Tongbeiquan - Swift and Cold Killing at a Distance (Youth Martial Arts Introduction Series)

Author: Liu Bo
Editor-in-Chief: Tong Hui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-06-22
Features:
Fragment: Knowledge Part 1
1. Understanding Tongbei Quan
Tongbei Quan is an independent martial arts style among the numerous schools of Chinese martial arts. It has a long history and rich technical content, being one of the oldest martial arts styles. The development of Tongbei Quan has also brought about various fascinating folk legends about martial arts. Tongbei Quan is a typical long-range striking style, excelling in combat at medium to long distances. It emphasizes extending strikes to attack from afar, fully embodying the Chinese martial arts principle of "an inch longer, an inch stronger." In terms of controlling the combat space, it advocates "long strikes at a distance, quick strikes at close range," capable of both extending and retracting, long and short. The name "Tongbei" literally means "through" and "back." "Tong" signifies (through, penetrate), and "bei" refers to the waist and back. Together, the name expresses the idea of using the waist and back to generate power and penetrate the body, reflecting the technical style of Tongbei Quan that emphasizes long-range strikes. Over time, Tongbei Quan has branched into many schools, developing diverse styles, a comprehensive technical system, and rich content. It covers both empty-hand and weapon forms, making it a gem in the garden of Chinese martial arts and a true treasure of Chinese martial arts.
2. The Origin of Tongbei Quan
Tongbei Quan is one of China's earliest martial arts styles, belonging to the typical long-range striking category. Legend has it that as early as the early Song Dynasty during Zhao Kuangyin's reign, the famous general Han Tong from Guanxi was skilled in Tongbei Quan and gained great fame. However, to date, there is no definitive historical record to prove the origin and evolution of Tongbei Quan. Huang Zongxi, in his "Six-Road Song Verses" in the "Nanlei Collection·Mausoleum Inscription of Wang Zhengnan," mentioned "You Shen Tong Bi as the highest," indicating that by the Ming Dynasty, Tongbei Quan had already reached a high level of development. Due to the differences in content and style among various schools of Tongbei Quan, even within the same school, there are variations depending on the master-disciple relationships. The name of Tongbei Quan has been called in multiple ways, with homophones but different characters. Three representative names can be summarized: one uses the character "bi" for the arm, another uses "bei" for the back, and the third uses "bei" for preparedness. Each name has its reasoning: those who call it "bi" believe that the style primarily uses arm movements, with both arms sweeping in arcs, resembling the arms of a monkey, hence the name "bi." Those who call it "bei" argue that the style "connects with the divine and reaches transformation, embodying both theory and application," while those who call it "bei" for the back believe that the style emphasizes power generation from the waist and back, with force originating from the feet and penetrating through the back, allowing for long-range strikes, making "bei" a more appropriate name. These three names have been used concurrently, with each school calling its style by its name, until 1983, when the new edition of the "Great Encyclopedia of China·Sports Volume" was published. The book standardized the character "bei" in the martial arts section as the back, highlighting Tongbei Quan's technical characteristics of power generation from the waist and back and penetrating the limbs. In folk usage, the other names are still in use.