葉問 ：處世樹為模本固任從枝葉動； 立身錢作樣內方還要 外邊圓。

詠春一代宗師 葉問：
    處世樹為模本固任從枝葉動；
        立身錢作樣內方還要外邊圓。

Couplet by Ip Man (Ye Wen), 
Wing Chun Grandmaster
-- Translated by Frank C Yue 
Living in this secular world, take as your model Fine Trees;
With strong and deep roots, let the branches and leaves sway with the breeze.

The shape of an Old Coin, one's attitude in life should follow --
The outside edge should be round, and the inside, square and hollow.  

[人行弓時 我行弦！] [來留去送  甩手直衝！] 
[應打則打  不應打則不打  不可打毋強打！]    -- 詠春拳術語。

如柳樹之鬆柔，詠春入門功法：
肌肉力量鬆柔，勿與強敵硬碰！雙手雙臂在中軸缐上下移動，聚合全身整勁，身手眼法步協調一致；順應對手之力流，轉腰改變力流，通過雙腳導入地下，同時順勢借力反擊！詠春一代宗師 葉問 之對聯："處世樹為模本固任從枝葉動；立身錢作樣內方還要外邊圓"。樹應是指柳樹吧。
        
"天圓地方"  作何解？ 
西漢 <周髀算經> 蓋天論：［天圓如張蓋，地方如棋局。］
用之於武術則為：身意發剛直，圓弧渡方勁，四両撥千斤，導力迴來者。柔順制剛直，剛柔必互濟。新進師兄師姊 務須參悟其中 陰陽動靜，剛柔虛實 等相互關係，如何在實戰中發揮得淋漓盡致！共勉之！

<. .. Your blog quotes 葉問 saying. I learned some 詠春 from one of his students during my 6 months at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, but failed to follow through. As I understand, this saying can also apply to the movements of 詠春, where the body (trunk) and lower limbs (roots) are most important, the bases for all the upper limbs maneuver. The strength comes strong from the body and legs while the arms try to go circular movement to follow and take advantage of the opponent's movement (內方還要外邊圓). 方 can mean square, straight, solid;  圓 can mean circular, smooth, or fluid (flow like water - and water is "stronger" than any solid because it can wear away an sharp or bulky rock).

---

Fu7
2013.08.30 >
Bravo! you're right,  Dr. Fu7 (old chum)!

 
this may well be Ip Man's intention behind writing the couplet and a seasoned martial arts practitioner would naturally read more deeply into it.
 
(as a Wing Chun student myself, I should know and you could be a skilful Wing Chun
warrior by now had you put your body and mind into it!)   but right now, i'm just
unable to render the ideas into English verse. (see you on Nov. 10 at the 50th anniversary dinner and hopefully i'll ask you then for your opinion on a possible draft rendition in this regard.)