Product Description

Xingyiquan (Hsing I Chuan) is one of the best known Chinese internal martial arts.

Xingyi means "Shape Mind", and Quan means "Fist" or "Style". The name derives from the style's imitation of the movements and inner characteristics of twelve animals. The style was created by Marshal Yeuh Fei, a famous general of the Chinese Song Dynasty.

The practice of Xingyiquan, like Taijiquan, improves Qi circulation in the body and maintains health. In addition, the training builds up an abundant level of internal Qi so that both the physical body and the mental body can be strengthened.

This book presents traditional Xingyiquan training, including two sequences with many of their martial applications, and the famous fighting set "An Shen Pao". The most unique part of this book is the discussion of Xingyiquan theories and principles, drawn from many of the ancient poems and songs. Understanding these will greatly speed your training.

* Deepen your Understanding for Great Xingyi.

* Inspiration and Advice for a Lifetime of Practice.

* For All Levels of Experience.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #270280 in Books
• Published on: 2003-01-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 280 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780940871410
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

About the Author
Liang, Shou-Yu was born on June 28, 1943 in the city of Chongqian, Sichuan Province, China. When he was six he began his training in Qigong, the art of breathing and internal energy control, under the tutelage of his renowned grandfather, the late Liang, Zhi-Xiang. Mr. Liang was taught the esoteric skills of the Emei Mountain sect, including Da Peng Qigong. When he was eight, his grandfather made special arrangements for him to begin training Emei Wushu (martial arts).

Yang, Jwing-Ming Ph.D., is a renowned author and teacher of Chinese martial arts and Qigong. Born in Taiwan, he has trained and taught Taijiquan, Qigong and Chinese martial arts for over forty-five years. He is the author of over thirty books, and was elected by Inside Kung Fu magazine as one of the 10 people who has "made the greatest impact on martial arts in the past 100 years." Dr. Yang lives in Northern California.

Customer Reviews

Very fine book on this still little understood art
Here noted Chinese style expert Dr. Yang Jwing Ming has teamed up with Shou-Yu Liang, a noted martial arts coach, to produce an excellent volume on hsing-i (I prefer the older spelling). There's an awful lot of material here, including several chapters totaling 75 pages devoted to Chinese philosophy and medical theory. But if you're like me, you've read enough of that and will probably skip over that material and turn to the pages showing the pictures of all the postures, forms, and applications. While I respect the Chinese traditions and Chinese culture for creating these arts, I prefer western scientific explanations based on anatomy, neurophysiology, and kinesiology rather than the Chinese ones, which should be thought of as pre-scientific metaphors for later rigorous and more scientific analysis.

For example, to give just one brief explanation without getting too technical, consider the neural reflex known as the reciprocal inhibition of flexor-extensor pairs. Such a pair would be the triceps and biceps muscles. This neural action speeds up the muscular response by reducing the opposing muscle's tension. When the internal arts such as Tai Chi and the others emphasize being soft and relaxed, this is one (among several) factors that if one is over-tense will be inhibited and will interfere with speed and overall agility. Although this reflex is not under voluntary control (being a spinal cord level reflex), overall muscle tension is controlled by an area of the brain known as the basal ganglia or telencephalic nuclei, a region of the brain just below the cerebral cortex. And this area of the brain does respond to voluntary control, and too heightened a state of mental anxiety, fear, and other factors can cause the basal ganglia to increase the level of muscle tension over what is optimal. This is one reason why the internal arts emphasize relaxation and not being too tense. But none of this was known until the last one hundred years.

But getting back to the book, I liked the chapters showing the basic postures and moving patterns, the five-phases linking form, the Xing-Yi long form shown, and the chapter on practical applications. As the authors point out, after the student has learned the basic postures, the 12 shapes form is usually taught. But here the authors did something different which was nice. They presented another form instead which is rarely seen, a combination of the five fists and the 12 animal shapes that was developed by Master Liang's teacher, Master Zheng. The chapter also includes some of the applications of this interesting form. I think this is the main strength and most useful feature of the book, since the 12 shapes form can be found in several other books.

In addition to the above, there is also a chapter on Xing-Yi Qi-Gong, an extensive appendix discussing Yue Fei's Ten Important Theses (the inventor of Xing-Yi), and a glossary of Chinese terms.

Useful compilation of old texts
The theory presented is the compilation of most Xing Yi classics, with original chinese characters and english translations, as well as the authors' interpretations of the passages. The presence of translated original texts is why I find this book valuable. The positions shown in the photographs are not to my liking (to not use a harsher word) - however, I don't do the same style of Xing Yi so I could be wrong. The Qi Gong shown seems quite silly.

Definitely a book to have if one is interested in Xing Yi theory. However, it is very light on the other three points brought to prominence in the title - there no applications shown other than the painfully obvious, fighting tactics and spirit are touched upon only in the compiled ancient texts, and even then only in the convulted way characteristic of old style Chinese texts.

Including a discussion of xingyiquan theories
Xingyiquan: Theory, Applications, Fighting Tactics And Spirit showcases one of the best known of the Chinese internal martial arts. Originated by Marshal Yeuh Fei (a famous general of the Chinese Song Dynasty), xingyi means "Shape Mind" and quan means "Fist" or "Style", and the marital arts combination called xingyiquan derives its name from an imitation of the movements and inner characteristics of twelve animals. Enhanced with two sequences with many of their martial applications, as well as the famous fight set "Ann Shenn Pau", Xingyiquan is a single volume, highly recommended instructional presentation of traditional xingyiquan training methods (including a discussion of xingyiquan theories and principles derived from many of the ancient poems and songs) which is ideal for martial arts students and practitioners at all levels of experience.