Carly’s question
There is Baji here in Tainan.
The students practice in a public location, but if anyone stops to look they will come and tell you you can’t stand and watch.
Talk about unfriendly.
This is just for their basic exercises.
I don’t know what they do about 2 man practice because they almost never do it in public.
Tainan Mantis and others
Thank you for your answers.
Its unfortunate that they react and behave that way. Baji takes much more than simply seeing. They shouldn’t practice publicly if they feel that strongly about their art.
For years it was held in secret simply because Jiang Jieshi’s body guards were trained in it and for that reason and a few others, it can be a bit cultish. We are trying very hard to bring it out of the shadow of secrets and more into a public format.
Should any of you visit the Cleveland/Akron/Canton are you are most welcome to come to our school and observe a baji class. We are use-friendly.
Oh yeah, way to go STEELERS (Pittsburgh’s my hometown). I got keep it quiet around here, today!
Well re-reading this thread after all this time was quite a trip through memory lane. 
btw, wolfen…it’s not “tou xue” if he invites you to come and see. 
My teacher is more secretive. I’ve never seen him yell at anyone for trying to “steal” our stuff. We just stop doing anything interesting if the wrong people seem to be watching. There’s a lot of curious of ****s walking around getting their exercise but just watching doesn’t mean their trying to learn your stuff. It’s when they study you intently that it becomes a problem. Sometimes they are dumb enough as to try even mimicing you from a distance. My teacher has pretty strict rules for me about that so when people start studying what I do I typically switch to jsut practicing zhan zhuang or other stance work.
Ironically, I’m putting the real secrets right in front of them but they are such boring secrets no one generally will bother trying to copy and lose interest after a few minutes.
Has a Baji or Bagua guy ever won in NHB? I mean real NHB, not that one video of the NHB fight where the two old Chinese guys kept bopping each other in the head with hammer fists.
carly,
If baguazhang or bajiquan interest you, you might also try inquiring at the Empty Flower forum as there a lot of internal players on that list.
Buddy
Yizong Baguazhang
BTW for those of you on Taiwan, my teacher (Luo Dexiu) teaches at the Chiang Kaishek memorial bldg in Taipei. Check him out.
BAAAAAG WAAAAA
BAAAAAG WAAAAA
Memories.
In the 50’s and 60’s, there is the Taipei municipal park. My faovrite thing was to get on the bronze water buffalo at the entrance. Imagined that I am Lao Tzu riding the water buffalo and wandering.
In the 70’s, there is the Dr. Sun Yet Sen memorial park. I ran around the step-high lanes.
Since the 80’s, there is the CKS (Zhong Cheng Ji Nian Tang) memorial park.
Just about every park, there are people practicing Tai Ji, and all in the morning.
Whoever is there first gets the spot.
Talking about crowding out.
wolf,
Sorry no. I haven’t been there but I suspect people there would know my teacher. You might try other websites like empty flower to ask but who knows? His group is there on some weeknights about 8 or 8:30. He may or may not be there at the time. Do you know what Gao baguazhang looks like? Or Mr. Luo?
Good Luck,
Buddy
Omar,
Have you ever heard of a Professor Xue Xian Wang? Have you ever heard of a Su Tian? The first person is a Xing Yi/Baji dude in Chengdu. I think the second person is his teacher. I just wondered if perhaps you or your teacher might have heard of or known these instructors. I appreciate any info.
Tao
I’ll try to remember the names next time I see my teacher but he doesn’t seem to get to Sichuan much. Most of “our people” are in Shaanxi or Shandong. You never know though.
Do you have any more info on these people? Where they teach? Positions on any martial arts associations etc? Just the names in pinyin is not much to go on.
I wouldnt say the Baji and Bagua folks are any more fanatical then many other CMA arts. I think anytime an individual works really hard and starts to personally own what they train and it becomes effective for them they can get highly enthusiastic about what they are doing. In addition to Baji and Bagua I can think of many others that have practitioners in the CMA’s that are just as “fanatical”… not in any order of importance
Southern PM, Northern PM, WC, Hsing-i, Lama/Hop Gar, White eye brow, SC, CLF, and yes many Tai Chi folks with many more to mention…
Agreed.
Ba Ji was an instant love affair for me.
Ba Gua needs some time to really know what is going on. Feels dizzy/disoriented in the beginning.
Tai Ji was hate, hate and hate. After some gruelling slowness and torturing standing stillness, and some time later, hm Tai Ji stays with me and not letting go.
Cheers.
