There is a Renaissance going on in martial arts, and it is not purely physical. We are talking about the quantity of high-quality martial writing in English, which includes translations of Chinese origin. This unexpected level of cogency delights us. We are seeing the maturity of an art, along with the rooting of well-planted seeds […]
Aug
10
2023
10
2023
May
21
2023
21
2023
Grand Master Chen Zhenglei “Light of Taichi” Summer Camp – Las Vegas 2023
We wanted to announce Sifu Chen Zheng Lei’s 2023 Summer Camp In Las Vegas this year, taking place from June 30 – July 5. Please click the READ MORE link below to see all of the information. There is an EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT if you enroll on or before May 31.
Apr
26
2023
26
2023
A Feng Zhiqiang Hun Yuan Fest
Although we represent several books in Chinese on Sifu Feng Zhiqiang’s Hun Yuan Chen Taijiquan, (there are a couple on this page) we are a bit scant on material concerning his style in English; most of it has gone out of print. But we were able to source a few long-out-of-reach items, so we thought […]
Mar
16
2023
16
2023
Xin Yi Liu He and Chen Taijiquan: Two Great New Books
It is complete coincidence that our two newest books — James Counsilman’s, “Ten Animals Kung Fu: Xin Yi Liu He Quan,” and Andrea Falk’s, “Shadowboxing in Shanghai: A Memoir and a Guide to the Traditional Chen Taijiquan From Dragon Park” — have something in common: they both come from records of the authors’ experiences studying […]
Sep
15
2022
15
2022
Newest Excitements
Well, we won’t be able to use our “Summer of Stars” cliche much longer, so we have a mixed bag of new titles today. There is still a short but powerful stack of books yet to catalogue, so keep a close watch for those. Today’s batch mostly centers around Tai Chi, with a nod to […]
Jul
13
2022
13
2022
Taijiquan, Martial Power and Andrew Townsend’s Fine Books
Some business problems are ones you want to have: too much good stuff coming in at one time; too many customers ordering; too much media attention. The six new books we have just added from Andrew Townsend present a different (good) problem: although he is essentially teaching and writing about Taijiquan, these volumes cross categories, […]
Jul
13
2022
13
2022
The Similarities Among the Various Styles of Taijiquan (revised to include images!)
This is an excerpt from Andrew Townsend’s The Art of Taijiquan: An Examination of Five Family Styles. You can find this and several other books from Andrew on the Principles and Practice of Taijiquan by clicking the book image. Plum represents 6 of his fine volumes on Taijiquan, Martial power and Applications, Pushing Hands and […]
May
13
2022
13
2022
The Role of Continuous Movement in Yang Style T’ai Chi Chuan
~Reprinted from T’ai Chi Magazine Millennial Issue, February 2000 At one time T’ai Chi was known as River Boxing (He Quan). The reason is obvious, even to the non-player. T’ai Chi’s smooth, continuous flowing motions move along like a gentle mountain stream turning and tumbling occasionally but never halting its fluid progress. And to make […]
Apr
30
2022
30
2022
Going, Going, Gone
At least monthly, we discover that Kung Fu books and videos that were previously abundant and available are now out of print. Unfortunately, we rarely hear about these things BEFORE they disappear. Back in the day, Unique Publications was one of the two main American publishers of martial arts books, along with Ohara (Kodansha and […]
Mar
20
2022
20
2022
Why Practice the Tai Chi Sword?
If you are learning the art of TC sword, or even just want to appreciate the style, you have picked one of the great martial arts weapons. This double-bladed instrument — whether wooden practice or combat steel — is unlike any other in the Tai Chi arsenal. It encourages direct concentration aligned with movement — […]
Mar
5
2022
5
2022
Spinning Bagua
When we think of Kung Fu and its long history, we tend to think of its venerable age, lineage, and established methods. But everything in Kung Fu was new once — VERY NEW — and innovative. Responding to environment, population and, most influentially, technology, these impulses sparked revolutionary changes, as well as temporary (and sometimes, […]
May
28
2021
28
2021
Li YaXuan’s Legacy: A Beautiful New Book
We have a few more new books to announce in the next few days, but this one, The Legacy of Grandmaster Li YaXuan, is so beautiful we thought we would give it its own space. Lionbooks has released a comprehensive collection of writings from Yang Style Taijiquan Grandmaster Li YaXuan. Lionbook publisher, Liu KangYi, is […]
Apr
14
2021
14
2021
Tai Chi Training Secrets: How Do You Practice Martially, When You Are By Yourself?
A recent letter from one of our favorite correspondents, Gary Shapiro, put the question: “We spoke about how practicing taiji with the martial aspects in mind enhances it’s health effects. So— how does that work? Can one practice “martially” solo? (and how?).” In our newest video, Sifu Ted answers this and offers some training tips […]
Mar
21
2021
21
2021
Sifu Bow Sim Mark
I believe that I first saw Sifu Bow Sim Mark perform at Brendan Lai’s 1984 All Master’s Kung Fu Demonstration in San Francisco. Those were the pre-pre-youtube days and, other than pictures of her in the Kung Fu magazines, I had never seen her movement. I—along with the friends who accompanied me that night to […]
Jan
6
2021
6
2021
Chen XiaoWang Tai Chi DVDs
A quick note to let you know that we have a couple of returns back in stock…sort of. About a year ago, two of the VCDs from the popular series by Chen XiaoWang went out of print, one on Lao Jia and one on Internal Practice. Well, we have finally restocked those two, but in […]
Nov
26
2020
26
2020
Tai Chi Is the Fastest Martial Art
Q: OK, I’m intrigued—what makes Tai Chi the fastest martial art. A: Of course, we have to first admit that speed is relative, but let’s come back to that. There are some very simple reasons that Tai Chi is so fast and, really, being the “fastest martial art” isn’t all that big a deal. But […]
Jul
29
2020
29
2020
Better With Age
After class the other day my student Harvey, who has studied with me for more than 15 years, asked me a pointed question: “How and why does a longtime practitioner maintain his or her interest in studying Tai Chi?” This caught my attention immediately, because he asked me to consider it from the advanced study […]
Jun
19
2020
19
2020
Three Clean Quarters
We have three new books for you, all in Chinese and well presented. The first book, Wu Jin, starts us off with an historical and cultural text so old we have no knowledge of its author. Among unnumbered pages is presented authentic military strategy, along with close hand combat. This is a general’s text with […]
Jun
18
2020
18
2020
May
29
2020
29
2020
Restocks!
Happy to report the return of three unlikely roommates today. Click each image for more information and to purchase.
