As promised, we have finally added the two latest great books to our catalogue: Adam Hsu’s San Cai Sword, and Zhao Da Yuan’s Practical Qin Na (translated by Tom Bisio). A recent customer mentioned that it is not just the books themselves, but the types of books that Plum represents that excite him. We’re prejudiced, […]
Sep
5
2021
5
2021
Aug
24
2021
24
2021
Forthcoming, and Then Some
A brief pause in our cataloguing work to tell you about a few items coming up that would be here sooner if we didn’t keep pausing to tell you about them…well, you get the picture. Anyway, a little while back we added a gorgeous new Chinese book from Sifu Adam Hsu on Tan Tui, this […]
Dec
23
2020
23
2020
Dennis Rovere’s Chinese Military Combat Series
Happy to announce the addition of Dennis Rovere’s 2 Volume (3 Disk) DVD series, Secret Fighting Skills of the Chinese Military. Mr Rovere, an Independent Scholar who has both trained and taught widely in Combat Techniques, is also represented on Plum by his popular and authoritative book and DVD, Xing Yi Quan of the Chinese […]
Mar
22
2020
22
2020
Safe, Sound and Shipping
Dear friends, Just a note to let you know that we at Plum are all healthy and safe and still open for correspondence and business. We are monitoring the shipping situation around the world and, so far, packages are being delivered, although it may take a few extra days to receive them. Having suspended classes […]
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:
Feb
17
2017
17
2017
Oct
20
2016
20
2016
Three Classic Training Texts Translated
Published anywhere from 50 to over 80 years ago, here are translations of Kung Fu books emphasizing applied technique and training. We now offer Iron Thread from Hung Gar, one of the crowning forms of this style. Then there is the popular text on “Shaolin training methods,” which has been reprinted over and over for decades. […]
Jan
3
2016
3
2016
Practical Qin Na: An Expanded Version of Zhao’s Reputable Text
Here at Plum we hold a special place in our hearts for Chin Na (Qin Na) and its exceptional methods of practical usage that can be applied in any style. Although there are several worthy texts on the subject, the one we have always recommended above all others is Tim Cartmell’s translation of Practical Chin […]
Oct
28
2015
28
2015
Tai Chi: Wu and Hong styles
Today, we add the last installment of our selection on the Chen Tai Chi exclusive branch named Hong style. Chen style has a well-known “short fist” version. And this style, developed by teacher Hong JunSheng, presents a smaller frame, demonstrating a soft, slow elegance. This last DVD shows many throws and takedowns with high emphasis […]
Oct
8
2013
8
2013
Guess Who’s Back (Hint: think “Combat Throws”)
One of our favorite DVDs is back: Tim Cartmell’s Effortless Combat Throws, that masterful companion to the highly recommended book of the same name. It is no secret that we at Plum admire Cartmell’s work, and we have been more than a little disappointed that this valuable DVD has been out of print for such […]
Nov
20
2012
20
2012
Yang’s Improved Chin Na
We now offer a new title on Chin Na by Yang Jwing Ming. We feel this is a considerable improvement over his earlier Chin Na series…
Nov
15
2012
15
2012
That Deadly Double Weighting
But I find the “double weight problem” to be considerably more interesting and definitively more useful than most people make it out to be
Apr
25
2012
25
2012
Restock: Bagua Kicking and Weapons Control Grappling
Just a quick notice that we have gotten in a few more copies of these ever-desirable and always in short supply Chinese books. The simplified character book on Bagua Linked Legs also contains two rarely seen Bagua forms, the Linked Leg set and the Guiding Fist. And the traditional character book on Weapons Control contains […]
Sep
11
2011
11
2011
The Many Faces of Chin Na
Chin Na is not a style with a single face. Over centuries of necessity, it has actually developed many different profiles. Because there are only so many ways to bend joints wrong the differences in styles such as Japanese versus Chinese is actually less significant than the different ways in which Chin Na is used. Let’s look at these differences.
Sep
4
2011
4
2011
The Book-Go-Round
Here at Plum, we sometimes get as excited when books return, as when we get new ones; the great ones tend to disappear quickly so it is always a happy time for us when we can restock some favorites. Our newest batch is scattered all over the map, but if you click on the pictures […]
Apr
21
2011
21
2011
Folk Boxing
There is a returning interest, partly we hope from our own cajoling, in original, traditional Chinese martial arts.
Jul
22
2010
22
2010
The Facets of Chin Na
Two young boys engaged in grabbing one another, trying to gain a momentary upper hand, catching and locking each others joints must go back to the time before the pyramids.
Jul
3
2010
3
2010
Jun
6
2010
6
2010
On Chin Na Practice
As I looked at the illustrations I couldn’t help but think of a few things about Chin Na which are rarely mentioned in the books but are useful for the training…
Dec
9
2009
9
2009
Product: Chinese Grappling
Well here is one of the first Chin Na series in the English languge by the first teacher ever to teach TSP in the Western hemisphere.
