Ba Gua: Hidden Knowledge in the Taoist Internal Martial Art

Hsing-han Liu, John Bracy

North Atlantic Books, 1998 - Health & Fitness - 138 pages

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.

What people are saying

Review BA GUA Hidden Knowledge in the Taoist

User Review  - quietwarriorxx1806 - Overstock.com

Very entertaining and well written. I especially like the ideas delivered on the qualities of using Yin and Yang energies within the art of Ba Gua

User Review -

An amazing and inspiring book. I practiced Bagua some years ago, but left the study because of life events. I am so glad that I found this book and bought it.
I was re-inspired and have since found a small bagua group to practice with nearby. Highly recommended.
Jon Z.

Contents

• The Tao of Ba Gua: 1
• Internal Power and Internal Martial Arts: 5
• What Happened to the Ancient Knowledge of Internal Energy?: 21
• Checking for Unconscious Participation: 28
• The Arcane Mysterious and Symbolic in Ba Gua Zhang: 31
• YinYang and Chinese Cosmology: 37
• The Ba Gua body: 41
• Mental Emotional and Spiritual Principles: 44
• The Four Precious Methods: 48
• Ba Gua Qi Gong: 57
• Five Methods Eight Gates: 63
• Ba Gua TwoMan Application Drills: 79
• TwoMan Drill Number I: 81
• TwoMan Drill Number 2: 86
• TwoMan Drill Number 3: 93
• Ba Gua Applications for SelfDefense: 101
• Defense from rear push: 102
• Response to a Boxers Left Jab: 104
• Defense from A Rear Leg Roundhouse Kick: 108
• Unarmed Defender Against Knife Attack: 112
• Solution for Left Cross Body Hook: 116
• In Conclusion: 121
• Notes: 123
• Bibliography: 131
• Index: 135
• About the Authors: 139

About the author

Liu Xing-Han, of Beijing, China, is the last of the fourth-generation Ba Gua disciples. He began his martial arts studies in 1917. In 1996 he was the subject of a China National Television documentary commemorating his life's work, and has been written about in Chinese magazines, martial art journals, and newspapers. In the United States several issues of Pa Kua Journal, including its debut edition, covered his work. He is the author of three books on Ba Gua in China. He continues to teach the internal tradition.

John Bracy became a fifth-generation lineaged disciple of Ba Gua Zhang in 1988. He founded the Hsing Chen School of Internal Martial Arts in Costa Mesa, California in 1976 and has continued as a director since it incorporated in 1990/ He has studied at advanced levels in the United States, Taiwan, mainland China and has attained advanced rankings and honors in several styles of traditional kung fu. As a graduate exchange student in Taiwan, he researched psychotheraputic applications of acupuncture.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Ba Gua: Hidden Knowledge in the Taoist Internal Martial Art
• Authors: Hsing-han Liu, John Bracy
• Editor: Hsing-han Liu
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: North Atlantic Books, 1998
• ISBN: 1556432763, 9781556432767
• Length: 138 pages
• Subjects: Health & Fitness / Exercise; Health & Fitness / Reference; Sports & Recreation / Martial Arts & Self-Defense