Chen’s Taichi Vol 3:

New Frame One & Two

Paperback: 312 pages

Author: Chen Zheng Lei

Publisher: Tai Chi Centre (1993 translated in 2011)

Translator: Jack Yan

ISBN-13: 978-0-9866756-3-8

Reviewer: Nick Gudge (Jul 2012) 

This is the third of Chen Zheng Lei’s five volume compendium on taijiquan written 20 years ago by Chen Zhenglei which has been translated by his Canadian / Chinese disciple Jack Yan. This volume is composed of three sections, a 170 page  section covering the New Frame foundation form (xinjia yilu) and 105 pages covering the New Frame Cannon Fist (xinjia erlu,) and a final 32 page section titled The Doctrine of Meridians.

It does not duplicates the basic elements of loosening exercises and standing exercises (zhang zhaung) which can be found in Vol. 1.)  nor the substantial section (16 pages) on body requirements (shen fa) followed by a section on training methods, silk reeling and steps and excellent essay on Basic Training Principles found in Vol 2.

The largest part of the book is a description with pictures of Chen Zheng Lei’s New Frame forms , (xinjia yilu & erlu.) While it can be argued that this type of section has been surpassed by the several DVD’s available on this form, it does provide a substantial and useful set of notes both to someone learning the form and revising it. The volume has plenty of high quality pictures and some interesting descriptions of what the student is aiming for inside and outside their body initially. Again as in Vol 2 this is linguistically the weakest point of the translation with frequent use of technical words which are not explained.

The smallest third section is both the most interesting and this interesting material is embedded in the least interesting. Embedded in it are two very interesting sections (II) Taichi Boxing Internal Qi Overview (p.285) and (II) Methods to Nurture TaichiInternal Qi (p.285 – 292.)

 I do have a few nit-picks about how the translator uses certain terms without defining them or defines them in a way that is not commonly recognised, specifically what is defined as opening and closing rotations. Nevertheless I recommend this book to those studying the New Frame method of Chen Style Taijiquan.

Ratings: Overall: 6.25 out of 10 

Content: 3 out of 10 Language: 8 out of 10 Accuracy: 10 out of 10 Helpfulness: 4 out of 10