Xingyi Quan (Hsing-I), meaning Mind & Body's Fist, is a special division of Internal Martial Arts in China. It is based on the ancient theory of the fundamental five elements, and the imitation of twelve kinds of animal movements.
The fundamental Five Element Form is based on movement inspired by the essence of these 5 primal components:
金 - Metal (splitting)
木 - Wood (crushing)
水 - Water (drilling)
火 - Fire (pounding)
土 - Earth (crossing)
Xingyi Quan features aggressive and shocking attacks combined with direct footwork, to create the powerful offensive capabilities it possesses. The linear nature of Xingyi Quan traces back to both the military origins and the technique of spear usage when it was developed.
Despite its hard, angular appearance, cultivating and harnessing "soft" internal strength or "Qi" is essential to achieving power in Xingyi Quan.
What is taught in Xingyi Classes?
Level 1:Basic Stance and application practice of the Five Element Forms - This form consists of five fundamental movements: Splitting, Drilling, Crushing, Pounding, Crossing). It is characterized by linear movements and uses offense as a way of defense. These are matched up with Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth elements from the Five Element Theory.
Level 2: Five Element Linking Form – The form integrates discrete movements, and internal power training while linking the 5 elements together
Level 3: 12 Animal Movement Skill Training and other application practice
Level 4: Za Shi Chui Forms and Advanced Training based on previous achievements