BAGUA ZHANG with Zhu Bao Zhen

Zhu Bao Zhen is a famous teacher of Bagua who has studied with many top representatives, especially of the Yin Style. His movements are very fluid and loose. He is excellent with a sword.

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There are definitely martial friends of mine who would absolutely hate this set. The reason for this is a performance oriented series of hyper extended movements and a modern tendency to avoid tight movements. Yet the set is gracefully expressive, complex, variable, interesting and difficult. The execution is excellent with much physical skill. Not only performable but essentially correct it shows a “new” flavor that shows some new esthetic but keeps to the core of Bagua practice. A collectible piece.

Though this is said to be a basic linked series is it actually pretty sophisticated. The movements are extended and have a definite contemporary WuShu flavor but the overall structure and execution of the set is quite good. Beautifully arranged the movements are pleasing and interesting and follow the general rules of Bagua. There’s plenty of twisting and a lot of extended postures which are two actions that can be contradictory but this is definitely a set Bagua enthusiasts should have in their collection.

This is a three part series showing Zhu Bao Zhen’s applications of Bagua. It is all based on a hard and forceful Bagua set of more than average length. Zhu Sifu also gives the breakdowns on the palm and fist shapes involved. The set is shown but not with complete instruction.

The instruction on the form itself is pretty clear with each circle shown separately. In this second of the series first Hard Palm form is broken down. Next applications are shown against a western student often attacking with boxing style punches. Many of the movements of the form are explored for self defense usage. Applications and form breakdown sections are alternated.

This disk shows the latter four circles of the Hard Palm form. Interspersed with the form breakdown are the appropriate self defense applications. Many of these are shown against Western style punching and demonstrate the abbreviated, no nonsense approach to Bagua applications where they seem almost like Wing Chun (an observation many people have surprised themselves with discovering). The tight, direct motion is clear and easily understood.

The spear is not the easiest of all weapons when it comes to maintaining the actions of Bagua. For one thing it is hard to keep such a long weapon controlled properly in a circle. This is one of the better spears we’ve seen since it is based on easily identifiable circling sections intermixed with spear changes which all fit well into one complete set. Zhu Bao Zhen narrates a well heeled performance by one of his top students.

In this two part series Zhu teacher demonstrates the “form usage” of the basic Bagua palms. What we mean by form usage is that branch of applications which use the basic shapes with little adaptation to the scruffier side of fighting. Nonetheless these are important actions because they show the movements in “isolation”. In traditional Kung Fu these are shown to emphasize the form, posture, specific power and direction of the energy. He Mr. Zhu shows each palm formation with a number of applications demonstrating that there is not a single usage for any palm. His movements capture the spirit and the flavor of Bagua nicely. Each application is preceded by a two person walking pattern form Yin style.

This continues the previous VCD with detailed actions on another set of palm formations. Very clear usage. Some of these may seem a little light but it is the tradition for a teacher to show movements that don’t always necessarily devastate the opponent. On the other hand the dynamics of the actions are correct and representative of movements in the Yin and most other styles of Bagua. Many of these are enactments of classical form moves such as “White Ape Plucks the Fruit”. Each application is preceded by a two person walking pattern form Yin style.