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Interview with
Mr. Feng Zhiqiang, Chen Style
Taijiquan expert from Beijing
Brief
Biography of Mr. Feng Zhiqiang
based on the article "Opening
the river of Hunyuan, establishing
the manners in martial arts"
written by Pan Houcheng and
published in "Hunyuan Taiji"
magazine, 1/1999.
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Mr.Feng
Zhiqiang was born in 1928.
His family was from Shulu
County, Hebei Province.
His great-grandfather
was famous martial artist
who passed military examinations
and became Wuju (successful
candidate in the imperial
examinations on provincial
level) during Qing Dynasty
(1644-1911). Although
Feng's father did not
practice martial arts,
one of family relatives,
Wang Yunkai, was proficient
in Shaolin boxing and
when Feng became 8 years
old, Wang started to teach
him Tong Zi Gong (stretching
exercises), Standing Post
methods, Boddhidharma's
Yijinjing (Classic of
Changing the Tendons,
set of isometric exercises).
Feng not only learnt very
fast, but inherited his
great-grandfather's strength,and
at the age of 12 was able
to carry 200kg heavy stone
around the courtyard (this
is traditionally called
"Strength Kills Four
Gates" - Li Sha Si
Men). |
MR.FENG
ZHIQIANG
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He liked to fight and many times
taught bad youngsters in the
neighbourhood a lesson. Because
Feng, with his big eyes, looked
like a tiger, he was often called
"Tiger with Big Eyes"
(Da Yan Hu).
At the age of 12 Feng was sent
to relatives in Beiping (today's
Beijing) to learn repairing
electric appliances. One of
his neighbours there was a Tongbei
expert (also skillful in point
striking and "Light Skill"
- Qinggong) from famous Cangzhou
County in Hebei Province, Han
Xiaofeng. Feng studied under
Han's guidance for four years,
not only learning Tongbeiquan,
but also Red Sand Palm skill
(hands hardening method), kicking
wooden posts and striking sand
bags. Feng was able to break
five bricks with one hand strike.
At the end of 40s there
were two martial artists very
famous in Beijing - Xinyiquan
(Xingyiquan) master Hu Yaozhen
from Shanxi Province, called
"One Finger Shakes Heaven
and Earth" (Dan Zhi Zhen
Qiankun), expert not only
in martial arts, but also
traditional Chinese medicine
and Taoist meditation methods;
the second was Chen Fake,
17th generation inheritor
of Chen style Taijiquan. At
the age of 20 Feng Zhiqiang
through introduction of one
of his gongfu brothers (who
was from the same town as
Hu Yaozhen) met Hu Yaozhen.
Hu criticized Feng's practice
methods saying they were "ruining
his body". To make Feng
understand better what he
was talking about, Hu asked
Feng to hit him. In spite
of using whole strength Feng
was easily defeated by Hu
who only used one finger against
him. As the result Feng knelt
in front of Hu Yaozhen and
started his Neijia boxing
studies. Feng studied Liuhe
Xinyi Quan under Hu's guidance
for two years first learning
Qi gathering methods, nourishing
Qi, practising Intention and
Qi, Santi standing, Dantian
Methods, Wuxingquan (Five
Elements Fists), Twelve Shapes,
24 Hands.
HU
YAOZHEN
(1879-1973)
native of Yuci in Shanxi
Province; famous martial
artist, expert in Qigong
and traditional Chinese
medicine (TCM). Graduated
from Shanxi Chuanzhi
Medical School; learnt
from many masters of
martial arts (internal
styles of Taiji, Bagua
and Xingyi), Buddhist
and Taoist meditation,
TCM; received secret
transmission of Buddhist
and Taoist meditation,
and on the basis of
his experience in medicine
and internal martial
arts methods created
"Hu Yaozhen's Still
and Moving Qigong";
in 1942 in Taiyuan set
up Martial Arts Academy
of Shanxi Province and
became its president.
Wrote several books:
"Qigong and Health
Preserving", "Qigong",
"Hua Tuo's Five
Animals Play",
etc. According to Mr.Feng
Zhiqiang, Hu Yaozhen
studied Xingyiquan from
Wang Fuyuan (Liu Qilan's
disciple) and his disciple
Peng Tingjuan, which
classifies Hu's style
as Hebei Xingyiquan.
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Hu
Yaozhen (1879-1973)
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It is important to note that
the practitioners in the lineage
of Wang Fuyuan, who live in
Yuci in Shanxi, call their
art Xinyiquan (Mind and Intention
Boxing), although in other
areas it is generally known
as Xingyiquan (Form and Intention
Boxing) and should not be
confused with original Xinyi
styles of Dai Family or Henan
Moslem branch. (JS)
After two years of diligent
studies under Hu Yaozhen's
guidance, Feng Zhiqiang's
internal skills reached high
level - not only his Large
Heavenly Circle and Three
Dantians were opened, but
also there was a small ball
of Qi that could circulate
freely along his body at his
will, Five Bows were developed
so that his body was full
of elastic power. Hu Yaozhen
realised that his disciple
had not only inborn talent
for martial arts, but was
also a person who could in
the future synthesize and
bring to highest development
arts he learnt and establish
his own style. Hu decided
that Feng should also study
other martial arts and not
be limited to only one style.
For this reason he introduced
Feng to his good friend, Chen
style Taijiquan expert, Chen
Fake. Hu suggested that Feng
learnt from Chen while at
the same time continuing his
studies of Xinyi Internal
Methods. Since that moment
Feng was practising even harder
than before, getting up at
4 in the morning and practising
until 11 for seven hours.
He was exercising both Xinyi
and Taiji, Internal and External
Methods, standing and moving
techniques, single techniques
and routines as well as pushing
hands. During eight years
from 1950 till 1957, Chen
Fake corrected Feng's routine
eight times, so that Feng
was able to understand its
inner meanings and true practice
methods.
(1)(2)(3)(4)
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