Mr. Bluestein was kind enough to write this article about Pigua for Cook Ding's Kitchen. Enjoy.
By
Jonathan Bluestein
The art of Pigua Zhang is a unique
martial art, which hails from Northern China. Like most External
Northern-Chinese styles, it is characterized by the use of wide and long
stances, agile stepping methods, big movements and an emphasis on timing and
speed as means of best delivering one's blows. The Pigua Zhang I am about to
describe in this article represents a branch of the art from northern China, as
taught by master Zhou Jingxuan, of Tianjin city. The descriptions, and the
branch being described, are not related to the Taiwanese branch of Pigua, as
taught by late master Liu Yunchiao.
劈 Pi 掛 Gua 掌 Zhang – literally means 'Chopping-Hanging Palm', or
"Hacking-Hanging Palm'. The word "Palm" at the end denotes the
art as a style which typically favours techniques with an open palm. The
Chopping and Hanging are the main attributes of most of the techniques in
Pigua, which shall be discussed shortly. The word '掛 Gua'
means hanging in the sense of something being hang from a hook.
Very little is known of the origins
of Pigua Zhang. It is unclear how it had developed. One hypothesis is that its
large movement were the necessity out of the situation in which people fought
in armor, and couldn't effectively use smaller, more refined movements. This
has never been examined or proven. The style which I practice has been handed
down from the founder of the origin of most Pigua branches today – master Guo
Changsheng. In the 1920s and 30s, he and master Ma Yingtu worked together to
improve upon the existing Pigua lineages, by combining their extensive
knowledge of martial arts. In addition to the changes and additions to the
empty-handed material, they added the use of 4 different weapons, which are
nowadays practiced through 4 long forms:
The short stick, Feng Mo Gun (Crazy Demon Staff), Pigua Dao (Pigua
broadsword), and Miao Dao (Grain-Leaf longsword). These weapons weren't
originally developed with the rest of Pigua, which was created as an
empty-handed art. The body-method of Pigua was therefore embedded into these
weapons forms. Other "Pigua weapons" existing nowadays are very
modern additions.
There is an obvious
connection between Pigua and other northern-Chinese arts, by the way of many
common stances, and some techniques; but its flavour and character remain very
distinct. In Jingang Bashi, there are quite a few movement that seem to have
originated from Pigua. In terms of body-method, the art closest to Pigua is
Tongbei Quan. Both arts are based on the notion of turning the body into a
Whip. Still, even among these two there are obvious differences, and it can be
said that they do not always represent the 'same type of whip'. Tongbei's whip
tends to be more elastic and snappy, having the quality of a rubber band
perhaps, and Pigua's whip is usually longer and heavier (this is a
generalization referring to the more common traits, and one should keep in mind
that these two types of body-whipping methods exist in both arts). Both Pigua
and Tognberi emphasize the single-movement practices or single combinations,
and have few forms. Tongbei forms are usually short, while Pigua forms are
rather long.
The Structure of
our Pigua System
In our lineage, the art
is comprised of:
Several Jibengong
exercises:
Isolate movements. Used to train the essential basics of the art. Are not
complicated and do not require special mastery, or take too long to get good
at.
12 Basic Hands: Combinations of 2-3 movements, which
form the basis for the rest of the art. More accurately speaking, these hands are
the art, and the forms just link them, and a few other movements, to explore
further concepts, strategies and tactics. Each 'hand' has several variations.
The most basic hand is Dan Pi, or 'Single Chop'. The true learning begins this
movement. It develops some of the basic elements and forces that are most
essential to the practitioner. As the one advances with his practice of the 12
hands, and his ability improves, he will have a benchmark for his improvement
in the form of the following three stages:
1. Swollenness of the palm. 2. Swollenness
of the forearm. Here, a special drill of strengthening the forearms and palms
by hitting a cotton covered tree is introduced to the practitioner. 3 .Swollenness of the whole arm.
The following pictures
show the basic level of Dan Pi practice, with a medium stance.
3 Long Forms:
1. Man Tao (slow form) – "Wriggling serpent concentrating his spirit". Main key to practice is "denseness".
2. Kuai Tao (fast form) – "Rising and falling like a sparrow hawk diving to touch the lake". Main key is agility.
3. Gua Quan (hanging fist) – A more combative form, smaller movements and frequent use of fists. Very aggressive in spirit. Agile body and lively footwork. Main key is speed.
1. Man Tao (slow form) – "Wriggling serpent concentrating his spirit". Main key to practice is "denseness".
2. Kuai Tao (fast form) – "Rising and falling like a sparrow hawk diving to touch the lake". Main key is agility.
3. Gua Quan (hanging fist) – A more combative form, smaller movements and frequent use of fists. Very aggressive in spirit. Agile body and lively footwork. Main key is speed.
Four weapons
forms: As
indicated earlier – Short Stick, Medium Staff, Dao and Miao Dao.
The following pictures
show master Zhou Jingxuan demonstrating the Miao Dao form:
The Principles of
Pigua
The classical writings
of Pi Gua describe the art with several verses. I find some of these to be
slightly ambiguous. I have therefore decided to describe the art using both old
and new terminologies, combined.
Heavy Hands – One attempts to let gravity and
momentum lead the hands into powerful strikes. The hands and arms are kept as
relaxed as possible in the process. This makes the opponent feel one's hands
are like heavy metal rods, while the Pigua practitioner himself feels light and
mobile. Without heavy hands, there is no Pigua.
“Big opening, big
closing, big splitting, big hanging"- The contrary movements of opening (Kai) and closing
(He) are following each other, and are performed with a frame as large as
possible, often even in fighting. In a close-quarters situation, the hands and
body still seek to expand beyond the small, confined space. The big splitting
and big hanging are vital to ensure one has and develops the power to carry the
opponent with his own momentum. Also, Pigua player become accustomed to feeling
comfortable at wide and large body angles, at which other people are completely
unbalanced and disoriented. This is opposite to the strategy in the Internal
arts. In the latter, one's advantage is in controlling movement patterns and
skills which are very small and refined. In Pigua, it is one's capacity to open
up and stretch, while remaining stable, which gives one the edge in many
situations.
"Fierce
rising, hard falling" – These again are contrary movements that follow each other,
and are done swiftly, using all of the body's mass in whipping motions. This
principle in Pigua is the equivalent of Xing Yi's: "Rise, Drill, Overturn,
Fall", but the body-method of Pigua makes the movements manifest
differently.
"Overturning
and rolling like a pearl spinning in a jar" – It is said that the power
manifestation should be like the continuous flowing motion of a pearl spinning
in a jar. This is a very interesting concept, which sets Pigua apart from other
arts. In Taiji Quan, it can be said that one uses listening power (Ting Jin) in
order to sense a weakness in the opponent's structure. In Xing Yi Quan, the
practitioner can use subtle circles, vibration and explosive powers in order to
shock the opponent and penetrate his defenses. In Aikido, one attempts to unite
with the momentum of his opponent, blend with it, and then lead it. Pigua is
much more violent. It is like a tornado. It generates an immense momentum,
passes through the opponent, and sweeps everything it touches with big
swinging, coiling attacks. Which in turn brings us to the next traditional
sentence:
"Searching
and tracing"
- The hands are constantly striving for contact with the enemy. After momentum
is generated, one instantly adopts the mentality of seeking a point of contact.
It is not so one can "build a bridge" as in other Chinese arts – it
is so one can find a point through which to lean-over all his momentum into the
other person. Had such a point of contact not been found, the same momentum
would be recycled, and the practitioner will keep "overturning and rolling
like a pearl spinning in a jar" until further contact is made. One strives
for contact like a monkey skipping among trees and looking for branches. When
the opponent is weaker than oneself, than the hands just go through him. In
case the opponent is too strong at a given point, the hands will disengage
immediately upon touch, and seek to attack from a different angle.
"Relaxed long
reach power"
– The momentum cannot be transferred onwards if one is not extremely relaxed,
and if the power does not reach all the way to the tips of the fingers. The
idea is that as the Pigua practitioner moves his arms about, anything them
would touch them would immediately bounce-off.
Defense and
Offense are not distinguished – Every defense is an offense. Two movements are blended
into one by guiding the momentum of the first movement directly into the
second. Ideally, several movements could be combined into one, constant flow,
without any stoppage.
"The torso is
opening and closing like a bow ,the chest and back swallow and spit like a
string which sends out the power like an arrow without a shadow”- A description of the characteristic
movement of the torso, and the way it helps to issue power. The contraction and
expansion of the entire body in Pigua is very sharp, abrupt, springy and quick.
"Its movement
are swift and violent, but agile and fierce" – Speed is great emphasized, but not
at the expense of agility or roundness. The preference though is for large
half-circles or quarter-circles, so when the art is performed quickly, the
round quality of the movement is often only felt by the practitioner and missed
by the sideways observers. There is almost always roundness and coiling in the
movements of Pigua, even when cutting directly into and through the opponent.
Natural movement
and striking -
This is an art designed for fighting. All of its techniques have obvious usage,
which is rarely complex, and can be used effectively in less than a year of
training by most people (and much quicker if one already has a foundation in a
traditional Chinese style). Pigua's big swings, chops and hooks mimic the way
many people naturally and instinctively fight. The difference is that Pigua
adds a lot of sophisticated body-mechanics into the mix, and while it is easy
to learn, mastering it can take many years. Training in Pigua has an
animalistic feel to it. The art flows with a mentality which is truly primal.
People who first see the art preformed quickly often think of it as some form
of wild dance; in a sense, this is not far from the truth.
The art of coiling from side to side – When storming the opponents, one's
momentum usually throws him to one side, and hopefully downwards as well. Pigua
drills, especially Dan Pi, are designed to take advantage of that type of
situation, and create the ability to bounce back with the same momentum in the
other direction, after the opponent has been unsettled with the first
movement/strike. The spine plays a huge role in this, and it coiling and
uncoiling are responsible for generating extra momentum, and adapting to existing
forces. When moving from side to side, Pigua somewhat feels like a Drum on a
Stick. When twisted quickly with the fingers from side to side, the stick is
like the spine of Pigua, and the strings with their little beads are like
Pigua's heavy hands.
Dynamic Balance – In the Internal Chinese arts,
especially Xing Yi Quan, the emphasis is on having a very balanced structure
when coming in contact with the opponent. In Pigua, this is not exactly the
same. The ability one seeks, which we may call "dynamic balance", is
the ability to regain balance from large movements that had been executed very
quickly, with a lot of momentum. The 12 basic hands of Pigua, and their
variations, are therefore designed for the development of such ability. They
constantly force the practitioner into difficult physical positions, pushing
strikes and movements to the physical limit of their reach (effectively
assuming one "misses" with each strike). From such a disadvantageous
position, one is then expected to be able to move in the exact opposite
direction and movement vectors, generating serious power in the process.
Movement, Techniques,
and Characteristics
The main strategy is
Pigua is to unbalance the opponent. This is done in a very overt fashion – not
at all subtle as in the Internal martial arts. The unbalancing would be done in
one of two ways:
1. Striking into and
through the opponent, like a very sharp and heavy sword cutting down a branch,
or a very long and heavy whip.
2. Leaning all of one's
momentum into the opponent with a very violent movement, as preparation for a
strike or throw. The Gua is Pigua refers to the tendency of the palms and arms
to stick the momentum unto the opponents, and lead him with it. This is
primarily done by applying just the right angle as one strikes, creating a drag
on the opponent's entire structure.
Striking in Pigua is
very versatile. One can strike with all sides of the palm and forearm, parts of
the arm, with the shoulder, knee, leg, foot, and sides of the body. The
preferred striking areas are the palm and forearm, and the least common are the
leg and foot. Pigua throws are usually also strikes, in that the opponent gets
thrown while being hit at the same time. An unsuccessful strike may continue
into a throw, as one follows his own momentum 'to completion'. Finger jabs,
groin pokes and strikes to the lower part of the abdomen are also common. The
head and its surrounding areas (neck, collarbone) are the targets of most
striking techniques in Pigua, even though any part of the body may be targeted,
from almost any angle. Pigua is an art built on movement principles (rather
than lots of techniques), and as such it provides the practitioner many options
for action, and does not limit one by adhering to a strict form when fighting.
Pigua is unusual in liking to strike with the back of the palm, also commonly doing so with a strike coming from below upwards (and with other variations). The back-palm strikes snap like boxing jabs, and are very powerful, able to easily break a nose, or do worse damage when applied by an experienced teacher. This type of strike is rare because the back of the hand is, to most people, a gentle area. Indeed, this and other areas on the palm and forearm have to be strengthened and condition so blows can be effectively delivered. There are several methods in which one can do this. Like in many Chinese arts, the general training regime of Iron Palm can aid in this. Otherwise, the art itself includes quite a few movements which are designed to harden these areas, while training the actual techniques. Still, one does not only rely on the hardening of the palm. Proper striking mechanics are also key. For example – although much of the body is very loose when striking, the palm itself must have a certain among of tension in it during the moment of impact. Failing to do with cause serious injury to the palm, even in training.
Pigua is unusual in liking to strike with the back of the palm, also commonly doing so with a strike coming from below upwards (and with other variations). The back-palm strikes snap like boxing jabs, and are very powerful, able to easily break a nose, or do worse damage when applied by an experienced teacher. This type of strike is rare because the back of the hand is, to most people, a gentle area. Indeed, this and other areas on the palm and forearm have to be strengthened and condition so blows can be effectively delivered. There are several methods in which one can do this. Like in many Chinese arts, the general training regime of Iron Palm can aid in this. Otherwise, the art itself includes quite a few movements which are designed to harden these areas, while training the actual techniques. Still, one does not only rely on the hardening of the palm. Proper striking mechanics are also key. For example – although much of the body is very loose when striking, the palm itself must have a certain among of tension in it during the moment of impact. Failing to do with cause serious injury to the palm, even in training.
This art relies on its
ability to have a long reach, since the arms and shoulder blades are stretched
forward more so than in other styles. With Pigua, it is possible to reach the
opponent from a distance that others may consider "kicking distance".
This is one reason that Pigua is very focused on hand-striking. The other
reason being that it is, as mentioned before, an art that uses whipping power
in order to deliver force. This type of power benefits most from elongated
movements. With a whipping force, the power-potential of the strike grows with
each joint it passes through.
Pigua features several
types of Hook strikes. One of the big differences between TCMA like XYQ and
Pigua, and an art like Western boxing, is that the hooking hand can reverse
direction. After the hooking movement, it can go into a head-lock, or if it
missed in front of the body, press against the body for a lean-throw setup, or
reverse-hook in the other direction for either striking or a scissor-movement
throw. This is thanks to side-to-side coiling abilities, which I have discussed
earlier.
The size of the hooking movement can vary in both Boxing and Pigua. In Boxing, the body's structure is more often kept firm as you hook, while in Pigua it is whipping. The pivoting on the ball of the foot during this strike is very similar in both arts, but the quality of the strike changes because in Pigua the back is kept straight (at least in our traditional lineage), the power goes 'through-the-back' like in Tongbei, and the movement is much more relaxed at all times. Interestingly, Boxing and Pigua use whipping in a very similar way if we compare many Pigua movements to the Boxing jab, but in hooking, Boxing more often prefers to hold the structure unbroken, like in Xing Yi.
The size of the hooking movement can vary in both Boxing and Pigua. In Boxing, the body's structure is more often kept firm as you hook, while in Pigua it is whipping. The pivoting on the ball of the foot during this strike is very similar in both arts, but the quality of the strike changes because in Pigua the back is kept straight (at least in our traditional lineage), the power goes 'through-the-back' like in Tongbei, and the movement is much more relaxed at all times. Interestingly, Boxing and Pigua use whipping in a very similar way if we compare many Pigua movements to the Boxing jab, but in hooking, Boxing more often prefers to hold the structure unbroken, like in Xing Yi.
Leg work in Pigua is
extremely tiring and challenging, and the practitioner will have to move
quickly through very low stances in training. Most combat situations would not
require such low heights. However, this helps build dynamic stability, and
provide the practitioner with the option to catch the opponent unprepared, as
few people can go as low in a fight, and remain stable.
In our branch of Pigua,
there is influence by the Internal arts, because our teacher, master Zhou, has
had extensive training in both Xing Yi Quan and Taiji Quan. Zhou's Pigua
students are taught various forms of Zhan Zhuang, which greatly enhance Pigua's
structure, and make it more stable when striking. Pigua prefers striking from
the side, and by teaching the students Xing Yi's mud-walking drill, they gain
more forward intent and power, which supports their ability to attack head-on.
In Pigua, the Dan Tian and Hip serve as the "handle of whip". At an
advanced level, Zhou will also teach the student Dan Tian training exercises,
which greatly enhance one's whipping power.
Anyone who wishes to
study martial arts with master Zhou can contact us and read further details through
our official website:
You may also visit our
Youtube channel, in which there are many videos of master Zhou, performing and
teacing Pigua, as well as other martial arts:
The author of this
article, Jonathan Bluestein, may be contacted directly at: jonathan.bluestein@gmail.com .
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