# Can anyone recommend a book?



## Budo_NJ (Feb 3, 2009)

Hi, I'm new to Tai Chi (been studying for 9 months). I'm currently reading Tai Chi Classics  by Waysun Liao (great book!). I'm looking for other books on the philosphy of Tai Chi or Taoism that I can read. Can anyone recommend any?

Thanks in advance.


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## Zyaga (Feb 3, 2009)

Taijiquan Theory is a great book. You can find it here.


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 3, 2009)

Budo_NJ said:


> Hi, I'm new to Tai Chi (been studying for 9 months). I'm currently reading Tai Chi Classics by Waysun Liao (great book!). I'm looking for other books on the philosphy of Tai Chi or Taoism that I can read. Can anyone recommend any?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


 
What style of Taiji?

A book...







 Book*s*

Cheng Tzu's Thirteen Treatises on T'ai Chi Ch'uan by Cheng Man Ch'Ing

Chen Style Taijiquan by Feng Zhiquang and Chen Xiaowang 

Chen Style Taijiquan sword and broadsword by Chen Zhenglei

The Root of Chinese Qigong: Secrets of Health, Longevity, & Enlightenment by Yang Jwing-Ming

Tai Chi Secrets of the Yang Style by Yang Jwing-Ming

The Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu by Lao Tzu 

The Book of Chuang Tzu (by Chuang Tzu) by Martin Palmer and Elizabeth Breuilly 






 I have not read these but they have been highly recommended and are on my list

The Illustrated Canon of Chen Family Taijiquan by Chen Xin 

Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan by Fu Zhongwen

The Essence and Applications of Taijiquan by Yang Chengfu






 Also Tung Ying Chieh's Red book is very good however the English translation is not very good so as much as I would like to recommend it I will not, unless you read Chinese or have a Native Chinese speaker near to help you.


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## David Weatherly (Feb 3, 2009)

If you're interested in Taoism you should start with the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu.


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## mograph (Feb 3, 2009)

Try _Cultivating Stillness_ by Eva Wong.


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## DavidCC (Feb 3, 2009)

check my signature - I have assembled a number of books on CMA in one convenient place... the links says "buy Kenpo Books"... but it will take you to CMA section.


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## bowser666 (Feb 4, 2009)

Go to www.ymaa.com .


Lots of great CMA related books, on Qigong, Taijiquan, I think there are books in regards to Chen style and Yang style.


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## JadecloudAlchemist (Feb 5, 2009)

Hey Budo the above books mention are great!!

The Taiji classics which you have is highly recommended.

Depending on which style of Taiji you practice would depend on what books to get. 


As for Taoism I highly recommend anything by Livia Kohn,Isabelle Robinet,Stephen R. Bokenkamp,Thomas Clearly,Holmes Welch,Arthur Waley. 

I highly recommend this site as well:
http://eng.taoism.org.hk/general-daoism/major-daoist-sects/default.htm


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## kubrick (Mar 2, 2009)

I am reading a book just now called Tia Chi as a path of Wisdom by Linda Lehrhaupt. Not much technical information, more about the mindset required and heavily influenced by zen philosophy. I'm enjoying it so far, only just started though!


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## Myrmidon (Mar 3, 2009)

This is an excellent book:

http://internalartsia.wordpress.com...e-taijiquan-practical-method-volume-1-theory/

You can also find many of the books recommended by Xue Sheng here:

http://www.tai-chi.com/wayfarer.php


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## Bob Klein (Jun 27, 2011)

Movements of Magic - the Spirit of Tai-chi-Chuan.  You can get it here:
http://store.movementsofmagic.com/msbose.html

or as an Amazon Kindle download


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## Jade Dragon Alaska (Aug 4, 2011)

The book Axe Hand; Hsing-i & Internal Strength Workout, is Traditional Chinese Internal Martial Arts with many methods for developing internal energy which have never been published before.  Comments and focus of practice help with one&#8217;s own level of development, giving training insight  into the internals, never articulated before.   Shows how to feel and adjust Qi yourself.

Wrist and fore-arm stretches to help energy flow: 
  these can help with tendonitis, typing hands, carp-tunnel, and muscle knots;
  that will help the energy flow through your wrists, 
  preventing injury and learning wrist locks as well as 
  teaching grappling seizures and locks, 
  and will help you transfer it more effectively.

Progress, consciousness, and power are all tested objectively in meditation, Qigong, martial drills, as well as in-animate objects.  

Five move Tai Chi form, Hsing I Five Elements. 

Standing Pole (Embrace the Moon or Hold the Ball), shifting the water and rising-expanding/sinking-contracting; 

Fore-arm Throw double set, dynamic drill, adjusting moving root, responsive blocking enabling the same move for offence and defense, center of Qi as it moves through oneself and the center between two people; 

Hsing-i San Ti: standing and moving for Qi and Fa Jing.

Good for all backgrounds since the essence is emphasized, rather than a particular language; although words are used, it is more what is between the words.  

Instruction goes from the individual&#8217;s known, to his related unknown.  Taught with the common ground of the 'shared lived experience' . 

Internal means independent thought rather than compliance to a doctrine, having it make sense to you, in your own way: this is truly internal since its intrinsic nature is your soul.

Developing and practicing the 'universal' of the Qigong, rather than the particular application.  Plato talks about universal concepts such as what is in common with all chairs to make them a chair.  

Some Qigong very Yang, and will heat palms, the Yang Qigong methods will not only heat the practitioner, but the entire room.

This training regimen is based on various focuses of physical fitness, internal strength, meditation, forms, drills and exercises.  Origins range from: propriety traditional sets, general domain traditional internal sets, a general styles set, free form internal calisthenics (Chi Kung, Nei Gong and Wei Gong), Shaolin Buddhist meditation, fighting coaches, healers and old folk&#8217;s drills. 

The methods and techniques come from a number of schools of Internal Martial Arts; that are compatible with each other.  None of these varied schools have ever physically warred directly with each other.  This book does not contain any internal methods that I have learned that I know are from schools with historic military conflicts, or fundamental philosophical discrepancies.  This avoids a chop-suey approach of using methods independent of their tenets, lacking a cohesive and qualitative growth.  

Greg&#8217;s Martial background at: http://jadedragonalaska.yolasite.com/martial-background.php 

Book is available now at the publisher Lulu: 
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/axe-hand-hsing-i-internal-strength-workout/15063347 
Paperback, 175 pages

or at Amazon 
http://www.amazon.com/Hand-Hsing-i-Internal-Strength-Workout/dp/1257047116/


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