Friday, August 30, 2013

The Song of Sāncái (三才歌) by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵)

三才歌

八勢之中,
三節宜明,
手身及足,
四梢中根。

薑容樵
"At the core of the eight postures,
Three segments should be understood,
Hands, body and feet,
The four extremities are essential."

From the book Xing Yi Mother Fists (形意母拳), by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵), based on the translation by Joseph Crandall

Friday, August 23, 2013

Contain the Chest and Arc the Back (含胸拔背) from The Ten Important Points of Tai Chi Chuan (太極拳十要)

含胸拔背

含胸者,胸略內含,使氣沉于丹田也。胸忌挺出,挺出則氣擁胸際,上重下輕,腳跟易于浮起。拔背者,氣貼于背也。能含胸則自能拔背,能拔背則能力由脊發,所向無敵也。

楊澄甫
"Contain the chest means the chest is contained slightly inward, allowing the Qi (氣) to sink to the Dan Tian (丹田). One should avoid the chest to stick out. If the chest sticks out then the Qi (氣) will be held within the chest area. It will result that the top will is heavy and the bottom is light, the heels are likely to float. Arching the back means that the Qi (氣) is adhering to the back. If one contains the chest, then one is able to arc the back. The ability to arc the back allows power to be emitted from the spine. There is no rival for those that can attain this."

By Yáng Chéngfǔ (楊澄甫), based on the translation by 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) and various translations on the internet

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Excerpt from Laying Plans (始計) in The Art of War (兵法)

兵者,詭道也。故能而示之不能,用而示之不用,近而示之遠,遠而示之近。利而誘之,亂而取之,實而備之,強而避之,怒而撓之,卑而驕之,佚而勞之,親而離之。攻其無備,出其不意,此兵家之勝,不可先傳也。

孫子
"All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away;when far away, we must make him believe we are near. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him. If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected. These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged beforehand."

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project

Friday, August 9, 2013

Fifteenth Secret Song (歌訣十五) from the The Thirty-Six Songs of Baguazhang (八卦掌三十六歌)

歌訣十五

此掌與人大不同,
未擊西兮先聲東。
指上打下孰得知,
卷珠倒流更神通。
"This palm is very different from others.
Before attacking the west, first shout at the east.
Point up and strike down, nobody can anticipate.
Roll the pearl and reverse the flow is an even more remarkable ability."

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"

Friday, August 2, 2013

Press (擠) in The Explanation of Tai Chi Chuan's Harmonious Stepping in Four Sides of Pushing Hands (太極拳合步四正推手解)

擠者,正與履式相反。履則誘彼敵之按勁,使其進而入我陷阱而取之,必勝矣。設我之動力,先為彼所覺,則彼進勁必中斷,而變為他式,刖我之履勢失效,則不可不反退為進。用前手側採其肘,提起後手,加在前手小臂內便乘勢擠出。則彼倉猝變化之中,未有不失其機勢,而被我擠出矣。被擠者須於變化中能鎮定,有先覺,急空其擠勁,則便成其按勢矣。

楊澄甫
"To press (Jǐ) is just the opposite from Rollback (Lü). Rollback (Lü) induces the opponent’s Àn (push) to enter one’s trap and be caught there. This is a sure success. In the case one’s moving force is detected early by the opponent, he will interrupt his Ànjìn (push energy) and transform it into another posture; one’s Rollback (Lü) will be ineffective, it is unavoidable to reverse the retreating into advancing. Use one’s front hand to pluck his elbow from the side; raise one’s rear hand to add it inside the forearm of the front hand; take the opportunity to press. When encountering this sudden change, one should not loose his momentum and does not get pressed. If the one being pressed can remain unperturbed and has some foresight, he will immediately empty the pressing (Jǐ) by simply turning into a Àn (push)."

Dictated by Yang Chengfu (楊澄甫口述), noted by Chen Weiming (陳微明筆述), based on the translation by 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) and various translations on the internet.