A controversy still smolders over the existence of a true Emei Baguazhang system. Some historians claim there is no Emei Baguazhang apart from the art developed by Dong, Hai-Chuan in Beijing and imported to the Mountain. Others claim that the Daoist monk who reputedly taught Dong was a member of the Dragon Door Daoists. This sect that had many branches throughout China some of them at Emei Mountain. They developed a circle walking meditation based on the Yijing over 2,000 years ago.
As we have said before, "History is a pale shadow of the truth," no one knows for sure and Dong would not admit where he learned his art. Many of the systems of Baguazhang on Mount Emei and there are numerous forms of the art, appear to have stemmed from Yin Fu a famous disciple of Dong, Hai-Chuan.
Emei Baguazhang Styles
Among the Baguazhang forms found in the Emei Wushu portfolio of martial art are:
Shengmen Baguazhang - (Generation Door Bagua) Based on the use of the Yi (mind intent) and the Yijing theory.
Sengmen Baguazhang - (Monk Family Bagua) This branch is also known as the Buddhist branch. It is characterized by high stances. Imported by Shaolin monks to Emei this was part of a larger system of Shaolin Wushu.
You Shen Baguazhang - (Swimming Body Bagua) Specializes in neutralizing energy, withdrawing and dodging methods. One famous Emei Baguazhang master on Emei was Li, Zhangye, titled "the Longevity Monk," of the Emei Meeting Fairies Cave. Li was exceptionally good in You Shen Baguazhang.
At the age of 108, he admitted his last disciple, Lui, Zijian, to his school. Lu was also the student of Yin Fu the famous Baguazhang master a student of Dong, Hai-Chuan of Beijing. Lu later joined Shaolin and Wudang schools. At the age of 91 years old and he was still very quick in his movements.
That the above methods of Baguazhang can be traced to Dong's students still does not prove that other methods of circle walking and Yijing based martial systems did not live in family and private styles practiced by Emei Daoist and Buddhist monks. Even today reliable sources report to have witnessed a group of Daoists who nightly practice the Nine Palace circle walking and Rotating in Worship of Heaven Baguazhang exercises on Emei Mountain at a secluded spot near the White Cloud Temple.
Emei Jiulong Baguazhang
The Li family's Jiulong Baguazhang system said to have been conceived by Li, Ching-Yuen while living in the Emei Mountain region is like many other martial art and Qigong methods created by laymen and secular Daoists. It was seldom taught to anyone other than to the Li male family members until after 1956. This classifies it as a family system. Like many other methods Jiulong Baguazhang being a family style it is not often included in the official lists of the publicly taught Emei Wushu Baguazhang methods as practiced by the Emei Wushu Association.
This fact makes Jiulong Baguazhang no less an Emei martial art as its principles are thought to be derived from the Yijing and the Daoist sect who either taught Dong, Hai-Chuan or from the very Daoists whom legend says taught Li, Ching-yuen directly. It is historically unclear if Jiulong Baguazhang is a branch of Dong, Hai-Chuan's method imported to Emei Mountain by disciple of Yin Fu or if it stems from the Dragon Door Daoists that predate Dong, Hai-Chuan.
In any case we can clearly say that the principles and method as they came into the Li family of Sichuan apparently originated from the mysterious Emei Mountain.