Classical Northern Wu Style Tai Ji Quan: The Fighting Art of the Manchurian Palace Guard [Paperback]

Tina Chunna Zhang (Author), Frank Allen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 18, 2006

Here is the original, rarely seen Tai Ji Quan developed by Yang Lu Chan's best Imperial Palace Guard student, Quan You, over 150 years ago. While other styles branched off into sport, health, and meditation, Quan You's disciples preserved the traditional ways. This book covers the principles, characteristics, and essentials of the Wu method, along with its famous masters. The entire classical form is illustrated step-by-step, and includes weapons skills.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tina Chunna Zhang has experienced Chinese martial arts and dance since her childhood in Beijing, China. She moved to the U.S. in the 1980s. She has studied and trained with famous internal martial arts masters both in China and in the U.S. She is a fifth-generation practitioner of Northern Wu Style Tai Ji Quan, training directly under Master Li Bing Ci. She won gold medals in sparring at the Summer Bash Chinese Martial Arts Championships in 2001 and 2002. She has continued to participate and win numerous medals in martial arts tournaments in China and in the U.S. every year. Tina actively teaches Classical Northern Wu Style Tai Ji Quan and ba gua zhang at the Wu Tang Physical Cultural Association internal martial arts studio and various sports clubs and fitness gyms in New York City.

Frank Allen has studied and practiced the internal energy arts since 1973. He was an early student of Master B. P. Chan, from whom he learned the internal martial arts of ba gua zhang, xing yi quan, and tai ji quan, as well as the healing art of qi gong. Frank began to study with Master B. K. Frantzis in 1976 and over the next two and a half decades studied Frantzis’s internal martial arts, including Wu Style Tai Ji Quan, nei gong, and Taoist meditation. He has also studied the internal martial arts with Master Jiang Jian Yee. In 1979 Frank founded the Wu Tang Physical Culture Association in New York City, with branches in Southern California, Middletown, New York, and Frankfurt, Germany.

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Blue Snake Books (August 18, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1583941541
• ISBN-13: 978-1583941546
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.6 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #435,476 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Northern Wu - Tai Chi's Best Kept Secret, October 20, 2006

By 

Michael Winn "HealingTaoUSA.com founder" (Asheville, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Classical Northern Wu Style Tai Ji Quan: The Fighting Art of the Manchurian Palace Guard (Paperback)

First, let me confess: I LOVE tai chi, but I HATE tai chi books. You simply cannot learn tai chi from a book. That being said, this is one of the best tai chi books I've read, and it has overcome my hate for the breed. I recommend it heartily to students of both the Wu and Yang styles. Wu derived from Yang style, but classical northern Wu is the closest thing out there to the early or Old Yang style being taught.

I myself practice the northern Wu classical form, but from a diferent teacher in the lineage than the authors. So I am NOT a student of either author or their teacher. But I bought this book because I saw them perform this style and recognized their high level of skill. The reason I studied the wu is because years ago, I knew a number of high level teachers of tai chi, who practiced multiple form styles - chen, yang, wu, hao, etc. I asked them which one I should learn. They ALL told me privately that northern wu was their favorite style. And many added that the Northern Wu Sword is also their favorite sword form - which as a bonus also is covered in this book.

I discovered that the Northern Wu classical style is the best kept secret in tai chi circles. Many teach the Yang to beginners because its easy and people know it and ask for it. But the preferred main form for internal development amongst many teachers I respect is often the northern Wu. As a past president of the National Qigong Association, and director of Healing Tao University [...] in the New York Catskills, I have met a lot of the top practitioners in the energy arts of qigong and taiji. In fact, I impressed enough by the authors I may ask them to consider teaching the form at my summer retreat program.

This is clearly the best book about Wu style, and its origins/relations to Yang style. But it goes way beyond that to make this simply a great book for anyone intereseted in tai chi. The history - with hard to find photos - and theory are exceptionally clear. The photography and text on each of the 83 postures is very useable. They've included a superb translation of the tai chi classics - that you can actually understand (not just obscure poetry, the fault of merely academic translations). They included a Chinese- English glossary of tai chi terms that is the best I have seen in print. The book covers applications and theory with refreshing brevity and sharp insight.

In short, get the book. And find a good northern wu style teacher. You'll never regret either.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth the wait., September 6, 2006

By 

William J. Long (Cayce, SC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Classical Northern Wu Style Tai Ji Quan: The Fighting Art of the Manchurian Palace Guard (Paperback)

This is what I look for in a martial arts book. It is well-written, concise, and coherent. It is aesthetically pleasing but still very practical, much like the art it describes.

The sections on the art's history, philosophy and applications are informative and colorful without being "hyped". The complete, illustrated Wu "long form" section is terrific, with notes on each movement; it will be invaluable for reference and review. The entire sword form is also illustrated and explained (although, unlike the "long form", combat applications of the sword movements are not included). The authors' close connection with Li Bing Ci makes this book a terrific companion to his excellent but erratically-subtitled DVD's; I feel like I finally have the "interpreter" I have often wished for while attempting to follow his demonstrations.

This book will take its place next to my dog-eared "Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere" by Westbrook and Ratti, and a number of lesser Tai Chi books will now be bound for the next garage sale.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Thing, September 7, 2006

By 

Katherine E. Majarov (Frederick, MD United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Classical Northern Wu Style Tai Ji Quan: The Fighting Art of the Manchurian Palace Guard (Paperback)

It was a pleasure to read this book. The information is laid out beautifully in a clear, easy-to-understand format highlighted by wonderful historical and instructional photographs. I am very impressed with how comprehensive this book is in just 200 pages. Not only does it outline the history and principles of Taiji (Tai Chi,) but it also contains a step-by-step description of the form, sword form and push hands. The applications or fighting photos are very clear and easy to emulate.

The authors present this pure, unmodified art as it was passed to them directly from Li Bing Ci in Beijing. They possess the talent not only of understanding the Chinese language but also the principles behind the art. There is a great translation of the "Tai Ji Quan Treatise" by Wong Zong Yue with interpretation at the end of the book. Also included is a useful glossary of terms with their pronunciation and definition.

This is a classic book that would appeal both to those curious about Taiji as well as seasoned practitioners. I am 15 years into my Taiji journey of learning and teaching and have read many books on the subject. I put this one at the top of my list.