FENG JING CHUN

Practising Ba Gua Zhang

Xing Yi Quan movements

Xing Yi Quan movements

Xing Yi Quan movements

Master Feng Jingchun was born in a village of Tian Jin, province of Hebei, in 1928. He was a lover of wu-shu since he was a little child. In 1941, being young, he met master Zhao Ge Liang and so begun his instruction in the "gong li" ( kung-fu strength) boxing art. Later, in 1948, he studied Xing Yi boxing (Xing Yi Quan) for three years with master Han Zhi Quan and obtained, early, the "mind and will training method" of the internal arts.

In 1951 he stablished in Shen Yang and in 1954 was taken as official disciple by Huo Meng Kui in order to study the tai-chi chuan Wû style. He reached, this way, a deeper state in his understanding and comprehension of the internal martial arts . He keeps, since then, fascinated by taiji boxing. He used to study and practise during the mornings and during the afternoons and evenings too without ever quiting.

Later, he studied the "Lao Jia Liu Lu" (an ancient form of the six rutins) of the Yang style, as well as Chen style, and he´s able to perform the forms of the three styles(Wû, Yang and Chen) to both directions, indistinctly. Feng thinks that the postures of Yang style are wide and gracefull, and that they are very good for the practise and for the health. About Chen, he thinks that the alternance between softness and hardness within this style is very helpfull in the practise of " winding silk up" and "fa jinr" (emitting energy, strength, power), but there are interruptions and a very obvious "accumulation". Wû style, on the other hand, lacks of any cut or interruption or of those "accumulation" manifestations; opening and closing do mutually imply, yin and yang turn, man and heaven get together, it´s like entering a state of corporal dissolution wich is very appropriate for nei-gong training and makes it easier to attain quite high tai-chi chuan levels of practise.

Feng Jingchun is a lover of taiji quan, wu-shu, saber, the sword, and the stick, but he is a big fan of "suai jiao" (chinese free fighting) too. In 1956 he took Pu En Fu and Xing Bao Heng as offitial masters in order to learn the art of fighting. He practised Xing Yi Quan y Tai Ji Quan every morning and used to go to the ring and practise free fighting at nights. He realized that both internal arts and free fighting have a lot in commun in terms of pure mechanics. Both styles have an external form, an internal intention, they both use "attract and vacuum", and borrow strength for the attack. In tai-chi chuan is said "zhan nian lian sui" (sticking to and following the opponent) and in free fighting "ai bang ji kao" (get together and press together).

Due to this very long training, he´s achieved the fussion of both arts. When he practises pushing hands or "san shou" (combat) he tricks his opponent attracting him in false, and uses hands and arms, as well as legs and feet, making the defense very difficult. Even at his age, more than 70, no young opponent has defeated him ever.

           

I´ve always seen him in pictures or in video. I´ve asked Zhang about Feng´s back (the upper part of it is curved) and he´s explained to me that it´s due to his job. He used to carry very heavy rice sacks and one day, as he was carrying up a 100 Kg one trough a footbridge made of a single plank he fell off with the sack tied up to his body and got this injure. His body is really flexible though.

Master Feng Jing Chun is not that known in China. Although many cities, also in Rusia, have requested his teachings he always refused going abroad his land. He doesn´t like showing off. He holds an extremely high level in gong-fu though.