T'ai Chi Ch'uan for Health and Self-Defense: Philosophy and Practice [Paperback]

T.T. Liang (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 12, 1977

For the student who has already mastered the basic postures, this book addresses itself to the philosophy behind the system of movements and to all the variations possible.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

For the student who has already mastered the basic postures, this book addresses itself to the philosophy behind the system of movements and to all the variations possible.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Vintage; Revised edition (August 12, 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394724615
• ISBN-13: 978-0394724614
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.4 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 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: #321,598 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brief comment and some other recs, November 16, 2005

By 

magellan (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: T'ai Chi Ch'uan for Health and Self-Defense: Philosophy and Practice (Paperback)

The amazing T.T. Liang gives the reader the benefit of his 80 years (or possibly more) of studying and teaching tai chi. Very detailed discussion of tai chi history, and many important concepts such as jin, chi, many tips and important points relating to doing the form and its applications, and more.

Liang had an amazing life with many adventures, and he experienced and witnessed many horrors and tragedies during the war, but it never soured his outlook on humanity, and in fact Liang's approach to life is quite light-hearted and humorous. Studying tai chi enabled him to overcome early health problems, and it has been a constant source of inspiration in his life.

In case you're interested in further information, here are some other recommendations for further reading with brief descriptions of the books, including another one by Liang:

1. Tai Chi Chuan Martial Applications: Advanced Yang Style

A good book by master Yang but only shows applications against punches. To get the other applications such as chin na, you'll need to supplement this with his Tai Chi Chin Na book.

2. T'ai Chi: The "Supreme Ultimate" Exercise For Health, Sport And Self-defense, by Robert W. Smith and Cheng Man-Ch'ing

Historically important early work in English that is still useful, has good photos of the impeccable Cheng Man Ching's form.

3. The Complete Guide to T'ai Chi by Stewart McFarlane

A good introductory guide with an emphasis on the "outward shape" or body mechanics for each posture of the short Cheng Man Ching short form, which has become the most popular. Detailed pointers and very clear photos tell you how to perform each movement.

4. Tai Chi Connections : Advancing Your Tai Chi Experience by John Loupos

This is the best book I've seen so far in discussing the body mechanics, including balance, how to create and transfer power, the role of momentum, how to step, how to create power, and many other topics.

5. The Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan: A Comprehensive Guide to the Priciples and Practice by Wong Kiew Kit

Sifu Wong's book is the most eclectic and complete book so far I've seen on tai chi. It lives up to his goal to present the complete art with all its facets. The book presents all the main aspects of tai, from the physical representations of the forms to the more abstruse spiritual matters, which I'd never seen really discussed much before.

6. Steal My Art: The Life and Times of T'Ai Chi Master, T.T. Liang, by T.T. Liang

Humorous, entertaining, and well written story of T.T. Liang and his art and many life adventures, which make absorbing reading.

7. The Tai Chi Two-Person Dance: Tai Chi with a Partner by Jonathan Russell

This was a groundbreaking book in that I believe it was the first ever in English on the two-person form. Very clearly written text and photo sequences detail how to perform the form. Also, very good explanations of some tai chi martial theory relating to the form, such as the concepts of adhering, listening, neutralizing, etc., which must be learned in sequence as each level builds on the one before it. These are also the important principles to be learned and applied in the form.

8. Compact Tai Chi: Combined Forms for Pratice in Limited Space by Jesse Tsao

This book presents an unusual but practical approach to the tai chi form, turning it into a circular stepping pattern instead of the traditional pattern in order to save space, so you can do it at home or in a limited space. Although I know the traditional long Yang form, I have no problems with this and find it an excellent approach and of value. The book also takes and combines techniques from the five main styles of tai chi.

9. Yin-Yang in Tai-Chi Chuan and Daily Life by Simmone Kuo, John Bratten

A very complete, one might say, encyclopedic treatment of the concept, drawing from diverse sources, including history, Chinese philosophy, and even poetry, besides its importance in tai chi. Although I found some of the material only peripherally relevant, such as the discussions of Confucius, if you think of this as a treatment of the subject in the context of Chinese culture as a whole you'll have a better idea of the book.

10. Tai Chi Theory & Martial Power: Advanced Yang Style, by Dr. Yang Jwing Ming

Like Dr. Yang's other books this is a gold mine of good information. Dr. Yang's book goes beyond the basic principles and gives quite specific instructions on the more advanced ones. As far as good, practical, and detailed advice on many aspects of tai chi energy, power, speed, posture and body mechanics, form practice, martial applications, and so on, this is probably the best I've seen.

11. T'ai Chi Classics, by Waysun Liao

After a brief consideration of the history and origins of tai chi, the author proceeds to explicate the most important principles of tai chi through a presentation of the three most important tai chi classics, along with modern commentary written by the author. I found his elaborations on the more condensed and sometimes cryptic sentences and paragraphs in the original classics very helpful, and in fact, most of the text in these chapters is actually his, not the classics themselves. The chapter on jin theory and its many types and their nature and applications was also excellent. Overall good explanations about tai chi but note that sometimes the author's discussions of the physics are wrong.

12. T'ai Chi According to the I Ching: Embodying the Principles of the Book of Changes, by Stuart Alve Olson

Very detailed discussion of tai chi concepts, linking the techniques explicitly to the 8 trigrams, the five activities and five elements. The book is chock full of diagrams and illustrations that show these relationships, which makes it good as a reference, as you'll find few other books that lay it all out like this one does. Also discussions and presentations of the pre-heaven 16-movement form for both yin and yang parts, and the 64 move post-heaven form, the 8 hands, and the 8 stances as well.

Hope you find my little list helpful. Good luck and happy tai chi practicing and reading!

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars wandering way off the beaten path..., January 26, 2001

By 

Mauricio C. Quintana "cintain" (Mexico City, DF Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: T'ai Chi Ch'uan for Health and Self-Defense: Philosophy and Practice (Paperback)

Here is a true rarity: a Tai Chi book that does not have a section devoted to reproducing pictures or drawings of one of the forms. T.T. Liang, like other authors of Chinese origin on this subject, suffered from grave illness and was cured by practicing Tai Chi. This book, edited by one of his students, is a very, very different approach to writing about Tai Chi.

What is interesting about it is the blend of materials presented. This little, unassuming book contains a VERY GOOD translation of the Tai Chi Classics, with a very personal and insightful commentary from Master Liang, along with excerpts from many other Tai Chi songs and tales from China. The chapters are loosely knit, and sometimes while reading the book one gets the feeling that it is just a collection of loose essays on Tai Chi by either a long-time practitioner or a fascinated observer. The style is very personal, and Master Liang intertwines his own ruminations and analyses of the teachings from the ancients in the same text. There are a lot of insights hidden in it, but a casual reader will have trouble finding them. This author wanders off, and doesn't always remember the reader trailing behind him, so one is often left thinking, "did I miss something?"

In all, the book is not bad (it's readable, the translation of the classics is very good, and you can see that the author knows his subject), but it is not excellent either. I'd say it's an average book with highlights that would interest an intermediate to advanced student of Tai Chi.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the good ones, September 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: T'ai Chi Ch'uan for Health and Self-Defense: Philosophy and Practice (Paperback)

In this "For Dummies" era, the market has been saturated with New-Agey, cartoon Tai Chi books with pictures and drawings, but that have very little actual substance to them. As more and more people become curious about this art, it is imperitive that material be made available that is true to the art, and not just a vehicle for some so-called "master" to publish pictures of himself practicing a form.

To that end, inside this unassuming, little, white book is some of the best writing on the subject of Tai Chi Chuan that I have seen.

To begin with, there are no step-by-step instructions here. This book is designed to pique the interest of the layman, or to deepen the learned man's love for the art.

The history lessons alone are worth the price of the book. The commentary, anecdotes, and insight come from a place of subtlty and quiet wisdom which you may not get the first time through. Time has only made my appreciation for this book's layout widen.

But the real selling point is the translations of the Tai Chi Classics; of which most books about Tai Chi refer to but never provide.

So if you want to learn Tai Chi, find a good teacher. But if you want to learn about Tai Chi, then let me recommend this book. It's one of the good ones.