About Yiquan

Master Yao is writing a piece for the Beijing Wuhuan Magazine (a magazine produced by the Beijing Wushu Association) and asked me to submit a short article describing my experiences as a foreigner learning at the school. I thought I would post it here as well…

I came to Beijing from the United States specifically to learn the art of Yiquan. I had over 10 years of experience in the practice of other martial arts styles, particularly Taijiquan, but I felt that something was missing from my understanding of combat and it was my hope that Yiquan would provide the missing piece. I did not know too much about Yiquan, other than the fact that it emphasized the practice of standing postures and the development of real combat ability. But this sounded very promising to me, and I made plans to study with Master Yao Chengguang since he and his school, the Beijing Zongxun Wuguan, have an excellent reputation. I have now studied with Master Yao intensively for almost a year, and I have been extremely pleased with the results. Gradually, through his guidance, I have recognized the true meaning of martial art, the true essence of combat ability, which has been a real revelation.

Rather than being based on the repetition of forms and set patterns, Yiquan seeks to cultivate real power in its practitioners through the steady cultivation of the mind and the will. Although there are basic exercises that are used to help the individual develop this ability, the real goal of this martial art is to transcend these tools and move the body freely and flexibly, effortlessly striking and moving with great speed and whole body power. Master Yao, and his father before him, Yao Zongxun, have devoted a great deal of effort to developing a scientific and systematic approach in their teaching methodology to make this goal accessible to all their students, step- by-step. By using his methods to progress through a series of mental visualizations, combined with rigorous training in zhan zhuang, shi li, fa li, tui shou, and san shou, I have been able to produce some very remarkable results in my combat ability in a relatively short amount of time. While I am still far from the heights of my predecessors, I am happy in the knowledge that I am on the right path and have found a true teacher to guide me.

I could very easily go on about the power of Yiquan, or perhaps the extreme skill that Master Yao possesses, which is indeed rare and truly inspiring. However, I would like to mention a little bit about the profound nature of Yiquan itself, as a means to cultivate the individual. It is, in fact, more than just an art to promote one’s health as well as one’s martial ability. While it is extremely successful in those goals, it reaches an even higher plane. Yiquan actively trains you to magnify your intention to an extremely large scale. This affects not only how you move your body, but in essence, how you relate to the world in any situation, whether it is in combat or any difficult circumstance. With this kind of training, you are able to cast your fears aside and calmly engage the situation with every concentrated fiber of your being. I believe this to be something that is quite profound and of incalculable value.

In closing, I would like to say that I have found the training at the school to be rigorous but rewarding. As with many endeavors in life, the quality of the result is determined by the effort you expend. While Master Yao can teach you everything you need to know, this is no substitute for spending the time to actually do the practice required to transform your knowledge into real skill. It can be quite challenging at times. But I am continually inspired to persevere by the example set by Master Yao, and along with his steady encouragement, I have gained some real insight into myself and a remarkable martial art.

I have only my teacher to thank for these gifts, which he has given generously and without hesitation.

Moon Lee (李文荣)

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