Pakua Chang
(Pa Qua)
(Baguazhang) –
Octagonal/Orthogonal Palm.
Pakua Chang
(Pa Qua)
(Baguazhang) –
Octagonal/Orthogonal Palm.
A circular and flowing fighting art based on the universal principles of the eight trigrams of the I Ching ( Book of Changes) blends the Yin and the Yang into a never-ending circle. The origins of Pa Kua are shrouded in the mysterious life and environs of the Shaolin temple at Wu Tang, but its roots can be traced to Master Tung Hai Chuan. Most of the styles in existence today can trace their roots to either the Yin Fu, Cheng Ting Hua, or Liang Zhen Pu variations, but Great Grandmasters Su Kong and Ie Chang Ming were contemporaries of Yin Fu and their knowledge of Pakua the most complete in existence.
Classical Pakua (Baguazhang) is composed of 8 circle walks :
Original Style of Pakua
Form Sequence
1st Kua Single Change of the Palm Tan Huan Chang
1. Starting Position-Preparation Palms face up , arms lowered down
2. While Riding / Leaning on a Horse, Ask the Way
3. Under the Leaves Hides/Lay the Flower (aka: Move the Leaf to Reveal the
Flower) (left)
(often incorrectly translated as -Hide a flower under a leaf)
4. Wild Geese/Ducks took the the air as a Flock
(aka: Wild duck/swan came out as a herd /or as the Swan leaves the flock/ flock of wild geese bursts out)
Walk the Circle
5. Purple (violet) Swallow Threw/Fans its Scissors Tail
6. Shut the Door (Open the Shutter), Push the Moon (Look at Moon) 
7. Under the Leaves Hides/Lay the Flower (right)
8. Wild Geese/Ducks took the the air as a Flock
Walk the Circle
9. Purple Swallow Threw/Fans its Scissors Tail
10. Shut the Door, Push the Moon
2nd Kua Double Change of the Palm Suang Huan Chang
1. Under the Leaves Hides/Lay the Flower (left side)
2. Wild Geese/Ducks took the the air as a Flock
Walk the Circle
3. Purple Swallow Threw/Fans its Scissors Tail
4. Shut the Door, Push the Moon
5. Vicious/Fierce Tiger Jumps/Comes out of the cave
6. Precious Bird ( Pheasant ) Spreads its Wing
7. Move the Flower & Graft the Stem
8. From the Back of the Head Pick up the Crown
9. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Between your breast hold/hug the
Moon)
10. Under the Leaf Hides the Flower
11. Wild Geese/Ducks Flew up as a Flock
Walk the Circle
12. Purple Swallow Threw/Fans its Scissors Tail
13. Shut the Door, Push the Moon
14. Vicious Tiger Comes out of the cave/cage
15. Precious Bird ( Pheasant ) Spreads its Wing
16. Move the Flower & Graft the Stem
17. From the Back of the Head Pick up the Crown
18. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Between your chest Hug the Moon)
3rd Kua Double Bang of the Palm Suang Chung Chan
1. Under the Leaf Hides the Flower
2. Wild Geese/Ducks Flew up as a Flock
Walk the Circle
3. Purple Swallow Threw its Scissors Tail
4. Shut the Door and Push the Moon
5. White Dove Shoots into the Sky (aka: sparrow hawk whirling in sky)
6. White Snake Entwines the Body
7. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Hug the Moon)
8. Virgin Donates the Book
9. (Cloud crossing) Grand Mountain Presses the Head (aka: Tai Shan presses down)
10. Black Bear flips its Back
11. Yellow (Golden) Eagle Claws/rips the eyes
12. Yellow (Golden) Eagle Claws/rips the eyes
13. Ape-man Picks the Fruit, Ape-man Offers the Fruit
14. Ape-man Sits on/in the Cave
15. Half-Dragon/Half-Lion (Chi Ling) vomits/spits out the Book
16. Flying Sparrow/Swallow/Duck Plays with/Skims the Water
17. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Hug the Moon)
18. Under the Leaf Hides the Flower
19. Wild Geese/Ducks Flew take to the air as a Flock
Walk the Circle
20. Purple Swallow Threw its Scissors Tail
21. Shut the Door and Push the Moon
22. White Dove Shoots into the Sky (aka: sparrow hawk whirling in sky)
23. White Snake Entwines the Body
24. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Hug the Moon)
25. Virgin Donates the Book
26. (Cloud crossing) Grand Mountain Presses the Head (aka: Tai Shan presses down)
27. Black Bear flips its Back
28. Yellow (Golden) Eagle Claws/rips the eyes
29. Yellow (Golden) Eagle Claws/rips the eyes
30. Ape-man Picks the Fruit, Ape-man Offers the Fruit
31. Ape-man Sits on/in the Cave
32. Half-Dragon/Half-Lion (Chi Ling) vomits/spits out the Book
33. Flying Sparrow/Swallow Plays with/Skims the Water
34. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Hug the Moon)
4th Kua Cross or Penetrating Palm Chuan Chang
1. Under the Leaf Hides the Flowers
2. Wild Geese/Ducks Flew take to the air as a Flock
Walk the Circle
3. Purple Swallow Threw/Fans its Scissors Tail
4. Shut the Door, Push the Moon
5. Precious Bird ( Pheasant ) Spreads its Wing
6. Move the Flower & Graft the Stem (Transfer flower, Connect to wood )
7. From the Back of the Head Pick up the Crown
8. Tracing the Candle across the Sky
9. Precious Bird ( Pheasant ) Spreads its Wing
10. Move the Flower & Graft the Stem
11. Black Dragon/Serpent coils its waist
12. Walk the Horse Fix the Saddle (aka: reigning running horse)
13. Walk a Step and Brush the Shirt (aka: walking to open the robe)
14. Push the Mountain , Enter the Sea
15. Bat Falls to the Ground
16. Flying Sparrow/Swallow Plays with/Skims the Water
17. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Hug the Moon)
18. Under the Leaf Hides the Flower
19. Wild Geese Flew take to the air as a Flock
Walk the Circle
20. Purple Swallow Threw/Fans its Scissors Tail
21. Shut the Door, Push the Moon
22. Precious Bird (golden pheasant ) Spreads its Wing
23. Move the Flower & Graft the Stem
24. From the Back of the Head Pick up the Crown
25. Tracing the Candle across the Sky
26. Precious Bird ( Pheasant ) Spreads its Wing
27. Move the Flower & Graft the Stem
28. Black Dragon coils its waist
29. Walk the Horse Fix the Saddle (aka: reigning running horse)
30. Walk a Step and Brush the Shirt (aka: walking to open the robe)
31. Push the Mountain , Enter the Sea
32. Bat Falls to the Ground
33. Flying Sparrow/Swallow Plays with/Skims the Water
34. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Hug the Moon)
5th Kua Reverse Flip Palm T'iao Chang
1. Ape-man (orangutan) Steals the Peach
2. Ape-man Donates the Fruit (aka: monkey offers fruit)
3. Big Bird "Tai Ping" (giant eagle (Teratorn) "Roc") spreads its wings
Walk the Circle
4. Cross Hands Move the Stairs (aka: crossing arms to remove and
embrace)
5. Following Circumstances, Receive the Clothing (aka: with authority; ceremoniously
present the cloak)
6. (General Kan ) Horizontally Sweep 1000 enemy/armies
7. Horizontally Sweep 1000 Armies ("thousand heads
popping off")
8. Dove Flips its Body (aka: hawk/sparrow-hawk turns over / turns back its body)
9. Battle of the Precious Chickens (aka: pheasants cock-fighting)
10. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Between your chest Hug the Moon)
11. Ape-man steals the peach
12. Ape-man donates the Fruit (aka: monkey offers fruit)
13. Big Bird "Tai Ping" (Giant Eagle "Roc") spreads its wings
Walk the Circle
14. Cross Hands Move the Stairs (aka: crossing arms to remove and
embrace)
15. Following Circumstances, Receive the Clothing
16. Horizontally Sweep 1000 Armies
17. Horizontally Sweep 1000 Armies
18. Dove Flips its Body/ Rights itself (aka: hawk/sparrow-hawk turns over/
back its body)
19. Battle of the Precious Chickens (aka: pheasants cock-fighting) (grab
opponent from horse)
20. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Between your chest Hug the
Moon)
6th Kua Flip Body Palm Huan Sen Chang
1. Under the Leaves Hides/Lay the Flowers
2. Wild Geese Flew take to the air as a Flock
Walk the Circle
3. Purple Swallow Threw/Fans its Scissors Tail
4. Rhinoceros Looks up to gaze at the Moon
5. King of Heaven/Heavenly Ruler (Lohan) Holds the Pagoda
6. White Snake Vomits the Mushroom/Poison (aka: Spits out its tongue)
7. Vicious Tiger Comes out of the cave (aka: fierce tiger leaves cage)
8. Precious Bird ( Pheasant ) Spreads its Wing
9. Move the Flower & Graft the Stem
10. From the Back of the Head Pick up the Crown
11. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Between your chest Hug the Moon)
12. Under the Leaves Hides/Lay the Flowers
13. Wild Geese took the the air as a Flock ( aka: Wild Duck came out as a
herd)
Walk the Circle
14. Purple Swallow Threw/Fans its Scissors Tail
15. Rhinoceros Look up at the Moon
16. King of Heaven/Heavenly Ruler Holds the Pagoda
17. White Snake Vomits the Mushroom/Poison (aka: Spits out its tongue)
18. Vicious Tiger Comes out of the cave (aka: fierce tiger leaves
cage)
19. Precious Bird ( Pheasant ) Spreads its Wing
20. Move the Flower & Graft the Stem
21. From the Back of the Head Pick up the Crown
22. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Between your chest Hug the
Moon)
7th Kua Snake Body Palm Yao Sen Chang
1. Under the Leaves Hides/Lay the Flowers
2. Lion Hugs the Ball (aka: embracing the ball)
Walk the Circle
3. Lion Flips/rolls the ball
4. Lion Dribbles/pounces ball
5. Lion Opens its mouth
6. Lion Flips/turning its body
7. Lion Hugs the Ball
Walk the Circle
8. Lion Flips/rolls the ball
9. Lion Dribbles/pounces ball
10. Lion Opens its mouth
11. Lion Flips/turning its body/rolls over
8th Kua Reversed Body Palm Chuan Sen Chang
1. Heavenly Horse Walks the Sky (aka: Celestial Steed gallops across sky)Walk the Circle
2. Spread Bow on top of Horse (aka: mount the horse & draw the bow)/shoot bow on horseback
3. Golden Snake Entwines Weeping Willow (aka: golden snake coils round willow tree)4. Wild Horse Smashes Through the Stable (aka: Wild Horse Leaps the
Ravine)
5. Golden Snake Entwines Weeping Willow
6. Wild Horse Smashes Through the Stable
7. Sea-bug (Sea Crab) Teased the Locust (aka: Liu Hai plays with the toad)
8. Giant Python flips its Body (aka: flips over on its back)
9. Black Bear Stretched it paw (aka: thrusts/extends its paw )
10. Vicious Tiger came of of the cage
11. Precious Chicken Spreads its Wing (aka: pheasant throws wings)
12. Move the Flower & Graft the Stem
13. From the Back of the Head Pick up the Crown
14. Embracing the Moon at the chest (aka: Between your chest Hug the Moon)
15. Under the Leaves Hides/Lay the Flower
16. Heavenly Horse Walks the Sky
Walk the Circle
17. Spread the Bow on top of the Horse
18. Golden Snake Entwines Weeping Willow
19. Wild Horse Smashes Through the Stable
20. Golden Snake Entwines Weeping Willow
21. Wild Horse Smashes Through the Stable
22. Sea-bug /Crab Teased the Locust
23. Giant Python flips its Body
24. Black Bear Stretched it paw/feels the way
25.Vicious Tiger came of of the cave
26. Precious Chicken Spreads its Wing
27. Move the Flower & Graft the Stem
28. From the Back of the Head Pick up the Crown
29. Embracing the Moon at the chest
30. The Closing
© All rights reserved property - permission only by Grandmaster Sin Kwang The'
Each walk also uses combinations of 8 Chang (Zhang) palm hand positions :
Reverse Knife Hand Yang Chang Heaven
Horizontal Knife Hand Fu Chang Fire
Vertical Side Hand Chui (Shu) Chang Lake
Embraced Palm Pao (Bao) Chang Thunder
Vertical Knife Hand Pi Chang Wind
Straightened Out Palm Liao Chang Water
Reverse Flip Palm T'iao Chang Mountain
Snail/Screw Palm Luo Shien (Kuan) Chang Earth
© 1980 All right reserved property of Sin
Kwang The' & Shaolin-Do Assn.
The Pakua training is based in following of 64 I Ching rules or principles which guide the activity, postures and structure of the movements. Each Kua has a meaning & a lesson which corrects and improves the practitioners skills.
THE 17- CLASSICS OF Chen family CHIANG JUNG-CHIAO appear to be a summary of the Shaolin temple's rules based in the I Ching which were reduced from 64 kua and condensed to only 16 rules..
1/. Straighten the neck, lift the crown of the head, tuck in the buttocks and hold the anus sphincter lightly closed:
Do not look up or down. Do not lean right or left. When the head lifts, the chin should tuck in. The buttocks contract inward. The tail bone does not stick out even one hair's width.
2/. Relax the shoulders, sink the elbows, strengthen the belly and open the chest:
When practicing, the shoulders should not be lifted. The elbows embrace and are bent into the half moon shape.
The abdomen is the place for the nurturing of the ch'i. You must allow inhalation and exhalation to move deep within, right down to the abdomen. This will make the abdomen completely filled with the pulsating ch'i. Thus, there is a common saying, "When the Qi sinks to the abdomen internally there is a vibration".
If the chest is pushed up and out it will affect the breath, however if the chest is held in, it will obstruct the flow of blood. So simply, relax and open the chest do not lift or depress it.
3. Rolling, drilling, pressing and wrapping. Opposite forces, the hidden and the obvious, the internal and the external arise together:
All of this refers to the different kinds of energy that one encounters during practice. Rolling is the circular coiling of an arm as in the No. 8 palm. Drilling is both circular and spiraling forward as in the (straight palm) change. Pressing means pressing apart and wrapping means to embrace within.
These four types of movement contract the muscles to generate strength. They are completely circular without linear aspects. But for the strength to be at its greatest there must be some sort of internal contradiction.
Within rolling there must be drilling, two contrary types of energy. The forward moving and the outward moving are brought together. This is to move like a propeller or screw. There must also be wrapping within pressing. Here there is resistance between contraction and expansion.
4. Dragon form, monkey appearance, tiger sitting, eagle overturning:
This refers to four important points in one's practice. Walking, looking, sitting and overturning.
Move like a Dragon
The stepping should be flowing, circular with out a break like water flowing. Then you will look like the wandering dragon and our posture will be stable.
Monkey Stare
When circling or changing the palms the eyes should always pay attention to the palm. Hand and eye follow each other. The gaze manifests the inner spirit of the sprightly monkey, either as he is startled or as he takes his food. The monkey's spirit is told in his eyes.
Sit like a Tiger
While circling or changing the palms the legs never straighten completely. Make sure that you "sit the kua". This type of squatting will make you look like a tiger ready to pounce. In your sinking you will have strength.
Turning like an Eagle
When you turn the body, have the swift attitude of the eagle as it circles and spirals through the void as it overturns and gracefully descends to attack.
5/. Twist in a spiral as you circle, press the foot and scrape the calves:
This refers to the waist and the peculiar movements of the feet when circling. The waist should twist, i.e.; the hips should be positioned so that they are pointing along the circumference of the circle while the waist should turn slightly in towards the centre making the shoulders twist in to the centre. The elbows should twist:
As if the inner palm is expanding while the outer palm is contracting. (Inner and outer with reference to the centre). The neck should twist:
It is turned inward so that there is a straight line between the nose and the inner forefinger. The palms should twist:
The palms are turned outward slightly and not with the fingers pointing straight upward. The torque from all of this twisting should give one this spiraling energy. The front foot should advance slightly just before the next step as if slipping on the mud or ice with no weight placed on to it until the other one steps. This causes the step to be widened slightly just before each step. The rear foot should have a pressing energy, to give the power of the step. As you take the step, the shin bones should gently rub as the one foot passes the other. Don't lift the feet too high or too wide. Try and lift the rear foot to step without taking the heel off the ground and place it in the same way with the toes and heel touching together. The feet should be as if the toes are clutching the ground, slightly concave.
6. Bend the legs, treading mud step:
The toes are arched and the front foot slips forward as you step. See No. 5 also.
7. Lift the foot levelly; let it fall as if locking onto the ground:
Your crosswise stepping should be continuous. The idea does not break, the energy does not break, and the movement does not break. All is connected by one chi.
8. The waist is the axle, the hands are like the revolving wheel:
In Baguazuan the waist is the axis for all movement. For the hands to move the body must move first. For the body to move, the waist must move first. While changing the palms the hand turns like a wheel. Your movement will thus be agile and continuous.
9. The fingers are separated:
The palm is concave. The forearm is fixed forward towards the centre, the shoulders are level.
10. Rooted like the mountains and hills; steps like water:
Rootedness refers to the tranquil nature of the movements. You should be firm and stable like a mountain. No force can push you away. Your stepping is lively and quick like flowing water. In pa-kua, your stepping should be neither heavy nor inert or floating and wild.
11. Fire above, water below:
Fire is light, water is heavy. The heart belongs to fire. The kidneys belong to water. Make the belly substantial and the chest light.
12. The intention is like a waving flag or a bright light:
In ancient times the troops were guided by the banner and the light of the lamp. Similarly in Bagua the mind guides the movements.
13. The abdomen is the root of the chi:
The chi is like floating clouds. The breath should move slowly, do not force it.
14. The attention is clear and alert:
Chi moves through every pore.
15. Whether opening and discharging or closing and contracting, the movement and tranquility should compliment each other.
16. Spirit, breath intention and force. Shen, chi, I, Li:
Are harmoniously coordinated. The hands and feet are in harmony, the shoulders and the ku'a are in harmony, the elbows and the knees are in harmony. The spirit and intention are in harmony, inner and outer are in harmony.
17. The true principles of Baguazuan are in the above:
For those who search them out, the world is yours. Here I (Chiang Jung-Chiao) have elucidated the real art and principles of the real art. If you do not follow them, you will only learn an empty shell.
