ak Pei, Northern Style Martial Arts ( 北派)

Nanquan emphasizes squatting stances with a low center of gravity and steady footwork. It is characterized by combinations of short moves with few jumps. Power is generated through breathing and sound articulation.

1. History
   
   
2. Philosophy and Practice
   
   
3. Links

History

China can be divided geographically into North and South by the Yangtze River (Changjiang). According to martial arts tradition, the styles practice North of the river are known as Bak Pei (北派) while the fighting style of the South are referred to as Nanquan (南拳). There are numerous traditional styles famous in the North with roots associated with various regions (Hunan, Hubei, Ermei) as well as the original Shaolin Temple (北少林) in Hunan. In the North, the styles earned their reputation through their service to the emperor and as practical means of self defence. In general, Northern styles emphasize leg attacks in comparision to the hand techniques of the Southern styles. There are regional differences but each major martial arts school have clear and defining characteristics.  Nanquan has now become an integral part of the modern sport of Wushu in addition to Changquan and Taijiquan. Schools of Nanquan can now be found througout the world.

Examples of the Northern Styles:

• Cha quan (查拳)
• Chang quan (長拳)
• Chin Woo (精武門)
• Eagle Claw (鷹爪 )
• Fanji (翻子拳)
• Hua Quan (花 拳)
• Hua Quan (華拳)
• Lu Hop (六合)
• Mian Quan (绵 拳)
• Mui Hua (梅花)
• Pigua (劈掛)
• Shaolin 北少林, 少林寺 河南登封嵩山少林寺
• Tan Tei (潭腿)
• Tanglang (Northern Praying Mantis, 螳螂拳)
• Tongbei (通臂)
• Yin Ching Tui (燕青腿)
• Seven Words Style ( 七字门 )
• Three Emperors Cannon Fist ( 三皇炮捶)
• 二堂拳
• 二郎拳
• 五青牛派
• Eight First (八 拳)
• 八会门
• 八法拳
• Six Combinations Eight Methods ( 六合八法  )
• 化门
• 华 拳
• 吞吐拳
• 地术犬法
• 太祖拳
• 字门拳
• Yeu Fei Fist ( 岳氏连拳)
• 巫家拳
• 弹 腿
• 弹腿
• 戳 脚
• 戳脚翻子
• 拦手
• 摔跤
• 文圣拳
• 杜门
• 梅山拳
• 温家拳 
• 溪派內家拳
• 点易派
• 点穴 
• Monkey Style ( 猴 拳)
• 短 打
• 神 拳
• 秘踪拳
• 红 拳
• 翻子拳
• Natural Sytle ( 自然)
• 苌家拳
• Snake Fist ( 蛇 拳)
• 赵门
• 迷宗拳
• 通背拳
• 醉 拳
• 铁佛派
• 青城派
• 鸭形拳
• 鹤 拳
• 黄陵派
• 龟牛拳

Philosophy and Practice

ypical features of bak pei are:

Four Strikes (四擊)

Four strikes refers to kicking, hiting, grabing and falls.  Striking include four types of attack and defense principles (四擊是指武術中的踢、打、拿、摔四種技擊法則。). There are different types of kick: 蹬、分（左右分腳）、擺（擺蓮）、彈（彈腿）、掛（掛面）、

纏、掃（掃螳）、踹等數種..  Types of striking includes: 衝（衝捶）、崩（崩捶）、撞,

、圈,、劈、挑、壓、撐、抓、鉤等十餘種.  There are seventy-two methods of grabing (拿有七十二拿) and there are thirty six methods of falling (摔有三十六摔).

 Eight Methods (八法 )

The Principle of the Eight Methods are general sumarized by the following sayings:

『手眼身法步， 精神氣力功』	Hand, eye, waist and stepping are combined with a clear mind and chi kung
『拳如流星， 眼似電； 腰如蛇行， 步賽黏』	The fist shoots out like a meteor, The eye stares out like electricity; The waist moves like a snake, Movement competes to stick to the ground.
『精要充沛， 氣宜沈； 力要順達， 功宜純』	Spirit can be sunddenly full, The Chi must be properly sink Strength must obey your reach, Proper type of training for the proper type of effort.

Twelve Forms (十二型 )

The twelve forms refers to:

• Movement (動)
• Stillness (靜)
• Getting up (起)
• Falling down (落)
• Standing up (站)
• Strength (力)
• Turning (轉)
• Bending (折)
• Lightness (輕)
• Weight (重)
• Slowness (緩)
• Quickness (快)

The twelve forms are usually remembered in the following poem:

動如濤	Moving like waves
靜如嶽	Still as a mountain peak
起如猿	Getting up like a monkey
落如鵲	Falling down like a magpie
力如虎	Strength of a tiger
站如松	Stand straight like a pine tree
轉如輪	Turn like a wheel
折如弓	Bending and curving
輕如葉	Light as a leag
重如鐵	Heavy as metal
緩如鷹	Slow as the falcon
快如風	Quick like the wind

Links

Copyright 2004