Health Practices

Martial arts as a health practice: despite popular advertising, martial history shows a varied picture. There were quite a number of styles that , over the long time, were not conducive to health at all (unless of course we count survival as a definite health benefit). On the other hand there have been many great discoveries and methods—proven amazingly beneficial—developed through the long experimental history of the art . Now, due to political and cultural reasons, many folk remedies from China are almost exclusively known in the martial sphere. You sit on an cracked, wobbly stool with the odor of the recently opened linement so strong your eyes are watering and your teacher (or somebody's) is alternately rubbing Hit Medicine into your purple bruise and taking long drags on his ever-present cigarette. There's a lot of yelling as he calls his lunch preferences to a habitually unimpressed wife and you remember...

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#EHS99 Chinese Medicinal Tea
Zong Xiao Fan and Gary Liscum
311 pages, softbound, some woodblocks US $24.95 Plum price $22.45

This is a compendium of simple and easy to make Chinese herbal tea remedies. Most of these have only three or four ingredients and only need to steep in boiling water. These home remedies, tested throughout time, cover a whole spectrum of ailments including respiratory, liver and kidney, dermatological, gastrointestinal and many other complaints. We've used  teas like this in our daily lives and consider them a boon to any household.

See a review of this text

#ECK64 Chinese Medicinal Wines and Elixers
Bob Flaws
216 pages, softbound, no illustrations US $22.95

Bob Flaws, a VERY well-known writer and Chinese medical practitioner from the old school, gives over 200 formulas for authentic medicinal wines. As in all of his books, Flaws records both the Chinese and Latin name for each ingredient. Among the specific sections covered we have: Stretching Sinews and Bones; Fortifying Spleen and Harmonizing the Stomach; Women's Diseases; External Injuries and others. Most alchohol-based wines can have from one to ten herbs and age for about a month prior to use.

NOTE: This is a new REVISED edition with up to date medical identifications, easier ingredients lists, explanatory footnotes and more. Bob Laws began his study of acpuncture in 1977. He is a well known figure in not only the Chinese medicine but also, due to his publications interests, in the martial arts world.

#ECK70 Secret Shaolin Formulas
for the treatment of External Injury
Transmitted by Patriarch De Chan,
translated by Zhang Ting-Liang & Bob Flaws
152 pages, softbound $19.95 PLUM price $17.95

This book contains hundreds of authentic herbal formulae for external injuries. It was compiled by De Chan (form whom, by the by, we personally learned the Shaolin Ba Duan Jin from years ago). These records from the Shaolin Temple itself cover such martially specific injuries as perscriptions for injuries such as "Neck Hit by Halberd" and "Injury to Bone Due to Poisonous Arrow". Plasters are also given. This book shows real formulae and therefore not necessarily with easily obtained herbs. Perscriptions are in Pinyin and Latin. Topics include Medicinal Wines, Dim Mak injuries, Fall and Strike injuries and more. No illustrations.

#ECK71 Chi Gong
The Ancient Chinese Way to Health
by Paul Dong and Aristide H. Esser
212 pages, illustrations and photos, softbound $14.95

Paul Dong's former book Empty Force (see below) is a well known (and some would say notorious) treatment of Chi Gong's esoteric and definitely controversial methods such as projecting energy through space. Dong covers many aspects as the Table of Contents will attest:

• How Chi Gong works on cancer
• Empty Force - the Mystery of Chi
• The Magic Palm and the One Finger Art
• How to perform Chi Gong
• What is Chi Gong

We believe that Mr. Dong believes. We also think that if you are really interested in the subject this is a book you should read. For those who are already convinced, Dong will be speaking their language. To those who may believe that here is a real subject for real exploration, Dong will probably seem to have already capitulated too easily. Skepticism and cynicism are often differentiated by the slightest shade of coloring. There is much in the realm of Chi Gong which we have seen with our own eyes and felt with a thorough conviction. There is also a plentitude of silliness and quackery. All in all the subject itself bears scrutiny and, we believe, rewards time spent. Chi Gong has a solid grounding, for instance, in martial practice. It's how far you can go with it that's the sticking point.

#ECK73 Empty Force:
The Power of Chi for Self-Defense and Energy Healing
Paul Dong and Thomas Raffill
179 pages illustrated $16.95 PLUM price US $13.95

"Empty Force, or Ling Kong Jing, is an extraordinary technique that harnesses the power of chi (the body's vital energy), enabling masters of the art to defend themselves against opponents and heal themselves and others without physical contact. Through the practice of this method, one gains mastery of the mind and spirit and gives rise to a physical force that can affect others—a powerful maifestation of the achievement of harmony wth nature. "

There is little doubt that Empty Force is the most controversial of topics from the area of Kung Fu and Chi Kung. This is a reissue of one of the first books written in English on the subject.

• The Mystery of Chi
• The Empty Force
• The Empty Force Masters
• The Great Debate
• Martial Arts, Tai Chi and Chi Kung
• The Healing Power
• A "How-To" Guide to the Empty Force
• The Students Speak

#ECK74 Keep-Fit Self-Massage
Li Ye Pu & Bai Hao Man
185 pages, softbound, photographs and illustrations, oversized, US $14.95

There are quite a few books like this which show Chinese massage techniques coupled with acupuncture points. The essential advantages of this text combine simplicity, an organized and simple introduction to massage and a limited number of points. Once that's established the book lists many complaints treated through applications of the stated points and methods. For instance we see in the Table of Contents such complaints as: stiff neck, constipation, diabetes, arthritis, insomnia, bronchitis, Raynaud's disease and many others. A little massage practice, on oneself or others, would be of help.

#ECK75 6 Healing Movements
Master Gin Foon Mark
80 pages, softbound, photographs and illustrations, oversized, US $14.95

Gin Foon Mark has been around for a long time. A master of Southern Mantis, a student in temples since his childhood, an inheritor of a fine martial lineage: he is well chosen to write a book like this. This is a significant text because the Six Healing sounds are famous and well documented in Chinese history. In this case we have the benefit of Mark having studied directly from Ma Lai Tong, the developer of this version of the sound Qigong and a famous Qigong expert. This book covers many topics such as tongue position, basic postures, exercises for separate organs, circulating qi on the microcosmic orbit and more. Thin but packed with information.

#ECK82 The Way of Qigong
Kenneth S. Cohen
428 pages, softbound, US $16.95

If, by chance, you actually want to sound like you know anything about the subject of Qigong, you should immediately go out and buy this book. Kenneth S. Cohen is a scholar, and from personal experience, a gentleman. He has also written what must be a source book for every practitioner. He calls this "The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing" and he's afraid of neither. He has garnered a ton of scientific work while clearly and patiently explaining the essence of Qigong. Do we agree with everything? Two martial artists, three opinions as they say. But for integrity, honesty, thoughtfulness and just plain work, this jumps to the list of essential volumes. You think we're positive about this book? Wait till you read the review. Buy the book and buy it at full price and support someone who is actually doing some significant work in the field.

#ECK85 A Tooth from the Tiger's Mouth
Tom Bisio
240 pages, softbound, US $13.95

This new book is not exactly a Qigong text. It does talk about the many interesting and useful aspects of martial arts as related to general health and particularized Chinese medicine. It covers diet, poultices and plasters, moxibustion and other treatments for the vicissitudes inevitable in life and martial practice. A lot of folk medicine here and one of the first books where the Western knowledge of medicine and the Eastern approach are casually and easily married. This is an authentic branch of Chinese medicine roughly equivalent to "sports medicine" only centuries older and in some cases more effective. It has been associated with Kung Fu practice for millennia.
See a review of this text.

#ECK96 Secrets of Chinese Meditation
Charles Luk (Lu KuanYu)
240 pages, softbound, US $14.95

This is a classic text that presents a rare opportunity: a chance to study the ancient and original sources which are the basis for most contemporary texts on consciousness development. This concise volume is a presentation of different methods of meditation as practiced in China, including extracts from ancient and modern classics as well as detailed suggestions for practice. It includes: 25 basic meditation methods from the Surangama Sutra A series of practical instructions by ancient and modern Ch'an masters for controlling the mind. Detailed suggestions for practicing the vital T'ien T'ai systems for calming the mind
...and more.

This unique book will familiarize practitioners and martial artists with basic concepts of the human body, as defined by both Western and Eastern Medical traditions. Written in a clear, concise style, this beautiful and informative text presents information previously unavailable in a single source.

• Over 133 line drawings and 60 photos in color and B/W
  
• Twenty essential self-massage and revival techniques
  
• Detailed principles of pressure point fighting
• Comprehensive listing of pressure points in English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean along with translations of the names

This is a long-overdue text that is very nicely and clearly illustrated and perfect resource for martial artists interested in point location from both a healing and martial perspective. We would show you a picture of the inside but all it is is a series of extremely comprehensive lists of point correspondences. Definitely a good reference volume.