卷十四·拳经捷要篇
chapter 14: boxing important points
（此艺不甚预于兵，能有馀力，则亦武门所当习。但众之
不能强者，亦听其所便耳。于是以此为诸篇之末第十四。）
(this method is difficult for troops to train, but gives an edge. thats why private schools all train this. if you have no interest then read the following just for curiosity. this is why this is at the end of the training sections.)
拳法似无预於大战之技，然活动手足，惯勤肢体，此为初
学入艺之门也。故存於后，以备一家。学拳要身法活便，手法
便利，脚法轻固，进退得宜，腿可飞腾，而其妙也，颠起倒插
；而其猛也，披劈横拳；而其快也，活捉朝天；而其柔也，知
当斜闪
boxing is not used on the battlefield, it is to train hand and feet movements and coordination. this is trained by initiates of various schools. thats why its legacy is long lasting and has many branches. the student of boxing must have fast changing body, accurate hands, and light feet. easily advance and retreat, the legs can fly high; the most ingenious: sudden rising reverse throw. the most fierce: chopping and hook fists. the fastest: leg takedown. the softest: dodging groin punch.
故择其拳之善者三十二势，势势相承，遇敌制胜，变
化无穷，微妙莫测。窈焉冥焉，人不得而窥者，谓之神。俗云
：拳打不知，是迅雷不及掩耳。所谓不招不架，只是一下；犯
了招架，就有十下。博记广学，多算而胜
thus i introduce 32 postures, every posture is connected/every posture i inherited. these defeat the enemy easily. they have countless variations and changes, and infinite wisdom stored inside. train them hard, your enemy will look from afar. a common saying about amazing boxing: "you got hit and you didnt even know." or "quick thunder got no time to cover your ears." it is said "no stance no technique, just one hit; try to use technique and you gotta hit 10 times." learn well from many sources, the smartest fighter wins.
古今拳家，宋太祖
有三十二势长拳，又有六步拳、猴拳、囵拳，名势各有所称，
而实大同小异。至今之温家七十二行拳、三十六合锁、二十四
弃探马、八闪番、十二短，此亦善之善者也
of the ancient boxers existing today, song dynasty emperor taizu(aka the song military) passed down 32 posture long fist, and six step boxing, monkey boxing, huaquan. every style has different names, but the difference is small. today's new schools include wen family 72 line boxing(chuojiao), 36 locks, 24 scout hands, 8 dodges(fanziquan), 12 short boxing. these are best of the best.
。吕红八下虽刚，
未及绵张短打，山东李半天之腿，鹰爪王之拿，千跌张之跌，
张伯敬之打。少林寺之棍，与青田棍法相兼；杨氏枪法与巴子
拳棍皆今之有名者
"red" lu's 8 hits is tough, but not as good as "cotton" zhang's short boxing. shandong has famous fighters like li "split the sky"'s kicking, "eagle claw king"'s grappling, "thousand sweep" zhang's sweeps, zhang bojin's boxing. shaolin temple's stick fighting and qintian stick are pretty good and about equal; yang family spear(six harmoney) and bazi boxing and sticks (bajiquan) have some famous fighters today.
took me 10 min and my chinese education ended at grade 4. now read that guys translation again and compare. qijiguang's original text was written in everyday shandong hillbilly talk btw.
guys like this can get away with horrible work and academic incompetence because their field is so obscure. his translation is so corny i could hear charlie chan when i was reading it.
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