Xingyi Quan | 形意拳

3. Li Cunyi (李存义, 1847 – 1927)  was born in Shen County of Hebei Province in 1847. Li studied Xingyiquan under Liu Qilan (刘奇兰, 1819 – 1889) at 20 years old , he later became friends with Cheng Tinghua (程庭华, 1848 –1900) and also studied Baguazhang under Cheng’s teacher, Dong Haichuan (董海川, 1797 – 1882). In actual fact, it was Cheng who passed most of the Baguazhang skills to Li. Between 1894 -1900, Li held many positions such as instructor for the Qing army, Liu Kunyi (刘坤一, 1830-1902) in 1890, squad leader for security groups in Zhejiang and Jiangxi, as well as  opening his own Wantong Biaoju (Logistics Security Escort Service). Li Cunyi joined “Righteous Harmony Society” at the age of 50 in 1900. Li used to held a saber against the army of the Eight-Nation Alliance during Boxer Rebellion, and the nickname of “Single Saber” Li has became famous.  To retreat whilst fighting Li Cunyi was a big mistake; as soon as you tried to retreat he would be upon you and knock you down.

After the Boxer rebellion period, Li Cunyi hid from authorities at his Martial Uncle’s homes in Taigu, Shanxi, with Che Yizhai who taught him all of his Xingyiquan and also with his other Uncle Song Shirong which he learnt further internal cultivation techniques. This placed Li Cunyi in a unique position to encompass the complete body of Xingyiquan integrating those of both Shanxi and Hebei practices. 

Li Cunyi had co-founded “Chinese Warrior Association” at Tianjin City in 1911 which spread the skill of Xingyiquan, this caused Tianjin to become one of the headquarter of Hebei Xingyiquan. Li Cunyi later tough his arts at Shanghai Jingwu Tiyuhui (Chin Woo Athletic Association) under the invitation of the association. Li Cunyi retireds to his hometown and taught the skills of Xingyiquan in his later years. Li passed away at the age of 74 in 1921. Li Cunyi’s had a great many students but those most well known include Shang Yunxiang (尚云祥, 1846 -1937), Li Xingjie (李星阶, 1879 – 1948), Fu Jianqiu (傅剑秋, 1885 – 1956) and Chu Guiting (褚桂亭,1892-1977).

3. Bu Xuekuan ( 布学宽 1876-1971) was born in Qi county, Shanxi Province and later moved to Taihu county. Although he came from a family of farmers, they managed to send him to school

and  Bu was later apprenticed to a to a win jar seller and later in a grain store. He started martial arts in 1891 and later followed Che Yizhai in 1900 to study Xingyiquan. Due to his precise techniques and postures, He became one Che’s key disciples and led many contributions to Xingyiquan throughout his long and influential lifetime.

Bu Xuekuan is credited with many developments of Xingyiquan including further combat sets, Health preservation methods and new techniques. In his early days he had many students having taught since 1913, he also helped expand Xingyi’s influence by working as the director of physical education for Taihu in 1917 and later as the martial arts instructor at a college in 1930. He was also later a commissioner in local government and as chairman of the Wushu association. Whilst in his later years many Xingyiquan experts sought his advice and further teachings given his vast knowledge and experiences.

Some of the most well known students included Sun Deyi, Yan Yewu and Zhang Yongyi, whilst some of his students also took Xingyiquan to Central and South America, such as Wu Chaoxiang (Brasil) and Li Ying’ang (Guatemala). Later during the socio-political changes, Bu Xuekuan became involved government organizations and held numerous posts across martial arts institutes and associations both locally and nationally. Bu Xuekuan was one of the most revered Xingyiquan masters of his generation, he lived to a ripe age of 96. 

4. Shang Yunxiang (尚云祥,1864-1937) was born in Laoling, Shandong Province in 1864. When he was young studied Gongli Quan with Ma Dayi, then he followed Li Cunyi becoming one of his best students.  Shang also

received instructions from Guo Yunshen and Cheng Tinghua. It is said that in the beginning Li Cunyi did not favor Shang Yunxiang as he was short and thin but was persuaded by his colleague, Zhou Mingtai (also disciple of Liu Qilan) to accept Shang. As a result the little that Shang was taught he practiced diligently and developed great power through his Beng Quan (His fame earned him the nickname “Buddha with Iron Feet”). Once when there was a conflict Li Cunyi observed the great diligence Shang shown and decided to teach him whole heartedly.

His martial uncle, the original half step Beng quan expert Guo Yunshen also took interest and taught Shang Yunxiang as well. Shang worked as a Security Logistics Bureau chief and also martial arts teacher throughout his life. Shang was a very practical teacher and demanding high standards from his students which resulted in many injuries during hands on combat exchanges. It is important with Shang’s method to emphasize the actual combat within training, whilst relatively short he was a powerful, outspoken, quick termpered man and would get into fights often as a result. 

Shang was a great expert and through his experiences deeply understood the essence of Xingyiquan. He researched just like his teacher Li Cunyi other variations of Xingyiquan and as a result his students would learn differently depending on the period of his life, so the latter generation of students practice the new style often call their practice, Shang Style Xingyiquan.  

4. Fu Jianqiu (傅剑秋, 1880 – 1956), also known as Fu Xianong, was born in Cao Village, Ninhe, Tianjin (Zhili). He commenced martial arts from a young age following Shang Huichuan (尚汇川) and later M Shen Wanlin  (申万林) a practitioner of many styles including Tongbei, Pigua, Xingyiquan. In 1909, Fu became a disciple under Li Cunyi and Liu Fengchun studing the internal martial arts of Xingyiquan, Baguazhang and Taijiquan. In 1919 he had a number of fights against Japanese, Russian and Chinese opponents in the Dongbei region receiving recognition from General Zhang Zhuolin of the Fengtian Clique. After such he was offered a position of martial arts instructor for the Northeast Army and of Zhang’s bodyguards. M Fu later returned to his hometown in 1922 where he opened a national martial arts academy. In 1927 Wudang Sword expert GM Li Jinglin invited M Fu to visit Wudang Mountain. Together with his disciple Pei Xirong, Fu Jianqiu met and studied under the Daoist Priest Xu Benshan (head of the Quanzhen Dragon Gate School of Daoism). M Fu became a 16th generation disciple of the Daoist lineage, named Fu Heshan. In 1936 Fu moved to Suzhou with his son Fu Shaoxia and was a coach for a village military, he also travelled to Shanghai, Hangzhou and Wuxi teaching in different schools and places. 

4. Chu Guiting (褚桂亭,1892-1977) was born in Renqiu County of Hebei Province in 1890. Chu in his youth (7-8 years old) commenced the study of martial arts with local masters Jiang Yuhe  (Xingyiquan), Yu Bingzhong (Drunken

Eight Immortals Boxing) and Chen Delu (Baguazhang). In 1912  he became the disciple of Li Cunyi and became an expert of Xingyiquan. Chu dedicated his life to martial arts and studied Yang Style Taijiquan with Yang Chengfu and Yang Shaohou, Bagua with Liang Zhenpu, Wudang Sword with Li Jinglin and also studied/exchanged from other experts such as Sun Lutang, Shang Yunxiang, Zhang Zhankui, Huang Bonian and so on. When in his twenties he traveled around the country (Beijing, Tianjin, Liaoning, Wuhan, Nanchang & Changsha) and sought out teachers to enhance his martial arts. 

In 1928, the national full combat competition was held in Nanjing, China. Hundreds of experts from across the country competed and after several days the fighting competitions were stopped because too many competitors became seriously injured including two deaths. Upon stopping the remaining 12 martial artists were regarded as champions and Chu Guiting was one of them recognized as such. 

In the 1950’s, Chu Guiting lived in Shanghai and taught at local parks, government companies and agencies across the city. He befriended many martial artists including Wang Ziping, Lu Zhenduo, Cai Longyun, Fu Zhongwen and Zhang Yu, he was highly respected throughout the martial community. Chu was known to accept many students even from other styles and has been a big influence on the spread of the internal styles in Shanghai.  Chu Guiting is said to have taught thousands of students throughout his lifetime.   

5. Pei Xirong (1913-1999) was born in Raoyang in Hebei Province in 1913. His father was a Chinese TCM Physician, was a member of the Yihetuan and practiced martial arts as well. Master Pei studied local boxing from his uncle when he was young. When he grew up, he traveled around, like most martial artists did, to seek different styles and learn from different masters. GM Pei also continued the study and practice of Chinese Medicine. When he was just 16, in 1929, M Pei Xirong went to the national gathering in Nanjing where he met Fu Jianqiu. After that, he focused on studying martial arts with Fu Jianqiu (disciple of renowned Xingyi Quan M Li Cunyi). M Li Jinglin recommended Pei to study at the Nanjing Academy which he did. Pei also worked in Zhengzhou as an editor and during the time learnt Xinyi Liuhe from M Bao Xianting (after returning to Shanghai he studied with Lu Songgao. M Pei also studied baguazhang with Huang Bonian and Jiang Rongqiao. He was also introduced by Li Jinglin (famous for his Wudang sword skill, general and director of several martial arts institutes) together with M Fu Jianqiu to meet the head of Wudang mountain, Xu Benshan, and became the official disciple of the 17th generation of Wudang Long Men.

5. Shang Zhirong (尚芝蓉, 1923-2004) was born in Laoling, Shandong. Shang Zhirong was born to a family of martial art. She started practicing at the age of 5 with her father Shang Yun-Xiang. She was very talented, and showed great potential during her practices. Her father was very pleased (Shang Yun-Xiang had two sons and three daughters, Zhi-Rong is the youngest. Unfortunately, his two sons and second daughter had died of illnesses, Shang Zhirong was teacher for the Beijing Police force for 8 years, the 1st Chairman of the China Shang Style Xing Yi Quan Association, Consultant of the Xing Yi Quan Association in Shandong and Beijing. She had the honor of being guest and referee in numerous international and domestic Xing Yi Quan competitions. In 1989, she co-authored “Xing Yi Quan and Weaponry” with her classmate.

Master Shang Zhi-Rong was listed in “Wudang Wushu Dictionary” and “Civil Martial Artists”. Many of her elders had also taught her and exchanged different skills. Shang Zhirong was able to pass on the Shang Style Xingyiquan to many students including: Zheng Yijun, Wang Chaoying, Li Wenjun, Huang Shihai, Fan Yongde, Li Shhua, Sun Changjiang, Li Xingqiang, Li Xingwei, Lu Taimin, Sun Dongchang, Xu Keyao, Meng Zhihong, Zhang Desheng, Song Hongguang, Song Lei, Li Wendong, Wang Xiuguang, Xu Zhanglian, and others. Her inheritor however, become her son-in-law, M Liu Junfeng. and the eldest daughter Zhi-Xiang did not learn martial arts). Shang Yun-Xiang decided that Zhi-Rong would become his successor, and taught her with great patience. Shang Zhi-Rong practiced with diligence and after a decade of hard work had mastered all the skills of the Shang Style Xingyi Quan and weaponry. Shang Zhirong learnt the treasured technique of the “long pole,” “half-step Beng Quan” and “Internal Breathing” passed on from Master Guo Yun-Shen to her father. She also learnt all the secret trainings, exercise and weaponry, and was the most knowledgeable amongst all his students. Whilst many had studied with her father they often had incomplete elements. Other renowned Xingyiquan practitioenrs such as Li Wenbin whom only studied for four years with GM Shang Yunxiang, sought Shang Zhirong to learn the spear, saber, double sabers and other materials from her father’s legacy.  

5. Yu Fengyi (余凤仪, 1925-2017) was born in Anhui to a martial family. His father led the family to move to Shanghai, when M Yu was very young. Although he had brothers, they did not take an interest in the martial arts. His father seeing both his potential and passion sent M Yu to learn from renowned teachers in Shanghai including wrestling/liuhequan with Tong Zhongyi and Mizongquan with Lu Zhenduo. His father’s martial arts being hard and external, M. Yu later found an attraction to the internal arts, it was then that he studied under the guidance of M Chu Guiting. During the cultural revolution period, M Yu was sent south (near Hangzhou) for a number of years (M Yu was a chemical engineer). It was there that he was introduced to further Neigong methods with a Daoist that had been displaced during the social unrest. Upon returning to Shanghai, he studied for a short while with M Pei Xirong before focusing on his own cultivation. M Yu had a number of different students and his grandson-in-law inherited his lifetime legacy and martial notes. 

6. Liu Junfeng (刘俊峰), heir of the Shang’s Style Xing Yi Quan lineage, was born in LeLing County of Shandong Province in 1958. Master Liu had an interest in martial art at a very young age. He learnt from Master Shang Zhi-Rong (Daughter of Shang Yun-Xiang, founder of Shang’s Style Xing Yi Quan, and teacher for Beijing Police for 8 years). He learnt all the basic skills, fist and weapon forms, and body conditionings etc. He specialized in Xing Yi Quan, but is also well versed in Bagua, Baji (Qingyun near Laoling is known as the birth place of Wu Zhong, founder of bajiquan), wrestling, Sanda and so on. Master Shang Zhi-Rong appreciated Master Liu’s honest character and hard working attitude. M Shang Zhirong arranged for her daughter to marry Master Liu and Master Liu as the heir to the lineage of Shang Style Xing Yi Quan. Master Liu also learnt from other martial uncles like Han Boyan, Li Wenbin, Li Zhendong, Zhang Bingren etc. and had a thorough understanding of Shang Style Xing Yi Quan’s theory and application. Master Liu is the Chairman, Chief Secretary, and Executive Director of the China Shang Style Xing Yi Quan Association, Vice President of the China Shenzhou Li Laoneng Xing Yi Quan Association, Vice President of the Shandong Xing Yi Quan Association, Honorary Chairman of the Dezhou Wrestling and Judo Association, Principal of the Leling Xing Yi Quan Martial School, Consultant and Coach of China Xing Yi Quan Association in Germany. Master Liu is not only highly skilled in the practical application, but he is also profound in the academic and theoretical aspect of Xing Yi Quan.