Post by eric on Dec 2, 2014 5:26:21 GMT
九要
The Nine Essentials
Written by: Doctor Xie Peiqi
(Translated by: Eric C.)
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學習八卦掌，要強調九要，即一塌、二橫、三提、四敏、五裹、六挺、七垂、八縮、九起鑽落翻。
During the study of Baguazhang, the nine essentials must be stressed. These are as follows:
1. Caving in/collapsing
2. Horizontal
3. Lifting/raising
4. Agile/nimble
5. Wrapping
6. Straightening upward
7. Dropping downward
8. Contracting
9. Rising, drilling, falling and flipping over
一、塌。是指腕向外塌，腰往下塌，同時尾閭上提，收住肛門，這是通達督脈之理。
1. Caving in/collapsing refers to the wrist caving in towards the outside. It also refers to the downward caving of the waist; simultaneously one must lift the tail bone, contracting the anus, thereby fulfilling the theory of an unimpeded du meridian.
二、橫。是指未破之整力，此乃先天之橫。橫居中宮，中宮主土，土生萬物。故橫拳是吾中宮之母。橫，在人體位於腰腹，練拳時要用腰腹(丹田)發力，含胸拔背，做到腰打腰卸之力法。
2. "Horizontal" refers to an unbroken full(-body) strength; this is the horizontal of pre-heaven. "Horizontal" (strength) resides in the zhonggong. The zhonggong produces the earth and the earth produces all things. Therefore, the horizontal fist is the mother of my zhonggong. As for horizontal (strength), it is located in the waist & abdomen. When training the martial art, one must use the waist & abdomen (i.e.: dantian) to emit strength; the chest must be concaved & the back pulled (long); (one can thus) achieve the method of using strength whereby the waist strikes & the waist removes. [1]
三、提。是指谷道內提，縮住肛門。於卦理而言，就是補選下斷之像。提肛則通達任督二脈，氣入丹田，提氣上行，形成周天之法，可巡周天通達。起步提膝，落步下踩，兩腿虛實，仿鶴之行走。
3. "Lifting," refers to the inward lifting and contraction of the anus. In the theory of the trigrams, this would resemble the mending of the lower broken line of the Xun trigram. By lifting the anus, the ren and du meridians connect without impediment; breath then enters the dantian and the lifted circulation travels upward. This creates a circle such that the circulation can circuit 360 degrees without impediment.
Raising the step and lifting the knee, the step falls and treads downward; the two legs (alternate between) empty & full as if the ambulation of a crane.
四、敏。是指動作敏捷大方，人體各部緊密配合，毫不鬆懈。其功用為：心敏法千萬，眼敏似雷電，手敏招法準，足敏快如箭。
4. "Agile" refers to movements that are nimble & elegant. The various parts of the body (move) in intimately close coordination without laxity nor laziness. The functions of agility are these: the agility of the mind makes innumerable methods (possible); the agility of the eyes is as if lightning; the agility of the hands makes techniques become stable & precise; the agility of the feet makes them as fast as arrows.
五、裹。是指擰裹，即擰繩之意。練拳時兩小臂用力內裹，而兩肘要用力外合，仿佛是在用力擰繩，取的是對稱之力，此為偶勁。蓄力時要求意念之明暗，發力時要求外形之穩准、圓整。
"Wrapping" refers to a twisted wrapping; it has the meaning of a rope all twisted up. When training martial arts, the two forearms wrap in with strength and the two elbows open outward with strength, as if one were forcefully twisting a rope. It has also attained the meaning of symmetrical strength, that is, an even/matching force. As one gathers one's strength, one must have obvious and hidden (force) in one's intent; as one emits strength, one's external form must be stable, accurate, round & full.
六、挺。其挺有三：頂挺，則內氣直達巔頂，透丹田而直上百會；腰挺，則氣滿命門，強壯雙腎；膝挺，則立如古松，穩如泰山。
6. Straightening upward—there are three types of upward straightening: a. Straightening of the crown, whereby the inner circulation reaches the peak of the crown, passing from the lower abdomen (dantian) straight up to the baihui point (atop the head). b. Straightening of the waist, whereby circulation fills the mingmen point, strengthening the two kidneys. c. Straightening of the knees, such that they stand as if old pines as steady as Mount Tai.
七，垂。此乃下沈之意。練拳時要做到肩、肘、氣、意念下垂。歌曰：肩垂臂膀力圓，肘垂力貫指尖。氣垂力生腰腹，意垂直達涌泉。
7. Dropping downward means to sink downward. When training, one's shoulders, elbows, breath and intent should all drop downwards. As it is said in the Songs: dropping the shoulders, the strength of the arms is rounded; dropping the elbows, strength passes straight through to the tips of the fingers; dropping the breath, strength is produced in the waist & abdomen; dropping one's intent, (strength) reaches straight down to the yongquan points (in the bottom center of each foot).
八，縮。指取收縮之形象，縮短則固存主勢。練拳時肩往裡縮，全身下縮，整個身體縮成如一個圓鐵球。肩縮則後背得力，背拔則力圓；身縮則有龍蟠虎踞之像，威武雄壯；臀縮則谷道內提，氣達巔頂之百會穴。
"Contacting/shrinking" refers to assuming a contracted form/figure. If one contracts and curtails (the size of one's body), then one will assuredly retain an advantage. When training martial arts, the shoulders should contract inward, the whole body should contract downward. The entire body should contract as if into a round iron ball. When the shoulders contract inward, the back gains strength; one can then pull the back (long), thereby gaining a round strength. When the body contracts, it has the appearance of a coiled dragon or crouching tiger, displaying an awesome might. When the buttocks is contracted, the anus is lifted inward and the circulation is free to reach the baihui point atop the crown of the head.
九，起鑽落翻。指全身要貫穿合一，手腳相合，意、氣、力相合，使拳術協調整齊。
9. Rising, drilling, falling & flipping over refer to the entire body piercing through in unity. There is harmony between the hands and feet; there is harmony between the intention, breath/circulation and strength. This allows one's martial art to become coordinated & well-balanced.
其中"起"為橫力，是功之宗。以先天生橫，橫乃土生，為萬物之根本。
As for "rising", it is a type of horizontal strength and the principle aim of development. It is by pre-heaven that the horizontal is engendered; the horizontal then engenders the earth which is the root of all things.
"落"為順利，以順勢之功，似水彎曲順流，無隙不入。
"Falling" means moving with whatever is advantageous; it uses the martial development of moving with the force. It is as if water, winding and flowing with, able to enter into any crevice. [2]
"鑽"為沖穿，如鷂速翅入林，如蛇入洞而快捷，如閃電之迅速。
"Drilling" means rushing forward and penetrating; it is as if entering a forest at the speed of a sparrow-hawk; as if a snake entering a hole at a nimble pace; as if (moving) at the rapid speed of lightning.
"翻"為上下、左右、前後、內外旋轉之力法。翻來覆去，如車輪轉動，滾滾不息，取循環之功法，達到無隙而不入之狀況，是為拳法之理也。
"Turning over" is a method of strength that whirls & turns from up to down, left to right, front to back, inside to outside (and vice versa). Tossing & turning as if the turning movement of a tire, rolling without respite. It adopts a cyclical developmental method. It reaches the state of being able to enter into any crevice. This is the theory behind its martial method.
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Translator's Footnotes:
[1]: The "Zhonggong", or "middle palace", refers to the area of the body around the navel. "Pre-heaven" likely refers to the pre-heaven trigram arraignment wherein the Qian & Kun trigrams are primary; this is significant as the Qian trigram Lion uses the waist to generate force for striking while the Kun trigram Unicorn uses the waist to remove force.
As to the cosmological notion that "the horizontal produces the earth, which produces all things" I can only speculate that this is the Doctor's way of saying that horizontal strength is an extremely important foundation in martial arts.
The key importance of horizontal strength might resides in these aspects:
1. Horizontal strength allows for smooth whole body unity.
2. The trunk of the body is far stronger than any limb and it thus has a tremendous potential to empower the limbs.
3. In most martial arts and most strength training, horizontal strength is the most underdeveloped. Horizontal development enables twisting, which is not limited to the development of the waist, but extends to the limbs as well. Thus, one gains a whole range of martial development that other people leave unattended.
[2]: Why is "falling" related to moving with? Probably because falling takes advantage of gravity as it travels in the same direction of its pull. Hence, it can be compared with water, which not only moves smoothly downhill at gravity's call, but also accords flawlessly with the terrain whereupon it flows.