Liu Qilan (刘奇兰, 1819 – 1889) was one of the top student of Li Luoneng (李洛能). Liu together with Guo Yunshen (郭云深, 1820 – 1901), Song Shirong (宋世荣, 1849 – 1927) and Che Yizhai (车毅斋, 1833 – 1915) are known as the top four disciples of Li Luoneng.
Liu Qilan was born in a scholarly family at Shen County, Hebei Province. Liu Qilan learned Xingyiquan from Li Luoneng when Li was invited to teach in Liu family.
Liu Qilan was not only skilled with combative techniques but also, with his scholar background, well known with his Xingyiquan theories and concepts; martial artists who have visited Liu were convinced with Liu’s martial abilities and theories.
Liu Qilan is known as the principal contributor of Xingyiquan as Liu lineage is the most influential and most widely spread among all other Xingyiquan lineages. Li Cunyi (李存义, 1847 – 1921), Zhang Zhankui (张占魁, 1865 – 1938), Geng Jishan (耿继善), Zhou Mingtai (周明泰), Wang Fuyuan (王福元) and Liu Dianchen (刘殿琛, second son of Liu Qilan) were some of Liu’s most well known successors.
Third Generation Xingyiquan Masters of Liu Qilan Lineage of the 1950s
Left to Right: Wang Jiwu (王继武, student of Wang Fuyaun), Ma Yutang (马玉堂, student of Li Cunyi), Zhang Changfa (张长发, student of Liu Wenhua)