diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/basic-jsf.xml b/pmd/rulesets/basic-jsf.xml
index 71284a8d87..028ffb398f 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/basic-jsf.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/basic-jsf.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 
 <ruleset name="Basic JSF rules"
+    language="jsp"
     xmlns="http://pmd.sf.net/ruleset/1.0.0"
     xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
     xsi:schemaLocation="http://pmd.sf.net/ruleset/1.0.0 http://pmd.sf.net/ruleset_xml_schema.xsd"
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/basic.xml b/pmd/rulesets/basic.xml
index 78cd9a5626..8e0d42e2e7 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/basic.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/basic.xml
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ The Basic Ruleset contains a collection of good practices which everyone should
 
     <rule name="EmptyCatchBlock"
           message="Avoid empty catch blocks"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="CatchStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#EmptyCatchBlock">
       <description>
 Empty Catch Block finds instances where an exception is caught,
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@ which should either be acted on or reported.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.
+//CatchStatement
  [count(Block/BlockStatement) = 0 and ($allowCommentedBlocks != 'true' or Block/@containsComment = 'false')]
  [FormalParameter/Type/ReferenceType
    /ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image != 'InterruptedException' and @Image != 'CloneNotSupportedException']
@@ -52,8 +51,7 @@ public void doSomething() {
 
     <rule name="EmptyIfStmt"
           message="Avoid empty 'if' statements"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="IfStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#EmptyIfStmt">
       <description>
 Empty If Statement finds instances where a condition is checked but nothing is done about it.
@@ -63,7 +61,7 @@ Empty If Statement finds instances where a condition is checked but nothing is d
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
 <![CDATA[
-./Statement
+//IfStatement/Statement
  [EmptyStatement or Block[count(*) = 0]]
  ]]>
               </value>
@@ -85,8 +83,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="EmptyWhileStmt"
           message="Avoid empty 'while' statements"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="WhileStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#EmptyWhileStmt">
        <description>
 Empty While Statement finds all instances where a while statement
@@ -97,7 +94,7 @@ it's a while loop that does a lot in the exit expression, rewrite it to make it
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
 <![CDATA[
-./Statement[./Block[count(*) = 0]  or ./EmptyStatement]
+//WhileStatement/Statement[./Block[count(*) = 0]  or ./EmptyStatement]
 ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -120,8 +117,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="EmptyTryBlock"
           message="Avoid empty try blocks"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="TryStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#EmptyTryBlock">
       <description>
 Avoid empty try blocks - what's the point?
@@ -130,7 +126,7 @@ Avoid empty try blocks - what's the point?
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
 <![CDATA[
-./Block[1][count(*) = 0]
+//TryStatement/Block[1][count(*) = 0]
 ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -153,8 +149,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="EmptyFinallyBlock"
           message="Avoid empty finally blocks"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="FinallyStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#EmptyFinallyBlock">
       <description>
 Avoid empty finally blocks - these can be deleted.
@@ -163,7 +158,7 @@ Avoid empty finally blocks - these can be deleted.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.[count(Block/BlockStatement) = 0]
+//FinallyStatement[count(Block/BlockStatement) = 0]
  ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -188,8 +183,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="EmptySwitchStatements"
           message="Avoid empty switch statements"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="SwitchStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#EmptySwitchStatements">
       <description>
 Avoid empty switch statements.
@@ -198,7 +192,7 @@ Avoid empty switch statements.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.[count(*) = 1]
+//SwitchStatement[count(*) = 1]
  ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -222,8 +216,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="JumbledIncrementer"
          message="Avoid modifying an outer loop incrementer in an inner loop for update expression"
-         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-         type="ForStatement"
+         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
          externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#JumbledIncrementer">
      <description>
 Avoid jumbled loop incrementers - it's usually a mistake, and it's confusing even if it's what's intended.
@@ -232,7 +225,7 @@ Avoid jumbled loop incrementers - it's usually a mistake, and it's confusing eve
          <property name="xpath">
              <value>
  <![CDATA[
-.
+//ForStatement
  [
   ForUpdate/StatementExpressionList/StatementExpression/PostfixExpression/PrimaryExpression/PrimaryPrefix/Name/@Image
   =
@@ -260,8 +253,7 @@ public class JumbledIncrementerRule1 {
 
     <rule name="ForLoopShouldBeWhileLoop"
           message="This for loop could be simplified to a while loop"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="ForStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#ForLoopShouldBeWhileLoop">
       <description>
 Some for loops can be simplified to while loops - this makes them more concise.
@@ -270,7 +262,7 @@ Some for loops can be simplified to while loops - this makes them more concise.
         <property name="xpath">
             <value>
                 <![CDATA[
-.
+//ForStatement
  [count(*) > 1]
  [not(ForInit)]
  [not(ForUpdate)]
@@ -382,8 +374,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="ReturnFromFinallyBlock"
           message="Avoid returning from a finally block"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="FinallyStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#ReturnFromFinallyBlock">
       <description>
 Avoid returning from a finally block - this can discard exceptions.
@@ -392,7 +383,7 @@ Avoid returning from a finally block - this can discard exceptions.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.//ReturnStatement
+//FinallyStatement//ReturnStatement
 ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -418,8 +409,7 @@ public class Bar {
 
     <rule name="EmptySynchronizedBlock"
           message="Avoid empty synchronized blocks"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="SynchronizedStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#EmptySynchronizedBlock">
       <description>
   Avoid empty synchronized blocks - they're useless.
@@ -428,7 +418,7 @@ public class Bar {
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
 <![CDATA[
-./Block[1][count(*) = 0]
+//SynchronizedStatement/Block[1][count(*) = 0]
 ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -472,8 +462,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="EmptyStaticInitializer"
            message="Empty static initializer was found"
-           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-           type="Initializer"
+           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
            externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#EmptyStaticInitializer">
        <description>
 An empty static initializer was found.
@@ -482,7 +471,7 @@ An empty static initializer was found.
              <property name="xpath">
                  <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.[@Static='true']/Block[count(*)=0]
+//Initializer[@Static='true']/Block[count(*)=0]
 ]]>
                  </value>
              </property>
@@ -501,8 +490,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="UnconditionalIfStatement"
        message="Do not use 'if' statements that are always true or always false"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="IfStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#UnconditionalIfStatement">
       <description>
 Do not use "if" statements that are always true or always false.
@@ -511,7 +499,7 @@ Do not use "if" statements that are always true or always false.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
  <![CDATA[
-./Expression
+//IfStatement/Expression
  [count(PrimaryExpression)=1]
  /PrimaryExpression/PrimaryPrefix/Literal/BooleanLiteral
 ]]>
@@ -534,8 +522,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="EmptyStatementNotInLoop"
           message="An empty statement (semicolon) not part of a loop"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="EmptyStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#EmptyStatementNotInLoop">
        <description>
 An empty statement (aka a semicolon by itself) that is not used
@@ -547,7 +534,7 @@ removed.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.
+//EmptyStatement
  [not(
        ../../../ForStatement
        or ../../../WhileStatement
@@ -596,8 +583,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="UnnecessaryFinalModifier"
           message="Unnecessary final modifier in final class"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#UnnecessaryFinalModifier">
       <description>
 When a class has the final modifier, all the methods are automatically final.
@@ -606,7 +592,7 @@ When a class has the final modifier, all the methods are automatically final.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.[@Final='true' and @Interface='false']
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration[@Final='true' and @Interface='false']
 /ClassOrInterfaceBody/ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration/MethodDeclaration[@Final='true']
     ]]>
               </value>
@@ -629,8 +615,7 @@ public final class Foo {
 
     <rule name="CollapsibleIfStatements"
           message="These nested if statements could be combined"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="IfStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#CollapsibleIfStatements">
       <description>
 Sometimes two 'if' statements can be consolidated by separating their conditions with a boolean short-circuit operator.
@@ -639,10 +624,10 @@ Sometimes two 'if' statements can be consolidated by separating their conditions
         <property name="xpath">
             <value>
                 <![CDATA[
-.[@Else='false']/Statement
+//IfStatement[@Else='false']/Statement
  /IfStatement[@Else='false']
  |
-.[@Else='false']/Statement
+//IfStatement[@Else='false']/Statement
  /Block[count(BlockStatement)=1]/BlockStatement
   /Statement/IfStatement[@Else='false']]]>
             </value>
@@ -686,8 +671,7 @@ public String foo() {
 
  <rule name="ClassCastExceptionWithToArray"
        message="This usage of the Collection.toArray() method will throw a ClassCastException."
-       class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-       type="CastExpression"
+       class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
        externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#ClassCastExceptionWithToArray">
   <description>
 if you need to get an array of a class from your Collection,
@@ -699,7 +683,7 @@ ClassCastException.
     <property name="xpath">
     <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.[Type/ReferenceType/ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image !=
+//CastExpression[Type/ReferenceType/ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image !=
 "Object"]]//PrimaryExpression
 [
  PrimaryPrefix/Name[ends-with(@Image, '.toArray')]
@@ -738,8 +722,7 @@ if executed)
 
 <rule  name="AvoidDecimalLiteralsInBigDecimalConstructor"
        message="Avoid creating BigDecimal with a decimal (float/double) literal. Use a String literal"
-       class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-       type="AllocationExpression"
+       class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
        externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#AvoidDecimalLiteralsInBigDecimalConstructor">
   <description>
      One might assume that "new BigDecimal(.1)" is exactly equal
@@ -759,7 +742,7 @@ if executed)
     <property name="xpath">
     <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.[ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image="BigDecimal"]
+//AllocationExpression[ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image="BigDecimal"]
 and
 ./Arguments/ArgumentList
 /Expression/PrimaryExpression/PrimaryPrefix/Literal[(not
@@ -819,8 +802,7 @@ class Test {
 
     <rule  name="MisplacedNullCheck"
            message="The null check here is misplaced; if the variable is null there'll be a NullPointerException"
-           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-           type="Expression"
+           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
            externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#MisplacedNullCheck">
       <description>
     The null check here is misplaced. if the variable is null you'll get a NullPointerException.
@@ -830,7 +812,7 @@ class Test {
         <property name="xpath">
         <value>
     <![CDATA[
-    .
+//Expression
     /*[self::ConditionalOrExpression or self::ConditionalAndExpression]
      /descendant::PrimaryExpression/PrimaryPrefix
       /Name[starts-with(@Image,
@@ -864,8 +846,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="UnusedNullCheckInEquals"
         message="Invoke equals() on the object you''ve already ensured is not null"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="PrimarySuffix"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
         externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#UnusedNullCheckInEquals">
     <description>
     After checking an object reference for null, you should invoke equals() on that object rather than passing it to another object's equals() method.
@@ -874,7 +855,7 @@ public class Foo {
         <property name="xpath">
         <value>
         <![CDATA[
-.[@Image='equals' and not(../PrimaryPrefix/Literal)]
+//PrimarySuffix[@Image='equals' and not(../PrimaryPrefix/Literal)]
  /../PrimarySuffix/Arguments/ArgumentList/Expression
  /PrimaryExpression/PrimaryPrefix
  /Name[@Image = ./../../../../../../../../../../Expression/ConditionalAndExpression
@@ -969,8 +950,7 @@ Avoid using ThreadGroup; although it is intended to be used in a threaded enviro
 
     <rule name="BrokenNullCheck"
           message="Method call on object which may be null"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="IfStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic.html#BrokenNullCheck">
         <description>
 The null check is broken since it will throw a Nullpointer itself. 
@@ -980,7 +960,7 @@ It is likely that you used || instead of &amp;&amp; or vice versa.
         <properties>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value><![CDATA[
-./Expression[.//NullLiteral]
+//IfStatement/Expression[.//NullLiteral]
 [
 .//ConditionalOrExpression/EqualityExpression[@Image='!=']
 [starts-with(../*[position()>1]//PrimaryPrefix/Name/@Image,
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/braces.xml b/pmd/rulesets/braces.xml
index 5d90aebc96..113593941c 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/braces.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/braces.xml
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ The Braces Ruleset contains a collection of braces rules.
 
    <rule name="IfStmtsMustUseBraces"
          message="Avoid using if statements without curly braces"
-         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-         type="IfStatement"
+         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/braces.html#IfStmtsMustUseBraces">
      <description>
 Avoid using if statements without using curly braces.
@@ -21,7 +20,7 @@ Avoid using if statements without using curly braces.
            <property name="xpath">
                <value>
                    <![CDATA[
-.[count(*) < 3][not(Statement/Block)]
+//IfStatement[count(*) < 3][not(Statement/Block)]
                    ]]>
                </value>
            </property>
@@ -42,8 +41,7 @@ Avoid using if statements without using curly braces.
 
     <rule name="WhileLoopsMustUseBraces"
           message="Avoid using 'while' statements without curly braces"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="WhileStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/braces.html#WhileLoopsMustUseBraces">
       <description>
 Avoid using 'while' statements without using curly braces.
@@ -52,7 +50,7 @@ Avoid using 'while' statements without using curly braces.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.[not(Statement/Block)]
+//WhileStatement[not(Statement/Block)]
 ]]>
                 </value>
             </property>
@@ -71,8 +69,7 @@ public void doSomething() {
 
       <rule name="IfElseStmtsMustUseBraces"
            message="Avoid using 'if...else' statements without curly braces"
-           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-           type="Statement"
+           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/braces.html#IfElseStmtsMustUseBraces">
        <description>
 Avoid using if..else statements without using curly braces.
@@ -81,7 +78,7 @@ Avoid using if..else statements without using curly braces.
              <property name="xpath">
                  <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.
+//Statement
  [parent::IfStatement[@Else='true']]
  [not(child::Block)]
  [not(child::IfStatement)]
@@ -108,8 +105,7 @@ Avoid using if..else statements without using curly braces.
 
      <rule name="ForLoopsMustUseBraces"
            message="Avoid using 'for' statements without curly braces"
-           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-           type="ForStatement"
+           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/braces.html#ForLoopsMustUseBraces">
        <description>
 Avoid using 'for' statements without using curly braces.
@@ -118,7 +114,7 @@ Avoid using 'for' statements without using curly braces.
              <property name="xpath">
                  <value>
  <![CDATA[
-.[not(Statement/Block)]
+//ForStatement[not(Statement/Block)]
  ]]>
                  </value>
              </property>
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/clone.xml b/pmd/rulesets/clone.xml
index 79c2d7f41d..c3e0ff908f 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/clone.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/clone.xml
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ The Clone Implementation ruleset contains a collection of rules that find questi
 
     <rule name="ProperCloneImplementation"
          message="Object clone() should be implemented with super.clone()"
-         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-	 type="MethodDeclarator"
+         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/clone.html#ProperCloneImplementation">
      <description>
 Object clone() should be implemented with super.clone().
@@ -21,7 +20,7 @@ Object clone() should be implemented with super.clone().
          <property name="xpath">
              <value>
                  <![CDATA[
-.
+//MethodDeclarator
 [@Image = 'clone']
 [count(FormalParameters/*) = 0]
 [count(../Block//*[
@@ -49,8 +48,7 @@ class Foo{
 
     <rule name="CloneThrowsCloneNotSupportedException"
          message="clone() method should throw CloneNotSupportedException"
-         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-         type="MethodDeclaration"
+         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
          externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/clone.html#CloneThrowsCloneNotSupportedException">
          <description>
 The method clone() should throw a CloneNotSupportedException.
@@ -59,7 +57,7 @@ The method clone() should throw a CloneNotSupportedException.
              <property name="xpath">
                  <value>
                      <![CDATA[
-.
+//MethodDeclaration
 [
 MethodDeclarator/@Image = 'clone'
 and count(MethodDeclarator/FormalParameters/*) = 0
@@ -88,8 +86,7 @@ and count(NameList/Name[contains
 
     <rule name="CloneMethodMustImplementCloneable"
         message="clone() method should be implemented only if implementing Cloneable interface"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/clone.html#CloneMethodMustImplementCloneable">
         <description>
 The method clone() should only be implemented if the class implements the Cloneable interface with the exception of a final method that only throws CloneNotSupportedException.
@@ -98,7 +95,7 @@ The method clone() should only be implemented if the class implements the Clonea
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
-.
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration
 [not(./ImplementsList/ClassOrInterfaceType
 [@Image='Cloneable'])]
 /ClassOrInterfaceBody/ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/controversial.xml b/pmd/rulesets/controversial.xml
index 20b52ffff9..8f2e9d6566 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/controversial.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/controversial.xml
@@ -15,8 +15,7 @@ most people really dislike :-)
 
     <rule name="UnnecessaryConstructor"
           message="Avoid unnecessary constructors - the compiler will generate these for you"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="ClassOrInterfaceBody"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/controversial.html#UnnecessaryConstructor">
       <description>
 This rule detects when a constructor is not necessary; i.e., when there's only one constructor,
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ it's public, has an empty body, and takes no arguments.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
-.[count(ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration/ConstructorDeclaration)=1]
+//ClassOrInterfaceBody[count(ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration/ConstructorDeclaration)=1]
 /ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration/ConstructorDeclaration
 [@Public='true']
 [not(FormalParameters/*)]
@@ -154,8 +153,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="AtLeastOneConstructor"
       message="Each class should declare at least one constructor"
-      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-      type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration"
+      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/controversial.html#AtLeastOneConstructor">
   <description>
 Each class should declare at least one constructor.
@@ -164,7 +162,7 @@ Each class should declare at least one constructor.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration
  [not(ClassOrInterfaceBody/ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration/ConstructorDeclaration)]
  [@Interface='false']
 ]]>
@@ -228,8 +226,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="CallSuperInConstructor"
           message="It is a good practice to call super() in a constructor"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/controversial.html#CallSuperInConstructor">
       <description>
 It is a good practice to call super() in a constructor. If super() is not called but
@@ -239,7 +236,7 @@ It is a good practice to call super() in a constructor. If super() is not called
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.[ count (ExtendsList/*) > 0 ]
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration[ count (ExtendsList/*) > 0 ]
 /ClassOrInterfaceBody
  /ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration
  /ConstructorDeclaration[ count (.//ExplicitConstructorInvocation)=0 ]
@@ -267,8 +264,7 @@ public class Foo extends Bar{
 
     <rule name="UnnecessaryParentheses"
           message="This statement may have some unnecessary parentheses"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="ReturnStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/controversial.html#UnnecessaryParentheses">
       <description>
 Sometimes expressions are wrapped in unnecessary parentheses,
@@ -278,7 +274,7 @@ making them look like a function call.
         <property name="xpath">
             <value>
                 <![CDATA[
-.
+//ReturnStatement
           /Expression
            /PrimaryExpression
             /PrimaryPrefix
@@ -322,8 +318,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="DefaultPackage"
         message="Use explicit scoping instead of the default package private level"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/controversial.html#DefaultPackage">
         <description>
 Use explicit scoping instead of the default package private level.
@@ -331,7 +326,7 @@ Use explicit scoping instead of the default package private level.
         <properties>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value><![CDATA[
-.[@Interface='false']
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration[@Interface='false']
 /ClassOrInterfaceBody
 /ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration
 [
@@ -346,8 +341,7 @@ or MethodDeclaration[@PackagePrivate='true']
 
     <rule name="BooleanInversion"
           message="Use bitwise inversion to invert boolean values"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="AssignmentOperator"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/controversial.html#BooleanInversion">
       <description>
 Use bitwise inversion to invert boolean values - it's the fastest way to do this.
@@ -357,7 +351,7 @@ See http://www.javaspecialists.co.za/archive/newsletter.do?issue=042&amp;locale=
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.[@Image="="]/../Expression/UnaryExpressionNotPlusMinus[@Image="!"]
+//AssignmentOperator[@Image="="]/../Expression/UnaryExpressionNotPlusMinus[@Image="!"]
 ]]>
              </value>
           </property>
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/design.xml b/pmd/rulesets/design.xml
index c65c3cc18f..5f382e649d 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/design.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/design.xml
@@ -61,8 +61,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="SimplifyBooleanExpressions"
           message="Avoid unnecessary comparisons in boolean expressions"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="EqualityExpression"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#SimplifyBooleanExpressions">
       <description>
 Avoid unnecessary comparisons in boolean expressions - this complicates simple code.
@@ -71,7 +70,7 @@ Avoid unnecessary comparisons in boolean expressions - this complicates simple c
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
 <![CDATA[
-./PrimaryExpression
+//EqualityExpression/PrimaryExpression
  /PrimaryPrefix/Literal/BooleanLiteral
 ]]>
               </value>
@@ -93,8 +92,7 @@ public class Bar {
 
   <rule name="SwitchStmtsShouldHaveDefault"
         message="Switch statements should have a default label"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="SwitchStatement"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#SwitchStmtsShouldHaveDefault">
     <description>
 Switch statements should have a default label.
@@ -103,7 +101,7 @@ Switch statements should have a default label.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
                   <![CDATA[
-.[not(SwitchLabel[@Default='true'])]
+//SwitchStatement[not(SwitchLabel[@Default='true'])]
                   ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -270,8 +268,7 @@ public class Outer {
 
     <rule name="FinalFieldCouldBeStatic"
           message="This final field could be made static"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="FieldDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#FinalFieldCouldBeStatic">
       <description>
 If a final field is assigned to a compile-time constant, it could be
@@ -281,7 +278,7 @@ made static, thus saving overhead in each object at runtime.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
-.
+//FieldDeclaration
  [@Final='true' and @Static='false']
  [not (../../../../ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration[@Interface='true'])]
    /VariableDeclarator/VariableInitializer/Expression
@@ -333,8 +330,7 @@ public class Bar {
 
     <rule name="NonStaticInitializer"
            message="Non-static initializers are confusing"
-           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-           type="Initializer"
+           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#NonStaticInitializer">
        <description>
 A nonstatic initializer block will be called any time a constructor
@@ -345,7 +341,7 @@ is a valid language construct, it is rarely used and is confusing.
              <property name="xpath">
                  <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.[@Static='false']
+//Initializer[@Static='false']
 ]]>
                  </value>
              </property>
@@ -365,8 +361,7 @@ public class MyClass {
 
     <rule name="DefaultLabelNotLastInSwitchStmt"
            message="The default label should be the last label in a switch statement"
-           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-           type="SwitchStatement"
+           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#DefaultLabelNotLastInSwitchStmt">
        <description>
 By convention, the default label should be the last label in a switch statement.
@@ -375,7 +370,7 @@ By convention, the default label should be the last label in a switch statement.
              <property name="xpath">
                  <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.
+//SwitchStatement
  [not(SwitchLabel[position() = last()][@Default='true'])]
  [SwitchLabel[@Default='true']]
 ]]>
@@ -402,8 +397,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="NonCaseLabelInSwitchStatement"
            message="A non-case label was present in a switch statement"
-           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-           type="SwitchStatement"
+           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#NonCaseLabelInSwitchStatement">
        <description>
 A non-case label (e.g. a named break/continue label) was present in a switch statement.
@@ -413,7 +407,7 @@ This legal, but confusing. It is easy to mix up the case labels and the non-case
              <property name="xpath">
                  <value>
  <![CDATA[
-.//BlockStatement/Statement/LabeledStatement
+//SwitchStatement//BlockStatement/Statement/LabeledStatement
  ]]>
                  </value>
              </property>
@@ -440,8 +434,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="OptimizableToArrayCall"
           message="This call to Collection.toArray() may be optimizable"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="PrimaryExpression"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#OptimizableToArrayCall">
       <description>
 A call to Collection.toArray can use the Collection's size vs an empty Array of the desired type.
@@ -450,7 +443,7 @@ A call to Collection.toArray can use the Collection's size vs an empty Array of
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
                   <![CDATA[
-.
+//PrimaryExpression
 [PrimaryPrefix/Name[ends-with(@Image, 'toArray')]]
 [
 PrimarySuffix/Arguments/ArgumentList/Expression
@@ -481,8 +474,7 @@ class Foo {
 
     <rule name="BadComparison"
           message="Avoid equality comparisons with Double.NaN"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="EqualityExpression"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#BadComparison">
       <description>
 Avoid equality comparisons with Double.NaN - these are likely to be logic errors.
@@ -491,7 +483,7 @@ Avoid equality comparisons with Double.NaN - these are likely to be logic errors
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
                   <![CDATA[
-.[@Image='==']
+//EqualityExpression[@Image='==']
  /PrimaryExpression/PrimaryPrefix
  /Name[@Image='Double.NaN' or @Image='Float.NaN']
                   ]]>
@@ -510,8 +502,7 @@ public class Bar {
 
     <rule   name="EqualsNull"
             message="Avoid using equals() to compare against null"
-            class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-            type="PrimaryExpression"
+            class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#EqualsNull">
         <description>
 Inexperienced programmers sometimes confuse comparison concepts
@@ -521,7 +512,7 @@ and use equals() to compare to null.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.
+//PrimaryExpression
  [
 PrimaryPrefix/Name[ends-with(@Image, 'equals')]
 or
@@ -578,8 +569,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="InstantiationToGetClass"
           message="Avoid instantiating an object just to call getClass() on it; use the .class public member instead"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="PrimarySuffix"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#InstantiationToGetClass">
       <description>
 Avoid instantiating an object just to call getClass() on it; use the .class public member instead.
@@ -599,7 +589,7 @@ public class Foo {
           <property name="xpath">
             <value>
                 <![CDATA[
-.
+//PrimarySuffix
  [@Image='getClass']
  [parent::PrimaryExpression
   [PrimaryPrefix/AllocationExpression]
@@ -635,8 +625,7 @@ public class Foo {
     <rule
         name="SimpleDateFormatNeedsLocale"
         message="When instantiating a SimpleDateFormat object, specify a Locale"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="AllocationExpression"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#SimpleDateFormatNeedsLocale">
         <description>
 Be sure to specify a Locale when creating a new instance of SimpleDateFormat.
@@ -645,7 +634,7 @@ Be sure to specify a Locale when creating a new instance of SimpleDateFormat.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.
+//AllocationExpression
  [ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='SimpleDateFormat']]
  [Arguments[@ArgumentCount=1]]
 ]]>
@@ -690,8 +679,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="UseLocaleWithCaseConversions"
           message="When doing a String.toLowerCase()/toUpperCase() call, use a Locale"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="PrimaryExpression"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#UseLocaleWithCaseConversions">
       <description>
 When doing a String.toLowerCase()/toUpperCase() call, use a Locale.  This avoids
@@ -719,7 +707,7 @@ class Foo {
           <property name="xpath">
             <value>
                 <![CDATA[
-.
+//PrimaryExpression
 [PrimaryPrefix/Name
  [ends-with(@Image, 'toLowerCase') or ends-with(@Image,
 'toUpperCase')]
@@ -733,8 +721,7 @@ class Foo {
 
     <rule name="AvoidProtectedFieldInFinalClass"
              message="Avoid protected fields in a final class.  Change to private or package access."
-             class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-             type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration"
+             class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#AvoidProtectedFieldInFinalClass">
          <description>
 Do not use protected fields in final classes since they cannot be subclassed.
@@ -744,7 +731,7 @@ Clarify your intent by using private or package access modifiers instead.
              <property name="xpath">
                  <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.[@Final='true']
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration[@Final='true']
 /ClassOrInterfaceBody/ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration
 /FieldDeclaration[@Protected='true']
  ]]>
@@ -785,8 +772,7 @@ public class StaticField {
 
     <rule name="MissingStaticMethodInNonInstantiatableClass"
           message="Class cannot be instantiated and does not provide any static methods or fields"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#MissingStaticMethodInNonInstantiatableClass">
       <description>
 A class that has private constructors and does not have any static methods or fields cannot be used.
@@ -795,7 +781,7 @@ A class that has private constructors and does not have any static methods or fi
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.[@Nested='false'][
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration[@Nested='false'][
 ( count(./ClassOrInterfaceBody/ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration/ConstructorDeclaration)>0
   and count(./ClassOrInterfaceBody/ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration/ConstructorDeclaration) = count(./ClassOrInterfaceBody/ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration/ConstructorDeclaration[@Private='true']) )
 and
@@ -826,8 +812,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="AvoidSynchronizedAtMethodLevel"
           message="Use block level rather than method level synchronization"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="MethodDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#AvoidSynchronizedAtMethodLevel">
       <description>
   Method level synchronization can backfire when new code is added to the method.  Block-level
@@ -837,7 +822,7 @@ public class Foo {
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.[@Synchronized='true']
+//MethodDeclaration[@Synchronized='true']
     ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -861,8 +846,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="MissingBreakInSwitch"
           message="A switch statement does not contain a break"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="SwitchStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#MissingBreakInSwitch">
       <description>
 A switch statement without an enclosed break statement may be a bug.
@@ -871,7 +855,7 @@ A switch statement without an enclosed break statement may be a bug.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.
+//SwitchStatement
 [count(.//BreakStatement)=0]
 [count(SwitchLabel) > 0]
 [count(BlockStatement/Statement/ReturnStatement)
@@ -904,8 +888,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="UseNotifyAllInsteadOfNotify"
           message="Call Thread.notifyAll() rather than Thread.notify()"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="StatementExpression"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#UseNotifyAllInsteadOfNotify">
       <description>
 Thread.notify() awakens a thread monitoring the object. If more than one thread is monitoring, then only
@@ -915,7 +898,7 @@ one is chosen.  The thread chosen is arbitrary; thus it's usually safer to call
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-./PrimaryExpression
+//StatementExpression/PrimaryExpression
 [count(PrimarySuffix/Arguments/ArgumentList) = 0]
 [
 PrimaryPrefix[./Name[@Image='notify' or ends-with(@Image,'.notify')]
@@ -945,8 +928,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="AvoidInstanceofChecksInCatchClause"
           message="An instanceof check is being performed on the caught exception.  Create a separate catch clause for this exception type."
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="CatchStatement"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#AvoidInstanceofChecksInCatchClause">
     <description>
 Each caught exception type should be handled in its own catch clause.
@@ -955,7 +937,7 @@ Each caught exception type should be handled in its own catch clause.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-./FormalParameter
+//CatchStatement/FormalParameter
  /following-sibling::Block//InstanceOfExpression/PrimaryExpression/PrimaryPrefix
   /Name[
    @Image = ./ancestor::Block/preceding-sibling::FormalParameter
@@ -986,8 +968,7 @@ try {  // Prefer this:
 
     <rule name="AbstractClassWithoutAbstractMethod"
           message="This abstract class does not have any abstract methods"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#AbstractClassWithoutAbstractMethod">
       <description>
 The abstract class does not contain any abstract methods. An abstract class suggests
@@ -998,7 +979,7 @@ direcly) a protected constructor can be provided prevent direct instantiation.
       <properties>
           <property name="xpath">
               <value><![CDATA[
-.
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration
  [@Abstract='true'
   and count( .//MethodDeclaration[@Abstract='true'] )=0 ]
   [count(ImplementsList)=0]
@@ -1021,8 +1002,7 @@ public abstract class Foo {
 
     <rule name="SimplifyConditional"
               message="No need to check for null before an instanceof"
-              class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-              type="Expression"
+              class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#SimplifyConditional">
            <description>
 No need to check for null before an instanceof; the instanceof keyword returns false when given a null argument.
@@ -1031,7 +1011,7 @@ No need to check for null before an instanceof; the instanceof keyword returns f
               <property name="xpath">
                   <value>
                       <![CDATA[
-.
+//Expression
  [ConditionalOrExpression
  [EqualityExpression[@Image='==']
   //NullLiteral
@@ -1088,8 +1068,7 @@ class Foo {
 
 <rule  name="PositionLiteralsFirstInComparisons"
   message="Position literals first in String comparisons"
-  class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-  type="PrimaryExpression"
+  class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#PositionLiteralsFirstInComparisons">
   <description>
  Position literals first in String comparisons - that way if the String is null you won't get a NullPointerException, it'll just return false.
@@ -1097,7 +1076,7 @@ class Foo {
       <properties>
         <property name="xpath">
           <value><![CDATA[
-    .[PrimaryPrefix[Name[ends-with(@Image, '.equals')]][..//Literal]]
+//PrimaryExpression[PrimaryPrefix[Name[ends-with(@Image, '.equals')]][..//Literal]]
     [not(ancestor::Expression/ConditionalAndExpression//EqualityExpression[@Image='!=']//NullLiteral)]
     [not(ancestor::Expression/ConditionalOrExpression//EqualityExpression[@Image='==']//NullLiteral)]
           ]]></value>
@@ -1175,8 +1154,7 @@ public static Foo getFoo() {
 
     <rule name="UncommentedEmptyMethod"
           message="Document empty method"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="MethodDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#UncommentedEmptyMethod">
       <description>
 Uncommented Empty Method finds instances where a method does not contain
@@ -1188,7 +1166,7 @@ empty methods.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-./Block[count(BlockStatement) = 0 and @containsComment = 'false']
+//MethodDeclaration/Block[count(BlockStatement) = 0 and @containsComment = 'false']
  ]]>
              </value>
           </property>
@@ -1204,8 +1182,7 @@ public void doSomething() {
 
     <rule name="UncommentedEmptyConstructor"
           message="Document empty constructor"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="ConstructorDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/design.html#UncommentedEmptyConstructor">
       <description>
 Uncommented Empty Constructor finds instances where a constructor does not
@@ -1217,7 +1194,7 @@ and unintentional empty constructors.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.[@Private='false'][count(BlockStatement) = 0 and ($ignoreExplicitConstructorInvocation = 'true' or not(ExplicitConstructorInvocation)) and @containsComment = 'false']
+//ConstructorDeclaration[@Private='false'][count(BlockStatement) = 0 and ($ignoreExplicitConstructorInvocation = 'true' or not(ExplicitConstructorInvocation)) and @containsComment = 'false']
  ]]>
              </value>
           </property>
@@ -1237,8 +1214,7 @@ public Foo() {
 
 <rule name="AvoidConstantsInterface"
       message="An Interface should be used only to model a behaviour; consider converting this to a class."
-      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-      type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration">
+      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule">
       <description>
      An interface should be used only to model a behaviour of a
     class: using an interface as a container of constants is a poor usage pattern.
@@ -1247,7 +1223,7 @@ public Foo() {
         <property name="xpath">
         <value>
     <![CDATA[
-    .[@Interface="true"]
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration[@Interface="true"]
     [
      count(//MethodDeclaration)=0
      and
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/finalizers.xml b/pmd/rulesets/finalizers.xml
index 8ecab998d0..e15e8b94f3 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/finalizers.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/finalizers.xml
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ These rules deal with different problems that can occur with finalizers.
 
     <rule name="EmptyFinalizer"
           message="Avoid empty finalize methods"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="MethodDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/finalizers.html#EmptyFinalizer">
        <description>
 If the finalize() method is empty, then it does not need to exist.
@@ -22,7 +21,7 @@ If the finalize() method is empty, then it does not need to exist.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.[MethodDeclarator[@Image='finalize'][not(FormalParameters/*)]]
+//MethodDeclaration[MethodDeclarator[@Image='finalize'][not(FormalParameters/*)]]
   /Block[count(*)=0]
 ]]>
                 </value>
@@ -40,8 +39,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="FinalizeOnlyCallsSuperFinalize"
           message="Finalize should do something besides just calling super.finalize()"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="MethodDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/finalizers.html#FinalizeOnlyCallsSuperFinalize">
        <description>
 If the finalize() is implemented, it should do something besides just calling
@@ -51,7 +49,7 @@ super.finalize().
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.[MethodDeclarator[@Image="finalize"][not(FormalParameters/*)]]
+//MethodDeclaration[MethodDeclarator[@Image="finalize"][not(FormalParameters/*)]]
    /Block[count(BlockStatement)=1]
      /BlockStatement[
        Statement/StatementExpression/PrimaryExpression
@@ -75,8 +73,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
 <rule name="FinalizeOverloaded"
       message="Finalize methods should not be overloaded"
-      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-      type="MethodDeclaration"
+      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/finalizers.html#FinalizeOverloaded">
    <description>
 Methods named finalize() should not have parameters.  It is
@@ -87,7 +84,7 @@ not be called by the VM.
         <property name="xpath">
             <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.
+//MethodDeclaration
  /MethodDeclarator[@Image='finalize'][FormalParameters[count(*)>0]]
 ]]>
             </value>
@@ -107,8 +104,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="FinalizeDoesNotCallSuperFinalize"
           message="Last statement in finalize method should be a call to super.finalize()"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="MethodDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/finalizers.html#FinalizeDoesNotCallSuperFinalize">
        <description>
 If the finalize() is implemented, its last action should be to call super.finalize.
@@ -119,7 +115,7 @@ If the finalize() is implemented, its last action should be to call super.finali
 <!-- in english: a method declaration of finalize(), with no arguments, containing
 a block whose last statement is NOT a call to super.finalize -->
 <![CDATA[
-.[MethodDeclarator[@Image='finalize'][not(FormalParameters/*)]]
+//MethodDeclaration[MethodDeclarator[@Image='finalize'][not(FormalParameters/*)]]
    /Block
       /BlockStatement[last()]
       [not(Statement/StatementExpression/PrimaryExpression/PrimaryPrefix[@Image='finalize'])]
@@ -145,8 +141,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="FinalizeShouldBeProtected"
           message="If you override finalize(), make it protected"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="MethodDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/finalizers.html#FinalizeShouldBeProtected">
       <description>
 If you override finalize(), make it protected.  If you make
@@ -156,7 +151,7 @@ If you override finalize(), make it protected.  If you make
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
-.[@Protected="false"]
+//MethodDeclaration[@Protected="false"]
   /MethodDeclarator[@Image="finalize"]
   [not(FormalParameters/*)]
                     ]]>
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/j2ee.xml b/pmd/rulesets/j2ee.xml
index b6c4148095..6623a9bda3 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/j2ee.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/j2ee.xml
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@
 
   <rule name="UseProperClassLoader"
    message="In J2EE, getClassLoader() might not work as expected.  Use Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader() instead."
-   class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-   type="PrimarySuffix">
+   class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule">
    <description>
     In J2EE getClassLoader() might not work as expected.  Use Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader() instead.
    </description>
@@ -17,7 +16,7 @@
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.[@Image='getClassLoader']
+//PrimarySuffix[@Image='getClassLoader']
  ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/javabeans.xml b/pmd/rulesets/javabeans.xml
index 1890100ff3..9a6ee8e50c 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/javabeans.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/javabeans.xml
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ provide getFoo and setFoo methods.
 
     <rule name="MissingSerialVersionUID"
           message="Classes implementing Serializable should set a serialVersionUID"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/javabeans.html#MissingSerialVersionUID">
       <description>
 Classes that are serializable should provide a serialVersionUID field.
@@ -59,7 +58,7 @@ Classes that are serializable should provide a serialVersionUID field.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration
  [
   count(ClassOrInterfaceBody/ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration
    /FieldDeclaration/VariableDeclarator/VariableDeclaratorId[@Image='serialVersionUID']) = 0
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/junit.xml b/pmd/rulesets/junit.xml
index 736e5577e5..24be8fcf95 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/junit.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/junit.xml
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ These rules deal with different problems that can occur with JUnit tests.
 
     <rule name="JUnitStaticSuite"
           message="You have a suite() method that is not both public and static, so JUnit won't call it to get your TestSuite.  Is that what you wanted to do?"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="MethodDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/junit.html#JUnitStaticSuite">
       <description>
 The suite() method in a JUnit test needs to be both public and static.
@@ -21,7 +20,7 @@ The suite() method in a JUnit test needs to be both public and static.
         <property name="xpath">
             <value>
                 <![CDATA[
-.[not(@Static='true') or not(@Public='true')]
+//MethodDeclaration[not(@Static='true') or not(@Public='true')]
 [MethodDeclarator/@Image='suite']
 [MethodDeclarator/FormalParameters/@ParameterCount=0]
                 ]]>
@@ -43,8 +42,7 @@ public class Foo extends TestCase {
 
   <rule name="JUnitSpelling"
         message="You may have misspelled a JUnit framework method (setUp or tearDown)"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="MethodDeclarator"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/junit.html#JUnitSpelling">
     <description>
 Some JUnit framework methods are easy to misspell.
@@ -53,7 +51,7 @@ Some JUnit framework methods are easy to misspell.
       <property name="xpath">
           <value>
               <![CDATA[
-.[(not(@Image = 'setUp')
+//MethodDeclarator[(not(@Image = 'setUp')
  and translate(@Image, 'SETuP', 'setUp') = 'setUp')
  or (not(@Image = 'tearDown')
  and translate(@Image, 'TEARdOWN', 'tearDown') = 'tearDown')]
@@ -146,8 +144,7 @@ public class CarTest {
 
     <rule name="UnnecessaryBooleanAssertion"
           message="assertTrue(true) or similar statements are unnecessary"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="StatementExpression"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/junit.html#UnnecessaryBooleanAssertion">
       <description>
 A JUnit test assertion with a boolean literal is unnecessary since it always will eval to the same thing.
@@ -158,7 +155,7 @@ statements like assertTrue(true) and assertFalse(false).  If you just want a tes
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.
+//StatementExpression
 [
 .//Name[@Image='assertTrue' or  @Image='assertFalse']
 and
@@ -193,8 +190,7 @@ public class SimpleTest extends TestCase {
 
     <rule name="UseAssertEqualsInsteadOfAssertTrue"
           message="Use assertEquals(x, y) instead of assertTrue(x.equals(y))"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="PrimaryExpression"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/junit.html#UseAssertEqualsInsteadOfAssertTrue">
       <description>
 This rule detects JUnit assertions in object equality. These assertions
@@ -204,7 +200,7 @@ should be made by more specific methods, like assertEquals.
         <property name="xpath">
             <value>
                 <![CDATA[
-.[
+//PrimaryExpression[
     PrimaryPrefix/Name[@Image = 'assertTrue']
 ][
     PrimarySuffix/Arguments/ArgumentList/Expression/PrimaryExpression/PrimaryPrefix/Name
@@ -230,8 +226,7 @@ public class FooTest extends TestCase {
 
    <rule name="UseAssertSameInsteadOfAssertTrue"
           message="Use assertSame(x, y) instead of assertTrue(x==y), or assertNotSame(x,y) vs assertFalse(x==y)"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="PrimaryExpression"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/junit.html#UseAssertSameInsteadOfAssertTrue">
       <description>
 This rule detects JUnit assertions in object references equality. These assertions
@@ -241,7 +236,7 @@ should be made by more specific methods, like assertSame, assertNotSame.
         <property name="xpath">
             <value>
                 <![CDATA[
-.[
+//PrimaryExpression[
     PrimaryPrefix/Name
      [@Image = 'assertTrue' or @Image = 'assertFalse']
 ]
@@ -268,8 +263,7 @@ public class FooTest extends TestCase {
 
     <rule name="UseAssertNullInsteadOfAssertTrue"
            message="Use assertNull(x) instead of assertTrue(x==null), or assertNotNull(x) vs assertFalse(x==null)"
-           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-           type="PrimaryExpression"
+           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
            externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/junit.html#UseAssertNullInsteadOfAssertTrue">
        <description>
  This rule detects JUnit assertions in object references equality. These assertions
@@ -279,7 +273,7 @@ public class FooTest extends TestCase {
          <property name="xpath">
              <value>
                  <![CDATA[
-.[
+//PrimaryExpression[
  PrimaryPrefix/Name[@Image = 'assertTrue' or @Image = 'assertFalse']
 ][
  PrimarySuffix/Arguments/ArgumentList[
@@ -308,8 +302,7 @@ public class FooTest extends TestCase {
 
     <rule name="SimplifyBooleanAssertion"
 	    message="assertTrue(!expr) can be replaced by assertFalse(expr)"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="StatementExpression"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
        externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/junit.html#SimplifyBooleanAssertion">
       <description>
 Avoid negation in an assertTrue or assertFalse test.
@@ -322,7 +315,7 @@ assertFalse(expr);
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.
+//StatementExpression
 [
 .//Name[@Image='assertTrue' or  @Image='assertFalse']
 and
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/logging-jakarta-commons.xml b/pmd/rulesets/logging-jakarta-commons.xml
index 359a81453c..4d74396389 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/logging-jakarta-commons.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/logging-jakarta-commons.xml
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ The Jakarta Commons Logging ruleset contains a collection of rules that find que
 
 	<rule name="UseCorrectExceptionLogging"
         message="Use the correct logging statement for logging exceptions"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="CatchStatement"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/logging-jakarta-commons.html#UseCorrectExceptionLogging">
 		<description>
 To make sure the full stacktrace is printed out, use the logging statement with 2 arguments: a String and a Throwable.
@@ -20,7 +19,7 @@ To make sure the full stacktrace is printed out, use the logging statement with
 		<properties>
 			<property name="xpath">
 				<value><![CDATA[
-./Block/BlockStatement/Statement/StatementExpression
+//CatchStatement/Block/BlockStatement/Statement/StatementExpression
 /PrimaryExpression[PrimaryPrefix/Name[starts-with(@Image,
 concat(//ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration/FieldDeclaration
 [Type//ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='Log']]
@@ -47,8 +46,7 @@ public class Main {
 
     <rule name="ProperLogger"
          message="Logger should be defined private static final and have the correct class"
-         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-         type="ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration"
+         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/logging-jakarta-commons.html#ProperLogger">
              <description>
  Logger should normally be defined private static final and have the correct class.
@@ -59,7 +57,7 @@ public class Main {
              <property name="xpath">
                      <value>
      <![CDATA[
- .[FieldDeclaration//ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='Log']
+//ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration[FieldDeclaration//ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='Log']
  and
  not(FieldDeclaration[@Final='true'][@Static='true'][@Private='true'][//VariableDeclaratorId[@Image=$staticLoggerName]]
  //ArgumentList//ClassOrInterfaceType/@Image = ancestor::ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration/@Image)
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/logging-java.xml b/pmd/rulesets/logging-java.xml
index 15774cc206..eb03575086 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/logging-java.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/logging-java.xml
@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@ class Foo{
 
      <rule name="LoggerIsNotStaticFinal"
          message="The Logger variable declaration does not contain the static and final modifiers"
-         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-         type="VariableDeclarator"
+         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/logging-java.html#LoggerIsNotStaticFinal">
      <description>
 In most cases, the Logger can be declared static and final.
@@ -42,7 +41,7 @@ In most cases, the Logger can be declared static and final.
          <property name="xpath">
              <value>
                  <![CDATA[
-.
+//VariableDeclarator
  [parent::FieldDeclaration]
  [../Type/ReferenceType
   /ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='Logger']
@@ -102,8 +101,7 @@ first -->
 
     <rule name="SystemPrintln"
          message="System.out.print is used"
-         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-         type="Name"
+         class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/logging-java.html#SystemPrintln">
      <description>
 System.(out|err).print is used, consider using a logger.
@@ -112,7 +110,7 @@ System.(out|err).print is used, consider using a logger.
          <property name="xpath">
              <value>
                  <![CDATA[
-.[
+//Name[
     starts-with(@Image, 'System.out.print')
     or
     starts-with(@Image, 'System.err.print')
@@ -138,8 +136,7 @@ class Foo{
 
     <rule  name="AvoidPrintStackTrace"
            message="Avoid printStackTrace(); use a logger call instead."
-           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-           type="PrimaryExpression"
+           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
 		   externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/logging-java.html#AvoidPrintStackTrace">
            <description>
 Avoid printStackTrace(); use a logger call instead.
@@ -148,7 +145,7 @@ Avoid printStackTrace(); use a logger call instead.
              <property name="xpath">
              <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.
+//PrimaryExpression
  [PrimaryPrefix/Name[contains(@Image,'printStackTrace')]]
  [PrimarySuffix[not(boolean(Arguments/ArgumentList/Expression))]]
 ]]>
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/migrating.xml b/pmd/rulesets/migrating.xml
index 11acccf2a9..a9e880fe0b 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/migrating.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/migrating.xml
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ Contains rules about migrating from one JDK version to another.  Don't use these
 
 <rule name="ReplaceVectorWithList"
   message="Consider replacing this Vector with the newer java.util.List"
-  class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-  type="Type"
+  class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/migrating.html#ReplaceVectorWithList">
   <description>
   Consider replacing Vector usages with the newer java.util.ArrayList if expensive threadsafe operation is not required.
@@ -23,7 +22,7 @@ Contains rules about migrating from one JDK version to another.  Don't use these
     <property name="xpath">
     <value>
 <![CDATA[
-./ReferenceType/ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='Vector']
+//Type/ReferenceType/ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='Vector']
  ]]>
     </value>
     </property>
@@ -42,8 +41,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="ReplaceHashtableWithMap"
       message="Consider replacing this Hashtable with the newer java.util.Map"
-      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-      type="Type"
+      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/migrating.html#ReplaceHashtableWithMap">
       <description>
       Consider replacing this Hashtable with the newer java.util.Map
@@ -52,7 +50,7 @@ public class Foo {
         <property name="xpath">
         <value>
     <![CDATA[
-    ./ReferenceType/ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='Hashtable']
+//Type/ReferenceType/ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='Hashtable']
      ]]>
         </value>
         </property>
@@ -71,8 +69,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="ReplaceEnumerationWithIterator"
       message="Consider replacing this Enumeration with the newer java.util.Iterator"
-      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-      type="ImplementsList"
+      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/migrating.html#ReplaceEnumerationWithIterator">
       <description>
       Consider replacing this Enumeration with the newer java.util.Iterator
@@ -81,7 +78,7 @@ public class Foo {
         <property name="xpath">
         <value>
     <![CDATA[
-    ./ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='Enumeration']
+//ImplementsList/ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='Enumeration']
      ]]>
         </value>
         </property>
@@ -104,15 +101,14 @@ public class Foo implements Enumeration {
 
     <rule name="AvoidEnumAsIdentifier"
           message="Avoid using enum as an identifier; it's a reserved word in JDK 1.5"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="VariableDeclaratorId"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/migrating.html#AvoidEnumAsIdentifier">
       <description>Finds all places 'enum' is used as an identifier is used.</description>
       <properties>
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
                   <![CDATA[
-                    .[@Image='enum']
+//VariableDeclaratorId[@Image='enum']
                   ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -131,15 +127,14 @@ public class Foo implements Enumeration {
 
     <rule name="AvoidAssertAsIdentifier"
           message="Avoid using assert as an identifier; it's a reserved word in JDK 1.4"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="VariableDeclaratorId"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/migrating.html#AvoidAssertAsIdentifier">
       <description>Finds all places 'assert' is used as an identifier is used.</description>
       <properties>
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
                   <![CDATA[
-                    .[@Image='assert']
+//VariableDeclaratorId[@Image='assert']
                   ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -158,14 +153,13 @@ public class Foo implements Enumeration {
 
     <rule name="IntegerInstantiation"
           message="Avoid instantiating Integer objects. Call Integer.valueOf() instead."
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="PrimaryPrefix">
+	  class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule">
       <description>In JDK 1.5, calling new Integer() causes memory allocation.  Integer.valueOf() is more memory friendly.</description>
       <properties>
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
                   <![CDATA[
-.
+//PrimaryPrefix
  /AllocationExpression
   [not (ArrayDimsAndInits)
    and (ClassOrInterfaceType/@Image='Integer'
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/naming.xml b/pmd/rulesets/naming.xml
index 00fa2ec4c0..6da4f6c92b 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/naming.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/naming.xml
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ The Naming Ruleset contains a collection of rules about names - too long, too sh
 
   <rule name="ShortVariable"
         message="Avoid variables with short names like {0}"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="VariableDeclaratorId"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/naming.html#ShortVariable">
     <description>
 Detects when a field, local, or parameter has a very short name.
@@ -22,7 +21,7 @@ Detects when a field, local, or parameter has a very short name.
           <property name="xpath" pluginname="true">
               <value>
                   <![CDATA[
-.[string-length(@Image) < 3]
+//VariableDeclaratorId[string-length(@Image) < 3]
  [not(ancestor::ForInit)]
  [not((ancestor::FormalParameter) and (ancestor::TryStatement))]
                   ]]>
@@ -47,8 +46,7 @@ public class Something {
 
   <rule name="LongVariable"
         message="Avoid excessively long variable names like {0}"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="VariableDeclaratorId"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/naming.html#LongVariable">
     <description>
 Detects when a field, formal or local variable is declared with a long name.
@@ -59,7 +57,7 @@ Detects when a field, formal or local variable is declared with a long name.
           <property name="xpath" pluginname="true">
               <value>
                   <![CDATA[
-.[string-length(@Image) > $minimum]
+//VariableDeclaratorId[string-length(@Image) > $minimum]
                   ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -81,8 +79,7 @@ public class Something {
 
   <rule name="ShortMethodName"
         message="Avoid using short method names"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="MethodDeclarator"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/naming.html#ShortMethodName">
      <description>
 Detects when very short method names are used.
@@ -92,7 +89,7 @@ Detects when very short method names are used.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
                   <![CDATA[
-.[string-length(@Image) < 3]
+//MethodDeclarator[string-length(@Image) < 3]
                   ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -170,8 +167,7 @@ public class Foo {}
 
     <rule name="AbstractNaming"
           message="Abstract classes should be named 'AbstractXXX'"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/naming.html#AbstractNaming">
        <description>
 Abstract classes should be named 'AbstractXXX'.
@@ -181,7 +177,7 @@ Abstract classes should be named 'AbstractXXX'.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
-.
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration
  [@Abstract='true' and @Interface='false']
  [not (starts-with(@Image,'Abstract'))]
                     ]]>
@@ -254,8 +250,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="SuspiciousConstantFieldName"
           message="The field name indicates a constant but its modifiers do not"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/naming.html#SuspiciousConstantFieldName">
        <description>
 A field name is all in uppercase characters, which in Sun's Java naming
@@ -265,7 +260,7 @@ conventions indicate a constant. However, the field is not final.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.[@Interface='false']
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration[@Interface='false']
  /ClassOrInterfaceBody/ClassOrInterfaceBodyDeclaration/FieldDeclaration
   [@Final='false']
   [VariableDeclarator/VariableDeclaratorId[upper-case(@Image)=@Image]]
@@ -289,8 +284,7 @@ public class Foo {
     <rule
         name="SuspiciousEqualsMethodName"
         message="The method name and parameter number are suspiciously close to equals(Object)"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="MethodDeclarator"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/naming.html#SuspiciousEqualsMethodName">
         <description>
 The method name and parameter number are suspiciously close to
@@ -301,7 +295,7 @@ method.
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
         <![CDATA[
-.[
+//MethodDeclarator[
 (
 @Image = 'equals'
   and count(FormalParameters/*) = 1
@@ -397,8 +391,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="NoPackage"
         message="All classes and interfaces must belong to a named package"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/naming.html#NoPackage">
     <description>
 Detects when a class or interface does not have a package definition.
@@ -407,7 +400,7 @@ Detects when a class or interface does not have a package definition.
           <property name="xpath" pluginname="true">
               <value>
                   <![CDATA[
-.[count(preceding::PackageDeclaration) = 0]
+//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration[count(preceding::PackageDeclaration) = 0]
                   ]]>
               </value>
           </property>
@@ -424,8 +417,7 @@ public class ClassInDefaultPackage {
 
     <rule name="PackageCase"
             message="Package name contains upper case characters"
-            class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-            type="PackageDeclaration"
+            class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/naming.html#PackageCase">
         <description>
     Detects when a package definition contains upper case characters.
@@ -434,7 +426,7 @@ public class ClassInDefaultPackage {
               <property name="xpath" pluginname="true">
                   <value>
                       <![CDATA[
-./Name[lower-case(@Image)!=@Image]
+//PackageDeclaration/Name[lower-case(@Image)!=@Image]
                       ]]>
                   </value>
               </property>
@@ -451,8 +443,7 @@ public class SomeClass {
 
     <rule name="MisleadingVariableName"
           message="Avoid naming non-fields with the prefix 'm_'"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="VariableDeclaratorId"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/naming.html#MisleadingVariableName">
       <description>
 Detects when a non-field has a name starting with 'm_'.  This usually
@@ -462,7 +453,7 @@ indicates a field and thus is confusing.
             <property name="xpath" pluginname="true">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
-.
+//VariableDeclaratorId
 [starts-with(@Image, 'm_')]
 [not (../../../FieldDeclaration)]
                     ]]>
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/optimizations.xml b/pmd/rulesets/optimizations.xml
index 6a01cb345c..572bc864c4 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/optimizations.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/optimizations.xml
@@ -70,8 +70,7 @@ public class Something {
   
     <rule name="UseArrayListInsteadOfVector"
           message="Use ArrayList instead of Vector"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="AllocationExpression"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/optimizations.html#UseArrayListInsteadOfVector">
       <description>
 ArrayList is a much better Collection implementation than Vector.
@@ -80,7 +79,7 @@ ArrayList is a much better Collection implementation than Vector.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.
+//AllocationExpression
  /ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='Vector' or @Image='java.util.Vector']
 ]]>
               </value>
@@ -102,8 +101,7 @@ public class SimpleTest extends TestCase {
 
     <rule name="SimplifyStartsWith"
           message="This call to String.startsWith can be rewritten using String.charAt(0)"
-          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-          type="PrimaryExpression"
+          class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/optimizations.html#SimplifyStartsWith">
       <description>
 Since it passes in a literal of length 1, this call to String.startsWith can be rewritten using String.charAt(0) to save some time.
@@ -112,7 +110,7 @@ Since it passes in a literal of length 1, this call to String.startsWith can be
         <property name="xpath">
             <value>
 <![CDATA[
-.
+//PrimaryExpression
  [PrimaryPrefix/Name
   [ends-with(@Image, '.startsWith')]]
  [PrimarySuffix/Arguments/ArgumentList
@@ -166,8 +164,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
   <rule name="UseArraysAsList"
      message="Use asList instead of tight loops"
-      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-      type="Statement"
+      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
       externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/optimizations.html#UseArraysAsList">
      <description>
    The class java.util.Arrays has a "asList" method that
@@ -179,7 +176,7 @@ public class Foo {
        <property name="xpath">
        <value>
    <![CDATA[
-   .[
+//Statement[
     (ForStatement) and (count(.//IfStatement)=0)
    ]
    //StatementExpression[
@@ -231,8 +228,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
     <rule name="AvoidArrayLoops"
       message="System.arrayCopy is more efficient"
-      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-      type="Statement"
+      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
       externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/optimizations.html#AvoidArrayLoops">
       <description>
     Instead of copying data between two arrays, use
@@ -242,7 +238,7 @@ public class Foo {
         <property name="xpath">
         <value>
     <![CDATA[
-.[(ForStatement or WhileStatement) and
+//Statement[(ForStatement or WhileStatement) and
 count(*//AssignmentOperator[@Image = '='])=1
 and
 */Statement
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/strictexception.xml b/pmd/rulesets/strictexception.xml
index 3776e2fecb..838069b935 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/strictexception.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/strictexception.xml
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
 <rule name="AvoidCatchingNPE"
     message="Avoid catching NullPointerException; consider removing the cause of the NPE."
-    class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-    type="CatchStatement"
+    class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/strictexception.html#AvoidCatchingNPE">
     <description>
       Code should never throw NPE under normal circumstances.  A catch block may hide the original error, causing other more subtle errors in its wake.
@@ -101,7 +100,7 @@ public class Foo {
       <property name="xpath">
         <value>
             <![CDATA[
-./FormalParameter/Type
+//CatchStatement/FormalParameter/Type
  /ReferenceType/ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='NullPointerException']
  ]]>
         </value>
@@ -111,8 +110,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
   <rule name="AvoidThrowingRawExceptionTypes"
       message="Avoid throwing raw exception types."
-      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-      type="AllocationExpression"
+      class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/strictexception.html#AvoidThrowingRawExceptionTypes">
     <description>
 Avoid throwing certain exception types.  Rather than throw a raw RuntimeException, Throwable,
@@ -132,7 +130,7 @@ public void bar() throws Exception {
       <property name="xpath">
         <value>
             <![CDATA[
-.
+//AllocationExpression
  /ClassOrInterfaceType[
  @Image='Throwable' or
  @Image='Exception' or
@@ -146,8 +144,7 @@ public void bar() throws Exception {
 
     <rule name="AvoidThrowingNullPointerException"
         message="Avoid throwing null pointer exceptions."
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="AllocationExpression"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/strictexception.html#AvoidThrowingNullPointerException">
       <description>
 Avoid throwing a NullPointerException - it's confusing because most people will assume that the
@@ -168,7 +165,7 @@ public class Foo {
         <property name="xpath">
           <value>
               <![CDATA[
-./ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='NullPointerException']
+//AllocationExpression/ClassOrInterfaceType[@Image='NullPointerException']
    ]]>
           </value>
         </property>
@@ -177,8 +174,7 @@ public class Foo {
 
   <rule name="AvoidRethrowingException"
     message="A catch statement that catches an exception only to rethrow it should be avoided."
-     class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-     type="CatchStatement">
+    class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule">
     <description>
      Catch blocks that merely rethrow a caught exception only add to code size and runtime complexity.
     </description>
@@ -199,7 +195,7 @@ public class Foo {
     <property name="xpath">
       <value>
         <![CDATA[
-.[FormalParameter
+//CatchStatement[FormalParameter
  /VariableDeclaratorId/@Image = Block/BlockStatement/Statement
  /ThrowStatement/Expression/PrimaryExpression[count(PrimarySuffix)=0]/PrimaryPrefix/Name/@Image
  and count(Block/BlockStatement/Statement) =1]
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/strings.xml b/pmd/rulesets/strings.xml
index 9738ee286a..0d9821c3d0 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/strings.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/strings.xml
@@ -291,8 +291,7 @@ public String convert(int i) {
 
 <rule   name="StringBufferInstantiationWithChar"
         message="Do not instantiate a StringBuffer with a char"
-        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule"
-        type="AllocationExpression"
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule"
         externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/strings.html#StringBufferInstantiationWithChar">
     <description>
 StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer('c'); The
@@ -303,7 +302,7 @@ StringBuffer size.
         <property name="xpath">
             <value>
 <![CDATA[
-./ClassOrInterfaceType
+//AllocationExpression/ClassOrInterfaceType
 [@Image='StringBuffer']
 /../Arguments/ArgumentList/Expression/PrimaryExpression
 /PrimaryPrefix/
diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/RuleSetFactory.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/RuleSetFactory.java
index f33b03c794..e38c7410be 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/RuleSetFactory.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/RuleSetFactory.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.StringTokenizer;
 
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule;
 
 // Note that ruleset parsing may fail on JDK 1.6 beta
 // due to this bug - http://www.netbeans.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=63257
@@ -283,9 +283,20 @@ public class RuleSetFactory {
 
         String attribute = ruleElement.getAttribute("class");
         Class c;
-        if (attribute.equals("net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.DynamicXPathRule")) {
-            String type = ruleElement.getAttribute("type");
-            c = DynamicXPathRule.loadClass(classLoader, type);
+        if ((Language.JAVA.equals(ruleSet.getLanguage()) || ruleSet.getLanguage() == null) &&
+                attribute.equals("net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule")) {
+            String xpath = null;
+            for (int i = 0; i < ruleElement.getChildNodes().getLength(); i++) {
+                Node node = ruleElement.getChildNodes().item(i);
+                if (node.getNodeType() == Node.ELEMENT_NODE) {
+                    if (node.getNodeName().equals("properties")) {
+                        Properties p = new Properties();
+                        parsePropertiesNode(p, node);
+                        xpath = p.getProperty("xpath");
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            c = XPathRule.loadClass(classLoader, xpath, ruleElement.getAttribute("name"));
         } else {
             c = classLoader.loadClass(attribute);
         }
diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/DynamicXPathRule.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/DynamicXPathRule.java
index 138d3a3a40..4df22d2d15 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/DynamicXPathRule.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/DynamicXPathRule.java
@@ -125,7 +125,12 @@ public class DynamicXPathRule extends AbstractRule implements Opcodes {
             regexpFunctionRegistered = true;
         }
 
-        xpath = new BaseXPath(getStringProperty("xpath"), new DocumentNavigator());
+        String prop = getStringProperty("xpath");
+
+        String tail = prop.trim().replaceFirst("^//\\w+", "");
+        String subquery = '.' + tail.trim();
+        
+        xpath = new BaseXPath(subquery, new DocumentNavigator());
         if (properties.size() > 1) {
             SimpleVariableContext vc = new SimpleVariableContext();
             for (Iterator i = properties.entrySet().iterator(); i.hasNext();) {
diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/XPathRule.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/XPathRule.java
index d3b7492b41..7ad1148614 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/XPathRule.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/XPathRule.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.Node;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.ast.SimpleNode;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.jaxen.DocumentNavigator;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.jaxen.MatchesFunction;
+
 import org.jaxen.BaseXPath;
 import org.jaxen.JaxenException;
 import org.jaxen.SimpleVariableContext;
@@ -29,6 +30,25 @@ import java.util.Map.Entry;
  */
 public class XPathRule extends CommonAbstractRule {
 
+    public static Class loadClass(ClassLoader classloader, String xpath, String name) {
+        if (xpath.indexOf('|') != -1) {
+            //System.err.println(name + " not a dynamic rule: " + xpath.trim().replaceAll("\n", ""));
+            return XPathRule.class;
+        }
+        String part = xpath.trim();
+        
+        // Need to use DOTALL mode because of potential line terminators
+        if (!part.matches("(?s)//\\w+\\W.*")) {
+            //System.err.println(name + " not a dynamic rule: " + xpath.trim().replaceAll("\n", ""));
+            return XPathRule.class;           
+        }
+        
+        String tail = part.replaceFirst("^//\\w+", "");
+        String nodeName = part.substring(2, part.indexOf(tail));
+
+        return DynamicXPathRule.loadClass(classloader, nodeName);
+    }
+
     private XPath xpath;
     private boolean regexpFunctionRegistered;