SAN HUANG PAO CHUI

Sanhuang PaochuiThree-Emperor Cannon Boxing / 三皇炮捶;

History: Sanhuang Paochui, also known as Cannon boxing, is said to have originated from the three legendary emperors of Fuxi, Shennong and Gonggong in prehistoric China. Others believe them to have been the heaven, earth and human emperors. Either way, this certainly indicates the long history of cannon boxing that is popular in Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, Liaoning, Henan and Jilin. This style of gungfu owes its name to its rapid and powerful fist blows that are likened to firing cannon balls.According to ancient chronicles, at the turn of the Ming and Qing dynasties Monk Puzhao toured Mt. Emei in Sichuan province. There he met a Taoist priest from whom he learned Paochui. After mastering the art, Monk Puzhao taught it to Qiao Sanxiu and Gan Fengchi during Qing emperors Kangxi and Yongzheng's reigns (1622-1735).

The two resulting styles gained their respective followers. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795), Qiao Sanxiu passed his boxing on to Song Mailun (1810-1893) and Yu Liandeng.Yu stuck to the original style of boxing while Song combined it with more that a dozen other schools of boxing to form different routines. He also opened the Hui You Armed Escort Agency in Beijing. Cross-hand blows are the foundation of the Paochui skills and a rounded, squatting stance is the basic stance.
Hard strikes use a Fa Jing or "explosive energy," like a cannon. It is based extensively on Yin Yang theory, as well as the soft-yet-hard energy of Gang Ruo, "when both soft and hard technique is used together". The characteristic movement of the style is Shi Zi Chi or "Cross fist", and the basic step is called Yuen Dang Bu. Attacks tend to be aimed at the midsection, using both long strikes and short strikes together.