Li Jinglin

Li Jinglin, also known as Li Fangchen[1] (1885–1931) was a deputy inspector-general and later army general for the Fengtian clique[2] during the Chinese warlord era. He hailed from Zaoqiang County, Hebei province, China. After his military career was over he settled in Nanjing, and in 1927 moved to Shanghai.[3] A renowned swordsman, he was known as "China's First Sword."

Li Jinglin
李景林
Born1885
Zaoqiang County, Hebei, China
Died1931 (aged 4546)
Other namesLi Fangchen
"China's First Sword"
"God of the Sword"
NationalityChinese
StyleYang-style taijiquan
Wudangquan
Wudang Sword
Li Jinglin
Chinese

Military and administrative career

In 1924, during the Second Zhili–Fengtian War, Li was commanding the Fengtian Second Army[4] which aided Zhang Zongchang in his decisive victory at Longku; the engagement has been termed "probably the single most important engagement in Zhili's defeat."[5] In November his troops occupied Tianjin,[6] where they picked up half of Wang Chengbin's forces,[7] and under his command a "repressive and predatory" regime was established--especially noted is the extent to which the local merchants were extorted.[8] The US 15th Infantry Regiment, whose mission was to keep the Peking-Mukden Railway open, was based in Tianjin, and small skirmishes occurred between US troops and Li's forces.[9] Like many other warlords who ruled Tianjin, Li was a member of the Green Gang.[10] From December 1924 to December 1925 he was the administrator of Hebei province.[11]

Martial arts

One of Li's nicknames is "Magic Sword".[12] He displayed great skill as a swordfighter and great interest in martial arts, especially Wudang chuan. Li was nicknamed "China's First Sword" and "God of the Sword."[13] He was an expert in a variety of sword techniques, and later learned Wudang Sword from Sung Wei-I, a renowned swordsman who also taught Fu Chen Sung.[14] His sword techniques were an amalgamation of the ancient Taoist and the newer Baguazhang styles.[15]

After his military career he opened a martial arts center in Nanjing,[16] and became vice-president of the National Martial Arts Academy,[17] also known as Central Hall for National Martial Arts (Zhongyang Guoshuguan),[18] and now called the Central Guoshu Institute. On his initiative, a Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan was formalized, with Yang Chengfu as the most important of the contributors.[19]

References

Notes
  1. Chen 3.
  2. Waldrun 95.
  3. Chen 3.
  4. Waldron 95.
  5. Waldron 101-102.
  6. Chevrier 165.
  7. Waldron 214.
  8. Chevrier 166.
  9. Cornebise 38.
  10. Hershatter 128.
  11. Lin 30.
  12. Allen 50; Lin 27.
  13. Lin 31.
  14. Lin 27.
  15. Vercammen 126.
  16. Chen 3.
  17. Sun 31.
  18. Vercammen 125.
  19. Vercammen 125.
Bibliography
  • Allen, Frank; Tina Chunna Zhang (2007). The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang: The Art and Legends of the Eight Trigram Palm. Blue Snake Books. ISBN 978-1-58394-189-8. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
  • Chevrier, Yves (2010). Citadins et Citoyens Dans la Chine Du XXe Siècle: Essai D'histoire Sociale. En L'honneur de Marie-Claire Bergère. Editions MSH. ISBN 978-2-7351-1177-0.
  • Cornebise, Alfred E. (2004). The United States 15th Infantry Regiment in China, 1912-1938. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-1988-3.
  • Hershatter, Gail (1993). The Workers of Tianjin, 1900-1949. Stanford UP. ISBN 978-0-8047-2216-2.
  • Lin, Chao Zhen; Wei Ran Lin; Rick L. Wing (2010). Fu Zhen Song's Dragon Bagua Zhang. Blue Snake Books. ISBN 978-1-58394-238-3. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  • Sun, Lutang; Tim Cartmell (2003). A Study of Taijiquan. North Atlantic Books. ISBN 978-1-55643-462-4. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  • Vercammen, Dan (2009). "Modernity Contra Tradition? Taijiquan's Struggle for Survival: A Chinese Case Study". In Rik Pinxten, Lisa Dikomitis (ed.). When God comes to town: religious traditions in urban contexts. Berghahn Books. pp. 114–44. ISBN 978-1-84545-554-5. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
  • Waldrun, Arthur (2003). From War to Nationalism: China's Turning Point, 1924-1925. Cambridge UP. ISBN 978-0-521-52332-5.
  • Chen, Weiming; Barbara Davis (2000). Taiji Sword. North Atlantic Books. ISBN 978-1-55643-333-7. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
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