The Explanation of Taiji’s Learning and Martial Arts (太極文武解) by Yáng​ Bān​hóu​ (楊班侯)

太極文武解

文者體也；武者用也。文功在武，用於精氣神也，為之體育；武功得文，體於心身也，為之武事。
夫文武尤有火候之謂，在放，卷得其時中，體育之本也。文武使於對待之際，在蓄，發當其可者，武事之根本。故雲:武事文為，柔軟體操也，精氣神之筋勁:武事武用，剛硬武事也，心身之骨刀也。
義無武之頂備，為之有體無用；武無文之伴侶，為之有用無體。如獨木難支，孤掌不響。不惟體育，武事之功，事事諸如此理也。
文者，內理也；武者，外數也。有外數，無文理，必為血氣之勇，失於本來面目，欺敵必敗爾；有文理，無外數，徒恩安靜之學，未知用的採戰，差微則亡耳。自用，於人，文武二字之解，豈可不解哉!

楊班侯

"Learning is the system, the Martial Arts is the application. The achievement of Learning is in the Martial Arts. As one employs Jing, Qi and Shen as physical education, Martial Arts yield Learning. The system of mind and body becomes a martial discipline.
Those that are said to have reached the particular maturity of Learning and Martial Arts built the roots of physical training. When Learning and Martial Arts are bound, they enable the ability to store and emit, the foundation of Martial Arts work-out. As Martial Arts is approached through Learning, it manifests as a soft physical exercise. When Jing, Qi and Shen are manifested in the tendons, the Martial work-out is manifested in applications, it manifests as the hard Martial topic. It is the application of the mind and body upon the bone’s structure.
Martial Arts without physical preparation means the system is useless. Martial Arts without Learning is applicable but there is no system. As it is difficult for a lone pole to sustain a house, and as a lone palm cannot clap, the achievement of Martial Arts is not only physical, it adresses everything.
Learning is the internal system, Martial Arts is the external manifestation. It is certain that external manifestation without the internal system misses the true features of bravery of the blood and breath, therefore it gives an unfair advantage to an opponent. In the case of learning the internal system without the external manifestation, the apprentice favor peaceful study but does not know how to behave in a fight, the smallest error will be fatal. If the application of the two characters of Learning and Martial Arts is understood, how then may Learning and Martial Arts not be understood?"

Based on the translation by Yang Jwing Ming (楊俊敏) presented in the book Tai Chi Secrets of the Yang Style (太極拳楊氏先哲秘要)

Scholar Warrior

I am more used to go directly to source or scholar texts, both on Martial Arts or Philosophy. The modern commentary or explanation falls usually in two categories: the simplistic and the esoteric. The "Scholar Warrior" is a very good exception though. Not only it provides a overall view on the various topics that a contemporary Daoist Scholar Warrior, it also provides useful insight on some topics. It is certain that the chapters on Qi Gong, Meditation and Medicine are bound to be superficial. However the chapters on applied philosophy are very interesting, by bringing a more down-to-earth to usual difficult to grasp Internal Martial Arts concepts. For example explanations of Simplicity (撲）, Noncontention(不爭） and Transcendence of Learning (絕學） allow a refreshing take on Wuwei (無為).

Triple Sectioning (三) from The Essentials of Yue Fei's Boxing Art (附岳武穆形意拳術要論)

第三章　三、要論

夫氣本諸身，而身之節無定處，三節上中下也，以身言之，頭為上節，身為中節，腿為下節，以上節言之，天庭為上節，鼻為中節，海底為下節，以中節言之，胸為上節，腹為中節，丹田為下節，以下節言之，足為梢節，膝為中節，胯為根節，以肱言之，手為梢節，肘為中節，肩為根節，以手言之，指為梢節，掌為中節，掌根為根節，觀于是，而足不必論矣，然則自頂至足，莫不各有三節，要之，若無三節之分，即無着意之處，蓋上節不明，無依無宗，中節不明，渾身是空，下節不明，自家吃跌，顧可忽乎哉，至于氣之發動，要皆梢節動，中節隨，根節催之而已，然此猶是節節而分言之者也，若夫合言之，則上自頭頂，下至足底，四體百骸統為一節，夫何三節之有哉，又何三節中之各有三節雲乎哉。

岳飛

"Because energy is the basis of the whole body, the sectioning of the body is not a matter of specific landmarks, but of dividing into the three sections of an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section [as well as a root section, a middle section, and a tip section for the limbs].
For instance, in the body, the head is the upper section, the torso is the middle section, and the legs are the lower section.
In the upper section [the head], the forehead is the upper section, the nose is the middle section, and the lower jaw is the lower section.
In the middle section [the torso], the chest is the upper section, the belly is the middle section, and the elixir field is the lower section.
In the lower section [the legs], the foot is the tip section, the knee is the middle section, and the hip is the root section.
Correspondingly in the arm, the hand is the tip section, the elbow is the middle section, and the shoulder is the root section.
In the hand, the fingers are the tip section, the palm is the middle section, and the heel of the palm is the root section.
Based on the previous example, it is then obvious enough how the foot is to be sectioned [toes, sole, heel].
Thus from your headtop to your feet, every part has three sections. The point is that if there is no dividing into three sections, there will be no areas of awareness. If the upper section is not understood, there will be no decisiveness. If the middle section is not understood, your whole body will be as though it is hollow. If the lower section is not understood, you will end up throwing yourself down. Can we afford to overlook them?
When expressing energy, it has to be the case that all the tips move, the middle sections follow, and the root sections hasten to keep up with them. This describes how the sections are divided.
To describe how they join, then from headtop above to foot below, all the limbs and bones are united into a single section, in which case it cannot be said there are three, and certainly not three within three. [The final message of this discussion of division is to return to the first principle of unification.]"

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.

Empty Fort Strategy (空城計) from the Thirty-Six Stratagems (三十六計)Estratégia da Cidade Vazia (空城計) dos Trinta e Seis Estratagemas (三十六計)

空城計

兵虛者虛之，疑中生疑；剛柔之際，奇而復奇。

"When the enemy is superior in numbers and your situation is such that you expect to be overrun at any moment, then drop all pretence of military preparedness and act casually. Unless the enemy has an accurate description of your situation this unusual behavior will arouse suspicions. With luck he will be dissuaded from attacking."

Quoted from Chinese Classics and Translations

"Quando o inimigo é superior em número e a situação é tal que se espera ser invadido a qualquer momento, a estratégia é de deixar de lado todas as preparações e agir casualmente. A menos que o inimigo tenha uma descrição precisa da sua situação, esse comportamento não usual vai levantar suspeitas. Com sorte o inimigo será dissuadido de atacar."

Traduzido à partir de Chinese Classics and Translations

Lightness (輕) from Foundation (基礎)Leveza (輕) de Fundamentos (基礎)

輕

輕者，輕虛之意。然忌漂浮。在盤架時，動作要輕靈而和緩。往復乃能自如，久之自生鬆活之勁，進而生粘黏之勁。故輕字是練太極拳下手之處，入門之途徑。

"Lightness means emptiness. The correct way is to avoid to float and drift. During practice of the form the movements are required to be agile and gentle. It can be then be performed back and forth with ease. After a long time looseness and liveliness will be spontaneously generated, and then stick and adhere jins will also be generated. Therefore the word “Lightness” is the place to start a Taijiquan practice and the way to enter the door."

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).

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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).

Féng​ Zhèng​bǎo​ (馮正寳) demonstrating Old Eight Palms (老八掌)