The Philosophy of Tai Chi Chuan: Wisdom from Confucius, Lao Tzu, and Other Great Thinkers

by Freya Boedicker, Martin Boedicker

The essence of Tai Chi Chuan lies in the rich philosophy of ancient China. While most Tai Chi practitioners are aware of the value that studying Chinese philosophy can bring to their practice, it is often difficult to pick out those texts that are most relevant to Tai Chi and connected to its development. The Philosophy of Tai Chi Chuan presents, for the first time, a concise overview of the Chinese martial and spiritual philosophies that drive this ancient tradition.Authors Freya and Martin Boedicker, who teach Tai Chi throughout Europe and South Africa, present freshly translated excerpts from such popular and widely studied works as the Tao Te Ching, the I Ching, and The Art of War, as well as writings by philosophers and strategists such as Zhuangzi and Wuzi. Each chapter of this concise volume focuses on a single work or philosopher, and includes a short history of each one as well as a description of their relevance to Tai Chi. An extensive glossary of important Chinese terms rounds out the book. The Philosophy of Tai Chi Chuan offers readers a direct connection with the concepts that form the foundation of Tai Chi, inspiring a deeper understanding of the art and its applications.

Genres: Philosophy

120 pages, Hardcover

First published April 14, 2009

Reviews

[Tao Zheng · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is great as an anthology of excerpts from traditional Chinese philosophy (between 600 - 150 BC). The authors allude to the wisdom's influence on Tai Chi Chuan (the martial art), but gives no explicit explanations why. They could swap "doing Tai Chi" with "how one ought to live" or "how to learn" and the message would be no different.

[Damion · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s kind of like a school project where you give some basic facts about a subject and cite pieces of the work. It was a bit lacking for each work/scholar, and it was hard to follow the citations without any explanation or context. Not to say that the book doesn’t have anything to offer, but listing historical data about each period and then including wisdom that’s difficult to understand leaves me to believe I could’ve gained more had there been more dialogue.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting, informative and readable

[Oginni Jeremiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Confucius's teaching is the sum of human virtues, such as loyalty, trust and some other teachings are duly impacted.

[JC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad introduction to the underlying Taoist and even some Confucian philosophies that underlie the art of Taijiquan. Reading this is not the same as reading the individual books, such as the Tao Te Ching and Chuang Tzu, but as an introduction it's not bad.

The translators seemed to capture the essence of the material, though I was annoyed by their translating then putting in the Chinese word right after; for example: "the way (dao)..." After the first time, is it really necessary to throw it in every time? Also having the parenthetical word tends to throw off the flow of the text, which is often poetic.

[Dan Charnas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I CONSUMED this book in just one day, but I know that I will refer to it often. It is an excellent introduction to Chinese philosophies, providing the essence of each in terms that I was able to grasp easily. It has whetted my appetite for more knowledge.
As a new student of T'ai Chi Chuan, I was able to relate to many of the concepts that my sifu (teacher) has been discussing.
In sum, I thoroughly enjoyed the day I spent with this book, and I learned a great deal from it.

[Will Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short easy to read. A nice introduction to all things taoist as it relates to taijichuan.

[Arfi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting more rather than presenting quotes from the old masters, but it was a good read.

[Benjamin Barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautifully Written Book an Collage of Various Chinese Philosophers