Bagua Zhang, Tai Chi and Xing Yi are 3 ancient Chinese martial Arts belonging to the more sophisticated soft ( internal) martial arts category. ( The other category is called External (Hard) Martial Arts) . Bagua and Tai Ji are featured prominently in the Air Bending and Water Bending Nations respectively in the animated TV series Avatar: The Last AirBender. Click on the link to watch a short video clip.
Unfortunately due to lack of competent martial arts actors, Tai Chi and Bagua are not displayed well in the 2010 movie version of The last AirBender.
Master William Ho 's short bio:
Internal Martial Arts ( aka neijia) has been a significant part of Sifu Ho’s daily life for nearly50 years. Coming from a family of soft martial arts heritage, he benefited from the fact both parents were practising Daoist martial artists. His Yang style Tai Chi teacher was his father (Ho Pao Chen), who in turn was mentored by his father-in-law (Deng Pai Chen), himself a direct student of Yang style founder’s grand son , Yang Cheng Fu.
Unlike many modern Australian Tai Chi schools where Tai Ji Quan is taught with the emphasis focus on health and fitness, Sifu Ho teaches practical Tai Chi, and emphasises self defence applications. Most are simply unaware that when Tai Chi was first developed in 1200s, by Daoist Master ZhangSan feng it was created with martial arts and self defence in mind; any inherent health benefits were a bonus.
Like most Internal Arts specialists, Master Ho is also a teacher of another soft style, BaguaZhang (aka Pakua). Regarding Bagua, he is 5th generation of the lineage of Dong Hai Chuan -> Cheng Teng Hua -> Chang Chao Tung -> Chiang Jung Chiao (aka Jiang Rong Qiao ie. JRQ ) –> William Ho.
Master Ho's Bagua style is of the Cheng tradition. Unlike some other schools in Australia, he does not dilute or modify original Bagua by teaching it in a hard and external way.
BaGua Zhang background info:
Bagua Zhang( Zhag meaning Palm) is an esoteric style, a lesser known sister art to Tai Chi, both classified as Taoist Kung Fu. Bagua is uniquely Daoist /Taoist with roots traced to Wudang. Inspired by the Bagua and I-Ching , its principles of change, power of circularity, unpredictability, softness and evasion are consistent with fundamental Taoist philosophy. Like Tai Chi, it is a style where " weak defeating the strong, soft overcoming the hard ", is possible ... unlike Hard / External Shaolin styles and their many spin offs like Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai etc ....which require exponents to be big , young , strong or male before having any combat advantage.
Bagua is characterized by it's unique circular footwork, twisting body, coiling arms and sudden changes in direction that make it very appropriate as a self defence. It lends itself well in dealing effectively with multiple attacker situations. Newcomers are often surprised to discover that no strength conditioning, pain conditioning, stretching or warm ups are necessary, unlike all other external styles of Kung Fu. Absence of such preparation makes Bagua highly practical and applicable in countering a surprise attack.
As a pure Daoist martial art with ancient and shrouded origins, the public was only granted access to Bagua as recent as 1860 when it was first taught to Dong Hai Chuan who was an outsider to Wudang monastery, by 2 wandering Taoist priests. For the next 40 years it was passed on to only a select few and imperial bodyguards of the Manchu emperor where it was termed a "closed door style". After the fall of the Manchu empire in China early 1900's, BaguaZhang continued to remain a secret martial art till 1911 when it was finally taught openly to the general public.
Unfortunately due to lack of competent martial arts actors, Tai Chi and Bagua are not displayed well in the 2010 movie version of The last AirBender.
Master William Ho 's short bio:
Internal Martial Arts ( aka neijia) has been a significant part of Sifu Ho’s daily life for nearly50 years. Coming from a family of soft martial arts heritage, he benefited from the fact both parents were practising Daoist martial artists. His Yang style Tai Chi teacher was his father (Ho Pao Chen), who in turn was mentored by his father-in-law (Deng Pai Chen), himself a direct student of Yang style founder’s grand son , Yang Cheng Fu.
Unlike many modern Australian Tai Chi schools where Tai Ji Quan is taught with the emphasis focus on health and fitness, Sifu Ho teaches practical Tai Chi, and emphasises self defence applications. Most are simply unaware that when Tai Chi was first developed in 1200s, by Daoist Master ZhangSan feng it was created with martial arts and self defence in mind; any inherent health benefits were a bonus.
Like most Internal Arts specialists, Master Ho is also a teacher of another soft style, BaguaZhang (aka Pakua). Regarding Bagua, he is 5th generation of the lineage of Dong Hai Chuan -> Cheng Teng Hua -> Chang Chao Tung -> Chiang Jung Chiao (aka Jiang Rong Qiao ie. JRQ ) –> William Ho.
Master Ho's Bagua style is of the Cheng tradition. Unlike some other schools in Australia, he does not dilute or modify original Bagua by teaching it in a hard and external way.
BaGua Zhang background info:
Bagua Zhang( Zhag meaning Palm) is an esoteric style, a lesser known sister art to Tai Chi, both classified as Taoist Kung Fu. Bagua is uniquely Daoist /Taoist with roots traced to Wudang. Inspired by the Bagua and I-Ching , its principles of change, power of circularity, unpredictability, softness and evasion are consistent with fundamental Taoist philosophy. Like Tai Chi, it is a style where " weak defeating the strong, soft overcoming the hard ", is possible ... unlike Hard / External Shaolin styles and their many spin offs like Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai etc ....which require exponents to be big , young , strong or male before having any combat advantage.
Bagua is characterized by it's unique circular footwork, twisting body, coiling arms and sudden changes in direction that make it very appropriate as a self defence. It lends itself well in dealing effectively with multiple attacker situations. Newcomers are often surprised to discover that no strength conditioning, pain conditioning, stretching or warm ups are necessary, unlike all other external styles of Kung Fu. Absence of such preparation makes Bagua highly practical and applicable in countering a surprise attack.
As a pure Daoist martial art with ancient and shrouded origins, the public was only granted access to Bagua as recent as 1860 when it was first taught to Dong Hai Chuan who was an outsider to Wudang monastery, by 2 wandering Taoist priests. For the next 40 years it was passed on to only a select few and imperial bodyguards of the Manchu emperor where it was termed a "closed door style". After the fall of the Manchu empire in China early 1900's, BaguaZhang continued to remain a secret martial art till 1911 when it was finally taught openly to the general public.
Master Ho, who immigrated to Australia from China, was mentored by the famed Jiang Rong Qiao aka JRQ. Master Ho is one of few authentic Bagua teachers in Australia. He strives to preserve the original simplicity and authenticity of the techniques he was taught. Self defense applications are emphasised as well as forms.
Bagua is a practical and complete fight style, its fighting techniques include evasive footwork, hand strikes, kicks are ALL low, grappling & joint locks, lock escapes(Qin Na) are common , and throws are all used . It is a beautiful martial art employing snake like spiral movements and sophisticated footwork. It is highly effective and highly usable as a self defence. Bagua's most distinguishing features are 1) Turning footwork 2) Evasion techniques 3) Attacking from safe positions 4) Practical and short fast kicks
Can't decide which to choose ?
Soft/ Internal Martial Arts versus Hard / External Martial Arts - for an objective comparison
Master Ho videos on YouTube
Bagua Zhang routine demonstration
Tai Chi demonstration 1
Contact details :
Master Ho
Mobile : 0417 275 325
Email : taoistkungfu AT Yahoo.com.au
道 家 氣 功 和 武 當 功 夫
What: Yang Style Tai Chi, Bagua ( aka BaguaZhang ) & Taoist Qi gong, Practical Self Defence
When :
From 1 June 2013: Classes held in the teacher's premises in Ermington
- please call to arrange. The M52 bus ( from Town Hall ) conveniently stops in front of the house
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Baguazhang, Tai Chi and Psychic links:
