San Huang Pao Chui

San Huang Pao Chui literally can be translated in Chinese to Three Emperor Cannon Fist.

San Huang Pao Chui originated from the three emperors Fuxi, Shennong, and Gonggong in China. They where previously known throughout China as the Three August Ones. The popular spread of Pao Chui was in early association with Shaolin and was one of the first ever styles implemented into the Shaolin monastery training regiment. The first Shaolin monk learned this style from martial artists located on Mount Emei. Other local legends believe that the style was formed by Heaven itself, Earth and the human emperors bonding together.

Master's demonstration of San Haung Pao Chui.

Demonstration of San Haung Pao Chui.

First Monk on Mount Emei

Around the time of Ming and Qing dynasties, there was a monk by the name of Puzhao whom climbed Mount Emei in the Sichuan province. Upon arrival he became the pupil of a Daoist priest whom taught him the first style of Pao Chui. Years later, he finally mastered the art and returned back to teach it to Qiao Sanxiu and Gan Fengchi during Qing emperors Kangxi and Yong Zheng's ruling. He taught Qiao to learn soft fluid motions as the core of his form but strength and power as the outward application. On the other hand he taught Gan to learn strength and power but instead use a supple soft motion as his output. The Gan-Style focused on maintaining a positive life with strong health. Both mental and physical vitality. During 1736-1795, the Emperor Qian Long, Qiao Sanxiu passed what he has learned from Mount Emei to his disciple Qiao Heling. The disciples of Gan Fengchi are unknown to this day.

A painters depliction of Mount Emei.

Mount Emei

Gan-Style of Pao Chui

The Gan-Style focused on maintaining a positive life with strong health. Both mental and physical vitality. During 1736-1795, the Emperor Qian Long, Qiao Sanxiu passed what he has learned from Mount Emei to his disciple Qiao Heling. The disciples of Gan Fengchi are unknown to this day.

Years later Qiao Heling passed this style again to his disciple to Song Mailun and Yu Liandeng.

- Yu continued to teach the core foundation style of San Haung Pao Chui to their newer disciples yet Song decided to broaden the style by combining Pao Chui with new forms from dozens of other separate schools in order to create new routines. This led Song to invent the later Three-Hand hold style he is known for.

Eventually Pao Chui has become increasingly popular in Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, Liaoning, Henan and Jilin. Then the people and disciples divided the style into Song-Style and Yu-Style Three Emperor Fists which was then further divided just to be named Yu Fists and Song Hands.

Concepts

Sanhuang Pao Chui is also called Pao Chuan, utilizing powerful and rapid fist blows like the firing of a cannon. The foundation routine of this form is embedded in Cross Hand blows with the squating horse stance being the core stance used.

Fa Jing is used or explosive energy, to create hard powerful strikes at a target. This is extensively based on the theory of Ying and Yang as well as the theory of Gang Ruo which states the usage of both hard and soft energy being used together at once. The main movement is Shi Zi Chi, also known as Cross Fist. This basic step is called Yuen Dang Bu in which attacks are aimed at the targets mid section, using both powerful long and short strikes together.

The effectiveness of this style is incorporated with positive and negative, hard and supple, attack and defense and advance a retreat. These all with the base of Ying and Yang. Each practitioner requires the combination of their eye, hand and body movement. The usage of footwork with the human mind, spirit and practiced breathing helps one create the generation of force per attack. It requires all of these to be closely knitted so when one throws a punch, the build up of power is equivalent of pulling a bow and firing the arrow.