Hello Baguazhang World! 
This article forms the foundation of this website. Let me know what you think or what you’d like to know about Baguazhang in the following comments section.
The Bagua and Baguazhang
Bagua refers to eight trigrams representing basic concepts: Sky, Earth, Fire, Thunder, Wind, Water, Mountain, and Cloud. Interpretations vary, more commonly Sky is referred to as Heaven and Cloud as Lake. I remove religious concepts by focusing on Sky, and while Lake has a variety of interpretation, Swamp being one, Mist another, Cloud offers an accurate vision for employing our hands.
Baguazhang means Eight Trigram Palms and is a classic internal art (or Neijia); the other two are Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. Baguazhang is sometimes referred to as the sister or the daughter of Tai Chi Chuan (that’s the other spelling of Taijiquan), suggesting that
- Baguazhang originates alongside or after Taijiquan
- and is more feminine in nature
Baguazhang uses palms to strikes, circular footwork with a peculiar mud-step (for real lower body power development), and a strange way of looking—gazing directly at the working palm. A fantastic and powerful art, when it’s done correctly, Fa-jing develops swiftly and delightfully.
The foundational form and early, beginning training in Baguazhang (also spelled Pa Kua Chang) teach circular, coiling concepts. The circular and coiling, waist shaking motions require precision and articulation to see and develop the potencies of Fa-jing. Later, more advanced forms and training methods retain the Fa-jing aspects, while adding barging, linear attack methods.
Baguazhang, right from the get-go, is more violent and viscious than Tai Chi Chuan. Unfortunately, like Tai Chi, Bagua has been dumbed down and taught ineffectively in an effort to make it easier and more fluid. Perhaps it’s also dumbed down to imply safer practices for people. Dumbing-down strips the art of its effectiveness and its gratifying and lovely details.
I won’t insult you with simplified martial arts.
Instead, I’ll show you the details and the fluid, powerful, circular shaking that develops internally through proper walking methods, accurate form work, and intelligent training devices. Ubagua.com emphasizes the arts of the World Taiji Boxing Association, teaching through Instructor Steven Smith (me), in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information on martial arts and healing arts classes go to RealTaiji.com/lessons
Start with the Baguazhang Circle Form. Here’s the first movement, in detail.
The Hidden Qigong Meanings of the First Posture in the Baguazhang Circular Form
Steven,
Nice start! I think some historical background could be an interesting addition. Or how about a discussion on why we look at the palm in bagua? Or write some more about the practice of mud stepping, because it doesn’t appear in most of the bagua videos viewed on the internet, and yet from doing it I think it provides a more intense experience of twisting and winding the spine and the body.
Peace out,
Jason
Okay. You got it.
History is fun because it begins with Dong Hai Chuan’s failure to describe Baguazhang’s lineage. Some believe he created the art, but, like a good marketer, let people create a larger story.
Also, it’s attributed to the I-Ching and philosophical origins, yet Dong may have been illiterate; the connections to the Bagua are pretend! Possibly. So, okay, more history coming up.
Eyes on the palm: very unique and powerful…lots to write on that one.
Mud stepping: you’re right…no one does it but the Great Erle Montaigue. It’s important and potent and you know why. So okay…more on that too.
Thanks for the ideas. Please consider writing some bits on this site too, Jason.
Hello Steven, Jason, and Everyone:
I, too, would like some details on why we look at the palm, as well as why we mudstep. Though I’m pretty comfortable with my understanding of these two “why’s”, it would be nice to have them elucidated. Thanks for all you do, Steven.
Aaron
Sure, I’ll elucidate. But first, I request: please offer a short piece on your experiences and understanding. I think you’ll have good ideas.
Hello Everyone,
I’d like to make some brief comments about looking at the active hand while going through the circular form. It is a little tricky, at least it has been for me, to keep my attention on the “living” hand during the many movements that take place during the form; even the actual walking of the circle with said focus can be a challenge, specifically in balance issues during the mud step. However, over time, that fades more and more (though it certainly hasn’t entirely faded for me), and magic starts to happen.
I liken it to finding your hands when you’re dreaming; it’s electrifying and causes an intense sensation of self awareness, and it also creates a vary tangible rlationship with the surrounding environment. Keeping the eyes on the active hand produces a lot of energy in the body, directs it to the hand in play, promotes a strong sense of “eagle vision”, and, ultimately, connects the mind with the movement on a wonderful level. As for mudstepping, which is another important issue, I will share some more of my feelings on that at a later time. Thank you for this opportunity to share.
Aaron W. J.