by Yang Chengfu
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Product Description
The publication in 1934 of Yang Chengfu's book, Essence and Applications of Taijiquan (Taijiquan Tiyong Quanshu) marked a milestone in the modern evolution of the art of taijiquan. Using what is best-termed demonstration narrative, the author presents form postures and suggested applications from his own perspective, as he performed them. This methodology renders Yang Chengfu's direct, hands-on teaching of the art with such immediacy and liveliness that the reader experiences the master’s teaching much as his students did.
This English translation finally makes Yang Chengfu's classic work available to taijiquan enthusiasts in the West. It includes notes and commentary that clarify the author's frequent classical and literary turns of phrase and elucidate the philosophical and political underpinnings that shape the text. The translator investigates and compares several early taijiquan books in order to help explain the roles played by two of Yang Chengfu's students, Dong Yingjie and Zheng Manqing, in bringing Yang Chengfu's words and teachings into print.
Serious students of taijiquan, and those wishing to deepen their knowledge of taijiquan history and theory, will find this seminal work indispensable to their study and practice.
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Average Customer Review:
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
 Translation could be better, 2008-06-04
I only read the first 10 pages.
Already found an error in translation.
This is before the numbered pages, before the pictures.
This is one of the big writings by Wu Siyu.
The translation says: The Dragon leaps, the tiger sleeps.
The correct translation is: the Dragon Soars and Gallops, the Tiger crouches (and gets ready to pounce on its target)
Someone should have caught the error. In the spirit of the fighter, why would a tiger sleep ? Also, a (Chinese) dragon doesn't leap.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Its not a start up, 2008-01-18
This Book is not simple, but it gives an interesting sigth on Taijiquan. Learn about a simple, yet komplex topic. The book is small enough to be read during a weekend, but each page, each sentence can be a koan about bodymechanics and energy. Its not an introduction für novice taiji players.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
 Highly inspiring, 2007-12-30
This book is a wonderful time capsule, an attempt by two of Yang Chegfu's senior students to bring some of an oral transmission into written form. As such, it illuminates a transitional and dangerous period in the Chinese martial arts: the war with Japan was about to begin, followed by the repression of post-Revolution China. The translator has done a wonderful job in explaining the complexities of translating Classical Chinese into modern English, as well as making connections to the Taiji Classics which are interesting to read in parallel with this book.
No, a beginner won't learn Taiji from reading this book, that is not its purpose. It serves as an inspiration for more experienced students, as a means of illuminating practice and study of the Classics, and as a glimpse back in time to the end of imperial China and its climate of martial arts.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Whispers from the Master, 2007-06-16
While the Translator, Louis Swaim, made a moderately successful attempt to transmit the intentions of Yang Chengfu, he did not have sufficient material to do a complete and faithful rendition of Yang's teachings.
A unique aspect of this book is that the movements are presented as responses to attacks. But the problem of the presentation is somewhat like trying to recreate a complete motion picture starting with a handful of scattered strips from the original film. Although you can't be expected to learn taiji from this book, what is presented is worth owning.
The introductions, forward and two prefaces, while they do not offer new insights, they do provide interesting reading.
The body of the book, which contains 94 movements, contains movement descriptions and photographs showing Yang's posture at the end of the movements.
The photographs are dark and could stand digital reconstruction.
At the end of the book, a description of Push Hands is given. An attempt is make to make this a teaching section, but Push Hands does not easily lend itself to verbal description. Push Hands is followed by an explanation of Dalu, a two person push hands form.
In the Appendix, some of the Taijiquan Classics are given: The Taijiquan Treatise, Song of the Thirteen Postures, The Mental Elucidation of the Thirteen Postures, The Taijiquan Classic, and the Song of Pushing Hands.
Primarily, this is a book for your library.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Good Translator, 2007-04-27
Unfortunately most Tai Chi books are written as supplements to training already received by the Masters students. The translator for this book points out several instances where there are questions of interpretation and he cross references other works to try and arrive to a meaning as close as possible to what Yang Chen Fu intended. Very informative and enlightening. It has improved my Tai Chi practice and understanding. Based on the text alone I would give this 5 stars. The quality of the pictures is why I only gave it 4 stars. Thats not the publishers or the translators fault but it distracts from an otherwise outstanding book.
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