Bagua
“Bagua means eight diagram palm and is the epitome of Taoist philosophy based on the I-Jing (The Chinese Book of Changes). It's a unique martial art/healing art, with some beautiful twisting and bending movements.”
One of the great puzzles of Bagua is just why the style differs so much from teacher to teacher in terms of forms, Changes, straight-line routines etc. Many teachers have different sets of Changes ranging from the simplified to the complex. The most reasonable explanation for this, and one advocated by many Bagua historians, is that Dong Haichuan individualised what he taught each student, enhancing their previous experience to express the principles of Bagua. From this point of view, Bagua, unlike other martial arts, is not a set of fixed forms and techniques, but, in the words of Dan Miller (the editor of the excellent but now-discontinued Pa Kua Chang Journal), "is a complete and effective martial art system which utilises natural and efficient physical skills and strengths and emphasises the use of evasive footwork, powerful palm strikes, and turning and twisting body motions while maintaining whole body strength and mind/body unity" (Pa Kua Chang Journal vol. 4:6, page 29). More esoterically put, Ba Gua Zhang is a martial art which manifests Change.”
Coming soon…