Chapter 116
Near noon, the sun was shining high on the East 2nd Martial Field of Jiangnan Military Region . The surrounding gra.s.sland was transpiring with water vapor that distorted the light . But no one present wanted to escape the summer heat . There was a group of people, standing in the sun, shouting while watching the compet.i.tion .[1] I think Grandfather Qui didn’t allow his guards to hold up an umbrella for him . He was the one shouting here .
[2] Similar to battle of attrition, several people take turns fighting against one person, or several groups of people take turns fighting against a group of people, causing the other party to lose due to fatigue . This tactic is called wheel battle .
[3] Author used weather to describe his look and smile . Originally, it was “he looked cloudless and breezy, but he still has a “cold front” type of smile . ” I think he really wanted to use the word “cold front” so he used cloudless and breezy . My only guessed is he looked fresh/refresh (no sign of being tired), but with a cold smile .
[4] Piguaquan (Traditional Chinese: 劈掛拳, literally “chop-hanging fist”) – Read more about it HERE .
[5] The expert will prove the truths or reveal falsehoods – This is a Chinese proverb . Yeah, I couldn’t explain this clearly . I could only give you an example . Like when a martial art expert sees someone doing martial art, he could tell at one glance if he/she only has shallow understanding of that martial art or has deep understand base on his movements .
[6] I’m not really sure if I translated this correctly . I think this mean that every attack must advance and there would be a follow up move after that if the opponent is not yet defeated/hit, and that follow up would advance again like momentum . Always moving and never stopping or non-stop attack .
[7] The punching method requires high to hang, low to cover, horizontal to block, and move along the way . It is advocating to use the fast to beat the slow, to use the long to make the short, and to make progress in a flash . The basic law of offense and defense .
if you come from above, you will be hung upside down . If you come from below, you will be chopped . If you come from the side, I will intercept you/block your attack . If you go with the flow/take advantage of the inertia, I’ll move you!
[8] 拳脚 – (punching and kicking) could also be translated as Chinese boxing .
[9] Hung Ga, Hung Kuen, or Hung Ga Kuen is a southern Chinese martial art belonging to the southern shaolin styles .
[10] As for the explanation for the last sentence, I have no clue… this the hardest part to translate and I’ve already asked help from someone who could read Chinese, and this is the translation .
[11] He was saying that the soldier were frogs at the bottom of a well .