The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

The Method of Lu Shui-T’ien

as Taught by Park Bok Nam

by Park Bok Nam and Dan Miller

High View Publications, Pacific Grove, CA

 The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang:
The Method of Lu Shui-T'ien as Taught by
Park Bok Nam

Copyright © 1993 by Dan Miller

ISBN 1-883175-01-1
All Right Reserved

Published by High View Publications

P.O. Box 51967
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

Printed in the United States of America

The author and publisher of the book are not responsible for any injury which may result from
following the instructions contained herein.

Before embarking on any of the physical activities described in this book, the reader should
consult his or her physician for advice regarding their individual suitability for performing such
activity.
 Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vi
Dedication vii
Preface viii

Chapter 1 - Introduction 1
Introduction 2
Beyond Pa Kua Chang Forms Training 4
Pa Kua Chang Master Lu Shui-T'ien 7
Lu Shui-Tien and his Pa Kua Chang 9
Lu Shui-T'ien's Early Years in China 10
Park's Pa Kua Chang Training under Lu Shui-T'ien 13
Korean Stele at Tung Hai-Ch'uan's Tomb 20
Park Teaching Pa Kua Chang in Korea 21
Park Moves to the United States 24
Park Bok Nam's Teaching Method 26
Reflex Body Response 27
Developing the "Kung Fu Body" 28
Research 29

Chapter 2 - The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang 33

Yin and Yang Theory 35
Pa Kua Theory 38
Combinations - From Theory to Practical Application 41
Pa Kua Geometry - The Eight Trigram Diagrams 44
Combining the Two Pa Kua Diagrams 49
Using the Pa Kua Diagrams in Pa Kua Chang Practice 49
Change and the Book of Changes 50
Five Phase Theory 53
Conclusion 55

Chapter 3 - Pa Kua Chang Footwork 59

Introduction 60
Training Stages 64
Table of Contents

Eight Direction Rooted Stepping 65

The Stance for Combat 65
Basic Pa Fang Ken Pu Practice 68
The Jump Step 68
The Full Step 70
Full Step with a Jump 72
The Basic Pa Fang Ken Pu Stepping Patterns 73
Turn Around and Jump 73
The Full Step with a 90 Degree Turn and the Full Step with 76
a 45 Degree Turn
Stepping to Four Directions 77
The "Y" Stepping Pattern 80
The "V" Step 80
Pa Fang Ken Pu Stepping and the Pa Kua Diagram 81
The Pivot Step 83
Pivoting Around the Rear Foot 85
Pivot Stepping and the Pa Kua Diagram 86
Circle Walking 87
Opening the Circle Walk Practice 92
Changing Directions on the Circle 93
Completing the Circle Walk Practice 94
Circle Walking Patterns 97
K'ou Pu and Pai Pu Stepping 99
Combining the Pa Kua Chang Footwork Techniques 105
Reaction Drills 105
Researching Combinations 105
Basic Two-Person Stepping Exercise 107
Freestyle Two-Person Stepping Exercise 108
Pa Kua Chang Footwork - Conclusion 110

Chapter 4 - Pa Kua Chang Body Training 113

The Fan Chang Exercises 116
Straight Fan Chang 116
Circle Fan Chang 121
T’ien Fan Chang 124
Combining the Three Fan Chang Exercises 124
Scooping the Moon from the Sea Bottom 128
The Circle Principle 133
Combining the Palm Work with Pa Kua Stepping 135
Hand + Body + Step 135
Full Step + Fan Chang 135
Yin Yang Changing Palm with Jump and Pivot Steps 137
Fan Chang and Walking the Circle 143
Hand Movement with K'ou Pu and Pai Pu 143
Pa Kua Chang Body Training - Conclusion 146
 Table of Contents

Chapter 5 - Pa Kua Chang Palm Training 149

Internal vs. External Power 150
The Basic Palm Exercises 152
Ton Chang 152
Dragon Back 159
Single Palm Change Exercise 160
Double Palm Change Exercise 164
Controlling the Power 166
Intermediate Palm Training Methods 169
Fighting Skill: Adding Power and Speed 171
Adding Power to the "Hand + Step + Body" Equation 171
Adding Speed to the Equation 171

Chapter 6 - Pa Kua Chang Ch’i Kung 175

Breathing Exercises 179
The Cleansing Breath 181
The Filling Breath 181
Prescription Breathing 182
Basic Ch'i Circulation Exercise 182
Ch'i Awareness 185
Meditation Exercises 186
Ch'i Kung Circle Walk Form 188
Putting It All Together 199

Chapter 7 - Conclusion 201

List of References
Appendix
 Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge a number of individuals who worked

hard to make this book possible. Thanks to my two senior classmates,
Glenn Wright and Glen Moore, for answering my many questions and
providing feedback on the draft copies of this book. Thanks to my wife,
Nancy Miller, for proofreading the draft text and making valuable
suggestions concerning the format and layout and for putting up with
the long hours I spent in preparing this book. Thanks to Greg Hatza for
posing in several of the two-person photographs. Thanks to Ken Fish
for providing valuable input concerning the mechanics involved in
some of these exercises, for helping with the translation of Chinese
terms, and for helping clear the way for me to study with Park Bok Nam.
Thanks to my mother-in-law, Nobue Melton, for providing the
calligraphy which is present throughout this book. Thanks to my
training partner, Gene Kreyd, for putting up with the many long
practice sessions which helped me think about how to put these
exercises into words. Thanks to Steve Rhodes for answering all of my
computer questions. Lastly, a special thanks to Park Bok Nam.
Without him, none of this would have been possible.

vi
Dedication

Dedicated in Memory of
Pa Kua Chang Master
Lu Shui-T’ien
(1894 - 1978)

vii
 Preface
After the first issue of the Pa Kua Chang Because of the level of detail Park
Newsletter had been published in November wished to discuss all of these topics, he asked
1990, I approached Bok Nam Park to ask if he if I would be willing to publish a series of
would be interested in being interviewed for articles which would explain Pa Kua Chang
the publication. Park's response to the first basic principles. I agreed with Park's opinion
newsletter was, "History does not make that martial arts publications should present
progress, students need to learn principles." more practical details concerning martial
His point was that martial arts publications arts practice and application and I had
print too much history, generalized received several letters from subscribers
information, and abstract theory when asking me to print this kind of technical
what students need is a detailed information. Thus, we initiated a series of
explanation of fundamental principles. Park articles in the Pa Kua Chang Newsletter (now
believes that if the student does not the Pa Kua Chang Journal) which discussed
understand the principles upon which the art Park's views and instruction of the practice
is based, he or she will not progress. "Respect and application of Pa Kua Chang
for parents is good, but when the baby is fundamental principles.
hungry he does not want to know who his Our initial interview was conducted
father is and who his grandfather is - he sitting in his office. He did not demonstrate
wants food. After his belly is full, then you any of his Pa Kua Chang, we just talked.
can tell him about his ancestors," Park Although I had not actually seen him do
added. Point well taken. anything, I was impressed with his
Pa Kua Chang footwork, sparring, systematic approach to teaching and
ch'i circulation, ch'i development, emphasis on fundamental training.
meditation, breathing, palm movements, Over the next few months Park and I met
how to move the body with the steps, how several times and he showed me a number of the
to combine speed and balance with ch'i, exercises and drills he wanted to have explained
how to develop power - these are some of in the newsletter. Although he showed me some
the topics Park wanted to discuss in detail. ch'i kung and some Pa Kua palm changing and
Since arriving in the United States in 1987, palm striking exercises, his emphasis in these
Park has observed that students in this meetings was placed on Pa Kua Chang footwork.
country know that Pa Kua Chang I still had yet to see Park demonstrate a Pa Kua
practitioners walk the circle, practice eight Chang form or show any Pa Kua martial
"mother" palms, and execute twisting and applications, however, I could see that he was
turning movements while walking and exceptionally skilled in terms of body flexibility,
changing in circular patterns, but he does not body control, and speed. His smooth, precise,
feel that many students know why these catlike movements when demonstrating Pa Kua
things are practiced, how they are specifically stepping exercises indicated a high level of skill.
applied in self-defense or ch'i development, I was interested in learning more and so at this
and how they relate to the fundamental point in time I asked Park if I could change my
theories of the I-Chitig, the Wu Hsing (Five status from reporter to reporter/student. Park
Phases), and Yin-Yang. Park contends that if agreed and I began studying with him at his
Pa Kua students were asked why they walk a school in Richmond, Virginia for five hours
circle or how each of the "mother palms" is every Saturday afternoon.
used specifically, most students would not be For the first few months I was taught nothing
able to give an explanation that displays any but very basic footwork, body movement, palm
depth of understanding. work, and ch'i kung exercises (the contents of this

viii
book). Although it was all very straight forward, Mainland China, however, I have never regretted
it was different than anything I had learned my decision of choosing Park Bok Nam as my Pa
before and I started to see direct benefits right Kua Chang teacher. I say this not only because he
away. After I had learned some basic footwork constantly amazes me with his ability to apply Pa
drills and practiced them repeatedly until the Kua Chang in fighting, but also because he
bottom of my feet were blistered, Park said he genuinely cares about each student's development
wanted to demonstrate how the footwork could inside and outside of the kung fu studio.
be used in fighting. He said, "You attack me, OK" Park truly believes that the relationship between
I squared off with him and planned to use the a student and teacher should be the same as the
jump step I had been practicing in combination relationship between a father and son and thus he
with a palm strike to his head. I quickly jumped looks out for each of his students as if they were his
forward and threw the strike, but it hit nothing own children. Park also teaches his students that
but air. Park was standing directly behind me, students in the same school should be as close as
positioned to strike my kidneys. I could not blood-brothers and thus the camaraderie
understand how he got there, his movement had experienced between students in Park's school is
been so quick and precise I was not really aware of uncommon in today's world.
what was happening when it had happened. He We present this book to the martial arts
had not even touched me as I was moving in to community as a perspective, not to say this is the
strike, he simply moved out of the way and only way. There are many excellent Pa Kua Chang
stepped in behind me. I thought, well, that was training systems and not all of them are the same.
pretty amazing! There must be something to this The method presented here is the method Park
footwork after all. Bok Nam was taught by his teacher Lu Shui-T’ien.
I was also fortunate in that I was able to We humbly present this book and its companion
observe Park training his two senior students, video tape so that instructor's and practitioners in
Glenn Wright and Glen Moore when I was at the the Pa Kua Chang community might gain some
school on Saturdays and I was able to practice knowledge from this work and that it may help
with them. There is an old saying in the martial them in their practice. We also hope that this
arts that says, "If you want to know how good a work will inspire others to share the Pa Kua Chang
teacher is, look at his senior students." Glenn knowledge that they were taught and have worked
Wright and Glen Moore are two of the finest Pa hard to perfect so that the community will benefit
Kua Chang practitioners and best fighters I have from everyone's knowledge and hard work.
ever seen. Looking at them I knew that Park could
not only apply the art himself, but knew how to
teach it as well. Dan Miller Winter
With each successive week of practice I slowly 1992 Pacific Grove,
started to get a better feel for what Park's Pa Kua CA
Chang was about and how his training program
worked. The more I learned about him and his Pa
Kua Chang and the more I practiced his training
methods, the more comfortable I became with
my decision to train with him. His teaching
method is the most systematic and most complete
program I have ever encountered.
In my capacity as editor and publisher of the
Pa Kua Chang Journal, I have had the opportunity
to meet and talk with Pa Kua Chang instructors
and practitioners all over the world. I have met
many highly skilled Pa Kua Chang instructors in
the United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and

ix
x
 Chapter 1
Introduction

1
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Chapter 1

Introduction
I t's the Chinese version of the David and Goliath
story. An old white bearded man, frail in
appearance, cane in hand, strolls passively
hyenas on a feeding frenzy, yet he effortlessly
weaves, darts, and spins in and out of the assailants'
attacks; sweeping, throwing, striking and kicking
down a country road accompanying his son and until they all lie quivering in the dusty road like
granddaughter to market. Just as the three happy beached jellyfish. The young girl helps her father
travelers reach the outskirts of their village, a to his feet and the three family members continue
group of thugs descend upon them. The group's on their journey, the "frail" old man strolling
leader stands boldly in the center of the road and away passively.
barks, "Give us your money or we take it by force As far fetched as this story might seem, most of
and let 'Ox-breath Chiang' have his way with the us who practice Chinese martial arts, especially
girl." Ox-breath, the Chinese equivalent of a the so-called 'internal' styles, are fascinated with
Sumo wrestler on steroids, eyes the girl and grunts, this kind of tale because its message is that highly
saliva dripping gingerly from the corners of his refined skill can easily overcome brute force. This
mouth. The girl's father immediately leaps forward is the concept which led most of us to study these
to protect her but is caught mid-stride by a backfist arts and this idea keeps us going through long,
from Ox-breath's bear-size hand. He lands hard hours of training. A small guy can beat up a
unconscious in the ditch by the side of the road, big strong guy without a rock and sling? A force
blood ebbing from his mouth. of four ounces can deflect a thousand pounds?
The ruffians break into laughter and mock the Where do I sign up!?!
beaten man's foolish bravery. The group's leader If a student is lucky enough to find a good
commands a few gang members to start searching teacher who has a training program which is
through the man's clothes for money. Ox-breath designed to develop complete martial art skill, he
turns back towards the young girl to claim his or she immediately realizes that developing this
prize, but as he reaches out for her arm, the tip of skill is going to take many long hours of hard work
the old man's cane pierces him threw the eye and everyday. The majority of this work, especially in
a palm strike to the chest sends blood gushing out the beginning stages of development, is not fun.
of his nose and mouth. As the giant begins to fall The training is basic, it is repetitive, it is exhausting,
to the ground, the old man hooks him under the and it can easily become boring. There is no
arm and, with a tornado like spinning movement, secret, there is no magic, there is no free lunch.
plays "bowling for bandits" by hurling the lifeless Many students who enter the "internal" martial
mass into the crowd of hooligans. The group arts become interested because they relate a few of
scatters like insects at a crop dusting festival, but the terms associated with these arts, such as "soft"
two or three are knocked down by the flying heap and "relaxed," with "easy." However, if they find
of flesh. The others rush towards the old man like a good teacher who is teaching a complete system,

2
 Introduction
they soon discover that the training is anything This book contains fundamental exercises
but "easy." At every level of practice the training and an explanation of the principles upon which
is physically demanding, however, at the they are based. There are no Pa Kua Chang forms
beginning levels the work is especially difficult. described in this book because Park believes that
Working hard at fundamental repetitive Pa Kua Chang forms should not be taught to
exercises is nothing new to anyone who has students until other fundamental skills are
attained a high degree of skill at any discipline. developed. Park is fond of saying, "I have water
The professional baseball player can knock a to give to thirsty students, but unless they have a
fastball out of the park with a swing that appears cup for me to pour it in, they cannot hold the
effortless. The all-pro basketball player can drive water." The "cup" is symbolic of fundamental
down the lane, weave around defenders, leap into skills and principles, the "water" is the complete
the air and "hang" for what seems to be minutes, art of Pa Kua Chang. Park firmly believes that at
his flight ending with a reverse slam executed each level of training the student has to develop
while his head appears to be floating above the the "cup" before the teacher can pour in the
rim. He makes it look easy. The professional "water."
football player, the baseball player, the basketball While many students today are taught the Pa
player, the concert pianist, the Olympic gymnast Kua Chang form as the sum and total of the art,
and the old white bearded man in our story are all Park was taught that forms practice makes up only
individuals who have reached the highest level of a small sliver of the total art of Pa Kua Chang.
excellence in their field, and they all have one There are many components of Chinese martial
thing in common; they have spent thousands of arts that cannot be developed solely through
hours practicing the fundamentals of their forms practice. The majority of these components
discipline and through this practice have reached fall into three broad categories. Any complete
such a refined level of skill that everything they do Chinese martial arts system will include elements
appears to be effortless and natural. of the following:
While thousands of hours of practice is the key
element to developing skill in any discipline, Ch'i Kung
practice cannot be haphazard. Any good training 1) Ch'i Kung - breath
program is systematic and progressive; there is a control, visualization, and non-specific body
method. Basic skills are developed fully before movement techniques for various purposes -
more complex skills are encountered. Components increased circulation to the distal points of the
of the practice are first trained separately until extremities, increased vital capacity, meditation,
each component can be performed correctly in and ch'i development.
isolation before the components are integrated.
The progression is step-by-step and the system is Nei Kung
designed to develop higher and higher levels of 2) Nei Kung -
refined skill. training designed specifically for the development
In this book, Richmond, Virginia, based Pa Kua of muscle groups, ligaments, and tendons not
Chang teacher Park Bok Nam describes in detail usually under conscious control.
the various components of Pa Kua Chang's basic
training as it was taught to him by his teacher Lu Wai Kung
Shui-T'ien (1894-1978), a native of Shantung 3) Wai Kung -
Province, China. The book details exercises which external, i.e. visible, aspects of any martial art
will help any martial artist improve his or her including firm balance, flexibility, good posture
footwork, body flexibility, ch'i circulation, and and stance work, proper mechanical alignment,
internal striking power. Additionally, the publisher coordination, and stability.
has made available a companion video tape in
which Park Bok Nam demonstrates a majority of
the exercises contained in this book.

3
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
Ideally, these elements will be developed in a becomes a fairly skilled fisherman. In the first
progressive, balanced curriculum designed by an family the father still goes to catch fish alone
experienced teacher who will guide each student's anytime his family wants fish for dinner - it is
individual development. Pa Kua Chang, being a easier and much less time consuming.
complete martial art system, contains elements of A year later the country is involved in a war and
all three of these disciplines. In Park's training the men of the village are called off to fight. In the
program, all of these elements are trained first family, the wife knows how to prepare and
separately through basic training exercises before cook fish, but neither the mother or son knows
they are brought together in forms practice or how to catch the fish. However, in the second
fighting. family, the son is now able to go catch fish easily
on his own and bring it home for he and his
mother to eat. Which of the fathers was smarter?
Beyond Pa Kua Chang Park believes that if a student learns a form
Forms Training without first having a thorough experiential "body
knowledge" of the principles on which the form
When martial arts practitioners ask why Park movements are based, he is eating fish without
Bok Nam does not teach Pa Kua Chang forms to knowing how to catch it. Someday when his
beginners, he tells the following story. teacher is not there to teach him more deeply, or
Living at opposite ends of a remote country when he is called on to apply his art in a fighting
village by the sea, there are two families. Each situation, he will be out of luck. The purpose of
family has a young son. Both of these young boys this book is to begin to teach the Pa Kua Chang
love to eat fish. In one family, every time the student "how to fish."
young son wants to eat fish, his father takes out Through form practice, a student will learn
his fishing gear and travels down to the seashore continuity, fluidity, connection, body integration
to catch fish for his son to eat. His wife cooks the and rhythm. These are all very important aspects
fish and the family has a nice fish dinner. of fighting skill and when practicing a series of Pa
In the second family, when the young boy tells Kua techniques with these principles in mind, the
his father he would like to eat fish for dinner, his whole will become greater than the sum of the
father takes his son out and shows him how to parts. In other words, practicing a form has
find materials and construct a fishing pole, line, purpose beyond the linking together of a series of
and hook. He then shows his son how to find and techniques. However, two elements that a fixed
cut bait. Next he takes his son down by the sea form sequence is missing are variation and
shore and shows him the best areas for fishing, sufficient repetition of isolated body movements.
shows him how to bait a hook and teaches him Unless a student learns how to change, adapt,
how to catch fish. Once the fish are caught, he and vary his movement spontaneously, his
takes his son home and shows him how to clean fighting skill will always be weak. However, all
the fish and then his wife shows the boy how to variation of movement and technique will still
cook the fish. The second family then sits down adhere to the fundamental principles of Pa Kua
to enjoy a nice fish dinner. Chang. The spontaneous response is efficacious,
From that time forward, whenever the second and proceeds along the path of least resistance. To
family wants to have fish for dinner, father and this end, the body is trained and developed so that
son go together. Over the course of time the son proper response is elicited out of habits which are
learns how to place drop lines, how to fish with ingrained in the body. Correct habits are formed
nets, how to catch crabs, how to dig for clams, through repetition of fundamental training
when to employ specific kinds of bait, what times methods.
of the day are best for fishing, how to fashion Beyond building correct habits and mechanics,
lures, etc. The father puts forth a lot of effort repetition of fundamental training methods serves
teaching his son, and after a short time the son another very important purpose - overall body
development. The "internal" styles of Chinese

4
 Introduction
martial arts are famous for the practitioner's ability In order to develop the an ching or hua ching
to deliver a tremendous amount of power with ability, the practitioner's body needs to first be
very little visible movement or apparent effort. cultivated and developed. The process is
The Chinese refer to the highest level of this progressive. Increased levels of flexibility and
ability as huaching. Hua ching is one of three levels suppleness lead to increased ch'i movement;
of ching, or trained strength, which are as follows: development of secondary muscle groups,
ligaments and joints lead to increased body
strength, coordination, and integration; and
Ming Ching development of the mind's intention and focus
leads to an increased body awareness and a
Ming ching or "obvious power." This means connection between the mind, the body, and
that exertion of force, alignment, and the effects nervous system. If these elements have not been
of the body's action are all clearly discernible to an progressively developed and trained fully, a
observer. practitioner can perform a form movement
perfectly with all of the correct body motions and
alignments, yet still not have much power. The
An Ching movement will be "empty." There is no kung li, or
An ching or "hidden or covert strength." When developed internal strength. Park believes that
force is exerted in this manner its origin is not development of this skill requires hundreds of
visible to the untrained observer, hence the term hours of correct practice.
"hidden." The practitioner at this level has begun A practitioner cannot jump right to the an
to refine and internalize the body's movement. ching or hua ching level of development without
first having spent a considerable amount of time
practicing on the ming ching level. The reason
Hua Ching being that power has to first be developed before
it can be hidden or refined. The power is developed
Hua ching or "refined force." Sometimes this through body conditioning on the ming ching
term is translated a "mysterious power," however, level. What this means in Park's school is that
this term really refers to strength which is highly when a practitioner first begins training, all of the
refined. The practitioner's application of force is fundamental exercises are practiced with large
so subtle that the origin of this force is completely body articulations. The practitioner's ch’i pathways
imperceptible to the opponent. When the force is need to opened so that there is a full and balanced
exerted one's opponent may believe that he has distribution of ch'i and the "power" resident in
done something to make himself miss the mark the body is coordinated. Large body articulations
because he cannot feel the source of the strength promote the movement of ch 'i in a body which is
initiating from the practitioner. stiff, inflexible, has ch'i blockages, or is
Typically when a martial artist is fighting an uncoordinated. The body needs to be stretched,
opponent, he or she will utilize sensory clues to joints need to be opened and primary and
"listen to" or "feel" the movement of the secondary muscle groups need to be conditioned.
opponent's body in order to respond correctly to Park feels that this conditioning will not occur if
any attack the opponent is preparing to launch. the practitioner starts out learning small, overly
The practitioner who has reached the hua ching soft, subtle movements.
level of development has completely internalized If a student tries to imitate the movements of
his or her movements and thus moves so efficiently an instructor who has reached the an ching or hua
that the movements are imperceptible even if the ching level of development, he or she will have a
opponent is touching the practitioner's body. very difficult time developing any real skill. A
The movements are very small, smooth and subtle, form sequence is used by an advanced practitioner
yet extremely powerful. to refine movements that have been trained and
conditioned through fundamental skills training.

5
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
Form sequences were developed in martial arts to 3) The fundamental principles on which the form
help the practitioner's body easily remember, movements are based will be understood
refine, coordinate, and link those body movements experientially before the form sequence is
and mechanics which have already been developed attempted.
in basic training.
In Park's school forms are used to refine skills With a sound prerequisite "body knowledge"
that have already been developed. Park believes of Pa Kua Chang footwork, body mechanics, and
that a practitioner who has only worked with palm striking application (including tactics and
complex form sequences from day one of training strategy of attack and defense) which have been
will not progress very far in terms of internal developed through basic repetitive drills and
power development or fighting skill. Their form two-person practice sets, the student can easily
may be pretty, however, it will usually lack internal, learn form movements and then extract
trained strength. techniques from a form and learn to vary the
In Park Bok Nam's training program, the ming techniques by changing the stepping pattern or
ching level of development is trained through a palm application in accordance with the
series of fundamental training exercises which are principles he or she has developed. Park's
designed to increase body flexibility and joint theory is that without a strong foundation built
range of motion, coordinate and integrate body through hours of work with simple, repetitive
movement, condition the muscles, tendons, and drills, the body will not become conditioned fully
bones, and develop proper body mechanics. These and will not be able to respond innately and
exercises are practiced for hundreds of hours before spontaneously in any given situation.
forms are introduced to the student. These Park Bok Nam is very interested in sharing the
developmental exercises are the what we present Pa Kua Chang foundation training that he learned
in this book. from his teacher, Lu Shui-T'ien, with practitioners
Park insists that his students learn and fully in the United States. This book and its companion
understand Pa Kua Chang footwork, body instructional video are to be the first in a series of
movement, and palm striking fundamentals books and videos which lend instruction on Lu
(which includes elbow striking) before learning Shui-T'ien's Pa Kua Chang. While this book
forms for three reasons: concentrates on the basics of Pa Kua Chang
footwork, body movement, palm training, and
1) The mechanics of movement are developed ch'i kung, future books and videos will include
correctly. more advanced instruction in all of these areas.
2) The body is developed and conditioned to a This book and its companion video are meant to
certain degree in terms of flexibility, coordination, lay a strong foundation for future study for
endurance, speed, power, and integration. practitioners with an interest in this particular
fighting system.

6
 Introduction

Pa Kua Chang Master Lu Shui-T’ien

T
Lu Shui T'ien
when he graduated from high school. Either he
was to become serious about martial arts and
find a good teacher to study with, or he was to
forget about martial arts altogether and
concentrate on his school work. As one might
guess, Park chose martial arts.
It may seem surprising that a father would let
his son choose martial arts practice over school
or a job, but Park's father, who had been a
professional soccer player in Korea, knew the
value of physical training and wanted his son to
Lu Shui-T’ien judging Park Bok Nam's
enjoy himself while he was young. His father
students at a promotion test at his school also felt that having a focus in life would help
in Inchon, Korea, 1974 him stay out of trouble.
Park's father was hoping that he could find a
ark Bok Nam studied the art of Pa martial arts teacher for his son who would

P Kua Chang for 17 years with his

teacher Lu Shui-T'ien. During this time
period (1960-July 1978) Park did nothing
provide some discipline and teach him that there
was more to martial arts than learning how to
win street fights. Inchon had a very large
but study Pa Kua Chang all day, everyday. Chinese community and Park's father had seen
When he started training with Lu in 1960, the Chinese martial artists perform amazing
Park was 18 years old. Prior to studying Pa skills. He felt that if his son was to excel at the
Kua Chang, he had studied Western boxing martial arts, he needed to find a Chinese teacher.
in junior high school, however, while The elder Park had a sister who lived and
fighting with a classmate, he was kicked in worked in Inchon's Chinatown. A few doors down
the side. This incident made him think that from where Park's aunt lived, there lived a martial
he ought to study a pugilistic sport which arts teacher who was famous among the Chinese.
employed kicking techniques. In high Park's aunt asked this teacher, Lu Shui-T'ien, if he
school Park switched from Western boxing would consider teaching her nephew. Lu, who had
to Tang Soo Do, a Korean martial art style. thus far only taught his art to the Chinese in
After four years of training, he earned a Chinatown, said she could send the boy to see
black belt. him.
Park was a somewhat wild and rebellious When Park knocked on Lu's door, Lu answered
youth who would employ the practical side of his and just looked at the boy. He asked if Lu would
martial art at the drop of a hat. He was constantly teach him martial arts. Lu closed the door. Park,
in trouble for fighting and his father, concerned knowing that Lu was a traditional teacher and was
about his son's future, offered him an ultimatum probably testing his character, went back to Lu's

7
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

rake and broom and started working. Lu stopped

him and asked him to sit back down. Lu left him
sitting until it started to rain. When the rain was
falling heavily, Lu turned to Park and said, "OK,
now you can go and rake the yard."
Although Park thought this old man was crazy,
he continued to perform his menial tasks without
complaint. He was going to learn this martial art
and show his father that he could stick to his
decision to become serious about martial arts
practice. He was determined to do whatever it
took. Several weeks later, it again started to rain
after practice so Park got his rake and went out to
rake the yard. Lu stopped him and said, "You
don't have to do that now, wait until after the rain
stops." He had passed his second test. Soon after
that he was allowed to join the rest of the class
and start practicing, however, he was still
required to sweep up the yard after everyone was
finished.
Once Park started practicing with the other
students, his "tests" of loyalty and dedication
were far from over. For the first year of practice
Lu totally ignored him. Park had to pick up what
he could from the other students. During the
second year of training Lu taught Park very basic,
repetitive exercises and would insist that he
Master Lu Shui-T’ien practice each one for hours. Lu would often hit
Park or have the other students beat him up. He
door everyday with the same question. For four would do whatever he could to try and upset Park
weeks he got the same response, a door closed in and then observe his reaction. During the third
his face. However, one day, just as he was about year, Lu had Park spend a lot of time sparring
to give up, Park asked the question again and was with other students and he encouraged the other
invited in to the house. students to try and hurt him. Park was still
In the courtyard behind Lu's living quarters a determined to prove to everyone that he could
small group of students was practicing. Park was finish what he had set out to do and so he kept
told to sit and watch. After the students had practicing.
finished, Lu turned to Park and asked him to When Park began his study with Lu, his
sweep up the area and return the next day. The father told Lu about Park's tendency to get
next day was the same, he was allowed to sit and into trouble and run with a bad crowd and
watch, but could not practice. After everyone else said, "If you will discipline my son, I will
had finished practicing he was told to sweep up support him financially." As evidenced by the
the area. This went on for several days. Park, preceding story, Lu took this task to heart and
assuming this was another test of his patience and was very strict with him. Once Park began
dedication, adopted the pattern and each day training with Lu, his teacher insisted that he
came to Lu's home, watched practice and then train full time. Other than one or two hours
swept and raked the yard after practice was in the evening after a full day of training, Lu
complete. One day it looked like it was going to
rain after practice so Park quickly grabbed his
8
 Introduction
would only allow Park to visit with his friends
one day a week, on Sunday afternoon,
otherwise he was to spend all his time
practicing Pa Kua Chang. If Park's friends
came by to see him, Lu would run them off
saying, "Go away, he is practicing now." Lu
did not allow Park to date any women for the
first five years they were together as he felt
that women would take his mind off of his
martial arts training.

Lu Shui-T'ien and his

Pa Kua Chang
Lu Shui-T'ien (1894-1978) brought Pa Kua
Chang to Korea when he moved his family there
during the Sino-Japanese War. Lu, who was from
the city of Ching Tao in Shantung Province,
China, was well known in Shantung for his
martial arts ability. During the Sino-Japanese
War, Lu was a guerrilla fighter and killed many
Japanese. He ran with a band of Chinese martial
arts experts who hid in the mountains during the
day and infiltrated Japanese encampments at
night. Because their operation had to remain
covert, the group executed Japanese soldiers
without the aid of firearms. Traditional bare hand
and weapons techniques were used to kill the
enemy and thus the guerrillas could move in and
out of the japanese camps without being noticed.
Park states that Lu's favorite weapon was the
short knife. Lu was extremely skilled at using the
single knife and double knives. He preferred the
single knife as this allowed one hand to remain
free for grabbing and striking. Park said that Lu
often demonstrated a knife throwing technique
whereby a throwing knife is fasten inside the
sleeve in such a manner that when the arm is
whipped out properly the knife is thrown like a
dart shooting out of the sleeve. Park said that his
teacher was extremely accurate throwing knives
in this manner. One can guess that Lu's weapon
of choice when fighting against the Japanese was
the short knife. Lu Shui-T'ien was still very strong
Lu Shui-T'ien became so well known for his and healthy in his Eighties
fighting skill that the japanese put a price on his head.
When this occurred, it became too dangerous for Lu
to stay in China, so he sailed from Ching Tao across
the Yellow Sea to a safe haven in Inchon, Korea.

9
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
After having practiced the "farmer style" for
a number of years, Lu wanted to know more. He
had heard that the best fighting art in China was
Pa Kua Chang and so he sought out a Pa Kua
Chang instructor. Tung Hai-Ch'uan, the
originator of the Pa Kua Chang style, had taught
Pa Kua Chang in the palace of Prince Su and
had become well known for his tremendous
martial arts skill during the mid to late 1800's
(Tung taught in Beijing between 1865 and
1882). Subsequently, one of his students, Yin Fu,
Lu Shui-T'ien with his top student who also worked in the palace as a bodyguard
Park Bok Nam in 1974 and martial arts instructor, was chosen to escort
the Empress Dowager out of Beijing during the
Inchon was a big trading port and ships Boxer Rebellion in 1900. The Chinese assumed
frequently traveled to Inchon from China. that the person the Empress chose as her
When he thought the situation in China was personal body guard was the best martial artist
safe for him, Lu would travel back to China in China. Since she chose a Pa Kua Chang man,
and continue to fight the Japanese. During Pa Kua Chang gained great popularity around
one of these trips, Lu's wife was killed while the turn of the century.
fleeing the Japanese on horseback. After this The Pa Kua Chang instructor Lu Shui-T'ien
incident, Luleft for Korea once again, never to found was Li Ching-Wu (1864-?). When Lu met
return to his native country. Lu settled in Li and began his study of Pa Kua Chang, he was
Inchon's large Chinatown with his two still a teenager. Li did not live in Ching Tao but
children, a daughter and a son. He never in a town which was about a two day ride by
remarried. horse north of Ching Tao. Lu Shui-T'ien would
frequently make the two day journey to his
teachers town to study. When Lu left his home
Lu Shui-T'ien's Early Years in China
in Ching Tao to study with his teacher, he was
When Lu Shui-T'ien was young, he studied typically gone for months on end. In some cases
what he called "farmer style" martial arts. By Lu was away from home and training with his
"farmer style" Lu was referring to any one of the teacher for as long as two years at a time. The
hundreds of "family style" martial arts systems study and practice of Pa Kua Chang was the
that were practiced by the inhabitants of remote only thing that interested him.
towns and villages. Not much is known about Li Ching-Wu
During the Ch'ing Dynasty, police protection himself. Park Bok Nam does not know who Li's
was only provided to those people who lived in teacher was, however, Lu did tell him that Li
large cities. Inhabitants of small towns and only had ten Pa Kua Chang students. Li's
villages were left to provide their own protection students kept to themselves and thus Pa Kua
against bandits and thieves. Typically, a village Chang as taught by Li Ching-Wu was not
would hire a skilled martial artist to come live in widely spread. Li Ching-Wu was very selective
their village for a period of time and teach the about who he taught.
young men of the village fighting skills. Once a Lu told Park that he was once traveling to
group was trained, the martial artist would leave see his teacher and camped over night on the
town and the group he trained would train others. side of the road. Another traveler came by and
Over time, the system that was originally taught shared his camp. While conversing, Lu found
would change and the village would make it out that the stranger was a practitioner of
their own. Hsing-I Ch'uan and thus the conversation
The martial system which was taught in Lu naturally turned to martial arts.
Shui-T'ien's hometown provided him with his
introduction to combat arts.
10
 Introduction

The two demonstrated for each other. The Based on the student's body type and aptitude,
Hsing-I man was so impressed with Lu's Pa Li would teach a student the one aspect of
Kua Chang that he asked Lu if he could take the art that best suited him. After Li felt the
him to see his teacher so he might study with student was somewhat proficient in that one
him. Lu agreed and thus his new friend aspect, he would send the student back
accompanied him to his teacher's house the home to practice that one component for at
next day. least one year before returning for more
When the stranger asked Li Ching-Wu if instruction.
he could become a student, Li flatly refused. Periodically Li would invite all ten of his
He told the stranger that he had as many disciples to his home to train together. He
students as he could handle. Li Ching-Wu would have each student teach all of the other
taught each student individually and thus did students the aspects of the art which they had
not have time for many students. After the specialized in. Li would oversee the practice
man departed, Li scolded Lu for bringing and would suggest to each student what aspects
this man to see him without first asking of the art they needed to concentrate on next. Li
permission. felt that it was important for his students to
Most of Li Ching-Wu's ten students did research the art independently and then get
not live in Li's village and thus had to travel together and teach each other what they had
to where Li lived, train for a while, and then individually discovered.
return home and practice what they had Every time Lu Shui-T'ien went to visit his
learned. Lu told Park that Li Ching-Wu teacher he would be tested on his Pa Kua
taught each new student to specialize in a Chang skills when he arrived. Li would then
different aspect of Pa Kua Chang. tell Lu what he needed to work on.

Park Bok Nam, Lu Shu-Te, and Lu Shui-T'ien evaluate students during a promotion test

11
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

After receiving new instruction and practicing for

several months, Lu would be tested once again
before he left Li to return home. After this test Li
would suggest what components of Pa Kua Chang
Lu should work on at home until the next time he
came to see his teacher.
After Li Ching-Wu died, Lu Shui-T'ien sought
out another Pa Kua Chang instructor and
subsequently studied with a fourth generation
practitioner in Tung Hai-Ch'uan's lineage. Lu told
Park that he felt his first teacher, Li Ching-Wu,
taught a more complete martial arts system than his
second teacher because it combined straight line Pa
Kua methods with the circle walking forms and
maneuvers. Park does not know the name of Lu's
second teacher. He states that Lu seldom spoke of
his own background. Whenever Park would ask a
question that related to Lu's background Lu's
response was, "That question will not help your
practice." Park also states that he was not
particularly interested in his teacher's background.
He knew that his teacher was good at martial arts
and so he was not concerned about where it came
from.
Park says that one reason his teacher did not like
to tell stories about himself or other martial artists
was because these stories always get blown out of
proportion. Lu felt that if a student hears too many
fantastic stories about martial arts ability, they will
have an unrealistic sense of what can be
accomplished and will aim for unrealistic goals.
Focusing on unrealistic goals will take thestudent's
mind off of the fundamental training methods
which develop real skill.
Today in Beijing the name Lu Shui-T'ien is well
Lu Shui-T’ien poses with two swords known among the practitioners in the Yin Fu
lineage. They know that he was from Ching Tao
The banner in the background reads: and they know that he had left the country during
the Japanese war. Several of these practitioners
The genuine transmission mentioned that they thought Lu Shui-T'ien's second
teacher had studied with Yin Fu's son-in-law, He
of the palm skills is complete Chin-Kuei. While this has not been confirmed, it
in both loyalty and would make sense that one or both of Lu's teachers
righteousness. were of the Yin Fu lineage because much of the Pa
Kua Chang that he taught is very characteristic of
the Yin Fu style.

12
 Introduction

Park Bok Nam practices with Lu Shui-T'ien's son, Lu Shu-Te in Korea

Park's teacher did tell him that his second Pa Park's Pa Kua Chang Training
Kua Chang instructor's Pa Kua method only under Lu Shui-T'ien
contained practice which was based on
circle walking. Lu felt that the straight line For the first three years of study under Lu
practice and directional footwork training he Shui-T'ien, Park Bok Nam was only taught
received from his first teacher was very basic, repetitive drills. Each exercise was
beneficial to his development of fighting skill. demonstrated only one time and there was
He felt that his second teacher's system was no explanation. Lu simply said, "Go
lacking because this training was not practice." If Park did not perform these
included. exercises to his teacher's liking, no correction
Park also assumes that his teacher shared was given and Park was taught nothing else
Pa Kua Chang knowledge with many of his until the exercise was correct. Park had to work
martial arts contemporaries as Lu traveled it out for himself based on the little
widely and enjoyed visiting other martial instruction he was given by his classmates.
artists where ever he went. Park states that Lu was very strict because he used this period
Lu also practiced and refined his skills of time to test Park's dedication to Pa Kua and
everyday with the band of guerrilla fighters he loyalty to his teacher. These repetitive
ran with during the Japanese war. exercises were also mandatory for Park's
future development in Pa Kua Chang.

13
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
One of the first lessons Lu imparted was the Pa Kua Motto:
importance of the student-teacher relationship
and a development of mutual trust and respect
between the student and teacher, and among
students of the same teacher . Lu gave Park three
phrases in Chinese to memorize and live by, these
phrases read as follows:

Wisdom The student must have a good mind

in order to grasp the depth of Pa Kua Chang theory
and develop his or her skill through research. The
student comes to the Pa Kua Chang school to
develop wisdom, however, he or she must have
• The relationship between a student initially had some wisdom to make the decision to
and teacher is the same as the relationship study the art.
between a father and son.

Benevolence The student must always be

• The relationship between students of humble and never use his art in an unjust manner
the same teacher is just like the relationship or for ego gratification. The student comes to the
between blood brothers. school with an "empty cup" and through
benevolence also learns to approach a fighting
situation with an empty mind, without
preconceived ideas, and void of egotistical goals.
The student must have had some degree of
benevolence in order to approach a teacher and
become a student. The more wisdom one gains,
• The respect the student shows for his the more benevolent one becomes.
father is the same he shows to his teacher.

Lu also taught Park a motto containing four

words which convey four ideals he felt all Pa Kua
Chang practitioners should strive to cultivate in
themselves and live by. These ideals, Wisdom,
Benevolence, Sincerity, and Bravery, are Sincerity The student must be willing to
continually cultivated throughout the practice hard and be sincerely dedicated to the art
practitioners lifetime in the martial arts and form and his or her teacher. Lu Shui-T'ien told Park
the motto for Park's Pa Kua Chang school. that a teacher does not teach the student, the
student teaches his or her self. The teacher simply
provides knowledge and ideas. When the student
practices something one thousand times, it is
then theirs. Through the development of
benevolence the student becomes more sincere.

14
 Introduction

pace. He also stopped requiring Park to

perform menial chores around the school. It had
taken Park five years of daily training before
his teacher felt his body and his mind were
ready to really practice Pa Kua Chang. Lu
Bravery The practitioner is not afraid to fight. also started to explain to Park why he had
In order to develop the art completely the practiced all of the repetitive drills and how
student must participate in the fighting aspect each one fit into Pa Kua Chang's training
and thus must initially have some bravery. By process.
also having cultivated wisdom, benevolence and While Lu's initial emphasis in training
sincerity, the student's bravery does not become Park in Pa Kua Chang was to develop a
machismo. The student has the bravery required strong foundation in the areas of flexibility,
to do what is just and fair when it is necessary. coordination, leg strength, balance, speed,
When a fight is necessary, there is no hesitation. mobility, suppleness, and an ability to feel
natural, relaxed, and comfortable while
Park's Early Training practicing all aspects of the art, the next
During the first three years of their priority was to study the philosophy and
relationship, Park's loyalty and patience was theory upon which the art of Pa Kua Chang
tested again and again. Every exercise Park is based and learn how this theory is directly
was taught, his teacher required him to practice applied to the physical art. Lu taught Park
for hours without stopping. All of the exercises how Pa Kua Chang's footwork, body
Lu taught Park during the first three years were movement, kicking techniques, and striking
boring and repetitive. Anytime Park did not techniques were practiced in accordance with
practice to his teacher's satisfaction, or if he the theories of the Pa Kua, I-Ching, Five
asked if he could be taught more, the response Phases (Wu Hsing), and Yin Yang. Once these
from Lu would be a strike with his cane to elements were practiced separately in
Park's body. accordance with these theories, they were
In winter time, if Park showed up to practice then integrated in accordance with these
with a jacket on, his teacher would make him same principles.
take it off and practice wearing only a thin shirt. Lu Shui-T'ien emphasized that if the direct
Park got wise to this and wore a thin shirt, but physical combat technique and strategy is
also wore long underwear underneath. He connected to deep principles and theories, the art
could not fool his teacher though, Lu would can be continually researched and improved based
ask him to lift up his shirt prior to practice.
When Park was wearing and undergarment
under his practice uniform, Lu would make
him take it off. Lu told Park, "If you practice
hard enough, you don't need a jacket." After
three years of daily abuse, Lu opened up a little
and started to show Park more, however, the
teaching was still very strict for the next two
years. After Park had endured Lu's strict
discipline for five years he showed up to class
one morning and Lu patted him on the
shoulder and said, "I trust you." That was the
extent of the lesson for that day. When Park
returned the next day, Lu began teaching
Park the Pa Kua Chang material at a faster

Lu Shui-T’ien with Park Bok Nam

15
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
In other words he was required to grasp the
essence of the movement, not the technique of
the movement.
Lu's theory was that Pa Kua Chang is not a
technique oriented art. Each movement of a
form sequence does not strictly define a unique
technique applied in a given scenario. The form
movements are templates which help embody
principles of correct motion. These principles
of motion may be applied in a large variety of
situations or can be varied as a particular
situation dictates. He taught that the form
movements do not address specific attacks,
defenses, or tactical problems as much as they
convey general principles of sound tactical
motion. Lu felt that the Pa Kua student should
work to obtain knowledge of the principle that
a given form sequence was designed to embody
and then work to research how that principle of
motion might be applied to any situation.
Typically Park would research the series of
movements in one form section for a number of
weeks and then present his discoveries to his
Lu Shui-T’ien poses in Pa Kua Chang's
teacher. Lu's usual response was, "That is not
"Sliding the Window Shutter to Look at the right." or "You missed something." This would
Moon" posture be the only instruction he was given. Park
on these theories. Once Lu felt Park had a firm would then have to go research the movements
grasp of Pa Kua Chang's fundamental physical again and try to figure out where he had made
principles and the theories on which they were mistakes and what he had missed. On the
based, Lu began to teach Park the Pa Kua average, it would take Park 4 to 6 months of
Chang 64 palm combat form. However, in research before he was able to satisfy his
teacher and progress to the next section of the
order to teach Park how to apply Pa Kua
form. Practicing in this manner it took Park
Chang's principles to the form's application, Lu three years of daily practice to learn the eight
only taught Park one section (kua) of the eight section combat form from Lu.
section form at a time and required Park to Lu was also fond of giving Park tactical
research the applications on his own. combat puzzles to figure out for each of the
When one form section's basic movements form sections. Lu would present Park with a
were taught, Park would then be required to go scenario based on an attack or series of attacks
off and practice by himself and figure out how from one or more opponents and Park would
every move of that section could be used in have to explain how he would best defend
combat based on the principles and mechanics himself in that scenario. Again, if Park
of movement inherent in Pa Kua Chang. Not presented a strategy he thought would work and
only would he be required to show his teacher it was not valid based on the principles of Pa
the direct application of each movement, but he Kua, Lu's response would simply be, "Not
would also have to show multiple functions for correct." Given no other instruction, hints, or
each move and display how each move could critiques, Park would be required to continue
be varied based on a given attack from the his research. Some of the scenarios Park had to
opponent. work on took him over two years of research
before his teacher was satisfied with the
answer.

16
 Introduction
This method of practice may seem harsh, seconds Lu had stuck his spear into Park's arm and
however, Park states that after researching the had pinned it to the floor. When Park tried to pull
movements and techniques of Pa Kua Chang in away Lu followed his movement with the spear's
this manner and discovering the correct tip and maintained constant pressure. The spear
applications and variations of all the form tip remained in Park's arm. Park asked why he
movements on his own, he has never forgotten would not take the spear out of his arm. Lu
any of what he learned. He states that if a teacher replied, "Oh, does that hurt?" When Park replied,
"spoon feeds" a student and shows the student "Yes, this hurts!" Lu said, "Then how do you
some limited applications of specific form think that man you hit last night feels!" Park
movements without explaining the principles, learned the hard way that his teacher was serious
theories, or strategies behind the movements, and
without allowing the student to discover how the
Pa Kua Chang movements are applied through his
or her own hard work and research, the student
will soon forget what he or she was taught and will
never have a "body knowledge" of Pa Kua Chang's
full expression.

Park's Fighting Lessons

While training Pa Kua Chang with Lu
Shui-T'ien, Park was constantly challenged by
local martial artists who were skilled at various
Korean martial arts styles. The Koreans are proud
of their own pugilistic arts and wanted to prove
that Park was a fooi for studying this Chinese
style. Park's teacher had told him to ignore these
challenges and concentrate on his own practice.
Park did his best to ignore the taunts of others
who wanted to prove that their Korean styles
were better than Pa Kua Chang, however, there
was one particular individual who was relentless
in his challenges and finally Park could not
ignore him any longer. Park met this man's
challenge and flattened him within a matter of
seconds. The man was knocked unconscious and
taken to the hospital.
The doctors at the hospital could not find a
way to help this man. He was in severe pain,
however, there were no external bruises or
contusions. When the doctors heard that the
injury had occurred during a fight, they took the
beaten man to an old Chinese martial arts teacher
who was skilled at healing people who had been
injured in this manner. The person the doctors
took the injured man to see was Lu Shui-T'ien. Park Bok Nam stands with his teacher
When Park showed up for his lesson the next Lu Shui-T’ien
day his teacher told him that they were going to
practice spear sparring. Park was excited because
he loved to fight with the spear. He squared off
with his teacher to begin the lesson and within

17
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

about Park not taking meaningless explaining why a student should be required to
challenges from the local martial artists. fight in learning the art of Pa Kua Chang. Lu said
The next day Park came to practice with that if one were to spin a large top, the top would
his arm bandaged and in a sling. He sat eventually loose momentum and fall unless
down to watch the other students workout. someone were to continuously hit the top to keep it
Lu said, "What are you doing?" Park replied, spinning. The same analogy could be made to
"I cannot practice with my arm like this." Lu spinning a basketball on one's fingertip. The ball
said, "You still have another good arm and will fall unless it is continually tapped to keep it
rotating. Lu felt that the Pa Kua Chang practitioner
two legs. You change your clothes and
needed to be hit in combat or else he or she would
practice." Today Park still carries the scar
not learn the valuable lessons this experience
from the spear wound as a reminder of this provides and his or her practice would loose
lesson. momentum and fall just like the spinning top
While Lu forbid Park to become involved which is not hit at opportune moments to keep its
in street fights and accept challenges outside momentum going.
of the school, he did give Park plenty of In addition to having Park spar with other
opportunity to practice his fighting skills. students in his own school, Lu would periodically
Lu's philosophy was that a student could take him to visit other Chinese martial arts schools
not learn the art of Pa Kua Chang correctly in Korea which were run by his friends. Lu was
without the experience of fighting. Park well known and well respected among the Chinese
said that Lu used the analogy of a top when martial artists living in Korea and thus he had
many friends. When Lu took Park to visit other
schools he would talk with his friends while Park
sat and watched the classes. After a while Lu
would stand up and say, "OK, now it is time to
fight. Who would like to spar with my student?"
Park would then be required to fight anyone who
wanted to have a piece of him. Lu took Park to
fight at a variety of schools so that he could
experience other fighting styles and research how
to best handle each.

Lu Chooses His Successor

After Park had been studying with his teacher
for 11 years, the lessons began to come fast and
furious. Park guesses that Lu realized that he
was getting old and he wanted to pass his full art
on to someone. He chose Park as his successor
and thus Park had his work cut out for him
trying to keep up with all that Lu had left to
teach.
Lu overloaded Park with information to the
point where he felt that Park needed to take time
to assimilate all that he had been taught. He wrote
out a one year training program for Park and sent
him to live in a Buddhist monastery in the
mountains of Korea. The curriculum which Lu
designed for Park was very difficult. It required
that Park practice Pa Kua Chang almost every
Park at Lu Shui-Tien's funeral in 1978 waking hour for an entire year. Park felt like this

18
 Introduction

The tomb site of Tung Hai-Ch'uan in Beijing, China, includes a stone depicting the
Pa Kua Chang lineage as it traveled to Korea with Lu Shui-T’ien

was a final test his teacher was giving him. about this request. Park insisted that he
He states that he didn't feel like his teacher wanted to go back to the mountains so Lu
really expected him to stay hidden away in a developed another one year training program.
monastery with nothing to do but practice Pa Park went back to the mountains to practice
Kua Chang for a full year. his Pa Kua Chang for another full year.
Park passed his test and stayed training in When he returned to Inchon after the
the mountains for a year. Upon returning to second year of secluded training Lu was
Inchon, he showed his teacher the progress happy with his progress. Park states that,
he had made. Lu, who never once told Park although his teacher would never say it, he
that he did something good, responded by felt that his teacher was very happy that he
saying, "What did you do up there in the volunteered to go to the mountains for a
mountains, take naps everyday?" Park, second year of training and that his teacher
determined to show his teacher that he was was pleased with the progress he had made.
serious about Pa Kua Chang training, Park states that his teacher was very
asked Lu to give him another one year strong and healthy up until the day he
training program. He wanted to go back to died. Lu Shui-T'ien died in 1978 at the
the mountains and train again. Lu did not age of 84, but not from illness or natural
give Park anything for a few days, he causes. Lu had gone to sleep one night
wanted to make sure Park was serious and the gas heater which was used to heat his

19
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

room had malfunctioned and the gas leaked wishing to show their respect, placed a stone
into the room. Lu died in his sleep of gas stele at his burial site in 1883. Since that time,
poisoning. Since Park was Lu Shu-T'ien's top Tung's grave site and the stone monuments
student, he was asked to wear the traditional which mark it have had a colorful history.
funeral clothes which are usually reserved for Tung's original burial site, near the Red
close family members of the deceased. Bridge just outside Beijing's East Gate, was
initially marked with one stone monument. Over
the years a number of other stone markers were
Korean Stele at added by Pa Kua Chang practitioners wanting to
Tung Hai-Ch'uan's Tomb show their respect. Tung's tomb was a great
attraction and was visited by many martial
Tung Hai-Ch'uan (1813-1882) is recognized artists and martial arts enthusiasts. However,
by most Pa Kua Chang practitioners as the this original tomb was destroyed during the
originator of the Pa Kua Chang style. Tung Cultural Revolution and the stone markers were
taught his art widely in Beijing, China from buried underground. In 1980-1981 the stone
approximately 1865 until his death in 1882. monuments and Tung's body were unearthed
While some are convinced that Tung may and moved to a new location. Pa Kua Chang
not have originated the style, all agree practitioners from all over the world donated
that he was the first to propagate this art money for the restoration of Tung's tomb and
widely in China. After Tung died, his students, new monuments were added.

Park Bok Nam with his students and his teacher in Korea

20
 Introduction

In June of 1991 a new stele was erected at

Tung Hai-Ch'uan's burial site which details the
Pa Kua lineage as it moved from China to
Korea. The writing on this monument indicates
that Pa Kua Chang was brought to Korea by
Lu Shui-T'ien. Three generations of names in
Lu's lineage are carved into the stone stele. The
first generation, listed as the fifth in Tung's
lineage, lists only Lu Shui-T'ien. The sixth
generation lists six of Lu's students. Included
are his son Lu Shu-Te and his number one
student, Park Bok Nam. Also listed on the stele
are students of Park Bok Nam in Korea and
students of Park's Pa Kua "brothers."

Park Teaching Pa Kua Chang

in Korea

Park Bok Nam began teaching Pa Kua Chang

in Korea in 1971, however, he had not originally
intended to teach or open a school. His teacher's
son, Lu Shu-Te had opened a Pa Kua school and Park Bok Nam relaxes with his teacher
asked if Park would help teach. Park agreed to
help his elder Pa Kua brother with the instruction
at the school but soon found out that Lu Shu-Te Park would answer the questions based on his
did not spend much time at the school and Park observations and his teacher would lend advice.
ended up running the majority of the classes. Lu continually emphasized that each student
When Lu Shu-Te collected the first month's is different and thus each student must have a
tuition, he gave it all to Park. Park was puzzled, unique training program designed to strengthen
"This is your school, why do you give all of this their individual weak areas. Periodically Park
money to me?" Park asked. Lu told Park that it would be required to present Lu with a training
was his school now. He had only opened the syllabus for each student in the school. Lu
school because he thought Park should teach and would review Park's work and make
knew that he would not take the initiative to open suggestions.
a school on his own. Each month in Park's school promotion tests
Once Park started running his school, Lu were held for students who were ready to be
Shui-T'ien came to the school for 4 or 5 hours promoted to the next level, or grade. Lu
everyday and began teaching Park how to be a Shui-T'ien, his son Lu Shu-Te, and Park would
good Pa Kua Chang teacher. When Park first all evaluate the students ability to perform the
started teaching, Lu would make observations tasks required at each promotion level. Lu
about each student's body condition and suggest Shui-T'ien would lend advice to each student
how Park might teach each student. Later, Park after the test. By paying close attention to his
was required to set up a unique training program teacher's guidance to his students, Park was
for each student based on what he felt were the able to learn how to become a better instructor.
student's needs. Lu would continually ask Park One observation which Lu had made, and
questions about the students after the classes passed on to Park, concerning martial arts
were over. He would ask about a particular students and their practice dealt with the
student's postures, movements, body condition, personal obstacles that students will experience
coordination, or a multitude of other aspects when training in the Chinese martial arts.
about each student's performance or progress.

21
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
At the three month mark the student starts to
Lu said that after three days the new student's become bored and begins to wonder if what he or
body will be sore and he or she will not want to she has been practicing is good or not. Because
continue practicing everyday. Body soreness is development in internal martial arts practice is
the first obstacle the student needs to overcome. measured in years instead of weeks or months, the
Next, after three weeks of practice, the student student may begin to feel like no progress is being
finds that the newness of the practice has worn made. In order to overcome this obstacle the
off and it is hard to stay interested in repeating student has to once again be patient and remain
the same exercises everyday. Any exercise motivated.
which is designed to condition and develop the The next obstacle is encountered after three
body will take at least three months of daily years of practice. Lu said that at this point in time
repetitive practice. The body does not change the student will have a tendency to become lazy
overnight. From the three week to the three and loose motivation. The student may get a false
month period in training Lu said that the student sense of true accomplishment after three years of
needs to have patience and continue diligently hard training and begin to become complacent.
practicing the exercises. Three years is a relatively short time in terms of
overall Pa Kua Chang development. The student
needs to recognize that they are still "a babe in the
woods" and continue to practice hard.
Park explains Lu's three day, three week, three
month, and three year theory to his students so
that they know that these personal obstacles to
continued hard practice might be encountered,
but with patience and perseverance the obstacles
can be overcome and the student can continue to
grow in the art.
Through his experiences as a student under Lu
Shui-T'ien and being a teacher under Lu's watchful
eye, Park has developed a very sound Pa Kua
Chang training program. Park's students became
well known throughout Asia for their fighting
skills. In Korea the Pa Kua Chang of Lu Shui-T'ien
was simply referred to by other martial artists as
"Inchon Kung Fu" and the practitioners of this
style are highly respected.
Although the Koreans are very proud of their
own indigenous martial arts, Chinese Kung Fu is
also very popular in Korea - much more popular
than it is in the United States. In a country which
is approximately the size of the state of Virginia,
there are nearly 500 Chinese Kung Fu schools.
Park's school was so well respected in Korea that
anytime a teacher wanted to open up a martial
arts school in Inchon, they would first go to Park
and ask his permission.
Lu
LuShui-Tien's
Shui-Tien'sson,
son,Lu
LuShu-Te
Shu-Te

22
 Introduction

Park Bok Nam demonstrates his flexibility in his school at an American Army base in
Korea. The photograph on the left side of the back wall is of the famous
second generation Pa Kua Chang Master, Yin Fu

Tournaments in Taiwan and Hong Kong arts practitioners who had come to Taiwan
Every year or two from 1979 to 1986 Park or Hong Kong from Mainland China had
took a team of students to fight in heard of a famous Pa Kua Chang stylist who
tournaments in Hong Kong and Taiwan. they referred to as "Ching Tao" Lu.
His team always performed very well in the On one occasion Park saw a Chinese
full contact fighting events. The Chinese martial artist in Taiwan practicing spear. Park
enjoyed watching the Korean team because commented that he also loved to practice
of their Pa Kua Chang and the Korean team spear. The Chinese man seemed surprised
became well known for its Pa Kua Chang that this Korean would know anything about
fighting skill in both Hong Kong and a spear and asked Park to spar with him.
Taiwan. When the two crossed spears Park saw an
Many of the Chinese were very curious opening, but not wishing to hurt the man,
about this Korean team demonstrating such he simply brushed the spear tip against the
good Pa Kua Chang skills and would man's arm. Park's opponent could not get in
frequently ask Park where they learned their on Park at all, however, Park was able to
Pa Kua. When Park stated that the Pa Kua brush this man with the spear tip many
had come from Lu Shui-T'ien, many of the times. Finally the Chinese gentleman got
older generation practitioners told Park that frustrated and called it quits. When Park told
he was very lucky to have studied from Lu. him where he had studied, the man thought
A number of these older Chinese martial that it was very strange that a Chinese

23
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

good can come out and fight!" At this point the

meeting Chairman suggested that everyone
break for lunch first. After the lunch break no
one came back except Lu Shu-Te.
On another occasion Lu Shu-Te felt that one
of the Korean fighters had won a fight, however,
the decision was given to his opponent. Lu ran
up to the judges table yelling and screaming.
When he reached the table he hit it with his fist
and the table broke in half. Needless to say, the
Taiwanese tournament officials did not soon
forget the team from Korea.

The Pa Kua Chang Association in Korea

Park Bok Nam's senior student in the
United States, Glenn Wright (left), fights in During the early 1970's Lu Shui-T'ien's son,
a full contact tournament in Lu Shu-Te had formed the Pa Kua Chang
Taiwan in 1979 Martial Arts Research Association in Korea.
The membership was limited to those
martial artist would have taught a Korean in practitioners in Korea who had obtained a
such depth. high level of skill in Pa Kua Chang. In 1978,
On another occasion Park was practicing his Lu Shu-Te turned over this Association to Park
Pa Kua Chang in a park in Hong Kong. Several Bok Nam and Park changed the name to the
local martial artists stopped to watch and one Pa Kua Chang Association of Korea. Park
man commented that Park's Pa Kua Chang was opened up the association membership to
very good. One of Park's Chinese friends from anyone who had practiced Pa Kua Chang and
Korea who was with him replied in Chinese, had an interest in its future growth. Today
"He cannot understand you, he is Korean." The this association has approximately 200
group that was watching was very surprised. active members in Korea.
The man that had made the comment about
Park's Pa Kua wanted to see if Park knew how Park Moves to the United States
to apply it. Park squared off with him and the While Park Bok Nam was teaching Pa Kua
man attacked. Park avoided the attack and hit Chang in Korea, one of the classes he taught
the man 3 times within one second. The man was located in a small Quanset hut on an
was very startled and did not want to try and American Army base. One of the American
attack again. soldiers studying with Park in this class was
Another reason the Korean team became well Glenn Wright. He began his practice with Park
known in Hong Kong and Taiwan was due to in December of 1978. Glenn enjoyed practicing
the antics of Lu Shui-T'ien's son, Lu Shu-Te. Lu Park's Pa Kua Chang to the extent that he
Shu-Te's attitude towards the martial arts has managed to get stationed in Korea five different
always been "put up or shut up." He does not times during his twenty year Army career so
like to talk, but he loves to fight. On one that he could continue his Pa Kua Chang study.
occasion in Taiwan a large group of teachers
In 1987, Park was invited to come to the
held a meeting and the conversation turned to a
United States and perform in a Chinese Martial
discussion about which styles were better and
Arts Masters Demonstration being held in Los
whose students were good fighters, etc. Lu
Angeles. Glenn Wright, who was then stationed in
Shu-Te, becoming bored with the discussion,
Ft. Lee, Virginia, flew to Los Angeles to visit his
stood up and announced, "This talk is cheap, the
teacher. After the demonstration, Park had a few
only way to decide who is good and who is not
is to fight! Anyone who wants to prove they are
24
 Introduction

weeks to stay in the United States and site

see. Glenn brought Park to Virginia with
him and convinced Park to stay in the
United States and open up a Pa Kua Chang
school here. Since Park's Pa Kua school was
very strong in Korea and he had many senior
students who could take over his school
there, he decided to stay.
In 1987 Park opened his school in
Richmond , Virginia. For more information
about Park's program in the United States,
refer to the Appendix.

Park's Teaching Method

After reading about Lu Shui-T'ien's
heavy-handed teaching method, readers may
wonder if Park approaches Pa Kua Chang
instruction in the same manner. Luckily for
his students, Park is very fair and not nearly
as strict as his teacher. Although Park
strongly believes in the values of
trustworthiness, honesty, loyalty, and Lu Shui-T'ien's Grave
respect in the student-teacher relationship, his
tests of loyalty are not nearly as severe as the
trials he was forced to endure in his
relationship with his teacher. If a student
practices very hard and shows Park common
courtesy and respect, the student will be
shown the same respect and thus will be
taught openly. If a student is honest and
opens his heart to Park, Park returns the
same honesty and openness. Park does not
hold back his teaching as long as a student
shows dedication to the art, in fact, he usually
gives students more than they can handle.
In the next section we will discuss Park's
general approach to Pa Kua Chang
instruction.

25
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Park Bok Nam's Teaching Method

P ark Bok Nam's approach to Pa Kua Chang fundamental principles. Forms and fighting
training, which comes directly from his applications are but small components of the Pa
teacher, is very systematic. Park compares Kua Chang machine. Park firmly believes that each
teaching a beginning student the art of Pa Kua component and sub-component of the "engine"
Chang to transforming a family sedan into a should be developed and balanced separately and
finely tuned, high performance race car. The new then brought together to form a complete equation
which will equal perfect health and self-defense.
student in Park's school will not learn the Pa Kua
In designing an engine, an engineer will start
Chang form movements right away. The form is
with the theories and principles of mathematics,
like the body of the car and Park sees no sense in physics, electronics, thermodynamics, and
building a body before the engine reaches high mechanics. Similarly, when training the Pa Kua
levels of performance. This engine is built on practitioner, Park starts with the principles and
theories of Pa Kua Chang. Park believes that unless
the practice is based on sound principles and
theories, the student will be practicing blindly. He is
quick to point out that the principles of Pa Kua
Chang are not strictly physical, but include in-depth
research into tactical and strategic methods of
improving physical combat.
Some very small advances can be made
practicing a form without knowledge and
development of the principles behind the
movements, but in practicing only forms, one will
quickly reach a peak, past which there will be little
progress. The essence of applying Pa Kua Chang in
a fighting situation is spontaneous correct response,
adaptability, variation, and change. Park asks,
"How are any of these elements going to be applied
if all the practitioner has is knowledge of a
structured form?" Park was taught that in order to
change, create, and respond to any situation a "body
knowledge" of fundamental Pa Kua Chang
physical and tactical principles is required.
Park's approach to teaching Pa Kua is through
a very systematic, progressive development of
these fundamental principles. Like the engineer
designing his engine, Park builds his theories of Pa
Kua practice utilizing sets of equations. The
equations he uses break down the separate
components and sub-components of Pa Kua
practice and describe how these components fit
together to produce a final result. The students
are trained first to develop skills on the most basic

26
 Introduction
sub-component level. Then, as these skills "straining." The common English translation of
develop, sub-components are added together to wu wei is "non-action," however, many
build higher level sub-components, and then these incorrectly interpret this translation to mean
are added together to create other higher level laziness or passivity.
components.
The engineer must learn how to add, subtract,
multiply, and divide before he can learn algebra,
and his knowledge of algebra must be sound
before he can utilize differential and integral
calculus. Pa Kua Chang training in Park's school
evolves in similarly progressive stages. Wu Wei
At each stage of training Park's students must
demonstrate a degree of proficiency in each Wu wei is action through
exercise before Park will begin to teach the non-action. It is spontaneous action which does not
follow-on exercise. To Park, proficiency not only arise from a motive or seek a result. In modern
entails proper execution of the movements phraseology wu wei can be interpreted as "going
themselves and knowledge of how the with the flow" or "rolling with the punches", but
movements are employed, but also a high degree requires that the practitioner do so spontaneously,
of reflex body response. When he attacks a skillfully, efficaciously, and along the line of least
student, he wants to see that the student executes resistance. When the practitioner has embodied the
the proper mechanics of Pa Kua Chang principle of wu wei in martial arts, he or she has
movement without having to think about it - the developed an innate body response which is
body should respond correctly and spontaneously. spontaneous, correct, without thought and requiring
If there is any hesitation in the student's response what appears to be little effort in the execution of a
to an attack, the student is not ready to move on. difficult task. This response is based on a
When Park was training with his teacher, he knowledge of principles, structures, alignments,
was required to spend many hours everyday for rhythm, timing, optimum angles of attack and
months at a time repeating the same exercise. defense and economy of motion which is resident
Eventually Park would become bored with the in the body, not just the mind. Wu wei does not
exercise and ask his teacher if he could move on stem from intellectual intelligence, but an
to something else. Lu Shui-T'ien would say, "So "unconscious" or innate intelligence in the physical
you are ready for something else?" and launch an body that can only be developed through hours of
attack at Park. If Park did not respond correctly, correct repetitive training.
Lu would say, "I think you need more practice." Park emphasizes the importance of this "body
Although Park is not as harsh as his teacher (who knowledge" in his teaching. He believes that
would usually attack Park with his cane), Park when something is "known" in the body, it
came to realize that although the repetitive becomes a reflex action which will not soon be
training drills were boring, in order to develop a forgotten. His approach to Pa Kua Chang
reflex body response, they were necessary. instruction is to start the student with very simple
movements and exercises. These exercises, which
are based on fundamental principles, are repeated
Reflex Body Response hundreds, if not thousands of times under Park's
watchful eye until the student has embodied the
Success in internal boxing requires an principle and it becomes a natural reflex. Park
experiential understanding of the principle the states that the exercise should be repeated so
Chinese call wu wei. Wu wei is one of the most many times that when the student stops, the body
important principles applied to any internal still feels as though it is going through the motions
martial art in a self-defense situation. Wu literally of the exercise - like when getting back on land
means "non", "negative", "not", or "none" and
wei means "action", "doing", "striving" or
27
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
after a long boat ride and the body still feels like it practitioner are never restricted to the arms, but
is rocking back and forth. involve a connected full body movement. There are
Once Park feels the student has no breaks or "dead spots" along the chain of
"body-knowledge" of the principle as it is applied movement from the foot to the hand. Movement in
in the simple exercise, he will teach the student a every part of the body is supple, smooth, fluid, and
slightly more difficult exercise with which to work continuous. In order to accomplish this technique,
in the same manner. Park feels that if the student is the practitioner must be extremely flexible in the
initially given exercises that are too complex, or is joints, especially the hips (yao k'ua), waist, spine,
given too many different exercises to practice, then and shoulders. Full body integration and connection
he or she will never develop skillful innate body in conjunction with the flexible, relaxed, and unified
response. He is fond of saying that "If I give you movement are prerequisite to correct Pa Kua Chang
too much food, you cannot digest it all and some technique application. Development of a body
of it gets thrown away. It is the same with Pa Kua. capable of this great degree of flexibility and
If you are taught too much at one time, you will connection (what Park refers to as a "kung fu body")
never digest it all." requires training exercises designed to develop
The development of skill in internal martial muscle, ligament and joint flexibility and training
arts not only requires that the student work to gain the body to move in a unified manner. In addition to
this "body knowledge" of the principles, but the overall body flexibility, integration, and
body also has to change and develop physically. coordination, development of internal martial arts
Flexibility, balance, and overall coordination are power, or the ability to apply great force through
important components of training the body for very small body articulations, also requires
martial arts. However, since Pa Kua Chang is an repetitive training drills designed to isolate and train
"internal" style, additional training which works to secondary muscles groups, tendons, and joints. To
properly develop the tendons, bones, joints, be trained properly and completely, these
ligaments, and secondary muscle groups must be components are trained in isolation before being
executed in a progressive manner. Development of applied in Pa Kua Chang form techniques.
the physical body requires many hours of Another important component in development of
repetitive practice with fundamental drills the "kung fu body" is a balanced, unified, smooth
designed to initiate such development. The student movement of ch'i throughout the body. The classics
needs to develop what Park refers to as the of Pa Kua Chang speak frequently of the "J ch'i," or
"kungfubody." "one ch'i" This is referring to the ability of the
practitioner to unify the movement and function of
the body in such a way that the entire body, mind,
Developing the "Kung Fu Body" and spirit are working to achieve a common goal in
a given instant, creating a "whole body power." If
The Pa Kua Chang practitioner's body the body's ch'i is not full and balanced, the body
movement has typically been compared to that of a will not work in complete harmony and the power
snake or dragon. References to snake or dragon like will not be full. There will be "weak links in the
movement in Pa Kua Chang literature are numerous chain."
and many of the popular Pa Kua forms are called Park believes that learning to apply the complex
"snake" or "dragon" form Pa Kua (she hsing and Pa Kua Chang forms before the body is well on its
lung hsing respectively). The turning, twisting, way to being developed properly in terms of
coiling, circling and whipping movements of the flexibility, strength, balance, integration, alignment
skilled practitioner will indeed remarkably resemble and coordination is analogous to entering high
the movements of a snake and have inspired further school without first learning how to read. Park is
descriptive analogies of Pa Kua movement such as fond of saying, "You cannot give a baby steak; a
yu shen (swimming body) or lien huan (continuous baby needs milk."
circling). The exercises presented in this book are
The snake-like movements of the Pa Kua

28
 Introduction
designed to help the practitioner begin to develop arts depends on how efficiently and effectively
the "kung fu body" and gain an experiential the body's attacking and defense weapons are
understanding of the principle of wu wei. employed. If the practitioner can punch and kick
well, he or she has grasped * basic math." If they
can use footwork to evade and set up an attack, the
Research math is a little higher. If they can utilize the
elbows and knees in combination with the punches
Once the Pa Kua Chang practitioner's body has and kicks, the math is still higher. If they can
been developed through a series of repetitive utilize all of their available weapons from all
exercises designed to train component parts, Park angles in continuous, fluid combinations of attack
introduces the student to new exercises which are and defense, the math is becoming very
designed to bring all of the parts together. Park sophisticated. If they have refined their skill so
says that no matter how good the engine parts are, that all of the above can be accomplished with
if you don't know how to put them together to subtle movements executed efficiently and
build the engine, you don't have anything but a effectively without waste, then the "mathematics"
pile of expensive parts. is extremely high. Park views Pa Kua Chang
Usually when the parts first come together the practice as equating to very high level math,
student will experience some awkwardness. Park's however, he feels that before high level math can
approach is to add small bits and pieces together be absorbed, basic math should be studied
a little at a time to allow the student to transition thoroughly.
from simple repetitive drills to more complex While the student in Park's school is developing
repetitive drills (forms and fighting applications the "kung fu" body, they will also train exercises
for example) so that eventually correct, which develop power and speed in utilizing each
spontaneous free form movement which adheres of the body's attack weapons. In other words,
to the principles of Pa Kua Chang can be attained. they start out with basic math. These exercises
Park, who likes to teach through the use of include various footwork drills, palm striking
analogy, explains that when the Wright Brothers exercises, elbow striking exercises, and kicking
built their plane, it flew successfully, but it didn't exercises designed to develop power and speed in
fly very far. This first attempt was defined as the utilization of all the body's weapons. After the
"flying" but it is trivial compared to what aviation student has worked to develop power and speed in
has become today. To evolve from the Wright utilizing all of the basic attack weapons, he or she
Brothers to the Space Shuttle, engineers had to will then learn how to combine these attacks with
research and develop each component of the Pa Kua Chang footwork. The key to Park's system
plane and bring all the components together into of developing Pa Kua Chang skill with a systematic,
a fine working balance. complete method is the theory and strategy which
The physical components which Park forms the "math" of Pa Kua Chang.
corresponds to the engineer's numbers are the As stated previously, all of Park's training
body's joints. The numbers zero through nine are methods are based upon the principles and theories
the basic building blocks of mathematics. By of Pa Kua Chang. Throughout this book,
combining these numbers, any other number can component parts of Pa Kua Chang footwork, body
be constructed. Similarly, by utilizing the body's movement, palm striking, and ch'i kung will be
joints, any attack or defense can be created. The defined through the use of equations which
major attack weapons are the fist (knuckle joints), describe how sub-components of each of Pa Kua
palm and wrist (wrist joint), elbow, shoulder, Chang's major component come together in a
hips, knees, heels (ankle joints), and feet (toe systematic fashion. Once the student has an
joints). experiential understanding of the major
Skill in utilizing numbers depends on the level components of Pa Kua Chang (and body
of sophistication of the mathematics employed in knowledge of these components) Park encourages
utilization of those numbers. The skill in fighting the student to research the art and improve his

29
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

her knowledge through the use of the primary of yin and yang, five phases and I Ching. If one of
theoretical equation associated with this art. This these elements is missing, Park will say that the
equation is based on the theories of Yin/Yang, Five technique is not "balanced" and thus it is not the
Phases (wu hsing), and Pa Kua (Eight Diagrams). best, or most effective way.
Once the student learns how these These theoretical concepts and Park's
philosophical concepts relate directly to the art of applications of them to Pa Kua Chang practice
fighting in the context of the body movements of will be discussed briefly in the next chapter.
Pa Kua Chang, he or she can then use this Specific examples of how these theories are applied
philosophy as a tool in order to efficiently and to separate components of Pa Kua Chang practice
effectively research and develop their will be discussed throughout the book.
understanding of the art.
Once an elementary school student learns the Conclusion
rules of addition and subtraction, they can easily When a student enters Park Bok Nam's Pa Kua
add and subtract any numbers. The rules of Chang school, the priority for Park is to design a
addition and subtraction are the tools the student program which will develop the student's "kung
will use in adding or subtracting those numbers. fu body," enable the student to gain a "body
Park's approach to teaching Pa Kua Chang fighting knowledge" of the mechanics of movement and
is not to "spoon feed" his students by showing body alignments inherent in Pa Kua Chang by
application after application, his method is to training those mechanics and alignments
give the student the tools and let the student repeatedly, and enable the student to understand
figure it out themselves. the theory and principles behind Pa Kua Chang
If the student has learned the basic fundamental employment in combat. Once the student has
movements of Pa Kua Chang and how to use the gained an experiential understanding of these
theories of yin and yang, five phases and I Ching, he three components, he or she is well on their way
or she can figure out the best defense or attack for to becoming a skilled Pa Kua Chang practitioner.
any given situation. Park was required to learn in
this manner and he requires this of his students.
His philosophy is that if a student can figure out
on their own the most efficient and effective way
to handle a situation using Pa Kua Chang, then
they will never forget how to handle that situation
and they will be able to figure out how to handle
any other situation.
When a student in Park's school is given a new
movement, Park does not show the application,
the student has to show Park the applications, or
variations of that movement. If the student has
not figured out the most effective way to use the
movement Park will lend advice and tell the
student to do some more research. Through this
type of learning process the student eventually
learns how to handle any situation.
Without the theoretical principles of yin and
yang, five phases and I Ching, Park believes that
the student will be blindly conducting research by
trail and error. Trial and error will get you there,
but it is not the smart way nor the efficient way.
In every application a student employs, Park will
look to see if the student is employing the theories

30
 Introduction

Lu Shui T’ien and Park Bok Nam

The late sagacious teacher of martial arts,

Passed on true martial skills.
His most insightful students,
Are both righteous and skilled in martial
arts.

31
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

32
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang

Chapter 2
The Philosophical Roots
of Pa Kua Chang

33
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Chapter 2

The Philosophical
Roots of
Pa Kua Chang
hy did Tung Hai-Ch'uan call his art Pa this art based on the theories and principles of

W Kua Chang, or "Eight Diagram" Palm?

Was this an arbitrary name that he
chose or is there a connection to the theory of the
Chinese philosophy was for the exact reason
stated above. Lu was already 66 years old when
Park started studying with him in 1960. Lu knew
PaKua, or Eight Diagrams, or thel-Ching? Although that Park, who was only 18 at the time they met,
the origin of Pa Kua Chang is a popular topic of would spend the majority of his life studying Pa
debate among Pa Kua Chang stylists and martial Kua Chang without him. Therefore, during the 17
arts historians, many martial arts scholars believe years they spent together, Lu emphasized the
that this art was created by Tung Hai-Ch'uan in theoretical foundations of the art so that Park
the mid-1800's. Research indicates that after would have tools to utilize in order to continually
studying indigenous Northern martial arts for the develop his skill for the remainder of his life. Lu
first thirty or forty years of his life, Tung was Shui-T'ien was taught in this same fashion by his
taught a circle walking meditation practiced by teacher Li Ching-Wu.
Taoists of the Chuan Chen Chiao (Complete Truth) If our ancestors who invented simple electronic
sect. Tung took this circle walking practice, which instruments such as the electric light bulb or the
the Taoists called Chuan T'ien Tsun (Rotating in telegraph had handed their descendants the
Worship of Heaven) and combined it with the instrument without the mathematical and
martial arts he had studied and devised what we electrical theories to explain how it was developed
know today as Pa Kua Chang. However, Pa Kua and how it worked, it would have been much
Chang was not the first name that Tung chose for more difficult for those who followed to invent
this art. Research reveals that he originally called the electronic instruments of today. What Lu
his art Chuan Chang, or "rotating palm" and there provided to Park was the "mathematics" of Pa Kua
was no apparent connection to the Pa Kua theory. Chang so that Park could continue to improve his
Tung changed the name of his art to Pa Kua skill after Lu was gone. Park's feeling is that just
Chang and connected the theory of his fighting art as the engineer cannot get very far in his design
to the theory of the Pa Kua, or Eight Trigrams of work without mathematics, the Pa Kua Chang
the / Ching, late in his life. Perhaps his intent in practitioner cannot get very far with his or her art
doing this was to give his students a theoretical without the theoretical components of that art.
basis by which they could continue to research Lu's approach to drawing connections between
and develop the art after Tung was gone. Chinese philosophy and Pa Kua Chang practice is
Regardless of where Pa Kua Chang originated far from anything metaphysical, astrological, or
and how it was handed down by Tung Hai-Ch'uan, otherwise mystic, esoteric, or secretive. Lu's only
Lu Shui-T'ien's intent in teaching Park Bok Nam real interest in Chinese philosophy was how it

34
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang
could be directly and practically applied to the
principles of health building and physical combat.
Unless theory and philosophy can be applied
simply and directly in the physical world of martial
arts, it does not do the practitioner much good in
Wu Chi
practice or when "push comes to shove" in a
fighting situation.
The three philosophical principles which Park
relies on to help him research and improve his
fighting art are outlined in the following equation.
Tai Chi
Pa Kua Chang Philosophy = Yin Yang Theory +
I-Ching Theory + Wu Hsing (Five Phase) Theory

In this chapter we will briefly discuss the

background and history of these philosophical
theories and explain how they are applied to the
fighting art of Pa Kua Chang in Park Bok Nam's Yin Yang
school.
Yin and Yang Theory interaction of yin and yang.
The diagram which symbolizes the t'ai chi is
The ancient Chinese people were very practical
shown below. The white areas of this diagram
and straight-forward in their philosophy. In many
represent yang and the black areas represent yin.
instances, the foundation of their belief system
The movement of the diagram is described as
was based on what was occurring naturally around
demonstrating a never ending, cyclical changing
them. They noted that nature was in constant
from yin to yang and back again. When yin has
change and that there were noticeable patterns,
reached its apex, there is a return to yang and
rhythms and cycles inherent in this change. They
subsequently, when yang has reached its apex
observed daily cycles, monthly cycles, and yearly
there is a return to yin. Yang in extreme becomes
cycles and they sought to symbolize them to
yin and yin taken to extreme becomes yang. The
better understand patterns of nature and
black and white dots in the diagram are
conditions of human life.
The two extreme ends of the observed cyclic
continuum they called yin and yang. The idea of
yin and yang became a kernel that sprouted more
complex patterns, models, and ideas. The Chinese
saw the dynamic interaction of yin and yang
springing forth from stillness. This stillness they
called wu chi, an emptiness or "void." Because
nature is continually changing and thus nothing
remains indefinitely still, the Chinese theorized
that from any form of stillness, motion will
naturally manifest. The movement which springs
forth from the wu chi, they defined as t'ai chi
(supreme ultimate) - a dynamic interaction of yin
and yang. Everything under the sun was said to The T'ai Chi Diagram
have originated from wu chi through the t'ai chi

35
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
representative of yang always containing aspects what is behind and is ready to move back, when
of yin and y'xn always containing aspects of yang. he engages the opponent high, he is conscious of
One is never present without the other. what is happening low, etc.
Additionally, the white (yang) dot present in the In interaction with an opponent, the yin and
largest area of black (yin) is representative of the yang balance is also sought. If an opponent is
"seed" of yang being present in the belly of yin. expressive or hard in his technique, the technique
The same is said of the black dot in the white area. is met with a soft, absorbing force and redirected.
In the West, many individuals tend to If the opponent is very soft, the practitioner
incorrectly think of yin and yang as strictly defined applies expressive force. While this general rule is
"opposites" - typical examples being darkness and common knowledge to most "internal" style
light, male and female, night and day, etc. While martial artists, Park's variations and quick changes
these simple correspondences are representative on this theme are numerous.
of yin and yang qualities, one should keep in mind Pa Kua Chang stylists are famous for their
that all relationships based on yin and yang are ability to change rapidly from firm to gentle, fast
relative and the mutual interaction of both aspects to slow, right to left, inside to outside, high to low,
should be considered, therefore, nothing can be etc. While the aim is to always reach the point of
defined as strictly yin or strictly yang. Additionally, balance, the Pa Kua Chang practitioner will
yin and yang are never to be considered in a typically offset and confuse the opponent with
permanent state. There is always interplay, change, his or her quick variations. The Pa Kua Chang
and dynamic movement. practitioner is able to maintain his own balance
through the myriad of changes because his
Yin and Yang Relativity footwork and body movements are rotating around
When Park Bok Nam describes the relative balanced central points. An opponent who is not
nature of yin and yang and how it applies to Pa Kua accustomed to the centripetal and centrifugal
Chang training and fighting application, he uses forces expressed through the Pa Kua Chang stylist's
the number line (as shown below) as a simple movements will be easily offset. Study and
example. If we look at a number line, we can application of the constant and continuous
identify the negative numbers as being generally interchange between yin and yang elements of the
yin and the positive numbers as being generally fighting art aids the Pa Kua Chang practitioner's
yang. However, each number can only be strictly application.
identified as yin or yang in relation to another
number. For example, the number 3 is yang Yin and Yang in Cycles
compared to the number -4, however, the number Because yin and yang are viewed as the extreme
3 would be considered yin in comparison with the ends of a natural cyclic continuum, there is a
number 6. constant cyclic changing from yin to yang and
Park views the zero mark on the number line as from yangback to yin. The time of change between
the balance point and states that in all training, yin and yangin these cycles is viewed as containing
whether for health or self-defense, the balance the strongest force, inertia, or energy. In all cycles
point should be sought. In practice, the yang of nature, the Chinese view the time of change
(expressive, external) training is always balanced from yin to yang or yang to yin to hold the greatest
with the yin (meditative, internal) training. energy, or the greatest strength. For example,
Additionally, the practitioner of Pa Kua Chang night time is generally considered to be yin in
seeks abalance of yin and yangin every movement. nature while day time isyan^in nature. When day
The Pa Kua Chang practitioner is never too soft, or changes to night or night changes to day at
too hard; when he moves forward, he is aware of sunrise or sunset, the energy of the day is strongest,
clearest, freshest and well balanced. Most everyone
has experienced the strong, fresh sensation of the
morning air. Because the energy is strongest,
freshest and well balanced at these times of the

36
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang

and strike the mailbox, the force hitting the

mailbox would be equal to the speed of the car
plus the force of acceleration from the person
swinging the bat. In Pa Kua Chang, many strikes
are applied as the palm is changing from yin to
yang or from yang to yin in order to add the extra
force produced by the crisp rotation of the palm.
Additionally, the palm rotation also helps increase
the flow of ch'i and blood to the palm.
Typically the yin palm changing to yang palm
will be used in conjunction with a defensive
maneuver, such as a parry or when freeing one's
self from an opponent's grab, and the yang
changing to yin will be used in conjunction with
Yin Palms Yang Palms
an offensive strike. The yin yang palm relationship
is one small example of how the theory of yin yang
day, these times are the ideal times for practicing
is applied directly to the physical movements in
ch'i kung exercises and meditation.
Pa Kua Chang.
While practice at anytime of the day, or season
Another direct representation of yin and yang
of the year, can be beneficial, Park believes that
to the physical aspects of Pa Kua Chang is
practicing specific exercises, such as breathing
symbolized by the interplay of yin and yang in the
and ch'i cultivation exercises, while the ch 'i in the
t'ai chi diagram. The diagram displays a constant
air is the freshest, strongest, and most balanced
movement from yin to yang and back again. The
will greatly enhance the practice and thus the
diagram representation symbolizes this movement
progress will be faster. He believes that the most
as flowing smoothly and continuously. This idea
efficient way to practice is in accordance with the
can be interpreted as representing a smooth
rules of nature as symbolized by the cycles of yin
interchange and continuously flowing motion in
and yang in the day (and during the year) and thus
physical practice. When one changes from slow
he applies this theory to all of his practice and
movement to fast movement, from hard
teaching.
movement to soft movement, from high to low,
The cyclic change between yin and yang also
low to high, inside to outside, outside to inside,
applies to Pa Kua Chang's palm articulations. In
forward to backward, etc., the movement should
the Pa Kua Chang parlance, a palm that is facing
be continuous and flow smoothly.
up is called a yang palm and a palm that is facing
down is called a yin palm. In accordance with the Yin and Yang Combinations
yin yang theory, the palm movements are most In order to represent, and therefore further
powerful when the yin palm is changing to the understand, the patterns of nature beyond the
yang palm or when the yang palm is changing to dynamic interplay of yin and yang, the Chinese
a the yin palm. In other words, the power, or created yin and yang combinations. The first of
strength is the strongest when there is change, not these combinations represents the maximum
when maintaining a static position. number of sets that can be formed by combining
As an example of this idea of a changing force two differing elements in sets of two. In other
being stronger than a static force, imagine someone words, if one was given yin and yang as two unique
driving along in a car with a baseball bat stuck out items and asked to combine them in sets of two,
the window. If this person holds the baseball bat the maximum number of unique sets obtainable
static, as if bunting, and the bat hits a mailbox, the is four. This simplest representation of yin and
force striking the mail box will be equal to the yang in combination is called Szu Hsiang (four
force generated by the speed of the car. However, figures).
if the person holding the bat were to swing the bat Yin and yang are symbolically represented by

37
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
combinatorial analysis, which are modeled
by these yin and yang combinations, in his
approach to Pa Kua Chang training and Pa
Kua Chang fighting. However, we will first
further explore the theory of the Eight
Trigrams.

Pa Kua Theory
Most Westerners who are somewhat familiar
with Chinese philosophy will recognize the eight
trigrams as the building blocks that form the 64
hexagrams of the I-Ching or Book of Changes.
However, the majority of I-Ching texts available
today in English dive directly into commentary
on the hexagrams without fully explaining the
meaning and usage of the trigrams.
An understanding of the eight trigrams and the
two primary trigram arrangements can provide
great insight into a study of the I-Ching and
facilitate a deeper understanding of the patterns
the Liang I (two symbols). The YangHs of change inherent in nature and in human life.
represented by a continuous straight line and The ability to understand the combinatorial theory
the Yin I is represented by a broken line. The upon which the trigrams and hexagrams are built,
Szu Hsiang are formed by combining the Yin and an understanding of the nature of change
I and the Yang I as shown in the illustration inherent in the changing lines of the I-Ching, are
above. The Szu Hsaing are given names of important components in understanding the art
T'ai Yang (Greater Yang), Shao Km (Lesser of Pa Kua Chang as taught by Park Bok Nam. This
Yin), Shao Yang (Lesser Yang), and T'ai Kin section will briefly look at the history, meaning,
(Greater Yin). and usage of the eight trigrams as representations
If one were to add one more element to the of combinatorial analysis, and as arranged in the
yin yang set, and thus create all of the possible Fu Hsi (also called Hsien T'ien or Early Heaven) and
combinations of yin and yang in sets of three, King Wen (also called Hou T'ien or Later Heaven)
the result is the Pa Kua (Eight Trigrams or diagrams.
"Three Line Markings"). Starting from The trigrams are essentially codifications of
nothing (WuChi) the one (T'ai Chi) was naturally occurring processes. By combining
created; from the one, two were created (Yin symbols that reflect dynamic elements in nature
and Yang); from two, four were created and the human process, the Chinese have sought
(SzuHsiang); and from four, eight were to understand and predict patterns, cycles, and
created (Pa Kua). Similarly, from the eight, polarities which are present in nature and human
sixty-four are created and form the hexagrams development. Two such trigram combinations,
of the / Ching (Book of Changes). Looking at the Hsien T'ien (Early Heaven) and the Hou T'ien
this progression from the standpoint of (Later Heaven), represent the balance of polar
mathematics it is easy to see that the pattern elements and the nature of cyclical change,
fits that of simple combinatorial theory. respectively. By studying the relationships of the
Throughout this book we will describe how trigrams in these configurations, one can learn to
Park Bok Nam was taught to use the theories of apply these symbols directly to the practice of Pa

38
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang
Farmer), Huang-Ti (the Yellow Emperor), Shao
Hao, and Chuan Hsu, have each been credited
with many inventions. Fu Hsi was credited with
the discovery of the I-Ching (as well as inventing
hunting, fishing, and trapping) nearly 5,000years
ago.
There are any number of stories that have
been written pertaining to Fu Hsi's discovery of
the trigrams. One story says that he derived the
eight trigrams from the Yellow River Map (Ho T'u).
This map was revealed to him on the back of a
supernatural animal called a "Dragon Horse" that
rose from the waters of the Yellow River. Another
story describes Fu Hsi as finding the trigrams
hidden in the patterns on a tortoise shell. Still
another tale states that he created the trigrams
Kua Chang. We will describe how this is done in after careful observation and contemplation of
Park's Pa Kua Chang method throughout this the natural objects around him.
book. While accrediting the discovery of the
Through identification with the trigram trigrams to a mythical Emperor has a nice mystical
arrangements and the natural development flavor to it, there is no evidence that the trigrams
process, one can adapt to fit smoothly into patterns existed prior to the Shang Dynasty (1766-1123
of change and balance within cycles of change. B.C.). Of course, actual archaeological existence
While these theories can be applied to most any of anything prior to the Shang Dynasty is scarce
Jiuman condition or life process, in this book we (within the last 15 years there have been Hsia
will only be concerned with how they apply Dynasty findings). However, analysis of
directly to Pa Kua Chang training and fighting. inscriptions found in tortoise shell and bone from
The ability to smoothly change from one the Shang period leads some scholars to believe
technique to another when it is least expected by that the Shang people practiced divination using
the opponent and to do so in an efficacious the tortoise shell, not the trigrams or hexagrams.
manner is characteristic of Pa Kua Chang and thus It is speculated that the Shang people heated the
understanding combinatorial analysis and the tortoise shell with fire until cracks appeared.
theory of change when researching and practicing The Diviner would read the cracks and be able to
Pa Kua Chang techniques is to the practitioner's intuitively answer questions about one's future.
advantage. It is thought that the patterns that typically
reappeared when the shell was heated were given
meaning, and this practice eventually led to the
The History of the Eight Trigrams formation of the trigrams and hexagrams.
While tortoise shell divination could very
In pre-dynastic times, China was ruled by the well have led to the formation of the trigrams and
mythical Five Emperors (Wu Ti). The Five Emperors explain one of the Fu Hsi myths, I tend to believe
ruled in succession during the "golden age of that the formation of the trigrams and hexagrams
antiquity" (prior to 2357 B.C.) and have came about through an evolutionary
traditionally been considered sages and cultural numerological process which started with the
heroes, if not semi-divine beings, by the Chinese, concept of yin and yang. This evolution could
Therefore we find that these Five Emperors; Fu Hsi have occurred prior to the Shang period and the
(Subduer of Animals), Shen Nung (the Divine trigrams adopted by the Diviners at a later time

39
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
The Eight Trigrams Theory movement and change that they represent
The Pa Kua (eight trigrams) were said to have that we seek to understand through the use of the
been instituted by the sages through their trigrams. While some people believe that
observation of the Szu Hsiang. They represent the archetypal images can hold certain powers, this
maximum number of combinations of the Yin I esoteria often turns into misinterpretation,
and the Yang I in sets of three. Their names are illusion, and fantasy. Unless one has been fully
Ch'ien, Tui, Li, Chen, Sun, K'an, Ken, and K'un. initiated into a religious or spiritual discipline
The trigrams are frequently associated with that believes in and understands these "powers,"
natural objects (Heaven, Lake, Fire, Thunder, Wind, it is probably best to avoid the attachments.
Water, Mountain, and Earth respectively), as Also, it should be said that the trigrams and
well as animals, members of the family, numbers, hexagram symbols provide far more than a basis
colors, shapes, sounds, hours of the day, weather for an oracle used for fortune telling, prophecy, or
patterns, astrological animals, parts of the body, divination. Although it is frequently used as such,
directions on the compass, seasons of the year, many books that have been published on the /
etc. Ching over-emphasize this aspect and thus students
Although the trigrams have many names and loose sight of the underlying system and structure
attributes associated with them, one should not which profoundly expresses patterns of movement
attach too much importance to the name or any and change. The trigrams and hexagrams have
other unique association. Though the components been used widely in the fields of philosophy,
of transformation may share some characteristics astrology, medicine, geomancy, numerology,
with the natural object for which it is named, the emblemology, martial arts and mathematics.
trigrams represent transformations that cannot Of great significance is the fact that the Chinese
be tied adequately to a given name in the literal took symbols such as the Yin I and the Yang I,
sense. The concepts represented by the trigrams which are representations of dynamic concepts,
are dynamic and associating them too closely and used them as building blocks to represent and
with physical objects or concrete ideas will usually allude to other ideas {Szu Hsiang, Pa Kua, etc.). In
tend to undermine and limit the symbology. this sense, the combinations of the Yin /and Yang
Just as the trigrams should not be limited in use I, especially as they are used in the areas of
by associating them too closely with numerology and emblemology, are
specific ideas or objects, they algorithmic.
should also not generally be An algorithm is a recursive
thought of as mystical mathematical rule or
symbols having powers of procedure. Modern day
their own. Although some computers perform almost
FengShui (practitioners of all of their functions based
the "Wind and on algorithms and the
Water" art or only language computers
geomancy) will hang understand is the binary
the trigrams on walls language.
to "ward off evil Everything the computer
spirits" or balance the does — mathematical
"energy" of a room and calculations, word
there are religious processing, graphics, you
factions in China which name it—is performed using
believe these symbols can hold binary arithmetic and binary
mystical powers, one should representation.
keep in mind that the trigrams Shao Yung's Hexagram If we let the Yang I represent the
are fundamentally Circle and Square number one and the Yin I represent
codifications or models of naturally a zero, it is easy to see that the
occurring processes. It is the combinations that form the Szu
40
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang
Hsiang and the Pa Kua follow the rules of binary include the fists and fingers), the two wrists
arithmetic. In fact, in the well known hexagram (weapons here would include the palms and the
circle of the Sung dynasty philosopher Shao Yung wrist j oints), the two elbows, and the two shoulders.
(1011-1077), the hexagrams are arranged in an The lower body joints are the two hips, the two
exact representation of binary arithmetic (each knees, the two ankles (heel kicks), and the two
hexagram in succession is a binary representation feet. All of these weapons can be used in attack or
of the numbers from 0 to 63). defense. The practitioner can either strike or
In the West, binary arithmetic was discovered block with any of these weapons and they are also
by the German mathematician Gottfried Willhelm key points of attack on the opponent's body when
Leibnitz (1646-1716), who published his findings striking, grabbing, controlling, or otherwise
in 1679. In the field of mathematics, Leibnitz attacking.
excelled in the areas of combinatorial analysis and Given these weapons of attack and defense,
symbolic reasoning. While he is noted as a pioneer the next lesson Park was to learn was the mechanics
in these fields, Shao Yung is the true trailblazer— of applying each of these weapons efficiently and
he worked out his arrangement of the hexagrams effectively on the left side and right side, high and
in 1060. low, inside and outside, and at long and short
Shao Yung combined "emblemology" and range. Each component was trained individually
numerology derived from the teachings he received through a series of kicking exercises, palm striking
from Li Chih-Ts'ai (died 1045) to form his diagram. exercises, elbow striking exercises and straight
These teaching included explanation of the line combative technique forms. After learning
diagrams and emblems of the Ho T'u (River Chart), the body mechanics involved in applying each of
the Lo Shu (Lo Writing), the hexagrams of the / these weapons effectively, Park was then taught a
Ching, and the Hsien T'ien T'u (trigram arrangement series of "speed combination" exercises which
of Fu Hsi). According to Ch'eng Hao (1032-1085) develop the ability to use combinations of these
in his "Epitaph to Shao Yung," Li had received weapons with the greatest speed and power.
these ideas through a line of Taoists which can be The "speed combination" principles are
traced back to Ch'enT'uan (906-989). Shao Yung's designed so that the practitioner can develop an
biography is recorded in the Sung Shih (History of intuitive feel for how to apply combinations of his
the Sung Dynasty). weapons quickly and accurately while taking away
the opponent's ability to use his or her weapons.
The intricacy and complexity of Lu's Pa Kua
Combinations - From Theory to theory as it is applied to speed combinations is
Practical Application beyond the scope of this book. However, we will
provide some very simple examples of how this
Lu Shui-T'ien's method of applying the theory theory is applied on the most basic level so that
of the / Ching to Pa Kua Chang had little to do with the reader can grasp the fundamental concept
divination or the exact meaning or attribute of involved.
the hexagrams. However, he did impart to Park Just as yin and yang can be combined to form
Bok Nam the importance of combinatorial analysis more complex sets such as the szu hsiang and the
and the / Ching's message of continuous change. pa kua, elements of the fighting art can be similarly
The first lesson which Lu taught Park was that in combined. Instead of yin/yang pairs, in boxing
Pa Kua Chang there are eight upper body weapons one can pair sets such as attack/defense, long
and eight lower body weapons which the Pa Kua range/short range, left/right, inside/outside and
Chang practitioner will use most often to strike or high/low. Applying the most basic level of
block an opponent. All of these weapons are combinations to a set such as attack and defense
associated with the body's joints. (letting A=attack and D = defense) we can arrange
The upper body joints which can be described them in sets of two in four possible ways as
as weapons include the knuckle joints in both follows:
hands (weapons associated with these joints would A + D, D + A, A + A, D + D

41
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
The other paired sets can be similarly combined. techniques. For each of the simple combinations
Taking the combinatorial sequence one step Park was given, his teacher required him to practice
farther, one can combine the same two element all of the combinations of those techniques which
pair in eight possible ways as follows: were possible and demonstrate how each of the
combinations might be best employed. Simple
A+D+A combinations were followed by more complex
D+A+D combinations.
A+A+D All combinations Park was taught involved a
D+D+A series of tactically sound movements using the
A+D+D body's sixteen joints for attack and defense in
D+A+A rapid succession and were later combined with Pa
D+D+D Kua Chang footwork. All combinations were
A+A+A efficient and effective. While some of the
combinations which result from applying the
When studying combinations of attack/defense, combinatorial analysis to one given combination
left/right, long range/short range, high/low, or might not work as well as others, the practitioner
inside/outside, the student in Park's school will will have at least been complete in his study of the
use the combinatorial analysis tool as a model so technique if all possible combinations are
that research will be thorough. After simple researched. The practitioner can later discard the
combinations are practiced, more complex ones that do not work well.
combinations are explored by combining the When the practitioner has been trained to
different paired elements. employ all 16 of the body's joints as weapons in an
Lu taught Park that if he was given an attack/ efficient and effective manner and can apply
defense combination with the right hand followed these weapons on the left and right side, high and
by an attack/defense combination with the left low, and at short and long range, the number of
hand in a given form or exercise, based on combinations the practitioner can devise to handle
combinatorial analysis of this combination, there any given situation is enormous. When these
are many possible combinations that the weapons and combinations are combined with an
practitioner can use which stem from this one intricate usage of footwork, the fighting system is
combination. If we let A = attack, D = defense, R very thorough.
= right, and L = left, we can see that some of the Lu Shui-T'ien always stressed to Park that theory
possible combinations are as follows: was useless if it was only known in the head. In
order to gain a "body knowledge" of the theory of
1) AR DR AL DL
combinations Park was required to practice each
2) AR DR DL AL
combination sequence of a particular combination
3) DR AR AL DL
of techniques hundreds of times so that all of the
4) DR AR DL AL
combinations would become reflex body reactions.
5) AL DL AR DR
The series of "speed combination" drills which
6) AL DL DR AR
Park learned from his teacher are all based on the
7) DL AL AR DR
theory of combinatorial analysis utilizing the
8) DL AL DR AR, etc.
body's 16 weapons to strike the opponent while
By combining the paired sets in constructing simultaneously robbing him of his weapons. Park's
exercise sets, there can be many possible teacher taught him two rules of thumb to use
combinations. In this simple example, one can when fighting. The first is that "if you take it away
see that for one attack, say a strike with the palm, from them, they can't use it." In other words, if
and one defense, say a subsequent block with the the opponent kicks, damage his leg and then
elbow, there are 16 different combinations one follow up. If he puts out an arm to block or strike,
can practice stemming from these two simple damage it or break it and then use it as a bridge to
get inside and continue the attack.

42
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang
The other rule used when fighting is applied in specific he wanted Park to work on and the best
controlling the opponent. Park states that "if you lessons could be learned through testing the
want to stop a four blade fan, you only have to particular skill in a fight against an unknown
hold one of the blades." Applying this principle, opponent. These fights werelearningexperiences,
Park was taught how to control the opponent's not contests to see which school was better.
body in any given situation simply by controlling However, on one occasion a group had said
one of the opponent's sixteen joints. Which joint something derogatory about Pa Kua Chang to Lu
the practitioner attacks or controls depends on and upset him. When Park went to fight, Lu told
the spacial relationship between the practitioner Park to take the guy out quick. Park utilized his
and the opponent. Park utilizes Lu's theory of speed combinations and won the fight in a matter
studying the use of the body's joints through of seconds. This is typical of Pa Kua Chang
combinatorial analysis in all of his combat fighting, the practitioner's application is very fast,
instruction. brutal, and continuous.
Once a student practices the speed combination On another occasion, Park was taken to a
drills for a sufficient amount of time, his or her Chinese martial arts school to fight with some of
ability to inflict an incredible amount of damage the students. Park had engaged in several sparring
on an opponent in a very short period of time is matches in order to work out whatever techniques
greatly increased. Swiftness in overcoming an or principles his teacher had wanted him to train
opponent is not only gained through the during these matches. During the last fight Park
development of fast, powerful, continuous attacks, engaged in, Lu felt it was time to leave. He stood
but also in the practitioner's ability to know up while Park was fighting and announced, "Finish
exactly where to strike the opponent to inflict the it." Park applied the speed combinations and
most amount of damage in the shortest period of quickly knocked out his opponent. The techniques
time. Therefore, Park's method of combination were applied so fast that the opponent and
study is very thorough. Additionally, because the members of the other school could not figure out
student has practiced every possible combination what had happened.
of a series of techniques in training, his or her By applying combinatorial analysis to basic Pa
ability to respond to any of the opponent's Kua Chang fighting principles utilizing paired
movements in combat and vary the techniques sets such as defense/attack, long range/short range,
based on the situation is easily accomplished. high/low, left/right, or various combinations of
Practicing repetitive sets of the "speed these paired sets, the practitioner can develop an
combinations" allows the practitioner to train the extensive arsenal of applications to use in a fighting
body to respond quickly, accurately, and situation. By utilizing this theory, a practitioner
continuously without having to think. In combat, can take any given movement from a form and
there is no time to think, the body should respond create dozens of variations of any one movement
to any of the opponent's movements or combination of movements based on the theory
spontaneously. If the practitioner has to stop and of the / Ching (discussed at the end of this chapter).
think, the response will be far to slow. When Lu However, Park always stresses that even if a
Shui-T'ien took Park to other Chinese martial arts practitioner discovers the best combination or
schools to fight other students and test his skills, technique in the world, if he or she only knows it
he would not allow Park to use the speed in the head and not in the body, it will not be of
combinations because they are too brutal. When much use. Every element of Pa Kua Chang must
these speed combinations are trained and applied be practiced until it is "known in the body" before
correctly, the fight is over in a matter of seconds. it can be effectively applied in a self-defense
Park states that he can train any student to be able situation.
to strike eight times in one second. Park has been
clocked striking as many as 13 times in a second.
Typically when Lu had Park fight against
opponents from other schools there was something

43
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang life. Once life manifests, these elements remain
active in guiding the growth and maturation of
that life. When the Early Heaven energy has been
Pa Kua Geometry - The exhausted, life in its material form will typically
Eight Trigram Diagrams end. Movement launched by the Early Heaven
energy is developed and nourished by Later Heaven
Combinatorial analysis is not the only way
energy. Later Heaven energy is manifest the
one might employ the wisdom of the Pa Kua
moment life is conceived and is sustained by the
theory to the art of Pa Kua Chang. Another very
Early Heaven force and nourished by the
important research device which the Pa Kua Chang
environment through the intake of food and air.
practitioner can utilize is the principle of
The Early Heaven energies form a foundation for
movement associated with the geometry of the
the Later Heaven energies to build upon.
two Pa Kua diagrams. In this section we will
In accordance with these concepts, the Later
introduce the reader to the two primary Pa Kua
Heaven arrangement of the trigrams shows a
diagrams, the Early Heaven arrangement (Fu Hsi)
self-generating cyclic movement while the
and the Later Heaven arrangement (King Wen),
Early Heaven arrangement indicates the
and then explain how these diagrams are used by
interaction of the polar forces which actually
Park in his training methods and his
bring about creation. It is said that knowing how
implementation of this art in combat.
to relate and work with the symbology depicted
by these two trigram arrangements when
Early Heaven and Later Heaven practicing Chinese Ch'i Kung or Internal Martial
Before we go any further with the discussion of Arts will lead to internal restoration and
the eight trigrams, a discussion of the terms "Early completion of one's ch'i. Knowing how to
Heaven" and "Later Heaven" is appropriate. These preserve Early Heaven energy (the body's
concepts have deep meaning in Chinese thought innate energy) and cultivate pure Later Heaven
and we would be remiss if we did not address the energy (energy derived from food and air) in the
subject before turning to a discussion of the Fu Hsi body are key aspects in maintenance of health
(Early Heaven) and King Wen (Later Heaven) through Chinese Ch'i Kung or Internal Martial
trigram arrangements. Arts practice.
The Chinese terms Hsien T'ien (Early Heaven or
The Fu Hsi Arrangement
Pre-Heaven) and Hou T'ien (Later Heaven or
The Fu Hsi or "Early Heaven" arrangement of
Post-Heaven), which describe the two
the trigrams is said to have existed prior to the
trigram arrangements, also have been
Book of Changes. As discussed previously, the
translated conveniently to English as
trigrams themselves are formed by combining the
"prenatal" and "postnatal," respectively. In
Yang I and Yin I as shown in the illustration on the
general terms, Early Heaven represents the
next page. Study of this progressive combinatorial
innate and Later Heaven represents the acquired.
sequence will reveal that the Szu Hsiang are formed
Innate, or prenatal ch'i in the body is genetic and
by duplicating two sets of the Liang I and adding
hereditary in nature - it is life energy that
represents life potentiality, or the possibility of
life manifestation. The acquired, or postnatal ch 'i
is created from the prenatal energies after the
manifestation of life. In the human, postnatal
energies are formed upon conception.
Early Heaven energies are not strictly related to
the human, but represent all environmental
elements that are involved in conception of new

The Fu Hsi Trigram Arrangement

44
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang
and thus extreme yin and extreme yang balance the
polar (positive and negative) positions of this
diagram. At the ends of the horizontal axis are the
trigrams representative of fire and water {Li and
K'an respectively). Fire is positioned in the East
(South is at the top) and moves upward, thus
representing the rising of the sun. Water is
positioned in the West and moves downward,
representing the setting of the sun and darkness of
night. These four trigrams make up the Szu Cheng
(four sides) of the Fu Hsi arrangement.
The Szu Yu (four corners) of the Fu Hsi diagram
are composed of the trigrams Sun, Chen, Tui, and
Ken. To the right of the Heaven trigram (Southwest)
we find the trigram Sun. Sun is one of the Earthly
trigrams and represents the Wind (the Gentle). This
the Yang I under the first set, and the Yin /under trigram is balanced with the Chen (Thunder)
the second set (the first set being the set on the trigram positioned in the Northeast. Thunder is seen
left). as a dynamic force, a sudden spark of energy, with
Similarly, the Pa Kua are formed by duplicating the ability to arouse and stimulate. Wind (also
two sets of the Szu Hsiang and adding the Yang I to related to the Wood element) balances this force
the bottom of the first set and the Yin I to the with a gentle, receptive nature. In the Southeast we
bottom of the second set. In the Early Heaven find the Tui (Lake) trigram symbolizing joyfulness,
arrangement of the trigrams, the first set of four transparency, and lightness. This trigram is balance
trigrams occupy the left side of the circle, running in the Northwest by the trigram Ken (Mountain)
from top to bottom, and the second set occupy the which represents steadfastness, resistance, and
right side of the circle, also running from top to solidity.
bottom. The four trigrams on the left pertain to In accordance with the concept of "Early
Heaven, are creative and move upward. The four Heaven," the Fu Hsi arrangement, with its polar
on the right pertain to Earth, are receptive and opposites placed in axial positions around the circle,
move downward. The Fu Hsi trigram arrangement represents the innate, primal, time-independent
is shown on the previous page. forces. This symbol can thus be interpreted as
The Early Heaven arrangement is based on a representing the perfect balance we imagine
balance of opposing forces representing a existing prior to the conception of life, the complete
primordial order rooted in stillness and reaching stillness prior to initiation of movement, and the
beyond space and time parameters. The eight void which exists beyond space/time parameters.
universal forces represented by these trigrams are The image this trigram arrangement gives to the
balanced axially and the diagram of Fu Hsi is read Pa Kua Chang practitioner is one of stillness,
along these four axes. If one studies the centeredness, and balance. The movement of this
relationship of the symbols in this arrangement, trigram arrangement is from the center outward.
it is easy to see that trigrams occupying a position The practitioner utilizing this movement principle
directly across from each other are indeed symbolic will visualize his or her self in a stable, still,
opposites. Wherever there is a yang line in any balanced, central position focusing outward with a
one trigram, the trigram across from it will have a balanced awareness of all sides. The Pa Feng Ken
yin line in that same position and vice-versa. Pu (Eight Direction Rooted Stepping) footwork
At the ends of the vertical axis of this introduced in the next chapter, which trains the
arrangement are the trigrams representative of practitioner to move linearly in one of an infinite
Heaven and Earth (Ch'ien and K'un respectively) number of directions from a stable central location,
is theoretically based on the Fu Hsi diagram.

45
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
is credited with devising the "Later Heaven"
arrangement of the eight trigrams. King Wen's
arrangement is shown above at left.
We can guess that this trigram arrangement
was probably devised from the Lo Shu (Lo Writings
or Lo Scroll), which is said to have been derived
from the markings on the shell of a "spiritual
turtle" that crawled out of the Lo river when the
Emperor Yu was draining off the floods (shown
above). From this scroll the Chiu Kung (Nine Halls
or Nine Palaces), which have an important place
in Chinese numerology, were also derived.
The Nine Palace numerological arrangement
The King Wen Trigram is depicted in the "magic square" shown below. In
Arrangement the magic square the numbers 1-9 are assigned to
each "palace" in accordance with the Lo scroll. Pa
The King Wen Arrangement Kua Chang literature is full of references to the
While Fu Hsi is said to be the inventor of the Nine Palaces. The nine post, or nine circle practice
hexagrams of the / Ching, Wen Wang, who was in Pa Kua Chang is derived from the arrangement
given the title of King posthumously, is credited of the Nine Palaces.
as being one of the authors of the / Ching Investigating the "magic square" one will
commentary, along with the Duke of Chou and discover several numerological correspondences.
Confucius. It is said that King Wen constructed The most obvious pattern one will encounter is
his interpretation of the hexagrams of the / Ching that the sum of any row, column or diagonal
through contemplation of the trigrams while he equals 15. The numbers in the four primary
was in jail (around 1143 B.C.). Additionally, Wen directions (sides) are odd, while the numbers on
the corners are even. Summing the numbers on
the corners equals 20, the sum of the sides also
equals 20. The numbers associated with each of
the trigrams in the King Wen arrangement are
identical to the numerology of the "magic
square." The number five does not relate to any
trigram and thus it is the unifying number which
is placed in the center.
It is possible that the Later Heaven arrangement

4 9 2

3 5 7

8 1 6

The "Magic Square"

46
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang

South

North
Later Heaven
of the trigrams was derived from either the Lo primordial order based in stillness, the Later
Scroll or the Nine Palaces since the numerological Heaven arrangement depicts the development of
arrangements of the three diagrams coincide. life in the time-space conditioned world.
When looking at the Later Heaven (King Wen) We read the Later Heaven sequence starting
arrangement, we read the progressive pattern along with Chen trigram (Thunder - the arousing). The
the periphery in a clockwise rotation. Reading the Chen trigram is representative of Spring, the 6th
trigrams in a circular arrangement symbolizes the hour, and the East, and thus expresses the dynamic
elements of infinity and continuity. The appearance of life force. It is all that stirs up latent
movement in this arrangement flows from the energies and stimulates them into movement and
superficial qualities to deep qualities, from new growth. It is the beginning, the seed, the
life to maturation of life, and from the physical inspiration that leads to development. The Chen
existence to the spiritual existence. Whereas the trigram stimulates a firm base for all growing
Early Heaven (Fu Hsi) arrangement is based on a things, it is the striving of new growth towards the
balance of opposing forces representing a light. The arousing energy is carried in the direction

47
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
of growth, development and maturation by the
energy of the Sun trigram (Wind - the gentle). It
is in the Sun trigram that the latent energies
stimulated by the arousing Chen are shaped. The
gentle wind nurtures and guides.
The new consciousness that received the spark
of Thunder and is directed by the Wind reaches
maturation in the Li trigram (Fire - the clinging).
The Li trigram is representative of Summer, the
12th hour, and the South and thus expresses the
attainment of full maturity. The clinging nature
of this trigram is representative of the attachment
one has to the new energy that took form under
the Sun trigram. Under the Li trigram, one is
exploring the possibilities of new creation and
thus have an intense inquisitive kind of interest.
One is, in a sense, like a child clinging to a new toy.
The seed that was planted in the Spring reaches
maturity under the Summer sun. Once nourished Using the Two Trigram Arrangements to
in the creative faculties of light and heat under the
Construct the Hexagrams
Li trigram, movement into the receptive and
productive K'un trigram (Earth - the receptive)
occurs. In the K'un trigram that which matured an seed that sprouted in the Spring, was nourished
outward sense under the trigram Li, is assimilated, and reached maturation in the Summer, and
digested, and integrated. The K'un trigram harvested in the fall has been consumed and is
represents openness to new knowledge and the digesting under the Ch'ien trigram. The creative
ever changing condition of the world. It is the nature of this trigram comes forth when the outer
extreme yin and thus totally receptive. That idea moves inward and inner growth begins.
which is explored under the Li is absorbed into the The creative inner forces dive deep into the
being under the K'un trigram. This is the beginning essence of the being under the K'an trigram (Water
of the transition from superficial to deep; from a - the abysmal). The K'an trigram is representative
physical consciousness to a spiritual consciousness; of Winter, the midnight hour, and the North.
from a mental idea to intuitive knowledge. There is deep contemplation, meditation, and
The knowledge assimilated under the K'un inward movement. The abysmal represents
trigram moves inward under the Tui trigram (Lake spiritual depth and inner stillness. From the
- the joyous). The Lake trigram is representative of depths of the water arises the steadfastness of
Autumn, the 18th hour, and the West. It is a time inward assurance represented under the Ken
of harvest and celebration and moves towards trigram (Mountain - the resting). In the mountain
quiet and contemplation. That which is received there is completeness in the sign of keeping still.
under the K'un trigram is accepted internally
Development has come full circle. The stillness
under the energy of Tui. It is an internal harvesting
and meditative poise of the mountain is a
of new knowledge.
Once movement turns inward under the Tui preparation for new life. For as the mountain sits
trigram, it is touched by the spirit under the Ch 'ien in stillness, clouds begin to form above and
trigram (Heaven - the creative). This trigram stimulating energies are released once again under
represents the yang aspects of heaven, health, and the Thunder (the arousing) trigram.
strength. Deep contemplation and movement In general terms, what this says to Pa Kua
towards a greater connection manifests under this Chang practitioners is that the Later Heaven
trigram. Creative inner forces begin to stir. The arrangement of the trigrams are arranged in

48
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang
accordance with the eight directions of the
compass and represent a cyclical pattern as is
evident in the continuous daily and yearly cycles
inherent in nature. This cyclical pattern forms a
basis for Pa Kua Chang's characteristic circular
body movement and the circle walk practice.
Additionally, one will note that the development
of any skill will follow the maturation process
symbolized by this trigram arrangement.

Combining the Two

Pa Kua Diagrams
1 - Circular Rotation
One method used in forming the sixty-four
hexagrams of the / Ching involves combining the
Fu Hsi and the King Wen Pa Kua diagrams as
shown in the illustration on the previous page. In
this arrangement, the Fu Hsi diagram is placed in
the center of the King Wen arrangement. The Fu
Hsi diagram remains stable and the King Wen
diagram rotates around it. Each time the King
Wen diagram is rotated one-eighth of a turn, eight
new hexagrams are created by combining each
pair of two trigrams sets which line up with each
other. In this manner, once the King Wen
arrangement has made one full revolution, all of
the sixty-four hexagrams will have been identified.
In Park Bok Nam's advanced fighting
instruction, the student will use this eight diagram
construction in studying the possible 2 - Angular Rotation
combinations and changing variations in Pa Kua
Chang tactical movements. Further discussion
regarding this advanced theory is beyond the
scope of this book.

Using the Pa Kua Diagrams in

Pa Kua Chang Practice

While the names and representations of the Pa

Kua in the Fu Hsi and King Wen arrangements may
be interesting to study, the utility Park Bok Nam
takes from these diagrams when teaching
3 - Eight Directions
beginning and intermediate students is revealed
in their geometry. From these two diagrams Park
interprets three geometrical principles of
movement. The Fu Hsi diagram reveals movement

49
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
from a balanced central position extending out to Change and the Book of Changes
one of eight directions. Since the eight trigrams in
this arrangement are balanced in each direction Nothing in nature stands still. Observing the
with their respective polar opposites, one can natural process, the ancient Chinese sought to
carry the symbology further to say that whenever model patterns of change so that they might
one moves the body along one of these eight better understand what was occurring naturally
directions, he or she maintains balance and around them and predict what the future might
awareness in all directions. bring. As addressed previously in this chapter,
The King Wen diagram reveals circular change, or movement, at its most basic level is
movement around a central axis. This movement represented symbolically through the interplay of yin
would include cyclical, or continuous, circular and yang. From the idea of yin and yang,
movement as well as movement in a spiralling combinations were formed to represent more
pattern. Pa Kua Chang practitioners are well specific assignment of meaning to events in nature
known for their circular movements. While the and in the human condition. Simple combinations
circular walking patterns of the style are the most Liang-I and szu-hsiang) led to more complex
obvious representation of Pa Kua's circle principle, combinations (trigrams and hexagrams).
circular and rotational articulations of the body The Chinese sought to represent all aspects of
and limbs are also included in this theory of nature and the human condition by constructing
movement. sixty-four six-line Yin-I and Yang-I combinations
The third principal of movement which Park and studying their changing patterns through the
derives from these diagrams is formed by I-Ching, or Book of Changes. This may seem like an
combining circular movement around a central impossible task until one considers that modern
axis with movement in eight directions. This day computers can perform a seemingly infinite
combination forms a pattern of movement in an number of operations through the combination of
angular rotation around a central point. Again, two elements (one and zero, or on and off), the
this theory will apply to footwork as well as hand, compact disk player can play a binary
leg, and body motion. representation of any piece of music, and a digital
While these three principles of movement are camera can represent any scene through
born out of the Pa Kua diagrams, Park does not combinations of two simple elements.
make any connection with trigram meaning. At Previously in this chapter we have discussed the
this point the student only needs to study the combinatorial process by which the trigrams and
straight-forward geometry of the Pa Kua diagrams. hexagrams are formed and we have briefly
Looking at the trigram circle, it is not difficult to explained how the combinatorial process can be
see the geometric elements mentioned above. applied to studying combinations of simple Pa
Figure 1 (at left) illustrates circular movement Kua Chang techniques. After the student of Pa
around a central axis. Figure 2 illustrates angular Kua Chang studies techniques and combinations
rotation around a central axis. Figure 3 illustrates
linear movement along eight directions. Ch'ien Hexagram Kuo Hexagram
The theoretical principles of motion relating
to circular movement around a central axis, angular
rotation around an axis, and linear movement in
eight directions apply to Pa Kua Chang footwork,
body movement, and arm/hand movements and
a study of these theories in any one of these areas Moving Line New Hexagram
can be very deep. Examples of how Park applies
and combines these theories of movement in each Moving Line Creates New Hexagram
of these areas, as well as how they are applied in Pa
Kua Chang tactical fighting, are discussed
throughout this book.

50
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang
of techniques and works to obtain a "body Predictable Change
knowledge" of these techniques, the next step in Just as there are predictable patterns of change
the training process is learning how to vary and inherent in nature, there are also predictable
change those techniques in any given situation. patterns of change when two opponents clash in
Although Park Bok Nam utilizes the I-Ching physical combat. It is these patterns that the Pa
theory in teaching a student about change, a Kua Chang practitioner seeks to understand to
study of the hexagrams and their specific meaning help research the fighting art. Understanding
is not the exercise a student will engage in to learn patterns of change inherent in boxing will allow
this concept. What Park borrows from the I-Ching a practitioner to gain knowledge of how an
is the general idea of changing combinatorial opponent might respond to any given offensive
elements, not the specific meaning of each or defensive gesture.
hexagram as written in the I-Ching. If a Pa Kua Chang practitioner initiates an
In the I-Ching, symbolic meaning is derived attack, a palm strike to the opponent's face for
from each individual hexagram, however, the instance, one can predict with relative certainty
hexagram representations are not static. In all what the opponent's reactions might be. There
aspects of Chinese philosophy, the idea of dynamic are a certain number of ways that the opponent
movement and unceasing change is apparent. It might block that strike or there are a given number
is the changing lines of the hexagrams which of ways that he might choose to move out of the
provide this dynamic aspect of the I-Ching. When way of that strike. The opponent might block
any of the Yin-I or Yang-I lines of a hexagram with the left hand or the right hand, he might
change, an entirely new hexagram is created (see block to one side or the other, he might block up
illustration on the previous page). or down, he may move his body right or left, he
In the illustration we see that by changing one may move straight back or straight in, he may
line of the hexagram Ch'ien, and new hexagram, duck, etc.
Kuo, is formed. Since Ch'ien is the extreme yang The changes an opponent might make in order
hexagram (all lines are solid), there is no doubt to avoid or block an attack are reflective of the
that when Ch 'ien changes, the change will produce changes made when one hexagram changes to
a hexagram which is less yang (contains one or another hexagram in one of sixty-three possible
more yin lines). This is a very simple example of ways. When researching patterns in boxing, the
how one might predict change. Pa Kua Chang practitioner first tries to obtain an
The simple example above can be easily intuitive feel for the opponent's predictable
examined in the realm of martial arts. If an movements regarding the hands, body, and feet.
opponent assumes an extremely extended stance In Park's school this study is conducted during
(what Park would refer to as a yang posture), the two person partner practice. To help facilitate this
next change of stance or posture will become study of the opponent's movements, the
more yin. Either he extends farther and looses his opponent's body movement can be easily broken
balance, or he withdraws. A practitioner down into upper body movement (handwork),
recognizing the overly yang stance or posture of middle body movement (bodywork), and lower
the opponent can predict what the opponent will body movement (footwork).
do next and respond accordingly. He or she may Once the practitioner begins to get a basic feel
add to the force of the opponent's extension and for predictable patterns regarding the hands, body,
help cause the opponent to loose his balance, or and feet, he or she can then examine patterns of
the practitioner may "stick" and follow the movement further by studying the possible
opponent's withdraw and use it as a bridge to movements of all of the opponent's joints. In
close the gap and attack. Again, these responses other words, the practitioner studies higher level
are studied and cultivated in training so that they math. With each successive weapon the opponent
become natural. There is no time to think about has available, the "mathematics" of his movement
the theory of change in the / Ching while one is becomes more complicated. A Western boxer will
fighting. have two skilled weapons, a Western "sport" kick-

51
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
boxer will have four skilled weapons; with the of this book, however, the theory is similar to that
addition of weapons, the combinations become used in the moving line prediction of the / Ching.
more complex. One reason Pa Kua Chang is Consistent with the theory of "patterns of
referred to as a "graduate" level martial art is change" symbolized by the hexagram and trigram
because the skilled practitioner knows how to models, there are patterns, or principles, of
continuously, rapidly and effectively employ 16 movement associated with the Pa Kua Chang
or 17 weapons from all angles and in a seemingly form maneuvers and sequences. Just as the trigrams
infinite number of combinations. and hexagrams symbolize dynamic concepts and
A detailed study of how the practitioner might thus cannot be too strictly tied to any particular
damage the opponent's attacking weapons, association or correspondence, a particular Pa Kua
continuously control the opponent's body, and Chang movement in a form sequence should not
always remain in an optimum position to attack be strictly associated with a given "technique." Pa
begins with a study of predictable patterns of Kua Chang is not a technique oriented art. The
change associated with basic attack or defense. beginning student may start by training technique
The Pa Kua Chang practitioner will study which of application, however, as the student progresses he
the opponent's possible reactions might be most or she should look beyond technique and try to
likely to occur in any given situation and then he capture the underlying principle of the movement.
will devise combination attacks or counter-attacks The movements and sequences in any Pa Kua
which will overcome those predictable reactions. Chang form relate to patterns and principles of
He will then practice these combinations on his the fighting system, not "techniques." The
own and against partners in practice. He will keep student's job is to strive to understand the
the combinations and counter-attacks which work movement beyond a handful of attack and defense
well in partner practice and train those to become techniques and capture the principle which any
natural body reactions. The ones that don't work given movement in a form is conveying. Once the
so well, he will discard. This is the way a student essence of the movement is understood, there are
in Park's school will research the fighting method. a limitless number of variations that one can
Park is fond of saying, "If the student thoroughly derive from the principle. Making attachments to
researches one Pa Kua Chang technique he will specific attack and defense techniques will severely
learn one hundred techniques." In this manner, limit one's understanding of the principles of
one technique becomes "no technique." movement inherent in Pa Kua Chang.
Consistent with the study of predictable
patterns is the study of body types and fighting Unpredictable Change
styles. The student will research how to best fight Another reason a Pa Kua Chang practitioner
an opponent who is tall, or thin, or big, or fat, or will research predictable patterns is so that he or
small, or slow, or quick, etc. Additionally, the she can make his or her own attack combinations
student will consider the best methods to use in and counterattacks unpredictable. As soon as an
fighting a boxer, a wrestler, a good kicker, someone opponent is committed a certain way, the
skilled and chin na, etc. The ability to quickly practitioner will change unpredictably. When
recognize an opponent's strong points based on sparring with Park the student will get hit with
his body type, character, and fighting style is an palm strikes that seem to come out of nowhere.
important part of studying predictable change. This is because Park is a master of making the
As in all research, if there is sound philosophy, opponent think he is going one way when he is
the research method is not haphazard. We really going another. This ability is characteristic
described earlier how Park was taught to research of any skilled Pa Kua Chang practitioner.
and build combinations based on combinatorial Pa Kua Chang practitioners are famous for
analysis. After the combinations were practiced, their ability to change rapidly in response to any
Lu taught Park how to change and vary of the opponent's movements. Their rapid
combinations based on opponent responses. The changing movements also serve to confuse the
exact method for this research is beyond the scope opponent. As soon as the opponent commits in

52
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang

one direction, the Pa Kua Chang practitioner has this book, Park will teach eight basic Pa Kua
changed and is attacking from another direction. Chang fighting techniques which are practiced
Any good fighter is going to be able to "listen" on a straight line repeatedly. When the student
or feel what an opponent is doing, or detect what has obtained a certain level of skill with these
an opponent is about to do, and respond eight basic movements, Park will encourage the
accordingly. So what is different about Pa Kua students to pair up and use these attacks against a
Chang? The difference is that in Pa Kua Chang the partner. Each partner will study what defensive
change is continuous, it is unpredictable, and it is techniques and counter-attacks work well against
powerful. Like flowing water constantly changing these basic attacks.
direction in accordance with the path of least Only by spending hours with a training partner
resistance, the Pa Kua Chang practitioner acting out "what if" scenarios will a practitioner
continually changes and flows smoothly into his or gain an innate ability to learn how to apply Pa Kua
her opponent's weak areas of defense. Once a fight Chang. The theory as outlined in this chapter
begins, the Pa Kua Chang practitioner never quits simply provides the student with a road map.
moving, changing, and attacking until a positive
outcome is obtained.
Five Phase Theory
While T'ai Chi Ch'uan practitioners are also
fond of relating the flowing water analogy to their Everyone who has been associated with any
art, the Pa Kua Chang practitioner is very crafty in element of Chinese religion, philosophy,
his application of the ability to "flow" while medicine, or martial arts is probably familiar with
changing suddenly and unpredictably to inflict the the Five Phase (Wu Hsing) model and its
greatest amount of damage on an opponent in the associated creative and destructive cycles
shortest amount of time. For instance, if a Pa Kua (shown in the illustration below).
Chang practitioner initiates a throwing technique, In the creative cycle we see that Water creates
he or she might choose not to continue the full Wood, Wood creates Fire, Fire creates Earth, Earth
execution of that throwing technique as a judo creates Metal, and Metal creates Water. Like the
practitioner might. The judo practitioner will cycle represented by the Later Heaven trigrams,
initiate the throw and then follow through with that
throw until the opponent is on the ground. The Pa
Kua Chang practitioner might initiate the throw
and then as soon as the opponent is off balance
and moving towards the ground, the Pa Kua
Chang practitioner will change quickly so that a
palm strike can be delivered to the opponent's face
while he is falling toward the ground. Quick and
complete destruction is the rule.
In many Pa Kua Chang applications, the
practitioner will initiate a technique to get the
opponent moving one way, then suddenly change
to strike directly into the direction the opponent is
moving. Using the opponent's momentum, or
inertia, against him is a favorite technique of the
Pa Kua Chang practitioner.
Knowing how to change and when to change is
a skill that will only come through many hours of The Five Phases
research and partner practice. Once a practitioner
in Park Bok Nam's school has studied the
fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang as described in

53
 The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
the creative cycle of the five phase model depicts in two ways. The first method Park was taught is
a never ending generative process. The destructive similar to the way this model is used in some
cycle depicts Earth destroying Water, Water Hsing-I Ch'uan schools. In Hsing-I Ch'uan, each
destroying Fire, Fire destroying Metal, Metal of the five elements is associated with one of five
destroying Wood, and Wood destroying Earth. basic striking techniques, or five fists. For example,
on the most basic level, Hsing-I practitioners
relate force applied in a vertical plane (p'i ch'uan)
to the Metal phase. Force applied in a horizontal
plane (peng ch'uan) corresponds to Wood and
force applied on a inclined plane (ts'uan ch'uan)
Wu Hsing corresponds to Water, etc.
In application of this model, the Hsing-I Ch'uan
This model is deeply ingrained in Chinese
practitioner might use the Metal technique to
society and an integral part of Chinese philosophy,
create an opportunity to use the Water technique,
medical theory, martial arts, astronomy, and many
followed by the Wood technique, etc., as depicted
aspects of daily life. While many refer this model
in the creative cycle. Similarly, if an opponent
as the "five element" model, the term "phase"
attacked with a Wood technique, the practitioner
may be more appropriate because it implies that
might counter that technique with a Metal
the model is dynamic. The word "element" implies
technique as depicted in the destructive cycle. In
a static or concrete representation. Just like there
this manner the Hsing-I Ch'uan practitioner uses
is a dynamic interplay between yin and yang, there
the destructive and creative cycles as research
is also a dynamic interplay between the five phases
tools to built attack and defense combinations.
and continuous movement among them.
Although the technique correspondences are
Additionally, there is a continuous ebb and flow
not exactly the same as used in Hsing-I, Park was
of yin and yang aspects of each of the unique
taught to use this model in a similar manner.
phases and thus they cannot be considered as
Attack combinations can be built by utilizing the
representing static concepts.
creative cycle and defense strategies can be studied
Each specific discipline employing the five
utilizing the destructive cycle. For instance, if an
phase model will have their unique five phase
opponent attacks with a quick, fast, expressive
correspondences. The relationships of the five
technique (Fire) such as a palm strike to the chest,
phases as depicted in the creative and destructive
the practitioner would counter that with a
cycles represent a dynamic interplay which is
receptive, Water, technique such as a yin to yang
seeking balance or harmony. The interaction of
changing palm to parry combined with a pivot
the five phases form a system of checks and
step to evade.
balances. If something is in excess it can be put in
The other method Park uses in applying this
check through the destructive cycle, if something
model is not so dependent upon exact five phase
is depleted it can be revived through the creative
correspondences as it is on the general idea of the
cycle. The constant movement of the five phases
creative and destructive cycles. The creative cycle
in the never ending search for the elusive "perfect"
corresponds to the principles of "joining",
balance can form a complex web of checks and
"following", "adhering", "sticking", and/or
balances.
"guiding." These principles all describe the
The study of these relationships and
practitioner's ability to follow, guide, stick to,
correspondences associated with this model can
adhere to, or join with the opponent's force. In
become very deep and is well beyond the scope of
contrast, the destructive cycle corresponds with
this book. However, Park's application of this
the practitioner's ability to damage, destroy or
model in his fighting art is very straight forward
lock the opponent and/or cut off the opponent's
and thus a detailed study of this model as it is
power.
applied in a field such as medicine is not necessary.
Many Pa Kua Chang applications, rely on the
Park Bok Nam was taught to employ this model
ability to adhere or "stick" to an opponent's force,

54
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang

follow, lead, or deflect that force, and then strike Park Bok Nam states that everyone who has
effectively when the opponent is off balance, or two arms and two legs starts out with the same set
"open." The trick to attaining this skill is in the of "numbers." The skillful, efficient, and effective
development of an innate feel for the "adhere" application of those numbers dictates the outcome
component, knowing how to easily and effectively of a physical encounter. Like in mathematics, the
apply the "deflect" component based on a more highly evolved the principles and theories
knowledge of angles and controlling points, and of the system, the more efficiently the task can be
then finally apply the "damage" component accomplished. In the realm of mathematics there
powerfully, swiftly and effectively. is theoretical mathematics and then there are
In Park's Pa Kua Chang system he trains his applied mathematics. The ones who apply the
students how to get from the "adhere" to the mathematics are the ones who get things done.
"damage" phase of the encounter as rapidly as They design things and they build things.
possible. As depicted in the five phases model, the The Pa Kua Chang theorists were the scholarly
"adhere" and "deflect" components are usually ancestors who took the Chinese theoretical models
applied through circular movements while the and applied them to the art of Pa Kua Chang. The
"damage" component is applied in a direct, linear fighters do not spend much time thinking about
fashion. This concept applies to the footwork, the theory, they simply learn the theory and
bodywork, and handwork of Park's Pa Kua Chang. apply it. No matter how sound the theory, it does
Park states that if both opponents continue to not do the practitioner much good unless it can be
move in circles, they will potentially continue applied. Although Park relies heavily on the
following each other forever. The key is in knowing theory to teach his students, he is also found of
how and when to change from the circular to the saying, "This martial art should be in your body,
linear and vice-versa. The adhering and deflecting not in your head, and not in your mouth."
is used to create an opening or an opportunity for In applying the philosophical principles of the
attack. A skilled practitioner can create that art, Park emphasizes that all three of the principles
opportunity within seconds of the initial which form the equation below should be evident
encounter. in every movement of the practice:
In Park's method, the study of knowing how to
adhere and deflect and when and where to attack Pa Kua Chang Philosophy = Yin Yang Theory +
is facilitated through practice of two man drills I-Ching Theory + Wu Using (Five Phase) Theory
which utilize the five phase model correspondence
as a research device. Park teaches that if one of these elements is
missing from any movement or application, then
that movement or application is not balanced.
Conclusion His students strive to seek this balance in their
own movements and also learn how to recognize
Given numbers without mathematics, use of a lack of this balance in their opponent. Park
those numbers would be terribly cumbersome. states that developing the physical manifestation
One could count objects, but counting groups of of the principles in oneself is only half of the work.
objects one by one would prove to be a very The other half is learning to recognize what
laborsome task. With the tool of addition, groups principles the opponent lacks so that he can be
of numbers can be counted more efficiently and quickly defeated.
thus the job becomes easier. But then again, with The "research" component of Park's Pa Kua
the tools of multiplication and division, Chang training and the principles and theories
performance of the job becomes even more which form this component provide the student
efficient. The higher the math becomes, the more with the tools necessary to continually strive to
efficiently one can work and the sophistication of perform the art with more speed, more power,
the tasks one can undertake and complete increases more efficiently, and more efficaciously. With
exponentially. these tools at his or her disposal, the student is

55
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
always thinking, researching and growing. follow-on attack, what counter-attack would be
If an opponent attacks me, I can simply move best for me to employ?
out of the way, and at the beginning levels of All of these questions are answered while
training that is all I might train to do. However, researching the art in two-man partner practice.
once I can do that effectively, then I have to think The road map which is used to help answer the
about a better way. When during the opponent's questions concerning distance, timing,
attack is the best time to move out of the way? In syncopation, evasion, opening, closing, set-ups,
which direction should I move? How close or far rhythm, angles, combinations, targeting, and all
away should I be to set up an optimum counter- other attack and defense strategies is drawn from
attack? At what angle should I orient myself in the Pa Kua Chang theories. The method Park uses
order to set up for an optimum counter-attack? to teach these theories so that they are resident in
What hand technique should I use to parry? the student's body as reflex reactions is to teach
Should I simply parry, or should I also use the every level of development based on these
parry as a strike? Remembering that my counter- principles. Throughout the remainder of this
attack should be aimed at an area that will cause book, we will discuss how all of Park's fundamental
the opponent the most damage and executed so exercises are built within the framework of these
that I can follow the counter-attack with a rapid theories.

56
 The Philosophical Roots of Pa Kua Chang

Yin Yang

Pa Kua

Wu Hsing

57
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

58
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork

Chapter 3
Pa Kua Chang Footwork

59
 The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Chapter 3

Pa Kua Chang
Footwork
Introduction
and remaining highly mobile. All Pa Kua technique
f you have ever tried to catch a fish with your is initiated by combining footwork and handwork
I with hip (yao k'ua) and integrated body movement.
bare hands, then you know the frustration of a
martial artist trying to combat a Pa Kua Chang Integration and connection between step, body,
stylist. Rapidly executed evasive footwork and and hand are essential elements to successful
swift elusive twisting and turning body technique application.
movements are distinctive of Pa Kua Chang. Like
the T'ai Chi Ch'uan practitioner, the Pa Kua Rooting
Chang stylist's movements are relaxed, supple, In stepping, the Pa Kua Chang practitioner is
smooth and continuous. However, while the fluid, quick and light. His aim is to remain highly
T'ai Chi Ch'uan practitioner will usually practice mobile while maintaining body connection and
at a slow steady pace, the Pa Kua Chang stability in motion. This stability in motion, or
practitioner will vary his rhythm and change rootedness, is primarily a product of alignment,
directions quickly. His movements are connection, and full body integration.
continuous, but they are sometimes fast and Maintaining rootedness while remaining light,
sometimes slow, and his flexible body is always agile, and highly mobile is characteristic of Pa Kua
twisting, turning, coiling, and circling. Highly Chang. To some, being light and rooted at the
evasive footwork and snake-like body movements same time may seem like a contradiction. However,
are characteristic of the style. rootedness results from alignment, not
One of the most difficult, and perhaps the "heaviness."
most misunderstood, aspects of the art of Pa Kua When asked to "root," some practitioners will
Chang is its employment of footwork. The fluid, make their body heavy and imagine that they are
swift, continuous movements and applications like trees with roots extending from their legs into
of the Pa Kua style are motivated by rapid change the Earth. While this method may help to form a
of direction and constant interchange of weight connection to the Earth, and thus may be a valid
while the practitioner executes quick, accurate technique in some forms of standing meditation
stepping maneuvers. The practitioner relies on and ch'i kung, this method is not ideal when
his footwork to optimally position his body to executing the swift foot movement required in a
avoid an opponent's attack or to set up his own combat situation. In making the body "heavy,"
attack. foot and body movement become sluggish. If
The skilled Pa Kua Chang practitioner can root is to be maintained while moving rapidly,
strike an opponent repeatedly with incredible this method must be transcended. Park Bok Nam
speed and power while continuously moving likes to compare the movement of a Pa Kua Chang

60
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
stylist to that of a cat. He states that a lion or tiger a one word definition. Sung is often incompletely
has a very heavy body, however, all of their translated as "relax." This convenient one word
movements appear to be light, supple, and nimble. translation can lead to misunderstanding as sung
While in Beijing, China, in October 1992,I has meaning in the martial arts beyond "relax" in
asked several elder Pa Kua Chang practitioners the dictionary's sense of "to make lax or loose."
what made Pa Kua Chang different from other
martial arts. They stated that the genius of Tung
Hai-Ch'uan's art was that the practitioner could
issue powerful strikes while the feet were in
constant motion. In most martial art styles the
practitioner is mobile, however, prior to striking
he will stabilize himself in order to issue power Sung
from a firmly rooted, or grounded, posture. The
mechanics and training of Pa Kua Chang are such The Pa Kua Chang practitioner does not let his
that the practitioner can issue his power while the muscles relax in such a manner that the body is
feet are continually moving. Through the correct like that of a rag doll. In applying the sung
practice of Pa Kua Chang footwork and body principle, the body is loose, but it is a rubbery,
movement, the practitioner can develop a "moving springy, "ready for action" kind of looseness. The
root." muscles do not hang on the structure like heavy,
In Pa Kua Chang the practitioner's body dead flesh and the eyes to not glaze over like a
remains light and ready to move even when he is zombie or droop as if one is ready to fall asleep.
assuming a static posture. He does not bounce up The whole body should be relaxed, but at the same
and down like the Kickboxer, nor does he anchor time it is alive, alert and ready to move. The body
himself into the ground like a practitioner of T'ai is like that of a cat ready to pounce on its prey. The
Chi Ch'uan's fixed-step push hands. He is like a muscles are relaxed, but the intention puts life
cat ready to pounce. His exterior is still, while his into them. If alignment and posture are correct
intention is focused on moving quickly. In most and the body is sung, the practitioner will be
instances, moving the feet is his first reaction to relaxed and rooted, but the body will be light and
an opponent's attack. The practitioner's root is a ready to move, the mind will be alert and the spirit
function of body alignments and structural radiant.
integration. Structural dynamics utilized to
develop ken or "root" in the static "guard stance" Footwork Training
or "dragon posture" of Pa Kua Chang are described The only way to train stability in motion is to
later in this chapter. move. However, the way many martial arts train
Although Park Bok Nam teaches a number of alignment, in the developmental stages, is in
static postures to his students in the course of their standing still. Most martial art training systems
training program, in execution of Pa Kua Chang, are progressive, starting with static postures
the static postures are very transitional. The Pa designed to develop connection, alignment,
Kua Chang practitioner will rarely hold a static flexibility, and leg strength. However, in Pa Kua
stance in combat for more than a second or two. Chang, since the focus of the art is on moving the
Pa Kua Chang's strength is in its ability to apply feet, the basic training does not usually include
footwork and thus fighting while continuously standing in one place very long. For instance, in
moving the feet is stressed in Park's school. Park Bok Nam's school the student will practice
stepping exercises which require the student to
The Sung Principle stop briefly and examine alignments and structural
In addition to correct alignments, the integration in-between stepping maneuvers. The
practitioner of Pa Kua Chang will also incorporate student will step, check the posture, step, check
the sung principle. Sung is a Chinese term which the posture, step, check the posture, etc.
cannot be correctly translated into English using By practicing basic stepping maneuvers such

61
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
as the "Eight Direction Rooted Steps," and the his students to employ the circle walk and the Pa
"pivot steps" while focusing on maintaining Kua Chang techniques based on what they already
structural alignments and checking these knew from studying other systems.
alignments in-between steps, the student develops Not all Pa Kua teachers required their students
structural integrity and coordinated movement to have a solid foundation in another art before
while also training mobility. As body alignments studying Pa Kua, but would have the student
become second nature, the student can increase the become proficient in basic stepping methods along
speed of consecutive stepping maneuvers and with the circle walk. When the student was
increase his or her mobility. The goal is to be able taught fighting skills, the basic stepping methods
to move swiftly, continuously, smoothly, and would be combined with the circle walking
lightly while maintaining structural alignments techniques in order to provide a complete arsenal
and proper full body integration. Executing of Pa Kua Chang stepping maneuvers. This is the
consecutive steps in rapid succession also trains approach that Park takes in training his students
leg strength, stamina, endurance, and and this is the approach that is outlined here in
concentration. this book.
In Park's school of Pa Kua Chang the basic In terms of functionality, all of these stepping
training also involves learning the continuous techniques are very useful fighting maneuvers
movement of Pa Kua Chang circle walking and and are combined with circle walking and k'ou pu
the associated k'ou pu and pai pu footwork. pai pu in order to provide the Pa Kua
Because the Pa Kua circle walking requires practitioner with a full range of stepping
constant movement and transition of weight, techniques to use in combat. Thus, although they
maintaining root at all times is difficult and so the come from exercises supplementary to the popular
beginner spends a lot of time "walking the circle." Pa Kua Chang circle walking forms, these
Most practitioners are familiar with Pa Kua's stepping techniques should not be thought of as
signature circle walking and the various walking being separate from the art Pa Kua Chang.
steps (lion step, dragon step, chicken step, etc.) as
well as the k'ou pu and pai pu stepping maneuvers. Why Concentrate on Footwork First
However, Pa Kua Chang also employs a great Park's reason for insisting that the student
number of other stepping techniques that are not concentrate on Pa Kua Chang footwork first is
commonly associated with the art's popular forms. two-fold. First, he feels that practicing many
Many martial arts practitioners only think of Pa hours of Pa Fang Ken Pu (Eight Direction Rooted
Kua stepping as being circular because the Stepping), pivot stepping, k'ou pu pai pu
majority of popular Pa Kua forms consist mainly stepping and circle walking will give the student
of the circle walking techniques. However, a strong foundation in terms of leg strength,
looking closely at the lineage of Pa Kua Chang as physical endurance, proper stepping mechanics,
it descended from Tung Hai-Ch'uan, one will note and correct Pa Kua Chang body movement. Pa
that in most lines of transmission the circle Kua Chang is an art famous for its footwork and
walking was not the only stepping technique all its fighting tactics rely on the high degree of
which was taught. In conjunction with the circle mobility and precise body positioning that
walk the practitioner was also required to become correct footwork provides. While students like
skilled at a number of other stepping techniques. to ask about practicing palm striking methods,
For most of Tung's students the foundation fancy form movements, and offensive fighting
work for other various stepping maneuvers was tactics, Park will always tell a story about a
done while the practitioner studied another martial strong man trying to catch a fly, "If a strong man
art style. Tung did not accept many students that cannot catch a fly, who is actually stronger?"
did not have a solid background in another art. Park got his first taste of the effectiveness of Pa
Circle walking maybe considered an "advanced" Kua Chang's foot work shortly after he began
technique because it requires that one maintain practicing at Lu Shui-T'ien's school. Park had
rootedness while in constant motion. Tung taught been very proud of the "spinning back kick" that

62
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
he had developed when he was in high school research an unlimited number of combinations
studying Tang Soo Do. He had become so fast with and variations based on these principles of
this technique that he could use it with ease movement.
against his Tang Su Do sparring partners. Naturally The theories of circular movement around a
when Park first started sparring with Lu's students central axis, angular rotation around an axis, and
he tried to use this technique. Lu saw Park's kick movement to one of eight directions are derived
and said, "You better not do that, you are going to from the Eight Trigram circle and are used as
get hurt." Park didn't believe Lu and so he tried it research tools (along with yin/yang theory and five
again. Lu then whispered something to Park's phase theory) to examine how fighting techniques
sparring partner. The next time Park tried that might vary or how they can be improved.
kick he found himself flat on the ground. He Every Pa Kua Chang technique has an optimum
could not figure out what had happened. He tried angle from which it is applied. The difference
it again and the same thing happened. between a technique performed adequately and
Park was intent on finding out how his one performed masterfully is dependent upon the
opponent was dumping him on the ground so practitioner gaining the optimum positioning
easily and so he continued to try his kick. The before the technique is applied, applying the
result was the same each time and he still could technique at the opportune instant in time, and
not figure out what was happening. He tried to maintaining optimum angles during the
vary his approach, his delivery, his set up, and his technique's execution. Pa Kua Chang is an art of
timing, but every time he kicked he ended up on angles. In all technique execution the Pa Kua
the ground. Finally he became frustrated and Chang practitioner seeks the path of least resistance
gave up. Lu said, "I told you, if you try that kick by attacking where the opponent is weakest. The
you will get hurt." skilled Pa Kua Chang practitioner has an innate
Later, Park became famous in Korea for his knowledge of how to seek and maintain the path
ability to employ fast and effective footwork. of least resistance in applying any technique. The
While training with his teacher, he was allowed to ability to "be in the right place at the right time"
enter several national martial arts tournaments in will first manifest through the footwork skill.
Seoul, the nation's capitol. In every fighting
event Park entered, each of his opponents was
knocked on the ground in a matter of seconds. About This Chapter
Park would step, move in and throw. He positioned In this chapter of the book, we will focus on the
his body so quickly and accurately that his four basic components of Pa Kua Chang footwork:
opponent did not have a chance to react before Pa Fang Ken Pu (Eight Direction Rooted Stepping),
Park had obtained the optimum throwing angle Pivot Stepping, Circle Walking, and K'ou Pu/Pai Pu
and executed his technique. Park moved so swiftly Stepping. We will detail their execution and
that spectators wishing to observe how he was explain how they are derived from the theory of
throwing his opponents so fast could not detect the Pa Kua diagrams. We will also examine how
what he was doing. these techniques are trained on the intermediate
The second reason Park feels that footwork is level and how a practitioner can improve his or
the number one priority in Pa Kua Chang training, her Pa Kua Chang footwork by researching these
is that by executing these stepping patterns the techniques in accordance with the Pa Kua
practitioner is physically ingraining three of the principles.
fundamental movement principles of Pa Kua Before detailing any of the stepping techniques
Chang - namely, circular movement around a in this section it is important that the reader
central axis, angular rotation around a central understand how Bok Nam Park recommends his
axis, and movement to one of eight directions. students train any Pa Kua Chang exercise or form.
With a knowledge of these three movement There are six basic training levels to any exercise
theories, the Pa Kua Chang student can take any in this system. We will outline these levels here in
Pa Kua Chang technique executed in a form and the footwork chapter, but the reader should keep

63
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
this training sequence in mind when practicing executed without a full hand/body/footwork
any of the exercises explained in this book. integration.
The fundamental methods of how to combine
the footwork with the various palm maneuvers
Training Stages
are contained in a later section of this book.
1) Slow and Exact First, each exercise is
5) Refinement As a fifth stage of training any
executed very slowly with concentration on the
exercise, the student will work to refine the
proper body alignments and movements.
movements of the exercise so that the large
The student works the exercise slowly until it
movements which were executed in the beginning
can be executed with exactness and fluidity. In
stages of training become very small. In footwork
stepping the student will execute the step, stop to
training this would consist of the execution of
check the posture and adjust accordingly, then
footwork combinations in a combat situation
step again.
such that there is no wasted movement. In Pa Kua
2) Power The second stage in training is to Chang, all movement is quick and efficient.
execute the exercise with power. The power in the
6) Continuity The sixth and last major stage
stepping techniques is demonstrated when the
of focus in training is to learn how to
steps are executed quickly, fluidly and with
continuously connect all movements,
exactness while maintaining a light and agile
applications, and techniques. The student
body. When this stage is executed, the upper
works to integrate component parts and
body, shoulders, and arms are very relaxed and
develop tactically sound combinations of hand,
the footwork is executed quickly without any
arm, body, and stepping motions. The "linking"
wobbling or wavering. Each step is crisp and
of component parts occurs in a smooth, natural,
explosive.
fluid, and continuous manner. The student
3) Power and Speed The third stage of researches how components are best
execution of any exercise in Park's system is to connected and then practices
execute the exercise with power and speed. In the combinations in order to ingrain a reflex body
stepping exercises this is trained through the knowledge of the patterns.
execution of repeated steps or a combination of
different steps performed in rapid succession.
There should be no bouncing up and down,
shifting of weight from one leg to the other, or
swaying back and forth. The body moves quickly
and smoothly.
Although combinations of techniques and
combinations of body, foot, and hand movements
are an integral part of Park's training program, he
stresses that the student should first work so that
he or she can execute each individual component
with power and speed before combinations are
practiced.

4) Hand + Body + Step Once the practitioner

has developed the ability to execute hand
techniques and footwork with speed and power in
isolation, the fourth stage of execution is to
combine the footwork with body, arm and hand
movements. In Park's system, no movement is

64
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork

Eight Direction Rooted Stepping

Pa Fang Ken Pu

There are a complete set of "Eight Direction

Rooted Stepping" exercises designed to develop
quick, accurate, rooted, and coordinated stepping
for use in fighting. We will describe the basic set
of exercises in this book. In the basic set of
exercises the practitioner will learn to step straight
forward or backward, side to side, and forward or
backward at 45 degree angles utilizing the "follow
step" or "jump step" foot movement. Basic
exercises also include full stepping (back foot
becomes front foot as in walking) in all directions.
All directional stepping patterns used in these
exercises are based on the geometry of the Pa Kua
diagram as described in the previous chapter.
The basics of some of the "Eight Direction
Rooted Stepping" exercises will be described in
this chapter. However, before we can discuss
stepping, the first requirement is to become
familiar with the "guard" posture Park uses in
fighting.
The Standard Circle Walk Posture
The Stance for Combat
he first component of Park's Pa Kua

T Chang footwork training, referred to as

"Eight Direction Rooted Stepping" or Pa
Fang Ken Pu, conditions the practitioner to be
Most practitioners are familiar with Pa Kua
Chang's signature "guard" or "eight" stance which
is used in forms practice and "walking the circle"
able to coordinate the body and hand with exercises. The spine is straight, the lower back is
footwork in order to move quickly out of harm's flat, the head is held erect, the shoulders are
way and position the body for optimum angles of relaxed and dropped down, the elbows are pointed
counterattack. The Pa Fang Ken Pu exercises taught down, the arms are curved, and the knees are bent.
to Park by his teacher Lu Shui-T'ien teach the Park states that practicing forms is good exercise
student highly functional stepping patterns for developing the body and the ch'i. He also
utilizing basic stepping techniques executed in states that the forms contain fighting applications,
eight directions. These techniques facilitate however, in order to develop the muscles, joints,
the student's development of root while tendons, bones and ch'i, the forms are usually
remaining light and mobile. practiced with the body extended or "open."

65
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Park Bok Nam Demonstrates His Combat Stance

When training specifically for fighting, one will When assuming this posture, two things occur,
"close the door" by modifying the body position first, and most obvious, is that the knees and
slightly so that the opponent's access to the body's thighs naturally come closer together and thus
center line above and below the waist is shut off. the groin area is protected. Secondly, when the
"Closing the door" protects the body's chung men posture is correct, the hip joints will open up and
(center gate) and covers avenues of attack. Park therefore facilitate flexibility and ease of motion
states that in his teacher's Pa Kua Chang system in the hips. Additionally, when the hips open, the
the rule was; "When practicing for health the tan t'ien will expand.
body is open, when practicing for fighting, the The tan t'ien is located a few inches below the
body is closed." navel and in towards the center of the body. This
The "guard" stance, or "dragon posture," which place, which roughly coincides with the body's
Park teaches to use in fighting is similar to the center of gravity, is believed to be the body's
stance used by many schools in forms practice, central storage and distribution area for ch'i. When
but there are some minor differences. In the the body posture is correct, the pelvic region will
fighting stance, the weight shifts slightly forward relax and expand and thus allow the tan t'ien to
so that approximately 60% of the weight is on the store and distribute ch'i more efficiently and
back leg and 40% is on the front leg and the effectively. Park will sometimes encourage
forward foot tucks in slightly. The toes of the students to place their hands over the tan t'ien
front foot are roughly in line with the toes of the
rear foot as shown in the illustration at right. As
the weight shifts forward, the body is bent slightly
at the hips, but the spine remains straight. In
Chinese martial arts parlance this bending slightly
forward at the hips is called the "tiger's crouch" Foot Alignment for the Dragon Posture
and is employed by most systems of boxing.

66
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
region while standing straight up and then feel posture, the hands, forearms, knees, and thighs
the area expand as the body sinks down into the are in position to easily guard the center line of the
proper stance. body with little or no wasted movement.
By "spring loading" the legs, the practitioner
can move forward, backward, or side-to-side very
quickly. In fighting, the only time the practitioner
executes a walking step (where the back foot steps
out to become the front foot as in walking) is to
Tan Tien travel a relatively long distance to close the gap
between himself and the opponent, or to maneuver
The bending of the knees will lower the body's around the opponent as in circle walking.
center of gravity and thus increase stability. In In many fighting circumstances the opponent
this position the body is "ready" to move and thus will be within close range and thus the follow-step
movement in any direction can be executed could be better employed. (Keep in mind that
quickly. Park teaches that the knees should be when we speak of combat, we are not talking
bent so that the body is comfortable and relaxed. about the choreographed dance routines that are
If the body is too upright, balance, stability and displayed in martial arts movies or contemporary
quickness of motion will not be optimal. If the "wushu" fighting sets. Most real fights are executed
knees are bent too much, movement will be at close range and will be over in a matter of
sluggish. When training to develop strength in seconds.) The follow step, which is a familiar
the legs Park feels that it is all right to assume a low move to Hsing-I Ch'uan practitioners, is the best
posture, however, when training for speed, the way to travel a short distance rapidly with root
body should be in at a mid-level, comfortable and control. The 60/40 weighted stance facilitates
position. maximum mobility in all directions with the
In the combat stance, there should also be a greatest speed.
"spring loading" of the legs. The front leg pushes If the practitioner is completely back weighted
towards the back and the back leg pushes forward. as in the "guard" stance employed by many styles
However, this "pushing" is subtle. The practitioner in forms practice, it is difficult to move backwards
should not push so hard that he or she becomes a short distance with speed. Maintaining high
less mobile. The body remains light and ready to levels of mobility and speed while traveling
move and thus this "pushing" should simply stem relatively short distances are essential elements in
from an intention to move forward or backward combat. The Pa Kua Chang practitioner relies on
rapidly. his footwork to quickly avoid attack and rapidly
The forward hand is held at nose height and the seek the optimum angle for counter-attack. Speed
eyes look straight ahead using the space and agility are paramount.
between the thumb and index finger as a "gun This "combat posture" will feel a bit awkward
sight" (see photographs at the top of the previous to practitioners who have not sufficiently opened
page). The lower hand is held three to five inches the hip joints. Flexibility and strength in hip
below the elbow of the upper arm. Bringing the movement is an important component in internal
lower hand under the elbow of the upper arm martial arts practice. When the posture is correct
facilitates a rounding of the back and allows the and the hips open, the student will notice that the
chest to relax, providing further protection to the tan t'ien will naturally expand. Most beginning
center line. Also, this posture will allow the practitioners are extremely tight in the hips.
shoulders to drop down in a relaxed position and Working to achieve the correct body alignment
as the lungs move back, breathing becomes easier. and distribution of weight in the "combat posture"
The shoulders are relaxed, the elbows point and practicing the "Eight Direction Rooted
down and the arms maintain a roundness. The Stepping" exercise will greatly increase hip
hips are positioned naturally, the navel facing flexibility and strength in hip movement as well
roughly the same direction as the toes. In this as improve speed, agility, body control, and root.

67
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
When Lu Shui-T'ien was training with his
teacher in China, his teacher would have him
stand in the back of a horse cart and assume the
dragon stance posture. His teacher, Li Ching-Wu,
would then drive the horse cart at high speeds
down bumpy country roads while Lu was in the
back trying to maintain his balance. Lu Shui-T'ien
did not have a horse cart in Korea, but he would
require Park to engage in a similar practice by
having him ride the bus out into the country side
and back while standing in the isle in the dragon
posture stance.
Some might argue that having a "combat"
ready stance is not realistic because in a real
self-defense situation one will not likely have the
time to assume a "guard" posture. Most real
self-defense situations will occur quickly and in
close quarters. While this is true, training the
guard posture, with a "closed" body, will ingrain
good habits in terms of structure, alignment, will then describe basic stepping patterns utilized
balance, coordination, and body covering that in practicing these steps.
will serve the practitioner well if there is the time In this section of the book we will talk about
and space available. the foot movements alone. We will not discuss
Every fighting situation is different. In some the arm movements which accompany the steps
cases there may only be enough physical space until a later section which will explain the fan
and time to throw a quick series of elbow strikes to chang or "overturning palm" mechanics. Park is
defend oneself and thus the dragon posture will adamant when imparting to his students the
not be utilized. However, in many other situations importance of ingraining a physical reflex habit
having a good natural guard posture will be of with the footwork movements before attempting
great value. Park believes that the more familiar to combine the footwork with hand and arm
the practitioner becomes with this posture and techniques. If the footwork is weak, there will be
the execution of his or her techniques from this no foundation.
posture, the faster and more accurate all of the
techniques will become.

The Jump Step

Basic Pa Fang Ken Pu Practice
The "jump step," also referred to as the "follow
In the previous section we introduced Pa Fang step" or "forward step" (shang pu), is utilized to
Ken Pu by explaining the "ready" or "guard" rapidly travel a relatively short distance with root,
posture utilized in this exercise set. Familiarity balance, and body control. This stepping
with this posture (which Park refers to as the maneuver is one of the first stepping exercises
"Dragon Posture") is essential to success in the Pa Park teaches. Ideally the practitioner will want to
Fang Ken Pu exercise because this posture is assumed be able to execute this step quickly in any direction
at the conclusion of every stepping movement. In and, upon conclusion of the first step, be
this section we will describe two of the fundamental immediately ready to step once again in any
rooted stepping techniques - the "jump" step and direction. This requirement makes continuous
the "full" step. After explaining the fundamental root, body control and balance mandatory.
mechanics of these steps and their variations, we If the practitioner were to step forward and

68
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
allow the forward momentum of the first step to As soon as the front heel hits the ground, the
throw the body slightly out of alignment with the rear foot is brought forward with the ball of the
principles of the "guard" stance (outlined in the foot dragging the ground for stability and root.
previous section), the next move could not be Again, in order to maintain power in the step, the
executed immediately. When initially practicing rear leg is not haphazardly brought forward. The
any stepping movements, it is imperative that the rear leg is quickly pulled forward by contracting
student work to fall directly into the proper" guard " the adductor muscles in the back leg (inner thigh)
stance upon conclusion of the movement. The and pulling with the hamstrings in the front leg.
conclusion of each step is the guard stance, there When the rear foot reaches its final destination,
should be no extra adjustment necessary. the heel is quickly placed on the ground.
Grossly defined, the jump step movement When stepping, the body must move as an
requires the front foot to step out, landing integrated piece. A common mistake when jump
heel-toe as in walking, and then the rear foot to stepping forward or backward is to let the hips
follow (traveling the same distance) by dragging lead the shoulders causing the body to move in
on the ball of the foot to maintain root. Upon two separate pieces. The entire body must move
conclusion of the movement, the practitioner together. The movement should be smooth and
assumes the "guard" stance without having exact. When Park performs this footwork, his
switched the forward foot. When the front foot movement is very smooth and natural - cat like.
steps out and lands, it remains "tucked in" at a There is no bobbing, hesitating, weaving,
45 degree angle from the direction of travel (see wobbling, or swaying. All of his moves are very
illustration on the previous page and photo fluid, swift and exact. Although one is rooted, the
sequence below). body remains light and very agile. Beginning
This step sounds relatively simple, however, in students will usually be too heavy and therefore
order to put "spring" and "power" into the step, their movements are slow and cumbersome.
the front foot does not "step" out forward as in Perhaps the hardest aspect of practicing the
walking, but is sprung forward by the back leg. jump step is ending the movement in the picture
Remember that in the "guard" stance the legs are perfect "guard" stance. When the step is complete,
spring loaded. The front leg is pushing towards the foot spacing should be the same as it was
the back and the back leg is pushing forward. In before the step was executed - the front toe is
order to jump step forward the practitioner will angled in, the weight distribution is 60% on the
release the front leg and allow the spring loaded back leg and 40% on the front leg, the front leg is
back leg to push the body forward while stepping. pushing back, the back leg is pushing forward,
The step is executed explosively. It may help the and the spine is straight, but slightly inclined
student to imagine that all of the joints are like forward (we will not worry about the arms right
springs.

5 4 3 2 1
The Jump Step

69
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
now - they can hang down by the body's sides or each successive jump step.
the hands can rest on the hips). When the student The back jump step (jump stepping backwards)
begins practicing this step, it is best to check the contains the same mechanics as the front step,
body's posture at the end of each step and make however, the back foot moves first (being sprung
corrections accordingly. Eventually, no corrections back by the forward leg) and lands toe-heel instead
should be required. of heel-toe. After the rear foot steps, the front foot
As in all stepping exercises, the jump step is slides back on the ball of the foot maintaining the
first practiced at a slow, deliberate pace. 45 degree "toe in."
Concentration is placed on executing the step A common mistake beginners make when jump
correctly while maintaining proper body stepping backwards is to simply step back and
integration and alignments. After the student has then drag the forward foot back, this is incorrect.
become comfortable with the mechanics of the The back leg steps back, but only after the body is
step, he or she will then practice executing the propelled backwards by the front leg pushing
step quickly and powerfully one step at a time. back. The movements are crisp and explosive.
The step is executed, the student checks The entire body springs backward with the push
alignments, then the next step is executed, etc. of the front leg. As soon as the rear leg hits the
After the student is comfortable with stepping ground, the front leg is pulled back swiftly.
quickly one step at a time and has trained the
body to move fluidly without bouncing or
wobbling, then he or she will practice repeated The Full Step
steps performed in rapid succession to develop
The full step movement is executed as in
speed, strength and stamina.
walking - the rear foot steps forward to become the
A common mistake in jump step practice is
front foot. This sounds easy, however, there are a
allowing the front foot and/or rear foot to vary
few details to consider:
from the 45 degree "toe-in" position. Typically,
1) Because the front foot is angled in at about a 45
when jump stepping many times in succession,
degree angle in the "guard" stance, the practitioner
the beginner will end up with the front foot
needs to pivot the front foot as the back foot steps
pointing straight ahead and/or the back foot
forward. The front foot will rotate through a 90
pointing out 90 degrees (to the side). Proper jump
degree angle so that it ends up angled about 45
step execution requires flexible ankles, loose hips,
degrees to the other side (the direction of forward
and strong thighs. Until these components are
movement being the zero degree reference line).
developed and the proper jump step can be
The front foot pivots on the heel for best speed
executed naturally, the student should pay special
and stability.
attention to maintaining correct alignments after

5 4 3 2 1

The Full Step

70
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
2) As the back foot steps forward, it does not step
too high or too wide - remember the groin area
must remain protected. The stepping foot should
not drag the ground - it is brought up off the
ground a few inches.
3) The student should not allow the body to bob
up and down when stepping - the head stays at the
same level. The movement should be smooth and
fluid. When executing any Pa Kua Chang stepping
maneuver the upper body should remain very
steady and move as an integrated unit with the
lower body movements.
4) As in the jump step, move the entire body as
one integrated piece. At the conclusion of the step
the body should be in the correct guard stance
position.
The full step is illustrated at left and
demonstrated in the photo sequence on the
previous page.
The student should practice this stepping
technique repeatedly until the movement can be

4 3 2 1

7 6 5
The Full Step with a Jump

71
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
Full Step with a Jump
If the practitioner needs to travel a longer
distance in one step than that covered by a
comfortable full step, he or she can combine the
full step with a "jump" in order to rapidly travel a
longer distance. Before the stepping foot of a full
step hits the ground, the back leg springs the step
forward, and the stepping foot lands a bit farther
than a normal stride length. As the front heel hits
the ground, the back foot is brought up by dragging
the ball of the foot along the ground (as in the
jump step) so that the feet are spaced the same
distance apart after the step is executed as they
were before stepping. See illustration at left and
photo sequence on the previous page.
The "full step with a jump" (as it will be called
in the remainder of the book) should add
approximately a foot or two to the stepping
distance. One should not try to extend the stepping
distance too far, however, or root, body control,
and stability will be jeopardized.
There are a number of techniques in Pa Kua
executed quickly and continuously in a smooth, Chang which are employed while "stepping
fluid manner. In fighting an opponent will be through" the opponent. Once the practitioner
keen to any visual or sensory clues which will has gained an opening along an angle conducive
"telegraph" a practitioner's movement. When to offsetting the opponent's balance, stepping
practicing the stepping exercises, the student through the opponent while applying a strike,
should work to keep the upper body movement throw, or other technique will render the opponent
very smooth and subtle so that there is no incapable of swift counter-attack. The hill step
"telegraphing" of the footwork by the upper body with a jump is ideally used in conjunction with
movement. If there is any unnecessary movement this variety of technique as the full step helps to
of the upper body before, during, or after the close the gap and the added jump provides the
stepping is being executed, the opponent will key necessary force to step through the opponent's
on these movements and use them to his or her center.
advantage. The back full step with a jump contains the
The full step movement becomes extremely same mechanics as the front step, however, the
important when the practitioner begins to learn front foot moves to become the back foot and
how to employ Pa Kua Chang's various weapons. lands toe-heel instead of heel-toe.
If this step has not become a reflex body action To effectively utilize these stepping movements
when the practitioner starts to practice basic in a self-defense situation they must become
weapons skills, maneuverability when working second nature. This requires hours of practice
with a weapon will suffer. with basic stepping patterns in order to develop
the muscles properly and attain a "body
knowledge" or "muscle memory" of the proper
stepping movements. In combat the practitioner
cannot think about which step to utilize. Correct
footwork must spring forth spontaneously without
conscious thought.

72
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
Before teaching the student the first basic Pa times with the right leg forward, the student will
Fang Ken Pit combination pattern, Park requires perform the same exercise with the left leg forward.
the student to practice straight line stepping The next drill is to utilize the full step going in a
exercises in order to become familiar with the straight line forward the length of the workout
jump step, the full step, and the full step with a space, and then full stepping backwards back to
jump by themselves. First the student will jump the starting position. After a number of repetitions,
step forward (with the right leg as the lead leg) the the student will then be required to perform the
length of the workout space. Next he or she will full step with a jump in the same "straight line"
jump step backwards back down the length of the manner.
workout space. After going up and back numerous

The Basic Pa Fang Ken Pu Stepping Patterns

nce the student in Park's school learns the around maneuver is also very useful when one is

O basic Pa Fang Ken Pu stepping techniques

and has executed them repeatedly in
"straight-line" sets, the next stage of
training involves combining the stepping
training to fight against multiple opponents.
This exercise is depicted in photographs on the
following page. Photos 1 through 4 show the first
forward jump step. Photos 5 through 7 show the
techniques in a number of different stepping jump step back. Photos 8 and 9 show the turn-
patterns. In this section we will describe some around. Photos 10 and 11 show the jump step
of the basic Pa Fang Ken Pu stepping patterns. forward in the other direction. Photos 12 and 13
show the jump step back and photos 14 and 15
show the next turnaround.
Turn Around and Jump Pattern When Park Bok Nam was first taught this
exercise, his teacher left him alone to practice it
After practicing the basic Pa Fang Ken Pu straight stating, "You practice this until I come back." His
line exercises, the student will then practice an teacher did not return for several hours. In his
exercise which combines the forward jump step teacher's absence Park had become bored with the
and the backward jump step with a full 180 degree exercise and had practiced other things. When
pivot between jump step combinations. his teacher returned he was asked, " How was your
The 180 pivot is a simple "in place" turnaround practice?" Park responded that he had worked
executed from the guard stance posture. hard on what he was taught. This response was
Standing in a 60/40 posture the student will met with a solid whack to the shoulder from Lu
simply pivot on the heels of both feet Shui-T'ien's cane. Lu Said, "You did not practice
simultaneously and turn 180 degrees to face the
other direction (see illustration at right). This
maneuver will be referred to as a "turn-around."
The first Pa Fang Ken Pu stepping pattern
requires the practitioner to jump step forward,
jump step back, turn-around, jump step forward
in the other direction, jump step back, turn-
around, etc. This exercise is executed for many
repetitions in order to train the ability to jump
forward and immediately jump back. The
turn-

73
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

5 4 3 2 1

10 9 8 7 6

15 14 13 12 11

Turn Around and Jump Pattern

74
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
hard enough. Start over and practice again until
I comeback!"
Lu knew that Park had not practiced this one
exercise continuously the entire time he had been
gone because the dirt where Park had been
practicing was not worn down sufficiently to
display several hours of practice with this single
exercise.
After becoming comfortable with the turn
around and jump pattern, the student can practice
a slight variation of this pattern. The variation
simply adds another jump step forward to each
repetition. The pattern will now be: Jump step
forward, jump step forward again, jump step back,
turn-around, jump step forward, jump step forward
again, jump step back, turn-around, etc.
The ability to jump step forward twice in rapid
succession will be a valuable skill in any
self-defense situation. Once the practitioner has
"opened" his or her opponent and gained an
optimum angle of attack, the technique applied
with the first jump step forward will damage or
otherwise offset the opponent while the technique
applied with the second jump step forward will
finish the job. When Pa Kua Chang is applied as
a fighting art, the practitioner will continuously
attack once he or she gains advantage on the
opponent. These continuous attacks are executed
in rapid succession until the opponent is rendered
incapable of continuing the fight.
In Park Bok Nam's school, once the student has
learned how to combine the upper body movement
with the stepping, the repeated jump step stepping
technique is combined with palm, elbow and
shoulder striking combinations so that the student
learns to attack swiftly, continuously and
accurately using combinations of long and short
range attacks. Practicing the two successive jump
step maneuvers in the "turn around and jump"
exercise will serve to build a strong foundation for
future study.

75
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
The Full Step with a 90 Degree foot up close to the stationery foot before turning
Turn and the Full Step with a to step out 90 degrees so that the groin will be
45 Degree Turn protected when stepping out. The turning of the
upper body is coordinated with the stepping. This
Before the next two Pa Fung Ken Pit stepping stepping movement is practiced in isolation by
patterns are taught, there are two other stepping first stepping to turn 90 degrees to the right, then
maneuvers, which are variations of the full step, to the left, then to the right, etc. moving the
that need to be practiced. These are the "full step length of the workout space in a zig-zag pattern.
with a 90 degree turn" and the "full step with a 45 The second step, the full step with a 45 degree
degree turn." In the 90 degree step, the rear foot is turn is executed exactly like the full step with a 90
brought up to the position of the forward foot and degree turn, however, the practitioner will angle
then, instead of stepping straight forward as in the 45 degrees from the forward direction of travel
full step described above, it steps out straight to instead of 90 degrees (see illustration on the
the side (90 degrees). See the illustration on the previous page). Actually, any angle of turn between
previous page and photo sequence below. a full step straight forward (0 degrees) and 90
The full step with a jump is usually utilized in degrees is acceptable to practice. Before practicing
conjunction with the 90 degree turning step. If the next pattern drill the student should become
the left leg is forward, the 90 degree turn will be to familiar with these two turning steps.
the right. It is important to bring the stepping

5 4 3 2 1

9 8 7 6
Full Step with a 90 Degree Turn

76
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
Stepping to Four Directions 9) The ninth move will be a 90 degree full
step with a jump to the North and will end
Once the student has spent a sufficient up being the same step as the original step of
amount of time with the stepping exercises the exercise. The practitioner will end up
described above, he or she learns another of with the right leg forward, facing North
the many Pa Fang Ken Pu stepping patterns. (see illustration 9).
This next pattern is arranged in four This pattern is repeated over and
directions. The student starts in the center of over transitioning the four legs of the cross
an imaginary "+" sign or cross. The stepping as many times as desired. To balance the
movements are as follows: exercise, the practitioner will start with the
left leg forward and perform the same
1) The first movement is to jump step exercise rotating in the other
forward along one of the four directions. (counter-clockwise) direction the same
For ease of explanation we will assume the number of times that he or she performed in
right leg is forward and the practitioner is the clockwise pattern.
facing North when the exercise begins (see This pattern is excellent for building
illustration 1 below). experience in learning how to maintain
2) The second movement is a full step with a balance and stability while moving rapidly.
jumpback along the same line of travel (now To execute this pattern rapidly the student
the left leg is forward and the practitioner should work to assume the perfect guard
is back in the center of the cross, still stance at the end of each stepping maneuver.
facing North – see illustration 2 on the The reader also may notice that many of the
next page. combination stepping patterns are trained so
3) The third move will be a 90 degree full step that one may engage multiple opponents. Pa
with a jump turning to the right (East). The Kua Chang practitioners are famous for
practitioner is now at the far end of the eastern their ability to fight with several opponents at
leg of the cross with the right foot forward the same time and all Pa Kua Chang schools
{see illustration 3). include training which addresses the multiple
4) The fourth move is a full step back with a opponent scenario. While practicing any of
jump (now the left leg is forward) The the Pa Fang Ken Pu stepping patterns, Park
practitioner is back in the center of the cross encourages the student to take the basic
and is still facing East (see illustration 4). pattern and create variations. For example,
5) As one can probably guess, the next move examining possible variations of the
is a 90 degree full step with a jump, again stepping to four directions pattern, the
turning to the right. The practitioner is student might add a jump step forward
now facing South and the right leg is followed by a jump step backward after
forward (see illustration 5). executing each of the 90 degree full step
6) Another full step back with a jump will maneuvers. In this manner the "cross"
place the practitioner back in the center, left pattern is maintained, however, a few extra
leg forward, facing South (see illustration 6). steps are added to the end of each leg.
7) Another 90 degree full step with a
jump, turning to the right will place the
practitioner out on the Western leg of the
cross, right leg forward (see illustration 7).
8) A full step back with a jump and the
practitioner is back in the center of the cross,
left leg forward, and facing West (see
illustration 8).

77
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Stepping to Four Directions

78
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork

The “Y” Stepping Pattern

79

79
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
The "Y" Stepping Pattern

The next stepping pattern which is practiced

in conjunction with the Pa Fang Ken Pu steps is the
"Y" pattern (see illustrations on the previous
page). With the left leg forward in the dragon
posture, the practitioner will first execute a full
step with a jump (figure #1). This step is followed
by a full step with a 45 degree turn (figure #2). This
45 degree step is executed exactly like the full step
with a 90 degree turn, however, the practitioner
only angles 45 degrees. The practitioner has now
traced one half of a "Y" pattern on the ground.
The next step is a jump step straight back
{figure #3) and this is then followed by a full step
back, however, the full step back is executed so
that the body turns as it is stepping back so that
the feet trace the base of the "Y" as shown in the
illustration (figure #4). The practitioner is now
back at the starting position, however, the right Four Direction “Y” Stepping
leg is now forward.
The steps are now repeated. Since the right sequence. If the next step is anticipated, the
foot is now forward, the full step with a 45 degree student becomes sloppy in that the guard stance
turn is executed to the right (as shown in posture is not executed fully at the conclusion of
illustrations 5-9 on the next page) and thus the each step. The importance of landing exactly in
other side of the " Y" is traced by the movement of the guard stance posture at the conclusion of each
the feet. This pattern, as shown in the two stepping movement cannot be overemphasized.
illustrations, is practiced repeatedly. The practitioner should never sacrifice accuracy
Once the student has a good feel for the "Y" in order to increase speed. Ideally, one will
stepping pattern, he or she can vary this pattern practice such that accuracy can be maintained
by adding the " Y" step to the Four Corners Stepping while moving quickly.
Pattern. In this variation, once the student has
traced the first "Y," the next step executed is a 90
degree turning step along the second direction of The "V" Step
the four corners. By replacing the first full step of
each repeating " Y" pattern with a 90 degree turning There is one last Pa Fang Ken Pit step which we
step, the practitioner will be tracing the pattern would like to cover in this chapter. Park refers to
shown in the illustration at right. this step as the "V" step. The "V" step combines
the jump step and the full step with a jump,
In execution of both the Four Corners Stepping however, the angles at which these steps are
pattern and the "Y" stepping pattern the executed are slightly different from the standard
practitioner works to transition smoothly and steps. Additionally, the steps are combined in
fluidly from one step to the next. The student will such a manner that the jump step has not quite
first execute the steps slowly in order to concentrate been completed before the full step with a jump is
on the exact stepping movements. Later, the executed. This step is used to move out of the path
student will practice stepping quickly. of an opponent's attack and rapidly counter-
When stepping quickly, using any combination attack in the same stepping motion.
of Pa Fang Ken Pu preset patterns, there is a To execute this step from the guard stance
tendency to anticipate the next step in the posture, the practitioner will first jump step,

80
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
Pa Fang Ken Pu Stepping and the
Pa Kua Diagram

Previously we discussed three different

movement principles which were based on the
geometrical configuration of the Pa Kua diagrams.
These were: circular movement around a central
axis, angular rotation around an axis, and linear
movement in eight directions. It is not difficult to
see that all of the Pa Fang Ken Pu maneuvers and
patterns are derived from the Pa Kua diagrams
principle of linear movement in eight directions.
The basis of this theory of movement, simply
stated, is that if the practitioner is standing in one
location focusing outward (the center of the
practitioner's body being viewed as the point
from which movement is initiated ), there are an
infinite number of linear directions the practitioner
could move. A workable model which is used in
theory to represent the infinite number of
directions which move outward from a central
point is given by the eight major directions of the
Pa Kua (or the compass) as shown in the illustration
below.
Utilizing this model (with the understanding
that the eight directions are really representative
of an infinite number of possible directions), we
can expand the concept by recognizing that once
the practitioner moves along one of these eight
directions and stops, he or she again has the
ability to move along one of the eight different
directions. We can represent this expanded view
however, the jump step is executed at a 45 degree
angle instead of straight forward. Additionally,
the rear foot is not brought forward as in the
standard jump step. As soon as the front foot
lands, the rear foot steps out as in the full step with
a 90 degree turn. Just before the rear foot reaches
it's final destination, the original lead foot springs
the step forward as in the full step with a jump.
This step is depicted in the illustration above.

Illustration 1 - The Eight Directions

81
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
by placing another Pa Kua diagram at the tip of depicted in this diagram. For instance, the "Y"
each of the lines of the original diagram as shown pattern begins on the center diagram, moves to
in illustration 2 below. This view could again be the top diagram to transverse the upper portions
expanded by placing another Pa Kua diagram at of the "Y" and then proceeds back to the central
the tip of each of these diagrams. This model diagram.
indicates that each time a practitioner moves the With the knowledge of the directions and
center line of the body, there is once again an patterns of the Pa Kua diagrams as depicted in
infinite number of directions he or she could illustration 2, the practitioner can develop a large
move. number of stepping combinations to practice
Looking at these two illustrations, we can see when utilizing the Pa Fang Ken Pu steps.
how all of the basic Pa Fang Ken Pu exercises were Intermediate and advance Pa Fang Ken Pu stepping
developed. If the practitioner is located at the methods are all based on this formation of multiple
center of the Pa Kua diagram (illustration 1), he or Pa Kua diagrams. Employment of this theory
she could jump step or full step forward or assumes that the central axis of the practitioner's
backward along the three forward moving lines, body is the center of the diagram. The relationship
or the three backward moving lines. In most of the practitioner's center to the opponent's
cases, movement along the forward moving lines center is of concern to the Pa Kua Chang
would be on the offensive, while movement along practitioner in combat.
the backward moving lines would be defensive. By practicing the Pa Fang Ken Pu stepping
Movement along the lines which go to either side exercises, and the follow-on Pa Fang Ken Pu
is accomplished by executing the full step with a two-person drills, the practitioner will gain an
90 degree turn. Therefore, all eight directions of experiential knowledge of how to move his or her
the Pa Kua diagram are covered by utilizing the center body in relation to an opponent's center
basic Pa Fang Ken Pu steps. Similarly, looking at body movement. The Pa Kua practitioner will
illustration 2 below, we can see that all of the basic constantly seek to open up the opponent's center
stepping patterns conform with the patterns door, or chung men, while guarding his own from
being opened by the opponent. The Pa Fang Ken
Pu stepping exercises teach the practitioner how
to avoid an opponent's attack and how to attack,
or counter-attack the opponent's body utilizing
optimum attacking angles. In order to fully
appreciate how this theory further applies to Pa
Kua Chang combat tactics, we must first examine
the other two theories of movement associated
with the Pa Kua diagram's geometry by discussing
the other Pa Kua Chang basic footwork
components.

Illustration 2 - Multiple Eight Direction

Patterns

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 Pa Kua Chang Footwork

The Pivot Step

n the last section, the basics of the jump step, pivot should be practiced first and the mechanics

I full step, and full step with a 90 degree turn

were explained and a few stepping exercises
were outlined. In this section the pivot step will
of the 90 degree pivot applied identically to all
pivoting angles. As in the last section on Pa Fang
Ken Pit, we will only concern ourselves with the
be described and exercises which combine the movement of the legs for now. Adding arm
pivot step with the full step and jump step will be movements to the stepping techniques will be
presented. described in a later section of the book.
The pivot step is primarily employed as a Assuming the guard position ("dragon
defense maneuver to avoid an attack and position posture") with the left foot forward, the 90 degree
one's body optimally for counter-attack without pivot to the right is executed by simultaneously
loosing any ground. As the attacker advances, the shifting the weight forward slightly while pushing
practitioner will pivot to the right or left on the off the back foot and "swinging" the body 90
front foot. The front foot is planted and the back degrees to the right as a door swings on its hinges.
foot moves through an arc which is consistent The pivot occurs on the ball of the front foot. The
with the degree or angle of the pivot. The exact movement should be swift and fluid and the body
angle of the arc that the back foot travels will should move as one integrated unit. The body
depend on the body's position in relation to the does not bob up and down or wobble side to side.
opponent and his direction of attack and thus is The foot, leg, and body pivot together, as one
situational. Although there are a infinite number piece, around the fixed front foot - it is a
of pivoting angles, the primary angles are one-count movement.
consistent with the eight directions of the Pa Kua The back foot movement and the torquing of the
diagram, i.e. 45, 90, 135, and 180 degrees. When body around the ball of the front foot occurs
pivoting, the practitioner will seek to place his or simultaneously and all parts of the body stop
her body at an angle conducive to optimal counter- moving at the same instant. The final position
attack. The beauty of this move is that the should be exactly the same as the starting position
practitioner can avoid the opponent's attack with (the guard stance). During the transition the
minimal engagement and no loss of ground. weight is shifted from 40/60 to approximately 50/
Although pivoting angles are numerous, the 50, however, when the movement is finished the
mechanics of the 90 degree pivot will be described practitioner is once again in a 40/60 stance. If
here to facilitate easy explanation. The 90 degree the left foot is forward and the practitioner is

5 4 3 2 1

The 90 Degree Forward Pivot Step

83
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

90 Degree Forward Pivot 90 Degree Backward Pivot

Step Step

pivoting forward (to the right), the back foot Any combinations of pivoting angles
will only come off of the ground slightly and directions is suitable to practice.
while it is in motion. When pivoting back (to The 90 degree pivot step will typically be
the left) the back foot will not come off the utilized to move to the side of an opponent when
ground at all. The ball of the foot will drag the opponent is striking or kicking forcefully. If
the ground as the body pivots into position. the pivot is timed correctly in this situation, the
The forward and backward pivot steps are momentum of the opponent's force will carry
illustrated above and demonstrated in the him forward and the practitioner will end up at
photo sequences below and on the previous an optimum angle for counter-attack. The 135
page. degree step is an excellent maneuver to use in
There are a number of ways to practice the combination with the k'ou pu step in order to
pivot step by itself. One can pivot 90 degrees to the quickly position oneself behind the opponent.
left and then pivot 90 degrees back to the right, or The pivoting angles which arc less than 90
pivot 90 degrees to the right, then another 90 degrees are typically utilized to make small
degree to the right, then back 180 degrees, etc. adjustments when preparing to

5 4 3 2 1

The 90 Degree Backward Pivot Step

84
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
jump step forward for an attack. Students in Park's school will practice all of
After having gained some familiarity with the these combinations, however, the first four are
pivot step, it is advantageous for the student to practiced the most frequently. Although it is an
practice this maneuver in conjunction with the option, Park is not particularly fond of the D + D +
jump step or full step techniques that were D combination as he feels that if the practitioner
presented in the previous section. There are two utilizes three defensive maneuvers without an
main combination patterns that Park Bok Nam attack, he or she is simply running away.
has his students practice. The first pattern Park Once the practitioner has become familiar
refers to as an attack-defense-attack sequence. with these combinations, the combinatorial
In this exercise the practitioner jump steps patterns become slightly more complex. The
forward to simulate an attack, then pivot steps to attack component of the previous equations is
the left or right to simulate avoiding an
divided into long attack (full step with a jump) and
opponent's counter-attack, and then the
short attack (jump step). With this added into the
practitioner jump steps forward once again to
number of possible combinations, letting LA =
initiate another attack. This sequence is
performed rapidly, however, stability, accuracy, long attack and SA = sort attack, the first
and control must be maintained. The full step combination of A+D + A now expands to
can be substituted for either of the jump step become:
portions of this sequence.
The next exercise is similar to the first, but it SA + D + SA
is practiced in a defense-attack-defense order. SA + D + LA
The practitioner will first pivot step to the left or LA + D + SA
right, then jump step forward and lastly pivot LA + D + LA
step again to the right or left. By practicing these
two exercises, the practitioner will become The student will now practice the basic
accustomed to combining the pivot step with the combinations with this added variation to obtain
other stepping maneuvers and the combination skill in combining pivot steps with both long and
of defense and immediate counter-attack or short range attacks.
attack and immediate counter-defense will
become habit. Pivoting Around the Rear Foot
Practicing the pivot step as a defensive
maneuver and the jump step or full step with a After the student has become comfortable with the
jump as an offensive maneuver in combination ability to pivot around the front foot to the right
forms the basis of Park's stepping combination and to the left, there are some more advanced
drills. Consistent with combinatorial analysis, pivoting techniques to practice which involve
given two unique items (attack and defense) in pivoting on the rear foot. A pivot on the rear foot
sets of three (as in attack-defense-attack) one
which is less than or equal to 90 degrees is very
will find that there are eight possible
similar to Pa Kua's characteristic pai pu step which
combinations of stepping patterns. Letting A =
attack (jump step) and D = defense (pivot step), is covered later in this section of the book.
the eight possible three step combinations are as Additionally, if you think about it, a 180 degree
follows: pivot around the rear foot is exactly like the full
step backwards which was discussed earlier in this
A+D+A chapter. The rear foot pivot step which Park
D+A+D teaches that is different than other steps, is a 270
A+A+D degree pivot of the front foot around the rear foot.
D+D+A In executing this 270 degree pivot, the
A+D+D practitioner will bring the front foot back as if to
D+A+A
A+A+A step straight back, however, the foot will continue
D+D+D moving back passed the 180 degree position until
it reaches the 270 degree position as shown in the

85
 The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
practitioner is pivoting on and the body's central
axis is rotating around that point.
In the Pa Fang Ken Pu steps, the center of the Pa
Kua diagram corresponded with the central axis of
the practitioner's own body. When analyzing the
movement associated with the pivot step, the
center of the diagram is placed at the axis of
rotation of the pivot, namely the ball of the pivot
foot. This point will usually be located somewhere
between the central axis of the practitioner's body
and the central axis of the opponent's body.
Many times, but not always, this point will
correspond with the first point of contact between
the practitioner's body and the opponent's body.
While the Pa Fang Ken Pu steps are typically
270 Degree Rear Foot Pivot Step utilized in offensive maneuvers when moving the
center of one's body in towards the center of the
illustration on the next page. This step is executed opponent's body, the pivot steps are defensive
when the opponent is moving towards the maneuvers the practitioner will utilize to quickly
practitioner's center line at a high speed and with move the center of his or her body out of the
excess momentum. This step allows the opponent's line of attack. Again, the degree
practitioner to step back out of the way of the which the practitioner's center will rotate away
aggressive forward attack and pivot the body to set from the opponent's direct line of attack will
up for counter attack. As the front foot is arching depend on the opponent's movement in relation
back into the 270 degree position, the ball of the to both direction and velocity. In partner practice
foot will drag the ground for stability. the student will work to gain experiential
Of course, most of the time the correct counter knowledge of correct timing and optimum angle
attack angle in this situation will be closer to a 225 of the pivot in the pivot step application.
degree angle than 270 degree, however, in
practicing the more difficult 270 degree pivot the
practitioner will easily be able to execute pivoting
angles less than 270 degrees.

Pivot Stepping and the

Pa Kua Diagram

In the section on Pa Fang Ken Pu stepping we

described how the Pa Fang Ken Pu steps were
associated with the Pa Kua diagram's eight
directions. As one might guess, the pivot steps are
also associated with the eight directions of the Pa
Kua diagram, but in a slightly different manner.
The pivot steps adhere to the theory of angular
rotation around a central axis. In this case the
central axis is the ball of the foot which the Angular Rotation Around a Central Axis

86
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork

Circle Walking
ractitioners who have studied Pa Kua Chang frustrated when trying to investigate exactly how

P for any length of time, are no doubt familiar

with Pa Kua Chang's circle walking practice.
Walking the circle is the cornerstone of the
art, all major systems of Pa Kua Chang
circle walking practice is performed.
There are at least a dozen different walking
techniques and each teacher seems to have their
own detailed criteria for practicing these
(even those who practice straight line sets) techniques. Investigating the art of circle walking,
practice this method and thus "walking in a one may run across some of the following: the
circle" has become Pa Kua Chang's trademark. lion step, the dragon step, the chicken step, the
However, even though the circle walking tiger step, the snake step, the crane step, the
practice is common to all major systems, a rippling step, the mud walking step, the shake
student who has studied the art from a step, the stomp step, the hesitation step, the
variety of different teachers can quickly become continuous step, the sliding step, the digging heel
step, the gliding step, and even steps such as the
camel step and the elephant step. Some of these
are different names describing the same step and
others are steps used only for specific leg strength
training. One will also encounter Pa kua Chang
schools who walk the circle painstakingly slow
and others who walk very fast. Then one may also
encounter the lower, middle, and upper basin
position along with a wide variety of upper body
postures one might assume while walking. To the
beginning student who simply wants to know
how to walk the circle, all of this may seem very
confusing.

Natural and Comfortable

Park Bok Nam's approach to teaching the
beginning student the circle walk practice is very
straight forward and simple. His guidance to the
beginner is to walk at a natural walking pace (not
too slow and not too fast) with a natural heel-toe
walking gate (lion step). Primarily, Park wants the
student's body to feel natural and comfortable
when walking the circle. If the practitioner feels
natural and comfortable, less fatigue will be
experienced and the practitioner can practice
longer. Important points which Park stresses to
the beginner are all aimed at allowing the body to
feel relaxed and comfortable while maintaining
certain structural alignments.
The upper body posture is exactly like the
dragon posture described previously, however,
The Standard Circle Walking Posture the hips are rotated in towards the center of the
circle (about 45 degree off the path of the circle),

87
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
the forward (upper) palm is facing the center of circle walk practice. Lu Shui-T'ien simply laughed
the circle, and the eyes are looking towards the and told him to keep practicing. After another
center of the circle through the index finger and year of practicing the circle walk for one hour a
thumb of the upper hand. The lower hand is held day, Park told his teacher, "You were right Sifu,
3 to 5 inches below the elbow of the upper arm. last year when I thought that I understood the
The shoulders are relaxed and allowed to drop circle walk, I really did not. Now after another
down, the back is slightly rounded. The elbows year of practice, I can understand this method."
are bent slightly and allowed to sink down. How Lu laughed at him again and told him to keep
much do you bend the elbow? As an example, practicing. Park now says that with every passing
Park will tell the student to first hold the upper year a new element of the circle walk practice will
arm out with the elbow locked all the way and reveal itself. Park, after 32 years of practicing Pa
stiffen the arm. From this position, he will then Kua Chang, still practices walking the circle for
tell the student to relax the arm. The elbow will one hour every day.
drop down into a natural, comfortable position,
but it will not be bent too much. This is the correct Making the Body Light
elbow position for the upper arm. The number one priority after feeling natural
The head is positioned so that the eyes are and comfortable in the circle walk practice is to
looking straight (not up, down, or to the side). make the body feel light. In order to accomplish
The head and neck position is critical to avoid this, Park tells the student to imagine that he or
stress and strain in the neck and eyes after walking she is walking on thin ice. Additionally, when
for an extended period of time. If the eyes are not walking, the practitioner's feet should not make
looking straight and the neck is not held erect, the any noise when contacting or leaving the ground.
eyes and/or neck can become tired or stiff after 10 Working to make the body feel light when walking
to 15 minutes of walking. When muscles become the circle will help increase the mobility and
tired or stiff, ch'i does not circulate properly and speed in all footwork.
becomes stagnant in that area. When ch'i becomes Lu Shui-T'ien was fond of having his students
stagnant in the head and around the eyes, it can play a game in order to practice walking quietly.
be dangerous. Park refers to this as shang ch'i This game required one student to sit with his eyes
(rising ch'i). Shang ch'i can build up pressure in the closed in the center of a circle while two other
head and cause severe headaches which may last students walked around him. When Lu said stop,
for weeks. the two students walking would stop in place and,
If any area of the body experiences fatigue after without opening his eyes, the student sitting in
10 to 15 minutes of circle walking practice, the the middle was required to point to where each
posture is not correct. If the body alignments are student had stopped and identify the student.
correct and the body is relaxed, one should be able This game required the two students who were
to walk the circle for hours without feeling a great walking to be very quiet in their stepping to try
deal of muscle fatigue. If the student can learn to and fool the student in the middle. The student
walk while feeling comfortable and relaxed for a in the middle improved his awareness skills by
period of 20 to 30 minutes and practice everyday, having to listen for any sound which would
the circle walking practice will improve identify the students who were walking.
considerably. Park states that it takes The knees should be bent when walking, but
approximately one year of circle walk practice for they are not bent too deeply when first practicing
one hour everyday to begin to understand correct the exercise. The deeper the practitioner bends
circle walking. With each successive year of the knees, the better for leg conditioning, however,
practice, the understanding of this Pa Kua Chang they are not bent so much that the practitioner
component will deepen. cannot walk for at least 30 minutes without fatigue.
After Park had been practicing the circle walk Beginners will start off walking in a relatively high
for an hour everyday for over a year, he told his posture for the first few weeks and then gradually
teacher that he now had an understanding of the bend the knees a little more as leg strength

88
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
the size of the circle, however, as stated above, this
foot will usually angle in approximately 45 degrees.
When walking the circle, the body should not
bob up and down, sway side-to-side, or rock back
and forth. The upper body should be stable and
motionless. Tactically, if the head and upper
body are not stable and steady with every step it is
easy for the opponent to predict when the
practitioner is going to move. For instance is the
practitioner's head bobs up and down with every
walking step the opponent can detect this pattern
and use it to his advantage. When the head bobs
up the opponent knows that the practitioner is
going to take a step and thus he is "telegraphing"
his movement.
A key element in basic circle walk practice for
the purpose of ch'i development is to keep the tan
t'ien stable and calm. If the body bobs up and
down or rocks back and forth or wobbles side to
side, the tan t'ien area will expand and contract
with the movement. Park likes to have the student
walk around an object such as a pole or tree which
improves. has a line drawn on it at eye level. This helps to
When applying the circle walk tactics in combat maintain a focus while walking and gives a point
the practitioner will employ a mid-level, of reference to help maintain a steady upper body
comfortable stance throughout the majority of position.
any encounter. Although there are applications Having a consistent central focus point will
for the low posture, this posture is only assumed also aid in cultivating the meditative aspects of
for those specific applications, not in general the circle walk practice. The circle walk practice
footwork application. Walking too low will be should not be seen as solely a physical exercise
sluggish. In combat nimble and swift footwork is designed to increase balance and stability while
the priority. walking. It is also a practice which helps the
practitioner improve concentration and focus
Park teaches that the knees should be bent so
while remaining relaxed and in constant motion.
that the body is comfortable and relaxed. If the
body is too upright, balance, stability and quickness Circle Walk Practice
of motion will not be optimal and the ch 'i will not Park will have the beginning student walk the
sink to the tan t'ien. If the knees are bent too circle keeping the above mentioned guidelines in
much, movement will be sluggish. mind for at least one year before further instruction
When practicing the circle walk, the foot is given. Park's philosophy is that the only way to
placement should be as shown in the illustration learn how to walk the circle is by walking the circle
above. The outside foot (foot furthest from the - working to obtain a "body knowledge." His
center of the circle) cuts in approximately 45 approach is, "Don't talk about it, don't think
degrees to an imaginary line which is tangent to about it, just do it."
the circle. The inside foot steps relatively straight Intellectual examination of the circle walk
ahead (parallel to the line which is tangent to the practice will not be of much assistance. Really the
circle). Angling the outside foot helps the only way to improve the circle walk practice and
practitioner circumnavigate the arc of the circle. deepen the understanding of this method is to
The exact angle of the outside foot will depend on spend a lot of time walking the circle. If the

89
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
student adheres to the above mentioned The basic circle walk practice is typically
guidelines, the technique will be correct, questions performed while the practitioner is holding one
will be answered, and improvement through hours posture (the dragon posture) or a series of static
of practice will be inevitable. upper body positions as demonstrated in the ch'i
Why should one practice walking in circles so kung circle walking form presented in Chapter 6 of
much? Aside from the fact that the circle walk this book. Holding these static upper body postures
practice will help improve concentration and enables the practitioner to develop his or her body
focus, develop strong legs, aid in ch'i development, and forge strong structural connections and
and improve physical and respiratory stamina, alignments. This practice is similar to the chan
this practice helps the practitioner develop the chuang standing meditation practiced performed
ability to remain relaxed, integrated, stable, and by many Hsing-I, I-Ch'uan, and Shaolin schools,
rooted while in constant motion. This ability is however, in Pa Kua the practitioner does not
vital when applying Pa Kua Chang as a fighting stand still while holding these postures, he walks.
art. Maintaining structural integrity and root while
constantly walking is the first stage of learning
how to apply powerful strikes to an opponent
while remaining in constant motion. As discussed
previously, this ability is characteristic of Pa Kua
Chang.

The Dragon Step

After practicing the circle walk utilizing the
heel-toe "lion step" for a considerable length of
time, Park will teach the student how to walk
using the "dragon step" (also referred to as the
"snake step" or "mud walking step"). In the
dragon step the heel is only brought up off the
ground slightly when stepping and as the foot is
brought forward, the bottom of the foot remains
parallel to the floor and hovers just slightly above
the floor. When the foot has come forward and is
ready to step down, it is placed on the ground such
that the entire foot lands flatly on the ground at
the same instant. There is no heel-toe rolling
motion as in the lion step. The dragon step is a bit
more difficult to perform than the natural
heel-toe walk of the lion step, however its
advantage is that it helps bring ch'i down to the
legs and feet and thus it is a good method to
employ in ch 'i kung circle walking practice.
Park Bok Nam divides his Pa Kua Chang forms
training into two categories; ch'i kung forms and
combat forms. While all forms should be
Walking around a central object such as a consistent with the body alignments and principles
Pole or Tree helps maintain focus. associated with a full ch'i flow, the ch'i kung forms
are practiced with ch'i awareness and development
as a focus. The ch 'i kung forms are not as complex
as the fighting forms and the postures and
movements are more "open" or stretched out

90
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4

Photo 5 Photo 6 Photo 7 Photo 8

Photo 9 Photo 10 Photo 11 Photo 12

Opening the Circle Walk Practice

91
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
quickly and is frequently executed around very
small circles, executed while changing directions
rapidly, and executed on all kinds of terrain. From
Park's experience, and the experience of his
teacher, the best step to use in all of these situations
is the lion step.
While Park Bok Nam only teaches two different
stepping techniques associated with the circle
walk practice, he is quick to admit that this does
not mean these two methods are the only methods
available. Park's philosophy is that whatever
walking method a practitioner uses is good as long
as the practitioner has a good reason for using that
method, and they can demonstrate how the
method can be employed effectively.
Park is adamant that his students know why
Photo 13 Photo 14 every part of his Pa Kua Chang system is practiced
than those of the combat forms. Park states that and how it is applied. He thinks that if someone
a rule of his Pa Kua Chang method is, "When were to ask one of his students why they practice
practicing for ch'i cultivation the body is "open," in a certain manner and that student cannot
when practicing for fighting, the body is "closed." answer the question with anything better than,
Additionally, the ch'i kung forms will be used by "That is the way my teacher told me to do it" then
the beginning and intermediate students to help his teacher's Pa Kua Chang method will "lose
obtain and maintain a strong ch'i flow in the face." Park loves for students to ask "Why?"
body. At the advanced stages the practitioner
should be able to maintain a full body ch'i feeling Opening the Circle Walk Practice
during all maneuvers regardless of their
complexity.
The standard opening sequence of movements
The intermediate student in Park's school will
performed prior to beginning the circle walk
practice the dragon step while executing the ch'i
practice will vary from one school to the other.
kung circle walking forms, however, the lion step
Just as in the circle walk stepping itself, no one can
is always used in the combat forms. Park's number
say that one school is correct and the other is
one priority when performing Pa Kua movements
incorrect. Whenever someone asks Park Bok Nam
is that they feel natural and comfortable. When
what he thinks about the way another Pa Kua
executing the quick, evasive footwork of Pa Kua
Chang school executes any movements or
Chang the steps must be light, quick, and natural.
techniques, Park's answer will always be, "If there
Why isn't the dragon step used in combat? Park
is a good reason why they do that and they can
has two answers. First, he points out that there is
show that it works, then it is good." The standard
no animal in nature that walks with their feet
opening sequence executed in Park's school before
sliding out in front of them and no human being
the circle walk practice is described below and
naturally walks this way. It is not a natural step.
demonstrated in the photographs on the previous
Like many other of Pa Kua's circle walking
page.
methods, this step is a training step used for a
1) To begin the circle walk practice the practitioner
specific training purpose.
will stand with the center of the circle directly to
The second reason Park feels that the dragon
his or her left. The feet are together and facing
step is not to be used in combat is that it is not
forward. The practitioner should be facing the
suitable for rough and rocky terrain. The fighting
Northern direction and thus the center of the
surface will not always be smooth and even. The
circle is West. The practitioner is relaxed. The first
Pa Kua combat circle walking step is executed very

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 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
Changing Directions on the Circle
move executed is a toe-out with the left foot 45
degrees (in towards the circle's center). As the foot Park teaches the beginning student a very
turns out, the body also turns 45 degrees so that simple and straight forward technique for
the practitioner is now facing Northwest. Facing changing directions on the circle while executing
Northwest is the standard starting direction in the circle walk practice. When desiring to change
many schools of Pa Kua Chang because in the directions, the practitioner will first k'ou pu (k'ou
Later Heaven arrangement of the trigrams the pu is described later in this chapter) with the
trigram Ch'ien (Heaven) resides in that position outside foot (see photo 2 on the next page). The
(see photo 1 on the page before last). weight transitions to this leg as both palms begin
2) The arms slowly raise up straight out in front to transition to yang palms (facing up). The lower
of the body. The arms and shoulders remain palm comes up under the elbow of the upper arm
relaxed (photos 2 and 3). as in the straight fan chang maneuver described in
3) The arms slowly move out to the sides of the the next chapter (see photo 3).
body. The body remains relaxed, do not allow the As the wrist of the lower palm slides up the
shoulders to raise up (photos 4, 5 and 6). forearm of the upper arm, the body swivels around
4) The arms move back towards the center of the its center and the inside foot (which is about to
body {photo 7). As the arms move back in, the left become the new outside foot) pivots on the heel.
hand comes under the right elbow and the right Therefore, as the palms pass the "wrist-on-wrist"
hand is held up at eye level. This hand posture is position, the feet are both facing opposite the
exactly like that held in the dragon posture direction the practitioner was originally walking
described at the beginning of this chapter. Both (see photos 4 and 5). The practitioner will now
hands are along the body's center line. The knees step-off in the other direction with the back foot
bend as the arms move toward the center. (inside foot) and begin walking as the palms
The slowly change to yin palms once again (see photos
eyes look through the space between the index 6 and 7).
finger and thumb of the right hand as if peering When the practitioner executes the k 'ou pu and
through a gun sight (photos 8 and 9). the palms begin to change, the intention, or
5) The left foot toes out slightly as the right foot focus, is shifted from the old upper palm to the
steps forward. Both hands turn over so that palm that will be the new upper palm. The focus
the palms face up. The left hand is held near the is shifted when the palms reach the wrist-on-wrist
right elbow. The feet are in the pai pu position, position. The palms change slowly as the
the weight is distributed equally (photo 10). practitioner walks so that the "ch'i feeling" will
6) The left foot steps into k'ou pu. As the left not be lost and the palms will remain full of ch'i.
foot If the beginner turns the palms over too quickly,
steps, the left arm comes under the right. he or she will loose the full feeling of ch'i in the
The right palm is facing down, the left palm is palms that was generated during the practice.
facing up. The practitioner's back is to the center As the student in Park's school becomes more
of the circle (photo 11). familiar with the circle walk practice and the basic
7) The body turns back to face the path of the directional change, more complex direction
circle as the left hand comes up and out in front changes will be taught. When the combat forms
of the face. The right hand is positioned below the are practiced the changes become even more
left elbow. The practitioner is now in the "dragon" complex and are executed rapidly. This basic
posture (photos 12 and 13). change of direction outlined above forms the
8) The practitioners steps off with the rear foot basis for further study as the student learns to
and begins to walk the circle holding the dragon change smoothly without a break in body
posture. The eyes look into the center of the circle connection or loss of ch'i.
(photo 14).

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4

Photo 5 Photo 6 Photo 7

Changing Directions on the Circle

Completing the Circle Walk Practice the practitioner well when the need arrises in
combat or health building to elicit this mind and
When completing the circle walk practice body state rapidly.
session, the practitioner in Park's school will not While continuing to walk the circle and
end the practice haphazardly. While walking the focusing into the center of the circle, the
circle the practitioner has maintained a high practitioner will allow the bottom hand to move
degree of focused concentration and an increased out to the side while the upper palm remains in
level of ch'i flow through the body, especially in position as shown in the series of photographs on
the palms. In order to increase the awareness of the next page (photos 1 through 3). While the
ch'i in the body and begin to forge a mind/body/ bottom palm is moving, both palms remain in the
nervous system connection, the practitioner will yin palm position. When the bottom hand has
transition smoothly out of the focused attention been fully extended out to the side, the palms turn
and heightened state of awareness built during up and the arms begin to move upward (photos 4
the circle walk practice. Concentration on the through 6). Then the hands move overhead, the
mind/body/nervous system connection will serve palms turn down and the hands are brought down

94
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4

Photo 7 Photo 8
Photo 5 Photo 6

Photo 9 Photo 10
Completing the Circle Walk Practice

95
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
the front of the body (photos 7 through 9). When practice has been concluded the student maintain
the hands have reached a natural and relaxed a relaxed body state and not lift anything heavy or
position resting by the sides of the body, the perform vigorous exercise for 30 to 45 minutes. In
practitioner stops walking and turns in to face the Park's school the basic circle walk practice is
center of the circle (photo 10). The practitioner always the last exercise performed in any training
continues to walk while the arms are moving, the session.
walking stops when the hands reach the relaxed Park suggests that if the practitioner desires to
position by the sides (photo 10). (The photos do walk the circle for 30 minutes a day, it is better to
not depict continuous movement due to the walk for 30 minutes at one time rather than
difficulty of shooting a sequence of photos while walking 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes
the practitioner walks in a circle.) in the evening. When practicing the circle walk,
The practitioner will remain standing in a it is best to walk a minimum of 15 minutes after
comfortable posture with the hands resting down every training session. Therefore, if the student
by the sides of the body for several minutes. works out twice a day, he or she might walk 30
Attention is focused on the palms and the ch'i that minutes after the morning session and 15 minutes
has gathered there. After practicing any exercise after the evening session if there is little time
which is designed to bring ch'i to the palms, Park available. Of course, the more circle walking the
recommends that the student allow the hands to better. One hour is optimal.
hang loosely by the sides, relax all of the body's When Park was training with Lu Shui-T'ien,
joints, and place the concentration on what Park his teacher would take him to a local park and tell
calls the "ch'i feeling." Typically this "ch'i feeling" him to walk the circle for an hour. Lu would then
will first manifest itself in the hands as fullness, go for a walk and return an hour later. The first
heat, and/or tingling. time this happened, Park became bored with the
When the practitioner has obtained this ch'i circle walk and practiced some other things while
feeling during the execution of any exercise, he or his teacher was gone. When Lu returned he
she will want to relax for several minutes and walked over to Park and put one hand on Park's
concentrate on this feeling after the exercise has chest and another hand on his back. After Park
been completed. By concentrating on the feeling, took one breath, Lu hit him with the hand that
a mind/body/nervous system connection was on his chest and dropped him to his knees. Lu
associated with this feeling will develop. The exclaimed, "You did not practice walking the
more developed this connection becomes, the circle for the whole hour, your ch'i is not strong
easier it will be for the practitioner to bring ch'i to enough!"
the palms. With continued practice, the student Park had to admit that he had not walked the
will be able to produce this effect just by thinking circle for the entire hour and so Lu sat down on a
about it. Later, increased amounts of ch'i will flow bench and Park had to walk the circle for a full
to the palms naturally, when it is needed, without hour while his teacher watched to make sure he
conscious thought. did it. Park states that Lu could walk the circle for
One goal in practicing Pa Kua as a self-defense hours at a time. Even when he was in his seventies,
art is to be able to move ch'i very rapidly to the Lu could walk the circle longer than any of his
palms (or any other part of the body) when students.
striking. When the mind/body/nervous system Lu, who always felt that practicing in a natural
connection has been fully developed, as soon as environment was best, would always practice his
the body moves the ch'i will be there and the circle walk outside on a dirt surface. He would
movement of ch'i to the palm will be rapid and wear a hat and heavy coat when traveling to the
spontaneous. Forging the mind/body/nervous practice area and then take the hat and coat off
system connection during and after the circle when practicing. Immediately after finishing his
walk practice will help the practitioner reach this practice he would put the hat and coat back on to
goal. keep his body warm and conserve the ch'i he had
Park also recommends that after the circle walk developed during the practice.

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 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
Circle Walking Patterns

The standard circle walking practice in Park's

school consists of walking continuously around a
single circle of a consistent diameter for a desired
period of time, changing directions, and then
walking around the circle in the opposite direction
for the same period of time and continuously
repeating this pattern for as long as desired.
Beginning students should walk at least 15-20
minutes at a time. More advanced students should
walk even longer. The longer the better.
The change of direction used by the beginner
is as described in this chapter, however, as the Yin Yang Circle Walking Pattern
student gains experience and ability the change of
direction will become more complex. While different spiralling patterns. Pa Kua Chang
walking the practitioner will build a strong, footwork, as it is applied in self-defense, can
balanced ch'i feeling throughout the body. The become very complex. The practitioner sometimes
change of direction facilitates a movement and walks in large circles and sometimes in very small
readjustment of the ch'i that has been brought to circles. The small circles change instantly to larger
the practitioner's awareness while walking. The circles and the large ones rapidly change to small
simple change of direction readjusts, or moves the depending on the technique applied and the
ch 'i in a simple manner. Once the student develops reaction of the opponent. Through the practice of
an awareness and connection with this simple ch'i a large variety of circular walking patterns the
movement, the practitioner is taught slightly more student can become accustomed to maintaining
complex changing gestures so that the ch'i is root, ch'i awareness, and full body coordination
directed differently. The more complex changes while walking very tight circles or changing circular
are taught in a progressive manner so that the patterns quickly.
student eventually learns how to direct and control Since this book is designed to only cover the
the ch'i while performing any of Pa Kua Chang's fundamentals of Park's Pa Kua Chang method,
complex movements. the additional circle walking patterns and their
The student in Park's school will spend a lot of associated palm changes will not be explained in
time with standard circle walk pattern, however, any detail in this book. However, examples of a
this practice is only one of many circle walking few of the other circle walking patterns are shown
patterns which are contained in Lu Shui-T'ien's on the next page. Each of these patterns are
method. The second pattern which the student in practiced separately at first and then the student
Park's school will practice is modeled after the t'ai learns how to combine the patterns. The student
ch’i diagram and is shown in the illustration at also learns the when's, how's and why's of the each
right. The arrows indicate the walking pattern. different pattern's applications.
The palm change in this pattern is executed as the
practitioner transitions through the middle of the
circle. As the practitioner steps off the line of the Circle Walking and the Pa Kua Diagram
circle along the line which goes through the
circle's center, he or she begins to perform the Since the Pa Fang Ken Pu steps exemplified
basic straight fan chang maneuver (as described in linear movement along eight directions, and the
the next chapter). pivot step is associated with angular rotation
Other circle walking patterns, which the student around a central axis, it is not hard to guess that
in Park's school will practice, involve combining the circle walking technique is the physical
large circles with smaller circles and walking in employment of the principle associated with

97
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Two Circle Pattern Spiraling Patterns

Multi-Circle Patterns Nine Palace Pattern

circular movement around a central axis. Whereas As the reader can see from the various circle
the center of movement in the Pa Fang Ken Pit walking patterns described in the last section, the
steps is the practitioner's own body center, and circle's center can change rapidly and the circles
the axis of angular rotation in the pivot step is a can be large or small or change rapidly from large
point in-between the practitioner and the to small as in the spiraling pattern.
opponent (the ball of the practitioner's pivot A theoretical explanation of how all of the
foot), the central axis in the circle walk practice is patterns associated with the Pa Kua Chang diagram
usually the central axis of the opponent's body, are combined in forming a complete arsenal of Pa
although in some instances itcan be located at the Kua Chang stepping techniques will be discussed
point of contact between the practitioner and the later in this chapter. However, first we will describe
opponent. Pa Kua's characteristic k 'ou pu and pai pu footwork.
While the Pa Fang Ken Pu steps are characteristic
of one being in the center and focusing outward,
the circle walking practice lends the opposite
perspective of being on the outside and focusing
in toward the center. However, there is also
another principle of movement which is associated
with the Pa Kua diagram depicted at right which
entails the practitioner being in the circle's center
and focusing outward while moving in circular
patterns. This principle is extremely important in
Pa Kua Chang body movement and is characteristic
of movements the practitioner performs with the
shoulders and hips rotating around the his or her
central axis. This principle will be discussed in Circular Rotation Around a Central Axis
detail in the next chapter.

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 Pa Kua Chang Footwork

K'ou Pu and Pai Pu Stepping

ike the Pa Fang Ken Pu steps, the pivot stance. This movement is called k'ou pu.

L steps, and the circle walking, k'ou pu

(hooking step) and pai pu (swinging
step) stepping help build the base of Pa Kua
The stance is called the "eight stance"
because the feet form a pattern similar to the
Chinese character for the number eight (see
Chang footwork and mobility. Anyone who illustration and photographs below). When in
has practiced any Pa Kua Chang form is no the eight stance, the weight is distributed
doubt familiar with the k'ou pu and pai pu evenly.
footwork. Typically these foot movements A slight variation of the k'ou pu "eight"
are utilized to change direction when stance is also common. This variation is
walking the circle and are integral parts of called the k'ou pu "T" stance. In this stance
most of the familiar palm changes of the the feet form a "T" shape (imaginary lines
popular Pa Kua Chang forms. The most extending from each foot will cross and
familiar utilization of k'ou pu and pai pu is form a "T") as shown in the photograph on
shown in the illustration on the next page. the next page. In the "eight" stance, both
While walking the circle, the practitioner feet turn in approximately 45°. In the k 'ou
will first toe-in with the outside foot pu "T" stance one foot turns in more than the
(illustrations 1 and 2) and assume the pa (eight) other.

The K'ou Pu Step K'ou Pu

The K'ou Pu "Eight" Stance (front view) The K'ou Pu "Eight" Stance (back view)

99
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
opponent. Many times in the popular Pa Kua
Chang forms, the pai pu will be followed by
another k'ou pu.
In the illustration at the bottom of the page, we
show a typical k'ou pu pai pu sequence used when
changing directions on the circle. While walking,
the practitioner will first k'ou pu with the outside
foot (illustration #2). The practitioner will now be
facing the center of the circle. The next step is a
pai pu in the opposite direction from the original
walking direction (illustration #3). From this
position, the practitioner can step off and walk the
circle as we described in the circle walking section
of this chapter. However, in this series of
illustrations we have the practitioner executing
The K'ou Pu "T" Stance another k'ou pu. The practitioner is now facing
away from the center of the circle (illustration 4).
The k'ou pu movement is typically From here the practitioner will execute another pai
followed by pai pu when changing directions pu and then step off to walk the circle in the other
on the circle (see illustration and photos on direction (illustrations #5 and #6). There are a
the next page). Although there are a great number of different palm techniques that can
number of various arm movements be executed with this footwork sequence.
associated with the k'ou pu and pai pu However, we will not address these changes in this
footwork, the hand movements which Park book.
uses most frequently in conjunction with Because of the frequency at which the k'ou pu
these steps are described later in the book. and pai pu stepping maneuvers are executed in Pa
From the k'ou pu or the pai pu foot Kua Chang forms and because these maneuvers
movement, there are many follow-on are highly functional when used in conjunction
steps a practitioner can execute, it all with a large variety of palm techniques, Park will
depends on the function, associated have the student become very familiar with these
upper body movement, and the response of the steps by practicing an exercise executing only

1 - Walking 2 - K'ou Pu 3 - Pai Pu 4 - K'ou Pu 5 - Pai Pu 6 - Walking

CCW CW
Typical K'ou Pu Pai Pu Stepping Applied to a Basic Palm Change

100
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
successive k'ou pu and pai pu steps until these
steps are executed correctly and the
movements become natural.
Basic K'ou Pu Pai Pu Exercise
In this k'ou pu pai pu exercise, the student
Pai Pu will move along a straight line as shown in
the illustration below. From the pai pu
stance, the practitioner will first execute k 'ou
pu, then pai pu, then k'ou pu again
repeatedly.
This exercise utilizes what is called the
"90 degree" k'ou pu because when the
practitioner steps, the body is facing the
The PaiPu Step direction 90 degrees away from the starting
direction. The standard k'ou pu as shown in
the circle walking illustration can be a "45
degree" k'ou pu or a "90 degree" k'ou pu.
In the "45 degree" k'ou pu the practitioner

Pai Pu (front view)

Pai Pu (side view)

101
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
takes the k'ou pu step without pivoting on the
front foot and thus the body is facing 45 degrees
from the direction of original travel. In order to
execute the 90 degree k'ou pu, the practitioner will
allow the lead foot to pivot slightly as the rear foot
comes forward and toes-in (see illustration at
right).
When practicing this exercise, the practitioner
works to make the movements crisp and exact
while maintaining balance, root, and alignment.
In Park's school, the k'ou pu and pai pu footwork
are primarily used when executing tight turning
movements and/or quick change of direction.
Unless the student has spent a considerable
amount of time practicing the basic k'ou pu and
pai pu steps, advanced footwork application will
be difficult.

K'ou Pu Variations
After the student is comfortable with this
exercise, Park will add a slight variation which
requires the student to pivot farther on the front
foot as the k'ou pu step is being executed. Instead
of the body ending up facing the 90 angle to the
path the student was originally facing, the body
pivots 180 degrees during the k'ou pu step and
the student now faces directly opposite the
direction he was originally facing. This step is
referred to as the "180 degree" k'ou pu (see the
illustration at right).
This practice modifies the simple k'ou pu and
pai pu footwork in accordance with the principle
of angular rotation around a central point and
thus is, in a sense, combining the k'ou pu step with
the pivot step. Following this theory, there are
many different pivoting angles that one can
practice and utilize in fighting while executing
the k'ou pu and/or pai pu steps. The illustrations at
right show the 45, 90, and 180 degree k'ou pu
steps. Employment of each of these stepping
maneuvers, or variations thereof will be dictated
by the movement of the opponent.

Pai Pu Variations
Just as the k'ou pu maneuver can be varied and
adjusted as the situation dictates, the pai pu
maneuver can be similarly modified. The
"swinging out" motion of the pai pu step can be
varied to fit any angle between 0° and 180°. The

102
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork

will now be facing away from the circle's center.

Now the practitioner will execute a 135° pai pu
with the left foot followed by a k'ou pu with the
right foot. The practitioner is now in k'ou pu
facing the center of the circle once again. He or
she will continue this pattern over and over. The
pattern followed by this repetitive stepping pattern
is a circle as depicted in the illustration.

Combining the Stepping Methods

By applying the Pa Kua diagram geometric
principles to k'ou pu and pai pu stepping, these
two stepping patterns can be explored far beyond
the typical functions which they serve in most
180 Degree Pai Pu Step popular Pa Kua Chang forms. When the
practitioner combines the k'ou pu and the pai pu
pai pu maneuver shown on the previous page footwork with Pa Fang Ken Pu steps, pivot steps,
could be referred to as a 90° pai pu as the feet are and circle walking in various patterns and
roughly at 90° angles. This is the most common sequences, he or she can learn to double or triple
pai pu stepping angle, however, this step can their knowledge of stepping maneuvers.
easily be executed at various other angles as the Park encourages his students to experiment
situation dictates. Another common pai pu angle with various combinations of all the basic stepping
is 180° as shown above. We will refer to this step patterns to see which ones work well. The student
as a 180° pai pu as the toes of each foot face will first imagining that an opponent is
directly away from each other. This step is continuously attacking and practice working out
employed in tight turns and changing of direction stepping patterns to avoid the attacks and set up for
and is considered to be an advanced maneuver counterattack. In examining the best footwork
because it should not be practiced until the solution available in avoiding an attack, the
student has gained a considerable amount of student will research beyond a simple "get out of
flexibility in the hip joints. In execution of this the way" solution. In researching any component
step, the hips must be able to open so that there is of Pa Kua Chang the student should always think
no torque experienced in the knee joints. If the about the linking aspect or " What comes next?"
When an evasive technique is employed it
practitioner's hips are not sufficiently loose, there
should be executed so that the practitioner evades
is danger of damaging the knees. If the student
while simultaneously placing his or her body in
cannot keep the knees facing the same direction the optimum position for counterattack and in
as the toes, this maneuver should not be practiced. such a position that it would be difficult for the
opponent to continue his attack. When any
Intermediate K'ou Pu Pai Pu Exercise research is conducted, the student always
Once the student has developed enough hip considers the follow-on possibilities and how they
flexibility to practice the 180° pai pu properly, might be handled in the most efficient manner.
Park will teach another k'ou pu pai pu stepping After researching stepping methods with an
exercise. This exercise consists of successive k'ou imaginary opponent, the student practices the
pu and pai pu steps executed in a circular pattern stepping with a partner in two-person stepping
as shown in the illustration on the next page. exercises. Park firmly believes that the only way a
Starting in the k'ou pu position facing the student will develop the ability to fight is to
center of the circle, the student will execute a pai engage in hundreds of hours of partner work. Like
pu of approximately 135° with the right foot. The all aspects of Park's training system, partner work
left foot will then step into k'ou pu. The practitioner starts out very simple and progresses gradually.

103
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Intermediate K'ou Pu Pai Pu stepping Pattern

Each partner exercise builds upon the last until and palm striking fundamentals (which are based
finally the partners are engaging in all out free on the theories of yin/yang, the five phases, and
style sparring. the eight trigram circle) this skill is not so hard to
Having the knowledge and experience to take obtain.
any one technique out of any Pa Kua Chang form The next section of this book will explore some
and research variations to get a feel for how that of the relationships between the footwork
technique might be applied in any given situation described above and the theories of the eight
is a skill that Park demands of his students. With trigram circle.
a thorough knowledge of Pa Kua Chang footwork

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 Pa Kua Chang Footwork

Combining the Pa Kua Chang

Footwork Techniques

T hus far in this chapter we have introduced

the reader to a variety of Pa Kua Chang's
basic stepping techniques as taught by Park
Bok Nam. The student in Park's school will spend
executing it, or steps incorrectly, he knows that
the student has not spent enough practice time
with the basic footwork drills.
Typically this exercise is used in conjunction
many hours practicing each one of these stepping with the Pa Fang Ken Pit steps combined with the
techniques in isolation, however, practicing the pivot steps, however, circle walking and k'ou pu
stepping exercises by themselves is only the first pai pu can be easily added to the sequence of steps
level of learning how to apply the stepping called out by the group leader. Developing the
movements in a self-defense situation. ability to change immediately to either the jump
After developing basic skills with each separate step or pivot step while circle walking, or to
Pa Kua Chang footwork technique, the practitioner change to circle walking after executing any of the
in Park's school must learn how to combine the other steps, will greatly improve the practitioner's
techniques so as to move naturally, swiftly, and ability to apply Pa Kua Chang footwork in combat.
fluidly from one stepping technique to another. The ability to move rapidly from the circular
The combinations of stepping methods a footwork to the linear footwork and back again is
practitioner uses in combat should arise a vital skill. In many instances, researching these
spontaneously in response to any of the opponent's combinations is accomplished using the five phase
movements. This ability requires an innate "body model. The circular pattern of the creative cycle
knowledge" of the stepping techniques and how and linear pattern of the destructive cycle models
to best apply them. When practicing two-person are applied directly to the footwork in this instance.
stepping drills with Park, the student is constantly
frustrated because no matter where he or she
moves, Park has either moved in behind the Researching Combinations
student or has a knee in the student's groin.
Park states that after practicing the stepping
exercises and drills, the student needs to research
Reaction Drills the principles of the stepping patterns he or she
has learned and discover how the steps can be
The first exercise Park will have a student combined most efficiently. After researching the
practice in order to learn how to combine stepping stepping combinations, the student will then
techniques is a reaction drill in which a partner or practice the combinations which seem to work
group leader will randomly call out a series of well. The majority of the stepping combinations
stepping techniques and the students will execute are practiced in accordance with the theory of
the techniques as they are called out. This exercise combinations outlined in the pivot step section
is a good tool to use in order to test the student's of this chapter. Once the student finds an attack/
ability to assume the correct posture upon defense stepping combination which works well,
completion of each stepping maneuver. If the he or she will practice all of the possible
correct posture is not assumed immediately after combinations of the particular stepping sequence.
executing a step, the next step cannot be executed An example of how an attack/defense/attack
rapidly. Park also uses this exercise to check how sequence is practiced given the jump step as an
much a student has been practicing. When Park attack and the pivot step as a defense was outlined
calls out a stepping technique, if the student in the pivot step section of this chapter. Many
hesitates, has to think about the step before other combinations of stepping patterns can be

105
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
practiced in this manner.
Park will generally teach a few basic
combinations to get the student started, however,
he feels that the student should not be "spoon
fed." Once the student has an experiential
understanding of the basic steps and basic patterns,
Park feels that the student should research further
combinations based on the theory of the Eight
Trigrams, Yin and Yang, and the Five Phases. Park
will check the student's progress and lend advice,
but it is the student's job to work out the
combinations on their own. He feels that if the
students discover the combinations on their own,
the combinations will not be forgotten and the
students will have a better understanding of how
to apply Pa Kua Chang footwork as a result of the
research. Park feels that without this kind of
"homework" the student's ability to really
understand how Pa Kua Chang is used in
self-defense will not grow to its full potential.
In conjunction with researching combinations
and patterns, the student is encouraged to use his The Guard Stance Posture
or her imagination and "shadow box" with an
imaginary opponent by using the stepping patterns
and combinations to avoid attack and seek
optimum angles of counter-attack. Park
emphasizes that this is a very important step in
the training process. By brainstorming and
developing "what if" scenarios to work out against
an imaginary opponent, the student can get a feel
for what stepping patterns will work and then
practice how to best vary those patterns in
hypothetical situations. Also, working against an Stability
imaginary opponent will add a degree of realism
to the practice and thus the student will not fall
into the trap of becoming too mechanical in
performing repetitious movements.
The final phase in training Pa Kua Chang
footwork combinations is to actually apply the
stepping movements while working with a partner.
Park will first teach his students a basic
two-person stepping exercise which will help
the students get a feel for working jump step and Line of Stability and Instability in the
pivot step combinations against an opponent. Guard Stance Posture
Following this exercise, the students will practice a
"freestyle" stepping exercise. These two exercises
are described below.

106
 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
Basic Two-Person Stepping Exercise

Theoretically, when a martial artist assumes a

stance, there are lines along which that stance is
strong and stable, and there are lines along which
the stance will be weak. By "lines" we are referring
to lines, or angles, along which outside force
could be applied. For instance, if someone were to
assume the guard stance posture shown in the
photograph on the previous page, the lines of
greatest stability and instability would be as shown
in the illustration. Obviously, if someone were to
attack a person standing in this posture, the attack
would best be directed along the line of instability.
Not only is the stance less stable along this line,
but the opponent's body is "open." With this
concept in mind, the first basic two-person
exercise, and the follow-on freestyle exercise, are
practiced so that the student learns how to utilize
footwork in order to position his or her body
along the line of instability of the opponent while
keeping the opponent from maneuvering to a
position along his or her line of instability.
The basic two-person stepping exercise consists
of each partner utilizing a jump step and pivot
step combination in succession to alternately
attempt to pivot to a position along the partner's
line of instability and then jump step along that
line through the partner's body. When the first
partner attempts to perform the jump step, the
second partner will pivot step out of the way (90
degree pivot). This sequence is shown in the
illustration at right and the photographs on the
next page.
When this exercise is first practiced the students
will maintain the jump step/pivot step
combination in order to help develop a feel for the
timing involved when moving out of the way of
an opponent's direct attack and subsequently
launching a quick counterattack. Once each
partner feels comfortable with this exercise, they
will then move on to a similar freestyle exercise
which combines all of the Pa Kua Chang footwork.

107
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Partner #1

Partner #1 Jumps Partner #2 Pivots

Forward

Partner #2 Jumps Partner #1 Pivots

Forward
Partner #2

The Basic Partner Exercise students discover how these fundamental

principles of Pa Kua Chang apply directly to the
Freestyle Two-Person application and training of Pa Kua Chang footwork.
Stepping Exercise While the freestyle stepping exercise is performed
as a game to see which partner can uproot, or
Earlier in this book, and in the preceding unbalance the other, it is also a learning experience
sections of this chapter, we briefly discussed the and should be approached as such. If both partners
combinatorial theory which is inherent in the / work together to investigate the direct applications
Chins and the three geometric principles of of theoretical concepts to the physical footwork
movement which Park interprets from the Pa Kua training in Pa Kua Chang, they will better
Diagrams. Additionally, we also discussed the understand how one might use these theories to
theory of yin and yang and the yin yang research and further develop the art.
representation in the T'ai Chi Diagram. When While examining the principles of movement
researching stepping combinations in individual which are symbolized by the arrangements of the
training and in the freestyle two-person exercise, Pa Kua diagram in the proceeding sections of this

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 Pa Kua Chang Footwork
chapter on Pa Kua Chang footwork, we have exercise is practiced with the footwork alone.
explained that there are generally three principles The arms are held behind the back. One partner
of movement and three axes of rotation. The will offset the other by "stepping through" the
principles of movement are circular movement partner's body at an optimum attacking angle
around a central axis, angular rotation around an and knocking him or her off balance.
axis, and linear movement in eight directions. Park feels that it is extremely important that
The three axes of rotation are: the central axis of students practice two-person drills using
the practitioner's body, the central axis of the footwork alone for a significant amount of time
opponent's body, and a vertical axis formed at the before adding hand and arm movements. Once
point (or points) of contact between the two the hands and arms come into play, the student
opponents. tends to lose concentration on the footwork. All
If we represent the opponent's body, the of Pa Kua Chang's applications involve
practitioner's body, and a central point in-between positioning the body optimally before, during,
the two bodies by the center of three separate Pa and after technique execution by utilizing
Kua diagrams, we get the representation shown in skillful footwork methods. If students first work
the illustration on the previous page. Using these to develop the footwork component fully and
three diagrams in relation to each other and the make the stepping principles reflex actions in the
steps associated with the geometry of each, the body, the hand, arm and leg techniques become
practitioner can better understand how stepping much easier to learn and apply.
combinations work. This exercise proves to be a "testing ground"
While it is interesting to contemplate these for all of the stepping combinations that the
three diagrams as representations of the principles student has practiced and researched on his or
associated with Pa Kua Chang stepping, the models her own. Up to this point in the training program
will not be of any use unless the steps are practiced the student has only practiced pre-set
physically. In teaching, Park does not place combinations and patterns and combinations
emphasis on the diagram representation, his researched through the "shadow boxing"
emphasis is on the performance of the physical practice. Now is the time to put those patterns
movements. The real research is done with physical and combinations to the test against a real
practice against real partners, not on the drawing partner and see which ones work and which
board with the diagrams. Knowing the theory ones are not so effective. Again, this is a
simply aids the practitioner's research and laboratory, not a field of competition. If one
development efforts in practice. partner easily offsets another, both partners
In the previous section of this chapter, we should analyze what happened and why. In this
discussed optimum angles of attack in conjunction manner both partners learn from the other's
with a basic partner exercise. The next level of this mistakes. Each partner takes note of what works
exercise is to practice "freestyle." Each partner well and what doesn't. When each student
can use any combination of stepping patterns returns to his or her individual practice, they
in an attempt to offset the other partner. This know exactly what they need to work on.

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Pa Kua Chang Footwork - Conclusion

S pending hours stepping up and down the

length of a room may seem like a laborsome
and then change rapidly keys off of his constantly
changing footwork.
task, but in order to condition the body Footwork is the foundation for all of Pa Kua
properly and develop a "muscle-memory" of the Chang's applications and special techniques
stepping movements, this kind of labor is required. -even Pa Kua chin na and throwing techniques
Anyone who has watched Park apply these are executed through the footwork. Pa Kua
movements in a self-defense demonstration is practitioners are well known for their evasive
immediately convinced of their effectiveness and maneuvers. Without an extensive experiential
necessity. knowledge of Pa Kua Chang footwork, the
By "putting in the hours" with the stepping practitioner will have difficulty grasping the
exercises, researching the patterns, visualizing essence of this art. Park believes that unless the Pa
imaginary partners, and working with real Kua Chang student has a thorough experiential
opponents, the practitioner will eventually knowledge of footwork, he or she will never be
develop an innate feel for how to move his or her able to thoroughly understand how Pa Kua Chang
feet optimally in a combat situation. When the is used as a fighting art.
practitioner can naturally respond to an In summary, we will use mathematical type
opponent's movements with skill, little effort, equations to list all of the components of Pa Kua
and no thought, they will have embodied the Chang footwork that have been discussed in this
principle of wu-wei and thus will have achieved a chapter. The first equation lists the major footwork
high level of internal boxing skill. components outlined in this book.
Park Bok Nam firmly believes that the most
important component to learn thoroughly before Pa Kua Chang Basic Footwork = Eight
attempting to apply Pa Kua Chang as a combat art Directions Rooted Steps + Pivot Step + Circle
is Pa Kua Chang footwork. Learning how to get Walk + K'ou Pu Pai Pu
out of the way of an opponent's attack while
simultaneously placing one's self in the optimum Next we will break down each of these components
position for counterattack is the first step in into their main sub-components:
learning how to fight. It is an extremely important
step, and one that many practitioners tend to Eight Direction Rooted Steps = Jump Step+Full Step +
ignore. Footwork is not glamorous, it is not much Full Step with a Jump + 90 Degree Step + V-step
fun, and it is not easy. However, in Pa Kua Chang
as taught by Park it is extremely important. No Further sub-components of this equation
matter how powerful an opponent's strike, if the include practicing all of these steps on the right
practitioner is not there when it lands, all the and left sides and moving both forward and
opponent's effort has been wasted. backward.
The Pa Kua Chang practitioner is a footwork
Pivot Step = Front Foot Pivot + Back Foot Pivot
specialist. Walking in circular patterns is the
trademark of his art, however, the extent of his Further sub-components of this equation
footwork arsenal extends far beyond circular include practicing these pivot steps on both the
stepping. He circles, pivots, moves straight in, right and left side and pivoting through all pivoting
pivots again, changes direction and then continues angles.
to circle. His footwork is constantly adapting and
changing in response to the opponent's
movements. His ability to initiate one technique

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 Pa Kua Chang Footwork

Circle Walk = Circle Pattern + T’ai Chi Backward Full Step (Left and Right)
Diagram Pattern + Spiral Pattern + Multi-Circle
Patterns Full Step with a Jump = Forward Full Step with a Jump
(Left and Right) + Backward Full Step with a Jump
Further sub-components of this equation (Left and Right)
include practicing all of the circle walk patterns at
varying speeds (slow, medium, fast) and in high, 90 Degree Step = Forward 90 Degree Step (Left and
middle, and low stances and employing both the Right) + Backward 90 Degree Step (Left and Right)
lion and dragon steps.
Front Foot Pivot Step = 45 Degree Pivot + 90 Degree
K'ou Pu Pai Pu = 90 degree + 180 degree Pivot + 135 Degree Pivot + 180 Degree Pivot

Further sub-components of this equation Rear Foot Pivot Step - 45 Degree Pivot + 90 Degree
include practicing all stepping angles associated Pivot +135 Degree Pivot + 270 Degree Pivot
with these two maneuvers.
By starting practice with the lowest level of
Each of the main sub-sub-components of Pa sub-components and building gradually towards
Kua Chang's footwork sub-components might be the combination of all footwork components, the
detailed as follows: Pa Kua Chang practitioner in Park Bok Nam's
school develops a complete and well integrated
Jump Step = Forward Jump Step (Left and Right) + set of footwork fundamentals as a foundation to
Backward Jump Step (Left and Right) further study in Pa Kua Chang.

Full Step = Forward Full Step (Left and Right) +

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

112
 Pa Kua Chang Body Training

Chapter 4
Pa Kua Chang Body Training

113
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Chapter 4

Pa Kua Chang
BodyTraining
T
wo important aspects of any Chinese which will be uniquely designed for that student
martial art system are flexibility and leg in order to prepare his or her body for the study of
strength. Without building these two Pa Kua Chang. Students who enter the school
components early on in the training program, with a low level of physical skill, or in poor health,
the student will always have problems with will start out slowly with basic conditioning and
relaxation, correct body alignment, and the flexibility exercises. Students who have had some
mechanics of correct movement associated with background in internal martial arts and have
the art. In this chapter we will introduce exercises developed some skills previously will skip the very
which are designed to help increase both leg basic exercises and will be taught at a much faster
strength and body flexibility. pace.
The student with some martial arts background
Park Bok Nam's Training Program and a body which is in good physical shape will
When a new student enters Park Bok Nam's Pa usually start with the material which is contained
Kua Chang school, Park will first evaluate the in this book. If the student practices hard and
student's level of flexibility, coordination, balance, shows progress, everything in this book is taught
strength, and general health to determine the within the first 6 to 8 months. Within the first
student's strengths and weaknesses. Based on this week of practice, the student will be shown the
evaluation, Park will develop a training program basic Pa Fang Ken Pu steps, the circle walk, the
breathing and ch 7 kung exercises described in the
ch'i kung chapter of this book, the tou chang
exercise described in the palm exercise chapter,
and the fan chang (overturning palm) exercises
which are described in this chapter.
Once a student has been taught most of the
material which is contained in this book, he or she
will then learn a series of eight Pa Kua ch'i kung
movement exercises which serve to increase overall
body flexibility, especially in and around the
spine and the body's joints, in order to improve
the body's overall physical condition and increase
the student's ch'i awareness, feeling, and
Park Bok Nam demonstrates his circulation to distal points of the body. The
high degree of flexibility movements in this exercise set are a bit more
complicated than anything we have described in
this book.

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 Pa Kua Chang Body Training
This ch'i kung exercise set is followed by a series
of eight Pa Kua palm training exercises (not related
to the eight mother palms) which develop internal
striking mechanics. Eight elbow exercises and
eight kicking exercises are also taught in
conjunction with the palm training exercises.
Additionally, the student will learn eight "straight
line" Pa Kua Chang sets which consist of a series
of tactical fighting techniques practiced repeatedly
while moving in a straight line.
All of the exercises listed above are designed to
increase flexibility in the hips, spine, and shoulder
joints, train the proper mechanics associated with
internal arts movement, and increase coordination
and stability while moving rapidly and applying
power. Additionally, these exercises develop the
practitioner's ch’i feeling (sensitivity) and generate
the ability to move ch'i through the whole body
(improve distal circulation). All of this material is
taught prior to any Pa Kua Chang tactical circle
walking form sequence. The student who practices
hard would typically learn all of this material
within the first 10 to 12 months of practice.
In conjunction with the material listed above,
the student will learn a basic ch'i kung circle
walking form (as shown in the ch 'i kung chapter of
this book). This form consists of eight "animal"
static upper body postures which are held while
walking the circle. When the student first learns Each progressive stage of combat forms which
these postures, the changes in-between the Park teaches builds on the changes that were
postures are simple. After the student can change trained in the previous form so that when the
smoothly and maintain a constant feeling of ch'i student learns the 64 changes of the final open
throughout the body while working with the hand form, all of the movements will be familiar
simple changes, more complex changes are taught. and natural and the student will have a full
In conjunction with the ch'i kung form, Park's knowledge of the form's applications. In addition
students learn eight exercises which prepare the to the combat circle walking forms, Park also
student's body for the first eight changes of the teaches his intermediate students an eight-section,
first of four Pa Kua Chang combat forms. Park's or eight "road", "straight line" combat form.
circular combat forms are taught in progressive While learning the combat forms in progressive
stages. The eight preliminary exercises contain stages, the student will also begin to learn basic
movements which are found in the eight kuas of training exercises with the staff and the broad
the first form. The student will practice these sword. In Park's school the student will eventually
exercises as repetitive training drills before learn how to use a multitude of Pa Kua Chang
practicing them in conjunction with walking on weapons. Park's favorites are the staff, the spear,
the circle. The student will typically learn the first the straight sword, the broad sword, and the short
combat form within the first 12 to 14 months of knives.
training. Once the student can demonstrate the Park's approach to teaching all aspects of Pa
ability to move smoothly through the first combat Kua Chang - form, fighting, palm striking, ch'i
form, the second combat form will be taught. kung, breathing, meditation - is very systematic,

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
allowing the student to develop gradually and body movement is initiated with the first of several
fully so that there are no weak areas, missing introductory palm changing drills. We will discuss
pieces, or bad habits. He strongly believes that a few of these introductory exercises in this chapter.
students should start out with very simple The first set of exercises, fan chang (overturning
movements and exercises and work with them palm) set, will not only help to loosen up the hips,
until basic skills are developed before moving on spine, and shoulders, but will teach the basic
to anything more complex. movements and mechanics utilized in the tan
Park believes that before a student can learn Pa huan chang (single palm change) maneuver. Fan
Kua Chang forms, he or she needs to have a body chang is also combined with the stepping
which is ready to learn Pa Kua Chang forms. This maneuvers of the Pa Fang Ken Pit when the arm
"Pa Kua Chang body" is developed beyond normal movements are combined with the steps.
levels of flexibility (especially in the hips, spine, Park teaches three versions of fan chang - straight
and shoulder areas), coordination (which includes fan chang, circle fan chang, and t'ien (heaven) fan
maintaining proper body connections and chang. We will discuss these three exercises in this
structural alignments when moving), balance, leg section. The fan chang section will be followed by
strength, endurance, and ch'i awareness. an exercise called "Scooping the Moon from the
In Parks school, development of flexible hips, Sea Bottom."
spine, and shoulders in conjunction with full

The Fan Chang Exercises

R
otation is extremely important to the Pa
Kua Chang practitioner. The ability to
rotate the body around its central axis in a
coordinated, integrated fashion is necessary if the
practitioner hopes to develop the striking power Fan Chang
inherent in Pa Kua Chang's movements. Rotating
Park's school will learn is designed to insure that
the shoulders and hips in unison around the
the hips, shoulders and spine are loose and can
central line of the torso (line running from the
rotate fully and that the legs, torso, and arms
crown of the head to the perineum), rotating the
move in a coordinated and integrated fashion.
arms around their central line (the bones of the
The first exercise of this set, called straight fan
arms) and rotating the legs around their center
chang, is introduced below.
(the bones of the legs) all with the correct
coordination and timing is where much of the
power in Pa Kua Chang movement is initiated. Straight Fan Chang
The majority of all Pa Kua Chang's techniques
involve rotating or twisting the torso and the four This first exercise, straight fan chang, is simply
limbs. The twisting of the legs drives the twisting an introduction to the basic mechanics of the
of the body, the rotation of the body drives the palm movement. Although the movements of
movement of the arms, and the rotation of the this exercise may seem simple, correct performance
arms helps supply power to the palms. of the fan chang maneuver is vital as the
The ability to rotate the four limbs and the "overturning palm" mechanics form the basis for
body around their respective centers is enhanced many of the Pa Kua palm changes and help to
when the hips, shoulders and spine are loose and
flexible. One of the first exercise sets a student in

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 Pa Kua Chang Body Training

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4 Photo 5

Photo 6 Photo 7 Photo 8 Photo 9

The Straight Fan Chang Exercise

117
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
develop the mechanics of correct Pa Kua Chang maneuver. Tactically, this move, as it is described
movement. below, will serve to clear an opponent's attempt to
To begin the exercise, the arms are held in the engage or grab the outstretched upper arm.
"guard stance" position (described in the previous Fan chang is also typically executed in
chapter). The forward hand is held at nose height conjunction with the k'ou pu and pai pu
and the eyes look straight ahead, using the space footwork when the practitioner is changing
between the thumb and index finger as a "gun direction. If the lower hand is held too low or
sight" (see photo # 1 on the previous page). The too far away from the upper elbow, the center
lower hand is held just below the elbow of the line of the body will be open and the speed and
upper arm (3-5 inches). The hips and torso are accuracy needed to properly execute a tactical
angled comfortably (about 45 degrees). The palm change will be inhibited. In the correct
shoulders are in line with the hips and thus the position, the lower hand is held close enough to
shoulder on the side of the upper arm is angled the upper elbow to facilitate rapid execution of the
forward of the body's central axis, while the fan chang maneuver and at the same time it is
shoulder on the side of the lower hand is slightly held far enough from the body so it can rapidly
behind the body's central axis (see shoulder and intercept a low punch or kick.
hip alignment diagram below). In this exercise, In this exercise, the feet, ankles, and knees are
the body's central axis remains vertical. held together comfortably (no need to press them
The back is rounded slightly as if the spine were together), and the toes are facing forward. For
a hinge and the two sides of the back moved ease of explanation, the movement will first be
forward around the spine. The scapula move out grossly defined and then we will follow up by
to the sides slightly, however the practitioner discussing the subtleties, connections, and body
does not allow the scapula to ride up. When the relationships in more detail. We will start by
back is rounded in this manner the shoulders will defining the arm movement, but keep in mind, in
ride forward slightly, however, do not pull forward all Pa Kua Chang movement the arms do not
from the shoulder, simply round the back. If the move independently of the body. We start by
student allows the shoulders to project too far explaining only what the arms are doing for ease
forward, he or she will lose the proper shoulder/ of explanation.
hip alignment. Both shoulders and both elbows From the starting position, both palms begin
are dropped down. When the shoulders drop to turn over as the lower hand moves up and out
down and the back is rounded slightly, the body's to the side (under the elbow of the upper arm) and
center line is protected and the lungs move to the the practitioner begins to inhale. As the lower
back to facilitate ease in breathing. palm begins to turn, the index finger runs along
The lower hand is held under the upper elbow the back of the elbow of the upper arm. The palm
to help close the body's center line. In addition, continues to move out to the side as it turns so
when the lower hand is close to the upper elbow that by the time the palm is facing up, the wrist of
the practitioner can quickly execute the fan chang the lower hand is touching the area of the upper
arm just behind the elbow (see photo # 2). By the

Twist left Center Twist Right

Shoulder and Hip Alignments in Straight Fan Chang Execution

118
 Pa Kua Chang Body Training
time the bottom hand reaches this position, both come from the ground up. The hips and shoulders
palms should be facing up (yang palm). (Note: In will always move together and remain aligned
Pa Kua Chang parlance when a palm is facing up (see illustration on previous page).
it is referred to as being yang and when the palm When practicing this exercise, the practitioner
is facing down it is called yin. We will utilize this should feel the upper body movement being
terminology in the remainder of this book.) The motivated from the heels and up through the
upper palm remains extended and at nose height muscles of the inner thighs. Each leg rotates
so that the face will remain covered during the around its respective center and this leg rotation
move. in turn rotates the hips and body. The knees
Next, the lower hand moves up along the should not move, they should remain facing
upper arm with the wrist remaining in contact forward and thus the leg rotation primarily applies
with the forearm of the upper arm as it moves. If to the thighs.
the lower hand is not extended out to the side In Pa Kua Chang, the movement of what the
such that the wrist is in contact with the forearm Chinese call the yao kua is very important. The yao
of the upper hand, the practitioner will not have k'ua includes the areas of the body we in the West
the mechanical advantage necessary to clear away refer to as the inner thighs, hips and waist. Too
an opponent who has grabbed the forward hand often beginning practitioners will only twist the
or arm. waist when executing a maneuver. If one only
Once the lower palm reaches the height of the turns the waist, the proper hip and shoulder
upper palm (wrist on wrist - see photo # 3), the alignments will suffer. The practitioner should
upper palm begins to move down, the palms develop the ability to be able to twist the body
begin to turn and the practitioner starts to exhale. from the thighs so that the hips and waist twist
The lower palm becomes the upper palm and the and the shoulders and hips always remain in
arms fall into the "guard stance" position on the alignment. The fan chang series of exercises will
other side (see photos 4 and 5). With this help the practitioner loosen the muscles in the
movement the shoulder and hip on the side of the inner thighs, buttocks, and hips so that the
new upper hand will be forward of the body's necessary degree of flexibility is attained and
central axis because the hips are angled proper alignments can be maintained.
approximately 45 degrees (see illustration on the In the straight fan chang exercise, the body
previous page). Once the palms have changed, swivels back and forth around its central axis as
the practitioner will change the palms back by the palms change. The head remains facing the
executing the same sequence of maneuvers (see front. The practitioner works to perform the
photos 6 through 9). exercise so that the body's central axis remains
In Pa Kua movement, the hands and arms do stationery, the body does not bob up and down
not move independently of the body. Now that nor wobble back and forth - it swivels around its
the reader has a basic idea of what the hands and center. The shoulders are relaxed, and the palm
arms are doing, we will investigate the straight fan movement is smooth.
chang maneuver in order to examine what the The practitioner should rotate the hips to the
entire body is doing. full 45 degree position with each change of the
When performing fan chang, the entire body palms. The hips and shoulders should always
will swivel back and forth around the body's remain aligned. The illustration at the bottom of
central axis with the changing of the palms. The the previous page illustrates the hip and shoulder
central axis of the body is defined by the imaginary positioning for this exercise.
line drawn from the crown of the head down The timing of the palm change is also
through the perineum ( i n acupuncture important. The palms do not start to turn over
terminology the line would be drawn from the pai until after the arms are at the wrist-on-wrist
hui through the hui yin). The entire body will position shown in photo #3 on page 117. In the
move as one integrated piece around the central starting position the hips and torso are facing a 45
axis, but the motivation for the movement will degree angle from the forward position (where the

119
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3

Photo 4 Photo 5

Straight Fan Chang Partner Exercise

eyes are looking). The turning of the hips back The back of one partner's upper palm is against
towards the center initiates the arm movement. the back of the other partner's upper palm. Both
As the hips reach the position facing squarely partners execute the straight fan chang exercise at
forward, the hands are at the wrist-on-wrist the same time (see photo #2). As each partner
position of photo #3 on page 117. As the hips reaches the wrist-on-wrist position (see photo #3),
continue to rotate the palm extends forward of the changing bottom palms start to engage each
the wrist-on-wrist position until the arm reaches other. As the movement continues, the wrist of
its full extension and then the palm turns over the new upper palm should be in contact with the
smoothly as the hips reach their full rotation. wrist of the partner's new upper palm (see photo
#4) and then the palms turn over. The first
Straight Fan Chang Partner Exercise repetition is complete (see photo #5 above).
To get a feel for the proper timing of the palm Students practicing this exercise will notice
changing from yang to yin, one can practice the that if both partners turn the palms over at the
straight fan chang drill with a partner. In this right time, the palms will both stay in the center
exercise, both partners face each other in the line of the body. However, if one partner turns the
dragon stance posture with the wrist of the forward palm over at the wrong time, his or her palm will
arm resting on each other {see photo #1 above). be moved out to the side slightly by the partner's

120
 Pa Kua Chang Body Training
changing palm. If this occurs, then the student position, the student begins to exhale as the torso
knows that his or her palm change was not executed starts to turn (to the right) and the upper (left) palm
at the proper time. When practicing this partner drill, begins to slide down the inside of the forearm of
the students should not use force or arm strength to the right arm with the palm still facing up (yang).
press against the partner's arm. As in all Pa Kua The torso continues to twist towards the right. The
Chang techniques, positive results are obtained palms remain in the yang orientation (insure upper
through the execution of correct mechanics of the palm is up high enough to protect the face) until
movement and alignments of the body, not gross they reach the 90 degree position straight out to the
muscle strength. body's side (see photo #4). From this position the
The straight fan chang exercise is strictly an palms start to turn as the body continues to twist.
exercise designed to train the mechanics of the fan When the practitioner has completed the 180
chang maneuver. The practitioner should not try to degree rotation, the palms have changed to yin
put excessive strength or power into the movements, (guard position), and the practitioner is facing
concentration is on being fluid and relaxed. Errors directly behind the direction he or she started from
typically made by beginners are: allowing the (see photo #6).
shoulders to rise up, not turning the hips far enough, From this position the student begins to inhale
not maintaining the shoulder/ hip alignments, not and executes the fan chang once again as the body
turning the palm over at the proper time, and not twists back to the front (see photo #9). When
keeping the upper hand high enough during the facing back towards the front, the palms are both
change to protect the face. Remember, the upper facing up (yang position) and the right wrist is on
hand does not start to move until the lower hand is top of the left wrist (see photo #10). From here the
up to the wrist-on-wrist position. This way the face student begins to exhale and the body continues to
is always protected. twist to the other side and execute the same
maneuver (see photos 11-13). During the exercise
the eyes always look in the direction of the upper
Circle Fan Chang palm and the body should rotate around its central
axis. The practitioner does not let the body wobble
The circle fan chang exercise employs the same side-to-side when twisting.
basic palm movements as the straight fan chang To help the student remember the positioning of
exercise, however, the palm changes are more the palms while they transition through the 360
gradual and the torso twists so that the conclusion of degree turn, Park uses an analogy to the times of
the change occurs with the head and palms facing day. The position directly in front of the
180 degrees from the starting position. During the practitioner (i.e. the direction the toes are pointing)
course of each palm change the head and upper is referred to as noon and is the supreme yang
torso will rotate 360 degrees, the palms gradually position (both palms are facing up). The position
change during the course of the body rotation. directly behind the practitioner is midnight, or the
Although the upper body rotates through the extreme yin position (both palms are angled facing
circumference of a circle, the feet and knees always down in the guard position).
remain pointing in the same direction. This exercise If the practitioner is circling to the right (as
is the first in a series which help to really stretch and shown in the illustration on page 123) the fan
open up the hips, spine, upper and lower back, and chang begins at the midnight direction with the
shoulders. palms in the yin position. As the practitioner
The student begins this exercise facing forward begins to twist the body and inhale, the palms
in the guard position (starting with the left palm begin to change from yin to yang; this is analogous
as the upper palm as in straight fan chang, see to sunrise. By the time the hips are facing forward
photo #1 on the next page). The student then (same direction as the toes) the palms are at the
begins to inhale and executes the first fan mid-day position, and have changed to the yang
chang as in the straight fan chang exercise. palms. As the body continues to twist to the right
Once the bottom palm has reached the wrist-on-wrist the practitioner begins to exhale and the palms

121
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4

Photo 5 Photo 6 Photo 7 Photo 8

Circle Fan Chang Exercise

122
 Pa Kua Chang Body Training

Photo 9 Photo 10 Photo 11 Photo 12 Photo 13

Circle Fan Chang Exercise (continued)
start to change again, transitioning from yang to Both of the fan chang exercises outlined above
yin. This change is analogous to sunset. When the are also excellent training tools used in developing
body has twisted to the maximum extent (palms the ability to concentrate ch'i in the palms and
facing rear or midnight position), the palms are move ch'i from one palm to the other. When
back in the yin position. At this point the practicing the exercises, the practitioner should
practitioner starts to inhale and twists the body
back to the left and thus the sun rises again.
The Chinese believe that the energy of the day is
strongest when yin is changing to yang (sunrise)
and when yang is changing to yin (sunset). This
theory carries over to the changing of the palms.
The palm movements are most powerful when the
yin palm is changing to the yang palm and when
the yang palm is changing to a the yin palm.
Typically the yin changing to yang will be used in
conjunction with a defensive maneuver, such as a
parry or to free one's self from a grab, and the yang
changing to yin will be used in conjunction with an
offensive strike.
The circle fan chang exercise will not only
increase flexibility in the hips, spine and shoulders,
but it also serves to train equilibrium, balance,
coordination and the ability to rotate the body, Mid-night
from the feet up, around its central axis. Careful (Yin
attention to precise movement and positioning of Palms)
the palms will also ingrain habits that will serve Circle Fan Chang (Right)
one well when practicing Pa Kua formsor fighting.

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
insure that the palm movements are smooth and During the execution of this exercise the
a continuous "ch'i feeling" is maintained in the practitioner will inhale as the palms go overhead
palms. The practitioner's intention should be (photos 1 through 4) and exhale as the body twists
focused on the upper palm. When executing the and the palmsaredirected towards the rear (photos
change, as the lower palm replaces the upper palm 4 through 6). During the position shown in photo
the intention switches to the new upper palm. 4, the practitioner transitions from inhale to
exhale.

T'ien Fan Chang

Combining the Three
T'ien fan chang is similar to the circle fan chang Fan Chang Exercises
exercise introduced previously, however, it works
to develop more flexibility in the upper back and The straight fan chang, circle fan chang, and
neck. This exercise is typically practiced after t'ien fan chang exercises can be practiced together
executing a number of repetitions of the circle fan as one continuous exercise set to help increase
chang exercise and thus in the beginning posture flexibility, build leg strength, and ingrain proper
of this exercise the palms and eyes are facing 180 palm changing mechanics. Additionally, each
degrees from the direction the feet are pointing exercise helps to bring ch'i to the palms.
(see photo #1 on the next page). From this When first starting to practice these fan chang
position, the exercise proceeds just as the circle exercises, the beginning student will probably
fan chang. First, the lower (left) and upper (right) experience stiffness and lack of mobility in the
palms begin to overturn as the body twists back hips, waist, back, and shoulders and thus the ch'i
towards the front. As the palms are overturning, flow to the hands may not be felt to a strong
the left palm comes up underneath the right degree. However, once the student has practiced
elbow (see photo #2). Now, as the torso continues for several months the hips, back, and shoulders
to twist back towards the front, the left palm will begin to loosen up and he or she will feel more
begins to follow the right forearm and comes comfortable and relaxed executing the
straight up over the head as the palms change (see movements. When the spine and surrounding
photo #3). Then the left palm moves up and muscles become supple, "energy gates" which are
directly over the head (see photo #4). The palms located along the spine begin to open. As the
face down and the eyes look at the left (upper) entire body becomes more flexible and these
palm. energy gates begin to open, ch'i flow to the palms
The body continues to twist and the palms will increase dramatically and will be more
overturn; the palms then come straight down into noticeable. When the student reaches this stage
the same posture the practitioner started with, but of training, the intent of the exercises can be
on the other side (see photos 5 and 6). From here changed and the exercises can be used as powerful
the steps are repeated going back in the other ch'i circulation exercises.
direction (see photos 7-11). As the palms come up To facilitate maximum ch'i development, each
over the head, the practitioner does not lean back. repetition of each of the three exercises is practiced
The head simply tilts back to look at the palms as slowly and deliberately with the intention focused
they are going over the head. on the lead, or forward, palm. After the student's
body has reached a sufficient level of flexibility.
Park will teach the student to practice these three
exercises together as a complete set. The set
begins with straight fan chang which is repeated
for as many repetitions as desired. It is best to
execute at least 15 repetitions on each side. After
T'ien Fan Chang executing the straight fan chang exercise for at

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 Pa Kua Chang Body Training

Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4 Photo 5 Photo 6

Photo 1

Photo 8 Photo 9 Photo 10 Photo 11

Photo 7

The T'ien Fan Chang Exercise

125
125
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
least 15 repetitions, the practitioner will transition should be experienced throughout the entire body.
directly into the circle fan chang exercise and The ch'i feeling is typically felt in the hands first,
execute it at least 15 times on each side. After the however, this feeling will eventually be sensed in
last repetition of circle fan chang, the practitioner the arms, shoulders, torso, and legs as the
will go directly into the t'ien fan chang exercise. practitioner's body awareness improves. As the
When at least 15 repetitions of t'ien fan chang ch'i feeling is experienced moving up the arms
exercise have been executed, the practitioner will and to the rest of the body, the student will also
switch back to the circle fan chang exercise once experience the ch'i moving deeper into the body.
again. In terms of ch 'i circulation, Park speaks of three
After executing at least 15 repetitions of the areas of concern: the skin, the nerves, and the
circle fan chang exercise, the practitioner will once bones. By "circulation of ch'i in the skin" Park is
again execute the straight fan chang exercise. referring to circulation through the meridians
Upon completion of the second set of straight fan and channels defined in traditional Chinese
chang, the practitioner will then allow the hands medicine. This would include circulation in the
to slowly fall down by his or her sides and stand major meridians and channels as well as the
for a few moments to allow the ch'i to settle. smaller network of collaterals, or lo. The sensation
After any exercise which is designed to bring of ch'i and blood circulation at the skin level will
ch'i to the palms, one should allow the hands to typically be the first the student will experience. If
hang loosely by the sides and concentrate on the student has practiced ch'i kung or internal
what Park calls the "ch'i feeling." Typically this martial arts for any length of time he or she is most
feeling will first manifest itself in the hands as likely familiar with this sensation.
fullness, heat, and/or tingling. When the student Circulation of ch 'i in the nerves is slightly more
has obtained this feeling during the execution of advanced and will usually be experienced after
a ch'i circulation exercise, he or she will want to the student has been practicing ch'i kung for a
relax for several minutes and concentrate on this fairly long time, although it will vary from person
feeling after the exercise has been completed. to person. The student will typically experience a
By concentrating on the "ch'i feeling," the sensation in the hands, or other part of the body,
student will begin to develop a mind/nervous like an electrical shock or current when ch 'i begins
system/body connection associated with this to circulate at this level. This feeling can be
feeling. The more developed this connection somewhat uncomfortable at first.
becomes, the easier it will be for the student to Feeling the ch'i circulation in the bones is
bring ch'i to the palms. With continued practice, usually experienced at the more advanced stages
the student will be able to produce this effect just of practice. This sensation is experienced within
by thinking about it. Later, increased amounts of the bones themselves. Again, the exact sensation
ch'i will flow to the palms naturally, when it is will vary from person to person. When a student
needed, without conscious thought. begins to feel ch'i circulation at the nerve or bone
One goal in practicing Pa Kua as a self-defense art level, Park will modify their training program to
is to be able to move ch'i very rapidly to the help bring the student to still higher levels of
palms (or any other part of the body) when experience. See the chapter of this book on Pa Kua
striking. When the mind/nervous system/body Ch'i Kung for further details about Park's ch'i kung
connection has been fully developed, as soon as system.
the body moves, the ch'i will be there. The The fan chang exercise sequence is one of many
movement of ch'i to the palm will be rapid and exercises that comprise the ch'i circulation
spontaneous. Forging the mind/nervous system/ component of Park's ch'i kung system. The other
body connection during and after the fan chang components of his ch'i kung system include
exercises will help the practitioner reach this goal. breathing exercises and meditation exercises.
Throughout the entire fan chang set, the Although, at the beginning levels of practice, all
awareness is focused on maintaining the "ch'i three of these components are practiced separately
feeling," With continued practice, this feeling in specific exercises designed to develop one

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 Pa Kua Chang Body Training
particular component, not including one of these training must progress gradually and flexibility is
components in a training program will seriously an important aspect of this progression. The more
hinder development of the other components. flexibility, relaxation, and suppleness the
Park feels that if a student only practices moving practitioner can develop in his or her muscles,
ch'i kung exercises and/or form routines without joints, and tendons, the easier it will be to generate
also practicing breathing and meditation exercises, strong, balanced ch'i flow and maintain a full
the student will reach a plateau in their body ch 'i feeling.
development. After a student can maintain a full body ch'i
When Park teaches ch'i kung seminars he will feeling while executing the simple fan chang
ask students what experiences they have had with sequence, Park introduces the student to a more
feeling ch 'i. Most will indicate that after a number complex set of body movements. This exercise set
of months of training they experienced the heat, consists of a preliminary, or warm-up, exercise
fullness, and/or tingling sensations in their hands followed by eight other exercises designed to
and various other parts of their body. Since the increase flexibility and balance the ch 'i flow in the
first experience with this ch'i sensation, most body. The warm-up exercise to this set is the circle
students have gradually felt stronger degrees of fan chang exercise and the first of the eight ch'i
these same sensations, but have not had any other kung exercises is the t'ien fan chang exercise. The
drastically different experiences. In Park's view, next seven exercises are more complex and thus
these students have reached a plateau in their the practitioner should have a strong foundation
training and have not progressed because they with the fan chang exercises before attempting the
have not had adequate breathing and meditation full ch'i kung set. Once this set is practiced for a
training in conjunction with their other practices. sufficient amount of time, the student will then
Park states that once a certain level is reached, the graduate to a simple Pa Kua Chang circle walking
breathing practice changes in order to take the Ch'i Kung form.
student to higher levels. To Park, breathing Through a progressive methodology, starting
training is a very important part of practice. Since with very simple exercises and working gradually
Park teaches breathing and meditation methods to more complex exercises, the student's
by prescription only, his complete breath training development will be complete. The fan chang
system will not be discussed in this book. series of exercises are taught to the beginner to
An eventual goal of training to maintain a full help build the fundamental martial art
body ch 'i feeling during the execution of relatively requirements of flexibility and leg strength, but
simple training drills, such as the three fan chang additionally these exercises will help the student
exercises, is to be able to maintain the full body obtain a muscle memory of proper palm changing
ch'i feeling while executing the complex turning, mechanics and help develop strong ch'i circulation
twisting, and coiling movements associated with while executing these movements.
Pa Kua Chang. This is not an easy task. The

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Scooping the Moon from the Sea Bottom

T he "Scooping the Moon from the Sea

Bottom" (Hai Ti Lao Yue) exercise is one of
the most physically demanding of the basic
body conditioning exercises taught in Park's
palm is still facing up and held close to the chest
as shown in photo #4.
5) The body continues to drop down on the left
leg and the right palm continues to slide along the
school. While this exercise will certainly help the right side of the body until is has extended out
practitioner develop a great amount of leg strength past the right foot as shown in photo #5.
and flexibility, it is also designed to help the 6) From this position, the practitioner pushes off
student learn how to rotate the body around its the left leg and the weight begins to transition to
central axis on an inclined plane. While learning the right. As the weight transitions and the body
how to rotate the body around its center in an begins to come up on the right side, the right palm
upright posture with the legs together was relatively turns over 360 degrees. Both palms are now still
simple in the fan chang exercises, it becomes much facing upwards and the right palm performs a
more difficult in this exercise because the body is scooping motion as if "scooping the moon from
in an extended "bow" stance. Rotating the hips the sea bottom" as shown in photos #6 and #7.
correctly in this position requires a greater degree 7) The left leg continues to push until it has fully
of hip flexibility and thus maintaining full body extended and the right palm has also extended
integration and coordination becomes more out fully and is held up at eye level. Both palms
difficult. This exercise is executed as follows: are still facing up as shown in photo #8. Notice
1) To begin the exercise the practitioner will that the feet have pivoted on the heels and are
assume the "guard" stance described in the now facing 45 degrees from the frontward
previous chapter and as shown in photograph #1 orientation.
on the next page. 8) From this position the left palm pierces straight
2) Next the practitioner toes-out with the rear leg upward underneath the right arm and continues
as the weight shifts back. The lower hand moves upward until it is fully extended as shown in
in towards the body's center with the palm up and photos #9 and #10.
the upper hand hooks in so the fingers are facing 9) Now the right palm pierces straight up and out
the body as shown in photo #2. underneath the left arm as shown in photos #11
3) The upper (right) palm then turns over and and #12 and then again the left palm pierces
circles to the right side of the body as shown in straight up underneath the right palm as shown in
photo #3. The left hand remains in front of the photos #13 and #14. The palms remain facing up
chest with the palm facing up as shown in photo throughout these three consecutive piercing
#3. maneuvers.
4) From here the body begins to drop down on the When executing the three upward piercing
left leg as the right palm slides down the right side movements with the palms, the practitioner
of the body. The palm is still facing up. The left concentrates on making this a full body movement.

Hai Ti Lao Yue

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 Pa Kua Chang Body Training

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4

Photo 5 Photo 6 Photo 7 Photo 8

Photo 9 Photo 10 Photo 11 Photo 12

Photo 13 Photo 14 Photo 15 Photo 16

The "Scooping Moon From Sea Bottom" Exercise

129
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Photo 17 Photo 18 Photo 19 Photo 20

Photo 21 Photo 22 Photo 23 Photo 24

Photo 25 Photo 26 Photo 27

The "Scooping Moon From Sea Bottom" Exercise (continued)
The body rotates in its entirety around a line that shown in photos #15 and #16. The movement is
is drawn from the back heel up through the crown then repeated on the other side as shown in photo
of the head. The back leg rotates around its center #16 through #27. The full exercise (both sides) is
from the ankle up to the hip. The hips rotate repeated for at least 10 to 20 repetitions.
around the center of the pelvis and the shoulders Except for the 360 degree rotation of the palms
move in unison with the hips. Beginners will when scooping up on one side or the other, the
typically move only the shoulders and arms when palms remain facing upwards throughout the
executing this movement. This is incorrect. The exercise. Park recommends that students imagine
shoulders and hips remain aligned and thus to that they are holding something in the palm
execute this movement correctly, the hip joints during execution of the exercise as this imagery
must be very loose and flexible. will help bring ch'i to the hands.
10) After the left palm has pierced the second At first these movements are executed slowly.
time, the left wrist bends and the fingers of the left The student will want to concentrate on the
palm point in towards the left armpit and the left correct body alignments and hip rotation. Later,
palm descends down the left side of the body as the exercise can be performed at a greater speed

130
 Pa Kua Chang Body Training
with the piercing movements of the palms being around the front of the body as in the previous
executed very rapidly. exercise. However, instead of allowing the hand
to turn under towards the armpit right away, the
"Scooping Moon From Sea Bottom" Variation practitioner leads this movement with the elbow
Another version of the "Scooping Moon From as shown in photo 3 below. One can imagine this
Sea Bottom" exercise can be practiced which is movement blocking an attack to the ribs.
executed in the same manner, however, the After the elbow comes back to the rib area, the
practitioner does not bend down low when hand then turns and curls under the armpit as
transitioning from one side to the other. This shown in photo 4. From this position, the hand
version is demonstrated in the photographs below spears straight out as if to attack the opponent's
and on the next page. armpit (see photo 5). The practitioner now
Instead of bending down into the low posture executes the "turnaround" footwork while
and then transitioning up into the extended bow simultaneously allowing the palm to overturn as
stance as in the previous exercise, the practitioner the feet change (see photo 6).
performing this exercise will twist from one side The practitioner will now execute the three
to the other in the standard dragon posture stance. piercing palm maneuvers as they were executed in
The footwork for this exercise is executed exactly the previous exercise (see photos 7 through 11).
as discussed in the footwork chapter when the After executing three consecutive piercing palms,
"turnaround" footwork maneuver was presented. the practitioner transitions to the other side and
From the dragon posture (photo 1) the repeats the exercise as shown in photos 12 through
practitioner will begin to hook the lower hand 21 on the next page.

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4

Photo 5 Photo 6 Photo 7 Photo 8

The "Scooping Moon From Sea Bottom" Exercise Variation

131
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Photo 9 Photo 10 Photo 11 Photo 12

Photo 13 Photo 14 Photo 15 Photo 16

Photo 17 Photo 18 Photo 19

Photo 20 Photo 21

The "Scooping Moon From Sea Bottom" Exercise Variation (continued)

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 Pa Kua Chang Body Training

The Circle Principle

W hen teaching students Pa Kua Chang's

circle walking exercise, Park is quick
to point out that the circle walking
footwork is but a small piece of Pa Kua Chang's
Body Circle
"Body circle" can include any one of a number
of different circular or rotational articulations as
follows:
overall "circle principle." We have already seen 1) Part of the body rotating around its central axis.
that, in relation to the circular arrangement of the The central axis of the torso is the centerline of the
Eight Trigrams, there are a number of ways to body. The central axis of any of the body's limbs
utilize circular geometry in relation to Pa Kua would be the bones of those limbs.
Chang movement. The equation Park uses 2) Part of the body rotating or circling around a
to describe the circle principle is as follows: central point. These central points are usually
located at the body's joints. Any one of the body's
Circle Principle = Circular Stepping + Body Circle joints can pivot or rotate around many of the
+ Hand Circle other joints. For instance the hand (finger joints)
can circle using the wrist, the elbow, the shoulder,
In this equation the "body circle" sub- or the hip as central points of rotation.
component not only refers to the three principles 3) The pivoting or circling of the whole body
of movement of circular movement around a around points such as the front foot, the back
central axis, angular movement around a central foot, the opponent, or the point of contact between
axis, and linear movement in one of eight the practitioner and the opponent.
directions, which are associated with the Pa Kua Typically, in Pa Kua Chang, many of these
diagram as discussed in the footwork chapter, but circular and rotational motions are occurring
also refers to the body's rotation around its own simultaneously in any given movement or
central axis, which we have discussed in this technique.
chapter.
One might define the body's rotation around Hand Circle
its center as the movement associated with The "hand circle" sub-component of this
different parts of the body moving angularly, or equation can refer to such movements as:
circularly around the body's center and therefore, 1) A sweeping circular motion of the hand (through
if we place a Pa Kua diagram at the body's center, very small or larger arcs).
this fourth movement principle is consistent with 2) A wrapping type motion of the hand like a
the three described earlier. What the equation snake wrapping around a tree limb.
shown above says is that all four of the ideas 3) The rotation of the forearm around its central
which relate to the circular geometry of the Pa Kua axis such as that occurring when the practitioner
diagram will apply equally to foot movement, changes from yin palm to yang palm or vice-versa.
body movement, and hand movement in Pa Kua
Chang application. If one were to place an imaginary Pa Kua
The circular movement concepts which relate diagram in the air, the four components of
to the footwork were described in the footwork movement discussed above all apply to the hand,
chapter of this book. The "body circle" and "hand or the elbow. The hand can move linearly in one
circle" components are discussed here briefly. of eight directions from a central point; the hand
can move in a circle around a central point (which
would include spiraling and wrapping); the hand
can move in an angular rotation around the wrist

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
joint, around the elbow joint, around the shoulder Hand Circle) to defend against the attack. In this
joint or even around the central axis of the body instance, if the opponent's strike were to get past
(hip joints) as in the circle fan chang exercise; and the hand technique, the body will no longer be in
the hand/forearm can move around the central the direct path of the strike. The turning of the
axis of the forearm. Just as the theory of the Pa Kua body solves the problem of the first strike, however,
diagram's geometry is applied to the stepping and Park is now in a vulnerable position because the
body movement, it can also be applied to the body is not aligned with the stance and thus the
hand movement to research optimal ways of opponent's next attack could mean trouble.
combining and executing techniques. In the third photograph Park executes the
hand technique (changing from yin to yang and
Hand + Body + Step back again with the step) with the turning of the
In Park's view, the equation shown for the body and circular footwork in the form of a pivot
"Circle Principle" not only depicts that the three step around the front foot (Circular Stepping +
elements of Circular Footwork, Body Circle, and Body Circle + Hand Circle). With this technique,
Hand Circle are all basic components of the he has not only completely moved out of the way
principle, it also indicates that all three of these of the first strike, but he has placed himself in a
components should be present together in any position where he can easily counter-attack.
technique. Park uses the simple example of an Executing the Circular Stepping in conjunction
opponent throwing a straight punch at his chest. with the Circular Body movement and Circular
In the first photo shown below, an opponent Hand movement will always provide the most
throws a punch at Park's chest and Park uses a yin complete technique in either attack or defense.
palm changing to yang palm technique to block All Pa Kua Chang movement contain elements
the punch (Hand Circle). This technique will of circular motion - the twisting, rotating, and
work fine in some instances, however, if the circling of the various parts of the body and palms
opponent is very fast, or has a very powerful are movements which help define Pa Kua Chang
punch, the strike could break through this defense and thus there is much more circling in Pa Kua
and thus the technique is incomplete. than just the circle the practitioner will walk
In the second photo, Park combines the yin around.
and yang turning of the hand with the pivoting of
the body around its central axis (Body Circle +

Hand Only Hand + Body Hand + Body + Step

(Without Body and Step) (Without Step) (Complete)

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 Pa Kua Chang Body Training

Combining the Palm Work with Pa Kua Stepping

ll technique application in Pa Kua the fan chang exercises. From the guard

A Chang involves a combination of

footwork, body movement, and hand
movement. In Park Bok Nam's school,
after the student has worked on the
stance, the simple rule of thumb to follow
is: if the practitioner changes the lead foot
when stepping (as in the "full step"
movement), he or she will execute straight
footwork, body work, and hand work fan chang at the same time. This movement
which has been described in this book thus far, is demonstrated in the photos below
he or she will then combine these (sequence goes from right to left).
components so that all footwork drills will
involve an integrated full body movement in
conjunction with simple hand techniques. Full Step + Fan Chang
It is important to keep in mind that when
we discuss combining hand, body, and The fan chang maneuver is executed with
footwork that there will always be full body the full step, the full step with a jump, and
coordination, integration, and connection. the 90 degree turning step movements that
When the hand, body, and feet move were discussed in the footwork chapter of
together, they should always be properly this book. The photographs on this page
aligned and structurally connected. and the next page demonstrate these
Practicing the basic footwork drills in hand/step combinations.
conjunction with simple hand techniques will The full step with fan chang is executed as
help the student forge these connections. follows: From the guard stance position (photo
1), the practitioner will begin to execute fan
chang in order to block an opponent's strike or
Hand + Body + Step clear his arm away if the opponent has grabbed
(see photo 2). As the palms change, the
Bringing together the hand, body, and practitioner will step forward with the rear foot
stepping movements is not difficult if the (photo 3). When the forward step has been
student is familiar with the "Guard" or completed, the palms have changed and the
"Dragon" Posture, the Pa Fang Ken Pit practitioner is back in the guard stance on the
stepping patterns, the pivot step, and the other side (opposite foot and hand are forward -
hand and body movements associated with see photos 4 and 5).

5 4 3 2 1

The full step executed with the fang chang maneuver

135
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

4 3 2 2

7 6 5
The full step with a jump executed with the fang chang maneuver

5 4 3 2 1

The 90 degree turning step executed with the fang chang maneuver

136
 Pa Kua Chang Body Training

When executing this move in a fighting Changing Step Partner Exercise

situation, there is a strike (application of internal Once the student becomes familiar with the
power) incorporated in the fan chang maneuver, full step and fan chang combination, he or she
however, this should not be practiced until the can practice this combination with a partner.
student learns the mechanics of an internal strike Earlier in this chapter we discussed a two person
so that the application of the technique will be straight fan chang drill. This next partner drill is
properly executed. When this move is first executed in the same fashion, however, a full
taught the student works to make the movement step forward and subsequent full step back is
smooth, relaxed, and fluid. The "power" will be added with the changing of the palms. The
added after the student has spent a sufficient exercise is executed as follows:
amount of time with the palm exercises 1) Both partners assume the dragon stance
described in the palm training chapter of this posture and face each other as shown in photo #1
book. on the next page.
The student should practice the straight fan 2) Both partners begin to execute the fan chang
chang maneuver in conjunction with the full maneuver as shown in photo #2.
step, full step with a jump, and the full step with 3) As the bottom hand begins to slide up the
a 90 degree turn until the movements can be forearm to the wrist-on-wrist position partner A
executed fluidly, smoothly, and naturally. The executes a full step forward and partner B
changing of the palms and the conclusion of the executes a full step back. Notice that in photo
step should always coincide. In execution of #3 both partners have reached the wrist-on-wrist
these maneuvers, shoulder and hip alignment position and they have both executed a full step.
should always be maintained. 4) The fan chang maneuver continues (photos
When changing the palms in conjunction #4 and #5). As we discussed when explaining the
with the full step with a 90 degree turn, the straight fan chang partner exercise, both partners
practitioner will insure that the palms always will remain guarded and protected if they both
stay in front of the face. Turning the palms to execute the fan chang properly.
the 90 degree angle before turning the face 5) At the conclusion of the fan chang, both
and/or body will leave the face unprotected. The partners will begin to execute fan chang again
same is true if the body and face turn to the 90 (photo #6).
degree angle before the palms. The turning of 6) As the bottom hand begins to slide up the
the palms and body should coincide as shown in forearm to the wrist-on-wrist position partner B
the photo sequence on the previous page. executes a full step forward and partner A
The practitioner should be able to execute the executes a full step back (photo #7). The fan
hand and body movement simultaneously and chang maneuver continues to completion
end up back in the perfect guard stance posture (photos# 8 and #9).
after the movement has been executed with no 7) The partners continue executing this
adjustments or additional movements required. stepping/palm changing exercise repeatedly.
This hand/step combination is first executed
slowly and deliberately so that the student can Yin Yang Changing Palm with
concentrate on the correct body mechanics. Jump and Pivot Steps
Later, the student can practice moving faster.
Eventually the student will add power to the In the execution of Pa Kua Chang footwork, if
changing of the palms so that the overturning the practitioner does not change the lead foot when
lead palm is employed as a striking palm. stepping, as in the "jump step" and "pivot step"
Adding power to the palm movement in maneuvers, he or she will not execute fan chang,
combination with stepping maneuvers will be however, the palms will change from yin palms
described in a later chapter of this book. (facing down) to yang palms (facing up) and
back again as the step is executed. The lead palm

137
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3

Photo 4 Photo 5 Photo 6

Photo 7 Photo 8 Photo 9

Changing Step Partner Exercise

138
 Pa Kua Chang Body Training

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3

Changing yin palm to yang palm and back again

stays the same, it simply turns over and turns explain how this is accomplished in
back as the practitioner steps. This palm conjunction with the jump step and the
movement sounds very simple, however, it pivot step footwork.
is important to remember that the palm
does not move independently of the body. Changing Yin to Yang and Back Again
The movement of changing a palm from yang If the practitioner assumes the dragon
to yin, or vice-versa, is driven by the rotation posture and desires to change the palms
of the hips around the body's central axis. from yin to yang, the first motion of the
The mechanics of this movement are body is for the hip on the side of the upper
discussed below. We will first describe palm to pull back (see photo #2 above).
how to turn the palm from yin to yang and The motion of the hip pulling back will
back again while standing still and then cause the shoulder to pull back also as the

5 4 3 2 1

Execution of the Jump Step with the Overturning Palms

139
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

5 4 3 2 1

Execution of the Pivot Step with the Overturning Palms

practitioner retains the hip/shoulder alignments. of the previous page). As soon as the palms have
As the shoulder pulls back, the palm turns from changed from yin to yang, the practitioner will
yin (facing down) to yang (facing up). In a sense, jump step. As the jump step is executed, the body
the body is simply turning around its center and will rotate around its center so that the hip and
the palm moves with it. As the palm moves, the shoulder which were pulled back rotate forward
forearm rotates and the palm changes. during the jump and the palm changes from yang
When changing the palm from yin to yang it is back to yin (see photos 3 through 5). After the
essential that the practitioner maintain correct jump has been executed the practitioner is back in
body alignments. As the hips and shoulders the perfect dragon posture.
rotate the shoulders should remain relaxed and
dropped down. The student should not allow the Executing the Pivot Step with the Yin Yang
shoulders to ride up. Also, the shoulder/hip Changing Palms
alignment should be maintained. There is a
tendency in beginners to let the shoulder on the Like the jump step, the pivot step maneuver is
side of the upper palm pull back too far. also executed with the yin yang changing palms
Additionally, the knees should not wobble from hand gesture. When executing the pivot from the
side to side as the hips turn. The knees should guard stance, as the body pivots around the front
remain facing the same direction as the toes. foot, the palm changes from yin to yang as shown
In order to change the palms from yang back to in the sequence of photographs as the top of this
yin, the practitioner will simply rotate the hips page. Because the pivot step is primarily a defensive
back to the original position. As the hips and technique and is typically followed by an
shoulders rotate, the forearms rotate and the immediate offensive attack, the practitioner will
palms overturn. not change the palm back from yang to yin at the
conclusion of the pivot maneuver. As depicted in
Executing the Jump Step with the Yin Yang the photo sequence above, the palm will remain
Changing Palms in the yang palm position at the end of the pivot
Once the student has practiced changing the step and will change back to yin as the follow-on
palms from yin to yangin the static dragon posture, attack step is executed. A defense/attack sequence
it is easy to add the mechanics of the yin yang is described in the next section.
changing palms to the jump step maneuver. From
the dragon stance posture, the practitioner will Defense + Attack + Defense
pull back the hip on the side of the upper palm to Since the pivot step is primarily a defensive
change the palms from yin to yang as described in maneuver and is always used in combination
the last section (see photos 1 and 2 on the bottom with an offensive attack, we will now discuss the

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 Pa Kua Chang Body Training

1
5 4 3 2 1

10 9 8 7 6
Defense + Attack + Defense Sequence

yin to yang changing palms used in conjunction While all eight of the possible three-element
with the pivot step by describing the " defense + combinations as discussed in the footwork chapter
attack + defense" exercise addressed in the last can be practiced with the hand work as described
chapter, only this time we will include the hand above, Park will usually have the student
movements. concentrate on the following combinations:
In the "defense + attack + defense" sequence,
the first move which is executed is the pivot step D+A+D
as described in the last section (as shown in A+D+A
photographs 1-5 above). After the pivot step is A+A + D
executed, the practitioner will immediately execute D+A+A
a jump step attack and the palm will change from
yang to yin (see photos 6 and 7 above). Immediately When practicing the "overturning palms"
after the jump step is executed, the practitioner maneuver in conjunction with the stepping, the
performs the next pivot step, the palms change student works to make the palm changes smooth
once again from yin to yang. This combination and the stepping quick and light. When the
sequence is repeated over and over so that the practitioner moves, the footwork and hand
practitioner gains a body knowledge of the pivot movements are performed together so that the
step/jump step combination. hand maneuver is completed at the same time as

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4

Photo 5 Photo 6 Photo 7

Circle walk change of direction utilizing the mechanics

trained in the circle fan chang exercise

the footwork. At the conclusion of the movement, At this point, in the training process the student
the practitioner should end up back in the perfect does not try to put power into the palm work (as
"guard" posture; the hand and foot movement if striking someone) - this component will be
having reached completion simultaneously. All added later.
movements should be smooth, fluid, and relaxed.

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 Pa Kua Chang Body Training
Fan Chang and Walking the Circle practitioner should turn the body at the hips, not
the waist. Turning at the hips requires a flexible
The circle fan chang exercise is designed to waist and strong, flexible inner thigh muscles.
prepare the student for changing direction while The circle fan chang exercise helps to train this
walking the circle. When executing fan chang in component and thus the circle walking posture
conjunction with the Pa Fang Ken Pu steps, the and change of direction become easier for the
hands are out in front of the body and change student to execute.
along the direction of movement. When the The basic circle walk change of direction
practitioner walks the circle, the hands are facing variation which is taught in Park's school after the
into the center of the circle and the direction of student has become familiar with the circle fan
movement is along the path of the circle, thus the chang exercise is shown on the previous page.
torso is twisted slightly to the side (about 45
degrees). While walking the circle and executing a
simple change of direction facing inside the circle Hand Movement with
(nei chang), the practitioner will k'ou pu, turn, and K'ou Pu and Pai Pu
then step off in the other direction as demonstrated
in the footwork section of this book. When The k'ou pu and pat pu foot maneuvers have
executing this footwork, the practitioner will numerous arm positions which may be executed
simultaneously execute the fan chang maneuver in conjunction with the footwork, however, in
with the palms. this section we will introduce a few of the most
When this change of direction was discussed common arm positions utilized in Park Bok
previously, a simple straight fan chang maneuver Nam's school when executing the k'ou pu and pai
was executed, however, there is a variation which pu footwork.
employs a wider upper body turning radius and The arm position the student in Park's school
thus the mechanics trained in the circle fan chang will first learn to execute with the pai pu
exercise are employed. During the execution of footwork is referred to as the "giraffe" posture.
this change, the direction the palms are facing This posture is traditionally referred to as the
transitions from one side of the body to the other in "unicorn" posture, however, Park calls it "giraffe"
a wide turning radius as shown in the photos on because the execution of the movement
the previous page. This is only a 180 degree resembles a giraffe whipping its neck. This hand
change in direction, however, the 360 degree body posture is shown in the photograph below. Both
turning executed in the circle fan chang exercise palms face upward {yang palms). The forward
will help loosen the body and train the mechanics palm is at eye level and the rear palm is held
associated with this movement. close to the elbow of the forward palm.
The full 360 degree turning motion of the circle
fan chang exercise helps to loosen the hips and
stretch the adductor muscles of the inner thighs so
that the body twisting motion executed in
conjunction with the Pa Kua Chang circle walking
and associated palm changes can be executed
properly. A common mistake beginning
practitioners make in alignment when holding the
circle walking dragon posture is to twist at the
waist, not the hips. This is incorrect. The
practitioner wants to always maintain the hip and
shoulder alignment. If the practitioner twists at the Pai Pu K'ou Pu
waist, the hips and shoulders are not aligned and Snake Posture
Giraffe Posture
the chain of power will be broken at the waist.
In order to twist the body correctly the

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

4 3 2 1

8 7 6 5

12
11 10 9

Execution of K’ou Pu and Pai Pu Stepping with the Hand Work

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 Pa Kua Chang Body Training
the center of the circle and thus the snake posture
is executed. The "hiding" flower posture is typically
used in more complex changing maneuvers.
In the snake posture, which is traditionally
called "white snake coils its body," Park uses the
snake analogy to help the student understand the
alignments in this posture. He states the upper
hand is the snake's head and the lower hand is the
snake's tail. In most applications involving this
posture, the upper hand is the active, or striking
hand and thus the practitioner watches the snakes
head. The arms and upper back form the body of
the snake. The forearms are held approximately
parallel to the ground. The upper hand, or snake's
head, extends beyond the elbow of the lower arm
and the lower hand, or snakes's tail, extends out
beyond the elbow of the upper arm. The lower
K'ou Pu hand is tucked in closer to the body than the
upper hand. In other words, the lower hand is
“Hiding Flower Under Leaf” Posture closer to the armpit than the upper arm is to the
shoulder. These alignments are simple to
The arm position associated with the k'ou pu remember if one envisions a snake coiled up and
footwork can be either the "white snake" posture ready to strike.
or the "hiding flower under leaf" posture. These Lu Shui-T'ien explained to Park that in China
two postures are shown in the photographs on the white snake was known for it ability to crush
page 143 and above, respectively. The reader will whatever it wrapped its body around. This
notice that the only difference between the two particular breed of snake was known to have been
postures is that in the snake posture the bottom strong enough to wrap its body around the bottom
palm is facing down and the practitioner looks at of a horses leg and break the horse's ankle. Lu said
the upper palm and in the "hiding flower under that he remembers throwing large pieces of
leaf" posture the bottom palm is facing up and the bamboo near the white snake and watching the
practitioner looks at the lower palm. Although snake wrap its body around the bamboo and crush
the palm one looks at will depend on which palm it.
is the "active" palm and thus is situational, looking In the "hiding flower under leaf" posture the
at the upper palm in the snake posture and the practitioner will rotate the hips as far as possible
lower palm in the "hiding flower" posture is a and watch the bottom hand so that the entire
general rule Park will give to beginners. spine and neck will twist and stretch. The twisting
Another rule for beginners when executing primarily occurs in the thigh and hip area (yao
these two k'ou pu postures is that if the practitioner k'ua). Even though the practitioner is twisting as
is stepping into k'ou pu and he or she is facing the far as possible, the hips and shoulders should still
center of the circle, the snake posture is executed. be aligned. If the practitioner cannot maintain
If the practitioner is stepping into k'ou pu and he proper hip and shoulder alignment, he or she
or she is facing away from the circle's center, the should not twist quite as far. Beginning students
"hiding flower under leaf" posture is executed. tend to allow the waist to turn farther than the
When executing a simple change of direction on hips and thus the shoulder and hip alignment is
the circle, execution of the 90 degree k'ou pu will lost.
orient the practitioner so that he or she is facing

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Pa Kua Chang Body Training - Conclusion

I n the last chapter we emphasized the

importance of Pa Kua Chang footwork,
however, as important as the footwork is,
unless the practitioner can learn to move the body
the correct timing can be very effective. These
connections are trained through hours of practice
with simple exercises such as the fan chang set.
Lu Shui-T'ien's use of the body movements of
in a coordinated, integrated fashion with the Pa Kua Chang in combination with Pa Kua Chang
stepping maneuvers, the results of effective stepping was so effective that he could immediately
stepping will not reach fruition. In this chapter enter the weak spot in any opponent's defense
we have discussed the basics of Pa Kua Chang and he passed this skill on to Park. Park said that
body movement through the mechanics of the Lu told him, "If you have a container of water and
fan chang exercises and the "Scooping Moon From that container has a hole in it, the water will leak
Sea Bottom" exercise. As simple as these exercises out of that hole no matter how small a hole it is."
might seem, the student who practices them on a Lu said that similarly, a Pa Kua Chang practitioner
regular basis will reap great benefits in terms of finds the opening in an opponent's defense no
proper Pa Kua Chang body movement. With a matter how small. As soon as the opening presents
strong foundation forged in these simple exercises, itself, like water running out of a hole in a plastic
the student will be ready to effectively handle the bag, the Pa Kua practitioner is flowing through
more complex body movements associated with that hole.
Pa Kua Chang. In this chapter basic body movements were
The body rotations which were discussed in presented and then these movements were
this chapter are vital to effective Pa Kua Chang combined with Pa Kua Chang stepping techniques.
application. When these body rotations are used When first combining the hand, body, and foot
in conjunction with Pa Kua Chang stepping movement the student in Park's school will strive
techniques, the Pa Kua practitioner can easily find to execute these movement smoothly and fluidly
openings in the opponent's defense and rapidly while remaining relaxed and comfortable. In the
destroy an opponent in a situation which calls for beginning stages of this training "power"
such action. application is not a concern of the student.
Park Bok Nam tells a story about a time when The student in Park's school does not apply
his teacher met an Aikido instructor who was a striking power to the "foot + body + hand"
friend of Park's. Lu Shui-T'ien, Park and his friend movements until he or she has spent a considerable
went on a walk and discussed martial arts. At one amount of time practicing palm striking exercises
point in the conversation the Aikido instructor so that the he or she can learn how to develop the
grabbed Lu Shui-T'ien's arm. Lu quickly changed mechanics of applying power prior to having to
his palm from yin to yang as he shook his body and worry about how to apply powerful strikes in
allowed the palm to whip out as it overturned. conjunction with the steps. The next chapter
The Aikido instructor was thrown to the ground. discusses the basics of power development using
Lu kept walking. Pa Kua Chang palm exercises as a vehicle.
Later, Park asked his teacher, "Why were you
so mean to my friend?" Lu said, "He is an internal
martial artist. I do not know how skilled he is with
his ch'i and I do not know his intentions in
grabbing me. He should not touch me unless he
asks."
The story exhibits how the correct body
rotations applied at the proper angles and with

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 Pa Kua Chang Body Training

Ch'i Coordinated with the Strength

Eyes Coordinated with the Hands

Body Coordinated with the Steps

147
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

148
 Chapter 5
Pa Kua Chang Palm Training

149
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Chapter 5

Pa Kua Chang
Palm Training
A
lthough a Pa Kua Chang practitioner in "internal" strike. All of Park's teaching is very direct
combat will strike with the fist, the palm, the and is focused on the student being able to actually
wrist, the elbow, the shoulder, the hip, the accomplish the task rather than understand in
knee, the heel, the foot, the head and multiple intricate detail how the task was accomplished.
combinations thereof, this art has become famous When it comes to "internal" striking, if the student
for its development of devastating palm strikes. A has never experienced an internal strike, Park will
skilled practitioner of Pa Kua Chang can deliver a first give them a taste of what it feels like and then
powerful palm strike from any distance, at any teach them exercises designed to learn how to
angle, at any time, and from any direction. Thunder develop it. Park feels that it is better for the student
Palm, Hurricane Palm, Lightning Palm, Crushing to practice an exercise that will develop the skill
Palm, Vibrating Palm, Splitting Palm, call the rather than talk about how it is done.
variations what you will, the end result is usually the When teaching internal striking mechanics,
same - devastation of the opponent in combat. Park prefers to perform the technique and have the
In Park's method, there are two important student feel Park's body while the technique is
components which the practitioner must develop in being performed. He feels that by having the
order to begin to achieve an effective internal palm student feel what is going on with his body the
strike. First, the mechanics of physical movement student will develop a much better sense of what is
and the physical body alignments must be correct. happening than if he were to try and explain it in
Second, the practitioner must be able to move ch'i words.
from the tan t'ien to the palm instantaneously. The There are two things that a student will
second requirement is discussed in the Pa Kua Ch'i immediately notice when Park gives them a small
Kung chapter of this book. The first requirement, taste of an internal strike. The first thing observed is
palm mechanics, is outlined in this chapter. that Park does not have to move very much in order
However, before the palm mechanics are explained, to deliver an incredibly powerful strike. A small,
we will discuss Park's interpretation of what is quick shake of Park's body is enough to knock a big
meant by "internal power." man off his feet. Secondly, the student will notice
that the strike penetrates very deep inside the body
and stays inside the body. These are two of the main
Internal Power vs. External Power characteristics of an internal strike: it can be
delivered through very small body articulations, and
Park Bok Nam does not like to talk much about it penetrates deep inside the body of the person on
the details of energetics, anatomy, and physiology the receiving end. This is much different than the
which are involved in the application of an effects commonly connected with an external strike.

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 Pa Kua Chang Palm Training
Park defines "external power," in an equation a lot of dedication to the practice of proper
form, as follows: mechanics and correct ch'i kung and there can be
no missing pieces. This is why Park's training
External Power = Speed + Distance + Mass program is so systematic and why he requires
precision in the performance of basic exercises
Anyone who has taken high school physics before students are allowed to progress. He does
will notice that this equation looks very similar to not believe that the practitioner will get there by
the familiar equation: force = mass times just practicing choreographed form routines.
acceleration (f=ma). The application of external Park defines "internal power," in an equation
force is effective when a mass (the fist, foot, etc.) form, as follows:
is moved with accelerated speed through a
distance. The greater the mass, the faster the Internal Power = Internal Striking Mechanics + Ch'i
movement, or the greater the distance traveled at Movement
an accelerated speed, the greater the damage on
impact. Makes sense, right? If a big guy takes a big Where:
swing at someone and hits them with a large
meaty fist, it is going to hurt. At this point in the Ch'i Movement=Mind (Intention)+Fluid and Relaxed
lecture, Park usually shows the class how skinny Body Movement + Breathing
his arms are and then asks the biggest guy in class
to come up to the front of the room. He places his Analyzing these equations, it is easy to see why
palm on the big guy's chest, and without pulling this striking method is called "internal." The
his palm off the guy's chest at all, Park shakes his development of internal striking mechanics
body slightly, the guy's knees buckle and he hits requires the student to start with exercises which
the floor. condition the muscles, joints, tendons, and
Park explains that internal power is much ligaments to work in a coordinated, integrated
different than external power. When applying fashion while the body remains relaxed, supple,
internal power, one does not need mass, does not and structurally aligned. Once development along
need distance, and the person on the receiving these lines has occurred through the practice of
end does not feel damage on the surface of his large body movements, the student will work to
body as he would in an external strike, he feels it refine the movements so that the same result can
inside. There are no bruises, contusions or other be obtained through smaller and more subtle
external signs of being hit. The damage is done movements. The student is taking large physical
deep inside the body. Lu Shui-T'ien was well movements and "internalizing" them.
known in Korea for his ability to hit a watermelon In addition to the physical mechanics involved
with a palm strike and turn the insides into liquid. in the development of an internal strike, the
The external watermelon rind would not be broken practitioner will work to develop the ch'i
at all, yet when someone cut the melon open the component as well. This training involves
meat of the watermelon looked as though it had breathing exercises, meditation, and nonspecific
been blasted with a shotgun. body movement exercises all focused on improving
This description of internal power is not news distal circulation of ch'i in the body, balancing the
to people who have been practicing internal ch 'i in the body, unifying the body's strength, and
martial arts. The desire to develop this kind of focusing the mind. The focus of much of this
power is probably why many people are interested training is turned inward and thus it is easy to see
in the "internal styles." But how do you develop why this component adds to the "internal" aspect
this power? Some like to profess that it requires of the strike.
years and years of practice with "secret" training If the student spends a few hours every day
methods. Park doesn't feel this way. Development training the components of internal striking in a
of this ability does take work, however, there is no progressive manner, internal striking power is
big secret and there is no "magic." It just requires attainable. In Park's system, ch'i development is

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

trained through a series of progressive meditation, elbow striking exercises. These are then followed
breathing, and ch'i kung exercises. In the beginning by a series of "speed combination" exercises. The
levels of training the student will practice these speed combinations combine the palm and elbow
components separately (i.e. when first practicing strikes and teach the student how to apply multiple
ch'i kung body movement exercises, the beginner strikes rapidly. Park's teacher, Lu Shui-T'ien,
will not worry about a specific breathing pattern required him to train each one of the eight palm
but instead concentrate on obtaining the "ch'i striking exercises for one hour each day for a
feeling"). Each component is developed to some period of six months before the next palm exercise
extent separately and then the pieces are brought was taught. At this rate, it took Park 48 months
together so that the meditation, breathing, and before he learned all eight of the palm exercises
ch 'i fc«n# movements are practiced simultaneously. and thus Park refers to this training sequence as
(A complete description of Park's basic Pa Kua ch 'i "48 month palm." Park does not require his
kung training is included later in this book.) After students to practice each palm for such a long
this stage of development, these components are time before teaching the next exercise in the
then combined with striking mechanics to develop sequence, however, he recommends that if the
internal striking skill. student really wants to develop exceptional striking
Striking mechanics are developed in Park's power, he or she practice as it was traditionally
school while practicing a series of eight palm taught.
striking exercises followed by a series of eight

The Basic Palm Exercises

B efore being introduced to the "48 month

palm" exercises the student in Park's school
will learn two preliminary palm striking
exercises - the first is called tou chang (shaking
Tou Chang
The goal in developing the first stages of
internal striking power in Pa Kua Chang is to
palm) and the second is the "dragon back" exercise. cultivate an unbroken chain of fluid movement
The tou chang exercise begins to develop the which extends from the feet all the way up through
student's ability to relax the body and extend the palm. To avoid broken links in this chain, the
power from the heels up to the palm while rotating entire body must be loose and flexible, especially
the hips and shoulders around the body's central in and around the joints. If there are tight or
axis. Concentration is focused on completely restricted areas, there will be a kink in the chain.
relaxing the arm, shoulder, and back so that the Because the chain of movement is from the ground
power is generated from a full body motion and up, Park starts the student training the mechanics
there are no tense areas to block the flow of energy from the palm down. The rationale here is simple.
or chain of continuous motion. In this section we If the practitioner trains the mechanics that will
will describe these two fundamental exercises and develop power initiating in the hips or lower back
then we will describe the first two of the "48 before having developed proper movement,
month palm" exercises. flexibility, and softness in the upper back,
shoulders and arms, the power being generated
from the hips and lower back will become restricted
when it reaches the upper back, shoulder, or arm
and this can cause injury. Thus, although the
striking force is coming up from the ground and
channeled through the rotation of the hips and
Tou Chang shoulders around the body's central axis, the

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 Pa Kua Chang Palm Training

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4

Photo 5 Photo 6 Photo 7

The Tou Chang Exercise (slow set - front view)

focus of the ton cluing exercise is to relax the Chang was to learn how to be as flexible,
arm, shoulder and upper back while smooth, supple, fluid, light, and quick as the
training the mechanics of proper motion in cats.
these areas. The tou chang exercise is executed as
Park came to his Pa Kua Chang teacher follows:
after having studied a Korean "hard style" 1) Stand in a "horse" stance with both palms
for a number of years. When his teacher first face up and resting by the sides of the rib
taught him the tou chang exercise, Park's cage. See photo 1 front view (above) and
upper body movement was very stiff and photo 1 side view (on the next page).
mechanical. To help remedy the situation, 2) One palm moves straight out and rises up
Lu Shui-T'ien had Park do nothing but at approximately a 45 degree angle. See
follow and observe two cats which lived at photo 2, front view and photo 2, side view.
Lu's house. Lu told Park to carefully watch 3) The palm continues to rise up until it
the way these cats walked, ran, jumped, reaches approximately eye level. The
pounced, played, and hunted. Everyday for extension of the palm is motivated by the
two weeks when Park came to practice he hips and shoulders moving in unison
was told, "Go watch the cats." Lu's around the central axis of the body. The
message was that the only way Park would body's central axis is the imaginary line
learn how to properly move his body in Pa Kua which extends from the crown of the head down

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4

Photo 5 Photo 6 Photo 7

The Tou Chang Exercise (slow set - side view)

through the perineum ( i n acupuncture When executing the tou chang maneuver
terminology the line would be drawn from the it is important to keep the palm facing up
pai hui through the hui yin). See photo 3, until just before the hip and shoulder reach
front view and photo 3, side view. the point of maximum rotation and the
4) As the hips and shoulders reach the strike is applied.
full extension of their rotation, the palm The Chinese view the energy of the day
changes from yang (facing up) to yin (facing as being strongest when yin is changing to
down, or out away from the body). The yang (sunrise) and when yang is changing to
knees remain facing forward. Do not yin (sunset). This theory carries over to the
allow the knees to wobble or sway with the changing of the palms as well. The palm
twisting of the hips. See photo 4, front view movements are most powerful when the yin
and photo 4, side view. palm is changing to the yang palm or when
5) Repeat steps ( 1 ) through (4) with the yang palm is changing to a the yin palm.
the opposite palm. The palm that was just Typically the yin changing to yang will be
thrown moves back to the original position used in conjunction with a defensive
beside the rib cage as the next palm is maneuver, such as a parry or when freeing
thrown out (see photos 5 through 7 front one's self from an opponent's grab, and the yang
view and side view).

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 Pa Kua Chang Palm Training
changing to yin will be used in conjunction with principle through an example. He states that if a
an offensive strike. person was to put a healthy arm in a sling for a
week and not use that arm at all, when the arm
Training Stages came out of the sling it would be stiff and hard to
As stated in the footwork chapter, Park move even though it was healthy when it went
encourages his students to train any exercise into the sling. It is stiff because it was not used and
that he teaches in several progressive stages. therefore the mind did not think about moving
First the exercise is executed very slowly with the arm. Because the mind did not send signals
concentration on the proper body alignments for the arm to move (place intent in the arm) the
and the correct mechanics of the movements. energy and nerve impulse travel to that arm was
The student works the exercise slowly until it can minimal. Although the muscles in the arm are
be executed with exactness and fluidity. During healthy they do not operate properly without
the tou chang exercise the mind is focused on the continual stimulation from the mind and nervous
striking palm. By focusing intently on the striking system.
palm the student begins to form a mind/body/ When the body moves slowly and the intention
nervous system connection. The mind intention is focused on that movement, more energy,
is what leads the energy movement in the body, if blood, and nerve impulse moves into the areas of
the intention is keen, the energy movement is the body where the intent is focused. Because the
full, complete, and rapid. Park often explains this body is moving slow, more muscle control is

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9
The Tou Chang Exercise (fast set)

155
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

required. When more muscle control is required The fourth stage of execution is to combine the
and the intention is sending more nerve impulses palm exercise with Pa Kua Chang footwork. This
to the muscles, more muscle fibers are activated stage is divided into two "sub-stages." The first
and thus the muscles are trained more completely. sub-stage is to practice the footwork and hand
Additionally, because the practitioner strives to work in combination through slow deliberate
relax the major muscle groups while in motion, movements as described in the previous chapter.
secondary muscle groups, which may not usually The second sub-stage is to add power into the
be under conscious control, come into action to striking and stepping combination. Adding
help move the body and thus there is a more powerful strikes in combination with the stepping
complete muscle development in the execution movements will be described later in this chapter.
of the movement. When the muscles are trained In the fifth stage of training any exercise the
in this manner and the intention is focused, a student will work to refine the movements of the
seemingly unnatural amount of strength can be exercise so that large movements become very
developed. This component is trained very fully small. After training the tou chang exercise for
in T'ai Chi Ch'uan and I-Ch'uan practice. a sufficient amount of time the practitioner
The next step is to execute the exercise with should be able to lay his or her palm on an
power. The power in the tou chang exercise is opponent's body and, without pulling the palm
generated by a quick and aggressive rotation of back off of the body at all, apply a very powerful
the hips and shoulders moving in unison around strike with a quick "shaking" of the body around
the body's central axis. When this stage is its central axis. The power from this "shaking" of
executed, the upper body, shoulders, and arms are the body is similar to that achieved by a dog
very relaxed. The arm is thrown out in a movement shaking water off of its wet coat.
similar to the cracking of a whip. The intention, The sixth stage of training these exercises is
alignments, mechanics, and muscles are to work on linking continuous combinations of
conditioned properly during the first, or slow the palm strikes with elbow strikes and footwork.
movement, stage. This second stage takes these In Park's system this component is trained by
components and brings them all together in a first executing a variety of "speed combination"
quick burst in order to develop "short" or "shock" drills while standing in a static posture and
power. The difference between "long" or "heavy" later executing the same combinations together
power and "short" or "shock" power will be with stepping maneuvers.
explained later in this chapter. The photo sequence
on the previous page demonstrates this exercise Breathing
executed with power. Correct breathing in conjunction with proper
The third stage of execution of any exercise in body motion is critical in the development of the
Park's system is to execute the exercise with power internal strike. The mechanics of correct
and speed. In the tou chang exercise the element breathing during the execution of a strike will
of speed is added by executing left/right striking significantly enhance the movement of ch'i in
combinations in rapid succession. The left palm the body. Rapid movement of ch'i from the tan
is thrown with power and then this strike is t'ien to the palm is a crucial component of the
immediately followed by a quick powerful strike internal striking ability. In order to develop this
with the right hand. This exercise enables the ability fully, specific ch'i kung breathing methods
practitioner to develop the ability to move the are practiced so that the tan t'ien and the ch'i are
upper body quickly around the body's central developed in a progressive manner. The basics of
axis. During the exercise, the student should this process are outlined in the ch’i kung chapter of
concentrate on keeping the body vertical and this book.
stable. There should be no bouncing up and While executing the basic palm exercises
down, shifting of weight from one leg to the which are described in this book, the practitioner
other, or swaying back and forth. The body will exhale forcefully through the nose in unison
simply rotates quickly around its center. with the striking motion. The practitioner will

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 Pa Kua Chang Palm Training

abdominal development exercises are outlined in the

ch'i kung section of this book.
After inhaling fully, the practitioner will exhale by
physically contracting the lower abdomen and thus
applying pressure on all sides of the tan t'ien. Making
the audible "grunt" with the exhale will help the
abdomen contract properly. When the abdomen has
been fully contracted the practitioner will not relax
the abdominal muscles, but will still maintain a slight
tension in the lower abdomen as if to hold the tan
t'ien slightly compressed until the next inhale. The
exhale is short and sharp. The compression on the
lower tan t'ien will help "pump" the ch'i throughout
the body. With the intention and correct body motion
guiding the ch'i, it will naturally be directed to the
palm. Beginning students should not concentrate too
much on the breathing mechanics. The audible
exhale will be enough to allow the lower abdomen to
contract. Beginners should focus on the proper
physical mechanics of the tou chang movement and
on keeping the body relaxed. After the student has
been properly trained through a correct series of
Park's "prescription" breathing exercises, the lower
abdominal breathing will be developed and the
also audibly "grunt" as the air is passing out of the student can work to integrate the breathing with the
nose. The exact sound of the "grunt" at this point palm striking exercise in a more complete manner.
is nonspecific. Because the tou chang breathing method,
In order to help propel ch'i from the lower combined with the relaxed body, vigorous whipping
abdomen to the palm when executing the palm motion of the body around its center, and focus
strike, the inhale and exhale are executed in a intention on the palms, helps to stimulate the flow of
specific manner. When the practitioner inhales, ch'i and blood in the entire body, Park recommends
he or she allows the entire lower abdomen to that even students who are not interested in learning
expand. There should be expansion in both the how to defend themselves practice this exercise. Park
forward and backward directions as shown in has a number of students who come to study with
the illustration above. The practitioner should him in order to improve their health. He will devise a
work to allow the expansion to occur in the lowest unique training program for each individual which
portion of the abdomen (in the pelvic region, will allow the body's health to improve in a safe,
below the belly). Remember that the tan t'ien is gentle manner. When the student's body has
located approximately three inches below the progressed to the stage where they can properly
navel and thus expansion of the tan t'ien occurs execute the tou chang exercise, Park will have them
much lower than the belly. practice this exercise in order to allow the body to
Development of correct abdominal breathing further loosen and relax while the pumping of the tan
is trained in Park's school through a series of t'ien and the whipping motion of the exercise
progressive breathing exercises. The basic stimulate ch'i flow in areas that are obstructed.
breathing exercises which are taught prior to the

157
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3

Photo 4 Photo 5 Photo 6

The Dragon Back Exercise (slow set)
By simply working diligently with the tou exercise, however, the farmer told him that he
Chang exercise everyday, the practitioner can had indeed practiced everyday. The farmer was
develop an incredible amount of striking power. proud of the ability he had developed and wanted
Lu Shui-T'ien told Park that when he was in to give Lu a demonstration. He brought out one
China, traveling on horse back, a farmer saw him of his sheep and struck it with his palm. The sheep
on the road late one night and invited him to take let out a cry and was stunned for a moment but
his night's rest at his home. When the farmer then walked away as though nothing had
found out who Lu was, he asked if he could teach happened. Lu congratulated the farmer on his
him something about martial arts before he left practice and was surprised that he had practice so
the next day. In gratitude for the farmer's kindness hard for two years on this one exercise. "What's
in giving him a place to sleep for the night, Lu the point?", one might ask. Nothing happened to
taught him the tou cluing exercise. the sheep, right? The next day when they went
Two years later Lu happened by the same area outside, the sheep was dead. When they cut it
of the country and stopped to see the farmer. Lu open they saw that it had bleed to death internally.
had not expected the farmer to have practiced the

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 Pa Kua Chang Palm Training

Dragon Back encourage the flow of ch’i from the tan t’ien,
along the spine and out to the palms. As in the row
After the student has developed flexibility, chang exercise, once the muscles have been
fluidity of motion, and the proper mechanics trained by executing the exercise through a large
associated with the tou chang exercise, Park will range of motion, the motion is refined so that the
teach another preliminary exercise which is effect is achieved while the body movement is
practiced prior to learning the first of the "48 minimal, or in many cases, undetectable to an
month palms." This exercise trains the back and untrained observer. Park can execute this spine
spine to perform what Park calls the "dragon rippling mechanic so subtly that it is
back" movement. undetectable to the eye, however, if one were to
The "dragon back" movement is a segmented place their hand on his spine when he is striking,
whipping of the spine to produce a "whip cracking" the slight rippling motion of the spine can be
effect at the palms. The whipping of the spine is felt.
executed in this exercise through a large range of A verbal explanation of this exercise is very
motion so that the muscles of the upper and lower difficult and photos are not much help, this is one
back which surround the spine become loose and reason why this book comes with a companion
supple. Suppleness along the spine will not only video in which the exercises are demonstrated by
help the practitioner in the mechanical execution Park himself. The mechanics of this motion are
of this component of striking, but will also very similar to those used in cracking a whip, but
now the whip is the practitioners spine. The

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10
The Dragon Back Exercise (fast set)

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

"dragon back" exercise is executed as follows: which may cause discomfort. If the shoulders and
1) The practitioner assumes a "horse" stance with arms are relaxed, all the power generated in the
the palms facing up and extended out in front of the back will travel out to the palms and thus will not
body as shown in photo 1 on the previous page. The go up to the head.
shoulders are relaxed and held naturally. This exercise is demonstrated at full speed in the
2) The coccyx is tucked under while the area of the sequence of photos shown on the previous page.
lower back known in Chinese medicine as the ming This sequence should give the reader a better
men (located between the second and third lumbar understanding of the mechanics involved.
vertebra) is pulled back. The palms remain facing
up and extended out slightly. The shoulders remain
relaxed. See photo 2. Single Palm Change Exercise
3) The middle back arches like a cat getting ready to (Tan Huan Chang)
pounce. The transition from step (2) to step (3)
After having practiced the tou chang and
should be smooth, fluid, and continuous. The
"dragon back" exercises for a sufficient amount of
shoulders remain relaxed and dropped down even
time, Park will then teach the student the first of the
though the upper back is arched. The palms remain
eight "48 month" palms. In this first palm exercise,
extended. See photo 3.
tan huan chang or single palm change exercise, the
4) As the "ripple" or "wave" continues up to the
practitioner will learn to combine the "dragon back"
upper part of the back, the lower back, which has
mechanics with the rotation of the body around its
been tucked under, flattens out to prepare for the
central axis which was practiced in the tou chang
next undulation, resembling the snapping motion
exercise. When the performing these mechanics
executed when cracking a whip. The practitioner
correctly and combining them with the ch'i
has now rippled a wave all the way up the spine and
component, a tremendous amount of power can be
is back in a position similar to that shown in photo 1
generated with very small, subtle movements.
(see photo 4). The motion the practitioner has
While producing a great amount of power
executed so far is similar to the motion used when
through small, subtle movements is an eventual
drawing back a whip right before executing the
goal in internal arts practice, before small
quick cracking motion. This first wave is
movements can be used effectively, the body is
executed slowly and with relatively large
trained through practice with larger movements and
movements (a big wave).
the use of force which is not so subtle. Although
5) From the position in step (4) the practitioner will
this force is applied while the practitioner maintains
tuck the coccyx under once again, however, this
a relaxed body, it is still ming ching, or obvious
time it snaps quickly and sends another wave,
power, which is being applied during the initial
which moves much more rapidly than the first, back
training stages. The practitioner starts the training
up the spine (photo 5). The practitioner will allow
process with large movements so that the muscles,
this small, fast wave to extend out the arms and as
joints, tendons, bones, and ligaments can be
the wave reaches the end of the arms the palms turn
properly stretched, loosened, and otherwise
over (see photo 6). This "cracking" wave is much
developed. The practitioner can only move on to
more subtle than the first "wind-up" wave.
small, subtle movements after the body has been
During the execution of this exercise the entire
upper body remains relaxed and the movement is
motivated by the pelvis rocking forward, then
rocking back, and then snapping forward. The
shoulders should remain relaxed and dropped
down throughout the entire exercise. If the
shoulders and arms are not relaxed sufficiently,
the snapping motion of the spine will create a Tan Huan Chang
small whiplash-like effect in the neck and head

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 Pa Kua Chang Palm Training

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4

Photo 5 Photo 6 Photo 7 Photo 8

Photo 9 Photo 10 Photo 11 Photo 12

The Single Palm Change {Tan Huan Chang) Exercise (slow set)

161
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12

The Single Palm Change (Tan Huan Chang) Exercise (fast set)

162
 Pa Kua Chang Palm Training

13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20

The Single Palm Change (Tan Huan Chang) Exercise (fast set - con't)

fully developed. Thus, while the movements in hips and pulling back the hip which is on the side
the tan huan chang exercise are large at first, they of the striking hand (see photo 3). The body and
become very small and are executed quickly in hand movements are greatly exaggerated when
actual application. the beginner first starts practicing this exercise.
The tan huan chang exercise is executed as Remember, at this stage it is a body conditioning
follows: exercise. When these striking mechanics are
1) The practitioner assumes a dragon stance applied in combat, the movement is so small it is
posture with the arms held as shown in barely apparent to the observer. 4) The
photograph 1 on page 161. Both palms are facing practitioner continues with the dragon back
up. The upper palm is held at eye level and the movement. As the second wave is whipped out,
lower palm is held near the elbow of the upper the hip which was pulled back is also thrown
palm. forward with the palm strike. As in the previous
2) The practitioner steps out in an extended two exercises, the palm does not turn over until
"bow" stance while maintaining the same upper just before the hip reaches its full extension. The
body position (see photo 2). full extension of the hip is timed to occur
3) From the posture above, the practitioner simultaneously with the second whipping motion
begins to execute the "dragon back" motion with of the dragon back body action. See photos 4 and
the back while simultaneously twisting at the 5.

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

5) From this position the practitioner will stance posture in preparation for the next
draw the front leg back and assume a "cat" repetition of the exercise. See photos 10 through
stance with the majority of the weight on the 12.
back leg. While the forward leg is drawing The fast set sequence is shown on the previous
back, the practitioner executes the fan chang two pages.
maneuver. See photos 6 and 7.
6) Now the practitioner begins the dragon
back motion again in order to prepare to Double Palm Change Exercise
throw the other palm (photo 8). As the (Shuang Huan Chang)
back arches, the hip on the side of the
The next exercise in the "48 month" palm
striking hand also pulls back.
series is known as the "double palm change
7) As the second wave of the dragon back
exercise." In this exercise, the practitioner will
cracks, the hip is thrown forward and the
perform the double palm striking movement
palm is thrown (see photo 9).
which was executed in the dragon back exercise,
8) The practitioner executes fan chang once
however it is now performed from the dragon
again while stepping forward into the
stance posture instead of the horse stance. This
extended bow

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3

Photo 4 Photo 5 Photo 6

The Double Palm Change (Shuang Huan Chang) Exercise (slow set)

164
 Pa Kua Chang Palm Training

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14

The Double Palm Change (Shuang Huan Chang) Exercise (fast set)

165
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

footwork and snake-like body movements

characteristic of Pa Kua Chang, these palms seem
to appear out of nowhere and are delivered with
an unbelievable amount of power.

Shuang Huan Chang Controlling the Power

exercise is depicted as a slow set in the photographs Once the student in Park's school has practiced
below and as a fast set in the photographs on the all of the "48 month" palms for a sufficient
opposite page. amount of time, Park will then teach the student
In performing this exercise the practitioner how to control the power that the student can
will start from the dragon stance posture with the now generate. Through practice of the "48 month"
palms held out at eye level, both palms facing up palms in conjunction with the breathing and ch'i
(see photo 1 on page 164). From this position the kung exercises taught in Park's school, the student
practitioner will execute the dragon back can generate a tremendous amount of power in a
movement as practiced in the dragon back exercise. strike. Unless the student learns how to control
This movement is best displayed in the fast set this power, it can be very dangerous when the
series on the opposite page (photos 1 through 8). student is learning how to spar with training
The slow set is performed in the same manner as partners. In addition to learning how to control
the fast set, however, in the slow set the focus is on the power in terms of magnitude of force, the
stretching the spine and maintaining the proper student will also learn how to focus and direct the
mechanics while in the fast set the focus is on power in this stage of training.
getting power to the palms. Park tells a story about one of his students in
After the strike has been thrown, the Korea who loved to practice the "48 month palms."
practitioner will drop the hands down by the sides Everyday when the student came to practice, the
(as shown in photo 4 of the slow sequence), bring palm exercises where the only thing he would
the hands up and out to the sides (see slow perform. He spent hours everyday working with
sequence photo 5, fast sequence photos 10 through these exercises. One day the student had to go to
12), and then the hands come over top and back his employer's house to pick up something for his
to the starting position (see photos 12 through 14 boss. When the student approached the front
of the fast set). door, his boss' dog came running at him and leapt
The practitioner will practice this set for as towards him. The student smacked the dog to
many repetitions as desired and then switch to the stop him. The dog yelped and then ran away. The
other side by stepping back and allowing the next day the dog was dead. When the vet opened
opposite foot to be forward. the dog up to see why it had died, he saw that the
dog's internal organs had been ruptured and the
Through diligent practice of the tou chang and dog had bled to death internally. This student
"dragon back" exercises, the follow-on "48 month" had not learned to control his power and had
palm exercises, and the ch'i kung associated with inflicted unnecessary damage on the dog.
these palm methods, the Pa Kua Chang practitioner Park speaks of many exercises that his teacher
in Park's school learns to develop an extremely taught him in order to learn how to control, focus,
powerful palm strike which, eventually, will and direct the power he had developed while
require very little body motion to execute. Because practicing the "48 month" palm exercises. Each
the Pa Kua Chang practitioner can apply his palm of the "48 month" palms has a separate series of
strikes at close range and at any angle with little or follow-on training exercises which involve striking
no "pull-back" or "wind-up" and because these various types of objects and apparatus. These
palm applications are combined with the evasive exercises are designed to develop the practitioner's

166
 Pa Kua Chang Palm Training

ability to control the amount of power in a strike and

also control where the force of the strike is directed
and to what degree the force of the strike will
penetrate the body which is being hit. The majority
of these exercises are designed to learn how to
control what Park calls the "shock" power. Some
also refer to this expression of force as "short"
energy.

"Shock" vs. "Heavy"

There are generally two types of power
application which Park speaks of in the internal
martial arts. The first, which he calls "heavy ch 'i", is
also referred to as "long energy" or "long force." This
application of force is exemplified in a T'ai Chi push.
When this kind of technique is applied, the opponent,
when thrown or pushed, will generally travel a long
distance, as if being picked up and carried away.
When a "long" energy technique is executed the
practitioner's force is applied over a relatively long
period of time (long meaning a few seconds).
Someone who is very good at applying long energy
can apply it so smoothly and subtly that the opponent
is not even aware it is occurring; he or she suddenly
finds themselves airborne without knowing how it
happened. Usually long, or heavy, energy is a
smooth application of power and although the
opponent is thrown a long distance, they are
generally not damaged internally.
The application of what Park calls "shock ch'i"
(also referred to as "short" energy) is quite different. (Time vs. Force Applied graphs suggested by Ken Fish)

In terms of time vs. power, all of the power in a pure

shock technique is applied instantaneously (see "time
vs. force" illustration). If the strike is executed In most instances the force of the "shock"
correctly, the energy from this strike will penetrate strike is not applied until after the practitioner's
deep into the opponent's body and stay there. hand is on the opponent's body. When the strike
The force of the shock strike is not comparable to is applied, the subtle whipping of the body through
that of the "battering ram effect" which plows segmented articulations of the joints expresses a
through the opponent, the "hammer effect" which powerful force initiating from the ground and
inflicts damage topically, or the "axe effect" which traveling up and out to the hand. The shaking of
seems to cut through the opponent. The force of this the body which accompanies the whipping force
strike penetrates the opponent's body and results in this force being applied for only a
reverberates inside that body. A person on the fraction of a second. This extremely short, focused
receiving end of this strike does not feel as if he or expression of force produces a concussive effect in
she were pushed, smacked, yanked, or slammed; the opponent's body. The effect of this explosive
they feel as though they were "shocked" or otherwise force being applied and then instantaneously
severely rattled from the inside out. taken away causes the opponent's body to collapse

167
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

on itself as muscles will go into spasm in reaction striking technique. When this power is applied
to the force. Primary targets for induction of correctly, there is literally a whiplash like effect
spasm are the heart and lungs of the opponent. inside the opponent's body. A short shock wave
This "shock" application is very dangerous as it enters the opponent's body and reverberates.
can cause the opponent's internal body tissue to
rupture and tear or it can induce severe secondary Controlling the "Shock"
muscle spasm. A person hit with pure shock When Park first began to train how to control
energy will not be thrown back at all, they will the "shock" strike, he was living in his teacher's
simply drop where they are standing or double home. His teacher hung a medium size bag full of
over in pain. If the opponent is thrown back, the saw dust in the bathroom doorway. Every time
technique was not purely applied. The goal is to Park entered or left the bathroom he had to strike
get all of the energy and force of the strike to this bag with full force and the bag was not to
remain inside the opponent's body, not travel swing. If the bag moved laterally when it was
through the opponent. This occurs when the struck, the shock strike was not applied purely.
tremendous force is applied for an instant and The bag could shake or bounce when it was hit,
then taken away. but not swing or sway.
If a martial arts practitioner applies power One important point worth mentioning; when
quickly and the opponent is thrown backward, Park was trained he spent a few years working with
the power application is not true "shock" power, only the tou chang and dragon back exercise before
it is lies somewhere between the "shock" power he was taught the first "48 month palm" exercise.
and the "long" or "heavy" power. If one were to Subsequently he spent 4 years practicing the 8
consider the "shock" power as being yang and the palms of the "48 month palm" method. It was
"long" power as being yin, the relative nature of only after all of that training that he was taught
the yin and yang analogy would tell us that there any palm striking methods which involved hitting
would be a continuum of power application an object or apparatus. Like the exercises described
variations based on a mixture of "shock" and in this chapter, all of the "48 month palm" exercises
"long" power. Part of the control aspect of learning first involve striking into the air without hitting
how to strike involves controlling the percentages an object. Obviously if one is training to defend
of these two striking components in any given themselves and strike people, it would be wise to
strike. In some instances a practitioner will want obtain a feeling for what it would be like to hit
to apply a pure "shock" strike, while in other solid objects by doing so in training. Hitting a
situations a "heavy" strike would be better solid object, such as a person, is much different
employed. In many other situations a strike than just hitting air.
containing a mixture of these characteristics is The reason Park insists that a student not hit a
appropriate. solid object until the student has spent a long time
Training how to "shake" the body as a dog practicing the "48 month" palm exercises is simple.
shakes when throwing water of its coat by learning When practicing the correct mechanics of an
how to rapidly rotating the hips and shoulders in internal "shock" strike, if the student hits a solid
an explosive manner around the body's central object before the body is conditioned fully, it is
axis is initiated through practice of the "tow chang" very easy to cause damage to the body. The
exercise. Training how to "whip" the striking arm mechanics of the movement, structural
by generating power through segmented joint alignments, and fullness of ch'i to the palm and
articulations was initiated through practice of the arm must all be in place before Park will allow a
"dragon back" exercise. Becoming skilled at these student to hit a solid object. If this type of strike
two exercises forms the first stage of learning how is applied incorrectly, it is very easy for the "shock"
to apply "shock" power. As the mechanics are which is applied to come back into the
continually trained and the movements become practitioner's arm and cause damage. Even when
more and more subtle, a quick shaking motion of a student in Park's school begins training to hit
the body is all that is required to deliver a deadly objects, the objects are never too solid or heavy

168
 Pa Kua Chang Palm Training

and always have some "give" to them. Another Why Strike with the Palm?
method that Park used to train "shock" power We mentioned at the top of this chapter that
was to hit and break a board which was floating the Pa Kua Chang style of Chinese martial arts has
in water. In order to be able to break the board, become famous for its employment of devastating
all of the force from the strike must stay in the palm strikes. One might ask why a fighting art
board. If too much force moves beyond the would focus on the development of a palm strike
board, the board will simply bob up and down in when so many other martial styles and pugilistic
the water and will not break. sports employ the fist as the primary weapon.
In order to learn how to make the shock of this Park states that in striking with the palm, the
strike penetrate, Lu Shui-T'ien had Park practice practitioner gains a greater amount of control
another method which involved a large bucket of over the force which is produced from the striking
water. However, this time instead of keeping the mechanics associated with the Pa Kua Chang
energy on the surface in order to break a board, the movements. It is easier to produce the implosion
"shock" of the strike had to penetrate the water force of the "shock" strike inside the opponent's
and break a cake of tofu that was placed in the body if the palm is used as the striking weapon
bottom of the bucket. Park states that his teacher and it is easier to control the direction of that
could slap the top surface of the water without force. Because of the way the joints are articulated
hardly any water being splashed and the cake of in producing the "shock" force, the palm allows
tofu in the bottom of the bucket would explode. for a more refined control of both the physical
A third method trained Park's ability to control force and the ch'i that is expressed in this strike.
the depth and direction of the force. This method
involved hitting a watermelon. The rind of the
water melon could not be damaged by the strike, Intermediate Palm Training
however, the inside of the watermelon would be Methods
destroyed. Lu Shui-T'ien could call out which part
As we have mentioned previously, after the
of the watermelon's insides would be damaged
student in Park's school has become proficient in
before he hit the melon. He would say, left side,
the tou chang exercise and the dragon back exercise
right side, middle, bottom, or top, and whatever
he or she will then start training the "48 month"
he called, when they cut the melon open, that was
palm exercises. The first two of those palm
the part that was damaged. Park was required to
training exercises are the single palm change (tan
learn to perform this same exercise.
huan chang) exercise and the double palm
Lu Shui-T'ien's ability to direct and control
change (shuang huan chang) exercise. The
his power was phenomenal. Park said that one
remaining six of the eight "48 month" palms will
day he was outside of Lu's house practicing and he
not be presented in this book, however, since Park
heard Lu arguing with his son. Lu got so mad at
will be presenting these palm training skills in
his son that he shot the tip of his cane within
the future in video format and in his seminars,
inches of his son's head and it penetrated the
we list their names here in English and Chinese
middle of a window glass pane. The spearing of
for reference:
the cane through the window pane had been so
fast and powerful that the window pane did not
shatter. The cane's tip simply knocked out a
"bullet hole" in the center of the window. Lu's
son ran outside after his father had almost hit him
with the cane. Lu Shu-Te looked at Park and said,
"Did you see what he did! I know my father is mad
at me, but I am so proud of him. I don't think
many people in the world could ever do that."

169
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

develop a full arsenal of defense and attack options

in combat. Whereas the "48 month" palms are
single palm techniques practiced repeatedly to
develop power in applying the palm striking skills
in all directions, the supplementary palms are
primarily made up of striking combinations. These
combinations are not developed from any of the
"48 month" palms, however, many are derived
from techniques which appear in the Pa Kua
Chang combat forms. Park believes that after the
student has practiced these palms in isolated,
repetitive sets, he or she will be able to easily apply
them in forms practice. As we have stated earlier
in this book, the philosophy behind this method
of practice is that the practitioner develops
proficiency and skill with any movement while
practicing that movement in an isolated, repetitive
manner. In this manner the mechanics are trained,
the body is developed, and a "muscle memory" is
ingrained. After all of this development occurs,
the student can then use the forms practice to
refine these skills and link them with other skills.
The first few supplementary palms a student
will learn are as follows:

Each of these palm exercises is designed to train

specific striking mechanics. By diligently
practicing each of these exercises thousands of
times the student in Park's school learns how to
use the palm in striking upward, downward, to
the side, to the rear, forward and diagonally in an
efficient and effective manner. By gaining a body
knowledge through these repetitive exercises, the
practitioner can easily understand how each
movement of a form can be applied in a tactical
situation and how each movement can be varied
in order to be adopted to fit the changes which
inevitably occur in the heat of combat.

Supplementary Palms
In addition to the "48 month" palms, the
student in Park's school will learn and practice
supplementary palm striking skills in order to

170
 Pa Kua Chang Palm Training

Fighting Skill: Adding Power and Speed

Adding Power to the practiced, and then stepping combinations are

"Hand + Step + Body" Equation practiced.
After the student has become familiar with
Looking back at the exercise described earlier these exercises, Park will teach a series of eight
in this book where the fan chang technique was "straight-line" fighting sets. Each of these sets
combined with footwork, one may wonder how consist of two or three defense/attack
this slight turning of the palm can generate enough combinations which are practiced while stepping
power to damage an opponent. Keep in mind that forward along a straight line utilizing either the
the application of an internal strike is much jump step, the full step, or the full step with a
different than the familiar "external" punch, or jump. The combinations expressed in these sets
external strike. As we have stated above, the are designed to be utilized in opening up an
application of a powerful internal strike does not opponent's body, or blocking an opponent's
require a "pull back and throw" type movement as attack, and then moving in for an attack. After
is executed in an external strike. An internal strike the student shows some proficiency in performing
can be "thrown" effectively from zero distance. these sets in straight-line practice, the student will
In Park's school, after the student has worked then pair up with a partner and research attack
with a few of the palm exercises and begins to and defense strategies using these techniques.
develop the basic striking mechanics, these First the partner practice is performed with the
mechanics are applied to the "hand + body partners facing each other squarely and later the
movement + footwork" equation and the student partner's learn to employ these techniques while
begins to understand how the simple fan chang walking the circle.
movement can produce a damaging attack. The Through the partner practice the student will
stepping exercises start to look much different at gain experiential knowledge pertaining to the
this point. Until this stage in the training process utilization of hand, body, and footwork in setting
the student has only practiced coordinating the up an attack, opening up the an opponent for easy
fan chang movement with the stepping patterns as attack, evading an attack and counter-attacking,
was discussed in the previous chapter. As we have and obtaining superior body positioning. Once
mentioned in this chapter, training slowly and these skills are developed to a sufficient level of
methodically not only helps the student learn proficiency, the student will study combining
how to execute the movements correctly in a skills which were developed in the "48 month"
fluid, smooth, and relaxed manner, but also helps palm set, the supplementary palm set and the
the student develop the "heavy" or "long" energy eight elbow set with the straight line attacking
application of the movement and condition the drills.
body for the next level of training.
The next stage in the training process is to add
the quick snapping, or whipping, motion Adding Speed to the Equation
developed in the palm exercises to the fan chang
maneuver executed in conjunction with the steps. Park Bok Nam's equation for overall Pa Kua
The steps are now executed quickly and powerfully Chang fighting skill reads as follows:
as are the changes. The student will practice these
"hand+step+power" exercises just as the stepping Fighting Skill=Hand+Body+Step +
exercises were first practiced. Simple straight line Internal Power + Speed
sets are practiced, then stepping patterns are

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page, and "B" executes a side kick to that open

The sub-components of this equation, as discussed area, one option "A" might employ to block that
thus far in this book, are as follows: kick is to block down with his hand as shown in
illustration #2. The problem with this block is
Hand Skill = Fan Chang + Circle Principle + "48 that it is very slow. The blocking hand has to
Month " Palms + Supplementary Palms travel through an 180° arc to reach the kicking
Body Skill = Flexibility + Stability + Coordination +
foot. No matter how hard "A" practices that
Integration+Relaxation + Connection + Circle Principle
blocking technique, he or she will only get the
hand to move so fast through that 180° arc.
Stepping Skill = Pa Fang Ken Pu + Circle Walk + A much better solution to the problem is
Pivot Step + K'ou Pu Pai Pu shown in illustration #3. "A" simply lowers the
elbow and strikes the incoming foot. In order to
Internal Power = Striking Mechanics + Ch 'i Movement make this technique work best, "A" will pivot step
while he or she is striking with the elbow. If the
Hopefully the reader now has a fundamental pivot step is employed, the kick will not land even
understanding of how Park teaches his students to if the elbow strike misses its mark.
develop these four sub-components of the fighting Although this example is very simple, one can
skill equation. We have yet to fully discuss the last see how the employment of smart and efficient
element of this equation, which is "speed." methods of attack and defense can increase the
Although, as one might imagine, this component practitioner's overall speed in combat. All of the
does involve "swiftness of action," Park prefers to "speed combination" exercises that a student in
teach his students to develop this component Park's school learns to employ are based on well
while focused on "economy of motion." researched attack and defense combinations that
In developing speed, one school of thought allow the practitioner to be very fast and efficient
would employ training which will condition the when employing this fighting method.
practitioner to move faster through a given Researching optimum angles of movement
distance. While this is an appropriate approach, and striking combinations to develop speed is
it is really a dead end street as the human body can rooted in the Pa Kua Chang philosophy of the
only be trained to move so fast and as the body eight direction circle and the eight diagram
ages, that speed is naturally diminished. Instead combinations (hexagrams). While a complete
of increasing the velocity at which the distance is discussion of how these angles and combinations
traveled, Park's approach is to teach the student are used to develop incredible speed is beyond the
how to decrease the distance. scope of this book, the underlying premise is that
Decreasing the distance one has to travel in the less movement the practitioner has to make
order to apply his or her fighting art is attained when blocking, evading, or striking, the faster he
through a study of geometry and combinations. or she is going to be.
The blueprint for this study is found in the Once a practitioner has developed the ability
combinations and angles described by the eight to strike using internal power, little or no
trigrams and their corresponding geometrical movement is required to issue an effective strike.
arrangements. Given this internal striking ability and knowledge
One rule of thumb Park will have his students of how to combine blocking and striking
utilize in developing the economy of motion movements using the hands, wrists, elbows,
necessary to increase fighting speed is "attack the shoulders, hips, knees, heels, and feet as weapons,
closest part of the opponent's body with whichever one can begin to see how a practitioner can learn
one of your weapons is closest." An example Park to dispense a lot of damage on an opponent in a
likes to give to demonstrate this rule is as follows: very short amount of time.
If opponent "A" exposes his flank to opponent
"B" as depicted in the illustration on the next

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173
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

174
 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung

Chapter 6
Pa Kua Chang Ch’i Kung

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Chapter 6

Pa Kua Chang
Chi Kung
I n Park's Pa Kua Chang system, the development
of ch'i through the practice of breathing
exercises, meditation, and nonspecific body
movements designed to increase distal circulation
Ideally, these elements will be developed in a
progressive, balanced curriculum designed by an
experienced teacher who will guide each student's
individual development. Pa Kua Chang, being a
of ch'i and blood in the body are extremely complete martial art system, contains elements of
important components in the overall Pa Kua all three of these disciplines.
Chang training program. Everyone has ch'i in In its final form. Pa Kua Chang movement will
their body, however, in some instances it is weak contain all of these elements integrated together.
in areas and in other instances it does not flow However, in Park Bok Nam's school the beginning
smoothly or fully due to blockages. The goal of students will train specific exercises designed to
ch'i kung practice is to develop a full, balanced develop these three components separately. In
expression of the ch'i in the body. When the ch'i this section of the book we will present the basic
is full, balanced, and can flow without obstruction, level of Park's Pa Kua Chang ch'i kung system.
the body's power can be optimally coordinated
and unified for a specific purpose. Whether this What is Ch'i?
purpose be healing or self-defense, the first priority We will not try to strictly define ch'i in this
of a ch'i kung system should be to balance the book, but we are going to make the assumption
body's energy. that everyone has something in their body which
As we mentioned in the introduction to this the Chinese call "ch'i." We are going to further
book, every complete Chinese martial arts system assume that this ch'i can be divided into the two
will include elements of the following: general categories of internal ch'i (nei ch'i) and
1) Ch'i Kung - breath control, visualization, and external ch'i (wai ch'i).
non-specific body movement techniques for Park likes to give the following example to help
various purposes - increased circulation to the define these two different types of "energy" in the
distal points of the extremities, increased vital body. Take two individuals and send them to
capacity, meditation, and ch'i development. work; one goes to a construction job and digs
2) Nei Kung - training designed specifically for ditches, the other goes to an office job, sits at a
the development of muscle groups, ligaments, desk, answers the phone and works on a computer.
and tendons not usually under conscious control. At the end of the day, both of these individuals
3) Wai Kung - external, i.e. visible, aspects of feel tired even though their respective expenditure
any martial art including firm balance, flexibility, of energy is quite different. The construction
good posture and stance work, proper structural worker has spent a lot of physical, external energy;
and mechanical alignment, coordination, and the office worker has expended a lot of internal,
stability. mental energy. Even though the work performed
and the energy expended is quite different, they

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 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung
both feel fatigue because they both have expended took away the notebook and said, "You go outside
equal amounts of energy. This example of the right now and practice this 1,000 times. This is
difference between internal and external energy the only way you will remember!"
expenditure, although simple, will be enough to Once the student has experienced a sensation
give the reader an idea of how Park defines internal as a result of an exercise, Park will ask the student
and external ch'i on the most basic level. to explain what he or she has felt and then guide
While a practitioner of Traditional Chinese the student to deeper experience by adding to the
Medicine will define ch'i in much more complex exercise or by teaching a higher level technique.
terms, Park generally believes in keeping In this manner, all of the student's knowledge of
explanations very simple and letting the student ch'i, or martial arts practice in general, is
reach deeper levels of understanding through experiential.
direct experience. There is no need to strictly
define ch'i or try and measure it, or even try to The Ch'i Phenomenon
prove its existence through scientific methods. Park Bok Nam speaks of ch'i very matter of
Any sort of definition or categorization would factly. There is no reason to become mystical,
only serve to place bounds on one's potential esoteric, or secretive about ch 'i or its development.
experience. Those that experience it will know it The awareness of ch'i, the movement of ch'i, the
and those that don't will never know. balancing of ch'i, the opening of ch'i blockages,
Park's concern is that students gain an the usage of ch 'i in martial arts, the usage of ch 'i in
awareness of a feeling in the body which he calls healing; these are not great achievements which
the "ch'i feeling." Once the student gains an one should hunger to attain. Ch 'i is not something
awareness of this feeling, he or she will learn to to be worshiped and ch'i related phenomenon is
cultivate the feeling, deepen the awareness of the not something to be hungered for. Goals should
feeling, and utilize the results of the cultivation not be set around achieving any particular ch'i
for both martial and healing purposes. What it is, sensation, ability, or technique.
where it comes from, and how it works is of little Park believes that a student should simply
concern if the student can learn to use the results practice in a natural, well balanced manner and
of the ch'i cultivation effectively. let the ch'i be itself. If the training method is
When teaching, Park will give a student an correct, positive results will occur. Once results do
exercise which produces specific results and allow occur, the student should not become attached to
the student to explain what he or she is feeling them, as there is always something more. Students
rather than give the student lectures on what he who hunger for phenomenal ch'i experience will
or she is supposed to be feeling. All the anatomy, usually run into problems.
physiology, and bioelectromagnetics lectures in When a student reaches a certain level of ch'i
the world will not take the place of actual practice. awareness or ability to utilize ch'i, Park simply
Park's philosophy is that if the student wants to takes these developments as guideposts in
know what ch'i is, they execute the exercises designing the student's training program. When
which are designed to cultivate ch'i and increase the student reaches a new level, Park knows it is
awareness of ch'i, not sit and talk about it. time to change the student's training. He does not
Park emphasizes that there is a big difference allow the student to become hung-up on any
between knowing something in the head and particular ch'i sensation. Park changes each
knowing something in the body. When it is student's training program based on their
"known" it in the body it becomes a reflex individual experiences so that they can grasp the
occurrence and it will not soon be "forgotten." next level of experience.
Once when Lu Shui-T'ien was teaching, Park started Changing, or adding to, the basic training
to take notes on what his teacher was saying. His exercises is an integral part of continual
teacher asked, "What are you doing?" Park replied development. Park's experience has told him that
that he was taking notes so he would not forget once a practitioner reaches a certain level of
what his teacher was telling him. Park's teacher development with one exercise, he or she needs to

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
change the exercise, or change the breathing breathing exercises, meditation exercises, and
technique, or the change the meditation in order specific ch'i circulation exercises should be
to progress further. No matter what the individual's practiced.
experience, there is always something more.
If the practice is not continually changed at The Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung System
key points in the developmental process, the Park's system of ch'i kung has three component
student will stagnate. However, the only person parts. These components are initially trained
who can tell the student how and when to change separately in a series of progressive exercises so
an exercise in order to reach higher levels is an that the practitioner can develop each component
experienced teacher. Everyone is different and in isolation. Once a student has reached certain
thus there are no cookbook methods - all ch'i kung levels of development in each of the component
practice should be closely monitored by an areas, more advanced training is initiated which
experienced instructor. In the realm of ch'i kung, combines the component elements. The
an exercise that could help one person could component parts in this system include breathing
easily damage another. development and breath control exercises to help
increase the body's vital capacity, meditation
Balancing Internal and External exercises to help increase awareness, focus and
In order to live a healthy life, an individual concentration, and body movement exercises to
should exercise (in a balanced manner) both the help increase circulation of blood and ch 'i. Park's
internal ch 'i and the external ch 'i. External exercise "equation" for ch'i development is as follows:
(swimming, biking, running, weight lifting,
martial arts forms and fighting, etc.) will strengthen Ch'i Development = Breathing+Body Movement
the external, but will not efficiently or fully exercise + Mind (Intention)
the internal. Internal exercise (breath control,
meditation, visualization, yoga, and other ch'i Park believes that each component of this
fcun^training methods) will not efficiently or fully equation should be trained in isolation starting
train the external, but will develop the internal. with very simple exercises. If a beginning student
To achieve optimum levels of health, martial arts were to try and train breath control, meditation/
development, or fighting skill, internal and visualization, and body movement in the same
external training should be balanced. exercise he or she would not gain full benefit from
Modern health, fitness, and physical education the exercise - it is too much to digest all at once.
disciplines tend to emphasis the external methods There is also a higher risk of developing an internal
of physical development. However, in terms of disorder when something too difficult is attempted
health and longevity, internal development is by a novice. One of Park's favorite phrases in this
equally, if not more, important. As a simple regard is, "You cannot feed a baby steak."
example Park likes to point out that a man who is All systems of ch'i kung will contain elements
physically very strong can easily be overcome by similar to those listed above and the simple ch'i
internal disorder or disease while an old person, kung methods discussed in this book, although
who may be physically weak in terms of muscle attributed to Pa Kua Chang, will not differ much
strength, could be very robust and strong internally from other system's methods. Ch'i kung
and thus live a long, healthy life. development which is specific to Pa Kua Chang
While internal martial arts practice is designed will not be attempted until the student has
to train the internal and the external together, experience with the fundamental methods of ch'i
bringing these elements together at the same time development. The three component parts of
is very difficult for the beginning or intermediate Park's Pa Kua Chang ch 'i kung training are discussed
level student. Until the student reaches an in this chapter with an explanation of some of the
advanced stage of practice and can fully integrate introductory exercises.
the internal and the external in practice, Park feels
that supplemental internal training, such as

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 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung

Breathing Exercises

W hen referring to internal development,

the first aspect that Park likes to address
is breathing. He points out that
a person can live for a number of weeks
needs and their level of development. Park explains
that a doctor who is treating a number of patients
will not prescribe the same thing to everyone.
One person may need more of a certain vitamin,
without food, and days without water, but one one may need to increase mineral intake, another
cannot survive more than several minutes may need to cut back on cholesterol, etc. Park uses
without air. Developing the ability to breathe the same approach when assigning breathing
efficiently and fully will greatly improve the techniques to students. His teacher taught him
quality of life and health of an individual. over twenty breathing methods, each with a
Replenishment of expended energy in the body specific purpose and designed to provide a different
is accomplished through the intake of food and result.
air. If one's breathing is inefficient, the body can Park also states that the amount of time one
easily expend more energy than is replenished. practices ch'i kung is an important factor in proper
Park feels that one reason so many people become development. When speaking of ch'i training,
very tired by the end of the day is that their Park likes to use the analogy of cooking food. He
breathing process is inefficient. Through breathing says that when cooking, if the food is not cooked
development and breath control exercises one long enough it is not ready for eating. If the food
can learn to breathe fully and efficiently, help the is cooked too long, then it is overdone and not
body rid itself of toxins, and strengthen the body's good to eat either. Park firmly believes that
vital capacity. students who are practicing intermediate or
Breathing exercises and breath control are also advanced breathing techniques should be
key elements in developing skill in internal martial monitored closely by a competent instructor. The
arts practice. To effectively apply " internal energy," instructor will need to continuously fine-tune the
whether it is in a martial application or healing student's practice so that the ch'i is "cooked"
application, a practitioner needs to not only enough, but not too much.
develop proper alignments and mechanics, but Although Park's approach to teaching breathing
they also need to develop the ability to concentrate exercises is by prescription, there are two basic
ch'i in their body and move it with the mind. This breathing techniques that he will give to almost
is no small task. However, through breathing all of his students in order to build a foundation.
exercises, combined with meditation and other (Students who should not practice these exercises
ch'i kung work, this ability can eventually be are those with asthma, high blood pressure, and/
attained. or other heart or lung disorders. These students
Breath control and development exercises are will be given separate exercises). When a student
powerful techniques which can greatly improve begins in Park's school he or she will be given
health, longevity and martial arts development, three breathing exercises, the first two build a
however, if practiced incorrectly they can also be foundation and the third is the prescription
very dangerous. Moreover, a breathing exercise breathing. Park will generally give the student a
practiced perfectly by one whose body is not new breathing exercise every 3-4 months
ready, or is not suited, for that specific exercise can depending on his or her progress. When practicing
also cause damage. Park teaches breathing exercises breathing, the student will always practice the
as an integral part of his program, however, his first two foundation breathing exercises prior to
teaching is by prescription. Each student is given the third prescription exercise. When the student
personal breathing exercises based on their unique is ready for a higher level technique, the third

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
exercise is discarded and replaced with a new the ch'i development breathing exercises, the
breathing exercise, however, the first two remain practitioner will insure that all the lobes of the
the same. lungs are exercised and the chest can expand
The first two fundamental breathing exercises properly.
Park teaches are the "cleansing breath" and the Park recommends that when practicing
"filling breath." Park's philosophy is that before breathing exercises it is best to practice them in
the ch'i development breathing exercises are the morning before ten o'clock. The optimum
practiced, the air in the body needs to be clean and time for practice is the period of time from
the lungs need to be working at full capacity. one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour
When we breathe, we inhale good air (what Park after sunrise. During this period of time the air is
calls "life force energy"), however with that good best for breathing because when the sun is rising,
air we also take in dirty air (what Park calls "bad the night air, which is yin, is changing to the day
chemicals"). Anyone who has read the ingredients air, which is yang. In Chinese yin-yang theory,
label on most processed or packaged food also when yin is in the process of changing to yang (or
knows that we consume "bad chemicals" in our vice-versa), the energy is strongest. It is best to
food as well. In order to operate efficiently, the practice breathing exercises outdoors and facing
body will naturally try to rid itself of these bad the sun. If practicing indoors, the practitioner
chemicals. One device the body employs is the may open a window to get fresh air and even if
digestive/elimination system and another is the indoors, it is still best to face the sun.
respiratory system. With the exhale, the body will Although Park recommends that his students
eliminate some of the "bad chemicals" it has practice the breathing exercises before ten o'clock
consumed. The majority of this cleaning process in the morning, this is strictly a guideline. The
is accomplished at night while the body rests. If underlying factor to consider when determining
the reader wants to test this theory, have someone the best time of day to practice breathing exercises
smell your breath when you first wake up. What is the balance of yin and yang energy in the air. As
most people call halitosis, Park calls "getting rid of a rule of thumb, cold, wet air is yin and warm, dry
bad chemicals." The "cleansing breath" exercise air is yang. Therefore, Park says that if a person
is designed to help the practitioner eliminate the lives in Texas and it is summer time, by ten o'clock
bad chemicals from the body before he or she in the morning it will be too hot (too much yang
practices the ch 'i development breathing exercises. air) to practice breathing exercises efficiently. On
The second breathing exercise which is the other hand, Park also recommends that if it is
practiced prior to the ch'i development breathing raining for three days in a row, the student skip
exercises is the "filling breath." Most breathing the breathing exercises for a day because the air is
exercises from the East Indian or Chinese yogic too wet (yin).
traditions focus the breath down in the lower A practitioner can gain benefit by practicing
abdomen or tan t'ien. Park states that while the breathing exercises at anytime - in other words,
student should eventually learn this type of practicing a correct breathing technique at the
breathing, a preliminary step is to insure that all wrong time of the day will not generally damage
five lobes of the lungs are able to fill to capacity. the body. However, when the air is too yin or too
Individuals who have never practiced breathing yang, the benefit gained will not be worth the
exercises will usually take shallow breaths. Shallow effort expended. If the student sticks with
breathing only exercises the upper part of the practicing sometime between one half hour before
lungs and thus breathing is inefficient. On the sunrise and one half hour after sunrise, he or she
other hand, some individuals who have been will gain the most benefit for the effort expended.
practicing only lower abdomen breathing exercises As for the correct body posture to use while
for a number of years will tend to breathe only in practicing breathing exercises, Park states that as
their lower abdomen and the upper chest becomes long as the body is relaxed and natural, the posture
tight and thus full breathing capacity is restricted. is correct. The practitioner can sit on the floor, in
By practicing the "filling breath" everyday before a chair, or stand. Sitting on the edge of a straight

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 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung
backed chair, with the spine straight and hands In this analogy, the air in the bottle corresponds
placed on the knees will probably be most to the bad chemicals in the air which was inhaled
comfortable. The tongue lightly touches the and the water corresponds to the life force energy.
upper palate behind the front teeth. Placing the If the practitioner exhales very slowly through a
hands on the knees will help to complete an small opening between the lips, only the bad
"energy circuit" in thebody. If the lower abdomen chemicals will escape and the life force energy will
area is weak, Park will recommend that the student be retained. If the exhale is rapid and in large
place his or her hands there. quantity, life force energy will escape along with
the bad chemicals.
The two basic breathing exercises are described The cleansing breath exercise should be
below: practiced each morning 15 times.
The Cleansing Breath The Filling Breath
As described above, the purpose for the After executing the cleansing breath exercise,
cleansing breath is to "clean" the air we inhale, the student in Park's school will then practice the
separating the "life force energy" from the "bad "filling breath." The filling breath exercise is very
chemicals." To practice this breathing method straight forward. It is designed to help the chest
the practitioner will sit in a comfortable position cavity expand completely and thus allow all five
as described above and initiate the exercise by lobes of the lungs to fill with air. In this exercise,
taking a long, deep inhale through the nose,
filling the chest cavity with air. At the conclusion
of the inhale, the practitioner begins to exhale
through the mouth. The lips are mostly closed
during the exhale. The practitioner will only
allow a very small hole to open between the lips
and exhales slowly through this hole. The length
of the exhale should be two to three times the
length of the inhale, however, the practitioner
will want to remain comfortable. Park advises
students not to try and force the inhale or exhale
to be so long that the student is not comfortable.
The purpose of exhaling slowly through a very
small opening in between the lips is to allow the
"bad chemicals" to escape while retaining the
"life force energy." Park explains through a simple
analogy. Imagine you have a clear plastic bottle in
your hand which is three-quarters full of water
and has a nozzle at the top (like one of those
plastic ketchup or mustard bottles you see in a
diner). Imagine you are holding the bottle so that
the nozzle is facing up. If you squeeze the bottle
very slowly and then stop applying pressure just
before the water comes out of the nozzle, the only
thing that escapes is the air that was in the top
quarter of the bottle. On the other hand, if you
were to squeeze the bottle rapidly with force, the
air would come out and you would also lose part
of the water.

181
The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
the practitioner will inhale slowly through the different for each student. This third exercise is
nose while trying to expand the chest cavity to full practiced for as many repetitions as the student
capacity. When no more air can be taken in, he or desires, but the minimum number executed is 15.
she will then exhale slowly through the nose. The The student will typically practice this exercise for
exhale should be 2-3 times the length of the a minimum of three months at which time Park
inhale. During any breathing exercise the will check the individual's progress by feeling
practitioner should remain comfortable. If the different areas of the their body while they inhale
inhale is too great, too forceful, or too slow, the and exhale. If the student is ready to progress, he
practitioner may start to fee! uncomfortable or get or she will discard the old prescription breathing
a slight headache when exhaling. If this is and be given a new one to practice.
experienced Park advises the student to back off After the student has developed sufficient levels
and be more gentle. He recommends that his of breath control and improved their breathing
students should always be gentle, comfortable capacity through the progressive stages of closely
and relaxed during the breathing exercises and monitored prescription breathing, Park will begin
advises them to never be forceful or attempt to to explain to the student how the breathing
rush progress. The filling breath exercise is method is combined with the palm exercises. As
executed 10 times. mentioned in the previous chapter. Park believes
that even if the student's palm striking mechanics
Prescription Breathing are flawless, they will not reach the higher levels
of striking ability without combining these
After "warming up" with the cleansing breath mechanics with the correct breathing and ch'i
and the filling breath exercises, the practitioner movement method. The equation for internal
will then execute the prescription breathing power must be complete in order to achieve the
exercise. This exercise is personally assigned by highest levels of practice. The ch'i movement part
Park and progress is monitored closely. The of that equation is discussed in the next section.
exercise is based on individual needs and thus is

Basic Ch'i Circulation Exercise

T he second part of Park's Pa Kua Chang

ch'i kung training system involves
body movements which are designed to
improve distal circulation of blood and ch'i.
down by the sides as shown in photo 1. The eyes
are closed, the tongue is on the soft palate behind
the upper teeth and the shoulders are relaxed.
2) From the starting position, the practitioner will
This series of exercises starts out with a very raise the hands, with the palms facing up, until they
simple exercise which will aid the student in reach shoulder height. The shoulders remain
initially attaining the "ch'i feeling." relaxed and the elbows are slightly bent (see photos
Typically this feeling will first manifest 2 and 3).
itself in the hands as fullness, heat, and/ or 3) From this position the palms turn in towards
tingling. The practitioner will continue to each other as the arms move out to the sides. The
practice this first exercise, which Park calls hands continue to move out to the sides until they
the "basic ch'i exercise" until the "ch'i are almost extended out directly to the sides (see
feeling" is experienced throughout the body. photos 4 and 5). The shoulders remain relaxed
Park's "basic ch'i exercise" is performed as follows: and the elbows are slightly bent.
1) The practitioner stands in a relaxed posture 4) Now the arms come back in towards each other
with the feet parallel and slightly farther than traveling the same path as when they were out to
shoulder width apart. The hands hang comfortably the sides (see photo 6).

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 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12

Basic Ch'i Circulation Exercise

5) From here the arms bend and the hands about ten percent muscle strength (children
come in towards the shoulders with the should use 20 percent). Concentration is
palms facing out away from the body (see focused on the hands and the awareness is
photo 7 and 8). tuned into trying to perceive the ch'i feeling.
6) Now push the hands back out as if At this stage of training, the body movement
pushing something away from the body is not chained to the breathing and the student
(see photo 9). does not try to use mental visualization to
7) Finally, the arms come down and with achieve movement of energy in the body or
the palms facing down as if pushing on a illicit a particular sensation. Remember that
table (see photos 10 and 11). Park likes the student to train each component
8) When the hands get down to waist height, in isolation before the components are
you totally relax the body and allow the arms combined. The main purpose of this exercise
to hang loosely by the sides (see photo 12). is to become aware of the ch’i feeling in the
9) Repeat steps 1 through 8 for at least body. Throughout this entire exercise set, the
15 repetitions. awareness is focused on maintaining a "ch'i
While performing the exercise the body, feeling."
shoulders, and arms should be completely relaxed. Upon completion of the entire set of repetitions
The movements should be executed using only of the basic ch'i circulation exercise, the student

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 The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
will then allow the hands to slowly fall down by basic ch'i exercise will help distribute that ch'i
the sides of the body and then he or she will stand where it is most needed.
quietly for a few moments to allow the ch'i to A third benefit of this exercise is achieved
settle. After any exercise which is designed to through the performance of the slow, focused
bring ch'i to distal points in the body, the movements. As we stated in the previous chapter,
practitioner should allow the hands to hang loosely when the body moves slowly in a relaxed manner
by the sides and concentrate on what Park calls and the intention is focused, a more complete
the "ch'i feeling." physical development occurs. Secondary muscles
Typically this ch'i feeling will first manifest are conditioned and the body learns to act in an
itself in the hands as fullness, heat, and/or tingling. integrated, connected fashion. In this particular
When students have obtained this feeling during exercise all of the major motions which the hands
the execution of any ch 'i circulation exercise, Park and arms can perform are executed. They move
recommends that they relax for several minutes up and down, in and out, and side to side. By
and concentrate on this feeling after the exercise repeating this exercise many times, the body is
has been completed. By concentrating on the conditioned to move in a manner consistent with
feeling, the student begins to develop a mind/ the internal martial arts principles.
body/nervous system connection associated with An eventual goal of Pa Kua ch'i kung training is
this feeling. The more developed this connection to maintain the full body ch'i feeling and whole
becomes, the easier it will be to bring ch'i to the body connection while executing the complex
palms. With continued practice, the student will turning, twisting, and coiling movements
be able to produce this effect just by thinking associated with Pa Kua Chang. This is not an easy
about it. Later, increased amounts of ch 'i will flow task, and thus the training should progress
to the palms naturally, when it is needed, without gradually. After the student can maintain the full
conscious thought. body ch 'i feeling in the basic ch 'i exercise, a slightly
One goal in practicing Pa Kua as a self-defense more complex ch'i kung set is practiced which
art is to be able to move ch'i very rapidly to the begins to incorporate some of Pa Kua Chang's
palms (or any other part of the body) when characteristic body movements. Once this basic
striking. When the mind/body/nervous system ch 'i kung set is practiced for a sufficient amount of
connection has been fully developed, as soon as time, the student will then graduate to a more
the body moves, the ch'i will be there. The complex set of exercises and then to simple Pa Kua
movement of ch'i to the palm will be rapid and Chang ch'i kung circle walking form.
spontaneous. Forging the mind/body/nervous As in all aspects of training, Park starts the
system connection during and after the basic ch'i student practicing the ch'i kung form with very
circulation exercises will help the practitioner simple movements and then continues to add
reach this goal. more complex maneuvers in progressive stages.
While the main purpose of this exercise will be The focus of the ch 'i kung form will be to maintain
to give the student a feeling of ch 'i, this is also a ch 'i the full body ch'i feeling, however, by this stage in
balancing exercise. Any ch'i kung exercise which the training process the student will begin
contains non-specific symmetrical body experiencing this "feeling" at deeper levels in the
movement and is practiced with a calm mind and body.
relaxed muscles will help to balance the ch 'i in the As we have discussed in the chapter of body
body. Areas in the body which are weak will movement, the straight fan chang, circle fan chang,
naturally receive attention in terms of increased and t'ien fan chang exercises can also be practiced
ch'i and blood flow. When the mind is calm and together as one continuous "ch'i circulation"
the circulation in the body is increased, the body, exercise to help bring ch 'i to the palms and increase
in its innate wisdom, will balance itself. The the overall ch'i feeling in the body.
breathing exercises, which are practiced before
the basic ch'i exercise, will "prime the pump" by
collecting ch 'i in the body. The movements of the

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Ch'i Awareness first experience with this ch'i sensation, most
students have gradually felt stronger degrees of
As we have mentioned above, the feeling of these same sensations, but have not had any other
ch'i in the body will usually first be experienced drastically different experiences. In Park's view,
in the palms, however, with continued practice, it these students have reached a plateau in their
will be experienced throughout the entire body. training and have not progressed because they
The feeling is typically felt in the hands first, have not had adequate breathing and meditation
however, it will eventually be sensed in the arms,
training in conjunction with their other practices.
shoulders, torso, and legs. As the ch'i feeling is
Park states that once a certain level is reached, the
experienced moving up the arms and to the rest of
the body, the practitioner will also gain an breathing practice or meditation practice changes
awareness of the ch'i moving deeper into the in order to take the student to higher levels.
body. An eventual goal of training to maintain a full
In terms of ch'i circulation, Park speaks of three body ch 'i feeling during the execution of relatively
areas of concern: the skin, the nerves, and the simple training drills, such as the basic ch'i
bones. By "circulation of ch'i in the skin" Park is circulation exercise and the three fan chang
referring to circulation through the meridians and exercises, is to be able to maintain the full body
channels defined in traditional Chinese medicine. ch'i feeling while executing the complex turning,
This would include circulation in the major twisting, and coiling movements associated with
meridians and channels as well as the smaller Pa Kua Chang. This is not an easy task. The
network of collaterals, or lo. The sensation of ch'i training must progress gradually. The more
and blood circulation at the skin level will flexibility, relaxation, and suppleness the
typically be the first ch'i awareness the student practitioner can develop in his muscles, joints,
will experience. If anyone has practiced ch'i kung and tendons, the easier it will be to generate
or internal martial arts for any length of time they strong, balanced ch'i flow and maintain a full
will most likely be familiar with this sensation. body ch'i feeling.
Circulation of ch 'i in the nerves is slightly Through a progressive methodology, starting
more advanced and will usually be experienced
with very simple exercises and working gradually
after the student has been practicing ch'i kung for
to more complex exercises, the student's
a fairly long time, although it will vary from
person to person. The student will typically development will be complete.
experience a sensation in the hands, or other part
of the body, like an electrical shock or current
when ch 'i begins to circulate at this level. This
feeling can be somewhat uncomfortable at first.
Feeling the ch'i circulation in the bones is
usually experienced at the more advanced stages
of practice. This sensation is experienced within
the bones. Again, the exact sensation will vary
from person to person. When a student begins to
feel ch'i circulation at the nerve or bone level,
Park will modify their training program to help
bring the student to still higher levels of
experience.
When Park teaches ch'i kung seminars, he will
ask students what experiences they have had with
feeling ch 'i. Most will indicate that after a number
of months of training they experienced the heat,
fullness, and/or tingling sensations in their hands
and various other parts of their body. Since the

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Meditation Exercises

T
he term "meditation" means many different
things to different people. Depending on the
intent and focus of the meditative process a
wide variety of results can be obtained. Some
individuals meditate to reduce stress and tension,
others meditate to increase levels of awareness or
improve the ability to concentrate, while many
others meditate for spiritual development. The
type of meditative technique practiced will depend
on the result one wants to obtain.
Like all techniques taught in Park's school, the
first meditation exercise the student will learn is
very direct and simple. This method is designed to
help relax the body and mind and improve the
ability to concentrate and maintain focus. Calming
the mind and maintaining focused on one thing
will help increase the ability to concentrate and
will aid in the body's natural recovery and
replenishment process. When the mind is calm and slowly counting backwards from 300. Each
focused, the body, in its innate wisdom, will begin number is visualized clearly in the mind's eye and
to naturally rejuvenate its energy and heal itself. spoken, either silently or aloud. Exactly what
Practicing the stepping exercises, palm form the number appears when visualized will
exercises, and body training exercises as described vary with each person. It is best to keep it plain
in this book is very physically demanding exercise. and simple. While counting, the mind will
If the practitioner does not balance this external inevitably wonder off to other thoughts and the
exercise with internal exercises such as the practitioner will loose track of the numbers. Each
breathing exercises, ch'i circulation exercises, and time this happens, come back to the counting.
meditation exercises as outlined in this chapter, the Park recommends that the student practice the
body will break down. Without a balanced training meditation exercise in a quiet, comfortable
program, the student will have trouble continuing location free from distraction. Any external
to practice a very hard external training routine. distraction can easily take the mind off the focus
Exercises which are designed to replenish of the meditation. A quiet and comfortable
expended energy are equally as important as environment facilitates better focus, increased
exercises designed to increase fighting skill. levels of relaxation, and deeper meditation. Park
The practitioner will start the basic meditation states that during the last several years of his life
exercise sitting in a comfortable position with the Lu Shui-T'ien spent much of his time in meditation.
eyes closed. The breathing is relaxed and follows a Park was forbidden to enter his teacher's room
natural rhythm, the meditation at this level is not when his teacher was meditating. On one occasion
chained to a breathing technique. While Park forgot and opened the door to his teacher's
maintaining a natural breathing rhythm, a relaxed room. As the door swung open Park was hit in the
body and mental calmness; the practitioner starts head with a book that Lu had flung across the
room. Lu said, "I told you not to enter my room

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 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung
when I was meditating!" becomes distracted from the steady, deliberate
Park will occasionally check the student's counting, then he or she is not ready for ch'i
progress by having the student perform the movement visualization techniques.
meditation and count out loud. If the student has If the practitioner is mentally moving ch'i
developed their ability to concentrate sufficiently, through the body - through the "microcosmic
Park will allow them to move up to a higher orbit" or any of the other circuits used in popular
number, maybe 500, Eventually the students will ch 'i kung training - and he or she cannot maintain
move on to other concentration and visualization complete focus and concentration on what they
techniques which will help their ability to maintain are doing, they are in danger of having an over
mental calmness and focus for longer periods of abundance of ch'i get trapped in the head. Once
time. The above mentioned visualizations are not a sufficient amount of ch'i is flowing in the body
chained to the breathing and do not entail through mental visualization, if the mind becomes
visualizing the circulation of ch'i in the body or distracted, the ch'i will rise to the head. Park calls
attempting to move ch 'i with the mind. Remember, this shang ch 'i (rising ch'i). Shang ch'i can result in
every part of Park's ch'i kung training is practiced severe headaches, intense pressure in the head, or
in isolation until the student has attained certain migraines and is not much fun. Sometimes it
levels of development. takes weeks to go away.
While there are many techniques which involve Brand new students may not be in a lot of
mental visualization to aid the flow of ch 'i through danger because they have not built up strong
specific meridians or to certain points of the enough energy in the body. However, once the
anatomy, Park says that these exercises are practitioner has practiced the powerful breathing
dangerous for the beginning student to practice. exercises and ch'i circulation exercises for a few
While these exercises are valid at a certain stage of months, your ch'i is sufficiently strong enough to
training, the beginner to meditation has not yet cause damage if the ch 'i kung meditation is practiced
developed the ability to focus the attention, incorrectly. This is one reason why meditative
without distraction, long enough to practice techniques are kept separate from ch'i circulation
visualization techniques effectively. Park states and breathing training in Park's school until the
that the practitioner is not ready for visualization student has developed to certain levels in all three
techniques which involve ch 'i circulation until he of these areas. Only an experienced teacher will
or she can maintain meditative focus while know when you are ready to move on to advanced
counting from 500 down to 0 slowly. If the ch'i circulation visualization techniques.
practitioner tries this exercise and looses count or

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

Ch'i Kung Circle Walk Form

Park Bok Nam believes that the Pa Kua Chang holding that same posture on the other side.
practitioner should be able to maintain the "full Once the practitioner has walked around the
body ch'i feeling" which has been developed circle in both directions holding one posture, he
through the meditation, breathing, and ch'i or she executes a change and walks in the original
circulation exercises while performing any of the direction holding the next posture in the series.
complex turning and twisting movements The first posture held in this form is a
associated with this fighting art. To that end, the "warm-up" posture which proceeds the core form
first form a student in Park's school will encounter of eight "animal" postures. The number of times
is a basic ch 'i kung circle walking form, the purpose the practitioner walks around the circle holding
of which is strictly ch'i development and training each posture will vary from person to person -
alignments. the longer the better. Park recommends that the
Park feels that if the student begins with a form practitioner continue to walk the circle holding
that is too complex, he or she will not be able to the first posture until the full body ch'i feeling is
maintain the full body ch'i feeling and he or she obtained. Once the practitioner has cultivated
will not fully understand the subtle mechanics of this feeling, he or she changes direction. The
each movement. Once the student can maintain change of direction is executed in such a manner
the full ch'i feeling during this simple form, that the practitioner does not loose the ch 'i feeli ng
executed with simple changes, more complex that was developed during the previous walking.
changes are added which serve to train the ch'i in In order to insure the feeling is not lost during the
various ways. change, the change must be executed in a smooth,
Park's simple Pa Kua ch'i kung circle walking continuous manner. The practitioner walks the
form is described in this section. The form consists circle the same number of times in each direction.
of walking the circle in both the clockwise and Once the student has practiced the basic ch'i
counter-clockwise directions while holding a series kung circle walking form, which we present here,
of static upper body postures. The practitioner for a sufficient amount of time and can maintain
holds one posture while walking the circle in one the full body ch 'i feeling throughout the entire set,
direction, executes a simple directional change, Park will begin to add more complex transitions
and then walks the circle in the other direction and changes to the set.

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 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung

1 - Start standing with 2 - Slowly raise the 3 - Slowly turn the 4 - Slowly move the arms out to
the feet together and arms straight out in hands in preparation to the sides. Relax the body and
body relaxed. Face the front. The body and move out to the sides. shoulders.
path of the circle. shoulders remain
relaxed.

5 - Bring the arms back 6 - Toe-out with the left 7 - Step into k'ou pu. 8 - The body turns back
in towards the center. foot as the right foot The left arm comes to face the path of the
The left hand comes steps forward. Both under the right. The circle as the left hand
under the right elbow. hands turn over so that right palm is facing comes up and out in
Both hands are along the palms face up. The down, the left palm is front of the face. The
the body's center line. feet are in pai pu. facing up. The back is right hand is positioned
The knees bend as the to the center of the behind the left elbow.
arms move toward the circle.
center.

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

9 - The palms turn over. 10 - Step out and start 11 - Kou pu and bring 12 - Twist the body to
The practitioner has walking the circle. the left arm over the the left. The right arm
assumed the "dragon" The eyes look into the right, both palms facing comes out in front of
posture. center of the circle. down. The body faces the face and the left
the center of the circle. hand comes down
This is the "white under the right elbow.
snake" changing Walk the circle holding
posture. the "dragon" posture.

13 - Kou pit facing the 14 - Turn the body to 15 - When ready to 16 - Kou pu facing the
center of the circle. The the right as the left arm execute a change of center of the circle and
left hand comes under the is raised up to eye level, direction, slowly drop assume the panther
right, both palms facing up. palm facing up. The the right arm down and changing posture with
The right hand remains at right arm comes up bring it under the left the right arm
face level. The eyes look at over the head, palm elbow as the palms turn underneath the left.
the right (inside) palm. facing down. This is over. Transition back Eyes look at the left
This is the "panther" the "lion" posture. to the "dragon" posture (inside) hand.
changing posture. Walk the circle holding while walking.
this posture.

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 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung

17 - Twist the body to 18 - When ready to 19 – K’ou pu facing the 20 - Twist the body to
the left and transition change directions, center of the circle and the right and transition
to the "lion" posture on slowly transition back assume the panther into the "giraffe"
the other side. Begin to the "dragon" posture changing posture with (unicorn) posture. The
walking the circle in while continuously the left arm left hand (palm up) is
this direction holding walking. underneath the right. held at face level and
the lion posture. Eyes look at the right the right hand is by the
(inside) hand. left elbow (palm down).

21 - Kou pu facing the 22 - Twist the body to 23 - Kou pu facing the 24 - Twist the "body to
center of the circle and the left and transition center of the circle and the right as the left
assume the panther into the "giraffe" assume the panther arm drops down by the
changing posture with posture on the other changing posture with right hip, palm facing
the right arm side. Walk the circle the left arm down. Bring the right
underneath the left. holding this posture. underneath the right. hand up over the head,
Eyes look at the left Eyes look at the right palm facing up. This
(inside) hand. (inside) hand. is the "snake" posture.
Walk holding this
posture.

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

25 – K’ou pu facing the 26 - The left arm 27 - The left palm 28 - The left palm
center of the circle and continues to move up begins to turn as it continues turning over
twist the body to the and the right arm reaches face height. and as the right palm
left. As the body twists, moves down as the reaches hip level it
the left arm begins to palm turns over to face turns over to face down.
move up in front of the up.
body and the right arm
begins to move down
with the palm down.

29 - Step off in the other 30 - When ready to 31 - Execute the fan 32 - Transition back to
direction and walk the change direction again, chang maneuver while the "dragon" posture
circle holding the start to bring the left walking. after the fan chang.
"snake" posture. hand down and the
right hand up while
continuing to walk.

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 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung

33 – K’ou pu facing the 34 - Begin to twist the 35 - As the left palm 36 - The left hand comes
center of the circle and body to the right and moves outward, the up in front of the face
assume the panther commence the fan right palm moves and points back toward
changing posture with chang maneuver. upward. the left (palm facing up)
the left arm and the right hand
underneath the right. comes up over the head
Eyes look at the right and turns to face up
(inside) hand. and back to the left.
Walk holding the
"swallow" posture.

37 - When ready to 38 – K’ou pu facing the 39 - Twist the body to 40 - Continuing the
change directions, center of the circle and the left and begin to transition to "swallow."
slowly transition back assume the panther transition to the
to the "dragon" posture changing posture with "swallow" posture on
while continuously the right arm the other side.
walking. underneath the left.
Eyes look at the left
(inside) hand.

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

41 - Walk the circle 42 - When ready to 43 - Kou pu facing the 44 - Twist to the right
holding the "swallow" change directions, center of the circle and and allow the left hand
posture. slowly transition back assume the panther to slide up next to the
to the "dragon" posture. changing posture with right. The forearms
the left arm touch and the palms
underneath the right. face upward with the
Eyes look at the right fingers pointing out.
(inside) hand.

45 - Separate the hands 46 - Extend the hands 47 - Kou pu facing the 48 - Twist to the left
and allow them to move fully and begin to walk. center of the circle and and allow the right
out to the sides. The shoulders are assume the panther hand to slide up next to
relaxed and the elbows changing posture with the left. The forearms
are slightly dropped. the right arm touch and the palms
This is the "dragon underneath the left. face upward with the
flying" posture. Walk Eyes look at the left fingers pointing out.
the circle. (inside) hand.

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 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Rung

49 - Separate the hands 50 - Extend the hands 51 - Kou pu facing the 52 - Keep the arms
and allow them to move fully and begin to walk. center of the circle and crossed while the palms
out to the sides. The shoulders are assume the panther turn over.
relaxed and the elbows changing posture with
are slightly dropped. the left arm
Walk in the other underneath the right.
direction in the "dragon Eyes look at the right
flying" posture. (inside) hand.

53 - Twist to the right 54 - Extend the hands 55 - Kou pu facing the 56 - Keep the arms
and allow the arms to fully, fingers pointing center of the circle and crossed while the palms
separate and move forward, and begin to assume the panther turn over.
down. walk. The shoulders changing posture with
are relaxed and the the right arm
elbows are slightly underneath the left.
dropped. Walk the Eyes look at the left
circle in the "bear" (inside) hand.
posture.

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

57 - Twist to the right 58 – K’ou pu facing 59 - Keep the arms 60 - Twist to the right
and allow the arms to the center of the circle crossed while the palms and allow the arms to
separate and move and assume the turn over. separate and move
down. Walk in the panther changing outward at shoulder
other direction holding posture with t h e level.
the "bear" posture. left arm
underneath the right.
Eyes look at the right
(inside) hand.

61 - Extend the hands 62 – K’ou pu facing 63 - Keep the arms 64 - Twist to the left
fully, fingers pointing the center of the circle crossed while the palms and allow the arms to
outward, hands at and assume the turn over. separate and move
shoulder height and panther changing outward at shoulder
begin to walk. Walk posture with t h e level.
the circle in the right arm
"phoenix" posture. underneath the left.
Eyes look at the left
I inside) hand.

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 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung

65 - Extend the hands 66 – K’ou pu facing 67 - Begin to twist to 68 - Continue twisting

fully, fingers pointing the center of the circle the right and allow the to the right and bring
outward, hands at and assume the left palm to slide up the the forearms together.
shoulder height and panther changing right forearm as in the The palms face up with
begin to walk. Walk posture with t h e fan chang maneuver. the fingers pointing
the circle in the right arm outward. Stretch the
"phoenix" posture. underneath the left. lower back. The palms
Eyes look at the left are at eye level.
(inside) hand.

69 - Twist the body back 70 - K’ou pu facing the 71 - Twist to the left 72-Twist the body
toward the center of the center of the circle and and bring the forearms back toward the center
circle and begin assume the panther together. The palms of the circle and
walking in the changing posture with face up with the fingers begin w a l k i n g i n
"monkey" posture. the left arm pointing outward. the "monkey"
underneath the right. Stretch the lower back. posture.
Eyes look at the right The palms are at eye
(inside) hand. level.

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

73 - While continuing 74 - Once the arms get 75 - Once the arms are 76 - Allow the hands to
to walk, let the arms out to the sides, the over the head, they come down the center
separate and move out arms start to move up. start to come back line of the body, palms
to the sides. down. facing down.

77 - The hands continue 78 - The hands continue 79 - Just before the

to fall while the to fall while the hands fall all the way
practitioner continues practitioner continues down by the sides, turn
to walk. to walk. the body in towards the
center of the circle, stop
walking and relax the
entire body.

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 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung

Putting It All Together

O nce the student has developed all of the

component parts of the ch'i kung
practice, the training will shift and the
student will then begin to learn how to piece
exercise. The breathing exercises, which help to
calm the mind, relax the body and cleanse the
system prepares the practitioner to obtain the best
results from meditative practice. After meditation,
together ail of the component parts and execute the ch'i circulation exercise is practiced. This
them simultaneously. Park is fond of saying that exercise will help circulate and balance the energy
no matter how good the parts of an engine are, in the body. After practicing the ch'i circulation
unless you know how to put them together to exercise, the practitioner will want to remain
build the engine, you don't have anything but a relaxed and calm for ten to fifteen minutes and
pile of expensive parts. Although the elements of not practice any "external" exercise for
the Pa Kua Chang ch'i kung system are trained appropriately one hour. This will give the newly
separately at first, the key to advanced circulated ch'i and blood time to help the body
development is in knowing how to fit the heal itself without disturbance.
component parts together to form the complete
equation.
Conclusion
Ch'i Development = Mind + Breathing +Body
movement This section has provided a brief introduction
to the ch'i kung training system of Park Bok Nam.
However, the manner in which all of these The exercises described above will typically be
pieces fit together and the specific training given to the beginner during his or her first few
employed to accomplish this is beyond the scope weeks of training and thus they are very basic.
of this book and should only be attempted under Park's complete system of ch'i kung training is
the guidance of an experienced teacher. As we designed to gradually lead the beginner from
have emphasized throughout this book, the these basics through progressively advanced
beginner will practice the components separately. techniques in a balanced and individually
However, this is not accomplished in a random prescribed curriculum. In order to gain the greatest
manner. There is a specific sequence utilized in benefit from ch'i kung practice it is wise to
daily training in order to achieve the best results. participate in a balanced, progressive program
When practicing the complete spectrum of a under the guidance of a qualified instructor. If the
martial arts training system including the ch'i student starts out with very simple exercises and
kung, nei kung, and wai kung components, the ch'i builds slowly without trying to rush results,
kung is always practiced as the last part of any development will be complete and the student
practice session. The external is trained first and will avoid complications.
then you move towards the internal practice to
end the workout. If practicing all three elements
of this ch'i kung method, the first exercise to
practice is the breathing component. The
breathing exercises will help relax and calm the
body while gathering the ch'i that will be utilized
during the ch'i circulation practice.
After the breathing exercises, the next
component that will be trained is the meditation

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200
 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung

Chapter 7

Conclusion
s ome of the characteristics of Pa Kua Chang
are as follows: high mobility attained
through evasive footwork; quick
directional changes; supple twisting, turning, and
meditation, and ch'i kung, or "internal" exercises.
Park strongly believes that there should be a
balance between internal and external training.
Basic stance work and flexibility training are
coiling body movements; smooth, continuous, followed by specific exercises which isolate the
flowing motion; varied rhythm and tempo; footwork components of Pa Kua Chang practice
economy of movement; relaxed, stable, and and teach the student to develop a "body
connected body; close-in fighting techniques; and knowledge" of Pa Kua footwork principles, theory,
powerful palm strikes which seem to appear out of and usage. Park says that if you want to use Pa Kua
nowhere. The skilled Pa Kua Chang stylist is able in fighting, knowing something in your head is
to change, adapt, and vary his movement to no good, you have to "know it in your body" and
ideally fit any given situation. He acts quickly, it has to be a reflex action. Repetitive footwork
efficiently, and with purpose. His spontaneous drills are practiced for hours a day for months at
response to his opponent's movement springs a time before the practitioner can even begin to
forth from an innate body knowledge of Pa Kua develop this "body knowledge."
Chang principles which have been trained through Footwork drills are the most important part of
hundreds of hours of repetitive drills. Park's training program because he believes that
As we have emphasized throughout this book, unless the Pa Kua Chang practitioner knows how
Park Bok Nam believes that the ability to adapt, the Pa Kua Chang footwork is used, he or she will
change, and respond spontaneously to any given never know how to fight using Pa Kua Chang.
situation cannot be attained if the practitioner Footwork drills are followed by similar repetitive
has only been taught a structured form set and exercises which isolate the components of
some basic self-defense techniques based on the blocking, seizing, trapping, palm striking, elbow
form movements. Training must be much deeper striking, sweeping, kicking, throwing and overall
and be built up systematically from a strong coordinated body motion.
foundation of Pa Kua Chang fundamentals. At the next level of training, exercises which
The beginner in Park's school will be given combine footwork with hand techniques are
fundamental training drills which specifically train practiced. Each stage of training is designed to
each of the components we have emphasized in teach the student how Pa Kua Chang is specifically
this book. These components are first trained in applied in fighting. At each level the student
isolation so that the student can fully develop learns to how the principle is applied, when it is
each piece before the components are fit together. applied, and why it is applied. Once a fundamental
The beginner in Park's school will first practice principle begins to become a reflex action, then
exercises which train flexibility, balance, stability, the student works with a partner to learn how to
coordination, and full body integration in order vary the response based on the partner's
to develop what Park calls a "kung fu body." In movements.
conjunction with this "external" training, the Through partner practice the student researches
student will also begin practicing basic breathing, how to obtain optimal body position at all times

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang
through use of footwork and how to continuously This material lays the foundation. Without
attack using effective, lightning-fast striking practicing the material contained in this book for
combinations. The tools the student uses to help many hundreds of hours, Park feels that the student
research the fighting method are found in the in his program will not be able to get very far in
Chinese theories of yin yang, wu hsing, and pa kua. developing real fighting skill utilizing the art of Pa
Kua Chang.
In this book we have tried to present a very We hope that the reader has been able to gain
detailed description of Pa Kua Chang's some valuable insights into the study of this
fundamentals as taught by Park Bok Nam. The magnificent art by reading this book and practicing
training presented in this book is very basic. The the exercises.
student in Park's school will be taught all of this Comments and questions are welcome.
material within the first year or two of practice.

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 Pa Kua Chang Ch'i Kung

List of References

1. Bell, EX, Men of Mathematics, Simon & Schuster,

New York, 1937.
2. Brennan, Herbie, The Synchronistic Barometer,
Analog Science Fiction/ Science Fact, August
1973
3. Fung Yu-Lan, A History of Chinese Philosophy,
Volume II, Commercial Press, Shanghai, China,
1934, republished Princeton University Press,
1973.
4. Govinda, Lama Anagarika, The Inner Structure of
the I-Ching, Wheelwright Press, San Francisco,
1981
5. K'ang Ko-Wu, "Studying the Origins of Pa Kua
Chang", 1984
6. Larre, Claude, Survey of Traditional Chinese
Medicine, Institut Ricci, Paris, 1986.
7. Wong, K. Chimin and Wu Lien-Teh, History of
Chinese Medicine, National Quarantine Service,
Shanghai, China, 1936.

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The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang

204
 Appendix
Chiang Shan Pa Kua Chang
Association

I n1987 Park Bok Nam opened his

school in Richmond, Virginia and
began teaching his teacher's Pa Kua
Chang method in the United States. For the
taught seminars in Texas, Florida, Colorado,
California, Massachusetts, and Washington
State. All of these seminars have been well
received and Park plans to continue
first few years teaching here, Park kept a teaching seminars throughout the county.
fairly low profile. He was happy teaching a Those readers who are interested in
handful of dedicated students in Richmond. attending one of Park Bok Nam's Pa Kua
One of Park's first students in Richmond, Chang seminars can write to High View
other than his long time student Glenn Publications for a current seminar schedule
Wright, was Glen Moore. When Moore met or contact Park directly.
Park he was a twenty year martial arts
veteran who had studied Escrima, Amis, Park's Assistant Instructors
Wing Chun, T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Pa Kua As of April 1993, Park Bok Nam has
Chang among other arts and was already a designated four students in the United States
skilled fighter. Glen has studied Pa Kua who are authorized to teach the material
Chang with Park since 1987 and now helps which is printed in this book. These students
Park run the school in Richmond. are as follows:
By 1990 the word was out that Park was 1) Glenn Wright - Glenn is Park Bok
very skilled at Pa Kua Chang and students Nam's senior student in the United States
from Northern Virginia, Maryland, and and has been studying with Park since
North Carolina had begun traveling to 1978. Glen currently resides in Tacoma,
Richmond to study with him. At the Washington.
encouragement of some of these students, 2) Glen Moore - Glen has been studying
Park began teaching seminars in Maryland with Park since Park arrived in the United
and New York. The seminars were very well States in 1987. He currently helps Park run
received and so a student of Park's, Greg his school in Richmond, Virginia.
Hatza, who was traveling from Baltimore to 3) Greg Hatza - Greg, who has been
Richmond every week to study with him studying with Park since 1990, is the senior
arranged for Park to teach a weekly class in student at Park's Saturday class in Towson,
Towson, Maryland. This class started in Maryland. Additionally, Greg continues to
November 1991 and currently students from study with Park privately on a weekly basis
Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, at Park's school in Richmond.
New Jersey, and New York travel to Towson 4) Dan Miller - Dan is the co-author of
to study with Park once a week. Greg Hatza this book and the director and producer of
is Park's senior student in this class. the companion video to this book. He
In addition to the regularly scheduled currently resides in Pacific Grove, California.
seminars Park teaches in Maryland and New He has been studying with Park since 1991
York, which started in 1991, he has also and helps organize and facilitate Park Bok

205
 formal disciple in the lineage of Tung
Hai-Ch'uan. Each of the generations in
Tung's lineage has a generation name
associated with it. Park is of the Ch'iang (6th)
generation.
Every year (starting in 1992) Park holds a
Pa Kua Chang training camp in the
mountains of West Virginia. This camp is
open to all of Park's students and provides an
opportunity for everyone studying Park's Pa
Kua Chang in the United States to train
together and get to know each other. The
camp also acts as the yearly Association
meeting and Park uses the opportunity to
promote students and accept formal disciples
if he feels any students are ready for
promotion. This camp is open to all
interested Pa Kua Chang practitioners,
however, Association members pay a
discount price. Those readers who may be
interested in the Pa Kua Chang Association
can contact Glenn Moore by writing to the
Nam's West Coast seminars. He is also the following address:
publisher and editor of the Pa Kua Chang
Journal, a bi-monthly publication covering Pa Kua Kung Fu School
all aspects and all styles of Pa Kua Chang. 11101 Midlothian Turnpike
Park Bok Nam has authorized each of Richmond, VA 23236 (804)
these individuals to begin teaching students 794-8384
under his supervision. Anyone wishing to
contact any of these individuals, please In addition to this book and its
write to: companion video, Park plans to continue to
present his material in video format so that he
High View Publications can share his method with interested
P.O. Box 51967 Pacific students in the United States who may not
Grove, CA 93950 (408) have the opportunity to study with him
655-2990 directly on a regular basis. Additionally, he
will be increasing and expanding his seminar
program in the United States and Europe. In
March, 1993 he conducted his first
Plans for the Future European seminar in Italy.
In 1992 Park Bok Nam and his students formed the Park Bok Nam's goal is to share his Pa
Ch'iang Shan Pa Kua Chang Association. This Kua Chang knowledge and experience with
association was formed to help promote the art of interested students so that the next
Pa Kua Chang and the Pa Kua Chang of Lu generation of Pa Kua Chang practitioners
Shui-T'ien in the United States. Ch'iang Shan is the can carry on the Pa Kua Chang lineage and
Pa Kua Chang generation name given to Park Bok the art of Pa Kua Chang will continue to be
Nam by his teacher when Park was accepted as a respected in martial arts circles.

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 About the Author

A native of Springfiled, Virginia, Dan Miller graduated from

the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland in
1982 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and accepted a
commission in the United States Marine Corps. He subsequently
served for ten years as an officer of Marines. While in the
military he was sent to study at the Naval Postgraduate School
in Monterey, California (1987-1989) and earned a Masters
Degree in Electrical Engineering.
Dan began his study of Chinese martial arts in 1983 with T'ai
Chi Ch'uan. He has since spent time studying T'ai Chi Ch'uan,
Hsing-I Ch'uan, and Pa Kua Chang. In 1990 he and his wife
founded High View Publications and began publishing the Pa
Kua Chang Newsletter. In 1992 the newsletter was upgraded to a
Journal. In July 1992 Dan left the military service and now lives
in Pacific Grove, California where he is writing and publishing
full time.

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