Throughout history, Cangzhou’s martial arts have been used to defend the land, protect the people and secure the safe passage of goods. It has become more than a matter of heritage.
For generations, at the mention of those who courageous and brave, people would thing of Cangzhou. In the past, numerous heroes emerged from the greater Cangzhou -Tianjin – Hebei area.
According to historical records, from the State of Yan (11th century–222 BC) to the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties, many rulers established their capital in Youyan (an area around Beijing); and often fought over Cangzhou because of its proximity to the cap- ital. Ever since Duke Huan of Qi (reign: 685–643 BC) saved the state of Yan from invasion in 664 BC, wars frequently erupted around Cangzhou. Therefore, the people felt the need to practise martial arts to guarantee their survival.
By the Han Dynasty (206 BC– AD 220), the imperial government felt threatened by martial arts being practised so close to the capital. During the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han (73–49 BC), a famine occurred in Bohai Prefecture (present-day Cangzhou), and people rose up in re- volt. The government sent Gong Sui there as a prefect to force the locals to disarm and resume farming through a policy whereby farmers would “sell their swords and knives to buy oxen and calves for farming.” Guided by the local government, many farmers sold their weapons, bought cattle and farm tools, and began to till the land.
During the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) the Beijing-hangzhou Grand Canal passed through the area of Cangzhou; and the north and the south were linked by two major transport routes: Jingji (Beijing– Jinan) and Jingda (Beijing–datong). At that time, Cangzhou, Botou, Maozhou (present-day Renqiu City), Hejian and Xianxian—the centres of both water and land commu- nications—had become hubs for the sale of goods from Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong and Henan, as well as key locations where professional courier services were provided for oicials or wealthy people. As the demand for martial artists and armed escorts sharply increased, men from across the country poured into Cangzhou, promoting the development of martial arts there.
Ancient Cangzhou, at the end of the Yellow River, was a place for banished criminals and a paradise for antigovernment rebels. During the late Qing Dynasty, some rebels who were wanted by the government, hid themselves in Cangzhou. Disguised as monks, Taoists or chivalrous men, they then began teaching martial arts to make a living, founding new schools and enriching the techniques of martial arts.
Ancient martial arts not only shaped the upright character of martial artists in Cangzhou, but also moulded their unique “martial and chivalrous morality.” An old saying goes: “Amend your conduct and improve your morals before practising martial arts.” Since the Ming Dynasty, all martial arts schools in Cangzhou have formulated rules governing the behaviour of their students to promote the national spirit.
It is often proclaimed “to find the best martial arts in China, go to Cangzhou” and then in Cangzhou it is said “the bravest heroes are from Da Liuhe Men”. This shows the importance of Da Liuhe Men, since whilst their practitioners are not many, the number of experts that hailed from Da Liuhe Men have been significant.
