Your favorite Book? (zen buddism, kungfu related)

[mossman]

What's a book that you could recommend to me that I might want to buy? I'm looking for something on zen buddism, buddism, kung fu life, kungfu related really. I don't have any books on this subject. What would you recommend? Thanks

[SPJ]

There are many books in Zen in English.

For a beginner,

Teachings of Zen.

translated by Thomas Cleary.

Check it out in the book store.

[SPJ]

Kung Fu books, there are too many.

For a beginner, you may brief thru mags and some websites for intros.

Once you like a style, then you narrow down your search.

San Da is fighting in the ring.

Wushu is forms in the Gym.

Traditional CMA are classical trainings, doing the old way but with newer props and techs.

After that, find a school with a good reference.

Best of luck.

[SPJ]

My favorite books on Kung Fu,

Sun Tzu Bin Fa.

De Dao Jing.

Zhou Yi.

[David Jamieson]

for Ch'an(zen)

Check out the reems of articles at www.hsuyun.org

may as well get some free stuff before you buy something.
They have an entire book for download on zen and the martial arts that ain't half bad as well as numerous articles etc etc.

For kungfu books:

Hung Gar manuals in english http://www.kungfulibrary.com
all 3 of Lam Sai Wing's books. I think you can get his training manual as well.

All the wing chun books in chinese and english by Lam Wing Kit.

Buck Sam Kongs Tiger/Crane manual is pretty good.

Kwong Wing Lam's book Sil Lum#7 the plum flower fist is actually a really good little primer on kungfu and a good manual on this particular form.

For a pretty huge list of books on Chinese martial arts that covers over 200 titles in English and Chinese, Click Here

To get any of those just send an email to the address on the page.

Also, in fairness to this forum and the magazine, check these out
http://www.martialartsmart.net/chinesebooks.html

That's enough material to keep ya reading for a good long while.

[Brad]

I think Kungfu Elements by Liang Shou Yu is a good book for a beginer. Gives basic conditioning and streatching exercises, a modern wushu form(wu bu quan), a traditional wushu form(liu he quan), san shou techniques, qigong info, Chinese terminology, and an excellent golasary with many photos describing many different styles.

[jun_erh]

I like "108 movements of the shaolin wooden men hall". It was sort of re-organized and interpretted (apparently the author was nly semi litereate and had written it largely for memory and stuff not publicatin) It's just very old shaolin fighting techniques (108 of them!) no forms. Theres no real discussion of what wooden men have to do with anything but I guess that's where you practice the techniques or something. It comes in 2 parts and is very cheap.

[cerebus]

"Zen in the Martial Arts" by Joe Hyams

"Moving Zen" by C. W. Nicol

"Way of the Peaceful Warrior" by Dan Millman

"Iron & Silk" by Mark Salzman

[Meat Shake]

Oh man... Anything by Thich Nhat Hanh is wonderful.

[Ming Yue]

I'm currently reading "The Sword Polisher's Record" and listening to Dan Millman's "Mind Body Mastery" on CD in the car.

next up is Wally Jay's "small circle Jiujitsu"

[SPJ]

For serious Chan and Shaolin Kung Fu study;

You go to the source.

Here is a link;

Xiao Hong

[SPJ]

Little red boxing.

This is the beginner set or form for many people including MOI.

[Shooter]

Zen Flesh - Zen Bones

[Shaolinlueb]

by Yang jwing ming (sp?) the northern longfist book he has. i think that is a great book.

[cerebus]

That's a good book, but as with his Tai Chi book, I keep wondering what's with the collapsed knee & ankle and the locked knees in his stances?

Very bad for the health of one's knees, and a BIG error in any art.