The known history of our Xingyiquan starts when a Chinese man named Li Luo Neng became determined to learn the secretive martial art system of the Dai Clan who lived in northern China. After a long period he was accepted as an inner door student and learned the skills of their Xin Yi Quan, which focused on direct powerful striking using whole body connected power. After many years of study he gained extraordinary skill and went on to further develop the art into a system teaching San Ti Shr (three bodies basic stance), Five Fists, and Twelve Animals, both barehanded and armed with classical weapons.
Farmer Li had many great students, one was Liu Qilan who lived a quiet life in the countryside training, farming and teaching. One of Master Liu’s most famous students was Li Cun Yi, and he was famous because he could really fight! In fact he was known as Single Sabre Li due to his amazing skill with that weapon, and he engaged in countless life or death battles, all of which he survived in his job as a professional bodyguard and caravan guard. He was the man if you wanted your stuff protected on the dangerous roads out of northern China, his Xingyiquan skills were truly awesome but he was also known as a man with high martial virtue and loyalty.
Our Xingyiquan lineage comes directly from Li Cun Yi, the system is very demanding as it involves daily training of the basic postures following a series of requirements (see curriculum for details). Our focus is on cultivating whole body connected power, direct practical application and a strong mind and fighting spirit. We do a lot of heavy push hands and free fighting to test our skills, obviously this starts more controlled but after some time and under the teacher’s supervision it becomes very quick and free.
This is a great martial art to train if you want to develop crushing internal power, strong spirit and practical skills of protection.
History and Lineage
Li Luo Neng
Liu Qilan
Master Li Cun Yi
Master ???
Master Li
Master Paul Rogers