Xiang Kairan wrote of a similar difference between jin 勁 and mere brute strength as li 力, in
his 1912 manual “Martial Arts” [Quanshu 拳術], often credited as one of the earliest instructional texts
to bring methods of the Chinese martial arts to the public:
That which is located between the shoulders and back is li. That which can spread throughout the four limbs is jin.
For use in martial arts, the emphasis is not on li but on jin. Jin cannot be wielded for long. Yet when one is capable,
it can be used without exhaustion. Although li can endure, it cannot traverse the four limbs, and is not suitable for
combat. For instance, a farmer carrying a heavy load and walking uncovered in the sun can do so without fatigue,
and has great strength and stamina. Yet, when using his hands to hit an object, his force may be weak. Martial arts
practitioners may mostly not possess such strength to carry burdens. Yet when in combat, he can throw his
opponent a fair distance. This is the difference between li and jin.
https://escholarship.org/content/qt6r34f83d/qt6r34f83d.pdf?t=otc14o&v=lg
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