The Five Fists Supreme Formula Song

Shaolin's Five Fists embody the five forms, drawing their meaning from nature; They meld old methods into five new forms, the essence of one hundred and seventy-three techniques; Their profound principles endure through the ages, with masters past and present following the autumn moon; The fist travels in a straight line, keeping to the school's traditions, while hand techniques form the basis of Southern Boxing; Seek stillness in motion, yet stillness never ceases; intention and breath press against each other to generate lateral force; Hardness holds softness, and softness carries hardness; turning softness into hardness is the highest mastery; The real contains the unreal, and the unreal turns real; only by placing the unreal within the real can one transcend; Quiet the heart and calm the breath, and grasp the principles beyond the forms; Chan and boxing become one, earning the name Shaolin; Once the right side is trained, move on to the left; mastering both sides is how one becomes formidable; The hand strikes like the wind, leaving no trace to follow; a finger or half a step can decide victory or defeat; The whole body can serve as a fist: fingers come first, palms second, and fists last; With a solitary heart, endure hardship day after day; when skill becomes wondrous, technique itself becomes divine.