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Known as Shaolin Boxing, it is originated in the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song at Dengfeng County in Henan Province. Shaolinquan was the manifestation of the wisdom of the monks of the temple, secular Wushu masters and army generals and soldiers.
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In China, it is typically practiced for a variety of reasons: its soft martial techniques, demonstration competitions, health and longevity. Consequently, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims.
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The eight-diagram palm is based on the old Chinese philosophy of eight combinations of three whole and broken lines used in divination. While practicing, the practitioner moves according to the eight diagrams. There are eight basic palm plays.
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Such animal-imitating boxing styles include monkey boxing, mantis boxing and eagle-claw boxing. The movements look like a dragon flying, a tiger jumping, a clever monkey clattering, an eagle soaring, a crane standing, a snake roving, a duck waddling, a dog leaping, a rooster pecking and a mantis wielding its forelimbs.
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It is also known as the Southern-style boxing, which is widely practiced in south China. It evolved during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and has many different styles. Among the famous are the five major styles: the Hong-family, Cai-family, Liu-family, Li-family, and Mo-family boxing. Dozens of other less-known ones include the five-ancestor boxing and black tiger boxing.
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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 this 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.
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Chang Chuan (Long-style Boxing) or the long-style Chinese boxing is the general term for a dozen schools of boxing. These include Cha quan (Cha-family boxing), flower-style boxing, China-style boxing, Paochui (cannon boxing), Hong-family boxing, red-style boxing, Shaolin boxing, Fanzi Quan (tumbling boxing), etc.
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Hong-clan boxers practiced their own style of boxing, which has been passed on to the people for about 300 years. During this time it exerted great influence on the people and many branch styles developed, such as the Hong Quan of Guangdong Province and the Hong Quan of Hubei Province.
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It can be used for both fighting and maintaining health. However, the drunkard boxers go out of their way to stress the combative side of their style. They blend a series of movements, actions and skills of the martial arts and try to confuse their opponents with special skills which often lead them to surprise triumphs.
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Tanglang Quan or the mantis boxing is also an animal-imitating style of fist play. It copies the form and actions of a mantis adding the attack and defense skills of the martial arts. This unique style of boxing boasts an assortment of routines which generally fall into the northern and southern styles.