"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).
Friday, April 24, 2015
Friday, April 17, 2015
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。
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。
""
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).
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).
Friday, April 10, 2015
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。
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"
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"
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Friday, April 3, 2015
The Taiji Circle (太極圈) by Yáng Bānhóu (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。
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。
"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 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)
Friday, March 27, 2015
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。
用必七體，
頭肩肘手，
胯膝合足，
相助為友。
"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
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
Friday, March 20, 2015
Friday, March 13, 2015
The Shape of the Body, the Waist and the Crown of the Head (身形腰頂) by Yáng Bānhóu (楊班侯)
身形腰頂
身形腰頂棄可無，缺一何必費工夫。
腰頂窮研生不已，身形順我自伸舒。
捨此真理終何極，十年數載亦糊塗。
身形腰頂棄可無，缺一何必費工夫。
腰頂窮研生不已，身形順我自伸舒。
捨此真理終何極，十年數載亦糊塗。
"One cannot relinquish the shape of the body, the waist and the crown of the head, as soon as one is abandoned there is no need to spend time practicing.
The endless study of the waist and of the crown cannot be exhausted in a lifetime, the shape of the body follows me when I extend and relax.
If one abandons these truths, what is reached at the end? Even after ten years of practive, still there will be be confusion."
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 endless study of the waist and of the crown cannot be exhausted in a lifetime, the shape of the body follows me when I extend and relax.
If one abandons these truths, what is reached at the end? Even after ten years of practive, still there will be be confusion."
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)
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Excerpt from Energy (兵勢) in The Art of War (兵法)
凡戰者，以正合，以奇勝。故善出奇者，無窮如天地，不竭如江河，終而復始，日月是也；死而復生，四時是也。聲不過五，五聲之變，不可勝聽也。色不過五，五色之變，不可勝觀也。味不過五，五味之變，不可勝嘗也。戰勢不過奇正，奇正之變，不可勝窮也。奇正相生，如循環之無端，孰能窮之哉！
"In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory. Indirect tactics, efficiently applied, are inexhaustible as Heaven and Earth, unending as the flow of rivers and streams; like the sun and moon, they end but to begin anew; like the four seasons, they pass away to return once more. There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard. There are not more than five primary colors (blue, yellow, red, white, and black), yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. There are not more than five cardinal tastes (sour, acrid, salt, sweet, bitter), yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted. In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack - the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers. The direct and the indirect lead on to each other in turn. It is like moving in a circle - you never come to an end. Who can exhaust the possibilities of their combination?"
Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project
Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project
Friday, March 6, 2015
The Song of Bēngquán (崩拳歌) by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵)
崩拳歌
崩拳似箭性屬木，
生炮克橫理不謬，
兩拳輪流循環進，
牢記左前右足跟。
崩拳似箭性屬木，
生炮克橫理不謬，
兩拳輪流循環進，
牢記左前右足跟。
"Bēngquán is like an arrow, its nature is affiliated with wood.
It produces Pao and overcomes Heng, the theory is not absurd.
The two fists advance in alternate cycles.
Keep in mind that the left is in front and the right foot follow closely."
From the book Xing Yi Mother Fists (形意母拳), by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵), based on the translation by Joseph Crandall
It produces Pao and overcomes Heng, the theory is not absurd.
The two fists advance in alternate cycles.
Keep in mind that the left is in front and the right foot follow closely."
From the book Xing Yi Mother Fists (形意母拳), by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵), based on the translation by Joseph Crandall
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