Yi Quan, Xing Yi Quan, Tai Ji Quan, and Ba Gua Zhang are the main internal styles of martial arts. Xing Yi Quan has approximately a thousand years history and it was founded by general Yue Fei.

Xing Yi Quan means “to use the form to reach the mind, and to use the mind to master the form”. It is a very unique style of Gong Fu. In ancient times, at the Shaolin temple, it was treated as a very valuable secret. Only the abbot could practice it, passing his knowledge only to his successor. It was only approximately two centuries ago that it became known outside the Shaolin temple.

The greatest practioners of the style were Li Luo Neng e Guo Yun Shen, who left their mark on the history of martial arts in China.  Guo Yun Shen was famous for his techinique knows as Ban Bu Beng Quan.

Xing Yi Quan’s practice is made of five techiques (5 fists): Pi, Beng, Zhuan, Pao, Heng, collectively known as Wu Xing Quan, and its highest level is called Wu Xing Lian Huan Zu He Quan. The power of this strike is very great, its development is limitless, especially the movement called Gui Che Duan. There’s a saying in China that says: “Those who reach this level of level of development may conquer half a world”.

There are twelve animal forms in this style: horse, Lion, rooster, serpent, eagle, gibbon, crane, dragon, bear, tiger, monkey, and hawk. Its essence is in the strength, not in the mimicking of movements. The horse’s strength is in the gallop, the lion’s is ins the roar, the rooster’s is in the walk, the serpent’s is in the malleability, the eagle’s is in the stare, the gibbon’s is in the cleverness, the crane’s is in the standing, the dragon’s is ins the flexibility, the bear’s is in the fixation of the standing position, the tiger’s is in the seating, the monkey’s is in the agility of the claw, and the hawk’s is in the violence with which its claw is used.

To know more, read the article:

 How Xing Yi was created