New Anthology: Taijiquan Master Reference: An Anthology

  

Taijiquan Master Reference

Edited by Michael DeMarco

A comprehensive collection of articles from the Journal of Asian Martial Arts, in two volumes.

Volume One & Two combined: 962 pages, hardcover, $74 US  

Available through https://www.viamediapublishing.com/china 

 "This is an anthology of articles relating to taijquan (tai chi) that were previously publishing over two decades in the quarterly Journal of Asian Martial Arts, noted for its high academic and aesthetic standards. Included here in 960 pages are sixty-four articles, 735 illustrations, glossaries, maps, charts, and bibliographies. Researchers can benefit from this handy anthology, particularly for the information and analyses presented, including the rich bibliographic listings. Taiji practitioners will also gain insights to benefit their own practice, be it for health and/or self-defense.

"Via Media Publishing was founded in 1992 in order to produce the peer reviewed quarterly Journal of Asian Martial Arts (1992–2012)—the first publication of its kind to focus on martial traditions in an academic format. Many of the authors were scholar–practitioners, who utilized their unique talents to present articles from various specializations, such as Asian Studies, kinesiology, history, anthropology, philosophy, and physical education. Those who were serious about this field subscribed to the journal to read articles noted for their high academic and aesthetic standards. Most were in the United States, Canada, and Europe, but also in other areas of the world. These naturally included martial art schools and individual practitioners. There was a strong base among university and public libraries too. As founder of Via Media, I’ve decided to assemble this anthology of articles relating to taijiquan. There are over three hundred million taiji practitioners worldwide, drawn to the art mainly for health maintenance and it therapeutic value. Researchers can benefit from this handy anthology, particularly for the information and analyses presented, including the rich bibliographic listings. Taiji practitioners will also gain insights to benefit their own practice, be it for health and/or self-defense. Included here are sixty-four articles, the same number of hexagrams in the Book of Changes (Yijing). In addition to 735 illustrations, there are glossaries, maps, charts, and bibliographies. Taijiquan is the term representing the general category of study, but taijiquan can be subdivided into its branches, from the original Chen Family Style to the highly popular Yang Family Style. Other lineages are presented, such as the Wu and Sun systems. The variety of material in this anthology reflects in-depth scholarly research and the experience of master practitioners. It will be a valuable source taijiquan enthusiasts for future decades. By making this book available to individuals and libraries, we hope this rare material will greatly contribute to further research in this field and inspire many to learn taijiquan with aspirations to mastery."

Volume One authors include:

Robert W. Smith , Peter Lim Tian Tek , Stephan Berwick , Tim Cartmill , Bosco Seung-Chul Baek , David Gaffney , Zhang Yun , Russ Mason , Kenneth S. Cohen , Douglas Wile , Herman P. Kauz , Stanley E. Henning , Cai Naibiao , Wong Yuen Ming , John Loupos , Jake Burroughs , Benjamin Lo , Michael Rosario Graycar , C.J. Rhoads , Leroy Clark , Asr Cordes , Linda Lehrhaupt , Nigel Sutton , Dietmar Stubenbaum , Barbara Davis , Bradford Tyrey , Marcus Brinkman , Arieh Lev Breslow , Adam Wallace , Wong Jiaxiang , Sophia Delza , Charles Holcombe , Carol M. Derrickson , Stuart Kohler , Donald D. Davis , Dennis Willmont , Donald Mainfort , Miriam O’Connor , Andy Peck , Mark Hawthorne , Yaron Seidman , Joel Stein , Xu Yizhong , Yuan Weiming , Xu Zhengmei , Danny Emerick , Hal Mosher , S. Dale Brown , Greg Brodsky , Lawrence L. Mann , Michael A DeMarco

Volume Two: Michael DeMarco , Robert W. Smith  , David Gaffney  , Benjamin Lo , Tim Cartmill , Stephan Berwick , Stanley Henning , Herman Kaus , Douglas Wile , Bosco Seung-Chul Baek    

Book Review: In the Presence of Cheng Man-Ch'ing

 

In the Presence of Cheng Man-Ch'ing: 
My Life and Lessons with the Master of Five Excellences
by William C. Phillips
Hardcover, 236 pages
Floating World Press, 2020, $24.95
ISBN: 978-0648283126

 Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing (Zheng Manqing, 1902–1975) was a noted painter, writer, herbal doctor, and taijiquan teacher. His last decade was spent in New York City. This brought him into contact with numerous young American martial artists, such as Bill Phillips, the author of this delightful memoir. Phillips, now the head of Patience T'ai Chi, describes the setting of the mid-to-late 1960s, during which numbers of skilled karate, judo, aikido, and taekwondo practitioners, after hearing about Cheng, came to study with him. Even skeptics left impressed.

In this book, we sit at Philips' side listening to Cheng's spontaneous insights about taiji. We hear the formal lectures on Laozi, Confucianism, health, morals, and art. We witness the public and the private encounters, the snapshots of Chinatown of fifty years ago. While much of the book is about Cheng Man-ch'ing and the ideas he imparted, it is told through Phillips' own life course: growing as a martial artist, seeking out a master teacher, maturing and attaining insight with age, and, following Cheng's model of sharing knowledge, becoming a teacher.

Phillips' book joins the ranks of memoirs written by direct students of Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing; in particular Wolfe Lowenthal and Robert W. Smith. All of these paint a picture of a skillful practitioner, revered by many, yet very human.

Bill Phillips does not spare himself in this look back. One year, he willingly took on the task of driving Cheng and his assistants to class, even though it was far out of his way. On one trip to the studio, Cheng and assistant conversed in Chinese, and Phillips heard his name and the word "kung fu" (gongfu) mentioned.

Naturally, I got excited. Was he preparing to tell me a secret of kungfu? Was that to be my reward for driving him? Did I know something about kung fu that he was praising? So I quickly and impolitely interrupted and asked. I was told that [Professor Cheng] had said that I should use more discipline in my driving. What about the words kung fu that I had heard, I eagerly wondered out loud. The answer was: it means discipline, as when American martial artists say, "He studies the art," and we know they are referring to a martial art, when Chinese refer to "discipline," they are referring sometimes to a specific discipline—martial art. However, in this case Professor was not. He was referring to the lack of self-discipline in my driving. I was hitting far too many potholes as I drove. My chest fell, my ego deflated.... It was the first time, but not the last time that I embarrassed myself in front of the Professor.

Those who studied with Cheng often point out that Cheng did not keep secrets. Phillips explains,

I think that many of those people [who doubted Cheng] were too stiff and strong to get a lot of what he was trying to explain. Of course, those who could not seem to get it with their first effort, rather than redouble their effort, chose to think there must be a secret he was not sharing.

Taiji people from all styles will enjoy this view of one of the leading taiji figures of the late twentieth century. Those of Cheng's direct lineage will gain more insight into his teachings and the great impact he had on a wide variety of students.

Maggie Newman Videos

If you've never had the privilege of studying with Maggie Newman, this two-disk video compilation will give you a good taste of what it is like. Maggie, as she's known to her students, is one of Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing's most well-known students, having taught in New York City, Philadelphia, Rochester, and Washington, D.C. for many decades. Maggie, who has now retired from active teaching, had a professional background in modern dance before becoming involved with aikido, zen meditation, and then t'ai chi. Among her talents have also been performing kabuki dance and brush painting.

Maggie's students have put together a two-disk compendium of her material including demonstrations, teaching, and an extensive interview. On the first disk, "Following the Ch'i," Maggie performs the solo T'ai Chi form and the sword form. She introduces each section with her philosophy intercut with portions of an interview with Joel Sucher. The second disk, "Nourishing the Spirit," includes the full interview with Joel Sucher, rare footage of Maggie teaching, highlights from her New York push hands meet, photographs and reflections from one of her many students.
 
While these disks are but a sampling of Maggie Newman's teachings, there are so many valuable insights to be gleaned that you may want to watch just a few minutes at a time before pressing "pause" to take time to contemplate her words. Highly recommended.

In Memory of Ben Lo

 

We mourn the passing of our t'ai chi elder, Benjamin Pang-jeng Lo. Ben, as he liked to be called, was Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing's senior student and taught in San Francisco as well as workshops around the world. Please see our full article at Taijiquan Journal.

In Memory of Bataan Faigao

Bataan Faigao, head of Rocky Mountain Tai Chi, has passed away. Bataan visited Great River Tai Chi many times, as did his late wife Jane, and many of our students enjoyed their summer camp in the mountains. We will miss him greatly. We'll have a time to remember Bataan, Thursday, Oct. 4th, 6 p.m. at the studio. 
 The Boulder Camera reported that Bataan was terminally ill, and was on a pilgrimage to China's sacred locales, when he died. He is known as someone who really embodied a deeper sense of tai chi. He had a very quiet way of teaching. He is quoted as saying,

"T'ai-chi Ch'uan is a journey of spiritual discovery. I encourage students to work hard and to adhere to principles," Faigao wrote about his philosophy of teaching the discipline on the foundation's website. "I teach T'ai-chi Ch'uan as a complete system for health, meditation, self-defense, and as a way of the tao. Learning this art is a process that takes care of the external to get to the internal, going back and forth from form to application, understanding and experience."

 Bataan was born Dec. 1, 1944, in Cebu, Philippines. He married Jane Greeley Faigao in 1966; she preceded him in death. They were lifelong students of t'ai chi ch'uan, studying with Grandmaster Cheng Man-ching in New York City from 1968 until Cheng's death in 1975. They moved to Boulder the following year and established the Rocky Mountain T'ai Chi Ch'uan Foundation and directed Naropa University's Traditional Eastern Arts department. A memorial will be held in Boulder on October 6th.

 For the complete article in the Boulder Camera, click here.

Robert W. Smith, Student of Cheng Man-ch'ing

We note the passing of our taiji "uncle" Mr. Robert W. Smith, July 1, 2011. Mr. Smith studied taiji with Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing in Taiwan, and went on to teach in the Bethesda, Maryland area.
Mr. Smith's copious writings about Professor Cheng and other great masters of the Asian martial arts helped set the stage for taiji and other arts to spread to the United States in the 1960s. Mr. Smith gave workshops in the Minneapolis St. Paul area in the 1970s. For more information, see the Taijiquan Journal blog.

New Video and Book on Cheng Man-ch'ing

Two wonderful new items about Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing have recently been released. The first, the long-hoped for "Shr Jung tapes." These were shot in New York City in the late 1960s and have only been shown at special events. Through great effort, these were edited into a coherent, thematically arranged set of four DVDs titled Cheng Man-ch'ing: The Master Tapes. Disks are Form, Push Hands, Sword, and Ch'i (encompassing informal Q & A with students, calligraphy, and flower-arranging. The DVDs, though expensive at $149, are an incredible boon for any serious student, as you are able to "be in the room" with Professor Cheng, watch him teach, and see him interact with students. Ed Young and Tam Gibbs provided translation in the original videos, and you can see many familiar faces among the participants: Maggie Newman, Ken Van Sickle, Lou Kleinsmith, Natasha Gorky Young, and others. New commentary by Ed, Maggie, and Ken make this a very meaningful presentation.


Douglas Wile has come out with another valuable book Zheng Manqing's Uncollected Writings on Taijiquan, Qigong, and Health, with New Biographical Notes (Sweet Ch'i, $11.95), this time combining Professor's own short works with those about him by Chinese students, articles from Taiwan newspapers, and Wile's own extensive essays that focus on historical and cultural context. This is a very intriguing book with much fresh material that will give food for thought.