Deciphering Martial Arts Poems

理是功能之本，法是功能之基

Theory is the essence of capability, method its foundation

皆由渡水不知津，登山不識徑*

All because they cross waters without knowing the ford, climb a mountain without the knowledge of the path

As it was already mentioned in Method, old practices favourite method of teaching was through enigmas to be solved by the students, the best ones having more than one level of understanding. Since most of the teaching were done through oral transmission at the beginning, it may be interesting to first have a brief introduction of the oral ones. Still, with the emergence of the boxing manuals, 拳譜, roughly starting at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and the decline of old martial arts practices, the main work nowadays remains in deciphering those texts.

Spirited Heart

心平氣和*

A peaceful heart for harmonised vapours

藏所藏：心藏神，肺藏魄，肝藏魂，脾藏意，腎藏志，是謂五藏所藏**

What storages store: the heart stores the spirit, the lungs store the corporeal soul, the liver stores the immortal soul, the spleen stores the intention, the kidneys store the will, this is what is called "what the five storages store".

Training differentiates the spirit methods, 神法, from the heart methods, 心法.

Three Methods, One Art

拳講三術，技，醫，藝術

Boxing emphasise on three methods: skills, medicine and art.

Skills for fighting.