Smoky Mountain YSB Study Group Information

Introduction to the Bear System

Dr. Xie Peiqi’s comments on the YSB Gen/Bear System

Transcribed by Rand Cardwell

Note: This article is provided to YSB students in an effort to promote a greater understanding of the YSB Gen/Bear System. This is a transcription of the YSB Gen/Bear System DVD series available through the Association of Traditional Studies. Any errors are my own.                    

Dr. Xie Peiqi: With this new video series I would like to introduce the Gen Trigram Bear System. Our location for this is in Daoton City, where I am currently working in a medical clinic for difficult cases. Part of my work here is teaching the correlation between the martial arts and medicine. As medicine and martial arts share the same origins and can bring health to the people. Every posture of every animal can be used to treat or prevent specific illnesses. In general, bear postures focuses on rounding the back. Grasping the shoulders to round the back nurtures the heart. Crossed hand holding the shoulders nourishes the lungs. The representative bear posture nourishes the kidneys. The motion of changing direction of the posture affects the spleen. In this manner, the four major organs; heart, lungs, kidneys, and spleen, all derive benefit. In this manner, not only will they stay healthy, but also can be used to treat their illnesses.

A strong point of Yin Style Bagua is that it is made up of systems, each shaped by an animal. Postures reflect these animals, which contains both hard and soft movements. According to the philosophy of the bagua, first heaven and earth hold everything in place. Thunder and wind mutually arise. Water and fire cannot exist together and mountains and swamps exchange qi. In speaking about the mountains, we speak about the Gen trigram Bear System, whose position is the northeast. This is the bear’s important position, which is the position of the mountains. It is because of the shape and power of the mountains that the bear was chosen for it.

The bear is the simplest of the animals. It is among the most bold and powerful. It has the strength to lean on mountains, the ability to uproot trees. It has the skill of retreating and changing limitlessly, and the great method of shaking the body. In terms of animals, it is one that hibernates. As a mammal, it hibernates most impressively. This means that its internal dan tien, its true qi or original qi, has successfully achieved the ability to return to the void. In terms of attacking methods it uses:

• Rushing
• Penetrating
• Withdrawing
• Carrying
• Leaning
• Shocking
• Soft
• Following

In terms of stepping, it can withdraw, advance and whirl limitlessly. Its qi and strength are beyond comparison. This system, in terms of health of the practitioner, develops the heart, lungs, spleen and kidneys. These four organs have a strong connection to the bear systems Gong Fu. Usually, bear practitioners do not suffer from heart illnesses, as they practice of concaving the chest, rounding the back, and keeping the qi in the dan tien. Rounding the back is the main focus of the bear, so that the body resembles the trigram, which is an upside down bowl. In this way, containing the qi to strengthen the pre-natal.

In teaching the techniques, they are ingenuous beyond compare, for it is creating strength from weakness. There are hard and soft, as well as a hard exterior with a soft, flowing interior. A hard top, but a soft, flowing bottom. Why is it that we say that it can withdraw, advance, and whirl on its move? Because the bear is known as the Turning the Back palm.

The bear can put out a palm from behind the head or behind the back. There is  emitting a palm by passing the ribs. There is emitting a palm by passing the abdomen. The bear also makes use of the five exteriors, which are the shoulders, elbows, wrist, hips and knees. It makes frequent use of turning the back and striking with the hips for its downward direction strikes, as well as the use of the knees. So, its upper body strikes often use the shoulders and upper arms. This is because it often leans against the body of the opponent. The shoulder and upper arm are used in leaning strikes. Leaning strikes are used in creating internal damage and can be used to cause the opponent to vomit blood. That is a sign of internal injury. By raising the arm to strike like this [demo] we use the bear’s rushing force. It concentrates your force very powerfully and is a great reflection of Yin Style Bagua’s concept of stable, accurate, and vicious.

In speaking of the attacking methods, let us examine the rushing method. There is the upright rushing strike, turned over rushing strike, turned down rushing strike, rising rushing strike, as the name rushing implies it is an explosive attacking method.

Penetrating make use of steadiness and accuracy as you penetrate through. Withdrawing is bringing back, a dodging retreat of the opponent’s force is avoided before you attack. In carrying you are continuing their force as you lead them, but you are powerfully forcing the carry, which is different than other system’s carrying attacks. Leaning, I’ve already talked about. There is leaning with the upper back, the shoulder, the arm, the whole back, the hips, and pressing with the knee. Shocking is a type of force that comes from the heels of the feet and passed the back. From the back to the kidneys and from the kidneys it passes back to the dan tien. [demo] The soft attacking means soft and round to remove an opponent’s force. It is the skill of avoiding heavy blows and only taking light ones. Following means to follow and know the opponent’s meaning. It is the skill of confusing the opponent to thinking you are without strength. It brings their attack to full length, s that it is without strength, and then you attack. It is a responding attack method, meaning you attack afterwards.

I hop my words have given you something to think about. When practicing, consciously develop Gen attacking methods, which are rushing, penetrating, withdrawing, carrying, leaning, shocking, soft, and following. In this way, not only will you be healthy, but also be able to avoid illnesses. You will be able to attack, but also defend. From this clinic her in Daoton, I urge you to remember that medicine and martial arts have the same origins. That old doctors must hold martial skills, just as old martial artist must have medical skills.

[Home] [QIAN] [KAN] [GEN] [ZHEN] [XUN] [LI] [KUN] [DUI] [Store] [Study Group]

Copyright © 2008 - Smoky Mountain Yin Style Baguazhang