Return of the Bagua Master

 Sounds like a movie title........but no, just our second round of Bagua Seminars with Master Yang Shi Ming..........he returned ready to promote Bagua in the Bay Area.  He and I spent a good deal of time discussing where Wushu is going........not just contemporary but the traditional as well.  We both felt that the contemporary wushu has gone off on the wrong track........not towards the purpose of wushu but towards the direction of a gymnastic sport.  Wushu was originally practiced with three main reasons.....for protection of life and limb.......which includes health, as an art form....or cultural art, and in a more esoteric sense a search to understand oneself and to reach enlightenment.  Practicing wushu as a sport or art form is not contrary to traditional wushu.....but it makes no sense when the main things practiced have no martial arts meaning or use.............and do more harm to the athlete than improve their health.  Anyways I think I have said that before.....but it's good to see that I am not alone in this accessment...........This however, has other ramifications.......too often students become interested in wushu but only in it's choreography and not it's use.  Master Yang put forth that you cannot practice wushu without understanding it's intention or how to generate power.  Wushu for health is possible if you learn to generate the power properly and understand it's use.....that means basics is key.  Fancy forms with no substance does not lead anywhere.  Bagua and Taiji often students study the form but don't work on it's use........the key to health is studying wushu.......that means learning first to generate power...........then focus that power through learning it's use....which must be practiced with a partner, this teaches you balance and proper issuing of power........if you can't do this your, form is useless in improving your health.......I should add that you probably are getting some physical excercise..........but since it lacks the martial arts focus.....you might as well go dance it's the same thing. Studying Bagua or Taiji means reaching health through Martial Arts practice...........not just form practice. While the purpose of Bagua and Taiji is to develop internal strength.....you cannot develop it without physical strength.  If you only practice softly you will never have any real strength.......one ounce to deflect a thousand pounds, can only occur if you already possess the thousand pounds..........and it should be pointed out that Taiji does have a hard side....the fast forms have always been practiced by the founder's of the art, but that has not always been taught to the public.  Bagua however does teach both methods........Dinshibazhang teaches the internal development, Badancho the development of power, Lobazhang and 64 Palms basic application techniques.  These must be supplemented with lots of walking the circle............not always fun and is really boring.  Contemporary Bagua often just skips these steps and goes directly to Dragon Palm because it's much more interesting and that's all that is needed for competition.  Zhang Hui, former Beijing Team Member and all around Women's Champion, once told me that when she went to learn Bagua from an old master, he made her walk the circle in front of a tree in Tiantan Park.........for months at a time....until she wore a circular path out of the ground surrounding the tree........then he would teach her one palm......she spent a half a year for each palm.........again the power of Bagua is in the legs......the posture must be erect and the stance solid with a flexible waist.  It should be added you must develop physical power so you can learn to distinguish it from dead strength.....which is generated by your muscles.......Bagua power on the other hand is lively strength like a whip.......fast and sharp able to change at will. Master Yang observed that in America many people do recreational Bagua.......which is devoid of the content of Bagua just a shadow of the real art............................and we must not follow this trend or the real art will be lost. 

Master Yang Shi Ming returned earlier this month to SF to again lead workshops on Bagua, he spent a good deal of time on the basics of Bagua.

After settling down in his apartment it was off to eat.....at Mai's in the Richmond District on 4th Avenue......one of the very best Vietnamese Resturants in SF.

Master Yang in the evening had a workshop at Cal Taiji at UC Berkeley.  He is showing how to use the diao shou, to intercept and control an opponent........somewhat similar to praying mantis hooking hand.

Master Yang follows up with a replacement thrusting palm to Percy's throat.

Master Yang teaching one of the basic palms of Bagua....the liao zhang, which is part of the Badancho Excercises during the Saturday workshop.

Percy one of my student's was designated to be the "archive" for the Dingshibazhang......so that there would be a student everyone could follow.............we will later record his form so other students can study and improve their techniques.  Again, Master Yang felt it was quite important to preserve the forms correctly.......so it gets past on properly......while each person might find different techniques more to their liking there should be someone who keeps it  together.............and my job....to correct it and transmit it to the next generation......and to popularize it.  OK, that's all for now....it's late ...so later folks!!  Cya!