Combat Techniques of Taiji, Xingyi, and Bagua: Principles and Practices of Internal Martial Arts
by Lu Shengli
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Book Summary Information
Author: Lu ShengliTranslator: Zhang Yun
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-02-09
ISBN: 1583941452
Number of pages: 400
Publisher: Blue Snake Books
Book Reviews of Combat Techniques of Taiji, Xingyi, and Bagua: Principles and Practices of Internal Martial Arts
Book Review: Excellent book, but see below
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an excellent book on several of the internal arts, and even goes into some other styles most people have probably never heard of, such as liu he ba fa, but it's not a good book for a beginner. If you're an intermediate student, this book will be fine, but for a rank beginner I think it would be too difficult. But even after a year of good training, this book might be okay (but the person would have to work pretty hard, though).
That having been said, there's a lot of good information here, both about internal arts philosophy and their approach as well as about more practical techniques. internal principles get discussed in detail, and there is a nice presentation of the 16 form set, one I didn't know, and I know a lot of Chinese forms at this point, both in tai chi and kung fu. But the internal martial arts are far more diverse and broader than many people know, and no one can know everything.
Someone commented that the writing wasn't that good, but I disagree. That had to do more with translating more literally from the Chinese into English, so the writing actually sounds in many ways more Chinese rather than like professional written English. And I have no problem with that, having studied a little Mandarin in college.
I agree with Lawrence Kane's earlier review that material on actual combat techniques should have been included, and that the title is therefore misleading. Tai chi, for example, does have knife defense techniques that are rarely seen, and tai chi knife techniques also. (Note that I'm not referring to the tai chi "knife" form, which actually means the broadsword or saber, but smaller knives). But realistically, that would require another book just by itself.
I really enjoyed this book, speaking as someone who has studied tai chi for over 20 years, and also I've had some exposure to ba gua, which I wish I could have had more of, along with hsing i. But perhaps some day I'll be able to do that. In the meantime, this book helped fill some of the gaps in my own knowledge and I can recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about the subject.
By the way, Bruce Kumar Frantzis's book on the internal martial arts is also excellent and I can recommend that too, as well. There is now a new edition of the book out as well.
More Combat Techniques of Taiji, Xingyi, and Bagua: Principles and Practices of Internal Martial Arts reviews:
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Summary of Combat Techniques of Taiji, Xingyi, and Bagua: Principles and Practices of Internal Martial Arts
The combat techniques of Tai Ji, Ba Gua, and Xing Yi were forbidden during China's Cultural Revolution, but the teachings of grandmaster Wang Pei Shing have survived. This comprehensive guide, written by one of his students, selects core movements from each practice and gives the student powerful tools to recognize the unique strategies and skills, and to develop a deeper understanding, of each style. It contains complete instructions for a 16-posture form to gain mastery of combat techniques. The book helps practitioners achieve a new level of practice, where deeply ingrained skills are brought forth in a more fluid, intuitive, and fast-paced fashion.Tai Chi & Qi Gong Books
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