A good story starts In the middle. Karlfried Graf. Durckheim, a German, spent 8 years in Japan before WWII. Years later he wrote a book entitled, HARA: The Vital Center of Man”. The “center” related here is synonymous with the Chinese idea of the Tan Tian (at least conceptually). Since the days when K.G.D. brought his attention to the vital center in question his book has become one of those classics passed from person to person, one book at a time and quite the opposite of the Amazon consensus-nonsensus system. Continue reading Excerpt: Hara, The Vital Center of Man →
Feb
7
2010
7
2010
Feb
6
2010
6
2010
Product: Six Harmony Spear Shaolin style
Another offering in our English/Chinese VCD series. This is a two person version of the Shaolin Six Harmony Spear. Fast and changeable, strictly traditional…
Feb
5
2010
5
2010
Event: San Jose Wing Chun Seminar!
February 27th and 28th Master Sam Hing Fai Chan is holding a two-day seminar on the Ip Man Wing Chun system. An expert in Wing Chun and Jow Gar, teacher Chan’s martial DVDs are offered here on PLUM. To find out more about the details of the seminar click here.
Feb
5
2010
5
2010
KUN LUN style (Kun Lun Pai)
The Kun Lun Mountain range is shrouded in mist and mystery. In the worlds of Martial Arts and Taoism it is seen as a sacred place with a deep history. Continue reading KUN LUN style (Kun Lun Pai) →
Feb
4
2010
4
2010
Product: Rainbow Cloud Palm
An unusual Wu Dang form with very fluid movements. Kung Fu meets Tai Chi.
Feb
2
2010
2
2010
Outside Looking In: How to choose an application
This is one of the most common questions I am asked: When you are doing Taiji, how do you decide which application to do?
The simple answer is, “You don’t. Your opponent does.” Continue reading Outside Looking In: How to choose an application →
Jan
30
2010
30
2010
Product: Gong Li Quan (Flowing Strength)
This is a version of one of the most famous beginner’s forms: Gong Li Quan. This form is also simple, basic and contained within a small area. Other than that the resemblance ends. A great form for a small or crowded class area which still retains its Long and Short Fist character.
Jan
29
2010
29
2010
Product: Ching Wu (softbound edition)
This has been one of our most popular “memorial” editions. Coming from our colleagues, Lion Books, this special editon outlines the background of the most successful and famous of world Kung Fu organizations, the Ching Wu (Jin Wu). Incredible as it is to believe, this was the first open training hall that offered a variety of instructors and styles. To accomplish this, yet keep a basic standard, they developed a famous curriculum based on ten forms from which you could study just about any style offered and make progress, a new concept at the time. We formerly offered exactly the same book in a red, special hardback edition but now Lion Books only offers this softback but on better paper and for a savings of about 1/3 less. Many great old pictures.
Jan
28
2010
28
2010
Restock: Tsai Mok (Choi Mok) Kuen
Great news!
We have been able to get some more copies of this excellent text on the Southern style of 
Choi Mok Kuen. Our last batch went very fast, so we were pleased to find a new stash of these. We also have the chinese version of this text, for all of you who are using bilingual editions to improve your learning of Chinese. If you buy both copies, there is a 30% discount on the Chinese version.
Jan
28
2010
28
2010
Product: Yang Taiji Spear
Here is a great price for a lot of skilled information. This is the Yang style Tai Chi spear by teacher Wang Dian Zhen. Not only does he demonstrate a nicely balanced and traditional spear form, but he starts this VCD (Video Compact Disk) with an excellent demonstration of the Yang Spears “13 Powers”. It’s all in Chinese but, if you have some knowledge already, it’s pretty clear stuff…
Jan
27
2010
27
2010
Product: Wu style with 5th Generation Inheritor
Wu Guang Yu’s great grandfather was the inestimable Wu Chian Chuan. His gradfather was Wu Kong Yi. And what more do you want as far as authority goes? We’ve already posted his recent wheelchair form and now here’s the rest of the style presentation including the formidable Wu style Sword and some good Push Hands training.
Jan
26
2010
26
2010
Training Like Long Arm
“Training the limbs is easy. Training the body is difficult.”
Old Kung Fu saying.
It’s too bad. Kung Fu has a few big problems coming from centuries of “hiding” its own information. One of these difficulties lies in the relation of training the body and the four limbs. Continue reading Training Like Long Arm →
Jan
26
2010
26
2010
Product: Special Reprint by Liu De Kuan
A new Lion Book Reprint of a text by the famous master, Liu De Kuan, showing one of the rarest of Chinese Kung Fu weapons, the Fang Tian. Also some of the rawest illustrations we’ve see yet…
Jan
25
2010
25
2010
Tan Tui – Spring Leg Boxing
The Tan Tan Tan Tui 彈 潭 譚 腿
Tan Tui’s history is long and unsubstantiated. Most versions of its orgination are represented here from various writings and translations. Much of the speculation focuses on the word Tan itself which can have a number of interpretations … Continue reading Tan Tui – Spring Leg Boxing →
Jan
24
2010
24
2010
Sale Time: Tail of the Ox
They often say that the ‘tail’ of the animal whose year is ending can bring around some surprises as it swishes its way out and makes room for the new year. And,while I think many of us are happy to see the back end of this Ox Year as it leaves, it might be prudent to prepare for one or two more swipes.
What better style to use than Bagua, whose multi-dimensional aspects will keep a circular eye on those surprise ‘tail flicks’? Check out our new, tricked-out sidebar with five specials, good until the last tail twitch (that would be about Feb 14)
Jan
24
2010
24
2010
Product: Chen Taiji Short Whip-Stick
Jiang Jian Ye returns to our page with an in-depth breakdown on the Taiji short stick. This is a three DVD series so there’s a definite price commitment for those interested in this form created by an in-door disciple of Chen Fa Ke, namely Hong Jun Shen.
Jan
22
2010
22
2010
Product: Jian Shu (Sword Art) Book/DVD now available
En guarde! The new book/DVD set from Sifu Jason Tsou has just landed at Plum.
We have long trained in Chinese fencing and are delighted to see, not only increasing interest, but books like this coming up to meet it. Once again, we applaud Sifu Tsou demonstrating such a creative and exploratory attitude, informed by foundational instruction. And this new book by he and Art Schonfeld permanently expands the canon of sword literature.
Click the picture above to take you to the selling page for this new work. And a 10% discount until the Tiger Year begins (that’s Feb 14th!)
Jan
21
2010
21
2010
Restock: Dragon Style Kung Fu Book
This little edition, which we get in when we can because there is only the original editon floating around out there, is a continual favorite. Produced in a very popular time for Kung Fu it has both English and Chinese instructions on a nice Dragon style form. Short, easy to learn and, best of all, back in stock…
Jan
20
2010
20
2010
Daoist Naming Conventions: Hidden Meaning in Movement Names, Part 3
Section III:
Internal Medicine
One of the main areas of study in Daoism is health and longevity. The Daoists have developed quite a collection of tools in this area.
Above is a picture of the Neijingtu, or “Internal Classic Diagram.” On the surface, we see a stylized map of a mountain range. If you look closely, you will see a map of the human body (the mountains represent the spine). This diagram very cleverly hides the secrets of Daoist internal practices. Continue reading Daoist Naming Conventions: Hidden Meaning in Movement Names, Part 3 →
Jan
20
2010
20
2010
Product: Contemporary Long Fist
Even though it was filmed in the South of China, this young man’s Contemporary performance is distinguished with verve and authority. Applications of Long Fist are show as well as multiple views of this dynamic form.
Jan
19
2010
19
2010
Jan
19
2010
19
2010
Product: Tony Yang teaches Baji Quan
If you’ve ever seen high quality Baji Quan it is an unforgettable experience. When we first learned it in 1970 there was little of it indeed and everyone who saw it thought it was Xing Yi. Here is a Double DVD, nicely made in additon to chock full of information, on the Eight Ultimates Boxing praised by the Chien Lung Emperor himself.
Jan
18
2010
18
2010
The White Belt Mind
The young boy orphaned by bandits goes to the samurai and kneels before him.
“Please, master, I want to learn the art of the sword. How long will it take me to acquire the technique?”
“Ten years!” barks the crotchety master. Continue reading The White Belt Mind →
Jan
16
2010
16
2010
Product: Four Hammering Boxing
We’ve been getting in a number of nice sets in a special VCD/Dual Language editons. These are Video Compact Disks (a step under DVDs) and priced accordingly but they also have English subtitles. This is an unusual set famous across a large area of China and seemingly a combination of Xing Yi and Pigua, if you can imagine…
Jan
15
2010
15
2010
Jan
14
2010
14
2010
Daoist Naming Conventions: Part 2
Hidden Meaning in Movement Names:
Animal Styles
Just like Shàolín, the Daoist martial arts have animal styles. They tend to be much less imitative than Shàolín arts, and these days you won’t see many specific animal forms. You will find many movements with animals in them; especially white animals. The white animals seem to originate in the Kunlun? mountains, between China and Tibet. Continue reading Daoist Naming Conventions: Part 2 →
Jan
14
2010
14
2010
Restock: Baji and Pigua
We re-stock two of the fullest and clearest books on the twin arts of Baji Quan (Eight Ultimates Boxing) and Pigua (Split Deflect) Zhang. Nice illustrations, clean type, generally good references to these famous style from Cang County.
Jan
12
2010
12
2010
Mok Gar style Kung Fu
The Mok Gar (Mo Family: Mandarin) style is said to have originated with Monk Mo Ta Shi as an inheritance of the Southern Shaolin Fist. Legend has it that Mo was a midget and highly skilled. It gained fame three generations later, in the Qing Dynasty, with Mo Qing Chiu (also known as Mo Ta Chang) who learned supposedly from a famous kicker, Choy Kao Yi. Mo’s reputation was so high after defeating many other boxers that the style, formerly known as Southern Shaolin Quan, was renamed for the Mo family (Mok Gar). Continue reading Mok Gar style Kung Fu →
Jan
10
2010
10
2010
Product: More Shaolin Gold
We continue to fill in our new series of “forms” with a well-known Shaolin Seven Star Fist and a Heaven/Earth Ghost Head saber form that is short and sweet.
Jan
9
2010
9
2010
Tangs and Secret Societies -1
What exactly is a Tang? To some people it calls up images of a hatchet man hiding in a doorway, dull metal head ax just tucked under his white cuffed sleeve. Others consider it the Chinese Mafia (without knowing that there might be legendary connections…) Continue reading Tangs and Secret Societies -1 →
Complete Jian Shu