Chen’s Taichi Vol 4:

Sword, Saber & Baton

Paperback: 318 pages

Author: Chen Zheng Lei

Publisher: Tai Chi Centre (1993 translated in 2013)

Translator: Jack Yan

ISBN-13: 978-0-9866756-5-2

Reviewer: Nick Gudge (Nov 2014)

This is the fourth volume of Chen Zheng Lei’s five volume compendium on taijiquan written 20 years ago which has been translated by his Canadian / Chinese disciple Jack Yan. This volume is composed of six sections.

The first two sections (70 pages & 80 pages) cover the 49 movement single and the 39 movement double straight sword (jian) including demonstration pictures of the author's daughter.

The second two sections (45 pages & 70 pag6es) cover the 23 movement single saber and the 35 movement double saber (dao) including demonstration pictures of the author's son.

The fifth section (33 pages) covers the 18 movement double baton including demonstration pictures of the author.

All of these sections are better offered as DVD offering than as written offerings.

The final sixth section and arguably the most interesting section is a translation of three articles on taijiquan: The first is a poem by Chen Wang Ting; the second is on taiji theories and techniques by Chen Xin and the final longest piece is on Taichi ten fundamentals by Chen Chang Xing. The translation of this first is rather colloqial. The second somewhat engigmatic and the third a puzzle of taiji proportions that in my opinion required considerable improvisation by the translator.

Ratings: Overall: 4.75 out of 10

Content: 2 out of 10  Language: 6 out of 10  Accuracy: 9 out of 10 Helpfulness: 2 out of 10