The Explanation of Taiji’s Understanding Jin (太極懂勁解 ) by Yáng​ Bān​hóu​ (楊班侯)

太極懂勁解

自己懂勁，接及神明，為之文成，而後採戰。身中之陰，七十有二，無時不然。陽得其陰，水火既濟，乾坤交泰，性命葆真矣!
於人懂勁，視聽之際，遇而變化，自得曲誠之妙。形，著明於不勞，運動知覺也。功至此，可為攸往鹹宜，無須有心之運用耳。

楊班侯

"With Understanding Jin applied to oneself, one reaches enlightment, learning is accomplished and that it can be applied to battle. Hidden within the body, seventy are two, there is no time. Yang is suitable to Yin, water and fire will support each other, the universe will revolve in harmony, life is truly preserved.
With Understanding Jin applied to the opponent, at the moment one looks and listens he sees the opportunities and the changes, and subtly adapt to the curve and the straight. With this level of achievement one can move forward unified and suitably, without the need to put the mind to use."

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)

Excerpt from On Harmony (雍也) in the Analects (論語)Trecho do Sobre a Harmonia (雍也) dos Analetos (論語)

「知者樂水，仁者樂山；知者動，仁者靜；知者樂，仁者壽。」

孔子

"'The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived'"

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

"'O sábio aprecia as águas, o homem virtuoso aprecia as montanhas. O sábio é ativo, o homem virtuoso tranqüilo. O sábio é alegre, o homem virtuoso vive longos anos.'"

Traduzido à partir da tradução para o inglês do Chinese Text Project

The Four Antennas (四) from The Essentials of Yue Fei's Boxing Art (附岳武穆形意拳術要論)

第四章　四、要論

試于論身論氣之外，而進論乎梢者焉，夫梢者身之余緒也，言身者初不及此，言氣者亦所罕論，捶以內而發外，氣由身而達梢，故氣之用不本諸身，則虛而不實，不形諸梢，則實而仍虛，梢亦焉可不講，然此特身之梢耳，而猶未及乎氣之梢也，四梢維何，發其一也，夫發之所系，不列于五行，無關于四體，似不足論矣，然發為血之梢，血為氣之海，縱不必本諸發以論氣，要不能離乎血而生氣，不離乎血，即得不兼及乎發，發欲冲冠，血梢足矣，抑舌為肉梢，而肉為氣囊，氣不能形諸肉之梢，即無以充其氣之量，故必舌欲催齒，而后肉梢足矣，至于骨梢者齒也，筋梢者指甲也，氣生于骨而聯于筋，不及乎齒，即未及乎筋之梢，而欲足手爾者，要非齒欲斷筋，甲欲透骨，不能也，果能如此則四梢足矣，四梢足而氣亦自足矣，豈復有虛而不實，實而仍虛者乎。

岳飛

"Examining beyond the body and the energy, there are then the “antennas”. The antennas are the leftover parts of the body. They are not addressed initially when discussing the body, and hardly dealt with at all when discussing the energy. A punch expresses outward from inside, and energy goes from the body into the antennas. Thus if the use of energy does not come from the whole body, it is empty rather than authentic, and if it does not reveal itself in the antennas, then even if it is there, it is still empty. The antennas must be given attention, although they are specifically antennas of the body, not purely antennas of energy.
What are the four antennas? Firstly, there is the head hair. It has nothing to do with the organs or limbs, and thus would appear to be irrelevant, but the hair is the antenna for the blood, and the blood is the sea which the energy swims in. Although it is not necessary to consider the hair when talking about the energy, we cannot talk about the energy without considering the blood. Since we have to consider the blood, how can we not at the same time consider the hair? The hair should be pricking up under the cap, which indicates the blood is in a state of sufficiency.
The tongue is then the antenna for the muscles. The muscles are a sack for holding the energy. If the energy is not able to reveal itself in the tongue, then the energy is not at full capacity. Therefore the tongue should be pressing up behind the teeth, indicating the muscles are in a state of sufficiency.
The teeth are the antenna for the bones, and the nails are the antenna for the sinews. Energy is born in the bones and unites with the sinews, and so if it is not apparent in the teeth, it will also not show up in the nails. For it to display sufficiency in this way, the key is that the teeth will determine the state of the sinews and the nails will disclose the condition of the bones.
Once they are thus, the four antennas are in a state of sufficiency, and that being so, naturally the energy is too. It is now not the case that it is empty rather than authentic, or that even if it is there, it is still empty.

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.

Twist While Walking the Circle; Stamp the Foot and Rub the Calves. (擰旋走轉，蹬腳摩脛) from The Real Theory of Baguazhang (八卦掌真理篇) by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵)

擰旋走轉，蹬腳摩脛

擰旋走轉就是說在走轉時必須是腰要擰，肘臂要擰，手掌要擰，頸項要擰，使頭手肘身擰向圓心的一面，擰成一股旋勁。蹬腳摩脛，是指在走轉時前行之腳必須輕邁，後行之腳必須蹬勁，向前進步必須貼近前腳脛骨裡側摩擦而過，不要將腳提得過高或過寬。

薑容樵

“'Twist while walking the circle' means that while walking the circle, the waist should twist, the elbows should twist, the palms should twist and the neck should twist making one’s head, arms, hands, and body twisted toward the center of the circle. This twisting turn into a spiral strength in the tighs. 'Stamp the foot, rub the calves' means that when walking the circle the step with the front foot should be stepping the front foot must be light, the the step with rear foot should be strong. As one advances, the inside of the tibias stay close together and rub as they cross each other. One should not lift the stepping foot too high or excessively wide."

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

Agile (靈) from Foundation (基礎)Ágil (靈) de Fundamentos (基礎)

靈

靈者，靈敏之謂。由輕虛而鬆沉，由鬆沉而粘黏。能粘黏，即能連隨；能連隨，而後方能靈敏。則可悟及不丟不頂矣。

"Agile means quick. From light and insubstantial one gets to be loose and sunken, and from loose and sunken to stick and adhere. If one can stick and adhere then one can connect and follow and from there become agile. With agility 'no losing and no resisting' can be understood."

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).

National Geographic Kung Fu Quest: The Origin of Xíngyìquán (形意拳)

Chapter 11 (十一) from the Dào​dé​jīng (道德經) Capítulo 11 (十一) do Dào​dé​jīng (道德經)

十一

三十輻，共一轂，
當其無，
有車之用。

埏埴以為器，
當其無，
有器之用。

鑿戶牖以為室，
當其無，
有室之用。

故有之以為利，
無之以為用。

老子

"The thirty spokes unite in the one nave;
but it is on the empty space (for the axle),
that the use of the wheel depends.

Clay is fashioned into vessels;
but it is on their empty hollowness,
that their use depends.

The door and windows are cut out (from the walls) to form an apartment;
but it is on the empty space (within),
that its use depends.

Therefore, what has a (positive) existence serves for profitable adaptation,
and what has not that for (actual) usefulness."

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

"Trinta raios convergem ao vazio do centro da roda
Através dessa não-existência
Existe a utilidade do veículo

A argila é trabalhada na forma de vasos
Através da não-existência
Existe a utilidade do objeto

Portas e janelas são abertas na construção da casa
Através da não-existência
Existe a utilidade da casa

Assim, da existência vem o valor
E da não-existência, a utilidade."
Tradução de Wǔ Rǔqīng (武汝清)

Shape of a Dragon, Appearance of a Monkey; Sit like a Tiger, Overturn like an Eagle (龍形猴像，虎坐鷹翻) from The Real Theory of Baguazhang (八卦掌真理篇) by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵)

龍形猴像，虎坐鷹翻

這是指鍛煉時的身形、身法、步法的變化而言。八卦掌的運動特點之一就是走，這種滔滔不絕的圓形步，必須使之形如游龍，悠然之中含著穩重。八卦掌的運動特點之二是視，八卦掌在轉行時或轉身換掌時，兩眼總是注視著兩掌，所謂「手眼相隨」，眼是視之苗，視能顯示出運動的內在精神，這種精神必須使之像猿猴守物那樣機靈之中蘊含著警惕意味，並通過眼的注視把它表達出來。八卦掌的運動特點之三是坐，在轉行時，它的兩腿並不伸直，採用坐跨，在轉身換掌時的一頓之間又有坐樁的動作，這些蹲坐的動作和腿法，必須使之像虎踞之形，沉著有力。八卦掌的運動特點之四是翻，就是轉身的動作，在轉身時必須採取鷂鷹盤旋空中翻身降落的那種靈敏灑脫之勢。

薑容樵

"These are rules for practice concern the changes body shape, the body posture and the footwoork. The first characteristic of the Baguazhang way of move is walking, the manner of the endless circular step. It has to have the shape of a swimming dragon, keeping it leisurely and natural inside, it manifests as solid and stable. The second characteristic of the Baguazhang way of move is in the gaze. In Baguazhang, whenever one changes the step or turn the body to switch palms, both eyes always watch attentively the both palms, this is what is called “hands and eyes follow each other”, the eyes inspect the generation. The gaze can to manifest the movement of the inner vitality. This should look like the vitality of a monkey when watching an object, the sort that implies quick-witted and alert eyes and the gaze that precedes grabing it. The third characteristic of the Baguazhang way of move is sitting, at the time changing none of the hips stretch straight at all as the sitting position is employed. At the time of turning the body and changing palms one is sitted the whole movement. These sitted movements and leg methods must look like a crouching tiger, steady, firm and vigourous. The fourth characteristic of the Baguazhang way of moving is overturning, this is the movement of turning the body. Whenever turning the body, one must adopt the attitude of an eagle or hawk circling in the air preparing to descend, the sharp and ease momentum."

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

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).