page_title: Styles of Chinese martial arts
section_title: Northern styles
hierarchical_section_title: Styles of Chinese martial arts / Geographical classifications / Northern styles
caption_attribution_description: Janggimboo / chin. Zhan Yinbao (占音保 zhàn yīnbǎo), was an officer of the Qing Army. Ink and colours on silk, 188,6 x 95,1cm. Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
context_page_description: There are hundreds of different styles of Chinese martial arts, each with their own sets of techniques and ideas.
  The concept of martial arts styles appeared from around the Ming dynasty. Before the Ming period, martial skills were commonly differentiated mainly by their lineage. There are common themes among these styles which allow them to be grouped according to generalized "families", "fractions", "class", or "schools" of martial art styles. There are styles that mimic movements from animals, or otherwise refer or allude to animals or mythical beings such as dragons, and others that gather inspiration from various Chinese philosophies or mythologies. Some deeply internal styles tend to focus strongly on practice relating to harnessing of qi energy, while some more-conspicuously external styles tend more to display skills and abilities in competition or exhibition.
  The rich variety of styles has led to the creation of numerous classification schemes.
  Geographical location such as regional affiliation is one well-known example.
  A particular Chinese martial arts style can be referred to as either a northern fist or a southern fist depending on its point of origin.
context_section_description: Northern styles/Běi pài (北派) feature deeply extended postures—such as the horse, bow, drop, and dragon stances—connected by quick fluid transitions, able to quickly change the direction in which force is issued.
  The group of Northern martial arts includes many illustrious styles such as Baguazhang, Bajiquan, Chāquán, Chuojiao, Eagle Claw, Northern Praying Mantis and Taijiquan. Chángquán is often identified as the representative Northern style and forms a separate division in modern Wushu curriculum.
  Northern styles exhibit a distinctively different flavor from the martial arts practiced in the South. In general, the training characteristics of northern styles put more focus on legwork, kicking and acrobatics. The influence of Northern styles can be found in traditional Korean martial arts and their emphasis on high-level kicks.
  It has been suggested that the presence of high kicks and flying kicks found in Southern styles, in Okinawan martial arts, and hence in modern non-Chinese styles such as karate and taekwondo (and by extension modern kickboxing) are due to influence from northern styles during the first half of the 20th century.
caption: Manchu banner soldier, a caste of professional martial artists active in Chinese society as recently as a hundred years ago
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