We are often asked by students about books on T’ai Chi Ch’uan. “Do you have any recommendations for books?” they ask.
A good question.
I recall asking my teacher, Master Choy, for his recommendations on books. I was quite persistent, perhaps a bit of a pest for a while. I remember my delight when Master Choy agreed to visit a bookstore near Chinatown with me to look for books. We spent an hour in the store: I would find a book, bring it to Sifu, and he would smile and say: “Yes, yes. That’s a nice book.” It didn’t take me long to realize that every book I brought to him, he had that same response. I left the bookstore with an armload of books, much to the store clerk’s pleasure.
A few weeks later, we visited Brendan Lai’s Martial Arts Supply Company with Master Choy. Brendan Lai’s store was on Mission Street in San Francisco, and it unfortunately closed in January 2014. After the obligatory visit with Sifu Lai in the back of the store, Master Choy took me to the book section and pointed to a two volume, red-covered book set, and he said, “These are good books.” I bought the books. It was the only book recommendation I received from him.
The books were an early edition (1977) of “T’ai Chi Classics” by Waysun Liao. It was republished in 1990 and 2001 as a paperback book by Shambhala Publications. I have read this book several times, and I learn more each time I read it. I recommend this book to any T’ai Chi Ch’uan student.
One other book I recommend, also written by Master Liao: “Chi: Discovering Your Life Energy.” The book is also published by Shambhala Publications. I found that many students, particularly intermediate students, are puzzled by the concept of chi. This short book provides a clear and lucid discussion of chi that is very useful.
Not withstanding these two recommendations, I must confess that we have a five-foot bookcase overflowing with books on T’ai Chi Ch’uan and Chinese martial arts. Acquired over thirty five years, some of these books I have read, most I have not. A few of them I have used as reference material as a teacher. They certainly look nice in our practice space.
But the only T’ai Chi Ch’uan book that I read and re-read is Master Laio’s “T’ai Chi Classics.”