Jiang-style Baguazhang

Jiang Style Baguazhang ( zh, c=姜氏八卦掌, p=Jiāng Shì Bāguàzhǎng) is a style of Baguazhang developed by Jiang Rongqiao. A type of Neijia kung fu, it is one of the most widely practiced combined styles of Baguazhang and Xingyiquan in the world today. Jiang-style Baguazhang is distinguished by emphasizing efficiency of movement and ambidextrousness.

Influences

Zhang Zhaodong appears to have been the dominant influence on this style, but Jiang Rongqiao had many other influences. Jiang started his training as a student of the Shaolin Kung Fu art of Mizongquan with his father, Jiang Fatai. He later studied more formally with his uncle, Chen Yushan. Jiang also studied Chen-style taijiquan and Wudang Sword. Eventually, Jiang became a formal student of Zhang Zhaodong, who had studied with both Dong Haichuan and Liu Qilan. Jiang Rongqiao also studied with Li Cunyi, a close associate of Zhang Zhaodong. Li Cunyi had been a student of Dong Haichuan and Liu Qilan. While it is said that Zhang and Li were students of Dong Haichuan, they were most likely taught by their friend Cheng Tinghua because Dong Haichuan was so much older. While Jiang did not become a formal disciple of Li, Li Cunyi was clearly a significant influence on Jiang. Also, Jiang studied Liuhebafa with Wu Yihui during his stay in Nanjing. Later when he became friends with Wu's disciple Chan Yik Yan, he further studied Liuhebafa in exchange for teaching his system to Chan. Jiang wrote about his Liuhebafa study in Chan's 1969 book entitled ''Liuhebafa Chuan''.

System

Jiang's system of Baguazhang or Bagua was kept simple. His concept was to focus on developing the essence of Baguazhang and not overcomplicating it with more forms and movements. His version went through a drastic change though sometime during his life, which most say occurred perhaps when he lost his eyesight. The original system that he taught was simply called ''Lao Bagua'', meaning "old or traditional bagua". Later on, Jiang changed his concept and revised his whole system to what is generally seen today as ''Xin Bagua'', meaning "new bagua". The material he taught included:

* ''Bagua Yi Lu'' 八卦一路 (1st form):
** ''Lao Ba Zhang'' 老八掌 (Old 8 Palms - taught to earlier students)
** ''Xin Ba Zhang'' 新八掌 (New 8 Palms - a revised version of the former taught to later students)
* ''Bagua Er Lu'' 八卦二路　(2nd form): Bagua Tui 八卦腿 (Bagua Leg)
** ''Lao Bagua Tui'' 老八卦腿 (Old Bagua Leg - taught to earlier students)
** ''Xin Bagua Tui'' 新八卦腿 (New Bagua Leg - a revised version of the former taught to later students)
* ''Zuan Jian'' 鑽劍 (Drilling Sword)
* ''Lian Huan Jian'' 連環劍 (Continuous Sword)
* Spear
* Other routines

Jiang Style Bagua Literature

Jiang was a prolific writer of martial arts manuals during his lifetime. Though most often the writings were of other styles he did write a manual on his own art entitled "''Baguazhang Lianxifa''" (Baguazhang Practice Method).

References

{{Reflist
* ''Baguazhang Lianxifa'' - Jiang Rongqiao's 1963 manual
* Joseph Crandall's Smiling Tiger website with many English translations of Jiang Rongqiao's book

* Gerald Sharp's on-line biography page for Jiang Rongqia

and a sample applicatio


Jiang Family Internal Arts Research Institute (Japan) - Master Iiyoku Daigo, successor/godson of Zou Shu Xian

Baguazhang styles
Chinese martial arts
Neijia