36 Songs of Baguazhang

[Medway Tai Chi Society]

Hi all,
For the reference of anyone interested in the practice of baguazhang, the 36 Songs provide great insight into how the art should be practiced:


SONG 1

Hollow the chest, suspend the crown and sink the waist,

Swing the step, join the knees, and grasp the ground firmly.

Sink the shoulders and drop the elbow to extend the forward palm.

The eyes watch between the thumb and the index finger.



SONG 2

First pile up the rear elblow to have the elbow hiding the heart,

Then the hand turns and drops to follow forward.

Follow the anterior elbow with a holding power,

The anterior hand and posterior hand in a group of spirits.



SONG 3

Walk forward with curved steps and straight foot,

Just as in pushing millstones.

Flex the knee, follow the hip, and the waist turns the foot,

Eyes watch three aspects without wobbling the body.



SONG 4

To arrive at the target in a straight motion is not special,

Fluidly circling left and right is preferable.

The left changes to the right and the right changes to the left,

In withdrawing the body and reversing the steps one will find an opening.



SONG 5

Step, then turn with the hands following,

The rear palm penetrates out and the forward palm withdraws.

Going and coming without warning,

Like an arrow shot from a bow.



SONG 6

Move the fingers and palm forward close to the elbow in penetration,

Poeterior shoulder changes to anterior shoulder.

Don’t leave space and don’t hesitate,

To kick the groin with direct accuracy is a primary consideration.



SONG 7

When the chest is kept hollow, the Qi will sink,

Hold up the back and sink the shoulders to extend the arm.

Hold the grain duct while Qi reaches the Dantian area,

The head is straightly erected for brilliant spirit.



SONG 8

Do not sway the body when moving,

All relies upon interchange below the knees.

The low stance is controlled by lowering the hips and knees,

In the middle stance one should also lower the legs and waist.



SONG 9

Close the lips and mouth with the tongue touching the palate,

All respiration goes through the nose.

When force reaches its peak, release it by speaking “Hun” and “Haa”,

For obtaining the combination of whole energy.



SONG 10

Stretch the palm and make the Tiger’s mouth round,

With middle finger and ring finger apart.

First poke and then strike with the wrist bone,

Relax the shoulders and lengthen the waist to penetrate with the steps.



SONG 11

Advance with the knees close and retreat with knees open,

When changing the palms and steps, lower the body.

Advance or retreat in accordance with the circumstance,

Skillfully arrange the position of waist and legs.



SONG 12

This palm is quite different from the others,

There are skills in advancing steps and lifting the foot.

First move the rear foot in retreat,

Step apart from the center when moving to the side.



SONG 13

This palm is quite different from the others,

The hand moves after the shoulder attacks.

First move backward before extension,

Inhaling completely before exhaling, power will be abundant.



SONG 14

This palm is quite different from the others,

Force is mutually connected between anterior palm and posterior palm.

First moves the root when planning to use the tip,

No technique can be overlooked.



SONG 15

This palm is quite different from the others,

First feint to the east before attacking the west.

Know how to point to the upper and strike the lower,

Great skill is to roll pearls upward.



SONG 16

Those with natural proficient skill still fear the three penetrations,

Not moving to the outside is a waste of time.

He walks outside and I walk inside,

It’s not difficult to attack with the extending hand.



SONG 17

It is not a skill to use the palm in only one way,

At least be proficient in four ways.

One crossing and one straight form triangle hands,

It’s like embracing a person on my bosom.



SONG 18

Attack a tall person low and short person high,

If angling the body and changing steps oen can stay calm.

Waist force is required in oblique turning and reverse turning,

Firm force is like steel when rotation reaches its utmost.



SONG 19

It is said that the palm method wins from its firmness,

Master Guo used to mention gentleness is hidden inside.

It’s secret has been known by some people,

Combination of firmness and gentleness is its advantage.



SONG 20

Firmness appears first with gentleness hidden inside,

Gentleness comes first with firmness followed.

When he moves his waist and hands by gentleness,

I would suck in with the waist and move stable steps.



SONG 21

When in the extreme, the body must turn,

Get myself free and move my shadow without leaving a trace.

Deception is carried out in footwork,

The waist must extend first in advance and retreat.



SONG 22

The spirit in turning the palm is transmitted from the neck bone,

The hand moves before turning the neck.

Extend the neck for releasing power and pull it down for changes,

Like a spiritual dragon linking its head and tail together.



SONG 23

When striking the opponent with the hand the shoulder is its root,

It is not possible to extend the tip if the arm movement is not from the shoulder.

Advance the forward foot when the enemy wants to advance,

It is futile to advance the back foot.



SONG 24

Strong force is released from tendons and bones,

Firmness from the bones is channeled by the tendons.

The big tendons of the heel connects with the spine and head,

Extend the power by using the follow step.



SONG 25

The eyes reach simultaneously with the hand, waist and leg,

Supported by real heart, real spirit and real force.

Combination of three reals and four reaches,

Enough to defend self and defeat others.



SONG 26

Force should be both hard and soft,

Overemphasis on either firmness or gentleness leads to imbalance.

It is true that overly firm objects are easily broken,

Things that are too soft have no power.



SONG 27

We are speaking of hard and soft in balance,

It is not difficult to have mutal dependence between firmness and gentleness.

Gentleness and firmness should be used with the Qian and Kun hands,

To lift heaven and open the ground like the endless surging of waves in the sea.



SONG 28

It is right method that I am in gentleness and he is in firmness,

It is also a good method that I am in firmness and he is in gentleness.

When firmness and gentleness meet, victory is decided through superior body method,

Strict footwork can solve the dispute.



SONG 29

First lift the waist in movement of footwork,

Mystery would appear in proper retraction.

If the waist does not move when the foot needs to move,

Opportunity would be lost by staggered steps.



SONG 30

Don not over extend the steps in turning the body and changing gestures,

Do not be flustered while sweeping ground to move.

Perceiving invading strikes, only extend the arms,

Steadily, softly and firmly as a smart girl threading a needle.



SONG 31

No need to worry when he takes a sharp weapon,

Attacking with his sword toward my body from far away.

Escape by voicing “Hun” and “Haa” after spotting his strokes,

It is an excellent phrase that “evil never can triumph over righteousness.



SONG 32

Defense in close combat seems difficult,

Especailly when a sharp fish-intestine sword is present.

Which is easy to draw like taking an obkect from a pocket,

Mystery is hidden while pointing at the mountain for making a millstone.



SONG 33

It is difficult to resist the force of many attackers single handed,

But to offset a thousand pound force with skill is not a bother.

Finger force can be used instead of the whole hand,

Even a strong ox fears the bow turning power.



SONG 34

If extending the hand forward without seeing the palm,

Without oilish pine tree shining his body.

Focus the eyes widely and stare carefully,

Play lower postures for securing miracles.



SONG 35

In icy weather, snowy ground and slippery, rainy days,

Carefully step the forward foot flat in kou ku as always.

It is highly prohibited to pivot the foot on the ground,

This is the best method to avoid stumbling in uneven terrain.



SONG 36

It is important to have spirit in application,

Brilliant spirit enables the ears and eyes to be more intensified.

Even if his hands fly like a sparrow,

I can sense ants and bugs singing like roaring from tiger and dragon.

I hope these verses are of interest to anyone starting out in the art of Baguazhang.

[SimonB]

Interesting.

Are these songs/poems translations from historic baguazhang developers or something else?

[Medway Tai Chi Society]

The songs come from historic masters of the art, most likely the first generation of masters after the founder Dong Hai Chuan.

[KevinMc]

Yes I have heard about these songs too, I think they were used to help with the theory of Bagua. There is something about 48 annotations that is supposed to be learnt in conjunction with them also from what I have heard.