Category: Book Reviews

Let me begin this review by disclosing that I hadn’t read the author’s first book, “Laoshi: Tai Chi, Teachers, and Pursuit of Principle,” until asked by the publisher to pen a review for this second volume. I thought it would be prudent to read Laoshi first as the publisher had informed me that Laoshi’s Legacy is, as the title suggests, something of a sequel to the earlier volume. It was auspicious then that I found Laoshi thoroughly engaging and full of valuable tidbits, both philosophical and technical. I liked Jan Kauskas’ writing style as immediately intimate and process-oriented. I felt cast as a fly on the wall during his reconstructed conversations with and about his various teachers and their teachers. All this served as an ideal backdrop as I prepared myself for a go through Laoshi’s Legacy.

One of the challenges writers face in putting out a second book on the heels of a very good first book is meeting readers’ now-high expectations. Throughout this second volume, and in like manner to his earlier book, the author continues to capture and portray the realities of student/teacher scenarios and dynamics by casting himself as the student struggling to reconcile his own insecurities and developing perspectives with the wisdom and seeming idiosyncrasies of his teacher, the sagacious Laoshi.

This book does not disappoint in follow-up to Laoshi as provocative and insightful lesson after lesson greets the reader. Highlighted early on is the lesson that while there is something to be said for submitting ourselves to the discipline of taijiquan, doing so blindly or without regard for pre-existing injuries or limitations may produce more harm than good. Also early on, the author offers important tempering words as regards the tendency of many practitioners to imbue taijiquan with fantastical expectations. The many diverse topics that follow remain similarly engaging right through to the final pages.

As a school owner/operator myself for over fifty years, I was particularly impressed by the candid and revealing manner in which the author dealt with the seeming discrepancies involved in balancing a “spiritual” enterprise with the realities and accountabilities of running a successful business, and of how to reconcile the moral ambiguities implicit in a study of taijiquan and pursuit of Dao with the distractions and allure of modern life in a high tech world. How to strike a balance?

Throughout this book the author cleverly and convincingly speaks in two voices, as the insecure and naive student-narrator evolving along his own path in his own time, and as the wise and knowledgeable Laoshi guiding the student in his development. Of course, Kauskas could only write as he does having already achieved a level of knowledge, skill, and wisdom well beyond that portrayed by his student character.

Though the book is not written as a technical instruction guide, there are quite a few passages that speak directly to technical aspects of taijiquan form or push-hands practice from which the knowledgeable reader will be able to glean practical advice.

In summary, Laoshi’s Legacy is a must-read book for all serious taijiquan students and teachers.

Imagine you are a 19th century team of archeologists and have unearthed the ruins of the city of Pompeii, preserved in volcanic ash from the 79AD (CE79) eruption of Mount Vesuvius. A window into the inhabitants of an ancient Roman history. An educational tool to further study our own Mount St Helens eruption in the late 20th century.

For Tai Chi historians of the modern era, the uncovering of the Li Family Martial Arts Manual is no less astonishing. This genealogy predates what was known about the origins of the Chen, Yang and Wu styles of the practice, first documented in in the early 20th century about founders of each of the main styles over a century beforehand.

In Tai Chi: The True History & Principles, Lars Bo Christensen discusses the texts, stored for 300 years by descendants of the Tang Village’s Li family, and specifically, the late 16th century documented postures known as The Thirteen Movements. This origins form, tracing back to the Thousand Year Temple, contains the eight trigrams and five phases that are still practiced. Christensen includes the Chinese translations, not only of The Thirteen Movements, but also the related postures in each of the Chen, Yang and Wu styles.

In addition to The Thirteen Postures, Christensen discusses the history and philosophy of the duality – what some call the Yin-Yang symbol – which embodies the beliefs of Daoism and Confucianism. Out of nothing and stillness, comes all things. A life of balance and interdependence. Darkness and light, soft and hard, yielding and advancing.

This book contains copies of documents from the Li Family Martial Arts Manual, citations, historical photographs, sources and references. This material is respectfully compiled and put into context by the author. He also lists additional reading material and recommended authors.

From texts found in a doorway, a doorway to the past arises. A door to the past that nonetheless impacts the future of our understanding.

Lars Bo Christensen has been a practitioner of Tai Chi for several decades. An avid scholar of Chinese language and culture, he has penned five books regarding the history and practice of Tai Chi.

You can find “Tai Chi: The True History & Principles” at Amazon.com. Click on the link below to see more about about this great book!

Compiling a reference guide for any field is a challenging and lengthy task; for some, a labor of love. Angelika Fritz has studied the internal arts of Taijiquan and Qi Gong for over ten years, and shares her enthusiasm in this slim, quick handbook of terms.

Aside from names of prominent figures or book titles, most of the terms are accompanied by the Chinese translation. Language has a powerful on our perception of words and our worldview. Reading the postures, styles, disciplines, and Eastern medicine practices in their language of origin roots them in culture and context. The phrase Tai Chi alone has more than one translation; Taijiquan in the state sanctioned standard Pinyin; and T’ai Chi Ch’uan in the earlier Wade-Giles romanization of Mandarin.

Several categories of terms are included in this A to Z dictionary, highlighted in the following examples:

• Historical figures, practitioners, pioneers or dynasties
  • The “professor” and Master of the Five Excellences, Cheng Manching who brought the Yang form to the West a generation ago.
  • Indian monk and leader of Chen Buddhism, Da Mao (Bodhidarma).
• Postures
  • Some of my favorites – Lan Que Wei (grasp the sparrows tail), Bai He Liang Chi (white crane spreads wings) and Yun Shao (wave hands like clouds).
• Forms, styles, frames, practices
  • Chen, Yang and Wu family styles of Taijiquan.
  • Types of Qi Gong, including medical (Yi Liao), martial (Wu Shu) and spiritual (Jing Shen); Bagua and Ba Duan Jin forms.
• Books, documents, texts
  • Bao Shen Mi Yao (The Secret Important Document of Body Protection), Yi Jing (I Ching ancient book of changes), Tao Te Ching (philosophical text on ‘the way’, or Taoism).
• Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, breathing techniques and healing arts
  • Wu Xin (five elements), meridians, Liu Ze Jue (six healing sounds), Ni Wan Gong, Dian Xue massage, Feng Shui, Eight Guiding Principals.
• Philosophies
  • Bhuddism, Taoism, Naturalism, Confucianism.
• General internal arts glossary
  • Jin, Shen, Qi, Yin/Yang, Wushu, Dantians, Gongfu, Silk Reeling, The Three Powers, etc.

The Taiju & Qi Gong Dictionary is a handy reference for beginners to add to their library, or to pair with related histories, novels, diagrams, medical guides, documentaries, and classroom learning.

Author Angelika Fritz wears many hats: mother, consultant, teacher, student, blogger and publisher. Follow her articles at www.Qialance.com

You can find this dictionary of Taijiquan and Qigong here at Amazon.com. Click on the link below to see more about about this great book!

Book review:
Tai Chi: The Story of a Chinese Master In America, by Marc Meyer

Family. A common thread in this charming story surrounding an adolescent boy and his uncle navigating duty, education, a culture’s oral history, and the ancient art of T’ai Chi in New York’s Chinatown during the 1960s.

While others may interpret the central character of Meyer’s novel to be respected elder T’ai Chi Master Kuo Yun San, I believe it is really his nephew Paul Chen’s tale to tell. It is through Paul’s eyes and ears that we experience the world around him, living with his younger brother Fa, mother Mei and stepfather Harry. It is the uncle’s return to the US from the Cultural Revolution of China that guides the path ahead for the Chen family and the two impressionable boys.

Practitioners of the internal arts liken the form to a strand of silk thread woven through a string of pearls. So too are the threads of martial arts study, first love, family secrets, a mentor’s substance abuse, silent benefactors and competition woven through Paul’s maturity and growth.

Those familiar with the Five Chinese Elements (Wood, Metal, Fire, Earth and Water) will delight in the spot-on nicknames for Kuo’s students–devotees who remain with the master throughout his years at the dojo in Chinatown.

The author Marc Meyer is a T’ai Chi instructor and jazz pianist. Both are disciplines where sparring, improvisation, adaptation, pushing and redirecting are essential elements. This first novel shows a knack for blending topical issues like immigration, addiction, debt, athletic organization protocols, trust and faith with the beautiful story of one extended family half a century ago.

“The idea of using slow movement from a martial perspective is to practice unifying all parts of the body. With proper training, a T’ai Chi fighter can harness the forces of nature against an opponent yet appear relaxed as if nothing was happening.”

In Taichi: The Story of A Chinese Master, Marc Meyer’s protagonist Paul Chen and his uncle Kuo Yan Sun serve to unify the mind, body and spirit.

Get your copy today!

A different coming of age tale –about a youth’s transformation with the help of an elder internal arts practitioner. The protagonist of Steve Zimcosky’s book is a shy and sickly 10 year old, who spends summers in the mid 1960’s with his grandparents in a rural town outside of Pittsburgh. In the first book, he meets a neighbor, Zu Shen Tian, originally schooled in Western Medicine in the US after growing up near the Wudang Mountains of China.

Throughout the summer, the youth overcomes his shyness, increases his fitness level and dietary health, and deflects bullying, As he notes when his parents come to pick him up at the end of the summer, “my mom was the first to notice a difference in me. It was not a physical change so much as the way I carried myself.” This is a concept that my own local instructor has championed.

The first book concentrates on the practice of Qigong, which integrates breathing techniques and focused intention with a set of physical postures. It promotes quality of life, energy, creativity, mental clarity and physical longevity. Zimcosky punctuates his book with instructions, drawings, diagrams and pictures. Zu Shen (nicknamed John) also teaches the youth about the yin and yang associations with internal organs, the Five Elements in Chinese Medicine and their association with creation and nature, the Eight Silken Movements (sometimes referred to as Eight Pieces of Brocade), the flow of the Microcosmic Orbit through meridians, and the healthy foods associated with the seasons and the Five Elements.

Those familiar with Gail Rieichstein’s “Wood Becomes Water: Chinese Medicine In Every Day Life” and Deng Ming-Dao’s “The Wandering Taoist” will see a connection to “The Old Man From The Hill”.

In the second book, the youth returns to learn about Tai Chi –a mind/body subset of martial arts with meditation and slow deliberate movements. His school work and confidence had improved, and he was hopeful to return to his grandparents and study with John once again. The Buddhist practice of Fragrant Qigong and also Inner Smile meditation were starting points that summer. A field trip ride to Pittsburgh’s China Town set the driving discussion to more yin and yang balance.

The youth also learned the Taoist importance of the natural world –“trees and plants take in the air we breathe, the minerals and water from the ground, and the light from the sun. When the Qi from the universe mixes with the energy from the earth it becomes a powerful energy source.” This, the second part of Zimcosky’s tale, is rounded out by descriptions and diagrams of the Tai Chi 24 form.

These books are useful additions to information about internal arts, but with a special niche for children. The importance of daily practice and discipline are a key take-away from Zimcosky, who peppers the education with family stories, multi-cultural experiences, nutrition and generational respect.

You can find these wonderful Children’s books on Tai Chi here at Amazon.com!

For beginner students of Tai Chi Chuan, Robin Gamble’s book is a helpful resource for those looking for a brief introduction to each of several topics. An international instructor and competitor now living in Thailand, Gamble takes the curious through what he terms the “Tai Chi Dance” (wide accessibility to gentle physical movements for relaxation) versus “Tai Chi Chuan”, the Chinese internal martial art (combat self-defense that grows mental freshness, personal development and vitality, that initially was reserved to a select few).

Through daily practice, Gamble points to three main levels of benefit. Holistic health (physical, mental, emotional), combat (self-defense, confidence, courage), and cultivation of the mind. Cultivation of the mind supports inner peace, calmness and joy and needn’t only be attempted in a temple or mountain like the ancient Taoists. And again, as with like-minded experienced practitioners, Gamble outlines some differences between Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Western medicine and their approaches to health and wellness.

Gamble discusses the philosophy of a ‘Scholar Warrior’ who balances Yin and Yang harmonies in his life and scholarly pursuits for a balanced, well rounded life, and who actively seeks out opportunities to serve others. The importance of selecting the right instructors to match your Tai Chi goals is also a directive of this and several authors. Included also are diagrams and instructions for a starting, energizing form – Wuji, Goat Stance, Lifting the Water and Cloud Hands. And the importance of partner training, such as in the practice of ‘Push Hands’ readies the practitioner over time to better interact with and understand others. Myths are debunked relating to the perception of Tai Chi Chuan as slow, new age, is not a martial art, or has no scientific backing studies to support its health benefits.

One of my favorite quotes from The Power of Tai Chi Chuan is: “When you have a practice every day of centering yourself, regulating your breathing and calming your mind, the benefits seep into your day to day life and your emotions become less volatile and more balanced. I feel many people live on an emotional roller-coaster, they never know when they will be up or down. But Tai Chi Chuan makes the ride much smoother.”

Gamble’s book also includes several real world case study examples of Tai Chi Chuan’s impact on health, daily life, work and relationships. Santiago, an online marketer from Spain, feels his negotiation skills have improved and he has been able to turn an unfavorable relationship into a favorable one, and now has better relationships with his managers. Relinde, a dance choreographer from the Netherlands, finds Tai Chi and Qi Kung have complimented her dance and yoga practice, help her overcome two injuries, and improved her coordination. Mark, a martial arts instructor in the US finds his decisiveness and problem solving abilities have improved. And Dominic, a home improvement contractor in Ireland, has overcome anxiety and shyness, was able to return to work after disability, and also grow a personal dating relationship.

These stories and several others help to illustrate the Jing (body), Chi (energy) and Shen (spirit) benefits of the ancient art of Tai Chi.

Review of Alex Dong’s book, Taijiquan Explained part II

Alex Dong is a 4th generation Taiji Master of the Dong (Tung) family. He started learning Taiji at the young age of five from his father, Grand Master Dong Zeng Cheng. Born in China, then moved to the USA, he now lives and teaches in New York City. He is a very gifted teacher, dedicated in spreading the art, leading seminars worldwide.

His great-grandfather, Tung Ying Jie, an inner-door disciple of Yang Chen Fu, wrote a book called “T’ai Chi Ch’uan Explained” or the “Red Book”, which has been partially translated into English by Dong. The parts of the original that describe the postures of the traditional Yang style Taiji long form were not included in the translation.

The Red Book is one of the rare Taiji manual textbooks – Douglas Wile has translated some of it in his book “Tai Chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions”.

Alex Dong’s book, Taijiquan Explained part II, translates the descriptions and instructions of each posture, their martial applications and health benefits from the original “Red Book”, replacing the B&W pictures of Tung Ying Jie’s with his own, colored ones. Dong’s impressive postures are clearly depicted in excellent, high quality pictures.

Taijiquan Explained part II is a great book for a beginner and an excellent reference for intermediate and advanced students of Taiji who are already familiar with the yang style slow set. It can be a self-teaching device for those who are already under the instruction of a qualified Taiji instructor.

The book also includes many fundamentals, insights and a chapter on Push Hands training and strategies. Among other subjects, guidelines for practice including stances, alignment, rooting, balance and movement are covered.

Dong’s knowledge is genuine. He provides, skillful, very pointed instruction and down-to-earth advice. His generously shared pearls of wisdom, based on his own experience and practice, are deeply informative, to say the least.

A must-read, this very interesting book provides lots of inspiring and helpful practice tips and some valuable key insights and ideas. The author’s descriptions and explanations of concepts, principles and terms are clear, concise and practical.

Alex Dong’s book, Taijiquan Explained part II and the translation of Tung Ying Jie’s book “T’ai Chi Ch’uan Explained” (“Red Book”) can be ordered online at http://www.alexdongtaiji.com/store/

Review of Jan Kauskas’ book, Laoshi: Tai Chi, Teachers and the Pursuit of Principle.

Many a tai chi student, be it novice or experienced senior, have pondered putting pen to paper in order to try and convey or share their enthusiasm for the art and the stories forged over time b their instructor. The compulsion to express via the written word some translation of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energies one feels welling up inside when learning various internal arts practices is a strong one, yet not all can easily lay bare the soul of the art in such a fashion.

Jan Kauskas takes us into the ups and downs of learning not only tai chi, but applicable life principles that arise along the way. Something my own teacher often refers to as ‘living the art’ –finding daily affirmations or recognizing the tai chi philosophies in many aspects of our lives, work, social encounters and world view.

The book is an extension of the storytelling art, and the heart to heart transmission between teacher and student. Kauskas not only discusses the technical aspects of the tai chi form, push-hands, spherical dimensions, sword mythology, coiling, structure, kicking and importance of the tan tiens; but also the more spiritual and philosophical notions of art versus fighting, force, balance, yielding, Daoism (or The Way) judgment, the eternal balance of yin and yang, learning to give up total control, the dangers of blind respect, and the rational mind versus the heart-mind.

One of my favorite quotes from Laoshi: Tai Chi, Teachers and the Pursuit of Principle is: “The more you try to control life, the more you imprison yourself. You will experience greater and greater tension and so less and less joy, happiness and love. Once you understand the only way to control the universe is to realize you can’t, there is a wonderful freedom. It takes away the pressure that goes with trying to force things to your will.”

Push-hands is more of a conversation, not a fight. Swords are about defense and are forged by removing impurities. Our own world-view impacts our judgments. We need to befriend our yang energy, lest it destroy us. Suffering is about our reactions to life, and differs from pain. The heart-mind, faith and love are the currency of internal arts. And to force control, rather than yield and relax, is to be imprisoned. Some of the many lessons learned and applied by Jan Kauskas from his many teachers.

The “Taijiquan Theory”, written by Dr Yang Jwing-Ming, is a book for students who would like to further their understanding of Taiji.

The author is recognized as an expert in South Shaolin White Crane style (Bai he), and Long Poing (Changquan). He has been practicing Taiji for more than 50 years.

First of all, this book is very abstract; the reading is quite hard due to how the text is written. Each chapter is split up into a Chinese part, a translation of the Chinese part, and what I think is the author’s interpretation.

The theory is really hard to understand but for a Taiji student it’s interesting to read it as further information for practicing. With this book, you will gain a deeper understanding of:

• Taiji as a part of Chinese philosophy, and medicine
• The importance of anchoring
• All the different breathing techniques in Taiji
• Circulation of energy (Qi)
• How to regulate the emotional mind
• Lao Tzu’s theory on soft and hard

The theory was quite hard to understand, sometimes, I needed to read a paragraph twice to understand it. I think this book can help you to understand what happens to your body when you practiced Taiji very often. Anyway, it’s a book we can leave and go back to at any time as a beginner or as an advanced student. The more you read it and the more you practice Taiji, the more you will discover and understand new things.

Even if this book is not a page turner, I think I enjoyed this book, because it helps me:

• To understand myself better
• To feel how the energy flows in my body when I practice Taiji
• To be conscious to focus on putting down roots more and more
• To cope with my emotional mind

I hope you will enjoy reading this book and you will share your opinion with me!