Bagua was invented in China by Dong Hai Chuan after which he began teaching it in Beijing around the 1850s. The origins of how he came to acquire the skill and knowledge to pioneer such a profound internal style of kungfu called Bagua are a mystery and steeped in historical and philosophical debate. He is however widely credited as being the founder.

He was a servant and waiter within the residence of Prince Su, inside of the walls of the Imperial Palace during the Qing Dynasty.  During large royal feasts, Dong Hai Chuan would impress the palace guests as well as the Emperor and his court with feats of extraordinary agility, masterfully maneuvering through crowds and leaping off walls to deliver food and drink.

Dong Hai Chuan became the personal bodyguard as well as martial arts instructor to Prince Su, subsequently martial arts teacher to the Imperial Palace guards, aligning and protecting the secrets of this Bagua system within the palace.  He became well regarded by the imperial family as an exceptional martial artist.

Yin Fu is regarded as being one of Dong Hai Chuan's longest and most accomplished students. As a merchant just outside of the palace gates Yin Fu eventually caught the eye of Dong Hai Chuan and became his student.  Upon Dong Hai Chuan's retirement, Yin Fu took over his role as a martial arts instructor to the Imperial Guards within the Forbidden City.  He eventually became Commander of the Imperial Guards.

Yin Fu was famous for many skills and for impressing the Empress Dowenger, who invited him to teach Bagua to her personally.  He eventually goes down in history as  being the Empress Dowenger's bodyguard, tasked with security of the royal family and helping them to flee the Forbidden City during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900.

Gong Bao Tian was introduced to Yin Fu as a talented youth by his brother Gong Bao Shan who was thirty years older and was already a student of Yin Fu for many years.

Gong Bao Tian became a Yellow Guard, martial arts instructor to the palace guard, as well as inheriting the position from Yin Fu as the last bodyguard to the Empress Dowenger.

After living in the palace for most of his life Gong Bao Tian never interacted with other kung fu brothers from outside the palace until the Qing government was eventually overthrown.  He was released from his duties and was free to live however he pleased.  He decided to return to his  home village in Shandong province where he transmitted the Bagua system that was preserved within the Imperial Palace to Gong Bao Zhai.

Gong Bao Zhai grew up in the same village as his relative Gong Bao Tian.  Their families were very close and of similar stature.  After returning home from living in the Imperial Palace for the majority of his life, Gong Bao Tian opened his home to Gong Bao Zhai in order to improve his frail and declining health.  Gong Bao Zhai was seven years old when this happened.

As a testament to Gong Bao Tian's teachings and guidance, Gong Bao Zhai's health recovered, strengthened, and he proceeded to live a very long life thereafter.

While living with Gong Bao Tian, Gong Bao Zhai was transmitted the Palace system of Bagua and learned to develop the integration of health and martial arts practices into daily life, putting this deep understanding of interactions between martial effort, health, and healing as a driving force to use.  His knowledge and skill was immense.

Gong Bao Zhai left China and moved to Taiwan prior to the Communists coming into power.  He trained several students in China and upon living in Taiwan trained about a dozen more, including my teacher Tu Kun-Yii.

As a university student in 1977 at the age of twenty, Tu Kun-Yii studied with Gong Bao Zhai in Taiwan until Gong Bao Zhai's passing in 2000.  Prior to their relationship, Tu Kun-Yii learned several other martial arts including Shaolin Long Fist, Seven Star Mantis, Ba Ji Quan, Hsing Yi (Xing Yi) from Chen Tien Yi who is Chen Peng Lin's student and nephew.

Tu Kun-Yii appreciated Gong Bao Zhai's years of great patience.  Although his teachings were often challenging and harsh, he instilled in Tu Kun-Yii the essence of true traditional training.

Tu Kun-Yii is a PHD holder in engineering, a Chinese medicine physician, and a true master. 

"To my teacher, for whom I would not be here today as the person I am now.  Thank you for everything." - Thomas J Boshart