Cha Quan is a kind of boxing which is popular in north China. As a traditional boxing in China, it is not only famous for its function of attack and defense, but also for some interesting legends about it.
Cha Quan is a kind of boxing which is popular in north China. As a traditional boxing in China, it is not only famous for its function of attack and defense, but also for some interesting legends about it.
General introduction
The origin of Cha Quan can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. According to the chronicle of it, a Tang Dynasty (618-907) crusade went on an expedition to east China. When the army reached Guanxian County in today's Shandong province, a young general named Hua Zongqi had to remain behind to recover from a serious wound. When he recovered and rehabilitated, in order to show his thanks to the local residents, he taught the local people his martial art Jiaziquan (frame boxing) in appreciation. Because Hua had good Wushu skills and taught his art very earnestly, a great number of people followed him. Since he could not handle them all alone, Hua invited his senior fellow apprentice Cha Yuanyi from his residence to help him. Cha Yuanyi was proficient at martial arts, especially the body posture boxing.
Jiazi Quan had fully extended movements and was called Dajia Quan (big frame boxing). The body posture boxing is compact and fast and it was called Xiaojia Quan (small frame boxing). After Cha Yuanyi and Hua Zongqi died, their followers named the two styles of Jiazi Quan after their tutors in their memory. The body posture boxing passed down by Cha Yuanyi was called the Cha-style boxing, while the Jiazi Quan taught by Hua Zongqi was named the Hua-style boxing. Later on, the Cha-style boxing and the Hua-style boxing were known as one style.
The Cha-style boxing or body posture boxing has 10 routines. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1736-1795), the Cha-style boxing was divided into three technical schools at Guanxian County and Rencheng County in Shandong Province. The Zhang-style of the Cha-style boxing, represented by Zhang Qiwei from Village Zhangyin at Guanxian, is fast, agile and compact. The Yang-style of the Cha-style boxing, represented by Yang Hongxiu from the southern part of the town of Guanxian, is upright, comfortable and graceful. The Li style of the Cha-style boxing, represented by Li Enju from Jining, is powerful, continuous and masculine.
Features of Cha Quan
The characteristics of the Cha-style boxing lie in the fact that its movements are graceful, comfortable, clear, continuous and rhythmic. The generation of strengths and forces are abrupt, and the use of energy is economical. This style of boxing stresses the usage of both hands and feet at the same time in executing the movements. Various tricks and moves are combined and linked to facilitate continuous attacks.