The Mystery of Wudang Xuan Gong Quan

Wudang Xuan Gong Quan is an often misunderstood Gong Fu form! You can look up the several steps and translations in our forum here! First, we must understand a word which is primarily used between Daoists: 玄 (Xuan). Most Chinese people with no Daoist background will have trouble to accurately translate this symbol. However, we did our research, and we will explain step by step about it in this post!

Xuan translates in our language more as “mystery,” but this is meant in a practical understanding in Wudang. In our sense, it is intended to obtain power from natural movements and from the laws of nature itself. In the Daoist context, we obtain power from Heaven and Earth, Yin, and Yang.

How do we generate Yang from nothing? By letting nature take its course. Out of Wuji, the void, the emptiness, we find the power to direct for all purposes.

Energy Transformation

Transforming the energy from Yin to Yang and vice versa is an essential part of the Xuan Gong practice. The natural flow between heaven and earth will direct the movement. Letting yourself fall when earth demands it and giving your maximum power when heaven, Yang at its lightest allows it. From relaxation, we find ultimate power, and from the most powerful tension, we find the ultimate relaxation. This explains the snappy and explosive movements followed after relaxation. It is energy efficient, and our heart will stay at a slower rate, less power consuming and we can last much longer. The combat is ultimately at its maximum when tension becomes highest for a very short moment.

Wudang Xuan Gong Quan is Inspired by Nature

Xuan Gong should not focus on beautiful movements but on the power transitions, it will determine the level of one’s Tai Chi and gives the Shifu a good idea of how good ones understanding of Wuji may be. Xuan Gong should look like it is always continuing, not finding a start and an end because the power smoothly crosses from one move through the other giving each individual movement meaning and importance.

Developing the Paradox Synergies

Xuan refers to something that is not obvious, something that cannot be seen by someone outside. The true meaning and function are always inside, the Dantian, from which all movements like Tai Chi generate. It truly fits as a beginner form to learn early and develop much later.

Xuan Gong Quan is the base of the San Feng Daoist doctrines and develops a strong character and the basic understanding of Tai Ji, heaven, and earth. It will establish the connection between nature to learn from our primary power source as Daoists. The form comes in three parts and can be learned in our online school.

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German translation, Secondary links to our tutorials: Vimeo, Patreon