Shi-style Bagua

Shi Jidong (史计栋, 1837-1909), styled Shi Zhenbang, was from Xiaozhai village in Ji county in Hebei. Because he was the sixth child in his family, people called him Shi Liu (six).In his youth, he studied tantui with the famous master, 'Iron legs' Qin Fengyi. In just a few years, he learnt the whole art from M Qin. Later on, Yin Fu started studying under M Qin, which is how Shi and Yin became friends. After M Qin's death, Yin became Dong Haichuan's disciple. When Shi found out, he also bowed to Dong as his master. Because Yin had entered the door earlier, he was Dong's senior disciple, with Ma Weiqi second and Shi Jidong third. His 'bagua name' was Shi Liqing.Shi was dedicated and painstaking in his training, training year-round whatever the weather, and habitually walked the circle with his knees bent so that his buttocks were lower than his knees. He often trained until beads of sweat poured off him. He was a skilled fighter, especially his leg attacks, which were almost impossible to anticipate. Other martial artists gave him the nickname 'zei tui Shi liu' (sneaky legs Shi Six) and his kungfu brothers all admired his skill. Dong was fond of Shi too, and took Shi's wife as his adopted daughter. In Dong's old age, Shi took Dong into his home and looked after him personally. M Dong treated him like his own son-in-law. M Dong was moved by Shi's devotion and passed on his art unreservedly. After M Dong's passing, Shi organised his funeral and erected a stele to commemorate him. Amongst his Beijing disciples, the more well-known were Han Fushun, Zhang Dexiu (aka Zhang Shanting), Yu Qingjin, Yang Rongben, Shou Shan, etc. M Shi's bagua was called 'East City bagua' because he lived in the east of Beijing. In terms of palm shape, the characteristic palm shape of Shi style bagua is the 'sickle' palm, with the index and middle fingers held together, the 'tiger's mouth' [the gap between the thumb and index finger] held open and the other two fingers are slightly twisted inwards. The stepping consists of 'tang ni bu' [mud-wading step] and the 'chicken step'.