Smoky Mountain YSB Study Group Information

The History of Yin Style Baguazhang

Dong Haichuan: The First Stele

by

Rand Cardwell

This stele was added to the grave of Dong Haichuan, the founder of baguazhang, just two months after his death. Yin Fu, his first disciple, was responsible for funding the stele. It was erected in February 1883 at Dong’s tomb near the Red Bridge at the East Gate in Beijing.

Transcription of the First Stele erected at Dong Haichuan’s tomb in 1883

For the following generations.

His family name was Dong and his given name was Haichuan, originated from the village of Chu Chia Wu Township in Wen An county. As a youth he was not inclined to do farm work, but rather took the position of hero to aid those in distress and peril to the utmost of his abilities. He was very fond of hunting and would run in the forest. Coming of age, he traveled which brought him to visit many places around China, but especially Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Sichuan provinces, crossing mountains and rivers in order to expand his horizons. Later he met a Daoist priest who taught him martial arts. Dong attained a high level of skill. Unexpectedly, in his middle years, unscrupulous people attempted to defame him. At the end of his rope, he was forced to follow the unorthodox way of Si Maqian to serve as an eunuch servant inside a palace. Facing injustice as his main enemy, he had no choice but to hide his skills and patriotic beliefs while serving obediently in the Prince Su palace. Reaching an advanced age and requesting further care,  he decided to move in one of his disciple’s house. During this time he spent all his time teaching his large number of disciples. They ranged from influential officials, scholars and merchants and numbered in the thousands. Each student received personalized teachings. On one occasion, he demonstrated his talents on the Great Wall while surrounded by numerous opponents all armed with weapons and trying to attack him from all sides. Moving rapidly like a hurricane, he intercepted them. All the spectators recognized the high level that Dong Haichuan had reached in the martial arts and were awed by his excellence and bearing. When he was near death from serious disease, his followers, who supported his arms and legs, said that he was built of iron. Three days later he died while sitting crossed legged and joined the immortals. His students from Beijing numbered more than one hundred and dressed as mourners, followed the funeral cortege. He was buried outside the East Meridian Gate, about one mile from the city. He will leave to everyone a deep sorrow. In order to commemorate him this stele was erected to preserve his memory for the coming generations.

Stele was erected in February 1883

The back of the first stele states,

To be preserved for the coming generations.

He was a very loyal man and who can bear comparison to his life’s dedication? Coming from poverty then joining the army with his sword skills, how can we really know what was his real task? Suffering from his most intimate part of the body, loosing his male organs, how can he continue to serve with the wall of the city? He is the symbol of all those who endure private mutilation and continue to serve a secret cause.

Then there are the names of fifty-six students.

Senior disciples (56) [Listed in order from left to right]:

Yin Fu Ma Weiqi Shi Jidong Cheng Tinghua Song Changrong Sun Tianzhang Liu Dengke Jiao Yulong Gu Yushan Ma Chunzhi Zhangyun Qin Yukuan Liu Dianjia Lu Chengde An Fen Xia Mingde Geng Yongshan Wei Jixiang Yang Kun Wang Xinsheng Wang Huaiqing Shen Changsho Wang Deyi Zhu Ziyun Song Yongxiang Li Wanyou Pan Zhiyong Song Longhai Wang Yongtai Peng Liangui Fu Zhenhai Wang Hongbin Gu Buyun Chen Chunlin Wang Tingju Shuang Fu Li Changsheng Xu Zhaoxiang Liu Baozhen Liang Zhenpu Zhang Yingshan Guo Yuting Zhao Yunxiang Zhang Quankui Jiao Chunfang Liu Fengchun Si Yuangong Zhang Ze Qing Shan He Wu He Liu Guo Tonghai Xu Henian Feng Guanglian Li Chunnian Chen Pan

The Junior Disciples (12)

Qian Benshan Zhang Yimin Ma Gui Yang Junfeng Liu Jinyin Wen Zhi Kui Yu Wang Zhi Shi Ting Ju Qingyuan Liu Yinzhang Geng Yulin

Composed in Qing Dynasty 10th generation (1883) by Cen Guirong and engraved by Qing Shan from Shenyang.

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