Today's post is going to start covering one of the new books I am reading: Ba Gua "Hidden Knowledge in the Toaist Internal Martial Art," by John Bracy and Liu Xing-Han.
Today will be my notes on:
Introductory Note
Preface Part 1: Intro by Master Liu Xing-Han
Preface Part 2: Intro by John Bracy
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Introductory Note (Key Take-Aways)
-In China, particularly with the internally focused, dawn is a key time to begin the day
-Most of these groups are practicing t'ai chi ch'uan, Ba Gua, or another internal style
-The best time to meet is pre-dawn
-Master Xing-Han, 90 year old, may be the oldest/most senior Ba Gua master alive
-He began in 1917 at the age of 7 under his father
-On the Chinese New Year in 1924, his father invited him to be an "inner door" initiate of the renowned
third-generation disciple Master Liu Bin
-Later became a fourth generation "inheritor" charged with maintaining the oral/written records of the
clan and passing them down to the next generation
Preface Part 1: Intro by Master Liu Xing-Han (Key Take-Aways)
The Internal Styles of Traditional Kung Fu (net chia ch'uan):
-Ba Gua Zhang, Xing Yi (hsing I), t'ai chi ch'uan
-Master Xing-Han learned the heart of Ba gua was the I Ching
-After many years, he understood that the form of Ba Gua Palm is derived from:
-adaptation
-extension of power
-constant change
-Because of this it always the art and the practitioner to adapt to any circumstance
-Ancient Chinese Taoist: reality/truth is never frozen/crystallized, but fluid
-Trigrams in the I Ching do not represent a fixed truth, but truth as always harmonizing/changing
-The movements in Ba Gua are based in Harmony and change
-Based on effective turns and circles utilizing unique training patterns and unique walking methods
Founder
-Master Dong
-When young, he traveled through China studying from many great masters
-He especially loved training with the mountain dwelling Taoists
-Lore states, one of them (always unknown) imparted him with the greatest secrets of their arts
-Eventually his travels lead him to being a servant in the Forbidden City
-One day, while serving drinks, his great skill in movement was noticed
-He was asked to demonstrate his Kung Fu and then may a palace body guard and martial arts
instructor
-Thus began his teaching career, hundreds of studets, five were taken as "inner door" disciples
and received the full body of the art
-His most popular student Cheng Ti-Hwa was very famous and respected
-He was given the nickname "Invincible Cobra cheng" (died in 1900)
-Stories of his death:
-he confronted a group of german soldiers who were forcing people at gun point to work-parties
he took out two knives and walked the circle through them, killing many before he was killed
Co-Author of this Book
-Master Liu Bin (one of Cheng's top disciples) was Master Xing-Han's Sifu
-Master Xing-Han began studying with Master Liu Bin in 1917
-Bejing was the birthplace and center of Ba Gua
-There was a North City and a South City group
-He studied, learned and transcribed everything, and become formaly invited into the inner door in 1925
-Japanese invasion of China 1937-1945 / Cultural Revolution 1967-1976
-Both of the time periods above were difficult times for Kung Fu teachers/practitioners
-After 1976 Master Xing-Han returned to Bejing and has taught ever sense
-He has had over 100 formal students, but only one westerner (the author of this book) John Bracy
-Bracy was accepted as a student in 1988 and renamed him Yubg Wei
- Bracy now teaches Ba Gua at hi own school in California with many formal students approved by Xing-Han
Ending Notes of Master Xing-Han
-persist with study and revelation will come in a flash
-consider the riddles of the Ba gua Practice:
-move forward and withdraw
-link mind and body
-practice the method of constant change
-always remember:
-one move/on stillness
-for every move there is an advance and a withdraw
(a change from movement to stillness)
-merge yin and yang/dragon and tiger
-one move one calmness
Preface Part 1: Intro by John Bracy (Key Take-Aways)
-First interested in the internal arts in 1967
-Catholic upbringing help lead him to follow the interest
-1981 in Taiwan was introduced/began taining in:
-Ba Gua, Xing-Yi, Tai Chi, Ti Te-Kuen
-Meet Liu Xing-Han/conferred with formal lineage discipline of the art
-Offers Book Layout Explanation:
-political/philosophical background
-difficulty of defining the internal arts
-metaphysical/symbolic aspects of Ba Gua
-qi/power training exercises
-two ma exercises
-combat applications
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Glossary
-Sifu: father teacher
-inner door initiate (disciple): receiver of the whole body of the art
-inheritor: Grandmaster in charge of keep and teaching the art
