Liu He Ba Fa

Liu He Ba Fa, Liuhebafa, Liu Ho Pa Fa, Lok Hop Ba Fa, is a long internal form consisting of elements from the three main internal arts: it combines the five elements and twelve animals of Hsing-I, the eight main palm variations of Ba Gua and the thirteen postures of Tai Chi. Liuhebafa uses external and internal training to strengthen and fortify the body, as well as Chen Tuan's Dream Methods and contemplative exteriorization methods to experience realms and dimensions that exist beyond the physical worlds. Water Boxing remained a closed system until it was taught publicly in the 1950s

Liu He Ba Fa has many origin stories, but two such stories seem to be the most popular. The first such story is that the form was originally created by a hermit who sealed himself in a cave. When the cave was opened years later, it was noted that he had diagrammed the form on the stone walls. Unfortunately areas had been made illegible by erosion and time. So, the martial artists who studied the drawings filled in these gaps with the internal systems that they knew. Thus, Liu He Ba Fa encompasses all of the internal styles within its framework.

The second such story is that the origins can be traced back to a Daoist sage and mathematician named Chen Tuan who lived around 900 AD. He had no students thus never passed the art on and after his death his manuscripts were discovered by Li Dong Feng during a visit to Chen's ancient mountain home some 300 years later. Li remained on Mount Hua until he mastered the material in the manuscripts, then returned to his home to record all he had learned in 134 verses now known as the Five Character Secrets of Li Dong Feng.

. The style has several forms, the twelve animal set, the Tiger versus Dragon , the swimming Dragon, and the Mother and Son eight linked palms and is based on the principles of Six harmonies and eight methods some of the six harmony aspects are:

Inside six harmonies: Body and mind. Mind and idea. Idea and chi. Chi and spirit. Spirit and movements. Movements and the universe. Outside six harmonies: Body and joints together. Hands and joints together. Foot and joints together. Hand and foot. Elbow and knee. Shoulder and hip. Two feet. Two palms

Six Combination Form (Body's Motion .  Make the body’s motion harmonize with the mind, Make the mind harmonize with the intention, Make the intention harmonize with the chi(momentum, Make the chi(momentum) harmonize with the spirit, .  Make the spirit harmonize with the motion, Make the motion harmonize with the void

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