Ying Zhao Fan Zi Men is traditional Chinese Wushu It is the combination of two systems Fan Zi or Ba Shan Fan,as it was known and Yue Shi San Shou, a system which was developed by General Yue Fei.

The Ying Zhao Fan Zi fighter, uses grabs, holds, pressures at various points or locks at the joints, basic techniques which remind the way the proud eagle, King of the animals of prees, attacks its victims. For that reason the system is nowadays known as Ying Zhao (Eagle Claw) or Ying Shou (Eagle Hand). The heart of the system is the 50 ways of continuous punch (lian quan), 50 fighting techniques which are being practiced from both left and right side of the body, and they are based on Yue Shi San Shou (the 108 hands). These techniques are simple, impressive or show off elements, easy to teach, they constitute an exceptionally effective fighting system. The system's movements are light and fast, combining speed, strength and technique in the most effective way.

 

It contains 7 kinds of strength:

• Yin, Yang
• Gang, Rou
• Tan, Cun και Cui

meaning hidden or internal , obvious or external , hard, soft ,flexible, close and sharp power.

It is based on 7 principles:

Yi Hao (No.1 is touch and feel), Er Na (No.2 is grab), San Xiang (No. 3 is subdue), Si Shou (No. 4 is defense), Nian Yi Ru Hao Mai (touching clothe is like doctors feeling the patient), Fen Jin Cuo Gu (separate joints and bones)  and Dian Xue Bi Qi (hit points and stop the breath).

 

Analysing the technical characteristics and the base of the system

This school does not imitate all eagle's movements as many people might think, but only "borrows" the way that the proud bird of prey grabs and catches. So among the system characteristics are Diao, Zhua, Luo, (ways of grabbing and catching) and also Fan (hitting by turning the hand around ), Beng (explosive hit), Zhou (hitting with forearm), Kao (pressing or pushing). The practitioner should remember that the purpose is not to hold or catch, but to hit the opponent.

Grabbing is a way only to bring the practitioner to a more advantageous situation.
During practice not only strength, speed and technique should be developed as much as possible, but also the human "spirit" and a natural way of standing and moving. Spirit means internal peace and calmness, which all practitioners should have. "One should be able to watch the highest mountain falling down, without even blink the eyes ".

The 7 kinds of strength in our system, should be developed by practicing both internal and external techniques. The practitioner should be aware of physiology, anatomy as well as human psychology, in order to use that strength effectively in fight. Power should concentrate like a coiled spring and then explode, driven focused where we want (e.g. a punch).

About the speed:

• Defense and attack should cooperate. One hand defends while the other attacks.
• Defense and attack with the same side of the body, for example left hand.
• Practice hitting effectively from a short distance.
• Borrow the opponent's strength and use it against him or her.

 During fight use the following tools:

• combine truth with imagination.
• Grab and hit in one movement.
• Allow the opponent to attack in order to attack back in the most effective way.
• Instead of defend, attack or as a Chinese proverb says "become a householder instead of a visitor".
• Combine step and hand.
• Press the opponent in order to move the way you want.
• Avoid the true attack, hit the opponent's vulnerable side.
• Expose to the opponent a side of the body as "bait" and hit afterwards the way it was planned.
• Don't fight the opponent's attack, follow its direction e.g. if the opponent uses an upper strength, do the same.

In the end we would like to mention the "Shou Jian Shou Wu Qu Zou" saying, which we use in Ying Shou , that renders the whole essence of Eagle fighters a highly developed technique (mastery). In free translation the proverb states that "When hands cross, there is no way of escaping".