Tai Chi Finder

Before reading this book, if anyone had asked me for a book on a tai chi form I would just have said that books are for history and principles and DVDs are for learning / revising for the form.

James Drewe has created a very attractive book on the 32-step tai chi sword form which changes all that! Clearly written and illustrated with colour photos of Simon Watson and refreshingly free of any personal bias, this book simply teaches you about the sword form and how do perform it well.

After introducing the reader to the sword, the book continues with a section describing and showing the various postures, hand positions, techniques and applications. The main section, again fully illustrated is a move-by-move explanation of the 32 sword form.

When using a book or DVD it can be difficult to understand the directions in which moves of the form take place. This book solves the problem in two ways, firstly by using the clock face (hours) to describe the direction you are facing - easier to follow than compass points - and secondly with little diagrams of footprints like a dance book so we can understand more clearly the directions and foot alignments.  

Towards the end there is a summary of all the posture names in both Chinese and English. In a nice touch James has not restricted himself to just explaining the modern form. He also gives the traditional names for the postures and discusses the traditional and modern approaches. The book finsihes with extra section called 'Beyond the Basics' which explains important aspects of moving the body - aspects such as turning and opening and closing when doing the form and discusses music and the requirements of competition.

And the negatives? Is that a sweat patch on Simon's costume in the cover illustration?

James Drewe is one of the most sucessful and well organized tai chi teachers I have met and this is reflected in the quality of the book.

Published by Jessica Kingsley (ISBN 978-1-84819-011-5) who are steadily establishing themselves as the premier publisher of quality books on Chinese martial arts.

David Radford