Bear Frolic (熊戏)
Guiding Principle
渾厚沉稳,
忌輕飘
Powerful, rooted, steady, and calm
Envious of the light and fluttery
Guiding Principle
渾厚沉稳,
忌輕飘
Powerful, rooted, steady, and calm
Envious of the light and fluttery
Memory Aid
熊体外笨內自灵, 渾厚沉稳重中輕;
撼运抗靠力在膀, 气沉丹田守中宮。
Externally, the bear is lumbering,
Internally, it is rooted in spirit.
Within grounded, powerful steadiness, have lightness.
Swaying and leaning, its strength is in its shoulders/arms.
Sink the qi to the dantian and keep the middle palace. (1)
Bear Frolic Haiku
Bear lumbers upright
Sinking qi into dantian
Tranquil and agile
Concise formula
The challenge of the Bear Frolic is to embody a calm, stable, grounded, and powerful spirit while also embodying a delicate lightness of movement within this grounded spirit. The movements of the bear are primarily made up of rocking and leaning. You train to direct your power (劲 - jìn) to your shoulders and by extension, your elbows and hands, as well as your hips, knees, and feet.
熊体外笨內自灵, 渾厚沉稳重中輕;
撼运抗靠力在膀, 气沉丹田守中宮。
Externally, the bear is lumbering,
Internally, it is rooted in spirit.
Within grounded, powerful steadiness, have lightness.
Swaying and leaning, its strength is in its shoulders/arms.
Sink the qi to the dantian and keep the middle palace. (1)
Bear Frolic Haiku
Bear lumbers upright
Sinking qi into dantian
Tranquil and agile
Concise formula
The challenge of the Bear Frolic is to embody a calm, stable, grounded, and powerful spirit while also embodying a delicate lightness of movement within this grounded spirit. The movements of the bear are primarily made up of rocking and leaning. You train to direct your power (劲 - jìn) to your shoulders and by extension, your elbows and hands, as well as your hips, knees, and feet.
Crane Frolic (鶴戏)
Guiding principle
輕翔安靜,
忌重滞
Circling lightly in the peace of the heavens,
never stopping heavily.
Guiding principle
輕翔安靜,
忌重滞
Circling lightly in the peace of the heavens,
never stopping heavily.
Memory Aid
鶴体飘飘立如松, 意如飞翔在云层。
亮翅落雁独立势, 气息升降意要輕
The crane’s body floats and it stands like a pine,
One’s mind should soar as through layers of clouds,
Spreading wings, wild goose alighting, and standing on one leg,
Using light intention, ascend and descend the qi and breath.
Crane Frolic Haiku
Crane, head in sky
Moving Qi from Sea to Sea
Stand, soar, land, no end
Concise Formula
The crane is a bird that excels in flight, circling lightly as it soars in the sky. It floats in the sky like clouds move across the face of the moon. When standing, it is like a majestic green pine, standing tall, straight, and firm, unmoving as it towers overhead. When practicing the crane frolic, one should be as comfortable and free as a crane spreading its wings and soaring through layers of clouds, completely unfettered, without a care in the world. There are a few exercises, such as spreading wings, wild goose alighting, and standing on one leg, which comprise the principal motions of the crane frolic. When practicing, ascent and descent of the qi and breath must be gentle, fine, and slow. Use “intention”, but only to a point. Don’t overdo it, as excessive focusing of “intention” can easily cause qi stagnation, and, if the qi is stagnant, one cannot reap the benefits of having properly regulated qi flowing through the vessels.
鶴体飘飘立如松, 意如飞翔在云层。
亮翅落雁独立势, 气息升降意要輕
The crane’s body floats and it stands like a pine,
One’s mind should soar as through layers of clouds,
Spreading wings, wild goose alighting, and standing on one leg,
Using light intention, ascend and descend the qi and breath.
Crane Frolic Haiku
Crane, head in sky
Moving Qi from Sea to Sea
Stand, soar, land, no end
Concise Formula
The crane is a bird that excels in flight, circling lightly as it soars in the sky. It floats in the sky like clouds move across the face of the moon. When standing, it is like a majestic green pine, standing tall, straight, and firm, unmoving as it towers overhead. When practicing the crane frolic, one should be as comfortable and free as a crane spreading its wings and soaring through layers of clouds, completely unfettered, without a care in the world. There are a few exercises, such as spreading wings, wild goose alighting, and standing on one leg, which comprise the principal motions of the crane frolic. When practicing, ascent and descent of the qi and breath must be gentle, fine, and slow. Use “intention”, but only to a point. Don’t overdo it, as excessive focusing of “intention” can easily cause qi stagnation, and, if the qi is stagnant, one cannot reap the benefits of having properly regulated qi flowing through the vessels.
Deer Frolic (鹿戏)
Guiding Principle
舒展昂揚、忌拘束。
Open, lifting, and unrestrained.
Guiding Principle
舒展昂揚、忌拘束。
Open, lifting, and unrestrained.
Memory Aid
鹿体舒展意要松，切勿拘束勉强行，
探身蹬跳又回首，气运尾闖练在筋。
The deer’s body is relaxed, and open, and extended;
Its mind is at ease;
Absolutely unforced and unrestrained in its motion;
Leaning, leaping, and turning head;
Qi flows through the wěilǜ, training the sinews.
Deer Frolic Haiku
Deer stands tall, free, strong
Qi rises up du mai
Calmly moves ahead
Concise Formula
The body of the deer is said to be open and extended, as postures when training the deer frolic must be open and extended. The heart must be quiescent, and the body like a pine. The power must come naturally, never from forcing or restraint. Motions such as leaning, leaping, and turning back comprise those principal to deer.
鹿体舒展意要松，切勿拘束勉强行，
探身蹬跳又回首，气运尾闖练在筋。
The deer’s body is relaxed, and open, and extended;
Its mind is at ease;
Absolutely unforced and unrestrained in its motion;
Leaning, leaping, and turning head;
Qi flows through the wěilǜ, training the sinews.
Deer Frolic Haiku
Deer stands tall, free, strong
Qi rises up du mai
Calmly moves ahead
Concise Formula
The body of the deer is said to be open and extended, as postures when training the deer frolic must be open and extended. The heart must be quiescent, and the body like a pine. The power must come naturally, never from forcing or restraint. Motions such as leaning, leaping, and turning back comprise those principal to deer.
Tiger Frolic (虎戏)
Guiding Principle
勇猛刚威，忌畏怯。
Courageous, bold,
powerful, and fearless.
Guiding Principle
勇猛刚威，忌畏怯。
Courageous, bold,
powerful, and fearless.
Memory Aid
虎象威猛兽中王，外刚内柔細思量，
动似飈风靜如月，扑按搏斗体力强。
The tiger is king of all the powerful and ferocious beasts，
Externally unyielding, inwardly refined,
Its motion, is a whirlwind, its quiescence, like the moon,
It strikes and pounces with strong physical power. (1).
Tiger Frolic Haiku
Bold, powerful, strong
Tiger draws Qi to Mingmen
Intense and peaceful
Concise Formula
These exercises show the intensity and ferocity of the king of the beasts. During your practice, express your intensity through your eyes, and your power through you claws (hands) and your terrifying roar. Your spirit (shen) ranges from expressions of intensity and power to internal quietness and peace.
虎象威猛兽中王，外刚内柔細思量，
动似飈风靜如月，扑按搏斗体力强。
The tiger is king of all the powerful and ferocious beasts，
Externally unyielding, inwardly refined,
Its motion, is a whirlwind, its quiescence, like the moon,
It strikes and pounces with strong physical power. (1).
Tiger Frolic Haiku
Bold, powerful, strong
Tiger draws Qi to Mingmen
Intense and peaceful
Concise Formula
These exercises show the intensity and ferocity of the king of the beasts. During your practice, express your intensity through your eyes, and your power through you claws (hands) and your terrifying roar. Your spirit (shen) ranges from expressions of intensity and power to internal quietness and peace.
Monkey Frolic (猿戏)
Guiding Principle
机警敏挠，忌呆板。
Quick, alert, and agile,
never rigid.
Guiding Principle
机警敏挠，忌呆板。
Quick, alert, and agile,
never rigid.
Memory Aid
猿性善动动中靜，若閃若电体輕灵，
看它一身无定势，摘桃献果多机警。
The monkey naturally excels at motion,
Within motion, quiescence,
Nimble like the flash of lightning,
Its body appears completely without rigidity,
Picking the peach and presenting the fruit,
Abundantly alert.
Monkey Frolic Haiku
In motion, nimble
Monkey with qi to dantian
Serene and agile
Concise Formula
The monkey’s nature is to be in motion. It is very nimble as it leaps and climbs. The challenge of the Monkey Frolic is to develop inner tranquility while being agile in activity. In practicing this frolic, one trains not only to develop the monkey’s agile style of movement, but also its inner tranquility and peacefulness of the spirit. Externally you should display agility, alertness, and quickness.
猿性善动动中靜，若閃若电体輕灵，
看它一身无定势，摘桃献果多机警。
The monkey naturally excels at motion,
Within motion, quiescence,
Nimble like the flash of lightning,
Its body appears completely without rigidity,
Picking the peach and presenting the fruit,
Abundantly alert.
Monkey Frolic Haiku
In motion, nimble
Monkey with qi to dantian
Serene and agile
Concise Formula
The monkey’s nature is to be in motion. It is very nimble as it leaps and climbs. The challenge of the Monkey Frolic is to develop inner tranquility while being agile in activity. In practicing this frolic, one trains not only to develop the monkey’s agile style of movement, but also its inner tranquility and peacefulness of the spirit. Externally you should display agility, alertness, and quickness.