Xuan Gong Quan -

Wudang's Northern Long Fist

Traditional training in Wudang San Feng Pai begins with the study of Xuan Gong Quan, a style of Northern long fist consisting of three basic forms (Taolu). Students often focus on this set of forms for an entire year before moving on to more advanced curriculum. There are several reasons that training begins with Xuan Gong Quan. The reasons covered in this article include: training basic coordination, consolidation of basic techniques, dynamic flexibility, and the opening of movement.

The first lessons that the new student will learn from Xuan Gong Quan concern the coordination of hands, feet, body, and eyes. In training the three forms of Xuan Gong Quan (Yi Lu, Er Lu, San Lu), one learns the basic fists and blocks of Wudang Wushu (fist, spear hand, chop etc.), and how they are delivered in coordination with the feet and the body. Along with this, something heavily stressed in Xuan Gong Quan, is the use of high kicks and jump kicks. Once basic coordination of the hands and feet has been accomplished one focuses on “Shen Fa”, or body technique, which involves the coordination of subtle movements to bring out the specifically Wudang flavor of the form – consisting of minor adjustments of the head, hips, spine, etc. Finally the student coordinates the eyes with the body movement, expressing spirit by directing intention via the eyes and face.

Another benefit of Xuan Gong Quan practice is the consolidation of basic techniques. Within the three Xuan Gong forms many of the 36 kicks are covered – often performed in rapid succession. All five of the basic stances are covered, and many hand techniques are practiced. Repeated practice of these three forms is the key to low, wide stances, and high, powerful kicks, both of which are cornerstones of Wudang Wushu.

Training the high and powerful kicks of Xuan Gong Quan helps greatly in the development and use of flexibility. Though static, stationary stretching is foundational to traditional Wudang Wushu, training in Xuan Gong long fist is a great aid in cultivating flexibility for benchmarks like the splits and chin-to-toe. Xuan Gong Quan also puts into practice flexibility previously developed, helping to coordinate great flexibility with body movement, and preserve the elasticity of the muscles and joints.

Xuan Gong Quan is a Northern style of Chinese martial arts. Generally Northern styles are characterized by intricate footwork, high kicks, and linear motion. Xuan Gong Quan is also a form of Chang Quan, or long fist. Long fist refers to a style with long, wide, and open movements. This openness of movement is perhaps the most important factor in one's early training in Xuan Gong Quan. On the one hand, training with wide, exaggerated movements of the arms and legs helps to loosen the joints and lengthen the tendons, facilitating a wider range of motion generally, and preparing the body for later internal practices that require a high degree of relaxation and flexibility. On the other hand this training familiarizes the student with power generation. They learn to relax the limbs and move from the Dan Tian.

Finally an important point in the training of Xuan Gong Quan, and in the training of forms in general, is the understanding of application. How are the movements used, and what is their purpose? Martial application provides meaning to many movements, meaning that is vital to a student's understanding of the form. But although this is an important part of training, it is far from the ultimate purpose of forms practice, as can be seen from the points above. And so one who trains forms but only focuses on the applications within is like someone who beholds a tree but is blind to the forest that surrounds them. The training of forms is a multifaceted endeavor that serves a great many purposes, and it is this versatility that makes it such a great tool for imparting and consolidating basics in Gong Fu. It is important not to let the mind be dominated by any one idea, such as “forms are only good for cultivation of flexibility”, or “forms training without heavy focus on application is merely dancing”. Truly the training of forms is a practice full of variety and subtlety, the advantages of which are only limited by the ingenuity of the practitioner. The advantages of training Xuan Gong Quan are in no way limited to the points made in this article. At best the above points are a starting place from which one can explore the purpose and usefulness of training in Xuan Gong Quan.