Origin of Gongliquan

It is said that the progenitor’s family name is Luo. He traveled to Cangchou, Hebei and met a person who was very hard working with his Kung Fu. Unfortunately this person's forms were all flowery. Luo offered to teach him the Gongliquan. It would seem that the original idea behind the form is to develop Gong to compliment whatever that unnamed person was doing; therefore, the form is supposed to be played slowly similar to Taijiquan.

The “Practicing Gongliquan” book is full of information which includes a sonnet of the form. It gives the names of the moves and the applications of the moves. There are also applications with pictures. The interesting thing about the applications is that the 4 modes of attacks Da, Ti, Na, and Shuai are all there plus it illustrated the "striking on the mount" position of ground fighting within the form. In my opinion, this serves as a proof that some degree of ground fighting existed in CMA even in the 60s. It wasn't popular but it was there.

Wang Fengting's version was much longer and very repetitive. It has sections repeats to 4 directions. The Jingwu version is very similar to and not necessary the other version that Wang wrote about is much shorter. The interesting thing about the Jingwu version absorbed into Chiu Chuk Kai Tai Chi Praying Mantis (CCK TCPM) is that it ends in 90 degrees position clockwise to the opening position. If the form repeats 4 times clockwise, one will finish back at where one started just like Master Wang suggested. However, the Jingwu version is played with vigor and speed unlike Master Wang noted in his book.

Styles around the Yellow River region, especially the north shores, mostly have Pigua flavor which is to say there are chopping and smashing type of movements. There are also takedowns, throws, stand-up grappling and ground fighting (limited to ground and pound from the side control and mount position). Jingwu version Gongliquan has these technical characteristics. During a recent conversation with a friend who studies Fanziquan in Beijing, he mentioned that in Hebei province Baji, Pigua, Tongbi, and San Huang Pao Chui are most popular in that province. People often start with learning Baji and eventually study San Huang Pao Chui which might be related to Gongliquan (the system).

Tanglang and Jingwu

In Jingwu’s early days of operations, all teachers who wish to teach there must learn the 10 sets of Jingwu that includes the Gongliquan. This rule does not apply to departmental heads such as Grandmaster Luo Guangyu of Seven Stars. His assistances such as Wang Han Xun and Zhao Zhi Min would have to follow the regulation. GM Chiu Chuk Kai (CCK TCPM) taught at Macao and Vietnam branches of Jingwu. He also observed the standard of Jingwu. This is why many branches of the Hong Kong Seven Stars Praying Mantis and CCK TCPM have the Gongliquan within the corpus today. It is of note that while the form should be more or less the same structure wise, different flavors and applications exists.

An Extract from the Form and Its Application

Extract from the form:

      1) Downward Punch.                                   2) Jade Ring Lower Block.                                 3) Spinning Back Fist.

The basic application to this move is a series of striking moves.  The following is a more advanced interpretation, which uses a takedown against a neck clinch that is common to Muay Thai.

Advanced Application:

   1. A mid-line offense is being intercepted.                          2. The defender quickly clinches the attacker

3a. the defender is fast with throwing a knee strike giving no time to the attacker. This forces the attacker to put up a defense.

  It is important to keep the footwork alive to avoid flying knee strike, which can penetrate the defense.

3b. The attacker counters the clinch right the way. The right hand grabs the pressure point near the right collarbone (across the chest).  The attacker’s right elbow is under the defender’s left elbow and lifts the clinch off by tilting the body slightly.  Left hand of the attacker is free to launch an offense or a defense. This also takes the short knee strike (lead) of the defender away.

4. The defender tries a long knee strike (rear), which is being timed by the attacker, who quickly goes into a Jade Ring stance. The left hand clinches the defender’s neck and the right hand hooks behind the knee of the defender.  The hand positions are slightly different from the form.

5. The attacker spins counter clockwise and takes the defender down. He finishes the defender with a strike. A straight arm bar can also be use as a grappling finish (not shown).

There is also a counter, which is not shown here, by the defender to capitalize on the attacker’s takedown move.

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Last modified: 03/29/05