Tiger Lady, Lady Meets Tiger

In a Feminine and Masculine principles (Yin and Yang) relation, there are always connections with the Feminine and the Masculine and one principle also always exists inside the other one. Lady is obviously the Feminine while tiger the Masculine. In this particular case, it is mainly dealing with the issue of check and balance as well as being able to instantly switch from one state to another. Therefore, as ladylike one would look, it will still be a spirited and unpredictable one who would fiercely preserve her integrity. Furthermore, using the absence of empathy will be one of the way to calmly endure insults, threats and bulling. As far as the tiger is concerned, as wild and insane one would behave, self-control and vigilance would remain. Furthermore, as the oxymoron method dictates, the more fierce, cruel and insane one was outside the more calm, smiling and mild one had to be inside.

Tiger Lady, Fierce Tiger

武本無德，有德也空 

(See just below)

"The martial is by essence without virtue, any virtue would be in vain" is an old saying pointing out the ruthlessness of combat.

Tiger Lady, a Nice Lady

見之似好婦，奪之似懼虎

見 to appear to be something

之 "then" (之 has multiple uses as a particle, in some cases with no particular meaning. Translating it by "then" is just to avoid not mentioning it), to come out.

似 like (something, someone)

好  good, beautiful (so nice which can mean both). 

婦 women, delicate, to serve

奪 take by force, seize

懼 fear, dread, to threaten

虎 tiger.

From Head to Toe

练功先练桩，大鼎增力量

One shall first train pillars when training skills, upside-down adds strength

Training pillars to first fix one's posture.

Full and Keeping One's Cool

內實精神，外示安儀。

內 inside, inner part, internal

實 full

精 essence

神 spirit

精神 vitality

外 outer, external

示 show

安 peaceful, at ease, undisturbed

儀 appearance, bearing

Don't Open the Door!

開門閉戶，陰衰陽興。

開 to open

門 door(s), outer door(s)

閉 to close

戶 door, inner door

陰 Feminine principle

衰 to decline, to become weak

陽 Masculine principle

興 to prosper, to flourish 

Changing Doors

One of the eldest texts known describing the martial arts theory is called "The Lady of Yue Talks About Fencing", a passage from the historical records called "Spring and Autumn Annals of Wu and Yue" written by Zhao Ye (?-around 83 A.C.). Later literary works inspired by this lady fencer figure, such as the one of the famous Hong-Kong writer Jin Yong called "Sword of the Yue Maiden" has made this passage quite famous, more than the one about archery that follows a few paragraphs later. Indeed, introducing a lady fencer in a male chauvinistic society which forbade teaching girls because they would marry into another family and having her teacher being an ape, a white gibbon, cannot but struck one's imagination.

Roots

打拳不遛腿，必是冒失鬼

Training boxing without strolling with the legs, certainly a reckless person.

Or

Training boxing without stopping on the legs, certainly a reckless person.

Legs and up to the waist are the roots, the essential part of training.

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.