Song Xi Pai originated from the Wudang System of martial arts During the Ming Dynasty, Zhang San Feng, a Wudang Daoist priest, founded the Wudang System based on Daoist principles in Wudang Shan in order to impart all that he had learned about the internal style of martial arts to his followers.

Zhang San Feng was succeeded by Wang Zhong Yi of Shaanxi Province. Wang was followed by Chen Zhou Tong of Wen Zhou who, in turn, passed on his knowledge to Zhang Song Xi from the same village.

During the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Song Xi studied the eight different styles of martial arts extant in the Changjiang and Huanghe basins. By combining fundamental Wudang principles with the modifications he made to the eight styles, Zhang Song Xi created the unique Wudang Song Xi Pai.

The motion arose from the I Ching, the theory and methods from medical theories” is the core principle of Wudang Song Xi Pai.

Through the generations, it is mandatory for the student of Song Xi Pai to study the meridians and pressure points of the human body. The student is required to have a firm grasp of the functioning of the internal organs, the flow of qi (energy) and the law of changes according to the I Ching.

The first principle of the art of fighting is energy, the second is technique. When energy and technique combine, there is structure, and where there is structure, there is artistry. Artistry is the sensitivity to changes (this refers to the ability to take advantage of the opportunity in a variety of ways, so that one can turn the tables when in an unfavourable predicament); it is change that produces control and competence. Only when one observes the principles of yin and yang can one utilize change; where there is change, there is both power and softness. Without power and softness, there is no completeness. To acquire the ability to deliver power and yet maintain softness, one must subscribe to the theories of the I Ching and medical principles

Song Xi Pai is an internal style. It is based on Daoist philosophical principles and this is what makes it a unique style of combat. Yin and yang, ascent and descent, open and close, extension and withdrawal, direction and inversion, forward and retreat, attack and defence, gain and loss – all these opposites are brought together. The brilliance of the style is in its intelligent use of these changes. Through the unity of opposites, the internal organs achieve balance, so that the eye, body, limbs, waist and hip are working together. The continuous motions includes inside and outside, up and down, front and back, left and right. The principle of mutual promotion and restraint is the core study of Song Xi Pai.

The use of medication to enhance healthful living has always been a preoccupation for Daoists. As an offshoot of Wudang, Song Xi Pai has a similar emphasis on medication and healthful living, and on a rather sophisticated level, too.

There are two aspects to the medical principles in Song Xi Pai. The first is daily diet, or what was known in the olden days as “medicating by food.” The other is the prevention of illness through medication, or what was called “internal healing.” Although these approaches appear to be different, in actual practice, the two are really interdependent and cannot be separated.

Song Xi Pai has its own rules for dietary practices. These are founded on two principles. The first is the merging of what Chinese traditional medicine knows about the five colours, five tastes, five energy flows and five internal organs with the study of nutrition. The second is the binding together of the four seasons and five elements. When these principles are applied to one’s diet, the internal organs will attain a state of mutual promotion without restraint. This, in turn, brings about internal and external health.

Within Song Xi Pai, the training for health refers to the internal strength and energy training and external strength and force training through the use of medicines. Although the medication may be for external or internal use, in practice, just like the unity of changes and the principle of opposites unite, they cannot be separated. For example, one training technique to bolster internal and external strength and energy is through the process of “gathering and dispersal” using the idea of “opposites unite.” Through the combination of breathing and motions, the blood and qi in one’s body can be made to gather in the specific part of the body that has to be strengthened. If there is only gathering and no dispersal, it will eventually lead to serious injuries to the tendons and bones and is surely harmful to the body and internal organs. The theory states that if there is gathering, there must be dispersal. To enable dispersal, there must be a way to cause it to happen. One of these is the use of medication which will disperse the blood and qi. In the training process, directing the flow of qi brings about gathering, the use of medication brings about dispersal afterwards. Over time, through consistent gathering and dispersing, the practitioner will be able to safely reach his goal in training.

Wudang Song Xi Pai is an all-encompassing study. It includes medicine, skill, qi, internal and external energy and force training, and martial ethics. These five branches of study aim to support serve the ultimate purpose of martial training. It is an offshoot of the Wudang System and has incorporated modifications of the eight different styles. This, together with the research and improvement by generations of masters, has made it an exquisite martial art form.