Chinese Boxing Classics in Translation: Problems and Perils
By Brian Kennedy
Copyright © EJMAS 2002. All rights reserved
"Translation is like a woman: if she is faithful, she is not beautiful; if she is beautiful, she is not faithful." -- Russian proverb
That Russian proverb encapsulates the core problem facing any translator. When attempting to translate Chinese boxing classics or training manuals (quan pu) (see my "Introductory History of Xing Yi Training Manuals," http://ejmas.com/jalt/jaltart_kennedy_1001.htm) from their original Chinese into English, that core problem is exacerbated by a number of other factors. Those factors are the topic of this article. Even if one never intends to do any translations, these factors are worth understanding. That way, as one reads English language translations of Chinese boxing classics or training manuals, one has a better understanding of why the translation may seem odd or disjointed, or was not quite what the reader had hoped for.
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Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Featured Baguazhang Article 11-7-2007
Bio of Fu Chen Sung
http://fu.style.wushu.googlepages.com
Fu Chen Sung (also known as Fu Qiankun, also written Fu Zhen Song) was born in MaPo village, Henan province, China. When he was eight years old, the village set up a martial arts school. They hired Chia Feng Ming (a top student of the founder of ba gua zhang, Grandmaster Dong Haichuan) and from the nearby Chen village, Chen Yanxi (an 8th generation disciple of tai chi). They would teach in a local field. After nine years Fu reached the stage "hands grasp the lively sparrow", which meant he could leap and capture a bird without hurting it. After this, he learnt the tai chi ball and then moved to Beijing, where he studied more ba gua with Ma Gui and Cheng Ting Hua, both first generation disciples of Dong Haichuan.
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http://fu.style.wushu.googlepages.com
Fu Chen Sung (also known as Fu Qiankun, also written Fu Zhen Song) was born in MaPo village, Henan province, China. When he was eight years old, the village set up a martial arts school. They hired Chia Feng Ming (a top student of the founder of ba gua zhang, Grandmaster Dong Haichuan) and from the nearby Chen village, Chen Yanxi (an 8th generation disciple of tai chi). They would teach in a local field. After nine years Fu reached the stage "hands grasp the lively sparrow", which meant he could leap and capture a bird without hurting it. After this, he learnt the tai chi ball and then moved to Beijing, where he studied more ba gua with Ma Gui and Cheng Ting Hua, both first generation disciples of Dong Haichuan.
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Friday, October 26, 2007
Featured Baguazhang Article 10-26-2007
What is Baguazhang?
from Beijing Bagua
from Beijing Bagua
Ba Gua Zhang is literally translated as Eight Trigram Palm. This style is one of the three Nei Jia Quan or internal styles of China. The other two styles are Xing Yi Quan and Taiji Quan. As with Xing Yi and Taiji, the practice of Bagua generates Qi (internal energy) for both health and combat purposes. Baguazhang uses palm techniques exclusively, and this is reflected in the name, Eight Trigram Palm. This makes Bagua distinct from Xing Yi and Taiji styles, both of which incorporate fist techniques.
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Thursday, October 18, 2007
Featured Baguazhang Article 10-9-2007
Recovering the Lost Meaning of the Yijing BA GUA
© 1999 Dr. Stephen L. Field
Trinity University
Speculations on the origin of the bagua line graphs fall into three categories. In the Xici (Great Commentary) two interpretations are given: either the trigrams appeared miraculously on the back of a mythical creature emerging from a river, or they were created by the legendary emperor, Fuxi, based upon his observation of the world. But the Shuogua (Trigram Explanation) chapter of the Ten Wings1 comes closest to the truth when it claims the trigrams developed in the practice of divination, for new research has determined that the solid and broken lines originated from bone and bronze records of the odd and even numbers of numerology.
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© 1999 Dr. Stephen L. Field
Trinity University
Speculations on the origin of the bagua line graphs fall into three categories. In the Xici (Great Commentary) two interpretations are given: either the trigrams appeared miraculously on the back of a mythical creature emerging from a river, or they were created by the legendary emperor, Fuxi, based upon his observation of the world. But the Shuogua (Trigram Explanation) chapter of the Ten Wings1 comes closest to the truth when it claims the trigrams developed in the practice of divination, for new research has determined that the solid and broken lines originated from bone and bronze records of the odd and even numbers of numerology.
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Saturday, September 29, 2007
Featured Baguazhang Article 9-29-2007
Intro to Baguazhang Eight-Diagram Palms
by Ted Mancuso
To many people Ba Gua is the most exotic martial art. It can also be one of the most confusing. Part of this confusion derives from the richness of the style. It came late (1860's) on the martial scene and folded many of Kung Fu's best ideas into a very small space. Ba Gua is a miniaturized martial art, almost a nano-art--not that the information is small, but that it is extremely compact. Studying Ba Gua can be like listening to a world famous teacher who is totally fascinating but whose ideas and words come so fast and brilliantly you are dazed rather than enlightened.
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by Ted Mancuso
To many people Ba Gua is the most exotic martial art. It can also be one of the most confusing. Part of this confusion derives from the richness of the style. It came late (1860's) on the martial scene and folded many of Kung Fu's best ideas into a very small space. Ba Gua is a miniaturized martial art, almost a nano-art--not that the information is small, but that it is extremely compact. Studying Ba Gua can be like listening to a world famous teacher who is totally fascinating but whose ideas and words come so fast and brilliantly you are dazed rather than enlightened.
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Saturday, September 8, 2007
Featured Baguazhang Article 9-7-2007
Baguazhang Eight-Diagram Palms Shadow Boxing
by Cardinal
"The power of the eight diagram palms knows no bounds -- the palms seem to strike even before the hands move. When the hand threads upward, it's like a hundred birds paying tribute to the phoenix; when it threads forward, it's like a tiger swooping downhill. Walking round and round, he is like a stray wild goose that has drifted from the flock;
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by Cardinal
"The power of the eight diagram palms knows no bounds -- the palms seem to strike even before the hands move. When the hand threads upward, it's like a hundred birds paying tribute to the phoenix; when it threads forward, it's like a tiger swooping downhill. Walking round and round, he is like a stray wild goose that has drifted from the flock;
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Sunday, September 2, 2007
Featured Baguazhang Article 8-31-2007
Eight Trigrams I Ching (Book of Changes)
Eight Gates to the Greater World
A Study by Michael P. Garofalo
Eight Gates to the Greater World
A Study by Michael P. Garofalo
Friday, August 24, 2007
Featured Baguazhang Article 8-24-2007
The Single Palm Change: Baguazhang's Fundamental Movement
by Mark Jensen -- Student
The principle training method used by the Baguazhang system is walking the circle. The student holds a static posture from the waist up, facing the center of the circle, while from the waist down they walk around in a circle. A practice session will start off by walking the circle in either the clockwise or the counterclockwise direction. Whichever direction is used, there must exist a way to change that direction and walk the other way. This is where the Single Palm Change comes into us
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by Mark Jensen -- Student
The principle training method used by the Baguazhang system is walking the circle. The student holds a static posture from the waist up, facing the center of the circle, while from the waist down they walk around in a circle. A practice session will start off by walking the circle in either the clockwise or the counterclockwise direction. Whichever direction is used, there must exist a way to change that direction and walk the other way. This is where the Single Palm Change comes into us
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Featured Baguazhang Article 8-17-2007
Thoughts on Learning Baguazhang
By Micheal Babin
Excerpt: "Good bagua, no matter what its style—and there are many—emphasises balance and relaxation (sung), the development of twisting strength and whole body power, as well as the use of the mind to create intent, both for healing and martial purposes. The solo aspect of its circular practice can be strangely beautiful, full of graceful twisting movement, sudden stops and changes of pace and direction, swooping and lifting actions, as well as explosive movements"
By Micheal Babin
Excerpt: "Good bagua, no matter what its style—and there are many—emphasises balance and relaxation (sung), the development of twisting strength and whole body power, as well as the use of the mind to create intent, both for healing and martial purposes. The solo aspect of its circular practice can be strangely beautiful, full of graceful twisting movement, sudden stops and changes of pace and direction, swooping and lifting actions, as well as explosive movements"
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