As we mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we are in the process of republishing several out of print titles, and the first one has arrived: Liang Zhen Pu Eight Diagram Palm, by Li Zi Ming, compiled by Vince Black. This authoratative book was written by Li, the last living representative of the third generation […]
May
4
2019
4
2019
May
2
2019
2
2019
May
1
2019
1
2019
Apr
23
2019
23
2019
Vince Black on Li Zi Ming’s Bagua Zhang
One of our favorite items at Plum is the Pa Kua Chang Journal CD, containing the entire 38-issue run of more than 1,000 pages. The original journal, published by Dan Miller, is a treasure for the martial and Bagua community. In many cases entire issues are devoted to a single topic, and contain interviews with […]
Mar
3
2019
3
2019
A Chen Routine by Chen Zheng Lei
Master Chen Zheng Lei was in our area, co-sponsored by our favorite Chinese martial arts magazine, and they generously posted this 5 1/2 minute piece of performance—a beautiful and meaningful demonstration. This comes just in time (almost) for our announcement of a new recommendable biography of Chen that will come in next week to Plum. […]
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 […]
Feb
3
2019
3
2019
(Almost) Hot Off the Press
The Spring 2019 issue of Kung Fu Tai Chi magazine is dedicated to Shaolin, and will feature, among many other fine articles, a new piece on Long Fist Secrets Revealed by Plum’s director, Sifu Ted Mancuso. We received our advanced copies, but if you would like a copy for yourself they will be available soon […]
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 […]
Jan
2
2019
2
2019
The Passing of Wong Jackman
We are sad to announce the passing of Northern Shaolin Sifu Wong Jack Man. Known long before his famous fight with Bruce Lee, Wong Sifu had become a major proponent of Bak Sil Lum, Iron Body, and Golden Bell skills. With the death last year of Kwong Wing Lam, Gu Ru Zhang’s lineage has lost […]
Dec
30
2018
30
2018
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 […]
Dec
18
2018
18
2018
The Dragon in Bagua Zhang
One of Plum’s longtime favorite and recommended books is Tom Bisio’s “Essentials of Bagua Zhang.” Below is an excerpt dealing with his view of the Dragon’s influence on one of China’s greatest masterworks in the world of martial arts. You get an actual ‘two-for-the-price-of-one’ in the passage below, in that Bisio himself quotes Francois Jullien […]
Dec
9
2018
9
2018
Back to Bajiquan
Just restocked a handful of Baji books, and they can be found HERE
Nov
30
2018
30
2018
Two Times Three, But Who’s Counting?
Our offering today centers around “two”—a triplet of Chinese texts each with a special relationship to the number. The first of these is a text recommended by Adam Hsu, on the rare “Wild Goose” saber, a cross between a saber and a straight sword. This unusual weapon balances perfectly the special features of both types […]
Nov
27
2018
27
2018
The Sophistication of Simplicity
Earlier today, I had the opportunity to work with a group of beginning Tai Chi students. A few hours later, I met with another group of students in my advanced Tai Chi class. Now, relaxing at the dusty end of the day, I realize that what I had taught to these two classes was essentially […]
Nov
24
2018
24
2018
Q & A: Single Move, Same Way?
Dear Plum, I have been thinking a lot about repeated moves in Tai Chi Chuan sets. In Chen style, for example, Single Whip is done in Eighteen Movements, 7 times in Lao Jia (Old Frame), 7 times in Xin Jia (New Frame), once in Lao Jia 2 (Cannon Fist) and one in Xin Jia 2. […]
Nov
23
2018
23
2018
Q & A: Yi (意-Intention) and the Levels of Tai Chi
I have been told that tai chi can be done on three levels: up high and lightly for stress relief, down low working the muscles for health, and in the middle for combat. But as I was drawing a diagram for my students, it didn’t seem complete. The more I looked at it the more […]
Oct
29
2018
29
2018
The Cinematic World of Hong Kong: The Heritage of Hung Gar
Sometimes a book comes along dealing with a topic in which you thought you had little interest. Then you open it and—wow!—it reciprocates to open up a world for you. Lingnan Hung Kuen: Kung Fu in Cinema and Community is one of those books. It looked like a nice gift item. But once we got […]
Oct
24
2018
24
2018
Oct
21
2018
21
2018
Bak Sil Lum Sash Event
Today there are nine new Black sashes in the martial art of Bak Sil Lum (Northern Shaolin) style. At an event hosted by Sifu Scott Jensen a contingent of his senior students were awarded black sashes, a solid rank requiring years of training. Each candidate demonstrated skills, starting with a set from the empty-handed division […]
