The martial arts of Emei, despite a tumultuous history stretching back over two-and-a-half thousand years, have remained one of the great unknowns for western martial arts enthusiasts. Landlocked by Tibet to the west, Yunnan to the south and Shaanxi to the east, the Sichuan province did not experience the same mass coastal emigration at the onset of Communist rule in the early 20th century that helped popularise many Fujian styles in Europe and America. Neither did it benefit from the same state sponsorship that saw the Song Shan Shaolin Temple launched in the 1980's as official ambassador of Chinese martial arts to the western world.
Legend holds that the creator of Emei martial arts was the powerful female Daoist sage Jiu Tian Xuan Nu. Her exceptional skill was in wielding a straight sword typical to many Daoist wushu styles, which led to a local sword heritage called Xuan Nu Sword. Many researchers feel strongly that Emei martial arts were created by a woman because of this, and also because of another rare weapon style, the hairpin, which points to a female creator. Yet the idea that a single person could be responsible for the creation of what is seen as a regional product is not held in high regard, much in the same way as the idea that an individual could claim heritage for a regional cooking style. Many believe, more reasonably, that Emei martial arts were a product of the regional Ba and Shu culture and the constant flux of travellers, traders on the Silk Road, Daoist and Buddhist pilgrims, criminals in exile, bandits, imperial officials and invaders. Certainly, many martial artists in Emei claim that there are well over 2500 'styles' in the Emei repertoire (the Chinese sometimes use the word 'style' as roughly equivalent to a 'pattern' or 'form' in English.), including free hand, weapons and techniques. Emei martial arts are said to feature movements suited for the small frames of the Sichuan people, incorporating deceptive movements and close range strikes appropriately.
Famous stylists from the area have included Si Tu Xuan Kong, who was better known under the name Bai Yuan Gong (White Ape Man). Credited with the invention of Tong Bei style, which mimics the movements of a monkey to flail the arms like whips, he was also famous for a sword style which was studied by the emperor's wife, Yue Nu. Another famous stylist was the semi-legendary Bai Mei Dao Ren (White Eyebrow Daoist), who lived during the Southern Song dynasty. Known as a powerful martial artist, he was called upon by the imperial court to put down martial artists who opposed the emperor, including some Shaolin stylists (which is why there are many legends that claim Bai Mei was responsible for the destruction of the Southern Shaolin Temple.). Bai Mei martial arts became popular in Guangdong province and have subsequently travelled to the west, although not in large numbers.
Emei martial arts researchers inevitably credit the influence of Daoist internal practices on wushu in the area. The Yellow Emperor was said to have practiced and taught the practice called 'San Yi Wu Ya', which uses yin and yang and Five Elements theory to develop inner essence, whilst many local people believe that Zhang Dao Ling was the first person to develop Daoist sexual practices and martial arts exercises for health.
The Wushu Scholar team, while privileged to have travelled to the Emei area and observed a number of exceptionally professional wushu schools and stylists, believes that we have barely scratched the surface of a martial tradition that has developed in one of the most thriving and colourful regions of China.