Mizongyi

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Mizongyi (Chinese: 迷蹤藝; pinyin: Mízōngyì; lit. 'Lost Track Skill')^[a] is a style of Chinese martial art based on deception and mobility.

As an external northern Chinese style, Mizong belongs to the "Long Fist" family of martial arts although in some traditions Mizongyi is considered an internal art, created by Yue Fei, and taught as a precursor system to xingyiquan. Mizongyi was created by Cheng Juxiao. Cheng learned from his maternal grandfather and mother, both of whom were also practitioners of Mizongyi.^[1]

The art began to grow popular in 1901 due to the deeds of Huo Yuanjia, a Mizongyi master.^[2] Huo Yuanjia's father, Huo Endi is a 6th-generation successor of Mizongyi.^[3]

There are many sub-branches of Mizongyi. One such sub-branch is Mizong Luohan (Chinese: 迷蹤羅漢; pinyin: mízōng luóhàn; lit. 'Lost Track Arhat'), which combines Mizongyi with Luohanquan. Through Luohanquan, its lineage can be traced back to the Shaolin temple during the time of the Tang dynasty.

Mizong Luohan is an external style, with distinct internal influences. It draws on many aspects of the external Northern Shaolin long-fist style, and the internal styles tai chi and baguazhang, which are often taught alongside it in modern times. It is characterized by deceptive hand movements, intricate footwork, varied kicks, and high leaps. The style changes very quickly when executed. The emphasis on flexibility in Northern Shaolin kung fu styles is the guiding principle of Mizong, and this is evident in the versatility of its attacks and the extent to which it integrates core concepts of multiple internal styles.

Mizong Luohan's system was presided over by Grandmaster Ye Yu Ting in the twentieth century until his death in 1962, at the age of 70. A number of his students such as Masters Chi-Hung Marr, Raymond K. Wong, and Johnny Lee emigrated to North America in the 1960s and have continued to teach this system in various locations around the United States of America, from Los Angeles, Dallas, Texas, Coppell, Texas, to Hawaii and Canada.^[4]

Mizong has also been continued to be taught as a foundation art to xingyiquan within the Yue Jia Ba Shao/Geng Jishan tradition in London, England. Within this tradition, Mizong was primarily taught to children, as from a learning perspective the technical and internal aspects of the art are less sophisticated (i.e., more external) than in xingyiquan.

• Huo Yuanjia