Ba Gua History

[ngokfei]

Am doing research into my style of Ying Zhao and in a translation I have and Individual by the name of Dong LaoGong being friends with Yang Ban Hou and Liu Shi Jung.

I'm pretty sure it is Dong Hai Chuan since all 3 taught at the palace around the same time.

When researching this name I come up with "LaoGong" being an accupuncture point in the palmof the hand that BaGua stylist use to project their Qi.

So is this Dong Hai Chuan's nickname or another individual?

thanks for any help.

eric

[Fu-Pow]

Could it be

Lao Gung as in "Old Teacher."

Like Si Gung.

[Laviathan]

"Lao Gong" here means "Elder Eunuch" and has nothing to do with the acupuncture point Laogong, for as far as I know...

And yes, Dong Laogong is Dong Haichuan. Apparently, Dong Haichuan was a eunuch and later in his life he was called "Laogong" as a title of respect.

Hope this helps.

LAV

[ngokfei]

laviathan

thanks for the confirmation. The Lao Gong came up when a did a search on the web. I asked a firend of mine who is a accupuncturist and he confirms that it is a point on the palm.

Kind of a coincidence

Again thanks for the confirmation

eric

[RAF]

Gong gong is the term for eunuch.

Lao gong is the term for husband [lao po is term for wife (coutnry slang)].

Only sure way to know is to have some translate the original characters.

[Laviathan]

Originally posted by RAF
Gong gong is the term for eunuch.

Lao gong is the term for husband [lao po is term for wife (coutnry slang)].

Gonggong = general term for eunuch

Laogong = husband BUT

It is also used in Beijing for eunuchs of old age and high rank... "Elder Eunuch"

[RAF]

My wife is from Beijing and that term must not be in current use. It may have been used in the historical context you mention.

Like I said, you need to site the original character writing.
Gong gong can also be the wife's father-in-law.

Also putting the word Lao in front of a person's first name is a common practice of closeness of friends. For example, the friends of my wife's father often refer to him as Lao Liu. Of course, I would dare not call him that.

There was a previous discussion, might have been on Tim Cartmell's site, and its unlikely that Dong Hai Chuan was a eunuch otherwise it should have held for Yin Fu and Gong Bao Tian as all 3 were in the bodyguard service of the Royal Palace.

Yin Fu served as a bodyguard to the Empress CiXi and there is no record of him being a eunuch and it doesn't make sense that Dong Hai Chuan would be a eunuch as it was he who was responsible for getting them into the service of the Royal Palace.

[Laviathan]

Dear RAF,

I am now in Beijing training Baguazhang, and many Bagua practitioners and martial arts sources refer to Dong Haichuan as "Dong Laogong". That's why I'm pretty sure that Dong Laogong is Dong Haichuan.


I don't know whether or not Dong Haichuan was a eunuch or not, some say he was, some say he wasn't. A specific source mentioned that Dong Haichuan used to be the servant of Emperor Xianfeng as a eunuch, but after the death of Xianfeng he was transferred to Prince Su's Residence. His students Yin Fu, Gong Baotian ea were all Imperial Guards, not eunuchs, but that doesn't mean Dong Haichuan could not have been a eunuch.

[RAF]

Thanks for the info. I was there this summer, Beijing, and miss it.

Eunuch bit not terribly important in my thinking anyway. Just referenced the discussion.

I notice your Cao Cao quote. Did you know that the 3 Kingdoms is available with English subtitles? Its a 58 series vcd set running about $40.00. The series is currently running on CCTV 4 but without subtitles.

Enjoy Beijing!

[Laviathan]

Thanks RAF!

Yes, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms TV-series is available with English subtitles, but I already bought the series three years ago (without English).

Lately I've been watching Da Han Tianzi (Emperor of the Han Dynasty) in Beijing. :)