<span class="chinese-post-title">鼉形學</span> The Study of the Alligator Form from <span class="chinese-post-title">形意拳學</span> The Study of Xing Yi Quan

鼉形學

鼉形者，水族中之身體最靈者也。此形有浮水之能，在腹內則為腎，而能清散心火，又能化積聚，消飲食。在拳中則為鼉形。其形能活潑周身之筋絡，又能化身體之拙氣拙力。其拳順，則筋骨弱者能轉而為強；柔者能轉而為剛；筋縮者易之以長；筋弛者易之以和，則謂順天者存也。其拳謬，則手足肩胯之勁必拘束矣。拘束則身體亦必不輕靈，不活潑矣。不活潑，即欲如鼉之能與水相合一氣而浮於水面難矣。

孫祿堂

"From the group of water, the body of the alligator is the most agile in the water. Its form has the ability to float, in the abdomen it belongs to the kidney, it can calm and disperse heart fire, it can also eliminate indigestion. In the boxing, it belongs to the water lizard form. This for can activate the tendons and sinews of the entire body; it can also transform the body’s clumsy energy and clumsy force. When performed appropriately, weak muscles and bones can be strengthened; the frail can be enforced; contracted tendons can be extended; and all slackened tendons can be adjusted; this is the meaning of following heaven. When performed erroneously, the strength of hands and feet, shoulders and hips will be restrained. The body will also be akward, not agile and not lively. “Not lively” means that if one desires to do replicate the water lizard’s ability of floangti and uniting with the surface of the water and unite with the qi, one will have difficulty."

From the book The Study of Xing Yiquan (形意拳學), by Sūn Lùtáng (孫祿堂), based on the translation by Albert Liu and Dan Miller