Li Luoneng () (1807–1888) was a Chinese martial artist from

Hebei province Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, and 0 ...

. He was also known as Li Feiyu, Li Nengran, Li Laonong, and Li Neng Jang, and was nicknamed "Divine Fist Li". He learned the

internal Internal may refer to: *Internality as a concept in behavioural economics *Neijia, internal styles of Chinese martial arts *Neigong or "internal skills", a type of exercise in meditation associated with Daoism *''Internal (album)'' by Safia, 2016 ...

martial art Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preserv ...

of Xinyiquan (Heart and Intention Boxing) from Dai Wenxiong, son of Dai Long Bang, and later modified the style into

Xingyiquan Xing Yi Quan is classified as one of the internal styles of Chinese martial arts. The name of the art translates approximately to "Form-Intention Fist", or "Shape-Will Fist". Xing Yi is characterized by aggressive, seemingly linear movements ...

(Form and Intention Boxing). By 1836, he had already excelled in the martial arts of Tongbei and Gongliquan. In order to learn Xinyi, he traveled to Shanxi to study with Dai Wenxiong. Initially, Dai Wenxiong refused to teach the newcomer. Li found a plot of land and started a farm so he could stay in town. He grew vegetables, and every day he would deliver his product to market, but to the Dai family he would deliver produce free of charge. This display of determination persuaded Dai Wenxiong to take him on as a student. Li Luoneng practiced with Master Dai for ten years, and went on to become one of the best-known Xingyi Masters of his time, as well a popularizer of the art. Li Luoneng introduced a number of variations to the style he learned from his teacher. He replaced the splitting fist

piguaquan Piguaquan (), also known as Piguazhang () due to its emphasis on palm techniques, is often practiced along with Bajiquan () and is a style of wushu (Chinese martial arts) that features explosive, long-range power. It originated in Cangzhou, ...

with a palm strike. He also changed the name ''xin''yi (''Heart'' and intention boxing) to ''xing''yi (''Form'' and intention boxing). Later he had a number of students, the most famous of which was

Guo Yunshen Guo Yunshen () (1829 - 1898) was a famous Xingyiquan master. He represented the xingyi martial philosophy of preferring to become highly proficient with only a few techniques rather than to be less proficient with many techniques. His skill w ...

. Guo Yunshen in turn was the teacher of

Wang Xiangzhai Wang Xiangzhai (; November 26, 1885 - July 12, 1963), also known as Nibao, Zhenghe and Yuseng, was a Chinese xingyiquan master, responsible for founding the martial art of Yiquan. Biography Wang Xiangzhai was born in Hebei province, China. As ...

, who popularized the

qigong ''Qigong'' (), ''qi gong'', ''chi kung'', ''chi 'ung'', or ''chi gung'' () is a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial-arts training. With roots in ...

exercise known as

zhan zhuang Zhàn zhuāng (站樁/站桩, ) is a training method often practiced by students of neijia (internal kung fu), such as , Xing Yi Quan, Bagua Zhang and Taiji Quan. ''Zhàn zhuāng'' is sometimes translated ''Standing-on-stake'', ''Standing Qigo ...

(post standing).

References

{{reflist Chinese xingyiquan practitioners Neijia People from Hengshui 1888 deaths Sportspeople from Hebei 1807 births