Origins and the Eight Fundamentals

Blog · September 2015

The Devastating Style of Hsing-I, Part 1: Origins and the Eight Fundamentals

Adapted for the web from Sifu James W. McNeil's newsletter, lightly edited. Sifu McNeil is the Gate Keeper of the Little Nine Heaven Wu Tao System and the teacher of Sifu Ajay Kumra, who teaches privately in Santee, California.

Origins

General Fueh Fei (Yue Fei, 1103–1142) is given credit for developing the devastating style of Hsing-I during the Sung dynasty (A.D. 960–1279). General Fueh was a faithful and loyal fighter in the wars against the foreign tribes. He learned Hsing-I and passed the style on to his troops, giving rise to the saying, "it is easier to fight a mountain than to fight the army of General Fueh Fei." He was later jailed and put to death for political reasons.

After Fueh Fei, the art was passed on by Chi Lung Feng, who was born at the end of the Ming dynasty. He was honest and generous, and his fighting skills were good, but he was not satisfied, because he believed there was something better. He traveled extensively between 1638 and 1661 seeking a teacher with the best fighting skills. His dream came true when he met an enigmatic Taoist near the foot of the Chung Nan Mountains in Shensi province, who taught him and gave him an instructional book called Hsing-I, authored and passed on by General Fueh Fei. Chi studied and practiced day and night until he had mastered all the movements, and after that no one was able to match his fighting skills.

What makes this style so devastating? The Eight Fundamentals of Hsing-I, the theories of touch-go-kiss and true-not-true, and the seven stars, along with the power of the five elements. They follow the laws of nature, and that is what makes them devastating: there is no power greater than the elements, for they constitute all power.

The Eight Fundamentals and San Ti Posture

The Eight Fundamentals, sometimes called the "Eight Words" of Hsing-I, give the practitioner a picture of the correct posture and alignment that must be mastered in every technique. Each word contains three key points, making twenty-four points to observe throughout practice. They can be studied one at a time, but their true strength appears only when they are combined as one.

Externally, correct alignment makes each posture strong from the foundations upward and lets the practitioner issue and dissolve power efficiently when fighting. Internally, it lets the meridians, vessels, bones and organs sit in their correct positions, so that chi and blood flow smoothly, which is the key to good health. The Eight Fundamentals are first developed in standing practice in the San Ti posture, and later in every movement of Hsing-I. The sections below cover four of the eight.

The Three Press-Ups. The head is the headquarters of the body: when it lifts, chi can travel up the back to the crown. Keep the neck slightly stretched but not tense, keep the head still when moving, and do not tense the face or jaw. The tongue, pressed lightly against the palate, helps chi sink to the tan tien; it acts as a switch connecting the Du and Ren meridians to complete the circuit known as the "Little Nine Heaven" circulation. In a fight it also keeps the tongue from being bitten. The palm, pressed outward, extends chi through the body and strengthens the fingers and arms. The index finger of the forward hand stretches up to lead the chi. No part of the hand should be too relaxed or too tense; this feeling is called "spirited" or "alive."

The Three Suppresses. The shoulders sink slightly inward and downward so the chest feels empty and strength flows to the elbows, like tensioning the two ends of a bow. This relaxes the chest for breathing through the tan tien and brings the elbows in to protect the ribs and heart. The backs of the hands and feet are suppressed, which makes them stronger: the hands are poised to grab, and the feet grip the ground to root the body. The teeth and chin suppress downward so the jaw is firm, protecting the head and neck in a fight.

The Three Rounds. The back is slightly rounded with the suppressed shoulders, giving the posture of "bear's shoulders" and letting power pass easily through the waist into the arms. The chest is rounded in a concave, empty way to join with the back and shoulders, giving full strength when needed and smooth, relaxed breathing. The hands are rounded at the "tiger's mouth" and through all the fingers, ready to seize the opponent, and the rounded joints let chi and blood flow freely.

The Three Sensitives. The eyes are windows that can give away one's feelings; facing an opponent, they must be confident, fierce and alert so the mind can read the situation quickly. The heart, which in Chinese medicine governs the mind, must be balanced with the wisdom of the brain. The hands, trained to "feel" and "listen," eventually become like eyes. Too much tension in the hands wastes strength and costs a beat of time, because they must relax before they can move.

Read more about the art on the Hsing-I Chuan page, or about Master James McNeil.