Tʻai chi : the "supreme ultimate" exercise for health, sport, and self-defense / Cheng Man-chʻing & Robert W. Smith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Zheng, Manqing, 1902-1975

Contributor:

Smith, Robert W., 1926- co-author.

Series:

Tuttle martial arts

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Tai chi.

Tai chi--History.

Tai chi--Philosophy.

Tai chi--Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Genre:

Handbooks and manuals.

Physical Description:

x, 112 pages : illustrations, charts, photographs ; 24 cm.

illustration

photograph

Edition:

First paperback edition.

Other Title:

"Supreme ultimate" exercise for health, sport, and self-defense

Place of Publication:

Rutland, VT : Tuttle Publishing, 2004.

Summary:

The Chinese secret for youthfulness, health and long life lies at least partly in T'ai Chi, the ballet-like calisthenics they've practiced for centuries. This rhythmical art stresses slow breathing, balanced and relaxed postures and absolute calmness of mind. The practice itself need take no more than ten minutes a day. This book is a complete step-by-step manual for the beginner that will enable anyone to master the sequence of thirty-seven postures that make up the T'ai Chi solo exercise.

Contents:

Foreword

I. Introducing T'ai-chi ; The name

History

II. Principles of T'ai-chi ; Relaxation and ch'i

Like a child

III. T'ai-chi for a healthier life ; The three factors

Movement

Slowness

Swimming in air

Linkage

Tranquility

Breathing

IV. The solo exercise ; Posture 1. Preparation

Posture 2. Beginning

Posture 3. Grasp sparrow's tail, ward-off, left

Posture 4. Grasp sparrow's tail, ward-off, right

Posture 5. Grasp sparrow's tail, rollback

Posture 6. Grasp sparrow's tail, press

Posture 7. Grasp sparrow's tail, push

Posture 8. Single whip

Posture 9. Lift hands

Posture 10. Lean forward

Posture 11. Stork spreads wings

Posture 12. Brush left knee and twist step

Posture 13. Play the guitar

Posture 13A. (repeat of Posture 12)

Posture 14. Step forward, deflect downward, parry, and punch

Posture 15. Withdraw and push

Posture 16. Cross hands

Posture 17. Embrace tiger and return to mountain

Posture 17A. (repeat of Posture 5)

Posture 17B. (repeat of Posture 6)

Posture 17C. (repeat of Posture 7)

Posture 17D. (repeat of Posture 8)

Posture 18. Punch under elbow

Posture 19. Step back and repulse monkey, right

Posture 20. Step back and repulse monkey, left

Posture 20A. (repeat of Posture 19)

Posture 21. Diagonal flying

Posture 22. Wave hands in clouds, right

Posture 23. Wave hands in clouds, left

Posture 23A. (repeat of Posture 22)

Posture 23B. (repeat of Posture 23)

Posture 23C. (repeat of Posture 8)

Posture 24. Squatting single whip

Posture 25. Golden cock stands on one leg, right

Posture 26. Golden cock stands on one leg, left

Posture 27. Separate right foot

Posture 28. Separate left foot

Posture 29. Turn and strike with heel

Posture 29A. (repeat of Posture 12)

Posture 30. Brush right knee and twist step

Posture 31. Step forward and strike with fist

Posture 31A. (repeat of Posture 4)

Posture 31B. (repeat of Posture 5)

Posture 31C. (repeat of Posture 6)

Posture 31D. (repeat of Posture 7)

Posture 31E. (repeat of Posture 8)

Posture 32. Fair lady works at shuttles, right

Posture 33. Fair lady works at shuttles, left

Posture 33A. (repeat of Posture 32)

Posture 33B. (repeat of Posture 33)

Posture 33C. (repeat of Posture 3)

Posture 33D. (repeat of Posture 4)

Posture 33E. (repeat of Posture 5)

Posture 33F. (repeat of Posture 6)

Posture 33G. (repeat of Posture 7)

Posture 33H. (repeat of Posture 8)

Posture 33-1. (repeat of Posture 24)

Posture 34. Step forward to seven stars

Posture 35. Step back and ride tiger

Posture 36. Turn body and sweep lotus with leg

Posture 37. Bend bow and shoot tiger

Posture 37A. (repeat of Posture 14)

Posture 37B. (repeat of Posture 15)

Posture 37C. (repeat of Posture 16)

Posture 37D. Conclusion

The solo exercise checklist

The solo exercise : a photographic sequence

V. T'ai-chi for sport ; Pushing-hands practice : the basic movements ; Movement 1. Single-hand exercise

Movement 2. Ward-off

Movement 3. Press

Movement 4. Rollback

Movement 5. Push

Uprooting technique : How to perfect it

VI. T'ai-chi for self-defense ; Interpreting strength

Self-defense movements ; Movement 1. Step forward, deflect downward, parry, and punch

Movement 2. Withdraw and punch

Movement 3. Squatting single whip and golden cock stands on one leg, right

Movement 4. Separate right foot

Movement 5. Fair lady works at shuttles, right

Movement 6. Turn body and sweep lotus with leg

VII. Two masters look at T'ai-chi ; Yang Cheng-fu's twelve important points

Questions and answers

VIII. The T'ai-chi Ch'uan classics ; The body as one unit

Coordinating the substantial and insubstantial

The thirteen postures and the mind

Song of the thirteen postures

Song of the pushing-hands practice

Appendices ; Key to the foot-weighting diagrams

Sequence diagram of the solo exercise.

Notes:

Originally published: Rutland, Vt. : Tuttle, 1967, ©1966.

Local Notes:

Balch Ethnic Studies Collection

ISBN:

9780804835930

0804835934

OCLC:

704903870