Thirty-fifth Secret Song (歌訣三十五) from the The Thirty-Six Songs of Baguazhang (八卦掌三十六歌) Trigésima Quinta Canção Secreta (歌訣三十五) das Trinta e Seis Canções do Bāguàzhăng (八卦掌三十六歌)

歌訣三十五

冰天雪地雨濘滑，
前腳橫使且莫差，
翻身切忌螺絲轉，
高低緊避乃為佳。

"Icy sky, snowy ground, it is slippery and muddy in the rain,
The front foot is employed horizontally; please don’t make a mistake,
When turning over, avoid to spin it,
Avoid difficult heights, then handling becomes fine."

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"

Excerpt from Energy (兵勢) in The Art of War (兵法)

故善戰者，求之于勢，不責于人，故能擇人任勢；任勢者，其戰人也，如轉木石，木石之性，安則靜，危則動，方則止，圓則行。故善戰人之勢，如轉圓石于千仞之山者，勢也。

孫子

"The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize combined energy. When he utilizes combined energy, his fighting men become as it were like unto rolling logs or stones. For it is the nature of a log or stone to remain motionless on level ground, and to move when on a slope; if four-cornered, to come to a standstill, but if round-shaped, to go rolling down. Thus the energy developed by good fighting men is as the momentum of a round stone rolled down a mountain thousands of feet in height. So much on the subject of energy."

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

Center (中) from Foundation (基礎)Centro (中) de Fundamentos (基礎)

中

中者，心氣中和，神清氣沉。其根在腳，即是立點，重心繫於腰脊，所謂命意源頭在腰隙。精神含斂於內，不表於外，乃能中定沉靜矣。

"Center means that the state of mind is neutral, the spirit is clear and the Qi is sunk. The root is in the feet, this is the key point of standing, the weight center is linked to the waist and spine, it is said that life has its source on the waist. Vitality is contained internally, it does not manifest externally, in this way there is a quiet central equilibrium."

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).

""

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).

Guiding principles for the Study of Wuji in Xingyiquan (總綱形意無極學) from The Study of Xing Yi Quan (形意拳學)

總綱形意無極學

無極者，當人未練之先，無思無意，無形無象，無我無他，胸中混混沌沌，一氣渾淪，無所向意者也。世人不知有逆運之理，但斤斤於天地自然順行之道，氣拘物蔽，昏昧不明，以致體質虛弱，陽極必陰，陰極必死。於此攝生之術，概乎未有諳也。惟聖人獨能參透逆運之術，攬陰陽、奪造化、轉乾坤、扭氣機，於後天中返先天，復初歸元。保合太和，總不外乎後天五行拳八卦拳之理，一氣伸縮之道。所謂無極而能生一氣者是也。
起點面正，兩手下垂，兩足為九十度之勢。此勢是順行天地自然之道，謂之無極形勢也。

孫祿堂

"Wuji means the state during the moment before practice when there is neither thought nor intention, neither shape nor form, neither self nor others, one’s mind is muddled in undistictive confusion, one’s qi is muddy, there is no intention towards any direction. Most people ignore the existence of the principle of inverse motion, and only know the ways of ordinary movement of heaven and earth. In this way Qi is restrained and this become hidden, the mind becomes unclear, the body gets week. They are unaware that extreme Yang leads to extreme Yin and extreme Yin leads to death. Alas, the method to keep fit is not well known. Only the sages can fully grasp the methods of inverse motion, to embrace the relationship between Yin and Yang, to control the natural principles, to reverse Heaven and Earth, to turn the Qi generation, to return from post-natal to pre-natal, to recover the original state of the beginning. To keep the whole in great harmony is nothing more than applying the applied principles of unified stretching and contracting from the Five Elements Boxing or Baguazhang. This is called the ability of generating the unified Qi from Wuji.
The starting point is upright, both hands hanging down, and keeping a 90 degree angle between the two feet. This posture follows the ordinary way of nature and is called the Wuji posture."

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.

Féng Zhiqiáng (馮自強) demonstrating the Second Routine of the Old Frame (老架二路) or Cannon Fist (炮捶) of Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan (陳式太極拳)

Introduction from Foundation (基礎)Introdução aos Fundamentos (基礎)

基礎

太極拳以拳架為體，以推手為用。在最初盤架時，基礎最關重要。其姿勢務求正確而中正安舒，其動作必須緩和而輕靈圓活。此繫入門之徑。學者循序而進，不致枉費功夫，而得其捷徑也。

"Taijiquan makes use of postures as the system and of pushing hands as the application. The beginning is the time to build the frame, the foundation is the most important aspect. One should seek an accurate posture, centered, upright, tranquil and comfortable. The movements must be slow, light, agile, round and alive. This is the path for the entry gate. The student should abide by this order to advance. In this way he is not likely to work in vain and progress quickly."

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).

""

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).

Thirty-fourth Secret Song (歌訣三十四) from the The Thirty-Six Songs of Baguazhang (八卦掌三十六歌) Trigésima Quarta Canção Secreta (歌訣三十四) das Trinta e Seis Canções do Bāguàzhăng (八卦掌三十六歌)

歌訣三十四

伸手不見前掌伸，
又無油松照彼身，
收縮眼皮努睛看，
底盤掌使顯神奇。

"When extending the hand one cannot see the front palm stretching,
And there is no light to illuminate the opponent’s body,
Contract the eyelids to exert the eyeballs to see,
The palm at the bottom portion enables the miracle."

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"

Early Spring (早春圖) by Guō Xī (郭熙)

The Taiji Circle (太極圈) by Yáng​ Bān​hóu​ (楊班侯)

太極圈

退圈容易進圈難，不離腰頂後與前。
所難中士不離位，退易進難仔細研。
此為動功非站定，倚身進退並比肩。
能如水磨摧急緩，雲龍風虎象周旋。
要用大盤從此覓，久而久之出天然。

楊班侯

"It is easy to retreat from the circle and hard to enter it; one should not part from the waist, the crown of the head, and the back united with the front.
The most difficult is to keep the earth center without losing its position; retreating is easy and advancing is hard, this should be studied carefully.
This is because one is in movement and not stationary; one relies upon the advance and retreat of the body and maintain it at level with the opponent’s.
One should be able to turn like a water mill, fast or slow; the shapes of the cloud dragon and the wind tigers revolve in circles.
If one wishes to apply the heavenly circle, its search must start immediately; over a long time it will become natural. "

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)

The Song of Seven Stars (七星歌) by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵)

七星歌

用必七體，
頭肩肘手，
胯膝合足，
相助為友。

薑容樵

"For application it is necessary to use the seven bodies:
The head, shoulder, elbow, hand,
Crotch, knees coordinated with the feet,
They are like friends helping one other."

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