Make reactions later, but hit the target earlier; make three attacks after the opponent's movement; make reactions later and hit the target later.
The three sentences tell us the three methods to fight against the opponent. The first emphasizes that we must make quick reactions to fight against when the opponent has struck, but has not hit us. The second emphasizes that we should make reactions to fight against the opponent by continuing tactics, letting him to have the chance to rest a little. The third means that if the opponent's attacks are very quick and violent, we should evade away until his power is decreased, and then make quick and violent reactions to defeat him. All the three sentences have one common point, which is to be good at grasping the right time so as to make attack and defence automatic.

Make an attack earlier than the opponent, but hit him later.
To make an attack and hit the target earlier is to emphasize the importance of taking the initiative. To make an attack later than the opponent but hit him earlier is to emphasize that we should strike only after the opponent has struck and attack while defense. To make an attack earlier than the opponent but him later is to mean that when in fighting, we should make an attack before the opponent but defeat him only after he has made a reaction, not defeat him by a blow, whose purpose is to charge the opponent in a smart way. This is the method to make the opponent take the failure in heart with our lofty Gongfu.

The will should not be performed by the form, or we can't succeed in fighting.
Here the will refers to the intention of making an attack or an evasion; the form, the movements of all the body parts. In fighting, our intention of making an attack or an evasion can't be discovered by the opponent, or, the opponent understands our intention and makes corresponding preparations, so that our intention will be a failure. How does the opponent understand our intentions? By the form of body, for the form can explain the will. For example, some light movements of hands and feet, a slight incline of the body, and a slight shake of the muscle can tell the opponent that we are going to attack. Clever masters even can sense the opponent's intention by his feeling, breath and eye light. On the other hand, clever masters are also good at hiding their intentions, or make no preparing positions, or a false position to cheat the opponent to make a false decision, so that defeat him out of his expectation. In order to achieve the above purpose, the attack should be as quick as possible.

Walk as plough the earth; stand there steady as has root in the earth.
When exercising Boxing, we propose that the upper part of the body should be as easy as possible; the lower part should be steady as possible. Being easy means that being in a relaxed mood, so that the upper part can be in the mood to attack or defense at all the time. Being steady emphasizes the importance of a steady stake. When we have a steady stake, we can stand there without a little shake, no matter how the opponent pushes, or hits us. If we can have steady feet, we can walk out the right position in a pace, so as to squeeze down the opponent's barycenter and make an attack or an evasion easily according to our intentions. If we have a steady stake and walk on steadily, we display all the power hidden in the body, so that defeat the opponent.

Fight the opponent is like walking on; treating the opponent as the grass.
This is one psychological hint made by oneself when in fighting. This hint may help us remove our worries about the opponent's higher height, stronger body, loftier skills, and bigger reputation, make us in a easy and calm mood to believe that we will succeed in the fight, so that we can display our real Gongfu without any interferences outside.

The boxing has no acts; the will has no thought, which is the real purpose to exercise boxing.
When exercise Wushu to a certain stage, a casual act can have the effect of attacking, so that we needn't make any preparations for attacking and thinking, for the head has managed all parts of the body to an automatic degree, can automatically make proper decision and reactions to any surprise attack. It seems that the will and the movement has lost their connections at that time, all reactions are automatic, which is that the boxing has no acts, the will has no thought, the real purpose to exercise boxing. That the will has no thought doesn't meat that the head really has no thought, but a quick thinking. The order from the head to the acts is so quick that the thought and the acts seem to happen at the same time, without the thinking of the head. That the boxing has no acts doesn't mean that the boxing really follows no acts, but not obeys the acts to the letter, should change our acts according to the situation, to the purpose of defeating the opponent.

Charge the opponent by a blow, or fight with him by long time competition.
The character of Wushu is continuing attacking; the principle is defeating the opponent as soon as possible. Even if we strike after the opponent has struck, we should also hit the opponent earlier than he does on us, for several rounds can determine the result of the fighting between the two. When fight against others, we should end the fighting as soon as possible, for the result can be determined by several minutes or several seconds; the long time fighting we see in the movies does not demonstrate the principle of Wushu. So Wushu demands the learner to be clever and alert, brave and violent, so that he can charge the opponent in several minutes. If we can charge the opponent in several minutes, we should understand that our Gongfu is not able to achieve a quick success, so we have to fight against the opponent for a long time, which demands Gongfu and strength.

The soft acts with tough movements in can't be defeated; the tough acts with soft movements in have unlimited power.
The tough is hard and strong; the soft is tender and flexible. The tough acts refer to that the acts have a quick, large, explosive power; the soft acts refer to that the acts are everlasting and can turn the opponent's attack into nothing. The tough also means that the spirit and mentality are very strong, will break rather than bend; the soft also means being strong-minded, never giving up. The soft acts with tough movements in means that we should use explosive power among the soft acts at the proper time. The tough acts with soft movements in means that we should use several clever acts to follow and hold in play the opponent's acts. When the tough acts without soft movements in meet with the opponent's tough acts, both will be damaged; when the tough acts without soft movements in meet with the opponent's soft acts, they will be held in play by the opponent. When the soft acts without tough movements in meet with the opponent's soft acts, they have no chance to succeed; when meet with the opponent's tough acts, they are hard to succeed. Only fight with both tough acts and soft acts can we be easy and free to deal with the opponent's attacks, so that defeat him at last.

 

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