Gao Yi Sheng's Three Types of People not to be Taught

It is said that Dong Haichuan often told his pupils, "This art should be taught to trustworthy, upstanding people of virtue, and should not be taught to rude, petty people who have not a sense of right and wrong. You must exercise discretion in teaching the art."

Gao Yisheng maintained that teachers should be generous and humane in their treatment of students, and students must follow the rules, and be virtuous and upstanding in deed. Teachers should share their knowledge and be patient; students ought to be humble and perseverant. Teachers should often demonstrate and explain; students ought to practice frequently and ask for guidance. Teachers should explain the concepts, and then be clear in example; students ought to first understand the principles, and then be unstinting in practice.

There are three sorts of people not to teach, and three sorts of people not to make friends with for those who practice Baguazhang. The people not to be taught are the unrighteous, the wild and egotistic, and criminals. Those without a sense of what is right are ungrateful, and will disappoint a teacher and violate friendships. They are out for their own gain and are small, petty people. The wild and egotistic overestimate themselves, and as soon as they have a little skill bully the weak and challenge the strong. They are a cause of trouble and scandal. They disobey the teacher, belittle other people's skill, and exaggerate their own. This kind of person will eventually bring shame not only to himself, but also to his teacher and friends. Criminals are lascivious, greedy and larcenous. These three kinds of people should not be taught.

The three things to avoid in practicing Baguazhang are brute force, constricted breath, and sticking out the chest and abdomen which prevents the qi from sinking to the dantian and the feet from being rooted.