"China Hand Kung Fu Academy teaches the Traditional Style Pa Kua Chuan. Included in our Pa Kua system is: Circling Walking, 8 Palm Changes, Pa Kua Continuous Form, Pa Kua Applications."
--www.chinahand.com
Is this a description of most Bagua schools? I am curious because I have been talking with a Yang Style teacher about learning the International 24 Form and the 108 Form (previously learned from my former Sifu in CA) and he mentioned also Bagua and possibly Xing Yi if he found time. I know what to look for in Tai Chi, but not Bagua (though I prefer Bagua) and know nothing of Xing Yi.
Any help is appreciated.
I do no tjink that there is a Traditional STyle baqua in that it will depend on which school-Cheng, Dong, Fu, etc. People use "traditional" to trap unsuspecting students.
Though my experience is limited in baquangzhang, I did learn from an excellent teacher (Lu Hungping in his last years). I am still trying to find out about the style he taught:
What I learnt was:
1. tangnipu (basic mud walking step)
2. Circle walking (from large circle to small and back out again.
3. Single and double palm changes
4. Individual chanegs done in a single line.
5. Some posture holding
I have never learnt application or continuous form while saying continuous form is contained in the 8 palm changes (not always the same in all). A later teacher I learnt 8 palm changes that differed from the one I saw Lu Hungping demonstrate.
Interesting.
The only thing I learned was to walk a small octagon and change directions and then do these movements that were called by animal names... like bear, lion, pheonix, monkey, etc. I do not remember what I did, just that this was what I was taught. I remember we did applications of some of the movements as a way to demonstrate what the movement was for.
That is the extent of my experience in Bagua. My instructor encouraged me to learn Hung Gar Tiger and Crane form and Yang Style Tai Chi. I went to San Fransicso that year to participate in an International Tournament doing the Tiger and Crane.
The highlight of being there (since I did not compete out of childhood fear of crowds) was meeting Doc-Fai Wong.