Bagua Quan Foundation Training

He Jinghan
Translated by David Alexander

The ancient Chinese art of Bagua Quan combines internal cultivation - the training of the mind - with external application, strengthening and supporting the health of the body. The key functions of Bagua Quan, as understood through the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to the body, are to regulate Qi and blood, balance Yin and Yang, and regulate the flow of energy in the body. In this book, Master He explains the philosophy and techniques of Bagua Quan and provides the reader with an accessible approach to the practice of the art.

The first part of the book provides an exploration of the basic concepts underlying traditional Chinese martial arts and goes on to explain the philosophical principles of the eight Bagua trigrams and their relationship to Bagua Quan. The book contains many exercises designed to improve stamina, strengthen bones and muscles, and fortify the mind, including training methods such as wrist and elbow rotation, leg and palm techniques and stances. A comprehensive chapter on internal cultivation skills explains how Qi and Li (energy and force) can be integrated through changes in limb and trunk movements

Fully illustrated with over 200 photographs and diagrams demonstrating exercises, stances and postures, this book is the ideal guide for anyone wishing to understand the basics of Bagua Quan or develop foundation skills.

Contents

Preface. Concerning the Lineage. Part I. Basic Concepts. Part II. Bagua Quan and the Bagua. Part III. Outline of the Bagua Quan System. Part IV. Eight Mother Palm Styles and Eight Palms. Part V. External Training and Internal Cultivation. Part VI. My Master's Teaching. Part VII Principles of the Trigrams. Glossary of Terms.

Reviews

'A compendium of invaluable exercises for improving stamina, strengthening bones, muscle and mind, as well as being enhanced with the inclusion of a glossary and an index, "Bagua Quan: Foundation Training" is very highly recommended and an invaluable addition to personal, profession, and dojo library and reference collections.'

- The Midwest Book Review

Author information

He Jinghan is a fifth generation practitioner of the BaguaQuan lineage. At the age of 15, he started studying Yang style TaijiQuan but after six or seven years came to a standstill and stopped improving. For several years he tried other styles of TaijiQuan, as well as XingyiQuan, ShaolinQuan and others but they were not his answers. When he was 23, he was introduced to Master Gong BaoZhai and began to specialize in Bagua. He became a disciple of Master Gong at the age of 24. For 23 years he studied this way until his teacher's death. He Jinghan now focuses his attentions on the cultivation of the arts and the promotion of the BaguaDaoyin.