Series of Chinese Wushu Show, Teaching Choice: The Form-Will Boxing, Weaponry Routines Appreciation
Produced by Sports Audio-visual Publication, Beijing
1 NTSC video cassette, CHINESE without English translation

Xingyi Quan or the form and will boxing is also called Xinyi Quan (free-mind boxing), Xinyi Liuhe Quan (free-mind six-combination boxing) or Liuhe Quan (six-combination boxing). There are two propositions about the name of this school of boxing. One holds that the body actions and movements should be guided by mind and that his school of boxing is an identity of mind and body; the other proposition states that this school of exercises are mere imitations of animal actions and movements and adopted the form and meaning of animal movements.

According to historical records, during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, Xingyi Quan was spread in Henan, Hebei and Shanxi provinces. Over centuries, this school of boxing is now practised in different styles. The Shanxi style is compact, delicate and yet forceful while the Henan style is powerful, vigorous and substantial. The Hebei style stresses steadiness, sturdiness and comfort. As regards routines of fist fight, a similarity is seen between the Shanxi style and the Hebei style, both using three postures of the body, five major movements of axing, bursting, penetrating, hurling and traversing and imitations of 12 animal forms (dragon, tiger, monkey, horse, turtle, chicken, hawk, swallow, snake, owl, eagle and bear). The Henan style mainly imitates 10 animal forms (dragon, tiger, chicken, eagle, snake, horse, cat, monkey, hawk and swallow).