Being the cradle of Chinese civilization and the birthplace of Chinese martial arts, Shaanxi has nurtured miscellaneous local traditional boxing, of which the Hong Boxing attracts a majority of martial arts apostles. Since the build-up of Shaanxi Provincial Local Boxing Research Association, six sessions of Shaanxi Local Boxing Contest have been held with the attendance of 324 representative teams and 2782 athletes in total, promoting the development and generalization of the Hongquan Boxing. Moreover, members of the association have conducted a systematic selection and arrangement for the relevant heredity of Hongquan Boxing.

As it is recounted in the A Record of Histoty, Yingzheng, King of the Qin State in the Spring and Autumn Period would , on occasions of triumphant celebration, order his soldiers" make drumbeat-like sounds by extending their limbs ( exercise martial gymnastics over regular beat)", demonstrating their ecstasy over the defeat of their enemies. Moreover, the "firecracker firing" artifice in the Taolu( formula) of both Hongquan and Paochui Boxing have absorbed a lot from that. In the Chapter of Quanjing Jie yao (Prime Principles and Short-cut for Martial Arts Training) of Ji Xiao Xin Shu (New Chronicle for Military Training) authored by Qi Jiguang, there are exhaustive account of Hongquan in the Part of Taizu Hongquan 32 Shi ( Fomula), in which quite a number of terms in Shaanxi dialect are recorded and still in use amongst Hongquan excusers to this day.

Hongquan is a kind of excellent genres in between all the martial art forms of China. And there has long been the sayings about those regional martial arts forms, namely, Dong Qiang (Spears maneuvering of East China), Xi Gong ( Staff maneuvering of West China), Guanzhong Quan ( Hand forms of martial arts in Central Shaanxi Plain) as well as Dong Cha ( Chaquan Boxing) Xi Hong( Hongquan Boxing), of which Hongquan wins most of the show. By intaking the merit points of Neijia( a school of martial arts stressing the cultivation of vital energy) and Waijia ( school of martial arts stressing the utilizing of pragmatic artifice in actual combat), From the reign Emperor of Qianlong, Jiaqing and Daoguang of Qing Dynasty onwards, Hongquan has prevailed in the 5 northwestern province of China, and thus is endowed with a strong coloring of the folks in this region. Especially during the reign of Emperor Qianlong and Daoguang, while absorbing unceasingly the formula for actual combat of other schools, Hongquan Boxing was developed to its heyday with its representative masters such as Yaozi Gao San( Snipe the Third Child of the Gao Family，who is as alert as the snipe), Heihu Xin Wu ( Black Tiger the Fifth Child of the Xin Family, who is as fierce as the tiger), E'hu Su San (Hungry Tiger the Third Child of the Su Family，who is as courageous as the tiger ), Tongbei(i.e. Tongbei Boxing, a kind of martial arts Li Si ( Fourth Child of the Li Family), etc, who had made invaluable contribution to the development and study of Hongquan.

The formula and movement of Hongquan is characterized with Cheng & Zhan as its principle and Bafa (eight means) as the variants. Cheng & Zhan means, namely, the skill of well-defended attack and hack in actual combat; Bafa means the eight kinds of skills such as Cheng, Zhan, Gou, Gua, Chan, Lan, Zhan, Kua, etc. The pose of Hongquan appears stable and elegant; its body movements are rather flexible; the tempo of it is quite swift; its artifices are very ingenious; its manners are externally soft and internally firm while laying stress on the principle of "flexibility". The practicing method of Hongquan focuses on the principle of "soft manners, well-formed artifices and smooth control of respiration, adhering to the guideline of taking the will power as the basis and not emphasizing the utilization of force , its fighting methods attached great importance to the principle of "Outwitting opponents by maneuvering of Eight Diagram Pace, Gaopeng ( extending) Digua (tripping) , Ligou ( inward tripping) Wai Kua( outward tapping), Diaoda Qiaoji (artful attack), Zuansheng Kaotie (close quarter leaning) , its body movements focus on the principle of " Ningyao Baikua (waist movement for dodging), Zeigui Diaona (artful seizing), Bijian Liuhua (stealing and slide while evading shoulder contact with opponents)", the hand movements of Hongquan attach great importance to the guideline of "Shanxie (dodging), Tengnuo (pace movement), Lijiao( inward tripping) Waijiao ( outward tripping)", which all together is summarized into a rhymed formula of six Chinese characters as follows : "Cheng Bu Wei Mu (taking extending as the basis)，Gou Gua Wei Neng (focusing on tripping and tapping)， Hua Sheng Wei Bu (converting body movement in accordance to the pace)，Diao Da Wei Fa (lay conscientious emphasis on artful artifice)". With regard to the practicing of Hongquan, it has always accentuated the exercising of willpower as well as the principle of "a fist as swift as the shooting star and a keen eyesight as speedy as the electric current; a body as flexible as the shake and two legs as strong as the drill; the force should be originated from the feet, be dominated in one's waist and be impenetrate to the limb, forming a organic whole of Jin(will power) , Qi ( vital energy), Shen ( spirit).

In terms of basic energy training, Hongquan exercisers has been sticking to the principle of attaching great importance to flexibility by practicing rudimental training formulas such as Shida Hongquan, Da Xiao Hongquan, E'lu Hongquan. The most typical formulas of Hongquan include Yunshou, Moshou, Chanyaoheng, Liuhe Shou, Quedi Long, Hou Wang Jing, Liao Yin Zhang, Qiong Lan Shi, Cheng Bu Shi, Yanzi Han Ni, Ding Bang, Meinu Zhao Jing, Yin Mian Tie Jin, Zhai Guan Tuo Xue, Kui Xing Ti Dou, "Shi Da Xiang", etc.

The series formulas of Hongquan include: Muzi Quan ( Sijiu Boxing and the like), which features the hand movement; Tongbei Quan ( Shaanxi Tongbei), which features the control of Lifa and Jinkou; Xiao Hong, Da Hong, Er'lu Hong, which stick to the guideline of taking extending as the basis，focusing on tripping and tapping; Zi Quan (Monkey Boxing), which emphasizes artful seizing and attack; Pao Quan( including Pao Chui, Si Ba Chui, a kind of hammer), which sticks to close quarter poking with overwhelming force; and the Drunk Boxing ( including Zui Da Shan Men, Zui Baxian, etc.), which emphasizes on-the-ground fight.

Weapons related to Hongquan Boxing include Broadsword, Spear, Staff, Sword, San Jie Gun ( Trisectional Staff), Da Lianjia ( Big Chain Cangue) and Xiao Lianjia ( Small Chain Cangue), DanBian ( Single Scourge) and Shuang Bian ( Double Scourge), Jiu Jie Bian ( Nine Section Scourge), Liuxing Chui (Mithril Throwing Hammer), Shuang Gou (Double Hook), Chunqiu Dadao (Spring and Autumn Glaive) , Pu Dao(Pu Glaive) , Buzhan Dao ( Infantry Broadsword) , etc.

Note:

Cheng (Extending):
Dissove the attack of the enemy by hand movement while taking the Bow-and-arrow step

Zhan (Chopping):
It is the basis of dodging. Chop ones hand to the enemy from below to over the head, forming a curve like movement.

Gougua (Tripping and tapping):
It is the basic defensive action in Hongquan,which features both the characteristics of defense and attack. It is often used to evade the attack of the enemy's legs.

Chan (Tangling):
This kind of body movement is similar to that of the Shadowboxing, which destruct the force of the enemy by forming a movement central to the arm, converting the situation to the benefit for oneself.

Lan(Blockading):
When the two has formed the arm contact, this kind of body movement will effectively desturuct the attack of the opponent.

Nian( Entangling);
To make the opponent losing balance by the maneuvering of force, which demonstrates the artifice of " Si Liang Ba Qian Jin( defeating the stronger enemy by the utilization of minimum force.)"

Kua( Rear movements):
The special form of Hongquan, which focuses on attacking the opponents in close quarters.

Gao Peng Di Gua:
Gao Peng( Elbowing), means ward off the attack of the enemy by forming a defense circle with one's arms; Di Gua( Tripping), means trip the leg attack of opponents by tripping.