Baguazhang (Eight Trigram Palm)
Dr. Jerry Alan Johnson and Baguazhang Master Duan Zhi Liang (Beijing, China)
Bāguàzhǎng (八卦掌); literally “Eight Trigram Palm,” is one of the three main internal Chinese Martial Arts systems of the Daoist Wudang School (other two systems being Taijiquan and Xingyiquan”). The creation of Baguazhang as a formalized martial art is attributed to Dong Haiquan (董海川), who is said to have learned from Daoist masters in the mountains of rural China during the early 19th century. According to historical documents, during the early 1800s, Dong Haichuan worked as a servant in the Imperial Palace in Beijing. He impressed the emperor with his elusive combat skills and eventually became appointed as a bodyguard to the imperial court.
Specializing in elusive footwork and devastating palm strikes, this “coiling dragon” Daoist Internal Martial Arts system is both beautiful to watch and devastating to fight. There are Eight major styles of Baguazhang, each named after the Chinese family from which it originated. At the Tian Yun Gong, the Abbots currently teach three systems of Baguazhang to the public: Jiang Rong Qiao Style of Baguazhang, the Sun Lutang Eight Animal Style of Baguazhang, and the Cheng Tinghua Dragon Style Baguazhang.
