The Ten Essential Secrets of Buddhist Martial Arts – 释家传捶把十要诀
The following is a translation of the foundational text of Shaolin Kung Fu, which is little known in the West.
Shifu Wu Nanfang quotes this text every day, which he says carries the essence of Shaolin Kung Fu and the secrets of internal power. ‘Be like a tiger walking silently, a dragon moving imperceptibly.’ He believes it to have been written in the late Ming dynasty or early Qing dynasty.
Do not try to understand it with the mind. Read it like poetry.
First Principle: Understanding the Three Sections (明三节)
举一身而论之，则手肘为梢节，腰腹为中节，足腿为根节。然分而言之，则三节之中，亦各有三节也。
When considering the entire body, the hands and elbows form the tip section, the waist and abdomen form the middle section, and the feet and legs form the root section. Yet within each section, there are also three divisions.
如手为梢节之梢节，肘为梢节之中节，肩为梢节之根节，此梢节之三节也。胸为中节之梢节，心为中节之中节，丹田为中节之根节，此中节之三节也。足为根节之梢节，膝为根节之中节，胯为根节之根节，此根节之三节也。
For the tip section: the hand is the tip, the elbow is the middle, and the shoulder is the root. For the middle section: the chest is the tip, the heart is the middle, and the dantian is the root. For the root section: the foot is the tip, the knee is the middle, and the hip is the root.
总之不外于起、随、追而已，盖梢节起，中节随，根节追之，庶不至有长短曲直、参差俯仰之病，此三节所以贵明也。
The essence lies in initiation, following, and pursuit. The tip section initiates, the middle section follows, and the root section pursues. This prevents irregularities in length, curvature, and positioning. This is why understanding the three sections is precious.
解曰：起随追，劲法也，三节名虽不一而劲法则一也，盖通身之劲法如是，而各节之中劲法亦如是，起要起去，随要随定，追要追上，一动而三劲皆至，则无失矣。
Commentary: Initiation, following, and pursuit represent the method of internal force. Though the three sections have different names, their force method is unified. The force method of the entire body works this way, and the force method within each section works similarly. Initiation must truly initiate, following must follow precisely, and pursuit must catch up completely. When one moves and all three forces arrive together, there will be no mistakes.
秘诀曰：身以滚而起，手以滚而动，身进脚手随，三节自可齐。
Secret Formula: "The body rises through rolling, the hands move through rolling. When the body advances, feet and hands follow, and the three sections naturally align."
Second Principle: Aligning the Four Tips (齐四梢)
发为血梢，甲为筋梢，牙为骨梢，舌为肉梢，此四梢也。必使发欲冲冠，甲欲透骨，牙欲断金，舌欲摧齿，心一颤而四者皆至，则四梢齐，而内劲出矣。
Hair is the tip of blood, fingernails are the tip of tendons, teeth are the tip of bones, and tongue is the tip of flesh—these are the four tips. One must make the hair want to pierce the crown, nails want to penetrate bone, teeth want to break metal, and tongue want to crush teeth. When the heart trembles once and all four arrive together, the four tips align and internal force emerges.
盖气从丹田而生，如虎之恨，如龙之惊。气发而为声，声随手落，手随声发，一枝动而百枝摇，则四梢齐，而内劲无不出矣。
Force arises from the dantian like a tiger's rage or a dragon's startled awakening. Force manifests as sound, sound follows the hand's descent, and the hand follows the sound's release. When one branch moves, a hundred branches sway—then the four tips align and internal force is fully expressed.
解曰：上提下赘中束练，妙术惟在呼吸间。
Commentary: "Lift above, sink below, bind the middle in practice—the wonderful technique lies entirely in the breath."
Third Principle: Closing the Five Elements (闭五行)
五行者，金、木、水、火、土也。内属五脏，外属五官。如心属火，心动勇力生；肝属木，肝动火焰冲；脾属土，脾动大力攻；肺属金，肺动沉雷声；肾属水，肾动快如风，此五行之存于内也。
The five elements are metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Internally they correspond to the five organs, externally to the five openings. The heart belongs to fire—when the heart moves, courage and strength are born. The liver belongs to wood—when the liver moves, flames surge upward. The spleen belongs to earth—when the spleen moves, great force attacks. The lungs belong to metal—when the lungs move, deep thunder sounds. The kidneys belong to water—when the kidneys move, one becomes swift as wind.
目通于肝，鼻通于肺，耳通于肾，口舌通于心，人中通于脾，此五行之现于外也。故曰：五行真如五道关，无人把守自遮拦，真确论也，其所当知者。
Externally: the eyes connect to the liver, nose to the lungs, ears to the kidneys, mouth and tongue to the heart, and the philtrum to the spleen. As it's said: "The five elements are truly like five passes—with no one guarding them, they block themselves." This is an accurate principle to understand.
如手心通心属火，鼻尖通肺属金，火到金化，自然之理也。余可类推，天地交合，云蔽日月，武艺相争，先闭五行。又曰：四两可以拨千斤，闭已之五行即以克人之五行，此与四梢法相参。
When the palm strikes the nose (fire reaching metal), metal naturally transforms—this is natural law. The same applies to all combinations. When heaven and earth unite, clouds veil sun and moon. In martial contests, first close the five elements. It's also said: "Four ounces can move a thousand pounds." Closing one's own five elements overcomes the opponent's five elements. This corresponds with the four tips method.
解曰：手到鼻痛，火到金化，自然之理也。
Commentary: "When the hand reaches the nose it causes pain—fire reaching metal transforms naturally according to natural law."
Fourth Principle: Body Method (身法)
身有八法，起、落、进、退、反、侧、收、纵而已。夫起落者，起为横，落为顺也。进退者，进步低，而退步高也。反侧者，反身顾前后而侧身顾左右也。收纵者，收如伏猫而纵如放虎也。
The body has eight methods: rising, falling, advancing, retreating, turning back, turning aside, contracting, and extending. In rising and falling, rising follows the horizontal plane, falling follows the vertical plane. In advancing and retreating, advancing steps are low while retreating steps are high. Turning back means looking behind while turning aside means looking left and right. Contract like a crouching cat, release like a pouncing tiger.
大抵以中平为宜，以正直为妙。与三节法相合比又不可不知也。
Generally, maintain centeredness and balance, with uprightness and alignment as the ideal. This must harmonize with the three sections method.
解曰：起望高束身而起，落望低展身而落。
Commentary: "When rising, look high and bind the body while rising. When falling, look low and expand the body while falling."
Fifth Principle: Stepping Method (步法)
步法者，寸、踮、过、快、溅也。如二三尺远，则用寸步，寸步一步可到也。若四五尺远，则用踮步，必踮一步方能到也。若遇身大力强者，则用过步，进前脚，急过后腿，所谓步起在人，落过于人也。
The stepping methods are: inch step, toe step, crossing step, quick step, and splashing step. For distances of two to three feet, use inch step—one inch step can reach it. For four to five feet, use toe step—one toe step can reach it. When facing someone large and strong, use crossing step—advance the front foot and quickly cross with the rear leg. This embodies "the step rises in oneself but falls beyond the opponent."
如有一丈八尺远，则用快步，快步者起前脚而带后脚，平飞而去，并非跳跃而往也。此马奔虎窜之意，非艺成者，不可轻用，惟远不发脚而已。
For distances of ten to eighteen feet, use quick step. Quick step means lifting the front foot while bringing the rear foot, flying forward smoothly rather than jumping. This has the intention of a galloping horse or pouncing tiger. Only those accomplished in the art should use this—maintain distance without releasing the feet.
如遇人多，或有器械，即连腿带脚并溅而上，进前脚带后脚，如鹞子钻林、燕子取水，所谓踩脚二起之说也。学者随使用之，习之纯熟，用之无心，方尽其妙也。
When facing many opponents or weapons, use splashing step—legs and feet splash upward together, advancing the front foot while bringing the rear foot, like a sparrowhawk drilling through forest or a swallow skimming water. This is called "stepping foot double rising." Students should use these according to circumstances, practicing until thoroughly familiar, using them without conscious thought to achieve true mastery.
Sixth Principle: Hand and Foot Methods (手足法)
手法者，出、领、起、截也。当胸直出者，为之出手。筋梢发有起有落，曲而非曲，直而非直，为起手。筋梢发起未落者，谓之领手。顺起顺落参以领搓者，谓之截手。
Hand Methods: extending, leading, rising, and intercepting. Striking straight to the chest is extending hand. When force rises and falls with curves that are curved yet not curved, straight yet not straight—this is rising hand. When force rises but hasn't fallen, this is leading hand. Rising and falling smoothly with leading and twisting is intercepting hand.
但起前手如鹞子钻林，须束身束翅而起，推后手如燕子取水，往下一翻，长身而落，此单手之法也。两手交互，并起并落，起如举鼎，落如分砖，此双手之法也。
When raising the front hand like a sparrowhawk drilling forest, bind the body and wings while rising. When pushing the rear hand like a swallow skimming water, flip downward and fall with extended body. This is single-hand method. When both hands alternate, rising and falling together, rise like lifting a cauldron, fall like splitting bricks. This is double-hand method.
总之，肘护心发手撩阴起，其起如虎之捕人也，其落如鹰之捉物也。
Generally, protect the heart with elbows, strike upward from below. Rising is like a tiger capturing prey, falling is like an eagle seizing its target.
足法者，起翻落躜，忌踢宜踩而已。盖脚起望膝，膝起望怀，脚打膝分而出，而其形上翻。如手之撩阴，至于落则如以石钻物，如手落之拂眉也。
Foot Methods: rising, turning, falling, and boring. Avoid kicking, prefer stepping. When the foot rises, look toward the knee; when the knee rises, look toward the chest. The foot strikes as the knee divides, with the form turning upward like a hand striking upward from below. When falling, it's like boring through objects with a stone, like a hand falling past the eyebrows.
忌踢者，脚踢浑身是空，宜踩者，如置物于足下也，即足落如鹰捉是也，此足法也。手足之法同，而足之为用，亦必如虎行之无声，龙行之莫测，然后可也。
Avoid kicking because when the foot kicks, the whole body becomes empty. Prefer stepping, like placing objects under the foot—this is the foot falling like an eagle seizing its prey. This is foot method. Hand and foot methods are the same. The foot's application must be like a tiger walking without sound, a dragon moving unpredictably—only then is it acceptable.
Seventh Principle: Rising Method and Advancing Method (上法进法)
盖上法以手为奇，进法以足为妙，总之以身为要，其起手如丹凤朝阳是也。其进步如前步抢上抢下，进步后脚踩打是也。
Rising method takes the hands as its marvel, advancing method takes the feet as its wonder, but overall the body is paramount. Rising hands are like the vermillion phoenix greeting the dawn. Advancing steps means the front step rushes up and down, while the advancing step's rear foot steps and strikes.
必三节明，四梢齐，五行闭，身法活，手足之法连，而视其远近，随其老嫩，一动而即是也。然其方亦有六焉，工、顺、勇、疾、恨、真也。
The three sections must be clear, four tips aligned, five elements closed, body method alive, and hand-foot methods connected. Watch the distance, follow what's old or tender—one movement and it's immediately effective. These methods have six qualities: skillful, natural, decisive, swift, ruthless, and precise.
工，巧妙也。顺，自然也。勇，果断也。疾，紧急也。恨，仇怒也。动不容情，心一颤而内劲出也。真发定中的，见之真而彼难以变化也。六方明则上法、进法得矣。
Skillful means ingenious craftsmanship. Natural means flowing with the Tao. Decisive means unwavering commitment. Swift means lightning speed. Ruthless means implacable determination—movement without mercy, the heart trembles once and internal force emerges. Precise means hitting the target truly—seeing with such clarity that the opponent cannot change. When these six aspects are clear, rising method and advancing method are achieved.
Eighth Principle: Watching, Opening, Pursuing, and Intercepting Methods
顾法者，单顾、双顾、上顾、下顾、顾前后左右也。单顾者，则用截手。双顾者，则用横拳法。顾上用冲天炮，顾下用握地炮。顾前后用前后梢拳，或用前后斩拳。顾左右用括边炮，或用括身炮。此以随机而用，非若他人之钩连棚架也。
Watching Method: single watching, double watching, watching above, watching below, watching front, back, left, and right. For single watching, use intercepting hand. For double watching, use horizontal fist method. For watching above, use sky-piercing cannon. For watching below, use earth-grasping cannon. For watching front and back, use front-rear tip fists or front-rear cutting fists. For watching left and right, use side-sweeping cannon or body-sweeping cannon. Use these according to circumstances, not like others' linked hooking and blocking.
开法者，开左、开右、硬开、软开也。硬开者，如前六技之硬劲，软开者，如前六技之软劲是也。左开用里括，右开用外括。
Opening Method: opening left, opening right, hard opening, soft opening. Hard opening is like the hard force of the previous six techniques; soft opening is like the soft force of the previous six techniques. Left opening uses inner sweeping; right opening uses outer sweeping.
截法者，截手、截身、截言、截面、截心也。截手者，彼先动，而我截之也；截身者，彼身未动，而我先截之也；截言者，言露其意，而即截之也；截面者，彼面露奇色，而即截之也；截心者，彼眉喜面笑，言甘貌恭，而我察其有心，而迎机以截之也。
Intercepting Method: intercepting hand, intercepting body, intercepting words, intercepting face, intercepting heart. Intercepting hand means the opponent moves first and I intercept. Intercepting body means the opponent's body hasn't moved but I intercept first. Intercepting words means when words reveal intention, immediately intercept. Intercepting face means when the opponent's face shows unusual expression, immediately intercept. Intercepting heart means when the opponent's eyebrows show joy, face shows smiles, words are sweet and manner respectful, I perceive their intention and intercept by seizing the opportunity.
解曰：面笑不动唇，提防有意人是也。追法、上法、进法一气贯注，即所谓随身紧趋，追风赶月不放松也。彼虽欲走而不能矣，何患其有杂计邪术乎？
Commentary: "Face smiling without moving lips—beware of those with intentions." Pursuing Method: Rising method and advancing method flow as one continuous force—this is following closely like pursuing wind and chasing moon without relaxation. Though the opponent wishes to flee, they cannot. What worry could there be about their tricks or evil techniques?
Ninth Principle: Cultivating the Three Natures (三性调养)
盖眼为见性，耳为灵性，心为勇性，此三性者术之妙用也。故眼中不时常循环，耳中不时常报应，心中不时常惊醒，则精灵之意在我，庶不致为人所误矣。
The eyes embody perceptive awareness, the ears embody spiritual sensitivity, the heart embodies courageous nature—these three natures are the subtle applications of the art. The eyes must constantly scan and circulate, ears must constantly register and respond, and heart must constantly maintain alert vigilance. Then the essence and spirit remain with me, preventing others from deceiving or misleading me.
解曰：临阵须提防，小心没大差。
Commentary: "In battle one must stay alert—careful attention prevents great mistakes."
Tenth Principle: Force Method (劲法)
夫劲寓于无形之中，而接于有形之表，而难以言传，然其下亦可参焉。盖志者，气之帅也，气者体之充也，心动而气即随之，气动而力即赴之，此必至之理也。
Force resides in the formless yet manifests in the formed. Though difficult to transmit in words, its foundation can be understood. For will is the general commanding qi, while qi is what fills and animates the body. When the heart-mind moves, qi immediately follows; when qi moves, physical force immediately responds. This is inevitable natural law.
今以功于艺者言之，以为撞劲者非也，功劲者非也，及蹭劲、崩劲者，皆非也，殆颤劲是也。撞劲太直，而难起落，功劲太死，而难变化，蹭劲太促，而难以展招，皆强硬踞形而不灵也。
Among those skilled in the art, some speak of collision force—this is incorrect. Attacking force is incorrect. Friction force and explosive force are all incorrect. Only trembling force is correct. Collision force is too direct and difficult to rise and fall. Attacking force is too dead and difficult to change. Friction force is too hasty and difficult to extend techniques. These are all strong, hard, and inflexible.
惟颤劲出没其捷，可使日月无光，而不见其形，手到劲发，天地交合，而不费其力，总之运于三性之中，发于一战之顷，如虎之伸爪不见爪，而物不能逃，龙之用力不见力，而山不能阻，如是九法合而为一，而克人岂有不利乎。
Only trembling force appears and vanishes with such lightning swiftness that it can eclipse sun and moon while remaining invisible. When hand arrives, force releases—heaven and earth unite without expending effort. In essence, it operates through the three natures and manifests in a single moment of combat, like a tiger extending its claws—the claws remain unseen yet nothing can escape, like a dragon exerting power—the power remains invisible yet no mountain can obstruct it. When these nine methods unite as one, how could one fail to overcome any opponent?
