Intention, action – reaction, Yin – Yang, quietness and movement, be and stand, are some of the words that sounds to the Yiquan students. Yiquan, also know as Dachengquan, means the successful achievement of martial arts, although the original meaning makes reference to use of mind. In China, the cradle of Martial Arts, a system with forms transcends “kuen” is a paradox that at the same time, bright above them. A martial art system, which even Bruce Lee knee from one of his master, Liang Zi Peng, who was one of the first masters who introduce Yiquan in Hong Kong. The Yiquan, developed by Master Wang Xiang zhai, is based on the Xing Yi concepts, Bagua zhang steps and flexibility, the relaxation and sensitiveness of Taiji quan and the projection and chin na techniques of several Chinese martial Arts. Xing Yi Bagua Zhang Taiji Quan The following interview to Master C.S Tang, master of Yiquan and other internal martial arts was registered last March 2007, during his visit to Barcelona to instruct several seminars of Yiquan, Bagua zhang and Taiji quan. 1.- Besides Yiquan, have you learnt other Chikung (QiGong) system? I started learning Shaolin Yi Jin Jing (Changue Tendon Scripture) from my father. Later I practiced the Ba Duan Jing (Eight Sections Brocade) from my first Yiquan teacher, Mr. Chan Yuet Sun. Afterwards my Bagua sifu, He KeCai, taught me the Xiao Zhou Tian QiGong. I also learned a very strong Qi “Iron Back” Qiqong from an old latent master. In Foshan, I practiced the Golden Bell Hood Qigong (Jin Zhong Zhao) and the secret eight postures of Wu Gong Zao’s Taiji NeiQong. In Tianjin, I learned the Bagua Tian Gan Neiqong. In Beijing, I learned Hun Yuan Qigong, Chan Si Qong and Taiji Ruler from Chen style Hunyuan Taiji Quan master Feng Zi Qiang. 2.- Most of the Chikung system talks mainly of the therapeutic aspects. Is the origin of Yiquan perhaps to fill a gap in the martial art to develop fast and deeper Chi power? Qigong can be divided into Wen Gong and Wu Gong. Wen Gong means gentle boiling and was mainly developed for healing purpose. Wu Gong is to force the Chi to generate explosive power to be applied in marital arts. Yiquan considers both sides. It starts with gentle feeling and then pushes to strong flowing. Yiquan can build up the Chi faster and deeper. Apart from the above Chikung, there are others martial art - Chikung exercises that can build Chi, such as Qi Ying Gong , Shaolin Small Golden Bell, most of them can develop the strong Chi. When you say Chikung for health, you normally mean Taoist Qigong. They practice in a very quiet environment to increase the blood circulation. This would improve health but it is not the method to be used for martial arts applications. Yiquan does not belong to Taoism Qigong. It does not insist on breathing exercises. Actually a practitioner gathers the internal Chi of oneself so Chi would flow through all your body to make it like a balloon - filling the body with lead, and the muscles become strengthened and will expand. Then the whole body becomes a bigger and bigger balloon, and in this way it becomes powerful. 　 3.- Is Yiquan a good system or may be it is too hard (difficult) for the beginners? Yes, it is good for beginners because it does not have too many postures. it is simple and easy, and it does not emphasize the breathing. What we concentrate on is, Relaxation and intention. Going through the relaxation and intention exercises, your muscle can really relax and then the bones maintain the skeleton so that the structure does not collapse. This would also be beneficial for your practice in other martial arts. 4.- How you breath? Breathing with your Dan Tian or with reverse breathing for Fajing? Do you breathe in any specific way? Yiquan does not emphasize the reverse breathing; it only uses natural breathing. The founder said: “Your breathing must be comfortable to build your foundation”. Fa Jing is a process of relaxation and tightening. With the coordination of these two factors, combined by using the knees, the fists and to get the best use of ground power, pressing diaphragm and hardening stomach, response to our reflex action and pass it to our stance in order to complete the process of Fa Jing. 5.- If we always be alert, would it be not good for our health? We must say that extreme alert is in order to keep us to have a good spirit or at an exciting and aggressive status in daily work. When we have to solve our daily problems or the troublesome work, we can make quick decisions. But this is different from our health stand. If we practice the combat stance all the time, we can concentrate in it for 5 minutes to 10 minutes. If you stand too long, you are using up your energy and your whole spirit and Qi. You are burning away your Qi and it will be wasted. You will be exhausted because of this over consumption. This will be bad for your health and your liver. So this is why the predecesor always said that you must stand in meditation health stance instead of standing in combat stance. “Cherish”, is to generate your Qi from inside of your body gradually. Do not push it. Therefore if you stand for over half hour, keep the cherish stance. 6.- What is the difference between the Taiji Quan (heel toe) and Bagua (slide toe and heel step)? Taiji and Bagua both emphasize circular movements, but Yiquan emphasize “opposite power”; that means contract and expand. In the old days, Taiji Quan also practiced a low stance then move at solid foot to forward and backward. However, in order to avoid knee pain, Taiji changes to release the knee first before we take a step. However, once you release your power, it is a good timing for your enemy to attack you. Bagua Zhang used a way of stepping to move forward and backward by forcing the back leg to push the front leg to move. This would train the muscle of the legs and develop the explosive power. Your front leg must slide forward and step strongly to attack your enemy. This is the purpose of the combat. If you can keep this requirement during walking the circles, your feet are trained as if quantitative jogging for all day. This is aerobic exercise and will keep your body strong. 7. Which are the stances you practice more and why? For the beginners, I suggest to train the holding the ball in front position, Then start duration for a few minutes, this is easier for you to concentrate and since the hands position is low and not holding up at the chest, this posture would not let you feel tired or trembling. But when you practice it for a certain period, try to make a solid stance with both hands holding a hard ball at the chest, the big Hunyuan Zhuang and strengthen like an eagle. So with both hands holding a ball tightly, all your Qi expand like the Chi blowing up the car tyre, and then go to fill up all your body. You can now practice combat stance, standing at side posture, like the hooking eyebrow stance, Lance and Shield Stance, that will strengthen the muscle of your legs and your power can be usable and developed.