Healing Metaphysics Home > Archive> State Changing Practices

This page will feature various state-changing practices which offer different access points to potentially useful altered states. This page is about the martial artform of:

Ba Gua Zhang
Ba Gua Zhang is one of three main martial arts styles from China that are commonly referred to as ‘Internal Arts’ (Xing Yi Quan, Ba Gua Zhang and Tai Ji Quan).

The name Ba Gua Zhang is literally translated into English as ‘Eight Diagram Palm’. The eight diagrams symbolize the interplay of yin and yang, which are used to describe the cyclical nature of change manifested in the universe. They were first recorded in the Chinese classic known as the ‘Yi Jing’ (Zhou Jing), or ‘the book of changes’ over 4000 years ago.

Ba gua zhang belongs to the superior fighting arts of China. It is classed as one of the last classical martial arts to be formed in China, and up until today only has a history of over 130 years.

The founder of ba gua zhang was one Dong Hai Chuan. His original name was Dong Meng Kui. He was a stocky man with very long arms who studied martial arts diligently during his youth. When his home town suffered under poor harvests and natural disasters, Dong left home in search of better opportunities, and vowed not to return until he was crowned with success.

When he arrived in the capital (Beijing) he had many challenge matches, all of which he lost. He quickly discovered that he still had much to learn. From this he decided to embark on a journey around China to seek out masters of the martial arts everywhere and learn from them. Thus he changed his name from Dong Meng Kui to Dong Hai Chuan. In Chinese “Hai Chuan” means to “embrace the world” , which stood for his openness in learning.

Dong traveled extensively through Henan, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi and Sichuan provinces, and learned much about the martial arts.

After 30 years of learning and refining his arts, which included learning both Daoist and Buddhist gong fu, as well as spending some time living in a monastery with Daoist monks, in his 50’s he created his own style of martial arts called “Zhuan Zhang” (Changing palms).

This was a unique style that was completely new to the world of Chinese fighting arts, and became widely revered for its unorthodox guerilla warfare strategies of constant movement and change, and it’s mysterious circle walking practices combining both martial and spiritual methods.

From then on he led a colourful life in Beijing, taking on all comers and remaining undefeated in combat. He was even employed to work in the royal palace where he became head of security.

From here his reputation grew to huge proportions and his martial exploits were many, all of which have been well documented. He was held in such high esteem among the world of martial artists that people spoke of his methods as being divine and coming straight from Heaven. Truly they said his skills were not of this earth.

At some point he changed the name of his art from Zhuan zhang to Ba gua zhang, after discovering that his theories and tactics aligned themselves perfectly with the theories of the Yi Jing (Book of Changes). And from then to the present day Dong Hai Chuan’s art was known as Ba Gua Zhang.

Dong had many great students who went on to become remarkable men themselves. One such man was Liang Zhen Pu.

Liang Zhen Pu was the youngest of Master Dong’s disciple students (beginning his training with the master at 16 years of age), and one of his favourites, because of this.

In 1899 Liang killed a few men during a political uprising in his hometown, and was subsequently arrested and imprisoned, only to escape from jail the following year.

Liang hid out in the country side and managed to open an armed escort service on the outskirts of Beijing and Baoding. After the change in government, he was once again allowed to return to the city. He stopped his bodyguard service and began to teach martial arts in Tianjin and Hebei. During this time he also had the unique opportunity to teach his art in the cities’ high schools.

Upon his return to Bejing, he was able to further his studies with master Dong Hai Chuan, who was by then, an old man.

Dong had further refined his skills and techniques, and he passed these on to Liang. During this time master Dong taught Liang sword techniques and the seven star staff.

Liang also deepened his understanding of the art by studying with Dong’s most senior students, especially Shi Ji Lin.

‘Eight diagram palm’ is the double study of both internal and external skills. There are internal or stillness methods, and martial exercises also. Both have their own purpose and uniqueness.

Among the many and varied practices in this great art there are methods of “fixed palms” and “palm changes” (with the intent being of a martial and/or spiritual focus), standing forms, single and double technique practices, two person sets and weapons training.

Ba gua zhang’s first and foremost principle is “Circle walking”.

Long term practice of circle walking is one of the main keys to understanding the heart of ba gua zhang. There are many variations and subtleties within this one method and the applications are endless.

We call it the “Fundamental Law” because ba gua zhang employs guerilla warfare- type tactics (movement tactics), and the practice of circle walking helps engender the principle of continuous movement. Due to it’s positioning, circle walking forces the opponent to be contained in the centre, which must always be kept in mind.

We are on the outside flank, facing the inside centre, never offering a frontal battle. As well as being integral as a martial strategy, the practice of circle walking is seen as a method of cultivating stillness. It actually contains the Daoist principle of “movement in stillness and stillness in movement”. Externally we are moving and changing, internally our Spirit is extraordinarily calm, an unchangeable centre at the heart of all the whirling and turning.

(Copyright – Mr Geoff Sweeting, 2003)

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