The Triangle Jiulong Baguazhang Study Group
Emei Shan:
Mysterious Mountain of Sichuan Province
by
Liang, Shou-Yu and Troy Kuan with Dr. John P. Painter
Emei Shan, (mountain) is one of the most renowned Buddhist and Daoist sanctuaries in China. The mountain is located in the basin of Sichuan Province. The beautiful majesty of this mountain has caused it to be named Emei, "the most beautiful mountain under heaven." Visitors of this mountain are treated to several peaks, bubbling springs, cascading waterfalls, tall ancient trees and abundant flowers along the many mountain paths leading to the many scenic spots and temples that dot the mountain side from the base to the summit.
Herbalist Wonderland
The vast difference in the temperature on the summit and below at the base of the mountain allows for a great diversity in plant and animal life. While spring flowers bloom at the foot of Emei, the summit is still covered in snow. Known to botanists as a botanical wonderland Emei houses more than 3,000 identified species of plants.
Because of the various rare herbs and medicinal plants that also flourish here mount Emei was a favorite dwelling place for Daoist herbalists among them the Jiulong Baguazhang founder and Daoist master Li, Ching-yuen. Scientists have recently identified over 100 rare plant and herb species that exist only on this mountain.
Emei Martial Arts
Emei is famous in China for numerous rare and mysterious martial arts that
developed there from the Gongfu (hard work) of Daoist, Buddhist and also laymen. Daoist temples were first erected on this mountain in the eastern Han dynasty (200 BC). Later Mount Emei became one of the holy Buddhist Mountains when Buddhism flourished in the Tang dynasty (800 AD).
At one time over one hundred temples were operating simultaneously. Buddhist and Daoist monks lived in harmony practicing meditation, healing arts Daoyin (Yoga) herbalism and the various modalities of their spiritual practices. Even today there is left behind in the museums a great wealth of poetry, literature, painting and medicinal knowledge as well as martial arts that developed on Mount Emei.
Martial art methods came collectively to be called the Emei Wushu School. Many of the arts blend the training methods, sparring techniques, hand forms, and weapon forms of both Buddhist and Daoist styles into one. Traditional Emei Wushu is both Buddhist and Daoist in nature as well as a mixture of internal and external martial arts. At the same time, the Emei School has extracted the essence of Shaolin, Wudang and other schools of Northern China.
Many famous body guard families and military men have also visited the Mountain to learn martial arts and later developed their own styles from the eclectic methods that flourished on Emei. In this way hundreds of "hidden" styles many of which were taught only to member of a family or clan were created thrived and later disappeared.
Shrouded in Mystery
Being mysterious has always been the perception of many people about Emei wushu. That is because the Emei wushu has never been readily passed on to "outsiders." There is an old Chinese saying, "Shandong province has highwaymen, Hebei province has wushu experts, and Sichuan province has the men of Emei chivalry." This means that these three provinces produce top quality wushu talents.
However, the Emei chivalry man is mysterious and is similar to the Chinese legendary Yuxia (Knight Errants) who like Chinese robin hoods performed only good deeds and keep their methods hidden from the eyes of the profane. A few of the rare "hidden" styles are said to still exist in and around this mysterious abode of Daoists and Buddhists. Like a huge river having many tributaries, the Emei Wushu school has many branches. Each branch has its own distinctive styles in sparring, weaponry and hand techniques. A few of these methods include:
Emei Snake - There are three sets of Snake forms in the Emei school. The first one emphasizes Qinna (locking) and pressure point techniques; the second one focuses on wrestling techniques; and the third one on striking techniques. All techniques must be executed swiftly, accurately and ferociously. Monk Xu Kun taught the three snake forms to Mr. Liang, Zhi Xiang. Master Liang, Shouyu of Canada is a direct inheritor of this system.
Tibetan Snake Boxing (Coiling serpent) Another style of snake boxing, this is part of the Li family Daoqiquan style and was developed by Lama Zurdwang near the area of Emei Mountain. Dr. Painter is a direct inheritor of this rare method of ground fighting.
About Emei Baguazhang
A controversy still smolders over the existence of a true Emei Baguazhang
system outside of the Dong, Hai-Chuan tradition. Some historians claim there is no Emei Baguazhang apart from the art developed by Dong, Hai-Chuan in Beijing. They say his methods were simply imported to the Mountain. Others claim that the Daoist monks who reputedly taught Dong were Dragon Door Daoists. This sect that had many branches throughout China some of them at Emei Mountain. They developed a circle walking meditation based on the Yijing over 2,000 years ago. As we have said before, "History is a pale shadow of the truth." no one knows for sure and Dong would not admit where he learned his art.
Many but not all of the systems of Baguazhang practiced on Mount Emei and there are numerous forms of the art, appear to have stemmed from Yin Fu a famous disciple of Dong Hai-Chuan others using the name Baguazhang are quite different. Among the Baguazhang forms found in the Emei Wushu portfolio of martial art are:
Shengmen Baguazhang (Generation Door Bagua) : Based on the use of the Yi (mind intent) and the Yijing theory.
Sengmen Baguazhang (Monk Family Bagua): This branch is also known as the Buddhist branch. It is characterized by high stances. Imported by Shaolin monks to Emei this was part of a larger system of Shaolin Wushu.
You Shen Baguazhang (Swimming Body Bagua): Specializes in neutralizing energy, withdrawing and dodging methods. One famous Emei Baguazhang master on Emei was Li, Zhangye, titled "the Longevity Monk," of the Emei Meeting Fairies Cave. Li was exceptionally good in You Shen Baguazhang. At the age of 108, he admitted his last disciple, Lui, Zijian, to his school. Lu was also the student of Yi Fu the famous Baguazhang master a student of Dong Hai Chuan of Beijing. Lu later joined Shaolin and Wudang schools. At the age of 91 years old and he was still very quick in his movements.
That the above methods of Baguazhang can be traced to Dong's students still does not prove that other methods of circle walking and Yijing based martial systems did not live in family and private styles practiced by Emei Daoist and Buddhist monks. Even today reliable sources report to have witnessed a group of Daoists who nightly practice the Nine Palace circle walking and Rotating in Worship of Heaven Baguazhang exercises on Emei Mountain at a secluded spot near the White Cloud Temple.
Emei Jiulong Baguazhang
The Li family who were from Sichuan lived near Emei Shan and reputedly
developed the Jiulong Baguazhang system said to have been conceived by controversial Daoist herbalist and Chinese general, Li Ching-Yuen. (This method can be called an Emei Baguazhang system because it originates in this area and conforms to concepts and principles found in most all Baguazhang methods.) Jiulong Baguazhang was a family style not often included in the official lists of the Emei Wushu Baguazhang methods as practiced by the Emei Wushu Association.
This makes Jiulong Baguazhang no less an Emei martial art as it was taught in and around Emei Mountain and its principles are derived from the Yijing and reputedly the Daoist sect who allegedly either taught Dong, Hai-Chuan. These are supposed to be the very same Daoists whom legends say taught Li, Ching-Yuen directly.
It is historically unclear if Jiulong Baguazhang is a branch of Dong, Hai-Chuan's method practiced by disciple of Yin Fu and then imported to Emei Mountain or if it stems from the Dragon Door Daoists that pre-date Dong Hai-Chuan. In any case we can surmise that the principles and method of this style as the came to the Li family of Sichuan originated from the mysterious Emei Mountain.
[Portions of this article by Dr. Painter were excerpted from a copyrighted article in IAM Magazine, Winter 91]
International © 1998 IAM Co. Used with permission
