Tai Chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions [Paperback]

Douglas Wile (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2010

Three generations of Yang family masters lifted the art of T’ai-chi ch’uan from a closed courtyard in the Honan Province to the status of a national treasure and made of it, like India’s yoga, a gift to the world. Yang Lu-ch’an in the nineteenth century, fllowed by his sons and their sons, have given T’ai-chi ch’uan the theoretical and practical standard which still defines and shapes the art for a majority of practitioners today. This book draws together the written and photographic record of their teachings, a legacy spanning more than fifty years of published material. The contents include oral instruction, mnemonic verses and training songs, commentaries to the T’ai-chi Classics, essays, autobiography, and family legends, much of which have not been previously translated. 159 pages

Product Details

• Paperback: 159 pages
• Publisher: Sweet Ch I Press; 8th edition (March 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 091205901X
• ISBN-13: 978-0912059013
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #227,794 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A scholarly compilation of early Yang oral and written works, April 27, 2002

By 

"hythlodayr" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tai Chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions (Paperback)

Though "secret transmissions" is somewhat of a misnomer, what the author presents is a collection of early published taiji material--mostly by Yang Cheng Fu, though there is one work
indirectly attributed to Yang Ban Hou.

These early works are not a step-by-step manual, but guides to the practicing student to help gain insight into what they're practicing. What any reader should immediately pick-up, however, is that these guides were written for someone learning how to fight.

Though much of the material is by (and thus, oriented towards) a Yang-stylist, the fundamental principles of taiji remain the same in all styles, so there is enough material that all taiji practitioners can benefit by. In fact, this book was recommended to me by a Chen-style practitioner.

The other part of this book, the author's foreword, gives the colorful (and sometimes conflicting) historical background and accounts of the Yang family, which is in of itself a fascinating read.

This book is definitely recommended for any serious taiji student.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, October 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Tai Chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions (Paperback)

This book passes along much history and workings of the Tai Chi Style. As time goes on, these writings are be re-interpreted and the original translation or meanings are getting lost or clouded. It was good the see this book which commented and had explanations from the Yang Family founders and Masters

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!!! Highly recommend., October 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Tai Chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions (Paperback)

I've searched through, and read, quite a number of books on tai chi. This compilation of translations is excellent. It is clear, and has the resonance of true classics.