Here's a rewrite of an post that I made a long time ago:

Bak Mei has quite a few poems and couplets. Here is one of my favorites.

仙人指點龍蛇鶴
Xian Ren Zhi Dian Long She He
(Immortals instructs the Dragon, Serpent, and Crane)

師傅真傳虎豹形
Shi Fu Zhen Chuan Hu Bao Xing
(Teachers transmits the Tiger and the leopard forms)


Please note that in Chinese, the couplet was written with 7 characters on each phrase. The word "Xing" (forms) on the second phrase seemed to be extra to match up the phrase. It seems redundant.

Personally, I find it adds to the couplet a different dimension. IMHO, it serve 2 purposes. I shall discuss it below.

Let's take them apart:

Immortals: this shows the Daoist origin of the style and implies also the metaphysical facet of the art.

The Five animals:

Dragon is majestic in its "Shen" 神 - the perceptive spirit in the form of vital energy. Let your opponent feel the grandeur of your presence.

Serpent is venomous in its "Xin" 心 heart/mind. Evaluate your opponent, calculate your options and capitalize on his weaknesses. Be deceptive at all times.

Crane is graceful when it is airborn. The dance with its two feet is most beautiful to behold. It is the "Yi" 意 the intent that dominates at will the fight on the ground or during flight.

These three animals show the metaphysical aspects and internal nature of the style.

Tiger is tyranious in its "Li" 力 the strength that ferocity commands your opponent's respect. Pouncing, catching, tearing and dispatch him like Tiger preying on the lost lamb.

Leopard is fierce in its "Shi" 勢 the determination and dispositions. Agressively stalk the prey, stands its ground never retreating and strike terror into the core of your opponent's very being.

The five animals together show the Southern Shaolin connection of Bak Mei. It is of note that Bak Mei is more akin to Jiangxi Liu Men Jiao in its believe system which is Daoist inclined.

Shifu and Xing imply physical aspects and external nature.

Xing also makes up the 7th Character.

The coulpet is than to illustrate that:

1. Metaphysical aspects and internal teachings are "the essence" and are so hard to grasp that only the immortals are capable of instructing the student when he is ready.

2. The physical aspects (power, strength, forms, dispositions, etc.) are the external teachings, which the Shifu can transmit in person. Learning by imitation is the primary steps in the process. Also felines in the wild learn their hunting and fighting skills by play fighting with their parents and siblings. It is no difference in learning Kung Fu.

If we see a performance that seems to have all the power and the right movements but something is amiss, we know that the Shifu has done his best. It is the essence, which is missing. That is up to the student to learn the ultimate truth of the art. He has to find himself in the Kung Fu.

Just sharing some thoughts.

Mantis108