Gao-style baguazhang

Gao Style Baguazhang
Also known as	Cheng School Gao Style Baguazhang
Hardness	Internal (neijia)
Country of origin	China
Creator	Gao Yisheng
Famous practitioners	Hong Yixiang,; Luo Dexiu,; He Kecai (founder of Ho Ho Choy Baguazhang)
Parenthood	Baguazhang (Song & Cheng Style Baguazhang), Xingyiquan, Yang-style tai chi, Dachengquan
Descendant arts	Ho Ho Choy Baguazhang
Olympic sport	No

Gao Style Baguazhang (Chinese: 高氏八卦掌) is the style of Baguazhang descended from Gao Yisheng, a student of Cheng Tinghua, who founded one of the two main branches of Baguazhang.^[2] Gao is alternatively said to have originally studied with Song Changrong (宋長榮) or Yin Fu, later (or alternatively previously) studying with one of Cheng's students, Zhou Yuxiang (周玉祥). Gao style is one of the most widely practiced Baguazhang styles in the West; there are also many practitioners in Tianjin and Taiwan. It has many variations held within various lineages, some which are given below:

Dong Haichuan
- Cheng Tinghua
  - Zhou Yuxiang
    - Gao Yisheng
      - Wu Jinyuan
      - Wu Huaishan
        Wu Guozheng
      - Liu Fengcai
        Wang Shusheng
        
        Liu Shuhang
        
        Chen Baozhen
        
        Han Fangrui
      - He Kecai (Cantonese: Ho Ho Choi)
        Cheung Sing Tang (C. S. Tang)
      - Zhang Junfeng
        Hong Yixiang
        Luo Dexiu^[3]
        
        Su Dongchen
        
        Hong Yiwen
        
        Hong Yimien
        Allen Pittman
      - Wu Mengxia
        Wu Min'an
        
        Bi Tianzuo
      - Bi Motang
        Bi Tianzuo

The Gao style system is referred to as the Gao Yisheng branch of the Cheng Tinghua system of Baguazhang.^[2] Essentially, Gao Style Bagua is a unique subsystem. The Gao style system, because of Gao's own martial progression over time, can be found to have a number of different permutations, represented in these various lingages. All are valid examples of Gao style Bagua because they all represent Gao Yisheng’s progression as a martial artist. Gao was refining and creating sets until he died. He changed his straight line, pre-heaven and weapons sets more than once in his life but at its core it is a complete Baguazhang system.

Gao style explicitly divides training into two categories: pre-heaven (先天) and post-heaven (後天). Pre-heaven training includes walking the circle and practicing changing palms on the circle; this material is similar to that found in the other Cheng styles. Post-heaven training consists of 64 linear palms (六十四掌) is said by Gao Yisheng to be passed down by a man known as Song Yiren (宋益仁) (i.e., Song Yiren (送藝人), or "person who gives arts"); these palms are unique to the Gao system.^[2]

Many Gao style practitioners can be found in Tianjin (lineage of Liu Fengcai and others), Taiwan (lineage of Zhang Junfeng), and Hong Kong (lineage of He Kecai).

^ Gao Jiwu & Nigel Sutton (2009). The 64 Hands of Bagua Zhang: Fighting Techniques of Liu Dekuan. Blue Snake Books. ISBN 978-15-839-4237-6.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gao Yisheng (2013). Liu Fengcai (ed.). The Cheng School Gao Style Baguazhang Manual: Gao Yisheng's Bagua Twisting-Body Connected Palm. North Atlantic Books. ISBN 978-15-839-4622-0.
^ Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Volume 15. Via Media Publishing Company. 2006.

[1] Gao Jiwu & Nigel Sutton (2009). The 64 Hands of Bagua Zhang: Fighting Techniques of Liu Dekuan. Blue Snake Books. ISBN 978-15-839-4237-6.

[TCSGSBM-2] Gao Yisheng (2013). Liu Fengcai (ed.). The Cheng School Gao Style Baguazhang Manual: Gao Yisheng's Bagua Twisting-Body Connected Palm. North Atlantic Books. ISBN 978-15-839-4622-0.

[3] Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Volume 15. Via Media Publishing Company. 2006.

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