Here is a short interview with Ted Mancuso, Plum’s director, on his upcoming book/DVD project. Covid slowed us down, but now we are back at work again, and hope to have this finished in the new year. Q: Your new book is on Bagua Zhang Gongs. What is a Gong? Ted: In […]
Oct
31
2020
31
2020
May
25
2020
25
2020
Taijiquan Books & DVD, Spiced with a Touch of Xingyiquan
At Plum, we are always seeking the best of the best and rejecting those that really don’t have all that much to offer. Sadly, there are more than a few from that batch. But today’s offerings are already classics in their field—solid, innovative, in some cases path-defining. Click each image for much more information about […]
Mar
21
2020
21
2020
Chen Style Taijiquan—A Tangled History
Happy to announce the arrival of a new book to our Plum catalogue, Mark Chen’s Chen Style Taijiquan: Collected Masterworks—The History of a Martial Art. Chen has done wide and deep research on the origins of Chen Taiji, not an easy matter. His main focus is Chen ZhaoPi, but he incorporates other voices in the […]
Feb
12
2020
12
2020
Yue Family SanShou 18 Forms
A new translation for the New Year by Joseph Crandall, this one on Yue Family SanShou 18 Forms, one of the foundational styles from the ancient Yue Family Boxing. Yue Style is pretty much the Mixed Martial Art of its time, related to Chuo Jiao, Fanzi, and fundamental Shuai Jiao. Unvarnished.
Oct
22
2019
22
2019
Life is Too Short For Bad Kung Fu
Yes, it’s true! A new book in English by Adam Hsu. If this were Hollywood, Sifu Adam Hsu’s new book, “Life Is Too Short For Bad Kung Fu,” would be the tell-all on everyone’s reading list; not because it is gossipy—he names no names—but because it fulfills its promise to reveal the good, the bad, […]
Oct
2
2019
2
2019
Andrea Falk’s Masterful Martial Arts Dictionary: UPDATED, Hardcovers have arrived!
10/2/19: The Hardcover editions have arrived and they are big and beautiful. Two good things: There is a price drop down to $80, AND we are extending the 10% discount for the hardcovers purchased through October 31. Discount code is DictHC Limited supply at the moment, but we will get more. Yeah! The Dictionaries have […]
Sep
22
2019
22
2019
A Transformative Art—Tom Bisio on Xing Yi
Teacher Tom Bisio’s newest book, Xing Yi Quan: Art of Inner Transformation, is a well-balanced read on the fundamental ideas and goals of Xing Yi (Shape of the Will Boxing). It is a basics manual written by someone who has intimately absorbed the basics in his own training—in other words, he did not just learn […]
Sep
5
2019
5
2019
Excerpt from Falk’s Chinese Martial Arts Dictionary
In our excitement over the arrival of Andrea Falk’s Chinese Martial Arts dictionary, we neglected to post this generous sample from the text. These pages show, among other things, the thorough approach Ms Falk has taken in putting together this important resource. Order through September 30 to get a 10% discount on either the compact […]
Aug
27
2019
27
2019
Rare Hao Style, Hong Style, and Bagua Leg Techniques—Available Now!
Delighted to announce the addition of five strong books into the Plum library. These gems from Hong Kong, all with boh Chinese and English text, are beautifully designed and laid out with large, easy to read photos, on subjects we just never see in English. KH020 Hao Style Tai Ji Quan Developed by Master Liu […]
Aug
9
2019
9
2019
More, and Then Some
Continuing our summer of great titles, here are three new classics, the last, Shaolin Luo Han, being dual language (Chinese and English) and accompanied by a dual language VCD. These “en face” (two languages, face-to-face ) titles are scattered all over our site, giving practitioners additional opportunities to pick up a few Chinese terms by […]
Jul
19
2019
19
2019
Navigating Your Fate
We are thrilled to announce our newest publication, The Spirit of the Stars: Navigating your Fate with Pole Star Astrology, written by Plum’s resident astrologer, Narrye Caldwell, and published by Plum. There is much to say about Chinese Astrology, in general, and Pole Star, in particular—discover more about it in the longer description of the […]
Jun
21
2019
21
2019
Two Views of Sifu John Leong
At Plum, we are lucky to represent not one but two views of Hung Gar Kung Fu Sifu John Leong, in two new books added to our collection: Beginning Hung Gar Kung Fu, a classic text, and Living Kung Fu, a recently released photo collection of Sifu Leong’s martial journey. “Beginning Hung Gar Kung Fu” […]
Jun
16
2019
16
2019
System, Not Style
We are pleased to offer this presentation—long overdue by us—of Di Guoyong on Xingyiquan, Sifu Di’s systematic explanation of that deeply loved and appreciated style, Xing Yi Quan. Contained in these three volumes is a full roster of forms along with comprehensive descriptions, from basics all the way to weapons forms and partner practice. We […]
May
26
2019
26
2019
Jiang Rongqiao’s Bagua Zhang—Now in English AND Chinese
Andrea Falk is doing wonderful translations. Actually, she has been doing wonderful translations for a long time, but now she is going back, revising and improving on some of her earlier works to make them even better. We are still awaiting the massive expansion and rewrite of her earlier Wushu dictionary (this one promises to […]
Apr
11
2019
11
2019
Hit Medicine Revealed
There is a whole branch of Chinese medicine associated with the martial arts, and to say that much of the information is secret would be an understatement. But now, author Tom Bisio hands us an invaluable text, A Pearl From the Dragon’s Neck, comprehensively detailing revival methods, using vital points, cupping, moxibustion, massage, and pressure. […]
Mar
16
2019
16
2019
New Arrivals: Tai Chi Staff, Shaolin Fists
Trying to keep up with the tower of material stacked high here at Plum, waiting to be catalogued and made available to you! Today’s newest additions start off with the Yang Tai Chi 68 Staff DVD (2 parts) demonstrated by the popular Jiang Jiang Ye. This 68 move form is one of the longest sets […]
Mar
12
2019
12
2019
Peasant Master
As promised last week, we are happy to announce the addition of a new biography of Chen style Tai Chi Chuan master Chen Zhenglei. This book has something for everybody interested in the topic of Tai Chi Chuan—this includes the martial artist seeking Tai Chi’s principles; the person interested in Tai chi as a health […]
Feb
7
2019
7
2019
More from the Kong Han Goh Cho Kun Archives
Five Ancestors Fist is a famous and powerful style combining major techniques from the system. This second volume from Sifu Kun, Kong Han Goh Cho Kun continues archiving the important aspects of its no-nonsense training. Representative forms include Open Hands (Three Battle Cross), Short Dagger and Sai. In both cases of the weapons there are […]
Jan
24
2019
24
2019
Change Is Good: Sifu Jack Yan’s Book/DVD Packages
Plum has represented Sifu Jack Yan’s book and DVDs on Tong Bei Quan, Whip Stick, and Eight Immortals Sword for several years. Sifu Yan’s excellent instruction is clear, his English text well-written, and his teaching generous. Initially, there was one book containing 3 forms, pointing to 3 separate DVDs. Now Sifu Yan has re-packaged each […]
Dec
28
2018
28
2018
Five of Five: New Books
We welcome five new texts, three of them in both Chinese and English. Among the lot we have a nicely done 5 Animals routine. We also have something very unusual: a duet set where spear battles…another spear. Do not try this at home. Happy New Year to all of you from all of us—Ted, Linda […]
