Baihequan (Fujian White Crane)
白鶴拳A southern Chinese style from Fujian, traditionally attributed to a woman, Fang Qiniang. Through Naha-te it stands at the root of Okinawan karate, above all Goju-ryu.
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About Baihequan (Fujian White Crane)
Baihequan, white crane fist, comes from Fujian in southern China, and tradition attributes it to a woman — Fang Qiniang, who according to the story devised it in the 17th century after seeing a crane defend itself with a stick. Technically it is the opposite of the northern styles. It works with neither waist rotation nor long steps; power arises in the spine and shoulders, passes through a short bridge and releases in a sudden shake at very close range. The stance is narrow, the body stays upright and the hands are kept near the centre line. Five main branches are distinguished by the bird's behaviour: flying crane, shouting crane, sleeping crane, eating crane and ancestral crane. They differ chiefly in how much room they give to breath and sound — in the shouting crane the exhalation is audible and forms part of the technique. For the history of martial arts, white crane matters most outside China. Through trade contacts the Fujian lineages reached Okinawa, where by way of a teacher known as Ryu Ryu Ko and his student Kanryo Higaonna they gave rise to Naha-te and from it to Goju-ryu. In other words: a substantial part of what karateka practise around the world today has its root in this southern Chinese style.
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Selected by overlap in the style profile, not by historical lineage.