History, Lineages, Fighting Theory, Combat Applications, anything.
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History, Lineages, Fighting Theory, Combat Applications, anything.
Hey 8 Sweaty Palms,
Here's my list:
* Baguazhang: Emei Baguazhang - Theory and Applications by Master Liang Shou-Yu, Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, and Mr. Wu, Wen-Ching
* Ba Gua by John Bracy and Liu Xing-Han
* Baguazhang: Fighting Secrets of the Eight Trigram Palms by Erle Montaigue
* Walking Meditation: Pakua - the Martial Art of the I Ching by Paul Crompton
* The Fundamentals of Pa Kua Chang: The Method of Lu Shui-T'ien as Taught by Park, Bok-Nam, Volumes I & II
These are my favorite English books on the subject. The others available are "iffy" at best. My usual caveat applies here. Namely, IMO, there are NO really great books which appropriately and understandably depict the fighting applications of the art of Baguazhang. You still have to pretty much see it performed to understand what it can do
Mr Smiths original 1967 text, the first in a language other than chinese. While he only demonstrates the Linear sets, there is a section on proper training written by Guo Feng Chi, his teacher. The information in those short chapters is invaluable.
I was going to suggest the Smith book, but you'll be hard-pressed to find the 1967 edition today - I paid about $50 for my copy on e-bay. Anyway, just a fair piece of warning, the current edition of the Smith book, cowritten with Pittman, is pretty much useless. I don't know why they changed it from the original edition, but the changes were all for the worst!
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The way of the samurai is in desperateness. Ten men or more cannot kill such a man. Common sense will not accomplish great things. Simply become insane and desperate. - Hagakure
Well, the Pittman edition isn't as valuable to me, I would have to agree. As for why it was updated.... I don't think it supercedes the original, but was meant to be a Volume 2. It was a result of Pittman having gone to Taiwan and studied with Hung I Mien and Wang Shu Chin. It isn't the same style of Ba Gua as what Smith had covered in the original.
I paid about 35 for mine, and I also got a copy of the Smith-Chen Man Ching Taiji book. All I need now is the original Yuan Dao Hsing I book that he wrote. It will be mine..oh yes...it will be mine... : )
Joeseph Crandall has translated about a dozen EXCELLENT Ba Gua and Hsing I texts. They are all with the original illustrations.
Look for them at www.plumflower.com
Here are some of my favorites:
Smith's original Pa Kua. Great book, too bad its out of print. The original Hsing I one is great too. Also Chinese Boxing for an overview.
Kumar Frantzis Power of Internal Martial arts. Lots of thought provoking ideas, and descriptions of influential boxers.
Johnny Kwong Ming Lees Dragon Pa Kua book has cool applications.
Sun Xi Kun's book that Joseph Crandall translated was good, with lots of interesting theory, and some good pictures.
Eight Diagram Palm by Li Zi Ming trans. Dr. Vince Black has one of the best collections of the Baguazhang classics I've ever seen. Hard to understand though.
Lo De Xius tapes are the best.
Pa Kua Chang Journal. Find every issue, beg, borrow or steal. Its worth it.
-Jess