Six Harmony Martial Arts Academy

Discover your inner strength.

Xin yi quan(Mind and Will Boxing), also called Liu he quan (Six Harmonies Boxing) is the original name found in historical records for the art also known as Xing yi quan/Hsing-I ch'uan (Form and Will Boxing).

The  name of this art relates to the saying "Direct the will with the mind."

Like a number of other martial arts, Xinyi is said to have been the creation of Yue Fei, a valorous general who lived during the Song dynasty.  Sometime later, Ji Longfeng, a talented spearman, is said to have developed a system called Liuhequan, a bare-hand fighting system based on his own spear  method and encompassing the techniques and principles of Yue Fei's art.  Present-day practitioners commonly combine the two names in the form "Xinyi  liuhe quan."

In the name "Xinyi liuhe quan," the "six harmonies" referred to are the three  "external" harmonies (hand and foot, elbow and knee, shoulder and hip); and the three "internal" harmonies (xin [mind] and yi [will or intention], yi and qi [vital energy], qi and li [power]).

Together with Taijiquan/T'ai-chi ch'uan, which refers to taiji, the  ultimate principle of existence in Chinese philosophy, and Ba gua zhang/Pa kua  chang (Eight Trigrams Palm), whose name suggests the operations of the yin-yang principle, Xinyi is considered one of the three dominant schools  of "internal" martial art.  "Internal" should not be understood to mean that  this system is more theoretical than practical. Xinyi is practiced to develop  the will through rigorous training, and to enhance psychological awareness of one's opponents.

There are ten animals and mythological creatures whose movements, physical attributes, or perceived psychological qualities have inspired the techniques of  Xinyiquan.  These are: the dragon, the tiger, the chicken, the eagle, the snake, the horse, the bear, the monkey, the hawk, and the swallow. 

The  practice of stances and static postures is the foundation of Xinyi training.  This is followed by repetitive practice of coordinated hand-and-foot movements  that serve both attack and defense.  Later, these techniques are practiced in various sequences, eventually improvised. 

Individual practice gives way gradually to partner training.  Unlike most  major martial arts systems, Xinyi involves choreographed routines only at a  relatively advanced level of practice, and principally as an encyclopedia of the system.  Reliance on pre-established patterns is seen as a hindrance to the  development of spontaneous reaction skills.

Grand Master Yu Hua Lung Snake Posture

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