Liu He Ba Fa or Water Boxing

Taoist Chen Xi Yi

Hua Yue Xin Yi Liu He Ba Fa or Water Boxing

Legendary story has it that a Taoist sage known as Chen Tuan (Chen Xi Yi) who developed Liu He Ba Fa (pictured left). He was a true “immortal” retiring for life to Hua Shan where he stayed without having actually taught the style to anyone. Generations later one Li Dong Feng, having heard about the Taoist Immortal, found Chen’s cave and in it the manuscripts outlining the method of LHBF. After years of studying and practicing the secrets contained in the writings he began to teach his own students.

By now the style had become complex and varied. Among its components was the Water Boxing hand set of 64 movements, the Dragon/Tiger in Combat, the Jade and River Sword, the wooden ball, the staff and a form of partner training like Push Hands.

The Six Harmonies

Body with Mind
Mind with Intent
Intent with Chi
Chi with Spirit
Spirit with Movement
Movement with Emptiness

The Eight Methods

氣 QI: Chi
骨 GU: Bone
形 XING: Shape
隨 SUI: Follow
提 TI: Rise
還 HUAN: Return
勒 LE: Retain
伏 FU: Conceal

WU YI HUI: The man who introduced LHBF to the general public.

A famous teacher and a significant contributor and organizer of LHBF was Wu Yi Hui (1887-1958) a native of Tieling who migrated to Beijing where he taught many people. Although there were eight generations before him, Wu structured and greatly popularized the form. A widely travelled and skilled man, Wu practiced calligraphy, painting and boxing. His martial talents made him well known gathering accolades even from the creator of Yi Quan, Wang Xiang Zhai.

His family, during the year 1896, moved to the city of Kai Feng, a famous center for Jewish Chinese and some Muslim practitioners. While there Wu studied Xin Yi (3 Level 12 Powers), the Lu Hong Eight Forms and the Sleeping Qigong attributed to Chen Xi Yi (Chen Tuan) the supposed original of LHBF. After a few years in KaiFeng he found the teacher Chen Cuang Di (along with teachers Yan GuoXing and Chen He Lu).

At the age of 18 Chen jointed the BaoDing Military Academy. In his spare time he studied martial arts with Chen He Lu at the Kuan Yin Temple.

In 1928 Wu began to teach the arts himself at Shanghai’s South Senior High School. Next he taught at ShuWei Public School. In 1932 he was employed as martial arts director to teach at theYMCA of the Ba Xian Bridge District

In 1936 Wu took the position of provost at the famous National Martial Arts Association in Nanjing. During the Japanese invasion he moved to KunMing and then GuiLing. At this point he was invited to Viet Nam to show Chinese Martial Arts in Hanoi.

In 1945, at the end of the Japanese invasion, he returned to teach in Shanghai where he was also director of the Department of Literature and History. In Shanghai he introduced his art to many people from Brazil, Engliand, America and others places.

After Wu Yi Hu’s integration of the style the following forms were considered components of Water Boxing:

三盤十二勢 Sān Pán Shí Èr Shì – 3 Levels 12 Powers
築基 Zhú Jī – Building the Foundation
呂紅八勢 Lǚ Hóng Bā Shì – 8 Essences of Lǚ Hong’s Boxing
龍虎戰 Lóng Hǔ Zhàn – Dragon and Tiger in Combat
螫龍遊 Zhē Lóng Yóu – Coiled Dragon Swimming
盤龍拳 Zhē Lóng Quán – Coiling Dragon Fist
心意棍 Xīn Yì Gùn – Xin Yi Staff
露花刀 Lù Huā Dāo – Dew Mist Broadsword
玉川劍 Yù Chuān Jiàn – Jade River Straight Sword
韋佗功 Wéi Tuó Gōng – Standing meditation
太陽功 Tài Yáng Gōng – Solar Meditation
一杰混元功 Yī Jié Hún Yuán Gōng Primordial Chaos Exercise
先天座 Xiān Tiān Zuò – Pre-Heaven Meditation
三盤推手 Sān Pán Tuī Shǒu – 3 Levels Push Hands

Chen Yi Ren 陳亦人 (Chan Yik Yan: 1909-1982) Chen studied under Wu Yi Hui certainly the most public teacher of LHBF up to his time. Wu introduced the art to hundreds of people with about 20 top students. Among these only Chen was known to have compelte the entire system which Wu called Hua Yue Xin Yi Liu He Ba Fa. Having learned the art Chen taught in both Hong Kong and Singapore. Those six disciples initiated into the lineage are listed below.

Chen Yi Ren’s Students
1. 龍華 Lung Wah (Long Hua)
2. 莫其輝 Mok Kei Fai (Mo Qi Hui)
3. 蔡惠麟 Choi Wai Lun (Cai Hui Lin)
4. 周梅天 Jau Mui Tin (Zhou Mei Tian)
5. He Man Xiang (Ho Moon Cheung)
6. Pan Yi (Poon Yi)

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