The Art of Hsing-I

The art of Hsing-I (pronounced shing-yee) is the easiest of the three forms of Internal Boxing to learn, but in this simplicity, mastering the art can take a lifetime. The forms in Hsing-I, directly relate to the 5 elements, fire, earth, water, air/metal, and wood/void. These elements also, of course, relate to the system of Chinese medicine and the 12 meridians, and the organs paired with their elements. By doing the 5 elemental forms, one actively stimulates the 12 meridians, in addition to charging the 8 psychic channels with chi, making the whole body stronger internally, as well as externally. There are certain principles in Hsing-I, that must be learned and constantly drilled on, until it becomes part of you, “engrained” in you so to speak. These principles are outlined as follows: The 5 positions, the 6 coordinations, and the 9 words. To learn to do Hsing-I properly, you must master these fundamentals.

The 5 Positions

Chicken Leg- One leg supports the body, about 60%, while the other is held off the ground, about 40%. This promotes greater mobility.

Dragon Body- The body stands in three straight sections; heels to knees, knees to hips, and hips to head. This gives the correct posture for doing the forms and generating proper power.

Bear Shoulders- The shoulders are rounded, curving forward from the spine like a bow. This promotes chi flow from the spine into the arms, much like the “tree hugging” exercises given in the chi kung section.

Eagle Claws- The fingers clutch tightly, like talons outstretched, this isn’t done with tension in the forearms, but the hands should resemble the claws of a great eagle.

Tiger Embrace- The arms are held menacingly, looking like a tiger leaving its den. Hold the arms strongly, but in relaxed curves, again, no tension, just enough to keep the form correct, as tension restricts the flow of chi.

The 6 Coordinations

These are extremely important to the correct practice of  Hsing-I, since, if the chi and the movement aren’t coordinated, then the posture will not be correct, and you will be unable to use your chi. If the body is straight and does not lean in any direction, the mind will be clear, the chi will flow harmoniously, and the movement will be natural, and powerful. Thus, internally, the spirit controls the mind, which controls the chi, which controls the strength. Externally, the hands pressing downward corresponds to the heels turning outward, sinking the elbows correlates to the slight inward pressing of the knees, while the shoulders and thighs relax. True total body movement can only come about if these 6 coordinations are unified, harmonized, and maintained. This is accomplished through diligent practice.

The 9 Words

Press- Press the head upward, the tongue upward and forward to touch the point at the roof of the mouth, and your palms strongly forward.

Button Down- Button down the shoulders to empty the chest, allowing chi to flow freely to the elbows, button down the hands and feet, emptying the palms and soles to allow chi to flow freely into them. Button down the teeth, (lightly clench) allowing the tendons and bones to contract.

Rounding- Round the back, letting the strength urge the body to straighten the coccyx, and raise the spirit. Rounding the chest allows the elbows to protect the heart, and the chi of the breath moves freely. By rounding the space of the web of the hand, the “tigers mouth”, your energy or ching is directed outward and your arms develop “embracing energy”.

Hsin (Heart or emotional mind)- Learn to keep the Hsin relaxed so that it can respond to any situation, keep the eyes quick and alert, and keep the hands “ahead” of the enemy, in other words, faster than they can see them move to strike.

The Chi- Hold your chi securely within the dan tien, hold your upper breath gently so that fear has no place to take hold, and hold the ribs safely within the elbows, so there is no way for danger to approach them

Sink- Sink the chi into the dan tien, making you as stable as a mountain. When you sink the shoulders, the arms spring to life, “urged” on by the elbows, when you sink the arms, they naturally protect the ribs.

Bend- Bend the arms, and strength becomes abundant. When you bend your knees, you will root to the earth like an ancient oak, deep and strong. By cupping the palms, the strength of the chi will concentrate there. When you bend and curve these body parts, they naturally contract and expand, unblocking the flow of chi.

Straighten- Straighten the neck, making the head erect, as though floating in the air, or suspended by a string, causing the chi to rise up strongly. Straighten the spine, and the strength will reach the four extremities (the top of the head, the hands, the knees and the feet) and chi will fill the body as a whole. When you straighten the knees, the flow of your chi will be calm, the spirit will be harmonious, making you like the great tree sending its roots down deep into the earth to absorb energy. Protect the chest by holding the arms so they embrace the heart (the center line of the body), ready to strike out like a tiger lunging at its prey. Keep the chi down so it embraces the dan tien, allowing the chi to flow freely throughout the body. Let your courage rise to embrace the body, this will allow the chi to flow so freely that it covers the body with a mantle of protection.

Other important points

-The tip of the nose, fingertips, and toes should be kept on the center line.

-As the chi rises, the body falls, and as the body rises, the chi sinks.

-When using the hands, they should rise like iron spades, and fall like the blade of a scythe reaping wheat.

-When using one hand, it thrusts out like a hawk raiding a forest, and falls like a swallow sweeping over the still water. When using both hands, they should rise up like a tiger leaping form its lair and fall like a great hammer, breaking stone or striking hot iron on the anvil.

-The most important thing, and the movement constantly drilled on by the old masters, is the same as Bagua- rise, drill, fall, and overturn. Each part must be clearly defined, and all done like a stroke of lightning. This is made easier by keeping the body relaxed until the last instant. The tactic can be used fast or slow, in any direction to close with your opponent before he can react.

-In summary, the waist sinks, the shoulders shrink, the chest hollows or withdraws, the head is erect or pushes up, the tip of the tongue touches the Heavenly Pool in the roof of the mouth, the hands feel like they are pushing upward, and the sacrum (coccyx) tucks inward and upward.

5 Element T heory

The Wu Hsing, or 5 Elements within Chinese cosmology and medicine, are as follows; Metal(Air), Water, Wood(Void), Fire, and Earth. Each element can create or destroy another element, as shown in the diagram. The circle, going clockwise, represents the cycle of creation. The star, also going clockwise, represents the cycle of destruction. This is important, since one element can be used to counter another, or to “feed” another to come through into a counter by setting it up for a fall, generating more energy in the exchange. Hsing-I looks at the elements in this manner in the chart below, where each fist or movement stimulates and tonifies the paired organs, in addition to the type of energy, and flow of energy it generates.

The 5 element fists are simple to learn, and natural to the body in their simplicity. This simplicity is a two edged sword however, as in their power, they can be quite dangerous if done in an uncontrolled manner (i.e. misused). These movements generate tremendous power, and once one has become proficient in their use, they can be quite lethal. Further, their simplicity is deceptive not only to the student, as there are many subtleties that become apparent with extended practice, but deceptive to the opponent as well, in that an average or overly confident opponent would assume that no system with such simple movements could possibly be so deadly efficient, much less cover defense and offense.

Two books that comprehensively cover these movements in detail, including the 12 animal forms that accompany the 5 element fists are; Hsing-I, Chinese Internal Boxing, by Robert W. Smith and Allen Pittman, and Hsing-Yi Chuan, Theory and Applications by master Liang Shou-Yu, and Dr Yang Jwing-Ming. The second book details a chi kung form that is particular to Hsing-I as well. Videos are available from Panther Martial Arts, Wing Lam, and directly from Little 9 Heaven Martial Arts, including videos on the Hsing-I Nei Gung, or the conditioning sets which includes a form of Celestial Stem exercises, and basic conditioning including knuckle pushups, squats, etc. geared specifically for Hsing-I development, to make the body strong and allow Hsing-I to have its maximum effectiveness not only externally, but internally. Books are also available to accompany and complement the Nei Gung.

Bagua

Bagua will be discussed in greater detail in the intermediate section. Bagua complements Hsing-I, and also counters it. There is a story of two masters, one of Bagua, and one if Hsing-I. The Hsing-I master challenged the Bagua master, and it is said that they fought for two days straight without either master gaining and advantage over the other. They agreed, being so impressed with one another’s style and technique, to send their students to each other once they had reached a certain level of proficiency, to train in the others style. Where Hsing-I is linear or angular in its movement, Bagua is circular and curving. The principles of rise, drill, fall and overturn remain the same. In Hsing-I and Bagua we have Yang and Yin, Hsing-I is yang, linear, penetrating, forceful. Bagua is yin, evasive, flowing, yielding, whipping. In Hsing-I there are 5 fists, corresponding to the 5 elements. In Bagua, there are 8 palms, correlating to the 8 trigrams of the Pa Kua, which make up the 64 hexagrams of the I-Ching.

Tai Chi Chuan

The final link in the chain is Tai Chi Chuan, which in relation to Hsing-I and Bagua, represents Tao within the Internal Boxing Arts. It will be expounded on in the advanced section of the site, as it should be built upon the strong foundation of Hsing-I and Bagua, as mastering the fa-jing (taking the ching and turning it to jing energy through the whipping movement of the hips, which transfers through the body into the fists, which is what actually does the striking, and the damage, it is like the hydrostatic shock of a bullet hitting the body, or like a large dead-blow hammer hitting the soft organs, transmitting all the power into the target effectively, along with disrupting the chi) of Tai Chi Chuan is far more difficult without learning Hsing-I and Bagua first. The other two also allow one to master the postures of Tai Chi Chuan much more effectively, as well as its fa-jing, since the arts of Hsing-I and Bagua build upon one another in their fa-jing, making it stronger and more refined, readying it for the Tao of Tai Chi Chuan. Aside from the obviously formidable fighting styles these forms engender, are the health and longevity benefits that are derived as well, which is evident throughout Chinese medicine and Taoist practices, as a Chinese doctor will often not only prescribe certain herbs and changes in diet, acupuncture, etc. to a patient, but prescribed forms of chi kung, not limited to but often including Tai Chi Chuan, Hsing-I, and Bagua.