April 5, 2012, Mengcun Town
In the evening, we arrived at Mengcun Town (孟村鎮) and first visited Mr. Yang Guoming (楊國明). He is an old friend of Master Zhu, and after chatting for a while, he led us to meet his teacher, Master Wu Lianzhi (吳連枝). From his home to the Mengcun Baji Quan International Training Center (孟村八極拳國際培訓中心) was only a few minutes’ drive. Upon arrival, we could see from afar the tall stone monument in the square, engraved with several striking large characters: “Open Door Baji!” (開門八極).
Behind the monument was the teaching building, with a reception room and a study beside it. It so happened that Mr. Wu Lianzhi was in the study practicing calligraphy! The saying “a martial artist with the bearing of a scholar” is truly no ordinary thing. After we exchanged greetings for a while, to welcome us, Elder Wu immediately wrote calligraphy on the spot and presented the works to us. For the Baji Quan senior and junior brothers, he wrote “Six Great Openings” (六大開) and the characters “Ding, Ti, Bao, Dan, Kua, Chan” (頂、提、抱、單、胯、纏). For me, he wrote the Cangzhou martial proverb: “Pigua blends with Baji; even ghosts and gods are unafraid” (劈掛摻八極；神鬼也不怕)*. Zhu Shifu received a scroll with a poem written on it. We were all overjoyed. After carefully storing the calligraphy in our luggage, we all went to the training hall next door.
The training hall was as large as two or three basketball courts, and the ceiling was as high as a two-story building. It looked like it could accommodate at least fifty or sixty people training at the same time. In addition, the floor was covered with martial arts carpeting, and there were large windows for natural light on the walls. It was indeed an excellent modern martial arts center.
At first, Master Wu taught two senior brothers a Baji two-person sparring set hand by hand. After that, we each performed something. The two senior brothers performed the Baji Small Frame (八極小架), while I performed a round of Mamian Quan (抹面拳). It is said that the Wu family ancestors also studied Pigua Zhang (劈掛掌) and integrated it into Baji Quan, constantly improving and innovating.
Master Wu even demonstrated the Baji Great Spear (八極大槍) for us. After one move, “Embracing Moon Spear” (抱月槍), he thrust the spear with one hand, steadily holding up the more than three-meter-long spear for several seconds—truly admirable!
*Note: This martial proverb is also written as “Baji participates in Pigua; even ghosts and gods are unafraid” (八極參劈掛；神鬼也不怕). Although it is only a difference of one character, the meaning is different.
The monument with the words ‘Kaimen Baji’ engraved (開門八極)
Master Wu Lianzhi demonstrating a Spear form
吴連枝老師表演八極大槍
騎走滄州之五
四月五日孟村鎮
傍晚時份,我們到了孟村鎮,先去探訪了楊國明先生.他與祝師是舊交,閒聊了一會後他便領着我們去見他師傅,吴連枝老師.由他家到孟村八極拳國際培訓中心只需幾分鐘車程.到埗後,遠遠就望到廣場上那座高大的石碑,上面刻着幾個醒目的大字：開門八極！
石碑的後面正是教學大樓,旁邊是會客聽和書房.適逢其時吴連枝先生正在書房中揮毫潑墨呢！所謂武人文相,自是不一般. 大家寒暄了一會,吴前輩為表歡迎,竟即席揮毫將作品贈予我們.送給八極拳師兄弟的是「六大開 」 「頂、提、抱、單、胯、纏」等字.給我的卻是滄州武諺「劈掛摻八極；神鬼也不怕」*.祝師得到一張寫有詩詞的條幅.我們都歡喜不已.將字畫妥為收藏在行李包後,大伙便到隔壁的演武廳去了.
演武廳足足有兩三個籃球場大,天花板亦有兩層樓高.看來那裡至少可容納過五六十人同時上課.另外,地板上鋪設有武術用的地氈,牆上又有採光的大窗.它確實是一個優良的現代化武術中心.
開始的時候,吴老師手把手地教了兩位師兄一趟八極對打,之後,我們也各自表演了一下. 兩位師兄表演了八極小架,我卻走了趟抹面拳.據聞吴家祖輩也曾學習劈掛掌,並将它融會到八極拳裡,不斷地改良進步推陳出新.
吴老師更為我們表演了八極大槍,一招抱月槍後單手扎槍,平穩地舉起三米多的大槍數秒,真令人嘆服不已！
*註：這武諺亦作「八極參劈掛；神鬼也不怕」雖只是一字之差,意思卻有不同.
