Lien Ying Kuo

Originally published berore Kuo Lien-Ying left China and then again in 1966 soon after his arrival in the United kstates, Tai-Chi Chuan in Theory and Practice has now been edited and expanded by his widow and disciple, Simmone Kuo. Her version includes new material on the philosphical origins of Tai-Chi Chuan, particularly how it relates to the I-Ching, the most ancient text of chinese wisdom. The book also provides explanations of the meaning of this ancient and elegant martial art-its name and history-the keys to understanding the Thirteen Movements, archival photographs of Lien-Ying performing the movements, and other supplement literature.

Tai-Chi Chuan in Theory and Practice is the one book Kuo Lien-Ying published in English and its photographs of him performing the sixty-four movements of the original form of Tai Chi Chuan are the only extant ones.

Kuo Lien-Ying was one of the most distinguished and revered martial artists of the twentieth century. He was born in Sanyuan City, in northern China in 1890, and began training as a boy. He went on to study, practice, and teach a great array of Chinese martial arts throughout his life. In addition to martial arts, Kuo trained in various forms of physical therapy and traditional healing, as well as major religioius traditions. He was also Congressman to the National Assembly of China. Kyo Lien-Ying's life spanned the time of great upheaval and transition between the Ching dynasty and modern China. A great master of a traditional martial art, he continued to practice and teach in San Francisco until his death in 1984.

Editor Simmone Kuo, the disciple and widow of Kuo Lien-Ying, is the master teacher of the Tai-Chi Chuan Academy, which she helped her husband to found after their immigration to San Francisco in 1966. She also teaches Tai-Chi Chuan at San Francisco State University, where she has been on the faculty of the Department of Kinesiology since 1980.

Contents

Foreword
Chapter 1 Discouirsing on tai-chi chuan
Chahpter 2 Key to understanding the thirteen (tai-chi chuan) movements
Chapter 3 Want Tsung-Yue on tai-chi chuan
Chapter 4 A mnemonic of thirteen tai-chi chuan movements
Chapter 5 The name of tai-chi chuan
Chapter 6 The names of the movements
Chapter 7 Illustration n photos of tai-chi chuan
Chapter 8 Yu Chou Chuang: Universal post
Chapter 9 I-Ching and the origins of tai-chi philosophy
Chapter 10 Supplementary literature (bibliography)
Notes… (mais)

The T'ai Chi Boxing Chronicle is a translation of the text left behind by the Orthodox Masters who developed this system of boxing. It was asembled with commentary by Kuo Lien-Ying many decades ago.

The history of this martial art indicates that during the Chou dynasty (1027 B.C.-221 B.C.) Buddhist monks spent their time only in thought, becoming lethargic. It was dedided that physical exercise should be introduced into the daily regimen of the monks. Over a period of generations, five basic movements were developed, called the Bone Marrow Washing exercises. These exercises helped the monks restore their health and willpower. During the late Chou period the I Ching was written. The monks incorporated the philosophy of the I Ching into the movements, evolving over the centuries a profound boxing system that encompasses Heaven and Earth.

As the movements were passed down from generation to generation, the meaning behind the movements of T'ai Chi was almost completely lost. Due to the intergrity of Kuo Lien-Ying, this information is presented without modification or alteration. This book contains a clear explanation of the physical laws of the art of T'ai Chi that hold true wherever it is practiced.

The person who studies the information contained in this book will have the tools to achieve the highest level of mastery and skill to be obtained through the practice of T'ai Chi Ch'uan.

Contents

Introduction The overview
The yin-yang reversal theory
The t'ai chi body
T'ai chi balance
T'ai chi stillness and action
Awareness energy
Enlightenment through action
Chapter One The creation of the t'ai chi boxing principles
The weak beats the strong
The slow beats the fast
Chapter Two The three steps of t'ai chi boxing
Step One: Investigate the body, the form, the waist, the tip of the head, the spine, and the steps
Step Two: Study moving, receiving, collecting and striking energy
Step Three: Study following, sinking, lightness, and dexterity
Chapter Three: Investigating the method of t'ai chi boxing's push hands
Step One: The push hands system of awareness energy
Step Two: The posture and force of adhere, stick, connect, and follow
Step Three: Seeking awareness energy in push hands
Chapter Four The energies of the eight gates and five steps
The energies of the eight gates clearly defined
The five steps clearly divided
The pracitce of the set andits representation of the eight gates and the five steps
Chapter Five: The sequence of learning t'ai chi boxing
Part One: The practice of the set
Part Two: The practice of drawing silk
Part Three: Learning to separate the energies
Part Four: The practice of ch'i kung
Part Five: The practice of the spirit of vitality
Part Six: Uniting the inside with the outside
Part Seven: Getting the opportunity and the position
Part Eight: Sacrificing yourself to follow the opponent
Part Nine: Knowing yourself andknowing the enemy
1 Theorder of learning t'ai chi boxing
2 The foundation of centrifugal force
3 Lightness and dexterity are revolving
4 the seventy-two essential terms of the Chinese boxing art
5 The yin-yang summary by C'hen Ch'ang Hsing
Chapter Six: Guidelines for t'ai chi application
The nine principles of the practice of t'ai chi boxing
T'ai chi boxing's drawing of silk
The nine rules of t'ai chi martial arts
The t'ai chi boxing book 'Kung Hsin Chieh'
T'ai chi boxing's chart for evalutating progress
The question of the hard and soft
T'ai chi boxing's definition and its motion
The ancient poem of the universal post… (mais)