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 (, Plum-blossom Pillars of Stems and Branches) is a branch of Meihuaquan, shortened to
Meihuazhuang (Plum-blossom Pillars). 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 (Little Frame) as opposed to the older style known as Dajia (Big Frame). Meihuazhuang is divided into two parts: Wenchang (literary) encompasses theory; Wuchang (martial) encompasses techniques such as Jiazi (frame), Shoutao (sparring exercise to teach combat skills), Chengquan (combat choreography), Yingquan (combat), and Gongquan and Ningquan (moving in war). Jiazi is characterized by five static positions (Wushi: , five patterns; or , five postures) intermixed with dynamic motion (Xingbu, ), 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.
Wuzi Meihuaquan Wuzi Meihuaquan () is a shortened form of
Sun Wuzi Chuanxin Meihuaquan (, Plum Blossom Boxing Piercing the Heart of
Sun Wuzi), also called
Sun Wuzi Meihuaquan (孙武子梅花拳),
Chuanxin Meihuaquan (穿心梅花拳), or
Zhongxin Meihuaquan (中心梅花拳). 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 (寇运兴). The sets of Wuzi Meihuaquan are Shilu Tantui (十二路弹腿); Da Meihuaquan er lu e san lu (); Xiao Meihuaquan er lu (小梅花拳二路); Meihuadao (梅花刀); Meihua longxingjian (梅花龙形剑); and Meihua qiang (梅花枪). 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 (孫茂林) and Jiang Benhe (姜本河), two masters originally from
Liangshan. This Meihua boxing has three forms: Maifuquan (埋伏拳), Shizitang (十字趟), and Taizu Changquan (太祖长拳). They also taught a duilian named Xiaowushou (小五手).
Shangsheng Meihuaquan Shangcheng Meihuaquan (上乘梅花拳, Plum-blossom Boxing of Optimal Quality) is a branch of Meihuaquan taught in Fujian by Wang Jincheng (王金城) to his son Wang Ding (王鼎, 1882–1985).
Shaomoquan – Wang Xiangzhai and Meihuaquan Among the several styles analyzed by
Wang Xiangzhai in a well-known interview is the style of Meihuaquan that is called Wushizhuang (五式桩, Five-figures Pole), 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 (少摩拳).
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 (單刀), Qimeigun (齊眉棍),
qiang (槍, spear), shuangdao (雙刀, double sabre), Xiao shao gun (小哨棍),
jian (劍), Da shao gun (大哨棍), jiujie gangbian (九節鋼鞭, see
jiujiebian),
liuxingchui (流星錘, meteor hammer),
sanjiegun (三節棍), Meihua
Guai (梅花拐), Bishou (匕手),
dadao (大刀, alebard). The first book on
rarely-seen weapons is by Genyuan (根源):
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. (Meihuaquan was particularly linked with the early phases of the 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==