五展室——镖局风云兴隆镖局：兴隆镖局是中国第一家镖局，创始人是山西人神拳张黑五。他是达摩王的武术教师，达摩王说服乾隆皇帝，在北京前门外由张黑五成立了中国第一家被朝廷肯定的镖局。后由他的儿子张怀玉继续走镖。后来镖师们走镖都会大喊：“合吾一声镖车走，半年江湖平安回”。据说，这个“合吾”就是“黑五”的谐音。会友镖局：会友镖局是清朝时期中国十大镖局之一，位于北京前门外大栅栏东口南粮食店街，镖局的创始人是宋彦超，绝技是三皇炮捶。清道光二十五年，入京投神机管报效国家，耳闻目睹了朝政腐败，自感报国无望，便弃官创办了会友镖局。国务大臣李鸿章的家宅便是由其看护的。当时规模最大的镖局，鼎盛时镖局人数有1000多人。昌隆镖局：左二把创办于道光二十年。前身是玉永镖局，长眉老道张德茂创办，是左二把的师傅，见其才高义重，便把镖局转增给他。镖局全盛时期有一百多人，并且在杭州等地设立有分号。因为保过皇镖，道光皇帝曾经亲赏过黄马褂，宣统三年辛亥革命中歇业。万通镖局：万通镖局清光绪十七年开设于河北保定，创始人李存义。玉永镖局：玉永镖局嘉庆年间由河北沧州人张德茂创立，他的外祖父是康熙年间著名的拳师，江湖人称“神拳教习”张德茂跟随他学成武艺后，在苏州开办玉永镖局，后收左昌德为徒弟，见左昌德才高艺重，于是就将镖局转增给他，并改名为昌隆镖局。广盛镖局：戴二闾创办，祁县武术世家出身。成兴镖局：成兴镖局是中国著名的镖局之一，创始人李冠名，32岁在河北沧州创立成兴镖局，江湖上“镖不喊沧州”这一规矩，就来自成兴镖局的开山人李冠名。为什么镖不喊沧州呢?沧州藏龙卧虎，习武之人比比皆是，走出了许多武艺高强的镖师。他们在江湖上的名气很大。外地镖师到了沧州，为了表示对这些沧州镖师的尊敬，或者招惹不必要的麻烦，都不会招摇过市地喊镖。否则，无论你有多高的武功，多好的身手，都“强龙不压地头蛇”，难免在沧州栽个大跟头，脸面丢尽。久而久之，南来北往走镖人就形成了一个不成文的规矩：“镖不喊沧州。”另有一种说法称，“镖不喊沧州”是一个叫李冠铭的人定下的江湖规矩。李冠铭是河北沧州孟村镇人，出身武术世家。他侄子李凤岗是大刀王五（王子斌）的师父。李冠铭武艺高强，力气奇大，然而凭恃意气，不肯屈居人下，“冠铭有奇力，性负气”.有一次，有一队镖客经过李冠铭家门口时，公然喊镖。李冠铭听说后非常生气地说：“镖客到了我们这儿，必须打败当地的武师，才能喊镖，不然就是对沧州武师的不尊敬。”李冠铭马上骑一匹马，前往追赶这队镖客。等赶上了，李冠铭双手抓住城门，纵身而起，用双腿夹起烈马，烈马被悬在空中乱叫，却动弹不得。镖客们吓得面如土色。幸好李冠铭并不是想劫夺他们的镖，而是给他们颜色看看。李冠铭仰天大笑，转身离去。这件事一传十、十传百，此后南来北往走镖人到了沧州地盘，都不喊镖。长期以往，“镖不喊沧州”便成了大家默认的江湖规矩，不得不遵守。如今，时过境迁，镖局行当早已随着时代的变迁风消云逝，永远地退出了历史舞台，只有镖局文化还残存下来，给我们留下了一些有趣的故事和传说。源顺镖局：“大刀王五”王子斌创办，由于喜用大刀，排行老五，得“大刀王五”的美名。因一生行侠仗义，与燕子李三、霍元甲、黄飞鸿齐名。他一生做过两件为人称赞的事，第一件是支持戊戌变法；第二件是在八国联军入侵北京的时候，曾在北京前门外与敌人英勇斗争，但不幸中弹牺牲。大盛魁：太谷人王相卿和祁县人张杰在山西省右玉县杀虎口创立了“吉盛堂”，后改名大盛魁，并迁到了倾化城（现呼和浩特）从事对蒙贸易，是蒙古草原最大的商号。由于我们这边的镖局对蒙古势力分布不熟悉，涉及到蒙古草原的保镖业务，都由大盛魁承包办理，所以成了一家不是镖局的镖局。三合镖局：创始人是山西榆次东阳镇人安晋元，镖局开设于河北张家口。
Exhibition Hall 5 – Legends of Famous Escort Agencies
Xinglong Escort Agency
Xinglong Escort Agency was China’s first official armed escort firm, founded by Zhang Heiwuyi, a renowned martial artist from Shanxi known as the Divine Fist. He served as the martial arts tutor for Prince Damowang, who persuaded the Qianlong Emperor to authorize the nation’s first court-recognized escort agency outside Beijing’s Front Gate. After Zhang’s passing, his son Zhang Huaiyu took over the escort business.
A traditional rallying cry used by all escorts came from this agency: One shout of Hewu sends the escort cart forth, safe travels across the rivers and lakes for half a year. It is said that "Hewu" is a homophone for "Heiwuyi", the founder’s nickname.
Huiyou Escort Agency
Ranked among the Top Ten Escort Agencies of the Qing Dynasty, it stood on South Grain Shop Street at the east entrance of Dashilan outside Beijing’s Front Gate. Its founder Song Yanchao mastered the unique Three Emperor Cannon Punch martial art. In the 25th year of the Daoguang reign, he joined the Imperial Firearms Battalion to serve the nation, yet witnessed rampant imperial corruption and lost hope of contributing to the court. He resigned his military post and established Huiyou Escort Agency, which guarded the private residence of senior minister Li Hongzhang. It was the largest escort firm of its era, employing over 1,000 staff at its peak.
Changlong Escort Agency
Founded by Zuo Erba in the 20th year of the Daoguang reign. Its predecessor Yuyong Escort Agency was created by Zhang Demao, nicknamed Elder Long Eyebrow, Zuo’s martial arts master. Impressed by Zuo’s outstanding talent and integrity, Zhang transferred the entire agency to him. At its prime, Changlong hired more than one hundred staff and set up branch offices in Hangzhou and other cities. Having escorted imperial consignments, Zuo was awarded an imperial yellow mandarin jacket by the Daoguang Emperor. The agency ceased operations in the 3rd year of the Xuantong reign amid the 1911 Revolution.
Wantong Escort Agency
Established in Baoding, Hebei Province, in the 17th year of the Guangxu reign, with Li Cunyi as its founder.
Yuyong Escort Agency
Founded during the Jiaqing reign by Zhang Demao from Cangzhou, Hebei. His maternal grandfather was a celebrated Kangxi-era martial artist titled Divine Fist Instructor. After learning combat skills from his grandfather, Zhang opened Yuyong Escort Agency in Suzhou and accepted Zuo Changde as his disciple. Recognizing Zuo’s extraordinary skill and noble character, Zhang handed the agency over to him, and it was renamed Changlong Escort Agency.
Guangsheng Escort Agency
Founded by Dai Erlü, who came from a hereditary martial arts clan in Qi County.
Chengxing Escort Agency
One of China’s most famous escort firms, established by Li Guanming in Cangzhou, Hebei, when he was 32 years old. The ancient underworld rule No escort chants when passing Cangzhou originated with Li Guanming, its first master.
The Origin of the Rule "No Escort Chants When Passing Cangzhou"
Cangzhou was a cradle of martial arts talent, home to countless formidable escort masters with far-reaching reputations. Out-of-town escorts muted their rallying cries upon entering Cangzhou as a show of respect for local warriors and to avoid unnecessary conflict. As the old saying goes, "A mighty dragon cannot subdue a local snake" — even highly skilled outsiders risked public humiliation if they provoked local masters. Over generations, this evolved into an unwritten underworld code.
A second folk legend traces the rule back to Li Guanming, born into a martial arts clan in Mengcun Town, Cangzhou. His nephew Li Fenggang was the master of Wang Zibin, known as Big Sword Wang Wuyi. Li Guanming possessed immense strength and a fiery, unyielding temperament. Once, a passing escort party shouted their rallying cries outside his residence, enraging Li. He declared: "Escorts must defeat local martial artists before shouting their chants here; to do otherwise is an insult to Cangzhou’s fighters."
Li rode out to overtake the escort cart, seized the city gate with both hands, lifted a rearing horse between his thighs, suspending it mid-air. The terrified escorts begged for mercy. Li had no intention of robbing them, merely to teach them a lesson, then laughed aloud and departed. Word spread rapidly, and all subsequent escorts silenced their chants upon entering Cangzhou, cementing this unbreakable underworld custom.
Times have long changed, and the escort trade faded away with historical progress, vanishing forever from the stage of history. Only the rich culture of armed escorts survives, leaving us countless fascinating tales and legends.
Yuanshun Escort Agency
Founded by Wang Zibin, universally known as Big Sword Wang Wuyi. He earned this nickname for his signature large broadsword and his birth order as the fifth son. A legendary chivalrous figure, he ranks alongside Swallow Li San, Huo Yuanjia and Wong Fei-hung. Two noble acts secured his eternal renown: supporting the Hundred Days’ Reform, and fighting foreign invaders bravely outside Beijing’s Front Gate during the Eight-Nation Alliance invasion, where he was fatally shot.
Dashengkui
Wang Xiangqing of Taigu and Zhang Jie of Qi County founded Jishengtang at Shahu Pass in Youyu County, Shanxi, which was later renamed Dashengkui and relocated to Guihua City (modern Hohhot) to conduct trade with Mongolian tribes. It grew into the largest commercial firm on the Mongolian grasslands. Local escort agencies lacked familiarity with Mongolian tribal territories, so all grassland security contracts were outsourced to Dashengkui, earning it the moniker "the escort agency that was not formally an escort agency".
Sanhe Escort Agency
Founded by An Jinyuan from Dongyang Town, Yuci, Shanxi, and located in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province.
