Fan Zi Quan

Toss and Turn Fist

            As can be seen from historical records, Fan Zi Quan has already appeared during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). According to legends, during the Ming Dynasty, wandering Shaolin monk taught the style to a man from the province of Hebei called Duan Lao Xu. At the time, the country was in turmoil, so the Duan family valued the style and practiced it from day to night. Bandits from nearby mountains decided to pillage the village, but were defeated by the Duan family, who used Fan Zi Quan. From then on, Fan Zi Quan became famous and was popularized in Hebei. The style originally consisted of only one form, but, only the years, many forms were developed.

    Fan Zi Quan is also called Ba Shan Fan or Eight Lightning Toss and Turn. "Eight" refers to the eight positions of the body that the practitioner intends to strike or throw false attacks against, confusing the enemy and at the same time not allowing him or her to provide an adequate defense. "Lightning" refers to the speed of the attacks, as fast as lightning and as unpredictable as lightning. "Toss and Turn", refers to the many tossing and turning movements of the arms, striking the lower body right after striking the upper body, throwing false attacks against the upper body while throwing true attacks against the lower body, pointing to the left while hitting the right, a whole series of constant motion that will confuse the opponent.

    Fan Zi Quan relies on short range attacks and almost exclusively uses punches. The intensity of the attacks are like that of the falling rain droplets of a severe storm. The power behind the strikes is like that of a cannon. The strikes are continuous, attack after attack, not giving the opponent time to recuperate.