History and Origins of Xing Yi Quan (形意拳)

The origins of Xing Yi Quan (Form and Intention Boxing) are rooted in both history and legend.
According to traditional accounts, the creation of this style is attributed to General Yue Fei (岳飛) of the Song Dynasty (960–1279) — a legendary Chinese patriot, warrior, and strategist. However, there are no historical documents to confirm this connection.
In Chinese culture, it is common to attribute the origins of great teachings or systems to revered ancestors or historical figures, as a sign of respect and continuity.

From Xin Yi to Xing Yi

Most historians and martial arts masters agree that Xing Yi Quan evolved from an earlier art known as Xin Yi (Heart and Intention Boxing).
The founder of Xin Yi was Ji Ji Ke (姬際可), also known as Ji Longfeng (姬龍峰), who lived approximately 400 years ago during the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties.
Ji Ji Ke was from Shanxi Province, and it is said that he discovered a training manual in one of General Yue Fei’s temples.
Already an accomplished martial artist, he studied the principles within and developed a new system based on intention, direct power, and body structure, naming it Xin Yi Quan.

The Evolution to Xing Yi Quan

Around the 1840s, a martial artist named Li Luoneng (李洛能) from Hebei Province traveled to Shanxi to study Xin Yi under the Dai family, who had preserved and refined Ji Ji Ke’s teachings.
After years of dedicated study and innovation, Li Luoneng synthesized his understanding into a refined system, which he called Xing Yi Quan (形意拳) — “Form and Intention Boxing.”

Li Luoneng taught in both Shanxi and Hebei, and his disciples developed distinctive methods that became known as the Shanxi and Hebei branches of Xing Yi Quan.
Over time, new sub-styles emerged, influenced by generations of great masters such as Li Cunyi (李存義), Zhang Zhaodong (張兆東) and Xue Dian (薛頔) — each contributing their own insights while maintaining the art’s core principles of structure, intention, and unified power.

Legacy

Today, Xing Yi Quan stands as one of the three great internal martial arts of China, alongside Tai Chi (Taijiquan) and Bagua Zhang (Baguazhang).
Its legacy continues to thrive — passed from teacher to student — embodying centuries of martial wisdom