Wang Xiangzhai (1890 - 1963), is a martial artist who founded modern Xingyiquan. Although originally named Xiangzhai, he was also named Yusun. Born in Shen County, Hebei Province, Wang studied literature when he was a child. Because he was weak and short, he started to study Wushu to keep fit. When he was 14, he studied Xingyiquan from Guo Yunshen. Guo was moved by Wang’s kindheartedness and taught Wang Wushu techniques.

After several years, Wang was skilled in wushu and his health grew strong. When he grew up, he went to Beijing and held the post of dean of the Land Army Department Wushu Training Office. When he was 33, he traveled around the world. During this period, he studied more Wushu techniques from other martial artists. He met Zhou Lin, a Buddhist Monk, Xie Tiefu, Liu Fengchun and studied Taiji Quan and Fuzhou Zonghequan amongst many other techniques. He taught boxing in Shanghai, Beijing and Baoding for a long time.

In addition, he practiced medicine, which laid a solid basis for the founding of Xingyiquan and Stake exercise healthcare. After successive practice and boxing theory research, he achieved mastery and created new ideas, and he got rid of the boxing formula and paid attention to the Stand exercise. He advocated nature and created “modern Xingyiquan” based on the “Hunyuan Exercise.”

There are six words that describe this type of boxing: length, refrain, resolute, careful, steady and standard. Such boxing mainly includes the Stand exercise, strength trying, sound trying, strength developing, friction pace, push-hand and free sparring (practice), with the former 3 programs as the main content, paying much attention to fighting free sparring. The master thought that the boxing stresses its completeness, including the “completeness” of Xingyiquan, the “changes” of Taiji Quan, the “act” of the Eight diagram boxing and the “coldness, play, fragility, fastness and hardness” of Chang Quan. In technique and fighting methods, the boxing contains the essence of Xingyiquan. Eight Diagrams boxing, taijiquan and plum blossom fist, tantui, paochui, boxing, Chinese style wrestling skills and hundreds others are combined to form the boxing known as the "All-together Boxing ".

Wang defeated Engel, the World Lightweight Boxing Champion from Hungary and Zejin Jian’er, a Japanese judo master. Later, Zejin studied boxing from him, and thereafter Xingyiquan was spread to Japan. After China was founded in 1949, Wang was engaged in teaching boxing, taking the post of Counselor of “stand exercise therapeutics” in Beijing Chinese Medicine Research Institute and Baoding Chinese Medicine Research Institute. He wrote many books, such as the Xingyiquan Standard, Stand Exercise, Xingyiquan Notes, Stand Exercise Introduction and All-Together Boxing. He had many students, such as Yao Zongxun, Sou Shiming, Li Yongzong and Wang Xuanjie.

Liu Shulai

Liu Shulai, born in Chuangzhou, Hebei Province, is the Headmaster of the Chuangzhou Wushu Exercise Academy.

When he was a child, he studied hard, and learned from other's strong points, and he displayed inner and outer strength. He was versed in eight diagrams boxing, hanging, sword-play, and so on, and have a deep understanding of them. He was interested to the development of folk Wushu, and has made outstanding contributions to the teaching and popularizing of Wushu, and has trained a lot of Wushu talents. He organized a series of important Wushu activities, which received a great response in the Wushu circle both at home and abroad.

He is a member of the “China Martial Artists”