Posted by: Prizewriter
What is Chi used for in Xing Yi Quan? - 02/04/08 07:10 AM
Upon reading a bit more about Bak Mei Gong Fu, I came across something relating to use of Chi in the art. Chi is used as a weapon, rather than for other purposes e.g. healing...
I am slightly curious as to it's use in Xing Yi Quan/Hsing. Is Chi used as a weapon, or does it have other uses in the system? I know there are various styles of Xing Yi, and that variations may apply within indivdual styles/schools, but what is the general use?
Many thanks for any help! I am a serious noob re CMA, so apologies if my ignorance shows!
Posted by: Vennificus
Re: What is Chi used for in Xing Yi Quan? - 02/05/08 02:48 PM
I'm not quite sure about the martial arts and how it applies, but chi is often considered (edited to cover my a$$) energy, and can do just as much harm as good.
Posted by: Demonologist437
Re: What is Chi used for in Xing Yi Quan? - 02/09/08 11:12 PM
I am almost a year student of Hsing-I Chuan and have a very open and friendly instructor when it comes to curious types like me, and have actually asked HIM the same question. I'll try to relate best what he explained to me, as the ever enigmatic "Qi" applications are concerned!
Basically, Chi in Hsing-I and most CMA when realistically applied in training is cultivating a more fine and quiet sense of your body so that when you want to get that extra "squeeze" out of your punch, you can.
A guy named Dr. yang-Jwing Ming in one of his books on Taiji said(or quoted someone else, I cannot remember exactly...) that "Where there is Yi(mind) there is Chi, and where there is Chi there is Blood."
I think this is a good summary of what the enigmatic Chi is and what it's purpose is in any Martial art, focus and body mechanics! You learn to breath certain ways when you punch and lock up so you can do basic things like not get winded real fast ina fight/spar of some sort and so you can keep a better head when things get going, and then later learn things about the body you did not know about and how to use them to better your skill. As I can tell, none of it is that complicated or fancy really. Like that quote said, and as my instructor tells me, you learn to get out fo the body what you want when you want it, and the old Hsing-I people knew a few tricks for this. In the west, we do a lot with anatomy and physiology. The Chinese people did to, but they also did a lot with breathing and how to get their whole body together as a single unit so then all that force and motion could go right and how where they wanted it. I cannot think of a better way to describe it after that. That's what my instructor always tells me, and I will not risk trying to describe the more technical stuff over the internet since as I mentioned am not the most experienced yet in Hsing-I!
But yeah, for the most part drop form your mind all the fancy "Chi" demonstrations people have doen and just think of it as getting the whole mind and whole body into doing whatever it is you are trying to do. In this case, it's knock the other person square on their @$$!
Posted by: Fisherman
Re: What is Chi used for in Xing Yi Quan? - 02/10/08 12:31 PM
As far as chi being used as a weapon, I don't think so. I think that your body can be used as a weapon and that if you have strong chi, then your attack can be that much more devastating to your opponent.
Myself, I don't really pay all that much attention to chi when I am training. I put more focus on my intention, and what type of energetic expression I am trying to develop in my body.
The most important thing to focus on in Xingy is the mind and the body. The general translation of Xingyiquan is mind-form boxing. The idea is that you are using the mind/intent to guide the body. Chi naturally follows the intent, so there is really no need to focus on chi, only intent.
The idea of chi being used as a weapon is only true in the context that chi is in the body and the body is used as a weapon. There is no actual use of chi as a weapon in and of itself.