This is the most complete book on the art of Ba Gua Zhang ever presented in English. It tells the story of the history and legends of the art and its most famous masters as well as presenting the basic training, forms, fighting and weapons of Ba Gua Zhang. The text also includes a new translation of the classic Ba Gua 36 songs and 48 Methods as well as the Daoist meditation roots of the art and the method in which Ba Gua becomes at its ultimate level a physical and energetic manifestation of the Chinese Classic of Change, the Yi Jing. This book will be of interest not only to practitioners and enthusiasts of Ba Gua Zhang, but also to everyone who is interested in the history, philosophy and methods of Chinese Internal Martial Arts.

The art of Bagua Zhang is best known for its circular forms, yet linear fighting techniques have been incorporated into Bagua practice by many renowned masters. Liu Dekuan, a student of Dong Haichuan (the founder of Bagua Zhang), was one such master, devising a set of 64 techniques performed in straight lines. These techniques were collected and preserved by Master Liu’s disciple Gao Wencheng and his family, passed down from generation to generation. In The 64 Hands of Bagua Zhang, author Gao Jiwu—the grandson of Gao Wencheng—brings these techniques to the English-speaking world. Well known for his expertise in the 64 Hands form, Master Gao explains the history of the art, his family’s place in it, and the key principles for practice. The heart of the book is the complete set of Liu Dekuan’s 64 techniques; the solo forms are each explained in detail and then elaborated on to demonstrate their practical applications. Clear photographs fully illustrate the movements of the complete form and practice drills. Translated by Nigel Sutton, who has studied with the Gao family since the early 1980s, The 64 Hands of Bagua Zhang helps readers fully understand this form of Bagua Zhang.

The Dragon Bagua Zhang system of third-generation master Fu Zhen Song was one of the most powerful martial arts styles to emerge from 1920s China. Fu Zhen Song had a reputation as a skilled fighter and uncompromising teacher, and his Dragon Bagua style was renowned for its extensive catalog of whirling body movements and fighting techniques. In 1991 Lin Chao Zhen, Fu’s formal disciple, brought this mysterious martial art to the United States, where he practiced and taught until his death in 1997. Fu Zhen Song’s Dragon Bagua Zhang presents this challenging system in a step-by-step format, including palm forms, stepping patterns, and training methods. Originally written in Chinese by Lin Chao Zhen and translated by his son, Wei Ran Lin, this edition also features an extensive introductory section on the development of the Dragon Bagua form and the history of its lineage. The text is accompanied by 150 photographs of the late master Lin Chao Zhen demonstrating the form, as well as an illustrated two-person practice set that teaches the system’s applications for self-defense and sparring.

A comprehensive guide to the fundamentals, sequences, and applications of Baguazhang. Baguazhang is unquestionably one of the most esoteric disciplines in martial arts. Based on the eight trigrams (bagua) of the Yi Jing, it emphasizes the importance of maneuverability, evasion, and change to deflect an aggressor's attacks. Unlike martial arts systems that employ overt punches, kicks, and grappling techniques, most of the bodily weapons of the baguazhang arsenal are well concealed, agile, and smooth. Utilizing deceptive forms of footwork and body shifting, the principles and techniques in this book will help readers develop a firm foundation and build a critical skill set for this unique martial art. Longtime martial arts practitioner and author Phillip Starr introduces readers to the basics of baguazhang, showing how the movements of this widely misunderstood art can be practically applied in self-defense. Readers will learn: • Key baguazhang principles • Footholds • Basic stepping techniques, walking exercises, and postures • Proper alignments • "Mother palms," or basic exercises critical to the development of the "bagua body" Ideal for newcomers to baguazhang, this introduction elucidates the two foundational Single Change and Double Change Palms and offers a refresher for advanced practitioners looking to further explore applications for movements they already know.

Drawing on ideas from classical military strategy, the Yijing (Book of Changes), and Chinese martial arts theory, Tom Bisio presents a fascinating exploration of how insights from these sources can be deployed to manage crisis situations in all aspects of our daily lives. Suggesting approaches for cultivating a strategic mindset that can be applied to one's relationships, work, and personal self-fulfillment, Beyond the Battleground offers methods of adapting to circumstances, conserving one's own resources, and avoiding or dissolving conflict that will aid any reader navigating the uncertainties of the changing world, including the business person, military theorist, or martial artist. Deftly interweaving his background in East Asian philosophy and history and his career in traditional Chinese medicine with his lifelong interest in the martial arts and military science, Bisio also presents examples of successful strategies from history’s great commanders such as Sunzi, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and Mao Zedong.

The Taoist yogic discipline of Ba Gua is an internal form of the ancient art of kung fu--as are the much older t'ai chi and Xing I. Ba Gua is the most arcane and yogic of three sister arts--t'ai chi and Xing I are the others--and is distinguished by serpentine turning and circling momvements and its own internal energy exercises, Ba Gua Qi Gong.

"The traditional instructional verses of the Chinese martial art of baguazhang. The book includes translation (from sixteen sources) of the original texts, commentary on the meaning, and discussion of the variations in text and translation notes."--

Ba Gua Zhang (Eight Diagram Palm) is an art of unparalleled sophistication and depth. Rooted in Daoist meditation and longevity practices, and Chinese medical and martial art traditions, Ba Gua Zhang provides the practitioner with a powerful and comprehensive method of actualizing his or her own inherent internal potential. In this unique book on the art of Ba Gua Zhang, Ba Gua instructor Tom Bisio discusses the many facets of this fascinating art: *What is Ba Gua Zhang? *The Relationship of Ba Gua Zhang to the Yi Jing (Book of Changes) *Ba Gua Zhang and Daoism *Ba Gua Zhang for Exercise and Physical Fitness *Ba Gua Zhang as a Method of Physical Therapy *Suitability of Ba Gua for Different Ages and Professions *Ba Gua Zhang as Method of Promoting Health and Longevity *Health Studies on Ba Gua Zhang *Ba Gua Zhang as a Martial Art *Ba Gua Zhang as a Psycho-Spiritual Path The Art of Ba Gua Zhang is not a how-to book. It is a fascinating meditation on the art of Ba Gua Zhang and its many applications to life and living. The Art of Ba Gua Zhang reveals how practicing Ba Gua Zhang can create change in all facets of one's life, physical mental and spiritual. Philosophy, life cultivation and self-defense are seamlessly combined into Ba Gua Zhang's theories and training methods, so that both the inside and outside of a person are cultivated simultaneously. The foundational training, circular walking, and changing palms strengthen muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones, while simultaneously harmonizing the functions of the internal organs, stimulating the brain and nervous system, unblocking the meridians and fostering the development of an indomitable spirit. At its core, Ba Gua Zhang is an embodied expression of the laws of change and transformation that govern the world in which we live. In The Art of Ba Gua Zhang, Bisio explains how practicing Ba Gua Zhang not only promotes health and fitness, but also allows us to deeply and directly experience and appreciate the natu