Why is Quan Attached to the Names of Chinese Martial Arts Styles?

Martial arts in China are steeped in ancient history and are an important part of traditional Chinese culture. Their development was inseparable from Chinese philosophical thinking, moral values, and general outlook on life. These characteristics went hand in hand with the combative nature of various styles.

The names of most Chinese martial arts styles, with few exceptions, are followed by the Chinese character “拳” which in Pinyin is Quán, pronounced “chwan.” The original meaning of 拳 is a clenched hand, commonly known as a fist.

For example, when 拳 is attached to the style of 太極 -Taiji, it becomes 太極拳 – Taiji Quan. Other examples are 查拳 – Cha Quan, 翻子拳 – Fan Zi Quan, 八極拳 – Baji Quan, 八极拳 – Mizong Quan, 形意拳 – Xingyi Quan, and so forth. Quan implies that the system is a combative art. While this is a simple explanation, the meaning is more complex, and its ramifications need to be understood.

For centuries, Chinese martial arts evolved as a means of combat. Originally, they relied heavily on skillful training with weapons for use on the battlefield. Empty-hand arts, although important, played a secondary role.

While many Gong Fu styles trace their origins back hundreds of years, it was not until the end of the Ming dynasty (1644) that empty-hand styles started to emerge and gain prominence. Traditional Chinese weapons such as the Spear, Saber, and Staff remained an integral part of these styles. Skills were honed, whether with weapons or with empty hands, for the sole purpose of unrestricted combat. Fitness and health maintenance, while a byproduct of training, was not the driving force for practitioners.

With the fall of the Ming Dynasty and the rise of Qing Dynasty, the practice of martial arts, and weapons in particular, was forbidden. The Qing authorities imposed severe penalties for breaking these laws. In time, as the Qing gained widespread control over the Chinese population, they relaxed the rules, and empty-hand styles came to the forefront.

With the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901) and the subsequent fall of the Qing Dynasty (1912), Chinese martial arts fell into disarray. Civil war and war with the Japanese imposed further restrictions on the ability to practice martial arts.

After the fall of Kuomintang and the control over China by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) in 1949, martial arts faced further upheaval. Many masters with their individual styles moved to Taiwan, where there was more freedom to practice and teach openly.

Starting in the 1970s, Contemporary Wushu came to the forefront, but this was far removed from the ancient systems of combat. The focus, though martial in appearance, was actually performance, based on athletic prowess and aesthetics. The result is that Contemporary Wushu is pleasing to the eye but void of substance.

Today, many Gong Fu styles have lost their original combative nature, and many schools focus more on the training of Tao Lu (Kata in Japanese). A martial arts system that has Quan attached to it should incorporate Jiben Gong (Basic Training), Tao Lu (Forms), Yong Fa (Applications), and Da Fa (Fight Training and Actual Sparring). If they do not have these characteristics, then they are not truly Quans.