"Pay attention!!You must waste no motion;every step you take,every motion of your hand,has significance."

Pakua

Pakua("Eight Diagrams") is another of the Chinese "Internal" fighting arts.It's philosophies and maneuvers are derived from the I Ching,or "Book of Changes",which states that the universe is in a state of constant change.Therefore,in pakua,any change,no matter how slight-The placement of the foot,the turning of a hand,a short step-is important.

Pakua is a highly circular art that emphaizes footwork and constant motion.A pakua fighter "walks the circle" around his foe,following an imaginary pattern based on the eight diagrams that the I Ching uses to foretell the future.Each diagram and direction of the circle provides the fighter with a new angle of attack or a new posture for attack or defense.While this may seem limiting,it is not;a pakua master can move so quickly and change directions so suddenly that he is able to evade his opponents blows easily while barely seeming to move.

Pakua masters are said to possess great control over their Ch'i,their internal energise.They use palm strikes rather then fist strikes,because this allows them better control over the Ch'i they release.The damage caused by a Pakua attack results less from the force of the blow than from the Ch'i energy discharged into the opponents body by the fighter.

Schools:Pakua schools are very rare in America.For proper training,one must go to China and apprentice himself to a master.The training may take many years;Pakua is a subtle art that is difficult to master.Training usually occupies the student entirely;he cannot hold a job or go to school while studying Pakua.

Members:Pakua students tend to be disciplined,patient and precise.Most students are usually male,but there may be females as well.