Your go-to illustrated guide to the practices, history, and philosophy of the popular Yang style of taijiquan Fu Zhongwen's classic guide offers the best documentation available of the Yang style of taijiquan. The superbly detailed form instructions and historic line art drawings are based on Fu’s many years as a disciple of Yang Chengfu, taijiquan’s legendary founder. Also included are concise descriptions of fixed-step, moving-step, and da lu push hands practices. Additional commentary by translator Louis Swaim provides key insight into the text’s philosophical language and imagery, further elucidating the art’s cultural and historical foundations.

This important resource for both students and teachers exposes the true meaning behind the flowery, esoteric language of Tai Chi's classic Chinese texts, and offers concrete examples of the principles of Tai Chi in action.

DISCOVER THE MARTIAL ESSENCE OF TAI CHI CHUAN Here's your chance to take the next step in your tai chi journey. Martial applications found within tai chi chuan are a direct link to your tai chi as a form of self-defense. When you study the martial side of tai chi, you can become proficient in a variety of high-level skills, including sensing, neutralizing, yielding, striking, chin na, and even throwing. If you know a tai chi form, you are going to discover the essence of your movements by becoming aware of their martial applications. If you are practicing tai chi pushing hands, you will greatly improve your skills with this understanding of martial applications. If you are ready, you are going to love the amazing tai chi fighting set. This fully choreographed set (requires a partner) will combine all your tai chi skills into one 5-minute routine. This book includes: Martial applications for the Yang-style long form Martial applications for Yang-style tai chi pushing hands The complete Yang-style tai chi fighting set For any style of tai chi chuan, this book will be important for practitioners who wish to develop a deeper understanding and advanced skills. Learn how to analyze the forms and defense applications in your tai chi, gaining higher-level knowledge of your style. Discover the martial applications of Yang style. These insights will give you greater understanding of your own art. Find inspiration. Master Yang's writing will inspire you to investigate the martial applications of your tai chi style. This edition includes an easy-to-follow layout. Each technique is presented in four to six large photographs with detailed instructions on how to perform the movements. Motion arrows are used on the photographs to help you execute the movements correctly.

Martial arts master Yang Chengfu’s seminal work on the techniques and applications of Yang-style taijiquan—now available to Western practitioners for the first time The publication in 1934 of Yang Chengfu's book, The Essence and Applications of Taijiquan (Taijiquan Tiyong Quanshu) marked a milestone in the modern evolution of the art of taijiquan. Using what is best-termed demonstration narrative, the author presents form postures and suggested applications from his own perspective, as he performed them. This methodology renders Yang Chengfu's direct, hands-on teaching of the art with such immediacy and liveliness that the reader experiences the master’s teaching much as his students did. This English translation finally makes Yang Chengfu's classic work available to taijiquan enthusiasts in the West. It includes notes and commentary that clarify the author's frequent classical and literary turns of phrase and elucidate the philosophical and political underpinnings that shape the text. The translator investigates and compares several early taijiquan books in order to help explain the roles played by two of Yang Chengfu's students, Dong Yingjie and Zheng Manqing, in bringing Yang Chengfu's words and teachings into print. Serious students of taijiquan, and those wishing to deepen their knowledge of taijiquan history and theory, will find this seminal work indispensable to their study and practice.

Douglas Lee, a tai chi practitioner for more than 20 years, covers the history and philosophy of the art, general principles of movement, solo exercises, push-hands sparring, applications, tai chi weapons and more.