The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang (Part 3)
/Chapter 6 is a translation with commentary on the Bagauzhang Classics. If someone actually thought these ideas worth putting into poetry, I should hope that an effort would be made to make them sound like poetry in English. Maybe the problem is in the original, I can't tell. The book doesn't give enough background about these classics for me to know if I should take them seriously. They don't say much. The Taiji Classics where written for the advanced student, but these classics seem more rudimentary. Usually poetry is multi-layered, but if there is a second layer to these classics, the translation hides it. Why are we writing songs about martial arts anyway? In an age of video, a martial arts song better have some substance.
Here is a song about martial arts worth singing. "bmm bmm bmm...another one bites the dust."
Still, I'm going to study the classics. I can't help it. But I find myself wishing they said
something different. Here is a fun one (#33). The Chinese title is "not-two-natural-principle" The authors' translated it "Accuracy Method.":
The authors commentary interprets this to mean be accurate, wait rather than strike blindly. If you strike and miss, you leave yourself open. If you do miss, keep striking constantly until you win.
This was worth putting into poetry? A jade-maiden just whispered this in my ear, perhaps it is an improvement:
Here is another one from the book (#31):
The commentary says it means blocking is important and should be casual and effortless. Be close enough to block, if you are too far away you won't be in control.
Oh, I feel another tickle in my ear. She says write!
Here is a song about martial arts worth singing. "bmm bmm bmm...another one bites the dust."
Still, I'm going to study the classics. I can't help it. But I find myself wishing they said
something different. Here is a fun one (#33). The Chinese title is "not-two-natural-principle" The authors' translated it "Accuracy Method.":Do not shoot an arrow without a target,
Shoot again if the target is missed.
Even if he moves like a ghost,
I catch the evil spirit in no time.
The authors commentary interprets this to mean be accurate, wait rather than strike blindly. If you strike and miss, you leave yourself open. If you do miss, keep striking constantly until you win.
This was worth putting into poetry? A jade-maiden just whispered this in my ear, perhaps it is an improvement:
Baguazhang is an art without arrows or targets;
If something can be missed once, it can be missed again.
Even if my opponent is already committed to his own death,
No time or distance separates us.
Here is another one from the book (#31):
Blocking is a skill of protecting,
To avoid attacks with a casual attitude.
When the distance is more than inches away,
Skills are useless and power will not be effective.
The commentary says it means blocking is important and should be casual and effortless. Be close enough to block, if you are too far away you won't be in control.
Oh, I feel another tickle in my ear. She says write!
If blocking works, it's not a real fight.
It's not my intension to melt,
I simply have nothing to protect.
Wolves bite flesh, not air.
