Learn chinese xingyiquan martial arts, techniques of 10 animals and 5 elements

Before Learning chinese xingyiquan martial arts an account for xingyiquan definitions and a little knowledge about the identity of the style mus t be mentioned.

What is xingyiquan?
In chinese 形意拳 and typed as  pinyin text "Xíng Yì Quán"; and in Wade–Giles written "Hsing I Ch'üan" or "Hsing I"
xingyiquan latteraly meaning is "Form/Intention Fist", or "Shape/Will Fist",

Xingyiquan history:
Is a martial art originated in Henan Muslim Province in the heart of the Muslim clan Hui and is considered one of the strongest arts and methods of self-defense and martial in China for a long time it was known that the best way to fight the real and effective in street fighting , but it was little are known correct way to learning and training
Xinyiliuhequan and Zhaquan and Qishiquan embedded and fired them Jiaomenquan

Training methods and exercises of Xinyiliuhequan not like any art methods of training or another style of combat , there are new things that have been used in the fighting, such as beating a shoulder style to fight over short distances

Also many Legends are behind how the Xingyiquan has been found?
As legend of Ma Xueli of Henan Province and Dai Long Bang of Shanxi Province
According to the book Henan Orthodox Xingyi Quan written by Pei Xirong (Chinese: 裴锡荣) and Li Ying’ang (Chinese: 李英昂), Xingyi[disambiguation needed] Master Dai Long Bang"...wrote the Preface to Six Harmonies Boxing in the 15th reign year of the Qianlong Emperor [1750]. Inside it says, '...when [Yue Fei] was a child, he received special instructions from Zhou Tong. Extremely skilled in spearfighting, he used the spear to create fist techniques and established a skill called Yi Quan [意拳]. Meticulous and unfathomable, this technique far outstripped ancient ones."

    "于乾隆十五年为“六合拳”作序云：“岳飞当童子时，受业于周侗师，精通枪法，以枪为拳，立法以教将佐，名曰意拳，神妙莫测，盖从古未有之技也。"

Throughout the Jin, Yuan and Ming Dynasties few individuals had studied this art, one of them being Ji Gong (also known as Ji Longfeng and Ji Jike) of Shanxi Province. After Yue Fei's death, the art was lost for half a millennium. Then, during the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Shaanxi Province's Zhongnan Mountains, Yue Fei's boxing manual was discovered by Ji Gong.

Hsing I legends In the modern world The Ten Theses of Xingyiquan credited to Yue Fei however he is not the real founder of the xing Yi boxing, but he put many editorials and development from his martial background and strong understanding of xingyiquan. Or Xing Yi Quan may well have evolved from military spear techniques without any credential to yue fei.

For a period in excess of two centuries, this method was too secretive and do not know is a very small number of Muslims who live in China and the beginning of this century, only the clan Han learning this method

But to this day can find many of the experts and skilled in the style of the Masters Xinyiliuhequan communities in many Hui Muslim clan

As mentioned at the beginning of this century spread this method , especially in Shanghai through Lu Songgao method is divided into two main branches as they branch Lushan and Luoyang branch and the final section is still rare outside the clan Hui

xingyiquan techniques, moves, and forms:
 aggressive, seemingly linear movements
 short range cobat style which make it a powerful fighting style.
 coordinated movements to generate bursts of power intended to overwhelm the opponent
Attack when defending techniques as in wing chun and jit kown do.

Forms difers as schools difers but most xing Yi forms characterized by:
bare-handed fighting with empty hands and in usage of weapons and grouped in forms "combination of single movements into simeltaneous sequence".
Most movement and body mechanics depend on the practice of staffs and spears.
shoulder attack is a special skill in Hsing I style.
Any way; xingyiquan is a  Wudang styles of chinese martial arts which is based on internal energy and short range combat in comon.

Xingyiquan fighting styles:
Hsing I style is consists from two main classes:
Ma family's Xin Yi Liu He Quan.
Dai family's Liu He Xin Yi Quan.
Then Dai family techniques developed into three other orders:
Shanxi (including the Song-family sub-branch)
Hebei (Most commonly practiced Xing Yi Quan, and the branch Yi Quan evolved from)
Henan (an alternative name for Ma family's Xin Yi Liu He Quan, Muslims fighting styles)

Both the Shanxi and Hebei branches use a twelve animal system with five elements while the Henan branch uses ten animals. Depending on the lineage, it may or may not use five elements. Due to the historical complexity and vagueness of the lineages, it is uncertain which branch would constitute the "authentic" Xingyiquan.

Basic movements of xingyi quan:
Zhan Zhuang stance is the common due to  It is the simplest method to work on the training of one's Intent (Yi). They are used to develop one's martial structure. One can learn the bodily alignments of the art and perfect them in a more relaxed state. Correct breathing can be trained more methodically while holding Zhan Zhuang. There are certain health benefits involved in such training.

Other basic moves are Hun Yuan Zhuang, Wu Ji Zhuang, Fu Hu Zhuang, Xiang Long Zhuang and their many variants.

Plow Stepping movement:
It is similar to the stance in  Bagua Zhang style, and it is an explosive stepping method.

Shi Li / Mo Jin movement:
advanced body mechanics and circles.

Xingyiquan 5 Elements and the 10 Animals:
The Five Elements of Xingyiquan:    
Five Element Shapes Or "Five Fists" or "Five Phases," the Five Elements are related to Taoist cosmology, and the list of 5 elements and their meanings:

Chopping: in Chinese 劈     type in pinyin "Pī"      and resembles the element "Metal" and means:     Like an axe chopping down and over.
Drilling: in Chinese 鑽     type in pinyin "Zuān" and resembles the element "Water", means: Drilling forward diagonally.
Crushing: in Chinese 崩 type in pinyin "Bēng"     and resembles the element "Wood" means: Like an arrow shot directly forward.
Exploding: in Chinese 炮 type in pinyin "Pào"     and resembles the element "Fire", it means: Exploding outward like a cannonball, while blocking at the same time.
Crossing: In chinese "橫" typing in pinyin     "Héng", resembles the element "Earth", it means: Crossing across the line of attack while turning over.
The image from "zensekai: a wordpress blog"showing the exact chart of 5 elements in xingyiquan.

Ba Zi Gong techniques in xingyiquan art:
They are the  8 combinations of the Ba Zi Gong are: Zhan (Chopping), Jie (Intercepting), Guo (Wrapping), Kua (Carrying), Tiao (Lifting), Ding (Erecting), Ling (Leading) and Yun (Cloud).

10 Animal forms:
The ten common animals are: Bear, Eagle, Snake, Tiger, Dragon, Chicken, Horse, Swallow, Goshawk, and Monkey styles.

Popular martial arts Weapons used in Xing Yi Quan training:
It uses many weapons  as any Chinese martial art such as: Spear, Chinese straight sword, Chinese sabre, large sabre, long staff, short staff, needles, fuyue, and chicken-sabre sickle or Binding Flower Waist Carry

Xingyiquan popular practitioners and grandmasters
I will write about most known practitioners but in the future more details about everyone will be posted: Bu Xuekuan, Cao Jiwu, Che Yonghong, Chu Guiting, Dai Long Bang, Fu Chen Sung, Guo Yunshen, Hong Yixiang, Ji Longfeng, Li Fuzhen, Li Luoneng, Li Tian Ji, Li Cunyi, Ma Xueli, Shang Yunxiang, Song Shirong, Sun Lutang, Zhang Baoyang, Zhang Junfeng, and Zhang Zhaodong.

Cinema movies including xingyiquan fighting techniques:
Jet Li performed Xingyi boxing in the action movie "The One".
In the manga series Negima! the title character studies Xingyi as part of his Kung fu training.

Read about learning kung fu from online books and videos.
More will come in:
xingyiquan dvdes.
xingyiquan fighting tactics practical striking entries.
xingyiquan xingyi quan hsing i chuan hsing yi chuan form and applications.

The difference between kung fu and wushu

Some of the points mentioned by Master Wong Kew Kate
The difference between kung fu and wushu

There is a lot of confusion between kung fu and wushu. The main reasons are that in the Chinese language the current technical term for martial arts Wushu is despite the fact that many Chinese, especially overseas Chinese call it Kung Fu is also a term usually used in the West.

Second since 1970 the government changed the Chinese wushu martial arts to sports. Today there are many trainers wushu Chinese and non-Chinese train these sports all around the world.

Thirdly some kung fu schools located outside China before the invention of modern Wushu in China; learn now modern wushu beside traditional kung fu. Traditional kung fu in these schools are generally low and are frequently without inner strength training and fighting. In essence there is not much difference between kung fu and wushu. The difference is in appearance a mixture of forms in Kung Fu means traditional forms and in wushu means modern forms which was invented in the seventies.

Apart from these three points, There is another side and can be very sensitive, a kung fu is the martial arts. So if the person practiced kung fu forms that differ from traditional forms of modern Wushu does not know how to use them in combat really Kung Fu Although the majority call it kung fu, even if it is devoid of any application for self-defense.

Sometimes I use the term Kung Fu to distinguish between the real kung fu capable of applying kung fu fighting and others are able to apply the fighting. Also use other terms such as external kung fu gymnastics and kung fu.

Can help this information to overcome the confusion. And help to resolve many of the arguments on the kung fu and wushu., For example, someone might say that Kung Fu Wushu and strongly objected to someone else both people on the right. The first person to say from the perspective that the word kung fu is Chinese Wushu. While defending the second person from the perspective of that kung fu is a martial arts and sports but wushu.

One might argue that what is practiced kung fu While someone else says they wushu. The first person to argue from the perspective of traditional forms while the other person says although Most viewed different from modern forms of wushu but they do not practice martial Kvnon but as a sport in essence modern Wusu.

MOST day of school exercise only formats. Regardless of whether they knew traditional forms of kung fu or modern forms of wushu only or both Kung Fu traditional and modern forms of wushu together.

Those schools that teach traditional kung fu forms just as well as those that teach traditional kung fu and modern forms of wushu usually self-styled Kung Fu schools. While those that teach modern forms of wushu usually self-styled Wushu schools.

If you are exercising most Most viewed and exercises. Regardless of how much time I trained them how beautiful it may be your performance. Regardless of whether they are traditional forms of kung fu or modern forms of wushu. Will not be able to defend yourself if you do not learn fighting .This is the standard. In my opinion it certainly is not the correct way to learn kung fu martial Kvnon ... (learn how to defend yourself).

Anyone Whether Master or tyro If you do not learn how to fight will not be able to fight effectively This is logical.