Brief History

Bajiquan firstly came from Zheng Meng Zhe, and then Liu Yun Qiao made it wide spread in Taiwan. Li Shu Wen, from Shandong, China, was a well-known practitioner of Bajiquan, people said he was so good until nobody dare to fight with him.

Liu Yun Qiao was the last student of Li Shu Wen. In his middle age, he joined the military to resist against the Japanese invasion. He had participated in battles all over mainland, and later followed the army to Taiwan. Only after he had retired did he start to pass his art to others.

At July 1999 Mainland china invites Liu Yun Qiao to Beijing to teach Bajiquan. Because there was no more Bajiquan practicioners left in mainland china. But his disciple said that if you want to practice martial art just go to Taiwan. Some people said that it is a good fortune for ones to have a chance to learn Bajiquan.

Liu Yun Qiao later became the Safety Advisor of the Presidential Palace, coaching the Safety Personnels for the President of the Republic of China. He also founded the Wu Tan Martial Art Magazine and Wu Tan Guo Shu Promotion Centre.

Recently, some NTU student whose appreciate this chinese precious treasure of Bajiquan gather together and build the NTU Bajiquan club to make sure that this precious art won't be lost.

The purpose of NTU Bajiquan Club are:
1. To preserve Bajiquan martial art
2. To improve ones body and mind health
3. To improve the love of country

Li Shu Wen (1864-1934)

At the end of the 19th century a child, Li Shu Wen, was born destined to restore these styles - each based on a pair of animals - to the complimentary union they had once been. Li learned first from Jian Dian Sheng (b. 1785) of Mong Village. Then he traveled to Luo Village and studied with Huang Si Hai there.

Li Shu Wen was more than just a student. His martial arts were of the highest caliber. This was attested to by the fact that he was never defeated in his life. His spear technique became so potent he was known as the "God of the Spear." Born in Zhang Sha Village he was a native of the famous Cang County, the homeland of some of the best Kung Fu in all of city geographically and historically. Gifted with incredible power it was said that he almost never had to strike an opponent twice. He attracted many students who were already formidable martial artists.

Li Shu Wen's last really famous student was Grandmaster Liu Yun Qiao. Grandmaster Liu Yun Qiao's grandfather had the Imperial Governor of Cang County. When Grandmaster Liu Yun Qiao was small his father hired martial teachers just to improve his health. The final teacher hired was Li Shu Wen who actually lived in the compound with only Grandmaster Liu Yun Qiao as his special student. After ten years together they traveled throughout China gaining experience for Liu through challenge matches. Liu himself became a famous and powerful teacher.

A great teacher produces great students. Many of those who studied with Li Shu Wen became important in the history of martial arts. Four of his students from Luo Tong Village were Han Hua Chen, Ma Ying Tu, Ma Fong Tzu and Zhou Shu De. These four introduced a form of BaJi Quan to the Central Martial Academy in Nanjing, a very important organziation at the time dedicated to "modernizing" martial technique and education. This was during the struggling Republican period.

Other disciples include warlords such as Li Jin Lin (a famous swordsman), Ren Guo Dong, Zhang Xiang Wu, Na Yu Kuen, Liu Hu Chen and Liu Xu Dong. Li's first real disciple, Huo Dian Ge, became the bodyguard and teacher of Fu Yi, China's Last Emperor. Other people in the BaJi family became the bodyguards of Chiang Kai Shek, and Mao Tse Dong. So, even though these political opponents had deep distaste for one another, they understood the advantage of hiring protectors from the BaJi style also known as the Bodyguard Boxing.

Liu Yun Qiao (1902-1992)

Liu Yun Qiao, born in Cang county of Heibei province of China. Studied family's Taizu Long Fist since youth, and studied Mizongquan from his grandfather's bodyguard Zhang Yao Ting. When he was 9 years old, his father hired the famous Bajiquan master Li Shu Wen, both to be his bodyguard and to instruct him in martial arts. In the decade that follows, he was able to fully learn the best of Li's arts such as Bajiquan, Piguazhang, lance, staff, etc. When matured, he followed Li and visited martial artists in ShanDong. Later, he also studied under the famous Liu He Mantis master Ding Zi Cheng in the Huang county in Shan Dong, and the famous BaGuaZhang master GongBaoTian in YanTai. Grandmaster Liu studied tirelessly in life, and held no inhibitions regarding style differences.

He was brought up in the period of warring factions in China, and participated in the anti-Japanese war and the Chinese civil war. He joined the military in his youth, risked his life and was wounded many times. After arriving at Taiwan in his middle ages, he took the responsibility of promoting Chinese martial art upon himself. He took the position of the Main Instructor of martial arts for the presidential bodyguards. Created the Wutan magazine to foster interests in the arts, as well as creating the Wutan martial art training classes to instruct the youth, contributed immensely to the growth of Chinese martial arts.

Grandmaster Liu is equality capable in both literature arts and martial arts. His bold and beautiful calligraphy fully conveys a martial artist's brave and chivalrous personality, and was much admired by his contemporaries. Grandmaster Liu lived a life with the highest moral conduct, and is a fine role model for us all.