八卦掌練功十要/Baguazhang Liangong Shi Yao – Baguazhang Practice Skill Ten Essentials 

(一) 要靜/1st Essential Calm

靜非虛無之靜,乃意念須集中,即一真字。于靜中求動,動中求靜。如溪水潺潺共大山,山峦之幽靜唯顯涓涓細流一縷之動,涓涓細流又襯巍然大山渾然之靜。

Calm is not the calm of nothingness, the idea is that it must be concentrated, that is the genuine character. In stillness while seeking movement, moving while seeking stillness. Like rivulets of water babbling as they gather at the foot of Dashan, the peaceful seclusion of the mountain range standing alone as a tiny stream threads & flows, a single strand of movement, the tiny stream’s threading flow again contrasts with the towering Dashan’s undivided stillness.

(二) 要鬆/2nd Essential Loosened

鬆即全身放鬆,周身關節放鬆,以求得自然。鬆則氣血暢通,鬆則能靜心靜氣,鬆則能沉肩墜肘。

Loosened is the whole body is relaxed, the whole body’s joints are relaxed, in order to obtain naturalness, first loosen then Qi & Blood will flow unimpeded. Loosening then is like the meditation ability to calm the Qi, loosening is also able to sink the shoulders & drop the elbows.

(三) 要塌/3rd Essential Settled

塌即要往下鬆沉塌勁。腰鬆沉下塌,重心下降,則氣自然沉于丹田,肩墜腰,腰墜胯,胯墜膝,乃至氣沉、肩沉、肘沉、腰胯墜沉,方使周身上下渾然而成一團神,以達于三真,即心真、神真、力真,使氣不鬆散,渾圓一氣,凝聚如球而彙于丹田。

Settled is required to be downward, loosened, sunken, settled Jing. The waist loosens, sinks down, & settles. The center of gravity moves down, then the Qi naturally sinks to the Dantian. The shoulders drop into the waist, the waist drops into the kua, & the Kua drops into the knees. Then the Qi sinks, the shoulders sink, the elbows sink, the waist & hips drop & sink. This method causes the whole body, above & below, to mix & yet turn into one round lump of spirit. It is used to attain the Three Reals, that is the Xin is Real, the Spirit is Real, & the Qi is Real. To make the Qi not unconsolidated, Primordial One Qi, condense it into a ball & gather it at the Dantian.

(四) 要扣/4th Essential Arc

即扣腳合膝。腳扣膝合方能生裹勁、得合力,裆部方能防护严紧,谷道方能缩收。

That is,  Arc the foot to close the knee. The foot Arcs & the knee closes, only then can you grow Wrapping Jin, & obtain Combined Li. The crotch section can then be strictly protected, & the Gudao can then withdraw & collect.

(五) 要提/5th Essential Lift

即提肛、提尾闾。肛須用意提起,方能使氣固于丹田,以令督脉畅通。

That is, Lift the anus, & raise the tailbone. The anus must have the intent to lift, only then can Qi go to the Dantian for use in making the Du Vessel free-flowing.

(六) 要頂/6th Essential Thrust

即舌頂上颚、頭頂天、掌頂前,谓之三頂。舌頂上颚,可接任督二脉,此谓搭鹊桥,即前后贯通小周天之功;頭上頂,則腦氣振,腦氣振,則精神煥發,尾闾方能中正,周身氣脉暢通,進而可生項背之力,即如歌訣所云:尾闾中正神貫頂也;掌前頂,則氣血暢通无阻,意之所至即氣之所至,氣之所至即力之所至。

That is, Thrust the tongue up toward the palate, the head Thrusts toward Heaven, & the Palms thrust forward are the Three Thrusts. The tongue thrust up toward the palate is able to connect the Ren & Du two vessels, this is called Building a Magpie Bridge, that is linking together the front & rear for the Small Circulation of Heaven’s gong; the Head Thrusts toward Heaven & then the brain’s Qi is able to resonate. When the brain’s Qi resonates the you’re glowing with health & vigour. The Tailbone gate can then be open & upright, & the Li of the neck & back can grow. Just as the Song Secret says: When the Tailbone Gate open & upright the Soirit threads through the crown; the Palms thrust forward then the Qi & blood can flow unobstructed & unimpeded. The idea is arrival, that is the Qi’s arrival, the Qi arrives & at once the Li arrives.

(七) 要裹/7th Essential Wrap

即肘肱往里裹勁。惟有肘臂往里裹勁,方可达胸空背紧,而生合抱之力,如抱一物狀,抱成一個整勁,攏成周身上下一團神。

This is the elbow & upper arm’s Inward Wrapping Jin. Only after the elbow & arm have Inward Wrapping Jin will you attain an empty chest & tight back & give birth to Closing Wrapping Li. It’s like completely wrapping up an object tightly, wrapping success in exactly this type of Jin, collecting together the whole body above & below into a single lump of spirit.

(八) 要垂/8th Essential Drop

即沉肩墜肘。肩垂則氣沉,氣沉則力真;肩沉則肘墜,肘墜則腕塌,腕塌則掌心涵蓄,掌心涵蓄則掌指沉實。

This is sinking the shoulders & dropping the elbows. When the shoulders drop the Qi sinks, when the Qi sinks then the Li is real; when the shoulders sink then the elbows drop, when the elbows drop then the wrist settles, when the wrist is settled then the center of the Palm is contaied, & when the center of the Palm is contained then the Palm & fingers become heavy & solid.

(九) 要穿/9th Essential Penetrate

穿掌為八卦掌獨擅之手法,連環穿掌換勢,可致敵方措手不及,目亂神迷,無以招架。即如歌訣所云:天然精術怕三穿也。

Penetrating Palm is Baguazhang’s sole expert Hand Method. Interlocking Penetrating Palm’s changing pattern is able to leave the enemy unprepared, with eyes confused & spirit bewildered, unable to resist. It is like the Song Secret says: Even experts fear the Three Penetrations.

(十) 要縮/10th Essential Contract

胸要涵蓄,两肩两胯往里合勁收縮, 周身上下好似彈簧,收縮蓄力,一觸即發。

The chest must be contained, both shoulders & both hips contract with Inward Closing Jin, the whole body above & below is like a spring, contracted to store up Li, on the verge of issuing.