Hsing Yi Chuan (sometimes written as Hsing I or Xing I or Xing Yi) trains forward, powerful, explosive movements. The system is divided into two aspects: the first consisting of five moves or “fists” called the “five elements”, which relate to Chinese Five Element Theory of the natural world as follows:
Pi Chuan Metal
overcomes
Beng Chuan Wood
overcomes
Hern Chaun Earth
overcomes
Tzuann Chuan Water
overcomes
Pau Chaun Fire
overcomes
Pi Chuan Metal
Metal helps to create water, which helps to create wood, which helps to create fire, which helps to create earth, which helps to create metal, therefore Pi leads to Tzuann, which leads to Beng, which leads to Pau, which leads to Hern, which leads to Pi.
The five elements of Hsing Yi form a complete fighting system in their own right but, once they are mastered, some students choose to explore some of the twelve animals of Hsing Yi, selecting two or three which are in keeping with their own physique, temperament and natural way of moving, from Tiger, Horse, Monkey, Water Lizard, Swallow, Thai Bird, Chicken, Snake, Hawk, Bear and Eagle, or they may choose the Dragon, which in some schools, including that of our teacher Master Zhu Guang, is practiced alone and takes many years of hard training to master properly as it includes a very low, coiled posture preceded by three flying kicks in succession without touching the floor.
Hsing Yi training is very demanding, both physically and mentally. The student needs endless patience to stand for long periods in stationary postures, and to repeat the same few movements thousands of times on the way to mastery. In this way, the student gains not only a strong, dynamic body and a powerful fighting system but also potentially gains mastery of his or her own mind.
