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Ba Gua (also known as Pa Kua) translates as "The Eight Directions." The definitive exercise of Ba Gua is "Walking the Circle". Through this exercise, the student learns to seamlessly revolve and rotate their body. By learning the eight directions of the Ba Gua circle, the student learns to attack and defend from any direction. Ba Gua emphasises circular, horizontally-applied strength through the use of an open palm, and continuous movement. The Ba Gua practitioner is always shifting and moving to catch their opponent off balance.

Ba Gua is an Internal Kung Fu system, closely related to Hsing-I. In Internal Kung Fu systems students learn to master Ch'i; their own internal energy. Internal Kung Fu practitioners know that before you can master others, you must master yourself. Students learn to control their internal energy by first developing their physical strength. But this is not the muscular strength that weight lifters or Western boxers strive for. Rather, this is a strength achieved by muscular flexibility and unhindered circulation. As a Ba Gua student, you will learn to develop this strength. You will begin by learning to "walk the circle." You will learn the Ba Gua open palm changes and movements, and then the applications, so you may apply these in combat.

Classes

Your instructor is Master Ian Lee. We hold evening classes around Brisbane in several locations each week. We cater for all paces and levels, from beginner to advanced. Please click here for our timetable. Your first lesson is free.

The History of Ba Gua

The origins of Ba Gua are unknown. One story holds that Feng Ke-shan learnt it from Wang Hsiang, who had in turn learnt only part of the system in 1796 from a man only known as Shantung. Then in 1810 Feng Ke-shan met another man who also knew part of the system. Thus the different parts of the art were reunited, and what we now know as Ba Gua was born. Another story is that a man named Tung Hai-ch'uan learn it from a Taoist mountain hermit; a story similar to the origins of Hsing-I. In fact after a famous duel between a master of Ba Gua and a master of Hsing-I, the two masters decided by pact to teach the two systems alongside each other.

Some pracitioners pursue Ba Gua's metaphysical aspects; That the eight ways of Ba Gua refer not just to the eight directions, but to the eight trigrams in the book of I Ching; "The Book of Changes." This is an Ancient Chinese book of wisdom. Over three thousand years old, it is pupported to contain the great secrets of the Universe. Encoded in sixty-four hexagrams, this wisdom is not easy to unlock. Each hexagram defines the relationship between various phenomena, and has its philosphical implications written as a cryptic poem. Through divination I Ching is used to uncover aspects about events; past, present and future. These Ba Gua practitioners take the Internal aspects of Ba Gua, the channeling of one's Ch'i, to the highest level.

(This history and the above description is based on Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts, Draeger and Smith, 1980. Kung Fu Fighting Styles, Hallander, 1985. Pa Kua: The Gentleman's Boxing, Vargas, 1983. The I-Ching diagram is from Vargas.)

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  • Shaolin "Long Fist" - The famous style of Kung Fu originating from Northern China (aka Bei Chuan, Chang Chuan).
  • Tai Chi - A slow fluid style known for its slow soothing movements (aka Taichi).
  • Chi Gong - A famous health system incorporating meditation, relaxation and physical training.
  • Shuai Jiao - Mongolian and Chinese Wrestling.
  • Ba Gua - An internal (energy-based) art to develop strong legs (also known as Chinese Boxing or Pa Kua).
  • Hsing I - A robust and powerful internal style based on 12 animal forms (aka Xing-Yi)
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