a nd natural posit ion. The energy of thE' body, which has beE'1l stimulated
and transported throughout the body during the practice, is allowed to gather
and sink to the dall tirm. The heel kick exercise regulates the energy of the whole
body a nd will relax the body after eXE'rcisE'.

176
 Health Exen.:ises

I)rella ralo ry Posture: Stand nat urally with the fcc t together (photo 16-1).

Me th od of Practice:

1. Bend the knee and kick backwa rd with force, try to touch th e heel to the
buttocks (photo 16-2).
2. Alternate ki cking back wit h th e righ t and left legs (photos 16·2 and 16·3).

Numbcr of Repetitions: One may repN \ th irty six times or more.

Important Po int~ :

1. Pe rform the exercise slowly and ge ntly. Brea the Ililtllrilll y.

2. The arm" hang naturally at the ~idcs. Look straight ahead. While kicking the
body should not sway.

Th e nange of Motioo a nd Effects: This is a ve ry o ld Xing Yi Qua n exercise used

to regulate the body. Th is movement will relax the whole body after exercise .

177
Xing Yi Net' GOllg

Photo 16·1 Photo 16·2a Photo 16·2b

<side view)

Photo 16·3 Photo 16-4

178
 Health Exercises

Supplemental Exercise

The Crawling Tiger

(Laying on the Palms)

Preparatory Posture: Stand naturally

Meth od of I)ractice:

I. Make two fists and lower your ..elf dow II onto the ground in the push-up
position (resting o n the fisto;). The hands are shoulder width apa rt (one nlily also
perfo rm this exe rcise on the fingertips or ho lding onto wooden handles). Hold
the armsslraight, the body parall('llo tile groun d, supported by the hands in the
front and the balls of the feet in the rear (photo S- ' ).
2. Bend the elbows and all ow tile hody to drop down parall el to the ground and
about six inches above the ground (photo S-2).
3. Push up with the arm!'. while th e buttocks stay in place (photo 5-3).
4. Look straight ahead. Concen trate the spirit, look hack 10 the righ t and then
to the left. The [ego; are together.
5. Lift the buttocks and Ihe waio;l to Ihe rear (photos 5-4 and 5-5).
6. Jlush forward wit h the leg!'. down into the low push-up position (phot o 5-6).
7. Rept'ilt 1 - 3 limes (photos S-2 through S-6).

Number of Repetitions: Do as many your end urance permits.

Important I'o ints:

1. Breathe naturally.

179
Xing Yi Nei Gong
2. Do not overdo the exercise.
3. After completi ng the exerrise, concentrate tht' spi rit and sta nd up.

The Range of Motion and Effects: This t'xercise stimulates the entire body. The
torso, extrt'mities and head are all involved. If one ' ~ physical co nditi on permits,
one may add this exercise after exercise fourteen "Rub the Knees and Press the
Legs." From tilt' first exe rcist' through the "crawling tiger" makes up the training
section of tile system. Exercises fifteen and sixteen are cool down exercises which
serve to regulate and relax the body.

Photo Sol Photo S-2

Photo S-3 Photo S-4

Photo S-5 Photo S·6

180
 Health Exercises

Song of the Sixteen Hea lth Exercises

hy Zha ng BaD Yang

The two hands cin:k a~ if closing up.

The front hand drags, the back han d hooks and th ey put! diago nally with
force.

The fists slowly rotate front and back over the <:rown of the head.

The hands clap above and helow and the body stands erect.

The two hands hold lip the sky and also support the heart, take a step
fo rw,lrd and rotate the eyes.

One hand holds up th e sky as the ot her presses the earth.

Look left, gaze right and see what is behind, the head ri~es and lowers with
the strength of the neck.

The post ure of the body Jooks like that of an ape.

The hand strokes, the neck turns and the body sq uats down, the bark shakes
and the foul air is ('xpired.

The two fists stri ke the hack as the body Jeans to th e rear.

If the waist is rotated round ami round the kidn eys benefit.

Move the knees left and right with the body lowered.

Turn the knees, flex and extend while the toes grip the ground.

Kneading the knees and exercisi ng the legs o ne must bend th e waist.

With the }'allg of ope nin g and th e yi/l of closing till' lungs are free of d isease.

Kicking the rea r with feet causes the qi to descend. These are the sixteen
exercises of Xing Yi Quan .

The crawling tiger uses both hando; for support.

The above song was written hy Zhang Bao Yang in order to help students
rem em her the order and important points of the cxcrci\e\. It is printed here for
you r comideratioll. The crawlin g tiger was o riginally not part of the six teen
exe rcises, however, ,IS we co mm on ly practice this exerdse along with the ot hers
the line about it has been added to the song.

181
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Afterword
My classmates and I followed our fathers and have practiced martia l arts with
master Wang)i Wu from six or seven yea rs of age. Before practice, we invariably
performed the sixteen exercises. Sometimes because of schoolwork, I didn't have
l'nough time to practice Xi ng Yi Quan, but I neve r missed a day of practicing the
sixteen exe rcises. Later, as I was growing up, I often followed Master Wang in his
medical practice. As soon as a patient was near recovery, the Master would teach
them the sixteen exercisl's. This not only speeded recovery but also helped to
prevent any co mpli ca ti ons and made the body strong. Aher' bega n my career
as a health practitioner, I followed Master Wang's example and taught the
sixteen exercises to my patients. In order to raise the level of health oflile people,
and aid in the prevention of disease, we offer th is set of exerci ses and hope that
oth ers in th e health care profeSSion may find them useful in their own
profeSSions.

Wang Huan Sheng

Beiji ng, Chu ng Wen District
Ch ian Men Hospital
January, 19R 1

182
 Health Exercise~

Xing Yi Exercises Performed Lying On A Bed

Edited and Transmitted by Zh ang Bao Ya ng
Tra n s l a t ~d by Tim Ca rtm e ll

Introduction :
The fo llowing exercise set is performed in th e morning before getting out
of bed and in the evening before going to slee p. It will help awaken th e body
and prepa re it for the day in th e morning and n:lax the body before sleep ilt
night .

Exercises:

The heart and mind are quiet, the qi and blood are pure,
practice morni ng and night , the exercises lying o n a bed.
Rub the hands together, until they are warm ,
then "wash " (rub) the fa ce, the blood vessels will all ope n.
Rub the eyes with the hands, th is clears the vision,
rub beside the nose. the breathing passages wil l he open .
c:Jench the teeth together. it will strengthen the gums.
wash th e mou th with air, this produces more Silliva.
Comb the hai r with the hands, the spi rit wi ll be pure.
rub the neck, it will dispel the effects of draft s.
Stri ke the "sky drum" (the base of the skull), listen to the sound,
ruh the ea rs, the hearing will he sharp.
Rub the upper arm s, th is will open the meridians,
a nd also he lps the circulati on, this is a supplemen t to training.
Use the fists to rub th e wa ist, thus preventing pain,
knead the hips, the joi nts will feel light.
Rub the lowe r ex tremities, Ihis ,lIsu open~ the merid ians,
push down along th e out side, and return al onK the inside.
l{lIb the soles of the feet , this benefits the esse nce of the kidneys,
move the balls of the feel, relax the ankles.
Push o n the right rihs, to soothe the Iivt'r,
move to the left rihs, th e spleen and stomach will he free of obst n lCtion.
Rub the Sill'" Que (in th E' middle of the upper back), with an empty palm,
pu shing on the Re" meridia n, the "triple wa rm er" will be clea r.
After a lo ng pe ri od of practice, disease will not be able to take hold.
be consistent in practicE', do not take these exe rcises light ly.
Ou r ancestors passed thi s knowledge down . it is a marvelous method ,
to be preserved for futur e generations, to save the il l.

183
Xing YI: Ne; Gong

\Vang Ji Wu executing Xing Vi's Pao Quan

184
 Five Element Spear

Chapter 6

Xing Yi Five Element Spear

-
Zhang B ao Yang with the Xing Yi "Needles"

185
Xing Yi Nei Gotlg

Xing Yi Five Element Spear

by Dan Miller

Introduction

All systems of Chinese internal martial arts include some type o f power
development training using heavy and/or lo ng weapons. Tai Ji practitio ners
utilize a long spea r or staff, Sa Glia practitioners use a large broadsword, large
straight sword , and a long spea r, and Xing Vi practitioners utilize the long spear
o r hea vy straight sword. In thi s chapter we will present the five Xi ng Vi lo ng
spearexerdses which are associ ated with the five element fist movemen ts of the
Xing Vi open hand system .
Typica ll y the Xing Vi student will not be taught the five element lo ng spea r
practice until he or she has spent a considerable amount of time practi cing th e
S{l/I ti sta nding practice and the bare hand forms. If the body's alignments and
the move ments and mechani cs o f the bare hand form s are not correct , when the
student practices wi th the spear, these bad habits will be furth er ingrained as th e
stude nt will be trying to "m llscle" the spear wi th his arms and upper body
instead o f usi ng aligned strength and whole body power. On the other hand ,
if the studen t has spent a sufficient amount of time with the tnl[c hand fo rms
and hi sor her mechanics and power are correct , practice of th e five element long
spear exercises wiJI greatly en hance the st udent 's prilCtice.
Each of the spear tC'chniques will improve th e whole body conn ecti on and
power necessary for performance o f the fi ve fists. Although the hand and arm
movement s are not exactly the same in some cases, it is the power w ming from
the legs and torso that these spear techn iques are training. After the student has
practiced th ese spear methods, there should bt: a noticeabl e difference in the
execution of the bare hand methods. The spear that is used is approximately 10
to 12 fC{> t in length, h owever, smaller spea rs can be used. In fa ct, heginning
students may want to start with a six foot spear until th e mechanics of the
move ment are correct before trying to use a lo nger, heavi er Speilr.

Note: The photographs taken in this sectiun were ca ptured from a video that was
ta ken by one of Zhang Baa Yang's students. Theoriginal vidoo was t,lktm on a home video
camera in tht' PAL format U5(''<I in mainland China. This video had to be cUIIVt'rted to
the NTSC forma t used in the United States and thus ~oTTle of the r("solution was lost in
the conversion process. OUl' to the conversion ,Iml video capture, the photos ar(' not
quite as clear as we wou ld like thelll to be, however, we feel that they a re cleM enough
for the reader to understa nd the movements and Since this was the on ly source of
photographs av,lil,lble we went ahead and used them.
In all phnt n~ raph sequences the sequence begins in the middle of a repetitive line.
Becaust' of the camera angle and the distance frolll tht' camera when Zhang hegan the
line, the pholOg raph~ of the beginningand ending form were not clear enough to include
here. Howe"er, the form beginning and ending arr inconsequential.

186
 Five ELement Spear

Pi Qiang (~lif - Splitting Spear)

The splitting spear movements train the mechanics of the downward

(vertical) striking motion of the splitting fi st. Con centration should be focused
on expill1d ing the torso (especia lly the intercostal muscles) as the spear moves
llpward and th e contracting of the torso as the spea r moves downward . See th e
photographs on the following page.

Ph oto I: In this photo Zha ng has just completed one repetition and is about
to begin another. Begin in the sail ri stance with the spear held approximately
level to the ground.

Photo 2: Step forward with the rear leg and begin to pull the spear straight
upward. As you pull th e spear upward, do not use the arm, use th e torso to move
th e spear. The arm will remain in an almost straight position throughout the
execution of this movement. The forwa rd hand slides up the shaft of the spear
as the spear moves upwa rd . Do not grip the spear with the forwa rd hand and
pull upward with the arm. Allow the hand to slide as the back muscles move the
weapon .

Pho to 3: Raise the forward knee up so that the thigh is parallel to the ground
as you conti nue to bri ng the spea r straight up loa perfectly vertical position. The
forward hand continues to slide up the shaft of the spea r as the spear is lifted.
The forward arm is stra ight and vertical in this posit ion and the chest is
expa nded on the fo rward hand side. However, the shou lde rs are relaxed.

I)hoto 4: Step o ut with the forward leg and begi n to press the spear straight
llownward. Use a contracting motion in the chest, torso, and hack, however do
not allow the chest to collapse or the back to round. The spi ne remains straight.
Thecontract ing motion is straight downward. Do not press down with th e arm
muscles. Allow the psoas muscle, the intercostal muscles and the latisimus dorsi
muscles to do the work. The hand of the forward arm will slide inwa rd along
the spear shaft as the ann moves downward.

Pho to 5: The fo rward foot is planted on th e ground as the spear continues to

split downward . Again, the hand is slid ing along the shaft. Do not push
downward with the arm. Allow the sliding o f the hand to press the spear
downward.

Photo 6: The spea r has split all the way down to a leve l parallel to the ground.
The momentum of the downward motion will carry the tip lower than parallel,
however, you want to stop the downward motion of you r arms at the parallel
position. Begin to bring the rear leg forward and execute the next repetit ion.

187
Xing ) 'j Nei Gong

Splitting Spear I Splitting Spear 2

Splitting Spear 3 Splitting Spear 4

Splitting Spear 5 Splitting Spear 6

188
 Five Element Sp4.!(lr

Zuan Qiang (~tt - Drilling Spear)

The drill ing spE'ar rnovelllt'nt i!l very simi lar to both thE' basic Tai Ji and the
Ila GlI a lo ng spear po\'.'e rexe rc i se~. A::. in all of the spear exercise~, the
practitioner <;hould conce ntrate 011 th e mOVl'mcnt<; of the torso and not mu scle
the spear with th e arm .. and shoulders. Alimovelll cnts should he .. mooth and
fluid.

Ph o to I: Start in a sail ti ~tance with the spear stm ight out in front of you. [n
Ih i<; pho to Zhang has just completed one repetitio n and is get li ng ready for the
next so the spear is held a bit higher in this picture thilll in the normal starting
posture.

Ilh oto 2: Ilullthe spear hack with the frar hand allowi ng the spea r shaft to .. Iide
through t he front hand (front hand stay .. in place). This movement is executed
by ex panding fro m the cen ler of the body ilnd open ing up in th e che<;t area,
however do not stick 0111 the chest too filr. Do not ~imp l y draw the arm back
withou t the movement bei ng init iat ed from the center of th e hody. All
movements come from th('(e nt er of the body and torso, not the ann .. alone. A\
t he spear is drawn back, hegin to <;tep forward wi lh the rear foot into a forward
cross-step position. Abo, a~ the spear is drawn back, the front hand turns over
to face palm up .

Ph oto 3: After th e spea r is d rawn back to the po::.ition shown in photo 2, the
rl'ilf h,md flips up towards th e rear shoulder ancl there is a quick fli cking motion
o f the rear wrist. The rear clhow stays in place as the hand moves toward the
should er. The motion of the rear fore arm and wrist should ca use th e ::,pl'a r tip
to move dow nward and to the left ~i d e. The "Iepping foo t con tinu es forward .

Photo 4: With the elbow still in place, the rear forear m rotate.. away from the
lxxIy and downward. Th is will bring the spea r tip back up to center. The
stepping foot begins to plant firmly on the grou nd.

Ph oto S: The rear hand continues moving downward and begins 10 move in
towards the body as Ihe elbow moves outward <;li~htly (nol ict" Ihe oifff"rPIII"P in
the rea r elbow rmitioll bf"lw{'en photos 4 alld 5).

Ph OIO6: When the forward foot is planted on the ground the body weight shifts
forwa rd and the forward hand rotates and prl'::'::'l'::' downward on the .. pear .. haft.
Notice Ihat in photo 5 the forward hand b fadng upward and in pil a to 6 it is
fiu.:ing downward. The overturni ng of the pa lm helps wh ip the::.peardownward
and to the right . In the::'l'qucncc starting in photo 3 and ending with photo 6,
the spear tip ha::. d rawn a horse .. hoc <;hapcd pattern in the air. It Illo\'t'd
downward and to the left in photo 3, upward to center in photos 4 and 5, and
then dow nward and to th e right in photo 6. The fli cking upward of the wrist
(in ph oto~) and Ihe rolli ng ow r o f th e palm (in photo 6) help the spea r move
properly.

189
Xing Yi Nei GOllg
Ph oto 7: Tht' rear foot begins tostep forward and the rear hand begins to push
the spear shaft st raight forward.

Photo 8: The rear foot cont inues stepping forward and th e rear hand co ntinues
pushing the 'ipea r shaft straight forward. The spea r shaft slides through the
forward hand as it is thrust straigh t forward.

I'hoto 9: The rear foot steps forward as the spea r is thru~t fo rward.

Ph oto 10: The rear hand meets the front hand as the steppin g foo t is planted
firml y on the ground and the arms ex tend in a full forwa rd thrust of the spea r.
The pract itioner is now ready to repeat th e movemcnts.

Drilling Spear 1 Drilling S pear 2

Drilling Spear 3 Drilling Spear 4

190
 Five Element Spear

Drilling Spear 5 Dr~lling Spear 6

Drilling Spear 7 Drilling Spear 8

Drilling Spear 9 DrilJing Spear 10

191
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Beng Qiang (Jill it - Smashing Spear)

Tht.' smashing spear movemen ts afe almost ide ntical 10 the moveme nts of
the open hand smashing fist as executed in Wang)i Wu's Xi ng Yi system. The
motion of the h ips and t o r~o rotating around the body's center helps to pfovide
the power in this movement .

Photo 1: Begin in a sail ti posture with the spea r stra ight forward and level.

Photo 2: Step fo rward with th e fo rward leg, turn at the hips so thilt the forward
hip moves forward. The forward sho ulder moves forward in coord ination with
Ihe step and hip move ment and the fo rward hand slidec; fo rward on the spear
shaft and presses downwa rd sligh tl y with a qu ick, cri.sp motion . The spear tip
~ h ould move downward as shown in th e ph oto. The movement of the forward
hand is coo rd inated with the movement of the fo rward step.

Photo 3: The weight moves forward and the rea r leg begins to step forward.

Ph o to 4: The rear leg con tinues to step forward as the rear hand begins pushing
the spear forwa rd. The spear Shaft m oves th rough the forward hand.

Pho to 5: As th e rear foot is planted just behind th e forward fOOl , the spear is
thrust forward with th e rear hand. The two hands meel together as the spea r is
th rust fom"lrd . Do not execute this move ment by simply push ing with the arm .
The fotation of the rear h ip fo rwa rd a nd the coordinated move ment of the hip
and shoulder in co n ju nction with th e step provide the thrusting force.

Ph oto 6: Begi n to step fo rward with the forward leg and draw the spear back
with the rear hand.

Ph oto 7: Continue stepping fo rward and drawing the spear back. The ~pear
shaft slides through the fo rward hand .

I' hoto 8: Repeat as explained in step 2 above.

S m ashing S pear 1 S m ashing S pear 2

192
 Fi ve Eleme"t Spear

Smashing Spear 3 Smas hing Spear 4

Smashing Spear 5 Smashing Spear 6

Smashing Spear 7 Smas hing Spear 8

193
Xing Yi Nei Gong

Pao Qiang (:l@.;ft - Po unding Spea r)

IlllOto 1: Sta rt in the sml ti posture wit h the spear held approxi mately level to
the gro und. The hands arc held closer together in this exercise, they are
approximately one foot apart o n the spea r shaft.

Pho to 2: The rear hand rotates upward a nd moves up th e center line of the body
as the forwa rd hand rotates downward and the arm ex te nds st raight out.

Ph o to 3: Begin to pu ll the spear back with both hands a~ YOli begin to ~ tep
forward wit h the back leg in ,I forward cross·step.

Ph o to4 : Conti nueslepping fo rward with the rea r leg and pulling thcspear back
with both hands. The forwa rd palm is fa cin g you and the rear pal m is fa cin g
away from you.

Ph o to 5: As the rear foot hil s the ground the hamhare brought up to shou lder
height.

Photo 6: Begin to step forward with t he rea r foo t and bri ng the hands down and
forward.

Pho to 7: Repeal as described in step 2.

P o unding S p e ar 1 P o unding S p ear 2

194
 Five Elemen t Spea r

Pound ing Spear 3 Pound ing Spear 4

Pound ing Spear 5 Pound ing Spear 6

Pound ing Spear 7

195
Xing Yi Nei COl/if

Heng Qiang (#\'*,t - Crossing Spear)

I'hotu I : Start in the S(l/I ti stance with the spea r parallel 10 Ihe ground.

l'h OIO 2: Pull anoss th e fronl of you r body to till' left with the forward ha nd.
Insure Ihalll1e Illovem entc.:omcs from Ihe torso, not tite anll. Theforward hand
slide<; forward on the ~vt.'a r shaft as you pull.

Photo ;{: rush the spea r back across the front of th e body as you begi n to execute
a forward ('ross-step with the rear foot.

Pho to 4 : Continut.' executing the forward cross-:)tt.'p and push the <;pear across
the front of the body horilontally. 111e spear <;ha ft . remains parallel to the
ground. The fo rward hand slides Oil the 'ipcar .. haft as it pushes. 1)0 not pu~h
Iro m till' arm mUKles, use the turning motion of the hip<; and shoulders.

Ph o to 5: Tltt.' rt.'ar foot land .. forward as the spear rt."ll'hes the lim it of its crossi ng
movement to th e right.

Ph o to 6: Regin stepping forward with the rear leg and pulling the spear back
acro~~ the hody to the left. The forward arm remaim rela tively straight and
slide~ o n the '>pea r '> ha ft as the movement of the lor'>o pull'> the spear acros~ the
front of the body. Do not pulllhe spea r with th e ann alone, allow the hips to
do the work,

Photu 7: c.ontinue stepping forward with th e rcar foot and pull ing the ~ pear
across the fron t of Ihl! body.

Ph o to 8: Repeat a ~ ~pt.'dficd ahove in step 2.

Cro ssing S pear 1 Crossing Spea r 2

196
 Fiue Element Spea r

Cross ing Spear 3 Cross ing Spear 4

Cross ing Spear 5 Cross ing Spear 6

Cross ing Spear 7 Cross ing Spear 8

197
Xi ng Yi Nei Gong

Zhang Bao Yang with the Xing Yi Short Staff

198
 Abo ut the Tra nsla tor

Tim Cart mell

Tim Cartme ll began his martial arlS trainin g in Kung Fu San Soo in
1972 at
the age of eleven. He received his eiglllh d egrl'C black belt (Master's
Dcgr~(') in
th e art in 1984.
After graduati on from Long Beach Sta l e Univer sity in 19H4,
Tim moved to
the Republic of China (Ta iwan) to begin tra ining in th£" interna l Ch inese
marlia i
art s. Origin ally studyi ng with Master Hsu Ho ng Chi , Tim carned hi
s black belt
in Tang ShOll Tao Xing Vi in 1987.
In 1986, Tim won the middl eweigh t divisio n of the All Tiliwan
InvitiltiOlliil
Full Conta ct Tourn ament and again won th ,l! divi sio n of the Chung
ChC'llg
Intcrn ittio nal Full Contac t Tourn ament later that SilnlE.' yea r. Tim
has studied
na Gua Zhang , Xing Vi Quan, Chen and Yang style Tal Ji Quan,
Vi Quan, the
White Crane system, and variou s other metho d s ofQi Go ngand interna
l boxin g
since movin g to Taiwan . He is presen tly a senior studen t o r Sa Gua Zhang
Master
Luo Dc Xiu . In additio n to his martia l arts Irilining, Tim studil'd
Chine se
langua ge and literatu re full time at the Taiwan Normal Universi ty for
fi vl! },ears.
Tim C:artmell stil l lives in the Republic of China where he practices
a nd teaches
martial arts, wri tes, and works as a tra nslator.

Wang Jin Yu, Zhan g Bao Yang , a nd Tim Cartm ell

199
Xing Yi Nf'i Gong

About the Editor

Dan Miller

A native of Springfield, Virginia, Dan Miller graduated from the United

States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science
In Mathematics and accepted a commission in the United States Marine Co rps.
He ..uh~equen tl y st'Tvt'{\ for ten years as an o ffi cer of Marines. While in the
military he W it ~ ~ent to study at the Nava l Postgraduate School in Mo nterey,
California ( 1987- 1989) a nd earned a Masters Degree.in Elel1rical Engin eering.
Dan began his study of C:h in ese martial art s and Qi Gong in 1983. Since
that tim e he has st udied Sa Gua Zhang, Xing Vi Q uail, Tai Ji Quan and Qi
Gong with various instructors in the United StiltCS, Taiwan, and mainland China.
He currentl y studies Ba Gua Zhang with Park Bok Na m a nd Xing Vi Quan with
Vince SI,u:k.
In 1990, Dan and his wi fe Na ncy fo unded High View Publications and began
publishing the Pa Klla Chang Newsletter. In 1992 the newsletter was upg raded
to a Journal and lJan Miller left the military service to pursue martial arts
practice, publishing, and instructing full time. Since moving bilck to th e
Mo nterey Pen insula in th e fall of 1992 Oiln Miller ha s taught Sa Gua Zha ng,
TaiJ i Quan and Xing Vi Quan, con tinued to edit and puhlish th (' Pn Kiln C/W /IS
101/(//(//, has p u blbhcd five martial a rts books a nd prod uced th ree ma rt ial art s
instructional videos.

Wang Jin Yu, Zhang Bao Yang, and Dan Miller

200