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1.The Systemization of Ba Gua Zhang
The Systemization of Ba Gua Zhang can be viewed as dividing up or
joining together the possibilities of the movements by type using the
trigrams, then selecting the response using either the Pre-Heaven
(polar) or Post-Heaven (cyclic) arrangement. The progressive nature of
the symbols lead to a never ending array of possibilities.
The
Pre-Heaven, or Polar arrangement, symbol of Bagua is the foundation, or
nucleus of Baguazhang theory and practice. The Pre-Heaven is basically
associated with opposites which are identified philosophically as:
- Heaven above Earth,
- Fire opposing Water,
- Wind following Thunder,
- Lake imploding in Mountain.
Therefore the practitioner of Bagua varies
the way they attack up and down, left and right, front and back, inside
and outside. The hands and feet are trained to protect the body, and
move in a wave by following the natural formula of hand, body, and foot. Without the ability to correctly employ the palms and the steps together, the odds are very much against an application of Baguazhang having any effect against an experienced opponent. With the correct application of the steps, integrated body structure, and intuitive understanding of the palms changes, Baguazhang is efficient and formidible.
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2. Cycles, Circles and the Process of Change
The Post-Heaven symbol is said to be derived from natural cyclic changes
of the seasons. This is thought to primarily focus on Bagua's circle
and circling movements. The Post-Heaven symbol also is a
template to explain the cyclic process of elements, such as Water, for
example, when it changes from a solid to a liquid, a liquid to a vapor,
and from a vapor to a liquid only to become a solid again and again depending on the seasons or atmospheric conditions. The
practitioner ought to emulate the process of change observed in natural phenomena in their practice:
change needs to occur both inside your body and in the outside shape. Much of the time these changes are small, but during the transitions the changes can be large.
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3. A Binary Perspective
It may be that the above traditional presentation of the Pa Kua Trigrams is the only valid way to consider the approach of Pa Kua Chang. It may be that the ancient people who invented the zero and much of the foundation of mathematics had a complete lapse in developing one of the central philosophical aspects of their society. Alternatively, it may be that a translation of the these touchstones into a more familar mathematical context can make the entire discussion less obsure
We can immediately associate the trigrams of Pa Kua with binary numbers from 7 to 0 (read the trigrams from the bottom up). The Polar transformation of the Pre-Heaven Trigram is accomplished by transposing the 1's and 0's to get an inverse.
- 111 (Heaven), with an inverse {000}
- 110 (Lake), with an inverse {001}
- 101 (Fire), with an inverse {010}
- 100 (Thunder), with an inverse {011}
- 011 (Wind), with an inverse {100}
- 010 (Water), with an inverse {101}
- 001 (Mountain), with an inverse {110}
- 000 (Earth). with an inverse {111}
The Post-Heaven cycle is a way of covering the permutations, but the order is: 111 (7) to 010 (2) to 001 (1) to 100 (4) to 011 (3) to 101 (5) to 000 (0) to 110 (6) and back to 111 (7).
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4. All the Angles on the Circle
Bagua doesn’t rely on speed in application, and instead focuses on
staying connected to the center, or spine, of their opponent, while at
the same time concealing their own central equilibrium. Having command
of the Pre- and Post-Heaven strategies evokes the possibility to employ
a barrage of strategies aimed at both dismantling opposing threat and
concealing the intentions of the practitioner with behaviors such as
feinting right to move left, and cyclic qualities such as changing the
angle, or eradicating the center line, to gain advantage of the back,
or “dead angle” of an opponent.
When the possibilities of the polar and cyclical aspects of Bagua are
joined together, and internalized by the practitioner, combined with
strong roots for ultimate stability, the practitioner is then able to
more subtly turn and twist not only to have flexibility as a martial
artist but to potentially derive greater subtlety from the practice. In
this way, they can begin to go more in-depth in focusing on the
application of the art.
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5. Integrated Structure and Movement in Application
To effectively apply Pa Kua Chang, the
practitioner is advised to embrace the changes of the situation and the
intentions of the opponent, and not go into a joint-hands or sparring
situation with a predetermined set of actions. Instead, trust
the practice, the development of the human instrument, and use
whatever the opponent presents as "the way." Focus on accepting
what is front of you instead of expecting things to be anything other
than what they are. Learn to relax when attacked, and focus
on what the opponent brings.
In this way, Pa Kua Chang emerges as one
of the most interesting of internal or external martial arts. The
period for growth and contemplation increases with practice and the limits of the over the course of time.
Constantly embracing any and all changes that are presented with each
and every moment.
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6. The Footwork of Ba Gua Zhang
(For a more complete article on Bagua's stepping methods was published
in Qi Journal, Volume 16, No. 1, Spring 2006)
One of the aspects of
Baguazhang that makes it so versatile with respect to the choice of
hand movements is the footwork. The footwork of Baguazhang is perhaps
the most diverse of any martial art. Baguazhang exploits the footwork
in a number of ways. First of all, while it is not the only step in
Baguazhang’s arsenal, the Tang Ne Bu (or, “Sliding in the Mud
Step”)
is one of the main stepping methods. In Jiang Rong Qiao’s classic
text,
Baguazhang Liangxi Fa (Eight Diagrams Palms Practice Method), he
describes Bagua’s step as follows:
“Bend the legs, treading the mud step; the centers of the feet are
hollow.”
This “Sliding in the Mud Step” is not done with force or by pressing
deeply with each and every step. Instead, the step is more practical
and useful when the foot falls levelly with the surface and the toes
grasp the ground. Moreover, the feet should rise only slightly, if at
all, and step down gently without exposing the heel or the sole of the
foot more than a finger’s height. This is why this step is also
sometimes referred to as the “Snake Step”, especially when the feet are
advanced with little or no lifting. Instead of any force being utilized
in the feet to advance, it is a sinking action in the hips that pushes
the legs, knees, and feet forward like coils. To fulfill such
painstaking details, it is most important then for the ankles and feet
to relax.
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7. Other Steps
Another popular method for training leg strength and flexibility in the
legs and feet is the “Crane Step.” In this method, the leg is purposely
raised up at the knee, and dropped down evenly and squarely like a
crane would walk in the shallow end of the lake. Again the rule of
hollowing the foot is adhered to in this method as well. Yet another
method, which is used in Jiang Rong Qiao’s Old Eight Palms practice, is
the “Chicken Step.” Often thought to be strictly used only in
Xingyiquan practice, the Chicken Step is used in the fifth palm of
Jiang’s Old Eight Palms more specifically, and allows for the same
training of rooting and flexible, low kicking shin kicks and stomps
similar to Xingyiquan’s Chicken Step method.
Knowledge of Bagua’s stepping methods, train the ankle to relax and
increase knowledge of how to use the feet to support, strengthen the
hands and thereby develop, harness, and utilize internal, sophisticated power.
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8. What Else?
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