The Study of the Drilling Fist in Xingyi (形意鑽拳學) from The Study of Xing Yi Quan (形意拳學)

形意鑽拳學

鑽拳者，屬水，是一氣之曲曲流行，無微不至也。鑽上如水在地中忽然突出，亦如泉水之上翻似閃。在腹內則屬腎，在拳中即為鑽。所謂鑽拳似閃屬水是也。其氣和則腎足，其氣乖則腎虛，腎虛則清氣不能上升，濁氣不能下降矣。其拳不順，真勁即不能長，而拙勁亦不能化矣。學者當知之。

孫祿堂

"The drilling fist is classified with water and its Unified Qi is bent and it spreads in every possible way. When drilling upwards, it is like water spurting suddenly out of the ground, as if the top of a spring flashes when turning over. In the body it belogs to the kidney, in boxing it is drilling. This is why it is said that the drilling fist springs up and is classified with water. When the Qi is harmonious, the kidney is full, when the Qi is irregular, the kidney is empty. An empty kidney means that a clean Qi cannon ascend, and the impure Qi cannot descend; the boxing is disturbed, real strength cannot be developed and the clumsy strength cannot be transformed. Practictioners are advised to be aware of this."

From the book The Study of Xing Yiquan (形意拳學), by Sūn Lùtáng (孫祿堂), based on the translation by Albert Liu and Dan Miller.

The Explanation of the Three Achievements in Scholarship and Martial Arts in Taiji (太極分文武事三成解) by Yáng​ Bān​hóu​ (楊班侯)

太極分文武事三成解

蓋言道者，非自修身，無由得也。然又分為三乘之修法。乘者，成也。上乘，即大成也；下乘，即小成也；中乘，即之者誠成也。

"When we talk about the path, there is no achievement without having a self-cultivation. The self-cultivation can be subdivided in three levels and three cultivation methods. The three levels are the achievements. The top level or great achievement, the low level or small achievement, and the middle level means the achievements of sincerity."

法分三修，成功一也。文修於內，武修於外。體育，內也；武事，外也。其修法，內外表裡成功，集大成，即上乘也；由體育之文，而得武事之武，或由武事之武，而得體育之文，即中乘也，然獨知體育，不入武事而成者，或專武事，不為體育而成者，即小乘也。

楊班侯

"Although, the cultivation methods are three, their achievement is one and the same. The scholarship is the internal cultivation; martial arts are the external cultivation. Education of the body is an internal cultivation while martial matters are external. The cultivation of that leads to internal and external achievement, allows to achieve the greatest achievement. If martial ability in martial arts is gained due to the study of education of the body or the education of the body is gained due to the martial capability of martial arts, then the middle level is achieved. If one is only aware of the education of the body and does not consider the achievement of the martial aspects, or conversely, those that look only into the martial aspects without looking for achieving the education of the body, those reach the low level of achievement."

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)

Intention generates discernment, qi travels through a hundred pores (意動生慧，氣行百孔) from The Real Theory of Baguazhang (八卦掌真理篇) by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵)

意動生慧，氣行百孔

意動生慧是說八卦掌的動作如果是像前面所說的意如飄旗，又似點燈那樣有意識的運動，那麼就能在運動中培養出機警敏感的素質。氣行百孔是說如果八卦掌的深呼吸是按照前面所說的氣似雲行那樣的話，那麼所吸入的氧氣就能輸送到各個需要的地方去。

薑容樵

"'Intention generates discernment' means that the movements in Baguazhang follow the intention, as mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, as if it was a floating banner or a lantern in the dark; the movement becomes conscious, and within the movement one can cultivate the inner qualities of perception and sensitivity. 'Qi travels through a hundred pores' means that in the practice of Baguazhang deep breath, as mentioned in the the preceding paragraphs, the qi will move like a cloud; therefore, the inhaled oxygen can be delivered to every single region of the body where it is needed."

From the book Bāguàzhăng Practice Method (八卦掌練習法), by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵), based on the translation by Joseph Crandall

Chén Xiǎowàng (陳小旺) demonstrating the First Form of the Old Frame (老架一路)