by gmc » Wed Jan 18, 2006 10:33 am
History of Mian Zhang Quan
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article traces Mian Zhang Quan , known as “Continuous Palm Boxing”back to it’s beginnings. When I learned this style from Master Chen Junhao, I never learned all the history, due to our language barrier. My friend Wang Xiaoguang often spent time discussing martial arts with Master Chen Junhao. Wang’s efforts in researching and sharing the information that our teacher Chen Junhao had discussed, has been a great gift for anyone interested in the old styles of Chinese Martial Arts.
There are several styles of Mian Zhang Quan in the Chinese Martial Arts (CMA). The style that we learned from Master Chen Junhao is the style that is mainly practiced in Shanxi Province. This branch of Mian Zhang Quan was first taught by Mr. Changde Zuo. Mr. Zuo was born in 1809 in Xiaozi Qu Village, Wenshui County of Shanxi Province. He was the second child in his family, and very famous for his martial art in “South 6, North 7, 13 Provinces”. For that reason, he was nicknamed Zuo (family name) Er (the second) Ba (martial artist). When he was very young, Zuo studied the martial art called Tan Tui (Springing Leg) with his father. When Zuo Er Ba grew up, he was quite tall and blessed with incredible strength. When Zuo was 17 years old, his father brought him to Beijing to start a wagon wheel and axle business. While in Beijing, Zuo Er Ba met a man named Zhang Demao, known as the “White Eyebrow Taoist”. Zhang Demao learned martial arts from his father, Zhang Jinghe, who was known as “Martial Art God & Famous Master”. This was during the Kangxi Time (1661-1722) in the Qing Dynasty. Zuo Er Ba studied Mian Zhang Chuan from Zhang Demao, for eight years. Whenever he had time, Zuo Er Ba would practice martial arts, and he became a master of Mian Zhang Quan and Tan Tui.
Around this time, Mr. Zhang recommended Zuo for a position, managing security guide service company in SuZhou. For the next thirty years, Zuo Er Ba worked as a security guide, traveling all over China and earning a reputation as one of the best. SuZhou was famous for its embroidery, and this embroidery was the tribute to the Emperor at that time. In 1844, Zuo Er Ba guided the tribute to Beijing and was awarded the Yellow Mandarin Jacket from the Emperor himself. At that time in China, the Yellow Mandarin Jacket was the highest award a normal person could receive. The Emperor awarded this to Mr. Zuo , along with a silk banner. Mr. Wang Zhengchin was another famous security guide at the time. During one mission, he lost the property under his protection but gained it back with Mr. Zuo’s help. After that incident, they became brothers and taught their martial arts to each other. Wang learned Tan Tui and Mian Zhang Chuan from Zuo, and Zuo learned Spear from Wang. Wang was five years older than Zuo and there is a famous saying “Wang’s spear, Dai’s fist, and Zuo’s springing leg are undefeated”. (NOTE: Wang refers to Wang Zhengchin and Dai is from the famous Dai’s Xingyi).
In the TongZi time of the Qing Dynasty, Zuo Er Ba retired from the security business, and returned to his home town Wenshui County, Shanxi Province. He taught martial arts in his spare time, and many people from the surrounding area came to learn from him. Among those who learned from him, his grandson Zuo Binxin was the best student. Zuo Binxin taught his martial art to Mr. Li Yuxiu. Li Yuxiu entered the Chinese Martial Arts Competition of 1931, where he won the prize and became a famous Master in Shanxi Province. Our teacher Master Chen JunHao learned Tan Tui and Mian Zhang Chuan from Li Yuxiu, in the 1950’s of last century.