Formosa Neijia

I’m not usually impressed by the many VCDs that come out of China. I have bought about a hundred of these things, and I’ve seen so few that really impress me. At least until yesterday.

Wudang stylist Wang Ping (王平) has an older series out that just blew my mind. I’m so glad I picked his stuff up. His movement skills are great. Here are some short reviews of these discs.

This is his version of the Wudang baguazhang. The first disc shows the eight big palms, and the second shows the swimming body palms that is derived from the first set. So the second set is an extrapolation of the first. This is the only disc I’m ever seen that shows what I feel is the correct and desirable way to do “swimming body” bagua. Wang is so very relaxed and fluid. It’s amazing. He seamlessly flows from one posture to the next and floats like a dragon riding the air currents. I will post more about this later, but I’ll say for now that the reason I think he shows this type of movement and other VCD sets don’t likely has to do with the Daoist nature of his practice. I think that’s a vital element missing from other baguazhang VCDs.

This is his Zhang San-feng taichichuan series (3 discs). Again, just great body movement. Wang has clearly mastered bagua body movement, and here we see him applying it to a taichi set. This was why I bought the disc, and I’m glad I did. His movements again are continuously connected in a way that combines the taichi with the flowing body of bagua, with only a hint of xingyi thrown in to break things up a bit. Forget the origins of this set. I know it’s controversial. That’s no reason to miss out on watching this great teacher move.

This is a Wudang sword set done in ten roads. And wow! It’s deep. This is the best Wudang sword I’ve seen yet. Nothing on youtube compares to this. I’ve always considered the Wudang sword to be the tops in straight sword material, and this two-disc set shows why. Most of the ways in which the straight sword could possibly be used are covered in this one set. It is really long. And it beautifully displays the continuously connected, flowing postures the style is known for. The set has lots of moves that go straight up and then move down low, which is excellent for athletic ability and building dragon-like power. (In Chinese mythology, the dragon can become bigger or smaller at will and floats in the air up and down like the draogn dances you may have seen in parades.) This is definitely the disc to get for Wudang sword.

Saving the best for last, this is his bagua straight sword form. This is the best weapons form I’ve ever seen! Very long and involved, Wang’s execution here is just superb in every way. His footwork, in particular, is great. His toe-in and toe-out stepping is so smooth. He spins like a top and yet retains his structure. Every conceivable move with the sword seems to be in this set. He passes the sword behind his back, there are jumps and some fajings, and yet he doesn’t break stride throughout the whole performance. This is obviously his specialty.

What I like most about Wang’s performances are his body skills. He’s obviously worked long and hard in acquiring them. His execution is very relaxed, and yet he doesn’t show a competition wushu type of movement that I’ve come to expect of so many bagua performers. What he shows is traditional, but his flavor is different from any of those I’ve seen come out of Beijing.

This is the type of movement that made me fall in love with bagua in the first place. Glad to see that there’s at least one disc set that has captured it.

BTW, Lion Books here in Taipei is having a big sale. Most of their VCDs are 3 for NT$200. You can get all of Wang’s stuff for cheap if you move fast. Enjoy!