by Andy_S on Thu Oct 30, 2014 7:36 pm
Interesting question.
I know the translations in English of all the form names, and also many of the Chinese phrases (though I don't speak or read Chinese). Even so, IME, few of the terms really offer much understanding that really inform the physical practice.
Some terms are simply descriptive of the physical action
Raise hands
Brush knee, twist step
Etc
Others are metaphorical:
'White crane spreads wings' is pretty simple: The movement looks rather like a crane spreading his wings.
'Sparrow ground dragon' also makes sense if one has a little bit of imagination: A dragon swooping down low like a sparrow
OTOH, other posture names make no real sense, and I am not sure what they refer to at all:
'Six sealing, four closing' is a mystery
'Single whip" likewise - the only explanation of this that did make sense (it is like a pole being held over the shoulders) was, I was later told, an incorrect translation
Given what Wayne has written above, perhaps Willy - if he is reading this - will chime in.
Services available:
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