Kuan Wang, Champion King
By Siobhan Welch (staff writer) of West Austin News

Upon first seeing Kuan Wang, you probably wouldn't guess that he is an experienced fighter. He is twenty- eight years old, of average height, and a lean, wiry build. He is a skilled martial artist, trained in the rare martial art, Yin style Baguazhang (Bagua).
Wang teaches private lessons, as it is the original Beijing way. Each student has his or her own strengths and requirements. Sometimes, if students ask, he will give a demonstration of his mental and physical strength, the effects of years of training. During the demonstration, he forcefully jabs himself in the neck, eye, groin, and mouth for fifteen seconds or more.
Wang said he doesn't feel pain like he used to. Nor does he bruise easily. From years of practicing Bagua, Wang said he has trained his mind and body to develop a virtually invincible strength.
" I never lift weights," said Wang, whose name means "Champion King." "It's about how tough your internal organs are. The strength comes from the full body connection - bringing the energy from your hips and legs and channeling it upward for force.
Derived from Taoist philosophy, Bagua began about 200 years ago in the Forbidden City of China and is the martial art most revered by the Imperial Family. Bagua is based on the forms of eight different animals: lion, bear, dragon, phoenix, snake, rooster, monkey and the Kirin, a beast from Chinese lore that constantly changes forms.
Each animal system is customized for a particular body type, complementing an individual's personality and physical abilities. For example, a stockier person might start out learning the bear forms, as the movements are more consistent with a huskier body type, while a leaner, taller person might learn the Lion.
Originally from northwest Austin (now Irving/Dallas Texas), Wang is the only official disciple of Yin Style Bagua in Texas. A few years ago, he traveled to Beijing where he studies Bagua under the Grandcarrier He Jinbao. Training was intense and consisted of six-hour drills, practicing the animal forms that all revolve around the circle. Continually moving in a circle helps strengthen one's equilibrium, which, according to Wang, is important in maintaining good health.
" You find out how lop-sided we really are. One leg longer, a stronger arm. This begins to wear on the body as it tries to compensate for the lack of strength," Wang said.
Unlike karate or judo, which focus mainly on developing the muscles, Bagua is an internal martial art and concentrates on the body's insides: tendons and organs and meridians. According to eastern philosophy, meridians are all the veins and capillaries, internal networks, that runs through the body. By concentrating on executing each form precisely, one trains his mind and body to reach a state of transcendence through meditative repetition. Wang believes the key to strength and good health is found within the body.
" When something inside gets blocked, that's when you end up with problems like gout, high blood pressure, or a stroke," said Wang. "Your body is plumbing and Bagua is like Drano."
Wang hopes to spread the word about Bagua, what he called the most "hard-core and rare" martial art, even though its emphasis is not entirely on fighting, but on preserving and respecting the body.
During his class, students are allowed to improve their skills at their own pace. The first part of the class consists of practicing the animal form Wang assigns according to your body type. Only after you become used to imitating these forms are you ready to incorporate them into fighting with another person, as well as freestyling martial movement.
Some students, like Li Huang, a small Chinese-American woman, are skilled in other martial arts. Other students have no experience, but have a desire to learn, "I like Bagua because it combines the mental and physical. It helps you be aware of how your body moves, so you train your mind at the same time," said Huang, who began taking Wang's class last June. She said Wang is the best martial arts teacher she has ever had because he is patient and allows people to progress at their own pace.
To people who might be interested in trying Bagua, Huang recommend keeping an open mind. "But Bagua is about adapting, like adapting body types to animal forms," she said. "It's about changes."

Check out the Champion King at 717 Sundance Trail, Irving/Dallas Texas, 75063. Imperialcourt.kuan@gmail.com Make an appointment, and enter the circle.

Curtesy of West Austin News, Volume 19 issue 27, May 11, 2006