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Xingyiquan ( Hsing I Ch'uan)
The combined Eagle/Bear imitates an Eagle swooping down on its prey on one hand and on the other a Bear standing up displaying its ferociousness. It has the most unique footwork of all 12 animals, with the rear heel raised off the ground when crouching down like an Eagle combined with the shuffling, following step (common to many of the steps in Xingyi's Five Fists) when standing up like a Bear. This shuffle step I'm referring to is very common when practicing the Five Fists with the "Chicken" step.
The Eagle form often is characterized by a standing arm/elbow lock, while the Bear is often depicted as a powerful drilling fist. In this instance, the drilling action of the Bear form is used to perform a reverse arm drag, in order to perform a spiraling manipulation, and the Combined Eagle/Bear is used to perform an elbow lock on the ground. The knees are used to secure the elbow lock and trap their torso. The Eagle/Bear form is often thought to be a combination of the Earth and Water phases of the Five Fists.
The shapes of the Eagle and the Bear both emulate the shape of the Chinese character for Eagle and Bear respectively.
This Hebei style of Hsing-I Ch'uan (Xing Yi Quan) is organized using 12 Animals that group and teach the martial characteristics of particular actions. Sample Applications from the 12 Animals:
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