八字功/Ba Zi Gong – Eight Character Skills

「八字功」之起收回轉：出勢用雞形，轉身皆虎托，收勢退步橫拳，回身雲者，勢盡而身回也；轉身雲者，至開勢處而身轉也，兩者式同而地異焉。

[The Eight Character Skills] get their beginning from Returning & Revolving: the Outgoing Pattern uses Chicken Shape, Revolving Body & Tiger Supporting, the Receiving Pattern is Retreat Step Crossing Fist, Returning Body Clouding uses the body’s returning when power reaches its utmost; Revolving Body Clouding relies on keeping the power within the body’s revolving when reaching the extremity of openness, both types are similar & yet different, why?

「正門八字功」共有八字訣如下：

[Orthodox School Eight Character Skills] has Eight Character secrets as follows:

展：展者，寬之意，即拓張手足也。

Zhan/Extend: Extending, the idea is broad, that is expanding & opening the hands & feet.

截：截者，裁也，以裁退敵手也，此節最見身法。

Jie/Cut: Cutting, it is cutting off, that is cutting off the retreating enemy’s hand, this is the best Observing Body Method.

裹：裹者，圍裹也，裹敵手使失其盜用也，身旋而力柔，有以柔克剛之妙。

Guo/Wrap: Wrapping, it is completely enwrapping an object, wrapping an enemy’s hand can make it miss it’s mark, the body whirls & the power is soft, that is the wonder of using softness to conquer strength.

跨：跨如跨馬之勢，是言其形也，實則托跨成勢。

Kua/Stride: Stride as if in Horse Riding Pattern, which is talking about its form, but actually supporting the Kua completes the pattern.

挑：挑之力在肩與腿，與蛇形相類而手稍高。

Tiao/Raise: Raising’s power is located in the shoulder & leg, with a Snake Shape mutually reciprocal power that slightly lifts up the hand.

頂：頂之力在頭，故此以挺頭垂肩為好。

Ding/Thrust: Thrusting’s power is located in the head, therefore using a straight head to hang the shoulders from is good.

云：《說文》「云，從雨雲，象雲回轉之形。」今所用者，即借其回轉之意，其兩掌皆如行雲之飄忽焉。

Yun/Move: “Shuo Wen” says: [Yun, from ‘Yu Yun/rain cloud,’ it imitates the shape of a cloud’s turning around.] In modern usage, we borrow the idea of it’s turning around motion. It is both Palms swiftly moving around like clouds.

領：領者，受也，順勢而領取也。

Ling/Lead: Leading, it is receiving, taking advantage & receiving gain.

「奇門八字功」共有八宇訣如下:

[Unorthodox School Eight Character Skills] has Eight Character secrets as follows:

斬：左右劈挂斬加翻，上步虎撲加頭鑽。

Zhan/Sever: Left & Right Chopping Hanging Severing adds Overturning, Forward Step Tiger Pouncing adds Head Drilling.

截：擒拿肘中臂截肩，一陰一陽左右換。

Jie/Intercept: Seize & Capture the elbow in the middle of the arm to intercept the shoulder, One Yin One Yang, Left & Right exchanging.

裹：裹肘刮地加肘錘，肘打去意在腰間。

Guo/Wrap: Wrapping Elbow Scrapes the Earth adds an elbow hammering, the elbow strike’s meaning is in the waist.

胯：肩肘打意緊相連，左挑右肘莫等閒。

Kua/Hips: Shoulder & Elbow striking ideas are closely linked, Left Raise & Right Elbow is not ordinary.

挑：刮腿之中挑向前，再加膝頂是真傳。

Tiao/Raise: Scraping Leg, in the midst of rising forward, adds a Knee Thrust, it’s an authentic traditional technique.

頂：自鶴亮翅左右反，裹挑之中肘相連。

Ding/Thrust: From the Crane Spreads Wings Left & Right Overturning, link & connect the elbow during the wrapping & raising.

云：上鴰下刮手腳連，兩衝變馬拳上添。

Yun/Move: Hang Above, Scrape Below, the hands & feet connect, additionally, both can thrust becoming Horse Fist.

領：左右領手陰陽換，上鑽下打具用拳。

Ling/Lead: Left & Right Leading Hand Yin Yang exchanges, Drilling Above & Striking Below has the ability to use the fists.

奇門八字連環拳歌訣如下：

Qi Men Ba Zi Lianhuan Quan Ge Jue/The Unorthodox School Eight Character Interlocking Fist Song is as follows:

起手鷹捉是真傳，鉤挂之中把敵斬。

上步橫肘是截意，退步裹肘原是三。

Beginning Hand Eagle Seizing is authentic tradition, Hook & Hang in the midst of clutching the enemy & Sever. Forward Step Crossing Elbow’s idea is cutting off, Retreat Step Wrapping Elbow’s origin is “Three.”

肘胯雙行側意猛，金雞上架挑意翻。

白鶴亮翅換步頂，雲領式中腿相連。

Elbow & Hip, both moving laterally has ferocious intent, Golden Rooster Mounts Frame Raising’s idea is Overturning. White Crane Spreads Wings Changing Step thrusts, Cloud Leading Pattern in the midst of Interlinked legs.