Possibly a very silly and useless question

[Xue Sheng]

I was wondering about this for a while now, but how interested do you think people would be in a book or books on origins and histories of various styles of Chinese martial arts?

Not a "how to" or "training manual" but a book about researched history of certain styles and in some cases how they are related. I am aware that there are at least 3 men in China that are professors at 3 different universities that are doing this same research right now but as far as I know nothing has been translated into English.

The reason I ask is that I do an awful lot of research on this stuff….well… just cause, and I am wondering if it would be of any use or interest if I complied it into a book or 2. Or would this be for to specific an audience?

Also I am intrigued with some of the things I am finding out from Chinese translation that I get my wife to do (after much begging) from time to time. And these tend to have the mysticism removed and the facts left intact. Example the multiple origins of Taijiquan, no one is arguing for or against any origin or taking Taoist mysticism or qi magic they are honestly just trying to find the true origin.

If I were to do this it would not be for awhile because I need to learn to read Chinese and become a fluent speaker of it as well, which I am not right now. This last part is going to happen anyway, my wife deems it so and the possibility of me living there for a year is still a possibility.

Thanks
XS :asian:

 

[profesormental]

Greetings!

The wok you mention is necessary. Not only remote history, but contemporary history as well.

The knowledge passed in martial skills training methods is important.

Also it is important to know how this knowledge came about. That way present knowledge and trainng methods can be refined and improved in a fashion congruent with the development of such system.

Incongruencies due to lack of understanding bring confusion and dilution of the effectiveness of the training.

Also, as now, lots of gossip, grudges and "politics" can be present. The maneuvers are just fun to read for some... including me!

as written in the Book of Five Rings, this phenomena is not new.

I hope you do it, since it should be a very rewarding experience and a great contribution. Not many are in your position to be able to do such a work.

Sincerely,

Juan M. Mercado

 

[MSTCNC]

Sounds like a great idea to me!

As someone who plans to start training in the CMA... I know that I'd buy a copy or two!

I'm hoping to attend my first Shaolin class tonight at the same place that I attended the seminar with the current Martial Abbott of Shaolinsi... the venerable Shi De Li...

That's if time permits... as my life is so much more than hectic at the moment...

By the way... I'm right there with you on learning Mandarin. I've just started the first volume of the Rosetta Stone language program for Mandarin... and hope to progress there over the next few months.

Also, make sure to look into www.chinesepod.com... they're great! VERY helpful stuff!

And you are SO LUCKY to have a live-in tutor! I'm W-A-Y jealous!

Anyways... xie xie (thank you) for your post!

Your Brother in the arts,

Andrew

P.S. I know that wasn't exactly spelled correctly... but I don't know how to make the right characters come up...

 

[tshadowchaser]

I for one would be very interested in such books and would purchase them if they where in a price range I could afford.
I think such books are needed as refrence for anyone interested in the history of the arts

 

[Touch Of Death]

I was wondering about this for a while now, but how interested do you think people would be in a book or books on origins and histories of various styles of Chinese martial arts?

Not a "how to" or "training manual" but a book about researched history of certain styles and in some cases how they are related. I am aware that there are at least 3 men in China that are professors at 3 different universities that are doing this same research right now but as far as I know nothing has been translated into English.

The reason I ask is that I do an awful lot of research on this stuff….well… just cause, and I am wondering if it would be of any use or interest if I complied it into a book or 2. Or would this be for to specific an audience?

Also I am intrigued with some of the things I am finding out from Chinese translation that I get my wife to do (after much begging) from time to time. And these tend to have the mysticism removed and the facts left intact. Example the multiple origins of Taijiquan, no one is arguing for or against any origin or taking Taoist mysticism or qi magic they are honestly just trying to find the true origin.

If I were to do this it would not be for awhile because I need to learn to read Chinese and become a fluent speaker of it as well, which I am not right now. This last part is going to happen anyway, my wife deems it so and the possibility of me living there for a year is still a possibility.

Thanks
XS :asian:

What do you hope to gain by learning the "True" history?
Sean

 

[SFC JeffJ]

Hey Xue!

LTNS!

I'd say go for it, and if you get it done and published, remember who all encouraged you to do it (free copies would be a good way)!!!

Jeff

 

[Xue Sheng]

What do you hope to gain by learning the "True" history?
Sean

I did say that “they” were looking for the true origin of Taiji but I did not say I was looking for the “True” History of anything. I am not sure it is possible to find in many cases but it is possible to trace lineages and in some cases find the origin or the connections. I used Taiji as an example since it was one of the things I train and I have researched a bit

I do not hope to gain anything really I just enjoy researching the stuff and I like to know where the things I train come from if possible and I am wondering if others would find it interesting that is all. If they don't I will likely still do it, if they do I will likely still do it but I may publish something.

 

[Rook]

What do you hope to gain by learning the "True" history?
Sean

On my part, knowledge. Its just interesting to learn about history and that was origionally why I joined this forum.

 

[Jade Tigress]

I would be VERY interested in such a book.

 

[MA-Caver]

I was wondering about this for a while now, but how interested do you think people would be in a book or books on origins and histories of various styles of Chinese martial arts?

Not a "how to" or "training manual" but a book about researched history of certain styles and in some cases how they are related. I am aware that there are at least 3 men in China that are professors at 3 different universities that are doing this same research right now but as far as I know nothing has been translated into English.

The reason I ask is that I do an awful lot of research on this stuff….well… just cause, and I am wondering if it would be of any use or interest if I complied it into a book or 2. Or would this be for to specific an audience?

Also I am intrigued with some of the things I am finding out from Chinese translation that I get my wife to do (after much begging) from time to time. And these tend to have the mysticism removed and the facts left intact. Example the multiple origins of Taijiquan, no one is arguing for or against any origin or taking Taoist mysticism or qi magic they are honestly just trying to find the true origin.

If I were to do this it would not be for awhile because I need to learn to read Chinese and become a fluent speaker of it as well, which I am not right now. This last part is going to happen anyway, my wife deems it so and the possibility of me living there for a year is still a possibility.

Thanks
XS :asian:

When I did the interpreting (sign language) for a seminar highlighted by Master Yip Sing (Wing Chun) he gave a brief history lesson on the origins of Wing Chun... it was fascinating to say the least.
A book that outlines the history from conception to modern day CMA would indeed be fascinating reading.
There are hundreds of exchange students from mainland China who speak/read fluent Chinese (cantonese and mandrin) that you could draw upon to help you translate text, I'm sure you'd be able to find help that way to cut down on the time necessary to learn. Of course go ahead and learn the language for yourself but if you wish to get this book out sooner then what's the harm of recruiting help from those who already know the language and would probably be eager to help with the translation (and tutoring you at the same time :wink1: ). Seems to me this would help out ... wouldn't it?

All the good luck to your endeavor.

 

[Xue Sheng]

When I did the interpreting (sign language) for a seminar highlighted by Master Yip Sing (Wing Chun) he gave a brief history lesson on the origins of Wing Chun... it was fascinating to say the least.
A book that outlines the history from conception to modern day CMA would indeed be fascinating reading.
There are hundreds of exchange students from mainland China who speak/read fluent Chinese (cantonese and mandrin) that you could draw upon to help you translate text, I'm sure you'd be able to find help that way to cut down on the time necessary to learn. Of course go ahead and learn the language for yourself but if you wish to get this book out sooner then what's the harm of recruiting help from those who already know the language and would probably be eager to help with the translation (and tutoring you at the same time :wink1: ). Seems to me this would help out ... wouldn't it?

All the good luck to your endeavor.

I could do that, but my wife would beat me, she teaches Mandarin (part time) at a local college

I really need to learn the language to talk to her family and I need to learn to read Chinese if I want to do this type of research. She really does not care if I learn to read but I do and this may be a good way to get me to be, as she always tells me I should be, more diligent at learning Chinese.

Thanks

 

[pstarr]

I think it's an excellent idea! After all, there's a book that addresses old kung-fu manuals, so why not the actual histories of the various styles? If you decide to do it, let me know and I'll be happy to help.

I've had one book published (still working on my second) so I may be able to help you avoid some pitfalls and put you in touch with the right people-

 

[SFC JeffJ]

I think it's an excellent idea! After all, there's a book that addresses old kung-fu manuals, so why not the actual histories of the various styles? If you decide to do it, let me know and I'll be happy to help.

I've had one book published (still working on my second) so I may be able to help you avoid some pitfalls and put you in touch with the right people-

And a good little book it is that you have published there pstarr.

Jeff

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

As a martial arts book collector I would say go for it! I for one would
be interested greatly.

 

[pstarr]

Thanks, JeffJ! Now if I can just get more people to buy it...

 

[Jade Tigress]

Thanks, JeffJ! Now if I can just get more people to buy it...

Put a link in the ProShop for us!

 

[Xue Sheng]

Put a link in the ProShop for us!

WOW!!!, I am already selling books.... they're not mine... but that's OK

 

[Jade Tigress]

WOW!!!, I am already selling books.... they're not mine... but that's OK

LOL! See there? You're a success already.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I am about to upset some people… Sorry in advance

OK while I am learning Mandarin, Pinyin and THEN classical Chinese writing (the last one is actually more important for the research I want to do) I have come up with the first thing I will likely research and I will not make friends with it but it is the Yang family history.

To be honest and this is where I am going to upset a few people, I do not buy it. Yes I believe it comes from Chen and yes I believe the lineages they post, for the most part. I however have continue to come across this same story in reference to Yang Shao Hou that says when he died all of his students were told that they had to go and study with Yang Cheng Fu or they would be written out of the family history. And many did not go with Chengfu for various reasons, some because they had trained longer than Chengfu some because they did not like the new Yang style and other reasons as well

I know Yang Shao Hou was a much harder teacher than Chengfu; Yang Shao Hou allegedly killed one or two students in training. But he did have students outside of his sons and I can find nowhere any reference to any other students of his except for his sons, who all died young. Also there is Yang Banhou who also had students, who are not listed (one is that is all), and was Yang Shao Hou teacher. I can find no reference to any of Yang Banhou students either and I have seen the lineage changed from Yang Ban Hou teaching Yang Shao Hou to Yang Jian Hou teaching Yang Shao Hou, on the Yang family site. Surprisingly both Yang Ban Hou and Yang Shao Hou’s Tai Chi was very different from Yang Chengfu’s and Yang Jian Hou’s. Jainhou changed if first and Chengfu changed it more.

I am sorry if I offend any by this but I have tried to except the current Yang family’s history and it just is not adding up. I have tried to justify some of this as trying to regain control of the style, and maybe it is, but there are some things that are just not fitting together well.

I need to learn a lot of written Chinese before I can do this type of research justice and to be honest I would like to find I am wrong. Much of waht I need to read is in written (not simplified) Chinese But I have a place to start researching but I am not going to say where that is at this time but it will require I know a lot of written Chinese.

 

[kidswarrior]

I was wondering about this for a while now, but how interested do you think people would be in a book or books on origins and histories of various styles of Chinese martial arts?

XS :asian:

May I approach this from a personal standpoint, having written and published a couple of books (not self-published, but an independent publisher)? I would just like to encourage you to follow through with your idea and do the project. The degree of interest/number of sales can take care of themselves (publisher may do a lot of the work for you), or you can get an agent, book coach, or...well, the promotion possibilities are endless. But if you are passionate about this subject, write the book for yourself, and the 'right' people will find it. JMHO