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Patrick Skerry
Guest
How does Hsing I differ from Kung fu?
I'm not quite sure what your even asking. It's like asking how taiji differs from kung fu. Taiji and Xing Yi are both what I would consider kung fu.
7sm
7sm
brothershaw
Purple Belt
kung fu is almost like saying jujitsu, there are so many styles and variations that fall under that heading,
If someone says they teach or practice kung fu you then ask what style,
same thing with jujutsu, or karate,
However the styles of jujutsu are much more similiar to each other than the styles of kung fu which often have nothing in in common from one styel to the next.
If someone says they teach or practice kung fu you then ask what style,
same thing with jujutsu, or karate,
However the styles of jujutsu are much more similiar to each other than the styles of kung fu which often have nothing in in common from one styel to the next.
DeLamar.J
3rd Black Belt
Hsing I utilizes a full range of body motion incorporating strikes from the "Seven Stars"; Hands, Feet, Elbows, Knees, Shoulders, Hips and Head. Also employed are close range Grappling, Throwing, Trapping and Locking techniques, creating a highly adapt able, powerful, and overwhelming style of self defence. Hsing I is tactically superior to most sytems of combat given its succinct & economical nature.
In the practice of the ShanXi Style, the practitioner will first be instructed in the basics. The methods of aligning the body, stances, stepping and the five forces, will all be introduced and discussed in terms of mechanical performance. Then the basic forms of the five elements will be introduced posture by posture until completed. Generally, about midway through the process of learning the five elements, push-hands and two-person five element practice will also be introduced with an emphasis on blending with the opponent's energy without attempting to forcefully interupt. Standing Meditation (Zhan Zhuang) will also be a preferred staple during this time.
Later, as the student becomes still more proficient, the twelve animal forms, weapons and additional two-person work will be introduced. Free-fighting would be the last endeavor that the developing practitioner will engage in, after the proper body parameters have been ingrained and understood to a reasonable level of competency.
There is a great deal of emphasis placed upon two person exercises and practical training in Hsing I. Some of the more classical exercises are the San Shou Pao (Free Hand Pounding), Shrang Ren Wu Hsing (Two person Five Elements), and En Hsin Pao (Pounding Ways of Protection). In some schools there will be organized two person Chin Na (seizing skills) and two person Weaponry practices as well.
The energy of Hsing I has been described as that of a piece of Rattan. It will not flex very far before snapping back at you. Energetically, the art has a Yang exterior and a Yin interior. The practitioner seeks to create his own openings in attack and defense. It is extremely efficient in its expression of power.
In the practice of the ShanXi Style, the practitioner will first be instructed in the basics. The methods of aligning the body, stances, stepping and the five forces, will all be introduced and discussed in terms of mechanical performance. Then the basic forms of the five elements will be introduced posture by posture until completed. Generally, about midway through the process of learning the five elements, push-hands and two-person five element practice will also be introduced with an emphasis on blending with the opponent's energy without attempting to forcefully interupt. Standing Meditation (Zhan Zhuang) will also be a preferred staple during this time.
Later, as the student becomes still more proficient, the twelve animal forms, weapons and additional two-person work will be introduced. Free-fighting would be the last endeavor that the developing practitioner will engage in, after the proper body parameters have been ingrained and understood to a reasonable level of competency.
There is a great deal of emphasis placed upon two person exercises and practical training in Hsing I. Some of the more classical exercises are the San Shou Pao (Free Hand Pounding), Shrang Ren Wu Hsing (Two person Five Elements), and En Hsin Pao (Pounding Ways of Protection). In some schools there will be organized two person Chin Na (seizing skills) and two person Weaponry practices as well.
The energy of Hsing I has been described as that of a piece of Rattan. It will not flex very far before snapping back at you. Energetically, the art has a Yang exterior and a Yin interior. The practitioner seeks to create his own openings in attack and defense. It is extremely efficient in its expression of power.
brothershaw
Purple Belt
Nice post delamar,
However the original thread starter may think of kung fu as just shaolin kung fu or wushshu, ( if its an honest thread). It could be very easy for a person to look at some of the bigger movements and motions of any northern or longfist style andnot understand the differences, if they have little knowledge of chinese martial arts.
However the original thread starter may think of kung fu as just shaolin kung fu or wushshu, ( if its an honest thread). It could be very easy for a person to look at some of the bigger movements and motions of any northern or longfist style andnot understand the differences, if they have little knowledge of chinese martial arts.
OP
OP
Patrick Skerry
Guest
Why wouldn't it be an honest thread?brothershaw said:
I have been reading alot about the history of martial arts (hopology) recently, and whenever I come across the style of Hsing I, it had not been used in association with either Wu Shu or Kung Fu. I wanted to know if there was a difference or they were one in the same. I thought I had stumbled upon a good subject for discussion.
lhommedieu
Black Belt
Patrick Skerry said:
Patrick: In the spirit of your reply, here's an "honest" answer. Robert W. Smith's Asian Fighting Arts has a chapter on Xing Yi. You can also look at the following website for more information:
www.shenwu.com
A good source for information about Xing Yi instruction in the United States is the North American Tang Shou Tao Association:
E-mail: NATSTA@Juno.com
Xing Yi Quan is not Wu Shu, if by "Wu Shu" you mean the modern exhibition martial art popularized by the People's Republic of China. A distinction to be made between Xing Yi Quan and "Kung Fu" may have to do with the fact that "Kung Fu" is often (incorrectly) assumed to be synonymous with some "external" styles of Chinese martial arts; Xing Yi Quan is (on the other hand) an "internal" martial art with many similarities to Tai Qi Quan and Ba Gua Zhang.
However, "Kung Fu" may be broadly interpreted to mean "hard work" - so a Xing Yi Quan practitioner may also be an example of someone who has shown good "Kung Fu," etc.
S
sifu Adams
Guest
Hsing I is kung Fu (kung fu stands for hard work). I teach a shoalin art and have Hsing I as part of the system. If falls in line with the internal arts that Kung fu or shaolin are known for. The movements are mostly finshing movements. the foot work is unlike any style you will ever come accross and the student should produce strongest power in every move.
OP
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Patrick Skerry
Guest
Thank you Steve for this answer. It does clear a lot of syntactical and nomeclative misunderstanding on my part, though I need to see a film or video on Hsing I to exactly understand the difference between it and other styles of Wu Shu (or Kung fu).
lhommedieu said:
DeLamar.J
3rd Black Belt
Also, there are so many styles of kung fu that you could spend a day just reading through the list of the names of each style, let alone the characteristics of each one. Plus, kung fu is just a general term for the mastery of a skill, say if you are a great cook it could be said you have good kung fu.
brothershaw
Purple Belt
No disrespect intended when I said "honest thread".
The terms wu shu and kung fu can be used very generically ( sort of like aspirin).
There are 3 styles of xing yi/ hsing i the 12 animal 5 elements 5 fist being the most common.
The terms wu shu and kung fu can be used very generically ( sort of like aspirin).
There are 3 styles of xing yi/ hsing i the 12 animal 5 elements 5 fist being the most common.
OP
OP
Patrick Skerry
Guest
Just another question, is Hsing I of Buddhist or Taoist derivation? Or was it developed totally independent of either Shaolin or Wudang influence?
Depending on what you choose to believe & read...
It could be Shaolin or Taoist.
Or..... it could be Muslim...
There's a lot of information on Jarek Symanski's website http://www.chinafrominside.com/ma/ .... check there. His information is pretty reliable & safe.
It could be Shaolin or Taoist.
Or..... it could be Muslim...
There's a lot of information on Jarek Symanski's website http://www.chinafrominside.com/ma/ .... check there. His information is pretty reliable & safe.
brothershaw
Purple Belt
Pretty interesting website. Thanks for posting it.
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