《拳學新編》齊執度

This article is part 10 of the Good Work Library collection Yiquan and Dachengquan - Texts of Wang Xiangzhai and the Lineage.

The English translation was prepared directly from the captured Traditional Chinese source text. The Chinese source text follows the colophon.

Qi Zhidu

Contents

Chapter 1. General Discussion: Essentials of Boxing Studies
Chapter 2. Explaining Boxing
Chapter 3. Yiquan
Chapter 4. Six Essentials in Studying Boxing
Chapter 5. Stages in Studying Boxing
Chapter 6. Preliminary Discussion of Standing Methods
Chapter 7. Hunyuan Standing, One
Chapter 8. Hunyuan Standing, Two
Chapter 9. Hunyuan Standing, Three
Chapter 10. Later Discussion of Standing Methods
Chapter 11. Nourishing Qi
Chapter 12. On Intention
Chapter 13. Testing Force
Chapter 14. Operating Force
Chapter 15. Opponent Work
Chapter 16. Responding To The Enemy
Chapter 17. Miscellaneous Discussion

Chapter 1. General Discussion: Essentials Of Boxing Studies

Our country's boxing studies arose in the Warring States era. Later, Bodhidharma's two methods of washing the marrow and changing the sinews were joined with Hua Tuo's Five Animal Play, and only then did this art come together. Although today there are many gates and schools, their source is one. No matter how they divide into schools, they never go outside the name "boxing." What is boxing? It is called boxing because one holds it close to the heart and does not let it go. In movement and stillness it occupies the center; it can guard and can be used. This is the Way of exhausting our human temperament and instinct. It is not the so-called boxing that purely discusses postures, sets, and techniques.

The Way of boxing studies should not be regarded as something strange and difficult. One must know that extraordinary work is often obtained from what is plain and easy. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, one can practice at every time and place. The first essential is to set the body upright, let intention be empty and open, concentrate spirit and quiet qi, sweep away emotional entanglements, and in silence regulate breath. This is the work of nourishing qi; without reaching what Mencius called the realm of "do not forget," one cannot truly gain it. The Erya says: do not forget, do not think.

Use this to warm and nourish inside and outside, wash away perversity and impurity. Sinews, bones, qi, and blood train themselves without being trained, and nourish themselves without being nourished; human instinct gradually develops. At the beginning, do not discuss whether postures are good or bad, complicated or simple. Only look at whether the whole body's large and small joints can serve one another above and below, front and back, left and right; what the general meaning of nervous direction is; how qi and blood flow; and what elastic force is issued through regulated breath. Let the intention stop at reaching obtained force and comfort.

Examine the spirit and bearing: the body is like a precious tree reaching clouds, which must borrow the support of many trees; it is also like swimming movement within qi waves. Hair and skin float and depend upon one another, with a great intention of long extension. Qi and blood are like the vast waters of a great sea, with waves flowing sideways and revolving without ceasing. Spirit is like a great smelting furnace, with nothing it cannot transform and melt. Body and mind are like a floating bag for crossing the sea, not allowing even a needle-hole leak. This is the main point in cultivating body, mind, qi, and blood.

Without washing away false thoughts and without keeping movement and stillness from departing from nature, it is not easy to gain this. No matter how one practices, the greatest taboo is using force with body and mind. If one uses force, qi stagnates; if qi stagnates, intention stops; if intention stops, spirit breaks, and the whole body is wrong. Other matters must also not be neglected: the even completeness of testing force, the coordination of the shoulder frame, the self-multiplication of issuing force - that is, the action of contending force - the spiral of triangular force, the various differently constructed forces, and all the rules of hunyuan borrowing and imagining. One should especially attend to the looseness and tightness of the whole body's pivots, the bends and folds of its areas, and the use of contact time when meeting an enemy. These cannot be described fully by speech or brush. I hope students will use constancy and perseverance to research and investigate them; then it will not be difficult to enter the sea of method and broadly obtain the essentials of the Way.

Chapter 2. Explaining Boxing

In recent times, boxing arts have divided into lineages and schools. Their methods differ, yet their names all use "boxing." But the meaning of boxing is rarely studied. Those who discuss it mostly explain it only from the written character: some point to the closed hand as the fist; some point to training courage and strength so that one can oppose others empty-handed. These are all general discussions and do not obtain the true meaning of boxing.

Mr. Xiangzhai explained the meaning of boxing this way: "Boxing is called boxing because it is held close to the heart. Movement and stillness occupy the center; it can guard and can be used. This is the Way of exhausting our human temperament and instinct, not the so-called boxing of purely practiced sets and techniques." "Movement and stillness occupy the center; it can guard and can be used" means that at the moment one obtains boxing principle, stillness guards and movement uses. Stillness is movement and movement is stillness; guarding and using are one. "Held close to the heart" means preserving it forever without loss. "The Way of exhausting our temperament and instinct" indicates where boxing principle lies. "Not purely practiced sets and techniques" distinguishes side paths and brings students onto the right track.

Mr. Xiangzhai further clarified the intention of boxing: "Boxing as boxing truly does not lie in what form the body's movement takes, but in how sinews, bones, qi, and force loosen and tighten, how spirit directs, and how heart-intention leads." To practice boxing while valuing only form is to mistake branch and root. If one attacks the branch and forgets the root, there will finally be no right place. Unless one obtains the root, one cannot speak of the practical learning of realizing form and bringing it into use. Responding to the mechanism, issuing, and changing according to posture without error, with spirit-like wonder that cannot be measured - this is naturally not something obtained by those who specialize in practicing sets and techniques.

Chapter 3. Yiquan

The Meaning Of Advocating Yiquan

The human body's inside and outside are one body, and intention and movement are one. Boxing work and boxing principle have only right and wrong; they cannot be divided into internal and external. Therefore Mr. Xiangzhai opposed the boxing names "internal school" and "external school," and opposed the discussion of boxing principles, techniques, and sets that do not accord with practical use. In order again to clarify boxing principle and develop boxing studies, he advocated Yiquan in 1926. To name the boxing by intention shows where boxing principle lies. Its practice method values standing practice in order to seek practical use. It does not discuss formal transformations of sets. Whether moving or still, all is led by intention, making intention, qi, and force become one, in order to exhaust the wondrous use of contending force in boxing work. From this one can know that Mr. Wang correctly named the boxing Yiquan. His intention was to erase disputes of school and internal-external division, and preserve the true meaning of boxing studies.

Yiquan Standing Methods

Mr. Xiangzhai discussed Yiquan standing methods this way: "In boxing-study standing methods, yin and yang, movement and stillness, empty and solid, opening and closing, chest and abdominal breathing, and stirring cannot be discussed separately. All serve each other as root and use. It does not lie in the mixture of external feelings, but in one intention's response. This is called Yiquan."

Explanation Of Intention-Movement

Intention exists within our own body. It is the movement of the mind, and its function is the self. It truly exists and should not be doubted. In studying boxing one should first understand this intention; only afterward can movement and stillness accord with principle and benefit the body.

A western saying says: "The development of the body can promote the development of the inner mind. Damage to the body is often damage to the inner mind." How can body and inner mind develop without damage? One must seek the unity of body and mind in movement and use. Movement and use in which body and mind are united are healthy movement and use, the movement and use that should exist. How can body and mind be united? One must know that the mind's movement and use are intention-accordant. The body's movement and use, if they are body-mind unified, are naturally movements that develop the body and have benefit without harm. This is movement and use that follows natural need, responds to the mechanism, and accords with reason.

Intention is movement of the mind. To reach this intention, the one that governs the whole body is the brain. The brain is the key to body and mind, so the brain is to the body as the commander is to an army. Therefore in studying boxing, first speak of the head being straight. The issuing of intention belongs to freedom and to completeness, without the feeling of accompanying compulsion. Only when our movements follow nature and accord with need are they intention-accordant movement and use, a free decision and the action of instinct. This decision and action belong to the individual, and the one who can feel it and receive it in the body is also only that individual.

Human bodily movement and use can be divided into two kinds. Intention-accordant movement is beneficial movement. Movement that does not accord with intention is useless movement. Psychologists call non-intention-accordant movement impulsive movement. It is movement issuing from desire, not regular movement. It comes from being struck by impulse; this impulse changes into fixed intention, and from fixed intention practical movement is aroused. Therefore it is called impulsive movement. It is movement against nature, not movement issuing from self-mastery, that is, free decision. It is lost movement.

This kind of movement necessarily uses effort. Effort drives the blood; when the blood is driven, blood flow loses its naturalness and nerves are harmed. Therefore after the movement, the mind produces a kind of reflex impulse. Nerve endings receive impulse and produce resistance, while at the same time producing reflex movement. This reflex strength is the strongest. The nerve center feels stimulation and is damaged. This kind of movement not only lacks benefit but has harm. Therefore in studying boxing one must strictly avoid reckless movement and effort; that is, one is not allowed to have impulsive movement.

Intention-Accordant Movement

Intention-accordant movement is what psychologists call instinctive movement. It uses intention - the observing ability of the motor nerves - to examine the needs of the whole body, follows the direction of intention, and acts as movement. It comes from self-mastery and follows nature. Therefore instinctive movement is movement in which body and mind are one, accords with need, and has benefit without harm.

Instinctive movement is divided into intentional movement and automatic movement. Intentional movement is movement based on heart-intention's direction. When it reaches the wondrous place, it becomes automatic movement. One no longer feels it is directed by intention, yet none of its movement fails to accord with intention. The original purpose of studying boxing is to develop instinctive movement. Unless one reaches the state of automatic movement, one cannot obtain force, obtain qi, obtain spirit, and enter transformation.

Chapter 4. Six Essentials In Studying Boxing

First: Know The Benefit Of Boxing

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "One who does not study boxing is a fool who does not want life." This speaks of how urgent and essential the relation of boxing work is to the human body. It can strengthen the body and nourish nature and life. Everyone should know this principle, and everyone should practice this boxing. The reason for broadly urging us to practice is exhausted in this one phrase. If we are made to know the joy and benefit of studying boxing and devote ourselves to practice, we will certainly have the feeling of being unable to stop. If one enters a side path, uses effort, strains qi, and injures the body, that is error in learning; it is not that boxing should not be practiced.

When boxing work reaches the wondrous realm and truly obtains the key essentials, others may instead think it unskilled or unattractive. Therefore one must know that studying boxing is for oneself, not for other people. This is the matter of guarding and nourishing the body close to the bones. In ordinary times, moreover, one must keep the mind constantly on boxing. Store and nourish qi and blood. No matter when, where, or what one is doing, there is nothing that is not held close and practiced. Work with time limits is not as correct and concrete as work without fixed time limits. Therefore those who can practice only at fixed times, and only in a public square, are not necessarily completely right.

Second: Understand Boxing Principle

Boxing has its principle, its method, and its intention. Only when one obtains its method, principle, and intention can one be called able in boxing. Having boxing method but no boxing principle is wrong; having boxing principle but no boxing intention is also wrong. Boxing movement has not one method, yet it has principles. Movement and stillness transform; mechanism and spirit have no fixed direction; they come out naturally and reach spirit-like wonder. This is because of one intention's direction, obtaining principle and exhausting method so that use is completed.

Therefore in studying boxing, the word principle is most important. Principle must be obtained from rules. Only one who can penetrate principle within rules can have achievement. Wondrous comprehension lies in oneself; study must be completed by oneself. When the student of boxing obtains the principle, only then can one speak with him of qi and force. If there is qi and force but they do not accord with principle, they are not useful qi and force. If one knows the principle but cannot use it in qi and in force, it is also not true principle. Principle joins with qi; qi works with force. If movement and stillness accord with principle, qi becomes useful, and the wonder of qi and force naturally appears. Yet the one that makes this use spirit-like returns authority to intention. Therefore at the beginning of studying boxing, one must thoroughly recognize its method, principle, and intention, so there is something to follow.

Third: Value The Coarse Traces Of Standing Method

People in the world often regard boxing as technique, and fewer than one in ten practice. How could this be a fundamental discussion? Boxing is the first basis of our movement. Its principle is simple and clear; its traces are coarse and obvious; its wondrous use lies in the minute. Therefore, when discussing boxing principle, deep speech takes root in the minute, and shallow speech is based on the coarse traces. One must know that if the coarse traces disappear, the principle of the minute has nowhere to remain; if the principle of the minute disappears, the coarse traces are wrong. What are the coarse traces? They are extremely simple and easy methods of movement. If one obtains these coarse traces, one can transform without limit. But they are not today's boxing sets and techniques. What are boxing's coarse traces? Standing methods. How could one ignore them because they are plain and easy?

Observe that the most spirit-like functions of boxing all arise from this one standing. In studying boxing one must first seek the place to begin and the gate of real work. The place to begin is standing practice; long standing is the gate of real work. Apart from this, I fear there is no true place to begin. Therefore students should take this teaching as certain, practice by it, recognize it here, and set their aspiration here. Day after day, exerting oneself, the hidden content is naturally obtained. The Way of teaching and practice is no more than this. Subtle indeed.

Fourth: Do The Work Of Bodily Recognition

In studying boxing one must know the four words "heart transmits, intention leads." They are the critical point for obtaining force. These four words must be sought within the two words bodily recognition. Bodily recognition is a kind of practical work: use intention's direction to bring forth the functions of one's own intelligence and bodily ability; make what the brain receives be carried out by the body; verify knowledge through the body; and seek what one does not know. One must know that heart transmission and oral teaching are not true learning and true knowing. Only what one obtains through one's own practice is real learning and real knowing. Therefore studying boxing values bodily-recognition work. It changes empty imagining into practical use and real work. Moreover, the operation and transformation of spirit, qi, and force cannot be self-known, self-issued, and self-completed without bodily recognition.

Bodily-recognition work has three essential points: inward examination, outward observation, and experiment. None can be missing. Inward examination directly observes what one's own images of intention are like. Outward observation means inwardly examining oneself and outwardly observing others, using others' manifestations to verify their contents and assist inward examination. Experiment combines what is obtained from inward examination and outward observation, carries it out in one's own body, and obtains actual effect.

In studying boxing, some things are obtained from the teacher and some from oneself. What is obtained from the teacher is rules. What is obtained from oneself is the wondrous use truly obtained in the body by following rules and passing through bodily recognition. If the student of boxing does not obtain it in the body, rules do not benefit him.

When discussing bodily recognition, there are originally three steps of work: force, qi, and spirit. Force, qi, and spirit are all bodily-recognition work. Spoken separately, they are limits marking the depth or shallowness of boxing work. Spoken together, when the mind is one and qi is even, ten thousand forces are all sufficient. Force, qi, and spirit originally have an inseparable nature. The three are truly unified on the basis of one qi. When qi is regulated, nerve training, blood and qi regulation, and sinew and bone training all receive the real work of bodily recognition. Therefore they are called the three steps of work. The essential points shown by standing methods are all for nourishing this qi and cultivating the foundation of human life.

Fifth: Remove The Three Diseases

In studying boxing there are three diseases. First is straining qi. Second is using effort, that is, using awkward strength. Third is puffing the chest and lifting the abdomen. If one contracts these three diseases, movement and stillness do not accord with principle, and boxing work will certainly find it hard to obtain force and qi and make spirit useful. Be careful. Using effort in studying boxing is a great disease. Those who teach boxing today specialize in using speed and force to teach beginners. This is wrong. To teach speed and force is to want the hands and feet to use force. One must know that if the four limbs use force, the true strength of mind and body must stagnate and knot up. Over time the harm is great. Today's students of boxing should understand this harm, avoid it, and stay far from it. Then they may come near and avoid entering side paths.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "Today's boxing students are often in a hurry for boxing sets. They use violent force to seek speed and beauty. The pores of the whole body become obstructed, and this truly greatly obstructs the circulation of one's own qi and blood. Among all boxing specialists who use violent force, there are none who do not strain their eyes, wrinkle their brows, and stamp their feet with sound." This first closes the qi and only afterward uses force. When practice ends, there is long sighing and short gasping, urgent panting without stop, injuring original qi. Therefore there are often those with several decades of work who finally remain outsiders. Is this not caused by using such awkward strength?

Sixth: Do Real Work

In studying boxing, avoid seeking high things and speed, for fear of not reaching them. In a certain year I asked about issuing force. Mr. Xiangzhai told me: "You can already obtain the flavor within the ring-center and should be able to trust yourself. But as for the essentials of issuing force, I fear you still cannot understand them. Because the kinds of issuing force are very many, without experience applying them, I dare say it is not easy to know. I hope you will apply yourself to work. When the time comes I will certainly tell you in detail. If I tell you now, you cannot understand. Even if you understand, you cannot carry it out. I worry there will be the disease of pursuing the high and instead becoming low." He also said: "Work should be constant and long. Practice morning and evening without stopping at any time. When there are new achievements, this is the true news of progress."

A saying says: without a true heart that will not turn back after a hundred breaks, there cannot be wondrous use of ten thousand transformations without limit. Mr. Xiangzhai said: "When in practice one feels the whole body's qi and blood flowing like rivers, there are things outside the body, spirit is nourished and nature gathered, and the whole body has no stagnation, this is first-step work. If one hears the whole body making a hissing sound, and whether walking or sitting, at a touch one can knock a person a zhang away, this is middle-vehicle work. When qi is born outside the body and radiance shoots in all directions, and if one looks at a person with the eyes, that person seems to lose awareness, then one gradually enters the realm of spirit transformation."

Chapter 5. Stages In Studying Boxing

Foundational Work

Human force is born from qi and blood and naturally issues, reaching outside from inside. Therefore making qi and blood smooth and training sinews and bones are the foundation of studying boxing. The method is standing practice. When standing, one must arrange the frame properly. Then, from a still state, put the nerves in order, regulate breathing, warm and nourish qi and blood, and carry out each kind of bodily-recognition work for training sinews and bones. This makes inside and outside become one, and reaches the purpose of transforming the awkward into the lively and changing the weak into the strong.

Testing Force

When the previous foundational work reaches the wondrous place, one should continue to practice the wondrous use of qi and force. Testing force is its first step. Testing force is the source of obtaining force. Through testing, one knows where force issues from; through knowing, one obtains how it is used. Therefore testing force is the greatest key in studying boxing.

Practical Work

When boxing work reaches whole-body comfort and obtained force, movement, use, and transformation can begin to issue according to the mechanism. As for fast and slow, empty and solid, the use of spirit and timing, the mutual root of closing and opening, looseness and tightness, movement and stillness, and the analysis of force and borrowing, these still must be studied in practice. Therefore boxing work cannot be relaxed even slightly.

On the various stages of studying boxing, Mr. Wang also said: "When practicing standing methods, though the form does not move, the sinews, muscles, qi, blood, nerves, and every kind of cell of the whole body all work at the same time. They are like a wheel-disk rotating so fast that it reaches the extreme. This is precisely the movement of no-movement, what is called living movement that never stops. This is an essential point to attend to in studying boxing. If one thought differs and leaves this right track, one will find it hard to enter the gate for life."

When responding to an enemy, the posture is like ape and rabbit, like dragon and snake, while body, mind, intention, and force must all be contained and stored. In secret analyze the opponent completely. One must gather the whole spirit and tauten inwardly, move according to opportunity, and wait for the mechanism of issuing. Although movement and use are extremely fast, there are still shifts high and low, left and right, vertical and horizontal. Yet the floating and wandering of body, mind, qi, and blood is truly movement still like no-movement.

The above are the principles distinguishing the two parts of foundational work and practical work, and movement and stillness. The middle stage of testing-force methods is too complicated, so I briefly describe one or two points. Testing force does not allow one-sided force, and still less absolute force. First one must recognize whether the whole body's qi and force are round and full; whether light, edge, and hair make contact; whether qi and force can issue at any time and place; whether one's spirit and qi can produce a responsive action with the air. When raising the hand and moving the foot, everywhere in the whole body is as if an enemy wishes to compare with it. The external form still has no movement, but spirit has already circled with it. If it is not like this, force cannot be tested and obtained. How could students ignore this?

Chapter 6. Preliminary Discussion Of Standing Methods

Standing Method Trains The Whole Body

Although our one body is divided into body, hands, head, feet, five senses, and hundred bones, inside and outside are originally one entire body. What is trained in boxing practice is the person's whole body as one, inside and outside, surface and lining, body, hands, head, feet, five senses, and hundred bones. These cannot be discussed separately, and even less may they be trained separately. The division between right and wrong in boxing principle lies here, and whether the student of boxing can enter the Way also lies here.

Yiquan standing methods are foundational work for unifying will, unifying movement, and unifying force, qi, and spirit. They are the method for unifying the whole body's development and strengthening force, qi, and spirit.

Boxing is whole-body movement. The five senses and hundred bones, ten fingers and four limbs, and even hair each have their use of light or heavy, slow or urgent. If one thing is missing, one is not a complete person; if one thing does not move, it is not complete movement. What commands the whole body in unity is what intention directs, what mind is tied to, what qi carries, what spirit-brightness feels, and what nature responds to. Therefore in practice, from practicing body, mind, hands, and feet, one must practice the whole body at the same time and in unity. It must not be separated and must not be one-sidedly weighted. Exhaust its instinct and unify it under one command. If the parts do not receive the command and each acts for itself, this is dismembering oneself. Boxing will have no day of ability.

Know The Position Of One's Own Body

In studying boxing one should first know the position of one's own body. When we stand, we wear heaven and tread earth. Above and below, left and right, front and back, and center: the situation we occupy is heaven and earth in all four directions, while the body dwells within the air. Everyone knows this and it need not be said. The student of boxing must first seek and obtain the position of his own body. The method is to look back toward one's own body from four sides and eight directions outside the body. Then one obtains the center. Once the foundation is established, it becomes round. Obtain the center, use the center, and wondrous use is without limit.

Understand Movement, Stillness, Bent, And Straight

In studying boxing one should know that human life and ability lie in being able to move. Movement originally comes from stillness. Stillness is straight; movement is bent. One movement and one stillness, one bend and one straight - form bent and force straight - exhaust boxing principle here. Therefore in studying boxing, in stillness regulate the qi, and in movement bring it to use. Use this qi to enliven my blood, strengthen my force, move the whole body, and serve what should be served. Movement and stillness mutually cause and mutually generate each other. The student of boxing studies this movement and stillness.

To study this movement and stillness, one must be careful at the beginning. At the beginning, it goes from straight to bent and from stillness to movement. Form bent, force straight, and movement returning to stillness. Within stillness there is movement; within movement there is stillness. The method for seeking and obtaining this is standing practice.

Foundational Work In Boxing Is Standing Method

When studying boxing through standing practice, use intention to observe the movement and stillness of the whole body. When the work arrives, one will know that such standing has the flavor that no wonder is not reached and no method is not prepared. If one wishes to exhaust the wondrous use of boxing work, one should first apply oneself to standing methods. Every kind of movement is based on this. This discussion truly does not deceive me. Therefore the ancient people practiced personally and actually; this was the single gate for seeking this flavor. Students should devote themselves to it. Boxing takes standing practice as foundation and action as use. If the foundation is not solid, movement has no root. Therefore in studying boxing one must not say standing is not as good as walking. To do the opposite is to mislead oneself. A whole body's work must be done from the root before it belongs to reality.

Chapter 7. Hunyuan Standing, One

The first Hunyuan standing method is to put the standing appearance in order, also called standing posture. Standing is the basic frame of boxing work. When standing, the two foot tips hang down and divide outward at an angle of about sixty degrees. One must be calm and steady, qi quiet and spirit pleased, and should have the intention of carrying heaven, treading earth, and joining heaven and earth into one. When standing, attend to the following points.

Head: The head dwells at the highest place of the body and is the ruler of the whole body. It should not tilt. Use intention to lead upward - "lead" is more accurate than "push." Draw in the chin and extend the neck, wishing it to be straight. It is like topping and not topping, as if tied and lifted by a cord. It should have the intention of leading the whole body.

Feet: The two feet are placed flat. The big toes push outward, the little toes scrape inward, the arches contain emptiness, and the heels rise slightly. The two knees bend slightly and shrink upward, so the sinews and channels extend. One must not use effort. As soon as the feet use effort, standing is not stable. One must know that effort in the feet necessarily tops force in the head. The body is not comfortable, qi and force are obstructed, and the joints of the whole body cannot be lively. How then could one seek stable standing? Therefore when it is said that correcting the appearance makes the feet heavy, this does not mean using effort in the feet.

Sacral bone: It is the shell of the spinal nerves, dwells in the middle part of the body, and is the center that governs upper and lower limbs. The sacral bone should be straight and upright. With shoulders level, buttocks lowered, chin drawn in, neck extended, and heart pit slightly drawn in, the chest naturally becomes broad and the abdomen round and loose. Then there will be no disease of raising the head, bending the waist, puffing the chest, or squeezing the back.

Hands: The two hands hang down, the fingers wishing to insert into the ground. But they must slightly lift upward, so the elbows are slightly bent, in order to open the sinews and channels. There is also the intention of outward bracing and inward wrapping. Shoulders are level, arms upright, the sinews below the armpits loose, empty and lively, guarding silence, as if able to contain balls.

Teeth: Upper and lower teeth meet like gears. They should not bite together with force. Clenching the teeth and staring with the eyes is a great defect.

Tongue: The tongue tip slightly curls and touches the upper palate, like touching and not touching. One must understand its intention of connecting and leading.

Nose: The nose is the qi organ. Breathing should be even and soundless. Qi must not be lifted, and especially must not be sunk deliberately. Even, quiet, and natural are the essentials. When qi can become perfectly solemn, regulated breath then obtains its wonder. Strictly avoid breathing through the mouth. If one commits this, qi loses its path, the nose loses its office, and illness can easily be caused. One must be careful.

Eyes: The two eyes should look level and straight. If they are not led by objects, not glancing elsewhere, not turning the pupils and flowing left and right, then heart-intention naturally is not disturbed.

Ears: The ears listen in eight directions. One must use spirit to concentrate.

Chapter 8. Hunyuan Standing, Two

Begin from standing posture. When standing posture is stable, make the feet open to left and right in a horizontal step, bend the knees, lower the body into a horse-riding form, and raise the two hands high. This makes bones, flesh, sinews, and channels extend in parallel, and qi and blood flow like rivers. The function of this standing work lies in opening qi and increasing force, warming and nourishing sinews and flesh, training nerves, and making every cell work. When standing, attend to the following points.

Step: When the horizontal step opens, the two foot tips face forward and stand parallel and even. They must not be staggered front and back. Their distance is calculated according to the individual's foot length. A distance of about one foot seven or eight between the two foot tips is appropriate. Open the hips, bend the knees, stand quietly for a moment to make body and mind stable, and then raise the two hands.

Knees: Open the hips and bend the knees. The horse-riding crotch should be low, not high. The waist sits downward, the hips draw back, the buttocks wrap forward while the hips spread outward - horizontal bracing should be level - and the two knees close inward with the intention of outward bracing. The birth and issuing of force around the kneecaps is especially worth recognizing in movement and use. From kneecap to foot surface there is force bracing upward from the foot surface to the knee. There is also the intention of wishing to stand straight, yet being held by ropes connecting foot surface and knee so that they cannot brace open. Above the kneecaps there is again force lifting upward as a whole, while at the same time there is force sitting downward. At the same time the knees bend inward and the sinews of upper and lower legs have force gathering toward each other, while at the same time possessing the opposite supporting force. These forces are born naturally, equal and mutually multiplying. They are called contending force. When boxing work arrives, the condition of force movement is naturally understood. It is very hard to explain.

Waist: The waist is the pivot for movement of the human body's upper, lower, and four limbs. It is where the whole body's centerline lies and what the center of gravity is tied to. The greatest taboo is bending the waist and back. If the head is straight, shoulders loose, and hips sit - do not tilt the buttocks forward - then the waist is straight and above and below are lively and connected as one qi.

Hands: The two hands are raised high in order to make sinews and muscles extend, following the direction of the left and right shoulders and stretching left and right. The two hands should slightly embrace forward, elbows bent, wrists pressing, five fingers separated and extending upward. This hand posture is the basic posture of standing practice. No matter how the hand postures vary, any posture in which sinews, muscles, and bones are parallel and extended, without twisting and wrapping force, belongs to what this standing method seeks.

Supporting form: The two hands are raised high and level with the heart pit. The palms face the sky, the fingertips face each other, and the two arms hang in a ring.

Pressing form: Raise the two hands before the navel, thumbs facing the navel, palms facing the ground, fingertips facing each other, and the two arms hanging in a ring.

For the above two forms, in the supporting form the little fingers, and in the pressing form the thumbs, should be four inches from the body, and the two hands' fingertips should be three inches apart. They must not be close.

Pushing form: The two hands are raised high, extended level forward, and then the fingertips face one another, palms outward, elbows and wrists parallel, form bent like a bow.

Embracing form: The two hands extend level, palms inward, fingertips facing each other, wrists and elbows parallel, shaped like embracing a drum.

Lifting form: The two hands hang down, making the elbows slightly bent and the fingers slightly rolled as if lifting an object.

Raising form: The two hands are raised above the head, elbows slightly bent - they must not press close to the head - fingertips facing one another, palms facing the sky. When the hand comes out, the five fingers must not press tightly together but should separate, seeking liveliness and obtained force. The fingers curl as if grabbing and hooking, the tiger's mouth braces round, the fingertips draw and gather, and the palm-center draws inward, with the intention of holding an object that wishes to fall. The palm-center emits force and the fingers expand outward, yet also as if bound by soft silk and unable to extend. When this spirit and bearing - also the wondrous use of contending force - are present at the same time and come out naturally, one obtains the wonder. All standing methods, whatever their form, are like this.

Chapter 9. Hunyuan Standing, Three

After studying the first two standing methods, continue with this one. It still begins with standing posture. After standing stable, open the step with left and right feet set front and back - this is advancing and retreating step - bend the knees and lower the body, and let the two hands embrace in a ring, horizontally bracing, twisting, wrapping, and extending forward. This makes sinews and muscles bind and wrap, and makes every joint of the bones bent. This is an obtuse triangular form, an angle greater than ninety degrees, with no acute angles. The whole body has no flat part and still less absolute force. Bent and folded, exquisite and transparent, hunyuan one body, it combines the functions of the previous two standing methods. Meeting the mechanism, it applies skill; responding to change without limit, it is convenient for real fighting and refined in striking and guarding. When standing, attend to the points shown for waist and knees in Hunyuan Standing One and Two, and to the following points.

Step: "A large step is not lively" is the essential formula of stepping method. When opening the step, the front foot enters and the rear foot follows. The greatest distance between the two feet is about one foot two or three inches. Speaking of movement, turning is no more than seven or eight inches. If the two feet stand on one straight line, it is not easy to be stable. They must open slightly left and right, with width measured by shoulder width.

Hands: When sending out the hands, the two hands stretch left and right and do not pass the nose, in order to preserve the centerline. High does not pass the eyebrows; low does not pass the navel; forward extension does not pass the toe tips; withdrawing is not allowed to press near the abdomen. This is the most important rule and must not be violated. Again, there must be no flat places; nowhere is not bent, and every bent place mutually multiplies. Recognize the phrase "edges issuing in eight directions," and one obtains the mystery. When changing palms into fists, the five fingers follow one another as if twisting hemp rope. The force of each finger is like an infant holding an object; there should be the intention of tight twisting and close holding. This grasping method makes it easy to issue force when striking. Strictly avoid a dead grip. If the hands do not use effort, the two arms are round and lively, qi and force flow freely, and hands and feet respond to each other. The two elbows bend as if embracing a drum. No matter how hand forms change, the two elbows must forever preserve horizontal bracing force. Do not let the two elbows suddenly come close or suddenly move far apart, losing their active space - the area they should occupy - and giving another person a chance to attack.

Shoulders: When stepping method changes, whether the two arms obtain force depends entirely on the two shoulders. The essential formula is loose shoulders. If the shoulders are loose, they hang down. The left and right armpits and ribs support their space, as if able to contain balls. When the two arms obtain this space, they can move freely. Then make the heart pit slightly draw in, chest empty and back round. The shoulders obtain their levelness, and the whole body's qi and force penetrate straight to the palms.

Sinews and bones: Force is born in the bones and reaches the sinews. Long sinews mean great force; heavy bones mean lively sinews. When sinews extend, bone joints shrink; when bones are lively, force is solid. Extending sinews and bracing wrists - the four wrists of hands and feet, and the neck - open the sinews and channels of the whole body. The two upper arms should brace horizontally and level, with the forces of drawing-embracing, opening-closing, and extending-contracting. The two legs should have the forces of lifting, clamping, scraping, shrinking, wading, bursting, twisting, and wrapping. Shoulder bracing, hip sinking, and centered tailbone must not be ignored.

Bones are heavy like a bow-back; sinews extend like bowstrings. Operating strength is like a full bow; issuing the hand is like loosing an arrow. Use force like drawing silk. The two hands are like tearing cotton. When standing this method, the whole body above, below, front, back, left, right, and eight directions, as well as head and feet, head and hands, hands and shoulders, hands and hips, shoulders and knees, elbows and hips, everywhere respond to one another. It is as if there are ropes pulling in opposite directions, or people pushing and moving against each other, yet one has the intention of not being moved. In actuality there are no ropes or people pulling or pushing. One merely preserves intention like this. If one actually makes a state as if being pulled or pushed, that too is wrong. Then one is being governed by desire, and the movement, without realizing it, already uses effort and loses naturalness.

In standing, recognize from this that the whole body easily becomes complete. Over time one can reach intention in eight directions, and qi and force obtain the center. Since the human body's movement and use have their movement space, and the areas occupied by head, feet, body, hands, and other places differ according to the functions of those places, the action of contending force and the response relations of each place also differ accordingly. If one wishes to understand this, seek it in the three Hunyuan standing methods. Naturally one can obtain the mystery. Every movement is born from this foundation. How could it be ignored?

Chapter 10. Later Discussion Of Standing Methods

In studying boxing through standing practice, the longer the time, the more wondrous. The phenomena produced in the body while standing differ according to the depth or shallowness of work. When a beginner first stands, after only several minutes sweat pours down. After standing several more minutes, one may feel creeping movement in the abdomen, even involving the whole body. After practicing for a long time, one gradually feels the body making a rustling sound, while qi and blood move and stir like rolling springs. At first, when qi and blood have not yet flowed smoothly, the two legs may feel sore. When tired, one may rest briefly and then stand again, to avoid forcing through fatigue and thereby using effort. Boxing work originally lies in daily accumulation and monthly storing, with uninterrupted practice as the essential. The standing time should gradually increase. After standing practice ends, qi is comfortable, spirit clear, and the whole body loose and quick; it is wondrous beyond words.

Li Shugu said: "Wash away perversity and impurity, stir the blood vessels, circulate the spirit, nourish the method of central harmony, and rescue the bias of temperament." The function of standing practice is exhausted in this.

At the beginning of standing practice, qi and blood cannot yet flow smoothly. When they meet obstruction, shaking phenomena arise. One must know that this kind of shaking is neither error nor sickness. But if this phenomenon still remains after long practice and qi and blood flow cannot become quiet, I fear there will be no good effect. When shaking appears, one may use the nerves - spirit - to bring about change and decompose it. After this decomposition, if the shaking still remains, one may again change the posture through nervous change. This too is acceptable. One must make it quiet. This is most important.

In studying boxing, the phenomena of different practice in movement and stillness, noisy and silent having different flavors, are hardest to avoid. They all come from standing work not having arrived and heart-spirit being confused. In ordinary practice one should put down the mind-emotions and not allow floating movement. When qi is solemn, courage is strong. When heart is quiet, spirit is clear. Guard this without loss, and naturally there will be no movement that does not accord. If studying boxing does not use this method and seeks elsewhere, one wastes heart and strength and will certainly find it hard to discover the wonder of dwelling in one and transforming into the even.

At the beginning of standing practice, one will certainly feel the whole body sore and soft, instead like a person without strength. As qi and blood gradually flow smoothly and true force is born - true force means the force naturally generated when sinews, bones, qi, and blood receive the direction of heart-intention - then regardless of movement or stillness, qi and force are connected through the whole body. The greatness of the force will then be inconceivable. When work arrives, one knows it oneself. Students should seek it in themselves.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "In ordinary work at studying boxing, always make spirit and qi gather and not separate. As when standing, if spirit does not run outside, intention does not think outside, essence does not move recklessly, qi does not float lightly, and spirit does not wander chaotically, then even without the form of standing practice one receives its actual effect. There is inconceivable wonder."

Someone said: "Thinking carefully about the benefit of standing practice, why do students not feel it? It is because their heart-intention is fixed on the hands and not on the waist, not on the whole body." These words are worth savoring and understanding. It was also said: "When practicing boxing, if the mind moves and the body does not move, it is in vain. If the body moves and the mind does not move, it is also in vain. To add work with body and mind in unity, apart from standing practice, there is no second gate." Mind movement is the movement and use of heart-intention. Body movement is the movement and use of sinews, bones, and joints, and the whole-body movement and use produced by the response of qi and blood. Therefore in studying boxing one should put work into standing practice. Otherwise one gives useful spirit to a useless place.

Standing practice makes our life-force move internally, purely following nature and with no danger of harming physiology. Therefore a true and good boxing practitioner must have full qi and force, sufficient spirit, moist and soft skin, and strong sinews and bones. He is absolutely not someone with rough skin, thick flesh, and knots like iron and stone.

Practicing standing methods is the learning that attacks the root of studying boxing. It is the foundation where one posture can transform into a thousand hundred postures and a thousand hundred postures return to one posture. One must truly study diligently - know the principle and practice the matter - and tread the traces. This is essential. How could it apply only to boxing studies?

Chapter 11. Nourishing Qi

Students of boxing often speak of qi work. Opinions diverge and there is no agreed standard. When Mr. Xiangzhai taught boxing, he often used the three words intention, qi, and force together, or spoke of qi and force together, placing great weight on the word qi. The principle he taught for nourishing qi lies in not causing harm. Its method is most simple and easy, rooted in nature. Breathe through the nose; make the breath fine, even, and soundless. Even, quiet, and natural are the essential formula. Those who now speak of qi must know that this qi refers to the two gases of breathing, carbon and oxygen. One must first explain clearly the principles of human movement and the use of breathing. In studying boxing, nourishing qi and regulating breathing are the use of the elastic force born from breathing in order to exhaust the wondrous use of boxing. It is not like people in the world who train a large belly and call themselves famous masters of qigong.

Full qi and strong force are results of studying boxing. Qi's smoothness or reversal, emptiness or solidity, is related to a person's vigor or age, courage or timidity, and the operation and transformation of the body's four limbs, sinews, and bones rely on it. Therefore without qi one has no means to nourish use. Qi is the immeasurable supply for the person; from it the original motive power of human life is born. If one wants powerful force, it goes without saying that one must begin from nourishing qi.

The work of nourishing qi can also be called the work of regulating qi. Qi means the two gases of breathing, carbon and oxygen, as already said. Use breathing methods to make the body's inner and outer qi flow without ceasing. This function can urge the blood vessels of the whole body into movement. From this one can know that qi has useful transformations whether inside or outside the body. Spirit-like, it reaches formlessness; subtle, it reaches soundlessness. It is drawn from outside the body and fills the inside of the body. In practicing boxing, movement is lively and wondrous, impossible to predict; stillness is solemn, impossible to shake. All are based on this qi. Without nourishing it regularly, how could one reach this? How could the Way of nourishing qi be ignored?

Many speak of nourishing qi. Some use effort inside the chest to stir the two lungs; some sink qi into the abdomen to seek fullness. These cause qi to knot and not pass, because they do not understand the principle of nourishing qi. The principle lies in breathing naturally. One is not allowed to use force deliberately to stir it, and one is also not allowed deliberately to use the direction of one's own intention. Do not hurry and do not press. Do it slowly, following nature. When one can breathe without feeling that one is breathing, and the blood vessels of the whole body stir, then one can join with breathing and obtain the real work of solemn qi. Afterward one obtains the vast-flowing qi spoken of by the ancients and understands the hidden meaning of greatest and firmest.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "Scholar-officials in the world often take seated work as the secret of Chan study. They consider themselves to have obtained it and to be extremely right. In truth, they only say 'natural' with their mouths. How could they not know that the moment one sits cross-legged, it is already not natural? Even if practicing it has no harm, it must also have no gain. They only know that for one moment spirit is clear and breath quiet. They cannot understand that this is not whole-body work. Qi penetrating the whole body is the essential formula for nourishing qi. If qi is not smooth through the joints, they cannot be sensitive and lively. Because breathing stirs the blood, all the cells of the whole body - the hairs and pores - stir at the same time and produce absorbing movement. This breathing movement is the basic movement point of boxing. Operations produced from this basic point are reasonable, natural, and free. When movement can be free, only then does one obtain natural, living qi that never ceases, and know its true flavor."

The hair of the whole body shares in governing breathing and responds with nasal breath. Pore-breathing has a greater function for the human body than nasal breath, but people do not know it themselves. Therefore those who speak of qi work mostly discuss nasal breath and rarely reach the pores. One must know that in regulating breath, even, quiet, and natural are the essential formula. This frees breath from urgency and shortness, increases lung capacity, and makes it respond with pore-breathing. Therefore it is said that when nasal breath is regulated, pore-breathing is fine and even, that is, unified. If one knows only nasal breath and does not know pore-breathing, I fear it will be hard to enter the wondrous realm in using qi and force, because one does not understand the nourishment and operation of qi inside and outside the body and thereby misses it.

Increasing lung capacity lies in hanging the shoulders and emptying the chest - the heart pit slightly drawn in. Puffing the chest and squeezing the back is wrong; one try will show it. Boxing must take qi from within emptiness. Qi is the solid within emptiness. Mr. Xiangzhai said: "When moving, one should leave outside the body surplus force and qi that are not exhausted. The hair of the whole body stands straight like halberds; only when qi reaches the tips is it called sufficient. The place where force is not seen is precisely the place where there is force. The time when breathing is not felt is precisely the time when one is breathing. One should put work into this place."

Someone asked: Mr. Xiangzhai once said, "Use spirit and use intention; do not use force. If one can nourish qi and regulate breath, flowing without stop, and make spirit-intention join with qi, then one obtains the true master and mysterious mechanism of this Way." But above it was said that nourishing qi does not allow deliberate use of one's own intention to direct it, while "use spirit and intention, do not use force" again values using intention. Is this not contradictory? The answer is: truly it is not. Not allowing deliberate use of one's own intention to direct means not deliberately making qi move and function in some way, in order to prevent stagnating the qi and losing naturalness. What is called using intention means using intention to observe and make qi return to nature, reaching everywhere in the whole body while preserving even quiet. The words differ, but their intention is one. In the first, to use is to assist; assisting makes qi violent and disorderly. In the second, to use is not to forget; it is obtained from nature and qi becomes solemn. This must be known.

To specialize in nourishing qi through regulating breath is actually not as good as seeking it outside the body, making qi regulate itself without being regulated. The method is to fix the eyes on a distant place and suppose a marked point. Make every place of one's own body join with this target point in spirit, intention, and light. When I move, make the target point move together with it. When the point enlarges, its light is like a wheel. When it shrinks, the light must not break. At the beginning, make the target point about ten zhang away from the body, level with the eye-light and in one straight line. After practicing for a long time, one may make this point shrink from far to near or push from near to far, or go up or down. Practicing in this way, qi is ordered without being trained, and nourished without being nourished.

Qi sinking to the dantian and qi penetrating the lower abdomen are things modern boxing specialists like to speak about. One must know that lifting qi is certainly wrong, and sinking qi is also wrong. If one seeks to sink qi, qi cannot be natural. It is truly better to let it be natural and pay it no attention. Therefore boxing specialists who speak of operating and directing in order to train qi are not worth honoring. A former worthy said: "If qi is not nourished, it becomes starved. How then can it fill the body?" Filling the body means qi pervades the whole body. It is not like boxing specialists who speak only of dantian. Once the Way of nourishing qi is obtained, when the work arrives, it naturally fills the whole body and penetrates everywhere. Only the abdomen, because of different uses in issuing force, has the distinction between loose roundness and solid roundness.

Loose roundness is when qi is extremely quiet. The qi is level and penetrates the whole body, mixed and unified. This is the constant state. Solid roundness is when qi moves from stillness into movement. Broad chest and solid abdomen are the instantaneous phenomenon of movement and use when issuing force. The head tops, the feet kick, the hands open, the waist sits, and qi pours into the abdomen in order to use the force of the feet. This is a changed state.

Chapter 12. On Intention

Mr. Xiangzhai explained the meaning of boxing, and his explanation of the operation of spirit and temperament is extremely detailed. Operating the limbs, making sinews and bones extend and contract, qi and blood flow like rivers, and the body strong belongs to the side of temperament. As for why sinews and bones move, that belongs to the side of spirit. The body's movement and use originally come from the direction of one intention. Intention is what plans and considers, the general name for spiritual phenomena. Where intention goes, spirit goes forward, and the whole body consequently moves and issues force, following nature and appearing outside the body. From this one can know that our movement originates in intention, and that intention has the nature of unifying the whole body.

Knowing, considering, perceiving, and responding; empty and solid, movement and stillness serving each other as root and use - all are what one intention does. To reach this wondrous use, one must understand Mr. Xiangzhai's two phrases: "the birth and issuing of contending force" and "the direction of one intention." When intention, qi, and force operate outside one's own body, they must have a space for operation. The guarding of center and dwelling in one by intention, qi, and force cannot complete its wondrous use apart from this space. Therefore in studying boxing, one must use the space outside the body for operation; only then can one exhaust the wonder of operation and transformation. Mr. Xiangzhai often said: "Practicing boxing is like swimming in the air. Intention is outside the body, guarding the center within the body, and naturally it is even and complete." He also said: "In studying boxing, to preserve intention by making it leave one's own body does not accord with reason; clinging to one's own body is even more improper." This is what is meant.

In studying boxing one must possess spirit joined with temperament and the essential of nourishing and training as one. Only then is it boxing. To reach this state, one must seek it in preserving intention. To speak of preserving intention, one must first know the common disease of students: wishing for quick results. Seeking quick results is greed. Once this thought is born, body and mind certainly use effort. It can obstruct the movement of qi and blood and prevent true force from issuing outwardly. It is excessive assisting, and because of wanting speed one does not arrive. Therefore stopping body and mind from using force is the first important matter. The method of stopping it is preserving intention. Preserve intention and inspect the body. As soon as effort is felt, bring it back. Once there is movement, feel it; once it is felt, turn it. Over time it returns to nature, and the whole body is comfortable as if without force. Then qi and force can flow through the whole body and issue outward in response to operation, with nothing unfavorable wherever they go. This is what is meant by saying that one must not be harmed by the force one uses.

Students should think about this thoroughly. "Intention is preserved before movement" is an essential formula for studying boxing. I feel that the ancients' thousand words and ten thousand phrases are exhausted in this. One must know that force is born following movement, is based on contending force, and takes obtaining posture as primary. It is the posture born from stillness to movement and from movement to stillness. When operating force obtains posture, movement follows intention and everywhere obtains force. This is the real work of preserving intention and not using effort, what is called "obtaining intention and responding with the hand; when intention arrives, it is completed."

If a posture wishes to go left, intention first attends to the right. If a posture wishes to go right, intention first attends to the left. If above, the posture wishes to hang downward; if below, the posture wishes to rise upward. One must never simply go straight from the original position according to feeling. An old boxing manual says: "Use force like spring silkworms spinning silk." It also says: "Starting posture is like carrying a shoulder pole; advancing step is like an inchworm." Taking solidity from within emptiness and using posture to do it, change becomes appropriate. First follow and drag, then reverse and send. This details the use of the word posture. Following-dragging and reversing-sending serve each other as root and use and are present at the same time.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "In studying boxing one must know the incoming posture and outgoing posture." The words incoming and outgoing are very worth savoring. Preserve intention in these two words, incoming and outgoing, and one obtains it. If one first asks how to use force and then how to use force, that kind of inquiry is wrong. "Intention preserved before movement; when movement has stopped, intention is still there" is speech for guiding beginners, and also the path of seeking knowledge, seeking attainment, and seeking preservation.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "Practicing boxing is good only when one can reach the place of not using the mind." He also said "painting intention." These two words are most subtle. Intention does not come from outside into the body, but reaches from inside the body to outside. Mr. Xiangzhai also often said: "There must be intention outside the body. This intention is not fixedly preserved in the body." Students should understand this well.

In studying boxing one must know boxing principle, boxing intention, and boxing form. Preserve intention around the outside of the whole body, so that intention outside the body receives the rules of the body. Spirit and principle will be obtained naturally. Those who specialize in boxing's external form and do not know boxing principle and boxing intention labor the mind and disturb intention. Not only will they finally receive no benefit, but I fear body and mind will instead be harmed by it.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "When intention is sufficient, do not seek resemblance of form and bones." When intention is sufficient, spirit is sufficient. If movement accords with intention, it obtains force. It does not seek accord, yet naturally accords. In studying boxing, at every time and moment one should constantly think of Mr. Xiangzhai's two questions: "Why is there this movement? What is the purpose of this movement?" Use them to recognize and to work. There are none who will not succeed.

In studying boxing, preserving intention must be understood. One must know that obtaining intention is the prior stage of work. If one cannot obtain it, how can one speak of preserving it? What is obtaining intention? First know what is meant by intention. The meaning of intention has already been explained and need not be expanded. The work of knowing must be sought in the changes of movement and stillness. No matter what, as soon as there is movement, first ask why there is this movement. Then ask whether this movement accords with need. What functions do the large and small joints, the bent and folded areas, and point force have? Further ask whether this movement is exactly timely. Especially inspect whether after movement every place in the whole body remains complete and comfortable as before movement. Practicing boxing with this kind of work, there are none who will not obtain intention.

When preserving intention reaches everywhere without exception, the body's movement and stillness are complete and comfortable. Without knowing the existence of intention, one cannot do this. Use intention to inspect the body; use the body to know intention. Intention can naturally be preserved. When preserving intention does not come from anxious seeking, boxing work reaches the minute. Therefore it is said that those who think in the brain about preserving intention cannot preserve intention. Because with this one thought, this one point of intention is already used wrongly. Therefore the student of boxing can know intention by himself, reach obtaining intention, from obtaining intention reach preserving intention, and then reach not knowing that intention is preserved while intention is preserved. Only then can he reach the realm of knowing intention and preserving intention. "Having form and having intention are both false; when intention reaches no-mind, wonder first appears" means this.

Former worthies discussing boxing often spoke of "guarding spirit in single concentration." This explains the condition and function after obtaining the true realm of preserving intention. If work has not reached such a realm, how can one speak of nature? When body movement and intention forget each other, one obtains not-forgetting and avoids the harm of assisting growth.

When preserving intention is discussed, students most easily misunderstand and determine that preserving intention is a kind of desire function. One must know that the disease of assisting growth is mostly born from desire. Mr. Xiangzhai often taught seeking the released mind and speaking of not-forgetting in order to avoid assisting growth. He also used the Erya phrase "do not think, do not forget" to explain the true meaning of "do not." Seen this way, desire must be rooted out before boxing work can reach spirit transformation. This principle should not be wrong. Mr. Xiangzhai, discussing nourishing qi, often said: "When qi is regulated, false thoughts become level. If one can be without thoughts, spirit naturally becomes clear. Only when spirit is clear can heart-intention be settled." When heart-intention is settled, movement makes spirit return and qi become sufficient, just like the time of no movement. Only this can be called being able to move. Therefore heart not racing outside, intention not thinking outside, spirit not wandering outside, and essence not moving recklessly are work obtained by beginning from preserving intention and nourishing qi.

Chapter 13. Testing Force

When the foundation of standing practice reaches the wondrous place, one should practice the use of qi and force. Its first step is testing force. Testing force is the source of obtaining force. Through testing force, one knows where force issues from; through knowing, one obtains how it is used. Therefore testing force is the greatest key in studying boxing.

At first testing, one must make the whole body's qi and force even and complete, the joints lively, the bones supportive, and the sinews and muscles gathered and released. Then all force and qi naturally respond to operation and issue outward. In movement, slow is better than fast, gradual better than urgent. Further, intention must not be allowed to break and spirit must not be allowed to scatter. Move one place and involve the whole body; this is the so-called movement where nothing does not move, movement still like no-movement. If in studying boxing one can reach this point, the whole body's force becomes one, movement and stillness naturally guard the center, and the work of testing force obtains its mystery.

The earlier phrase "the whole body's qi and force even and complete, joints lively, bones supportive, sinews and muscles gathered and released" begins with the two words "whole body" in order to explain that these four functions are present at the same time in one body and mutually related. They are one entire action and must not be separated. If one recognizes from this while practicing boxing, one naturally obtains it. Movement and stillness are based on the direction of one intention. One must let the whole body follow nature and not have the slightest stagnant place. Most wondrously, even the words testing force should not be preserved in intention. Slowly move the limbs. When one place moves, think of the whole. Use intention to lead, and let the nerves direct the whole body. In movement, large movement is not as good as small movement; fast movement is not as good as slow movement; the subtler the movement, the more complete the spirit. If one can reach the movement of no-movement, then one obtains the true living movement that never ceases.

Heart-intention attends everywhere; qi and force are one, returning to round completeness. Above and below, left and right are not forgotten or lost. Thus the whole body's force becomes one. When force is one, force stops at roundness, that is, the center. Movement and stillness occupy the center, so there is naturally no reckless movement. Sliding force, violent force, hard force, stagnant force, confused force, and every kind of bad force issuing from disorder naturally do not arise.

Force stopping at the center is forever so and does not change: it is the extreme of stillness. Force being one is the beginning of form's transformation and the end of form's transformation. Beginning and end are one; movement guards stillness; the settled mind is in the center. Therefore there is no reckless movement. When movement occurs, it is appropriate. This is the true principle that stillness is the substance and movement the function. Mr. Xiangzhai said: "The force that is not felt as force is greatest in transformation. It follows and is born from nature; one does not feel its force. Therefore it is called hunyuan."

Testing force must do bodily-recognition work within the two words slowly and gradually. If not, one cannot test and obtain what one's own qi and force are like, or how their operation is used.

In practice, if one proceeds urgently, one will necessarily first use effort. Using effort is not natural and necessarily becomes one-sided, losing itself in slipperiness or violence. The whole body's original hunyuan force, the one-through force, cannot flow freely outside the body. The use of force is greatest in transformation. Yin and yang, empty and solid, opening and closing, following and reversing, serve each other as root and use, follow nature, surge without ceasing, and are used without exhaustion. Although transformations differ, force remains dwelling in one and does not change. When force issues outward, hands, shoulders, elbows, hips, whole-body joints, bones shrinking, sinews extending, qi and blood stirring - every surface has force issuing edge and all living without ceasing, together contending for one center. Force issuing while all contend for one center speaks of mutually multiplying force. Its name is contending force, also called hunyuan force. Everywhere in the whole body there is mutual crossing, with mutually multiplying forces above, below, left, right, front, back, and the four corners.

In first testing practice, seek two contending forces. For example, when the hand extends, there are at the same time mutually multiplying forces of forward extension and backward withdrawal, upward support and downward pressure, outward bracing and inward wrapping. They issue from one center in different directions and are equal and mutually multiplying. After understanding two contending forces, seek all parts of the whole body simultaneously producing force on every surface, all mutually multiplying, mutually responding, hunyuan and unified, together contending for one heart. Qi and force penetrate through, and the whole body has no gaps. Only when the student of boxing obtains this contending force can spirit, qi, intention, and force truly become one. Only then can it be called obtaining the center and obtaining force.

If force is not born from one heart and one loses this intention, then there is no skill of eight-direction exquisite liveliness, and one loses the basis of division and union, emptiness and solidity serving each other. "One movement, all turns": this word "body" should be understood. Between intention and no-intention, comprehend the wonder of natural spirit-mechanism. This is the wondrous realm of testing-force work.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "When beginners test force, the hand from wrist to fingertips may add a little force, but behind the wrist there must be no force." Practicing like this makes entry easy. He also said: "No matter what method is used, in sum one must not forget and not assist growth. Take movement and stillness as mutual pivots, and make the whole body hunyuan and one contending. Only then does one obtain the wonder outside images, intention outside the body, and boxing outside boxing. Whether one can obtain it lies in one test. Those who obtain it through this one test can be spoken to about the boxing Way."

When Mr. Xiangzhai taught boxing, he clarified the action of contending force in order to seek natural issuing of qi and force. This is the untransmitted secret of boxing studies. Now it is revealed and shown to people. His words are quite detailed and the method is easy. Whether one can obtain it depends on the student, on the student's aspiration and bodily-recognition work.

Chapter 14. Operating Force

After studying boxing and obtaining force, one can then speak of use. The wonder of operating force certainly lies in the whole body's force becoming one: operating inside, becoming lively outside, and becoming spirit-like in use. Force in stillness is the foundation of movement, and movement is the effect of stillness. To devote work to stillness in studying boxing is precisely to seek movement. When qi is full and force sufficient, only then can stillness not stagnate the mechanism and movement show no trace. Only one who can be still can move. Stillness is the source of the limitless transformation of ten thousand things. The chapters on standing methods have already discussed this.

The movement of body, hands, and feet must use intention to make them lively and connected as one qi. In use, the waist is the master. The saying "the body transforms" means this. The hand is the forward edge of the whole body's force, qi, and spirit. Its issuing and withdrawing do not mean playing with the two hands going and coming. They are truly rooted in the turning of the waist and the extension and contraction of the two arms. In the movements of issuing and withdrawing, in actuality the two hands are not allowed to operate locally. Therefore studying boxing forbids the two hands from issuing empty and returning empty.

In use, change into fist, palm, or fingers; turn over and transform with lively use. But in raising, avoid going too high; in pressing, avoid going too low. As a constant measure, high does not pass the eyebrows, low does not pass the navel, and left and right do not go beyond the shoulder sockets. As for stepping method, one should know that a large step is not lively. Therefore when advancing the front foot, one must follow with the rear foot. The two feet, empty and solid, serve each other. The front foot values emptiness; the rear foot values solidity. Empty means lively; solid means stable as a mountain. Although front and back are divided into empty and solid, their force has no two.

The space between shoulders and navel is the place where body and hands transform. It is also where the nerve center is located. It reaches upward to the hands and penetrates downward to the feet, forming one nerve line, called the centerline. If the whole body is poured into this, one can avoid loss. When the hands change into fist, palm, or fingers, strictly avoid dead gripping or tight pressing. If no effort is used in the two hands, the two arms can be lively, qi and force reach early, and hands and feet respond to one another. The boxing-study formula "the step is light like a cat walking" is worth savoring. If one uses effort in the feet, or uses force to stamp the feet, advancing, retreating, and changing cannot be lively. It can even harm the nerves and easily cause brain illness, because nerve endings receive stimulation and, through reaction, cause the nerve center to be injured.

In studying boxing, one should understand the two words sound and posture. The word sound will not be discussed for now; first speak of posture. When operating force obtains its posture, it obtains force and makes its use wondrous. Posture is born from qi, directed by intention, and exposed outside through changes in the body's stillness and movement. Although postures differ, their qi is one.

Boxing specialists speak of "joining," dividing it into internal and external. Heart joining with intention, intention joining with qi, and qi joining with force are called the three internal joinings. Hand joining with foot, elbow with knee, and shoulder with hip are the three external joinings. There are also other versions: sinews with bones, skin with flesh, liver with kidneys as internal; head with hands, hands with body, body with feet as external. None obtain the most essential point of studying boxing. One must unify force, qi, spirit, light, sound, and posture within one intention; only then can it be called joining. If one merely seeks matching images, how can that be called joining?

Someone said: "Yiquan seeks living in the middle of the cross." Wonderful words. The true meaning of boxing studies is broken open in one phrase. The so-called cross means understanding the action of contending force and the hidden principle of the ring-center. Boxing specialists all say: "Obtain the ring-center to respond to the inexhaustible." But where is the so-called center? What is ringed? The ring is the commonly called circle. Its knot-heart is where the center is. With a ring there is a center. The force of the ring-center has one heart-knot and several equal, mutually multiplying crosses. In the human body, the upper limbs - palm, wrist, elbow, arm - the lower limbs - toe, heel, knee, hip - and every part of the whole body all have their ring-centers. Yet they must be unified into one body. Therefore in practicing boxing, if every place does not respond, one cannot obtain the ring-center. The center belongs to stillness; the ring belongs to movement. Only one who can be still can move. Waiting for the time and going to the mechanism is the wonder of stillness and movement in use. How can one obtain the ring-center in studying boxing? In sum, one must seek the ring through the center and seek the center through the ring. When the two transform into one, one obtains the ring-center. The method of practice should be sought in standing practice. There is no other place to seek.

When the two forces of enemy and self meet, strength and weakness are immediately divided and the wonder of operating force is seen. When the two forces meet, one should know there is something called point force within them. What is point force? It is the proper force at the tip of the part where the whole body's qi and force appear outside the body and connect with the opponent. Its force is rooted in the qi and force of the whole body. Each side overcomes and transforms, each seeks its center, and the wonder lies in one turn. When his force passes through my one turn, it transforms into nothing. This is true for outward turns of hand, wrist, waist, arm, head, and so on. Gradually what the body feels as loose-tight contradiction and revolving is this. Sometimes it appears in form; sometimes it is hidden in the skin. One point turns, the whole body is unified; wherever there is movement, every place responds. Every place responding, in relation to the function of point force, is the function of foot force. In truth, it is not that every place responds; it is that all move at the same time. There are also times when there is no visible change of rotation, and the wonder of silent transformation must be carefully experienced. Common sayings such as "this posture is a fist strike" and "that posture is an elbow strike" do not understand the wonder of operating force. If partial pushing or turning is not allowed, how can such sayings be called right?

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "Force must not expand from inside to outside. It must be drawn from outside to inside; only then can its force issue outward." Therefore he also said: "When responding to an enemy, as the hand advances it is not allowed to issue toward the enemy; only then can one respond to mechanism and time." Therefore in operating force, preserve intention and do not use effort. Moreover, there must be no enemy in intention. If there is an enemy in intention, then one's own force and qi cannot avoid obstruction by qi and force. My movement should be upright and dignified, as if entering a place without people. Qi and force are not seized by the enemy; only then can one obtain the effect of an edge that cannot be opposed. Afterward one begins to obtain the wonder of operating force.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "Operating force outwardly, according to differences in use, can be divided into three kinds: empty center, solid center, and transforming center." He also said: "In circling with the enemy, follow and respond to the incoming posture. Form changes unpredictably; the whole body moves together with exceptional sensitivity. In the use of force, its changes do not go outside hard and soft, square and round, oblique surface and spiral, storing force, elastic force, startling force, and so on." Though changes differ, in sum they do not go outside obtaining the ring-center in order to respond to the inexhaustible. They are described below.

Hard force is straight and upright. Hard means force square, convenient for turning and stopping. It is like a firing pin. The hair of the whole body stands upright like halberds. Its force is sharp, appearing outside the body, and useful for attack and guard.

Soft force is short and contracted yet force is long. Soft means force round, convenient for drawing and lifting. It is lively like a spring. The hair moves and waves, and sharp force is contained inside.

Oblique-surface force uses the slanted to strike the straight. It is exceptionally nimble and easy to use in attack.

Spiral force comes from twisting and turning. Whether in hard or soft receiving and use, it enters by opportunity and most easily obtains force. It has the uses of guiding, throwing, coiling, twisting, and plucking.

Stored force is the whole body's qi and force surging in waves inside, not yet waving and issuing outside. Outside hard and inside soft, stillness waiting for movement, changing and making use, it can give birth to bracing force and to sticking, attracting, and leading force. Its wonder lies in empty liveliness guarding the center, easy to transform. Therefore it is called empty center.

Elastic force, also called bracing force, is like the force issued by a spring. This force is born from vibration. Outside soft and inside hard, like iron wrapped in cotton, it is used for passive counterattack. Therefore it is called solid center.

Startling force is used at the tips of the body. Its transformation is actively governed by the waist, like snake and dragon. Hard and soft support each other, while yin and yang, empty and solid serve each other as root and use. It only examines the enemy's thousand differences. Even if the enemy comes near me, it circles, coils, and wraps him with extreme spirit-speed. Therefore it is called transforming center.

Boxing studies pass through the principles of the Changes. In practicing boxing and using force, one does not go outside Qian and Kun. Qian is force as one; Kun is force as two, yet still one. Round comes from Qian; square comes from Kun. When Kun is blended within Qian, square coils within round. Know square and round, meet the enemy with transformations not one, divide in movement and join in stillness, yin and yang crossing and mixing, operate Qian and Kun: then the Way is obtained.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "Among those who discuss boxing in the world, there are sayings that some fist gives birth to some fist, or some fist overcomes some fist. They seem to have some principle, but they are still based on seeking techniques. If measured by boxing principle, when two hands meet and strike, how can there be leisure for this? If one sees with the eyes, then thinks with the heart, and only afterward sends out the hand to control, I truly dare not believe that he can do it. Moreover, the enemy's incoming posture changes successively. How could one achieve victory through sayings that some fist generates or overcomes some fist? This deceives and misleads people, and is error in the extreme. If one can practice and obtain contending force, guard the center without loss, and without expecting it, it is so, without knowing it has arrived, it arrives, even then I still dare not say one can surely control others. But if one observes the incoming posture, then thinks how to respond, sends the hand out discussing techniques, and practices boxing discussing sets and methods, this can truly be called speaking of boxing from outside the door."

The wonder of operating force appears in a hundred ways and reaches its utmost. Respond to the mechanism and change according to circumstances. Just as it seems about to go, it suddenly comes; just as it wishes to move, it again stops. Yin and yang, hard and soft, the body has no fixed direction, while intention is fixed and does not change. Therefore in practicing boxing do not love strangeness, only take what suits intention. If intention is without excess, it can be used for a long time without fatigue. Beginners should know that if they use effort, force loses the center; if they do not use effort, force is naturally sufficient. This is the degree of maturity advanced by work.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "Whole-body force must be completely without and mixed." Hunyuan force is contending force. It differs according to movement and stillness. When unmoving, its force is threaded as one and belongs to stillness. When moving, in every large and small joint there are all kinds of pairwise contending forces above and below, left and right, front and back. This belongs to movement. The force of movement and stillness, according to differences in use, is further divided into five forces: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. In truth it is still one contending force.

Metal force: The sinews and bones of the whole body are hard, and the heart is like iron and stone. In use, its force changes from empty center to solid center and can attack hardness. Its nature belongs to metal; therefore it is called metal force. This is the meaning of skin and flesh like cotton, sinews and bones like steel.

Wood force: It exists everywhere in the four limbs and hundred bones, like the bent and straight form of trees. Its force is movement within solid center. Its nature belongs to wood; therefore it is called wood force.

Water force: The body's movement is like a spirit dragon moving through space or a supple snake swimming in water. Its movement has no fixed trace, lively and changing with circumstances, like the flowing of water. Its force is empty center. Its nature belongs to water; therefore it is called water force.

Fire force: Issuing the hand is explosive like a bomb. Sudden movement is like fire burning the body, exceptionally fierce. Its force changes from empty center to solid center, then returns again to empty center. The movement is very fast. Its nature belongs to fire; therefore it is called fire force.

Earth force: Complete, honest, thick, sinking, and solid; intention is like the weight of mountains. Everywhere gives birth to edges. Its force is transforming center and possesses the wondrous use of empty and solid. Its nature belongs to earth; therefore it is called earth force.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "An ancient manual says: movement like water flowing, stillness like water stopped; body like a horned dragon, qi like a long rainbow. If one can obtain the opening of the pivot and ring-center, movement and stillness naturally serve each other as root. Then the whole body's qi and force are centered and transformed, enough to contend with heaven and earth. The whole body's movement and use respond with heaven and earth. This is the use of mechanics, added to the direction of spirit. As for boxing principle and real appearance, unless one obtains its samadhi, it is not easy to know."

The use of force has limitless changes: yin and yang, empty and solid, opening and closing, hard and soft, horizontal and vertical. Yang is hidden within yin; yin is contained within yang. Yin and yang have changes of peeling away and returning. Movement is the ground of stillness; stillness is the mechanism of movement. Movement and stillness have the wonder of felt communication. Emptiness is the use of solidity; solidity is the body of emptiness. Empty and solid have the skill of true and illusory. Without opening, how could there be closing? Without closing, how could there be opening? Opening and closing have the principle of biting through. Hard must contain soft; soft can overcome hard. Hard and soft have the transformation of mutual overcoming. Horizontal does not leave vertical; vertical does not leave horizontal. Horizontal and vertical have the function of mutual assistance.

There are also long issuing and short striking, high and low, pressing and raising; left soft and right hard, or the tip section hard and middle section soft; sometimes hard and sometimes soft, half hard and half soft; soft retreating and hard advancing; hard on the left and soft on the right; meeting empty, be soft with hard following; meeting solid, be hard with soft in front. Too hard easily breaks; too soft does not advance. Hard and soft mutually used, responding to mechanism and changing according to circumstances, appearing in a hundred ways and reaching the utmost, seeming about to go and suddenly coming, wishing to move as if stopping. Though form changes without fixed direction, intention is fixed and does not change. The wonder of use, in summary, returns to this standard: "the center of gravity is not lost, the centerline is not broken."

Heaven gives birth to the ten thousand things. Each exhausts its nature and each has its ability. In studying boxing, take images and participate in their changes in order to accord with the wondrous use of the body. In practice, attend to their movement and bearing. Obtain their spirit, and one obtains the posture of their movement and stillness. Obtain their posture, and one obtains their force and makes use wondrous. If one specializes in imitating their forms of movement, one has already lost the truth; then the form is not its form and one loses the whole intention of taking images. A saying says: the false Way trains form; the true Way trains spirit. Let each student take the method for himself; the wonder of operation and transformation is not hard to obtain. Dragon crouch, tiger sit, eagle eyes, ape spirit, cat walk, horse run, chicken leg, snake body.

The human body and air operate mutually. When body force operates in a leftward spiral, air instead spirals rightward. The body has contending force, and its directions differ; human qi changes accordingly. When air moves, force is born. Formless and imageless, it responds with bodily force and becomes one. This is called body-born force. Outside the body there is force, circling in empty space, coiling like floating silk, moving in emptiness like a flying dragon; in solidity, it rises into the sky and comes and goes without trace. When studying boxing can produce force outside the body, posture is complete and intention one, and the force is great. Yet taking posture from nothingness and using intention in empty space is the untransmitted secret. Mr. Xiangzhai once said: "In practicing boxing, one must fight a struggle with the air and make it one body." The wonder of jointly operating force and applying intention is similar to swimming. A good swimmer forgets water. One who forgets water has complete spirit; therefore he can swim.

Chapter 15. Opponent Work

In studying boxing, practicing paired fighting in order to seek real-fighting skill is one part of boxing work. In practice one should distinguish the difference between empty sets and true art. A proverb says: "When it comes time to tear and fight, the boxing method is forgotten." This phrase exhausts the disease of empty sets and flowery methods. It sufficiently proves that what is beautiful is not practical and what is practical is not beautiful. The application of boxing method must respond to the enemy according to intention and arrive at victory. When issuing force against an opponent, it must be neither early nor late, but precisely match the timing. Postures multiply one another and transform without limit, subtle and impossible to measure. Only then can it be called obtaining the work of because and response. From this one can know that flowery methods, turning the body, jumping and striking, you come and I go, are not only useless. If learned until familiar, they harm and mislead people, because these dead sets cannot be used in practice. They are not changes born from response and cause, and they are movements that do not accord with the time.

Tracing the source of flowery methods, I think they came from games produced by paired practice intended for practical use. Paired practice, also called opponent work, originally trained real fighting. But because caution about injury existed first, if heart, real-fighting spirit, qi, and force were first lost, it became attractive flowery work. Today's opponent sets can prove this. Looking from this, circling and fancy display are just like drama. The disease of boxing arts is that flowery methods win while correct methods are obscured. This is certainly no mistake. Because flowery methods are victorious, the teaching Way of boxing-study opponent work becomes lost. Today discussions of boxing honor empty sets and make true art hard to complete. This is the cause.

When practicing opponent work in preparation for use, one must know the essential point: comparison. Comparison means comparing real skill. In practice it is best to act as if truly tearing and fighting with the other person, in order to avoid one strong and one weak merely throwing away empty frames and developing flowery methods for the appearance of beauty before others. As for actual ability to respond to an enemy, not a bit is obtained; instead several harms increase. This is truly useless.

Mr. Xiangzhai once said: "When doing boxing, in intention it is as if in front, behind, left, and right of the body there are enemies coming to fight." He also said: "Sitting, walking, advancing, and retreating should contend for position with the air, the assumed enemy. After practicing this for a long time, if one truly faces an enemy, the movement cannot be opposed." He also said: "Leisure, sitting, sleeping, and playing are also practice. If practice is fixed by time or place, how can it be called true practice?"

Mr. Xiangzhai, discussing boxing, placed extreme importance on the word center. He often said one must guard the center, use the center, preserve the centerline, guard center-spirit, not lose center-qi, not lose center-force, and not lose center-spirit. Attend to one point in the center. When enemy and self fight, both should pay attention to this. In relation to one's own body, this force must guard one point in the center to prevent enemy force from entering. In relation to the enemy, one must aim toward one point in the center in order to obtain the effect of destroying him. At the beginning of opponent work, it is best to use this one center point to explain the enemy, or to recognize where the mystery of the word center lies. After one can obtain the wondrous use of this one center point, then send out the hand against the enemy. Do not borrow the eyes to examine in detail. At the first movement there is spirit and qi that seize his mind and will. In this way, how could there be a principle of losing harmony? The saying "no technique, no frame, only one strike" clarifies this principle. One must know that one strike also means the one within ten thousand.

The nose dwells in the center of the human body. On both sides the shape is only seven or eight inches long. When hands meet, if one turns away enemy force and sends it beyond these seven or eight inches, it cannot reach my body. This is the decisiveness of movement. Speaking of movement, it is what the common saying calls "the wonder lies within one inch." This phrase exhausts the point that practicing boxing does not require two hands to dance high. Former philosophers said: "There is no need to seek far or value beauty; it changes right before the eyes within an inch." They also said: "Do not discuss whether posture is good or bad; only look at the general meaning of advancing, retreating, empty, and solid." The meaning is that movement need not be complicated or simple; it goes according to intention and stops when obtained force is reached. Those who pursue attractiveness do not necessarily have practical use.

To study boxing, learning to make circles is sufficient. This statement is extremely refined. In studying boxing and making circles, one must know that making large circles is not as good as making small circles. Making small circles is not as good as making small circles whose form is not visible. Making small circles whose form is not visible is still not as good as the whole body moving together, completing its spirit, completing its qi, and completing its force. This is the Way of seeking center and using center in studying boxing.

Rubbing hands is customarily called the work of seeking the centerline, and is also trying and practicing the work of facing an opponent. Strictly avoid empty framing. One should investigate concretely. Each seeks the other's gaps. When there is something to take advantage of, immediately advance and strike, not letting the timing be lost. Do real work. Do not take victory and defeat as shame or pleasure. Think about why one wins and why one loses. If one works for a long time and tests skill, the art naturally becomes refined, courage naturally becomes great, and there will be no worry about fearing the enemy. If one merely frames emptily and has the appearance of you come and I go, it has no benefit for oneself. Why practice it? A saying says: "Opponent work cannot be done by people who are not equal." This phrase precisely guards against people having timidity or the disease of deceiving themselves and others and therefore receiving no benefit. Once this is understood, the turning circles of the hands, the advance and retreat of the feet, and the operation of the waist all have cause and purpose and obtain effect. The methods of using body, hands, and steps can all be obtained. Why seek elsewhere?

Mr. Xiangzhai once said: "Draw and turn the moving body as if traveling in empty space and swimming in water." This explains the work of the word lively. It makes movement and stillness one body, generating according to posture, lively in eight directions, force even, interwoven, and mutually multiplying. To the left does not leave the right; going to the right arises from the left. Nothing is unsuitable on the right; nothing is absent on the left. Above, below, and the four corners are all like this. Care is complete, and there is no worry of attending to one thing and losing another. This is the use of contending force. Contending force is the substance of obtaining the ring-center in order to respond to the inexhaustible.

"Movement has no straight out and straight in" explains seeking the state of strength and bracing from bent places, and again taking the intention of boxing's bends from straight places. Bent and straight depend on each other. Their changes do not expose traces, and force especially must be contained inside. "Form bent, force straight" also explains this principle. One should recognize it well; contending force will not be hard to seek.

Practicing opponent work must emphasize real fighting, as already said. When hands meet and both sides advance, retreat, and attack each other, one should know that a person's head, two ribs, front chest, lower abdomen, heart pit, and other places, if struck by a fist, can in serious cases cut off the nutritive and defensive and take life in an instant, or in lighter cases injure the inside. One must know that attacking vital points is movement used in a decisive fight against an enemy. In practice, be careful not to do this and injure people. This is extremely important.

Chapter 16. Responding To The Enemy

The essential formula for responding to the enemy, in a thousand words and ten thousand phrases, does not go outside "control others and do not be controlled by others." Against the enemy one must examine. What is examining? This is one point of attention. People today often speak of examining the enemy, meaning examining the target: the eyes have the enemy in front, and one should discuss how to respond. They do not know that examining the target is only one matter within examining. The work of the word examine can be exhausted by the two words examine oneself. Make our body, spirit, qi, force, movement, and stillness guard the center. The raising of the hand, movement of the foot, and turning of the waist all guard the center, stable and solid as at the time of no movement. Then force issued will all hit the center, and wherever it goes there will be no disadvantage. When the work of examining oneself reaches the wondrous place, arising from intention and seeking nature, it can naturally examine.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "If boxing can obtain intention in eight directions, it is naturally lively and wondrous." This is the mystery of the work of examining. There is no need to speak of examining the target. Examining the target is examining oneself and is one part of guarding the center. To specialize only in examining the target is error. Boxing specialists say that only when there is an enemy in the eyes may one send out the fist, and only when there is an enemy in the intention may one move the foot. This is the work of examining the target. Yet movement has its cause, so naturally there is no reckless action; this is still examining oneself.

In responding to the enemy, one must understand "him and me." Follow the person's posture and borrow the person's force. Borrowing force means turning away enemy force and using it; this is the so-called one finger moving a thousand catties. One must respond swiftly and sensitively to timing. One must also seem to advance but actually retreat, not advance urgently in order to seek response to the enemy. Retreat first and then advance; store posture and examine the enemy; divide and break enemy force, obtain his force and his gap; advance in preparation for retreat. This is the Way of not being defeated.

Against an enemy, "operate force according to mechanism" must be sought in the moment when posture, qi, and force mutually cause and generate one another. Issue after others and arrive before others. It must not be early; one especially must avoid being late. Do not care whether what comes is fist or palm. Fix on his whole body, and at the mechanism strike once. The mechanism lies between the enemy truly striking out and the strike almost touching but not yet touching, or in the exact maturity when one should respond with the hand and strike. Why spend effort? Wait for movement with stillness; wait for labor with ease. Subtle indeed. But one who responds to the mechanism knows the mechanism. Mechanism is the use of spirit. Obtain it by intention and respond to it by intention. What spirit does is completed through natural operation. Move within rules and standards without being cramped by them. Only then can it be called being able to transform and use. One who knows the mechanism should be spirit-like in skill.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "If a fearful mind is preserved, insult comes." Before the enemy, if one first fears in oneself, one who fears the enemy will certainly be defeated. Therefore a student of boxing who in ordinary days has trained to refinement, yet at the moment has soft hands and trembling body and cannot raise his art, must lack courage and real work. One who has real work and obtains the art should have no fear before battle.

When issuing the hand in response to the enemy, opening the voice and expelling qi can disturb the enemy's heart-intention and expand my qi posture. It must accord with timing. Without using force and without changing posture, only this one sound can make the enemy's heart defeated and courage chilled. The ancients' talk of sound-striking refers to this. But before contact with the enemy, deliberately opening the voice and shouting qi in order to magnify my authority actually comes from fear and first shows weakness to others. One should know this taboo. How could one lightly open the voice, drain one's own qi, and so be defeated by others?

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "When responding to the enemy, one must examine and be solid, and further possess the following spirit, bearing, and qi posture: the head must collide with the person, hands must strike the person, body must destroy the person, step must pass through the person, feet must tread on the person, spirit must press the person, and qi must attack the person. Obtain the mechanism and issue force; the winning ticket is certainly controlled by me. This is necessarily so. How could it be doubted?" He also said: "One comparing skill must not think and comprehend. One who thinks and comprehends finds it hard to move even an inch. In advancing, retreating, moving, and turning, have intention but do not carry form; if you carry form, you certainly will not win. Qi is like dragon and tiger, while movement has no fixed posture. Respond to the mechanism and issue movement. Strength breaks, but intention does not break; intention breaks, but spirit still connects. When spirit is complete, the body is naturally settled. Facing an enemy like this, how could there be a principle of not winning?"

Again he said: "In responding to the enemy, know the mechanism, and only then can one issue movement and control others. There is no need to estimate opportunities in the incoming posture; naturally one can infer the enemy's shortness and length, all between intention and no-intention. In stillness wait for movement; within movement occupy stillness. Take retreat as advance and advance as retreat. Go out straight and enter from the side; enter obliquely and strike vertically. Softness goes and startling shaking follows; hardness comes and one coils around. Force issues outside by shrinking the bones and coming out. Shrinking is issuing. When issuing force, intention wishes to penetrate his bones and enter his marrow. Intention is preserved several feet outside. The enemy's body is bound by my intention. How can he escape?" One should think on these words.

Someone asked: When two people compare boxing, A, before learning, was originally stronger than B, but after learning is instead defeated by him. Why? Mr. Xiangzhai said: "This is because when comparing boxing, he cannot respond to the mechanism and use it." When comparing boxing, not being willing to hurt will not do; not being willing to act will not do; not being ruthless will not do. Qi should be stable, heart ruthless, and hand accurate. Li Guang shot at a tiger; seeing it as a tiger, he hit it. Knowing it was stone, his feathered arrow could not enter. This was the difference of his spirit. Victory and defeat are decided in an instant. The causes of interwoven change in that interval are more than one. Rich theory but power insufficient will not do. Rich and strong theory and power, but insufficient experience, will also not do. Even if experience is rich, if expedient change cannot respond to the mechanism and spirit-qi is not complete, that too will not do. Therefore the superiority or inferiority of art sometimes cannot be fully judged by victory and defeat. Right and wrong cannot be discussed only by success and failure. Students should seek only what is right. They should not let one moment's victory or defeat discourage their aspiration. These words are sincere.

The most essential formula in responding to the enemy is only the four words "guard the center and use the center." In sum, body and mind must be unified. Hands, elbows, shoulders, wrists, and all the body's joints should everywhere be like rising edges. Head, feet, and sacral bone hang into a straight line and all have the many contending forces front, back, left, right, above, and below. The spiral of triangles naturally does not leave the single light shared by the six paths and sentient beings. If one can be like this, not only is one's own center not lost; the opponent's center, without expecting it, is taken advantage of by me. One strike and he is defeated. This is all the sinews, bones, qi, force, and spirit of the whole body returning to one thread. Obtain the pivot of the ring-center and one can naturally transform without limit, always being born and always transforming, no time without birth, no time without transformation. Through a thousand and ten thousand transformations, do not leave any gap for another person. Hunyuan cannot be broken. This is the so-called: if oneself is upright, do not care that others are slanted.

When responding to the enemy and sending out the hand, guard the path about a foot before the face. Left and right assist one another; movement and use are joined as one. Intention moves and the strike toward the enemy arises from one line. Fingers wish to penetrate his bones and enter his marrow. If sinews and bones turn slightly, the striking method is completed. Why is there any need to speak of formal phrases? The feet tread the ground; no matter whether the terrain is high or low, step level and naturally. Qi penetrates the lower abdomen, following jumps, kicks, and points. Raise qi and carry it to the toe tips. One must know that turning of hands and feet and the full passionate movement of the chest all lie in the turning of the waist. The waist turns like a wheel, attending to head and tail. Preserving center of gravity all lies in the waist. From head to feet, one qi must penetrate.

As for sinews and bones: when used, sinews are like springs and bones like needles. When sinews and muscles contract, bone joints produce edges. When needle and spring move, qi and force issue outward. Ten thousand edges extend; whatever they meet cannot oppose the edge.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "The two hands join and extend straight out before the face. Forward extension and backward withdrawal, left and right sealing solidly, must guard the centerline. The two feet drill in, draw back, and preserve the center of gravity, with no fixed position. Kicking and arriving are like a wind rolling over the ground. Vertical and horizontal, high and low, rising, falling, entering, flashing, change according to intention. Rush straight to the enemy's center of gravity; do not seek beside it. Estimate the situation. When one should advance, advance and control his body; when one should retreat, retreat and lead his qi. Front, back, left, right, reverse, and turn, attending everywhere: hunyuan one contending. A saying says: if the hand arrives but the step does not, striking a person is not wondrous; if the hand arrives and the step also arrives, striking a person is like play. Hands and feet arriving together means the whole body joins into response."

When meeting an enemy, one must let the hair-qi be released, the heart small and courage present. Stillness is like a wooden rooster - kind face, evil heart - and movement like dragging waves. Movement hides spirit; everywhere has method. The body moves like dragon and snake; the hands move as fast as wind. In ordinary practice, before the face it is as if facing a great enemy, outside three feet and inside seven feet, as if a powerful enemy stands ahead. But when hands meet, if there is a person, it is as if there is no person. Have the posture of an angry tiger roaring in surprise and the courage of catching food. Charge horizontally and collide straight. The head tops, toes grab, the whole body stirs and billows. The outgoing hand is like a file; the returning hand like a hook. They must not be used separately. Operation is mixed whole and brought into one circle. Force does not issue empty; intention does not return empty. The rising hand is divided into lifting, raising, resisting, twisting, shaking, and following. The falling hand is divided into chopping, hooking, moving, scraping, and bracing. Sinking and supporting are divided by twisting. Spirit is before the hand; force penetrates the enemy's back. Force moving and shrinking is also issuing; issuing is also shrinking. Movement and stillness join as one and come out naturally. Rising, stopping, suppressing, and raising are like living dragon and living tiger. Chanting, roaring, sounding, and shouting make valleys answer and mountains shake. Strong and without enemy.

Facing the enemy and issuing force, shrink the bones and come out, like a bow's reverse string or a fish issuing its spines. The decisive point of victory lies in movement and stillness, empty and solid, and in grasping the timing between issued and not yet issued. This is the time to apply skill according to mechanism. The movement and stillness within this all lie in the use of sinews, bones, qi, and blood. Its mystery must be met by spirit; its mechanism and skill must be understood by the heart. It cannot be taken by the eyes or sought with force. Students should pay attention to this three times.

Mr. Xiangzhai said: "The essential formula for responding to the enemy is body and hand arriving together. Therefore to advance the head and advance the hand, one must advance the body. Inside, lift spirit; outside, move swiftly. Before the fist moves, force is already stored. The strike should be far; force should be absolute." The word release is a wondrous formula. To win, one must still follow intention and operate qi. If one does not win, surely the heart has doubt.

Chapter 17. Miscellaneous Discussion

First: Advocate boxing studies, oppose practicing boxing sets, and clarify boxing principles and methods.

Second: The wondrous use of boxing work is originally to set appearance in order, nourish qi and blood, and unify the heart and will.

Third: Sword method and boxing work are different tunes with the same skill. In practice, however, one must first obtain hunyuan force, and only then divide into sections. It does not go outside the coordination or response of area and structure. Generally speaking, one only needs the tip section to stab straight, the middle section to wait for turning, and the root section and the whole body's force to destroy forward. As for the various uses, they are difficult to describe orally and await bodily demonstration.

Fourth: Today's students and colleagues should remove views of school and gate, and together research the true principle of boxing studies. The reviving of boxing studies and the clarity of boxing principle are truly the continuation of national learning. Our task lies in meeting one another with sincerity, not crushing one another, and not taking skill comparison as a contest for victory and defeat.

Colophon

Translated directly from the Traditional Chinese text of 《拳學新編》齊執度, captured from the HK Yiquan Society public article archive and live-verified against the archive index on June 2, 2026.

Published in the Good Work Library under rights clearance received by the New Tianmu Anglican Church on June 2, 2026.

The English translation was independently prepared from the captured Chinese source for the Good Work Library. Source-text punctuation and evident web or OCR artifacts are retained in the Chinese appendix; the English follows the sentence sense of the captured text.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

🌲

Source Text: 《拳學新編》齊執度

Source: HK Yiquan Society article 10

目 錄

第一章 總論 — 拳學述要

第二章 釋拳

第三章 意拳

第四章 習拳六要

第五章 習拳階段

第六章 樁法前論

第七章 渾元樁（一）

第八章 渾元樁（二）

第九章 渾元樁（三）

第十章 樁法後論

第十一章 養氣

第十二章 論意

第十三章 試力

第十四章 運力

第十五章 對手功夫

第十六章 應敵

第十七章 瑣論

第一章 總論—拳學述要

我國拳學興自戰國時代，以後達摩洗髓易筋兩法參之于華佗之五禽戲，始匯成斯技。雖今門派繁多，其淵源一也。不論如何分派，總不出以拳為名。夫拳者乃拳拳服膺之謂拳。動靜處中，能守能用，此盡吾人氣質本能之道，非純式套數專論招法之所謂拳也。

拳學一道，不可認為奇難事也，須知非常功夫多得自平易，勿論行站坐臥以隨時隨地均能用功，首要端正其身體，使意念空洞，凝神靜氣，掃盡情緣，寂靜調息（乃養氣之功夫，非作到孟子所謂“勿忘之境界”不能真有所得，爾雅云︰勿忘勿念也。），以溫養內外，滌除邪穢，筋骨氣血不練自練，不養而自養，人之本能逐淅發達矣。初作時不論姿式之優劣或繁簡，只看全體大小關節能否上下前後左右相互為用，以及神經支配之大意和氣血之流行與調息所發之彈力如何。意以達到得力舒暢為止。察其神情，身如凌雲寶樹，須假眾木之撐持，又如在氣浪中作游泳之動蕩，毛發悠揚相依，大有長伸之意，氣血如巨海汪洋之水，有波浪橫流回旋不已之勢，精神如大冶洪爐，無物不可陶溶，而身心好似渡海之浮囊，不容一針罅漏，此身心氣血修練之要旨也。若是者，非滌盡妄念，動靜不失于自然，未易有得。然無論如何去作，最忌身心用力，用力則氣滯，氣滯則意停，意停則神斷，全身皆非矣。他如試力之均整，肩架之配備，發力之自乘（發力之自乘，是說明爭力之作用），三角力之螺旋，種種之構造不一之力，又如渾元假借之一切法則，均不可忽，尤應注意全身樞紐之松緊，面積之曲折和遇敵時相接時間之利用，此皆非言語筆墨所能形容，願學者以恆心毅力，研究探討，自不難入法海而博道要矣。

第二章 釋拳

近世拳術分宗別派，作法各異，命名無不以拳，而對拳之意義，實少研究，論者多就拳之字義而為之解釋，或指握手為拳，或指練習勇力能徒手敵人者為拳，皆屬泛論，未得拳之真義者是也。

薌齋先生解釋拳義曰︰“拳者乃拳拳服膺謂之拳，動靜處中，能守能用，此即盡吾人氣質本能之道，非純工套數招法之所謂拳也。”“動靜處中，能守能用”言即時得拳理，靜守動用（靜即動，動即靜，其守用一也。）“拳拳服膺”，永保不失也，盡吾人氣質本能之道也，即言拳理之所在。非純工套數招法則辨歧途納學者于正軌也。

薌齋先生復申明拳意曰︰“拳之為拳，實不在于身體運動之形式如何，而在于筋骨氣力松緊之作用，精神之指揮以及心意之領導如何耳。”習拳專重形式，是本末錯認，攻其末而記其本，終無是處，非得其本者，不能言其踐形致用之實學，故應機而發，因勢而變，動無有誤，其神妙莫測者，當非所謂專習套數招法者所能得也。

第三章 意拳

第一節 意拳倡導之意義

人身內外一體，意動一致，拳功拳理，只有是非，而不能分以內外，所以薌齋先生反對內家外家之拳名，並反對講求不合實用之拳理招法套數。復為闡明拳理發揚拳學計，于一九二六年倡導意拳，拳以意名乃示拳理之所在，其練習方法重在站樁，以求實用，不講求形式演變之套數，無論動靜，皆以意領導，使意、氣、力合一，以盡拳功爭力之妙用。由此可知先生正拳名曰意拳。意在泯宗派內外之紛爭，以存拳學之真義也。

第二節 意拳樁法

薌齋先生論意拳樁法曰︰“拳學樁法，陰陽動靜，虛實開合，胸腹呼吸與鼓蕩皆不得分開而論，都是互為根用，不在外感之交雜，而在一意之應付，此謂之意拳也。”

第三節 意動之解釋

意存乎吾人之自身，為心之動，其作用厥為自我，確實存在，不得疑之，習拳應先明此意，然後動靜始能合于理，而有益于身。西諺云︰“身體之發達，可促內心之發達。身體之損害，多為內心這損害。”如何使身體與內心得以發達而無損害？當求之于身心動用之合一。身心合一之動用，為健全之動用，應有之動用也。如何使身心合一？須知心之動用為合意，身體動用，即身心合一之動用，自是發達身體而有益無損之動用，此乃順自然之需要，應機合理之動用也。意為心之動，而欲達此意，司命全身者為腦，腦為身心之關鍵，故知腦之于身，如軍中之主帥，所以習拳先講頭直，意發動屬之于自由于萬全，不附帶強迫之感情者也。吾人之動作順乎自然，合乎需要，方為合意動用，為自由之決定，乃本能之作用。此種決定和作用，從屬于個人，能感得而身受之者，亦惟其個人，不待言也。人身動用可分兩種，合意之動用為有益之運動，不合意之動用為無益之運動。不合意之運動，心理學者謂之沖動運動，乃發于欲望之運動，非正規之運動；系因受到沖動後，由此沖動一變而為執意，由執意而引起之實際運動也。故謂沖動運動，反乎自然之運動，非出于自主（自由之決意）之運動，是為亡動。此種運動，動必吃力，吃力則血注，血注則血流失其自然，而神經為之傷害，故運動結果，心由此發生一種反射之沖動。神經梢端受到沖動，發生抵抗，同時生出反射運動，此種反射力量，最為強烈，神經中樞感到刺激，而受損傷。此種運動，不但無益反而有害，所以習拳切忌妄動和吃力，即不許有沖動運動也。

第四節 合意運動

合意之運動，心理學家謂之本能運動，是由意（運動神經覺察能力）來考察全身之需要，順意之支配，而為運動，系出于自主，而順于自然。所以本能運動是身心一致，合于需要之運動，有益無損之運動也。本能運動分有意與自動運動，有意運動，是基于心意支配之運動，作到妙處，則成為自動運動，不感覺受意這支配，而其運動，無有不合意者。習拳原為發達本能運動之工作，非臻于自動運動之境，不能得力得氣得神，而入化境。

第四章 習拳六要

第一節 要知拳益

薌齋先生曰︰“不學拳是不要性命的傻子。”言拳功對人身關系之極切要，能健身體養性命，人人應知此理，應習此拳，普勸吾人練習之理由，一語道盡。若使吾人知習拳之樂，習拳之益，致力于練習功夫，定有欲罷不能之概。誤入歧途吃力努氣傷及身體，是學習錯誤，非拳不可習也。

拳功如作到妙境，真得竅要時，在他人看來反認為不精熟、不好看者有之。故要知習拳為已，非為他人也，此防身養身貼骨之事也，更須平時一心存之于拳，蓄養氣血，無論何時何地何事俱無不拳拳皆在操練，有時限之功夫，不如無時限期之功夫，純正確切。所以有固定時間，而非廣場不能練習者未必盡是也。

第二節 要明拳理

拳有拳之理，拳之法，拳之意，得其法、理、意，方得謂之能拳。故有拳法，而無拳理者非也，有拳理而無拳意者亦非也。拳之動其法不一，而有原理；動靜變化，機神無方，出之自然，臻于神妙，蓋由于一意之支配，得理盡法而成其用。所以習拳，理字最為緊要，理字須從規矩得來，能于規矩中將理字參透，方能有成。妙悟在已，學須自成也。習拳者得其理，然後方可與言氣力；有氣有力，而不合于理，非有用之氣力；知其理而不能用于氣，用于力，亦非真理。理與氣合，氣與力謀，動靜合于理，則氣為之用，而氣力之神妙自見；然神其用者，還權之于意，故習拳之初，對其法、理、意，均須徹底認識，方有所遵循也。

第三節 要重樁法粗跡

世人多以拳為技，不什一習，豈根本之論哉？拳為吾人動之始基，其理簡而明，其跡粗而顯，其妙用在幾微。故論拳理，言之深者，根于幾微，言之淺者，本其粗跡。須知粗跡亡，其幾微之理無以存，幾微之理亡，其粗跡則非。夫粗跡者，極簡極易之動作方法也。得此粗跡，即能變化無以存，幾微之理亡，其粗跡則非。夫粗跡者，極簡極易之動作方法也。得此粗跡，即能變化無窮。但非今之拳套招法也。拳之粗跡為何？乃樁法是也，豈可因其平易而忽之耶？觀乎拳之功用至神者，無不由此一站生出也。習拳須先求下手及著實功夫之門，習拳下手處，站樁是也，久站乃為著實功夫之門也。舍此恐無真實下手處。故學者應以此教，必以此習認定在此，志向亦在此，終日乾乾奧蘊自得，教習之道不過如此，微乎！微乎！

第四節 要作體認功夫

習拳須知，“心傳意領”四字，是得力關頭，此四字系于體認二字中求之，體認是一種實行功夫，運用意之支配，發揮自身之智能體能之作用，將腦所接受者，使身體實行出來，以身驗知，並以求其所不知者是也。要知心傳口授，非真學真知；須得自已實行，方是實學實知。故習拳重體認功夫，乃易空想為實用之實功夫也。且精神氣力之運化，非由體認不足自知自發自成也。

體認功夫有內省、外觀、實驗三要點，缺一不可，內省者直察自已之意象如何也；外觀者內省自已，外觀他人，以他人之表現，參證其內容，作內省之助；實驗系合內省外觀之所得，行之已身，而得有實效之事也。

習拳有得于師者，有得于已者；得于師者為規矩，得于已者乃循規矩，經體認，實得于身之妙用也。學拳不得于身，則規矩無益于已。

論及體認，原有力、氣、神三步功夫。力、氣、神皆體認功夫，分言之，則為拳功深淺之界限，合言之，心一氣齊萬力並足。力氣神原有不可分離之性，三者實統基于一氣，氣調則神經之訓練、血氣之調理、筋骨之鍛煉，均得體認之實功，故曰三步功夫也。樁法所示要點，皆為養此氣而培人生之基也。

第五節 要去三病

習拳有三病︰一曰努氣，二曰吃力（即用拙力），三曰挺胸提腹是也。染得三病，則動靜不合于理，拳功定難得力得氣而神之于用，慎乎！慎乎！習拳吃力，是一大病。近之授拳者專以快、用力，教導初學者，誤矣；教以快、用力，是欲其手足用力也。要知四肢用力，心身真勁力必淤結，久之為害甚大。于今學拳者應明此害，避之遠之，庶幾近之，而免入歧途也。

薌齋先生曰︰“今之習拳者，多急急于拳套，用暴力以求迅速和美觀，全身氣孔為之閉塞，而于自身氣血之流通，實大有阻礙。所有拳家凡用暴力是，無不努目皺眉，頓足有聲。”是先閉其氣而後用其力，至練畢則長吁短嘆，急喘不止，傷及元氣。所以往往有數十年功夫終為門外漢者，豈非用此拙力之所致哉？

第六節 要作實功

習拳忌好高求速，恐不達也。余某歲請示發力，薌齋先生告曰︰“汝已能得環中味道，當能自信，對發力要領，恐尚未能領略，因發力種類甚多，無應用經驗，敢斷言不易知也，望加意用功，屆時必將詳告，現在即告亦不能懂，即懂亦不能行，慮有務高反低之病也。”又曰︰“功夫宜恆久，朝夕操練，無時或已，得有新成績，方是進步真消息。”語云︰非有百折不回之真心，不能有萬變無窮之妙用。薌齋先生曰︰“用功覺得全身氣血川流（身外有物），養神斂性，通體無滯，是初步功夫；若听得全身嘶嘶有聲，無論行坐一觸即跌人丈外，是中乘功夫；身外生氣，光芒四射，如用目視人，其人如失知覺，然後漸入神化之境矣。”

第五章 習拳階段

第一節 基礎功夫

人之力生于氣血，自然發動，由內達外，故通暢氣血，以鍛煉筋骨為習拳基礎，其法為站樁。站時須間架安排妥當，再從靜止狀態去整飭神經，調息呼吸，溫養氣血，鍛煉筋骨之各項體認功夫，而使內外合一，以達拙者化靈，弱者轉強之目的。

第二節 試力

前項基礎功夫作到妙處，應繼習氣力之妙用，試力是其初步。試力為得力之由，力由試而得知其所自發，更由知而得其所以用，故試力為習拳之最大關鍵。

第三節 實用功夫

拳功作到全身舒暢得力，運用變化始能隨機發動。至于快慢、虛實、與精神時機之運用，閉合、松緊、動靜之互根，以及力量和假借之分析等，尚須實地研究，故習拳功夫，未可稍松懈也。又論習拳各段功夫曰︰“練習樁法時，形雖不動，而渾身之筋肉氣血與神經以及各種細胞，無不同時工作，若輪盤之旋轉，快到極點，正是不動之動，所謂生生不已之動也。此學拳當注意之要點，一念之差，舍此正軌則終身難入門牆矣。”應敵時勢如猿兔如龍蛇，而身心意力，都要含蓄，暗中分析對手究竟，須全神遒斂，隨機而動，以待發之機，雖動用極速，亦有高低、左右、縱橫之轉移。而身心氣血之悠揚飄蕩，實動猶不動也。以上為基礎實作兩部功夫與動靜區別之原則，其中間一段試力方法則太繁矣，茲簡述一二︰試力既不許有偏面力更不許有絕對力，首要體認全身之氣力圓滿否？光線鋒稜與毛發接觸否？氣力能隨時隨地可以發出？自身之神與氣，能否和空氣發生應合作用？抬手動足，全身各處都如有敵欲相比較，外形尚無動作，而精神早已與之周旋。非如是，其力不能試得也，學者于此豈可忽哉！

第六章 樁法前論

第一節 樁法為操練全身之功夫

吾人一身，雖分身、手、頭、足、五官百骸，內外原是整個一體。習拳操練者為人之全身一體，內外表里，身手頭足、五官百骸，既不得分開講論，更不得分別操練，拳理是非之分在此，而習拳能否入道亦在此。

意拳樁法是統一意志，統一動作，統一力氣神之基礎功夫也，乃統一全身發達增強力氣神之法也。

拳為全身動作，五官百骸、十指四肢以及毛發各有輕重緩急之用，少一件即非完人，有一不動不足為萬全之動。全身一致受命者，意之所使，心之所系，氣之所運，神明之感，自然之應也。所以練習時，自習身、習心、習手、習足，須全身同時一致練習，不可分開，又不可偏重，盡其本能，統于一命。若各不受命，自為動作，是自為肢解，拳無能日矣。

第二節 應知自身之位置

習拳應先知自身之位置，吾人一立，戴天履地，而于上下、左右、前後、中，其所處之境，則天地四表而身居空氣之中，此人人所曉，不待言也。習拳者，須首先求得自身之位置，其法當從本身以外四面八方回向自身看來，乃得中心，立基乃圓，得中、用中、妙用無窮。

第三節 須明動靜曲直

習拳應知人之能生，在于能動。其動原出于靜，靜直動曲，一動一靜，一曲一直（形曲而力直）拳理盡之于是。故習拳靜以理其氣，動以致其用，藉此氣活吾血，強吾力，運動全身，事其所事。而其動靜，互因互生，習拳者乃習此動靜也。習此動靜，須慎之于始，其始則由直而曲，由靜而動。形曲力直，動而還靜之時也。靜中有動，動中有靜，求得之法則站樁矣。

第四節 習拳基礎功夫為樁法

習拳站樁用意體察全身動靜，功夫一到，當知如此一站，大有無妙不臻，無法不備之滋味。欲盡拳功之妙用，應先致力站樁之法。凡百運動皆基于此，此論實不我欺，故古人躬行實踐，乃尋此滋味之唯一法門，學者宜致力焉。拳以站樁為基，以行動為用，基不固行無根，故習拳不可以站不如行，反是，即為自誤，一身功夫須從根本作來，方屬真實耳。

第七章 渾元樁（一）

渾元樁一為整飭立容（一名立勢），立為拳功之基本間架，立時垂足尖外分，角度約六十度，要安安穩穩，氣靜神怡，應載天履地與天地合而為一之意，站時應注意以下各點︰

“頭”︰居人體最高處，為一身之主宰，不宜傾斜，須用意上頂（領較確切），收頦挺頸而欲其直，似頂非頂，似被繩系提，要有領率全身之意。

“足”︰兩足放平，大趾外蹬，小趾內扒，腳心涵虛，腳跟微起，兩膝微曲而上縮，使筋絡舒展，不可吃力，足一吃力，立便不穩，要知吃力于足，必頂力于頭，身體不舒，氣力被阻，全身關節即不能靈活，又焉能求其站之穩定？故曰修容足重者，非吃力于足之謂也。

“閭骨”︰為脊神經之殼，居人體之中部，為支配上下肢體之中樞。閭骨要正直，平肩下臀，收頦挺頸，心窩微收，使胸寬而腹圓松，自無揚頭折腰、努胸擠背之病。

“手”︰兩手下垂，指欲插入地內，但須向上微提，使肘稍曲，以舒筋絡，並有外撐內裹之意，平肩正臂腋下筋松，虛靈守默如能容球。

“齒”︰齒輪上下餃接，不宜用力扣合，咬牙瞪眼乃最大毛病。

“舌”︰舌尖微卷，接觸上顎，似頂非頂，要領悟其有接引之意。

“鼻”︰為氣官，呼吸要勻而無聲，氣不可提，尤不可沉，勻靜自然，為其要訣，氣能至肅，調息方恰得其妙，切忌用口呼吸，犯之則氣失其道，鼻失其職，易致疾病，不可不慎。

“目”︰兩目視貴平直，能不為物引（不他顧，不轉楮流視左右），心意自然不亂。

“耳”︰耳听八方，要用神凝。

第八章 渾元樁（二）

起以立勢，立勢站穩，使足向左右展開（橫步），曲膝蹲身成騎馬式，兩手高提，使骨肉筋絡平行舒展，氣血川流，此樁功用在于通氣增力，以及溫養筋肉，訓練神經，使各細胞無不工作，站時應注意下列各點︰

“步”︰橫步展開時，兩足尖向前平行站齊，不可前後參差，其距離按個人之足長短計算，以兩足尖相距約一尺七、八為宜，開胯曲膝，靜站片刻使身心安穩再舉兩手。

“膝”︰開胯曲膝，騎馬襠欲其低，不欲其高。腰向下坐，胯往回抽，臀前裹而胯外張（橫撐要平），兩膝扣合，有外撐之意。膝蓋骨處力之生發，動用最堪體認，由膝骨至腳面，有由腳面至膝上撐之力，又有欲直立卻被繩索將腳面與膝相連不得撐開之意。而膝蓋骨以上部分，復有向上總提之力，同時更具有下坐之力，同時膝內曲，大小腿筋絡有相聚之力，同時又具有相反之支撐力，此等力量生之自然，相等相乘，名曰爭力，習拳功夫一到，力動情形自然領悟而知。甚難于講述也。

“腰”︰為人身上下四肢運動之樞紐，全身中線之所在，乃重心之所系，最忌腰背彎曲。頭直肩松胯坐（臀勿前掀），則腰直而上下靈通一氣。

“手”︰兩手高舉，意在使筋肉伸展，而順左右肩之方向，向左右伸張，兩手要向前微抱，肘曲腕按五指離開向上伸張，此手勢乃站樁基本姿式，兩手姿式不論如何，筋肉與骨骸均系平行舒展，無擰裹力者，皆屬于此樁所求。

“托式”︰兩手高提與心窩處相平，掌心朝天，指尖相對，兩臂環垂。

“按式”︰提兩手于臍前，大指朝臍，掌心向地，指尖相對，兩臂環垂。

（以上兩式，托式小指，按式大指，離身四寸，兩手指尖距離三寸，不可靠近。）

“推式”︰兩手高舉，向前平伸後再使兩手指尖相對，掌心向外，肘腕平行，形曲如弓。

“抱式”︰兩手平伸，使掌心向內，指尖相對，腕肘平行，形如抱鼓。

“提式”︰兩手下垂，使肘微曲，並微卷各指如提物狀。

“舉式”︰兩手高舉過頭，使肘微曲（不可緊靠頭部）指尖相對，掌心朝天。手出五指不可緊靠，應行離開，求其活而得力也。各指卷曲，如抓如鉤，虎口撐圓，而指尖抽斂，掌心內吸，有持物欲墜之意。掌心吐力，手指向外擴張，又如柔絲束縛，有不得伸展之意。而此種神情（亦是爭力妙用）同時並具，出之自然，方得其妙（凡是任何樁法，形式皆是如此）。

第九章 渾元樁（三）

學習以上兩樁後，繼習此樁，仍起以立勢，站穩再行開步，左右兩足，前後展開（是為進退步），曲膝蹲身，兩手環抱，橫撐擰裹向前伸開，使筋肉束裹，骨骼無節不曲，是為鈍形三角（即90度以上之角，不可有銳角），全身無有平面部分，更無絕對力。曲折玲瓏，渾元一體，兼有以上二樁之功用。遇機施巧，應變無窮，便于實搏，精于打顧。站時應注意渾元樁一、二，腰膝兩節所示要點及下列各點︰

“步”︰步大不靈，為步法要訣。開步時，前足進，後足隨，兩足最大距離約一尺二、三寸。言及動作，回旋不過七、八寸耳。若兩足站于一直線上，不易穩固，須左右稍為展開，其寬度應以兩肩寬度為準。

“手”︰出手時，兩手向左右伸張，均不過鼻，以保中線，高不過眉，下不過臍，前伸不過足尖，回撤不許靠腹，此乃最重要而不可違犯之規律也。又不許有平面處，無處不曲，曲處無不相乘。體認“八面出鋒”一語，便得其奧妙。變掌為拳，五指相次如擰麻花，各指力一如嬰兒之持物，要有緊捻密持之意（此握法擊時易于發力），切忌死握，能不吃力于手，兩臂圓活而氣力暢達，手足相應矣。兩肘曲如抱鼓，無論如何，變換手式，兩肘要永久保持橫撐力，勿使兩肘忽而接近，忽而遠離，失去其活動之空間（所應佔之面積），與人以進擊之機會。

“肩”︰步法改變，而兩臂否得力，全系于兩肩。其要決為松肩，肩松則下垂，左右腋肋支撐其空間，如能容球，兩臂得此空間，活動方能自如。再使心窩微收，胸虛背圓，肩得其平，渾身氣力直貫于掌矣。

“筋骨”︰力生于骨，而達于筋，筋長力大，骨重筋靈，筋伸則骨節縮，骨靈則力實，伸筋腕挺（手足四腕與脖頸），則渾身之筋絡開展。兩肱橫撐要平，有挽抱、開合、伸縮之力，兩腿有提、夾、扒、縮、趟、崩、擰、裹之力，肩撐胯墜，尾閭中正，均不可忽。骨重如弓背，筋伸似弓弦，運勁如弓滿，發手似放箭，用力如抽絲，兩手如撕棉。站此樁時，全身上下前後左右八方，並頭與足，頭與手，手與肩，手與胯，肩與膝，肘與胯等處處相應，如有交互反向之繩索牽曳，或有人互為推移，不為所動之意。實際並無繩索或人之牽曳推移，不過存意如是。若真作出好似有被牽曳及推移之狀，則又誤矣。是被欲望之支配，其動作不覺而已吃力，失于自然。站時從此體認，全身易于完整。久之當能作到八面之意，氣力乃得中之也。人身動用既有其運動之空間，而其運動頭、足、身、手各處所佔之面積，因頭、足、身、手各處作用之不同，而亦各不相同。至其爭力作用與各處因應之關系，復因之而各異，欲明乎此，于渾元樁三樁中求之，自能得其奧妙，凡百運動皆由此基生出，豈可忽哉？

第十章 樁法後論

習拳站樁，時間越久越妙，站時身體所生現象，依功夫深淺而有所不同。初學站樁，初站不過數分鐘，汗即涔涔而下，再站過數分鐘，則覺腹中蠕動，甚至牽及全身。及習練已久，自覺漸身澌澌作響，氣血之動蕩，有如源泉之滾滾。初站氣血尚未通暢，兩腿感有酸楚，疲倦時可以稍憩再站，以免因勞強行而致吃力。拳功本在日積月累，以行之不間為要（站的時間要逐漸增加），站樁畢，氣舒神清，周身松快，妙不可言。李恕谷有云︰“滌蕩邪穢，動蕩血脈，流通精神，養其中和之法，而救其氣質之偏。”夫站樁之功用，盡于是矣。

初站樁時，氣血流行未能通暢，遇有阻礙時， 發生震動現象，要知此種震動，並非錯誤，亦非病態。用功日久，若仍有此現象，氣血流行不能平靜，恐無良好成效。若遇震動時，可以神經（精神）起變化分解之，經此分解，如仍抖動，可再以起變化、神經姿式同時起變化，亦無不可，務必使其平靜，至要至要。

習拳動靜殊操，喧寂異趣之現象，最難免去，此皆站樁功夫未到，心神混淆所使然，平時練功應將心情放下，不使浮動，氣肅則膽壯，心靜則神清，守之不失，自然動無不合，倘習拳不以此作法，為之旁求，是枉費心力，定難尋得處一化齊之妙。

初習站樁，必覺渾身酸軟，反如無力之人，及氣血漸漸通暢，真力（即筋骨氣血受心意之支配，自然生發這力）生發，則不分動靜，氣力周身一貫，而力之強大則當不可思議，功到自知，學者應求諸已者也。

薌齋先生曰︰“習拳平時用功，常使神氣聚而不離，如站樁之時，自神不外馳，意不外想，精不妄動，氣不輕浮，神不亂游，無站樁之形，而收其實效，則有不可思議之妙。”

或曰︰“細思站樁之益，學者何以不覺，則其心意注于手，而不注于腰，不注于周身之故。”斯言頗堪玩味領會。又曰︰“習拳時心動身不動則枉然，身動心不動亦枉然，身心一致加功，除站樁外，無第二法門。”心動系心意之動用，身動系筋骨關節之動用，氣血應合所生澈諸身之動用也。故習拳應從站樁下功夫，不然是以有用之精神付無用之地也。

站樁功夫是使吾人生機內動，純任自然，毫無戕害生理之虞，故真善拳者，其人必氣力充，精神足，皮膚潤柔，筋骨強健，絕非皮糙肉厚結如鐵石者。

練習樁法，乃習拳攻本之學，有一勢可變千百勢，有千百勢歸于一勢之基也。須著實勤學（知其理習其事）踐跡是要，豈獨拳學哉？

第十一章 養氣

習拳者多言氣功，言論分歧，莫衷一是，薌齋先生授拳時嘗以意、氣、力三字同用，或氣力並稱，極重氣字。而所授養氣之理在于不為害，其法至簡至易，本乎自然。以鼻呼吸，要細勻而無聲，而以勻靜自然為要訣。今言氣者，須知此氣乃指呼吸碳氧二氣而言，並須先講明，人知動作與呼吸運用之原理，習拳養氣。調息呼吸，乃運用呼吸所生之彈力，以盡拳之妙用，非如世人練成大肚子，即是氣功名手之謂也。

氣充力強，為習拳之結果，氣之順逆虛實，關系人之壯老勇怯，而身體四肢筋骨之運使變化，因之賴之。所以無氣無以養其用，氣之于人為無量供應，此人生原動力之所由生也，欲力之強大，須從養氣入手，自不待言也。

養氣功夫，亦可謂之理氣功夫，氣系呼吸碳氧二氣而言，前已言之。用呼吸方法，使身體內外之氣川流不息，此種功能，能使全身血脈之催動。由此可知，氣在體內，或在體外養之有用之變化；神乎至于無形，微乎至無聲，引自體外，充于體內。操拳︰動也靈妙，莫可推測，靜也嚴肅，莫可撼移，無不基于此氣，非養之有素，何能臻此？養氣之道，豈可忽哉？

講養氣者多矣︰或胸內努力，以鼓蕩兩肺，或沉氣腹內，以求充實；而氣結不通者，皆不明養氣之理也。養氣這理在于呼吸自然，既不許用力鼓蕩，亦不許故用我意之支配，不急不迫，徐徐為之，順其自然。能于不覺呼吸而為呼吸，全身血脈動蕩，方能與呼吸相合，方得氣肅之真實功夫，而後得古人所說浩然之氣，而明至大至剛之奧蘊矣。

薌齋先生曰︰“世大夫常以坐功為禪學之秘。自認已得且極是矣，其實不過口云自然，豈不知盤腿一坐便不自然矣。即練之無害，亦必無所得。只知一時之精神清呼吸靜而已，不能明此非整體功夫也。氣貫全身為養氣要訣，氣非通暢關節不能敏活也。蓋因呼吸使血液為之鼓蕩，而渾身各種細胞（毛發氣孔）均同時鼓動，而生吸引之動作。此種呼吸動作乃拳之基本動點，從此基點發生之操作，乃合理自如之動，動能自如，然後方得天然生生不已之氣，而知其真滋味矣。”

全身毛發同司呼吸，與鼻息互為應合。毛孔呼吸，對于人身之功能，大于鼻息，而人不自覺。故言氣功者，多論鼻息，而鮮及于毛孔。要知調息，以勻靜自然為要訣。使呼吸免去急迫短促，使肺活量增加，與毛孔呼吸互為應合。故曰鼻息調而毛孔呼吸細勻（一致），若但知鼻息，而不知毛孔呼吸者，對于氣力運用恐難入妙境，以其不明了身內外氣之運養而失之也。

肺活量增大，在于垂肩虛胸（心窩微收），努胸擠背者誤也，一試自知。拳要虛中取氣，氣為虛中之實。薌齋先生曰︰“動時要于身外留有余不盡之力與氣。而渾身毛發直豎如戟（氣達梢端方謂之氣足），不見力處正是有力處，不覺呼吸時正在呼吸。應于此處去下功夫。”

或有問曰︰薌齋先生曾云︰“用神用意勿用力，能養氣調息，川流不止，使神意與氣合，便得此道之真主宰和其奧妙機運矣。”而前言養氣不許故用我意之支配，而用神用意勿用力一語，又重在用意，豈非矛盾耶？答曰︰“實則未也。”不許故用我意支配者，乃不許故意使氣如何動用，以防滯其氣而失于自然也。所謂用意，是以意念體察，使氣歸自然，全身周到而保其勻靜也。語雖不同，而其用意則一。前者用則助，助則暴而亂其氣，後者用則勿忘，得于自然而氣肅，不可不知也。

養氣專在調息，反不如求之身外，使氣不去調而自調。其法以目注視遠方，假定一標點，使自身處處與所定目標點，神合、意合、光線合。我動時使標點隨之俱動。標點放大，其光如輪，縮小則光不可破，起始作時，須令標點離身在十丈左右，與目光相平成一直線，練習日久，可使此標點，由遠縮近或由近推遠，或上或下，由此去作，氣不練而自紀，不養而自養矣。

氣沉丹田，氣貫小腹，為近代拳家所樂道。要知提氣固非，沉氣亦屬非是，求沉其氣則氣不能自然，實不如听其自然，不加注意為妙。所以拳家講運使以練其氣者，不足尚也。先哲有云︰“氣不養則餒，何以充體，充體者氣遍全身也”。非如拳家只言丹田也。既得養氣之道，功夫一到自然充實全身，無不貫到。惟腹部因發力運用上之不同，而有松圓、實圓之別。

松圓︰氣極靜之時也，其氣至平，貫然全身，渾噩一致，此乃常態也。

實圓︰氣由靜而動之時也，胸寬腹實為發力時瞬間之動用現象也。頭頂，足蹬，手張，腰坐，氣注于腹，用以足力，此乃變態也。

第十二章 論意

薌齋先生解釋拳義，由說明精神氣質之運使，至為詳盡。運用肢體，使筋骨伸縮，氣血川流，以強健身體，則屬之于氣質方面，至筋骨因何運動，則屬這于精神方面。身體之動用，原由于一意之支配，意為之所計慮，乃精神現象之總稱，意之所向，神即前往，全身因之運動而行發力，順乎自然，出露體外，由此可知吾人之運動原之于意，而意之于身有全體統一之性。知慮之、覺察之、應付之，虛實動靜互為根用，均一意之所為。欲達此妙用，須要領會薌齋先生“爭力之生發和一意之支配”二語。意氣力運用于自身之外，尚須有其運用之空間，意氣力之守中處一，舍此空間不能成其妙用。所以習拳有以身外空間為運使，方能盡其運化之妙。薌齋先生嘗言︰“練拳如在空氣中游泳，意在身外，守中身內，自然勻整。”又言︰“習拳存意，使離開已身，不合道理，執著已身更有不妥”即此之謂也。

習拳須具精神合氣質，養練合一之要，方成其為拳。欲達此境，須求之于存意；欲言存意，須先知學者習拳之通病，在欲求速效；求速效，乃是貪念；此念一生，身心定然吃力，能阻氣血之運行，使真力不能外發，過于助長，欲速不達，故制止身心用力是第一要事。制止之法，厥為存意；存意檢身，稍覺吃力，便要挽回，一動便覺，一覺便轉，久之歸于自然，全身舒適如無力之人。其氣力方能暢達周身，應運外發，無往不利。此即用力不可反為力所害之謂也。學者宜熟思之。“意存動之先”為習拳要訣，覺古人千言萬語，盡于此矣。要知力隨動生，基于爭力，而以取勢為主，系由靜而動，由動而靜，動靜所生之勢也。運力得勢則隨意動作；無不得力，此則存意勿吃力之實功，所謂︰“得意應手，意到便成者是也。”勢欲左行者，意先顧于右；勢欲右行者，意先顧于左，或上者勢欲下垂，或下者勢欲上聳，俱不可從本位經情一往。古拳譜云︰“用力如春蠶吐絲”，又曰︰“起勢如挑擔，進步如槐蟲。”虛中取實，以勢為之，變化得宜。先以順拖，繼以逆送，即詳示勢字之運用也。順拖逆送，互為根互用，同時並具。

薌齋先生曰︰“習拳須知來勢去勢”，來字去字，頗堪玩味，存意在此來去二字則得之矣。若先如何用力，而後如何用力，此樣講求則非矣（意存動之先，其動已止，而意仍在，乃指示初學之語，亦求知、求得，求存這途徑也）。

薌齋先生曰︰“操拳能作到不用心處方好”，又曰︰“寫意”兩語最為微妙，意非外面來至身內，而是由身內達于外面。薌齋先生復嘗言︰“身外須有意，此意不定期存于身”。學者宜善領悟也。

習拳須知拳理、拳意、拳形。將意存于周身之外，使意在身外領取身上法度，神理自然得之。專習拳之外形，而不知拳理拳意者，勞心亂意，不但終無獲益，恐身心反為之傷。

薌齋先生︰“意足不求形骸似，意足者神足，動則合意而得力，不求合而自合也。”習拳要時時刻刻常想著薌齋先生所謂︰“為什麼有此一動，此一動作的目的是什麼？”二語去體認，去努力，無有不成者矣。

習拳講求存意，須知得意者為其前一步功夫，不能得，何以言存？何謂之得意？須先知何謂之意，意字之解前已言之，勿庸再敷。知字功夫要在動靜變化中求之。無論如何，一動便要先問為什麼有此一動，又要問此一動是否合乎需要，大小關節，曲折面積及點力，有何作用？更要問此動恰應時機否？尤要檢查動後全身各處是否完整舒適一如不動之時呢？習拳如此用功，無不得意者矣。存意作到無有不至，身之動靜完整舒適，非知意之存在者弗能。以意檢身，以身知意，意自能存，意存不出于慮求，則拳功臻于幾微。故曰腦中想存意者，不能存意者也。因此一想，便將此一點意用錯，所以習拳者，能自知意，作到得意，由得意作到存意，再臻于不知存意而意存，方能達到知意、存意之境界。“有形有意都是假，意到無心始見奇”即此之謂也。

先哲論拳，常言︰“守神專一”此說明得到存意真境界後之情形和作用也。功夫不到如此境界，何能言及自然，身動與意相忘，方得勿忘，而免助長之害矣。

講到存意，學者最易誤解，認定存意乃是一種欲望作用。須知助長之病，多生于欲望，薌齋先生嘗教以求放心，講求勿忘，以免助長。並嘗以爾雅云︰“勿念勿忘”用來解釋勿之真義。如此看來，欲望必須根除，拳功方臻神化，此理當不謬也。薌齋先生論養氣，嘗言︰“氣調則妄念平，能無念而神自清，神清方能心意定。”心意定，動則神歸氣足，而如不動之時。如斯方謂之能動，故心不外馳，意不外想，神不外游，精不妄動。乃從存意養氣中入手得來之功夫也。

第十三章 試力

站樁基礎，作到妙處，應習氣力之運用，其初步為試力。試力為得力之由，力由試而得知其所自發，更由知而得其所以用，故試力為習拳最大之關鍵。

初試須使渾身氣力勻整，關節靈活，骨骼支撐，筋骨收斂而舒放，然後所有力氣自然應運外發；動時，慢優于快，緩勝于急，更須意不使斷，靈不使散，動一處牽全身，所謂動無不動，動猶不動也；習拳若能達此地步，全身力一，自然動靜守中，試力功夫方得其奧妙矣。

前言氣力勻整，關節靈活，骨骼支撐，筋肉收斂而舒放，冠以“渾身”二字系說明四種作用，同時並具于一身互為關系，是整個作用不得分開，作拳時從此體認自能得到。動靜基于一意之支配，須使全身任其自然，不可稍有滯處。最妙連試力二字，亦勿存于意中，徐徐運動肢體，動一處即作全體想，以意領導，神經支配全身，動時大動不如小動，快動不如慢動，動越微而神越全，如能做到不動之動，方得生生不已之真動。心意照顧周到，氣力一致，歸于圓整，上下左右不忘不失，如此則全身力一，力一則力止于圓（中），動靜處中，自無妄動矣（滑力、暴力、硬力、滯力、溷力以及從雜亂發出種種不善之力不從心，自不生矣）。

力止于中者，永是而不變為靜之至也，力一者乃形變之始、形變之終，始終為一動一守靜，定心在中，所以無妄動，動則適宜也。此靜為本體，動為作用之真理也。薌齋先生曰︰“不覺力之力，莫大于變化，順生于自然，不覺其力也，故謂之渾圓。”

試力要從“徐徐”二字節中作體認功夫，不如是，不能試得本身氣力之如何，以及運使之所以用。

習時，如出于急迫，勢必先行吃力，吃力則不自然，必偏重于一方，失之于滑于暴。全身原有之渾元力（一貫力）不能暢達于體外矣。力之為用，莫大于變化。陰陽虛實，開合順逆，互為根用，順生自然，滔滔不絕，用之不竭，變化雖有不同，其力則處一不變。而力之外發，手、肩、肘、胯、全身關節，骨縮筋伸，氣血鼓蕩，面面有力出鋒稜，生生不已，共爭一中也；力出共爭一中者，乃言相乘之力也。其力名曰爭力，又曰渾元力，全身處處均有交互，具有上下左右前後四隅之相乘力。初步試習，應求二爭力，如手伸出，同時有前伸後撤，上托下壓，外撐裹裹相乘之力，從一中心異向發出，相等相乘。悟得二爭力，再求全身各部分，均同時面面生力，無不相乘，互為應合，渾元一致，共爭一心，氣力貫通，全身無空隙，習拳得此爭力，方能使神氣意力真實之合一，然後可謂之得中，可謂之得力矣。

力不從一心生出，失此意，則無八面玲瓏之巧，而失分合虛實互用之基。“一動全轉”，此“身”字正宜領會，于有意無意間，悟得自然神機之妙，方是試力功夫之妙境。

薌齋先生曰︰“初學試力，使手自腕及指尖可稍加力，腕以後則不可有力。”如此作法，容易入門。又曰︰“不論怎樣作法，總要勿忘勿助長，以動靜互為樞紐，全身無不渾元一爭，始得象外之妙，身外之意，拳外之拳。能否得之在于一試，經此一試得之者，可與言拳道矣。”

薌齋先生教拳申明爭力作用，以求氣力自然發動。乃拳學不傳之秘，今揭以示人，其言頗詳，其法易，能得與否則系于學者，視學者志向與體認功夫如何耳。

第十四章 運力

習拳得力後，才能進言運用，運力之妙，固在于周身力一，運之于內，靈之于外，而神之于用。力靜為動之基，動為靜之效，習拳致力于靜，正是求動。氣充力足，然後方能靜不滯其機，動不見其跡。能靜者方能動。靜者乃萬有變化無窮之源，樁法各章已有論矣。身、手、足之運動，須要用意，使之靈通一氣，其用則腰為之主。語云︰“身化”，此之謂也。手為全身力氣神之前鋒，其發出撤回，非玩耍兩手往來之謂，實根于腰之運轉，及兩臂之伸縮而成。發出收回之動作，實際上兩手不使之局部運轉也。所以習拳忌兩手空發、空回，用時變換或拳或掌或指，翻轉變化運用靈活，但舉忌過高，按忌過低，總以高不過眉，低不過臍，左右不出肩窩為常度。至于步法︰應知步大不靈，所以進前足，須跟後足。兩足虛實互相為用，前足尚虛，後足尚實，虛為靈活，實則山安。前後雖分虛實，其力並無二致。而肩臍之間，為身手幻變之地，又神經中樞之所在，上達于手，下貫于足，成一神經線，名曰中線，全身貫注在此，可免有失矣。手之變換或拳或掌或指，切忌死握緊靠，能不吃力于兩手，兩臂方活，氣力早達而手足相應矣。拳學要訣︰“步輕似貓行”一語，頗堪玩味。若吃力于足，或使力頓足，進退變轉不得靈活，甚到戕害神經，易致腦病。神經末梢受到刺激，因反應作用，致使神經中樞為這而受傷也。

習拳對于聲勢二字，應加以領會，聲字今姑不論，先言勢字。運力得其勢，則得其力，而妙其用。勢生于氣，為意所使，因形體靜動變化，表露于外，勢之雖有不同，而其氣則一也。

拳家言“合”，有內外之分。心與意合，意與氣合，氣與力合，為內三合；手與足合，肘與膝合，肩與胯合，為外三合。復有筋與骨，皮與肉，肝與腎為內三合；頭與手，手與身，身與足為外三合，皆未得習拳之至要也。須以力氣神及光線聲勢，統一于一意，方得謂之合也，但求形象對，豈得謂之合哉？

或曰︰“意拳在十字當中求生活也。”妙哉斯言也。拳學真諦，一語道破。所謂十字者，乃明爭力之作用，環中之奧理也。拳家皆言︰“得其環中，以應無窮。”然所謂中者何在呢？所環者何為呢？環即俗稱之圓圈也。其結心即中之所在。有環則有中，環中之力，同一心結，而有若干相等相乘之十字也。人身上肢掌、腕、肘、臂，下肢趾、踵、膝、胯。全身各部，無不有其環中，然須統為一體。所以操拳非各處皆應，不能得其環中。中屬之于靜，環屬之于動。能靜者方能動，待時赴機，靜動運用之妙也。習拳如何能得其環中呢？總之須由中以求其環，並由環以求其中，兩者化一乃得其環中，練習之法，應求之于站樁，別無旁求。

敵我兩力相接，即分強弱，運力妙見矣。兩力相接之時，應知有所謂“點力”者，乃存乎其間。點力者何？即全身氣力出露體外與對方相接部分之梢端正力量也。其力根源于周身之氣力，彼此克化，各求其中，妙在一轉。彼力經我一轉，即化為烏有，手、腕、腰、臂、頭等外之轉皆然。漸身所覺松緊矛盾回旋者是也。有時現于形，有時藏于膚中，一點轉動，全身一致，各處動則俱應。各處俱應，對于點力之作用，為足力之作用。其實非各處俱應，乃同時俱動也。更有時無轉動之形變，而其默化之妙用，須細心體會。俗謂某式為拳打，某式為肘打者，實未明運力之妙也，不許部分推進或轉動，豈得謂之是耶？

薌齋先生曰︰“力不可由內向外張，須由外向內引，其力方能外發。”所以，又曰︰“應敵也手前進時不許向敵發，方能應機應時。”故運力須存意勿努力，並且要意中不可有敵人；意若有敵，則已之力、已之氣，不免受氣力之阻。我之行動要正正堂堂，如入無人之境，氣力不為敵奪，方能得莫可當鋒之效，然後始得運力之妙也。薌齋先生曰︰“運力外發，因其用之不同，運力可分為三種，曰虛中、實中、化中。”又曰︰“應敵周旋，順應來勢，形變不測，全體齊動，敏捷異常。而力之為用，其變化不外剛柔方圓，斜面螺旋以及蓄力、彈力、驚力等等。”變化雖有不同，總要不外乎得其環中以應無窮耳。茲分述之于後︰

剛力直豎（剛者力方，便于轉頓），如撞針然，渾身毛發直豎如戟，其力尖銳，出露體外，利于攻守。

柔力短縮而力長（柔者力圓，便于抽提），靈活如彈簧然，毛發動蕩，銳力內“含”。

斜面力以偏擊正，機靈異常，易于進攻。

螺旋力，出于擰轉，不論剛柔應接運用，乘隙而入，最易得力，有引導拋擲與纏繞擰撥之用。

蓄力即全身氣力，波涌于內，未蕩發于外者。外剛而內柔，靜以待動，轉變利用，能生挺力及粘著、攝引之力，其妙在于虛靈守中，易于變化，故曰“虛中”。

彈力又名挺力，如彈簧所發之力，此力生于振動，外柔而內剛，如棉裹鐵，為被動反擊之用，故曰“實中”。

驚力運用，在于身體之稍端，其變化主動于腰，如蛇如龍，剛柔相濟，而陰陽虛實互為根用，但查敵之千差萬異，縱敵近我，旋繞而纏裹之，極其神速，故曰“化中”。

拳學通于易理，操拳用力，不出乾坤，乾者力之一，坤者力之二，而仍一者也。圓出于乾，方出于坤，而坤渾于乾，則方繞于圓。知其方而圓，遇敵變化不一，動分靜合，陰陽交錯，運轉乾坤，其道得矣。

薌齋先生曰︰“世之論拳者，有某拳生某拳，或某拳克某拳之說，似亦有理，但仍基于招法之講求。若繩以拳理，當兩手相接對擊時，豈能有暇及此？若以目之所見，心再思之，然後出手制之，實不敢信其能也，況敵之來勢，逐迭更變，安有以某拳生某拳、某拳克某拳之說，而能致勝者歟？此欺人、誤人，謬誤之甚者也。倘能習得爭力，守中不失，不期然而然，莫知至而至，尚未敢說定能制人。如察來勢再思應付，出手論招，操拳論套法者，真可謂之門外談拳者也。”

運力之妙，百出盡致，隨機應變，方擬去而忽來，乍欲行而又止，陰陽剛柔，形體無方，意則一定而不易，故操拳不可好奇，但取適意，意則無過，久用而不疲，初學應知吃力，則力失中，不吃力，則力自足，此乃用功所進之火候也。

薌齋先生曰︰“全身力要渾無”，渾元力乃是爭力，動靜因而不同，不動時其力一貫，屬之于靜。動時大小關節無處不有上下、左右、前後，百般之二爭力，屬之于動。動靜之力，又因其用之不同，而分為金、木、水、火、土五力，實則仍一爭力耳，茲分述五力于後︰

（1）金力︰渾身之筋骨堅硬，心如鐵石，運用時其力由虛中化為實中，有攻堅之能，其性屬金，故曰︰“金力”。所謂皮肉如棉，筋骨如鋼意也。

（2）木力︰四體百骸處處皆有，若樹木之曲直形，其力實中有動，其性屬木，故曰︰“木力。”

（3）水力︰身體之行動，如神龍行空，矯蛇游水，行無定蹤，靈活隨轉，猶如水之流動，其力虛中，其性屬水，故曰︰“水力。”

（4）火力︰發手如炸彈之爆烈，忽動如火之燒身，猛烈異常，其力由虛中化為實中，而反歸于虛中。動也甚速，其性屬火，故曰︰“火力。”

（5）土力︰完滿敦厚沉實，意若山岳之重，無處不生鋒芒，其力化中，具有虛實之妙用，其性屬土，故曰︰“土力。”

薌齋先生曰︰“古譜有云︰動如水流，靜似水止，身若虯龍，氣若長虹，能得樞紐環中竅，自然動靜互為根，而周身之氣力，其中乎，其化乎，堪與天地一爭，全身動用與天地應合，此力學之運用，加以精神之支配，對于拳理與實相，非得其三昧者，未易知也。”

力之運用，陰陽虛實，開合剛柔，橫豎等變化無窮。陰中藏陽，陽中含陰，陰陽有剝復變。動為靜地，靜為動機。動靜有感通之妙。虛為實用，實為虛體，虛實有真幻之巧。不開怎合，不合怎開，開合有噬嗑之理。剛須寓柔，柔能克剛，剛柔有妒夫之化。橫不離豎，豎不離橫，橫豎有相輔之功。更有長出短擊，高低抑揚。左柔右剛，或梢節剛而中節柔；亦有時剛時柔，半剛半柔；復有柔退剛進，剛左而柔右；遇虛則柔，而剛隨其後；適實則剛，而柔在其先；過剛易折，過柔不進；剛柔互用，隨機應變，百出盡致，擬去忽來，欲行若止，雖形變而無方，意則一定而不易，運用之妙，不外歸總于“重心不失，中線不斷”為準。

天生萬物，各盡其性，各有其能，習拳取象，參其變化，以合形體之妙用。而操練之時，應注意其動作神情，得其神則得其動靜之勢，得其勢，則得其力，妙其用。若專摹其動作形式，已失其真，則形非其形，便失取象之一意。語云︰假道煉形，真道煉神，學者各自取法，運化之妙，不難得也（龍蹲，虎坐，鷹目，猿神，貓行，馬奔，雞腿，蛇身）。

人身與空氣互運，身體力運左旋，空氣則反而右旋。身體有爭力，所向殊方，人氣則隨之亦生變化；空氣動則生力，無形無象，與體力應合為一，此之謂體生力。體外有力，回旋空際，盤繞如游絲，虛動如飛龍，實則騰空，去來無跡。習拳能體外生力，則勢全意一，其力乃大。然能無中取勢，空際用意，此不傳之秘也。薌齋先生嘗言︰“操拳要和空氣作爭奪戰，而使為一體。”共運力施意之妙，與游泳相似，善游者忘水，忘水者則神全，所以能泳也。

第十五章 對手功夫

習拳練習對打，以求實搏功夫，是拳功中一部分也。練習時應辨虛套與真藝之不同。諺云︰“到撕打時，忘了拳法。”此語說盡虛套花法之病，足證美觀不實用，實用不美觀。而拳法應用，須隨意應敵，臨致勝。對敵發力，要不早不遲，恰合時機，勢勢相乘而變化無窮，微妙莫測，方可謂之得了因字、應字功夫。可知花法轉身跳打，你來我往，不獨無益，抑且學熟害人誤人，以其死套不堪實用。蓋以其非由此應字因字而生之變化，不合時宜之動作也。

推究花法來源，想系因練習實用，而行對打所成之把戲也。對打一名為對手功夫，原系練習實搏。因先存有損傷之戒心，若心先失去實搏精神氣力，即成了好看的花法勾當。觀今之對手套數，可資證，由此看來，周旋華彩儼然戲局。拳術病在花法勝而正法昧，定無謬也。所以花法勝，而拳學對手功夫，教習之道迷，于今論拳尚虛套，而使真藝之難成，當以此為因也。

練習對手功夫，以備應用，須知其要點為比較二字；比較者，比較其真實功夫也。習時最好要如與真實相對搏撕打者為之，以免你強我弱，徒丟虛架，演成花法，以圖人前美觀之現象。至于應敵本事絲毫無得，反增若干害處，實無益也。

薌齋先生嘗言︰“作拳時意中如身之前後左右，均有敵人來與搏打。”又曰︰“坐行進退，要與空氣（假設之敵）爭地位；習之既久若真對敵，則動不可當矣。”又曰︰“閑居坐睡嬉戲，亦在練習。若習以定時或場所，豈得謂之真練習哉？”

薌齋先生論拳極重“中”字，嘗言要守中，用中，保中線，守中神，不失中氣，不失中力，不失中神，注意當中一點，敵我相搏，彼此應留意，此力對于自身，則要守著當中一點，以防敵力侵入。對于敵方，則要向著當中一點以收摧敗之功。初習對手功夫，最好用當中一點來說明敵人，或體認中字奧妙之所在。能得當中一點之妙用，然後出手對敵；不可假眼目之端詳，一動即有奪其心志之神氣，如此焉有失和之理。語云︰“不招不架，只是一下。”乃此理之申明。要知一下，亦即萬一之謂也。

人身鼻居中央，其兩側形長只有七、八寸，交手時，撥轉敵力，出此七、八寸，即不及我身。此乃動之果，言其動，則俗語所云︰“妙在一寸間”之言耳。此語說盡操拳無須兩手高舞。先哲有言曰︰“不必遠求尚美觀，只在眼前寸間變。”又曰︰“不論姿式好壞，只看進退虛實之大意。”意思是說動作不拘繁簡，任意所之，得力為止，圖好看者，未必有實用也。

習拳能學會打圈足矣，此說極精，習拳打圈，要知打大圈，不如打小圈。打小圈不如打不顯形之小圈。打不顯形之小圈，還不如全身齊動，全其神，全其氣，全其力，此習拳求中用中之道也。

揉手為習稱找中線之功夫，亦試習與人對敵之功夫也。切忌虛為招架，應著實推究。各求其空隙，遇有所乘，即行進擊，不使失掉時機，作實功，不可以勝負為丑為樂，當思何以勝之，何以敗之，勉而久試藝自精、膽自大，自無怯敵之慮。若虛為招架，徒具你來我往之形勢。乃于已無利之事，何須習焉？語云︰“對手功夫，不相等人，打不得。”此語正防人有畏怯之念，或自欺欺人之病。而不能有所獲益也。明乎此，然後手之轉圈，足之進退，腰之運轉，方有所因有所為而得其效。身、手、步，運用方法，可以畢得，何旁求乎哉？

薌齋先生嘗言︰“挽轉游身，如行空游水”是說明“活”字之功夫。使動靜一體，因勢生發，八面靈動，力勻交插相乘。向左不離右，向右而起于左，右無不宜，左無不有，上下四隅皆然，照顧周到，無顧此失彼之慮，此爭力之運用也。爭力者，乃得其環中以應無窮之實質也。

動無直出直入，是說明運力由曲處求其勁挺之狀。更由直處，以取拳曲之意。曲直相因，其變化不露形跡，而力尤須內含。形曲力直，亦是說明此理，應善自體認，爭力不難求得也。

練習對手功夫，要注重實搏，前已言之。交手時彼此進退，互相攻擊，當知人之頭部或兩肋、前胸、小腹、心窩等處，一受拳擊，重者能截斷營衛，斃性命于頃刻，輕者或致傷其內部。要知攻擊要害為應敵決戰之動作，練習時慎勿行此致傷于人，至為切要者也。

第十六章 應敵

應敵要訣，千言萬語，不外乎“制人而不制于人”。對敵要審，如何為審，是一注意要點。今人多言審敵，乃是審的，即目中有敵在前，應去講求如何應付也，殊不知審的不過審中之一事。“審”字功夫，求于“審已”二字，可以盡之，使吾人身、神、氣、力、動靜守中，手之舉，足之動，腰之運轉，無不守中，安固如不動之時，力之發出無不中，無往不利矣。審已功夫，作到妙處，出于意求自然能審矣。

薌齋先生曰︰“拳能得八面意，自然靈妙。”此審字功夫之奧妙也，勿庸去講“審的”。審的乃審已，乃守中之一部功夫，只專“審的”則謬矣。拳家所言，目中有敵，始可出拳，意中有敵，方許動足者，此審的功夫也；然動有所因，自無妄為，仍審已也。

應敵要明“彼此”，順人之勢，借人之力；借力者乃撥轉敵力，而利用之之謂也，所謂一指撥千斤者是也。要敏速適應時機，又要似進實退，不可急進，以求應敵；先退後進，蓄勢審敵，分斷敵力得其力得其隙，進以備退，不敗之道也。對敵“運力應機”須在勢、氣、力，相因相生之際求之。後人發、先人至，不可早，尤忌遲，更不管來的是拳是掌，認定他全身，臨“機”一下（其“機”要在敵方真實擊出將著未著之間，或當應手而擊，即恰當之火候），何須費力，以靜等動，以逸等勞，微乎！微乎！然應“機”者知“機”，“機”者神之用，以意得之，以意應之，神之所為，任運而成，游于規矩準繩之中，而不為所窘，方謂之能變化運用，知機者，當神乎其技矣。

薌齋先生曰︰“畏心存則侮。”敵前先自怯，怯敵者必敗。所以習拳者平日練得精熟，臨時手軟身顫，舉藝不起，此必缺勇氣而無實功也。有實功而得其藝者，當臨陣無畏也。

發手應敵，開聲吐氣，亂敵心意，以張我之氣勢，須合時機，不用力不變勢，只此一聲，而使敵心敗膽寒。古人“聲擊”之說，即此之謂也。但未與敵接，故意來張我威，而開聲叱氣者，實出于畏怯，而先示人以弱，應知禁忌。豈可輕于開聲自餒其氣，以致敗于人耶？

薌齋先生曰︰“應敵時要審要固，更須具有以下之神情和氣勢；頭要撞人，手要打人，身要摧人，步要過人，足要踏人，神要逼人，氣要襲人，得機發力，勝券定由我操，事所必然，豈可疑乎？所謂︰“較技者不可思悟，思悟者寸步難行；進退動轉有意莫帶形，帶形定不贏；氣如龍虎而動無定勢，應機發動，勁斷意不斷，意斷神猶連，神全則身自安，如斯臨敵，安有不勝之理哉？”復曰︰“應敵知機，方能發動制人，不必度來勢之機會，自能揣敵人之短長，均在有意無意之間也。靜以待動，動中處靜，以退為進，以進為退，直出而側入，斜進而豎擊，柔去而驚抖，剛來而纏繞，力之外發，縮骨而出，縮即發也。發力時意欲透其骨，，而入其髓，意存數尺外，敵身為我意所束，豈能逃哉？”應思斯語也。

或問兩人較拳，甲于未學之時固勝于乙既學之後，反為所敗，何也？薌齋先生曰︰“此由于較拳時，不能應機運用也。”較拳時，不忍不可，不肯不可，不狠不可（氣安穩，心要狠，手要準）。李廣射虎，視虎則中，知其為石則羽不能入者其神異也。勝負之際，頃刻而決，其間錯綜變化之由，不一而足。學理富而功力不敵不可；學理功力俱為富強，經驗不足又不可；經驗亦既富矣，其權變不能應機，而神氣不全亦不可也。故藝之優劣，有時不能盡以勝負判斷，所謂是非不能以成敗論也。學者但求其是而已，未可以一時之勝負餒其志也。誠哉斯言也。

應敵最要之訣，則“守中用中”四字而已。總之要身心一致，手肘肩腕並一身關節，處處都應如起鋒稜，頭足閭骨，垂成直線，均有前後左右上下諸般之爭力，三角之螺旋，自不離六道含靈共一光。敬能如斯，不但已“中”不失，即對方之“中”，不期然而然，為我所乘，一擊即敗。此周身筋骨氣力精神均歸一貫，得其環中樞紐，自能變化無窮，常生常化，無時不生，無時不化，千化萬化，不使留隙與人，渾元不可破，所謂已正不管他人斜也。

應敵出手，守著面前尺許之路線，左右互相扶助，動用合一，意動而擊敵方起于一線，指欲透其骨入其髓，筋骨微為轉動，則打法成，說來何須崩攀句。足履地上，無論地勢高低平踏自然；氣貫小腹，隨跳蹬點。擎氣負著腳趾尖。要知手足轉動，滿腔熱情于腰之運轉，腰轉如輪，首尾顧到，重心保持皆在腰，自頭至足要一氣相貫。至于筋骨，用則筋如彈簧，骨如針，筋肉一縮，骨節生稜。針簧一動，氣力外發，萬稜伸出，所遇莫可當鋒。

薌齋先生曰︰“兩手結合，迎面伸出，前伸後撤，左右封固，務須守著中線。兩足鑽進抽撤，保住重心，並無定位，踢達如卷地風，縱橫高低揚落進閃，隨意變化。直奔敵人重心，莫為旁求。揣度情勢，當進則進操其身，當退則退領其氣，前後左右反轉照顧，渾元一爭。語云︰手到步不到，打人不為妙；手到步亦到，打人如玩笑；手足齊到，乃全身合為應付也。

遇敵時須要毫氣放縱，心小膽在，靜似木雉（面善心惡），動若曳浪，舉動藏神，處處有法，身動似龍蛇，手動速如風。平日練習，面前如臨大敵（在三尺以外，七尺以內，如有勁敵當前）。但交手時，有人若無人，有怒虎驚嘯之勢、捕食之勇，橫沖直撞，頭頂趾抓，周身鼓蕩，出手似銼，回手如鉤，不得分開使用，運使渾然，納于一圈，力不空發，意不空回。起手分舉、抗、擰、抖、順；落手分劈、摟、搬、扒、撐；沉托分擰，神在手前，力透敵背。力動縮亦即發；發亦即縮。動靜合一，出之自然，起頓抑揚，猶如生龍活虎，吟嘯聲喊，谷應山搖，壯而無敵矣。

臨敵發力，縮骨而出，如弓之反弦，魚之發刺；其制勝要點，在于動靜虛實，已發未發間，捉摸其火候，此隨機施巧之時也。此中動靜，全在筋骨，氣血之運用，其奧妙必資神遇，其機巧必須心悟，不可以目取，或以力求，學者三致意焉。

薌齋先生曰︰“應敵要訣，為身手齊到，所以進頭、進手、須進身；內則提起精神，外則動作疾速；拳未動而力已蓄，打要遠，力要絕（放字妙訣）。取勝尚須隨意與運氣，倘然不勝，必是心有懷疑矣。”

第十七章 瑣論

（一）提倡拳學，反對練習拳套，申明拳理法。

（二）拳功妙用，原為整儀容，養氣血一心志。

（三）劍法拳功，異曲同工，不過練習時，須得渾元力，方可再分節段，不外乎面積與構造之配備或應合。大概言之，只要梢節直刺，中節待轉，根節及全身之力前摧而已。至其各種運用，則難于口述，有待于身示矣。

（四）今之學者、同道，去宗派門戶之見，共研拳學之真理，拳學振，拳理明，實為國學之存續。吾人之任務，在于以誠接，勿傾軋，及未尚較技以爭勝負。

Source Colophon

Source text: article 10 of the HK Yiquan Society article archive, captured in articles_with_content.json on June 2, 2026, and live-verified against the public archive index the same day.

The source appendix includes only the article text. Photographs, book scans, manuscript images, and separate book-page editorial matter are not reproduced here.

🌲