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title: Cha + Hua (查拳・華拳) — Premier Northern Long-Fist
---

**Chaquan (查拳)** and **Huaquan (華拳)** are two of the most influential **長拳 *****changquan***** ("long-fist")** systems of northern China — *long* in the sense of *long, extended postures, long stances, and long-range entries*, not in the sense of long forms. Both arose in Shandong; both were Muslim (Hui) traditions in origin; both became foundational influences on what eventually became **modern competition wushu (長拳套路)**. They are characterized by **big extended frames, clear stop-start rhythm, springy footwork, kicks, and leaps**.

## Cha (查拳)

The most famous Hui (Muslim) Chinese martial art. Origin tradition attributes it to **Cha Mizhi (查密爾, also written 查尚義)**, a Hui martial figure of the Tang or Ming era (versions differ); the documented historical line begins in **Guanxian county, Shandong (山東冠縣)** in the late-Ming / early-Qing period.

**Curriculum: 十路查拳 (Ten-Road Cha)** — ten progressively-numbered forms, the canonical sequence:

1. 母子拳 (Mother-and-Son) — the *"mother"* form, foundational
2. 行手 (Moving Hand) · 3. 飛腳 (Flying Foot) · 4. 升平 (Rising Peace, the most widely-trained) · 5. 關東 (Guandong) · 6. 埋伏 (Ambush) · 7. 梅花 (Plum Blossom) · 8. 連環 (Linked Chain) · 9. 龍擺尾 (Dragon Wags Tail) · 10. 串拳 (Threading Fist)

**Sister sets** in the Cha curriculum: **滑拳 (Hua Fist)** — confusingly homophonous with the *Huaquan* below; **炮拳 (Cannon Fist)**; **洪拳 (Hong Fist — distinct from the southern Hung Gar)**; **腿拳 (Leg Fist)**.

**Major lineage holders:** **張其維 (Zhang Qiwei)** of Guanxian — late Qing master from whom most modern lines descend, including **常振芳 (Chang Zhenfang, 1898–1979)** and **張英振 (Zhang Yingzhen)**.

## Hua (華拳)

Originally **Jinan-centered (Shandong)**; sometimes traced (traditionally) to the **Cai (蔡) and Hua (華) families** of the Song dynasty, but documented as a coherent system in the Ming–Qing period. Hua emphasizes **精氣神** (essence, qi, spirit) **unity** — the *"three internals"* — and is known for **symmetrically balanced postures** that prize *"beauty of form, refinement of skill"* (形美藝精).

**Curriculum: 十二路華拳** — twelve progressively-numbered forms, each shorter than a typical long-form set but demanding in posture quality. The Hua system became one of the **roots of modern competition wushu長拳** in the 1950s standardization.

**Notable transmitter:** **蔡桂勤 (Cai Guiqin)** of the early 20th c. is the major modern source.

## What they share

- **Extended postures** — limbs fully extended; the practitioner *occupies space.*
- **Clear stop-start rhythm** — a posture is fully completed, marked, *then* released into the next. (Distinct from the continuous flow of Taiji or the rolling chains of Fanzi.)
- **Kicks and leaps** — both styles use full kicks (front, side, slap, twisting) and aerial techniques (旋風腳 *whirlwind kick*, 騰空跳 *spring jumps*).
- **Long-fist body method** as a category: lengthen the line of attack, advance through the line, drop weight into the strike.

## Primary sources

We hold:

- **查拳圖說** (Zhang-style Cha lineage, Republican) — the canonical illustrated *Cha Quan* manual. Held in the codex's `Sources/northern-kungfu-manuals/`.
- **國術教範 查拳** (Central Guoshu Institute era) — the institutional teaching version. Also held.

Hua: no dedicated PD-era standalone scan located; references appear inside the Republican Guoshu institutional publications also held.

## Video

- [中華武術 — 查拳](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m67Wli7deIA)
- [Shandong Cha / Hua Quan 1 — 1980s, Master Zhang Wen aged 69](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZSW0Tp-zQs) — strong period flavor
- [張文廣 — Berlin 1936 Olympian, 常振芳 student](https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Ea4y1H7zd/) — **historical master footage**
- [Hua Quan 4 — two-person instruction](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyvWmFySiLY) · [Hua Quan solo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8O9on0w4jQ)
- [王子平 Wang Ziping — rare archival, Cha lineage](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1R05k0wEr4)

## See also

<PageRef space="notes" slug="northern-longfist-video" text="Northern Long-Fist &amp; Shaolin on Film — video index (archival + lineage demos)" />

<PageRef space="notes" slug="tan-tui" text="Tan Tui (彈腿) — the foundational kicking drill-set that underpins both Cha and Hua" />

<PageRef space="notes" slug="northern-styles" text="Northern Kung Fu Styles — Cha + Hua in the broader Northern canon" />

## Sources

**[1]** *Chaquan*, Wikipedia ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaquan)) — Hui-Muslim Shandong origin, ten-road curriculum, Zhang Qiwei lineage.

**[2]** *Huaquan*, Wikipedia ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huaquan)) — Jinan / Shandong roots, the 12-road curriculum.

**[3]** *查拳圖說* and *國術教範 查拳* (Republican-era) — held in the codex.