Dong Haichuan

董海川 Dong Haichuan (1804-1882) Dong Haichuan was born in 1804 in Jingnan Township, Wenan County, Hebei Province. He is the founder and creator of the Chinese Martial Art called 八挂掌 Baguazhang (Eight Trigrams Palm) and 八挂内功 Bagua Neigong (Eight Trigram Internal Training). When he was young he was extremely fond of the Internal Training practices and Martial arts. At the age of 12 he moved to 沧州 Cangzhou City, Cang County, also in Hebei Province and studied the art of 六合门 Liu He Men (6 Harmonies Martial System) under a man named 李 Li (* - see note below). After six years he successfully completed his training. He would often travel to seek out famous, highly skilled teachers and friends. He endured many hardships and character building experiences in the areas of Jiangsu province, Southern China, Chonqing city, and Sichuan province. He traveled over famous mountains and crossed many great rivers [a classical saying which simply means: studied a lot of different martial arts].

When Dong Haichuan was traveling through the mountains in Jiangxi Province in Southern China he happened upon two old men, one a monk of the Buddhist order, the other a Daoist priest. He was accepted as a student and under their instruction he studied and researched the He Tu, Luo Shu, Yi Jing (Book of Changes), Yi Zhuan (History of the book of changes), Xian Tian Bagua (Pre Heaven Bagua), Hou Tian Bagua (Post Heaven Bagua), Pre and Post Heaven Unified Bagua Form, Damo Hunyuan Damijue(Buddhist Immortal Secret Teachings), and other ancient Chinese combined practices. He had to develop himself through both the Daoist and Buddhist traditional techniques. After Dong completed his studies he came down from the mountains and combined the Internal Cultivation practices and Philosophy with his previous Martial Arts practices to create his original ‘School of Inner and Outer Cultivation Skills of Baguazhang’ (Nèi​ Wài​ Jiān​ Xiū​ Gōng​fu Bā​guà​zhang Mén​hù).

--History and photos from Xie Peiqi's Yin Style Bagua Book.

Students of Dong Haichuan standing in front of the original tomb.



[It's believed that the 3rd in from our left is Men Baozhen, the 2nd in from our left is Gong Bao Tian. The 3rd man standing to our right of the headstone, with the long white beard, is believed to be Ma Gui.] 

[Below is a photograph of a transcription done by Xie Peiqi from charcol rubbings he had taken from Dong Haichuan's original tomb.]


Dong Hai Chuan's Primary Students

1. Yin Fu
2. Ma Weiqi
3. Shi Jidong
4. Cheng Tinghua
5. Song Chang Rong
6. Shun Tian Zhang
7. Liu Dengke
8. Jiao Yu Long
9. Gu Yushan
10. Ma Cun Zhi
11. Zhang Jun
12. Qin Xi Kuan
13. Liu Dian Jia
14. Lu Chengde
15. An Fen
16. Xia Mingde
17. Geng Yong Shan
18. Wei Ji Xiang
19. Xi Zhang
20. Wang Xinsheng
21. Wang Huai Qing
22. Shen Chang Shou
23. Wang Deyi
24. Zhu Zhi Yun
25. Song Yong Xiang
26. Li Wan You
27. Fan Zhi Yong
28. Song Long Hai
29. Wang Yong Tai
30. Peng Lian Gui
31. Fu Zhen Hai
32. Wang Hong Bin
33. Gu Bu Yun
34. Chen Chun Lin
35. Wang Ting Ju
36. Shuang Fu
37. Li Chang Sheng
38. Xu Zhao Xiang
39. Liu Baozhen
40. Liang Zhen Pu
41. Zhang Ying Shan
42. Guo Yu Ting
43. Zhao Yun Xiang
44. Zhang Jinkui
45. Jiao Chunfang
46. Liu Feng Chun
47. Si Yuan Gong
48. Zhang ?
49. Qing Shan
50. He Wu
51. He Liu
52. Guo Tong Hai
53. Xu He Nian
54. Feng Guang Lian
55. Li Shou Nian
56. Chen Jin

Secondary Students

1. Zhang Zhe Min
2. Ma Gui
3. Yang Jun Feng
4. Liu Jin Yin
5. Wen Zhi
6. Kui Yu
7. Wang Zhi
8. Shi Ting
9. Ju Qing Yuan
10. Liu Yinzhang
11. Geng Wang Lin

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Notes

* - This man was likely 李冠铭 Li Guanming, who was teaching 六合门 Liu He Men (Six-Harmonies Martial System) in 沧州 Cangzhou.


- It's believed that 董海川 Dong Haichuan had a photographic memory and only had to be shown something one time for him to learn it. This would explain why he was able to learn the Six-Harmonies Martial System in a short amount of time, learning the whole system before he was old enough to become an official Disciple of 李冠铭 Li Guanming.

- 刘德宽 Liu Dekuan (1826-1911) wasn't actually a student of 董海川 Dong Haichuan's, but they did meet one another in Beijing and likely realized that they had trained in the same lineage, only Liu was in the generation below him. This led to Dong Haichuan vetting Liu, so to speak, and why he recommeded that his students were to learn all they could from Uncle 刘德宽 Liu Dekuan.