Liu He Ba Fa Lecture 2 - 06/09/05 There is no absolute formal record of the exact origins of LiuHeBaFa or where the name came

from. We can only speculate the development based on the available writings and claims by certain teachers. I. Ancient History A. Chen Xi Yi LiuHeBaFa was developed by Monk Chen Po, also known as Chen Xi Yi. During his early years, Chen Po grew up together with the affluent members of society. Among his friends was a certain Prince Zhao, who was later to become the first emperor of the Sung Dynasty of China. Being a member of the elite of society, Chen had the best education, martial arts training, and opportunity for further advancement in life. As he grew up, Chen became a scholar, matematician, philosopher, and Taoist sage. (see attached picture of Chen Xi Yi's statue in the monastery at Mount Hwa) When Prince Zhao became emperor, he invited Chen to become one of his top advisors. Knowing that he could not decline, Chen challenged Zhao to a chess match. Should Zhao have won, Chen would accept the offer. But should Chen have won, Zhao would allow Chen to pursue his desire to live as a monk and he would give the latter the majestic Mount Hwa (or Beautiful Mountain). Chen won the match. (see attached picture of Hwa Yu mountain) (see attached picture of Hwa Yu mountain - artists sketch) Chen set up a Taoist monastery on Mount Hwa, which is still there until this present time. In the years that followed, he wrote a number of manuscripts. Among these known are The Twenty-Four Ways to Direct the Chi (also called the Chi Kung of the Four Seasons) and the Reclining Practice. The illustration of the monk performing the Reclining Practice suggests that the training had something to do with spiritual travel into the heavenly realms. (see attached picture of monastery on Hwa Yu mountain) (see attached picture of Reclining Practice) Later on, Monk Chen decided to visit his friend, Emperor Zhao. During his visits, Chen taught the emperor and his family the TaiJi Chih (TaiChi Ruler), a special martial arts Chi Kung which others speculate to be the prototype version of LiuHeBaFa. The TaiJi Chih system became a closed-door training for a thousand years. During the mid 1960s, one of the

descendants of Zhao revealed the entire system of the TaiChi Ruler to the public and published several books on it. (The late wife of Master Peter is a direct descendant of the Zhao family. Other members of the late wife's family are practitioners of TaiChi Ruler.) I'll discuss more on these known training systems as we go on because they shed light on the development of LiuHeBaFa. As a side note, Emperor Zhao developed a martial arts style known today as TaiTzu (or Tai Cho) and is also part of the style Five Ancestors Style (WuTzuQuan or GoCho Kun). It is not known whether the emperor developed this before or after he learned the TaiChi Ruler. Chen Po also created PiKua Chuan (or Axe Style), a martial arts style which is long-range and utilizes the empty hand. This style is often taught in combination with BaJi, a short-range style which uses the rake fist. Because of Chen Po's contribution to philosophy, martial arts, Taoism, and others, the second Sung emperor gave Chen Po the name Chen Xi Yi, which suggest that the monk's wisdom is very deep. Later on, within Mount Hwa, Chen developed LiuHeBaFa, a slow-moving form consisting of sixty-six sections. Considering the Taoist background of Chen, I and Master Peter share the belief that the LiuHeBaFa form was a practice that was designed to lead a person to both martial arts mastery and spiritual enlightenment. B. Li Dong Feng (pronounced "Fong") Based on the lineage charts we have today, we find that Li Dong Feng became Chen Po's student. Li Dong Feng systematized the teachings of LiuHeBaFa into the following: (1) Six Harmonies Poem (2) Eight Methods Poem (3) The Five Character Poem, Li Dong Feng's Treatise on the Essence of Martial Arts II. Modern History A. Other Lineages of LiuHeBaFa around China According to Master Liang Shou Yu, who is presently based in Canada, LiuHeBaFa is practiced in many ways as can be seen in different provinces in China. Some practitioner's do LiuHeBaFa with wider and lower stances. Some do with higher but more compact frames. Other styles practice the

LiuHeBaFa form and the Twelve Forms (sometimes called the 12 Animals). B. Grandmaster Wu Yi Hui Wu Yi Hui learned LiuHeBaFa from three masters. Being one of the prominent members of the Ching family, Grandmaster Wu was both highly educated and highly proficient in martial arts. During his younger years, the Chinese government appointed Wu Yi Hui to become the dean for education of the Nanking Martial Arts University. In this university, he taught LiuHeBaFa to prominent people such as Jiang Rong Chao (XingYi/PaKua), Han Xing Chiao (XingYi/YiQuan), and others. (see attached picture of Wu Yi Hui) Comparing the different lineages, some masters speculate that Grandmaster Wu incorporated more forms into LiuHeBaFa such as Lu Hung Ba Sai (Lu Hung's Eight Methods, a set of eight linear forms done on both sides), Swimming Dragon, Dragon and Tiger in Combat, and other single-person forms and weapon forms. Many masters do not teach these supplemental forms because many of the moves are already found in the LiuHeBaFa form. Because there were now many forms, the name of the style became LiuHeBaFa while the LiuHeBaFa form became known as the main form. (see attached picture of Wu Yi Hui and students at Nanking - standing are Chan Yik Yan, Han Xing Chiao, Wan Tin Hung) C. Grandmaster Chan Yik Yan Chan Yik Yan studied XingYi under Han Xing Chiao and PaKua under Jiang Rong Chao. He studied LiuHeBaFa under Wu Yi Hui. After Grandmaster Wu completed the training of Chan Yik Yan, he instructed Chan Yik Yan to spread LiuHeBaFa in HongKong. (see attached picture of Chan Yik Yan) (see attached group picture of Chan Yik Yan and students) III. Present LiuHeBaFa Lineage My teacher's teacher is Master Lo Chi Wan who taught at Chan Yik Yan's school. Afterwards, he also studied under Monk Ho Yue Tin, an old teacher who taught in HongKong and in the nearby Chinese provinces as early as in the 1930s. (see attached picture of Chan Yik Yan with Master Lo, my teacher's teacher) (see attached picture of Monk Ho Yue Tin with the Green Dragon Sword of LiuHeBaFa)

Monk Ho Yue Tin was one of the last living practitioners of the LiuHeBaFa Green Dragon Sword form. IV. Contents of LiuHeBaFa Training There is no doubt that LiuHeBaFa training has evolved through the years. Each master has incorporated his own training methods into the system. Some teachers have incorporated their own supplementary training methods. Others have made these supplementary training methods into main training methods. Others have stripped down the unessentials and included only the bare essentials. Regardless of school, there seems to be several kinds of training that are common - internal strength training, internal power training (nine joints training), chuan training, and sensitivity training. In the course of our training, we are going to see what were the kinds of training that Chen Xi Yi taught Prince Zhao and how these evolved through time.

Liu He Ba Fa form (cont) At the end of the last set we continue to face EAST with our shoulders SQUARED. (We say that the shoulders are SQUARED because the hips are not twisting the body left or right.) 0009,0010 HIPS: Using the spine as the fulcrum, gradually pull the right hip slightly back as you push the left hip slightly forward. This causes your right shoulder to move back and left shoulder to move forward. LEFT SHOULDER: With the left shoulder, gradually push the left elbow forward so that it raises the left wrist to the front of the solar plexus with the palm of the left hand facing downward. RIGHT SHOULDER: With the right shoulder, gradually pull the right elbow back so that it brings the right hand to the right hip. RIGHT WRIST: Gradually twist the right wrist so that the open palm faces upward. 0011,0012 Hold an imaginary ball with both palms. HIPS: Using the spine as the fulcrum, gradually push the right hip forward and pull the left hip back so that the shoulders are SQUARED once more. LEFT SHOULDER: With the left shoulder, gradually pull the left elbow slightly back so that it continues to raise the left wrist to the front of the neck with the palm of the left hand facing downward. RIGHT SHOULDER: With the right shoulder, gradually push the right elbow

back so that it brings the right hand in front of the navel. 0013 As you stretch the spine to lift the left arm, gradually bring the imaginary ball in front of your chest. During the entire process, both palms face each other. Shoulders continue to be SQUARED. KNEES: Gradually stretch the knees by 50%. SPINE: Gradually stretch the spine by 50%. RIGHT SHOULDER: Gradually bring the right arm upward so that the right palm faces towards the heart and right fingers face upward. LEFT WRIST: Gradually bend the left wrist in front of the chest so that the left palm faces forward and the left fingers face upward. 0014 KNEES: Continue to gradually stretch the knees by another 50% but without locking them straight. SPINE: Continue to gradually stretch the spine by another 50%. RIGHT SHOULDER: The stretching of the knees and spine cause the right shoulder to raise the hand so that the right palm now faces the forehead. 0015,0016,0017 EYES: Gradually turn the eyes to the right (SOUTH). This action causes the head to turn. HIPS: As the head turns, the hips follow, thus causing the shoulders to follow, too. The hips turn so that the upper body now faces right. RIGHT WRIST: Turn the right wrist so that the right palm now faces right (SOUTH) with the fingers facing upward. LEFT KNEE: Turning the hips causes you to push the left knee forward and subsequently shift most of the weight to the left leg. LEFT SHOULDER: Maintain the position of the entire limb so that the left fingers stay close to the right elbow. For your reference, I am sending you pictures showing the late Grandmaster Chan Yik Yan performing the LiuHeBaFa form.