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 […]
Nov
26
2020
26
2020
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.
May
26
2020
26
2020
Adam Hsu on Chen Style Taijiquan
It is no secret that we at Plum greatly admire Adam Hsu (Hsu Ji) and his teachings. We have published some of his books and DVDs, excerpted and reprinted articles, and referenced his many principles and theories. He is also our teacher. Although many have read his works and seen his videos, it’s not exactly […]
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 […]
May
22
2020
22
2020
Sanshou: Partner Practice in the Age of Quarantine
Why is partner practice so different from solo practice? In my daily Taijiquan practice in a time of sheltering-in-place, the answer of course is quite obvious. As a martial artist, I find I am missing the feedback I feel, the energy from a partner’s response, and our discussion as we explore via push hands, partner […]
Apr
17
2020
17
2020
Special Knowledge
This week we offer an unusual mix aimed mostly at more advanced information, each in its respective art. For instance the many insights of Yang style Tai Chi Chuan performed by Lin MoGen are embodied in an unusually relaxed and natural version that takes over an hour to […]
Apr
2
2020
2
2020
From Principle to Practice
Hello out there. We hope this finds you all safe and healthy. Today’s offerings range from theory to practice: two DVD lectures from the George Xu group on 10 Animal and 12 Animal Xing Yi, presented by Qian Zhao Hong and Jiang Bao Kang, respectively; two instructional […]
Mar
30
2020
30
2020
Beng Jin: Kung Fu’s Hidden Skill
Here’s a new short video on Beng Jin (Beng Energy) that we created for our local sequestered students. If you are a Tai Chi student, you have most likely heard your teacher lecture on this special quality, and are undoubtedly practicing this right now! But Beng Jing exists in all styles of Kung Fu, and […]
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 […]
Jan
19
2020
19
2020
Second Look: Wisdom of the Taiji Masters
Our renewed look at Nigel Sutton’s “Wisdom of the Taiji Masters,” was inevitable. Like a good British murder mystery, there is more to the search and intuition than to the closet full of clues. Despite the wealth of time spent by professor Cheng’s and other Tai Chi students on the secrets and questions posed by […]
Dec
27
2019
27
2019
Everything Old Is New Again
“A guy who can stand for two hours is a guy you don’t want to fight.” -Sifu Ted Mancuso Traditional Tai Chi training, back in the day, was markedly different from what is practiced today. There was considerable emphasis on stance training. Before students were taught a form, they spent countless hours perfecting/holding postures. It […]
Dec
25
2019
25
2019
Useful
Today we offer just a single DVD, but one that is packed with interest and—even more useful—Usage. Although this DVD, Original Striking Taiji Sanshou, claims legitimate membership in the Tai Chi camp, it comes from Master Wan Lei Sheng’s lineage, and his specific approach adds techniques that fall outside of the Tai Chi curriculum. Instructor […]
Sep
28
2019
28
2019
Tai Chi: Loss and Gain
It’s true. The older you get, the more people want to force feed you a philosophy of loss. Everything appears to dwindle, leaving whatever you were gripping to stabilize yourself, a phantom in a shadow. Sometimes the effect of this “negative advancement” is itself positive and salubrious. But even in positive circumstances this proper […]
Sep
2
2019
2
2019
“Baji” vs. “Taiji”—Only “One” “Dot” Different
Here is a new piece by Adam Hsu. This article contrasts two superstars of Chinese martial arts: TaiJi Quan Chuan and Baji Quan, each of them a brilliant martial art, each based on some profound principles, each a model for understanding Chinese Wushu. Never disappointing, he examines these two seemingly opposed arts and uncovers similarities […]
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 […]
Jul
21
2019
21
2019
New Chinese Books: Taijiquan and Chin Na Restraints
What a slew of great new books we have for yew you… In addition to those above, we have restocked the following previously out-of-stock titles:
Jul
8
2019
8
2019
