Fanzi Quan, also known as Fanzi or Fan Quan, is an excellent fist technique of Chinese martial arts. It has been influential since the Ming Dynasty and the Ba Shan Quan (eight flash tumbles) mentioned in the Jie Yao chapter of Quan Jing (Book of Fists) of New Book Recording Effective Techniques is today’s Fanzi Quan, which was thought of highly by the author Qi Jiguang as being the most skillful martial art of all time.

Fanzi Quan is also called Ba Shan Fan for its eight flash tumbles, including front, back, left, right, up, down, middle and double tumble techniques. Shan refers to the punches that move as quickly as flashes of lightning and attack people in an unpredictable manner, leaving them no time to react; Fan refers to the continuous tumbles of upper limbs, first downward, then upward, then downward again while balancing the left and right and the front and back.

The circulation of Fanzi Quan is related to Shaolin Martial Arts to a certain degree. It is said that a Shaolin monk once taught it to the Duan family in Gaoyang, Hebei Province, who passed it down from generation to generation for the sake of self-defense. Later, Fanzi Quan spread to Liaoning, Gansu and Shaanxi Provinces, where it developed into different schools. Northwestern Fanzi Quan and northeastern Fanzi Quan share the same origin with slightly different styles. To illustrate, Fanzi Quan in northwestern China emphasizes vigorous movements and power from the waist while that in northeastern China emphasizes direct and quick movements.

Fanzi Quan routines are short and concise which feature swift and explosive strength, compact punches quick as lightning and thick as raindrops, bending and flashing postures, and light movements as unexpected as the setting off of firecrackers and vigorous like the splitting of bamboo, hence the proverb on punches: “Two punches are as thick as raindrops and unexpected as the setting off of firecracker strings.” In fist fighting, Fanzi Quan generates power form the waist, attacks sideways, keeps feet lower than the knees, and moves in a simple manner and is proved to be very effective.