Art Of Chinese Swordsmanship: Manual Of Taiji Jian
by Zhang Yun
List Price:
Our Price: $12.29
You Save: $10.66 (46%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $5.02 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Zhang YunEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1998-09-01
ISBN: 0834804123
Number of pages: 288
Publisher: Weatherhill
Book Reviews of Art Of Chinese Swordsmanship: Manual Of Taiji Jian
Book Review: Excellent book on little seen art
Summary: 5 Stars
There aren't many books available on the tai chi sword, and most are on the more popular Yang style. This book is on the less well known Wu style, a later development from the Yang style. In the empty-handed version of the art, the Wu style typically uses a somewhat more forward leaning posture, but that doesn't appear to be the case in the sword form. Also (at least from the master I studied with for several years), there is a lot of chin na, similar to the Chen style, but regardless of what style you study, you'll find this a worthwhile book.
The author explains clearly and concisely many basic and advanced principles relating to training, practical applications, and theory, emphasizing the differences and similarities between empty-handed tai practice and weapons practice. The more advanced principles are discussed and are presented in a way that is more easily understood than in many tai chi books. The photo section showing the postures and positions and describing the martial application of each is worth the price of the book by itself.
This is probably the best book on the tai chi sword that I've seen. It's well written and easy to understand even when the author gets into discussing the more abstract principles of chi and of tai chi practice. The author's comments on the practice of the sword apply equally well to empty handed practice, as I said.
The sword is the most widespread Chinese weapon, and the tai chi sword form is a very special example of its use. It there's one weapon that a 70, 80, or 90-year old Chinese will still be able to wield with skill, it's the sword. Interestingly, the tai chi form is only about 150 years old, which I hadn't realized until reading the author's introduction where he discusses some of the history.
This book covers the shorter 32-position Wu style form. Although shorter than the long form and the most difficult positions have been removed, it will still be useful for those interested in the tai chi sword but whose time is limited. Some masters are critical of the short forms since they believe they have limited usefulness for truly cultivating chi and for self-healing purposes. These considerations aside, this is still a very detailed and well done discussion of the principles, theory, practice, and martial applications of the tai chi sword. The serious student, however, will no doubt prefer to learn the long version of the sword.
The author discusses the basics of the sword, including construction, different parts of the sword, length, weight, and balance, grips and how to hold the sword, finger sword or sword helper, jian flowers and jian circles. The applications show the use of the straight sword against another straight sword, the spear, and the curved broadsword. Footwork, stances, movement, and how to hold the body are discussed before getting into the details of the form.
The 13 basic techniques are discussed and illustrated, which are the cut, thrust, block, wash, draw, take back, raise, explode, chop, point, stir, press, intercept with the edge, and block with the ridge. A discussion of combination techniques follows before the author gets into presenting the actual form.
Most of the text, however, is devoted to the presentation of the form, including illustrations of the basic and advanced postures, and practical applications. There are 32 of these and all are shown in photos and described more fully in the test. A nice touch is the author's discussing not only the details of the body position and martial application, but additional key points and internal considerations for each posture and how the chi should feel in performing the move. The photos of the positions are very clear and easy to interpret.
The book concludes with two chapters on how to prctice and fighting applications. There are two appendices which present a lineage of the tai chi sword form and the accupressure points of the human body.
Many people aren't aware that tai chi also has a broadsword form, a spear form, and a staff form, in addition to the straight sword. It is my hope that some day another master will also write a book as good as this one is on those aspects of tai chi. In the meantime, this is an excellent book on the straight sword that will be of interest mostly to the serious and advanced student of tai chi.
I only have one complaint about the book, which is that in some of the photos in which the sword is held edge-on to the camera, the blade is practically invisible, making it difficult to see what's going on. But overall, this is a fine book on the tai chi sword and probably the best one I've seen so far on the subject.
Summary of Art Of Chinese Swordsmanship: Manual Of Taiji Jian
Most Westerners are familiar with Taiji Quan (often spelled T'ai Chi Ch'uan), the graceful, dancelike exercise movements practiced by the Chinese to promote health and longevity. However, many do not realize that Taiji is also a martial art, and that it includes practice with weapons, including the ancient sword called jian. As with Taiji Quan, the practice ofTaiji Jian is based on Chinese yin-yang, five-elements, and Daoist philosophical concepts, and combines meditation, martial, and healing arts.The Art of Chinese Swordsmanship is the first complete English-language introduction to Taiji Jian. It describes the history of jian swordsmanship, its fundamental principles, and its essential form of thirty-two postures, including a thorough discussion of both internal and external components. Written by a master who has practiced the sword form for twenty-five years, it will allow interested Westerners to study and practice this rewarding path to physical and mental well-being.
Fencing Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Fencing Books
Modern Fencing: A Comprehensive Manual for the Foil, the Epee, the Sabreby Deladrier. Clovis
Paladin Press; Published: 2005-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $24.00
Price in other shops:
The Art of Fencing Or The Use of the Small Swordby L'Abbat
IndyPublish; Published: 2007-05-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $44.99
Iaido: History, Teaching & Practice Of Japanese Swordsmanshipby William de Lange
Weatherhill; Published: 2002-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $68.39
By the Sword: A History of Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai, Swashbucklers, and Olympic Championsby Richard Cohen
Random House; Published: 2002-11-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $32.33
![Master The Secrets Of Fencing with bonus also [Annotated] Image](/images/Master-The-Secrets-Of-Fencing-with-bonus-also-Annotated-B004SP1G1A-X.jpg)
Master The Secrets Of Fencing with bonus also [Annotated]by L Monsieur
www.Bandclyde.com/services; Published: 2011-03-17; Kindle Edition; eBooks
Price in other shops:
Arte Gladiatoria Dimicandi: 15th Century Swordsmanship of Master Fillipo Vadiby Fillipo Vadi
Chivalry Bookshelf; Published: 2002-03-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $59.95
Magnum Libre d'Escrime (Big Book of Fencing), Third Editionby DMA Rudy Volkmann
Published: 2007; Paperback; Book
Sword Of The Samurai: The Classical Art Of Japanese Swordsmanshipby George R. Parulski
Paladin Press; Published: 1985-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $24.94
Price in other shops:
Practice Drills for Japanese Swordsmanshipby Nicklaus Suino
Weatherhill; Published: 2008-02-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.10
Price in other shops:
Old Sword Play: Techniques of the Great Masters (Dover Military History, Weapons, Armor)by Alfred Hutton
Dover Publications; Published: 2002-01-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.02
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
The Xingyi Quan of the Chinese Army: Huang Bo Nien's Xingyi Fist and Weapon Instructionby Dennis Rovere
Blue Snake Books; Published: 2008-12-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.97
Price in other shops:
Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals: A Historical SurveyBlue Snake Books; Published: 2008-01-08; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.45
Price in other shops:
Wudang SwordRelease date: 2010-11-01; DVD
Best price: $32.99
Price in other shops:
Taiji Sword and Other Writingsby Chen Wei-Ming
Blue Snake Books; Published: 2000-06-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.81
Price in other shops:
Master Chinese Tai Chi Practice Sword Good Balanced NewACE_MAS; ACE; Sports
Best price: $23.03
Mastering Yang Style Taijiquanby Fu Zhongwen
Blue Snake Books; Published: 2006-05-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.81
Price in other shops:
Yang Family Michuan Taiji Sword Martial ApplicationsRelease date: 2003-03-13; DVD
Best price: $19.95
The Complete Taiji Dao: The Art of the Chinese Saberby Yun Zhang
Blue Snake Books; Published: 2009-06-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $17.11
Price in other shops:
The Major Methods of Wudang Swordby Huang Yuan Xiou
Blue Snake Books; Published: 2010-04-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.24
Price in other shops:
Chinese Swordsmanship: The Yang Family Taiji Jian Traditionby Scott M. Rodell
Seven Stars Books and Video; Published: 2005-09-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $30.95
Price in other shops: