“Opening and Closing” of Tai Ji Quan
    Some friends asked me, why Wu’s TaiJi Quan had been called Kai He (opening and closing) Tai Ji Quan? What are the meanings of Qi (to open), Cheng (in continuation), Zhuan (in conversion) and He (Closing) demanded by the Quan? How to behave these four in practicing and boxing? I would make a brief statement here as much as I know.
   Within the period from the end of Ming Dynasty to the beginning of Qing Dynasty, Hao Weizhen (1849-1920), one of the prentices taught by one of the disciples of Wu Yuxiang (1812-1880), the founder of Wu's Tai Ji Quan had been teaching Tai Ji Quan in Yongnian County, Hebei province. Yang Zhaolin, the elder grandson of Yang Luchan(1799-1872), the initiator of Yang's Tai Ji Quan, had been teaching the quan in Nanguan. The styles and the requests of the two were deferent. In ordar m distinct the two, local people made a name for Hao Weizhen’s Quan as "Hao style", and Yang Zhaolin's as "Yang style", while Hao Weizhen called the boxing he had been teaching as "Li style" or "Wu and Li style". People also made a name for Hao's as "opening and Closing style" for it demands Qi starting, Cheng, following Kai (opening) and He (closing). Teaching the Quan in other places out of the County afterwards, some disciples of Hao also called it as "opening and closing style" thus to distinguish Hao's Quan from the Yang's. In November, 1961, Wu's disciples in Tianjin City had published a mimeographed book named The Techniques of Opening and Closing Tai Ji Quan Taught by Hao Weizhen. The emergence as the well-known appellations of "Hao's style" and "Yang's style" in Tai Ji Quan field came into being then.
    Although "Hao style" was denominated as "Wu's Tai Ji Quan" later on, most people had still called it "opening and closing Tai Ji Quan" chronically because of its boxing reason and style requests. Its developing process mostly has been:
Wu's Tai. Ji Quan respected and followed the book of Tai Ji Quan Lun (Tai Ji Quan Theory) written by Master Wang Zongyue in early Qing. Dynasty getting and developing much in its boxing technique and sublimating it deeply based on more and more practices taken by Wu and his .disciples. TaiJi Quan Lun indicates the principle of yin (negative) and Yang (positive) in the words of "dividing when you are moving, closing when being quiet". Considering the application of TaiJi Quan, we would say that dividing is to open to be the variety of Tai Ji boxing style. It emphasizes Zou(stepping), Nian (adhering to) and Sui (following), while dosing is to conclude emphasizing assembling one's vigor to be made use much of its expansion and his later attacking. Wu Yuxiang had requested to attain "being quiet as a mountain, moving as a river" in his book of Tai Ji Quan Jie (a solution to Tai Ji Quan), and made the abstractly concepts, Yin, Yang, Kai (opening) and He (closing) embodied for all the disciples getting easier to follow the real methods and regulations in practicing Tai Ji. Wu said in his book of Shi San Shi Shuo Lue (an explanation for thirteen styles of Tai Ji) that you should strengthen your hands first, then relax and loose them while you are having your every movement. It is supposed to make Qi, Cheng, Zhuan and He. You start your movement in changing followed by your strength moving keeping each transformation between them fluently without any break." Qi, Cheng, Zhuan and He, as fixed regulations with four stages in writing poems and examinational articles in ancient Dynasties, had been formed on the basis of prescribed-form being a common term for all the young writers and scholars then. It was Wu Yuxiang first having quoted the four, Qi, Cheng, Zhuan and He into the moving styles and Da Shou (Tai Ji fighting techniques with their hands and fists) of Tai Ji Quan being a regular theory based on Tai Ji practices as well as a big contribution for the development of Tai Ji Quan handed down fxom generation to generation. Afterwards, Wu summarized Si Zi Mi Jue (secrets in four words), as Fu(dabbing), Gai (covering), Dui (versus), Tun (swallowing), for Tai Ji Da Shou, Li Yishe wrote a book of Sa Fang Mi Jue (secrets to scatter and expand) as Qing (holding), Yin (leading), Song (being relaxed), Fang (being loosen), Hao Yuem wrote his book of Da Shou (Tai Ji fighting with their hands or fists) Si Yao (four points) as Yin (leading), Hua (melting), Shu (stretching) and Fa (sending out). Those points issued by three Masters were all the embodiments and deeper meanings of Qi, Cheng, Zhuan and He for Tai Ji Da Shou indeed.
    Wang Zongyue's academic thought of playing Tai Ji Quan was founded in Song Dynasty. A book of Tai Ji Tu Shuo (explanations with pictures for Tai Ji Quan) written by Zhou Dunyi (1017-1073), had taken Yin and Yang as the substantial body of Tai Ji while Gang (hardness) and Rong (softness) for practical uses. Wang's theory didn't exceed what Zhou's Ta Ji Tu Shuo said in that way. Inherited all the results of the Tai Ji developments made in the past and the dissimilarities of the experienced practices in playing Tai Ji Quan then, Wu Yuxiang first presented his viewpoint in his book of Shi San Shi Shuo Lue that Xu Shi (emptiness and solidness) should be distinguished clearly, there are both Xu and Shi existing together in any place and always being everywhere. Li Yishe inherited and succeeded Hao Yuxiang's doctrine and carded it forward. Indicated in his book of Wu Zi Jue (a knack in five words), he emphasized "the attainment of your whole body founded by your Jin (strength) would make you a Kung-fu expert. Distinguishing Xu and Shi is needed", "Kai He You Zi (orderly), Xu Shi Fen Qing (distinguish emptiness and solidness dearly)", hence the corresponding transformation of Xu Shi and Kal He became the technical core of Wu's Tai Ji Quan. In explaining the relationship between the four, Li Yishe had drawn Xu Shi Kai He Tu (a diagram explaining the four) pointing out that "Xu Shi should namely be Kai He" since one's Xu Shi in one mostly be transformed at once in changing his inner strength whenever and wherever while he is stepping Tai Ji styles or Da Shou. These Xu Shi transforming processes could not be seen clearly but only be detected somewhat while Kai He would always be formed by changing the player's movements normally being seen obviously. The principle of Xu Shi Kai He surely accords with the saying Zhou Shen Yi Jia (keep all your Tai Ji movements acting with your spirit, strength, breathing, head, body, hands an feet in one)in Tai Ji Quan theory.
    Hao Weizhen had been integrating the developments of Tai Ji boxing theory while he was teaching the Quan. He used four Chinese words, Qi Cheng Kai He, as a main principle in playing Tai Zou Jia Ji Da Shou. Hao Yuem emphasized that every Tai Ji movement can be divided into four words, Qi Cheng Zhuan He", he also said: "Kai is big but not ram, He is small but not hedging" in his book of Tai Ji Quan Zhou Jia Da Shou (Zhou Jia Da Shou in playing Tai Ji Quan). Anyhow, Kai needs stretching, the player's muscle, tendons, bones physique and joints should be all relaxed to make his breathing and blood moving smoothly and conveniently, to keep his hands, eyes, body, waist and stepping associated in phase while any of them moved instantly. The vigor of his movement should be like a patulous bow, his interior breathing and strength moving should be circumvolved like more and more circles turning around in dealing with hundreds of outside changes including any or all attacking made by any rival. "He" should be compacted. The Tai Ji player should keep his spirit inside shrunk in tightness, make each hand protect one half side of his body, protect his middle and use it, step on steadily, make his kicking rapidly, send out his hitting like shooting a arrow and draw back immediately. There is He in Kai and Kai in He forever. One's Tai Ji movement in extension would never be parted from its compaction whereas its compaction contains extension, He should keep the center of his gravity steadily and support himself from eight directions. When he is playing Tai Ji, he has to keep his every movement containing Qi Cheng Zhuan He, each transformation should be very dear. Concretely saying, while "Qi", one should collect his spirit, calm down his minding and heart beating and, converge his breathing. In case his minding is not calmed down yet, he can't be concentrative. As for his breathing is not converged, he would never be implicit but easy to be messy. "Cheng" is a connecting link between the preceding and the following. The player must keep all the joining between them whatever naturally and fluently. "Kai" should be agile and changeful. One should not be practicing Tai Ji in a hurry or in staleness but keeping his vigor full. "He" should be mellow.-The player's hands, eyes, body, heart and stepping should be harmonious and natural while any part of them is quiet with all others plus his body quiet.
                                          

Li Laoneng, the Founder of Xing Yi Quan
    Li Laoneng (1783-1867), the founder of Xing Yi (forming and minding) Quan (boxing), was born in Douwangzhuang Village, Shenzhou City, Hebei Province in the forties under Emperor Qian Long's rule, and died in the sixth year under Emperor Tong Zhi's ruling.
     According to the information and writings provided by some disciples In Li Laoneng's hometown, Master Li Laoneng had conducted his business going to Shanxi Province when he was 37. Then he studied Xin Yi Liu He Quan as one of the prentices of Dai Longbang(about 1766-1831), who was a renowned master of the Quan. Studying the Quan for ten years, Li fully mastered the quintessence of Dai's Xin Yi Liu He Quan. Afterwards, he was employed as a Hu Yuan(protecting the school)Jiao Shi(master) in Taigu. According to the descriptions issued by Li's disciples in Shenzhou, when Mr. Li had mastered Xin Yi Quan, he taught them pugilism and researched the skills and arts of boxing in Taigu, Shanxi Province. He also began to create Xing Yi Quan then
    After founding Xing Yi Quan, Li Laoneng began to accept disciples and spread the Quan out socially. Among his disciples, the famous ones were Che Yizhai, Song Shirong, Li Taihe (Laoneng's son), Liu Qilan, Guo Yunshen, and so forth. They had been causing the wide spread of Xing Yi Quan then. Li Taihe, Liu Qilan and Guo Yunshen promoted the Quan around Li Laoneng's hometown, Shenzhou, Heibei Province while Che Yizhai and Song Shirong had been spreading the Quan widely over Taigu, Shanxi Province.
According to the disciples of Xing Yi Quan in Tai gu. After Li Laoneng returned to his hometown from Shanxi and founded Xing Yi Quan, he went to Shanxi again and imparted Xing Yi Quan there. His disciples Such as Che Yiqi and Song Shirong of Shandong Province became famous with their Xing Yi Quan there then.
Li Laoneng’s hometown, Douwangzhuang Village, located in the plain area, is 20 kilometers or more away from Shenzhou. People residing there primarily have been living by farming in recent years. They are not very rich. During the period of Qing Dynasty, the economic condition might be worse over there. According to the saying issued by those people being in martial art circle nowadays, practicing martial arts was very popular then around Shenzhou. So there were many distinguished martial artists and Kung-fu masters having their activities around Shenzhou during the time from the middQing Dynasty to the early era of the Republic of China. Besides Li Laoneng's son Li Taihe, and two of his grandsons, Li Wenxi and Li Xishun, there were some other martial artists living around Shenzhou including Liu Qilan, Guo Yunshen and some other martial artists belonged to the second generation of Xing Yi Quan while Li Cunyi, Zhang Zhankui, Wang Fuyuan, Gao Laoji, Ma Yaonan and so on belonged to the third. Song Yuanqiao, the founder of Chuo Jiao (kicking by jabbing foot) and San Huang Pao Chui (three emperors' cannon fists), also lived in Shenzhou area then.
    Many Xing Yi Quan disciples have appeared in the forms of various Pai (schools) in many places in China as the Quan developed forward till now. They are Che Pai (Che school) and Song Pai (Song school) in Shanxi Province, Shang Pai (Shang school) in the northeastern area, Zhu Pai (Zhu school) in Shanghai and so on. The existences of so many Jia Pai (school or group) have been attributable to the development of the marked individualities (personal understanding of their practice, personal skills, styles and different characteristics) of Li Laoneng's continuators in those years.
There was no Jia Pai of Xing Yi Quan within the early period in its developing process. According to the principle regarding the imparting and inheriting relationships with Chinese traditional martial arts and traditional cultural characteristics, all the prentices of any masters would not or dared not easily establish brand new schools or groups themselves in the very past. Schools or groups were categorized and established by later generations. If the categorization and establishment of schools or groups did merely reflect the imparting and inheriting relationships, they would be only kinds of pure cultural representations but lacking in those special characteristics of senior masters' martial arts and the elites and souls of their Kung-fu, those said new schools or groups will be restricted to formalized systems or artistic ones.
                               

Learning the Stories of Yang Luchan and Wu Yuxiang
    The family of WuYuxiang was the most reputable and distinguished of the ones in Guangfu Town then. Relevant information about him and his family could be found out and read on some county annuals, pedigree, records of graves and some papers written by his posterity. But the situation of Yang Luchan was different while there was a little information about him since he was born in a poor family. We could only find out some authentic information about him from a few talks and memories issued by some members of later generations.
     Nowadays there is a well-known story nowadays telling that Yang Luchan had gone to Chen'gou (also Chengjiagou) for three times and had studied Kung-fu for eighteen years. I think this story has been some what novelized thus it might not be authentic enough. The closer fact for sure was that Yang Luchan had been in Chenjiagou, Henan Province for several times learning Chang Quan (long boxing) Shi San Shi (thirteen postures) from Chen Changxing, However, when he left and returned, for how many times and how long he had been there aggregately have been still unknown. A script left by some senior masters and kept by a man named Xia Yongcheng living in West Street, Guangfu Town, Yongnian County, talks about that Yang Luchan had been in Chen'gou for three times but never indicate his staying time there of "eighteen years" or any specific time. Its main content is described as the following.
Both Yang Luchan and Wu Yuxiang had been studying Hong Quan (red fists) at the very beginning in their Kung-fu lives. They were friends because of their common Quan practices. While they knew later that the technique of Chang Quan Shi San Shi in Chenjiagou, Henan was quite skillful, Wu supported Yang financially to study Kung-fu over there. When Yang came back, he told Wu the Kung-fu he learned there totally. Wu Yuxiang was so smart that he learnt the Quan from Yang quite well. When they compared notes even in combating, Yang had usually failed indeed. He visited Chenjiagou once again but still could not win Wu after he came back, he was nearly angry so that he went to Chenjiagou for the third time. He got the key idea eventually. Coming back and meeting Wu, he had been keeping the key of the Kung-fu he learnt well as a secret. Several years later, Wu Yuxiang went to Henan on business. He bypassed Zhaobao Town and visited Chen Qingping. He studied Kung-fu with Chan for more than a month and totally got the point of Chen's Quan.
   Hereinafter let me analyze this piece of information.
   Yang was born in 1799, while Wu, 1812. They were bosom friends. Wu financially supported Yang to study Kung-fu in Chen'gou. We could see that Wu Yuxiang had reached his manhood, while Yang Luchan had been in his 30s then. Yang taught boxing in Beijing after 1840. It is indicated that .Yang was around ten years older than Wu. So it was suspicious that Yang had studied the Quan in Chenjiagou for eighteen years.
    When the two senior masters Yang Luchan and Wu Yuxiang studied the Quan in Henan Province, Yang had learnt Chang Quan Lao Jia (old frame) from Chen Changxing, wu studied Lao Jia indirectly and also learnt Chen'gou Chang Quan Xin Jia (new frame) from Chen Qingping. If the story is tree, why Yang's Tai Ji Quan and Wu's are so different from Chen's nowadays? Especially the Quan handed down from Wu and the one from Zhaobao Town have not been having even a slightest similar element with each of them. Why?
   Although Yang Luchan was only a man studying Kung-fu without much knowledge, he was
very excellent in studying the Quan. He studied new martial art with certain foundation and did not need to study some common and ordinary skills. What he should learn were unique skills and recipes he had never known. Wu Yuxiang was a talent on both literature and martial art. He even understood the importance of technical essentials. So they certainly would not go to Henan for exterior things. What can be learned then were all special know-how or talented techniques. They never followed others blindly or copied Kung-fu totally. They made good use of the strong points of others' Kung-fu to complement theirs, combined the quintessence of Chen's Quan with Guangfu's Kung-fu idea creating Yongnian Tai Ji Quan together. The forms of Yang's and Wu's Tai Ji were not accomplished in a single action or in a short time but formed by the efforts from generation to generation. Yang's Quan achieved Ding Xing Jia (fixed frame) until the years while Yang Chengfu one of the third generation in practicing Yang's Ta Ji, had reached his late level. The process of Wu's Quan has been more complicated. Wu Yuxiang and his two prentices Li yishe and 1J Qixuan did not teach Tai Ji professionally without any visual information or picture. Hao Weizhen, belonging to the third generation of them, widely accepted many disciples though, had never left any photo about his boxing actions. Practitioners of the second and third generations of Li Shi (Li style) also had not done this wore How they played the Quan only depending on what they had been thinking about. Hao Shaoru, one of the grandsons of Hao Weizhen, had left some writings, boxing and fighting photos as well as other video information. His earliest photo was taken during 1960s.
     The Kung-fu of Yang Luchan and Wu Yuxiang were not distinct or even different from each other when they had been studying the Quan together. The name of Tai Ji Quan had not come into being even in Chenjiagou or Zhaobao Town then. Different varieties or subspecies were categorize3 by later generations. Both senior masters Yang and Wu interchanged Kung-fu ideas, compared notes, subconsciously changed and created their boxing methods only because they loved to do so. They had never realized that they would be honored as the ancestors of Tai Ji Quan when they were alive. Yang paid more attention to practice and collected experiences by making friends, while Wu emphasized summarizing Tai Ji theories and recorded the theoretical system of the original through comparing notes with others. One of them was good at fighting, while the other was good in taking advantage of his brain. Their joint achievements would be enhanced by combining their good characteristics. Wu made good use of the strong points of Yang's skill and experience and then Yang learned the good qualities of Wu's theory. They affected each other causing Yongnian Tai Ji Quan gradually coming into being. Their researches work and results were certainly based on their practicing and fighting. When Wu tested what he had learned by competing with strong fighters, or when Yang left Yongnian to taught boxing in Beijing, each of them competed by fighting respectively. Maybe' attributing to the characteristics of Tai Ji Quan had been requiting practitioners to practice slowly in order to realize the moving track of the strength, or maybe attributing to the development of the era, a kind of slow and leisure Tai Ji Quan was formed. Yang's Quan became an unbound and free set of Quan only when it was passed to Yang Chengfu. To the circumstances of master Yang Chengfu, the style and manner of Ding Xing Jia was different to some extent from the ones of early Quan Jia. Wu's Quan had been also changed when I J Yishe, Hao Weizhen and some other practitioners inherited and practiced it.
 

Ji Xing in Song Gobing’s Xin Yi Quan
Ji Xun Shi(the rooster searches for food)
    (1). Pan Fa(convolving method)
    Stand naturally with your feet and heels separated in a width of your shoulders. Your feet should be kept nearly in a line. Keep your hands drooped beside your legs. Then you step forward with your right foot, bend your knees, squat down and strike your opponent with your hands cleaving downward passing the fight side of your body. Your fight crus and thigh should be formed an angle about 100 degrees. Slightly turn your fight tiptoe inwar6 Make your left foot followed it and stepped forward behind the arch of your fight foot. Your left tiptoe should be pointed to the arch of your fight foot keeping a certain distance of one foot around between them. Your legs should be closed inward. Your feet should be kept in an irregular pose of Ding Zi Bu(a pacing pose like a character T in Chinese lettering ) as the picture shows. Step your right foot straight ahead while your left one is tamed inward at an angle of around 60 degrees with its tiptoe pointing to the arch of your right foot. Strike your opponent with your left hand cleaving downward outside your right knee with your fingers apart fromm each other and the center of your fight palm leftward. Raise your brain bone behind your head, slightly shrink your mandible, keep your tongue touching your palate, and slightly dose the upper part and the lower of your teeth The San Guan (three passes the internal Qi must pass through when it moves inside around your body) can be easily got through. The Qi (your breath and interior strength) can reach Ni Wan (an acupoint on the upper part of your body called day bolus in Chinese meaning) on your top body and Yong Quan (the acupoints beneath your soles called bubbling spring in Chinese meaning). You can improve your health and prolong your lifespan by practicing it well. Your heels and toes should be kept grasping the ground. Make sure you do not raise your heels. In Pangbu (a city in Anhui Province, China) school of Xin Yi (minding and intending) Liu He (six harmonies) Quan (boxing), some masters especially emphasize the idea that their disciples must neither raise their toes nor their heels apart from the ground at all costs. It is named the Quan of real Kung-fu only depending on one's hard practicing, if you touch the ground with your toes but raise your heels, you would be practicing without any effect. This fixed form of Kung-fu is called Ji Xun Shi. The style with the right foot ahead is You Shi (right style) Ji Xun Shi. Picture (1) shows the said movement.  Following the above-mentioned style, keep your feet still, raise your hands in front of your chest, slightly raise your body, then make a step forward and leftward with your left foot, bend your knees and squat down, strike your opponent with your hands cleaving downward passing the left side of your body. Your left crus and thigh should be formed an angle of about 100 degrees. You should slightly turn your left tiptoe inward. Your right foot should be followed and stepped forward behind the arch of your left foot. Your fight tiptoe should be pointed to the arch of your left foot keeping a certain distance of one foot around between them. Your legs should be closed inward. Your feet should be kept in an irregular pose of Ding Zi Bu as the picture shows. Step your left foot straight ahead while your right foot is turned inward at an angle of around 60 degrees with its tiptoe pointing to the arch of your left foot Strike your opponent with your right hand cleaving downward outside your left knee with its fingers apart from each other and the center of the palm leftward. Then strike him with your left hand cleaving downward outside your left buttock with its fingers apart from each other and the center of the palm facing the buttock. Raise your brain bone behind your head, slightly shrink your mandible, look forward, keep your tongue touching your palate and slightly close me upper part and me lower of your teeth. Your heels and ten toes should be grasped the ground. Make sane you do not raise your heels. This fixed style with the left foot ahead is the Zuo Shi (left style) Ji Xun Shi. You should repeatedly practice the movement from the right to left, from forward to backward stepping in a straight line.
    (2). Jin Yi (intention of your strength):
The six forms of Xin Yi Quan include: Ji Tui (rooster leg), Long Shen (dragon body), Xiong (bear shoulders), Ying Zhuo (eagle clawing), Hu Bao Tou (tiger's head held in the arms) and Lei Sheng (thunder). They are also said to be six arts. Ji Tui is the primary form of those six. The beginners Xin Yi Quan have to learn Ji Xun Shi well first in founding a solid base of Zhuang Gong (the pegging Kung-fu training) in prancing Xin Yi Quan. There are three Jin Ji with Ji Xun Shi in prancing
     ( a ) Your front foot and leg should be slightly straight. The tiptoe of your back foot should be pointed to the arch of your front one. Your legs should be closed inward. Bend your knees and make your body the lower the better. The perfect angle formed by your cruses and thighs should be of 90 degrees. You should grasp the ground with both your heels and toes while the arches of your feet are being in the air. Your Qi should be sunk down passing through your acupoints of Yong Quan into the ground. The ground is the origin of everything on earth. Practicing it well, you can feel that your strength would be deeply rooted in the ground with your Zhuang Gong quite remarkable. If you practice it frequently, you can be free in advancing or retreating, turning sideways or inward with your legs and feet full of power.
     (b) Taking the Zuo Shi Ji Xun Shi for example, you strike your opponent with your hands cleaving down and screw arms with your hands passing your body on your left side. There is a kind of Ning Guo (screwing and wrapping) strength. You should turn your body leftward and make your right shoulder ahead. The tip of your nose, the tips of your arms and your tiptoe should be kept in a line forming a kind of strength of Ning Guo as well as the strength of holding, crashing, wrapping and Stirrings up.
     (c) You should practice Ji Xun Shi from the right style to the left one, and repeatedly practice stepping from backward to forward. There is a Jin Ji of Cai Pu (trampling and pouncing) and Zhan Fan (holding and overturning).
    (3). Purpose:
      (a) Suppose my opponent tries to hit me in front of my face with his left fist attacking straight ahead, I can bend my knees and squat down. Then I apply Zuo Shi Ji Xun Shi, shun his straight hitting, step forward with my right foot and stir up sidelong with my right hand towards his right side. That's the Tiao Ling Shi (stirring up and leading style).
      ( b ) Suppose my opponent tries to hit me in front of my face with his left fist attacking straight ahead, I can bend my knees and squat down. Then I apply Zuo Shi Ji Xun Shi, shun his straight hitting, step forward with my right foot, and strike his chest directly with my right elbow. That's the Kung-fu of Ding Zhou(elbow striking).