Gao Yisheng - The Gao Style System

The Gao Style System

The Gao style system is referred to as the Gao Yisheng branch of the Cheng Tinghua system of Baguazhang. Essentially Gao Style Baguazhang is a unique subsystem. The Gao style system, because of Gao's own martial progression over time, can be found to have a number of different permutations, represented in various lingages. All are valid examples of Gao Style Baguazhang because they all represent Gao Yisheng’s progression as a martial artist. Not all of the lineages have all of the levels. Gao was refining and creating sets until he died. He changed his straight line, pre-heaven and weapons sets more than once in his life but at its core it is a complete Baguazhang system.

Gao's Bagua Zhang as listed in his book:

1. Basic Exercises (Start posture, standing postures, Tang Ni Bu, Wu Xing Bu, 8 Basic Stretches
2. Basic Forms - Turning Forms (static palms)
3. Xian Tien - Changing Forms (8 Big Palms)
4. Don Juan Zhang and Wu Lung Bei Wei (Beginning and Ending Palms)
5. Hou Tien 64 Palms
6. 12 animals
7. Push Hands and Attack & Defense
8. Weapons Forms

The 哲宗 Zhe Zong and Yi Zong branches of Gao style bagua will refer to their art as "Guanghua bagua", which refers to Guanghua Mountain, from whence hailed the legendary Daoist teacher Song Yiren (who Gao claimed to have learned his Hou Tien 64 palms from). This is the preferred terminology and oral history among the Wu Meng Xia and Zhang Jun Feng branches.

Guanghua Baguazhang as practiced in the Wu Mengxia line consists of 108 "major exercises".. a number with numerological and cosmological significance (108 beads on a mala, 108 stars in Zi Wei Dou Shu 紫微斗數).

4 Main Divisions: Ben 本, Jie 解, Cai 拆, Bian 变.

1. practices in Xian Tian( pre-heaven) for building up the body is Ben.
2. Practices in Hou Tian (post- heaven) is for applications & fighting techniques is Jie.
3. Practices in 2 person sets is Cai,
4. Practices for free sparing using the Bagua once learned is Bia.

The Xian Tian section of the art includes:

1. 4 postures training( stand, walk, leaning, lay down)
2. Single palm change (Dan huan Zhang)
3. Eight Big changes (Ba Mu Zhang), which are divided into 4 animal changes and 4 body changes
4. Wulongbaibei or 5 dragons changes( also called 5 dragons waves tails)

Guanghua bagua in the Wu Mengxia line does not have the eight "static" or neigung palms found in many Cheng family bagua styles).

The Hou Tian section of the art includes:

1. 10 Tian Gan (Ten Heavenly Stems - developmental and power training exercises)
2. 64 Houtien Palms - tactical fighting movements
3. 12 DiZi (12 Animal forms - which are different than Xingyiquan's 12 animals)
4. 8 Tang chan Zhang ( 8 sticky palms)

Additionally there are also has 108 Classic songs for the system to complement the 108 major movements.

Significant amounts of theory, such as the Eight Powers (Ba Gang), Three Basins (upright, slanting, flat) and the Five Elements for each basin are also included in the Wu Mengxia line (and other lines may contain these elements also).