5 comments about The Shaolin Monastery: History, Religion and the Chinese Martial Arts.

1. Meir is the foremost expert outside of China (and possibly even within China) on the history of the Shaolin Temple. An academic book by an amazing scholar, and a must read for anyone serious about learning the in-depth history of Shaolin, and martial arts, as he traces the history back 1500+ years. Scholarly, well written, peer reviewed, with loads of annotations...
   
   A great book if you're seeking insight of the origins of Kung Fu If you are not seriously interested in martial arts, and their Shaolin China roots, this book is probably not for you.



2. A much more readable book than the previous review suggests, desoite its thoroughness, and a welcome antedote to the self-serving mythology that passes for history in most book about Shaolin. Meir's discussion of the roots of some of the most familiar Shaolin-based styles of will be especially absorbing for fans of kung fu movies.



3. This is a deep and throughly researched book detailing the true aspects of Shaolin history and it's strange but interesting link between religion and martial arts.
   Everything you needed to know about ancient Shaolin that can be found in ancient records is detailed here.
   Other books do not come close and even lie.



4. I came to this work as both an academic and a practitioner of a Shaolin style of pushing hands. The evolution of the Shaolin arts from staff fighting to unarmed styles is explored in great detail from a variety of sources (many of which are primary and have been translated here for the first time).
   
   This is one of the first books I've read that makes a scholarly attempt at explaining how the Buddhist monks of Shaolin successfully negotiated the cognitive dissonance caused by commitment to Buddhist principles of non-violence on one hand and mastery of martial arts on the other.
   
   The book also succeeds in recognising and clarifying the role of Daoist thought and cultivation practices (namely the Dao Yin) in the development of Shaolin Gung Fu.
   
   Some of the conclusions (especially in relation to the unarmed styles) lend some support to Nathan Johnson's (2000) thesis 'Barefoot Zen'. After long and careful study of the forms of Shaolin Gung Fu and Karate Kata, Johnson contended that these arts were never intended for fighting (whereas Shahar would likely contend that fighting was not their sole purpose, p.180 and p.200).



5. ". . . medieval sources do not allude to specific Shaolin fighting methods, Indeed they neither mention how Shaolin monks fought, nor which weapons they employed in battle. Attributing their descendant's martial arts to Tang Shaolin monks would be anachronistic." (The Shaolin Monastery. M. Shahar, pg. 52)
   
   This is a serious, academically critical, look at Shaolin Monastery, and a
   good critic of what is being practiced at Shaolin today.
   
   Rik Zak
   [...]

No comments about Little Vampire.

5 comments about Kung Fu Elements.

1. I think this is one of the most complete book on Wushu that I've came across.
   It contains information on warmups, techniques, sanshou, chin na, and chi kung.
   The appendix at the end of the book was very informative. It provides information about many of the Wushu figures and styles.
   The only thing I was unclear on is how to actually apply the wushu techniques from forms in free sparring or fight. It seems that there is a disconnect between the techniques used in the forms and the techniques used in Sanshou. The technique used in Sanshou looked more like a combination of Kickboxing and throws or even jeet kune do.
   Maybe for many people, it questions the usefulness of learning technique used in forms other than for training movements and calesnetics.



2. This book does not illustrate the visually captivating "flowery fist" kung fu often seen in the movies. It really addresses the root elements of kung fu.Not only does it cover the fighting elements but also the fitness and spiritual aspects as well. This is a must have for anyone interested in martial arts.



3. This volume is nothing but great. It covers all the things you'll need for your wushu training and is crammed with loads of extra information about styles, people, weapons and more.
   
   I especially like the fact that it stresses jibengong, the fundamental excercises of wushu, and not taolu (form). The sanda applications are well explained and covers a lot of ground. A little bit more fighting strategy and tactics would be a good thing though. The explanations and presentation of neigong, the internal martial arts, are also very good. I think that neigong and qigong have to be felt and describing them in words is an impossible task that nobody ever will be able to do well, but Shou Yu Liang does a good job none the less. The glossary in the end is very impressive indeed. It has a LOT of entries of which many are illustrated. Very well.
   
   My only real criticism of the work is that I don't think it covers wushu history well enough. It's too much of a runthrough and dosen't really give any in-depth information. It is a subject that is very dear to me so I guess I'm biased on that point. Also their explanation of the character wu (as in wushu)is not satisfactory. There are generally two mainstream theories in linguistic circles of the original meaning of the word (the most popular by far is Berhard Karlgrens) none of which is the one presented in this volume.
   
   However, that is only a tiny complaint and it dosen't alter the fact that this is a very impressive book. It truly IS the best book on wushu in English. I live and train traditional wushu in Beijing and have trained for some 8-9 years. I am of the opinion that wushu cannot be learned from a book, no matter how good it is, but it can definitely help you improve and clarify things for you. This book is a very good reference, especially for beginners, but also for the advanced student. It offers a lot of information and is WELL worth the price.



4. Very detailed book, exellent reference material, as well as gives some insites into different styles.I am very happy with it and it has helped me already. Highly recomended to anyone intrested in the martial arts of this type.



5. I put off writing a review on this book for a long time,...Since Mr. Wu is my teacher. I did not want anyone to think I was Jumping on the band wagon, when this first came to Paperback, So I waited to review it.
   So here it is:
   
   This book is probably the most needed book on Kung Fu, Gong Fu, Shaolin.
   It is HUGE,.....I mean HUGE!!
   It just doesn't get any better than this book.
   This book is "SO" worth the money that it is ALMOST OBSCENE!!!
   Buy it, I guarantee you will not regret it.

5 comments about American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China.

1. Entertaining and well written. I recommend it to anyone looking for either the courage or excuse to take their own adventure. Matthew Polly is the improbable explorer that exists in all of us. He does an excellent job of taking us along for the ride and making us feel we are there with him.



2. This is a delightful book. I laughed out loud in a few spots. I loved the cultural information shared throughout the book. Can't wait to see the movie!



3. The tale is a very interesting one. A student midway through his studies at Princeton University captures some wanderlust and heads off essentially to parts unknown. This is a story of his journey. The author, Matthew Polly, heads to China in the mid-90s without any sense of exactly where he is headed; neither geographically nor personally.
   
   He is intrigued by David Carradine's character of Caine in the TV series Kung Fu and decides to go and study at the legendary Shaolin Temple. After arriving, like so many things in life, the reality is much different than his idealized vision of what it would be like to study under the Shaolin monks.
   
   If you have read Tom Friedman's The World Is Flat and felt that there was a lot more to learn about what was going on in the rest of the world, then I strongly suggest that you add this book to your reading list. The reality of China in the mid-90s is probably much different than what many Americans understand. American Shaolin, while telling the story of the author's physical and spiritual transformation, additionally serves as a very interesting period piece of China and its development or lack thereof at that time.
   
   Particularly enlightening to me was the progression of the spiritual aspect of the monk's life. In the early stages of the monk's life in training, kung fu becomes the spiritual practice. Meditation seems like it is a practice of the older monks principally as they are unable to practice the martial arts.
   
   The story does have moments where the story seems to be stretching the truth a bit. The single-mindedness and the focus on the goal serves as an excellent metaphor for so many different achievements one may seek in their life. Even if the author does take some literary freedoms, this book is one that you will remember and talk to your friends about.



4. Although this is a nonfiction memoir, it reads like a very funny novel. Beware of reading this in public, unless you don't mind laughing really hard and having people staring at you. (ie iron crotch monks, coke dealing, midnight mistresses, etc). Interestingly there were moments that were also very touching and could really bring a tear to person.
   
   Despite this, the book gave some very fascinating, presumably accurate, first person account about China in the 90's, kungfu, and the most importantly the people there.
   
   the writing was extraordinary and fluid. The author has a way of making you understand and feel emotions for the characters he describes, monks, vendor, evil administrators and yes the author himself, without boring you with deep analysis.
   
   summary: funny read, sometimes sad, but mostly funny and informative and did I mentioned funny.



5. Matthew Polly's adventures in China make for a very fascinating book. I couldn't put this book down. He provides great insight on China in the early 90s, while at the same time weaving a humorous tale of a Westerner trying to survive in Asia. Anyone who has spent time in Asia can relate to Polly's observations...however, he does so with great wit and the keen insight only someone fluent in the language could provide.

5 comments about The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang: The Art and Legends of the Eight Trigram Palm.

1. Most martial arts books are passionless. My library is full of books that have lots of interesting content but little real human interest to me. Until recently the only martial arts books I loved were T.T. Liang's books on Tai Chi. Somehow the energy, the slyness of character, his love of his art came through. You knew Tai Ji was worth doing because it meant something to Liang. That was it until Frank Allen and Tina Zhang started publishing their internal martial arts series. These books are full of the love and passion that they have for these arts. I've reviewed the Tai Ji book before and will talk about the Ba Gua book now. The thing both books have in common is the completeness of the discussion of the art. In the Ba Gua book we have a detailed history of the arts beginnings and its subsequent development to our time. Frank and Tina don't pass on or make up fantastic tales. Where Dong Hai Chuan got his art isn't known they tell us; describing the tales that have been told but making clear in the end that Dong himself never said how he found or developed the art. But the history since Dong has been well researched and carefully presented so that we clearly understand the development strands that have developed. The best thing about all of this is that the authors own interest in the material comes through and helps in riveting our attention and memory of it. Next the book describes the basic training of a Ba Gua student. This is often neglected in standard books which is a shame because students need this kind of reference when they are practicing and need to remember how to hold the hands or a particular stance. There is discussion and demonstration of basic circle walking a la the Cheng style. Next the Cheng style eight palm changes are shown and discussed and these discussions are an excellent reference for someone who has been through the basic training in the Cheng style. After this the authors discuss the applications of Ba Gua for fighting and then the weapons of Ba Gua are shown and discussed. The next 3 chapters are for me the most important part of the book. In here are discussions of how to train, the philosophic and spiritual content of Ba Gua, Ba Gua's relationship to Taoism and to the I Ching. All of these are important and they are discussed with much care but not in a way to confuse or in attempt to make the authors seem to be above the reader. These issues are important for the student because they help connect you to the reasons for why we do the internal arts - the joy that rises up in us as we learn to connect to the Tao. The translations of the Ba Gua Zhang classics are, like the translations in the Tai Ji book, very practical and down to earth - making clear the principals of the art of Ba Gua Zhang. This book should be on your shelf if you consider yourself a sincere student of the internal arts - no matter what your level. And you should be hoping that the authors are writing a third book to finish their explications of the internal arts - a book on Xing Yi. We owe Frank and Tina much thanks for their passion and devotion to their art.



2. Fantastic work by Frank and Tina. Many years of research and practice has made Frank Allen one of America's foremost authorities on the art of Ba Gua Zhang. He has put together a great manual for practitioners to draw inspiration from. The form details will show any Ba Gua students some of the classical Cheng style movements, and will help all Ba Gua practitioners compare and contrast the moves they have in common. The weapons form is great too, giving much needed information on the notorious Deerhorn Knives. My favorite part is the work on Taoist meditation and I Ching internal alchemy. Great stuff and very thought provoking. Thanks you guys!
   
   Sincerely,
   
   Jess O'Brien



3. This is a clearly written, basic overview of BaGua. Essentially, it's written like an introduction of the subject to the Western culture-- a useful book for those who know little about BaGuaZhang. In the first part, we are treated to a very wide overview of BaGua's history, with a number of stories-- many with mystical flavor still intact. Given that BaGua is a relatively new martial art, the authors can go into some detail in a fairly short space-- roughly 15% of this book is history. They also, I think, fairly, speculate that the reason for much of BaGua's obscurity is the relative youth of this art-- what few masters that developed subsequently saw their skills lost over generations in the many Chinese cultural revolutions that ensued.
   
   This is followed by instruction on basic concepts-- circle walking, stances, palm training, VERY rudimentary energetics. I guess I was hoping for more. For much more on biomechanics, see the books by Park Bok Nam. That being said, the instruction in this book is clearly stated.
   
   Later, we are introduced to the Old Eight Palms of Cheng Shi family BaGua as interpreted by Liu Jing Ru. Some photos of Liu doing his stuff are included. Unfortunately, most of the photos are of the authors, and unlike on the cover, in the photos inside they are wearing very loose "tradiitonal" kung fu outfits that make it very difficult to discern what they are truly doing-- even basic spinal alignment. Me, I love going to seminars where the masters come out in sweats and a T-shirt. George Xu, for example, is famous for letting you put your hands practically anywhere on his body to feel what he is doing. The text of this book, while clear, is very basic.
   
   Similarly, a basic overview of weapons, and a presentation of the Deer Horns Set (which is very similar to the empty hands set entitled "Cascading Palms" form, aka "Flexible Chain Palms" depending on your source-- which is a more advanced form in the system. Again, my same comments about clothing and content apply.
   
   Incidentally, Grandmaste Liu has his own VCDs/DVDs and books now (all but one book in Chinese--available via Internet-- I got mine in SF Chinatown), and one can see him in action. He is quite good, and gives a fairly "pure" BaGua flavor. It is sometimes hard to find this flavor-- George Xu himself, for example, will admit his forms are all blends at this stage-- and his BaGua is heavily influenced by Hsing-I and Lan Shou, among others.
   
   There is an overview of applications that is basic concepts but not really applications. Despite being familiar with BaGua applications myself, I had a hard time discerning what was really happening in the photos-- usually one or two stills for each application, and an explanation that basically said: "Thunder techniques have the quality of a shockwave..." Basically, not very helpful outside a a philosophical understanding of intention, but not the mechanics.
   
   Finally, there is a translation of the Songs of BaGua-- historically the classic means of transmitting the basic principles of BaGua from generation to generation. Again, the translation is basic-- that is, without a lot of more in-depth discussion exploring details and experiences that might help the intermediate-advanced student.
   
   This book did blend in concepts of BK Frantzis' water meditation techniques into circle walking to a more advanced levels-- concepts that I did not get even from Frantzis' two books on the subject. That alone gave me something to work on, and made this books worth it to me.
   
   In summary, a good book as a reference to sequence for these particular forms, and especially good as a basic basic introduction to the BaGua concept, but not a hard core martial artist's book.



4. "The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang" is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the Taoist martial arts. It addresses a broad spectrum of issues relating to the art of Ba Gua Zhang, thus it has much to offer both the pure beginner and the more advanced practitioner. Topics covered range from the Taoist philosophy at the core of the art to detailed information about the deerhorn knives set to the poetic yet pragmatic sayings of the art's founder. I particularly enjoyed the first 50 pages which are devoted entirely to discussing the history of Ba Gua Zhang and the colorful cast of characters who helped it evolve into what it is today. In short, I would highly recommend this book.



5. "Whirling Circles" has answered many questions I had about Ba Gua Zhang's history. I was unaware about its origins before this book. The illustrations are nicely rendered. The book is filled with many wonderful photographs displaying posture, techniques and high level practitioners. I especially liked the explanations of the classics. They are thorough, enlightening and enjoyable to read.

5 comments about The Wing Chun Compendium.

1. This is a very good reference book that breaks down the form very well. As learning martial arts from any book is hard, this is a great companion if you are taking lessons from a certified instructor. The author's insight and perspective are top notch.



2. It is simply one of the best books on the market on Wing Chun style Kung Fu.
   You cannot go wrong purchasing this book.



3. "Everything should be done as simple as possible, but not simpler"
   The book starts with this Albert Einstein phrase, and Mr Belonoha does it very well when writing his book.
   
   I am new to wing chun, I've been training since last september, and bought this book to get to know the background and philosophy of this art. It has been very helpful for learning the names of techniques, understanding the basis af a certain move or technique, where and how to employ it,
   and to get a general view of this great martial art. GREAT BOOK



4. Not the best organization. Very detailed and covers lots of information. Doesnt cover dummy form...Odd



5. Being a student for 13 yrs, it was good to find a book that covered so many topics of wing chun and his approach to it all. While I may not agree with a lot the author had to write, too much outdated info, he stayed faithful to the minimal of the art...namely a good description of the forms. The photos and explanations may help someone who forgot how to do the forms. Otherwise not much else if you never practiced wing chun.

3 comments about Iron Shirt Chi Kung.

1. Iron shirt chi kung is a must for every martial artist. The author explains in detail how to apply rooting to the ground, how to apply abdominal breathing, why is an upright positioning important and why only from a relaxed body and mind one can generate maximum power.
   Excellent book!



2. As a practitioner of old style Yang tai chi I found this book invaluable in extending my knowledge of iron shirt chi gung. Technically, tai chi can be considered a combination of medium and small circle martial chi gung, but it also includes a lot of iron shirt practices as well. Essentially a form of Taoist yoga, it is finally being discovered and is receiving the attention it deserves in the west. Whether you ascribe to the more esoteric aspects of chi theory or not, the physical and and health benefits of iron shirt chi kung are substantial and can be enjoyed by anyone willing to put some effort into it. Overall, a fine book and worth your time and money.



3. still going thru this book; takes a while to get the principles down; learn something every time i read it.

No comments about The Art of Kung Fu Panda.

5 comments about The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu: The Secrets of Kung Fu for Self-Defense, Health, and Enlightenment (Tuttle Martial Arts).

1. This book is one of my favorites! My copy is old now and the pages are underlined and bent from reading and re reading this book. The book gives one more than enough reading materiel to practice and think about! If you don't have a school near by or good teachers, Mr. Kit gives you more than enough information to begin practice. To this day, I'm fortysix years old, I practice the Shaolin eight exercises Mr. Kit explains in his book for exercise! I have also emailed him to ask him questions and he actually took time to write back and comment on what I should focus on in my practice. I enjoyed this book so much I bought all his other books!



2. I am a student of Shaolin Kung Fu and have regular classes with our Shifu. This book clarified issues I had questions about and brought up new areas of learning that Shifu hadn't covered, particularly about chi power and focusing energy. Once mentioning the topics from the book in class, we went into new and exciting areas of kung fu that were deeper and more powerful. The author is also a well known expert on Shaolin Kung Fu, so he speaks from vast experience. He strives to help the student in a clear and comprrehensive way. It's my favorite of the thirty or so books I have on Kung Fu. I would highly recommend it to other students.



3. Good book with a helpful grasp of the history of kung fu. Also has some very useful information for proper foundations and stances. I feel that you should already have a grasp of some style of kung fu to properly appreciate and understand this book



4. This book is very good. It completely explains the history and philosophy of Shaolin Kung Fu. It hits the five main aspects of why a person would practice Kung Fu and follows those five main points through out the book. After reading the book, you can understand that martial arts is not just self defence, it's also a good practice to bring the mind, body, and spirit together.



5. As a beginner with my son, this book on Shaolin Kung Fu was very informative and the diagrams were very well done. The book starts with a description of what is kung fu to the many forms and techniques of the art. I would highly recommend the book to any parent trying to introduce their child to the method of self-defense.

5 comments about The Shaolin Workout: 28 Days to Transforming Your Body and Soul the Warrior's Way.

1. This is an incredible book. Sifu Shi Yan Ming condenced every basic kung fu movement into a great book. As an experience martial artist of eight years (studying northern praying mantis kung fu)I find this book a great source for everyone who is just starting in the martial arts and for experienced martial artist who like to go back to the basics from time to time. Also, it's a very good book for everyone searching for new ways to exercise. I highly recomend this book.



2. This is an excellent book, no question. It will challenge you greatly, but will produce physical (and mental) results worth every penny spent and every second of time invested. I have been following this text-workout for nearly a year. I would say that it is only within the last three months or so that I have come to passably "master" the program. I am still growing. Yet the rewards were apparent the very first week. The maxims that accompany each exercise have become part of my mental makeup, and I am a better person because of it. Again, there is nothing "easy" about it. But, if you *study* and *train* as prescribed, you will find yourself wishing, like me, that you possessed several copies, to replace the worn and sweat-covered one that first introduced you to this amazing new world. To paraphrase a maxim found therein, "Dripping water bores a hole in the book."



3. If you met Shifu and train with him you would see how he carries himself. It is how he hopes all of us carry ourselves. He teaches us every day is Christmas. If you came from abject poverty and near death to the heights he has, how could you not be grateful for every waking moment? (he is!) That is what he encourages in this work..it is the Shaolin way..it is his way.
   
   I don't know if the exercises are Wu Shu or true Shaolin but they will get you in great condition regardless. A friend of mine who did a documentary of the Shaolin temple says he is their "missing brother" and they miss him very much.
   
   The exercises are EXACTLY what we do in class. It's hard to describe all the little secrets in each move except to say that you generate Chi from the popping action of the hip, and the speed you do them across the floor over and over again until you get them right. After you master each of the moves in this book you move on to the forms.
   
   Buy this book and try to do the moves over and over again in a line. If you just do Sai Jow about 500 times you will burn calories..trust me! Just remember to land each foot pointed and make sure your leg touches the floor "light as a feather." Or try to sit in deep horse stance making sure you push your knees out and open your chest leaning backwards working up to 30 minutes a day!



4. I've studied shaolin style for 2 years and like another review said, what he teaches you will learn the first day in class. I was really excited when i found out about the book but I expected way more from a shaolin monk. If you want to loose weight then sure, do some of his exercises over and over again for an hour and I guarentee you'll do so. But if your hoping to learn martial arts or "kung fu", don't waste your money.



5. Very good program. Inspirational. Anybody can do it. I had good results with mobility within a week at age 70.