Master of Five Excellences

by Cheng Man-ch'ing, Mark Hennessy (Editor/Translator)

Professor Cheng Man-Ch’ing regarded a set of five disciplines—the "five excellences"—to be the mark of a well-rounded calligraphy, painting, poetry, t’ai chi, and medicine. Although he is best known for his teachings on the martial arts (in particular, his highly influential adaptation of t’ai chi), versatility was central to Cheng’s philosophy of life, and he encourage his students to combine artistry with scholarship. This inspiring book is a commentary on and working compendium of Cheng’s literary and pictorial interpretations of these subjects. Of interest to aficionados of Chinese art, culture, and history, Master of Five Excellences also offers internal techniques for practitioners of the martial arts, as Hennessy provides an insight into the rarely-glimpsed creative side of Cheng Man-Ch’ing.

Genres: Nonfiction

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 4, 1996

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting introduction to one of the latest Chinese polymaths. Some of the essays, especially on poetry and painting are impressive and denote incredible depth. Others, not so much though. I was intrigued by his, sometimes, strong opinions on certain past revered artists or professionals. It's an interesting read, especially because being such a contemporary figure, it's easy to read different perspectives on the man, debunking or even complementing the legend.

Overall it's an interesting set of essays that provide a rich perspective on the Cheng Man-Ching the scholar.

[JD Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Chinese friend gave this book to me in 2006. It would be ten years before I opened it. I was happy to find that it was such a down-to-earth text on what makes a person a fully developed individual. It may be troubling for the Western reader to read and integrate the practices into daily life as the background in Chinese culture is rather obvious in this work. What helps the most are the historical references that an educated Westerner will recognize as milestones in Chinese history.