Complete Tai-Chi: The Definitive Guide to Physical and Emotional Self-Improvement [Paperback]

Alfred Huang (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 1993

While promoting health and spiritual awareness, this book provides step-by-step instruction in the practice, history and philosophy of Wu-style Tai-chi.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Master Alfred Huang is a native of China, and has practiced the art of Tai-chi for over fifty years. In 1966, as the Cultural Revolution swept China, he was accused of being an American spy and imprisoned for thirteen years. According to Master Huang, Tai-chi gave him the strength to endure this ordeal. In 1980 he emigrated to the U.S., making his home in Hawaii, where he is the founder and director of the Wholistic Tai-chi Education and Research Associationi and director of New Harmony--Friends of Total Health.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing (April 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804818975
• ISBN-13: 978-0804818971
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #162,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Youngster has found the perfect Tai Chi, January 21, 2000

By 

Perry Brooks Nichols - See all my reviews

This review is from: Complete Tai-Chi: The Definitive Guide to Physical and Emotional Self-Improvement (Paperback)

This book is absolutely delightful, from its discussion of the theory behind the art to its amazingly in-depth tracing of its history. For the past year and a half, I have been searching for something to heal my Chronic pain disorder that effects my upper body, and has effected my classical guitar-playing and musicianship more than I like. Well, a few months ago I picked up the Sophia Delza book at my library and began studying from that, but I wasn't completely satisfied with discussion of forms and postures, so I decided to buy a book, and after an exhausting search I finally came away with this book which not only seemed to satisfied my requirements, but left me with an excellent feeling. I was most attracted to the fact that he was using the Tai Chi as a healing approach and that he had been practicing for upwards of 50 years. Well, let me just say that everyday I feel better, and my pain is constantly receding, I have a whole new outlook on life, and the calmness I have learned has helped me to develop my musicianship. I appreciate Master Huang's approach of allowing the reader to bring his own things to the practice such as relaxation methods, and at first I was perturbed that he didn't offer breathing methods on each of the postures, but it is inferred that one cannot learn the breathing for all movements unless they have learned the postures perfectly. Actually, one may notice, however, that he does describe in a brief passage what movements exhaling and inhaling require. This book is a beautiful description and application of the technique that will be helpful to anyone.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, December 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Complete Tai-Chi: The Definitive Guide to Physical and Emotional Self-Improvement (Paperback)

This book is the most detailed explained book I ever read. It teaches you how to have the correct posture (Which is very very important if you want to learn tai chi!), the very basic tought of chi, and also it DOES have explanation how to breath. He didn't write how to breath in every single movement that he explained, but he did in the beginning of the book or/and in the attachment of old manuskript tranlations.
Once again it's a very good book for a serious tai chi student, but you have to get use of the way chinese people think to understand some of the contains.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb and practical guide to the Wu style., March 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Complete Tai-Chi: The Definitive Guide to Physical and Emotional Self-Improvement (Paperback)

In clear photographs explicated by easily followed instructions, Alfred Huang's book makes it possible to learn this tai chi form on your own. If you're already familiar with any style of tai chi, your progress will be rapid, as you'll already understand subtleties of weight shifting, breathing and alignment that are nearly impossible to fully convey in cold print. Whatever your background, the effort is worth it. This version of the Wu style instills a soft, buoyant energy; you can feel your body being healed and strengthened as you run through the movements. There are relatively few books around on this style. Although a little weak on illustrating certain transitions, COMPLETE TAI CHI is one of the best, and Huang's teaching is saturated with authenticity. He knows his stuff and teaches it beautifully.