Duan Quan (Short-range Chuan)

Duan Quan or the short-range Chuan is also called the "short-style fight," which is an age-old style of fist play. Mianzhang style of short fighting and Mianzhang Chuan were recorded in Tang Shunzhi's On Martial Arts, Qi Jiguang's A New Essay on Wushu Arts and He Liangchen's Chronicles of Chen, all of which are more than 400 years old.

Duan Quan is called "short-range Chuan," merely in comparison with Cnang Quan or the long-range Chuan. The two styles differ a great deal in combating skills, generation of power, movements and routines.

The major features of the short-style Chuan are its short and compact routines which usually consist of three to five steps and a dozen moves, its use of low stances and small but quick movements. The arms and legs of the short-style boxers are bent slightly and they use simple and sudden moves and the actions are executed smartly. Movements are well connected and fist plays follow in quick succession often with sudden changes. The boxers seldom jump or leap, nor do they use fixed or mid-air actions, rather, they rove around to shun the attack from the opponent. The short-style Chuan, therefore, is strongly combat-orientated.

By practising the short-style Chuan, one cannot only improve his physique, but also sharpen his eyesight and response and master the skills of close-range combats. The short-style Chuan is very popular and is practised in Baoding and Gaoyang of Hebei Province as well as some other places.