八卦掌三十六歌訣/Baguazhang Sanshiliu Gejue – Baguazhang’s Thirty six Song Secrets: Part 6

歌十九/Song Nineteen

人道掌法勝在剛, 郭老曾言柔內藏。 　個中也有人知味, 剛柔相濟是所長。

People say with the Palm Methods success is in hardness, Old Master Guo once said the soft is concealed within.

There is someone who knows the taste, one should be good at the Hard & Soft Mutually Aid.

歌二十/Song Twenty

剛在先兮柔後藏,柔在先兮剛後張。 　他人之柔腰與手,我則吸腰步法揚。

Hardness first & Softness concealed afterwards, Softness first & Hardness extending afterwards.

If other people’s waist & hands are soft, I use Sucking in Waist to propogate the Footwork.

歌二十一/Song Twenty one

用到極處需轉身,脫身化形不留痕。 　如何變化端在步,出入進退腰先伸。

You must Turn the Body to make use of arriving at the point of extremity, Escaping Body Change the Shape without leaving a trace.

What ends in change & variation is located in the Steps, in Exiting & Entering, or Advancing & Retreating, the waist must extend first.

歌二十二/Song Twenty two

轉掌之神頸骨傳,轉項扭項手當先。 　變時縮頸發時伸,要如神龍首尾連。

The Spirit of Turning Palm is manifested from the neckbones, in Turning the Neck or Twisting the Neck, the hands should act first.

Withdraw the neck when transforming, & Extend the neck when emitting, it must be linked Head to tail like a Spiritual Dragon.

歌二十三/Song Twenty three

打人憑手膀為根,膀在肩端不會伸。 　欲要進時進前步,若進後步枉老神。

When Striking people, no matter the Hand used, the upper arm is the root, the shoulder end of the upper arm should not completely extend.

If you intend to Advance then Advance the Forward Step, similarly Advancing the Rear Step is in vain, it uses “Spent Spirit.”