The 64 Hands of Bagua Zhang

The art of Bagua Zhang is best known for its circular forms, yet linear fighting techniques have been incorporated into Bagua practice by many renowned masters. Liu Dekuan, a student of Dong Haichuan (the founder of Bagua Zhang), was one such master, devising a set of 64 techniques performed in straight lines. These techniques were collected and preserved by Master Liu's disciple Gao Wencheng and his family, passed down from generation to generation. InThe 64 Hands of Bagua Zhang,author Gao Jiwuthe grandson of Gao Wenchengbrings these techniques to the English-speaking world. Well known for his expertise in the 64 Hands form, Master Gao explains the history of the art, his family's place in it, and the key principles for practice. The heart of the book is the complete set of Liu Dekuan's 64 techniques; the solo forms are each explained in detail and then elaborated on to demonstrate their practical applications. Clear photographs fully illustrate the movements of the complete form and practice drills. Translated by Nigel Sutton, who has studied with the Gao family since the early 1980s,The 64 Hands of Bagua Zhanghelps readers fully understand this form of Bagua Zhang.

Master Gao Jiwu holds the rank of a Seventh Duan Master Instructor and is best known for his mastery of the “64 Hands” form passed down through his family. He lives in Beijing.

Nigel Sutton holds instructor grades in the Chinese internal arts, Shaolin Five Ancestors, Combat Sambo, and several styles of Malay Silat. The author of a number of books on martial arts, he lives in Penang, Malaysia.