龍形猴像，虎坐鷹翻

這是指鍛煉時的身形、身法、步法的變化而言。八卦掌的運動特點之一就是走，這種滔滔不絕的圓形步，必須使之形如游龍，悠然之中含著穩重。八卦掌的運動特點之二是視，八卦掌在轉行時或轉身換掌時，兩眼總是注視著兩掌，所謂「手眼相隨」，眼是視之苗，視能顯示出運動的內在精神，這種精神必須使之像猿猴守物那樣機靈之中蘊含著警惕意味，並通過眼的注視把它表達出來。八卦掌的運動特點之三是坐，在轉行時，它的兩腿並不伸直，採用坐跨，在轉身換掌時的一頓之間又有坐樁的動作，這些蹲坐的動作和腿法，必須使之像虎踞之形，沉著有力。八卦掌的運動特點之四是翻，就是轉身的動作，在轉身時必須採取鷂鷹盤旋空中翻身降落的那種靈敏灑脫之勢。

薑容樵


"These are rules for practice concern the changes body shape, the body posture and the footwoork. The first characteristic of the Baguazhang way of move is walking, the manner of the endless circular step. It has to have the shape of a swimming dragon, keeping it leisurely and natural inside, it manifests as solid and stable. The second characteristic of the Baguazhang way of move is in the gaze. In Baguazhang, whenever one changes the step or turn the body to switch palms, both eyes always watch attentively the both palms, this is what is called “hands and eyes follow each other”, the eyes inspect the generation. The gaze can to manifest the movement of the inner vitality. This should look like the vitality of a monkey when watching an object, the sort that implies quick-witted and alert eyes and the gaze that precedes grabing it. The third characteristic of the Baguazhang way of move is sitting, at the time changing none of the hips stretch straight at all as the sitting position is employed. At the time of turning the body and changing palms one is sitted the whole movement. These sitted movements and leg methods must look like a crouching tiger, steady, firm and vigourous. The fourth characteristic of the Baguazhang way of moving is overturning, this is the movement of turning the body. Whenever turning the body, one must adopt the attitude of an eagle or hawk circling in the air preparing to descend, the sharp and ease momentum."

From the book Bāguàzhăng Practice Method (八卦掌練習法), by Jiāng Róngqiáo (薑容樵), based on the translation by Joseph Crandall

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