Chen Family Taijiquan Tuishou

 

Paperback: 256 pages                                                                                       Author: Wang Xi’an

Publisher: INBI Matrix Pty Ltd (Originally pub 1998) translated 2009    Translator: Zhang Yanping

ISBN-10:  1876935006           ISBN-13: 9781876935006          Reviewer: Nick Gudge (Feb 2012)

 

Wang Xian is one of the top three taijiquan practitioners alive today. He completed this book in 1998 and my compliments go to the translator and editor for an excellent job.

That being said, Despite repeated efforts, I was unable to buy this book in physical form, although it is being offered online from the publisher for A$75 plus P&P. I managed to obtain it digitally for €31 but I think it was poor value for money. I’m not sure why this book is not available say on Amazon or with any other major distributor. Possibly the extraordinary high price. However I do not know what this book looks like in hardback either in English or in its original Chinese. Hence no cover picture

Having spoken with one of the editors while this book was being translated I looked forward to its completion with considerable interest. The book itself is not perhaps what those who have studied some taijiquan and particularly Chen style taijiquan might initially expect from the title. It is primarily (almost 90%) given over to single person exercises with only 26 of its 247 pages are given over to the description of the two person exercises comprising push hands. As the title of the book is Tuishou (push-hands), it would be easy to say it was misleading. Having read the book three times I think that this is an excellent effort by Wang Xi’an to best communicate the necessary requirements for gong fu in taijiquan push hand. It clearly communicated the effort required to obtain basic physical abilities as well as taijiquan gong fu before attempting taijiquan tuishou.

The first two chapters concern the theory of taijiquan including the ‘Interpretation of the Ten Forces of Taijiquan’.  The book if primarily the description, with lots of pictures, of a series of single person exercises designed to develop the most commonly used taijiquan skills in Chen style push hands. It includes joint loosening, stretching and conditioning exercises, standing and silk reeling exercises, stepping exercises and lots beside.

Within its text it does assume a thorough grounding in taijiquan skills. It makes a clear an unequivocal demand for a clear understanding of its fundamental skills, trained via the forms. It makes little attempt to explain these skills. It proposes “a Taijiquan proverb pertains also to Tuishou, ‘From the familiarity of forms, to the realization of Jin; from the realization of Jin, to the Deity’.

Overall it is a no nonsense approach for the non-beginner practitioner (i.e. those entering Level 2) and provides excellent advice on both theory and practice. The explanations are clear and the pictures very helpful. The theory does not ‘start from the beginning’ and some understanding of practice and skill is assumed.

 

Ratings:          Overall: 6.50 out of 10

 

Content: 6 out of 10  Language: 6 out of 10       Accuracy: 10 out of 10   Helpfulness: 5 out of 10