One person with great strength can defeat ten who're skilled. Use tricks to win wisely.

This is the essential message of Huaquan Fist. Great strength generates explosive force.

Wang Yuanxiang was born into a martial art family in Cangzhou City, North China's Hebei Province. His family has been practicing and teaching Huaquan Fist since the time of Qing Dynasty (1636-1912). Having practiced the skill since childhood, Wang is now a fifth-generation inheritor of Huaquan Fist.

There is a set of similar techniques, called Zhaquan Fist. Legend has it that after the An-Shi Rebellion in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) was quelled, the patriotic generals and soldiers stayed in ancient Cangzhou and founded the Zhahua school. Zha Shangyi and Hua Zongqi were fellow apprentices of the same master. Zha and his disciples practiced Zhaquan Fist, while Hua and his disciples practiced Huaquan Fist.

Many of their moves are very similar, therefore the two are inseparable.

The close relationship is also Wang's expectation of martial arts. He named his martial art club Tuanjie (solidarity) Club. In his opinion, martial arts are a kind of culture. He is of the view that all kung fu schools should unite and inherit Chinese martial arts jointly.

No matter what school, fist or nation you identify with, "we need mutual respect and communication; this is my hope."

To achieve his wish, Wang has kept practicing and reviewing fist formulas for decades. He practices with a wooden dummy, thousand pounder, hard slate, broomstick, stone padlock and traditional dunzi (a stump or stone) to increase his strength.

In all the martial art skills, speed prevails. It is essential in practicing Huaquan.

"The word 'hua' in 'Huaquan' also means to move fast and neutralize the enemy's strength and then attack again," says Wang.

During a prolonged practice, Wang perfected his skills, as well as his systematic and profound understanding of the fist.

There are four different styles of the fist, with less jumping but more hand positions. One uses both hands and feet, emphasizing hand, eye, body and step coordination. There are also many kinds of steps, like swooping, rounding, leaping and skipping.

Beyond that, martial arts contains the principle of dealing with the world. Wang always believes that no matter the reason is for learning martial arts, one must adhere to the virtues and use the genre in the right way.

"I am over 70 years old. Conscience always comes first in martial art practice and before anything else," says Wang.

Wang's granddaughter practices with him as the seventh generation of the family. It has been hundreds of years since the foundation of Huaquan Fist. It is the persistence of countless practitioners that allows Chinese martial arts to be passed down through generations.