Various Styles of T'ai Chi Chuan

T'ai Chi has become such a popular martial practice that, naturally, it has developed into a host of variations. Some of these other styles, though not so popular and well known as, say, the Chen or Yang branches have great interest and beauty of their own. And sometimes it's not the style at all but the teacher which fate has chosen for you that determines which branch of this huge art to study.

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#ETC93 SUN'S Style Tai Chi Chuan       
by Sun Jian Yun and Paul F. N. Tam
translated by Peter Chen and Leung Ming Yuen
141 pages, softbound, photographs front pieces in color
US $24.95

Some books are nothing less than essential. For the Sun style enthusiast this is a keystone written by the famous instructor's own daughter who practiced for over 70 years. Well written in a generally good presentation this book discusses the Sun style with its key points, Sun Jian Yun's life, the breakdown of the form with written examples of usage, key points to remember in practice and historical notes. Our only criticism is that the photographs are rather small. On the other hand there are specifics about, for instance, Sun footwork which are very helpful in understanding the fundamentals of this branch.

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#ETC94 TAI CHI CHUAN
Theory and Principles
by Paul F. N. Tamtranslated by Peter Chan & Lee Ying Lok
Softbound, oversized, photographs
US $49.95 each ,

This is an interesting and significant book. Bear with us for a second. This text by Paul Tam comes from a rare branch of Tai Chi associated with our own great grandteacher Gu Ru Zhang. Grandmaster Gu is world famous, always associated with his Northern Shaolin style. There is a photograph of him performing a multiple brick break which has crossed into the legendary category. He was also a compatriot and studen of Sun Lu Tang who taught him Tai Chi. He amalgamted this instruction with Yang style derived from Li Jing Lin, the famous swordsmaster. The version he created is like very old Yang with some Sun and is very relaxed. We have had a number of friends and colleagues in this style, which is even more rare than the Chen Pan Ling form. Now one of the interesting little bits is that mutual friends and acquaintances unconnected with the style have occasionally said that the Tai Chi students from Gu's lineage, though not famous, are among some of the best they have ever seen. But Gu is only rarely associated with the style. This book is oversized and gives a very clear breakdown of the entire Gu set which he called "Sun" style. It also has a very rare seciton of translation from Gu's own Tai Chi writings. Also a biography of both Gu and Sun; some translations from Sun's Tai Chi writings, some from the Classics. There are also notes on Push Hands and a huge lineage chart.

NOTE: This is an oversized book with a beautiful grey and green cover. Unfortunately the green is very subject to scratching and if you order you should be prepared for a less than pristine surface. We are unable to send them back to Hong Kong for minor complaints.

#ETC97 The Essential Movements of T'ai Chi
by John Kotsias
Softbound, illustrated, 167 pages
US $16.95

"John Kotsias is a lingust and professor of mathematics and a passionate martial artist." These are the words of Marshall Ho, respected T'ai Chi teacher on John Kotsias, the author of this book. Having actually READ the book and talked to Mr. Kotsias extensively on the phone we can only concur. His interest in and knowledge of T'ai Chi is impressive. His experience is deep. How do we know and how did we know before meeting the author? The book is so simple, straight forward and fundamental it is the one we most often recommend for either a beginner or someone who is advanced but wants to really learn the basics of such important foundational concepts as standing and turning. An excellent and well structed text.

#ETC95 It's back!Chen Pan-Ling's Original
Tai Chi Chuan Textbook
Chen Pan-Ling, Robert W. Smith, Ann Carruthers (translator), Raye McGwen, Mike Whalen, Y.W. Chang
Paperback, 194 pages
US $38.95, Our special price: $34.95

Chen is considered by many to be one of the finest teachers and historians of Chinese martial arts of his time. This is a fine book, exhaustive in its text and well illustrated with pictures of Chen PanLing himself performing his "integrated" T'ai Chi a style combining the Reeling Silk of Xing Yi with the step patterns of Ba Gua. Probably the best synthesis of the three "internal arts" ever done. Probably the most significant section of the book is that of Chen's commentary on the T'ai Chi classics. Sections include a Chinese glossary and chapters on Push Hands and Da Lu.

Robert Smith has said, in his introduction to the book,
"The styole of tai chi chuan taught here is Chen's synthesis of the three major styles - Yang, Wu and Chen - prevalent in China today. Though eclectic, it is grounded in the traditional forms and brimming with the ancient spirit. On the outside it is erect and aesthetically pleasing without being gimmicked by impractical sensationalist movements. Complementing this, he describes what occurs inside one's body during tai chi practice; the connection and interplay of breath (chi) and intrinsic energy (chin)."

On a personal note: one of our staff, Shihfu Mancuso, studied Chen Pan Ling for a while before it's name was widely associated with tai chi in the U.S. In his words,"I quite enjoy the style. It was created by a man acknowledged as one of the top martial historians. It successfully blends the so-called internal arts: deriving structure from T'ai Chi, step from Ba Gua and arm-body rotation from Xing Yi. Chen Pan Ling made an accomplishment rare in this day of everyone creating his own system: he achieved a synthesis that actually works."

Check out DVD's of Chen Pan Ling style demonstrated by his son.

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#ETC56Ch'ang Style Tai Chi Chuan
Modified Short Form
Daniel Weng Ph.D. ( Weng Chi Hsiu )
Paperback, 176 pages, Photographs
US $19.95

Daniel Weng has done much to promote the art of Chinese Wrestling in the U.S. At college in Taiwan he studied for a time with that most famous Chinese wrestler of the twentieh century, Ch'ang Tung Sheng, often called the Iron Butterfly. In those days a jacket that was not tucked into the belt was the suggestion of someone who would take any challenge. It is not recorded that Master Ch'ang ever tucked in his jacket during his lifetime. When last in Taiwan we had the honor of meeting the present head of the World Shuai Jiao association and the son of Master Chang.

Ch'ang modified a form of Yang Tai Chi into his "Ch'ang" style set. The movements are similar but the flavor and usage of the set partakes of Shuai Jiao with many throws and very direct and severe self defense. This book shows the Shuai Jiao training postures, the Ch'ang T'ai Chi form and then the applications of the movements to self defense situations with its unique characteristics. Our only complaint, some sections of the photos are too small. This third edition, other than the additon of an add for Mr. Weng's other works, is pretty much the same as the first edition.

#ETC53Wu Dang Tai Yi WuXing Boxing
Grappling—Pouncing Techniques
by An Tian Rong
Paperback, 176 pages, Photographs
US $13.50

First, our one complaint with this book. We would have liked larger pictures. Other than this we have here one of the best attempts in English to capture a Wu Dang style. According to the text by the well known instructor An Tian Rong, this form of Great Spirit (Tai Yi) boxing was taught to An Tian Rong by Pu Xuan who in 1929 began his stay at Zi Xiao Palace in Wu Dang. From Chief monk Li He Lin he learned this form of pugilism. Li He Lin was the eighth generation successor of the originator Zhang Shou Xing who was at the Palace between 1488 and 1504 of the Ming Dynasty. Tai Yi is said to combine the 13 elements of Chang San Feng's Tai Chi, the five animal movements of the great doctor Hua Tuo and other defensive techniques of the Taoist school. The form itself (actually a body enlivening method AND a form) is described very completely and in rather sophisticated terms for a Hai Feng translation. Oh, as a bonus, it is also with facing Chinese/English pages. NOTE: According to the publishers, the is the most complete set of Wu Dang boxing presently preserved. This might be true.