Gateway to the Miraculous: Further Explorations in the Tao of Cheng Man Ch'ing (Paperback)

by Wolfe Lowenthal (Author) "The ancient were not learned, they did not know sophisticated definition..." (more)
Key Phrases: chin energy, stiff force, push hands, Tai Chi, Professor Cheng, Yang Cheng-fu (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This book is a sequel to Wolfe Lowenthal’s first book: There Are No Secrets. Like the previous book, it is about his teacher, the great Cheng Man-ch’ing, the art of Tai Chi Chuan, and his experience as a student and teacher.

About the Author
Wolfe Lowenthal was born in Pittsburgh, PA in 1939 and attended Carnegie Mellon. He has worked as an anti-war activist, a typesetter, and a screen writer. In 1967 he studying Tai Chi Ch’uan with Professor Cheng Man-Ching, eventually becoming an assistant. After Professor Cheng’s death in 1975, Lowenthal began teaching Tai Chi. He lives with his wife and young son in New York, where he studies and teaches at his school, The Long River Tai Chi Circle. He is the author of a previous book about Professor Cheng, There Are No Secrets, published in 1991.

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Frog Books (June 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883319137
• ISBN-13: 978-1883319137
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #562,060 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent discussion of author's development in tai chi, December 11, 1998

By A Customer

This book is related to, but should not be considered a sequel to the author's book, "There Are No Secrets," about his studies with Chen Man Ching. It is, however, an excellent discussion of how the author incorporated his tai chi studies into his life and thoughts, and his growth as a martial artist. I recommend it highly as a companion to his earlier book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Great Tai Chi Information From Lowenthal, January 25, 2002

By A Customer

The style is very similar to "There Are No Secrets" - it is equally entertaining and informative. There is some repetition from the first book, but in my opinion his first book contains so much information that it is nearly impossible to digest it all. I think it is helpful to hear a few of the same ideas rephrased or put in a different context.

The chapters on Tai Chi fencing were very interesting and original. You also learn more about Lowenthal's life during his Tai Chi training days and meet some of the other characters he trains with. His attempt to honestly portray both himself and the professor really makes Tai Chi feel like an art that should practiced by ordinary people and not just monks on some mountain.

The pictures are nice too!

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glimpses of an epic tai chi journey, May 4, 1999

By A Customer

Wolfe Lowenthals training under the famous Cheng Man-ching is to be envied for its depth and duration . He spent hours everyday for seven years seeking to plumb the depths of Cheng's Taichi, to inquire deeply within himself and of his teacher to try and exemplify its essence, in boxing as well as life. Lowenthal continues to grapple with the paradoxes of push hands obeying Master Cheng's instructions to the letter: "never use more than 4 ounces" Through tireless effort he achieves skill.