Origins and Characteristics of Tang Quan (唐拳)

Tang Quan is a Chinese martial arts system whose origins span back 1300 years. The development of the style is credited to Li Xuanba (李玄霸) who was the third son of the Emperor Gaozu (高祖), the founder of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). The style is named after the dynasty, hence Tang Quan.

My interest in researching Tang Quan is because our Mizong Luohan style contains two Tang Quan forms in its curriculum: Tang Quan Yi Lu, or Tang Fist First Form, and Tang Quan Er Lu, or Tang Fist Second Form. Since both Mizong Quan, also known as Yan Qing Quan, and Tang Quan are popular in the Cang Zhou* area of Hebei province, where Grandmaster Ye Yuting (葉雨亭) was from, it is likely that the two systems influenced each other. My personal observation is that the two Tang Quan forms contained in the Mizong Luohan style closely resemble the structure, flow, and techniques of the Tang Quan system.

Characteristics of Tang Quan

Tang Quan techniques blend hardness with softness. They emphasize looseness to allow the practitioner to deliver techniques at great speed, thus generating explosive power.

The style stresses the Si Ji (四擊), or Four Methods of Attack. These are the same as the methods important in Traditional Chang Quan: Ti – Kicking; Da – Striking; Shuai – Throwing; and Na – Seizing. The Four Attacks cultivate the ability to be comfortable fighting at long, short, or grappling range.

Also important are the Eight Methods,or Ba Fa (八法). Fa means to follow the specific method for developing various skills. Tang Quan’s Eight Methods are also similar to the methods emphasized in Long Fist, namely Shou Fa or Hand Method, Yan Fa or Eye Method, Shen Fa or Body Method, Bu Fa or Step Method, Jing Fa or Essence Method (here Jing refers to refining), Qi Fa or methods for developing Vital Energy, Li Fa or methods for developing force, and Gong Fa or methods for developing overall skill. Gong Fa aims to integrate all the above methods skillfully to achieve maximum results.

Tang Quan Shi Zi Jue (十字诀) – 10 Key Words

Tang Quan places emphasis on 10 Key Words, known as Shi Zi Jue, to further develop its fighting strategy. These are: Tui (推) Push, Tuo (托) Lift, Ling (領) Lead, Dai (帶) Carry, Ban (板) Block, Kou (扣) Buckle, Jiang (降) Drop, Dian (點) Dot, Qin (擒) Seize, and Na (拿) Control. Na refers to gaining control by locking the joints.

Many of the old styles have similar key words that are an integral part of their training. For example, in Mi Zong Quan, the fighting strategy revolves around a 16-Word Formula.

*See blog post on Cang Zhou: The Hometown of Chinese Martial Arts