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Translator's Introduction
It's hard to wrap one's mind around, but taijiquan is, in a sense, a different way of moving. It's important to have a qualified teacher show one how to do taijiquan. This chapter is largely a how to and is a good reference for the serious student of taijiquan, but it is not a substitute for a qualified instructor. The old taijiquan manuals tend to discuss the taiji body after it has been transformed, but it is hard for a student to understand the outcome until they have experienced the process. This chapter discusses the process of training and should be more accessable than the old training manuals, although they have a valuable place in training and understanding taijiquan. There are ideas that will seem familar to the western student, but they don't necessarily correlate to western practice. Lengthening the limbs, stretching, is discussed. This is not a separate exercise, although sports stretching is part of training; it is stretching while doing the form or related training. As an example, while standing one sinks and there is some stretching that occurs. See the figure below. The sinking is not a bending of the knees as one might assume looking at the figure, but a relaxation of the joints. One sinks into the soft tissue of the body. Lengthening the soft tissues
of the body doesn't happen immediately, it takes time, so when one sinks at first there is no apparent change; it doesn't appear that one is doing anything differently. Overtime as the hips and lower back relax, they become more flexible, and one is able to stand in a lower posture. Sinking makes one more flexible and this allows one to achieve lower and more expansive postures. This is the topic of the second characteristic Elastic Movement of the Limbs by Releasing and Lengthening. One of the rules in that section is "contain the chest and pull up the back, sink the shoulders and drop the elbows". When sinking the shoulders and dropping the elbows the body is mostly passive, it is the weight of the arms that creates a light stretch, and the mind is actively allowing the shoulders to sink and the elbows to drop. This is an example of intention or using the heart/mind to guide the body. This is not something that a beginner does, it takes time to let the body relax. After years of training the student should be able to relax, release, and lengthen the limbs. It takes time to retrain the body.
Translator's note
This translation puts literalness above the beauty of expression. The translator hopes to shed light without adding or subtracting from the original text as much as possible. Technical terms are written in pinyin. Qi as it is used in taijiquan is explained within the text, so it is not translated. Jin is written in pinyin, but a translation is given in parenthesis early in each section. Jin is strength. Most often in this text it refers to a trained strength, a skill. In the text it is contrasted with bulging strength and clumsy strength. Jin is discussed at length in the text and the reader should develop an inductive understanding of the term while reading if they don't already have a firm grasp of what jin is. Peng, lu, ji, an, cai, lie, zhou, and kao are presented in pinyin and are often followed with a translation in parenthesis. There are a number of places where the translator expected to find the character for lu, but found other characters that don't seem to fit the context. 虚实 xu and shi are conventionally translated as empty and full; the translator has chosen to break with convention and translate them as empty and solid. The Chinese text is provided so the reader can see the original if there are any questions. 心 (xin) is translated as heart/mind. The reader should bear in mind that xin can also mean intention, center, and core. 柔 (rou) means soft, flexible, and supple while 刚 (gang) means hard, firm, solid, and strong. In the Yijing, in the Xici, rou gang takes on the meaning yin yang and so the translation should as well. When applied to the human body soft and hard also implies being flexible and firm, supple and strong. Rou gang is also translated as soft and firm (hard). Gang can also have negative connotations such as stiff and rigid.
第一章陈式太极拳的八个特点
Chapter One
The Eight Characteristics of Chen Taijiquan
太极拳是我们祖先在长期生活实践中创造和逐渐发展起来的一种优秀掌种-经边川百年的反实和不断总繣经验,人们才逐步认识它的内在联系和运动规律。前人留下的太忣拳拳谱,就是这种实践的总结·它给我们研究太极拳提供了宝贵的线索,可以帮助我们更好地学习太极拳。但前人因受时代限制,理论中糟粕也不少,因此我们在实践中应该结合我心新的认识来加以检验,剔除其糟粕,吸取其精华,进一步掌握其正确的理论,使这种拳种能更好地为人民保健事业服务。因此,学太极拳时,一开始就必須紧紧掌握这些太极拳拳谱中的正确理论,并熟悉它的关键所在,融会贯通,然后再从这个基础上向前发展,逐步深入.
Taijiquan's ancestors created and gradually developed in their lifetimes this excellent boxing style - through lifetimes of solid and continuous training. Only gradually do people understand its internal connection and movement principle. Our predecessors left a clear boxing list that summarizes this training, and it provides us with the ability to examine taijiquan to understand valuable clues that can help us learn taijiquan properly. However, our predecessors suffered restricitions in their time, many suffered due to famine so we should train with all our heart to understand once again to know and to discard the useless, to absorb its essence and to advance a step to master its correct theory clearly so that this kind of boxing can better people's health and provide service. Therefore, when learning taijiquan you must grasp these rules andmethods tightly from the beginning clearly understanding the correct theory and know well the key location, understand the location through a comprehensive study of the surrounding areas (blend, gather, string together, connect) and follow the ruler and build on this foundation gradually deepening it.
太极拳在整个运动过程中自始至终都贯串着“阴阳”和“虚实”, 这在太拳动作上表现为每个拳式都具有“开与合",“圆与方”、“卷与放”、“虛与实''、“轻与沉''、“柔与刚”和“慢与快”,并在动作中有左右、上下、里外、大小和进退等对立统一的独特形式·这是构成大极拳的基本原则,
Taijiquan's entire movement from start to finish is entirely strung together with "yin and yang" and "empty and solid" throughout the course of the movement. This is reflected in the taijiquan's movement expressed in each type of boxing posture having "open and close", "circle and square", "roll up and release", "empty and solid", "light and heavy (sink)", "soft and hard" and "slow and fast" and in the movements there are left and right, up and down, inside and outside, large and small, advance and retreat. Unifying/integrating these antagonistic pairs is a special characteristic of the form and this is the fundmental principle of taijiquan.
太极拳不仅在外形上是独特的,而且在内功上也有其特殊的要求。练太极拳时,首先要用意不用拙力,所以太极拳在内是意气运动,在外则是神气鼓荡运动,也就是说既要练意,又要练气。这种意气运动的特点是太极拳的精华所在,并统领着太极拳的其他各种特点。此外,练太极拳时在全身放长和顺逆缠丝相互变换之下,动作要求表现出能柔能刚,且富弹性。它的动态,要求一动全动,节节贯串,相连不断,气呵成。它的速度,要求有慢有快,快慢相间。它的力量,要求有柔有刚,刚柔相济。它的立身与动作,要求中正不偏,虚中有实、实中有虚和开中寓合、合中寓开。具备了这些条件,太极拳才能充分发挥它的特殊作用。在体育保健上,不仅能增强运动器官与内脏器官,并能锻炼和增强意识的指挥能力,亦即“用意不用力”的能力,可以顺利地指挥着气活跃于全身。这样就既练了气,也练了意,意气相互增长与强旺,身体自然强壮。同样,在技击上也有其独特的作用:可以以轻制重,以慢制快,克制自然,并掌握自然,动作起来可以一动全动,“周身一家”,达到知己知彼和知机知势 {1} 的懂劲功夫。
Taijiquan is not only unique in appearance but is also unique in its internal work (neigong). When practicing taijiquan the first thing to do is not to use clumsy strength so taijiquan contains the idea of moving qi. Outside is the movement of the lively drumming of the qi, that is to say, it is important to train both the yi (intention/mind) and the qi. This type of yi and qi movement is an essential characteristic of taijiquan and is the leading/commanding aspect of the other characteristics of taijiquan. In addition, when practicing taijiquan release the whole body, always shun and ni (follow and contrary) reeling silk transforming one to the other. The movement requires the ability to be both soft and hard with abundant flexibility and elasticity. Its movement requires one moves all moves, joint by joint strung together, connected constantly, qi is attained. Its speed requires that there is slow and fast alternating. Its strength/power requires that there be soft and hard, hard and soft assisting each other. In standing and movement it requires one to be centered and aligned without leaning. Empty is solid within and solid is empty within together with opening within closing and closing within opening. With these conditions in place taijiquan has the ability to bring out unusual effects. In sports health care it can not only enhance motor function and internal organs and enhance physical conditioning and mental awareness and motor control, that is, the ability to "use intention do not use strength/force", it can also smoothly command the qi to enliven the whole body. This is the way to train and understand qi and also the intention; intention and qi each grow strong and flourish and one's body is naturally strong. Similarly, it has a unique function in striking: it can be controlled lightly, use slow to control fast, subdue and control naturally and seize naturally. Movement is one part moves all parts move, "whole body one family", to know yourself, know your enemy and know the pivot know the power {0-1}, understand (dong) jin gongfu.
陈式太极拳的理论同其它各派太极拳理论有相同之处,也有不同之处。现将陈式太极拳的特点一一分述如下。
Chen's theory of taijiquan is the same as that of other schools's taijiquan and there are differences. The characteristics of Chen taijiquan are described below.
Footnotes
{0-1} 知机是知道时间,掌握时间;知势是知道空「可,掌握空间·
{0-1} To know the pivot is to know when there is a gap, to seize when there is a gap; to know the power know emptiness and you're able to seize the gap.
第一特点大脑支配下的意气运动
The First Characteristic
The Intention (yi) Moves the Qi under the Control of the Brain
拳谱规定:
(1)“以心行气,务令沉着,乃能收敛入骨”;
(2)“以气运身,务令顺遂,乃能便利从心”·
(3)“心为令,气为旗”,“气以直养而无害”;
(4)“全身意在神,不在气,在气则滯”
List of Boxing Rules:
(1) "Use heart/mind to move qi, sink, so (qi) enters the bones";
(2) "Use qi to move the body and make it smooth so you easily follow the heart/mind"
(3) "The heart/mind gives the command and the qi is the flag", "the qi supports without harm";
(4) "The intention is that the whole body is lively, don't focus on qi, qi will be sluggish"
从上列四项规定可以看出,太极拳是用意练意的拳,也是行气练气的拳。但练拳时,要“以心行气”:心为发令者,气为奉令而行的“传旗”;一举一动均要用意不用力,先意动而后形动,这样才能做到“意到气到”,气到劲到,动作才能沉着,久练之后气才能收敛入骨,达到“行气”最深入的功夫。因此,可以说太极拳是一种意气运动。“以心行气”、“以气运身”和用意不用拙力,是太极拳的第一个特点。
From the above four rules it can be seen that taijiquan uses intention to train intention and it circulates qi to train qi. When practicing boxing it is important to "use heart/mind circulates qi": the heart/mind issues the order and qi follows the orders and circulates "transmits the order as a flag"; in every movement it is important to use intention and not force. First there is the intention to move and then the form moves. This is the way to develop "yi goes qi goes" and qi goes jin (strength) goes. Sink when moving and after long practice the qi enters the bone achieving the most in-depth work of "circulate qi". Therefore, it can be said that taijiquan is a kind of intention and qi exercise. "Use heart/mind to circulate qi" and "use qi to move the body" and use intention without clumsy force is the primary feature of taijiquan.
一、內气和用意
One
Internal Qi and Using Intention
正如上述,气受意的指挥,而这气并非一般所说的那种肺呼吸及的空气,而是一种“内气”。这种气在祖国医学理论中叫做“元气",“正气”、经络中通行的气、“先天气”等,认为是从母胎中秉承下的,在针灸和气功疗法中,至今尚沿用此说。武术家們則则把这种气叫做“中气、“丙气”、“劲”等,认为练到有了此气出现并掌握此气,功夫才算“到家”,等等。
As mentioned above qi responds to the commands of the intention and this qi really isn't the same as the kind inhaled by the lungs - air, rather it is a type of "inner qi". This type of qi is called in Chinese medical theory the "yuan qi" (vigor/vitality) "zheng qi" (healthy environment/righteousness qi, literally aligned or upright qi), the qi that goes through the jingluo (meridians), "xian tian qi" (before heaven qi) and so on. It is considered to be from the mother's womb (and as such receives commands and comes down from the mother) which has been used in acupuncture and qigong therapy in China and to this day it is still used as an explanation. Wushu people call this qi "zhong qi" (central qi), "bing qi" (bing is the third heavenly stem), "rou jin" (trample jin) and so on. Practice until this qi appears and grasp this qi, gongfu regard this as "excellence or to arrive home" and so on.
总之,自古以来,无论祖国医学理论,或武术界、宗教界都认为有这种气存在,各种实践经验也证明确有这样一种气存在。但近代科学尚未最后查明这种气的实质是什么,研究祖国医学经络学说的国内外学者对此气的说法也不一致,无所适从。例如,有人说此气就是神经,有人说是生物电,有人说是人体內的一种特殊分泌物,有人说是人体内的一种特殊功能系统等等,言人人殊,尚待进一步探索。但是人体的生理现象是整体性的,不能说意动了,而神经、生物电等不动,因此,我们在阐明拳论中所说的气时,暂假定为神经、生物电、血液中的氧等组成的一种综合物,假定为人体尚待查明的一种功能,目的是先继承前辈的理论,以便我们进一步发掘。
In short, since ancient times, no matter in Chinese medical theory or martial arts or religion the world believes that qi exists, and various practical experiences have proved that qi exists. But modern science has yet to find out what this qi is. Research and investigatation of Chinese medicine's jingluo (meridian) theory and domestic and foreign scholars who study qi differ on what course to follow. For example, some people say qi is nerves and some people say it is bioelectrical. There are people that say it is a special secretion in the human body and some people say it is a special function of the system and so on. Everyone is different, it still needs to be explored further. But the human bodies' physiological phenomena are holistic by nature and cannot be said to move and nerves, bioelectricity and so on do not move. Therefore, when we explain Chinese boxing theory and talk about qi it is tentatively assumed to be nerves and a combination of electrical energy, oxygen in the blood, etc., assuming that we have yet to investigate Ming Dynasty's ideas about the functions of the human body. The goal is to inherit the theories of our predecessers theories so that we can go further.
练太极拳时,好像在做“意识体操”,要始终着重用意,肢体动作只不过是意的外部表现。这种“意识体操”隐于内的是内气的活动过程,显于外的则是神态和外气的动荡表现,因此内气可以由內发之于外,也可由外敛之入内。
When training taijiquan it is as if doing "awareness gymnastics", it is important to focus on using the intention from beginning to end. The movement of the limbs is nothing more than expressing the intention externally. This kind of "awareness gymnastics" is hidden inside and is the movement of internal qi, what is seen outside is the outer expression of the wave like movement of qi. Therefore, the internal qi can follow from the inside out and can also follow from the outside to the inside.
虽然,练太极拳要“以气运身”,但练拳时不可只顾想气在体內如何运行,而要把意注于动作中,否则就会神态呆滞,气不仅不能畅通,而且会造成气势散漫的病象,使意气两者俱蒙其害。所以拳谱说“意在神,不在气,在气则滞”。正因为如此,练拳时对外部神态的表现要特别重视,因为外部神态也就是內在心意显露于外的表现。內意和外神不可须臾分离,内意稍一松懈,则外神就会散漫。此点在练拳时不可不知。
Although when practicing taijiquan it is important "to use qi to move the body" when practicing boxing one cannot just think about moving qi in the body. It is important pay attention to the correct movement, otherwise you will look sluggish, and qi will be impeded, but also will cause problems with the qi. Use intention and qi together without harm. So, the boxing rule says: "intention is lively, not in qi, in qi is sluggish". Aligned in this way when training boxing the external appearance is important, because the external appearance is a manifestation of the inner heart/mind and intention. Internal intention and outer expression must not be separate, the internal intention is a little loose and relaxed, then outside the expression will be loose and free. One must be aware of this point when practicing boxing.
陈式太极拳主张动作要有柔有刚,有圆有方,有慢有快,有开有合。我们认为这是合乎人体生理规律的。大家知道,人休动,则生物电位升高人体静,则电位降低。而太极拳动作的刚柔、开合和快慢等,好促使电位随之升降。电位升高,则血液循环加速,分压降低,氧与血红蛋白也就迅速离解,人就会感到有气。在正常情况下,神经是不能长时间同样地保持兴奋的,因此生物电一般都呈起伏状,而太极拳动作的刚柔、快慢、方圆等滔滔不绝的起伏,也正好合乎这个规律。
Chen style taijiquan advocates that the movement should be soft and hard, round and square, slow and fast and there is opening and closing. We feel this in accord with the physiological laws of the human body. Everyone should be aware that when people stop moving the bio-electrical activity of the body becomes increasingly calm and the electrical potential decreases. And taijiquan movements are hard and soft, opening and closing and fast and slow and so on, it is just enough to induce the electric potential to rise and fall. The electric potential rises high and then the blood circulation accelerates, and the pressure is reduced, oxygen and hemoglobin will rapidly dissolve, and people will feel qi. Under normal circumstances nerves cannot be the same for long periods of time in an excited state so bio-electrical activity generally undulates and doing taijiquan is moving hard and soft, fast and slow, square and circlular and so on endlessly moving up and down, also just enough to accord with this one rule.
从意气来讲,也是合乎上述规律的。上面说过,外部神态和外气的活动是意气显于外的表现,代表着内在的意气。这种神气外显的中心环节,主要是将内在的意识贯注于外部动作之中,并促使在动作中表现出注意力的专一、坚强和活泼无滞。但注意力的强度,与內部神经活动一样,同样具有提高和降低这种动荡性的特点。因此,练拳必须适应这种特点,才能使注意力稳定。同时,也只有稳定了注意力,才不致使思想开小差。但是在练拳当中长时间维持同等强度的注意力, 这是不易做到的。实际上,即使在片刻之间,注意力的动荡度也是有高低之分的。因此,在运动过程中,如果采取风平浪静式的无动荡的运动,不但违背上述生理规律,同时也会破坏注意力的稳定性。所以,太极拳为了稳定注意力,采取了一系列规定(例如快慢相间、开合相寓、方圆相生和刚柔相济等),并使它们统一于一个运动之中。
Intention and qi conform to the above-mentioned rule. As mentioned above the external expression and appearance and the external qi moves/operations are the visible manifestations of intention and qi, representing the internal intention and qi. This type of cultivation of lively/expressive qi revealed externally is a central part of the principle to use internal awareness to string together external movements while training and to enable movement expressing single-minded attention, strong and lively and not sluggish. Strive to develop attention together with movement expressive of one's internal state. Have the ability to rise upwards and equally drop downwards in a kind of wave like motion. Therefore, when training it is necessary to have this characteristic and to be able to stabilize attention. At the same time by stabilizing the attention do not neglect thought. But to maintain the same amount of attention for a long time while training this is not easy to do. In fact, even for a short period of time, the attention wanders and there are ups and downs and distractions. Therefore, in the course of exercise if peaceful calm type without wandering while moving it is not only contrary to the aforementioned physiological rule, at the same time it is likely to damage the stability of one's attention. [Translator's note, the attention should not be overly constrained, it should ebb and flow naturally.] So, taijiquan in order to stabilize attention takes a series of rules (such as alternating fast and slow, open and close one following the other, square and round engendering one another, hard and soft, and so on) and unifies them into one movement.
这些规定促使意气运动很自然地产生动荡,并使外部的神气鼓荡和內部的意气动荡得到协调,从而提高內在的意气运动,反过来促进外部的动作。
These rules cause the intention and qi movement to quite naturally produce wave like movement and to cause the external lively drumming of the qi and the internal intention and qi wave like movements coordinate, thus enhancing the internal intention and qi movement which promotes external movement.
由于太极拳是意气运动,所以久练太极拳的人,只要思想上想到某一部位,就可以产生气的活动。因此,有不少人不惜岁月地早晚走架子,并时时校正架子,正是为了做到这点。太极拳动作练成定型以后,大脑皮层中兴奋和抑制过程就能准确地按一定程序交替活动,同时,肌肉也能协调地收缩与放松,即或偶然受到突然的刺激,也不会使这种协调的动作受到损害。做到这点,表明肌肉的活动与內脏器官之间已建立了极巩固的协调关系,只要意到气就到,气到劲也到。
Because taijiquan is an intention and qi exercise people who have been training taijiquan for a long time, as long as they think of a certain part, they can produce qi movement. So, there are a lot of people who don't hesitate morning and evening to do the form and constantly correct the form in order to achieve this. After taijiquan movements are successfully trained the process of excitation and inhibition in the cerebral cortex It is possible to alternate movements accurately according to a certain procedure and at the same time the muscles can be coordinated to contract and release, loosen and relax, even though accidentally being suddenly stimulated making it unlikely that this type of coordinated movement will harm. To accomplish this, to make clear movement of the muscles between the internal organs, to establish a very solid coordinated relationship, as long as the intention to go and the qi follows and qi to go the jin follows.
二、意气运动的实现
Two
Realization of the Intention (Yi) and Qi Movement
还应该指出,在用意气方面,太极拳和静功(坐功、站功和卧功)是相同的,都着重于练意和练气。但太极拳是在行动中练(动中求静),所以名之为意气运动,而静功则无行动,单独求静,因此两者不能混淆。
It should be pointed out that to use intention and qi taijiquan and static work (sitting, standing, lying down) are the same, both focus on training the intention and qi. But taijiquan is circulating movement during training (stillness in motion) so the name is the movement of the intention and qi, and static work has no circulating movement, seeking stillness, so the two should not be confused.
正因为太极拳是内外俱练,动中求静,所以要做好內在的意气运动,就必须很好地显出外部的神气鼓荡来。正如《行功心解》中说:“形如搏兔之鹰,神似捕鼠之猫”。而要做到这种内外相合和交相锻炼的功夫,则必须做到本章下述七个特点的要求,也就是说只有实现下述七个特点,太极拳是意气运动这个特点才能实现。换言之,特点虽分八个,但实际上同处于一个统一体中,有着內在联系,分开讲只是为了方便而已。
It is precisely because taijiquan is internal and external training, movement within stillness, so it is important to do a good job of internal intention and qi movement. It must be a good display of the external expression of qi drumming. Just as "heart/mind circulation work loosens/dissolves" it is said: "like an eagle seizing a rabbit, like a cat catching a mouse." And it is important to do this kind of internal and external training together to develop gongfu. You must accomplish what is in this chapter to understand the next seven required characteristics, that is to say, to achieve the following seven characteristics taijiquan's intention and qi movement characteristic must be achieved. In other words, although the characteristics are divided into eight, the reality is at a higher level they are one system, one experience. There is an internal relationship, and it is divided into parts for convenience, nothing more.
在详述其余七个特点之前,先简要阐明一下这七个特点对贯彻意气运动这个特点的作用。
Before detailing the remaining seven characteristics let's briefly explain them to implement the role of this characteristic of the intention and qi movement.
特点二
弹性运动,就是身肢放长,也可以说因放长而生弹性的结果。绵软的弹性是促进身肢鼓荡的内在因素。如没有弹性,就会使动作僵硬,也就不能再形成外显的神气鼓荡,当然也就不能与内在的意气动荡协调起来。
Characteristic two
Elastic movement, that is, the limbs release and lengthen. It can also be said that releasing and increasing length result in elasticity/flexibility. Soft elasticity is the internal factor that promotes the internal essence of body and limb drumming. Such as without elasticity the movement will be stiff and can no longer form a visible expression of qi drumming and swaying. It certainly can't take part in internal intention and qi wave like movement.
特点三一一螺旋运动,可增强动作的起伏动荡性。若动作直来直去,没有高下、里外的翻转,就不能导致精神、意气与身法的起伏动荡。为此,必须结合顺逆螺旋运动的旋腕转膀、旋踝转腿和旋腰转脊,以做到螺旋连贯如一的太极劲注于所有动作中。这样,不动则已,动则自然形成鼓荡之,成为做好意气运动的动作核心。
Characteristic three
Alternating spiral motion can enhance the wave like up and down movement. If moving directly there is no high and low, inside and outside, turning and rolling and cannot lead to vital expression. Intention and qi take part in body methods moving up and down in wave like movement. In order to do this, it is necessary to tie together shun (follow) and ni (contrary) spiral movements to revolve the wrists, revolve the arms, revolve the ankles and legs together with revolving the waist (yao) and revolving your spine to achieve a spiral connected and strung together as if one taiji jin, injecting this in all movements. This kind of motionlessness after moving naturally forms drumming to become the core of good intention and qi movement.
特点四一一调整虚实,是意气灵换丶使人产生圆活如珠感觉之本,也就是鼓荡的动力根源。上随下和下随上地虚实变换,能促使神气与身法活泼无滯,神气鼓荡也由此而生.如果上下不能相随,虚实不会调整,就不能达到内劲的中正无偏.内劲偏,则使内劲与身法倾于一边,失去支撑八面的要求.要想在内劲倾向一边的姿势下,使神气得到鼓荡是不易达到的。
Characteristic four
Adjusting empty and solid is the idea of qi quickly changing of making people become round like pearls/beads feeling the source, the driving force of the source of the drumming. Up follows down and down follows up, empty and solid alternating brings about lively qi, and the body methods are then lively and not sluggish giving birth to lively qi drumming. In the event that up and down cannot follow each other and empty and solid are not able to adjust one cannot achieve neijin's (internal strength's) (requirement to be) centered and aligned and not leaning. Neijin (internal strength) leaning then makes the neijin (internal strength) and the body method collapse and go to one side losing the requirement for eight-sided support. It is not easy to use lively qi drumming when the neijin (internal strength) is oriented on one side of a posture.
特点五(节节贯串)和特点六(一气呵成),实质上是一个恃点的两个阶段:前者是指一个拳式內要求全身主要关节形成一条龙似地贯串起来,使一节一节地依次通过;后者是在练全趟架子时要拳架式式相连不断地一气呵成,以增大运动最,达到节节鼓荡的具体要求。若不能节节贯串,就会产生断劲,劲断则无鼓荡可言。若不能一气呵成,则断而不连,不诈则各个拳式形成孤立而不能一气鼓荡。为此,这两个特点做不好,就不能使神气鼓荡做得好,所以它们是息息相关的.
Characteristic five (joint by joint strung together)
Characteristic six (one qi and at one go)
The true nature is one; the point has two stages: the former refers to an internal boxing requirement that the whole body's main joints form one dragon, strung together so that each section passes through in turn [like a pearl necklace]; the latter, when training the whole form, it is important that the boxing links continuously into one qi, in one go, in order to increase movement the most, to achieve the specific requirements of the joint by joint (section by section) drumming. If you can't string together your body, joint by joint, you'll only produce broken jin, it may be said that broken jin is not drumming. If you can't do it with one qi all in one go, then it breaks and it is not connected. Honestly then the various boxing postures are isolated and cannot have one qi drumming. For this reason, these two special points produce no good and cannot make the lively drumming of the qi well, so they are closely related.
特点七(刚柔相济)和特点八(快慢相间)是两个对立面矛盾统一的特点,也是为了做到神气鼓荡,在技术上必须具备的特点。没有这种快慢和刚柔交织一体,就不易使前几个特点密切配合,起伏动荡。由于这两个特点要求做到“柔而慢”、“刚而速”,要求刚速起来犹如推进的浪头,柔慢起来犹如退回的浪尾,所以这样相互交织就会形成滔滔不绝的推动作用。这种刚柔相济和快慢相间的作用,在体育上可以做到行气柔慢和动作落点刚快,使气行遍身躯,不致稍有痴呆之态,在技击上能“动急则急应,动缓则缓随”,可以做到人刚我柔的走和人柔我刚的粘。这两个特点可以促使内部的意气运动和外显的神气鼓荡推向动荡的高峰。
Characteristic seven (hard and soft mutually benefit)
Characteristic eight (fast and slow alternate)
These are both opposites. The unifying characteristic is the contradiction, also in order to achieve the lively qi drumming it is necessary to have developed the previous skills to develop these characterisitics. Without this fast and slow and hard and soft interwoven into an integral whole it's not easy to make the first few characteristics work together, to undulate with wave like movement. Because these two characteristics require one to be "soft and slow" and "hard and fast" they require hard and fast to start like a wave and soft and slow to start like the wave of a horse's tail and so in this way they interweave forming a continuous push affecting each movement. This kind of action between hard and soft benefiting each other and fast and slow alternating can be done in sports. First may make the qi circulate soft and slow together with moving hard and fast so that the qi circulates all over the body in such a way that one will not be stupid. Having the skill to strike can be "moving quickly, quickly respond, moving slowly, slowly follow", people are hard, I am soft, people move softly, I am hard to stick (zhan). These two characteristics can promote internal intention and qi movement and the outwardly visible expression of drumming the qi and push it to the peak of wave like movement.
由此可知,特点一是统领着其他七个特点的特点,但同时它又必须依赖其他七个特点的帮助才能实现。它们之间的关系,犹如牡丹与绿叶,相辅相成,又相互制约,相互促进。这是初学拳时必须知道的。
From this it can be learned that one characteristic leads to the other seven characteristics, but at the same time It must rely on the assistance of seven other characteristics to be realized. There is a relationship between them like peonies and green leaves complementing each other as well as regulating and promoting one another. This is what you must know when you first learn to box.
为了便于掌握第一个特点,把要领概括为下述几点。
(1)练拳时,意识要贯注在动作上,以意行气,不可只顾默想內气如何运行。
(2)练拳时动作要顺遂、沉着,劲运到终点时要表现出劲别来,这是使意气得到鼓荡的三个措施。
(3)紧紧掌握外显的神气鼓荡,以便做到不痴不呆,并反过来促进内在的意气运动。
(4)善于运用其它七个特点,以便配合着来提高意气运动。
In order to master the first characteristic, the key points are summarized below.
(1) When practicing boxing first be aware that it is important to concentrate on the movement and use intention to circulate the qi. You cannot merely consider and contemplate how the internal qi moves.
(2) When practicing boxing it is important that the movements are smooth and that you sink and when jin moves to the end point it is important to produce jin from beginning to end. These are the three things to use intention and qi to obtain drumming.
(3) Hold on tightly to the externally visible lively drumming of the qi in order to achieve not foolish, not expressionless and promoting intention and qi movement.
(4) Be good at using the other seven characteristics in order to improve the intention and qi movement.
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