Bajiquan () is a traditional Chinese martial art that features explosive, short-range power in close combat and is well-known for its rapid elbow and shoulder strikes. Its full name is kaimen bajiquan ().
The eight extremities in Bajiquan are the eight distalmost parts of the body used to strike the opponent. This includes the fist, forearm, elbow, shoulder, hip, thigh, knee, and foot to deliver a powerful blow in close range. Bajiquan is also known as the "bodyguard style", as this was the pugilism style taught and used by personal bodyguards for Mao Zedong, Chiang Kai-shek, and Puyi (the last Qing dynasty emperor).
Bajiquan is now popular in northern China and Taiwan. Later, it was introduced to Japan, South Korea, and other countries such as the United States, Canada, Britain, France and Italy, among others.
Etymology
According to most common etymology, bajiquan was originally called baziquan () because the fists, held loosely and slightly open, are used to strike downwards in a rake-like fashion. The name was considered to be rather crude, so it was changed to bajiquan. The term baji comes from the I Ching and signifies an "extension of all directions". In this case, it means "including everything" or "the universe".