Lost T'ai-chi Classics from the Late Ch'ing Dynasty (Suny Series in Chinese Philosophy & Culture) (Suny Series, Chinese Philosophy & Culture) [Paperback]

Douglas Wile (Author)

Book Description

Series: Suny Series, Chinese Philosophy & Culture | Publication Date: August 15, 1996

Douglas Wile translates and analyzes four collections of recently released nineteenth-century manuscripts on T'ai-chi ch'uan. These writings of Wu's older brothers Ch'eng-ch'ing and Ju-ch'ing, and his nephew Li I-yu, together with the transmissions of Yang Pan-hou, represent a significant addition to the seminal literature. The rich new texts allow us to make a fresh survey of longstanding issues in T'ai-chi history: the origins of the art; the authorship of the "classics" the differences between Wu, Yang, and Li; and the roles of Chang San-feng, Wang Tsung-yueh, Chiang Fa, and the formerly missing link, Ch'ang Nai-chou. The original Chinese texts of the four new sets of classics have been appended for the convenience of Chinese readers and scholars. The book reconsiders the world of the Wu, Yang, and Li families of Yung-nien and reconstructs it against the background of the Opium Wars, the Taiping Rebellion, and the decline of the Manchu dynasty. New biographical sources illuminate the domestic and political lives of the Yung-nien circle and their orientation to the late imperial intellectual trends. The development of T'ai-chi ch'uan in the nineteenth century is explored in the context of China's cultural response to the challenge of the West and the role of body-centered arts in Asia during the drive for independence and the ongoing search for national identity.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Chinese --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Douglas Wile is Associate Professor at Brooklyn College. He is the author of The Art of the Bedchamber: The Chinese Sexual Yoga Classics, Including Women's Solo Meditation Texts, also published by SUNY Press.

Product Details

• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: State University of New York Press (August 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0791426548
• ISBN-13: 978-0791426548
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #412,905 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #89 in Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Asian

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Serious Tai Chi, April 17, 2000

By 

Bob (Boston MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lost T'ai-chi Classics from the Late Ch'ing Dynasty (Suny Series in Chinese Philosophy & Culture) (Suny Series, Chinese Philosophy & Culture) (Paperback)

In a market saturated with nonsense that passes as tai chi, it is refreshing that someone has taken the trouble to publish something as potentially useful as this book. Not only does it provide several very old texts on tai chi which were written by acknowledged masters, but it also explores the history of tai chi in a more scholarly manner, rather than passing on half truths about "my teacher once told me that his teacher told him...". Thanks to Douglas Wile for raising the bar on tai chi literature in the US. Hope to see more like this one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Masterpiece by Douglas Wile, November 16, 2009

By 

Demitri Pevzner (depends on time of year) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lost T'ai-chi Classics from the Late Ch'ing Dynasty (Suny Series in Chinese Philosophy & Culture) (Suny Series, Chinese Philosophy & Culture) (Paperback)

This is nothing short of great scholarly work. The sheer amount of research that Douglas Wile put into the book must have been overwhelming. The text should be of interest to Sinologists and any serious student of Taijiquan alike, for it's stern cross-examination of the political and social factors that played into the Taijiquan creation mythos (including that of Zheng Sanfeng's involvement.)

Douglas Wile gives us a glimpse into the first major Classics of Taiji, an up-close look at the authors, their possible motivations and background history as based on the newspaper clippings and other records available from the Ch'ing time period. Various sources and theories are cross-examined, and held up against the records from that timeline. This questioning and cross referencing allows us better understanding of some of the strong cultural and seemingly mythological attributions that are prominent in today's presentation of the art.

Wile presents the reader with the Wu and Li family's involvement, their contributions to the art, their influence, and in turn, what influenced them. The various theories and chronologies, the various newspapers and records, numerous discrepancies and inconsistencies, and other significant information that leads the reader to have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the depth of Taijiquan. While we may never know with 100% certainty the exact origins of the art (the Chen's account being perhaps the most feasible,) we may certainly discount many of the theories that are currently being passed off as genuine history.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lost Classics Found, May 7, 2011

By 

Jianli - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lost T'ai-chi Classics from the Late Ch'ing Dynasty (Suny Series in Chinese Philosophy & Culture) (Suny Series, Chinese Philosophy & Culture) (Paperback)

The classic texts would be difficult for beginning tai chi students to understand, however,this book is an excellent choice for experienced students of tai chi. Texts of tai chi classics supplemented with the author's analysis of the signficance of the text and a detailed history of tai chi make this a book I will go back to over and over as my tai chi practice deepens.