2) other kung fu styles with the name, like Meishanquan from southern China;
3) exercise, or sparring, sets within differently named styles of kung fu, like Da and Xiao Meihuaquan in SongshanShaolinquan.
Meihuaquan and Its Branches
There are many Meihuaquan that have same origins: Ganzhi Wushi Meihuazhuang, Baijiazhi Meihuaquan, Luodi Meihuaquan, Wuzi Meihuaquan, Leijia Meihuaquan, etc. There are various traditions regarding the foundation of this style; it is said that Meihuaquan has no single founder.
Ganzhi Wushi Meihuazhuang
Ganzhi wushi meihuazhuang is a branch of Meihuaquan, shortened to Meihuazhuang. Ganzhi is a contraction of Tiangan Dizhi, or more fully Tiangan Dizhi Wushi Meihuazhuang. The eighth-generation master Zhang Congfu created a new kind of practise called Xiaojia as opposed to the older style known as Dajia. Meihuazhuang is divided into two parts: Wenchang encompasses theory; Wuchang encompasses techniques such as Jiazi, Shoutao, Chengquan, Yingquan, and Gongquan and Ningquan. Jiazi is characterized by five static positions intermixed with dynamic motion, and consisting of light rapid footwork and large flowing movements. With a simple expansive posture and built-in poise, Meihuaquan releases and strengthens the flow of energy to increase concentration of the mind. The basic training methods of Meihuaquan are simple, strong, relaxed, and highly adaptable.
Baijiazhi Meihuaquan
Baijiazhi Meihuaquan is a Meihuaquan practised in the southwest part of Shandong Province. It was founded by Bai Jindou, a ninth generation master of Plum Blossom Boxing. In Taiwan this school is called Beipai Shaolin Meihuaquan or Meihuamen. Jiazi of this school are referred to as Meihuaquan Laojia. While studying this set, disciples often train in pairs—duida and duilian —with and without weapons. At the basic level, duida are only for two opponents and of two kinds: hand-and-kick techniques, or falling techniques. At intermediate level, disciples practise combat against two to five people. At the advanced level, they may study war and Meihua Zhen Gong Fang.
Leijia Meihuaquan
Leijia Meihuaquan is a branch of Meihuaquan that derives its name from having been practiced near Leijiacun village and spreading to the surrounding area. This branch is clearly related to the Ganzhi Wushi Meihuazhuang, as it identifies in its lineage Zhang Sansheng. This type of Meihuaquan differs from the Ganzhi Wushi Meihuazhuang and the Baijiazhi in having only four postures rather than the usual five: dashi, aoshi, xiaoshi, and baishi. Dashi is roughly identical to the shunshi of the other branches. The attitude of the hands during the basic form is characterised by the open palm.
Wuzi Meihuaquan
Wuzi Meihuaquan is a shortened form of Sun Wuzi Chuanxin Meihuaquan, also called Sun Wuzi Meihuaquan, Chuanxin Meihuaquan, or Zhongxin Meihuaquan. Disciples of this school believe it was founded by Sun Zi, also known as Sun Wuzi. A famous master of this branch is Kou Yunxing. The sets of Wuzi Meihuaquan are Shilu Tantui ; Da Meihuaquan er lu e san lu ; Xiao Meihuaquan er lu ; Meihuadao ; Meihua longxingjian ; and Meihua qiang.
Luodi Meihuaquan
Luodi Meihuaquan is a generic name for Meihuaquan, but can indicate a branch that was taught by Li Zhenting in Peixian. The core of this system is Luodi Meihuaquan Bajiao.
Meihua Changquan is the name given to a branch of Meihuaquan taught on the island of Taiwan by Han Qingtang, a branch that is part of a wider system that includes other boxing styles of northern China. Its followers also call it Changquan or Beishaolin. Han Qingtang learned this Meihuaquan in Jimo from Sun Maolin and Jiang Benhe, two masters originally from Liangshan. This Meihua boxing has three forms: Maifuquan, Shizitang, and Taizu Changquan. They also taught a duilian named Xiaowushou.
Shangsheng Meihuaquan
Shangcheng Meihuaquan is a branch of Meihuaquan taught in Fujian by Wang Jincheng to his son Wang Ding.
Among the several styles analyzed by Wang Xiangzhai in a well-known interview is the style of Meihuaquan that is called Wushizhuang, which tradition says was taught in Henan and Sichuan. Wang Xiangzhai had contact with this style during his travels through China, in 1928 making friends with Liu Pixian, a master of the twelfth generation of Meihuaquan, with whom Wang Xiangzhai compared methods. After this experience Liu Pixian created a new style to which he gave the name Shaomoquan.
Weapons
Training in Meihuaquan includes the use of eighteen types of traditional weapons, some of which are rarely seen. This is the list of weapons in Baijiazhi Meihuaquan in Taiwan: dandao, Qimeigun,qiang, shuangdao, Xiao shao gun, jian, Da shao gun, jiujie gangbian, liuxingchui, sanjiegun, Meihua Guai, Bishou, dadao. The first book on rarely-seen weapons is by Genyuan :
Origins of Meihuaquan
The origins of the style are lost in legend. It is said that when Zhang Sansheng taught in public, there had been 100 generations of teachers before him. Other sources claim an origin before the Han Dynasty, from Shaolinquan:
Meihuaquan and History
Some Meihuaquan disciples believe that there were 100 generations of masters before the 20 who came after the Ming Dynasty. During the Qing dynasty people who practiced this style were involved in various uprisings, like Wang Lun in 1774, Feng Keshan in 1814, and Zhao Sanduo in the 1900 Boxer Uprising. Another practitioner, Yang Bing, was an Imperial Palace guard: Now we know that Yang Bing is a fifth-generation master born in Neihuangxian, not in Huaxian. About Feng Keshan and Meihuaquan: Unfortunately, there aren't other sources to confirm that the style was attributed to Wu Mei. Feng Keshan is of the eighth generation. The legend of Wu Mei came from another style named Wumeihuaquan, or Wumeipai, and is found in some accounts of Yongchunquan, a martial art not practiced by Feng Keshan, and different from Meihuaquan.
Other Meihuaquan styles
Meishanquan
Meishanquan, also known as Meihuaquan, is a style created during the Song dynasty in Meishan county of Hunan. It has 77 sets.
Hunan Meihuaquan
A style named Meihuaquan was spread in Hunan during the period of Guanxu, by the master Wan Fuzi, who learned it in Sichuan.
Emei Meihuaquan
Information on Emei Meihuaquan is scanty. It is said that Zhou Beitao created a set with this name, made up of over 100 figures, after a long meditation with his forehead touching Meihua plants. The book Zhongguo Wushu Renmin Cidian instead alleges that Zhou would have learned Meihuaquan, and Taijiquan, from Zhang Yimin, in 1930. There are various styles of Meihuaquan from Sichuan.
The members of the De'ang, of Yunnan and the area south of Sichuan, have practiced Meihuaquan since the Ming dynasty. Plum-blossom Boxing figured in the White Lotus Rebellion, between 1794 and 1805, in Sichuan, Shaanxi, Henan and Hubei, the revolt also known as Chuanchu Bailianjiao Qi Yi or Chuanchu Jiao Luan.
Meihua Jiequan
Meihua Jie Quan is a style of Chinese martial arts derived from the Shaolin School. Han Kuisheng, a man of Shandong, practiced this boxing and taught it to Fu Xiushan from Yucheng. Fu has published a book titled Jiequan Tushuo about the style. Meihua Jie Quan uses the fists as in Xingyiquan, palm blows as in Baguazhang, and has figures as in Yunu Chuansuo and Danbian, an identical to Taijiquan. It has five basic figures : Pi, Tiao, Shan, Chong, and Xie. Hand strikes are divided into high, medium, and low types, with like types for agility. The complete form is made up of 48 figures, comprising the start and end positions, according to 12-character formulas.
Shunshimen and Meihuaquan
Shunshimen is a composite style with the following forms belonging to Meihuaquan: Meihuaquan, Chuanlinzhang, Bafangzhang, Meihua Sanshou Ershi Shi, Meihuaqiang, and Wuhu qunyang gun.
Wumeiquan or Wumeipai
Wumeiquan or Wumeipai is a style of Chinese martial arts which may be put in the Nanquan class. Some write Wumeiquan with other ideograms ; in Cantonese it is Ng Mui Kuen. In the Wumeiquan Quanpu it is said that the style has been handed down from a Buddhist nun whose religious name was Wu Mei. In other traditions Wu Mei was a Taoist nun. She transmitted the style to Huang Baoshan —of the city of Lufengxiang, of Shanghangxian, in Fujian province—who handed it on in turn to Gong Rongguang of Lanxixiang, also in Fujian. Gradually the style spread through Fujian and Guangdong. The Annals of the County of Shanghang tell that, at the end of the Qing dynasty, Wumeiquan, which is the orthodox Shaolin boxing, was diffused throughout the districts of Lanxi, Huangtan, Taiba, and the same Shanghang. These are some sequences of hand-fighting taught in New York: Tianguangzhang, Wuxingquan, and Shier Dizhi. This style is often practiced "free form", giving wide latitude to the free application of the movements. These are the weapons used in the school of Shanghang Sanchiba : gou lian qiang ; qinglongdao ; mupa ; dandao ; shuangdao ; jian ; fu ; shuang tongchui ; tiechi ; hutoupai ; and bandeng.
There are two sets named Shaolin meihuaquan in Songshan Shaolinquan: Xiao Meihuaquan and Da Meihuaquan. Xiao Meihuaquan is also known as Shaolin Ditang Meihuaquan. It is said that these sets were created by Jinnaluo Wang.
Cailifo Xiao Meihuaquan
In Cailifo is Little Plum-blossom Boxing, a famous set with this name.
Hongjia Meihuaquan (Hunggar Mui Fa Kuen)
Hongjia Meihuaquan is a set of Hongjiaquan, better known as Mui Fa Kuen in Cantonese. Its complete name is Shizi Meihuaquan.
Meihuaquan and Tanglangquan
Tanglangquan has varied connections with the Meihuaquan name. One of the main branches of the style is called Meihua Tanglangquan, and another Taiji Meihua Tanglangquan. Some forms are called Meihua, and in particular one is known as Meihuaquan. Others are Meihualu and Meihuashou. Three sets together are "three bloomed hands". Jiang Hualong, founder of the branch Babu Tanglangquan, would have practiced Meihuaquan before beginning to study Praying Mantis boxing.
