Yiquan - My introduction and impressions

Kirill from Russia

Some years ago I encounter with some troubles. As a very busy start up manager I worked 24 hours a day very often. But at the same time I had to be in good health, mental and spiritual conditions due to big responsibilities and unpredictable every day challenges. Unfortunately as stress grew up I found sport exercises that I liked to do in my free time could not keep me in good form any more. More over they just made my body and mind more tired, tense and out of control.

Lucky enough I did know about some oriental practices. One of them standing post meditation (even step post or embracing the tree)suited me perfect as I could do it every morning for half an hour. So I started to do it. It was incredibly difficult for the first time but I could see immediate results. The whole day after practice I feeled myself more relaxed and flexible, with good mood and clearer mind and body under better control. If I skipped the practice I could not be so efficient during the day. As I continued my practice I could see more deep results as some old troubles and traumas of my body started to heal up.

As now I have some free time I am free to visit some places and meet some people. I was lucky enough again to find about Master Yao Cheng Guang from Beijing China who teaches pure Yiquan tradition. I was pleased to find his website www.yiquan.com and to know about Yiquan as traditional Chinese martial and spiritual art that uses standing post as base for health, body, mind and spirit development and as main combat posture. This tradition exists due to line of great masters and has disciples in many countries of the world. The main postulate of Yiquan is to use mind not force. Application of this postulate enables great masters of Yiquan to show fantastic power, combat abilities and skills. So Yiquan provides main goal of any true martial art the scientific way for inner force development.

So almost immediately I headed to Beijing, found Master Yao Cheng Guang and asked to be a student for Yiquan training course.

Master Yao Cheng Guang is pleasant man. He is excellent host. At the same time you can see that his body, mind and speech always under his perfect control. He doesn’t leave any detail of environment without his attention. Also he doesn’t do even small movement or action in vain. If he does something, says something or demonstrate something you can be sure there is reason for it and sooner or latter it would be clear for you. Especially this is clear in education process as Yiquan training course developed by Master Yao Cheng Guang consist of different exercises and practices performed solo or with partner. They are embodied in 25 modules and taught as system there each element helps to create various essential body and health qualities, combat abilities and skills. Elements of system support each over and provide understanding of different aspects of Yiquan. Results of going through Yiquan training course exceed just sum of all those exercises and practices. They are conceptual understanding of Yiquan tradition and practical ability to use it in real situations, skills to use any part of body as a weapon and whole body as one united piece, alertness and control of mind, spirituality as base of combat skills. Master Yao Cheng Guang appreciates only practical approach so all skills are tested in pushing hands exercises and Yiquan free fighting.

Master Yao Cheng Guang is always ready to answer any question and demonstrate any exercise or combat application by himself and in the way that can be understood by any particular student. He need not any time for preparation and is able to suite any person of any particular height and weight. His power seems like explosion that is totally under his control and always in amount that is exactly equal for purposes that he wants to achieve in every case. When Master Yao Cheng Guang wants to direct attention for practical application but not just exercise his demonstration seems almost unpredictable for an opponent. The opponent is not able to catch a moment of attack. He is just experiences result by flying away and trying to get on his feet and retain his balance. This is efficiency added to mastery where minimum effort provides maximum result.

I would like to invite any interested person to experience Yiquan tradition. Yiquan`s wisdom developing abilities  by use of ones mind perfectly suits 21 century demands. As martial and spiritual art Yiquan can be important part of contemporary education. More over Yiquan represents spirit of Chinese martial arts, their essence. We can say spirit of China, Chinese people and Chinese culture. Now Chinese culture and economy makes China one of the world’s leaders. Next year China will host 2008 Olympic games with motto One World One Dream. So now any cultural person has to be acquainted with Chinese culture.

Deep understanding of most important things can be achieved by diligent study from Great Masters who preserve and transmit traditions. We are happy to have Master Yao Cheng Guang with us in Beijing China.

So do not miss your chance, do not miss Yiquan!