Baerg Martial Arts is run by Shizi Brett Baerg who began studying Jiulong Baguazhang in 2011 and earned his Shizi certification in January 2018. For more information about Shizi Baerg see the Instructors page or contact him here.
Daoqiquan
Daoqiquan or “The Martial Way of Vitality” is a family martial system founded nearly half a millennia ago when Lama Zurdwang met the Li family in the Sichuan Province of China. The history as taught to Shigong Painter by his teacher Li, Longdao describes Lama Zurdwang as a Tibetan Monk who left Tibet for China to learn Daoist and Buddhist practices, as well as Chinese martial arts. Lama Zurdwang began tutoring the Li family in the village of Daofu where he taught them his methods of martial arts, health, and Si-De or four virtues. Over the years the Li family patriarchs started adding their own styles of Taijiquan, Xingyiquan and Baguazhang based on the traditional practices but firmly rooted in Zurdwang’s original boxing principles. Lama Zurdwang’s original method consisted of the five circles, six stances, Tibetan Snake Boxing, Tibetan Blue Heron Boxing, and the four virtues.
Jiulong Baguazhang
Jiulong Baguazhang is one of several Li Family Daoqiquan arts and translates as “Nine Dragon Eight Trigram (or Diagram) Palm”. Added to the family system by Li, Zhang-Lai and based on his cousin Li, Ching-Yuen’s Daoist Baguazhang teachings. Li, Ching-Yuen is believed to have studied Daoist practices and particularly his Daoist Baguazhang at Emei Mountain, which was also where Lama Zurdwang spent many years studying. The history of Li, Ching-Yuen’s Baguazhang is a point of contention or debate and it cannot be ruled out that it is related to the lineages of Baguazhang as founded by Dong, Hai-Chuan, but due to the nature of a family style the possible link is obscured.
Teacher Certifications
Shigong
Chief instructor of the family, the teachers teacher
Shifu
Someone certified to teach all of an art and who runs a commercial school
Shizi
Someone certified to teach all parts of the art
Xiangdao
Study group leader