Lost T'ai-chi Classics from the Late Ch'ing DynastyDouglas Wile translates and analyzes four collections of recently released nineteenth-century manuscripts on T'ai-chi ch'uan. These writings of Wu's older brothers Ch'eng-ch'ing and Ju-ch'ing, and his nephew Li I-yu, together with the transmissions of Yang Pan-hou, represent a significant addition to the seminal literature. The rich new texts allow us to make a fresh survey of longstanding issues in T'ai-chi history: the origins of the art; the authorship of the "classics;" the differences between Wu, Yang, and Li; and the roles of Chang San-feng, Wang Tsung-yueh, Chiang Fa, and the formerly missing link, Ch'ang Nai-chou. The original Chinese texts of the four new sets of classics have been appended for the convenience of Chinese readers and scholars. The book reconsiders the world of the Wu, Yang, and Li families of Yung-nien and reconstructs it against the background of the Opium Wars, the Taiping Rebellion, and the decline of the Manchu dynasty. New biographical sources illuminate the domestic and political lives of the Yung-nien circle and their orientation to the late imperial intellectual trends. The development of T'ai-chi ch'uan in the nineteenth century is explored in the context of China's cultural response to the challenge of the West and the role of body-centered arts in Asia during the drive for independence and the ongoing search for national identity. |
Contents
Chüan in the Nineteenth Century should appeal to practitioners | 2 |
Elite Culture | 9 |
Reexamining the Biography of Wu Yühsiang | 16 |
THE TAICHI CLASSICS | 33 |
The Writings of Wu Chengching | 41 |
The Writings of Li Iyü | 48 |
Yang Family Forty Chapters | 57 |
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NEW TEXTS | 91 |
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Common terms and phrases
Beijing biographies Body Techniques bookstall Celestial Stem Ch'ang Nai-chou Ch'en family Ch'en Village Ch'eng-ch'ing Ch'eng-ch'ing's ch'i Chang San-feng Chao-pao China Chinese Chinese martial arts Confucian County culture dynasty edited elbow-stroke elite empty Essentials of Sparring finger four hand techniques Hao Wei-chen Henan historical Hsin Hsü Chen hsüeh I-yü Internal School interpreting energy Ju-ch'ing Ju-ch'ing's Kuang-p'ing Lao tzu late Ch'ing Li I-yü Li's Long Boxing Lu-ch'an Manchu martial arts mind Ming movement nineteenth century opponent original Postscript practice principle pull-down rebellion roll-back salt Shanxi Shanxi's Treatise shih Short Preface Song of Sparring Spear Manual spirit style Sun Lu-t'ang t'ai t'ai-chi ch'üan t'ai-chi classics T'ang Hao T'ung-wen Taoist TCCK TCCYC texts theory Thirteen Postures transmission Treatise on T'ai-chi trigram Tsung-yüeh of Shanxi's Wang Tsung-yüeh Wang's writings Wu brothers Wu Chien-ch'üan Wu family Wu Yü-hsiang Wu-lin Wu-yang Wu's Wu/Li classics Wu/Li manuscript Yang Lu-ch'an yen-chiu yin and yang 打手歌 打手要言