Baguazhang or Bagua, is often considered the most difficult of the 3 primary Daoist Internal Arts focusing on Spiritual awakening, health, and martial arts. Bagua is often only taught after learning Xing Yi and Tai Chi. Baguazhang is translated as 8 Trigram Palm and it incorporates Daoist Medical theory, Daoist cosmological theory, and the Book of changes into it. At the core of the art are 8 gua or ‘Mother Palms.’ These 8 ‘Mother Palms’ are based on the 8 guiding principles found in the I-Ching. The guiding principles are as the following:
Qian or heaven
Kun or Earth
Li or Fire
Zheng or Lightning
Kan or Water
Xun or Wind
Dui or Lake / Valley
Geng or Mountain / Volcano.
Each of the mother palms represented much like Xing Yi a corresponding relationship with an element of nature, an internal organ, a physical motion, and a self-defence concept. For example, Qian represents the energy that comes down from heaven and so it often represents a downward movement. Qian energy is considered 'Pure Yang' and is represented by 3 solid lines stacked over each other. Performing the Qian palm helps the Large Intestine and represents the head. Kun on the other hand represents Earth and is an energy that begins in the Earth and rises up towards heaven. Earth energy is considered the most Yin as it is represented by 3 broken lines. The Kun gua also represents the Spleen, and the abdomen especially the lower Dantien energy center. Through the understanding of each of the 8 palms we begin to understand a physical, mental, and spiritual relationship with it increasing our awareness of how the universe moves within us.
Style of Bagua Taught
Our Bagua taught is a rare style of Bagua origninating 2500 years ago in the province of Sichuan China on Qingcheng Mountain. The generally accepted founder of modern Baguazhang is Dong Hai Chuan who lived in the 1800s. Dong Hai Chuan was said to have learned the first two palms of Heaven and Earth from a Daoist monk in the mountains of China and then combined it with his understanding of other martial arts to create the rest. Mt. Qingcheng Bagua is considered a ‘Primordial’ form of Baguazhang which has many spiritual, medical, and self-defense aspects to it. All movements in this style come out of the Primordial Moving Taiji mudra that represents the dynamic balance of Yin and Yang as it arises from the 'Wuji' or void. Primordial Bagua differs from Dong Hai Chuan Bagua because of its ability to change you from the inside out awakening your spiritual well-being. Our Bagua includes standing methods, straightline sanshou methods, circle-walking forms, sitting forms, and partner forms as well as sounds incorporated in the Primordial methods. There are 8 animal forms and 8 sanshou sets.
