Hsing Yi Chuan is one of the three internal arts. Like Tai Chi and Pa Kua, Hsing Yi is taught with three purposes in mind: Martial or self-defense, health benefits and conditioning, mind body coordination or the spiritual aspects of the art. Hsing Yi Chuan literally translates to Mind Body Boxing.
Hsing Yi Chuan was created by the great General Yu Fei. General Yu Fei also created Eagle Claw Boxing and Ba Duan Gin or the Eight Pieces of Brocade. His purpose for creating this art for fighting and to teach his troops. It is said that General Yu Fei created Eagle Claw for his troops and Hsing Yi Chuan for his officers. Because of the martial effectiveness of the Hsing Yi Chuan movements, Hsing Yi traditionally would not be taught to those students with bad or mean dispositions.
Hsing Yi Chuan today is generally divided into three schools or branches: Hebei Style, Shanxi Style, and the I Chuan Style. China Hand Kung Fu Academy teaches the Hebei Style. There is a story about two great masters, Kuo Yun Shen of Hsing Yi Chuan and the other Tung Hai Chuan of Pa Kua. It is said that these two masters engaged in a contest to see who’s martial arts were superior. After three days of fighting neither had the advantage or could beat the other. After this contest, the two masters agreed that each others students could freely study the other masters style. This then formed the relationship of the Hsing Yi and Pa Kua Schools making them sister systems.
China Hand also teaches some of the meditative aspects of the I Chuan. Hsing Yi in general can be defined as a linear system using explosive power for it’s techniques.
