The fact that we have been slow (an understatement) in presenting our newest books in no way reflects how excited we are by their arrivals at Plum. The first books come from the tradition of the late Master Lee Kam Wing, best known for his teachings of Seven Star Mantis. Master Lee’s teacher, Chiu Chi […]
Aug
22
2026
22
2026
May
6
2026
6
2026
Jun
29
2025
29
2025
Two New Videos From Sifu Don Hamby
We’re celebrating Sifu Don Hamby. What’s to celebrate? Well, 2 new DVDs from the master teacher of Hung Gar Kuen: Bridge Hand Conditioning Drills, and Tiger & Crane Attack and Defend Techniques. It’s been a long while since we have seen new video material from Sifu Hamby, and these are worth the wait: nicely filmed, […]
Mar
25
2025
25
2025
A Dialogue Between Eastern and Western Martial Arts Literature
Here is something quite special. Lionbooks has just published an exceptionally beautiful and important work, The New Silk Road of Martial Studies, presenting a unique exhibition of historical martial material, both East and West. The book is sectioned chronologically, so the development of martial literature and theory can be seen side by side. Created by […]
Feb
28
2025
28
2025
Yay, A Bench Set!
Who doesn’t love themselves a Bench Set? From the studio of Paul Koh comes this newest entry on Kung Fu weapons, the Tiger Head Fighting Bench. And not just a Bench Set, but a lengthy matched set, Bench vs Double Butterfly Knives. Produced in Sifu Koh’s dynamic style, these two sets, plus usage following the […]
Feb
23
2025
23
2025
Southern Taizu and Northern Chaquan — Translated
There is no question that new tools and technology are making language translation easier to accomplish and more accessible. Anyone with a phone or a scanner can dabble in the fine art of bringing words and thoughts from one language into another. But, just like with other technologies that have ‘democratized’ the floodgates, it doesn’t […]
Jan
9
2025
9
2025
Dec
28
2024
28
2024
Hung Gar’s Tiger Crane Sparring Set: See the Video!
Just added a video shot a few years back, showing Sifu Hamby and Sifu Trenado performing Fu Hok Sern Ying Deui Chak: Tiger and Crane Two Person Sparring Set, the routine that is featured in this instructional manual. Early reviewers are impressed by the breadth and depth of the information in this book, along […]
Nov
18
2024
18
2024
Chaquan, Xinyi Liu He, and White Crane…What Joy!
Where does the time go? (No, seriously, if anyone has an answer for that we’d like to know.) We seem to be busy all the time, then realize we have not posted any of the new material that stacks up here at Plum. So here is a rush of new and revised material for your […]
Oct
5
2024
5
2024
The Essence of Gung Li Chuan
So many books, so little time to catalogue them! We’re continuing to keep on top of our growing pile of new titles by presenting this new one, Essence of Gung Li Chuan, from the team that produced Essence of Lien Bu Chuan. Gung Li Chuan means flowing strength, and you might still hear this form […]
Sep
21
2024
21
2024
Sifu Donald Hamby’s New Book: Tiger and Crane Two Person Sparring Set
Sifu Don Hamby, longtime practitioner and teacher of Lam Family Hung Gar, and direct student of Sifu Lam Chun Fai, has published his first book (and he chose Plum to publish it)! This exceptional book offers history, lineage, foundations and full color, step-by-step instruction for this treasured […]
Jun
17
2024
17
2024
A Rare Weapon and Its Mates
Sifu Paul Koh has added a new volume to his series on Black Tiger Claw Kung Fu, this one on the Tiger Fork. Honestly, we’d be surprised to learn that there were even 3 other books in English on this uncommon weapon, and none that match the look of this one. Although this new text […]
Apr
14
2024
14
2024
Tiger Tail Three Section Staff
Oh boy! This is a great new book from Sifu Paul Koh, this time on Black Tiger Claw’s Three Sectional Staff. Books on the ‘soft weapons’ are not that common, and books with this presentation value are even rarer still. In what is becoming almost a trademark, Sifu Koh has once again made a book […]
Feb
12
2024
12
2024
Sun Xikun’s Authentic Transmission of Baguazhang
Well, well, well. Here we were just praising Chen Faxing’s translation into English of The Subtlety of Xingyi Boxing, when he delivers to us another important translation. Sun Xikun’s Authentic Transmission of Baguazhang, now translated into English, is another significant volume in the martial canon. His detailed insights into Baguazhang, along with Xingyiquan and Taijiquan […]
Feb
7
2024
7
2024
Second Look: The Subtlety of Xingyi Boxing
You’ve heard us say this before, but we get so many interesting books to review at Plum, we don’t always have the time we’d like to really get into and thoroughly read each volume before cataloguing and posting. But sometimes, in what we laughingly refer to as our ‘spare time,’ a specific book or dvd […]
Nov
21
2023
21
2023
The Eagle Flies
We have a stack of new material to present over the next few weeks, but wanted to get this one posted without waiting to catalogue others. Sifu Benson Lee, senior student of Grandmaster Leung Shum in Eagle Claw Boxing, has released a stunning new volume specifically targeting Tactics and Applications for Self-Defense. Intended to highlight […]
Sep
4
2023
4
2023
Masters Write — (I’m Looking At You)!
You know how we tell you all the time to keep a martial notebook? How important that can be at every stage in your development? How happy you will be if you do? No? Well, it’s ok to repeat oneself when the suggestion is this important, but even better when we have something to back […]
Sep
4
2023
4
2023
Another Classic Returns: Grandmaster James Mitose on Self Defense in Kenpo
Although Plum, almost exclusively, represents books and videos on traditional Chinese martial arts, there are times when we bow or nod to important works from among our cousins; in this case, it is GM James Mitose’s classic treatise on Self-Defense techniques and theory, What Is Self Defense, that strongly influenced the development of Kenpo (often […]
Aug
26
2023
26
2023
The Dao of Shipping
Daoist writings (and I liberally paraphrase here) teach us that ‘Nature is not kind.’ This does not mean that Nature is unkind; more like Nature is not a Disney movie. At Plum, we recognize a variation of this wisdom: ‘The post office is not kind.’ In all honesty, the vast majority of what we send […]
Aug
21
2023
21
2023
Yes, The Saber!
Another great weapons book, Black Tiger Claw Single Saber, from the prolific Paul Koh, this one on Tiger Claw’s Single saber. One of the many things we appreciate about Sifu Koh’s books is his emphasis on foundation as well as form and usage. A reader can easily learn and apply much from this text, even […]