Our First Love

Wang FengTing’s Practice Kung Fu

Wang FengTing’s Practice Kung Fu Leg Standing

Although we are smitten by many truly wonderful contemporary texts we represent on Plum, our first love was the older manuals: dusty copies found on the bottom shelves of poorly lit bookstores in Chinatown. These books telescoped us back to earlier times and teachers.

Now, more than 50 years later, some of what was contemporary then is now old school and, thankfully, there are publishers such as Lionbooks still seeing the value in reprinting classics.

The first book here, Practice Kung Fu by Wang FengTing, was one of the first books I bought back in the day. I still have that original copy. Happily, it has been reissued and we are so happy to offer it at Plum, along with another new acquisition, Sifu Wang’s Practice Kung Fu Leg Standing. No color inside, nothing fancy, but opening these provide a thrilling moment (at least, for us!)

 

Bagua Zhang Weapons by Liu Jing Ru

And while we are announcing new titles, we slipped in a Bagua book, a week or so ago, but didn’t shout it out, so here it is, Bagua Zhang’s Weapons, by the incomparable Liu Jing Ru. This thorough manual is a great reference for Bagua Sword, Saber, Spear and Elkhorn. We only have a few of these at the moment; in case they go quickly, you have been warned!