<span class="chinese-post-title">指分掌凹，擺肱平肩</span> The Fingers are separated, the Palms are concave; swing the Arms, the Shoulders are level from <span class="chinese-post-title">八卦掌真理篇</span> The Real Theory of Baguazhang by <span class="chinese-post-title">薑容樵</span> Jiāng Róngqiáo

指分掌凹，擺肱平肩

指分是將五指分開，不要並擺。掌凹是使掌心向裡涵空凹攏。擺肱是在轉行時兩臂必須極力向圓心的一面擺動，不可有向前推的動作。平肩是兩肩在轉行時或轉身換掌時都必須保持端正平舒，不要有一起一落的現象。

薑容樵

“Fingers are separated” means that the 5 fingers are apart, one must not hold them together. “Palms are concave” means that the hollow of the palms are contained towards the inside, to draw the emptiness towards a concave form. “Swing the Arms” means that when walking the circle, both arms must at all cost be directed clearly towards the center of the circle; there should not be a forward pushing motion. “The shoulders are Level” means that in walking the circle, turning the body or changing the palms, one must maintain an upright, level, and relaxed posture; one must not have the appearance of one shoulder left behind."

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