Meihuaquan

Meihuaquan (; literally "plum blossom Fist") is a common term used to name styles or exercise sets of kung fu:
1) a style of kung fu that originated in the northern provinces of China centuries ago. Meihuaquan is also known as Meihuazhuang 2) other kung fu styles with the name, like Meishanquan from southern China;
3) exercise, or sparring, sets within differently named styles of kung fu, like Da and Xiao Meihuaquan in Songshan Shaolinquan.

There are many Meihuaquan that have same origins: Ganzhi Wushi Meihuazhuang, Baijiazhi Meihuaquan, Luodi Meihuaquan, Wuzi Meihuaquan, Leijia Meihuaquan, etc. There are various traditions regarding the foundation of this style; it is said that Meihuaquan has no single founder.

Ganzhi wushi meihuazhuang (, Plum blossom Pillars of Stems and Branches) is a branch of Meihuaquan, shortened to Meihuazhuang (Plum blossom Pillars). Ganzhi is a contraction of Tiangan Dizhi, or more fully Tiangan Dizhi Wushi Meihuazhuang. The eighth generation master Zhang Congfu created a new kind of practise called Xiaojia (Little Frame) as opposed to the older style known as Dajia (Big Frame). Meihuazhuang is divided into two parts: Wenchang (literary) encompasses theory; Wuchang (martial) encompasses techniques such as Jiazi (frame), Shoutao (sparring exercise to teach combat skills), Chengquan (combat choreography), Yingquan (combat), and Gongquan and Ningquan (moving in war). Jiazi is characterized by five static positions (Wushi: , five patterns; or , five postures) intermixed with dynamic motion (Xingbu, ), and consisting of light rapid footwork and large flowing movements. With a simple expansive posture and built in poise, Meihuaquan releases and strengthens the flow of energy to increase concentration of the mind.

Baijiazhi Meihuaquan (, Bai family Branch of Plum blossom Boxing) is a Meihuaquan practised in the southwest part of Shandong Province. It was founded by Bai Jindou (, Pai Chin tou, in Wade Giles), a ninth generation master of Plum Blossom Boxing. In Taiwan this school is called Beipai Shaolin Meihuaquan (, Plum Blossom Boxing of Shaolin Northern Faction) or Meihuamen(, Plum Blossom School). Jiazi of this school are referred to as Meihuaquan Laojia (Old Frame of Plum Blossom Boxing). While studying this set, disciples often train in pairs—duida (hit in pair) and duilian (train in pair)—with and without weapons. At the basic level, duida are only for two opponents and of two kinds: hand and kick techniques, or falling techniques. At intermediate level, disciples practise combat against two to five people. At the advanced level, they may study war and Meihua Zhen Gong Fang (, Plum Blossom's Arrays).

Leijia Meihuaquan is a branch of Meihuaquan that derives its name from having been practiced near Leijiacun village and spreading to the surrounding area. This branch is clearly related to the Ganzhi Wushi Meihuazhuang, as it identifies in its lineage Zhang Sansheng (or Zhang Zhenshu , a second generation master). This type of Meihuaquan differs from the Ganzhi Wushi Meihuazhuang and the Baijiazhi in having only four postures rather than the usual five: dashi, aoshi, xiaoshi, and baishi. Dashi is roughly identical to the shunshi of the other branches. The attitude of the hands during the basic form (Jiazi) is characterised by the open palm.

Wuzi Meihuaquan is a shortened form of Sun Wuzi Chuanxin Meihuaquan (, Plum Blossom Boxing Piercing the Heart of Sun Wuzi), also called Sun Wuzi Meihuaquan (孙武子梅花拳), Chuanxin Meihuaquan (穿心梅花拳), or Zhongxin Meihuaquan (中心梅花拳). Disciples of this school believe it was founded by Sun Zi, also known as Sun Wuzi. A famous master of this branch is Kou Yunxing (寇运兴). The sets of Wuzi Meihuaquan are Shilu Tantui (十二路弹腿); Da Meihuaquan er lu e san lu ; Xiao Meihuaquan er lu (小梅花拳二路); Meihuadao (梅花刀); Meihua longxingjian (梅花龙形剑); and Meihua qiang (梅花枪). is the name given to a branch of Meihuaquan taught on the island of Taiwan by Han Qingtang, a branch that is part of a wider system that includes other boxing styles of northern China. Its followers also call it Changquan or Beishaolin. Han Qingtang learned this Meihuaquan in Jimo from Sun Maolin (孫茂林) and Jiang Benhe (姜本河), two masters originally from Liangshan. This Meihua boxing has three forms: Maifuquan (埋伏拳), Shizitang (十字趟), and Taizu Changquan (太祖长拳). They also taught a duilian named Xiaowushou (小五手).

Shangcheng Meihuaquan (上乘梅花拳, Plum blossom Boxing of Optimal Quality) is a branch of Meihuaquan taught in Fujian by Wang Jincheng (王金城) to his son Wang Ding (王鼎, 1882–1985).

Among the several styles analyzed by Wang Xiangzhai in a well known interview is the style of Meihuaquan that is called Wushizhuang (五式桩, Five figures Pole), which tradition says was taught in Henan and Sichuan. Wang Xiangzhai had contact with this style during his travels through China, in 1928 making friends with Liu Pixian, a master of the twelfth generation of Meihuaquan, with whom Wang Xiangzhai compared methods. After this experience Liu Pixian created a new style to which he gave the name Shaomoquan (少摩拳).

Meishanquan (梅山拳, Plum Mountain Boxing), also known as Meihuaquan, is a style created during the Song dynasty in Meishan county of Hunan. It has 77 sets.

A style named Meihuaquan was spread in Hunan during the period of Guanxu (光绪, 1875–1908), by the master Wan Fuzi (万福子), who learned it in Sichuan.

Information on Emei Meihuaquan (峨嵋梅花拳, Plum blossom boxing of the Emei mountain) is scanty. It is said that Zhou Beitao (周北涛) created a set with this name, made up of over 100 figures, after a long meditation with his forehead touching Meihua plants. The book Zhongguo Wushu Renmin Cidian (中国武术人名辞典) instead alleges that Zhou would have learned Meihuaquan, and Taijiquan, from Zhang Yimin (张镒民), in 1930. There are various styles of Meihuaquan from Sichuan.

The members of the De'ang (德昂族), of Yunnan and the area south of Sichuan, have practiced Meihuaquan since the Ming dynasty. Plum blossom Boxing figured in the White Lotus Rebellion, between 1794 and 1805, in Sichuan, Shaanxi, Henan and Hubei, the revolt also known as Chuanchu Bailianjiao Qi Yi (川楚白莲教起义, Rebellion of schism of the White Lotus in Sichuan and Hubei) or Chuanchu Jiao Luan (川楚教乱, Chaotic Schism of the Sichuan and the Hubei).

Meihua Jie Quan (梅花捷拳, Plum blossom Fast Boxing) is a style of Chinese martial arts derived from the Shaolin School. Han Kuisheng (韩愧生), a man of Shandong, practiced this boxing and taught it to Fu Xiushan (傅秀山) from Yucheng (禹城). Fu has published a book titled Jiequan Tushuo (捷拳图说) about the style. Meihua Jie Quan uses the fists as in Xingyiquan, palm blows as in Baguazhang, and has figures as in Yunu Chuansuo (玉女穿梭) and Danbian (单鞭), an identical to Taijiquan. It has five basic figures (Wushi): Pi (劈), Tiao (挑), Shan (闪), Chong (冲), and Xie (斜). Hand strikes are divided into high, medium, and low types, with like types for agility. The complete form is made up of 48 figures, comprising the start and end positions, according to 12 character formulas (十二字诀, Shier zi jue).

Shunshimen (顺式门) is a composite style with the following forms belonging to Meihuaquan: Meihuaquan (梅花拳), Chuanlinzhang (穿林掌), Bafangzhang (八方掌), Meihua Sanshou Ershi Shi (梅花散手二十式), Meihuaqiang (梅花枪), and Wuhu qunyang gun (五虎群羊棍).

Wumeiquan (五枚拳, Boxing of Wumei) or Wumeipai (School of Wumei) is a style of Chinese martial arts which may be put in the Nanquan class. Some write Wumeiquan with other ideograms (e. g. 五梅拳, Five plum Boxing); in Cantonese it is Ng Mui Kuen. In the Wumeiquan Quanpu (五梅拳拳谱) it is said that the style has been handed down from a Buddhist nun (尼姑) whose religious name was Wu Mei (五梅). In other traditions Wu Mei was a Taoist nun (Daogu, 道姑). She transmitted the style to Huang Baoshan (黄宝善; also known as Huang Baolin, 黄宝林)—of the city of Lufengxiang (庐丰乡), of Shanghangxian (上杭县), in Fujian province—who handed it on in turn to Gong Rongguang (龚荣煌) of Lanxixiang (兰溪乡), also in Fujian. Gradually the style spread through Fujian and Guangdong. The Annals of the County of Shanghang (上杭县志, Shanghang Xianzhi) tell that, at the end of the Qing dynasty, Wumeiquan (五梅拳), which is the orthodox Shaolin boxing, was diffused throughout the districts of Lanxi (蓝溪), Huangtan (黄潭), Taiba (太拔), and the same Shanghang. These are some sequences of hand fighting taught in New York: Tianguangzhang (天光掌), Wuxingquan (五行拳), and Shier Dizhi (十二地支). This style is often practiced "free form", giving wide latitude to the free application of the movements. These are the weapons used in the school of Shanghang Sanchiba (三齿耙): gou lian qiang (钩镰枪); qinglongdao (青龙刀); mupa (木耙); dandao (单刀); shuangdao (双刀); jian (剑); fu (斧); shuang tongchui (双铜锤); tiechi (铁尺); hutoupai (虎头牌); and bandeng (板凳).

Many styles have sets named Plum blossom Boxing within their programs, including Cailifo, Tanglangquan, Hongdong Tongbeiquan, Songshan Shaolinquan, and Hongjiaquan.

There are two sets named Shaolin meihuaquan (少林梅花拳) in Songshan Shaolinquan: Xiao Meihuaquan (Little Plum blossom Fist) and Da Meihuaquan (Big Plum blossom Fist). Xiao Meihuaquan is also known as Shaolin Ditang Meihuaquan. It is said that these sets were created by Jinnaluo Wang (紧那罗王).

In Southern Shaolin style Nam Pai Chuan (南北拳), Yi Zhi Mei Quan (一枝梅拳) or Single Plum Blossom Fist is a popular form created by Shi Gao Can.

In Cailifo (蔡李佛, Choyleefut) is Little Plum blossom Boxing (小梅花拳), a famous set with this name.

Hongjia Meihuaquan (洪家梅花拳, Plum blossom Fist of Hong Family) is a set of Hongjiaquan, better known as Mui Fa Kuen in Cantonese. Its complete name is Shizi Meihuaquan (十字梅花拳, Crossing Plum blossom Fist; in Cantonese, Sap Ji Mui Fa Kuen).

Tanglangquan has varied connections with the Meihuaquan name. One of the main branches of the style is called Meihua Tanglangquan, and another Taiji Meihua Tanglangquan. Some forms are called Meihua, and in particular one is known as Meihuaquan. Others are Meihualu (梅花路) and Meihuashou (梅花手). Three sets together are "three bloomed hands". Jiang Hualong (姜化龙), founder of the branch Babu Tanglangquan, would have practiced Meihuaquan before beginning to study Praying Mantis boxing.

In Chaquan there is a taolu (form) called Meihuaquan and the Seventh Way of the Chaquan (七路查拳).

Another Seventh Way (Qilu, 七路) is the Meihuaquan of Bei Shaolin of Gu Ruzhang, whose form and style probably is derived from Chaquan.

Qianhou Meihuaquan (前后梅花拳) is the name of a sequence of Liuhequan.

Qi School (亓门, qímén) contains a form called Meihuaquan, which is a method of preparation for all incoming boxing students in the school.