Customer Reviews

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Ta Wen: Questions and Answers on T'ai Chi Ch'uan

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This slender and concise classic has never been surpassed. In just a few pages, Chen Wei-Ming outlines the key points regarding T'ai Chi application, particularly explaining the use of the art in clear language with excellent examples (although other areas are covered as well). The chapter on Free-Fighting alone is worth the price of the book. In an era where knowledge of T'ai Chi application as a martial art has almost disappeared, this book is not only the best study guide (to be read and reread) but also a great "test" for steering clear of bogus teachers. Simply put, if a teacher of T'ai Chi cannot understand or demonstrate the concepts within this book, he or she should close up shop at once. Finally, this book was translated largely by Ben Lo, world renowned for his extremely high level of skill in push hands and application. Every true T'ai Chi practitioner will treasure this classic.

It is incredible how in only 60 pages you get the most of answers you were looking for about Tai Chi. There is matter enough in this book to write at the least 5 books. Anyway this is not a book for beginner or not Tai Chi practitioners. You can get the most from this book only if you are an experienced Tai Chi student. The best chapters in my opinion are the ones dedicated to pushing hands exercise and real fighting. If you have approached Tai chi from years of study on a hard stile, the answers could also sound trivial but at the least they will reinforce your intuitions on Tai Chi. On the other hand if you don't have experience on fighting this book clarify you on the item.

This work is a brief text written by Chen Wei-Ming, a tai chi master in the early twentieth century. It is in a question and answer format, and was written with the purpose of responding to common difficulties that students were having with the form. Chen covers a variety of topics, ranging from the history of tai chi, to the form, to combat applications. The answers are usually fairly short, but the translation is good, and this book contains much useful information. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in an old master's thoughts on Yang style tai chi chuan.

Excellent little book about the main points of practice. It is a lot like talking with a T'ai-Chi Master after practice and asking him questions about what you've just done.

This is a very thin, but a very full volume. It s been compiled in the q & a format. And indeed, it is nice to know what mr Wei Ming, the left hand of Yang Cheng Fu (the right hand being perhaps Cheng Man Ching) thinks about the correct practice of form, push hands, da lu, the right attitude and the right approach. Deinitely recommended for any student of this beautiful art.

This book is an invaluable resource to understanding the correct practise and application of Tai Chi Chuan. It is amazing how it outclasses the hundreds of newer books that have been written over the decades since this was first published. Highly Recommended.....