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Xingyiquan is classified as one of the internal styles of Chinese martial arts. The name of the art translates approximately to "Form-Intention Fist", or "Shape-Will Fist". Also known as "Xingyi", it is characterized by aggressive, seemingly linear movements and explosive power that's most often applied from a short range. A practitioner of Xingyi uses coordinated movements to generate bursts of power intended to overwhelm the opponent, simultaneously attacking and defending. Methods vary from school to school, but always include bare-handed fighting training (mostly in single movements/combinations and sometimes in forms) and the training of weapons usage with similar or identical body mechanics to that used for bare-handed intense fighting. The most basic notions of movement and body mechanics in the art were heavily influenced by the practice of staves and spears. Historically and technically related martial arts include Dai Xinyi Liuhequan, Liuhe Xinyiquan and Yiquan. The earliest written records of Xingyi can be traced to the 18th century, and are attributed to Ma Xueli of Henan Province and Dai Longbang of Shanxi Province. Legend credits the creation of Xingyi to renowned Song Dynasty (9601279 AD) general Yue Fei, but this is disputed. According to the book Henan Orthodox Xingyiquan written by Pei Xirong () and Li Ying'ang (), Dai Longbang "...wrote the Preface to Six Harmonies Boxing in the 15th reign year of the Qianlong Emperor [1750]. Inside it says, '...when Yue Fei was a child, he received special instructions from Zhou Tong. Extremely skilled in spearfighting, he used the spear to create fist techniques and established a skill called Yiquan' (意拳). Meticulous and unfathomable, this technique far outstripped ancient ones." According to legend, throughout the Jin, Yuan and Ming Dynasties few individuals had studied this art, one of them being Ji Gong (also known as Ji Longfeng and Ji Jike) of Shanxi province. After Yue Fei's death, the art was 'lost' for half a millennium.

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Xingyiquan