Shaolin Kung Fu Styles - Duan Da Quan (Small Boxing)
Duan
Quan, also known as short-style boxing, is a form of kung fu
practiced primarily in the Hebei Province of China.
A
highly-dynamic and combat-oriented martial art, Duan Quan focuses
on short and compact routines, low stances, and quick movements.
Students are taught to be highly mobile, in order to keep the
opponent disoriented and unable to attack.
Practiced
for centuries but extremely rare today, Duan (Short) Quan (Boxing)
is also known as MianZhangquan or Mianzhang Duanda (Cotton Palm
Short Strikes). It is a combat orientated method from the Northern
Hebei Province of China and is characterised by short simple
sequences/routines and skillful close and long range approaches.
The style originated in the Ming Dynasty and was developed in the
Qing Dynasty.
The
major features of the short-style Quan (Boxing/ Fist-Play) are its short and compact
routines which usually consist of three to five steps and a dozen
moves, its use of low stances and small but quick movements. The
arms and legs of the short-style boxers are bent slightly and they
use simple and sudden moves and the actions are executed smartly.
Movements are well connected and fist plays follow in quick
succession often with sudden changes. The boxers seldom jump or
leap, nor do they use fixed or mid-air actions, rather, they rove
around to shun the attack from the opponent. The short-style
Chuan, therefore, is strongly combat-orientated.
Duan Quan
is the indigenous art of Gaoyang county in Hebei province and was
practiced in the past by many families such as Yu, Zhou and Zhang
in the county. Today the skill has reached the 9th and 10th
generation from the Master that passed the skill to the Gaoyang
county.
The
key principles of Duan Quan are found on the principles of close
range powerful strikes and that the hands and body move in unison
where required...
