There Are No Secrets: Professor Cheng Man Ch'ing and His t'Ai CHI Chuan

by Wolfe Lowenthal

Book Overview

"Wolfe Lowenthal's quiet little memoir will with window-opening wisdom reinforce, I think, my view of how Cheng stood on Tai Chi. It tells how a young writer reacted to this strange Chinese man when he appeared in New York City in the mid-1960s and stayed there for a decade before returning to Taiwan to die in 1975. In a nickel town where neurosis is a cardinal virtue, the Tai Chi center established by Cheng soon became an oasis of learning. In my...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1556431120
• ISBN13: 9781556431128
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: Blue Snake Books
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.4" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

An extraordinary book!

A must-read for the serious tai chi students. What is so special about this book? This is a book written for tai chi students from a student's perspective. As the title says "There Are No Secrets", the author used plain English, instead of mystical words commonly found in other tai chi books, to write the principles of tai-chi. Please note that the book tells how to apply the tai chi principles to do the tai-chi form and push-hand. Therefore, do not expect to learn movement of each tai-chi form from the book. As a tai-chi student, I found this book is inspiring, too. According to the author, Master Cheng Man-Ch'ing once said there are three ingredients for progress in the study of tai-chi: natural talent, perseverance and correct teaching. Natural talent is the least important. A gifted student has certain obvious advantages, but the untalented need only work hard and it will come.Also, you can see or picture the human life of Master Cheng Man-Ch'ing from the book.

5 Stars! - ALL THE WAY

This book is a truely inspiriing book, based on the life and teachings of the "Master of the 5 Excellences." This book gives you an insight on the details and philosophies required to develop your tai chi or other nei jia work. A required book by my shrfu (master teacher) when I learned from him and currently for my students. Excellent! 5 Stars!

There are no secrets in this book.

Pull up your chair and sit comfortably back as Wolfe tells you of his experiences as a student of Cheng Man-Ch'Ing. That's how informal and easily read this book is. This book has lots of advice and applications for the subjects of Tai Chi Chuan, Push hands and internal energy told in an easy and relaxed manner. Students of Tai Chi Chuan and Push Hands will learn much in this book for their art and for life. Whether a "new" beginner or a "not so new" beginner this book is a must for anyone studying the subject.

Advice for all range of beginners

Tai Chi Chuan, despite the plethora of books on the subject, is still quite mysterious. Most of the books available are instructional in that they have diagrams and/or pictures of one (or more) of the forms and explanations of how to get from Point A to Point B. In There Are No Secrets, there are no such maps to a form. Instead, Wolfe Lowenthal provides the pearls of wisdom that Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing gave him. Part an insight to the influential Tai Chi Professor, part sagely advice on how to practice Tai Chi, and part one man's personal search for meaning, There Are No Secrets is composed of many short untitled chapters that relate these parts in almost wandering way. Each chapter is self-contained and brief enough to drive the point without pontificating. Lowenthal's "relaxed" style is invigorating and helps the overall flow of the book making it a joy to read. As for the Tai Chi student reading this book, it is clearly enough written that the newest practitioners will enjoy and gain insight as well as those older "beginners" struggling with the nuances of Push Hands, Applications, etc. Whether you're looking for serious insight or a more casual subject to renew your interest level in Tai Chi, I'd highly recommend purchasing this book - to read today and all of your tomorrows.

Sincere, engaging portrait of a Taichi Chuan master

Utilizing his experience as a disciple of Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing, the author draws out many aspects of the teaching and character of the great master. These stories are revealing and entertaining, illustrating the lessons of Taichi practice in a clear way. Especially enjoyable are the descriptions of push hands, internal power development, and the myriad of difficulties to be overcome through continuous practice and accomplishment.