Best 10 Taichi Books Ever Written
What are the best books on Tai Chi for beginners? Are there any books on the Tao Te Ching that make sense? And what are the best introductions to Taoism? Discover the teapotmonk's list of the best and most useful books for the 21st century student.
The best books on Tai Chi are not always those written by famous masters, nor are they those that contain lots of coloured pictures describing one form of exercise over another. Techniques are best learned in class. Books can provide so much more than simple descriptions. A good book will capture the essence of the art, speak to us in clear language by avoiding esoteric terms and jargon and explain the complicated in simple ways. Finally, it is good to find books that can relate the subject matter to the times and circumstances in which we live today. These are rare, but you’ll find examples below in each of the following sections:
The Best Tai Chi Books
The Best Books on Taoism
The Best Versions of the Tao Te Ching
The Best Books on Bruce Lee
Why these categories? I shall reveal all as you proceed down the list. But look out for the common threads that flow from one category to another. For it is this element that make each of the books a useful tool for the 21st century practitioner. Also check out the Bonus book section - newer books that have been added to the lists from suggestions. If I have missed out your favourite book, then let me know here.
the best 5 TAI CHI BOOKS
Most people start with books that tell them “How to do Tai Chi”, but I’d suggest looking for a book that explains “Why do it”. So here are 5 books that delve into the spirit of the art and may help you decide if the practice is right for you. Each book has a link to where you can purchase online.
Douglas Wile. Tai Chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions
FACTUAL 1983: The book that has inspired many a historian of Chinese Martial Arts, Wile begins by explaining that there are no real secrets (something echoed below by Lowenthal) and that much of what we swallow as accepted martial arts history is in fact just the personal accounts of individuals or schools with their own specific agenda. Excellent read and a book you will come back to again and again when presented by dogma and cob-webbed practitioners.
No link to book as Amazon have only rip-off copies. Good luck hunting down a reasonably priced version.
2. Wolfe Lowenthal. There Are No Secrets: Professor Cheng Man Ch'ing and His T'ai Chi Chuan
ANECDOTAL 1991: This book (by an ex-student of Man Ching) delves into great detail of the man who - perhaps more than any others - introduced Tai Chi to a non Chinese audience. Fascinating anecdotes, from the 60's/70's, plus insights into practice as well as juicy bites of wisdom - the most apt being the title of the book itself. Worth remembering when a teacher or school of Tai Chi mentions that it is only through them will you find the said secrets.
3. Chungliang Al Huang. Embrace Tiger Return to Mountain
PERSONAL 1973: Although this is somewhat of a 70's interpretation of the art (especially this first edition) and has some rather emblematic photos of the era, (Al reassures me that his red jump suit has gone to a good home), it is, nevertheless a breath of fresh air in comparison to all those geometric-obsessive instruction manuals that deliver little other than angles and weight percentages. Al worked alongside Alan Watts and you'll sense that influence, not only in the introduction written by Alan watts, but also in Al Huang’s words and approach to teaching. A treasure of a book.
4. Paul Read. The Manual of Bean Curd Boxing: Tai Chi and the Noble Art of Leaving Things Undone
“There’s a surfeit of wisdom and original exercises included that makes this a genuine classic of the genre.” - Mark Ellis: Craft of Combat
PERSONAL: Most books on Tai Chi contain a high percentage of no-sense, thinly disguised as "eastern" wisdom passed down in dubious secret transmissions". This book makes no claim to any such nonsense, instead it asks why we practice this art in the 21st century and what we can expect from doing so. Irreverent, in the great Chuang Tzu tradition.
5. Horwitz, Tem and Kimmelman. Tai Chi Ch'uan: The Technique of Power
INTRODUCTION: Dismissed as too general by the dogmatic Taoists, this book features on the list for several reasons: It serves as an all-round useful introduction to Tai Chi with a little history, philosophy and even photos (too many and rather meaningless to be of much help), but also attempts to relate the principles of the art to other disciplines - and in so doing - bring the practice up to date. Few books try, even fewer succeed.
Bonus book-Paul Read. The Beginners Guide to the Tai Chi Form (Paperback & COURSE)
Take a look in a book store or online and it’s so confusing where to start. Every school and every teacher presents their own version as the one true style. But with over 200 Tai Chi forms, and a plethora of styles and schools, there is no easy answer to where or how to start. My recommendation is to take a step back. That’s why when you buy this paperback, I offer the book the associated course (value £45), audio guide, PDFs and poster for all beginners.
As Craft of Combat says in their review: “It is easy to follow and accessible to readers at any stage of their Tai Chi development.”
Click the button below to see the offer details of Book and Course for just this introduction price of £12.95
DOWNLOADED THE FREE TAI CHI PDF
All you need to know about learning the Tai Chi Short Form with a history of how it developed, and moved West. And did I mention? It’s FREE!
➡︎
⬅︎
the best book VERSIONS OF THE TAO TE CHING
Reading a literal translations of Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, can often leave you even more confounded than before you began. Consequently, I have chosen these four versions that interpret his words with a real flavour and understanding for a contemporary audience, creating something of real and practical value.
*Note: For a review of the workbook and digital versions of the I Ching, see the collection of Audio Book Reviews
1: Ursula K. Le Guin. Lao Tzu Tao Te Ching
"To believe that our beliefs are permanent truths which encompass reality is a sad arrogance. To let go of that belief is to find safety.”
A very personal, libertarian interpretation. (Note: Libertarian in the anarchist tradition rather than free-market USA libertarian meaning) For all those that aren't satisfied with the esoteric versions that abound, Le Guin brings a fresh perspective, and, at last, redefines the Sage as the “wise one” pertaining to no specific gender (a small, but significant change long overdue).
2: John Lash. The Tai Chi Journey
Lash attempts - and I believe in a great many ways succeeds - to interpret the Tao Te Ching for the benefit of the Tai Chi student. It is an easy to read, that you can plunge in at almost any part and still find something thoughtful and well presented. This book is ideal if you are a student of Tai Chi and find the average Tao Te Ching a little too vague. (As many do)
NOTE: Although it's always available in digital form, it is not always easy to track down. You might have to dig around to see if you can find a second-hand paperback somewhere.
3: Ron Hogan. Getting Right with the Tao
"Stop doing stuff all the time and watch what happens".
Many of us have been waiting around for Ron Hogan's radical, contemporary and no non-sense version of the Tao Te Ching for quite some time. Hogan is a breath of fresh air in a stuffy bookshop that has not had a window open for some time. This version should be part of everyones introduction to the Tao and an essential reading book for anyone learning Tai Chi. Find out more about Getting Right with the Tao here at his book page. Want a taster in an audio and visual form offered up by the teapotmonk? Watch the mini video over here.
4: Bonus book-William Martin. The Sage's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for the Second Half of Life
"But I tell you the truth: The happy person is not the one with all the answers".
This gentle rendering of the Tao Te Ching by William Martin requires a slow and paced digestion. His words slide effortlessly off the page and into your lap with all the affection, weight and stillness of a dozing fat cat. This version will appeal to anyone from their late 30s onwards who discovers, as we slowly must all do, that releasing tightly the grip on life frees us to serve others. And this is about as close as we can get to wading into the depths of the Tao. Highly recommended.
the best BOOKS ON 21ST CENTURY TAOISM
Reading about the Chinese philosophy of Taoism is not easy. It is an elusive study that sometimes appears so vague that it can mean anything to anyone. That’s why I have picked these 4 books that approach the subject in their very own special way, leaving you with a flavour that I hope, will appeal.
1. ARTHUR WALEY. The Way and Its Power
Although this is, in part, another version of the Tao Te Ching, the first half of the book includes an excellent historical context for Taoism. Not a light read before bed, nor a gripping mystery page-turner, it is however, a useful addition to a trainee immortal's library.
2. John Blofeld. Taoism: A Quest for Immortality
This is a classic text on Taoism that sparked the interest for many people in the philosophical roots of Tai Chi (and for me, acts as the key reference text for my online Tai chi course: The Complete Tai Chi Course. Blofeld writes with simplicity, great insight and manages to avoid reducing the whole subject to simple "wishful thinking". His writing is engaging and above all, his messages come across as relevant today as at any time in the long history of this art. A more detailed audio review of this book is included in the Audio Book Review Collection
Note: Often unavailable. Many people are trying to sell copies online for a small fortune. Shop around you can still find a second-hand paperback at a reasonable price.
3. Michael Puett. The Path
Taoism applied. If none of the esoteric tomes above appeal and you'd really prefer something more, let's say...broad, you might enjoy this take on Eastern philosophy by Michael Puett, Professor of Chinese History in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University
It's accessible, full of fine examples and doesn't confine itself to the same list of suspects usually regurgitated in other books on Chinese Philosophy. Here you won't just meet Lao Tzu, you'll also find yourself in the company of Confucius and Mencius offering insights to everyday living.
4. Anthony Guilbert. Notes From the Drift
Looking for a book about Taoism that doesn’t mention the Taoism?
Like the original poetic texts on Taoism, Guilbert's prose brings together an interwoven collection of observations and reflections on travel, time, change and adaptability. Beautiful photos, beautiful words and a gentle reminder of how - as waves crashing on a shoreline - we all are drifting along the amorphous edges of life, shaping and being shaped by this profound ebb and flow.
In memory of Anthony Gilbert 2022
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
VERY DIFFERENT?
Unlike any other book on Tai Chi , the Big Illustrated Workbook encourages you to complete exercises, drills, quizzes, worksheets and games so that you learn to not just learn, but play Tai Chi in the way that it makes sense. And bundled with a Tai Chi for Health online course for free.
the best books on bruce lee
What is the link between Bruce Lee and Tai Chi? Lee is featured here because he worked towards making traditional arts relevant and widespread in the 20th century. He shares a similar story to that of the great 20th century Taichi innovator Cheng Man-ch'ing. Both men chose to teach westerners (something few others were doing at that time) but also developed new methods by fusing old disciplines into newer and more relevant practices. In Lee's case, these philosophical influences of people like Krishnamurti and Lao Tzu, taught him to be more flexible, to think beyond forms and patterns and to seek ways in which to globalise the appeal of the Chinese Arts. His life off the screen is a fascinating example of the same struggles that continue to hinder us today.
The first 3 books all look at the man behind the popular image, trying to understand his struggles both internal and external. The final book is the comic rendering of the history of the martial arts, including Lee’s impactful presence.
Charles Russo. Striking Distance: Bruce Lee and the Dawn of Martial Arts in America
A fascinating glimpse into Lee, as an immigrant arriving into San Francisco just as the martial arts emerge into the public arena during the 1960s. The reception, the difficulties and the struggles of those establishing themselves and their arts in a new land was a common theme that bound these individuals together: James Lee, Ed Parker and of course Together they prised open the door to the world of martial arts. The rest is history.
2. Matthew Polly. Bruce Lee: A Life
In this, more comprehensive and detailed biography, Polly depicts for the first time in a popular biography of Lee, the difficulties of Asian Americans to make inroads into Hollywood of the 60s and 70’s. After confronting and challenging the myopia of the traditional Chinese community, Lee then had to take on the myopia of Hollywood. Though he had proven himself as an actor, a teacher, a fighter and a man of energy and ideas, he was then faced with something he could overcome alone: the racism of the Hollywood. Polly’s book reveals the struggles, but also the passion and the dedication of the man away from the screen.
3. Bruce Lee & John Little. Bruce Lee: Letters of the Dragon
From his early days before arriving in the US, to just a few hours before his death, these letters offer a personal insight into how Lee thought and felt, his aspirations and his preoccupations. So much of Lee’s life has been handed to us through the filter of the cinema or the ad agency, but here are his words as they form in his mind, as they form ideas and projects that sadly, become worn down by the machinery of Hollywood.
BONUS BOOK: Gerald Greene & Paul Read. One Last Thing: A Time-Travellers Guide to Taoism, Martial Arts and 21st Century Thinking
This book does not easily fit into any category: Part satire, part time-travel parody, part rewriting of cultural history and the embracing of the eastern arts by the West - it is a mash-up of what we know and what only an imaginative mind could ever invent, such as when:
Bruce Lee seeks nunchaku therapy with Carl Jung - Lao Tzu discusses Wifi Problems in the 5th century BC - The highly contested origins of Tai Chi are recounted by the originator of the Yang Style. - The phrase "Be Like Water" gets copyrighted and goes to Court - or when David Carradine courageously challenges Bruce Lee (on the phone). There has never been anything like it.
