李東風
The Secrets of LiuHeBaFa
Li Dong Feng
translation by Bartholomy
- 心意本無法
Conscious intent is fundamentally without method
- 有法是虛無
To have a method, this is emptiness
- 虛無得自然
Emptiness yields the natural
- 無法不容恕
Yet having no method is unforgivable
- 放之彌六合
Relax and fulfill the six unities
- 包羅小天地
Gather up the microcosm
- 釋家為圓覺
The Buddhists perceive via the circle
- 道家說無為
The Daoists speak of "not doing"
- 有象求無象
Having an ideal, seek no ideal
- 不期自然至
There is no schedule for the achievement of the natural
- 要學心意功
If you want to learn conscious intent
- 先從八法起
Begin from the Eight Methods
- 養我浩然氣
We nourish our vast Qi
- 遍身皆彈力
The whole body has an elastic strength
- 見首不見尾
One sees the head, but not the tail
- 無象亦無意
Neither in shape, nor intent
- 收放勿露形
Receive and release without exposing the form
- 鬆緊要自主
Relax and tighten at will
- 策應宜守默
Plan ahead, while maintaining a silent defense
- 不偏亦不倚
Do not lean nor tilt
- 視不能如能
Appear unable when able
- 生疏莫臨敵
The inexperienced and clumsy should not face the enemy
- 動時把得固
When moving, remain solid
- 一發未深入
When striking, do not overextend
- 審機得其勢
Examine the opportunity to gain its advantage
- 乘勢擊與顧
Take advantage of the situation, strike, and look after yourself
- 剛在他力前
Firm at the front of his strength
- 柔乘他力後
Softly cling to the back of his strength
- 彼忙我靜待
While others are busy, we wait quietly
- 攻守任君鬥
The master of the fight allows both attack and defense
- 步步占先機
At every step, seize the first opportunity
- 時時要留意
You must constantly pay attention
- 蓄力如弓圓
Store strength like a bent bow
- 發勁似箭直
Issue power with the straightness of an arrow
- 悟透陰陽理
Fully comprehend the principle of Yin and Yang
- 剛柔互參就
The hard and the soft reciprocate and mingle
- 調息坎離交
Modulate the breath, exchange water and fire
- 上下中和氣
Above, below, and in the center, the Qi is harmonized
- 守默如臥禪
Keep silent vigil, as in sitting meditation
- 動似蟄龍起
Move like a dragon roused from hibernation
- 虛靈含有物
The spirit of emptiness contains something substantial
- 窈窈溟溟趣
The fathomless and deep intrigues
- 忽隱又忽現
Suddenly hidden, then suddenly obvious
- 息息任自然
Allow each breath to be natural
- 避免敵重力
Avoid the enemy’s primary strength
- 原來自我始
At first, we begin from ourself
- 雙單可分明
Pairs and singles can be distinguished
- 陰陽見虛實
Yin and Yang appear as empty and substantial
- 虛引敵落空
Channel emptiness, and the enemy falls into a void
- 欲收放更急
To receive and let go, transform your haste
- 兩腿似弓彎
Both legs are like bent bows
- 伸縮腰著力
Extend and withdraw the hips to apply force
- 臂脊須圜抱
The arms and spine must be rounded in an embrace
- 內外混元氣
Internal and external, mix the original Qi
- 息念要集神
Extinguish thoughts to gather spirit
- 仿彿臨大敵
Imitate someone facing a great enemy
- 目光如流電
The eye shines like rippling lightning
- 精神顧四隅
Consciousness watches the four corners
- 前四後佔六
The front bears 40%, behind 60%
- 掌握三與七
The hands stay at 30% and 70%
- 形動如浴水
The form moves like swimming
- 若履雲霧霽
Like treading on clouds, clearing the mist
- 飄飄乎欲仙
Floating and floating, seeking the immortals
- 浩浩乎清虛
This vast, pristine emptiness!
- 意動似懼虎
Intention moves like a fearsome tiger
- 氣靜如處子
The Qi is shy like a young maiden
- 犯者敵即仆
The enemy’s offense just falls flat
- 五總九節力
The five terminals and nine joints are strong
- 欲學持有恆
If you want to learn, persevere diligently
- 升堂可入室
The initiate will graduate to the inner chamber
- 顯隱無與有
Revealed or concealed, it both is and is not
- 凝神尋真諦
Concentrate the spirit in the search for truth
- 妙法有和合
The method mysteriously resolves into harmony
- 離塵空虛寂
Leave the dust and reside in emptiness
- 拳拳得服膺
Hold to what you cherish
- 道理極微細
The greatest truth is small and delicate
- 欲動似非動
Move as though not moving
- 靜中還有意
In the core of stillness there is an intent
- 息念氣自平
Cease thinking, and the Qi will balance on its own
- 默默守太虛
Silently guard the great emptiness
- 元根築基法
The primary root forms the foundation of the method
- 蘊藏皆珠玉
Keep all valuables well hidden
- 說難亦非難
Some say it's hard, but it's not
- 看易本非易
It may look easy, but it's not
- 有志事竟成
Those with the will to finish, will finish
- 世間無難事
Nothing is truly difficult in this world
- 欲學果有誠
If you want to learn, be sincere
- 久恒與智慧
With much time, comes wisdom
- 華嶽希夷門
The path of Xi Yi in the mountains
- Xi Yi, who resided on a mountain called Hua Yue in Shansi during the Song dynasty, is the purported founder of LiuHeBaFa.
- 力行最為貴
Practice is most important
- 神意要集中
Spirit and intention must be concentrated
- 推動轉輪器
Push the grindstone around
- 一觸力即發
As soon as contact is made, force issues
- 使敵難迴避
Make the enemy struggle to evade
- 欲鬆似非鬆
When loose, appear not loose
- 欲緊未着力
When tight, apply no force
- 運使求均衡
In motion, seek equilibrium
- 螺旋循環氣
The cycle of Qi follows a spiral path
- 逢敵莫惶張
Should you meet an enemy, do not be flustered
- 開闔收與放
Open and close, receive and release
- 見形求破綻
Watch his form and look for flaws
- 絲毫不相讓
Do not make the slightest concession
- 腕肘肩胯膝
Wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, and knee
- 足踏手脚齊
With each step, hand and leg are synchronized
- 節節力貫串
The joints move in concert like a string of beads
- 處處無乘隙
Give no opportunity anywhere
- 呼吸細綿綿
Inhale and exhale smooth and silky
- 升降緩而急
Rise and fall unhurried, yet quickly
- 得法可應變
With form attained, you can adapt to circumstance
- 有術方為奇
Once you have proper techique, make it yours
- 法術二而一
The form and the art become one
- 缺一不能立
Neither one suffices alone
- 兩手輕輕起
Both hands float upward
- 曲伸無斷續
Winding in an unbroken curve
- 轉移有曲折
Every move has twists and turns
- 形似游龍戲
The form resembles the drama of a swimming dragon
- 縱橫與起伏
Crisscrossing, swelling and falling
- 陰陽運行數
Yin and Yang running their inevitable course
- 意動氣相隨
Intention moves, breath reciprocates
- 關節含蓄力
The joints brimming with strength
- 舒筋活血脈
Relaxed muscles stimulate blood flow
- 榮衛得適宜
The regimen cultivates excellent health
- 一吸氣便提
One inhale and Qi is summoned
- 氣氣可歸臍
Excess Qi is gathered in the belly
- 一提氣便咽
Activated Qi is immediately swallowed
- 水火得相見
Water and fire form a relationship
- 精研內外功
Intensive study yields results inside and out
- 心虛腹要實
The mind is empty, while the belly must be solid
- Dao De Jing, 3.7-9: 是以聖人之治 虛其心 實其腹
- 率然取其勢
Hastily seize the moment
- 首尾不相離
The head and tail do not separate
- 奇正得相生
The unusual and the orthodox enliven each other
- 動靜隨心欲
Movement and stillness follow the mind's desire
- 麤成五字訣
This is roughly the Five Character Song
- 後學莫輕視
Students should not underrate it