Xinyiquan (HEART MIND BOXING) is said to have been created by General Yue Fei, who was a national hero in China. Legend has it, that Ji Longfeng found a manual written by Yue Fei, and with Ji's prior spearfighting expertise,expanded the style of xinyi.This is just legend, as it is mostly agreed upon that Yue Fei had nothing to do with the creation of Xingyiquan.

Their are a few variations on the history of Xinyi and Xingyi

BELOW ARE THE STORIES OFTEN DEBATED ABOUT XINYI LIUHE BEGINNINGS

1) The founder is considered to be Ji Longfeng. One belief is that Ji passed the art onto Ma Xueli, who in turn taught it to Moslem people in Henan province and Ji also taught Cao Jiwu who taught the art to Dai Family in Shanxi.

2) A nother belief is that of a Master  Li Zheng as the one that taught Dai. Li Zheng was a famous Henan Xinyi Liuhe Quan expert and  student of Zhang Zhicheng and grand-student of Ma Xueli.

3) Ji taught Cao Jiwu who taught both Dai Longbang and Ma Xueli and that is where the two Xinyi lineages became different from each other as both went on to add certain body methods and characteristics.

Dai Family, and the Henan Brach continue to use the name Xinyi. 

VARIATIONS ON XINGYI QUAN BEGINNINGS

1) The most popular story is that of Li Luoneng learning from Dai Long Bang and then modifying his art in order to improve it.(this story in my opinion is very false)

2) Dai Erlu who was Dai Longbangs son was responsible for teaching Li Luoneng. This is the common belief of many in Hebei and Shanxi.

3) Dai family in Qi Xian still insist that Li Luoneng learned from Guo Weihan who taught a modified version of Xing Yi and left the Dai methods out because Dai Family were very secretive. So in this belief it is Guo Weihan who created the modern Xing Yi Quan.

CHE STYLE BEGINNINGS

1) Farmer Li  (Li Luoneng)taught Che Yizhai and Che went on to study with Dai family as well, and later created his own style called Che style Xing Yi. Some people feel that both Che and Li created the more modified version together in order to train people quicker for self defense as the old method was a very long training method of internal Gong Fu and was not suited for their needs as they were training bodyguards and employees needed self defense skill more rapidly

2) Che Yizhai learned Dai Style and Li Luoneng learned a modified version and that is why indoor disciples  of Che style are taught the Dai body methods and very small frame in their teachings. None of these methods and small frame are scene in Hebei methods and the Hebei body method is completely different for poiwer generation and for posture.

IN OUR DAI XINYI AND CHE XINGYI FAMILY WE HAVE OUR OWN BELIEFS ABOUT THE HISTORY PROVIDED, WE WILL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU TO DECIDE WHAT YOU FEEL IS THE CORRECT HISTORY.

Dai Xinyi and Xingyi still have the common traits of using
the five element fist,(Dai original focus was on the three fist)and animal forms, etc.