Adhere Jin (黏勁) from The Detailed Interpretation of the Five Elements (五行要義詳解)Aderir (黏勁) da Interpretação Detalhada dos Cinco Elementos (五行要義詳解)

黏者，粘貼之謂。彼進我退，彼退我進，彼浮我隨，彼沉我鬆，丟之不開，投之不脫，如粘如貼，不丟不頂，是謂之黏勁。

"To adhere means to stick. The opponent advances, I retreat; the opponent retreats, I advance; the opponent is unstable, I follow; the opponent sinks, I relax. There is no opening to losing, there is no escape in seeking refuge. It is as if I were glued or sticked to the opponent, without losing him and without resisting, this is what is called the adhere Jin."

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).

"Aderir significa colar. O oponente avança, eu recuo; o oponente recua, eu avanço; o oponente fica instável, eu o sigo; o oponente desce, eu relaxo. Não há possibilidade de partir, não há saída em buscar refúgio. É como se eu estivesse colado ao oponente, sem deixar ir e sem resistir. A isso se chama o Jin Aderir."

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).

Twenty Fourth Secret Song (歌訣二十四) from the The Thirty-Six Songs of Baguazhang (八卦掌三十六歌) Vigésima Quarta Canção Secreta (歌訣二十四) das Trinta e Seis Canções do Bāguàzhăng (八卦掌三十六歌)

歌訣二十四

力足發自筋與骨，
骨中出硬筋須隨。
足跟大筋通腦脊，
發招跟步力能摧。

"Ample power is emitted from tendons and bones
Its stiff aspect is produced from within the bones, tendons allow its expression.
The big tendon on the heel is connected with the head and the spine.
When emitting from the heels and then stepping, the power is devastating."

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"

"A força ampla é emitida dos tendões e dos ossos
Seu aspecto duro é produzido à partir dos ossos, os tendões permitem sua expressão.
O grande tendão do calcanhar é conectado com a cabeça e a espinha dorsal.
No momento da emissão, se há o passo, a força é devastadora."

Baseado na tradução de Yang Jwing Ming (楊俊敏) e Liang Shou You (梁守渝) apresentada em "Baguazhang - Theory and Applications" (峨嵋八卦掌) e na tradução de Frank Allen e Tina Chunna Zhang em "The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang".

Zhèng Mànqīng (鄭曼青) demonstrating Tàijí Sword (太極劍) Zhèng Mànqīng (鄭曼青) demonstrando Tàijí Sword (太極劍)

Excerpt from Wei Zheng (為政) in the Analects (論語)Trecho do Wei Zheng (為政) dos Analetos (論語)

學而不思則罔，思而不學則殆。

孔子

"Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous."

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

"Aprender sem refletir é perda de tempo; refletir sem aprender é perigoso."

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

Split Jin (挒勁) from The Secret of the Eight Methods (八法秘訣)Separar (挒勁), extraído do Segredo dos Oito Métodos (八法秘訣)

挒勁義何解？旋轉若飛輪。
投物於其上，脫然擲丈尋。
君不見漩渦，捲浪若螺紋。
落葉墮其上，倏而便沉淪。

吳公藻

"How to explain Split/Lie Jin? It spins like a flying wheel.
An object thrown on it will be easily tossed more than ten feet away.
Don’t you see the whirlpool?, its turning waves look like a spiral pattern.
When a falling leave lands on it, it will simply sink and perish hastily."

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).

"Como explicar o Separar/Lie Jin? Ele gira como uma roda solta.
Um objeto lançado nela é facilmente jogado a muitos metros.
Veja o rodamoinho. Suas ondas circulares têm a aparência de uma forma espiral.
Quando uma folha cai nele, ela afunda e desaparece rapidamente."

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).

The Song of Pàoquán (炮拳歌) by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵)A Canção de Pàoquán (炮拳歌) de Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵)

炮拳歌

炮拳似炮性屬火，
生橫克劈內外合，
斜行何妨從軍陣，
五拳精義十三格。

薑容樵

"Pàoquán is like a cannon. Its nature corresponds to fire.
It creates Heng and overcomes Pi. The inside and the outside are together.
Through oblique steps one avoids the battle without harm.
The essence of the five fists makes thirteen techniques."

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

"Pàoquán é como um canhão. Sua natureza pertence ao fogo.
Ele cria o Héng e domina o Pi. O interior e o exterior se movem juntos.
Através dos passos em diagonal, evita-se a batalha sem risco.
A essência dos cinco elementos compõe as treze técnicas."

Do livro os Punhos-Mãe do Xing Yi (形意母拳), de Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵), baseado na tradução de Joseph Crandall

Plan (意) from The Detailed Interpretation of the Five Elements (五行要義詳解)Planejar (意) da Interpretação Detalhada dos Cinco Elementos (五行要義詳解)

意者，设想之謂。以虛實之理，使敵出其不意，攻其不備，對方雖實力充足，據險以守，不畏攻擊，不畏力敵，然最忌誘敵。吾若以利誘之，使其弃守為攻，實力分散，吾則分而擊之，是誘而殺之。亦其自取敗亡，所謂攻其所不守，守其所不攻之道也。學者務須時時體會，久而自驗。

"The meaning of Yi means is to envisage or plan. One uses the framework of the insubstantial and substantial to cause surprise on the opponent by attacking when she is off-guard. If the opponent is full of strength and has a natural advantage to defend, she will be unafraid of an attack by a powerful opponent, but she will be mostly afraid of to be enticed by her opponent. One may seem to give the advantage to the opponent, in order to maker her give up her defences and attack instead, in this way her power will be scattered. The opponent creates then the conditions of her own defeat. One follows the divided opponent and attack, enticing her defeat. This is what is called “the way of attacking the places that are undefended and defending the places where one is unable to attack.” The practictioner should learn from experience in every occasion, after a long time he will be able to verify by himself."

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).

"O significado de Yi é planejar, imaginar. Deve-se usar a teoria do Pleno e do Vazio para causar surpresa no oponente e atacá-lo quando ele estiver despreparado. Se o oponente é forte e tiver uma vantagem natural para se defender, ele não terá medo de um ataque vindo de um adversário poderoso, mas ficará descofiado de uma armadilha do oponente. Deve-se criar a impressão de dar a vantagem ao oponente, de maneira à que ele abandone as defesas e passe ao ataque. Dessa maneira sua força será dispersa. O oponente cria, assim, as condições de sua própria derrota. Deve-se em seguida perseguir o oponente disperso e atacar, provocando sua derrota. Isto é o que se chama de 'a maneira de atacar pontos expostos e defender pontos que sejam inatacáveis.' O praticante deve aprender com a experiência em cada ocasião, após muito tempo ele será capaz de verificar por si mesmo."

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).

A Survey on Instruction on the Elbow (肘)

肘

The instruction around the Elbow is one that is to be overlook during practice. At first it seems a bit counterintuitive, as it asks for a very mobile joint to be stuck in a sunken position.

The first indication by the texts is that it should be "sunk" or "dropped", along with the shoulder. One can read this on many texts related to postural instruction, such as the Eight Points of the Body Method (身法八要) by Wǔ Yǔxiāng (武禹襄) for Tàijíquán (太極拳) practitioners:

含胸、拔背、
裹襠、護肫、
提頂、弔襠、
鬆肩、沉肘。

"Contain the chest, stretch the back
Wrap the inner tighs, protect the hips
Lift the crown, hang the crotch
Loose the shoulders, sink the elbow.

Or in the First Secret Song (歌訣一) of Bāguàzhăng (八卦掌):

沈肩墜肘伸前掌

"Sink the shoulders, drop the elbows, and extend the front palm forward."

It is not always easy to pinpoint what "sinking" the elbows mean. Although although it is often translated as "sink", different words are used in Chinese. These words have associated meanings that are useful to keep in mind. The first is Zhuì (墜), that is given by my dictionaries as "to fall, to drop, to weigh down". The second is Chén (沉) which means "to sink, to submerge, to keep down", but also "deep", "heavy". It seems to me that there is an implied sensation of heaviness, of weight that brings the "sinking".

This is the basic, but not the unique instruction on elbows that can be found. Another one is the relation of the "sinking" of the elbow and the protection of the abdomen and the ribs. In the sixth of the Xingyi Eight Character Secret (形意八字訣) by Lǐ Cúnyì (李存義) and Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵) one can read:

兩肘下垂，則兩肱自圓，能固兩脅。

"When both elbows hang down, then both arms are naturally round, and can solidify the ribs.

And on the Second Secret Song (歌訣二) of Bāguàzhăng (八卦掌):

後肘先疊肘掩心

The rear elbow is folded to cover up the center

A third point can be noted on the aspect of bending of the elbow. Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵) states it clearly in his instruction of Bāguàzhăng (八卦掌)on "Relax the Shoulders; sink the elbows. Strengthen the belly; open the chest." (鬆肩沉肘，實腹暢胸)

沉肘是使肘部經常保持著向下沉墜，在鍛煉時必須屈如半月形。

"The Sink the Elbow instruction is contantly sent to the elbows, in order to keep them sunk at all times. During practice it is mandatory that the elbows remain bent like in a half-moon shape."

Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵) gives even more precise instruction on the instructions for Sāntǐ Shì (三體式) in the Arms song (臂) of the Nine Songs of Xingyiquan (形意拳九歌):

左臂前伸，
右臂在肋，
似曲不曲，
似直不直，
過曲不遠，
過直少力。

"The left arm stretches forward.
The right arm is by the ribs.
They seem bent but are not bent.
They seem straight but are not straight.
Bend too much and there is not enough reach.
Make it too straight and there is not enough strength."

As implied in the text above, there is a link between the position of the elbow and capacity to emit power. Yáng Chéngfǔ (楊澄甫) makes it very clear in Sink the Shoulders and Drop the Elbows (沉肩墜肘):

肘若懸起，則肩不能沉，放人不遠，近于外家之斷勁矣。

"If the elbows seem raised or suspended, then the shoulders cannot sink. Therefore the ability to release (power towards) the opponent does not go far. This is similar to the external styles discontinuous power."

The elbow (肘) and the unification of the body

It is important to keep in mind that the elbow does not function alone, as nothing does in Internal Martial Arts (內家拳). Instruction on it is very precise, as the relationship between the elbow and the knees is classified among the Three External Coordinations (三外和). This is particularly transmitted on Xíngyìquán (形意拳) texts, for example in "The Six Harmonies of Xingyiquan" (形意拳六合) by Líng Shànqīng (凌善清):

兩肘往下垂勁，兩膝往里扣勁，是曰肘與膝合

"When the two elbows are sinking and the two knees are locked internally, it is said that the elbows and the knees are coordinated."

The unification of the body is of course a topic by itself.

The elbow (肘) in combat

Finally, the elbow is also seen as both a "weapon" and a "technique". In Xíngyìquán (形意拳) it is classified among the Seven Stars (七星) or seven points of contact, as one can read in the "Song of Seven Stars" (七星歌) by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵):

用必七體，
頭肩肘手，
胯膝合足，
相助為友。

"In applications it is necessary to use the seven forms: These are the head, shoulder, elbow, hand, Thighs, knees and feet, They help one another as old friends."

And the elbow is also a key element in the applications of Tàijíquán (太極拳). It is one of the Eight Directions or Eight Methods (八法秘訣) with subitilities of its own. A reminder from the Secret of Eighteen Dependencies (十八在訣) is suitable as the final word of this survey:

肘在曲使

"The elbow is used bent, "

Twenty Third Secret Song (歌訣二十三) from the The Thirty-Six Songs of Baguazhang (八卦掌三十六歌) Vigésima Terceira Canção Secreta (歌訣二十三) das Trinta e Seis Canções do Bāguàzhăng (八卦掌三十六歌)

歌訣二十三

打人憑手膀為根，
膀在肩端不會伸。
故欲進時進前步，
若進後步枉勞神。

"When striking the opponent, one relies on the upper arms as the root of the attack.
The upper arm at the shoulder extremity do not extend.
When one wishes to advance, one steps forward with front leg.
If one steps forward with the rear leg, then one will be troubled."

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"

"Quando atacando o oponente, deve-se confiar à parte superior dos braços como raiz do ataque.
O alto do braço na altura do ombro não se estende.
Quando deseja-se avançar, deve-se dar um passo adiante com a perna à frente.
Se se dá um passo com a perna de trás, o movimento fica perturbado."

Baseado na tradução de Yang Jwing Ming (楊俊敏) e Liang Shou You (梁守渝) apresentada em "Baguazhang - Theory and Applications" (峨嵋八卦掌) e na tradução de Frank Allen e Tina Chunna Zhang em "The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang".

Lure the Tiger Down the Mountain (調虎離山) from the Thirty-Six Stratagems (三十六計)Atrair o Tigre para o Pé da Montanha (調虎離山) dos Trinta e Seis Estratagemas (三十六計)

調虎離山

待天以困之用人，以誘之往蹇來返。

"Never directly attack a well-entrenched opponent. Instead lure him away from his stronghold and separate him from his source of strength."

Quoted from Chinese Classics and Translations

"Nunca atacar um inimigo bem posicionado. Ao contrário, deve-se atraí-lo de sua posição de força et separá-lo da fonte de sua força."

Traduzido à partir de Chinese Classics and Translations