第二章 二、要論
嘗有世之論捶者，而兼論氣者矣，夫氣主于一，可分為二，所謂二者，即呼吸也，呼吸即陰陽也，捶不能無動靜，氣不能無呼吸，吸則為陰，呼則為陽，主呼靜者為陰，主乎動者為陽，上升為陽，下降為陰，陽氣上升而為陽，陽氣下行而為陰，陰氣下行而為陰，陰氣上行而為陽，此陰陽之分也，何為清濁，升而上者為所清，降而下者為濁，清氣上升，濁氣下降，清者為陽，濁者為陰，而要之陽以滋陰，渾而言之，統為氣，分而言之為陰陽，氣不能無陰陽，即所謂人不能無動靜，鼻不能無呼吸，口不能無出入，此即對待循環不易之理也，然則氣分為二，而實在于一，有志于斯途者，慎勿以是為拘拘焉。
嘗有世之論捶者，而兼論氣者矣，夫氣主于一，可分為二，所謂二者，即呼吸也，呼吸即陰陽也，捶不能無動靜，氣不能無呼吸，吸則為陰，呼則為陽，主呼靜者為陰，主乎動者為陽，上升為陽，下降為陰，陽氣上升而為陽，陽氣下行而為陰，陰氣下行而為陰，陰氣上行而為陽，此陰陽之分也，何為清濁，升而上者為所清，降而下者為濁，清氣上升，濁氣下降，清者為陽，濁者為陰，而要之陽以滋陰，渾而言之，統為氣，分而言之為陰陽，氣不能無陰陽，即所謂人不能無動靜，鼻不能無呼吸，口不能無出入，此即對待循環不易之理也，然則氣分為二，而實在于一，有志于斯途者，慎勿以是為拘拘焉。
"Based on experience, a discussion of boxing is simultaneously a discussion of energy. Energy is one thing, but it can be divided into two parts, such as the two parts of breathing. Breathing breaks down into passive and active aspects [yin & yang]. As punching cannot happen without its states of movement [punching] and stillness [not yet punching / having punched], so too energy cannot be without its exhaling and inhaling: inhaling is passive and exhaling is active.
Stillness is passive and movement is active. Rising is active and lowering is passive. Active energy rising is active, but active energy lowering is passive. Passive energy lowering is passive, but passive energy rising is active.
These are distinguishings between passive and active. What about “clear” and “murky”? What rises is clear and what lowers is murky. The clear energy rises and the murky energy lowers. The clear is active and the murky is passive.
The key is that the active nourishes the passive. When mixed together, they are described as a single energy. When separated, they are described as the passive and active aspects. Energy cannot be without its passive and active aspects. Along the same lines, the body cannot be without its movement and stillness, the nose cannot be without its inhalations and exhalations, and the mouth cannot be without what comes out from it [as in talking] and what goes into it [as in eating].
This is the concept of the eternal cycling of opposites. Although energy divides into two, the two are actually one, and so if you are intent upon this path of theorizing, be careful not to get lost in being overly literal. [i.e. Change is, yet the reality that there is change is changeless. To move forward, you must accept this paradox rather than defy it for the sake of sophomoric semantics.]"
Excerpt from the translation by Paul Brennan of "The Art of Xingyi Boxing" (形意拳術) by Lǐ Jiànqiū(李劍秋), to be found in the Brennan Translation blog.
Stillness is passive and movement is active. Rising is active and lowering is passive. Active energy rising is active, but active energy lowering is passive. Passive energy lowering is passive, but passive energy rising is active.
These are distinguishings between passive and active. What about “clear” and “murky”? What rises is clear and what lowers is murky. The clear energy rises and the murky energy lowers. The clear is active and the murky is passive.
The key is that the active nourishes the passive. When mixed together, they are described as a single energy. When separated, they are described as the passive and active aspects. Energy cannot be without its passive and active aspects. Along the same lines, the body cannot be without its movement and stillness, the nose cannot be without its inhalations and exhalations, and the mouth cannot be without what comes out from it [as in talking] and what goes into it [as in eating].
This is the concept of the eternal cycling of opposites. Although energy divides into two, the two are actually one, and so if you are intent upon this path of theorizing, be careful not to get lost in being overly literal. [i.e. Change is, yet the reality that there is change is changeless. To move forward, you must accept this paradox rather than defy it for the sake of sophomoric semantics.]"
Excerpt from the translation by Paul Brennan of "The Art of Xingyi Boxing" (形意拳術) by Lǐ Jiànqiū(李劍秋), to be found in the Brennan Translation blog.
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