Li Cunyi is highly regarded not only for his martial skills but, more importantly, for his role as an educator and disseminator of Hebei-style Xing Yi. He directly or indirectly taught thousands of martial artists in Tianjin and became the most important figure among Xing Yi practitioners. When discussing Xing Yi, Li Cunyi should always be mentioned.
Born in 1847 in Shenze, Hebei Province, Li Cunyi practiced Xing Yi under Liu Qilan and Gu Yuanshen, both of whom were disciples of Li Luoneng. Later, he was introduced to Dong Haichuan and studied Bagua in Beijing. He then worked as a military officer, training soldiers in martial arts in Tianjin, which was close to modern-day Shanghai. Eventually, Li Cunyi left his military career and opened a caravan bodyguard business, where bodyguards on horseback protected valuable merchandise in transit, much like scenes from Kung Fu movies.
He later transferred the ownership of his bodyguard business to his students in order to establish the Zhonghua Wushu Hui (Chinese Martial Arts Association) in Tianjin around 1912, which became the largest martial arts training organization in northern China. Li Cunyi served as the director, with Zhang Zhaodong as the vice director. Former Republic of China president, Feng Guozhang, was the honorary president of the school. Li Cunyi taught more than 1,000 students in Tianjin.
Li Cunyi passed away in 1921. He never had biological children but had several adopted sons, so anyone claiming to be a direct descendant of Li Cunyi would be an adopted descendant.
Li Cunyi’s favorite weapon was the saber. His saber was custom-made, with a length between that of a typical saber and a double-handed saber. The handle was long enough to be held with both hands but short enough to be used with one hand. In his 50s, when China was invaded by Russia, Li Cunyi and his students fought back to protect their people. They attacked the Russian army near the Tianjin railway station, killing hundreds of Russian soldiers. The people of Tianjin gave him the nickname "Dan Dao Li" (Single Saber Li).
According to Confucian teachings in ancient China, five characters were inscribed on wooden frames or plates during important ceremonies: Tian, Di, Jun, Qin, Shi (Sky, Earth, Emperor, Parents, Teacher). For thousands of years, China was an agricultural society, and various methods were used to maintain social stability. Worshipping these five entities was an important practice for consolidating society. Li Cunyi described the saber according to these five principles:
The blade represented the Sky.
The saber back represented the Earth.
The saber guard, which protected the hand, represented the Emperor.
The handle represented Parents.
The scoreboard (the part of the saber that is gripped) represented Teachers since it is the part that handles the weapon.
Li Cunyi’s Xing Yi retains the traditional "old flavor," characterized by a taut, tensified body structure and a forward-leaning posture. In Xing Yi, a "straight back" does not necessarily mean vertical; rather, it refers to the spine being aligned and straight, as is typical in all Chinese martial arts. The fully vertical back structure commonly seen today was popularized about 30 years ago by modern Wushu practitioners
An important book that reflects Li Cunyi’s Xing Yi is Yue Shi Yi Quan Wu Xing Shi Er Xing Jing Yi (The Essentials of Xing Yi: Five Elements and Twelve Animals), written by Dong Chiu Song.
As the owner of a bodyguard company, Li Cunyi traveled extensively across China, interacting with numerous martial artists. Drawing from these experiences, he developed a unique Xing Yi practice that included two sets of Ba Zhe Gong (Eight Words) and Er Shi Shi Shou (24 Hands). These practices are considered rare in the history of Xing Yi.
Li Cunyi also studied Bagua in Beijing under Dong Hai Chuan. Later, he created his own Bagua style, named Si Men Long Xing Zhang (Four Gates Dragon Style Palm).
Li Cunyi famously declared that Xing Yi is the "national art," whereas other styles are merely martial arts. Even in his senior years, he stood by this bold claim, often having to defend it, which demonstrated his unwavering determination to uphold the reputation of the style.