Explanation of Tai-Chi-Chuan
一 举 动 周 身 俱 要 轻 灵 尤 须 贯 力
When you move, your entire body must be light, nimble and flexible; particularly important, is that, the force you apply, must be connected and continuous.
气 宜 鼓 荡 神 宜 内 敛
Qi should move, with unforeseen force, like an acoustic wave, vibrating from a drum; Shen should be inside, collected and kept within.
毋 使 有 凸 凹 处 毋 使 有 断 续 处
When moving be smooth and don't break continuity.
其 根 在 脚 发 于 腿 主 宰 于 腰 形 于 手 指
It (force) is rooted at the feet, generated in the legs, governed in the waist and manifested at the fingers.
由 脚 而 腿 而 腰 总 须 完 整 一 气 向 前 退 后 乃 得 机 得 势
The feet, legs and waist must be integrated, when moving forward or backward.
This is how you develop your timing and generate force.
有 不 得 机 得 势 处 身 便 散 乱 其 病 必 于 腰 腿 求 之
Without correct timing while generating force;
your body will not function properly;
the source of this disfunction, must be sought in the legs and waist.
上 下 前 后 左 右 皆 然
Up or down, front or back as well as right or left, are all correct.
凡 此 皆 是 意 不 在 外 面
All of this, however is Yi (Mind/Will) and does not exist externally.
有 上 即 有 下 有 前 即 有 后 有 左 即 有 右
There is up, the same as there is down;
there is straight ahead, the same as there is behind;
there is left, the same as there is right.
如 意 要 向 上 即 寓 下 意
If your Yi needs to go upward; it contains downward at the same time.
若 将 物 掀 起 而 加 以 挫 之 之 力 斯 其 根 自 断 乃 坏 之 速 而 无 疑
When dealing with other people, if you want to lift up, you should push down;
then their root will naturally break; and be ruined quickly and beyond doubt.
周 身 节 节 贯 串 无 令 有 丝 毫 间 断 耳
Empty and solid need to be distinguished clearly; one place naturally has both; everywhere has both. The entire body must be connected on both sides, without the slightest break.
长 拳 者 如 长 江 大 海 滔 滔 不 绝 也
Chang Quan (Taiji Quan) is like a river or sea; powerful and unceasingly flowing.
十 三 势 者 掤 捋 挤 按 采 挒 肘 靠 此 八 卦 也
In the thirteen principles Ward off, Rollback, Press, Push, Roll-Pull, Split, Elbow-strike
Shoulder-strike represent Bagua (the Eight Trigrams).
进 步 退 步 右 顾 左 昐 中 定 此 五 行 也
Forward-step, Back step, Right-turn, Left-turn, and Centered-stability
represent Wuxing (the Five Elements).
掤 捋 挤 按 即 坎 离 震 兑 四 正 方 也
Ward-off is ☵ Kan, Rollback is ☲ Li, Press is ☳ Zhen and Push is ☱ Dui ; together they make the four cardinal directions of the Post-Heaven Bagua.
采 挒 肘 靠 即 乾 坤 艮 巽 四 斜 角 也
Grasp is ☰ Qian, Split is ☷ Kun, Elbow-strike is ☶ Gen and Shoulder-strike is ☴ Xun; together they make
the four diagonal directions in the Post-Heaven Bagua.
进 退 顾 盼 定 即 金 木 水 火 土 也
Forward-step, Back step, Right-turn, Left-turn and Centered-stability are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth.
Originally writen by Zhang Sanfeng, translated by German B. Aguila, with examination and aproval by Professor Teng YingBo.