T'ai Chi Proven to Be Good for Health!

 

The Guardian writes:

Traditional Chinese exercises such as tai chi can offer wide-ranging benefits for people with musculoskeletal disorders, improving physical function, pain, mental health, sleep quality and bone mineral density, according to the largest review of its kind.

More than 1.7bn people have musculoskeletal conditions worldwide. While prevalence varies by age and diagnosis, people of all ages in every country and every continent are affected.

Musculoskeletal conditions significantly limit mobility and dexterity, leading to early retirement from work, lower levels of wellbeing and reduced ability to participate in society. They are also the leading contributor to disability worldwide, with low back pain being the single leading cause of disability in 160 countries.

My first time doing tai chi: ‘It feels like my brain is solving a Rubik’s Cube’

Read more

There was already evidence indicating traditional Chinese exercises were associated with beneficial health outcomes in people with musculoskeletal disorders, but much of it was fragmented and contained inconsistencies.

The overarching review of pooled data analyses of systematic reviews by researchers at hospitals and universities in China, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, drew on 92 data syntheses from 1,744 randomised controlled clinical trials.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/aug/24/largest-review-of-its-kind-confirms-benefits-of-tai-chi-and-other-chinese-exercises?CMP=share_btn_url

Sage Principles by Cheng Man-ch'ing

 

 

Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing (Zheng Manqing, 1902-1975) was known as a “Master of Five Excellences” for his skills in poetry, calligraphy, painting, t'ai chi ch'uan (taijiquan), and Chinese medicine. He was a well-known artist in Beijing and then Shanghai in the 1920s, where he headed the department of traditional painting (guo hua) at the Shanghai Art College, and was involved with leading art societi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the 1930s, he began in-depth study of Chinese medicine, and he began studying t'ai chi with the famed Yang Chengfu. In 1949, at the fall of Republican China, he and his family moved to Taiwan, and in 1964, to New York City, where he taught t'ai chi--being one of the first masters to openly teach outside of the Chinese--and prescribed herbal remedies to students.

Sage Principles is one of his last works, translated by his long-time assistant Ed Young, assisted by Dr. Steven Cowan, a pediatrician and acupuncturist. Great River's Barbara Davis supplied an introductory biography. The book weaves together Professor Cheng's deep knowledge of Chinese philosophy, medical theory, and self-cultivation. These unique insights will be of interest to all t'ai chi students and practitioners of Chinese medicine. Sage Principles includes reproduction of Professor Cheng's original calligraphy, recollections by several patients, a lecture on health from New York, and an explanation of Chinese words used in the text.

The book is available on Amazon, and will hopefully soon be available via Redwing Books.

For a list of Professor Cheng's books, visit https://chengmanching.wordpress.com/writings/

Opera for T'ai Chi People

 Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato has taught opera master classes at Carnegie Hall for many years. In this video, you can clearly see the link to t'ai chi practice: connecting energy, breath, root and how that can be harnessed in singing.

New Book: Taijiquan Master Reference Anthology

 

  

 

Taijiquan Master Reference

Edited by Michael DeMarco

A comprehensive collection of articles from the Journal of Asian Martial Arts, in two volumes.

Volume One & Two combined: 962 pages, hardcover, $74 US

https://www.viamediapublishing.com/china 

"This is an anthology of articles relating to taijquan (tai chi) that were previously publishing over two decades in the quarterly Journal of Asian Martial Arts, noted for its high academic and aesthetic standards. Included here in 960 pages are sixty-four articles, 735 illustrations, glossaries, maps, charts, and bibliographies. Researchers can benefit from this handy anthology, particularly for the information and analyses presented, including the rich bibliographic listings. Taiji practitioners will also gain insights to benefit their own practice, be it for health and/or self-defense.

"Via Media Publishing was founded in 1992 in order to produce the peer reviewed quarterly Journal of Asian Martial Arts (1992–2012)—the first publication of its kind to focus on martial traditions in an academic format. Many of the authors were scholar–practitioners, who utilized their unique talents to present articles from various specializations, such as Asian Studies, kinesiology, history, anthropology, philosophy, and physical education. Those who were serious about this field subscribed to the journal to read articles noted for their high academic and aesthetic standards. Most were in the United States, Canada, and Europe, but also in other areas of the world. These naturally included martial art schools and individual practitioners. There was a strong base among university and public libraries too. As founder of Via Media, I’ve decided to assemble this anthology of articles relating to taijiquan. There are over three hundred million taiji practitioners worldwide, drawn to the art mainly for health maintenance and it therapeutic value. Researchers can benefit from this handy anthology, particularly for the information and analyses presented, including the rich bibliographic listings. Taiji practitioners will also gain insights to benefit their own practice, be it for health and/or self-defense. Included here are sixty-four articles, the same number of hexagrams in the Book of Changes (Yijing). In addition to 735 illustrations, there are glossaries, maps, charts, and bibliographies. Taijiquan is the term representing the general category of study, but taijiquan can be subdivided into its branches, from the original Chen Family Style to the highly popular Yang Family Style. Other lineages are presented, such as the Wu and Sun systems. The variety of material in this anthology reflects in-depth scholarly research and the experience of master practitioners. It will be a valuable source taijiquan enthusiasts for future decades. By making this book available to individuals and libraries, we hope this rare material will greatly contribute to further research in this field and inspire many to learn taijiquan with aspirations to mastery."

Volume One authors include:

Robert W. Smith, Peter Lim Tian Tek, Stephan Berwick , Tim Cartmill , Bosco Seung-Chul Baek, David Gaffney, Zhang Yun , Russ Mason , Kenneth S. Cohen , Douglas Wile , Herman P. Kauz , Stanley E. Henning , Cai Naibiao, Wong Yuen Ming, John Loupos, Jake Burroughs , Benjamin Lo , Michael Rosario Graycar, C.J. Rhoads , Leroy Clark , Asr Cordes, Linda Lehrhaupt, Nigel Sutton , Dietmar Stubenbaum, Barbara Davis, Bradford Tyrey , Marcus Brinkman, Arieh Lev Breslow, Adam Wallace, Wong Jiaxiang, Sophia Delza , Charles Holcombe , Carol M. Derrickson, Stuart Kohler, Donald D. Davis , Dennis Willmont , Donald Mainfort , Miriam O’Connor , Andy Peck, Mark Hawthorne , Yaron Seidman , Joel Stein , Xu Yizhong , Yuan Weiming , Xu Zhengmei, Danny Emerick,  Hal Mosher, S. Dale Brown  Greg Brodsky, Lawrence L. Mann , Michael A DeMarco

Volume Two: Michael DeMarco, Robert W. Smith, David Gaffney  , Benjamin Lo , Tim Cartmill , Stephan Berwick , Stanley Henning , Herman Kaus , Douglas Wile , Bosco Seung-Chul Baek    

Review: Lou Reed's The Art of the Straight Line

The Art of the Straight Line: My Tai Chi
by Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson
Faber, 2023 

 Lou Reed was the singer-songwriter of The Velvet Underground before launching a solo career that lasted from the 1970’s to the 2000’s. A Grammy-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, he influenced musicians such as David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Patti Smith. 

In addition to his artistic endeavors, Reed was a dedicated practitioner of Chen style t’ai chi. He began studying t’ai chi as he struggled to stop his drug use, which he described as ‘reckless excess.’ T’ai chi became a constant in his life. He practiced daily, whether at home or on tour and encouraged friends and acquaintances to take up t’ai chi. He studied with Ren Guangyi, a mainland Chinese master living in New York. Working with Ren, Lou Reed took t’ai chi performance art on tour in the 2000’s. He wanted to publish a t’ai chi book but struggled to get it started.

A team of friends (Scott Richman, Bob Currie, Stephan Berwick) and Laurie Anderson (his wife of 21 years) curated the book’s content and published it in 2023, ten years after his death. The book’s title page correctly describes its contents -- “A collection of Lou’ writings on t’ai chi and conversations with friends, teachers, and fellow practitioners.” While the book includes various writings, emails, and conversations with Reed, it is primarily interviews with and reminiscences of people in Reed’s circle. This included well-known fellow musicians such as Iggy Pop and Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett, as well as friends, fellow t’ai chi practitioners and teachers. Not everyone was engaged in t’ai chi, though all share stories of finding Reed practicing t’ai chi whether on his apartment rooftop or while on tour. Those with knowledge of the Rock and Roll music scene will find sections from Lou’s fellow musicians of interest.

While t’ai chi practitioners may find the discussions of t’ai chi, push-hands, practice and a visit to Chen Village interesting, it is not a ‘sink your teeth into it’ tome on t’ai chi. Rather, the audience for this book is primarily musicians, artists and others who want to discover Lou Reed, the person.

            —Cheryl Powers

 

Review: Livia Kohn's The Daode jing: A Guide

 

The Daode jing: A Guide
Livia Kohn
Oxford University Press, 2019
US$26.95 paper, also available in hardcover, ebook 

Livia Kohn, a leading researcher and translator of Daoist works, has produced a comprehensive, useful book about Laozi’s venerable Daode jing. Published by Oxford University Press, long known for its authoritative works, her book is part of their “Guides to Sacred Texts” series that covers ancient works from around the world. She is a retired professor of religion formerly at Boston University, and heads Three Pines Press, which publishes important works on Daoist traditions. She also edits the Journal of Daoist Studies.

Kohn’s volume is organized into twelve chapters that examine the Daodejing over time. In Part One, Kohn looks in detail at the Daodejing’s origins, development, concepts, and use. Part Two follows the Daodejing as it evolves into being an integral part of various sectors of Chinese society, used by religious groups, philosophers, scholars, and others. Part Three looks at the Daodejing in contemporary times, from academics to pop culture, and its translation into other languages.

Kohn helpfully explains terminology in her introduction, delineating the basic concepts of Daoism for health, philosophy, and religion, and how those delineations actually came into being. She describes the three branches as literati, organized (e.g., religious sects), and self-cultivation techniques (e.g., breathing, diet, exercise). She continues with discussion of the role of writing and how the once-new technology affected people’s thinking.

Each chapter has a short bibliography, which makes the book particularly useful for college students. A few reference items would have enhanced this volume such as a timeline of dynasties, rulers, and thinkers mentioned; a glossary and romanization conversion chart, since so many Chinese philosophy books for general readers use Wade-Giles as opposed to pinyin.

Kohn’s Daode jing has a minimum of specialist jargon, and is written in an approachable style that will make it perfect for anyone interested in Chinese philosophy, religion, medicine, arts, or martial arts. Readers of the Yijing, the Book of Changes, will find this volume helpful for better understanding the breadth of the Yi’s cultural roots. (A volume in the series on the Yijing will be out shortly.) Oxford also has published Gary DeAngelis and Warren Frisina’s Guide to Teaching the Daodejing (2008), for professors including China-related readings in courses.

Being an overview, Kohn’s Daode jing succinctly covers a wide range of materials, and, being written by one person, keeps nicely focused on its subject and audience. The book’s slick cover texture can be remedied by covering it with paper.

Highly recommended.

Maggie Newman Videos

If you've never had the privilege of studying with Maggie Newman, this two-disk video compilation will give you a good taste of what it is like. Maggie, as she's known to her students, is one of Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing's most well-known students, having taught in New York City, Philadelphia, Rochester, and Washington, D.C. for many decades. Newman, who has now retired from active teaching, had a professional background in modern dance before becoming involved with aikido, zen meditation, and then t'ai chi. Among her talents have also been performing kabuki dance and brush painting.

Newman's  students have put together a two-disk compendium of her material including demonstrations, teaching, and an extensive interview. On the first disk, "Following the Ch'i," Newman  performs the solo T'ai Chi form and the sword form. She introduces each section with her philosophy intercut with portions of an interview with Joel Sucher. The second disk, "Nourishing the Spirit," includes the full interview with Joel Sucher, rare footage of Newman teaching, highlights from her New York push hands meet, photographs and reflections from one of her many students.
 
While these disks are but a sampling of Maggie Newman's teachings, there are so many valuable insights to be gleaned that you may want to watch just a few minutes at a time before pressing "pause" to take time to contemplate her words. Highly recommended, even if you do a different style of t'ai chi.

New Media: Taiji Straight Sword Book

Chinese Swords: An Ancient Tradition and Modern Training is a collection of articles originally published in the Journal of Asian Martial Arts, and is available as an ebook through their website. The four articles cover history, training, aesthetics, and traditions: "Ancient Chinese Bronze Swords in the MacLean Collection" by Richard A. Pegg, PhD; "Chinese Sword and Brush Masters of the Tang Dynasty (618–906)" by Richard A. Pegg, PhD; "Basic Chinese Sword Training and Practice" by Tony Yang, Andy Lianto, and Robert A. Figler, PhD; "Qingping Straight Sword: The Last Remaining Chinese Sword System?" by Stephan Berwick, M.A.; Trans. C. Hsu and X.Y. Dong.

Arthritis and Exercise

Exercise is the way to deal with arthritis, experts say. "Three years ago, federal health officials recommended that people with arthritis exercise moderately every day for about 20 minutes. But that's not what's happening. A recent study at Northwestern University looked at activity among 1,000 adults, between 49 and 84 years old, who had osteoarthritis of the knee. Ninety percent of the people were not exercising, according to lead scientist Dorothy Dunlop....Even more alarming, 40 percent of men and nearly 60 percent of women were total couch potatoes, Dunlop says." Read the entire article at NPR.
Tai chi, of course, is widely practiced for arthritis.

New Books and Media

Celestial Healing: Energy, Mind and Spirit in Traditional Medicines of China, and East and Southeast Asia by Marc S. Micozzi, MD, PhD, with Kevin Ergil, MA, MS, LAc (Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Qi, and Qi Gong), Laurel S. Gabler, BA, MSc (Thai Medicine) and Kerry Palanjian, BA, MBA (Shiatsu).
  "Historically, the influence of Chinese medical traditions, thought to be revealed from divine sources, extended East to Korea and Japan and as far South as Indochina, the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian Archipelago. As the distinct medical traditions of these regions encountered the ancient medicine of mainland China, they absorbed and transformed them based on their own indigenous healing practices, and herbal and plant resources. In Celestial Healing, Dr. Marc Micozzi has made the fascinating history and ingenious practice of these ancient traditions accessible to the Western reader."

Theory and Practice of Taiji Qigong by Chris Jarmey, Lotus Publishing, 2011
"Taiji Qigong is an easy-to-learn system of energy-enhancing exercises, which coordinates movement with breathing and inner concentration. If practiced regularly, it will give you more energy, improve health and help prevent illness. Taiji Qigong is widely practiced throughout the Far East and increasingly throughout the Western world. Research indicates that Qigong relaxes the muscles and nervous system (so improving the function of the body systems) and benefits posture, balance and flexibility of joints. This book acts as an in-depth instruction manual for the practice of the 18 Stances of Taiji Qigong (Taiji Qigong Shibashi), which is widely practiced throughout the Far East and increasingly throughout the Western world. Many of the exercises are loosely based on the movements and stances of Taiji Quan. The book covers: the theory and practice of Qi and Qigong; the general principles of Qigong practice, and the 18 Movements of Taiji Qigong."

"The late Chris Jarmey MCSP DS MRSS taught shiatsu, qigong, bodywork therapy and anatomy, and founded the European Shiatsu School. He was the author of many books on anatomy and bodywork."

Tai Chi Helps Ease Fibromyalgia Pain

Tai Chi has been practiced for hundreds of years, and has been studied scientifically for several decades. Medical reserachers have clearly demonstrated tai chi's usefullness for treatment of numerous conditions: arthritis, diabetes, balance problems, fall prevention, bone density loss, high blood pressure, shingles, stress, anger management, schizophrenia, and for improvement of general well-being.

"The ancient Chinese practice of tai chi may be effective as a therapy for fibromyalgia, according to a study published on Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine.

A clinical trial at Tufts Medical Center found that after 12 weeks of tai chi, patients with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition, did significantly better in measurements of pain, fatigue, physical functioning, sleeplessness and depression than a comparable group given stretching exercises and wellness education. Tai chi patients were also more likely to sustain improvement three months later."

Read the complete New York Times article here.

Tai Chi Teachers, Beware

Have you ever received a query about classes like this one? Don't get excited, it is not a lucky break for your school. These people are scammers whose goal it is to pass bad checks and stolen credit cards. Beware!

Greetings Dear,

I'll be in the country with my friends for a one month vacation.
During our stay, we would like to book for 3 weeks classes for 1Hr
each day,Monday to Saturday (morning or Evening hours) for 6 persons.
We are asking for 1Hr per day for the 3 weeks-which is a total of 18Hrs
We would be coming over for a short Vacation and as part of our plans to keep fit during the vac.,we need
Private group training in either Karate,Taekwando/Kungfu/Ju-Jitsu/Self defense training
Do you have a training Gym/facility where you conduct the classes?
What Forms of the listed activities above do you teach best?

COMMENCEMENT DATE: 3rd May 2010-22nd May 2010
I would love to get the total cost or a quote/estimate for everything.
What are your payment options for registration? Do you accept credit cards(Kindly indicate cards accepted)?
We'll be grateful if you'll be willing to do the work to teach quality classes to us and make our visit a memorable and fun-filled one.
Please send a confirmation to this email(AS PLAIN TEXT AND NOT AS AN ATTACHMENT) so that we can know what to do.


Best Regards

The Brain-Power Workout

Tai Chi for health? You betcha: balance, relaxation, lower blood pressure, coordination...the list goes on. Now here's what one article says: "Studies have long shown that tai chi improves balance. Now research demonstrates it may also protect the area of the brain responsible for the sense of touch. In a recent Harvard study, 50- to 60-year-olds who did tai chi had a more acute sense of feeling in their fingertips, equivalent to that of people nearly half their age." The article offers a one-week "brain-power workout" to help brain function. ("The brain-power workout" India Today 9/16/09).

International Taiji Symposium a Great Success

"More than 400 Tai Chi masters, scholars and practitioners from across the world came to Vanderbilt this summer for a special symposium sponsored by the Vanderbilt Center for Integrative Health." Read the article at the Vanderbilt Medical Center's Reporter and a report by a participant at the Yang Family Bulletin Board
. Taijiquan Journal's editor Barbara Davis' findings on creating short forms for special populations was presented.

Tai Chi is "Medicine in Motion"

Around the US, people continue to discover the benefits of tai chi practice. In New York City, there's a plan to "overhaul or build new [seniors' centers], which would offer a range of activities and services, including tai chi classes and bloood pressure checks." (New York Times 8/26/09).

Meanwhile, in nearby Baltimore, the newspaper extolled tai chi in a lengthy article, calling it "medicine in motion. The story in the Baltimore Sun, for the full story that outlines research in the field from tai chi's use in arthritis, fall prevention, Parkinsons, breast cancer, and more. (8/25/09)

Random Acts of Coffee Kindness

Remember tai chi teacher Arthur Rosenfeld's "Random Act of Kindness" in diffusing an irate man's temper at a Starbucks? Read about it from Arthur's point of view on the Huffington Post.

Tai Chi 2009 Events Planned

It will be difficult to surpass the excitement of the 2008 Olympics in the tai chi world, but several major events are planned.
•The Zhang Sanfeng Festival returns with its usual eclectic mix of classes, June 4–7, 2009, in the east coast of the USA.
•Great Britain will host a variety of European-based teachersTai Chi Caledonia July 3–10, 2009 in Stirling Scotland.
•The International T'ai Chi Ch'uan Symposium will be held July 5–10, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. This event will feature the top masters of all the major lineages: Chen Zhenglei, Yang Zhenduo, Wu Wenhan, Ma Hailong, and Song Yongtian.

Duchess of Cornwall Knows Health Helpers

A recent article reports that the Duchess of Cornwall is considering taking up tai chi or pilates to help guard against the osteoporosis that runs in her family.
"The Duchess, 61, urged mature women to lead more active lifestyles at an exercise class organised by the National Osteoporosis Society (NOS), of which she is president.
The campaign to prevent the bone-wasting condition – which affects one in three women over the age of 50 – is particularly close to the Duchess's heart as it claimed the lives of her mother and grandmother. She yesterday admitted to feeling "quite naughty" about her own lack of exercise.
"I did do a bit of yoga and used to do a lot of walking before I got married but I have let things slide," she said at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, North London, after watching an instructor put a group of women through their paces at the NOS's recreation club.
"I thought I was doing enough to protect myself from osteoporosis but it seems not. I think I am going to have to make it my New Year's resolution – maybe to do some pilates or even some Tai Chi." The Telegraph 11/20/2008