Table of Contents

Books

The books available below are only a selection of the vast array on the subject of Tai Chi.  However, they are for the most part interesting to those studying the art as taught by Cheng Man Ching. A word of caution! English translations of Cheng's original works are likely to be only as accurate as the understanding and competence of the translator.  Also, they do not entirely reflect the Tai Chi of Cheng Man Ching in his latter years as taught by the international Shen Long Tai Chi Association.  Books published by the Shen Long Tai Chi Association are currently only available in Taiwan, most of which are only in Chinese.

T'ai Chi Ch'uan : A Simplified Method of Calisthenics for Health & Self Defense

by Cheng Man-ch'ing

Overall Rating:

This is the original classic about Short Form, the most popular and widespread form of T'ai Chi in the West.

Recommended
Recommended
Cheng Tzu's Thirteen Treatises on T'ai Chi Ch'uan

by Cheng Man-ch'ing

Overall Rating:

 In this scholarly yet practical book, Professor Cheng shows precisely how the postures and moves of tai chi work, with examples from anatomy and physics.

Tai Chi: Supreme Ultimate Exercise for Health, Sport and Self-Defense

by Cheng Man-ch'ing & Robert W. Smith

Overall Rating:

Master the Chinese martial art of T'ai Chi with this accessible, illustrated guide.

Cheng Man-Ch'ing's Advanced T'ai-Chi Form Instructions

by Cheng Man-ch'ing (translated by Douglas Wile)

Overall Rating:

Contains never before translated form instructions featuring integral self-defence visualizations.

Master Cheng's New Method of Tai Chi Self-cultivation

by Cheng Man-ch'ing (translated by Mark Hennessy)

Overall Rating:

This volume, developed by the martial arts master and scholar, details the way that students arrive at a posture -- from beginning movements to the end pose.

Cheng Man-ch'ing : Master of Five Excellences

by  Mark Hennessy

Overall Rating:

Professor Cheng Man-Ch'ing regarded a set of five disciplines - the "five excellences" - to be the mark of a well-rounded person: calligraphy, painting, poetry, t'ai chi, and medicine.

Cheng Man-ch'ing: Essays on Man and Culture

by  Mark Hennessy

Overall Rating:

Cheng Man-ch'ing wrote this series of essays to make various points of classical Chinese philosophy understandable to beginning readers.

Recommended
There are No Secrets: Professor Cheng Man-ching and His T'ai Chi Ch'uan

by Wolfe Lowenthal

Overall Rating:

A personal view by one of Professor Cheng's students of life and study of Tai Chi with the master.

Gateway To The Miraculous: Further Explorations in the Tao of Cheng Man Ch'ing

by  Wolfe Lowenthal

Overall Rating:

This book is a sequel to his first book. Like the previous book, it is about his teacher, Cheng Man-ch'ing, the art of Tai Chi Chuan, and his experience as a student and teacher.

Lao-Tzu: My Words are Very Easy to Understand

by  Cheng Man-ch'ing (translated by Tam Gibbs)

Overall Rating:

Cheng interprets the sayings of Lao-tzu, one of the earliest writers in Chinese history.  Translated by his student Tam Gibbs.

The Essence and Application of Taijiquan

by Yang Cheng Fu (translated by Louis Swaim)

Overall Rating:

First published  in 1934, Yang Chengfu's book marked a milestone in the modern evolution of the art of Tai Chi.  It is understood that Cheng Man Ching was the ghost writer for Yang.

Recommended
The Taijiquan Classics: An Annotated Translation

by  Barbara Davis

Overall Rating:

This book explores the fundamental ideas of Tai Chi in general from early texts and what they mean to practitioners, students, and scholars. Well translated and referenced.

Applied Tai Chi Chuan

by  Nigel Sutton

Overall Rating:

This book presents tai chi chuan in its holistic entirety, and  the historical development of what is arguably the most practised style in the West, Cheng Man Ching's tai chi chuan.

Wisdom of Taiji Masters: Insights into Cheng Man Ching's Art

by Nigel Sutton

Overall Rating:

In this book, the author presents the wisdom, skill and experience of contemporary masters of Cheng Man Ching’s Taijiquan as practiced in Malaysia and Singapore.

Cheng Man-ch'ing and T'ai Chi: Echoes in the Hall of Happiness

by  Barbara Davis, Benjamin Lo et al.

Overall Rating:

An anthology of articles from the Journal of Asian Martial Arts about Cheng Man Ching. .

Tai Chi T-Shirt

T-Shirts custom made for the Shen Long Tai Chi Association UK are available for sale to student members.  Sizes include S (small), M (medium), L (large), XL (extra large), 2L (extra extra large).

Price: £15 each

For sale at class.