Background (from my forthcoming book):
Shaolin Xinyi Quan was influenced from outside the monastery by the Tongbei Quan related Liuhe (Six Harmony) Quan martial arts that came out of the Qianzai Temple that had spread into the Luoyang area of Henan and northwest into Shanxi through the teachings of Ji Longfeng. This transmission was unlike the previous Shaolin Quan system that had been a major root influence on part of the development of Tongbei Quan. Instead, the Taoist side of Tongbei Quan was introduced back into Shaolin via the influence of Ji Longfeng.
First Ji Longfeng had visited Shaolin (most likely more than once) and exchanged much martial art information with the monks there at the time (early 1600s). The monks practiced their animal mimicking styles derived from Bai Yufeng’s Wu Quan system (including Luohan Quan). Also they practiced Hong Quan, Pao Quan, Taizu Chang Quan, Yuan-Hou (Ape-Monkey) Quan, Mi Quan, Duanda, Rou Quan, and other material, as documented by various books written during the 1500s-1700s time period. They were especially known for their staff, spear, and sword techniques by then, which had been greatly improved through outside military advisors.
One of the animal mimicking methods included a simple set of ancient techniques drawn from the movements of farmers and local domestic and wild animals. Yang Jwing-Ming, in his book Xingyiquan : Theory, Applications, Fighting Tactics and Spirit, argues that aspects of Xingyi Quan (particularly the animal styles) are identifiable as far back as the Liang Dynasty at the Shaolin Temple. Supposedly, Ji was impressed by Shaolin’s movements that were taken from the Rooster, Eagle, and other animals. On the other hand, the Shaolin monks were greatly awed by Ji’s Liuhe spear methods and worked to incorporate his Liuhe knowledge into their martial arts. According to the research of Dr. Yan Zhiyuan, who examined various ancient quanpu manuals, the ‘Spear Method of Teacher Ji,’ which is contained in an ancient Shaolin manual, is a combination of Ji’s spear techniques and text from the Tongbei Quanpu manual. From this first exchange, the Shaolin Xinyi (heart mind) Quan sets were developed.
Shaolin Xinyi Quan
Shaolin practiced various Xinyi Quan sets that resemble movements from the Henan Xinyi Liuhe Quan style. Many of the movements are like the Five Element movements of Pi, Zhuan, Beng, Pao, and Heng. Also, points out Dr. Yan, the particular ‘Shaolin Xinyi Quan’ set practiced by the family of Shaolin lay disciple Jia Shuwang was in fact Tongbei Quan; it was probably developed from the boxing taught early on by Ji when he was teaching his spear methods to the Shaolin Monastery. As discussed earlier, this set was originally known as the Xie Xing Quan set (Slanted Walking Boxing) and it shared many postures and movements with those later seen in Chen Taiji Quan sets (such as Jingang Pound Mortar, Single Whip, and much more) and also it contains movements seen in only Xinyi Liuhe Quan (especially of the Rooster, Snake, Beng Quan, and others) as well. Thus, since Tongbei Quan was often called Xing Quan and since it was the foundational material from Qianzai Temple that Chen Wangting and his Li cousins used and that Ji Longfeng had learned as well, then it is very likely that the “Shaolin Xinyi Quan” shown in Jia Shuwang’s book was indeed a Shaolin set derived from the Tongbei Quan influenced boxing that was received from Ji Longfeng.
It is very different from the Xinyi Liuhe quan that Ji later created. It is also different from the ‘12 Moves of the Xinyi Liuhe (Shaolin Xinyi Ba)’ set that was later passed to the Shaolin abbot by ‘Henan Li’, which was taught only to high ranking monks. Obviously, it is very different because it was more like Chen Taiji Quan’s version of Tongbei Quan than it was like the Tongbei Quan influenced Xinyi Liuhe Quan that Ji Longfeng developed. This set is nearly extinct today in the Shaolin temple itself, being seen more in the Henan countryside instead.
Later, Ji Longfeng’s grand students had made a second exchange on their visits to Shaolin, and the Shaolin version of Xinyi Ba resulted. According to the book Pictorial Collection of China Martial Arts written by You Tang Hao, Ji later passed his knowledge to a hermit named Zheng (called Nan Shan Zheng Shi), and Zheng passed the information to a hermit, Li Shiming of Henan (called ‘Henan Fu’ Li), and Li finally passed it to a Luoyang Muslim named Ma Xueli (1714-1790) and to a non-Muslim Li Chen Chun. Li Shiming struck up a friendship with Shaolin's abbot around the years of the emperors' Yong Zheng (1723-1735) and Qian Long's (1735-1795) reigns. Li presented the abbot with a copy of the manual Ten Most Important Truths of Xinyi Liuhe, written by him in the 11th year of Emperor Yong Zheng's reign. This was Shaolin’s last Abbott until modern times, as he eventually resigned his post and left Henan.
Describing the Six Harmonies, Li wrote, “The heart harmonizes with the intent, the qi with power, ligaments with bones, hand with foot, elbow with knee, shoulder with hip, this is the Liuhe. Six basic forms, each form with the ability to evolve into 12 forms, the 12 forms are still able to be returned back to each parent form.” It was treasured by the Shaolin monks for generations. In addition, he also taught the ‘Secret 24 Character Formula.’ Within this ’24 Character Formula’ is the sentence, ‘Tongbi is famous for its dodging; Xinyi is good at evasion.’ Li's disciple, Ma Xueli, the founder of Luoyang Xinyi Quan, and grand disciple, Ma Sanyuan, visited the temple too. Today, the Ma family Xinyi Ba set and the Shaolin Xinyi Ba still appear to share many features, postures, and movements, showing that they arise from a common source.
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Originally Posted by RenDaHai
