Good tai chi books

[jackiech]

Would you tell me good beginners tai chi books?

[Kevin Wallbridge]

When we come with enthusiasm and interest to the internal arts we often search out textual information to expand our understanding of the new field we are entering. However, the nature of the internal arts is that the intellectual side of it really requires an experiential context of prior training. The mental study of Taijiquan really needs to based in the prior experience of the training and the body.

What I mean by all of this is that a good book for beginners can't really exist as beginners don't have the experience to make reading about the art a useful activity. The difficulties of linking textual marterial to the practice does not actually ease much as you advance. Frankly there are few Taijiquan books of any value to experts either.

That being said, there are some translations of classic writings that can be interesting to ponder and may yield useful fruit. Professor Douglas Wile has a couple of translations of Taijiquan classics that I've read (Tai-Chi Touchstones, Lost Tai-Chi Classics of the Late Ch'ing Dynasty). I'm sure others may have some suggestions as well.

Our modern world is so full of stimulation for the intellect that we need to reign it in and go deeply into the body to grasp the internal arts. Keep in mind that embodied consciousness is an ideal in these pursuits, not a clever mind teaching tricks to a stupid body. The mind is fast and full of guile but not wise by nature, the body is slow and wise but not clever. Bring the mind down to the speed of the body to inspire wisdom above and imbed cleverness below. We do this through endless practice, practice, practice, practice, practice...

"The heart of the study of boxing is to have natural instinct resemble the dragon" Wang Xiangzai

[taijiquan_student]

Douglas Wile's translations, Yang Family Secret Transmissions is a great aid to training, and is very useful. It has photos of chengfu's form, with applications/principles described for each movement stemming from Ban-hou's lineage. The book has many shorter pieces, classics, principles, etc. It is awesome, and has been key to my developement in certain areas. However, of course, good practice is the real key.
Hope this has helped you in some way,
--T.S.

[dedalus]

This is a bit of an od one, but how about the Tao Te Ching? The Steven Mitchell translation has always been a favourite of mine, and learning taiji really opened up its concepts and vice-versa.

[Rockwood]

You might want to check out the Taiji Classics, a bunch of old poems about Taiji that almost all the styles use in one version or another.

"Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan" by Fu Zhongwen
"Essence of Taijiquan" by Benjamin Lo

both have translations.

-Jess

[SPJ]

There are so many books on Tai Chi.

It is very difficult to pick and choose.

My favorite ones include:

Ma Hong on Chen Fa Ke-> Chen Zhao Kui (http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/SPJ/chentc.jpg)

Master Wang Pei Sheng on Wu Tai Chi (http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/SPJ/wutc.jpg)

What are yours?

:D

[imperialtaichi]

Chinese translation of the 3 parts of Yagyu Munenori, the

Killing Sword
Living Sword
and
No Sword

Basically he talked about warfare and how to use the Japanese sword, but the concept is so similar to methods described in the Tai Chi Classics but less poetic and a lot clearer.

Unfortunately, although the English translations are readily available, I find them a bit harder to understand, because certain concepts and connotations cannot be directly translated.

I suspect the origional Japanese version is even better, but I can't read Japanese. :-)

Cheers,
John

[Brad]

I like Liang Shou Yu's book on the standardized 24 and 48 movement forms, and Dr. Yang's Taiji Chin Na book. I tend to prefer books that focus mostly on the physical skills and exercises.

[SPJ]

Ma Hong's book has Chen Tai Ji Yi Lu and Er Lu with pictures of the moves. There are also apps and theories. It is very good reference book.

Master Wang's book has Wu style 37 forms with apps. There are his interpretations of classics and theories. The moves are in drawing.

There are more books. And every year, there are always new books coming out.

Tai Chi is probably the most written subject in CMA in Chinese media.

:cool:

[cbishop]

chen pan ling's taiji chuan textbook.

alot of thought and detail about every single movement.
excellant resource if you already know the form, or are looking
for variation on grasping the bird's tail. very combat oriented.

everyone i've ever heard comment on it said it reminded them
of a textbook from highschool or college.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0966024036/qid=1124381928/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-0746500-6843134?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[looking_up]

http://www.chentaiji.com/books/books.html

[Junglist Cat]

This book by Dr "Jimmy" Yang is great, Half of it is theory and the ancient poems, the other half has three compleet forms with a bunch or applications. Granted, books are nothing compared to a masters live instruction, however I find great importance in this book as well. I have a JuiJitsu book that claims to go over every basic move and I like to flip threw it and brainstorm how the BJJ moves are also secret chin na apps. from the bagua styles. The move lion rools the ball and green dragon turns its head have so many chin na apps. Its a great book though. As far as Tai Chi I like the Tai Chi Chin Na, also by YMMA books.

[stonecrusher69]

I enjoys a little book i read by(I hope I spell it right)master waysun Liao The essence of Tai Chi.

[Cimaroon]

Books on terms, theories and applications? So many to wade thru, suggetions?

[Bob Ashmore]

The Essence and Applications of Tai Chi Chuan, Yang Cheng Fu.

[DMK]

It varies according to which system you are looking to learn and if you are a beginner or have a background in taiji.Each system have the same principles but a differnt flavor or let say interpretation, but the results????should be the same.Which falls back to how well u understand the principles.

[Buddy]

The BEST of books can only preach to the choir.

[RickMatz]

Books on terms, theories and applications? So many to wade thru, suggetions?

The Wu Family Gold Book (http://www.wustyle.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=52&osCsid=0ba668f32e7327687900ea008036ae82):

[SPJ]

I like Ma Hong books on notes from Chen Fa Ke-> Chen Zhao Kui-> Ma Hong.

I like Wang Xi An books on requirements and apps of Chen Tai Chi Lao Jia.

I also like Wang Pei Sheng books and Wu Tai Chi (northern/beijing as opposed to southern/shanghai).

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/SPJ/chentc.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/SPJ/wutc.jpg

:)

[Three Harmonies]

Tim Cartmell's "Effortless Combat Throws"

[Buddy]

Let me amend that... Jake is right, Tim's book is super!

[chud]

I like Ma Hong books on notes from Chen Fa Ke-> Chen Zhao Kui-> Ma Hong.



Are those published in english? Do you have a link you could share? Thanks.

[SPJ]

Sorry. I am not aware of any English version of the books by Ma Hong.

His books are very good with several apps for a single posture and really make you think a lot.

and it really takes time to digest.

:cool:

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaUP5oabjYo

:)

[JGTevo]

The BEST of books can only preach to the choir.

So then.. what, you mean you or your teacher has absolutely all the knowledge there is to know, on Taichi? :|

Books can always offer new insights, new opinions, training methods, theories, concepts.. they can help newer students understand all of these brand new concepts, and can be an essential reference point for senior students or even Masters.

[GeneChing]

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[GeneChing]

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