The “songs” or rhymed verses of Xing Yi Quan give the practitioner insight into the essential internal and external actions of the movements in Xing Yi. This article covers three verses pertaining to Heng Quan (橫拳 – Crossing or Transverse Fist).
Verse 1
Heng Quan is like a bullet and it belongs to Earth,
Apply it freely to generate Splitting (Pi) and overcome drilling (Zuan).
Rising and falling horizontally, the transverse is not revealed,
The hand is able to strike and also respond.[1]
横拳似弹性属土，
生劈克钻用自如。
起横落顺不露横，
搭手能打又能顾。
Verse 2
Heng Quan belongs to Earth, for it is similar to a bullet and it is round.
Being round both upward and downward, Heng Quan is a mixture of both the elbow strike and defending-responding method.[2]
Since its Qi comes from the spleen, it nourishes the spleen.
橫拳属土其形似彈彈圓物也圓則上下兼顧故橫
拳亦肘打而兼顧法者也其氣發於脾臟故能養脾
Discussion of the Rising & Falling of Heng Quan (橫拳起落論)
Front hand yang fist, rear hand yin,
Rear hand hidden beneath the elbow.
Changing postures foot lifts and hand goes out,
Shen Fa unified so Qi can circulate.
Tongue-tip drills upward and Qi issues outward,
Heng Quan changes postures with scissor thighs.
Angle the body with the step, as hand and foot fall,
Rear hand yang overturns and turns outward.[3]
The foot lands, yang hand and three points set,[4]
Tip of nose and feet are tightly linked.
Heng Quan striking method rear fist yin,
Front hand yang fist, elbow protects heart.
Right and left open and draw to poke outward.[5]
Feet and hands fall together, and tongue –tip curls.
前手陽拳後手陰, 後手只在肘下藏.
換式出手脚提起, 身法－站氣能通.
舌尖上攢氣外發, 橫拳換式剪子股.
斜身要步脚手落, 後手翻陽望外撥.
落步陽拳三尖對, 鼻尖脚尖緊相連.
橫拳打法後拳陰, 前手陽拳肘護心.
左右開弓望外撥, 脚手齊落舌尖捲.
[1]顾 Gu – can mean “to look around” or “attend to”, “respond to” or to “take into consideration”. In martial arts texts it is often used to refer to defensive movements that adjust or adapt to the specific energetic signature of the opponent’s attack.
[2] See footnote #1 above.
[3] 撥Bo: means to turn, stir, or poke. It can refer to moving something with your hand, foot, a stick, etc.
[4] Three Points Set: hand, nose and foot in a line.
[5] See footnote 3 above.
