BaYingQuan

BaYingQuan or ba ying quan (Chinese: 八影拳; pinyin: bā yǐng quán) translates as "Eight Shadows Fist / Style". BaYingQuan is the current generation of the Ma (Horse) Family gongfu system, passed to Neil Andrew Ripski from Ma Qing Long (Chinese: 馬青龍; pinyin: mǎ qīng lóng), now deceased. The style of baying is currently taught as the main system at the "Red Jade Martial Arts" school in western Canada. This lineage of the Ma Family gong fu/Ma Family fist (馬家功夫/ 馬家拳) system was built upon achieving combative competency (rather than complete mastery) in many different gongfu systems in order to have extreme versatility and the ability to change one's approach to combat depending on the circumstances. Mastery of BaYingQuan is achieved through learning each of the eight core systems and how to switch between them seamlessly.

“Ma” is a common surname in mainland China, and several different branches of martial arts use the Ma family moniker but are of different lineages. Examples of this include Ma Gui from the internal art baguazhang, or Ma Xueli of the Muslim line of Xin Yi Liu He Quan via Henan province.

Historically, this branch of the Ma family would incorporate systems that seemed to have combative merit whenever they were encountered and these systems were often brought back to the Ma family by travelling members. Originally, Ma family gongfu contained 24 systems, but through critical analysis was cut back to eight by Ripski and renamed BaYingQuan. Most of the systems that were cut out contained redundant energies and strategies that are addressed in the core eight systems. Students will still learn certain aspects of the old systems as prerequisites to learning the eight main systems to ensure that they are equipped to properly understand and implement BaYing. The eight Core systems of BaYingQuan are Wing Chun (of the Wong Si Wing lineage), Northern Mantis, 18 Luohan Palm (as transmitted by Dr. Qi Ming Chen), Drunken Boxing, Chen Taiji (Hong Junsheng lineage), Brave/Long Fist, Xingyiquan/XinYi Quan (Xinyi Liuhe as taught by Xu Guoming), and Hungry Tiger Fist. Each of these contributes specific energies and tactics to BaYing but due to the principles-based training of the style, are actually usually very effective even used alone.

Ripski is also an acknowledged master of several systems of kungfu besides BaYingQuan. Most notable is Zui Quan, or Drunken Gongfu, which is taught as a standalone system in Ripski's international full-time Drunken program, which also includes elements of the Drunken Eight Immortals.

Ripski is a Canadian martial artist and author, currently residing in Edmonton, Alberta, and he regularly teaches seminars on Chinese martial arts and culture. There are BaYingQuan training groups in Creston, British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Taiwan (Drunken Eight Immortals Group), Salmon, Idaho and Israel. Along with being the lineage holder for the Ma family/BaYingQuan kung fu, Ripski is an instructor in meditation through Luong Phor Viriyang Sirintharo, abbot of Wat Dhammamongkol monastery in Thailand, and teaches Hong Junsheng (洪均生) lineage Chen-style t'ai chi ch'uan (陳式太極拳). The school of BaYingQuan/Red Jade Martial Arts is a member of the Kootenay Chin Woo Athletic Association.