Master Huang Baoshan, Shaolin Zuibaxian Quan and Luda Zuigun

The Legacy of the Drunken Eight Immortals Fist and the Drunken Monk Staff

Master Huang Baoshan (1910–1998) was one of the last great representatives of the traditional martial arts of north-west China. Born in Tianshui, Gansu Province, along the ancient Silk Road, he grew up in a region where Chinese civilisation, Buddhist culture, and the warrior traditions of the Central Asian steppes had met for centuries.

Gansu was historically a land of soldiers, generals, travelling monks, and martial artists. The region preserved many old fighting traditions, reflected in the saying:

“Nanquan, beitui; Dongqiang, xigun”
“Fists in the south, legs in the north; spears in the east, staffs in the west.”

From his youth, Huang Baoshan dedicated his life to the study of traditional Wushu. His first teacher was Master Mu Songlin, after which he became a disciple of the famous north-western martial artist Sun Yanbiao (1884–1981). Sun Yanbiao was renowned throughout China as a master of traditional boxing and especially the old staff methods of Gansu. He became the bodyguard of Empress Dowager Ci Xi, and was also an army officer in charge of training soldiers in Qinghai and Gansu province.

The lineage of Sun Yanbiao came from the military traditions of the late Qing period through General Shao Yinhuan (1862–1930), known as “the man with the silver ear.” Shao was a renowned warrior and general during the turbulent era of the Boxer Rebellion. Through this transmission, Huang Baoshan inherited a living connection to the warrior culture of old China.

At the age of fifteen, Huang began travelling throughout China in search not only of martial arts masters but also of teachers of Daoist and Buddhist philosophy. In 1920, he visited the Shaolin Temple in Henan, during the time of the respected abbot Master Miao Xin (1876–1934), where he studied traditional Shaolin boxing and footwork methods. He later travelled to Xi’an Wolong Temple (Temple of the Sleeping Dragon), where he studied Buddhist teachings and the rare Nine Rings Chan Staff (Jiuhuan Chanzhang) under the venerable monk Ranzhao.

Throughout his life, Master Huang preserved numerous traditional forms that were disappearing during the social changes of twentieth-century China. When he was visited in Tianshui in 1993, he was living modestly, yet he remained a true guardian of an extraordinary martial heritage. His knowledge was later continued through his close student Master He Tianfu, ensuring the survival of these rare traditions.

Among the many forms preserved by Master Huang Baoshan, two exceptional Shaolin methods demonstrate the unique relationship between martial skill, cultural symbolism, and expressive movement: Shaolin Zuibaxian Quan (少林醉八仙拳), the Drunken Eight Immortals Fist, and Luda Zuigun (鲁达醉棍), the Drunken Monk Staff.

Shaolin Zuibaxian Quan (少林醉八仙拳)

Shaolin Zuibaxian Quan was transmitted to Master Huang Baoshan, coming from the Shaolin Temple. Inspired by the Daoist legend of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea (Baxian guohai 八仙過海), the form represents the different personalities and abilities of the eight immortals: Han Zhongli, Lu Dongbin, Lan Caihe, Cao Guojiu, He Xiangu, Han Xiangzi, Zhang Guolao, and Tie Guaili.

Unlike modern performance versions of drunken boxing, traditional Shaolin Zuibaxian Quan is a sophisticated combat system. The “drunken” appearance is a strategy of deception, hiding intention through relaxed movement, sudden changes of rhythm, and unexpected attacks.

The form develops balance, leg strength, flexibility, and coordination through Shaolin stances such as ma bu (horse stance), gong bu (bow stance), ding bu (T-step), and xie bu (resting stance). Its techniques include palms, hooks, fists, and the characteristic “drinking hand” movements. The practitioner appears unstable like a drunk person, while maintaining complete control and martial precision.

Luda Zuigun (鲁达醉棍)

The Luda Zuigun, or “Drunken Monk Staff,” was made by Sun Yanbiao, and it was also transmitted in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, by the Qing Dynasty warrior monk Tian Guanren. This rare staff method belongs to the traditional Gansu weapon systems and uses the Four Doors (Simen 四门) stepping pattern to create powerful angles of attack and defence.

The form is inspired by Lu Zhishen (鲁智深), the famous warrior monk from the classical novel Water Margin. Originally named Lu Da, he became a Buddhist monk after a violent past. Known for his immense strength, courage, and unpredictable personality, he became a symbol of the powerful warrior monk.

The movements of Luda Zuigun reflect his character: large, forceful, circular, and explosive. The staff appears wild and uncontrolled, yet every movement contains precise fighting applications. Sweeping strikes, sudden changes of direction, and deceptive attacks make this one of the most distinctive traditional staff methods of Gansu.

In 1958, Master Huang Baoshan performed Luda Zuigun at the first national Wushu competition in Beijing, helping to preserve this rare heritage.

Today, Shaolin Zuibaxian Quan, Luda Zuigun, and Shaolin Zui Baxian gun remain valuable examples of the old Chinese martial Drunken Style tradition preserved by Master Huang Baoshan. They represent not only fighting techniques but also the history, philosophy, literature, and spirit of the warrior culture of ancient China.

Martial Arts Curriculum of Master Huang Baoshan (黃寶山)

Master Huang Baoshan was a renowned practitioner and transmitter of traditional Shaolin martial arts. His teaching curriculum preserved a broad and comprehensive system of Shaolin boxing, weapons training, and classical combat methods. The curriculum emphasized the study of traditional forms, including body conditioning, footwork, power generation, and practical applications inherited from the Shaolin martial tradition.

I. Shaolin Boxing Curriculum (拳術)

The core of Huang Baoshan’s teaching was centered on the Red Boxing system (Hongquan 紅拳), one of the important branches of traditional Shaolin boxing. He transmitted several representative forms of this system, including:

• Two-Roads Red Boxing (Erlu Hongquan 二路紅拳)

• Small Red Boxing (Xiao Hongquan 小紅拳)

• Big Red Boxing (Da Hongquan 大紅拳)

• Small Plum Blossom Boxing (Xiao Meihua Quan 小梅花拳)

In addition to the Red Boxing tradition, Master Huang taught a wide range of Shaolin animal-style and classical boxing systems, including:

• Black Tiger Boxing (Heihu Quan 黑虎拳)

• White Tiger Boxing (Baihu Quan 白虎拳)

• Shaolin Eight Drunken Immortals Boxing (Shaolin Zuibaxian Quan 少林醉八仙拳)

• Shaolin Arhat Boxing (Shaolin Luohan Quan 少林羅漢拳)

• Shaolin Bodhidharma Boxing (Shaolin Damo Quan 少林達摩拳)

• Twenty-Eight Lunar Lodges Boxing (Ershiba Su Quan 二十八宿拳)

• Seven-Stars Boxing (Qixing Quan 七星拳)

• Shaolin Vajrapani Boxing (Shaolin Jingang Quan 少林金剛拳)

He also preserved regional branches of Hong Boxing, including:

• Zhili Hong Boxing (Zhili Hongquan 直隸洪拳)

• Guandong Hong Boxing (Guandong Hongquan 關東洪拳)

Through these systems, students trained the complete Shaolin boxing principles of explosive power, agile movement, strong stances, coordinated striking, and the integration of martial technique with traditional Shaolin body cultivation.

II. Staff and Stick Curriculum (棍術)

Master Huang Baoshan placed great importance on traditional Shaolin staff methods. His curriculum included both fundamental staff skills and advanced routines representing different branches of Shaolin weapon practice.

The main staff forms taught were:

• Straight-Line Pole (Paikou Tiaozi 排口條子)

• White Snake Pole (Baishe Tiaozi 白蛇條子)

• Yellow Dragon Pole (Huanglong Tiaozi 黄龍條子)

• Five Spirits of Wulang Pole (Wulang Tiaozi 五郎條子)

• Plum Blossom Pole (Meihua Tiaozi 梅花條子)

• Spiral Stick (Niusi Gun 扭絲棍)

• Luda Drunken Staff (Luda Zuigun 魯達醉棍)

• Eight Immortals Drunken Staff (Zui Baxian Gun 醉八仙棍)

• Eight Immortals Staff (Baxian Gun 八仙棍)

• Four Gates Staff (Simen Gun 四門棍)

• Old Man Watching the Field Staff (Laohan Kantian Gun 老漢看田棍)

• Black Tiger Staff (Heihu Gun 黑虎棍)

• Eight Tigers Staff (Bahu Gun 八虎棍)

• Five Tigers Herding Sheep Cane (Wuhu Qunyang Biangan 五虎群羊鞭杆)

III. Other Traditional Weapons (器械)

Beyond boxing and staff methods, Master Huang Baoshan also transmitted a variety of traditional Shaolin weapons, including:

• Three-Section Staff (Sanjie Gun 三節棍)

• Double-Headed Spear (Shuangtou Qiang 雙頭槍)

• Meteor Hammer (Liuxing Chui 流星錘)

Lineage:

Shaolin Temple, 17th century

1. Shao Yin (邵銀 1862-1930), “Shao Silver-earring.” Boxing Rebellion training leader.

2. Sun Yanbiao (孫彥彪1878—1975), Bodyguard of Empress Ci Xi and army officer in Qinghai and Gansu

3. Huang Baoshan (黄寶珊 1910-1998), Vice president of Tianshui Wushuguan, main disciple of Sun Yanbiao.

4. Yun Luxia (Lucas Christopoulos 雲露俠), went to study in Tianshui in 1992.