Tai Chi Chuan: 24 & 48 Postures with Martial Applications by Liang Shou-Yu Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.91 You Save: $9.04 (53%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $3.80 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Tai Chi Chuan: 24 & 48 Postures with Martial Applications
Book Review: Learning Tai Chi Chuan by book
Summary: 5 Stars
This book deals with the 24 simplified Yang postures of Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) developed by Tai Chi masters in 1956 at the request of the Chinese government and the 48 postures developed in 1976. This was done to make Tai Chi easier to learn then the traditional long form so that more people could benefit from the exercise. Master Liang and Master Wu have done a very good job putting together this book. It goes into great depth about the philosophy and history behind Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan). It also has detailed photographs and instructions on both the 24 and 48 postures. These include the martial arts application for each posture. This is a very good book to read for anyone getting into Tai Chi. While the instructions are good and you can learn from the book, it is better to take a class. I, also, strongly recommend you buy the accompanying DVD. Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) is a movement and you need to see what it looks like. Book Review: Not so good
Summary: 2 Stars
This book has a good layout but mediocre content. The footwork diagrams are a good idea and the inclusion of the Chinese names for the moves are helpful and the characters assist with translation. The beginning of the book contains useful but common Qi Gong and Chinese Philosophy background. Nothing stands out here that isn't included in many other texts/sources.
Personally, I think this book continues to propagate "Communist Tai Chi". The root movements, intricacies, and nuances of Yang Style are missing and this book only continues to show what millions of Chinese do in parks every morning as their "National" exercise for health. This would be fine if left as a reference for such, but this book makes attempts as a guide to martial application and fighting technique.
The book makes no mention of the 13 characteristics/principles that Taijiquan are founded upon - 8 Applications, 5 Movements. Each application in Taijiquan contains a type of energy/force/technique, and a type of movement. The postures in the book are explained in detail but no mention of these principles can be found.
Some of the moves are incorrect (no fault of the author) as the PRC had the Yang Family experts create a non-application oriented form designed for health, removing much of the complexity and application. The moves are correct for the PRC 24 but missing fundamentals for application.
Many of the applications shown are garbage and/or lies. This book continues to assist Chinese Martial Arts in it's downward cycle with pathetic excuses for applications that wouldn't work in a real fight. Taijiquan is a good fighting art as it's original intent, but further propagation of refuse like some of these techniques will usher Taijiquan into the express lane of dead "martial" arts. Where it seems to be in most schools, health clubs, fitness centers these days. I would not recommend this book for anyone interested in application.
Book Review: Masters are masters
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is the authority of Tai Chi Quan.Thorough and explicit, it is the bible of practising Tai Chi Quan. Serious stuff! I wish it could be more lively and fun to read through.Book Review: One of the best books on tai chi
Summary: 5 Stars
This book presents the 24 and 48 posture tai chi form. The 24 move form is good for busy people, but the 48 move form is even better because it combines movements from the 3 most popular styles of tai chi, Yang, Wu, and Chen, so the student gets some background in each. At 150 pages long in large paperback format, this book packs a lot of info between the covers. For example, I learned that in addition to the Wu style, there is also a W'u style, which I didn't know, although I've studied both Yang and Wu style tai chi.
The author gives a brief introduction to tai chi in the first chapter, discussing basic concepts and information, then proceeds to some classical Taoist philosophy. He also tells some interesting stories about the founder and his sons, who had many adventures and exploits, and various stories and legends have grown up around them.
Next there is a separate chapter on chi gung, a subject that has become almost a requirement for a tai chi book, I notice. However, most of the book is taken up by athe chapter showing the martial applications and the 48 move form. Dozens of applications are shown, and the photos are clear and easy to understand. I found this the most enjoyable part of the book, as there are still postures I don't know all applications for, such as snake creeps down, and the author presented one on that.
There is a chapter on guidelines for tai chi practice that gives detailed instructions for how to use the different parts of the body, from the eyes to the feet in performing the form. I found this useful because sometimes I still forget some of the fine details of how to hold the body when I do the form.
Finally, there are several appendices which provide a list of the 24 and 48 postures and their translations, a glossary on Chinese terms that is more complete than most, and a brief bibliography for further reading. The book is well written and easy to understand even when discussing some of the more abstract and esoteric principles. There are two mini-biographies of each other, two prefaces by two different masters, and a preface by the notable Dr. Yang Jwing Ming.
Book Review: Worthwhile
Summary: 5 Stars
The simplified, widely practiced 24-posture form was devised by the Chinese government in the 1950's due to a shortage of doctors. Founded primarily on the Yang style, it takes 5-10 minutes to practice, less time than for the 37- and 108-posture forms.
Yang style is probably the most thoroughly documented style of Taijiquan, for better or worse. So this 24-posture short version represents a mainstream starting point.
Liang's compact manual probably offers the most complete and concise description of this form available, together with overview of historical background, training tips, and illustrations of martial applications "hidden" within the form.
The companion video of the same name (purchased separately) shows the sequence twice from the front view, once from the back. Then it shows martial applications individually and also the 48-posture version. To get the 24-posture form broken down in detail, I also recommend Dr. Paul Lam's DVD, "Tai Chi the 24 forms".
In the YMAA tradition of Dr. Yang, this manual (and video) represent training notes at a disciplined, somewhat demanding level. The numbering system for the photographs, together with the compactness of the page layout have caused me to pencil in some arrows and titles.
If you're simply looking for a group stretching routine to follow along with at your local community center, you may consider this text ambitious.