Plan (意) from The Detailed Interpretation of the Five Elements (五行要義詳解)Planejar (意) da Interpretação Detalhada dos Cinco Elementos (五行要義詳解)

意者，设想之謂。以虛實之理，使敵出其不意，攻其不備，對方雖實力充足，據險以守，不畏攻擊，不畏力敵，然最忌誘敵。吾若以利誘之，使其弃守為攻，實力分散，吾則分而擊之，是誘而殺之。亦其自取敗亡，所謂攻其所不守，守其所不攻之道也。學者務須時時體會，久而自驗。

"The meaning of Yi means is to envisage or plan. One uses the framework of the insubstantial and substantial to cause surprise on the opponent by attacking when she is off-guard. If the opponent is full of strength and has a natural advantage to defend, she will be unafraid of an attack by a powerful opponent, but she will be mostly afraid of to be enticed by her opponent. One may seem to give the advantage to the opponent, in order to maker her give up her defences and attack instead, in this way her power will be scattered. The opponent creates then the conditions of her own defeat. One follows the divided opponent and attack, enticing her defeat. This is what is called “the way of attacking the places that are undefended and defending the places where one is unable to attack.” The practictioner should learn from experience in every occasion, after a long time he will be able to verify by himself."

By Wú Gōngzǎo (吳公藻), based on the translation by by Yang Jwing Ming (楊俊敏) presented in the book Tai Chi Secrets of the Wu Style (太極拳吳氏先哲秘要).

"O significado de Yi é planejar, imaginar. Deve-se usar a teoria do Pleno e do Vazio para causar surpresa no oponente e atacá-lo quando ele estiver despreparado. Se o oponente é forte e tiver uma vantagem natural para se defender, ele não terá medo de um ataque vindo de um adversário poderoso, mas ficará descofiado de uma armadilha do oponente. Deve-se criar a impressão de dar a vantagem ao oponente, de maneira à que ele abandone as defesas e passe ao ataque. Dessa maneira sua força será dispersa. O oponente cria, assim, as condições de sua própria derrota. Deve-se em seguida perseguir o oponente disperso e atacar, provocando sua derrota. Isto é o que se chama de 'a maneira de atacar pontos expostos e defender pontos que sejam inatacáveis.' O praticante deve aprender com a experiência em cada ocasião, após muito tempo ele será capaz de verificar por si mesmo."

De Wú Gōngzǎo (吳公藻), baseado na tradução de Yang Jwing Ming (楊俊敏) apresentada no livro Tai Chi Secrets of the Wu Style (太極拳吳氏先哲秘要).

A Survey on Instruction on the Elbow (肘)

肘

The instruction around the Elbow is one that is to be overlook during practice. At first it seems a bit counterintuitive, as it asks for a very mobile joint to be stuck in a sunken position.

The first indication by the texts is that it should be "sunk" or "dropped", along with the shoulder. One can read this on many texts related to postural instruction, such as the Eight Points of the Body Method (身法八要) by Wǔ Yǔxiāng (武禹襄) for Tàijíquán (太極拳) practitioners:

含胸、拔背、
裹襠、護肫、
提頂、弔襠、
鬆肩、沉肘。

"Contain the chest, stretch the back
Wrap the inner tighs, protect the hips
Lift the crown, hang the crotch
Loose the shoulders, sink the elbow.

Or in the First Secret Song (歌訣一) of Bāguàzhăng (八卦掌):

沈肩墜肘伸前掌

"Sink the shoulders, drop the elbows, and extend the front palm forward."

It is not always easy to pinpoint what "sinking" the elbows mean. Although although it is often translated as "sink", different words are used in Chinese. These words have associated meanings that are useful to keep in mind. The first is Zhuì (墜), that is given by my dictionaries as "to fall, to drop, to weigh down". The second is Chén (沉) which means "to sink, to submerge, to keep down", but also "deep", "heavy". It seems to me that there is an implied sensation of heaviness, of weight that brings the "sinking".

This is the basic, but not the unique instruction on elbows that can be found. Another one is the relation of the "sinking" of the elbow and the protection of the abdomen and the ribs. In the sixth of the Xingyi Eight Character Secret (形意八字訣) by Lǐ Cúnyì (李存義) and Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵) one can read:

兩肘下垂，則兩肱自圓，能固兩脅。

"When both elbows hang down, then both arms are naturally round, and can solidify the ribs.

And on the Second Secret Song (歌訣二) of Bāguàzhăng (八卦掌):

後肘先疊肘掩心

The rear elbow is folded to cover up the center

A third point can be noted on the aspect of bending of the elbow. Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵) states it clearly in his instruction of Bāguàzhăng (八卦掌)on "Relax the Shoulders; sink the elbows. Strengthen the belly; open the chest." (鬆肩沉肘，實腹暢胸)

沉肘是使肘部經常保持著向下沉墜，在鍛煉時必須屈如半月形。

"The Sink the Elbow instruction is contantly sent to the elbows, in order to keep them sunk at all times. During practice it is mandatory that the elbows remain bent like in a half-moon shape."

Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵) gives even more precise instruction on the instructions for Sāntǐ Shì (三體式) in the Arms song (臂) of the Nine Songs of Xingyiquan (形意拳九歌):

左臂前伸，
右臂在肋，
似曲不曲，
似直不直，
過曲不遠，
過直少力。

"The left arm stretches forward.
The right arm is by the ribs.
They seem bent but are not bent.
They seem straight but are not straight.
Bend too much and there is not enough reach.
Make it too straight and there is not enough strength."

As implied in the text above, there is a link between the position of the elbow and capacity to emit power. Yáng Chéngfǔ (楊澄甫) makes it very clear in Sink the Shoulders and Drop the Elbows (沉肩墜肘):

肘若懸起，則肩不能沉，放人不遠，近于外家之斷勁矣。

"If the elbows seem raised or suspended, then the shoulders cannot sink. Therefore the ability to release (power towards) the opponent does not go far. This is similar to the external styles discontinuous power."

The elbow (肘) and the unification of the body

It is important to keep in mind that the elbow does not function alone, as nothing does in Internal Martial Arts (內家拳). Instruction on it is very precise, as the relationship between the elbow and the knees is classified among the Three External Coordinations (三外和). This is particularly transmitted on Xíngyìquán (形意拳) texts, for example in "The Six Harmonies of Xingyiquan" (形意拳六合) by Líng Shànqīng (凌善清):

兩肘往下垂勁，兩膝往里扣勁，是曰肘與膝合

"When the two elbows are sinking and the two knees are locked internally, it is said that the elbows and the knees are coordinated."

The unification of the body is of course a topic by itself.

The elbow (肘) in combat

Finally, the elbow is also seen as both a "weapon" and a "technique". In Xíngyìquán (形意拳) it is classified among the Seven Stars (七星) or seven points of contact, as one can read in the "Song of Seven Stars" (七星歌) by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵):

用必七體，
頭肩肘手，
胯膝合足，
相助為友。

"In applications it is necessary to use the seven forms: These are the head, shoulder, elbow, hand, Thighs, knees and feet, They help one another as old friends."

And the elbow is also a key element in the applications of Tàijíquán (太極拳). It is one of the Eight Directions or Eight Methods (八法秘訣) with subitilities of its own. A reminder from the Secret of Eighteen Dependencies (十八在訣) is suitable as the final word of this survey:

肘在曲使

"The elbow is used bent, "

Twenty Third Secret Song (歌訣二十三) from the The Thirty-Six Songs of Baguazhang (八卦掌三十六歌) Vigésima Terceira Canção Secreta (歌訣二十三) das Trinta e Seis Canções do Bāguàzhăng (八卦掌三十六歌)

歌訣二十三

打人憑手膀為根，
膀在肩端不會伸。
故欲進時進前步，
若進後步枉勞神。

"When striking the opponent, one relies on the upper arms as the root of the attack.
The upper arm at the shoulder extremity do not extend.
When one wishes to advance, one steps forward with front leg.
If one steps forward with the rear leg, then one will be troubled."

Based on the translations by Yang Jwing Ming (楊俊敏) and Liang Shou You (梁守渝) in "Baguazhang - Theory and Applications" (峨嵋八卦掌) and by Frank Allen and Tina Chunna Zhang in "The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang"

"Quando atacando o oponente, deve-se confiar à parte superior dos braços como raiz do ataque.
O alto do braço na altura do ombro não se estende.
Quando deseja-se avançar, deve-se dar um passo adiante com a perna à frente.
Se se dá um passo com a perna de trás, o movimento fica perturbado."

Baseado na tradução de Yang Jwing Ming (楊俊敏) e Liang Shou You (梁守渝) apresentada em "Baguazhang - Theory and Applications" (峨嵋八卦掌) e na tradução de Frank Allen e Tina Chunna Zhang em "The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang".

Lure the Tiger Down the Mountain (調虎離山) from the Thirty-Six Stratagems (三十六計)Atrair o Tigre para o Pé da Montanha (調虎離山) dos Trinta e Seis Estratagemas (三十六計)

調虎離山

待天以困之用人，以誘之往蹇來返。

"Never directly attack a well-entrenched opponent. Instead lure him away from his stronghold and separate him from his source of strength."

Quoted from Chinese Classics and Translations

"Nunca atacar um inimigo bem posicionado. Ao contrário, deve-se atraí-lo de sua posição de força et separá-lo da fonte de sua força."

Traduzido à partir de Chinese Classics and Translations

Secret of Four Words (四字秘訣) by Wǔ Yǔxiāng (武禹襄)Segredo das Quatro Palavras (四字秘訣) por Wǔ Yǔxiāng (武禹襄)

四字秘訣

敷　敷者，運氣於己身，敷布彼勁之上，使不得動也。
蓋　蓋者，以氣蓋彼來處也。
對　對者，以氣對彼來處，認定準頭而去也。
吞　吞者，以氣全吞而入於化也。

此四字無形無聲，非懂勁後，練到極精地位者，不能知全。是以氣言，能直養其氣而無害，始能施於四體。四體不言而喻矣。

武禹襄

"Spread: to spread means to transport the Qì from one’s body to the opponent’s Jin, so he is unable to move.
Cover: to cover means to use the Qì to cover of the opponent’s point of attack.
Match: to match means to use the Qì to match the opponent’s point of attack. Recognize precisely the target and then go.
Swallow: to swallow means use the Qì to completely absorb and transform it.

These four characters are formless and soundless. Those who do not understand Jìn and did practice enough to reach the highest standard won’t be able to understand fully. Following these words on Qì, one is able to raisonably develop one’s Qì without harm and spread it to the four limbs."

By Wǔ Yǔxiāng (武禹襄), based on the translation by Yang Jwing Ming (楊俊敏) presented in the book Tai Chi Secrets of the Wu & Li Styles (太極拳武李氏先哲秘要) and various translations on the internet.

"Distribuir: distribuir significa transportar o Qì do próprio corpo ao Jin do oponente, de maneira que ele fique incapaz de se movimentar.
Cobrir: cobrir significa utilisar o Qì para proteger o ponto de ataque do oponente.
Adapatar: adaptar significa utilisar o Qì para encaixar com o ponto de ataque do oponente. Idenfiricar precisamente o alvo e só então partir.
Engolir: engolir significa utilisar o Qì para completamente absorvê-lo e transformá-lo.

Estes quatro termos não tem forma ou som. Aqueles que não compreendem o Jìn e não praticaram até o nível mais elevado, não serão capazes de compreender inteiramente. Ao aplicar essas palavras sobre o Qì, é possível desenvolver o próprio Qì sem risco e distribuí-lo até os quatro membros do corpo."