Home page What is Chuanzhang? | Table of contents page "Zhuanzhang" style Baguazhang combat theory ~ A guardian martial art that enables mobile guerrilla warfare by maintaining momentum and acts as a decoy to protect the royal family

"Zhuanzhang" style Baguazhang combat theory ~ A guardian martial art for the weak that enables mobile guerrilla warfare by maintaining momentum and acts as a decoy to protect the royal family

(This page was updated on December 19, 2024.)

Introduction. Can you beat someone in terms of physical strength and physique? You can't, so I want you to know about "Tensho".

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Why did I ask the question at the beginning? You will understand the reason if you listen to what I am about to say. Because I will reveal here what is most important for the weak to fulfill their escort and self-defense.

The most important thing in the technique system of weak self-defense and weak escort is maintaining "momentum". Chinese soldiers were physically weaker than those of neighboring countries. Therefore, the battlefield martial arts that were established after the Chinese dynasty became a world empire that generally carried out expeditions all placed emphasis on mobility. Emphasizing mobility means maintaining momentum.

The founder of "Zhuanzhang", Master Dong Haichuan, was a eunuch. A eunuch is a castrated male official. His physical strength declined due to the decrease in male hormones and the post-operative course of the castration surgery. He could not use martial arts that were intended for use by strong people. Master Dong Haichuan started with the mobility of ancient Chinese soldiers and created a martial art that even eunuchs could serve as guards. That is "Zhuanzhang". In other words, "momentum" was the one and only element that could not be left out of "Zhuanzhang".

With momentum, you can engage in mobile guerrilla warfare, and even if you are faced with an unfavorable battle situation against a large number of people, you can survive for a certain period of time and act as a decoy guard.

With momentum, you can launch a surprise attack, and even if there are many enemies, you can attract all of them to yourself.

With momentum, you don't have to stand in front of a strong person, and you are less likely to be attacked by brute force.

In other words, "Zhuanzhang" is a martial art that shares a common destiny with "momentum". "Zhuanzhang-style Baguazhang" does not deviate from the principle of being used by the weak. For a martial art that is based on the premise of being used by the weak, "momentum" is an indispensable element. Therefore, this supremacy of "momentum" is also adhered to in Zhuanzhang-style Baguazhang.

Today, many dojos and instructors say, "XX is important in Baguazhang" based on their own positions and principles. The most commonly mentioned techniques are "spirals," "irregular attacks," and "flexible walking."

These do not apply to "chuanzhang" and "chuanzhang style baguazhang."

Techniques such as "spirals," which deal with the enemy at hand, were important elements in the process of abandoning the mobile guerrilla style and becoming the modern martial art of baguazhang, which assumes victory in one-on-one, inter-school matches. The assumption that users of this baguazhang are strong male practitioners changed.

Are you blessed with a good physique? If you can win by being physically superior, the contents of this page will not resonate with you. However, if you are not confident in your physical condition, or are a woman or child, the contents should give you hope.

On this page, I would like to explain the theory of combat from the perspective of how to maintain "momentum," the most important element in Chuanzhang and Chuanzhang-style Baguazhang, how to use "momentum" to create the possibility of survival in battles against multiple people, strong opponents, or weapons, and why "momentum" is indispensable as a defense martial art.

"Chuanzhang" was established and recognized as a guardian martial art that sold itself as "a martial art that even eunuchs and court ladies could use to guard royalty in battles against many people, strong opponents, and weapons."

The style, which relies on "momentum" and is intended for use by weaker people, was a style that was recognized by the Qing dynasty royalty.

When Baguazhang was established, it was called "Chuanzhang." It is thought that the name was given because the method of attacking the enemy (anti-enemy body method) in the midst of mobile guerrilla warfare involved turning one's body to attack.

The purpose of the martial art "Chuanzhang" is to protect oneself for a certain period of time and act as a decoy, even in overwhelmingly unfavorable situations against many people, strong opponents, and weapons, and to protect the person one should protect (Qing dynasty royalty and their favorite concubine). And it was assumed that the users would be eunuchs, court ladies, and palace ladies.

The martial arts that gained fame from the late Qing to the early Republic of China were generally those that "strong men, or men who were expected to fight in their daily lives, faced the enemy and fought with well-trained techniques and strength."

Baguazhang was born as a martial art that could be used by eunuchs and court ladies, who were disadvantaged in terms of physique and strength, to protect others, which was extremely unusual for martial arts at the time.

This is thought to have included the intentions and ambitions of its founder, Dong Haichuan, who became a eunuch.

If it was a martial art that could be used by court ladies, court ladies, and eunuchs, and could also be used as a guarding technique, there was a possibility that it would be adopted as a martial art for use within the palace. Being recognized by the Qing Dynasty royal family's Prince's Office was a great source of authority at the time.

A tragic decoy escort martial art created by low-ranking people in a strict class-based society during the era of rule by a specific ethnic group

If it is a martial art practiced by officials in the palace, its founder, Master Dong, will be selected as a martial arts instructor in the palace. Being recognized by the Qing Dynasty royal family and becoming a martial arts instructor at the residence of Prince Su, a prestigious family, means a great advancement.

Eunuchs, castrated male officials, were of low rank and were often the subject of contempt. Since ancient times in China, there was even a custom of growing beards because people did not want to be mistaken for eunuchs.

From the perspective of the ruling class Manchu people, the lives of eunuchs, who were of lower-ranking Han ethnicity, were of extremely low value. Even if their lives were taken by decoy guards, there were "plenty of alternatives."

On the other hand, eunuchs also had great benefits in serving in the palace. If they rose to prominence in the palace, they could even turn their low status around in one fell swoop (in the successive Chinese dynasties, there were even eunuchs who were the cause of the downfall of their countries. During the Qing Dynasty, there were even measures in place to prevent eunuchs from being tyrannical).

Even if they couldn't turn their status around, they could have food while serving in the palace. In fact, just having food was a big attraction for the common people at the time.

The Taiping Rebellion was a turbulent time in which many lives were taken, including those of common people. Even if you didn't become a eunuch and lived as a commoner, you never knew when your life could be taken. In the great powers' invasion and large urban areas, many opium addicts were running rampant, and the authority of the Qing Dynasty was declining. The provinces were full of remnants of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom army and bandits, and the security situation was poor.

So some people must have thought about becoming eunuchs to make a living.

If you serve in the imperial court, your livelihood is guaranteed. If you gain some form of honor or title, your future livelihood is also guaranteed. Even if your life is taken in the midst of guarding, you will receive great honor and your family left behind may have a guaranteed livelihood.

Becoming a eunuch involves great risks, including the risk of losing your life during the castration surgery, but for some people it was an attractive position worth risking their life for.

In order to realize the "decoy guarding technique," you "protect yourself" for a certain amount of time to buy time. This self-defense technique is directly linked to self-defense techniques.

The founder, Dong Haichuan, bet his future on the possibility of creating something that was in demand within the imperial court and becoming a pioneer in that field, thereby achieving social success.

Since ancient times, those who became guardians or assassins for the royal family lost their lives under the enemy's blade, with the assurance that the lives of their remaining families would be guaranteed and that their families would be honored.

Assassins are even more tragic. As an assassin, you are killed almost on the spot. A good example is Zhuan Zhu, who used a fish intestine sword to assassinate the then King of Wu, Liao, for Helu, who would later become Sun Tzu's master. Zhuan Zhu succeeded in the assassination, but was killed on the spot by the King of Wu's aide.

That was the general fate of assassins and guardians. Decoy guards are a tragic guarding style born out of a strict class-based society, and are a tragic guarding style adopted by those of low rank.

Guards do not engage in frontal combat with the enemy, but continue to move to places where there are no enemies. If they stay in front of the enemy, they will be defeated in an instant by the enemy's strong physique and powerful weapon, putting the important person in danger.

While continuing to move and avoiding the enemy, they will loudly announce any abnormal situation. During that time, the guards become decoys. There are many such officials, and each time one is defeated, he becomes a decoy. Due to the law of lightning surprise attack, which will be described later, the decoys sometimes launch a surprise attack, so it is not possible to calmly attack the person who is scheduled to attack. In other words, as long as the decoy is alive, the assassin will never be able to lay hands on the important person. "Zhuanzhang" was established and recognized as a guarding martial art that allows eunuchs and court ladies to guard royal families in battles against many people, strong opponents, and weapons. Eventually, full-scale help from the allies will arrive and the important person will be protected.

This method of defending important people can sometimes cost the guards their lives. As mentioned above.

That is the extremely realistic and clear point of late Qing Dynasty style Baguazhang. Women and eunuchs, who are physically and physically weak, do not turn a blind eye to the most tragic aspects in order to actually protect important people.

If we turn a blind eye, he brings up advanced theories that are unlikely to be mastered right now, and makes people expect that they will be able to actually protect the palace once they have mastered them, in order to gain the trust of the palace or gather disciples. People hesitate to openly declare that in this martial art, they may sacrifice themselves. However, late Qing Baguazhang is firmly committed to this point.

Without "momentum," there is no survival in combat against many people, strong opponents, or weapons. Without "momentum," there is no development of Baguazhang.

There is a certain persuasiveness to the theory that, as a eunuch, and in order to gain recognition (to gain demand) within the palace, he created a martial art that could be used by court ladies and eunuchs based on the martial arts he had previously studied (battlefield sword techniques).

Because there was no way that a martial art suitable for court ladies and eunuchs could have been established in China at that time. Almost all martial arts that existed at that time were for strong men. If they were not for men, there would be no demand in China and the schools would not flourish (martial arts passed down through family traditions are an exception).

Distance self-defense has long been an effective method of self-defense on the battlefield. However, no other martial art has been so focused on survival that it has been unified with the diagonal backward slide technique, which sacrifices attack and prioritizes "not hitting" the enemy rather than "hitting" it. This is proof that the assumption was that the user was weak.

If you create a guard martial art for palace servants with the eye-catching feature that "even eunuchs, court ladies, and palace ladies can use it to protect the royal family," and it is recognized by the royal family and adopted as a martial art that palace officials should master, you can become a martial arts instructor as the founder of that martial art. This will be a big promotion.

In fact, "Zhuanzhang" spread rapidly after its ability was recognized by the palace of Prince Su, a prestigious royal family of the Qing dynasty, and Dong became a martial arts instructor. The theory of Bagua Yin-Yang was added to "Zhuanzhang" to make it "Bagua Zhang," and the high-class quality was given to it, which further increased the speed of its spread.

"Zhuanzhang" was born, recognized, and spread throughout China. The premise was that the fundamental objective was to "protect oneself for a certain period of time and act as a decoy to protect those one should protect (Qing Dynasty royalty and their favorite concubines) even in overwhelmingly unfavorable situations against many people, strong opponents, and weapons."

The most important element in achieving this objective is "momentum." Without momentum, the martial art would not be able to cope with combat against many people, strong opponents, and weapons, and would not be adopted as a martial art for guarding the royal palace. "Zhuanzhang" would not have spread widely in the world and would not have even been named "Baguazhang."

Adopting momentum as an element for surviving "against many, strong people, and weapons" battles

Without momentum, there would have been no "survival" in the battles envisioned when creating "Tshunshou"

"Momentum" means to continue moving forward with high speed and propulsive force. It is also the momentum. Sun Tzu's Art of War uses an entire chapter to explain the importance of momentum, and it has been highly valued in Chinese military strategy and military tactics since ancient times.

Without momentum, you cannot survive against many opponents. If you become a stationary target, you will be surrounded in an instant.

Without momentum, you cannot deal with the brute force of a strong man. If you stay still, you will continue to receive the brute force of a strong man on the spot.

Without momentum, you cannot continue to dodge slashing attacks from weapons. Without momentum, the enemy will close the distance and cut you to pieces. Eunuchs and court ladies without armor or weapons cannot keep dodging the slashing blows of blades with their dexterity.

Mobile guerrilla warfare using momentum is not an easy way to fight. It only creates the "possibility" of survival.

It is important to always keep in mind that fighting against multiple people is an extremely unfavorable situation for you.

Only by mastering the principles of the ancient Baguazhang technique, that is, the principle of "Zhuanzhang", does the "possibility" of survival arise in fighting against multiple people. Just because you have mastered the principle of "Zhuanzhang" does not mean you can always "survive." "Zhuanzhang" is not magic.

Then why do you fight in such a way that puts you at a disadvantage? Some people ask. Should you make the enemy chase you and strike while moving away?

Then try to attack and defend while staying in front of the enemy. A weaker person with inferior strength and stamina will succumb to a brute force attack within 30 seconds of the start of the fight.

Regardless of whether you practice martial arts or not, a person who does not practice moving strikes can maintain top initial speed and move for about 30 seconds. During that time when the enemy can move at full speed, the weaker person must at least defend against the enemy's attack.

In the world of Kyokushin Karate, which is famous for its practical karate, there is a practical secret that a "five consecutive strikes" attack can land an attack on an opponent with high defensive skills. It takes a karate practitioner less than 10 seconds to strike five consecutive strikes.

In other words, if the weaker person stays in front of a strong enemy, he or she will be overwhelmed and defeated within 30 seconds, and become a victim in the field of self-defense.

By using the technique of the single palm technique of "Tensho" to keep distance and dodge attacks many times, the battle will be long, but the weaker person can survive during that time. Enemies who are not used to mobile guerrilla warfare will start to stop moving regardless of their will to fight after about 30 seconds.

Leave that point. Endurance is absolutely necessary. Next, I will show you a way to fight with endurance in mind.

Use "momentum" and fight in the realm of endurance that the weaker person can improve through daily preparation. Don't settle it all in one go.

Do you know how sailing ships fought in the old days?

At that time, there was no self-propelling ability due to steam or engines, so ships had to catch the wind and fight. In battle, a lot of time was spent trying to get to the windward position, which was considered to be an advantageous position.

On the vast ocean surface, each ship spent hours, or even days, "fighting" to get to the windward position. The "battle" began before the two sides "fiercely fired cannons at each other" or "made contact with each other and moved into hand-to-hand combat."

And it was this stage, which seems to be a prelude to the battle, that decided the outcome of the battle.

In order to choose "to destroy with cannons or to engage in hand-to-hand combat" according to one's own will, one had to place one's ships upwind and obtain the conditions to maneuver them as one pleases, such as approaching, moving away, and turning.

The "Tensho" battle is the same. In "Tensho", I move forward to a place in front of the enemy where there are no enemies. The enemy pursues from the rear or side. I cannot catch up because I look straight ahead and maintain my momentum, so I move to the side and approach from the side.

This is guiding the battle with my will. I drag the enemy into the vortex of a moving guerrilla battle and make them experience "approaching and being dodged" over and over again.

At this time, I always deal with it with a diagonal backward slide, which is the technique of Tan-Hansho. "Dodge with a diagonal backward slide without slowing down your forward speed as much as possible, then continue moving forward to a place in front of the enemy where there are no enemies..." Repeat this over and over, gradually draining the enemy's stamina, and when the enemy's feet stop, I make a sudden withdrawal by kilometers.

You don't shake off the enemy's pursuit with one blow, one shot, or in an instant. By repeating it over and over again, you gradually take away the enemy's offensive ability (physical strength, will to fight, etc.).

"Dan Huan Shang" is the most basic way to deal with attacks while maintaining momentum in the midst of a multi-person mobile guerrilla warfare.

"Dan Huan Shang" is the most basic movement to deal with enemy attacks from the diagonal rear or side, where maintaining momentum is most at risk in the midst of a multi-person mobile guerrilla warfare.

Fanshin Senri・Toura Seisou

There are various techniques for "Tshun Shang". The most representative of these is Tan Huan Shang.

In fact, the principle of Tan Huan Shang is the simplest, most typical, and well-thought-out way to avoid losing momentum and pass the enemy when the enemy attacks from the side or diagonal rear while moving and maintaining momentum, which is the most dangerous time for an attack and defense that relies on momentum.

The vast majority of practitioners do not know this part. You can think of all forms other than Tan Huan Shang and Shuang Huan Shang as variations.

Most practitioners believe the words of their instructors who do not understand this point, and without even thinking about the deeper meaning of Tan Huan Shang, they quickly finish Tan Huan Shang and only practice other forms, especially long continuous forms (Taolu).

This is the same as only experiencing the derivative parts without deepening an understanding of the principle. It cannot be used with experience alone. It should be acquired, mastered, and made possible to be unleashed even unconsciously. Some instructors should immediately shift to further refining Tan Huan Zhang.

The task of refining Tan Huan Zhang takes a lot of time. The movements are simple, but the more you practice, the more you will see patterns and tricks that can be refined further as your sense of your opponent improves. I myself still spend more than two hours a day on the theory of Tan Huan Zhang.

Therefore, in the "Bagua Zhang Water Style Hall," we spend a lot of time on training Tan Huan Zhang and Shuang Huan Zhang. To repeat, the other Chuan Zhang forms in "Chuan Zhang" and the techniques of Lao Ba Zhang in the Liang School of Baguazhang are also variations of Tan Huan Zhang and Shuang Huan Zhang.

Various weapons are also performed using the diagonal backward slide against the enemy body method, which is the technique of "single exchange palm."

In fact, various weapon techniques are also performed using the technique of single exchange palm and double exchange palm. And the basic form practiced is almost the same as the standard eight palms of each school of Baguazhang. There are five types of weapon techniques handed down by Shuishikikan: Zhuan Shang Dao, Yushin Daitou, Double Spear, Double Short Stick (Double Dagger), and Renshin Fuji Pai.

Although there are many, they all use the technique learned in single exchange palm and double exchange palm, so it doesn't take as long to master as you might think. Below is a comparison of the Zhuan Shang Dao form with bare hands.

  • Sword pressing (antou)... "single palm", "Fu palm", "spread palm", "pushing palm"
  • Yin-Yang upper cutting sword (inyojouzantou)... "single palm", "double palm", "Fu palm", "cover palm", "cross palm"
  • Upper flipping sword (johonsaito)... "double palm", "Fu palm", "cover palm"
  • Ryointou (loose yin sword) ... "Dan Huan Shang", "Shuang Huan Shang", "Ryo Shang", "Gai Shang"
  • Haishintou (back body sword) ... "Dan Huan Shang", "Shuang Huan Shang", "Zen Shang"

Weapon techniques often use the technique theory of "turning your back to the enemy for a moment (abduction and turning the body) diagonally backwards" learned in Shuang Huan Shang (or Yin Yang Fish Palm). In fact, Shuang Huan Shang is the prototype of weapon techniques. It can be said that the prototype of unarmed techniques is Tan Huan Shang, but the principle is still Tan Huan Shang's diagonal backwards slide against the enemy's body.

※When unarmed, you can move your hand more quickly than when holding a weapon, so Tan Huan Shang, which has a relatively small movement, was established, refined, and developed into a major basic technique.

Knowing how to use the single hand palm in the midst of a guerrilla war against a large number of people means knowing the theory of "Junshou" combat.

The diagonal backward slide of the single hand palm is very effective against enemies from the side or diagonal rear while moving forward.

By combining the "diagonal backward slide with a momentary backsliding (external abduction)" learned in the double hand palm or the main hand palm styles "Fu hand palm style" and "Gai hand palm style", it becomes possible to avoid sudden approaches from enemies in all directions (enemies directly behind you can be dealt with by moving forward using momentum).

The top priority is to master the theory of the single hand palm technique, which involves not staying in front of the enemy's eyes, but continuing to move while maintaining momentum, drawing the enemy backwards, and only dealing with enemies that come into view with a diagonal backward slide.

The principle of Seishou as a guardian martial art - the principle of using momentum to prevent important people from being attacked by lightning strikes

However, when fighting against a large number of moving guerrillas, enemies also appear in the front. In order to overcome this weakness, a method of dealing with enemies in front was devised.

Also, if you keep moving by sliding diagonally backwards, multiple enemies will suspect that you are "just running away" and will try to aim their attack at important people.

In order to keep multiple enemies constantly paying attention to you, you need to continue to threaten them with lightning strikes at key points in the midst of guerrilla warfare. That's why we use the principle of Seishou, the anti-enemy body technique of the front enemy slide evasion attack.

This is the application of the diagonal backward slide to the front.

Front enemy slide evasion attack. This order is important.

Many practitioners attack in the following order when attacking an enemy in front: attack, slide, dodge. This means that as soon as you attack, your power will collide with the enemy, your momentum will be reduced, your movement speed will drop, and you will be captured by the surrounding enemies.

Don't attack first. First, "slide." Enter while sliding even a little. This will allow you to maintain your momentum. As long as you maintain your momentum, you will not be captured by the enemy in front or the enemy approaching from behind.

I'll say it again. When it comes to the enemy in front, it's "slide, dodge, attack." All of the "single attack" forms for enemies in front that we teach at our school are in this order. Please take a good look at this. Please be aware of this again from tomorrow's practice. By sliding first, you can first defend and dodge by moving, and then put your hand out (attack) as you leave.

Please watch my video again. When someone makes a pointless remark like "attacking a stationary target," that person is basically saying that they don't know anything about the theory of "Chun Shang." The focus is off. Anyone who understands "Chun Shang" will find the principle of sliding movement even in the forward enemy movement attack.

You slide slightly to avoid the attack, and then put your hand out as you leave. That's why your hand hits the back of the enemy's neck. This principle is also a way of dealing with the enemy using momentum. "The principle of momentum." It is the anti-enemy body technique for forward enemy slide evasion attacks.

I hope you understand that "Chun Shang" and "Chun Shang Style Baguazhang" place importance on momentum. I wrote "combat theory," but it's not difficult. It's an attack and defense without clashing forces. This is what "Chun Shang" is, and it is an essential point for it to be a martial art that is intended for use by the weak.

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