八卦掌歌/Baguazhang Ge – Eight Diagram Palm Song

八卦掌，走為先，收即放，
去即還，變轉虛虛步中参。

In Baguazhang, “Walking,” is first. Collect “Strength,” and release it immediately, “Remove,” yourself and return an attack immediately, “Turning,” with random steps to change the situation.

走如風，站如釘，扣擺轉換步法清。
腰為纛，氣為旗，眼觀六路手足先。

Walking as quickly as the wind, stopping as if nailed in place, Hooking clearly displays Turning-Changing Footwork. Your waist is the Banner, your Qi is the Flag, your eyes watch the “Six Paths,” while your hands and feet always arrive first.

行如龍，坐如虎，動似江河靜如山。
陰陽手，上下翻，沉肩墜肘氣歸丹。

Moving like a Dragon, and sitting like a Tiger, “Movement,” resembles a great river, and “Stillness,” resembles a mountain. In “Yin Yang Hands,” when “Reversing Upper and Lower,” sink the shoulder and drop the elbow to return the Qi to the abdomen.

抱六合，勿散亂，氣遍身軀得自然。
扣擺步，仔細盤，轉換進退在腰間。

Embracing the “Six Harmonies,” and avoiding sloppy practice, the Qi naturally fills the body. By carefully practicing “Hooking and Swinging Steps,” the transformation of “Advance and Retreat,” becomes controlled by the waist.

腳打七，手打三，手腳齊進莫遲緩。
胯打走，肩打撞，委身擠靠暗頂膝

The legs issue 70% of your Strength, the hands issue 30%, they must both Advance simultaneously, neither can be slow or late. The thighs strike while Walking, the shoulders’ strike “Collides,” moving the body in close to “Bump,” hides a Knee Thrust.

高不扼，低不攔，迎風接進最為先。
數語妙訣掌中要，不用純功亦枉然。

Don’t guard the Upper, don’t block the Lower, just “face the wind,” “Connecting and Entering,” are of vital importance. Analyzing the mysterious secrets of the Palm is useless without the genuine achievement of practice.