Fohan Quan Style Characteristics

(Translated excerpt from "An Introduction to Fohan Quan")

China Fohan Quan has more than 400 years of history. As a result of continual reform since its birth, and the originality and perfection of the style through all the generations, it has become a wushu treasure in the world. Its style and characteristics are summarized in the following:

1. China Fohan Quan has four main features which are the comprehensiveness, practical applications, scientific thought processes, and gymnastic abilities and caring for the body. It pays attention to the combination of physical cultivation and practice, and the unification of practice and actual application.
2. During the entire process of practicing China Fohan Quan , attention is paid to the harmony of human being and nature. The body is relaxed, and the left and right parts of the body are symmetrical. The upper body is gentle while the lower body is firm. The outer body looks soft while the energetic spirit is hidden in the inner body. In this way it is easy to dull the pain and improve circulation in the arms, legs, and inner organs to help them perform smoothly, as well as prevent and help treat all types of chronic disease. Practicing Fohan Quan can therefore have the effect of health fortification, preventing disease, and cultivating the mind and body.
3. China Fohan Quan pays attention to the repair of nature and the body's own ability, and stresses the cultivation of health and healthy aging. During the training of Fohan Quan there are no certain shapes and rules as it changes in different situations, advancing once the chance reveals itself. Yingyang changes are always mutual, as gentle and hard intersect with each other, always in succession.
4. China Fohan Quan has a systematic and scientific training process, in the form of a complete training method system. It offers different teaching methods for different groups of people, such as children, teenagers, middle and old-aged people, women, etc. It gives focused, systematic and scientific teaching to the different age groups.
5. China Fohan Quan 's hand movements are abundant. The two hands in upper, lower, left, and right directions are as flexible as dexterous snake. They can move into every gap once one is encountered, and change in diverse ways. As the "The Manual of Fohan Quan" says: "When the hands stretch out, it is as fast as lightning and they change at that moment without returning to the ready position".
6. Body movement in China Fohan Quan is unique. It takes the waist as an axis, with moving in the forms and changing stances being as smooth as a swimming fish. It is soft and changeable, and all the movements are on the basis of the whole body. The front body is the frame and the possible gestures of the body take the form of nine different arches. With every breath, the mind can support the body in eight directions.
7. China Fohan Quan 's leg movements are gentle, flexible and change skillfully. The stances unify with the body's change. "The Methods of Fohan Quan " says: "Good hand movement is not as good as body movement, good body movement is not as good as leg movement." Fohan Quan has 19 stances including seven rapid stances and eight flying kicks. It changes in different situations and in different opportunities.
8. China Fohan Quan combines the advantages of every Wushu community, reflects the crisp motions and the shaking and jumping forces of Wai Jia Quan (external styles), and has the soft features and strike absorbing movements of Nei Jia Quan (internal styles). It stresses that "nothing can defend against a combination of extreme hard and strong, extreme gentle and soft, and quickly changing form."
9. China Fohan Quan 's methods of training at a high level talk about the cultivation of the character of the mind. Only if your mind is noble are you able to connect the universe with yourself, and then you can gain the high level of kung fu and understand the noble creative concept of "humanity and kindness" and bravely offer and expend this wisdom to others.