八卦拳簡介 About BaguaQuan

BaguaQuan ​A brief introduction by Paul Alexander/八卦拳簡介

Bagua Quan is a martial arts system – but it is much more than a martial art. 
The goal of Bagua Quan is to learn about change. The exercises open and strengthen the body and return it to its natural state.

The core of the methods are based around discovering the twisting
 force that the body can produce – this is why we practice circle
 walking.

Walking the circle is one of the specialities of Bagua Quan.
 By walking on the outside edge of an imaginary circle and pushing
 the palms to the centre, a spiralling force is created. The practitioner
 then follows this force and is led around the circle until they change
direction to walk the opposite way.
 Regular Bagua Quan practice can stretch open the whole body
allowing tension to be released.
The body is then able to become more integrated, as the arms
become better connected to the spine and the legs to the pelvis.
The muscles in the upper torso relax and the blood stays low –
 
some students with high blood pressure have noted that the practice
has helped them to stay healthy.
We align our posture to co-operate with gravity – the natural force
that most people forget is there.
The Bagua Quan methods develop a root – like a strong tree. We
are then able to move with the root as we walk, sit, jump and squat.
“Stand like a stake, walk like the wind” A Bagua saying
Bagua Quan came into prominence in the late 19th century inside the
 palaces of China via Master Dong Hai Chuan. The art was passed
 from generation to generation from Master to Master without
promotion until recently.
Bagua Quan is an excellent way to change the body and mind.
Bagua Quan really is a treasure.
You don’t have to be a martial artist to learn Bagua Quan exercise.


本人所習「八卦拳」源自董海川 → 尹福 → 宮寶田 → 宮寶齋各祖師一脈,其拳兼容生理、醫理、術理且都依據陰陽、五行、八卦之理發展建立,確實是中國陰陽八卦哲理的武術體現。

「八卦拳」教學系統如同一棵依循「太極」、「兩儀」、「四象」、「八卦」由下往上生長排列的「八卦樹」。

「太極」是種子,「兩儀」、「四象」是主幹,「八卦」(以「八母掌」為代表)則是八個主要枝幹,這是「八卦拳」的「母系統」,再由此「母系統」分枝出「外練」與「內修」兩個「子系統」,分別包含相互對應的徒手與器械套路,進而構成完整的「八卦拳教學系統」。

易經記載「八卦」的起源為:「古者庖犧氏之王天下也,仰則觀象於天,俯則觀法於地,觀鳥獸之文與地之宜,近取諸身,遠取諸物,於是始作八卦,以通神明之德,以類萬物之情」。

由此可知,八卦系統的生成是先由具象可見的事物歸納出八種分類,再由此八種分類,解析其異同關係,從而推理出四象、兩儀以至於太極的因果關係,也就是說八卦的生成雖然是大自然經歷「易有太極。是生兩儀。兩儀生四象。四象生八卦」這個「由因生果」的順序,但人類的發現領悟卻是一個「以果溯因」「由八卦而太極」的逆向過程。

八卦拳的教學程序正是一種「由八卦而太極」、「由果溯因」的過程(本人發現「太極拳」是「由太極而八卦」、「由因生果」的設計,二者的關係極為密切有趣,此是另一個題目,本文略過),其目的是讓學者透過這個明確的教學過程,以「身體力行」、「知行合一」的方式「感悟」「太極、兩儀、四象、八卦」的因果關係,以及其在身體這個「小宇宙」上的對應與聯繫,至於「防身自衛」、「健身長壽」或「以武入道」都只是在這個「感悟」之後的自然結果。