Bagua Fighting Palm (Bagua San Shou Zhang) (Classical Baguazhang)

This is a translation of a text by Zhang Yao Zhong. Mr. Zhang was a student of a famous teacher, Wang Pei Sheng. He studied a number of Wu Dang styles of Kung Fu from him. He is also the author of more than eight books on the arts as well as an advisor to many organizations.

This book starts with an intriguing, though complex, section on the relation of the Bagua philosophy to the human body and specifically this art. Next comes a detailed instuction of the 64 lines of Liu De Kuan, the famous student of Dong Hai Chuan and Yang Lu Chan, among others. This major section is followed by an explanation of Bagua standing practice particularly related to the eight trigrams from which the style derives its name.

Finally there is a chapter showing a short linking series developed by Wang himself and based on the five elements and their relation to the style. Throw in a few legends and stories-such as one about a discovery of a 500 year-old turtle-mixed with the instructional text and a thorough section linking form and philosophy.