Classic 2: Taiji Quan Canon (Taiji Quan Lun)
Taiji (Supreme Limit),
Is born of Wuji (Limitless).
It produces both movement and immobility.
It is the mother of Yin and Yang.
As soon as there is movement, there is separation.
As soon as there is immobility, there is unity.

There is nothing exaggerated, nothing lacking.
Sui (follow) by bending then straightening,

When the opponent is hard and stiff and I am flexible and soft, this is called Zou (mobility);
When I'm smooth and the opponent isn't, it's called Nian (adherence);
If the opponent's actions are lively, then my response is lively.
If his actions are slow, I Sui (follow) them slowly.
Although there are 10,000 transformations,
The principles remain the same.

Through practice and familiarity (Zhao Shu), we gradually come to understand Jin (trained force).
From an understanding of Jin, we can achieve enlightenment (Shen Ming),

However, one must apply oneself over a long period of time,
And you can't become an expert instantly.
Forcefully empty the back of the neck and the top of the head,
Qi (vital energy) sinks into the Dan Tian (vital heat region).
Don't lean to either side, forwards or backwards,
Suddenly conceal, suddenly reveal,

When the left feels heavy, empty the left,
When the right feels heavy, then move the right away,
When the opponent looks up, I'm even higher;
When he looks down, I'm even lower.
When he advances, the distance seems incomparably long,

When he retreats, the distance seems incomparably short.

A feather cannot be added,
A fly cannot land,
No one knows me,
Only I know them,
A hero thus becomes invincible.

Other martial arts schools are so numerous
Though they have external differences,
Without exception, they amount to nothing more than the strong tyrannizing the weak;
The slow capitulating to the fast;
The powerful beating the powerless;
Slow hands surrendering to fast hands.
This is entirely due to innate natural ability (Anterior Heaven)

This is not at all related to learning the skillful use of Li (strength.)
About the phrase "Four taels (the Chinese gram) moves a thousand catties (the Chinese kilo)".
It's obvious that you don't use force to gain an advantage.

When we observe an old man of eighty resist the onslaught of a group of people,
How can this be due to speed?
Stand like a balanced scale,
Move like a wheel.
Push the weight to one side then Sui (follow),
With double heaviness, there's a hindrance.

We often see people who have practised their skills for years,
But still can't change or turn.
This leads to being entirely set on others.
They are unaware of their disease of double heaviness.
If we wish to free ourselves from this disease,
One must know Yin and Yang.

When Nian (adherence) is simply Zou (mobility),
When Zou is simply Nian,
When Yin does not deviate from Yang,
When Yang does not deviate from Yin,
When Yin and Yang help each other,

Then we can say we understand Jin (trained force).
After understanding Jin,
The more we train, the more expert we become.
Silently memorize, study and imitate.
Gradually you reach the point where you can do anything,

In the beginning, it was a matter of abandoning yourself to follow your opponent,
Many mistakes are made by forsaking what is near to seek what is far.
It is said: "One minute of divergence leads to an error of a thousand Li (Chinese kilometer)".
The student must exercise his critical sense with care.

This text is often attributed to Wang Zong-yue, a martial artist and active scholar of the late 18th century.