The cha quan is the traditional Martial art of the Chinese community of the Hui. It thus belongs to the family of Chinese martial arts ( Wushu ).
Hui holds an important place among the multitude of the existing minorities in China. They were with the number of 8 602 978 in 1990, is the fourth rank of population after the Han, the Mongolian Zhuang and the . They are distributed on all the territory (mainly in the provinces of the Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Henan, Hebei, Shandong, Yunnan) and often gathered in village or district, which constitutes one of their characteristic: they “are largely dispersed and gathered in small groups”, often on or near the lines of communication. There exist many autonomous zones today, the province of Ningxia which is the “cradle as of Hui” (in Mandarin huizu zhi xiang ), of many departments and districts autonomous.
Hui practices the Islamic religion. Islam (Sufism) remained in the community since its origins, played a considerable part in its formation and still influences any kind of aspects of its life. It arrived to China at the 7th century with the first Arab tradesmen and Perses and was called during the history “law of Huihui” ( huihuifa ), “religion of Huihui” ( huihuijiao ), “religion of the purity and the truth” ( qingzhenjiao ).
The cha quan is often named the “Boxe of Islam” ( jiaomen quan ), “boxes of Huihui” ( huihui quan ). These generic names are not reserved to him and can in the same way be employed for other boxings practiced in the community today (like the tantui , the xinyiliuhe quan or the tangping quan ).
Origins
There exist mainly three traditional assumptions; they fix each one the birth of boxing at different times but, in spite of that, mention all character today named Cha Mi' er, often presented like a Militaire.
The first assumption is the following one. During the Dynasty Tang (618 - 907), a troop of soldiers today undertook a voyage in the central plains. While passing in the district of Guan in the province of Shandong, a young general named Hua Zongqi had to be left in a village today (Zhangyizhuang) to be neat of his wounds. Once cured, he taught with the villagers the martial art in which he excelled to thank them, the “boxing of the postures” ( jiazi quan ) or it “boxes great postures” ( dajia quan ). The number of disciples not ceasing increasing, it had to require of its elder, Cha Yuanyi or Cha Mi' er, to come to help it. This one was specialist in the “boxing of the positions of the body” ( shenfashi quan ) or “boxes small postures” ( xiaojia quan ). Thereafter, one used their names to indicate their boxings, they became respectively the boxing of Hooted and boxes it of Cha.
The second assumption is the following one. Under the Dynasty Ming (1368 - 1644), during the invasions Japan eases, controlling them gave the order to recruit soldiers and to form troops to be opposed to these invasions. Cha Mi' er (or Cha Shangyi), Today originating in the area of the Xinjiang, decided to enlist in this army and to leave to the combat. The voyage was long. Before arriving at destination it fell sick and was left by his companions in the Zhangyizhuang village of the district of Guan. After its re-establishment, it decided to teach with the villagers his martial art to thank them. Thus spread the cha quan .
The third assumption is the following one. During the Dynasty Qing (1644 - 1911) and the occupation of Beijing (1901) by the armies of the eight allied powers ( baguo lianjun ), Cha Mi' er, mû by a feeling of indignation, undertook a voyage of the provinces of the west to the capital in order to fight the invader. He fell sick into the area from the district from Cang where he was looked after by Moslem medicine. The disorders had already ceased when it was restored. He did not have anything to give of compensation for the care which he had received and then decided to remain to teach his martial art in thanks. Cha Shangyi and Cha Shouyi succeeded to him, thus boxing it was named cha quan .
These stories contain a great part of legend. They undoubtedly do not correspond to historical facts. The existence even of Cha Mi' er is to be questioned.
The character founder: Cha Mi' er
It is present in each history on the origins of the style but there does not exist any document about it, it appears only in these legends and cannot be regarded a historical character but only as a Mythe. It is sometimes associated with Hua Zongqi which holds often only one secondary role, the hierarchical order is respected since he is his junior. They are sometimes interchangeable, for the same assumption, one can find that Hua Zongqi arrived the first in Shandong and called its elder thereafter, but sometimes also exactly the reverse, which once more shows the low credibility of these stories.
The founder of the cha quan has several names: Cha Yuanyi, Cha Shangyi, Cha Shouyi and Cha Mi' er. Its most used name, Cha Mi' er, are not a name today traditional; it is composed of a Chinese family name (Cha) and of a title today (Mi' er) which in Persan appoints a chief or a senior officer. We can interpret that like a will to show the sinicization of the character all while preserving to him a trace of its own culture. C too no one and idiot
The foundation of boxing cha quan
The founder comes from the areas of the West which are the provinces of origin as of Hui. For this community scattered in all the country, they represent their root and a common point between all its members. Cha Mi' er which is “pure” Today (even its Persian title is characteristic) symbolizes to some extent the quintessence of these people and the radiation of the cradle of the motherland (West) on her children of the East.
It is a general or a soldier who belongs to a troop made up of Today, this shows the power of these people which do not want to be considered lower and which seek his place in China where the “Chauvinisme Han” is choking. At the time of its voyage, it conveys an invaluable knowledge and art which it can transmit to others Hui since this capital belongs to the very whole community. One sees here solidarity and the mutual aid of which they make proof to fight against the ethnic majority that constitutes Han, but this “hostility” is contradicted at once. Its long tour was a proof of devotion, bravery and obedience to the central capacity. On the assumption which fixes its arrival under Tang, it came in the East to fight the insurrections financed by An Lushan and Shi Siming; in that of Ming, it decides to enlist in an army and to leave to fight against the Pirate S Japanese; in the last, it comes to fight the troops foreign imperialists. In these three legends, it comes, only or with a troop, but always of full sound liking until in the East to maintain peace in the country and the stability of the capacity in place.
These legends often were written or improved after the seizure of power in 1949 by the Chinese Communist party.
Principal branches of the cha quan
During the long story of Chinese martial arts, it appeared many divergences in the styles and the sequences according to their places of practice and the personality of the professors. The cha quan of Jining, Shanghai, Shenyang or of the district of Guan are very different.
The branch Li
Li Enju (1857 - 1932, social first name Huiting) is originating in a family of practitioners of martial arts of Jining in the Shandong. It practices as of childhood with his father Li Zhenquan the cha quan . In 1877, it takes the road to learn near other professors. In 1915, it founds a company of bodyguards; in 1929, it is engaged with Jingwu association of Shanghai (his/her children Li Longbiao and Li Fengbiao also taught there thereafter). It had Sha Rongmin as raises.
The Yang branch
Yang Hongxiu (1864 - 1944, social first name Fengzhen) is originating in the district of Guan in Shandong. He learns the cha quan as of his childhood with Hong Zhanyuan and My Laowei. He taught at the Department of martial arts of My Liang and helped it to compile and promote “new Chinese martial arts” ( zhonghua xinwushu ). In 1919, it leaves to teach with the Association of Chinese martial arts of Shanghai. It finishes its days in the district of Shen in Shandong. It was called “Yang Hongxiu the Large Lance” ( daqiang yang hongxiu ) and “Yang the Fist-Flash” ( kuaiquan yang ). Wang Ziping, My Jinbiao, He Zhenjiang, My Yufu are all its disciples.The Yang branch is represented within the Academy of Chinese martial arts of Shanghai by Wang Fengzhang (nephew of Wang Ziping), Feng Xiangrui, Hu Hanping (founder of the boxing of the prisoner wusong ) and by Wong Tunken (founder of the Circle of wushu in 1975 with Paris).
The Zhang branch
Zhang Qiwei (1849 - 1933) is originating in the district of Guan, it begins the cha quan as of 1859 with Zhang Qian. It is known in the area is of Shandong for its “palms of iron and steel fingers” ( tiezhang gangzhi ) which can bore the belly of a Bœuf. It starts to teach at his place in 1886 with people of the village and the neighborhoods. It is very rigorous in the choice of its disciples, insists on the morals of martial arts and is very severe with its pupils who are, for a great number, very known: Zhang Xitai, Zhang Fengling, Zhang Yingzhen, Zhang Yingjian, Chang Zhenfang, Zhang Xiyan, Li Chaoqun, He Zhenquan, Song Yizhou, He Yingting.
The system cha quan
The term of cha quan is ambiguous in Mandarin. It can indicate boxing cha quan and its ten sequences or the whole of the techniques gathered with this one, i.e. the three series of basic exercises, the thirteen sequences with naked hands of additional boxings, of many forms with long weapons and short weapons as well as combined combat. We will use here the term of cha quan for boxing and “system of the cha quan ” for the whole of the techniques which are practiced with it.It is difficult to give the exhaustive contents of the style, it varies much according to the areas and schools. They often arrives that some have techniques which one does not find elsewhere such as for example the sequences of three stars ( sanxing quan ) and of the seven stars ( qixing quan ) of Liaocheng or the six gimlets ( liuluzuane ) of Beijing. We will give here only what is commonly widespread.
It is sometimes impossible to determine the precise origin of certain sequences, a style is never closed again on itself, it is subject to the influence of other schools. Certain techniques exist independently (like the tantui ), others are practiced more only in the system of the cha quan ( CAM quan , fan quan ).
Positions and movements
The shapes of hands ( shouxing )
Chinese martial arts have a great number of the shapes of hands. One can find surroundings there score of the shapes of fist and palm, several shapes of hooks, fingers and claws according to boxings. Cha quan is him rather poor in this field, it contains only the three shapes of fist, the two shapes of palms and hooks. The variety of strike, blockings and seizures is thus limited enough.
The fist (quan):
The three shapes of fist: The vertical fist (liquan), the horizontal fist (pingquan), the tilted fist (xiequan). During striking, the fist even swivels on him and stops its rotation at the time of the impact.
The palm (zhang):
The five shapes of palm: The vertical palm of profile (celizhang), the vertical palm lizhang), the palm of profile (cezhang), the horizontal palm (pingzhang), the corrugated palm walengzhang)
The hand in hook (goushou):
The two shapes of hook: The right hook (zheng goushou), the opposite hook (fan goushou).
The steps (buxing)
The positions employed in Cha quan are basic positions common to all “long boxings”. They must be practiced enough low to make work the muscles of the thighs and the stretching of the tendons.The step in arc (gongbu), the step of the rider (mabu), the step in arc of profile (hengdangbu), the squatted step (pubu), the step empties (xubu), the sitted step (xiebu), the step in form of T (dingbu).
Movements
Top of the Technical bodies- of fists (quanfa),
- Technical of palms (shoufa)
- Technical of elbow (zhoufa)
The Technical legs
- of steps (bufa)
- Technical of legs (tuifa)
- Technical of jumps (tiaoyue)
Balances (pingheng)
Sequences or CAT Lu
There exist ten sequences of Cha quan, they are classified in a precise order and carry a whole a name although one also often simply indicates them by their number. The contents of the sequences vary much according to the branches of boxing, we will describe below the way in which they are practiced in the district of Guan.
“The mother and the son” (yilu muzi) 1
He plays the part of introduction to boxing and for this reason made thus work mainly the basic postures and the correction of the movements.
“The mobile hands” (erlu xingshou) 2
He is tonic, fast, includes/understands many displacements and techniques of crossing palms.
“Flying Feet” (sanlu feijiao) 3
He is relatively short, account a certain number of crossing palms, planted steps and inversions of body.
“Rise and peace” (silu shengping) 4
It is most largely widespread by far boxing Cha quan. It is technically richest of the sequences and it contains the majority of the movements representative of the style plus a certain number of other original and esthetic techniques.
“Is master keys” (wulu guandong) 5
It is not very long, the movements are connected elegantly. It resembles in certain points the precedent.
“Ambush” (liulu maifu) 6
Its techniques are dense, it comprises many jumped kicks and the fact part of one of longest the sequences.
“Fleur of plum tree” (qilu meihua) 7
It is carried out on a fast rate/rhythm and with few movements of stop. Its many changes of management are sudden; it contains rather rare techniques like a sweeping before left leg, a half wide variation on the ground.
“Connected Rings” (balu lianhuan) 8
It is rather short and sober, its movements are Nets and elegant.
“The dragon stirs up the tail” (jiulu longbaiwei) 9
Its rate/rhythm is jerked, the movements of varied arms are connected with few displacements, it is longest of the ten.
“Connected Fists” (shilu chuanquan) 10
It is rather different from the others of share its style. One finds a great number of new movements there and especially much with hands in hook, its rate/rhythm clear and is jerked.
The Tantui or whipped legs
The term of Tantui indicates a boxing with whole share with a complete system including/understanding of the sequences with naked hands, with weapons and of the combined combat
For these origins, it is often mentioned Moslem characters, “the Master originating in the area of the Kunlun mounts”
Tantui are very widespread at Hui, which one sees through the term: “Tantui of Islam”. Moreover, the large Masters considered for their practice of this boxing are as a majority of Hui origin (Wang Ziping, My Jinbiao…).
It has origins and a development independent of Cha quan which did to nothing but borrow techniques him to make its first basic exercises of them.
They are these series of six, ten or twelve exercises including/understanding many techniques of leg which made its reputation. They contain the majority of the basic movements of long boxings of the North of China
6 principles of the style
They all are connected between them, of the kind “the interior and outside does only one”
Three external principles
1 - Movements:
“The postures are lengthened” (zishi shuzhan), “the movements complete and are coordinated” (xietiao wanzheng).
" The size guides the shoulders and the arms. The hips direct the legs and the steps. "
2 - The force:
“The force is deployed without obstacle” (fali shunda), “the movements are shingling fast and powerful” (cui kuai you Li).
The arm (or the leg) is slackened until the last moment before the impact, the force (contraction) is deployed during a very short moment then the arm is again quickly relaxed (while remaining tended).
3 - The rate/rhythm:
“The rate/rhythm is clear and fast” (jiezou mingkuai)
The movements are grouped and their executions alternate the flexible one and the hard one, the calm one and the determination.
Three internal principles
1 - The gasoline (jing) or " intention" :
“To fight an adversary as if there were nobody in front of oneself and to involve itself as if it one had an adversary. ” (xing quan you ren ruo wu ren, shi F wu ren ruo you ren)
2 - Breath (IQ):
“The breath catalyzes the force. ” Breathing is carried out by the nose, the mouth closed by using ventral breathing.
3 - The spirit (shen):
The spirit appears mainly by the glance which is called besides in Chinese “the spirit of the eyes” (yanshen)
“The intention and the breath are like the roots of the tree, the movements resemble the branches and with the sheets of the trees, if only appearance is sought and not the base then art surface and is easily dried up. ” (yi IQ Ru shu zhi genjing, dongzuo if shu zhi zhiye, drunk qiu Ben er qiu biao ze yi qian yi ku)
All these terms make parties of the vocabulary taoist, they are concepts complex and in charge of direction.
External bonds
Site devoted to the teaching of Cha quan: " the Circle of Wushu"
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