Xingyiquan (Chinese: 形意拳; pinyin: xíngyìquán), also known as xingyi (Chinese: 形意; pinyin: xíngyì), is a style of internal Chinese martial arts. The word approximately translates to "Form-Intention Fist", or "Shape-Will Fist".
The style is characterized by aggressive, seemingly linear movements, and explosive power most often applied from a short range. A practitioner of xingyi uses coordinated movements to generate bursts of power intended to overwhelm the opponent, simultaneously attacking and defending. Methods vary from school to school but always include bare-handed fighting (mostly in single movements/combinations and sometimes in forms) and using weapons with similar body mechanics to those in bare-handed intense fighting. Movement and body mechanics in the art were heavily influenced by the practice of using staves and spears.
